Absolutism attempted in 1651

Ogólny Ludwik, Captain-Gracz, Commander of all Duchy of Mieczyslaw forces was not left idle for long.

The forces of Absolutism found fertile ground in Owijać-Drewna lands and a return of Kardynalny Dobry brought the situation into action in 1651.

Dobry had come from Rome with orders to re-establish his rule, only now he was to bring with him the power and might of the Church and its ideal 'rule' as expressed in France. Absolutism found many supporters with the survivors of the 30 years war whom upon return were fetted, but now two years later had become dissolusioned with the slow progress of Duke Czeslaw ewa Jerzy, the young Duke (25) and the old Ogólny (66) were a good match for one another, for while the Ogólny had served in Bavaria and Paltinate, the Duke had worked with the Dutch and English, their combined talents made assembling the needed counter to the Kardynalny relatively easy.

What was not expected was the sheer size of the war chest Dobry had brought with him from Rome. The Papacy had determined that no further lands were to be surrendered to the forces of either Reformation or Anglican design, since he (the Pope) had learned that the new Duke had been with the heathen Dutch and English it was decided that a statement was needed to stamp out any plans that these forces against Catholic dominance may have.

Kardynalny Dobry had raised a large force of mercenaries from the Holy Imperial Lands and these men now made thier presence known, sending the veteran Duża Firma Mieczyslaw Muszkieterowie and Korona Korpus to flight before their massed arms.

A show-down was now brewing between the Imperial forces and those that could be rapidly assembled by the Duke and his Ogólny

The szlachta Diet of 1649

Baron Konrad felt that he had the upper hand with his declaration, signatures from the Owijać-Drewna szlachta and his show of force with his battalion of veterans.

Formal points of order and a number of balls were held to fete the end of the Thirty Years War. In combination they made the needed delay to keep the final declaration of a call to vote for the new Duke put off until July 1649, when the Coronet Korps was within 2 days march of their homes in Coronet.

Pułkownik Ludwik, made a grand entrance into a ball the night before the Diet was to vote on the Duke, he was formally named to the szlachta, agreed to even by Konrad whom was equally aware of the exploits of the Coronet Korps. Ludwik was to participate in the vote the next day.

Unknown to Konrad was the proximity of Coronet Korps (they were in-fact only 4 hours away!).

The other szlachta agreed that the show of force and unilateral declarations of Konrad were wrong. That a balace was needed, Pułkownik Ludwik, politely pointed out that he wanted no part of the politics, that he wished only to see prosperity return to all of Mieczyslaw. To that end he would not enter the hall in Coronet so long as a the question of the Duke remained unanswered, that he would lead the Coronet Korps into the town to provide a balance to Konrad's veterans and ensure that a peaceful transition to power was accorded to whomever the Diet selected as the new Duke.

Konrad was aghast when he heard the massed drum-beat of the Coronet Korps as they entered the town to the cheers of thier fellows! It was a morning of much excitment as the szlachta assembled in the great Hall. Konrad arrived with his escort, much less assured of his coronation that he was only weeks before.

Once the hall re-opened, it was not Konrad whom had been selected as Duke, Konrad was the fourth szlachta to leave the hall and he was to leave the town before nightfall, none would say why Konrad left so quickly, only that he was honor-bound to take that action. Few of his veterans left with him as the celebrations and balls continued all summer long.

The new Duke of Mieczyslaw Czeslaw ewa Jerzy formerly a minor noble, whom had developed ties to the English court and Hanoverian noble families during his service in the Netherlands. Being only 23 years old he was the youngest elected Duke to date. His election was yet to be confirmed by other noble houses, but the support of the szlachta that had met in Bavaria assured that Maximilian I would support the new ruler of Mieczyslaw.

Osnabrück

Pułkownik Ludwik and the Coronet Korps, were on detached duty at the Peace Conferences in Osnabrück. It took the few szlachta weeks to locate Ludwik and present their letter of introduction from Count Gerkik.

It was discovered during this time in Osnabrück, that many of the other szlachta were either in the region or very nearby, stemming from their connection to the 30 years war conclusions. While in no way could a formal Diet be called in the foreign lands of Bavaria, Elector Maxmilian I was willing to oversee an informal discussion relating to the selection of a future Duke and to confirm the expulsion of Cardinal Dobry, forbidding his return under pain of punishment to be meted out by the Bavarian ruler.

Upon the conclusion of the peace, in 1648 the Coronet Korps was released from all dutied and fetted as many were in Bavaria.

Pułkownik Ludwik had accepted his szlachta appointment and agreed to lead the Coronet Korps back to Mieczyslaw.

Ahead of the Coronet Korps columns the szlachta, less Ludwik had pressed on into the Duchy of Mieczyslaw. Their aim was both to form a Diet and to announce the pending arrival of the Coronet Korps.

Kalmar War

This struggle had begun the year before Duke Stefanik of Mieczyslaw had been elected in the 1612 szlachta Diet.

Stefanik was hard pressed to remain neutral between the great powers of Sigismund III Vasa (now also King of Sweden), MOSCOW, the remnants of the Zolotaya Orda were still active in the south, and the Habsburg Family conflict (30 Years War) placing the Duke in the impossible position of having to present some sort of support to many sides of different wars.

Mercenaries were able to satisfy the League's demands, MOSCOW was again pressured by northern enemies, and once again Mieczyslaw, stood aside as those forces mustered across their lands. The pressures to remain neutral could not be overcome as Sigismund III Vasa was able to call-up the entire Ducal armies during the expansion of the Kalmar War.

The Danes were overcome and their tenuous policy of union failed, after 1617 the wars resumed and the conquest of Livonia saw the Russians loose all access to the Baltic in 1629.

In 1630, upon return from a trip to meet with other Germanic Electors, Duke Stefanik died suddenly. The continuing foreign conflicts (30 Years War) saw that many of the szlachta nobility were away from Mieczyslaw. No Diet could be called immediately to satisfy the replacement of the Duke.



In his place Bishop Dobry of Coronet had been named Cardinal and before travelling to ROME he chose to remain in a role of 'regent' until the szlachta Diet could be formed.

Smuta

In 1582 Ivan IV died, leaving a distraught Empire.

During the power struggles over the succession, the boyar Boris Godunov became regent.

Duke Jedrek of Mieczyslaw rejected his selection and advised the other members of the Assembly of the Empire to reconsider the choice.

Duke Jedrek was sadly confirmed in his opinon of regent Boris as in 1591 the Tsar's son Demetrius was murdered.

Between 1598 and 1605 Boris Godunov became elected Tsar, Duke Jedrek of Mieczyslaw, withdrew from the Assembly of the Empire over this selection and was bullied by those in Moscow, saying that he and his lands would pay for their traitorous attitude.

Boris Godunov was de-throned by another invasion and investiture of Moscow by Polish troops; this time Duke Jedrek of Mieczyslaw was not connected to the invasion directly, but rather supported the move to oust the evil regent/Tsar by means of supplies and turning a blind eye to those young men whom did join the columns moving east across the boundaries of Ducal lands.

1609 Treaty of Vyborg. This sparked further conflicts over the Russian Throne, now also claimed by Polish interests. Duke Jedrek of Mieczyslaw attempted to keep the Duchy out of the negotiations, however his illness and death in 1611, predisposed The Duchy of Mieczyslaw to fall under the Polish influences as they held on to many lands out to Smolensk.

In 1612, the same year as an Assembly of the Empire selected Michael as the new Tsar, Baron Stefanik was named as the new Duke of Mieczyslaw by the szlachta Diet of Mieczyslaw. This was confirmed in Warsaw by Sigismund III Vasa and accepted by The League of Augsburg and MOSCOW.

Zemshtshina

Ivan IV ascended to the throne in 1547, the realm including parts of The Duchy of Mieczyslaw descended into anarchy in in 1565 with a partition of the Empire into territories controlled by the Tsar and of the Boyars.

The Boyars power was broken by dispossesion, deportations and the redistribution of land to the Dvoryane (a new class of warriors), the entire Empire was thus exposed to awesome terror : liquidations, elimination of whole cities (1570 Novgorod), decline of agriculture, mass flight of peasants despite a decree tying them to the soil.

The Count of Mieczyslaw, appealed to ROME, without response. His reaction was to organize with many lands west of Mieczyslaw and join in a force that was to reach the Kremlin (castle) of Ivan IV in Moscow.

In 1571 Moscow was seized and burned, though no Mieczyslaw men were involved, having been dispatched to supply duties weeks before the final investiture of the city.

A Diet of the szlachta was called again in 1580, no new Count was named, but the position was elevated to Ducal status with letters from the Holy Roman Emperor.

The first Duke of Mieczyslaw, was the former Count: Jedrek.

Joining of Russian Lands

Ivan III the Great laid claim to parts of the territory of The Duchy of Mieczyslaw, however he was unable to enforce the claims, as he was still forcing back the Khanates to the south of Muscovy.

In these actions men were needed, and with the declaration of Moscow as the 3rd ROME, many of the ancient family houses of Mieczyslaw felt threatened that their claims and titles would be superceeded by this contender to ROME.

Delegations were sent to both ROME and Moscow, with the intent to prove the rightful claims over the lands and establish the overlordship, before either Moscow pushed new claims against them or the Teutonic Knights declared their desire to control them.

In 1502 the Muscovy attacked Livonia and the push for recognition from ROME was made again, this time the ancient documents were accepted and a new Bishop of Mieczyslaw was named. With this declaration the szlachta (knights) attempted to hold a Diet (Parliament).

Their attmpts to organize a Diet were not successful until 1534, where after Ivan III had died and Ivan IV, while still a child and the Russian hold over the szlachta had become disorganized, had not decreed any actions to be taken in regards to Mieczyslaw.

A Count was finally decided upon and recognized in both Moscow and Rome.

The Reformation

With the reform Papacy and the dictatus Papae extending the proclamation of the Pax Dei many, seeking to escape the expanding horrors of The Investiture Struggle fled to the north and east, out of the Holy Roman Empire and beyond (they thought) the arm of the Church.

With the loosening of the dependence on the Emperor leading to the disappearance of the Ottonian Imperial Church, the Bishops were transformed from Imperial Officials into Imperial Vassals, leading to greater strength to the Princes of Northern Italy and Central Europe.

To the east, Archbishop Henry Kietlicz of Gnesen assured ecclesiastical liberty through canonical election of Bishops in most Duchies.

It was here in the east, that The Duchy of Mieczyslaw obtained its first charter in 1207 AD.

Named for the principal city Mieczyslaw, which in turn was named for the first 'Hetman' family Mieczyslaw.