History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 370. Episode 317, the Baltic Crusades, the Lithuanian Conflict Part 22, The Great Conference of 1427.

Hello again.

Last week we saw Hostilities Breakout once again in the Baltic region on two fronts. The first involved an attack

on the Hussites by the combined Imperial and Teutonic Order Forces, which ended up being successfully repelled by the Hussites and their surprise military commander, a Lithuanian man called Coributas, who also happened to be your Gila's nephew.

The second round of hostilities occurred when the combined Polish and Lithuanian forces invaded Prussia, a move which resulted in a negotiated peace settlement which took place at Lake Melmo.

The peace of Lake Melmo. The piece of Lake Melmo, as it later became known, was a spectacular victory for Kinga Gila of Poland, who managed to manipulate the negotiations to secure the outcome he desired,

while also managing to convince the other stakeholders in the process, Emperor Sigismund, Grand Master Paul of

Ruzdorf and Grand Duke Vitortis of Lithuania that they were leaving the negotiations as winners and not as victims of some pretty impressive

back-dealing and diplomatic slights of hand by the King of Poland.

Despite every delegate feeling that they had left Lake Melmo as a winner,

every delegate was also left with the not so happy realization that the

kingdom of Poland was beginning to dominate the political scene. This shift in the power politics of the region ended up

having some interesting consequences. You might remember that King Agile had recently remarried. His new wife Sophia may well

end up producing the son which Agile desperately needed to fix his succession problems.

You may also remember that at this point in time, Yagila's only living child is his attractive, smart, apple of her father's eye daughter, Yardviga.

Yardviga had recently been betrothed to an 8 year old German prince, Friedrich the second of Hoensollen.

Young Friedrich was to spend the rest of his childhood in Poland, learning the Polish language

and Polish ways, so that should he become the next king of Poland, he would have some idea about what he was doing.

The thought of this German prince, possibly inheriting Lithuania along with Poland was giving Grand Duke V Tortoise all sorts

of nightmares. Of course, if Yagila's new young wife Sophia bore him sons, then Prince Friedrich wouldn't become the next

King of Poland, but the whole succession issue is making V.ortis rather worried. Of course this whole issue is in the spotlight because Yagila and Vitortis are currently aged in their 70s and Yagila is Vytortis's heir.

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