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Background[]
The War for the North was preceded by attacks from viking people from Scandinavia. The Romans initially believed that the Scandinavians were attempting to start a settlement on Britannia; Britannia being the only province they were attacking. However, the Vikings left with riches and weapons which they took back to their Kingdom in what is OTL small parts of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Here the Scandinavians began translating the latin texts into their native languages, mostly through the use of people captured in raids on the border Rome had with the Scnadinavians on the Albis (Elbe) River. Thereafter the Scandinavians began to increase their strength after many mineral reserves were found in their territory. The Scandinavians has started out a small people but began to incorporate many neighbor tribes into their empire, usually for slave labor in mines. As these minerals began to be turned into weapons the Scandinavians planned to attack the Roman Empire.
At this same time, Emperor Jacobus was assuring the growth of new naval bases in cities in Britannia which had been attacked by the Vikings. The largest of these was in Eboracum (York). The Scandinavian leadership elected a King to their military who eventually led them to control most of the Mare Suebicum (Baltic Sea). King Aethelfred of Scandinavia was native to OTL Denmark but his ruthless tactics and terrorism of the populace of that region made him feared and powerful. His army only moved into Rome after his death in 999 (246 AD) and under the leadership of his son King Aethelgrif who began invasion in 1013 (260 AD) after securing a hold on the Mare Suebicum.
Initial Invasions[]
The Rinus (Rhine), Sequana (Seine), Liger (Loire), Thamus (Thames) and the Uso (Ouse) rivers were all initiall hit. The boats and tactics of the Scandinavians had always relied upon their ability to navigate the many rivers in Europe. Their landing ability from these ships also allowed them to take on, initially, several important cities on these rivers. Emperor Jacobus set sail with armies from the Mediterranean and around Western Europe to assist the garrisons in the effected areas. Western Europe had recently become a very profitable and prosperous part of the Empire and it was paramount that it not be torn apart. The cities of Londinium (London), Lutetia (Paris), Colonia Agrippina (Cologne), Utraiectrum (Utrecht), Eboracum (York) and their neighbors were all coming under attack from the Vikings. Some of them even landed in what is now Northern Spain; though these were the first to be driven into the sea.
Aquitania Campaign[]
Londinium and Eboracum were able to support each other fairly well and overall they suffered the least damage. This was undoubtedly due to their preparations after the earlier Viking raids. Emperor Jacobus sent troops outwards once he approached the center of the Mare Cantabrorum (Bay of Biscay). From here troops sailed up the Loire river where they were met with a very poorly trained and spoiled group of garrisons which had been neglected by the Empire. Many of them were unprepared for such an invasion because their leaders and themselves had decided to focus on the pleasures of the city rather than prepare for war as soldiers. The better trained men either forced these soldiers into better formations or they were killed alongside the invaders. the cruelty was described in grave detail but in all the documentation about it they end with praise for Jacobus in his expulsion of the vikings. One record asks about the terrible decision which these trained and adapted Generals to kill their own men and replies, "What would we have thought of them if they had chosen differently. We would all be Viking subjects and as barabaric as they."
Similar stories came from Lutetia though not nearly as cruel. Many of these men just happened to be young and were able to follow directions once suitable leaders came in to replace the decadent ones who had been there for so long. Aquitania was secured and these soldiers began moving into Germania or back into the sea to reinforce the Emperor.
Germanic Campaign[]
Germania was a more difficult and bloody matter. The Vikings were very serious about Germania and believed that the loss of this area was an injustice that they were righting now. Germania was much closer to the Scandinavians also and this too made it the focus of the early part of this war. Emperor Jacobus had trouble fighting the Scandinavians here, he began to wish he had not sent as many troops into Aquitania. However he was able to hold the lines here in a stalemate for nearly a month. This stalemate continued until in around the winter of early 1014 (261 AD) the Britannian troops began to come in for reinforcements. They also arrived with news of victory over the Vikings which greatly encouraged the morale of the Roman troops. It similarly depressed that of the Scandinavians and the Germanic campaign began to prove successful for the Romans as well. Many troops believed that this would be the end of the War but Jacobus continued to press into Scandinavian lands.
The Battle of Jacobienensis[]
The Scandinavians began to retreat to the capital city of their Kingdom. The King himself led the retreat and
Highlighted here are the lands in Northern Europe gained by Rome at the end of the Second War for the North.
believed that the Romans would not be so imprudent as to follow him. Scandinavia, though they knew that they lost, also didn't believe that the Romans were in a very good position. Jacobus believed otherwise. Troops from Aquitania were coming up behind Jacobus after they had driven out the Vikings from there. The Germanians would not refuse their orders but remained skeptical up until they arrived in the frigid areas of what we call the island of Zealand. Land troops crossed the Elbe for the first time and began to pin down troops in Jutland and the Emperor and the main fleet moved into the capital of Scandinavia in what is OTL Copenhagen. The Romans were victorious, enormously so, and surrender from the Scandinavians was coming in from all parts of the former Scandinavian lands. The Emperor would move in to establish military outposts and other necessary tasks.
Aftermath[]
In return for the faith and confidence of generals who followed him into the Scandinavian Kingdom, Jacobus gave out Governorships of the new Provinces. In addition to the lands of the Mare Suebicum (Baltic Sea) the Romans closed any gap between their old borders and moved into ares North of the Ister (Danube) River. In combination with this the Romans learned of an island, which they named Islia after the daughter of Jacobus. This was the island of Islia and it was on the outskirts of the Empire. In punishment for one general's arrogance and defiant questioning, he was made the first Governor of Islia. Despite the Emperor, Governor Marcus Euphemius Trimalchio brought many new immigrants into that island from parts of Germania and Aurelia chiefly.
Emperor Jacobus was deified not only for the expansion and conquests he made but also for the peace he renewed for the Roman people. The rowdier tribes on the Danube that heard of the brutality of the War for the North were scared into obedience. The Empire was now unchallenged in that region and many of the extractors of Rome were discouraged from attempting to pursue independence at this time. However, the conditions of the Empire would only favor the established powers. In response to this the lower classes would lead themselves or be led into revolutions against the powerful and in assertion of their rights. This would happen soon in Aquitania and then later in the Second War for the North, both of which have traces back to this war.
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