Kingdom of Poland & Lithuania

Starting Resource: 43 -- From Land: 40 -- From Trade: 3 Capital Territory: Kaunas Nation Class: Large Total Starting Military Infantry: 18 Cavalry: 4 Knights: 0 Artillery: 0 Generals: 2 Merchantmen: 0 Frigates: 0 Ships of the Line: 0

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Poland began to form into a recognizable unitary and territorial entity around the middle of the 10th century under the Piast dynasty. Poland's first historically documented ruler, Mieszko I, was baptized in 966, adopting Catholic Christianity as the country's new official religion, to which the bulk of the population converted in the course of the next century. In the 12th century Poland fragmented into several smaller states, which were later ravaged by the Mongol armies of the Golden Horde in 1241. The Black Death which affected most parts of Europe from 1347 to 1351 did not come to Poland. In 1382, Under the Jagiellon dynasty, the reunited Poland entered into a union with Lithuania through marriage. The combined state of Poland and Lithuania aggressively sought expansion across the Ukraine, waging a state of nearly non stop war with the weakening Khanate of the Golden Horde and the kingdom became the largest in Europe. Collapse and splintering of the Golden Horde came along at a good time and the Poland - Lithuanian state came into more direct conflict with the armies of the Teutonic Order, a religious militant movement that had originated in northern Germany and rapidly carved a kingdom along the shores of the Baltic. By 1483 Poland - Lithuania has turned the tide in its conflict with the Teutons and delt them a crushing defeat by recapturing the vital city of Kaunas. Poland - Lithuania while one of the largest and most powerful nations and endowed with a strong initial army, is actually in a somewhat challenging position. There is a strong chance that a conflict will be renewed with the Teutonic Order, as Polish lands now divide the Teuton state in two. The Principality of Muscovy is a new state forged from the growth of the Muscovy principality as it absorbed all the loca Russian principalities, the last and largest being the Principality of Novgorod, had risen as a potent nation to the north. The Holy Roman Empire and Ottoman Empire, both two of Europe strongest states, also border Poland - Lithuania. Wedged in between those two and Poland is the state of Hungary, and along its eastern most border still lies the old enemy of the Golden Horde. To be stable, Poland - Lithuania will need allies to secure one or two of its flanks so its can narrow its list of potential enemies down to a single front and just one or two foes. Visit the 1483 Discussion Forums to chat about Poland - Lithuania.