User:Lundgren10/Battle at Julin Bridge

Background
During the Danish civil war, Wendish raiders attacked much of central and western Denmark while in alliance with Sweyn III. After Sweyn's defeat and beheading at the Battle of Grathe Heath, his cousin Valdermar I assumed the Danish throne and the bishop Absalon repulsed a Wendish raid on Zealand. With both his lands and the lands of Denmark's allies harassed by these raids, Valdemar and Absalon joined in a new alliance. With the help of his new ally and advisor, Absalon, Valdemar I would start to reorganize the civil war-ravaged Denmark and reorganize the Danish armed force by reinventing Viking tactics that were better Optimized for fighting heavy cavalry and carrying out amphibious assaults. In the late 1160s Valdemar and Absalon conquered Rügen, and used the isle as a base to launch further raids.

Expedition
The Danish fleet began sailing deeper and deeper within the Wendish territory, and so the king and his bishop grew bold and sailed down the Oder raiding and plundering all the villages and towns they passed. They finally stopped their raiding when reaching Kammin, where they decided to return to Denmark.

Here Absalon pushed out into the open sea through the eastern gap at Dziwnow. As they turned east so did the winds, which blew water from the shoals that lie there so the ships could by no means get through. This is what the Wends under Casimir had counted on, blocking the way back for the danes with fifty ships at the Julin Bridge, the only exit for the Danes.

Battle
When the Danes arrived at Julin bridge they were met by the fleet and the army of Casimir who was recently reinforced by his brother Bogislaw. The Wends were very numerous compared to the Danes, as the coasts were said to be overcrowded with Wendish men that gave them a numerical superiority.

Here the Danish soldiers and nobles berated Absalon for his plan and were very much in despair by the size of the Wendish forces. Here Valdemar stoutly defended his old friend and said: "It ill becomes men and soldiers in an hour of need to belabour others with reproaches like a lot of women; and now I do not think that the man who has made so many good plans for us will fail to have one this time". Absalon did indeed have a plan; He wanted to smuggle all the Danish cavalry onto the shore under the leadership of Valdemar. As for the ships; all the most heavily armed and armoured men would be stationed at the seven leading vessels, so they may breakthrough at the bridge, realising how crucial it was for the men heading the seven vessels to not break since Absalon himself would be leading them at the front; all they needed now was a time to strike.

To Casimir and his men the outcome seemed inevitable, so he and his men feasted in celebration of their coming victory. However the feasting Wends were interrupted by the Danish fleet who were on the move. The Wends hastily embarked on their onto their own vessels presumably half-drunk to go and prevent a breakthrough, as the army once more assembled at the neck of the outlet, from which they shot at the Danish force's frontline. A reimagination of the Battle The Wendish projectiles did little against the fully armoured Danish frontline, in turn the Danish archers assembled behind the frontline and rained arrows upon them, which somewhat shook the Wends and distracted them sufficiently. The Wends were therefore surprised to see all the Danish cavalry crashing into their flank and routing their army, which further went on to panic the Wendish navy with their numerical superiority, became a burden as their ships crashed into each other in an attempt to flee. The Wends were either slain, scattered or hiding behind the walls of their town with their camp looted.

Aftermath
The Danes not only escaped, but dealt a heavy blow so decisive that Valdemar would not deal with any Wendish raiders for the rest of his rule and laid the groundwork for the later conquests of his sons and successors. "The Danes not only escaped the trap but carried away much honour and booty; which shows that when swords are bared, nothing is to be taken as certain until they are bloodied."