House of Viru

"We are Estonian's, one and all" - Jüri "Ühendaja"

**House of Viru** is the primary holder of the title of the High Chiefdom of Livonia. Started by a simple peasant **Jüri** who managed to unite most of the Baltics under the banner of his house

 **From humble beginnings**

The founder of the house of Viru Jüri was a simple peasant born in 1000 AD on the island of Saaremaa, his father Urmas was the local blacksmith and his mother was a peasant woman named Kaire. Jüri showed great skill as a fighter from an early age beating up other kids in the village. When he became 16 he had an obligation to join the local chiefs levy. Chief Väino had established himself an reputation as a great raider, primarily attacking attacking Latagalian holdings on the southern side of the baltic. Jüri trained hard with the other recruits and in 1017 AD they set off to raid the lands of Curonia. Jüri would spend the next 6 years raiding he quickly established himself as a capable warrior and commander soon even the Väino took notice and promote Jüri to a commander, however both his parents would died due to typhus in 1020 AD. When Jüri returned home in 1023 AD with a hefty sack of coin, his newly acquired reputation and a new title, when he found out his parents had died he fell into a depression that started to affect his job, he eventually manged to recover. Jüri now had an established spot at the High Chiefs table, his job was to train new recruits and find skilled fighters for the Chiefs personal guard. The ageing Chief Väino had no other sons, and him and Jüri had spent many years fighting together and become great friends, in 1026 AD Jüri would was named his successor. In 1027 AD Väino would die and Jüri would take his place and establish the House of Viru.

**The Realm**

Jüri was now the High Chief, he always had an idea of an unified land of estonians and now he could do it. In 1030 AD at the age of 30 he called all the men to his banner and began his great unification campaign, firstly they would defeat the tribe of Riga in battle and establish that as an foward camp on the mainland. Most of Jüris time was now spent on the mainland and he decided to give Saaremaa over to one of the most houses, House of Kask. After the battle of Riga he found all the local tribes to be easy pickings too and by 1035 had secured Kokenois, Aluksne and Valmiera. Realizing how outnumberd he was the Chief of Pärnu offered his fealty, but he did have one term that Jüri would marry his oldest daughter Merle, the offer was agreeable to the young chief. In 1036 AD the two would get married and the tribes of Pärnu and Ridla would be integrated.

**The Downfall**

The northern lords of Estonia watched Jüri's advance in the lower baltics with worry and the he had arrived at their gates they decided to band together and from the High Chiefdom of Estonia. Jüri was outraged, he had considered himself the unifier of the estonian people, he would soon lead an expedition to destroy the High Chiefdom, but the united chiefs knew he was coming. Jüri had taken huge losses over the years, more to the elements then to battles but still his army was not as big as it was in 1030 AD. The united chiefs set a trap for Jüri and his army in the dense woods of Järva, people call it the battle of Järva but it was more like a slaughter, Jüri lost his army and was lucky to get out alive.

**Rebirth**

After the battle of Järva Jüri retreated back to his holdings, thankfully non of the other tribes decided to rebel. Jüri would never in his life try to invade Estonia again, he would instead but all of his effort into fortifying his realm against outside raiders and rebuilding the army he once lost hoping his son might one day succeed where he had failed.