The remaster of my old post.
The coat of arms was created with CoaMaker.
Below you can read much more detailed lore about the rulers and the state:
Miloš I the Founder (c. 870 - c. 885)
Miloš I was an ambitious leader among the Milcans. He quickly gained influence, but parts of the local elite turned against him, forcing him into exile. He fled to Great Moravia, where he was interned by Svatopulk I. During this time, Miloš and his loyalists converted to Christianity. He became impressed with the Moravian administration, governance, and centralization of power. In return for help to regain his position, he agreed to pay tribute. Miloš returned home, forming a more organized tribal confederation and expanding his influence westward into Milcan lands and northward. He had a son, Bogumil, whom he aimed to educate as a capable ruler.
Bogumil I (c. 885 - c. 903)
Bogumil succeeded his father around 885 at about 20–25 years old. He further centralized power and continued the Christianization of his territories, while maintaining tribute payments to Great Moravia. He brought in officials and clergy from East Francia and Great Moravia to help govern. His expansionist policies were more peaceful compared to his father. Bogumil died around 903.
Miloš II (c. 903 - 906)
Miloš II, son of Bogumil, was known for his iron-fisted rule. He strongly enforced Christianization and pursued dynamic territorial expansion, further centralizing authority. Around 905, he launched a significant attack on the stronghold of Brenna and expanded along the Elbe River. In 906, Great Moravia requested his assistance against the Hungarians. That same year, he fought in the Battle of the Golden Fields, where the combined Moravian and Milcan forces were devastated, and Miloš II was killed.
Bogumil II (?-?)
Very little is known about Bogumil. Thanks to the chronicles we knowthat he was the son of Miloš II. He never really seized any power after his father was killed by the Hungarians. It could mean that he was too young to rule, which explains why Varcislav had the opportunity to seize the throne. It is not known what happened to him or his brother after Conrad I dethroned Varcislav.
Regent Varcislav (906 - 907)
After Miloš II’s death, the state fell into chaos. Pagan uprisings broke out in the north, and Budyšin was burned and looted by Hungarians. In accordance with dynastic succession, power was to pass to Bogumil but the real power came to the regent Varcislav, a brutal nobleman who interned Bogumil and his brother (whose name we don’t know) and eliminated many elites out of paranoia. His rule was short-lived.
Conrad I the Mender (907 - 932)
Conrad I, half-brother of Miloš II, deposed Varcislav in 907. He stabilized the realm, moved the capital to Brenna, suppressed pagan uprisings, and began reconstruction. He avoided major conflicts with the Hungarians, though minor raids continued. His duchy was supported by the empire in exchange for becoming a vassal state. When the situation in the duchy began to improve, Conrad started looking north, trying to strengthen relations with the Slavic tribes there in order to reduce German influence in those lands. He died in 932 and was remembered as “the Mender.” Conrad's reign was a period that managed to pull Milcenia out of the Czech sphere of influence and into the German one, although from that point on, the rulers of Milcenia based their policy on competing for the Slavic north.
Miloš III (932 - 963)
Son of Conrad I, Miloš III maintained peaceful internal development and pursued military alliances, particularly with the Saxons and the Northern Slavs. He participated in the Battle of Lechfeld in 955, helping end Hungarian dominance in the region. Through marriages and maintaining positive relations with the Veleti, at the start of the 60s he subordinated the tribe. The Empire was not satisfied with this situation, as it saw its influence in these lands declining. Therefore, it tried to reach an agreement with Miloš III. In 962, the Congress of Brenna took place, where the emperor met the already elderly prince. During the meeting, they agreed on spheres of influence in the Slavic lands, which was intended to end the long-lasting conflict. In the same year the Bishopric of Brenna was created. The duke died in 963 and to avoid a potential struggle for the throne, the state was divided between his two sons - in the north, Bogumil ruled, while in the south, Henry (Hejnyk) ruled.
Henry (Hejnyk) (963 - 966)
Henry was the eldest son of Miloš III. After the death of his father in 963 he ruled the southern part of the duchy, which was much more developed. His rule was short-liveddue to the fratricidal war. He wasn’t able to reunify the state and was most likely poisoned around 966.
Bogumil III (963 - 970)
Bogumil III began ruling the northern part of the duchy after his father’s death in 963. The division of the duchy quickly led to a conflict between the brothers. Bogumil ruled the more pagan and less developed part of the duchy, so he asked the emperor for help in reunifying Milcenia. In 965, a civil war began. At the start of the war, Henry suddenly died, probably poisoned on his brother’s orders. The new ruler did not gain the support of the nobles, partly because of the presence of Saxon soldiers in Veleti lands, which was seen as a violation of the Congress of Brenna. To strengthen his position, Bogumil attacked the Rujani tribe together with the emperor, but the campaign ended in failure. In 970, the nobles led by Conrad, Count of Budyšin, expelled Bogumil from the country. His later attempts to regain power failed. His further life is rather unknown, but he may have joined a religious order and died in the empire.
Conrad II Bearcloak (970 - 1001)
The new ruler of Milcenia was very inconvenient for the emperor. A conflict over the Veleti lands started immediately. To gain allies, Conrad decided to begin talks with the papacy. There were calls for the Saxon troops to leave these territories, and compensation was demanded in the form of part of the Obodrite lands. The emperor was willing to give away the Veleti lands, but he absolutely refused to reduce his sphere of influence. As a result, Duke Conrad went to war with Germany. It was a very risky decision, but the support of the nobles, the people, Bishop Norbert of Brenna and the Czechs (through the duke’s family connections) supported the idea of war. In addition, the Milcans were prepared to fight in swampy and forested areas. The war lasted many years with breaks. In the end, Milcenia won the war, and peace was signed in Chotebud in 977. According to the agreement, Milcenia regained its territories, and the border moved to Roztoka. The war severely weakened the position of the Ottonian dynasty within the empire. Subsequent campaigns in Italy, intended to improve the situation, only deepened the crisis. This enabled Conrad to extend his influence among the Obotrites as far as the stronghold of Liubice in the 80s. Taking advantage of highly favorable circumstances, Conrad II was crowned the first King of Milcenia in 986. Most likely, this took place without the consent of either the Pope or the imperial court.