17th century

[SwordsMaster]

Ah, well, if the HRE must be absorbed into Spain... More power to the immortal Habsburg family!

[SwordsMaster]

Cleaned up my PMs and awaiting the next chapter eagerly.

PS. On second thought, I should've just edited my previous post... Ah well

[Rodion Romanovich]

Where is the Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire?!!! ~:(

Has anybody heard anything from Bopa recently? It would really suck to replace the Kaiser at this stage! But I'm afraid bad times call for drastic measures! Maybe give it a few days more, then Csar/Ichigo, who is next in line, or someone else, will have to replace Bopa!

[Vladimir]

Count me out. I'd end up selling off the rest of the "Empire" to the highest bidder and retire to Italy.

[Rodion Romanovich]

I'll PM Ichigo. If nobody wants to be the HRE I'll have to take over the Kaiser's role myself!

[Kagemusha]

Bopa hasnt been online for few days.I wouldnt replace him yet.Knowing he is one of the most enthusiastic players.I think that we should wait little more.We have waited for long already so i think we could wait little more time.

[Rodion Romanovich]

I agree, I really don't want to replace him if it isn't necessary! But there has been a long time of waiting... Some of you want to get started ASAP, some want to wait longer for Bopa to return. I don't know what to do, other than perhaps call a vote or something, or ruthlessly impose my own will (which is option 2 below)... I can think of the following possible actions now:
1. wait for Bopa until some deadline. If he doesn't show up then, get a new player for HRE, and go on to next chapter rather quickly
2. go to next chapter right away, with me playing HRE this turn, then next turn Bopa comes back as HRE again, or if he's gone, someone else takes over
3. wait until Bopa comes no matter how long it takes (well, maybe not if it takes 2 months)

Which do you prefer?

[Csargo]

Ill take the HRE

[Kagemusha]

Il vote for option 2.Im sure that you know his operational plans well enough to play for this turn.Maybe we could cover it up for example Kaiser getting sick and other noble reigning instead of him for the turn.~;)

[Warluster]

I say option 2

[Randarkmaan]

I say 2

[IrishArmenian]

Option 2 for me.

[Ignoramus]

Opition 2 seems to be the go. It's been ages since the last chapter; I can'r wait to read this one.

[Incongruous]

Gah! I'm back! I was on a small holiday to our batch! OHHHNOOOOOOOSSSS.....!:smash:
Sending my decision now!

[Rodion Romanovich]

Looks like Bopa is back, and I received his turn decisions... Ichigo, if you want to play as another faction I could maybe make an exception against my previous rule of not increasing the number of players.

[Kagemusha]

Gah! I'm back! I was on a small holiday to our batch! OHHHNOOOOOOOSSSS.....!:smash:
Sending my decision now!

Great Bopa!Now the chapter pleasee!:2thumbsup:

[SwordsMaster]

Great Bopa!Now the chapter pleasee!:2thumbsup:

Amen:yes:

[Rodion Romanovich]

CHAPTER 12 - it is now: August 1st, 1614 AD
...your decisions will affect what happens between August 1st, 1614 AD and March 1st, 1615 AD

In Transylvania, Bathory receives anonymous aid from a Catholic country in the form of 10,000 mercenary reinforcements, and also Polish troops are sent to the aid of Bathory's army, along with further reinforcements from the Kaiser. Bethlen however receives 25,000 reinforcements from his Ottomans allies, which gives his army a clear upper hand. In May, Bathory tries to improve the odds by attacking the Ottoman camp by surprise to be able to rout them before Bethlen's forces can manage to join the battle. The attack is initially successful and takes his opponents completely by surprise, causing a rout among the Ottoman forces. Despite this, he is unable to inflict crucial defeat upon them and Ottoman losses amount to less than 2,000 men before they manage to rally only hours after the battle. For the remainder of the season, Bathory is in constant retreat until the campaign culminates in another battle in June, where Bathory's forces are utterly and crucially defeated. Bethlen has suffered a total of 5,000 losses and the Ottoman forces have lost 6,000 during this season's campaign. Bathory in return loses over 9,000 men only in this battle and the ensuing rout. Of the Polish assistance, 500 cavalry has been lost and the remainder has retreated to the Commonwealth. Of the Kaiser's troops, only 3,000 have returned home, the remainder having either deserted or been killed. Much of the 10,000 man large mercenary force has also been killed, the entire remainder deserting or joining Bethlen. Bathory is captured before the end of June, and Bethlen proclaims himself Prince of Transylvania.

In the Holy Roman Empire, Dutch operations continue virtually unopposed by Imperial or Catholic League forces. Early in the spring, they release the water from enbankments of Rhine that they have contructed upstreams of Cologne. Parts of the city is flooded, much of the defenders' gunpowder is soaked, and the already damaged defenses are shattered. The Dutch assault begins a few hours later, facing light and demoralized opposition, however the defenders have managed to move a few dry cannons to cover the breaches and manage to inflict some 100 casualties to the attacking infantry before the battle ends. The city is garrisoned by a small Dutch force while the remaining troops quickly move on, contacting Munster with emissaries to demand their surrender, while other Dutch forces march to the Brandenburg-held Jülich fortress, officially offering to help Brandenburg garrison it. The 20 man large Brandenburg garrison accepts their offer. While there is still no contact with the Kaiser's forces, the Dutch begin to scout deeper into the Empire and make contact with French and Danish positions to get a good overview of the situation. By April, they confirm that Wallenstein seems to have had no other reserves than a few thousand more than the 6,000 men previously spotted, which explains his so far defensive strategy. However soon they start to receive rumors of major troop movements to the south, followed by rumors that a major battle has been fought between French and Imperial forces.

Meanwhile, the Danish troops together with Brandenburg have also continued their operations virtually unopposed. In April, Danish troops together with Brandenburg quickly retake the town of Brandenburg from Imperial forces, and put Berlin under siege. Danish and Brandenburg artillery severely damages the defenses, that have not yet been properly repaired since Tilly's previous siege and later defense of the city. The Danish army consists of 15,000 men, mostly mercenaries, supporting Brandenburg's approximately 10,000 men with allies from the Protestant North, homegrown forces, and mercenaries, while the garrison of Berlin consists of 2,000 men - much fewer than the force with which Tilly desperately held on to the city previously - but despite this, and the fact that the supply level is getting critical for the defenders, the Brandenburg-Danish army is unable to break through in their first assault in late April.

In late March, French scouts from the French 1st Army report major troop movements to the south. Wallenstein seems to be pulling back even further. Indeed, it seems the previous reconnaissance was correct - he had no more than 8,000 men while he was still operating against the French forces. This explains why so far, the French haven't had to fight anything but occasional raiding parties and the garrisons of the individual cities. Since the first phase of the war, French forces have strengthened their supply by additional forces, reinforced their armies, and moved some of the most crucial supply lines out of Wallenstein's reach to grant a secure advance, with no other losses than minor events of desertion - which seem to have decreased now, disease - which has been kept in check, and the losses during assaults - which also seem to have decreased lately because with the lack of support from any larger Imperial field army, the individual cities have started to surrender more quickly. Trier surrenders before any of the planned French assaults begin, but by orders from above the French commander carries out systematic pillaging of everything of any worth, then destroys the town, executes the garrison and drives the population to Mainz. The army then continues to Mainz, which immediately surrenders on the condition that they pay a large sum of money to the French forces. With the worries of Wallenstein out of the way, the morale of the French troops has started to increase. By May, the 1st army quickly moves on to Ansbach, which surrenders immediately, and then on to Nürnberg. However Nürnberg doesn't surrender and is put under siege, as Catholic League forces have managed to capture and execute some Protestant citizens who were planning to open the gates for the French forces. The French 1st Army prepares for siege of the city, while a French 3rd army is formed by among other things the siege force from Trier and much of the French garrisons in Luxembourg and Franche Comte. Seeing how their objectives have already been completed before their arrival, the 3rd Army joins the advance of the 1st Army.

To the south, the French 2nd Army continues it advance and reaches Ulm, which immediately surrenders to the French forces, then in the direction of Augsburg. However before they reach the city the recon units start to bring back reports of nearby Imperial troops. The recon units initially report only some 15,000 Imperial troops, and the army by its orders abandon the plans for siege in favor of engagement of the arriving army. But not long afterwards, there are reports of an additional 15,000 Imperial forces, and the southern army halts its advance to Augsburg and prepare to turn around and retreat towards the combined 1st and 3rd armies which together number almost 39,000 men. Patrols quickly take up contact with the 1st and 3rd armies, but before they can arrive close enough, the 20,000 man strong 2nd army is intercepted near Donauwörth by a force of Imperial and Catholic League forces totalling over 32,000 men. While the French are outnumbered and partly taken by surprise, they put up a good fight against the opposing force, which seems to be a desperate collection of everything available - including not only professionals but also many mercenaries and even levies, combining both the forces of Wallenstein and those of Tilly. The Imperial force keeps the French force locked in a position close to the river while using artillery to provoke the French into attacking their position, however the French forces stay disciplined and in position while moving their slightly superior set of artillery pieces into action. By the time they all come in action, the Imperial troops have however already begun advancing on the thinned out French lines. The huge difference in numbers determine the battle, but the French well-trained troops and artillery make it an expensive victory for the Imperial and Catholic League force. 5,000 French infantry and 1,000 cavalry are lost, with much of the French artillery being left behind in the rout. In return, however, the Imperial forces lose 3,000 infantry and almost 500 cavalry. The surviving French troops retreat towards Ulm and the well-fortified French position and supply center there, an important camp supplied by transport ships sailing on the Danube. Despite his victory, the Kaiser is pressured hard by the loss of so many men. The late arrival of the forces to help the many besieged cities has already led to starved out or defeated garrisons, and led many other cities to give up hope and surrender even without a fight. The French 1st and 3rd armies have nearly cut off and severely threatened the path north, and this, as well as loud protests from the Catholic League - who threaten to withdraw their part of the 32,000 man strong army - forces the Kaiser to cancel his plans for renewed operations towards Brandenburg. Meanwhile, the French Northern Force (1st and 3rd Armies), having now better assessed the strength of the Kaiser's remaining force to without doubt less than 32,000 men (reinforced by survivors from Transylvania) and located his camp at Augsburg execute their secondary orders - to seek and engage the Kaiser's troops. They quickly lift the siege of Nürnberg and advance towards river crossings near Donauwörth, only to find that the Kaiser's troops have retreated east, giving up his pursuit of the French 2nd army and attempt to recapture Ulm in the fear of converging French attacks on his position. In late May, the French Northern Force halt their pursuit just south on the Danube to reinforce with 5,000 men from the base in Ulm, where the defeated French force have, since the battle of Donauwörth, tried to secure Ulm and the supply while carrying out occasional counter-offensive raids to keep the Kaiser's forces back. By mid-July, both the French Northern Force (most of 1st and 3rd armies with 5,000 men from the survivors of the 2nd army) and the Kaiser's army have set up their camps near the Regensburg - the Kaiser with what seems to be 32,000 men, and the French with what seems to be 44,000 men.

Upon receiving the news of Bathory's defeat in Transylvania, and the Kaiser's pressured situation to the south, the morale of the Brandenburg, Dutch and Danish troops increases dramatically and they continue their operations with renewed energy. Dutch forces arrive at Munster, which requests terms for surrender, suggesting the terms of no pillage and no tribute. The Imperial forces in Berlin eventually surrender to the forces of Brandenburg and Denmark and the prisoners are divided between Brandenburg and Danish forces.

Meanwhile in Russia, the Wladyslaw-loyal Duma protests against the Polish raids to scorch the eart east of Moscow and west of Nizny Novograd. The Polish raids end in early spring, unclear if the action was caused by the protests. As a result of the raids, territory belonging to some of the boyars have been severely damaged and led to the change of sides among some of the boyars, though the majority have kept their previous loyalties. Poland also makes official that their involvement in Russia is ended, and that Russia is now in the hands of Wladyslaw. Not entirely pleased with being left with less than 3,000 men to help defeat the huge rebellion in Nizny Novograd, the boyars protest loudly but are calmed down by Wladyslaw's promises of assembling an army - possibly in part consisting of Polish troops - to defeat Vassili. However southwest of Moscow there is further unrest caused by brigands and partisans who have been able to operate almost freely due to the chaos and the war. About 2,500 Polish troops have remained under Wladyslaw's control for the time being, garrisoning Moscow together with about 1,000 Russian mercenaries hired by the boyars. Vassili's forces are however believed to have been increased to over 25,000 troops. The majority are peasants and untrained militia, but there are also mercenaries in the army, including 1,000 hired by Swedish money. During the spring and summer, Vassili's troops don't attempt to advance to Moscow over the scorched lands, but instead reoccupy several cities in the northwest, however they are prevented from entering Novgorod. During the previous winter, Russian militias fought the Polish raids east of Moscow and suffered uncountable dead and injured, while killing and capturing less than 30 Polish troops. Now that the Polish raids have ended, many have joined Vassili's army, being part of the now over 25,000 men in total under his command. Wladyslaw is further assailed by smaller riots in Moscow, but they are however quickly scattered by Wladyslaw's garrison.

The same year, the war between the Polish King and the Duke of Prussia ends with the signing of a ceasefire containing mutual guarantees for peace for the coming 4 years. Having now politically eliminated both the front in Brandenburg and the one in Russia (at least in a short term perspective), the Polish king can now concentrate fully on the Swedish army near Riga. However the Swedish forces with their large supply of modern guns, as well as several ships pounding the defenses, are capable of capturing the city by assault before the Polish main army arrives, delayed by drawn out negotiations with Brandenburg. The Swedish force has about 18,000 men left after the assault on Riga, while the Polish army has around 14,000 hussaria, 500 lighter cavalry and 6,000 infantry, for a total of 20,500 men - an army the Swedish could under no circumstances defeat. The Polish force puts the city of Riga under siege while bombarding it with their heavier cannons, however the city would be difficult to recapture since the Swedish ships are supplying the forces and preventing starvation, and a garrison of 18,000 men would be suicide to assault. In return, the Swedish are unable to move any further from the city, because of the Polish superior forces outside the city. In May, 6 Swedish warships attack the Polish fleet in port to further secure the Swedish capability of navally supplying Riga. While 2 Swedish warships are heavily damaged by batteries in the process, they manage to sink 1 of the 2 Polish old warships, and lightly damage the other, before the undamaged ships return to Riga and the others temporarily return home for repairs. In July however, 3,500 Polish troops return from Transylvania and arrive at Riga, where they reinforce the Polish army which now amounts to 24,000 men. While the Polish force is large, it has come at the cost of thinning out garrisons all over the Commonwealth, resulting in unrest in some parts. There are reports that disbanded mercenaries who formerly served in the Polish and Swedish armies are now raiding and pillaging in the Lithuanian countryside in the absense of any significant Polish garrisons. They are met only by improvised local militias.

In West Africa, Spanish forces land in the Danish colony and demand the garrison to surrender or face a landing from Spanish forces. The Danish land garrison puts up a fight and surrenders only after 50 Spanish and 10 Danish casualties. In the mess, a few merchants are also caught in the crossfire and are killed as well - the nationalities of the dead merchants not known yet. 50 surviving Danish troops are taken prisoner along with several merchants of both Danish, Dutch and French origin. 1 Danish merchant ship in the harbor is taken over by Spanish forces and escorted north through Spanish water to return the Danish merchants home. The action would thereby seem to have ended, but when 2 Danish warships returning from India pass the colony, they interpret the replacement of the Danish flag with a Spanish as a declaration of war, and open fire on a Spanish galleon outside Gibraltar Straits. The galleon is sunk but Spanish merchant ships alert the Spanish warships in port, who quickly intercept the 2 Danish warships, force them to surrender, and escort them to port in Lisboa. Meanwhile, Spanish representatives declare the attack on the Danish base as a raid against an illegal pirate base, and refuse accusation of declaration of war on Denmark. Danish authorities demand an explanation, and the release of the captured warships, troops and merchants, as well as compensation for the dead and the loss of the Danish trade base.

In England, the population of Cork accepts to becomes a protectorate of Spain and signs a ceasefire with the English King. In Portugal, the revolt has faded out and the situation is stabilizing, with only smaller skirmishes between rebels and Spanish troops during the summer, but there still seems to be a need for a quite large garrison in the area. This year, Spain also invites famous artists and sculptors to Madrid, announcing a program to fill the city with art. With the end of the debt, the Spanish economy, army and fleet have been able to improve dramatically. Many reforms regarding artillery and cavalry have been completed and the Spanish fleet is believed to be larger than 60 ships, although the exact size is unknown by outsiders.

Apart from the military operations in the Holy Roman Empire, France also tries to severe the Kaiser's situation by massive deals with Poland and Denmark for buying as much grain as possible, at an overprice in order to prevent other buyers from competing, in order to limit the supply to the Kaiser. There are however no reports that this attempt of starving the Kaiser's supply has had any effect yet. France also begins a program to equip most of their merchant ships with more guns than is usual for merchants. A public zoo in Paris is announced and opened, although it will take a few more years until it will have acquired more impressive exotic animals from the colonies. Some reforms are also passed for improving the administration and education. Although the economy is going well, the wars have started to become more costly than the annual income. As a result of the thinned out garrisons, there is some unrest among French nobles, displeased with their declining influence in the state policies. The French settlers near the Dutch base in South Africa have withdrawn enough to allow Dutch colonists to supply with food.

In Italy, Spanish forces advance on Regio Emilia and Florence, and are reinforced by another tercio. There is a small battle between forces of Florence and Spanish forces, but with the arrival of the third tercio most of the local resistance ends. Spanish forces enter Florence before the end of summer, and also Livorno is captured. Florence requests surrender negotiations with the Spanish forces. The same year, a Genoese exile government is established in the Savoy, requesting negotiations as well. In the meantime, Venice carries out military operations towards the cities north of Florence and east of Genoa, securing neutral territories not targetted by the Spanish advance. The Venetians also hire several mercenaries and increased their army to more than 11,000 men during the spring. Emissaries have been sent to the Ottomans for the establishment of trade with them, however the results of the negotiations are so far unknown.

In the Crimea, Ottoman forces respond to the Crimean raids by increased colonization. Some Tatar forts are taken over or burnt down, while there are engagements with the Crimean tatars. The Ottomans use their fleet extensively to supply their forces and attempt to blockade the Azov Sea. The construction of Ottoman bases are commenced near the Dnepr delta and the southern part of the Azov Sea. Meanwhile, the Ottomans note that Vienna and the rest of Austria, as well as Polish Kiev, are held by smaller garrisons than ever before in the latest decades. With the victory of Bethlen in Transylvania, a huge reserve of Ottoman troops has been freed up.

The Danish have also invited to a secret Protestant Coalition meeting this autumn. It is to be carried out without the matters discussed being seen by those who aren't members of the Coalition.

BRANDENBURG

1. you've retaken your lost cities in the Holy Roman Empire. It seems like the Emperor is unable to threaten Brandenburg again in the nearest future, and that the French forces seem like they're about to deal a devastating blow towards the last army he can assemble. What should be done now? Below, remember that the Protestant Union (PU) is a collection of local rulers in the Holy Roman Empire, over which you have much control, while the Protestant Coalition (PC) is an alliance of Protestant nations including Brandenburg, Denmark, England, Netherlands, Sweden. Over them, you have much less influence. You can choose one or more of the options below.
a. convince the Protestant Union to go on the offensive and assist the French forces
b. convince the Protestant Union to go on the offensive. You could capture lands from Catholic kurfürsts using the actions of the Kaiser as an excuse, preferably ending these operations before the end of the war to the south, and you could get away with this without reprisals. You could divide the captured land between the other members of the PU
c. stay inactive. Things such as b might be a good idea later, but not until the French have ended their campaign, and they, along with other big nations taking part in the war, have begun negotiating and it becomes clear what the diplomatical consequences of the war will be
d. negotiate and conspire with nations such as France, the Netherlands and Denmark. It could allow you to find out before the end of the war what policies the others are planning to impose on the Kaiser by the end of the war. The war seems to be practically over and the upcoming peace negotiations will be of importance
e. just try to rebuild your damaged cities and countryside, disband mercenaries, and build up your economy and trade again. Also decide how large army you will keep for the coming few years. Currently, both your income and treasury are negative
f. negotiate with the Kaiser to make peace with him, hopefully with him giving guarantees that his previous accusations and attempts of outlawing you won't be repeated. If you negotiate, remember that you have captured 1,000 Imperial prisoners of war, while he has some 300 Brandenburg prisoners of war. These should be exchanged as part of the peace
g. in some way try to thank Denmark, the Netherlands and/or France, for their help. Specify in which way and to who you will do something as thanks. Possible things include sending gifts, or granting them favorable trade treaties, or something else
h. make some useful alliances and by diplomatic actions assure yourself of a better position in the future

2. the Dutch forces in Jülich fortress
a. convince them to leave, since you probably won't need them any more, at least not for some time. Besides, if they stay too long they may not want to leave...
b. let them stay if they want, otherwise withdraw
c. beg them to stay, they might be needed if the Kaiser against all odds regains strength to go offensive again

3. as duke of Prussia, you are formally a vassal of Poland, and must obey some types of orders given by the Polish king. The Polish king is however to a great extent controlled by the Sejm, the nobles of Poland. His attack towards Prussia was carried out without the support of the Sejm. Now his attacks have ended, and you've negotiated a ceasefire with decent terms with him. The question is what you should do now. Can you trust the Polish king? Do you want to improve relations with the Sejm to have the Sejm actively protest if Sigismund repeats the attack? Or do you wish to seek outside help and work hard to make sure the Polish army can be defeated and you can declare Prussia independent (even if this means the Sejm will start supporting the Polish King and assist him)?
a. follow the rules of the ceasefire, and try to keep up good relations with the Sejm. In the meantime try to improve relations with the Polish King too. By looking friendly and becoming popular in the Sejm, the Polish king will have trouble repeating his previous attempt of taking Ducal Prussia directly under the king's control
b. aggressively try to stir up hatred towards the Polish king within the Sejm. Point out the rebellion in 1605 and try to conspire against the Polish king and make the Sejm follow you. This could at best make the Polish king weakened, but it also carries a risk of becoming hated by the Sejm and having the Sejm support the King next time he tries to take Brandenburg, if he wants to do so
c. don't trust the Polish ceasefire, and instead attack Danzig, after trying to rally outside support. This is politically dangerous since it'll mean breaking a signed ceasefire and also means a vassal attacking his king. Obviously, you'll need to make carefully chosen public statements to support an action of this kind, as well as attempt to gain foreign support. While the Polish king could attack you without much reason and get away with just declaring peace afterwards, you attacking the Polish king would mean either an attempt to start a rebellion against the king, or an attempt to declare independence. If/when you choose this option, you must therefore declare your attack as either a rebellion or a declaration of independence. The former means you could possible get internal support from other nobles, if they agree to your cause. The latter however means the Sejm will consider you an enemy, and you will need outside supporters helping you

4. your fleet - Denmark offers to sell 2 warships at 200% of the normal cost to you. If you extend your fleet by 2 more warships, you would almost completely secure your position in the Baltic compared to the Polish fleet, and be able to in the future better cover and supply Königsburg and Memel by sea if they are besieged by Polish forces again. Warships could also come in handy if you wish to create a colony somewhere
a. accept their offer - their demands are fair considering the help they have given you, and the warships are important
b. accept it but try to bargain for a lowered price - 200% is not fair
c. decline it, you need the money more than those ships at the moment

5. diplomatic situation in general - the Catholic factions seem to become more active against the Protestant factions. First the Kaiser's attack on you, then Sigismund's attack on you, then the anonymous and Polish assistance to Bathory in Transylvania. The French and Dutch declarations of not taking an active stance against Poland means they've probably made clear that they're not acting as protectors of Brandenburg in their war with the Kaiser, but that they are looking to their own interests in the Holy Roman Empire, which is problematic as it will strengthen the view of the Protestant cause in the Empire as treachery and treason. France has even declared open support for the Polish heir's ambitions in Russia, while the Netherlands declared neutrality in the issue. The Spanish destruction of the Danish base in West Africa also complicates the situation

6. Protestant Coalition meeting - the Danish have invited you to a secret Protestant Coalition meeting. To make a statement in that meeting, send a PM with copies to all factions that are part of the Coalition - Warluster; LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix; King Kurt; Kagemusha; Destroyer of Hope - (Brandenburg, Denmark, England, Netherlands, Sweden)


ENGLAND

1. colonies. The Spanish attack on the Danish colony seems to be the next step in the Spanish and French efforts to enforce the papal bull. Not long ago, the Dutch base in South Africa was surrounded by French forts built provokingly close to the Dutch base. The English colonies could be the next victim.
a. publicly condemn the Spanish attack
b. do nothing
c. offer to mediate
d. try to mediate and push for Spain to hand back the colony to Denmark. At the very least, state that the Spanish have no legal claims to keep the Danish prisoners and the captured ships
e. conspire with Denmark to plan another naval war with Spain. Together with Denmark, the Spanish fleet despite its recent expansion to over 60 warships, and various other reforms, would be in trouble. Alone however, neither Denmark nor England would be able to severely threaten the Spanish fleet. A war with Spain would allow you to more forcefully make sure the Papal bull is forgotten, and also give you a good excuse to reconquer Cork. That would end the dangerous Spanish presence in Ireland. Maybe also the Netherlands could be convinced to join such a war

2. Ireland. You probably need to keep a larger garrison than usual in Limerick for a while. Perhaps Spanish troops will also arrive to garrison the city, which could make it necessary to later maintain an even larger garrison while the threat remains
a. keep only 1,000 men in Limerick. It could provoke renewed revolts and enemy attacks, which could be politically useful
b. keep 4,000 men in Limerick. It would secure the defense of English positions and the forces could act against remaining rebels, as well as keep up order among neighbors of Cork
c. keep 7,000 men, to be prepared if things get worse

3. navy. Please specify how the naval production for the coming few years will look: how many ships of each type will be built each year, and whether any ships will be decomissioned or reassigned to secondary forces. If you don't specify anything, I'll assume you'll produce only 2nd rates and merchants at the full production capability which is 5 2nd rates and 2 merchants per year, and not decomission any ships. If you wish to decomission some old ships, they can still be reactivated in case of war, although they could be a bit unreliable and the time it would take to muster crews again would be difficult to predict. The secondary forces allow instant reactivation, but part of the upkeep still remains

4. economy - stable, and slightly positive income and treasury. The colonial expansion and the peace has led to improvements of the trade and annual income situation, but your fleet is rapidly increasing in size. An expansion by another 10 ships could be problematic without decommissioning some of the old ships

5. war in the HRE
a. carry out the previous plan
b. don't do anything
c. something else

6. Protestant Coalition meeting - the Danish have invited you to a secret Protestant Coalition meeting. To make a statement in that meeting, send a PM with copies to all factions that are part of the Coalition - Warluster; LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix; King Kurt; Kagemusha; Destroyer of Hope - (Brandenburg, Denmark, England, Netherlands, Sweden)


FRANCE

1. the Spanish attack on the Danish colony could turn out either very favorable, or very problematic for France. It could be seen together with the French action in Southern Africa as yet another step towards the enforcing of the Papal bull by the word, which could cause hostilities against both France and Spain from the Protestant Coalition and others. Things are further complicated by the Spanish capture of a few French merchants who were trading in the colony. There are however advantages to the attack as well. It could just as well enable France to enforce the papal bull while hostilities are only drawn to Spain and not to France. Choose how to react or to not act at all for the moment
a. only demand the French merchants back and do nothing more. Spain will likely accept this without hesitation since they have no benefit from keeping the French merchants
b. as a, but also demand Spain pays indemnities
c. demand the colony handed back to Denmark
d. offer to mediate between Denmark and Spain
e. offer Spanish ships some assistance in French ports if they will end up at war with Denmark
f. something else

2. your war in the HRE. Choose what to do during the last months of the campaigning season, and what to do during the winter. What seems to be the entire reserve of the HRE and the Catholic League is assembled near Regensburg opposite your own, larger, army
a. negotiate peace with the Kaiser now. You could demand a lot, seeing as you've conquered many cities and have before you the Kaiser's army with the possibility of destroying it. If you don't destroy it, it can still threaten the Netherlands and Brandenburg, which could be good. But it could also be able to regain its former strength faster, and then threaten France
b. attack the HRE army at Regensburg before winter. Negotiating peace can be done after the battle (next turn), but you could start some negotiation now already, for example with the other participants in the war. You could invite them to a large meeting, and discuss the conditions of the peace etc. and what the goals of all participants will be. If the Kaiser's force slips away, retreat towards Ulm and Ansbach
c. as b, but if the Kaiser slips away, pursue him. This would end the war faster (if you win the battle), but also make it more difficult to win the battle as you would be drawn deeper into the HRE with difficulties supplying your forces
d. just retreat to Ulm and Ansbach right away, and set up camp for the winter. In the meantime use all forces that aren't needed for garrisoning and defending fortified positions for patrolling and securing all roads and the countryside of the captured areas from rebels, partisans, brigands or any other forces that could threaten the advance later. Then take up the offensive again next spring
e. besiege Augsburg, it's a city of prestige and capturing it would be very useful. The Kaiser probably can't intervene with the siege if you use your large Northern Force for the siege, however you might suffer some 2,000-4,000 casualties to raids and similar
f. besiege both Augsburg and Nürnberg, splitting your forces. Thin out the garrisons in captured regions, send in reinforcements, and try to pull off both. There would be fewer attrition casualties with the smaller forces, but also a much larger risk of being forced into a difficult battle unless the reserves available to send in would be huge

3. what to do with the areas already conquered? What will be the political policy regarding the areas? Will the lands be subject to taxation and similar at this time, or will they be free of taxation until the peace is made? Will local nobles keep their territories or will the territories fall in the hands of French generals and nobles? Will the Kurfürsts still have some power in the conquered areas? Or will an attempt be made to form the conquered land into an independent entity, trying to force schism and splitting of the Holy Roman Empire?

4. also decide how many reinforcements and of which type should be prepared for the next season, if any

5. the unrest among some nobles in France is so far only talking and loud protests, however they seem to have much support. They are criticizing the king's policies and the decreasing influence of the nobles. How will the nobles be dealt with?
a. assemble the Estates-General. They are unhappy about the lack of influence in the last few years
b. imprison the nobles and accuse them of treason for stirring up unrest at the time of war. Make examples
c. above choose a plan that allows sending home some 5,000 men from the HRE, or hire 5,000 mercenaries. They could be used as a strategical reserve to react to any signs of revolt
d. do nothing at this time

6. economical situation. The latest colonial expansion has been costly but also improved economy to some extent. Due to your massive grain purchase and extra hired troops for logistics and reinforcements, your income is currently negative, but you have a large treasury so the current level of mobilization could be kept up for some time. Your many construction projects have also cost a lot of your annual income.


HRE and AUSTRIA

1. what to do with the force at Regensburg right now?
a. retreat east or southeast at all costs, even if the French will harass the retreating forces and inflict some 2,000-4,000 losses in your retreat. If the army can't escape the French army, the war is lost. If it can escape, maybe you could convince your Habsburg brothers in Spain to send enough military aid to secure victory
b. pick some good defensive ground close to Regensburg to fight the French force. Hopefully you will win. If not, surrender or fleeing somewhere where you're safe might be necessary.
c. leave a garrison of 1,000 men in Regensburg, then retreat east or southeast to avoid meeting the French force in battle, but still keep Regensburg secure so they can't conquer the city.

2. what to do later in the winter? The French will either split up, retreat, continue penetrating deeper into the HRE, or do something else. What will be done if they retreat, and what will be done if they attack? If they are initially pushed back, what will be done afterwards?

3. diplomacy and peace negotiations. Seeing as a French major victory seems near, it might be time to negotiate peace with them, asking what they demand. You could negotiate with the individual powers or all of them at the same time.
a. give good offers to one or two of the enemies, hoping they'll make separate peace
b. negotiate with all of them. Declare the HRE to have surrendered, and ask them for the terms of peace
c. try to fuel up fighting spirit among your cities and continue fighting all your current enemies
d. try to ask Spain for help. After all, they are your Habsburg brothers! Offer them very benefitial deals for joining the war on your side. Also try to convince Poland to join you. Point out that the war threatens to destroy the Catholics and strengthen the treacherous Protestants who want to conquer the HRE. Also say to Spain that it's a war against the Habsburgs, and an attempt of France to conquer Europe and destroy the Habsburgs one at the time because France is too weak to fight them at the same time, and that Spain is the next target of all these enemies. Spain and/or Poland could help you either diplomatically, or by military force.

4. your successor for the Habsburg possessions. It was common at the time to let the successor become ruler of one or more of the Habsburg territories before the death of the old ruler, as a means of testing the capabilities of the person, have time to see the reactions of the other pretenders and have time to before dying resolve any issues that might arise. You previously made a choice of successor, but now you can consider making it public, changing it, or handing out control over some of the Habsburg territories to the successor before your death. As for the Emperor role, whoever you choose as successor might have a good chance of becoming Emperor, but Ferdinand is perhaps the most likely candidate to be elected.
a. announce the successor, and give him control over some of the Habsburg possessions (specify which)
b. change choice of successor to Ferdinand, and give him control over some of the Habsburg possessions (specify which)
c. change choice of successor to someone else (specify who), and give him control over some of the Habsburg possessions (specify which). Announce him as your successor.
d. something else, specify what


NETHERLANDS

1. plans for your armed forces. What will be done now? Are the surrender terms of Munster acceptable?

2. pillaging and discipline. The amount of unauthorized pillaging by your forces has increased. Up till now, the direct orders of no pillaging anywhere have kept pillaging low, but now the discipline seems to have been slightly undermined. What should be done?
a. introduce disciplinary punishment for pillaging
b. do nothing, the war is probaby over by now and any new rules could be introduced during the coming peace, or during a later war

3. home affairs. There are conflict between different directions of Protestantism in the Netherlands. Arminians and Gomarists have begun disputing over making either of their religions state religion in the Netherlands. What should be done to clam down the unrest?
a. by law forbid further conflicts. Use the army to stop any unrest, treating it as rebellion
b. join one of the sides, specify which
c. don't bother about the matter
d. send home most of your armed forces, and prepare reserves of at least 10,000 men to deal with this. Larger garrisons at home would solve this problem by itself

4. economy - you treasury is positive, but your income still negative

5. Protestant Coalition meeting - the Danish have invited you to a secret Protestant Coalition meeting. To make a statement in that meeting, send a PM with copies to all factions that are part of the Coalition - Warluster; LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix; King Kurt; Kagemusha; Destroyer of Hope - (Brandenburg, Denmark, England, Netherlands, Sweden)


OTTOMAN EMPIRE

1. Transylvania. Now Bethlen has gained victory, what is to be done now?
a. passively let Bethlen continue
b. make sure to mix into his affairs early, suggesting an attack on Hungaria
c. try to establish some Ottoman bases in the country
d. something else, specify what

2. the situation in Austria
a. move the troops in Transylvania to try and attack Vienna. Call in reserves, and move troops from the Crimean operation to also support the move for Vienna. The troops would arrive a few at the time but if the Kaiser is really as hard pressured as it seems, it wouldn't matter. This method would give you control over Vienna more quickly, if successful, than b would
b. gather the troops in a, then move with all at the same time and attack Vienna
c. do nothing at this time

3. Crimean Tatars. The forces need another year to establish strenghtened control over the newly constructed bases. If they retreat now, most of the gains would be lost again. If you keep 15,000 men, you could manage to continue the construction of one of the bases


POLAND

1. the Wladyslaw-loyal duma, as well as Wladyslaw, are requesting urgent assistance of troops against Vassili. Wladyslaw requests 1,000 infantry to help holding Moscow over the winter, then after the winter 5,000 husaria to capture Pskov, Tver and Novgorod. The Duma however suggests using these troops for a siege of Nizny Novograd. Wladyslaw has also received a request from the Duma for the release of all the Russian prisoners of war that were captured during the first phase of the war, before Wladyslaw became Tsar in Moscow. Wladlyslaw also wants 1,000 light cavalry to fight the brigands southwest of Moscow - they are considered illegal by the Duma too. What will you do in response to all these requests?
a. send to Wladyslaw the assistance he asks for for this turn. He must hold Moscow over the winter
b. send 1,000 infantry but no more. This should allow him to withstand siege from Vassili
c. send what Wladyslaw requested and also an additional 1,000 cavalrymen to attack the brigands
d. send 300 men using terror and burning of villages who support the brigands and partisans to secure the roads west of Moscow. This would quickly secure the roads and end their actions in the short term, but not please the boyars, but it wouldn't require too many troops

2. there has been a dispute over some land between Moscow and Smolensk. Some Polish nobles have claims to the land from the time before Smolensk became Russian in 1514, but the land was owned by some of the boyars that are currently loyal to Wladyslaw before the Polish war beginning in 1609 captured Smolensk. Wladyslaw asks what should be done, since this is a matter involving both Poland and Russia.
a. take the land directly under your control
b. divide the lands in half between the two, making neither happy but hopefully neither will get extremely hostile either
c. give the land to the Polish noble, to make sure the disorder caused by the operations in Brandenburg is compensated
d. indulge the boyar and give the land to him, making sure the remaining boyars, who still constitute the majority of the boyars in Russia, remain loyal
e. offer the Polish noble new land east of Moscow and give the land to the boyar. This is only better than c if more efforts are made to conquer Nizny Novograd
f. offer the boyar new land east of Moscow and west of Nizny Novograd and give the land to the Polish noble. This is only better than d if more efforts are made to conquer Nizny Novograd

3. Lithuania is being raided by some disbanded mercenaries who were previously under Swedish and Polish command. Their numbers are estimated to less than 1,000 men at the moment, but there could be more of them. They roam the land almost freely in these areas which haven't any Commonwealth garrisons of significant size at the moment. Local civilians have formed militas but haven't been very successful at resisting them. Choose one of the below options, and also tell what will be done with them when they have been captured
a. send 3,000 cavalry to campaign against the brigands, to be sure of quick success
b. send 1,500 cavalry and have them campaign against the brigands for a few years
c. send no troops at all, none can be spared at the moment
d. send money to your vassals in the area so they can muster a militia army to defeat the raids. Also send some excess artillery that you captured in the early stages of your war with Vassili and that isn't needed elsewhere at the moment

4. Riga
a. continue as previously, bombarding the city defenses. Sooner or later the Swedish forces will have to either go home or try to expand further - in both cases giving a certain Polish victory
b. bring more artillery from your stockpile of cannons at home. Bombard the defenses more heavily and make the Swedish forces even more pressured in the way suggested in a
c. negotiate peace
d. something else, specify what. There could be unthought of weaknesses to exploit

5. diplomacy - it seems like the Kaiser is on the verge of defeat, and now the situation in Transylvania has changed. Some things to consider:
i. establishing good relations to Bethlen by sending gifts or a message of congratulation or something else
ii. assisting the Kaiser to make sure he doesn't lose his last army in a major defeat. The support could be diplomatical or military. There is also trouble to the south, where Austria is left lightly guarded and wide open to Ottoman invasion, and so on. The defeat of the Kaiser could be bad for Poland. If both Poland and the Kaiser are reduced in power, the Catholic powers would end up at a serious disadvantage compared to the Protestants. Sending help to the Kaiser could be coordinated with Spain, if they're interested
iii. try to reestablish good relations with Denmark. The question is how their communication last year should be interpreted. Was it hostility, or a statement of disappointment and asking for more coordinated actions? In the long run, both Denmark and Poland might benefit from good relations, with Denmark and Poland both helping each others in fighting Sweden
iv. take part in the war against the Kaiser by attacking Silesia, or threatening the Kaiser to join the war unless he gives you Silesia. This would remove all doubts that you aren't on the Kaiser's side, but it would also hurt the Kaiser a lot to lose Silesia at this time

7. economy - the Sejm disagreed to raise the taxes since they consider the available force more than enough to defeat Sweden, and that they don't support the war on Brandenburg. Many however agreed to raising taxes for improving the defense of the heartlands and fighting the mercenaries in Lithuania, but their suggestion was vetoed by some who preferred raising taxes for a more decisive action in Russia to assist Wladyslaw. Their suggestion was however vetoed by too. In the end, the Sejm weren't convinced to raise the taxes just yet. They were however pleased about the diplomatic situation and end of the operation in Ducal Prussia. Your income is negative but your treasury is still positive, but debt is close.

8. recruitment and diplomacy offer. Denmark has come with an offer to sell 2 warships as a sign of friendship after you signed your ceasefire with Brandenburg
a. yes, accept the offer. 2 warships of high quality could be the base for a reformed, stronger Polish navy, which would allow conducting raids to make it more difficult for Sweden to campaign, and for Brandenburg to defend their coastal cities in Prussia if there would be a new war with them.
b. decline the offer


RUSSIA

1. Novgorod
a. take the city by force. This quickly gives you back control over the important trade base
b. return with the 2,000 troops to Nizny Novgorod, to be able to use them for an offensive towards Moscow or the defense of Nizny Novograd
c. keep the 2,000 troops in the loyal cities and forts near Novgorod, to defend those areas that are loyal, and be prepared to make a new move on Novgorod later if Novgorod changes their mind and needs your assistance
d. reinforce the area. The area is a likely area for Wladyslaw to campaign in during the winter and possibly later as well. If you send 5,000-7,000 men you could capture all the key cities here, recruit more troops who would like to join you in retaking Moscow, and reestablish your trade and economical basis much more effectively

2. Moscow held by no more than 3,500 troops or so...
a. move with your main army to Moscow. The raids could be an indication of weakness, that the enemy is unable to face you in force. The small garrison and the fact that Sigismund has declared his business in Russia finished suggests that Wladyslaw might not receive any help from Polish forces.
b. don't attack, it might be some kind of trap. Do nothing at this time.
c. use an army of 10,000 men or so to intercept Polish raiding parties east of Moscow, if the Polish raids are renewed. Aim at killing Polish raiders. The already schorched earth will make it difficult to move very far with larger forces than some 10,000-15,000 men during the upcoming winter, but larger forces could operate during the last months of the campaign season, and be reactivated in the spring. The time isn't right for making a move on Moscow until you have scouted the enemy positions and destroyed some of the isolated raiders
d. as c, but instead of using 10,000 men from your army use small formations of Cossacks to intercept the Polish raiders. The Polish raiders are cavalrymen, and difficult to force to battle with an infantry based army. Acquiring up to 5,000 Cossacks would be possible. It would be expensive, but you could take loans or use foreign help. The Cossacks aren't comparable to the Polish husaria, but in operations for defending against raids they will probably engage much smaller enemy formations (and you aren't yet sure there are at all any husaria among them) and be quite successful


SPAIN

1. bringing an end to the revolt in Portugal more quickly
a. imprison all opponents that are captured, officially declaring to release them in 10 years when peace has returned to Portugal
b. execute all captured opponents brutally to set examples. This will quickly end the fighting and free up troops, but at the expense of worsening the long term situation
c. accept the reinstitution of special rules for Portugal that will i. secure the Portuguese from suffering damages caused by Spanish wars, ii. lowered Imperial taxes and using a governor of Portuguese origin who will have the right to collect taxes used by local semi-independent authorities, iii. officially remove the province status of the province and go back to status quo
d. don't try to rush the beating of the revolt, just defend against attacks and raid bases held by the rebels
e. some combination of c and d, with some compromises made, while some views are strictly maintained, specify which

2. the effects of the action against the Danish trade base in West Africa
a. hand back the base, the prisoners, and the captured ships. Don't ask them to replace the sunk galleon, since it was in a way your fault that the 2 Danish warships misunderstood the situation. This would prevent war for sure, besides the Danish base is of more use to them, than it is to Spain, as it acted as a resupply port for Danish merchants going to and from India. Also release the French and Dutch merchants and apologize for the misunderstanding
b. as a, but don't give the base back to Denmark. Instead offer them a huge sum of money and negotiate with them
c. declare war and accuse Denmark of piracy for sinking the Spanish galleon
d. try to avoid war but refuse to take any steps back or replace anything, even if it means a risk of war
e. offer Denmark a huge tribute on the condition that they don't declare war. However the base was very important to Denmark because it was a place where they could resupply on their way to and from India

3. Northern Italy, military operations are about to be finished. Basically unless there are revolts, all that is left to do is to capture and garrison the regions that have not yet captured, against a minimum of resistance. Now you must decide about the diplomatic and political aspects about this. What will the terms be? Will the regions be provinces of the Spanish empire, or semi-autonomous territories? What about taxes and tolls? What laws will apply in the region? Would you consider giving some of the land to the Papal states? Will you continue and now attack Venice, now that the other regions have stopped fighting? You could use the Venetian occupation of cities north of Florence and east of Genoa as an excuse for attacking them. What will be your stance on the Genoese exile government established in the Savoy? What terms will you offer the emissaries of Florence, who have prepared surrender and are asking for the terms of surrender

4. the Kaiser. His defeat wouldn't just strengthen France enormously, it would mean a threat to all of the Habsburgs including Spain, and the weakened Austria and Hungary would open the path for invasion by Ottoman forces, who would be able to break into Europe - something they've so far failed with.
a. he can't be left to such a total defeat. Prepare to send the 3 tercios in Italy through the Savoy to his assistance. In the meantime they're marching, negotiate and convince him to pull back while your assistance is on the way. Replace the Italian tercios with 1 or 2 tercios from Spain. Given the current situation in Italy 1-2 tercio should be able to hold the already secured positions
b. try to negotiate for the Kaiser to surrender and France to make peace with the Kaiser before another battle is fought
c. do nothing
d. support France with some troops


SWEDEN

1. military plans. Some targets to consider:
i. holding Riga - requires at least 5,000-6,000 troops and 3-5 warships and 3-6 merchants
ii. landing troops in Prussia and move south towards the Polish heartlands. Probably requires that Brandenburg agrees to the landing and give at least some assistance regarding in supplying them
iii. through Pomerania into the Polish heartlands
iv. Pillau - land to raid the Polish possessions and possibly conquer some land
v. Danzig - lightly guarded at the moment
vi. Novgorod and formerly Russian lands

2. diplomacy
a. make peace with Poland
b. continue the war
c. hire mercenaries to secure your heartlands and making an attack less inviting to Denmark, in case they would be tempted to end their at present seemingly friendly relations with you

3. Protestant Coalition meeting - the Danish have invited you to a secret Protestant Coalition meeting. To make a statement in that meeting, send a PM with copies to all factions that are part of the Coalition - Warluster; LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix; King Kurt; Kagemusha; Destroyer of Hope - (Brandenburg, Denmark, England, Netherlands, Sweden)


VENICE

1. diplomatic situation. It could be interesting to make statements on:
i. the currently lightly held Vienna and the threat of Ottoman expansion. Calling for Christians to gather and defend will of course make good relations with the Ottomans difficult to keep up. Perhaps contact the Ottomans and try to limit their ambitions here, or avoid expansion here at all costs
ii. the Spanish actions in Italy
iii. the war in the HRE. If the Kaiser is defeated more, Austria and Hungary will lie wide open to incursions from both Transylvania and the Ottomans, and the buffer zones between Venice and the Ottomans may be lost to the Ottomans, which could have dangerous consequences in the long term, even if the Venetian relations to the Ottomans are currently friendly
iv. the Spanish and French colonial actions, and the enforcing of the Papal bull for French and Spanish dominance of colonization in Africa

2. defensive plans. In case Spain would attack, what will the defensive strategy be?

3. offensive plans. If you don't think you can trust Spain, you could make an offensive plan to attack them now, with the element of surprise
a. yes. Specify what the plan should be in case you choose this option
b. no

4. the Genoese exile government in Savoy
a. recognize it. This would be taking stance against Spain
b. don't recognize it

5. negotiations with Spain. You could possibly put forth suggestions that Spain limit their actions in certain ways, and that there through treaties could be proper guarantees that the Spanish can't threaten Venice easily

6. trade with the Ottomans? Do one or more of these to improve the trade. Spanish expansion in Northern Italy is likely part of a plan to secure the trade with the Ottomans. The French will suffer from this Spanish expansion if it succeeds in establishing Spanish-taxed trade from Northern Italy as a base. However Venice has control over important islands further east in the Mediterranean and could gain dominance over trade with Austria, North Italian city states, and possibly even France and Spain. The threat is the risk of France and/or Spain trying to blockade Venetian trade by heavy taxation and tolls. The risk of Spain doing the latter of course increases if they seize control over much of Northern Italy, so you might want to somehow pressure them into accepting toll free trade between Venice and the other parts of Northern Italy. The problem with that is instead that France would consider it a trade alliance seeking to push back French trade interests in the Mediterranean, which could worsen relations with France.
a. try to negotiate (by PM) with the Ottomans to allow you to establish a Venetian trade base in Constantinople/Istanbul. This would mean reestablishing one of the greatest Venetian sources of trade income before the time when the Ottomans closed down contact with the Christians very long ago
b. try to get to build a trade base in the Suez, where the French and Spanish already have bases
c. try to build a base in the Holy land or elsewhere on that coastline
d. offer Ottoman merchants to establish a position in Venice, or any other of your territories
e. make deals for reduced taxation and tolls for trade with France
f. make deals with Spain for toll free trade with the North Italian city states that lie under Spanish control

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from the Papacy:

What crimes have we committed, to be punished in this way? While the heathen Ottomans have built up their armies and are standing on our doorstep, Christians have resorted to fighting Christians. Not only that - Catholics are fighting Catholics, while the Protestants are building up their armies to treacherously attack those who haven't yet left the Holy Church to replace faith with the words of fallen monks who do not understand the scripture! This is an appeal of all Catholic nations to cease fighting each others, and instead turn towards the misled and fallen, and show them the right path. It's our failure to lead these men and women back on the right track that is the crime for which the Lord is punishing us by giving us so much bloodshed, and war between those who are still righteous! The Papacy wishes to announce the foundation of "Congregatio de propaganda fide", a missionary order devoted to leading the misled Protestants back to the Holy Church. While the swords of Catholics have been turned on other Catholics, the words of Catholics shall not be turned against other Catholics.

Peace between the Kaiser and France as soon as possible is necessary! May all true sons of the Holy Church instead of fighting each others gather their armies in the defense of Vienna, which now lies wide open to the Heathen!

[Csargo]

Nah I'll wait until someone drops out. I wouldn't want to burden you Legio

[Warluster]

OOC- great Chapter Legio, I was puerly amazed by the size of the chapter!

[Incongruous]

So it has come to this! The genocide of Germany! By the power hungry and vile French! I denounce you personally as monstrous barbarians.
I accuse you! In Person, the king of France as being in league with the Heathen Turk, for the division of Europe between you're degenerate peoples!
I call for you to answer these claims through Trial by Battle, I shall lead my army upon the field and if you do pick up the gaunlet, strike you from you're horse.

[SwordsMaster]

What have we become? The Kaiser and France - both defenders of Catholicism - burning each other's cities and killing able men while the heathen Turk is knocking on the gates of Vienna again!


Will we see Europe overrun by janissaries? By desert nomads? A crescent moon above the Cathedrals of Vienna, Krakow and Orleans?

Spain calls Venice, Poland, my brother the Kaiser, Denmark and France to unite under the flag of Christianity to prevent war coming from the East.

The proposition Spain brings to the table to finish the war in Europe is the following: The ruler of Brandemburg will abdicate in his heir, and the HRE will be restored to its former boundaries, and pay indemnities for the reconstruction of the city of Berlin.

[IrishArmenian]

King of Spain, you must realize that there are other Christians than those such as yourself. We, of the Orthodox faith are also Christian, and yet you denounce us as heretics. While you campaign for the unity of Christianity, you shun your religously extended family members. You disgust me. I never thought I'd say this, but you should be more like your brother, the Kaiser. He has the fortitude to lead his own army to battle, to perish nobly, even if his perspective is clouded by those like you.

[Marshal Murat]

I'm sure the King of Spain would look more favorably upon you had you not allied with the heathen against us Catholics and Protestants! You use the Swedes to butcher honest Poles, and still you claim to be Christian!

[Warluster]

I will not step dwon from my territires in the HRE. Recently brandenburg went into Negatives, we need the money, we need that power! it is the HRE which brought this war upon it self and you can see it suffering the consequences!!

[Marshal Murat]

That is why the Holy Roman Emperor is paying for the reconstruction of Berlin! The offer is a very good one.

Holy Roman Emperor, turn your forces against the common foe, the Turk. We shall stand behind you! Fight our common foe, and any problems that the French had with you will be dissolved when we feast in Constantinople, home of the Second Rome, land that should be Catholic but stolen by their greasy hands.

[IrishArmenian]

I'm sure the King of Spain would look more favorably upon you had you not allied with the heathen against us Catholics and Protestants! You use the Swedes to butcher honest Poles, and still you claim to be Christian!
Of course, Sigismund. Forgive me, I should've let your barbaric hordes rape my people and land. After being caught with my trousers off, I should've stayed like that. No, I went to the Holy Roman Emperor first! I asked him to intervene, but as his view on Catholicism made him unable to attack you, when the the Swedes and the Turks (joined the game) enter the conflict I went to them for allies. I realise now that those were the best allies I could've asked for. The Sultan, with his hordes of foreign horsemen, seemingly barbaric to you, and yet he is an incredibly civilised person. The King of Sweden, well, he is cunning, revolutionary, and as of late, thirsts for your ultimate demise, Sigismund. Now, would he be cruel and uncultured, yes, he would've butchered every Pole in Riga and in that area. But no, he remanins merciful, more merciful than I have seen you or the Kaiser act, but now the Kaiser acts more prudently, finally aware of the peril he has put his nation in. I suggest you act likewise. When Wladyslaw returns home, dethroned and without dignity, you will know that it is your time. Not a hair on his body will be harmed, but for you, Sigismund, the same cannot be said. When the time comes, it does not matter if it is pike, sword, musket ball, cannon, bayonet, though I would prefer it to be much more brutal and painful, you will meet your maker, and be judged for your terrible deeds!

[Franconicus]

:france:
Today in four weeks, there will be a Holy Mass at Notre-Dame de Reims to thank the Lord for the outstanding victories of our great army. All French noblemen are invited!

:france:
We see that the Holy Emperor thinks about nominating a heir. This is his first sane idea for quite a while. We ask him to go further and to resign. This would open the gate for a new election. I declare that I will accept the vote of the German Prince-Electors and that I am willing to settle the differences with the new Emperor.

King of France

[Warluster]

I have thought on this one Great leader of France, and I of course agree with you on the elections. But!

The HRE has caused much pain to Brandenburg, we are now in debt because of this war, and our suffering trade. If you once again attack Brandenburg, or any other nation part of the Protestant Unioin, I will make sure I burn dwon every HRE city I meet.

I also demand, that before this war finishes between us, I want terms, and I propose some here, and on the negotation Table. First off, we want money, we will send an messenger with the amount. We also want land, and a few other stuff I will tell you away from prying ears.

I also say, if this war continues, I will take it to another level, I shall no longer wshow your cities mercy, Brandenburg has had enough, and the nation of Brandenburg wishes to enter another stage. A stage of growth, so if we continue this war, I will make sure the HRE burns and is pillaged, if it stops, i will help it in re-building, in the further elections.
A choice, you an be burned to the ground, or the HRE can be born again.

[Franconicus]

:france:
We would like to aks two questions to the Markgraf von Brandenburg:

1) If you support the election of a new Kaiser, then why do you want to negotiate with the old one first? I think that the electors can guarantee the compensation you need.

2) If you want to burn down the Holy Roman Empire, do you forget, that Brandenburg is a part of it?

[Warluster]

Your answers,

1)I do not remember saying i would negoiate with the old one, if so, then it was a mistake

2)Obviously I meant the rest, because I would NEVER burn down my own Country.

[Kagemusha]

The Republic of Netherlands doesnt like the idea of German states turned into desert.We plea for the Kaiser to surrender now before more damage is done to the German lands. We ask for Kaiser to be reasonable and not continue a futile fight.If you surrender now and show beeing reasonable we believe that the terms of peace will be also reasonable.But if you deliberately prolong the war ,it is most certain that there are limits to leniency towards the Emperor if our troops have to enter Vienna in order to get your signature to the terms of your surrender.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from Denmark:

Thanks to the arrival of Danish troops to the aid of Brandenburg, Berlin has now been liberated from the Kaiser's forces after a siege in which over 10,000 of the Kaiser's troops were killed and another 1,000 were taken prisoner, for the loss of 100 Danish troops. The liberated city has now been handed over to the control of the Elector of Brandenburg.

In the meantime, we have begun negotiations with the Kaiser. We have suggested terms including guarantees that Brandenburg isn't attacked again for the coming 10 years. Likewise, we have however also offered to assist the Kaiser against Brandenburg in case Brandenburg breaks the law of the Holy Roman Empire or otherwise constitutes a threat to the Catholic kurfürsts.

Should the Kaiser not accept our terms, we will proceed and liberate Schleswig and Holstein. We recommend the garrisons of Kiel, Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck to surrender in order to avoid the unnecessary bloodshed that would be brought by siege.

We recommend other participants in the war to announce their terms of surrender to the Kaiser.

[Franconicus]

:france:
If the Kaiser or someone else wants ceasefire, I will tell him my conditions.
Then we can talk about peace.

[Kagemusha]

As peace loving nation.The Republic of Netherlands would be always intrested on hearing the peace terms of countries involved.But like we sayed before this is mostly up to Kaiser.

M

[Randarkmaan]

The Republic of Netherlands doesnt like the idea of German states turned into desert.We plea for the Kaiser to surrender now before more damage is done to the German lands. We ask for Kaiser to be reasonable and not continue a futile fight.If you surrender now and show beeing reasonable we believe that the terms of peace will be also reasonable.But if you deliberately prolong the war ,it is most certain that there are limits to leniency towards the Emperor if our troops have to enter Vienna in order to get your signature to the terms of your surrender.

No, offence to the armies of your republic, but Vienna is mine. If you want to help claim, that's another story.

Now Kaiser, you have publicly called me and my people heathens countless times, you have encouraged others to war against me and cease their relations with my country. And this year you tried to help the brigand Bathory steal the throne in Transylvania, the realm of Gabriel Bethlen. You have declared war on me a long time ago, but we have never fought properly, now we will. You seem to fear the loss of your city of Vienna, I have come to the conclusion that you must be shown a demonstration of power unlike what you have ever witnessed, I will gather a force whose likes have not been seen since the times of old, I will bring a million men, Turks, Greeks, Albanians, Bulgarians, Serbs, Syrians, Egyptians, Transylvanians, Hungarians and maybe to honour you and your legacy I will bring a German or two as well, all these men will watch your city fall and your power along with it. Other would do well not do intervene on the Kaiser's behalf or they face destruction as well.

[Incongruous]

The Imperial German Government.

The Emperor has refused to give up personally commanding his army against the French. He refuses to to be pushed from his throne like a child, and reminds France that it was they not us that first spoke of war.
The Kaiser has gone far enough in giving Denmark it's want. Brandenburg shall get nothing. France shall get nothing, and the Turk shall get a thousand years of Damnantion in hell. We doubt that you could ever take Vianna from Catholic hands, you're words are worthless.

Again, the Kaiser demands his right to trial by battle.

[Franconicus]

:france:
The Kaiser wants to die? That is sad news. However, We hope that there will a loyal German that prevents him from dying from a French bullet.

[Warluster]

Aye kaiser, I have always dreaded this day, the tides of Europe are now washing on you. Brandenburg is personnaly pleased that we can get more land and money. But I warned you, we are sick of such a war. The days of doom are upon you.

[IrishArmenian]

I am forced into this struggle for My rightful throne (Despite the fact that few actually admit it. I believe The Sultan and the Protestant Coalition are the only ones that recognize me, but I forgive all of you).
I applaud the Holy Roman Emperor for his tenacity, but yet, I fear that he may bring death to his own people by dying. As a precaution, it would be wise to nominate an heir. That aside, I do believe that the Sultan has every right to take Vienna, after you try to aid an uprising against the most noble Gabriel Bethlen. Why do you do so? What has caused your hatred for the Sultan? Is it because I allied myself with them when I was in a war with Poland? That has stopped. Now, Holy Roman Emperor, I am impressed with your bravery, the way a leader should act, however, the Sultan does have a great army. His soldiers come from everywhere, from Syria to Armenia, Persia to Greece, everywhere. Many of which will be non-Muslims. While the non-Muslims will be mostly my Orthodox brothers, you will be forced to spill Catholic blood. No matter how little, you will have to live with that. This is not a war of Muslim versus Christian, you are fighting a war of Holy Roman Emperor versus Ottoman Sultan, and the Sultan has the superior troops and numbers. I ask you to reconsider.
And, with that said, I propose a meeting. In fact less of a meeting and much more of a celebration! When I am crowned Tsar, I invite all of the leaders to Moscow to celebrate the coronation! No grudges will be held, no foul play will be tolerated. Exquisite delicacies will be served, from the corners of the earth! Orchestras shall entertain and we shall all celebrate the return to rightful rule! What say you? It shall be as the French-Spanish marriage, though I will be able to attend. You need not pray in the Church anyway, barring any religious intolerance. It shall be a glorious celebration, as long as many can attend. The guest of honour shall be none other than Wladyslaw, the son of Sigismund!

[Franconicus]

http://mrorr.org/Holy%20roman%20Empire%201547.jpg

For those who currently want to change the face of the world :clown:

[Kagemusha]

?:inquisitive:EDIT:May i rephrase.What does map of 1547 has to do with current situation?

[Franconicus]

It shows the most important town (furthermore the share between C and P).

I thought it might help :shame:

[Kagemusha]

It shows the most important town (furthermore the share between C and P).

I thought it might help :shame:

In that case may i present you a map that is more near our time frame::yes:

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/colbeck/germany_30_years_war_1618.jpg

[Rodion Romanovich]

Gah! I have 11 unread PMs! It'll take some time to reply to all of them! ~:)

[SwordsMaster]

Gah! I have 11 unread PMs! It'll take some time to reply to all of them! ~:)

This is what happens when Europe goes to war!!! :whip::laugh4:

[Rodion Romanovich]

:laugh4:

[SwordsMaster]

Announcement from the Most Catholic Goverment of the King of Spain:

Spain does not recognise the so-called goverment in exile of Genoa. This group of bandits are using the gullible minds of the people of Genoa to serve their filthy interests. If found, these people will be prosecuted with all severity of the law.


Warning to the Prince and Elector of Brandembourg:

While the causes of his war against his liege are not of interest to the spanish Habsburg family, and the King understands that the fortunes of war are difficult to foresee, if systematic burning and pillaging of Habsburg lands in the HRE is undertaken by the Elector, the King of Spain will defend, with the force of arms if necessary, the integrity of the Catholic population and the Habsburg posessions against the bands of bandits that would engage in this activity.

They will be hanged without trial.

Spain urges the armies of the Protestant leaders and France to adopt a similar position, as it is in everyone's interest to keep the civil population undisturbed by this terrible war.

[Rodion Romanovich]

It shows the most important town (furthermore the share between C and P).

I thought it might help :shame:
Very good map thanks Franc :2thumbsup: , although I understand why Kage doesn't like it - no free Netherlands :wink:

[Warluster]

How dare Spain! We shall see fit, if your lands were burnt, if your treasurey destroyed, would you want revenge!? I see it fit to give a very naugtychild a smack, and the HRE has been VERY naughty.

We bandits? We are no more bandits then you are! the acts both of our countries have commited are bad, but Brandenburg is in no way bandits!

If you do not want to see the HRE get razed and burnt to the ground, why dont you try to stop the war? not with force, but with diplomacy, because if you try to stop me, you'll eventually get involved with other countries!

i have had my asay and I must agree, Spain is defintly not on my good side!

[IrishArmenian]

Brandenburg is the farthest thing from bandits. They do not even employ privateers.

[Csargo]

Brandenburg is the farthest thing from bandits. They do not even employ privateers.

Had to stop by to say this.

:laugh4:

[Incongruous]

The Interrim Givernment of his Majesty's council of War.

As of late, our great and noble Kaiser has fallen ill and is thus incapable of the more rigorous escersise of Government. As it is, his chief Millitary commander, Tilly calls for all true German Princes to Proceed at once to Vienna, there to hold an emergency Riechstagg and if, the Lord doth deign to take the Emperor, an election.

He has Ordered his subordinates to halt all millitary actions with France, Denmark and the Netherlands. However, the Council warns Brandenbourg that the army shall remain in the firld under Wallenstien to deter any attacks. However, he does grant you you're place at the Riechstagg.

[Warluster]

Finnaly, this war may end, i hope peace reigns long in Europe! We shall never attack during Peace negotiations, it would be Un-trustworthy, and dishonourable. the whole state of Bradenburg thanks you for this.

[Franconicus]

Regensburg, ANNO DOMINI 1614

Today, Matthias, Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire, accepted the victory of the French King and His allies, the Duke of Savoy, the Kurfürst of Pfalz and the Protestant towns. He asked for ceasefire and the French general accepted.

From this moment, the French army and its allies guarantee order and the sanctities of the German borders. We ask the armies of the Netherlands, Denmark and the Protestant Union to support us in this issue.

Matthias ordered all German authorities and troops to support and obey the French commander. According to His own wish, Matthias will resign as Emperor. He will keep His titles as King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria, and will take care of the wealth and happiness of His subjects there.

The Kurfürst der Pfalz invites all Prince-Electors to come to Speyer, where the new Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire will be elected in October. Participants are:
Johann von Kronberg, Archbishop of Mainz
Lothar von Metternich, Archbishop of Trier
Ferdinand von Bayern, Archbishop of Köln
Sigismund, Markgraf von Brandenburg
Matthias, König von Böhmen
Friedrich V., Kurfürst der Pfalz,
Johann Georg I, Kurfürst von Sachsen
Coronation will be in December at the Cathedral of Speyer.

Afterwards, the King of France will negotiate peace with the new Kaiser. He assumes that the other war parties will do the same.

Once the war in the HRE is over, the French King invites all Christian sovereigns to meet at Paris and to discuss and settle all differences.

Praise the Lord and His Saints!

Henri, Duc de Rohan, Supreme Commander of the French Army and the Allied Forces

[Warluster]

This is a great day in the History of Europe, We shall of course come to the election, and coronation, and will happily go to your meeting Great king of France, Gratefully, we shall of course arrange peace with the HRE, maybe even more.

[Kagemusha]

Announcement from the Republic of Netherlands

A truly great day this is.We are happy to hear that reason has prevailed over madness. Troops of Netherlands will stop all actions towards Kaiserlich armies and will provide security over the areas they are present untill a peace treaty has been signed. We would like to congratulate France and Denmark who´s actions both in fields of battle and diplomacy, were crucial to achieve this result.May this be a start for new more peacefull Europe.

Maurice of Nassau,The Stadtholder of Republic of Netherlands

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from the Denmark:

Denmark and the Kaiser have signed a treaty of peace on the following terms:
- the Emperor confirms the Diet of Augsburg
- mutual guarantees of peace for the next 10 years
- guarantees of no further attacks on Brandenburg for the coming 10 years. If the Elector of Brandenburg commits crimes, Denmark will however intervene on the Kaiser's side to stop them
- all HRE prisoners of war taken by Denmark are given to the Kaiser (1,000 men)
- Denmark gains control over the remaining parts of Schleswig and Holstein, including Kiel, Hamburg and Lübeck. Lübeck and Kiel will be controlled directly by the Danish crown, while the Danish King will be a fief of the Kaiser in controlling Hamburg

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from Habsburgs:

We are sad to inform you that Emperor Matthias has died. A new Kaiser will be elected. Before this is done, Ferdinand of Habsburg will lead the peace negotiations with France acting on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire. The election of a new Kaiser is not the business of the French intervention force. Announce your terms, or continue to rape, pillage and butcher until all Catholics of Spain and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth will deem it necessary to come to our aid in defense of the Holy Church against the schismatic Protestants that control France. The peace with Denmark is confirmed. Peace with the Netherlands is also confirmed, on the following terms:
- complete and confirmed independency of the current area of Republic, excluding Cologne and Munster, which will be held and taxed by the Republic until compensations have been payed by the Kaiser. After the compensations have been payed these two Imperial cities will be handed back to HRE (this means within 5 years)
- annexation of East Friesland and Julich (Julich is now controlled by Brandenburg) to Netherlands
- reconfirming of the Diet of Augsburg
- full compensation of the costs of the war
- return of all prisoners of war

For Brandenburg, we have accepted the terms suggested by Denmark and the Netherlands:
- no attacks on Brandenburg in the coming 10 years
- if Brandenburg violates the law of the Empire, Denmark will come to the military aid of the Kaiser
- Julich is handed over to the Netherlands
- the Kaiser will pay for the damages done to Berlin
- return of all prisoners of war
This peace will be confirmed as soon as Brandenburg accepts this offer.

The forces that are currently figthing the French that haven't had their weapons stolen by the French forces will retreat to Vienna, where they will defend against the Heathen Turk. We invite the French armies to continue their pursuit of our army all the way to the gates of Vienna, so that they may siege the city side by side with the Heathen Turk.

[Kagemusha]

Official statement of the Republic of Netherlands

We will accept Ferdinand of Habsburg as legimite representative of Holy Roman Empire and accept the terms of Peace. So from this day on there shall be peace between The Republic of Netherlands and The Holy Roman Empire. The Republics forces will stay on the areas described on peace treaty and will not offend Holy Roman Empire by crossing the new borders unless invited.

Maurice of Nassau,The Stadtholder of Republic of Netherlands

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from Denmark:

We confirm the legality of Ferdinand as Kaiser until the reelection in October is held.

[Randarkmaan]

OOC: Will Bopa still play the HRE?

Also... damnit! You just had to stop the war didn't you!? :furious3: ~;p

[Incongruous]

OOC:Meh I don't know. I was not part of the last part of negotiations so maybe not.

[King Kurt]

Message from the Court of King James

"It is with great saddnes that we heard the news of the death of the Kaiser.
We welcome and recognise the role of Ferdinand in bringing peace back to europe in a dignified and diplomatic manner.
We call upon France and Brandenberg to urgently clarify their position. While most of Europe strives for peace, the King of france appears reluctant to bring to a head his current disaggrement with his fellow catholic ruler of the HRE. As for the court of Brandenberg, they talk of peace, pillage and destruction in the same breath. As the divine rulers of europe, i am sure my fellow monarchs want to hear their view of things.
Finally we call upon the Pope to make a clear and unambigious statement on its position on the war. It appears to us that he has stood aside in shameful silence while Catholic murdered Catholic while being happy to make all forms of statements attempting to limit the work of good christians such as ourselves, the Dutch and the Danish taking the christian word to the heathens of the new world. Only now with Europe threatened by the forces of Islam does he wake from his convienent slumbers to make belated pleas for support too little, too late. The catholic dead of the recent war demand a clear statement on this matter."
Signed this day
James the first of England and Sixth of Scotland.

[Franconicus]

Who is this frog quacking in the name of the noble house of Habsburg? Who is he that he thinks he can make treaties in the name of the Holy Roman Empire.

Is it true that Matthias has left us? Although We had differences in the past, We would regret that.

Now that he is gone there is no other authority to rule the Empire than the French army. According to the order of the dead Kaiser We expect every German officer to fulfil his duty and to support us to keep order.

To get a new Kaiser which We can give the power back, there has to be an election. We support the invitation of the Kurfürst der Pfalz, but we will not interfere in the election. So any successor of the house Habsburg can be a candidate, as well as any other chosen nobleman.

We are willing to make peace with the HRE, as soon as there is an authority We can negotiate with.

If Ferdinand is the heir of Matthias, we will welcome him as the new King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria. Of course he will participate in the election.

We would like to ask Ferdinand, if the agreements, We made with Matthias, are still valid.

Maximilien, Marechal de France

Off context:
I am a bit surprised to see that Bopa is way out of the game. I always thought that if one person dies, the heir keeps on playing. My first character died a long time ago. So do I have to negotiate with Bopa or Legio?

[Kagemusha]

We would call French Statement bit overkill about French army ruling the HRE since there are more troops of countries of Protestant Coalition and Union at the area of Holy Roman Empire then French ones.

Embassador of Netherlands

ps.Out of Character: I guess Poba will assume new role when new Kaiser is elected.:2thumbsup:

[Incongruous]

The Commander of the Empires Troops, Tilly.

We wish to point out to the French that Tilly is still in absalute control of the army, and enevr did the Kaiser agree to German troops being under French command. We do remeber however his wish that the French to help prevent any lingering vultures from ripping more out of the Empire.
Tilly however is unable, due to Turkish movements to attend the Elections and will instead move to Vienna.

OOC: I posted this just to clarify my position before the Kaiser Died.

[Franconicus]

Then Tilly will remeber that the Kaiser also asked the french to occupy as much territory as possible. We assumed that this would include the support of the local authorities and the garrisons.:wall:
Firthermore, the Kaiser capitulated to the French forces.

[SwordsMaster]

We would call French Statement bit overkill about French army ruling the HRE since there are more troops of countries of Protestant Coalition and Union at the area of Holy Roman Empire then French ones.

Embassador of Netherlands

ps.Out of Character: I guess Poba will assume new role when new Kaiser is elected.:2thumbsup:

Spain wishes to call the attention to the fact that all other members of the alliance have already signed peace treaties with the Empire, and therefore are not an occupying force since they are not at war anymore, while the french army is an occupying force as it has not signed a peace treaty and therefore still at war and it is only negotiating.

So for the other alliance members to become an occupying force, they must declare war again.

OOC: Sorry for nitpicking :beam:, just clarifying the legal matters.
So technically, France is the only one who is still at war and can impose conditions.

BTW, Bopa, did you get my PM? Is it still relevant after the death of the Kaiser?

EDIT:Can't spell...

[Kagemusha]

Spain wishes to call the attention to the fact that all other members of the alliance have already signed peace treaties with the Empire, and therefore are not an occupying force since they are not at war anymore, while the french army is an occupying force as it has not signed a peace treaty and therefore still at war and it is only negotiating.

So for the other alliance members to become an occupying force, they must declare war again.

OOC: Sorry for nitpicking :beam:, just clarifying the legal matters.
So technically, France is the only one who is still at war and can impose conditions.

BTW, Bopa, did you get my PM? Is it still relevant after the death of the Kaiser?

EDIT:Can't spell...

Netherlands would like to also remind that Protestant Union has not admitted the late Kaisers power over them,infact they were at war with him and this means the most of the North and Middle German lords. And they are still allied to Most countries of Protestant coalition. So if Ferdinand is not counted as representative of HRE.The Protestant coalitions forces are Allied force of Protestant Union in North and middle Germany. As we understand France has signed the cease fire and becouse of that cant be thought as war with HRE. Altough the Lords of Protestant Union are admitting Ferdinand as representative of HRE. So in order to make peace,wouldnt it be best option for all to admit Ferdinand as representative of HRE until the elections for new Kaiser are held?

OOC:More nitpicking.~;)

[SwordsMaster]

Netherlands would like to also remind that Protestant Union has not admitted the late Kaisers power over them,infact they were at war with him and this means the most of the North and Middle German lords. And they are still allied to Most countries of Protestant coalition. So if Ferdinand is not counted as representative of HRE.The Protestant coalitions forces are Allied force of Protestant Union in North and middle Germany. As we understand France has signed the cease fire and becouse of that cant be thought as war with HRE. Altough the Lords of Protestant Union are admitting Ferdinand as representative of HRE. So in order to make peace,wouldnt it be best option for all to admit Ferdinand as representative of HRE until the elections for new Kaiser are held?

OOC:More nitpicking.~;)

Well, technically, the Netherlands have negotiated with Ferdinand, therefore accepting him as a valid representative, if you didn't accept him as a valid representative, then the negotiation would be illegal and you'd still be at war.

Again, technically, the Netherlands and the protestant rulers who recognised Ferdinand, are at peace, while those who did not, are still at war. As France, independently from the PU has not accepted Ferdinand's legality, they are at war with everyone, no matter if Catholic or Protestant.

The fact that France is discussing terms does not mean they are not at war, as if the terms are rejected by one of the parties, hostilities will continue. The Netherlands, on the other hand, has already accepted the terms, and therefore signed a legally binding document that prevents it from going to war again.

Again, legally, if the protestant lords did not accept the authority of the late Kaiser after electing him, they are rebelling against their liege, and are nothing but traitors to the Empire no matter who is the ruler, because they have challenged not the man, but the structure of power and the mechanism by which the ruler is elected. So, technically, and because in the peace treaty they have signed there are no specific terms about anyone of them except Brandemburg, the new Emperor or the Diet must judge them and condemn them for treason.

Again, as far as France is NOT part of the Protestant Union, the legal documents including the PU, do not apply to France.


OOC: Phew :sweatdrop:. I work too much :yes:.

[Kagemusha]

Well...That goes other way around too.Firstly The Protestant union didnt reject Kaiser as institution but Kaiser as person.So they are not traitors but Lords who rejected their leader becouse he didnt obey the law of the land.Since he broke the diet of Augsburg. Now if there is not one representative over HRE.That means that only that either the treaties made by France or treaties made by Others are legimite.This is the reason why Netherlands is working for a goal that there is only one representative of HRE untill new Kaiser has been elected.

OOC::sweatdrop: ~;)

[Franconicus]

I think that no treaties are valid as long as there is no legal representative for the empire.

Right now, we have a ceasefire and that ends the fighting for the moment. This gives us the time to solve the problems properly.

For everything regarding the ceasefire and the order I will discuss Tilly, who is the supreme commander of the Imperial forces.

I have nothing against those armies that fought the former Kaiser and contributed to the victory. I aks for their help to preserve order and to protect the borders of the country until valid agreements can be made with a legal representive.

I have something against anybody who did join up as long as the Emperor was mighty, but who wants to join in the conversation now that his might is broken.

Ferdiand:
I think we should get in contact to clear our relationship. Please send me your agent or come personally.

Max

[SwordsMaster]

OOC: I need a clarification: Legio or Bopa, or whoever is doing this:

Is the Diet in Speyer or Vienna? Or are there two diets? Or is Tilly in Vienna with the "true German princes" and the Electors gathered in Speyer? Actually that is a funny option...

Just to be clear though....

Cheers


Well...That goes other way around too.Firstly The Protestant union didnt reject Kaiser as institution but Kaiser as person.So they are not traitors but Lords who rejected their leader becouse he didnt obey the law of the land.Since he broke the diet of Augsburg. Now if there is not one representative over HRE.That means that only that either the treaties made by France or treaties made by Others are legimite.This is the reason why Netherlands is working for a goal that there is only one representative of HRE untill new Kaiser has been elected.

Well, in that case he should have called for a Diet to judge and elect a new Kaiser if necessary instead of going in direct rebellion. Direct rebellion against the Kaiser is against the law of the Empire.

Now if it could be proven that the Kaiser is the one disobeying the laws, then he must be deposed by the Diet, and the ruler of Brandemburg alone has no authority to do this.

As of the treaties, the treaties are subjective to the two or more parts that signed them, and it is perfectly acceptable for other parts, not included in the treaty to ignore them. There is no universal treaty. So if Netherlands and Ferdinand signed the treaty they are the only 2 parts that are bound to obey it, and if France signed a treaty with the Duke of Austria, then it would remain at war with the whole HRE minus Austria, no matter what treaty did the Netherlands sign separately.

Both treaties can be valid simultaneously, it is just a matter of perceived legality.
Basicaly you sign the treaty with who, in your perspective, seems more trustworthy. If France thinks Ferdinand is not representative enough, it is their own right to hold that opinion. If the Netherlands thinks otherwise, again, it is their own right.


This is, BTW, completely OOC, and is not representative of the official spanish opinion on the matter. This is just to clarify the legal reach of the agreements

[Franconicus]

The Royal Academy for Jurisprudence at Cordoba is really worth the money :dizzy2:

[Kagemusha]

OOC: As im aware of the situation.In the post 804# As the Emperor Matthias falled ill.His The Interrim Givernment of his Majesty's council of War of war stated this:


The Interrim Givernment of his Majesty's council of War.

As of late, our great and noble Kaiser has fallen ill and is thus incapable of the more rigorous escersise of Government. As it is, his chief Millitary commander, Tilly calls for all true German Princes to Proceed at once to Vienna, there to hold an emergency Riechstagg and if, the Lord doth deign to take the Emperor, an election.

He has Ordered his subordinates to halt all millitary actions with France, Denmark and the Netherlands. However, the Council warns Brandenbourg that the army shall remain in the firld under Wallenstien to deter any attacks. However, he does grant you you're place at the Riechstagg.

This is clear call for diet to gather in Vienna.

After that in post 806# France called a another diet:


Regensburg, ANNO DOMINI 1614

Today, Matthias, Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire, accepted the victory of the French King and His allies, the Duke of Savoy, the Kurfürst of Pfalz and the Protestant towns. He asked for ceasefire and the French general accepted.

From this moment, the French army and its allies guarantee order and the sanctities of the German borders. We ask the armies of the Netherlands, Denmark and the Protestant Union to support us in this issue.

Matthias ordered all German authorities and troops to support and obey the French commander. According to His own wish, Matthias will resign as Emperor. He will keep His titles as King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria, and will take care of the wealth and happiness of His subjects there.

The Kurfürst der Pfalz invites all Prince-Electors to come to Speyer, where the new Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire will be elected in October. Participants are:
Johann von Kronberg, Archbishop of Mainz
Lothar von Metternich, Archbishop of Trier
Ferdinand von Bayern, Archbishop of Köln
Sigismund, Markgraf von Brandenburg
Matthias, König von Böhmen
Friedrich V., Kurfürst der Pfalz,
Johann Georg I, Kurfürst von Sachsen
Coronation will be in December at the Cathedral of Speyer.

Afterwards, the King of France will negotiate peace with the new Kaiser. He assumes that the other war parties will do the same.

Once the war in the HRE is over, the French King invites all Christian sovereigns to meet at Paris and to discuss and settle all differences.

Praise the Lord and His Saints!

Henri, Duc de Rohan, Supreme Commander of the French Army and the Allied Forces

After this in post: 810# I assume the Diet which was gathering in Vienna stated that Kaiser was dead and lead by Ferdinand again messaged clearly that Diet should gather in Vienna.That time they also ratified the peace treaty with Netherlands:


Official statement from Habsburgs:

We are sad to inform you that Emperor Matthias has died. A new Kaiser will be elected. Before this is done, Ferdinand of Habsburg will lead the peace negotiations with France acting on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire. The election of a new Kaiser is not the business of the French intervention force. Announce your terms, or continue to rape, pillage and butcher until all Catholics of Spain and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth will deem it necessary to come to our aid in defense of the Holy Church against the schismatic Protestants that control France. The peace with Denmark is confirmed. Peace with the Netherlands is also confirmed, on the following terms:
- complete and confirmed independency of the current area of Republic, excluding Cologne and Munster, which will be held and taxed by the Republic until compensations have been payed by the Kaiser. After the compensations have been payed these two Imperial cities will be handed back to HRE (this means within 5 years)
- annexation of East Friesland and Julich (Julich is now controlled by Brandenburg) to Netherlands
- reconfirming of the Diet of Augsburg
- full compensation of the costs of the war
- return of all prisoners of war

For Brandenburg, we have accepted the terms suggested by Denmark and the Netherlands:
- no attacks on Brandenburg in the coming 10 years
- if Brandenburg violates the law of the Empire, Denmark will come to the military aid of the Kaiser
- Julich is handed over to the Netherlands
- the Kaiser will pay for the damages done to Berlin
- return of all prisoners of war
This peace will be confirmed as soon as Brandenburg accepts this offer.

The forces that are currently figthing the French that haven't had their weapons stolen by the French forces will retreat to Vienna, where they will defend against the Heathen Turk. We invite the French armies to continue their pursuit of our army all the way to the gates of Vienna, so that they may siege the city side by side with the Heathen Turk.

But for some reason France didnt admit the authority of the diet that was gathering in Vienna in post 816#:


Who is this frog quacking in the name of the noble house of Habsburg? Who is he that he thinks he can make treaties in the name of the Holy Roman Empire.

Is it true that Matthias has left us? Although We had differences in the past, We would regret that.

Now that he is gone there is no other authority to rule the Empire than the French army. According to the order of the dead Kaiser We expect every German officer to fulfil his duty and to support us to keep order.

To get a new Kaiser which We can give the power back, there has to be an election. We support the invitation of the Kurfürst der Pfalz, but we will not interfere in the election. So any successor of the house Habsburg can be a candidate, as well as any other chosen nobleman.

We are willing to make peace with the HRE, as soon as there is an authority We can negotiate with.

If Ferdinand is the heir of Matthias, we will welcome him as the new King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria. Of course he will participate in the election.

We would like to ask Ferdinand, if the agreements, We made with Matthias, are still valid.

Maximilien, Marechal de France

Off context:
I am a bit surprised to see that Bopa is way out of the game. I always thought that if one person dies, the heir keeps on playing. My first character died a long time ago. So do I have to negotiate with Bopa or Legio?

So my understanding of affairs is that there are two diets now beeing called.One by the late Kaisers Interior war council whom which Ferdinand represents and another by France.Ofcourse my interpration could be wrong but im sure Legio will clear it up to us.:sweatdrop:

[Franconicus]

I doubt that Legio can decide it.

My understanding is:
We do not have a Kaiser right now. There is a heir, Ferdinand, who gets the titles of Bohemia and Austria. Of course he is one of the electors. The title of the Emperor cannot be passed on. Nor could the dying Kaiser decide who will be the interim.

So as a matter of fact there is no interim goverment at the moment. Even if there was an interim, the Kaiser capitulated, so the power lays in my hands.

The only organisation, that is authorized to elect the Kaiser, are the Prince-Electors. They could decide to elect an interim too. And I guess they are free to choose the place where the election should take place.

There is one good reason for Speyer. It was traditionally the place, where the Kaiser received the crown. And it is the home of one of the electors. Vienna has one big drawback: It prepares itself for being besieged by a huge turkish army. Maybe not the appropriate place for the election.

So there are two proposals and the electors can decide where to meet
If the electors are not even able to agree on the place to meet, I fear it is a bit too early to decide who is the right on to make treaties with.

By the way, the French have not disarmed the Imperial army of Tilly. I guess Ferdinand has received wrong information of what happened at Regensburg.

[Kagemusha]

OOC:I agree that there is no Kaiser at the moment,but there needs to be a chairman of the diet and it seems its Ferdinand.Also read carefully on the message:


"Quote:
Originally Posted by Bopa the Magyar
The Interrim Givernment of his Majesty's council of War.

As of late, our great and noble Kaiser has fallen ill and is thus incapable of the more rigorous escersise of Government. As it is, his chief Millitary commander, Tilly calls for all true German Princes to Proceed at once to Vienna, there to hold an emergency Riechstagg and if, the Lord doth deign to take the Emperor, an election.

He has Ordered his subordinates to halt all millitary actions with France, Denmark and the Netherlands. However, the Council warns Brandenbourg that the army shall remain in the firld under Wallenstien to deter any attacks. However, he does grant you you're place at the Riechstagg."

It clearly states that Tilly is also calling the diet to Vienna.Now whether its smart or not to hold the Diet in Vienna is matter of HRE as far as im concerned.There is not single word about while Kaiser still alive that he actually surrendered to the French.Rather that his warcouncill headed by Tilly took over,becouse Kaiser was not capable of ruling anymore.

[Franconicus]

He has not surrendered?
If this issue is uncelar, we do not have to rely on legal speculations, we can resolve this by the sword. So any German commander, heir, lord , successor or whoever thinks that the Kaiser has not surrendered, can settle this with my army near Regensburg. I think we can settle this immediately.

[SwordsMaster]

So, basically, Legio has to decide which diet the electors go to. Since it is dumb to have a diet without electors, and they can't attend both...

BTW, Kage, Legio's post that you quoted, doesn't actually specify where the diet is to meet. It just orders the army to Vienna, nothing else.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Just for clarification: Bopa is still in the game! Bopa will get to choose a new character, for example the new elected Holy Roman Emperor.

Re Kaiser vote: If the terms are that normal reelection will take place, I will need to decide who becomes the new Kaiser. All Electors will be able to influence the result - that means Brandenburg can vote. However the Brandenburg vote will be of little importance because a Catholic is still the most likely to win even if Brandenburg votes for a Protestant candidate, since the Catholics have most influence in total in the election.

Re the Dutch/Danish at war or not: they have made peace with the new Kaiser, but if the new Kaiser isn't recognized, or if he is overthrown or otherwise loses power completely, the treaties could (but won't necessarily) be invalidated - the rules here are unclear. Anyone claiming that the new Kaiser is illegal could automatically be interpreted as declaring the Dutch and Danish peace treaties illegal, but it won't necessarily have to be interpreted that way. If it's explicitly stated that France declares the Danish/Dutch treaties legal/illegal it's possible to at the same time declare the new Kaiser legal/illegal (all combinations of this), but the chances that the treaties are considered legal by the next Kaiser decrease if the current Kaiser was at the same time declared illegal, and the new Kaiser is someone else than Ferdinand. Denmark and the Netherlands can't take part in occupation now since they're out of the war, but they have influence by the normal methods of threatening and/or expressing their wishes. France can choose to ignore their requests/threats, or listen to them. The consequences will be whatever the players decide to do in response to whichever action is taken.

Re occupation of the HRE: trying to occupy all of the HRE wouldn't be possible, because Spain, Denmark and probably also the Netherlands have a few possessions there as fiefs. So the occupation would need to be restricted at least to some extent. How much it would be restricted is up to the actions of the different players to decide.

[Kagemusha]

So, basically, Legio has to decide which diet the electors go to. Since it is dumb to have a diet without electors, and they can't attend both...

BTW, Kage, Legio's post that you quoted, doesn't actually specify where the diet is to meet. It just orders the army to Vienna, nothing else.

OOC:You are right,but Bopas original does.Now i dont want to even think the possibility that Ferdinands message came somewhere else then Vienna.:sweatdrop: But im sure we will find out soon.:smash:

[Rodion Romanovich]

Re two elections, the previous Kaiser invited to diet in Vienna before he died. The French announced a diet elsewhere. Ferdinand has not yet done anything else than called for a vote, not specifying exactly where or when. If a situation with two diets remains, and both the diets happen at the same time, things will be quite complicated. If there are two diets, you can expect that those who are most pro-Protestant and pro-French will go to the French designated diet, and the Catholics to go to the other, unless they all decide it's more important to get a voting that is going to be accepted as legal by all parts, in which case some of if not all of the Electors will probably try to solve this schism, possibly ignoring both diets until there is an agreement.

[SwordsMaster]

Things just got mre interesting...

[Marshal Murat]

King Sigismund
We in Poland ask that the election go swiftly and effectively, to ensure complete
and industrious regulation and rule over the Holy Roman Empire.

[Incongruous]

The Council of Ferdinand and Imperial Commander Tilly.

It has come to our attention that some confusion reigns as to where the Election is to be held. As per the last Kaisers wishes, it shall be held in Vienna, afterwhich a Riechstagg shall be ehld to discuss the war with the Turks.

We apologise to the French if they we're in some ways confused by the Interrim Governments actions. We verify that the Kaiser did not surrender to anyone, his Interrim government merely announced a ceasfire. We also verify that a Freindly French force within the Empire would be of great help in deterring any... Unwanted attentions from outsiders. It was not specified where the French force should be placed. More dicusion on that matter is needed.

Meanwhile we must proceed with the burial details at once, of the Great Kaiser.

[IrishArmenian]

Tsar Vasili is overjoyed to hear of this great news! Peace throughout Europe, until it gets boring.

[Lord Winter]

Sweden calls on Poland to hand over Riga and recognize the rightful Tsar. Things in Russia are going bad for you and Brandenburg is free from its conflict with the empire. Where do you think they will expand next? In the south the Ottomans also threaten to advance into christen lands to t. My demands are thus:

1. Latvia shall be ceded to the Swedish crown.
2. Vasilli will be recognized as tsar

I advise you to surrender now while you have a chance at such easy terms.

Gustav Adolph, King of Sweden

[IrishArmenian]

King Gustav has proposed a wise deal. I suggest, Sigismund, that you accept. This will not bode well if you do not. The Ottomans are hungry for battle, the Swedes have superior technology and well, I'm a pissed off, stubborn Russian with little to loose.

[Franconicus]

Let us end this ignoble spectaculum!:dizzy2:

The French King Louis will send Cardinal Richelieu to give Matthias the last honor. Please tell us when and where the funeral will be.

I think we all agree that the seven electors have to decide know about the future of the HRE. There should even be consence about their names now.

Johann von Kronberg, Archbishop of Mainz
Lothar von Metternich, Archbishop of Trier
Ferdinand von Bayern, Archbishop of Köln
Sigismund, Markgraf von Brandenburg
Ferdinand, König von Böhmen
Friedrich V., Kurfürst der Pfalz,
Johann Georg I, Kurfürst von Sachsen

There are seven, so there has to be a majority of at least four.

This council has to decide, where they will meet, about the schedule, and whether they want to have an interim and which authority this interim should have. I call upon every single one to post his decision.

If you are able to make an agreement right now, please nominate the new Emperor. If not, please make a schedule.

Does any sovereign disagree with that?

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from Ferdinand:

The Kaiser calls for the city of Regensburg and surroundings to be untouched by the French troops! The city will act as a supply base for the war against the Ottomans!

The election of the new Kaiser will take place in Vienna, as per the deceased Kaiser's last wish. The election will take place on the 25th of October. This should give all Electors time to get to the city.

[Rodion Romanovich]

@Warluster: if you wish to vote for who will be the next Kaiser, you can vote for it now. The candidates are in my post below. You can also choose policy:
a. only accept an election held in Regensburg
b. only accept an election held in Vienna
c. try to convince the others of election in Regensburg, but if it fails go to Vienna
d. try to convince the others of election in Vienna, but if it fails go to Regensburg
e. boycott the election in any case
f. go to the election wherever it ends up. If there are two councils and it isn't clear which council is the real one, don't go at all
g. go to the election wherever it ends up. If there are two councils and it isn't clear which council is the real one, just pick one of the councils to go to

you can send your choice either to me by PM, or post in this thread

[Franconicus]

Wait a moment. Isn't it possble to chose a any candidate you want?:help:

[Rodion Romanovich]

Sorry the post above forgot one of the so far suggested candidates. I have edited the post above to refer to this one instead. So here's the list of the candidates suggested so far:
- Philippe IV of Spain
- Ferdinand, König von Böhmen (the one that made the statements above)
- Ferdinand von Bayern, Archbishop of Köln
- Johann von Kronberg, Archbishop of Mainz
- Lothar von Metternich, Archbishop of Trier
- Sigismund, Markgraf von Brandenburg
- Friedrich V., Kurfürst der Pfalz,
- Johann Georg I, Kurfürst von Sachsen

[Warluster]

(OOC-try to convince the others of election in Regensburg, but if it fails go to Vienna)
i say the French has Helped brandenburg greatly, and we say Regensburg, but we do not mind really.

[Rodion Romanovich]

From Vienna, October 26th AD 1614:

The Electoral college has elected Ferdinand König von Böhmen the new Emperor-Elect of the Holy Roman Empire. The new Kaiser won with 4 votes in his favor.

Edit: gah, counting error

[Kagemusha]

Wait a moment. Isn't it possble to chose a any candidate you want?:help:

GAH!Sorry im late i didnt see that the elections were held already.:shame:

[Kagemusha]

Official Statement from The Republic of Netherlands

The Republic congratulates Holy Roman Empire and its new Kaiser. We hope that this would be a start of more peacefull times and Holy Roman Empire to be a center of stability for central Europe,not a source of Chaos.We wish long life and reign for the new Kaiser.Long live Kaiser Ferdinand II!

The Republic of Netherlands

[Rodion Romanovich]

Decisions left: Brandenburg, England, France, Netherlands, Venice

Some of the options may have been invalidated by the new diplomatical events, and some new options may have been opened. Remember that it's not only the things suggested in the questions given that you can make decisions about.

[Franconicus]

Sorry, I am a bit confused!

1) Legio says something about a counting error. What does that mean? Recounting? Reelection? George Bush jr. as President??
2) About the time? It is October now? I haven't sent my action list for fall and winter :oops:

[Rodion Romanovich]

1) gah! nah, it means I edited because first I wrote 5, when I meant to write 4. It's correct now.
2) don't worry, just send in the decisions as if it was August 1st

[Franconicus]

:france:
The King of France accepts the decision of the electors. He congratulates Ferdinand and welcomes him in the circle of Christian souvereigns.

The French King also allows him to send his agents to negotiate terms for ceasefire and peace if he wants to.

[Incongruous]

Umm, am i even playing anymore?
Legio, I thought you said I could be Ferdinand? Yet you just posted as him, and I did not gice you my decisions.

GAH!

[Franconicus]

I agree! But now Ferdinand is Emperor, and I guess Legio wanted to give you the choice when it is clear who is Emperor.

So I assume its goodbye to Bopa as Kaiser Matthias and welcome as Kaiser Ferdinand.

[SwordsMaster]

Philippe wishes to congratulate Ferdinand, Duke of Austria and King of Bohemia, and welcome him as new Emperor of the Romans.

Kaiser Ferdinand is invited to Madrid to visit his brother, and be treated to the delicacies of Spain and be introduced to the spanish court. Philippe also wishes to discuss with the Kaiser the new policies that the Empire is going to undertake under the new Emperor.

OOC: Who plays Ferdinand?
Bopa, can you clear your inbox, please...

[Incongruous]

ooc:

Done!:2thumbsup:

[Rodion Romanovich]

Ok Bopa is Ferdinand from now on. I just waited for Bopa's confirmation and now it has come.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from the Papacy:

By this bull, Duc de Sully is excommuncated for Apostasy, Heresy and Schism by the canonical law of Anno Domini 1364. Two thirds of the land claimed by France in the bull of Anno Domini 1613 will fall into the hands of the Spanish Empire once the Ottomans have been defeated at Vienna. The claims to last third will be handed over to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Holy Roman Empire and any Protestant nation that fights the internal heresy in his country. French troops who admit Sully illegal shall be given full mercy on surrender to the forces of any other Catholic nation. The crimes of Sully include:
- causing war between fellow Catholics
- widening the schism and supporting the Protestant Heretics with military aid in war against fellow Catholics
- aiding the Heathen in his war against Christendom
- treacherously expelling all Jesuit preachers from France
- plotting for the murder of the Spanish king
- desecration of the Eucharist

Signed,
Papa Paulus Quintus, Episcopus Romanus

[SwordsMaster]

Spain would like to suggest to the Holy Father to reconsider this, perhaps rash and ill-advised decision. The Notable efforts of the french monarchy in christianising Africa and his other colonial posessions are noted.

Perhaps France would be forgiven if the duc de Sully agreed to participate in further christianising campaigns.

[Kagemusha]

The answers of Netherlands have been sent.:netherlands:

[Randarkmaan]

OOC: I may have missed something, who's duc de sully, one of Franc's guys?


once the Ottomans have been defeated at Vienna

Dream on pope-boy!

[Rodion Romanovich]

@Randarkmaan: Sully is the formal head of France and guardian of the French heir, as per the wish of the former French king Henry IV
Some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilien_de_B%C3%A9thune%2C_duc_de_Sully

[Randarkmaan]

Oh, it's Maximillien, the marechal... AKA Franconius's guy.

[Kagemusha]

OOC: This was unexpected.Plotting murder?!??.Franc now you wouldnt murder good old Swordsmaster?:clown:

[Incongruous]

OOC: Hey umm Legio, um can you explain to me what is actually going on? It seems that you agreed to somethings I was not aware of.

Ferdinand Kaiser of The Holy Roman Empire.

The Emperor hereby claims from the Turk, Hungary, Macedonia and Constantinople.

He also accepts the proposed coronation in Rome. To which he invites his brother of Spain, his friend Sigismund of Poland and all True German Princes.

[Marshal Murat]

King Sigimund would be honored to attend the coronation of the new Kaiser.

[Randarkmaan]

The Emperor hereby claims from the Turk, Hungary, Macedonia and Constantinople

The Sultan hereby claims from the Emperor, who seems just as ill-advised and barbarously zealous as his deceased predecessor Mathias (Allah's curse be upon him!), Vienna and the lands surrounding it.

[IrishArmenian]

I loan my support, militarily and financially, to the Ottomans. Wait for me, my brother, The Cossacks and Janissaries shall fight side by side! We shall crush the Germans at Vienna, and pull for clemencey for Duc de Sully. He is a righteous and generous man. Courageous too. The Tsar and Sultan ride under one banner--that of the Kaiser's defeat!

[Marshal Murat]

It is regrettable that the Cossacks follow the Banner of Sigismund, and the Eagle and Cross of the Commonwealth.

[IrishArmenian]

No, I let them rape, pillage and plunder. You are civilised. You don't alllow them to do so.

[Franconicus]

:france:
Announcement of Louis XIII., King of France and King of Navarre, Sovereign over Realms in Africa and America by the Grace of God

After the glorious victory of our armies We decided to reform Our government.

Maximilien de Bethune, duc de Sully, Marechal de France, is appointed Vice-roi of La Nouvelle France. We do this to thank him for His merits for the French King and the Christianisation of the heathens in Africa and America. Maximilien wants to apply himself in the conversion of the American natives.

The government will be led by myself, Louis XIII, King of France.

We appoint Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church to the commander of all armed forces, including the army, the navy and the national guard.

[Franconicus]

:france:
Announcement of Louis XIII., King of France and Navarre by the Grace of God

We hear the accusation of the Pope and We see that they are totally unfounded. We all know the merits of the Duc de Sully for the peace amoung the Christian nations and the Catholic church.
We are irritated that the Pope did not even ask the Duke about the accusation. Therefore the judgement is not valid. We do not live in the Dark Middle Ages, you know?
We are also irritated that the list includes items, that are definetly not under the jurisdication of the Church, like the accusation of plotting for murderer.
If the Pope decided to make a fool of himself, the King of France does not care. However, there is another issue where the Pope crossed the border between right and wrong.
The Pope prompted the soldiers of the Royal Army to forget their duty for the King, who has his authority by the Grace of God. Do We have to remind the Pope, that God shared the power in the Christian Realm. The Pope may be the leader in the spiritual things, but he is not allowed to interfere in affairs that belong to the civil order.
We will not make the same mistake as the Pope. We give him the chance to speak out to My accusation, to admit and regret and to repent. We ask him to call back his bull and to compensate the damage.

[Rodion Romanovich]

OOC: Hey umm Legio, um can you explain to me what is actually going on? It seems that you agreed to somethings I was not aware of.

Ferdinand Kaiser of The Holy Roman Empire.

The Emperor hereby claims from the Turk, Hungary, Macedonia and Constantinople.

He also accepts the proposed coronation in Rome. To which he invites his brother of Spain, his friend Sigismund of Poland and all True German Princes.
What do you mean I agreed to?

[Rodion Romanovich]

@Franc: hm now I am confused... have you taken over Louis XIII's character or are you Sully, signing with his name? Of course, given the current situation, you're allowed to do either

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement of the Papacy:

There shall be a coronation of the new Kaiser in Rome in December. All true sons of the Church are invited to attend the ceremonial, including King Louis XIII, King of France by heritage of Henry IV, and Phillippe IV, King of Spain by God's grace, and Sigismund III Vasa, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by God's grace.

As for Sully, it is regrettable that such a man, so eager to wage war, has been using his capacities to fight fellow Catholics. We would like to congratulate the French King Louis XIII for making the wise decision of sending him off to the colonies, where he will be unable to find anything but Heathens to fight. We are happy to see that the French king has forced him to do penance, where he will have a chance to compensate for his sins, and be forgiven.

[Randarkmaan]

I loan my support, militarily and financially, to the Ottomans. Wait for me, my brother, The Cossacks and Janissaries shall fight side by side! We shall crush the Germans at Vienna, and pull for clemencey for Duc de Sully. He is a righteous and generous man. Courageous too. The Tsar and Sultan ride under one banner--that of the Kaiser's defeat!

It is agreed then, no enemy will be able to resist our combined might!

[Franconicus]

@Franc: hm now I am confused... have you taken over Louis XIII's character or are you Sully, signing with his name? Of course, given the current situation, you're allowed to do either
Well, to be honest, I always played more or less the two persons. You will find a lot of posts signed by the King Himself. I thought that this was no problem as the King was under direct control of Sully.

Yes, I will play the King, if you do not mind. He is old enough to care about the national affairs, or as he likes to say: "Les etats c'est moi!"

Vive le Roi!

[King Kurt]

I say bring back Sully - he was so good in Monsters Inc:laugh4:

[Rodion Romanovich]

Edit: double post

[Rodion Romanovich]

@Franc: Ok! :2thumbsup: Let us all then greet the new king: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XIII_of_France

===

@Warluster & Bopa: have Brandenburg and HRE negotiated peace, and what were the terms of the peace?

[Franconicus]

I say bring back Sully - he was so good in Monsters Inc:laugh4:
You ain't seen nothing yet! :eeeek: :scared:

[Kagemusha]

Official Announcement from the Republic of Netherlands

The Republic of Netherlands congratulates the King of France for stepping into power directly. We hope to see the relationship between the Republic and Kingdom of France to turn even more positive and to give prosperity to both our peoples. We would like to hear the political agenda of the French King as soon as possible.

Maurice of Nassau,The Stadtholder of Republic of Netherlands


OOC:How many have not answered yet?Lets keep this ball rolling.:smash:

[Rodion Romanovich]

England, France, Venice

[Franconicus]

I will post my reply as soon as I get the information from the HRE. I have to know if we are still at war or not.:book:
O hope you understand.

I'd like to invite the Stadtholder of the Netherlands to the victory parade at Paris (just in case the war is over) :2thumbsup:

[King Kurt]

England, France, Venice
Just sent mine:2thumbsup:

[Incongruous]

I have not sent mine have I?

Holy Roman Emperor elect, Ferdinand von Hapsburg.

We wish peace with the French, however their demands that we rename our nation the German empire, is utterly unnaceptable, as are the reperations we are being forced to pay and the releasing of areas of the Empire to direct French control.

[Rodion Romanovich]

no you haven't, but most of the questions are no longer valid so you don't need to. But you may send in any other actions you want to carry out.

[Rodion Romanovich]

From the Papacy:

The peace terms presented by Sully are invalid. The Papacy offers to mediate between the French King Louis XIII and the Holy Roman Emperor-Elect, suggesting the rest of Lorraine and everything to the west of Speyer to be handed over to France.

[Incongruous]

Ferdinand Von Hasburg.

Again, we refuse to pay such a large sum, we refuse ti rename the Holy Roman Empire, the German Empire, and we refuse to give up control of Northern Italy. We also refuse to give direct control of the former Hapsburg lands to the French, they are part of the Holy Roman Empire.

[Franconicus]

Well, my conditions are noble and just:

Guarantee of the traditional rights to the Prince Electors and the German Lords
Reconstitution of the Augsburg agreement.
Official release of the provinces in Northern Italy, Savoy, Luxemburg and Franche Comte. Luxemburg and FC will then join France.
Renaming of the HRE into German Empire and your title into German Emperor; Disclaimer of the Claim of leadership
Payment of the cost of war

We do not demand any land from the HRE, except the one we already received from Philippe. We do not need Lorraine and everything to the west of Speyer, as the King of France has enough land. We do not want to cripple the Holy Roman Empire.
However, we need some guarantees and - of course - compensation for our expenses.
If Ferdinand does not accept, right, let's start again. He will have to put the blame for the blood on his shoulders.

[SwordsMaster]

Announcement fro the Council of the Realms of Spain, assembled in Madrid

From this moment onwards, His Most Catholic Majesty Philippe III,
King of Spain, King of Portugal, King of Castile, of León, of Aragón, of the Two Sicilies, of Jerusalem, of Navarre, of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of Sardinia, of Córdoba, of Corsica, of Murcia, of Jaén, of the Algarves, of Algeciras, of Gibraltar, of the Canary Islands, of the East and West Indies, of the Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea, Archduke of Austria, of Milan, of Athens and Neopatras; Count of Habsburg, of Tyrol, of Roussillon, and of Barcelona; Lord of Vizcaya and of Molina, is reestablished by the Council of His Lords and in accordance with His legal claim as the holder of the Imperial city of Leon, the title of Imperator totius Hipaniae, and shall hereby be addressed as His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty, or Emperor of All the Spains.

______________________________________________________


It has also come to the attention of the Spanish court that France and the HRE are negotiating about Northern Italy, territories under spanish control. As Duke of Milan, His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty wishes that this item be dropped from the negotiation table, or clearly specifies that the territories being discussed are not those to which His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty holds a claim to.


[/COLOR]His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty also wishes to confirm his presence at the coronation in Vienna, but only after the peace has been signed between the Emperor and France. It is His opinion that it is uncomfortable to travel accross Europe with armies marching along the main roads.


His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty also wishes to remind the Cossacks, that although of a different faith than they are, the Emperor of All the Spains is a Christian as is the King of Poland and the HR Emperor, while they seem to have allied themselves with a muslim against fellow Christian brothers, forgetting that eternal damnation in hell will await those who aid the Infidel.


His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty will pray that God makes the reign of the King of France Louis XIII prosperous, and invites him to expect a messenger that has just been dispatched with private letters for the french court.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement of the Papacy:

The Holy Father announces that part of the Papal Guard will be sent to take part in the battle of Vienna.

[Franconicus]

Official statement of the Papacy:

The Holy Father announces that part of the Papal Guard will be sent to take part in the battle of Vienna.
Imagine there is a battle and the Turks do not come!:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:



:france:
After my consultations with my brother HMCIM Philippe I reduce my demands:


Guarantee of the traditional rights to the Prince Electors and the German Lords
Reconstitution of the Augsburg agreement.
Official release of the provinces Luxemburg and Franche Comte. Luxemburg and FC will then join France.
Disclaimer of the Claim of leadership
Payment of the cost of war

I hope the German Kaiser knows the value of the support of his Spanish cousin.

[SwordsMaster]

Disclaimer of the Claim of leadership

OOC: Just what exactly does that mean? :help: Is that in reference to the name change?
Actually, I also just notice that I've been sending out PMs as Philippe IV, when the king of Spain is actually Philippe III. Sorry about that :oops:. It meant to say Philippe III, I can hardly sign as my baby son...


IC:

As of the other points of the treaty, they seem reasonable and I urge my brother Ferdinand to accept. Continuing this war will only bring more ruin and destruction to everyone involved.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Hehe, I too have made the mistake of writing IV instead of III in a few places in the last chapter... :laugh4: I had a feeling something was wrong but couldn't locate it...

[Rodion Romanovich]

Those who haven't posted their decisions yet - are you waiting for diplomacy? If it seems like you can't reach a peace agreement that both sides can accept, you could either:
- continue negotiating, if it seems you will eventually agree to something
- sign a temporary ceasefire for one turn
- or continue the war, since the threat is that unless the ceasefire is signed the war will continue you should be prepared for this if no treaty is signed

[Incongruous]

The Government of Germany.

We hereby, denounce all rites, regalia and connection to the former Holy Roman Empire.

We hereby depart ourselves of all interests in the Papacy.

We hereby denounce the proposed coronation in Rome, and announce that no matters of the German nation shall be in confidence of the Papacy.

We hereby denounce all claims to Italy, the French Comte, Luxembourg and Brandenbourg.

We hereby announce the creation of a new constitution to be created in Vienna.

We hereby announce Ferdinand Von Hapsburg as the new German Emperor, and Germany to be known as the German Empire. Until further developments.

We hereby demoand the occupying forces of France to leave as all terms of peace have been agreed upon.

We hereby demand that no Papal forces enter Germany, the Pope has proven himself to be unfit to take any part in German affairs.

We remove ouselves from any taxes levied by the Papacy.

We announce acceptence and amnesty to all forms of German Christianity.

We announce the creation of a new German Army, the details of which will be decided by the German Princes.

We ask all German Princes to attend Vienna with the utmost haste to behold the constitution.

We hereby demand that Brandenbourg pay, or remit it's demand for compensation for it's funding of Rebellion in Bohemia.

Signed.

Ferdinand Von Hapsburg.

[Warluster]

offcial Statement from bradenBurg
We have come to peace with the german Empire, adn the terms are as staeted
-The HRE recognises Brandenburgs independance
-They pay 2000 a year

brandenBurg is no longer a State. We are a natiON!
our Elector is now a king
Our state is now a nation

[Marshal Murat]

OOC:Warluster, what happened to your keyboard?

King Sigismund would like to inform Brandenburg that Ducal Prussia is still the loyal and faithful vassal of the Commonwealth, and the nobles therein enjoy the full rights of the Sejm.

[Warluster]

Of course, ALL of brandenburg is independant EXCEPT Ducal Prussia, but it is still under our control.
OOC-My Keyboard? It is just state of the art, top of the line crap

[Incongruous]

Emperor Ferdinand.

We demand that Brandenbourg remit all demands for endemnities for inciting the rebellion in Bohemia.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement of the Catholic League:

The Catholic League vetoes the peace treaty. The terms are not only proclaiming free practise of heresy, but also forbids Catholicism from being carried out. We encourage all Catholic princes to refuse taking part in the mustering of a German Army commanded by an anti-Catholic Kaiser who is the puppet of an excommunicated deposed French minister.

[Warluster]

OOc-So you want me to pay back for the damage and say I had no responsibility for the rebellion of bohemia. IS that what your saying?

IC- We are sorry for any harm and damage done in the rebellion of Bohemia, and we shall pay the requierd amount (Unless its too much)

[Rodion Romanovich]

Official statement from Denmark:

Denmark declares her neutrality in the conflict. However, we would like to hear how the suggested dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire would affect our vassal possessions Oldenburg and Hamburg, and our other peace terms.

[Warluster]

OOC- Are oldenburg and Hamburg in Brandenburg?

[Rodion Romanovich]

No, they are northwest of Brandenburg.

[Incongruous]

Ferdinad Hapsburg.

We wis h the members of the Catholic League to point out where in our statement we denounce Catholicism. It is a fact that the Emperor is Catholic.

For the time being we shall allow Denmark to take full control of the vassal possession, for now.

We also state, that that was no peace treaty, but the new path for Germany, we are no freinds or lapdogs of those French provoctoteurs.

[Grand Lord of Poop~]

sorry to butt in, but I've been following this interactive for some months now (albeit sometimes distantly :laugh4: ) and ive got to say, it has to be one of the best i have ever seem. i can tell the OP has put in much effort in this!!! so, here comes the point: according to the original post, Denmark and Transylvannia are still vacant?? am i correct?? if not, then may i join the wait list???

[Rodion Romanovich]

Thanks :bow: Yes no problem, I will put you on the waiting list.

[Kagemusha]

Netherlands claims neutrality on the German issue and remains vigilante.

We would also like to ask Kaiser.Why is he not aswering our letters?

OOC:How many players still that havent answered?:whip: :smash:

[Rodion Romanovich]

still 2

[Kagemusha]

GAH!Wants the nect chapter!:wall: :oops:

[Franconicus]

It`s me! I am still waiting for the pay check from Germany.
I try to post tonight :yes:

[Grand Lord of Poop~]

sorry, just asking. so i assume that denmark and transylvania has been taken??

[Rodion Romanovich]

Denmark and Transylvania aren't taken, but I can't have too many players playing at the same time, because then it gets too complex and time consuming and nearly impossible to find the information needed for writing the next chapter in all negotiations and turn decisions I need to keep track of etc., so that's why there is a queue. :shrug:

The queue is now: Ichigo, Patriarch of Constantinople, Grand Lord of Poop~
~:cheers:

[Rodion Romanovich]

It`s me! I am still waiting for the pay check from Germany.
I try to post tonight :yes:
No problem! Just wondering: "pay check", does that mean there were more terms than those written above by Bopa? It will be needed for the next chapter!

[Grand Lord of Poop~]

no problem there, i can understand you already have enough work!!! :yes:

[SwordsMaster]

His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty Philippe III wishes to congratulate the parties involved in the peace negotiation for the swift resolution. While His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty is pleased that peace has been restored to the Empire, Spain wonders why the separation between Rome and Vienna is so abrupt.

His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty will await the embassy of Ferdinand Habsburg to arrive to Madrid with the guarantees that previous relations have not been harmed, and the outline of the new policies governing the Empire.

Until that moment, Spain will deal with Ferdinand as Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Austria and King of Bohemia and will not recognise the title of Emperor of Germany.

OOC: This basically means that I hope Bopa PMs me with some more details of the peace treaty, and what does this mean as far as religious tolerance, political model, and constitution of the new empire goes...

[Incongruous]

The New Government of Germany.

We wish to make clear our independance from the Spanish. No blood ties shall chain us to you're wishes and want's. We are our own state, and thus have no need to inform you of our state policies.

We wish to remind Brandenbourg that you wer'e indeen responsible for funding the Rebellion in Bohemia.

We will make the payment to the French as soon as possible, we also wish to make sure you give the soldiers whom you killed in cold blood are given proper Christian burial by you, before you leave Germany. We are no friends of you.

We ask that the Spanish withhold any diplomatic meanderings until the Christian army is assembled in Vienna. Then Ferdinand will travel personally to Madrid.

The Pope has shown himself to be utterly useless as a political figure in Germany, his promises to the last Kaiser caused nothing but death. The Catholics of course still accept his primacy, but only in religous matters.

If the Primate has issue with this change of polotics, we give him a chance to travel to Vienna, with escort to make his case known.

F.H

[AntiochusIII]

The queue is now: Ichigo, Patriarch of Constantinople, Grand Lord of Poop~
~:cheers:Hey! I signed up earlier! :P (requested on page 24, post #715).

~;)

[Franconicus]

:france:
We are sad to hear that the Kaiser of Germany rejects our friendship. We still hope that, now that war is over, there will be peace and brotherhood amoung all Christian nations.

Therefore I`d like to open the conference of Paris.

I ask every souvereign of Christian faith to tell His claims and name all differences still unsolved.

May God enlighten our spirits!

[SwordsMaster]

The New Government of Germany.

We wish to make clear our independance from the Spanish. No blood ties shall chain us to you're wishes and want's. We are our own state, and thus have no need to inform you of our state policies.

We wish to remind Brandenbourg that you wer'e indeen responsible for funding the Rebellion in Bohemia.

We will make the payment to the French as soon as possible, we also wish to make sure you give the soldiers whom you killed in cold blood are given proper Christian burial by you, before you leave Germany. We are no friends of you.

We ask that the Spanish withhold any diplomatic meanderings until the Christian army is assembled in Vienna. Then Ferdinand will travel personally to Madrid.

The Pope has shown himself to be utterly useless as a political figure in Germany, his promises to the last Kaiser caused nothing but death. The Catholics of course still accept his primacy, but only in religous matters.

If the Primate has issue with this change of polotics, we give him a chance to travel to Vienna, with escort to make his case known.

F.H

OOC: That's fairly aggressive of the Kaiser.... He just LOST a war, and somehow still manages to be arrogant...

IC:

His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty Philippe III is disappointed with the Kaiser's ingratitude. Blood is very strong, Ferdinand, and you cannot reject it at a whim.

It is also very easy to shed, and I remind you that a tongue, as opposed to a sword cannot be put back into a scabbard, and once unleashed the words will be beyond your control and the consequences might be tragic.

I also wish to remind you that thoughtless action cost Kaiser Matthias - God have mercy on his soul - dearly, and You have only so much Germany to give away.

I will wait for your embassy, and hope that it is the tension of imminent attack that makes you be less careful in choosing your words.

[IrishArmenian]

Phillipe, now that you will have to march through French lands to attack your nephew. The King of France is just and good, and shall not allow your attacking the German forces on a whim.
Tsar Vasili, being a Christian sovereign, names his intentions: the true Tsar, Vasili, shall be recognized as such. Wladyslaw shall return to Poland with no harm done to his person. The Tsar will be given his lands in a respectable manner, and Phillipe will not touch a hair on Ferdinand's head!

[Rodion Romanovich]

CHAPTER 13 - it is now: March 1st, 1615 AD
...the decisions made will affect the events from March 1st, 1615 AD to August 1st, 1615 AD

In the Holy Roman Empire, the war is drawing to an end. After the Kaiser negotiates peace with Denmark and the Netherlands, giving up moderate amounts of territory to appease them, only France and Brandenburg remain at war with the Kaiser. At the same time, the rumors of Ottoman forces approaching the weakened defenses at Vienna start circulating, culminating in an Ottoman declaration of war. The Pope tries to mediate between France and the Kaiser, officially in order to force a quick end to the war so the Catholics can face the approaching threat, but after failing to convince the French to announce their terms of peace and repeated French refusals to allow negotiations or announce any terms to the Kaiser's offers of surrender, excommunicates the French leader, officially for schism, heresy and apostasy, for aiding a Coalition of Protestants in fighting a Catholic Kaiser to enforce Protestant dominance in the Holy Roman Empire, then refusing to announce the terms of surrender to the Kaiser, then refusing to negotiate peace with the temporary self-proclaimed Kaiser Ferdinand until elected, thus not only aiding the Protestants against the Catholics, but also prolonging the war such that the city of Vienna ends up almost unguarded against the expected arrival of Ottoman forces. There are rumors of additional inofficial reasons weighing heavier than the schisms between Catholics caused by the French actions - including the Papacy attempting to gain control over matters of state by plotting with the Kaiser, taking advantage of the Kaiser's previous desperate military situation. The excommunication loses some of its impact by failing in timing, because by the time the excommunication is announced, the self-proclaimed Kaiser Ferdinand has already managed to solidify his position as Emperor-Elect by arranging a quick election, at which time the French have agreed to offer negotiations for peace. However the excommunication is well timed with the rising unrest among nobles - mainly Catholics - in France. Despite the legal measures to prevent Huguenot or Catholic nepotism in the assignment of offices in France, the Huguenots have in the last few years gained disproportionally much power and the Catholic nobles are increasingly discontent about the war in the Holy Roman Empire, which has gone from being a war against the Habsburgs to gradually become a war serving only the interest of the Huguenots and Protestants. There is huge discontent among French Catholics about a war whose terms of peace include no gain of land for the nobles, no weakening defeat of the Kaiser, ruthless pillaging of Catholic German cities but merciful treatment of the Protestants encountered. An almost strictly religious war fought in defense of Protestants against Catholics, using mostly French Catholic lives, to grant wealth and power to few but the French Huguenots.

In response to the excommunication, the French quickly reorganize their government to remove the excommunicated Sully from power in order to outmanouver the Pope. Contrary to Sully's intention, this only taken as a sign of weakness by the Catholic nobles in France, however they do not revolt but instead put their hopes to the now almost mature heir, King Louis XIII, whose rise to power they initially support. Louis XIII however quickly turns out determined to continue negotiating with the Kaiser on the terms suggested by Sully, and begin his reign by challenging the Pope and ignoring the demands of the French Catholic nobles. Seeing this, the Papacy offers to coronate the new Emperor-Elect of the Holy Roman Empire to Emperor by the traditional coronation ceremony that existed before Charles V. Ferdinand accepts the offer, and the kings of Spain and Poland announce that they will attend the ceremony. The French king, trying to further challenge the Papacy, responds by changing their terms of peace with the Emperor-Elect, now forcing a more humiliating than weakening peace treaty whose conditions include German separation and isolation from the Pope and the Catholic church, and forbidding Ferdinand from attending the coronation in Rome. The German Catholics can't accept this, and the Catholic League quickly declares the peace treaty, along with the Emperor-Elect Ferdinand, invalid and illegal. As the French troops withdraw to the garrisons of Strassbourg, Trier and Metz to wait for the Kaiser to assemble the tribute for the war, the power balance in the region shifts in favor of the Catholic League, whose army is significantly stronger than any of the forces controlled by either the Protestants or the Emperor, and they gather many new recruits among the refugees from Trier and Mainz. Also many of the Protestant are hesitant to the terms of the peace, which while promising decentralization and religious tolerance for Protestants, are humiliating enough to make sure that peace can't last for long. The relations in the Protestant Union between Brandenburg and her allies are also severed as Brandenburg makes separate peace with Ferdinand on the conditions of independence for Brandenburg, ignoring all of the wishes of the remaining kurfürsts in the Protestant Union. In January, in the Protestant North, the remaining parts of the Protestant Union, along with Rhineland-Pfalz to the south, declare their independence from the Holy Roman Empire, hoping that the Emperor-Elect will be unable to respond to their revolt, weakened by the current situation. The French terms forbidding the coronation of Ferdinand in Rome also stirs up discontent abroad, after both the Spanish and Polish kings have arrived in the city with their courts and gifts only to find out that the Emperor-Elect has been forbidden to attend the ceremony. Afraid that this humiliation would direct the increasingly cordial Pact of Catholics for the defense of Vienna (denoted "The Holy League" by the Pope) against both France and her allies, the Swiss Confederation withdraws their permission for French troops to send supplies through their territory, and the Swiss forces who took part in the war are also called home shortly before the time when they were to be formally disbanded. By the withdrawal of the support from the Swiss, and the French departure from the Holy Roman Empire (including departing from the Protestant allied forces from within the HRE), the French forces are reduced by 10,000 men, to slightly above 45,000 men. 15,000 French men quickly withdraw to garrisons in Franche-Comte, Luxembourg, Metz and Trier to wait for the Kaiser to assemble the tribute for the war. With the growing unrest at home, the partly threatened supply, and the reduction in numbers, General Duc de Rohan orders the remaining over 30,000 men into a forced march back to France to assist the loyal garrisons - La Rochelle, Navarre, and the King's Guard de la Gascoigne, and preventing the other garrisons from joining the now open Catholic revolt. The French king, having misjudged the magnitude of the discontent, has refused to take any further measures to strengthen his position at home, and soon the garrisons in both Marseilles and Paris are threatened. By late February, the troops returning from the Holy Roman Empire pass through Franche-Comte and Luxembourg, before splitting up to march for Marseilles and Paris, respectively, by the direct orders from the king. Duc de Rohan leads half of the remaining over 30,000 men (after leaving arrisons in Luxembourg and Franche-Comte) towards Paris, but the march is plagued by desertion and undisciplined pillaging and he is forced into taking harsh measures to enforce the discipline among the remaining troops. The splitting of the army into two parts weakens his control over the lack of discipline in the southern army, and it is with little information about the condition of the total armed forces that he retreats towards Paris, giving command over the southern force to another Huguenot.

At the same time, the Catholic forces for the defense of Vienna, by the Pope denoted "The Holy League", assemble near the city. The Austrian forces have filled the city with stockpiles and evacuated many of the civilians. The approximately 3,000 men who are already garrisoning the city are reinforced by 5,000 Austrian volunteers and a core of 500 professionals from the Catholic League. Outside the city, Ambrogio Spinola assumes overall command of the forces, including a small force of Polish husaria, Spanish tercios, Austrian and Catholic League forces, joined by a 250 men large force of Papal Swiss Guard, nominally serving under the Spanish King in order to not break the peace treaty of the French-German war. Hetman Stanislaw Zolkiewski takes direct command over the assembled cavalry forces outside the city. The Holy League forces inside the city thus number 8,500 men, while outside the city there is so far less than 10,000 Imperial, 10,000 Austrian and Hungarian of which many are mere levies, 1,000 Polish levies, 2,000 husaria and 20,000 Spanish troops, for a total of 43,000 men. The Ottoman force arrives in the middle of February, announcing their arrival by loud trumpets and drumrolls. Zolkiewski quickly scouts out their position and estimates them to nearly 150,000 men, including musicians, war elephants and a huge set of heavy artillery. They are also accompanied by a small force of around 5,000 Transylvanian troops, among which 2,000 are Hungarian hussars. The Ottoman force consists of around 30,000 Jannissaries, 30,000 light cavalry, 5,000 heavy cavalry, 50,000 levy infantry, 45,000 support troops of various kinds, 11 war elephants and a huge amount of artillery pieces. The Ottomans set up camp close to the city and begin siege. Initial patrol skirmishes between the cavalry forces end in several minor victories for the Holy League forces, who have set up camp far from the city to be able to prevent being forced to commit to a field battle. By the end of the month, the Catholic League sends 5,000 men to reinforce the army of the Holy League, but not long afterwards the Ottomans are reinforced by 5,000 more Transylvanian troops, including 3,000 Hungarian hussars.

In the beginning of the winter, the Savoy also draws the attention of both the Spanish and French Kings. A marriage between Spain and the Savoy is announced, and Spain demands the Genoese exile government, the Medicis, exiled from Savoy and handed over to Spanish authorities. However shortly after the marriage is announced, the French king increases the French garrison present in the Savoy by an earlier agreement - 3,000 French troops enter Nice. Shortly afterwards, the Medicis escape from the Savoy into France. The Duke of Savoy denies involvement in their escape, referring to the weakened Savoyan military presence at home due to the war in the HRE. The French send an expedition to Corsica, and find the island empty. They return with French forces at about the same time that also Spanish forces land on the island. The French withdraw immediately after seeing the Spanish presence on the island.

In Russia, Wladyslaw takes a loan from France, corresponding to the upkeep cost of 3,000 mercenaries. Around 3,000 men are left to garrison Moscow, while almost 10,000 march into Tver and set up a Wladyslaw-loyal garrison there, then continue towards Pskov, putting the city under siege. In the meantime, Vassili takes Novograd by force with a mere 2,000 men, putting a small rebel garrison in the city. In Poland, the Sejm agree to a tax raise in October. At Riga, the situation remains a deadlock. Although some Polish troops leave, the Polish force is still of superior strength for a field battle, and sets up camp near the city. Light cavalry patrols all ways out of the city, and the Swedish force is compelled to use their ships to supply their forces. During the night, Polish infantry try to destroy Swedish ships by small fireships. One Swedish warship is set on fire and starts tilting after being unable to immediately put out the fire. In the morning, some of the Swedish ships run into underwater obstacles and several ships nearly collide. While the Swedish ships try to solve the chaos by turning around and sailing out onto deeper water, the Polish forces launch an assault on Riga, sending in first the infantry mercenaries, then the Polish troops. Although not all of the defenses of Riga are repaired, the Swedish light cannons inflict casualties at a high rate on the mercenaries who lead the assault. The Polish assault is aborted quickly enough to keep casualties below 200 men, most of them among the mercenaries. The underwater obstacles are difficult to clear in the cold water, and the supply situation of the Swedish troops gets critical. In November, the ships eventually manage to clear the underwater obstacles and make contact with the garrison again, after it has considered surrender. Later during the siege, the Swedish troops make attempts to bring their artillery forward or even march out with cover of the many waterways, but are unable to inflict more than a very small number of casualties until compelled to withdraw by the aggressively patrolling Polish light cavalry formations. The Polish main camp is set up next to open ground that is ideal for the Polish cavalry.

Danish troops are moved to the newly acquired territories to garrison Lübeck and Hamburg while also covering the construction of a series of forts at the Elbe west of Hamburg, and another at the Flensburg-Sonderborg line further north. The project is aided by Dutch engineers payed 200% of their normal wage. Danish-Norwegian settlers found a small city on the northern Baltic coast as per the treaty with Sweden of 1611 AD. An expedition of 3 warships and 2 merchants is also sent to Greenland for reconnaissance. A Danish-Norwegian East India Company is founded. It is state-independent, however King Christian IV holds a large percentage of the shares. The Company buys 5 merchant ships from Denmark. Denmark also sell 2 warships to Brandenburg and 1 warship to Spain according to treaty. Simultaneously, Dutch troops occupy the lands ceded from the HRE by the peace treaty. Dutch use harsh actions to counter pillaging and lack of discipline. The Stadtholder also confirms the Dutch law of no state religion, and declare that there will be harsh punishments to all further religious conflict. The armed forces scatter riots in several cities and capture 300 men and women taking part in the unrest. On the North Sea, Protestant Coalition ships from Denmark, the Netherlands and England take part in a naval manouver in January. Almost 30 warships take part in the exercise.

Apart from the operations at Vienna, there are also operations against the Ottomans being carried out in the Mediterranean. Privateers and Spanish ships raid Ottoman ships, and in February a small Spanish force lands at the Suez, while another, larger, Spanish force is landed on Cyprus. The force on Cyprus quickly captures several strongholds by the element of surprise and scatter a smaller Ottoman militia army of 4,000 men, taking numerous prisoners. The Ottoman militias fight guerilla warfare while Spanish naval forces raid the coastlines of the Middle East to supply the land forces on Cyprus. Another, small, Spanish force is landed near Athens, where its supporting warships try to intercept and sink Ottoman transports from Anatolia to the forces at Vienna, while the land forces try to capture and garrison the city. The Spanish naval forces are scattered and isolated from each other.


BRANDENBURG

1. the Protestant Union is disappointed that you declared separate peace with Ferdinand and ignored their wishes entirely in the peace treaty, while negotiating for your own independence. Your peace treaty could however still not be declared anything but a defeat, now that you have to pay a tribute to the Kaiser.
a. support the other revolting parts of the Protestant Union. Together you could muster maybe 10,000 men, 15,000 men at most, hopefully holding back the Kaiser long enough to make it impossible for him to resist the claims of all of you for independence, and ending his claims for tribute from you. Hopefully Denmark will refuse to intervene despite their peace treaty including an obligation to assist the Kaiser in case Brandenburg breaks the law and breaks the peace
b. as a, but also try to rally foreign support for the renewed war. Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands or Sweden could perhaps assist you
c. don't support the rebels. This will mean losing most of your influence in the Protestant Union, but make the Kaiser lose his casus belli towards you. You will be able to use the peace to recover from the previous war
d. as c, but change your mind and start supporting the rebels if the Kaiser attacks you again. If he doesn't attack, proceed as in c
e. something else, specify what


ENGLAND

1. the situation in France and the HRE. The French king could end up being pressured hard by the Catholics and be forced to flee to the Huguenot strongholds, from where he will have to fight the Catholics until reestablishing the order in the country. If he and/or the Huguenots lose, ruthless persecution of the Huguenots may follow. Defending the French King and the Huguenots could weaken the Pope and the Catholics, as well as ensure Huguenot dominance in France. Choose one or more compatible options:
a. send the French King your support, and try to rally support from the rest of the Protestant Coalition
b. as a, but make demands on the French king, now that he is weakened
c. take advantage of the situation to conquer the previously French claimed territories in South Africa, and/or part of their colonies in America
d. attack French ships having joined the Catholic rebels, seeking to capture as many of the ships as possible. Do it under the pretence of helping France, but keep the ships
e. attack ships of the French navy that haven't rebelled. Beware that because the French have made all merchants obliged to serve with their ships in the case of war, you are formally also allowed to attack French merchants. However doing so could still have negative consequences, changing the present international naval policy of giving free passage to merchants into a policy of more total war

2. the Ottomans
a. use the war as an opportunity to retake Cork from Spain, and/or attack the Spanish silver fleet (if they are sending any this year, they may have cancelled it due to the operations against the Ottomans in the Mediterranean)
b. don't do anything
c. send a small force of say 2,000 mercenaries to formally assist the Holy League at Vienna
d. send a large force of say 10,000 mercenaries to assist the Holy League for one year


FRANCE

1. the revolts. Duc de Rohan is on the way to Paris with 15,000 men, but you know little about the current situation regarding how many troops that are still loyal and which letters with orders have at all reached the different garrison commanders over the country and not been intercepted by rebels. The Guard de la Gascoigne, and the garrisons of Navarre and La Rochelle are still almost certainly loyal and the contact with them in still intact. The reason for the revolt seems to be just as much a desire for increased influence among the nobles, as discontent with the rather anti-Catholic policy. The excommunication probably had little direct effect, but in the eyes of the less educated, its timing together with a revolt which was going to take place anyway could very well have the effect of strengthening the prestige of the Pope. The excommunication also had indirect effects in the growing cordial relations between other Catholics, which adds fear of foreign threat to discontent and greed among the Catholic nobles. If the revolt continues for too long, it could draw outside powers to interfere with it, undermine the prestige of the French King, and/or make it impossible to provide the forces necessary to collect the tribute from Ferdinand
a. flee to La Rochelle or Navarre. The garrisons, along with most of the naval forces outside, are still loyal and this will ensure your safety for now, however makes it likely for you to lose influence among the Catholics since La Rochelle is both symbolically and literally the center of the growing Huguenot dominance in France
b. negotiate with the rebels before it's too late. Assemble the Estates-General, do anything to delay the revolts from reaching Paris, before Duc de Rohan arrives. Once he arrives, quickly assess the situation, gain more information about the revolt (this will come as a PM before next turn if you choose this option, or any similar option), and try to beat it by equal shares of force and acceptance to their demands
c. flee eastwards, to meet up with Duc de Rohans' army. If you don't find it you could end up caught in hostile territory, but if you find it you could lead it in person against the rebels. Since the army contains Catholics, it would lower the risk of accusations of being anti-Catholic and pro-Huguenot compared to fleeing west to La Rochelle or Navarre
d. something else, specify what

2. relations with the Pope and the accusations of anti-Catholic policies
a. try to appease the Pope. The current unity of the other Catholics at Vienna could develop into something dangerous for a France that has been remarkably anti-Catholic for the last years. A "walk to Canossa" of some form could end the danger of the Holy League alliance turning on France. It would strengthen the Pope's authority somewhat, but also leave him no choice but to recall the excommunication and actively make sure France doesn't become victim of Catholic wrath. Finally, it would undermine those elements of the revolt that are against anti-Catholic policy.
b. don't appease the Pope. It's likely that he will wish to interfere in more state matters than this particular incident if he gains too much influence. Do nothing about the matter yet, and concentrate on putting down the Catholic revolts in France by other means first
c. suggest the foundation of a French state church, much like the Anglican church. This wouldn't end the danger of the Holy League alliance, and with the more difficult borders France as opposed to England has to defend, along with the strong Catholic majority in France, it would be a much more risky manouver than the foundation of the Anglican church was. At worst it could turn France into a mess of outside interventions and civil war, at best it would undermine the prestige of the Pope and strengthen France
d. use your fleet to land troops in Rome. Try to besiege the Vatican and capture the Pope. At the same time harshly put down the revolts at home. The operation would require at least 7,000 loyal troops, 22 merchants for transport, and a few warships to escort them. The choice of loyal troops however presents a problem - while the Huguenots are likely to support this anti-Catholic policy, a capture of the Pope by an almost purely Huguenot force would undermine the effect of the whole operation, while finding Catholics willing to carry out the mission could be difficult until the situation at home is better assessed, especially if the revolts are put down too harshly and without plenty of measures taken to appease the nobility
e. try to get Protestant assistance from abroad for enforcing your policies against the Catholic noble revolts. This would anger the Catholics even more, and perhaps turn the Holy League against you, but secure Huguenot safety, but also Huguenot dominance. However as long as the Huguenot nepotism doesn't occur in combination with anti-Catholic policies, the situation will probably not spiral into revolt. Both the Netherlands and England could perhaps be prepared to assist you in this fight.
f. force those Catholics in your court and government that are still loyal to assist you and convince the nobles to end their revolt. This will cost influence with them. Do this in combination with any of the other options

3. the Holy Roman Empire/German Empire. Collection of the tribute, the Catholic League and the German revolts
a. secretly support the revolting Protestant Union regions and try to convince Brandenburg to do the same
b. send back large forces to France as soon as possible to be able to collect the tribute, or hire mercenaries to strengthen the garrisons at Metz, Strassbourg and Trier
c. with your garrison in Trier, capture the Archbishop there. It takes 4 votes to unseat the Emperor-Elect and since the last vote was won by no more than 4 votes, the captured Archbishop, who most likely voted for Ferdinand, would then prevent the necessary 4 votes for unseating this Emperor-Elect, who has made clear that he will pay the tribute to France and perhaps is better than whatever alternative is chosen
d. don't do anything, just passively wait for the tribute, and defend the garrisoned cities if they come under attack

4. the defense of Vienna
a. don't send any support
b. send a small force of maybe 2,000 men for the sake of propaganda. They won't affect the result much
c. send a large force, maybe 10,000 men or more.

5. the Medicis and relations with Spain. The Medicis being in France, along with the revolts in France, could be a casus belli for Spain, and presents a good opportunity to strike a weakened France. How will you solve the situation and please Spain, if they demand the Medicis exiled?


HRE and AUSTRIA

1. you have no choice but to be a puppet of either France, or the Catholic League for the coming year or so. Next to the French army, which has mostly left now, the Catholic League army constitutes the largest force in the area. They demand that you revoke the terms of the French peace, including reestablished connections with the Papacy and Spain, as well as continuing to pay the taxes to the Holy Father. They offer to send 10,000 more men to the battle of Vienna if you grant their wishes. You can negotiate with the Catholic League by PM before deciding exactly what to do. They also suggest putting down the revolts of the Protestant Union before they grow in strength, offering 7,000 men for the task
a. do as the Catholic League demands. Break all parts of the French peace treaty, attend the coronation in Rome, and declare the treaty illegal by the word of the Holy Father and all true Catholics. Retrieve the tribute from Brandenburg as per the peace treaty, and let the Catholic League send 7,000 men to punish the revolts of the Protestant Union kurfürsts, but don't attack Brandenburg unless they try to break the peace treaty and assist the revolting kurfürsts. See option 2 for more info about the revolts. Rewrite the constitution, but rewrite it to be almost exactly what it previously was
b. try to balance between the incompatible demands of France and the Catholic League. Promise France that you are continuing to assemble the tribute, and call yourself German Emperor, but only do so until coronation to Kaiser by the Papacy - this would not formally mean breaking the alliance. Keep relations and taxes with the Papacy, gather the tribute from Brandenburg as per the treaty and recognize their independence, and allow the Catholic League to put down the revolts, while receiving more of their military assistance at Vienna. Rewrite the constitution, but rewrite it to be almost exactly what it previously was
c. follow the treaty with France, trying to request outside support for the defeating the Catholic League. Explain to France that you can't pay the treaty while the Catholic League forces ambush and take over the waggons carrying the tribute. Also try to gather support among the Protestant princes you were previously at war with. Perhaps they will forgive you and help you
d. officially pretend to cooperate with the Protestants while letting the Catholic League know that you don't. Ask for the French king to keep his troops in the Empire to help you enforce the treaty and defeat the Catholic League. If he withdraws, you have a good excuse to break all the terms of the peace treaty. If he doesn't withdraw, you will risk that your current problems get even worse
e. some other combination of all these things, specify what

2. the revolts
a. take advantage of the situation to renew your claims for defeating and outlawing the Brandenburg Elector. This would be against all the peace treaties, but if nobody can react it would be a sign of strength
b. put down the revolts but don't touch Brandenburg. However if Brandenburg supports the revolts, you could appeal to the treaty with Denmark in which they were obliged to assist the Kaiser if Brandenburg broke the law. It's possible that they after your negotiations by PM decide to send their assistance. Since Brandenburg is now independent, you could offer to divide Brandenburg with Denmark. Brandenburg has hopefully lost much of its support among the Protestant Union after their separate peace and ignoring the wishes of the other Protestant kurfürsts, so once the revolts are beaten, march for Brandenburg
c. ignore the revolts for now, but prepare to deal with them later
d. accept their declaration of independece, and try to forbid the Catholic League from putting down the revolts. Try to gather outside support from France
e. some other combination of all these things, specify what

3. plans at Vienna. Discuss with Spain and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth what plans to use for the coming season. Or simply leave overall command to Spinola as previously arranged (this means Spain will decide how your troops are used)

4. the new constitution. If you opted to make a new constitution, how would you suggest it to be?
a. keep it as much as the old one as possible. The consequences are then easiest to foresee
b. as a, but suggested which changes to make. Any change upsetting the current balance between Catholic and Protestant influence would be a controversial change which would be likely to cause revolt. However if not changing anything at all so that the Protestant influence remains smaller than the Catholic one, unless you can keep the Catholics more defensive and less offensive, it will mean continuation of the conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism
c. suggest something new, it could create greater stability than the current one. Be careful to balance the various interests and their demands for guarantees of their safety

5. relations with Spain. You have a good chance of reestablishing good relations with Spain, now that they have sent their assistance to Vienna. Many also have the impression that the statements of your distancing yourself from France have been forced upon you by the French peace treaty. The possibilities to improve the relations will be gone if the rhetorical fights with Spain continue for too long. The current relations must after all be considered quite good, given the massive Spanish support at Vienna and the diversionary attacks in the Mediterranean.


NETHERLANDS

1. what to do about the people captured in the riots?
a. release them, granting full clemency
b. kill them all to make examples
c. inprison them for a while longer
d. something else, specify what

2. policy regarding French and German revolts. Use PM, public statements, or some option of military intervention

3. policy regarding Vienna


OTTOMAN EMPIRE

1. strategy at Vienna
a. try an assault as soon as possible, before your forces are worn down by the siege and raided supply lines
b. try to continue sieging the city, and force an engagement with the opposing force close to Vienna if possible. If not possible, just starve the garrison out.
c. send a detachment of your army to engage the Spanish forces who landed in Greece. They number about 12,000 men in total, but are highly professional and especially skilled at fighting cavalry. Decide the composition of your force to send there

2. assault & battle. Which troops will cover the rear during the assault? What will the tactics be for assault? Also, if there is a field battle with the Holy League, what will the tactics be?

3. strategy in the Mediterranean. Some suggestions for targets to consider:
i. defending the supply from Anatolia
ii. Greece - assembling a massive fleet to cover Greece and cut off the Spanish land forces there. If the Spanish naval forces remain scattered, and the force at Greece is forced into an engagement in the archipelagos outside Greece, the Ottoman galleys will be at their best, and likely to be victorious
iii. Cyprus - transport land troop support to defend the island before the last garrisons have been forced to surrender
iv. avoid battle altogether with your war fleet, if you think they are of more worth as a reserve. This could be done by keeping them in the Black Sea

4. Suez and Egypt. Within 2 months you would be able to assemble maybe up to 20,000 men including 10,000 Mamluks for the defense of the area . They could rather easily destroy the Spanish force at the Suez within 3-5 months of siege. Decide what to do and what goals to give the local commanders in the area


POLAND

1. Catholic refugees are requesting permission to settle in Poland after the conflicts in the HRE
a. give all who come permission to settle, but don't invite any more
b. as a, but invite more to come

2. make plans for the coming season at Riga, or a peace treaty

3. make plans for the coming season for Wladyslaw, unless you're pleased with his current plans

4. discuss with HRE and Spain about tactics at Vienna. Spain has overall command over the forces outside the city, but Polish Hetman Zolkiewski has overall command over the cavalry and raiding of the Ottoman supply and exposed forces and artillery until it is time for battle


RUSSIA

1. war with Wladyslaw. Make plans for the coming season
a. put the main effort at Novograd, Tver and Pskov, to strenghten your economical base and prevent Wladyslaw from doing the same. This would require sending at least 16,000 men, preferably more, to be able to have a chance to match Wladyslaw's troops in this region
b. put the main effort at besieging and assaulting Moscow, hopefully before Wladyslaw's campaigning troops return from the region at Tver, Pskov and Novograd. The raids in the area have ended, so your supply should be decent. You probably need to send at least 25,000 men here to be able to fight the garrison, the fortifications, and the risk of Wladyslaw's campaigning troops returning to defend Moscow
c. do nothing, for the fear of increased Polish intervention. This would cost influence among both the rebels and boyars on your side

2. Vienna. The forces you sent to aid the Ottomans seem to have deserted on the way.
a. send more troops, specify how many
b. don't send any more yet, Moscow must be retaken first


SPAIN

1. plans at Vienna. Make plans for how to defeat the Ottoman force outside the city. It has plenty of heavy guns, sapping charges, and military engineers, so it will likely be able to threaten the city quite fast. So questions to consider:
i. what is to be done in case the city falls?
ii. in case the city is assaulted?
iii. how much should the Ottoman forces be worn down before you should consider field battle with them?
- The other participants may have suggestions too, but Spinola has the overall command

2. make continued plans in the Mediterranean. Some targets/regions of campaigning to consider:
i. Greece
ii. Ottoman transports from Anatolia
iii. Cyprus
iv. raiding coastlines
v. the Ottoman war fleet
vi. protecting, supplying and cover your land forces, as well as guaranteeing you can navally extract them if needed
vii. scouting out the Ottoman naval forces with your smallest, fastest and most manouverable ships

3. the Medicis and relations with France. The Medicis being in France, along with the revolts in France, gives a Spanish casus belli, and presents a good opportunity to strike a weakened France. However outside attack may also strengthen the unity and end the internal conflicts faster. How will you solve the situation and force France to exile the Medicis?

4. the possible Savoy conflict. Will the French 3,000 man large garrison in the Savoy be tolerated after the royal marriage?
a. immediately try to have the French troops removed from Savoy
b. wait until after the marriage, then demand the French troops to leave
c. let the 3,000 French troops remain, but try to negotiate for the right to keep 5,000 Spanish troops there
d. don't bother about the situation
e. declare war on France over this issue, as well as formally also using their intolerance towards Catholics as excuse
f. something else, specify what


SWEDEN

1. plans at Riga. Withdraw? Hold with minimal force? Try to raid elsewhere? Note that your ships have learnt from the previous underwater obstacles and fire ships, and aren't likely to be taken by surprise similar to the last time if it is repeated at Riga. 1 of your ships were heavily damaged and has been sent to Revala where it is being repaired, while the remaining ships are outside Riga.

2. plans for aiding Vassili, before he loses his support over being unable to retake Moscow, or is forced to form an independent Nizny Novograd and accept Wladyslaw's Russia a separate country that he is unrelated to

3. the Danish movements at the North Baltic Coast
a. it is in accordance with the peace agreement from a few years ago, and should just be ignored
b. it could be the start of plans for a new war. Send a small force to pillage and burn farms in Scania to prevent Danish armies from supplying for a move on Stockholm
c. temporarily raise a stronger force for the home garrisons, by recruiting more homegrown forces as well as mercenaries


VENICE

1. intervene with the war against the Ottomans in any way? If so, how? Or intevene on their side? The war will disrupt almost all trade with the Ottomans for all countries for as long as it remains, so a quick end to it is probably benefitial for you.

2. relations with Spain, France and the Papacy. You could intervene in any of the existing conflicts or try to negotiate for more friendly relations with any of the countries involved in this. Spain could get dangerous if Venice doesn't adopt a policy of weakening her, but if she has no intention of hurting Venice she would go from harmless to dangerous if any policies of strengthening the enemies of Spain and weakening their allies were to be adopted.

[SwordsMaster]

EDIT: Sorry, didn't see the new chapter when posting this, this refers to IrishArmenian's last post... Fuelling dissent in the East...


Whose side are you on, boyar? First you are allied to the Turk, and now you defend the Emperor.

And what do you know of my intentions for war? That I advise my Habsburg brother to measure his words before he speaks them is no more business of yours than your intentions for marrying your daughter is business of mine. I advise you, boyar to stay away from my family's intentions - You have your hands full fuelling dissent among the nobles of your own country.

And maybe you should also decide, for once who are you, a Christian who wants to be muslim, or a muslim who disguises as a Christian?

[Rodion Romanovich]

Hey! I signed up earlier! :P (requested on page 24, post #715).

~;)
yes, sorry for missing that. You were 2nd or 3rd in the queue IIRC, or?

[SwordsMaster]

Wow, nice chapter Legio!

This whole thing is snowballing out of control. So many options, so few opportunities...

[Marshal Murat]

OOC:I'm so happy! oh so happy!

King Sigismund would like to ask that Sweden give up this unfortunate war against us. I was willing to suffer one or two of your faulty expeditions against myself, but this continual warfare is only draining your economy more severely than if you maintained peaceful relations.
Peace is not so estranged from my heart that I will not talk to you about a suitable ceasefire.

[Kagemusha]

Great chapter Legio!:2thumbsup:

[IrishArmenian]

Phillipe, you wine-swilling pig!
A true Christian would not dare make that connection between a Muslim and a Christian. Did it occur to you that I never recieved any help from your kind!
I was attacked by Poland
I was betrayed by France
I was threatened by HRE
Poland, mandated by all the Catholic kingdoms placed a brain-dead puppet on my throne! And yet, I am supposed to turn the other cheek? I tried doing so, and yet France funds my enemy, for no reason!
The only Trustworthy kings are those of England, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and the Sultan!
In addition to that, you lewd excuse for a soveriegn, I will not preform incest, which is frowned upon in upstanding Christian domains, but what would you know of that?
The Hapsburg blood runs its ignorant course through you I see. Now, is that the product of inbreeding?

[Lord Winter]

Offical statement from Sweden:
Since the King of Poland has not answered our most gracious offfer of peace we are compelled to belive that he wants to countinue the war to see an even greater polish defeat.

Sweden fully reconigizes the new kingdom of brandenburg and extends an hand of friendship to it. Furthermore King Gustav offers his assistance if the Brandenburgian king would like to overthrow the trynical rule of poland in the duchy of Prussia.

[Marshal Murat]

We in Poland have offered to the Most Gracious Swedish King the possibility of a compromise, to discuss what can be agreed upon as mutually beneficial. If reasoned speech is beyond your barbarically short ears and other smaller body parts, then we understand that you couldn't understand our most reasonable offer.

[IrishArmenian]

Then, Sigismund, take back Wladyslaw. He is not suited for ruling such a grand state as Russia!
You know I will not harm him and yet you see this as weakness. Do you wish your son's demise? Take him back, baptise him as a Catholic and allow him back into your court. He is too Polish to rule over the peoples of Russia.
Call him back, give the Honourable King of France his mercenaries back, and allow me the chance to regain my rightful throne peacefully.

[Marshal Murat]

The rightful rule of a country is derived from the consent of the people Vasili! I would not have my throne were it any other way, for the people's will shall provide the people with whom they wish.
We in Poland allowed you to be candidate against Wladyslaw, so that he may win the throne through the boyar's consent. Now you cry like a spoiled baby that lost his mothers affection! If you really wished for your throne, you should have engaged the boyars in conversation, talked to them and not listened to the buzzing of your false majesty!
Wladyslaw is his own man, chosen by the boyars, and by the boyar's consent he shall rule, such as I rule by the consent of the Sejm, full of righteuous and noble souls! Were you fit to rule Russia, the boyars would have noticed such a glorious soul within you! Even if you did have such a glorious and noble soul, you spoiled it, and cast it to the dirt, caught up in your almighty false majesty!
If you were able to listen to others and not seek your selfish ends, then the throne would be yours, by the people's consent, for the boyars are a representative of the people! They would have seen that grace and ability you claim to have!
What grace and ability did you show but petty hate, against a people who listened to you and disliked such a showing that they chose a candidate more suitable for the position. Wladyslaw has shown some trait or character virtue that has given him the throne. It is not by some trick that Wladyslaw is on the throne, for the Spanish and French can attest to that, monitoring the elections, ever vigilant.

Watch your tongue, for that money is Wladyslaw's, to pay back to the loaner when he can. To tell him to turn back his mercenaries would be just as well if you were to turn back your Swedish ones! It is a double standard that you succede in holding high above your head, along with the banner of jealous and petty rage. Why are they there, formenting rebellion against a justly elected king! It is despicable the double standards you are inflicting upon the noble sir!

While Russia is not mine, it is a friend and ally, a noble nation that has grown on the same suckling steppe-lands that my nation has. They are a compatriot and noble people. You spoil it by you all-high and mighty facade, your grand, meaningless gestures. What of it False Tsar! Will you enjoy the broken, blackened lands of Russia once you've pillaged and raped her!?
I am disgusted to see such a bigoted and self-serving man wrap himself in the banner of a false country, proclaiming it for the good of the people, when the people have expressed the will for Wladyslaw to be Tsar.

I am insulted just as Russia is insulted, for Russia is, as I have previously stated, a just friend and ally, and while she has a tongue to speak that you don't listen to, I have one and let it be known that the False Tsar has insulted the Commonwealth just as much as he has insulted the Russia of mine ally.

OOC:God that felt good

[IrishArmenian]

Ah, so the true Tsar allows Polish soldiers to raid the farmland of his people?

[Warluster]

Offical Statement from the Kingdom of BrandenBurg
Our nation is finnaly united, and we are over joyed, but we shall try omething new. The day of kings is drawing to an end, we see it fit to start something new. In 2 years time, we change our goverment to either an Rebuplic, or make it an empire (When does kingdom turn into a empire?).

Also, King of Sweden, we are thankful for your words, and about your request for us to join the war against Poland, we can not, by terms of our peace treaty it said that Poland and brandenburg can not go to war for another 4 years minumim, and we will not break those terms unless we are forced to. We have allies and friends, and Sweden is among them, but it is dishonourable to break terms, so quickly.

[Lord Winter]

To the king of brandenburg,
I understand that you wish to honor your agreement, it is something all Christens should do. However if you feel as if the agreement was forced upon you then it would of course be invalid. When your agreement is over the offer still stands.

[Warluster]

I shall remember that King of Sweden, and we hope the war does not cause to much damage to either side.

[Franconicus]

To Vasili:
We invited all Christian soverreign to the conference at Paris. As you are no legal sovereign, please go home again.

To Brandenburg:
The idea of creating a republic is not only a dangerous daydream, it is perverse and against the God given order. Give it up.

To all Christian sovereigns:
Again, our enemies spread lies about the French policy. We never vetoed against the coronation of Ferdinand at Rome or asked him to break his relation with the Pope. We haven't even spoken out about his issue.
Ferdinand is a souvereign, he can decide about his relation to the Pope and the Catholic Kings.

Edit:
To all our enemies:
We see that foreign powers are trying undermine the order and the authority of the King of France - once again. We warn you, step back - or face the consequences.

[Warluster]

Why is it a dangerous daydream king of France?

[Franconicus]

Republic will never work. Imagine, everybody will be able to influence political decitions. Absurd. Furthermore, it is definetly against God's order. To rule in this world is the business of Kings and Kaisers. Ask any theologian, Catholoc or Protestants. Even the misguided heathen know that. In France, there will never be a Republic!

Furthermore, it is dangerous. By calling for a Republic you question the God given rights of all other sovereigns! I see trouble on the way!!

[Warluster]

Hum, I will think over that king of France, and it has changed my mind greatly, but it is still a possiblity, right now an empire seems the right way

[SwordsMaster]

Phillipe,

The only Trustworthy kings are those of England, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and the Sultan!


OOC: ehm.... I am the king of Spain....

You were attacked by Poland? Maybe you shouldn't have lost that throne! Did that loss shake your belief in God? Now you are glad to get your throne back from the hands of the Sultan?

How will your men follow you, boyar? How did you manage to convince them to follow a man whose faith in God depends on the amount of land he owns? No wonder the Duma didn't pick you to rule them. I doubt the tatars would pick one such as you!

I did not speak of incest either! Only one such as you could have thought of that from my message! I cannot believe one such as you can even gather an army. I do hope, for the salvation of their souls, that they see who their leader is, and leave you to take your fortress on your own. We will see if then you will sell Allah for someone else.

[Incongruous]

Ferdinand Hapsburg.

We wish to know, from the ruler of Brandenbourg, if he will once again stir up Rebellion in the Empire? Will you aid the Rebellious Protestants? If you do, we will be froced to drastic measures, the Empire, and the stability of central Europe can take no more blows from petty rebels.

We await you're answer with hope of peace.

[Franconicus]

:france:
Cardinal Richelieu, commander of the Royal Army

As in the past our enemies try to attack us with infamous defamtions.They even state, that our glorious army had refused to bury killed enemies. Of course, this is wrong. All enemies, that had been killed in our campaigns, soldiers, civilists, even outlaws, were passed to the local authorities. Whenever this was impossible, they were treated like our own fallen soldier, they received the last rites and were buried according the rules of their faith.

May God save their souls.

[SwordsMaster]

His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty Philippe III announces that he will aid his brother Ferdinand in fighting the rebel kurfursts that wish to separate from the HRE, as they are breaking the fundamental law of the HRE, and this will not be tolerated by the Habsburgs.

His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty Philippe III also wishes to request that the Catholic League and all other Catholic rulers lend its support to reestablish the Catholic power in France.

[Franconicus]

His Most Catholic Imperial Majesty Philippe III also wishes to request that the Catholic League and all other Catholic rulers lend its support to reestablish the Catholic power in France.
:france:
The French King wants to thank His brother Philippe for His support.:bow:

[Rodion Romanovich]

Sorry, I'll be very busy for the coming week. My inbox has about 15 free slots so use them well. I can't answer any of the PMs received so far until Friday or so. Hope this is ok!

[IrishArmenian]

OOC: ehm.... I am the king of Spain....

You were attacked by Poland? Maybe you shouldn't have lost that throne! Did that loss shake your belief in God? Now you are glad to get your throne back from the hands of the Sultan?

How will your men follow you, boyar? How did you manage to convince them to follow a man whose faith in God depends on the amount of land he owns? No wonder the Duma didn't pick you to rule them. I doubt the tatars would pick one such as you!

I did not speak of incest either! Only one such as you could have thought of that from my message! I cannot believe one such as you can even gather an army. I do hope, for the salvation of their souls, that they see who their leader is, and leave you to take your fortress on your own. We will see if then you will sell Allah for someone else.
You are the King of Spain, but you have always had an honest disdain for me, for that you are honourable.
(OOC:Poland attacked me at the beginning of the game) I had no other allies left you blithering fool. I have not sold my belief in God and Jesus as my Saviour, neither do I misuse it as you do to take control of my subjects!
I have land, I have God, and I shall have my throne. The Poles bought my Boyars and I shall not resort to such low life trickery. Snicker all you want you beer-swilling and yet tapas eating creting, Hide behind the buffer nations! You are nothing but a coward, like a child who hids behind his mother! You shall not step foot in my lands or the cossacks shall descend upon you! You shall not leave without pikes and musketballs buried in your flesh, you will be robbed of your belongings and hopefully your head!
-------------------------------------------------
King of France, I assume Wladyslaw shall attend? He is a Catholic in disguise and should fit in well with your sort.

[Incongruous]

Imperial German Government.

Ferdiand Hapsburg wishes to know, if the Rebel Vasili will indeed aid the Infidel in his war against Chritendom.

[Marshal Murat]

What payment Vasili? The only money we paid to the boyars is our honest Christian blood so they may choose to live with whom they wish as tsar. If you think this low-handed, I pity you and your distain for the greatest sacrifice a man can give, his very life.

What Cossacks follow your banner Vasili? For if they do, they must be insane, for the riches of the Ottomans sits before their laps, the Oriental rugs and furnishings that could be sold for a pretty penny.
Any Cossack willing to kill an Ottoman is welcome in the Ukraine!

[IrishArmenian]

Imperial German Government.

Ferdiand Hapsburg wishes to know, if the Rebel Vasili will indeed aid the Infidel in his war against Chritendom.
I do not aid the Muslims to desroy Christendom. I aid one of the few Noble men who did not decieve me, did not kick me while I was on the ground like you. All of you have. Poland attacked and you deserted me. The Holy Roman Emperor (Bless his soul) personally said that the Pope would disapprove of his defending me, and everyone else sided with Poland. Even France, the friend of my friend will not recognize me!
Now, you who soil the name of Christianity, you come back pleading that I do something? If you were dogs, you would be smarter, not to mention more loyal!
You disgust me, and I shall not suffer to hear your cries any more. You could've helped me, but no.
When the Ottomans destroy your army at Vienna, it shall be as Joeseph. All shall come back, seeking to make ammends to those they committed treachery against. For shame though, that I am not a prophet, I shall not show the mercy that Joeseph did! For shame that there are no among like Roupen or Benjamen, that I shall smile upon!

[Incongruous]

Ferdinand Hapsburg.

You sound much like my disolusion preessor, Matthias. Babling inane verse as if it were a gospel sent by the Lord our God. We wish that you end this follish war against you're fellow Christians, before you end up in a similar state as the Kaiser.
Germany will give you full asylum and living expendencies,and a fine house in any German cities, and you're own retinue of Imperial soldiers to symbolise you're past status. You will be of course exempt from all taxes and such from the state.

It is an offer we pray you accept.

[Warluster]

Official Statement from the kingdom of Brandenburg
We, German Ruler, shall of course not suppourt the rebllions in germany, such things would be , dishonest.

[Franconicus]

:france:
To the German Kaiser

Do you confirm that Brandenburg is independant from the German Emprie?

:france:
The King, Louis XIII., nominates the Capuchin frere François Leclerc du Tremblay, also known as Père Joseph, as intendant for interior affairs.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a1/Father_Joseph.jpg/180px-Father_Joseph.jpg

[SwordsMaster]

You are the King of Spain, but you have always had an honest disdain for me, for that you are honourable.
(OOC:Poland attacked me at the beginning of the game) I had no other allies left you blithering fool. I have not sold my belief in God and Jesus as my Saviour, neither do I misuse it as you do to take control of my subjects!
I have land, I have God, and I shall have my throne. The Poles bought my Boyars and I shall not resort to such low life trickery. Snicker all you want you beer-swilling and yet tapas eating creting, Hide behind the buffer nations! You are nothing but a coward, like a child who hids behind his mother! You shall not step foot in my lands or the cossacks shall descend upon you! You shall not leave without pikes and musketballs buried in your flesh, you will be robbed of your belongings and hopefully your head!


Boyar, you can insult me, as a vilain can blasphem against God, but I cannot even declare a formal war on you, as your state does not exist. All you have is dreams fuelled by Ottoman hashish.

They will shatter as soon as the turkish army is destroyed, the cossacks you are so proud of are pillaging the countriside of Constantinople, and Christian Greece is again liberated from the barbaric tribesmen of the Sultan.

If you feel offended by my comments, you can send your fleet to meet me. Or maybe you can borrow one from the Sultan. Maybe you can also borrow the women he does not want, the christian slaves he is tired of, and a Quran he does not use. You are worse than a heathen, you are a heathen for money.

[Franconicus]

:france:
My dear brother Philippe,

Please save Your breath. this creature is not worth to take notice of.

Louis XIII. King of france, by the grace of God

[IrishArmenian]

If you feel offended by my comments, you can send your fleet to meet me. Or maybe you can borrow one from the Sultan. Maybe you can also borrow the women he does not want, the christian slaves he is tired of, and a Quran he does not use. You are worse than a heathen, you are a heathen for money.
Due to your Western Fetish for Latin, you don't even know what a Christian is! You cannot speak Latin and yet you still hold service in Latin! All you know is what manipulative Priests told you! Do not lecture me on being a Christian, I am not the one who started wars.
I seek an answer, you lying, idiotic cur, to this: what would you haved done, if you were me in this situation--No Pope to hide behind (which I see you have become accustomed to), no buffer zone of three nations betweem you and those you insult (again, you are probably accustomed to hiding behind them), scarce allies (Sweden, kind of the whole PC and the Osmans of course) and being attacked by a superiorly armed/trained Polish Army. What would you have done? Most likely cow at the first sign of danger, but if you were a man, what would you have done?
OOC: This is good, this...banter.
Listen to Ferdinand, he has a level head.

[Kagemusha]

Speech of the Stadtholder of Republic of Netherlands in theIr Parliament

"Greetings representatives and honourable Countrymen,

If you are wondering why im adressing the honourable Parliament in form of public speech. The reasons are following. First i would like to give my report on the unfortunate war that ended on the peace treaty between Republic of Netherlands and Holy Roman Empire. Secondly,im forced on adressing the reacent events inside the Republic that have caused me lot of grief after the succesfull campaign in Germany.

As you are well aware. The Late Kaiser declared us war,while were trying to act as mediator between Kaiser and Brandenburg. The actual campaign started shortly after former Spanish Netherlands joined the Republic. Our first target was to secure our own area and with that goal in mind i lead an quick deployment to Liege and took control of it.After that our forces moved to Aachen and took control of the area also. At that point we had secured our flank and were ready to Advance into enemy territory. I have to mention that from early on the spirit and dicipline in the army was outstnding.While other armies sacked and blundered in their route.Our forces moved in a way that caused minimal suffering to inhabitants of the area of our operations. In coordiantion with French forces we took over the Siege of Cologne and with good efforts of artillery and engineers we were able to take hold of the city with minimal casulties. As Cologne fell the situation in Kaiser´s and Catholic leagues troops had turned from bad to worse thanks to efforts of mainly French in the South and also Denmarks and Brandenburgs forces in the East. This allowed us to take control of Julich fortress and Munster without a drop of blood spilled. After these events the new government of Holy Roman Empire accepted our terms of peace,with much help from our Danish allies. The terms included complete independancy from Holy Roman Empire and annexation of the areas we had conquered and East Friesland. The Imperial cities of Cologne and Munster are under our taxation for the following five years,which time Holy Roman Empire has to pay the compenations of our war efforts. The total casulties for Republics army during the campaign were 700 men died in battle,diseases or acsidents. So the campaing in my opinion was a great success.Altough i have to report that in the last phases of the campaing there were some unauthorized pillagin,but those who were found guilty on braking our military laws have been punished.

So for this succesfull campaign i would like to give my thanks to our brave soldiers,officers and citizens who helped us to be victorious in this unfortunate conflict.

Then to other matters. While the country was at war and all citizens should have worked together to achieve victory. We had to use military power to help our governors and magistrates to control riots between the citizens of Republic. To me this is shamefull and specially in times when the whole countrys future is at stake. I would like to repeat the Republics stand that in Republic where we tolerate all religions, no religious infighting is tolerated and its considered treason. We have captured three hundred citizens from various sides who have disturbed peace and rioted inside the Republic. While i see them as guilty of treason.I have no desire to execute our citizens rashly. So while these people doesnt deserve leniency.We will let them free,as act of tolerance.But let it be known that anyone captured from causing unrest by rioting and violent behaviour towards his fellow citizens, which could be fatal to our republic will be dealt according to our laws concerning treason.From this day onward."

Maurice of Nassau, captain- General and the stadtholder of The Republic of the united provinces of The Netherlands.

https://img182.imageshack.us/img182/3796/netherlandscopybi4.jpg

[Randarkmaan]

They will shatter as soon as the turkish army is destroyed, the cossacks you are so proud of are pillaging the countriside of Constantinople, and Christian Greece is again liberated from the barbaric tribesmen of the Sultan.


You do not seem to realize the overpowering might which you are facing, Spaniard. Your empty boasts will be no more than a mark of shame for you after your force at Suez is destroyed, your men in Greece have been thrown out, your piratical naval forces crushed and when Vienna is in our hands. What makes you think the Greeks would prefer your tyrannical rule compared to what we have given them? Under our rule they can freely practise their religion, marry any Greek christian they wish and follow the laws of their book. You however have expelled or forcibly converted all your Muslim subjects (May Allah's curse rest upon you!) and exterminated and expelled all of your Jews, these people have received sanctuary in or realm and look to our state as their protector. It will please me greatly when word reaches me that all Spanish forces in our realm have been thrown out and are fleeing home, with their devilish tails between their lags.

[SwordsMaster]

OOC: Kage, could you change the colour of the font? I have to select the test to be able to read it....


Due to your Western Fetish for Latin, you don't even know what a Christian is! You cannot speak Latin and yet you still hold service in Latin! All you know is what manipulative Priests told you! Do not lecture me on being a Christian, I am not the one who started wars.
I seek an answer, you lying, idiotic cur, to this: what would you haved done, if you were me in this situation--No Pope to hide behind (which I see you have become accustomed to), no buffer zone of three nations betweem you and those you insult (again, you are probably accustomed to hiding behind them), scarce allies (Sweden, kind of the whole PC and the Osmans of course) and being attacked by a superiorly armed/trained Polish Army. What would you have done? Most likely cow at the first sign of danger, but if you were a man, what would you have done?

Are you attempting to blame me, the Emperor of Spain, for your misery in Russia, boyar? Have you lost your mind together with your soul and your religion?

I wouldn't have driven my nation into that situation. As I have not done with Spain. For a house to be strong, it must have strong foundations, not a tall wall with sentries.

Can you blame me for having the Pope as an ally? For having adhered to the demands of my church? Of my religion? I am not, like you, inclined to sell myself to the muslims.

You cannot even call me a lier, for I never lied to you. You cannot claim that I started your war, for you alone are responsible for your misery, and you cannot demand an answer from me, for I am Emperor, by the grace of God, and you are a bandit among the boyars. Tell me, how many other boyars in the Duma have an army that pillages and sieges cities? How many of them have an army that the Ottomans paid for? None?

I need not hide behind nations, I never did, and your excuses for losing your throne are just excuses. Instead of crying about losing it, you could ask yourself, why a man who was in power was voted out of power. Maybe it is not fault of the Polish king, who serves the interest of Poland? Maybe if you had served the interest of Russia, you would have remained Tsar?

As of my court, I speak to God in Latin, but if I spoke Russian, I'd only speak it to rebel slaves, as an honour to you. You think you are Spartacus, but you are Judas. Except you don't actually have the courage to hang yourself.


You do not seem to realize the overpowering might which you are facing, Spaniard. Your empty boasts will be no more than a mark of shame for you after your force at Suez is destroyed, your men in Greece have been thrown out, your piratical naval forces crushed and when Vienna is in our hands. What makes you think the Greeks would prefer your tyrannical rule compared to what we have given them? Under our rule they can freely practise their religion, marry any Greek christian they wish and follow the laws of their book. You however have expelled or forcibly converted all your Muslim subjects (May Allah's curse rest upon you!) and exterminated and expelled all of your Jews, these people have received sanctuary in or realm and look to our state as their protector. It will please me greatly when word reaches me that all Spanish forces in our realm have been thrown out and are fleeing home, with their devilish tails between their lags.

And you, turk, are forgetting that it hasn't been so long ago you've been thrown out of Iberia. For your information, christian religions are now tolerated in Spain, and many of the muslims that were expelled were given territories and land in Africa. On the other hand, christian peoples under your control serve as janissaries, trained to kill other christians. Is that not a height of cruelty only a muslim would be capable of?

When that what you say happens, Sultan, we will talk again. In the meantime I offer you to leave Vienna and a peace can be negotiated.

[Rodion Romanovich]

I've managed to answer about half of the PMs now, but as I said yesterday I'll be quite busy for a few days. Will answer the rest later...

[IrishArmenian]

Phillipe, maybe you have been spending too much time in Sevilla--you dance around my question as if you were paid to! Answer my question, what would you have done?

[SwordsMaster]

Phillipe, maybe you have been spending too much time in Sevilla--you dance around my question as if you were paid to! Answer my question, what would you have done?

I will not. If you need a mentor, you should have gotten one. I faced my own challenges.

[AntiochusIII]

yes, sorry for missing that. You were 2nd or 3rd in the queue IIRC, or?3rd, I believe. Csar and another person is above me.

Nice game going on by the way. The tension :) Wonder if the Ottomans would actually pull a successful Vienna siege for once, or Spain will actually grow much stronger instead of being bogged down like in real life.

[IrishArmenian]

I will not. If you need a mentor, you should have gotten one. I faced my own challenges.
Challenges? You live the life of a spoiled child! You were given an empire you cannot control and you whine and moan anyway.

[SwordsMaster]

Challenges? You live the life of a spoiled child! You were given an empire you cannot control and you whine and moan anyway.

I do not need to explain myself. And I did not ask you what you would have done in my place. I take responsibility in my actions.

[Franconicus]

:france:
Notre Dame de Paris
Anno Domini 1614

Here, at the holy cathedral of our Notre Dame de Paris, we come together to thank the Lord and all His Saints for Their help during war. His kindness helped us through hard times; His Glory gave us victory. In humility we thank Him for His Mercy.

Of course we keep in mind our brave soldiers; we owe you so much. You moved out to fight the strongest army in the world. Your strength, your bravery, your discipline and your unity gave us victory. And made you a role model for us all. You suffered want and you gave blood, but you never gave way. You stood side by side, Catholics and Huguenots, not caring about religion, but well aware of the heavenly mission you executed. God bless you all! Your king is very proud to have such a fine army.

The whole Christian world is amazed at your outstanding, almost supernatural victory. Doesn’t it show that God Himself has led your sword? Isn’t it evident that you fought a just war?

Although we would not be able to celebrate our victory without the assistance of the Heavenly Forces, there had been many men working for our victory. Many programs have been executed during the last years, to improve the strength of our nation and the strength of our armed forces. Let me name just a few.

During the last years we managed to combine our armed forces to one mighty instrument. You are no longer Catholic or Huguenot soldiers, you are no longer soldiers of Languedoc or Anjou, today you are one strong army of soldiers that serve King and country. You are supported by a strong organization that cares about supply, organization and training for all of you. Also, let’s not forget the improvements coming from our new manufactories. You were the best equipped soldiers in this conflict. The firepower of the new flintlock guns caused terror and desperation among our enemies. The new schools for our officers raised their abilities. You were the best led soldiers in this war. Just look at the seizure of Ulm, one of the strongest fortresses in the world. Our soldiers were able to take it in a coup de main. This operation will go down in history!

I already mentioned the importance of the discipline and unity of our soldiers. They pulled the duty, lead by officers of Catholic or Huguenot faith. The difference in faith could not separate them; the heavenly mission tied them together.

Also let’s not forget our allies. Some years ago, when my father, the good King Henri was killed by a religious fanatic, the country was surrounded by hostile enemies, which tried to destroy our country. Look at it now. We have a close alliance with our friends in Spain and Savoy. We also could rely on the support of our Dutch, Swiss and English neighbors. I thank them all. Today France is surrounded by friends. The power of our old enemy, the Holy Roman Empire, is broken. Nevertheless, we shake hands with our German neighbors. France wants to live in peace with all of her neighbors.

Now we have peace, a peace, bought with pain and blood. What are we going to do now? Is this peace even worth the efforts, the blood? I know that some thing that we gave in too early; that we should have demanded more of the land of the Holy Roman Empire. Even the Pope made that proposal. I ask you, Lord of France and soldiers are we nothing but thieves? Did we start this war for prey? Wouldn’t that been a very ignoble cause?

We started this war to create the fundament for a new, a better France. We fought for a united France, where everybody could live in freedom, free from hunger, free from fear, free from religious suppression. I tell you, I have a dream. I see people of different confession living together, side by side, in peace and brotherhood. You may say I am a dreamer, but look at the soldiers of our glorious army. They lived the dream. They fought together side by side, they even died together. And they found out that it makes no difference, if your next is Catholic or Huguenot. He is your brother, even more, he is French!

I tell you this army is the role model for France. Let us all stand together like brothers, lets us increase the wealth of this country. Let us stand as one. There is nothing we cannot achieve. Let us become a role model, too, for the whole Christianity. One day all Christian nations may reunite, may live together the way we demonstrate it in France. I pray to God that this dream will come true.

Until then let us construct a new and better France. We now have the chance. We have a strong army that guarantees peace. We receive financial compensation from Germany. Let us use it wisely, to make France better and stronger.

Beside our soldiers, our noblemen will be the main column of new country. Many of you gave a lot in the past to support the country. I know that and I will not forget you. Our colonies are booming and there is a lot lucrative tasks for you there. Furthermore, I would like to start reducing serfdom. This has been a good institution in the past, but now it has lost its purpose. Those Lords which release their serfs will get a good compensation for that. The King will pay them in gold. Of course, participation on this program is voluntary.

The King will also expand the opportunities for trade and manufacturing. The King will offer excellent opportunities to invest money. In this way, the nobles get the choice to transfer their financial bases from agriculture to international trade and production enterprises. As always, they will be the ones that increase the wealth and power of our country.

I promise you to make the dream come true, together with you all. Although I am a dreamer, I know that our path will be thornful. Our enemies are not sleeping. They begrudge our success. They try to separate us, try to split us with lies and detractions. I tell you, they underrate us. They underrate our strength. They underrate our unity. Today we stand here to praise the Lord and to thank our army. We stand here, Huguenots and Catholics, King and Lords, as one, united as French. And together we will fight all those which are trying to undermine our country. And together we will shatter our enemies.

But before we start to fight again, let us spend this holiday to praise the Lord and to praise our glorious army.

God bless our army! God bless our country! God bless France!

[Incongruous]

Ferdinand Hapsburg.

You talk of Freinship and of justice.
I did not see you crying for justice when Brandenbourg incited rebellion in Bohemia. Nor when you slaughtered my men after their surrender.

Freindship? Ypu were looking for a war since Julich Kleves, how dissaointed you must have been when we resolved it peacfully.
Then you incited war when we offered Brandenbourg a trial. You are not deceiving anyone.

As to you're millitary might, you're nation is tearing itself apart, you're generals are running back to France. Do not be a fool, you obviuosly need help in re-establishing order in France, something we are quite willing to aid you in. Our power Broken? I think not King of France. We are just as, if not more powerful than we were before the war. Thus we offer to lend you a helping hand
If that is not so beneath you.

F.v.H

[Warluster]

OOC- Hey AIII, you are second now, I was above Csar (Now ichigo) but i am playing now, so you are second.

[Franconicus]

Dear Kaiser,

Obviously you are angry, because We did not invite you to Our victory party. Let Us tell you that this is only because We did not want to hurt Your feelings. We promise to invite you to our next victory party!

Of course your power is not broken. You spies propobly did send you wrong information about Our speech. You are far more powerful than ever and with your true and reliable allies from Spain and Poland you will certainly defeat the heathens.

May God bless you!

Louis

P.S.: Just one modest question. When and why have you decided to change the spelling of the name Habsburg. Is it to show that you are no longer tied to the Spanish habsburg line?

[Incongruous]

Kaiser of Germany.

You are obviuosly not interested in saving you're throne. We offered you help, you obviuosly do not wont it.

We hope you manage to restore Catholicism to France.

Ferdinand.

[Franconicus]

My dear Kaiser,

I am afraid that my words did not cross the Rhine the right way. I will replace the interpretors. Since this forum has decided to use English as a standard, life is very difficult. Why didn't we stay with the good old Latin, God's own language, the one every Christian sovereign speaks so fluently?

If you offer us a helping hand, we are on top of the world to accept it. Take our hand, too, and let us end this disastrous scuffle between our noble and Catholic kingdoms.

We recall our armies immediately and would be more than happy to listen to your proposals how we can improve our relationship.

Regrettfully, we heard the news that the Saracens have left their caves and dare to threaten your country. We are sure that they will turn tail and run as soon as they see your army led by the banner of the Lord. Yet, if there is anything we could do to support you against this brood of the antichrist, do not hesitate to tell us!

[Franconicus]

The King of France send a messanger to the usurper in Russia:

IrishArmenian, although you are ejected from the civilized world, We congratulate to your birthday. We hope you have a nice celebration or whatever a pariah like you likes to have. We ask the Lord to enlighten you and to lead you back on the path of the true Christians. Or to end your sinful life and to give you salvation after only medium torture.:clown:

Happy birthday!

[Kagemusha]

Happy Birthday IrishArmenian!:smash: :thrasher: :balloon2: :barrel: :medievalcheers:

[Randarkmaan]

Regrettfully, we heard the news that the Saracens have left their caves and dare to threaten your country. We are sure that they will turn tail and run as soon as they see your army led by the banner of the Lord. Yet, if there is anything we could do to support you against this brood of the antichrist, do not hesitate to tell us!

I though you were our friend, oh King of France? Truly, I did not expect you to aid us directly in fighting your brothers of faith, but I did not expect you to speak of us in that manner!

Also I want to congragulate my friend and ally Vasiliy (IrishArmenian) with his birthday (according to the Gregorian calendar) and as a birthday we will give him enough money to hire for his army between 1000 and 2000 mercenaries, may The Almighty, he who sees and hear all, grant him victory over the Polish plunderer and rapist who has been smuggled onto the throne of Russia!

[IrishArmenian]

To all: My thanks. You are all kind soveriegns and it proves God's Grace that despite our sabre-rattling, we can be kind to each other.
Sultan, thank you for the Mercenaries, they will be used well.
I have little to say, except for this: Kaiser, it was a misunderstanding. The King of France said the HRE's power was broken--but you preside over the Empire of Germany.

[Franconicus]

Sultan,

although I always tried to have good relationship to you and your country, I cannot support that you invade Christian Europe. Stay away and everything will be fine.

I also do not agree with your support for your ally Vasilli (or do I have to say your vasall?). You know that he fooled the Spanish King and me. We had nothing to do with his differences, yet we did send troops to help both sides to settle their differences. Your vasall lost the election. Yet he still thinks that he is csar.

As far as i know him, he will spend his last dime drinking with his boyars. After his party he will have nothing left but some drunken roughnecks in his livingroom. How can he win any battle?

[Randarkmaan]

Sultan,

although I always tried to have good relationship to you and your country, I cannot support that you invade Christian Europe. Stay away and everything will be fine.

The men are gathered, orders have been sent, and weapons have been issued, calling them back now would be economically and politically unwise ~;p Besides, do you know how expensive elephants are?
I also find it funny that you were so silent when I invaded Transylvania, aren't they christian enough to you? In this case the only monarchs who tried to interfere on Bathory's side was the deceased Emperor Mathias (May Allah's curse rest upon him!) and King Sigismund (Curse him as well!) and also some cowardly, anonymous other catholic country (Whoever they are... May Allah's curse be upon them as well!), one thing I can say for these monarchs however is that they abide to their principles and don't use the serious matter of defending the faith only when it fits their intent. Peace be upon you, king of France, oh and by the way... Thank you for those ships...


Your vasall lost the election. Yet he still thinks that he is csar.


A monarch's right to rule does not originate from a null and void vote from a corrupt and filthy-rich court of nobles who have only their own gains in their interest! A true heir rules by divine right and by virtue of his merit and his valor in the heat of battle as well as his popularity and behaviour with the common people rather than a few grizzled old men who think their views matter!

[Franconicus]

[QUOTE=Randarkmaan]The men are gathered, orders have been sent, and weapons have been issued, calling them back now would be economically and politically unwise ~;p [QUOTE]

Well, I think not ordering them back could be militarily and politically unwise! ~;p
Elephants may be expensive (we at France prever frogs), but a lost war could be even more expansive. Might cost your head (God beware your health and send you a long life!)

P.S.: i knew I could not rely on the secrecy of a man from the orient. :sultan:

P.P.S. Then why did your vasall ask for this election. Who do you think you can fool? Certainly no longer me or the King of Spain!

[Randarkmaan]

Well, we could reach an agreement, couldn't we?... how about... you recognize Vasily as Tsar, the Spanish pull back their forces from Suez, Cyprus and Greece, as well as their fleets, the Germans and the Polish pay Gabriel Bethlen war reparations for any damage caused by their forces in his country this also counts for the "anonymous catholic country", and that the French, Spanish, Germans and the Poles ask forgiveness for their insults against the Sultan and his people by formal apology and tribute. This will prevent war in Austria. Otherwise you will be sorry...

[SwordsMaster]

OOC: Happy Birthday IrishArmenian!:balloon2:

Sultan, those conditions are ridiculous. If you wish to save your army, you will retreat from Vienna. Otherwise, Spinola and the Grand Hetman will destroy your army, and your expensive elephants.

[Franconicus]

Well, we could reach an agreement, couldn't we?... how about... you recognize Vasily as Tsar, the Spanish pull back their forces from Suez, Cyprus and Greece, as well as their fleets, the Germans and the Polish pay Gabriel Bethlen war reparations for any damage caused by their forces in his country this also counts for the "anonymous catholic country", and that the French, Spanish, Germans and the Poles ask forgiveness for their insults against the Sultan and his people by formal apology and tribute. This will prevent war in Austria. Otherwise you will be sorry...

I am the wrong adressee for this proposal.
I have no reason to recognize your vasall, there are no French troops at Suez (exept some mercs that protect my trade bases), Cyprus or Greece,
there is no French fleet intercepting your ships,
there had not been any support for Bethlen and I cannot remember any insults.

Please ask the Most Catholic King of France, the military leader of the Holy Alliance, or the Pope, the spiritual leader of the Holy Alliance and all Catholics.

[Randarkmaan]

These were terms presented to all who want me to recall my troops, I know you have no ships intercepting our fleets and that you have no troops in Suez, King of France. But you recently insulted me (a few posts above) that is atleast how I see it, but perhaps you could be spared from this as you have also been a great asset to us. Therefore all that is required from you is to recognize Vasily, for the Spaniards, the Germans and the Poles a bit more is required though...

[Franconicus]

Oh Sultan, what do I have to read? I insulted you? If you intercept my letters to the Kaiser, the only one who is insulting you is you. At least it would not be respectable for a Christian sovereign.

Why should I recognize your vasall? As I told you before, he fooled me and therefore i recognize the other one (just forgot the name).

[Randarkmaan]

Why should I recognize your vasall? As I told you before, he fooled me and therefore i recognize the other one (just forgot the name).

All the more proof why he should not rule! The act of... having someone not remember your name while you live is a sign of your inability to govern!

[Franconicus]

.:angel: .:angel: .:angel:
Dear Sultan,

I have to end our dispute. I have the attend mess, I do not want to make my confessor wait.:angel:

My advice is: Go to the Holy Father at Rome, ask Him to teach you the wise doctrines of the Holy Church and ask for baptism. You will win more for your soul than you can every win at Vienna.

I will pray for the salvation of your soul. I will even pray for your Russian creature.:devil:

.:angel: .:angel: .:angel:

[Incongruous]

Kaiser Of Germany

Frech King, we doubt our relations can be anything but cordial on the colder side of practicality.

Our offer of aid was not for you, but for Catholocism in general. We hope you may accept our offer of help, which shall be forth coming after the attack on Vienna is brushed aside.

[Franconicus]

To my German brother:

Ferdinand, I know that we have been enemies and that you still are filled with hate and hostility. I do not mind. Your honest feelings are more welcome to me than false friendships.

However, due to the order of our Lord, we are willing to forgive our enemies and to love those that love noone.

If you like it or not, we both are brothers of the same father and our fate is tied together.

[Marshal Murat]

It is to bad the Sultan sees me as a rapist. It is the farthest ideal from the truth. I am defending my people, as you yourself also do.

If divine right protects a lord to rule the throne, why did God not intercede!?

To the rebel Tsar, I offer a very joyous birthday, for Christian charity permits me to love my enemies.

[Franconicus]

:france:
After consulting his spiritual advisors Louis XIII. will give a thank offering to thank the Lord for His support during the war against the HRE. He will build a new church at Reim. In front of that church, there will be a statue of Jeanne d’Arc, the great French folk hero.

Additionally the French government asks the Holy Roman Church to start the proceedings of beatification. There are many documented wonders. The French authority will support the efforts of the church.

[Warluster]

Does the German Empire wish to open trade once again, we shall not stir up rebellion, we wish to see trade blossom again.

Official Statement from the Kingdom of Brandenburg
In the kingdoms best interests we shall not start an republic, but an empire is still in mind. We would like to thank all barve soldiers who fought for brandenburg, and won our indepndanc, it took war, but we are now a country, not a simple state, This has thrown us into overwhelming joy, and we declare this day Independance Day(OOC- Not after the movie)THe EMpire may start in another year, and we are not an kingdom, but an Empire, but we do not rule through fear, we shall rule through joy, and hopefully the Brandenburgish people shall love the nation of Brandenburg.
JOY TO THE NEW EMPIRE OF BRANDENBURG!
HIP HIP!
HOORAY!
HIP HIP!
HOORAY!

[Franconicus]

To the King of Brandenburg:

Your declaration has taken us by surprise. You decide to call your realm an empire. Does this mean that you will call yourself Emperor? That you sea yourself as the successor of the Roman Emperor Constantine? Does that mean that you are also a religious leader. That you will be crowned by the pope? Do you intent to convert to Catholism? :oops:

[Warluster]

OOC-Huh? Nope)

To the King Of France,

There are more then 1 empire in this world, we shall be a diffrent one, the brandenburg EMpire, led by the Emperor of Brandenburg. We of course have nothing to do with the pope and we never will, brandenburg we stay protestant.

[Franconicus]

No, there are not. Taditionally, there is only one Empire, the successor of the Roman Empire. Well, lately things have changed and are getting a bit complicated.

The HRE is gone. The title German Emperor is more to honor the ruler of Germany and to remind oon his history. The German ruler gave up the claims of being the succesor of the Romans, so Germany is not an empire any longer.

The Spanish King lately claimed the title Emperor. Obviously he thinks that now that the HRE is gone, Spain is the legal successor of the Roman Emperor. I do not know if these claims are officially accepted, esp. from the Holy Church.

Of course there are some heretic, like the csar of Russia, who calls himself csar (=emperor). But their opinion really does not matter.

So, as a matter of fact, we have hardly any empire today. I cannot see how a Protestant Kingdom, that has just won his sovereignity, can claim that title. Do you think that you are the successor of the Roman Emperor Constantin, Imperator Rex, protector of the Holy Roman Church?

Be careful with notions. In the 17th century they matter a lot. Use them the wrong way and you may soon be dead - without even understanding why!

[SwordsMaster]

OOC: Actually, while most emperors in Europe claimed after the Roman Empire, Russia claimed after the Byzantine Empire, but in Spain, traditionally the hoder of Leon, since the 13th century, could claim the title of Emperor of all the Spains. And since now I hold the whole of the iberian peninsula, I thought it was only fair.

Since I am also Catholic, it is anice title to claim.

[IrishArmenian]

Byzantium was Orthodox, so why call me a heretic? The Byzantines allied with Muslims (Rum, anyone?), so why hold that against me?

[Randarkmaan]

OOC: The west never really had very kind thoughts of the Byzantines, they were mostly viewed as schismatics and heretics. They only really started to get "worried" when Byzantium was threatened by the Turks, and even then the Pope would only give support if the Greeks/Byzantines joined the Catholic church and abandoned their "heretical" ways. One interesting quote about a westerners opinion of the Byzantines is from the Italian poet and humanist, Petrach: "The Turks are merely our enemies, but the schismatic Greeks are worse than enemies. The Turks hate us less, for they fear us less. The Greeks ... however, both fear and hate us with all their soul".

By the way, we're an empire too? But I'm an infidel so it doesen't count, right?

[Kagemusha]

OOC: Oh you all emperors kings and your titles.You relics.~:wave: