Duchy of Swabia

[Ignoramus]

Duchy of Swabia

My fellow Swabian electors, our Kaiser has graciously provided us and all other Duchies with quarters in the Diet. Please retire here to discuss plans and suggestions concerning Swabian interests.

Sigismund der Mutige, Count of Lorraine, Elector of Swabia.

Nobles of Swabia:

Duke Athalwolf von Salza - Duke of Swabia
Count Erhart Ruppel- Count of Helvatia
Count Ludwig von Bohmen - Count of Flanders
Andreas von Salzgitter

Electors of Swabia:

Duke Athalwolf von Salza - Second Elector of Swabia(Warluster)
Count Erhart Ruppel - Third Elector of Swabia, (FactionHeir)
Count Ludwig von Bohmen - Fourth Elector of Swabia,(deguerra)
Andreas von Salzgitter - Fifth Elector of Swabia (Zim)
Swabian Elector I - Sixth Elector of Swabia (Tristan de Castelreng)

Lands of Swabia:

Swabia - Capital: Staufen. Part of the ducal demesne of Athalwolf von Salza, Duke of Swabia.
Lorraine - Capital: Metz. The lands of , Count of Lorraine.
Helvetia - Capital: Bern. The lands of Erhart Ruppel, Count of Helvetia.
Burgundy - Capital: Dijon. Part of ducal demense of Athalwolf von Salza, Duke of Swabia,Count of Burgundy.
Champagne - Capital: Rheims. The lands of , Count of Champagne.
Flanders - Capital: Bruges The lands of Ludwig von Bohmen, Count of Flanders
Normandy - Capital: Caen Ducal Demense

Dukes of Swabia:
Prinz Henry: (1080 - 1170)
Ulrich I: (1178 - 1186)
Frederich I: (1200 - 1286)
Hans I: (1286 - 1330)
Athalwolf von Salza: (1330 - ?)

Counts of Lorraine:
Sigismund I: (1090 - 1142)
Judda I: (1142 - 1178)
Ulrich I: (1178 -1248)
Wolfgang I: (1248 - 1280)
Jens I: (1280 - 1282)

Counts of Burgundy:
Henry I: (1126 - 1140)
Jobst I: (1140 - 1246)
Athawolf I: (1280 - 1330)

Counts of Helvetia:
Henry I: (1106 - 1168)
Hans I: (1168 - 1330)
Erhart Ruppel: (1338 - ?)

Counts of Champagne:
Elberhard I: (1244 - 1308)

Counts of Flanders:
Ludwig von Bohmen: (1338 - ?)

Counts of Belgium:
Athalwolf von Salza - (1330 - ?)

Counts of Normandy:
Athalwolf von Salza - (1330 - ?)

[Warluster]

OOC-Does evry house of HRE get a HQ?

IC-

Excellent! Absolutely splendid! Perfect! Excellontao!

Now to discussion!

As I was saying before, if we destroy one nation in Europe, we could install fear into peoples minds! What do my fellow Swabian Electors say?

Also- In battles, when we capture soldiers, I say this- If we are to capture over 1000 soldiers, we are to ransom them, if we capute less then 1000, we kill them? This is good by the fact is, if its for a nation we hate, they will hate us even more, and they will be scared of us! They will cower!

[econ21]

Fellow Swabians, I believe this talk of destroying other nations is premature. Given that we are at war with three other nations, and face three others on our borders, it is our Empire which is at risk of destruction. The loss of Bologna has shown that our first priority must be to secure our borders.

In the Diet, I have proposed that Houses be given more say in the defence of their realm. The immediate issue for Swabia is France. I believe should start giving thought to the force requirements in our provinces in the event of war with France. After the current crisis is over, we should also start to think about redeploying our own commands to the west - leaving North Italy to the Bavarians and perhaps the next Chancellor, if he wishes to focus efforts on that war zone.

[Ignoramus]

Prinz Henry speaks wisely, fellow Swabians. After the crisis of Italy has past, we must protect the western border of the Reich from the French. Our spies have reported that they have many men in mail and coif, and equally skilled as our own. We must be on the watch.

May I suggest that we seek to gain permission to seize Marseilles? Provence has always been part of the Reich until they defected to the French King. Perhaps they thought that puppet would be better equiped to protect them, I do not know. Anyway, it is a natural addition to Burgundy, and thus should be one of Swabia's goals in the future.

[Warluster]

If Swabia is allowed, I volunteer to take Maresilles.

[econ21]

Prinz Henry: The Diet will not support a war of aggression, not while we are still fighting three other wars. However, I fear war with France will come soon whether we will it or not.

We must look to our defences - we have three border settlements: Dijon, Bern and Metz. I suggest that we form a Swabian standing army based near Dijon. If we plan our location appropriately, we should be able to support small garrisons in each of the three border settlements. In the event of a French attack, we should be able to repel the French and then persuade the Chancellor to allow us to launch a counterstroke.

Marseilles is a possible target, but I wonder if it will overstretch our lines too much? Rheims seems a more logical choice - if taken, Metz would no longer border France and we would still have three border towns (Rheims, Dijon and Bern) that could be defended by a single standing army. Moreover Rheims is close to Paris, whose capture would be a severe blow to the French, and to the riches of Antwerp and Bruges.

I believe two of us at least should join a Swabian standing army. The third could serve in North Italy if the Chancellor requires. We can alternate command of the army to make sure all have opportunities to distinguish themselves.

We should give thought to the composition of a standing army. I believe a force of around 10 units plus generals would be authorised by a future Chancellor (more might be permitted if war breaks out).

I would suggest:

2 generals
2 knights (mounted sergeants at a pinch)
3 crossbows or archers
5 armoured sergeants

In time, we would aim to replace most of the armoured sergeants with swordsmen - when we have upgraded Staufen sufficiently to train them.