Council thread for the Grand Campaign Hotseat 2

[Zim]

The Council in Rome started small enough. In the early 11th century, the Italian powers agreed to meet in a large Council Chamber in neutral Rome to discuss diplomatic issues. Before long, other European powers began to meet there, until all of Europe sent diplomats to its hallowed halls. Shockingly, in the middle of the century, the Moors requested to send a delegation. This was accepted, and it wasn't long before every major power regardless of religion sent members to the Council. Even excommunicated countries were allowed at least one representative.

Now, the Council building is filled with living spaces for diplomats, and contains a huge Chamber in the center where they argue the issues of the day. It has no formal power, but serves as a place for public alliances to be announced, as well as unilateral decrees. Deals are sometimes made in the open as well, so the weight of public opinion can help to enforce them. Of course, petty bickering and gloating is common as well.

Declared Alliances:
-Italian Coalition: Sicily, Milan, Venice
-Balkan Alliance: Byzantine Empire, Hungary, Venice
-Hungarian-Polish Alliance
-The North Sea Alliance: The HRE, England, Denmark

Ongoing Conflicts:
-Conflicting claims on Iberian and North African settlements beween Spain, Portugal and Sicily versus the Moors

Wars:
Anglo-Scottish War: 1082-1090

Sicilo-Moorish War: 1090-?

Portuguese-Moorish War: 1090-?

Special treaties.

Treaty of Hamburg, signed 1084 by Kaiser Heinrich of the Holy Roman Empire and King Knud of Denmark.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1. The Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Denmark guarentee each other's independance, as well as thier territorial integrity.

2. The Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Denmark guarantee to aid one another in any defensive war. "Defensive" is to be interpreted as including but not limited to situations where a third party threatens or does not accepts reasonable territorial claims.

3. The Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Denmark also agree not to withhold aid (military or otherwise) in a war of aggression by one party, without some form of justification, and guarantee in all cases, not to provide aid to, or intervene on the side of the warring party's enemies (subject to the exclusion in section 4.).

4. This treaty shall be null and void if either party attacks any member of the Italian Coalition.

The Charter of the Italian Coalition, signed in 1084 by King Roger of Sicily Doge Giorgio of Milan, and Doge Domenico of Venice.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Charter of the Italian Coalition

1. The purpose of the Coalition:

The Coalition of Italy has its origins in the realization of its members that the Italian peninsula is a rich and tempting target for neighboring factions, and that its members have more to gain from cooperation than in engaging in separate foreign policies, which would allow enemies to divide and conquer the peninsula. For this reason Milan, Sicily and Venice, the founding members, have formed the Coalition to face common threats, cooperate in the expansion of its member-states, and form a common foreign policy for all of Italy. As all three members are neighbors of his Holiness the Pope, the Coalition will also undertake the defense of Rome.

2. Obligations of its members to the Coalition:

a. Defense:

The primary obligation of members to the Coalition is that of a common defense. Any country that attacks any member becomes an enemy to all, and we will stand united against them. For all intents and purposes, the Pope is considered a member of the coalition when it comes to the defense of Rome.

b. Foreign Policy:

Another obligation to members is to cooperate on forming a common foreign policy concerning the Coalition's relations with the other countries of the world. Whenever possible, members will stand with each other in any dispute or war between a member and any non-member. To ensure that this will not put any member into an awkward position unless absolutely necessary, major plans should be discussed before being put into place by any single member.

c. Vis a vis other alliances of members:

The Coalition does not prohibit members from making their own bilateral deals or alliances with countries outside of it. However, it is important that Coalition agreements and obligations trump any bilateral agreements and no member should engage in plans against another member.

3. Coalition Organization

a. Division of Italy between the three founding members:

Each of the three founding members has their own sphere of influence in the Italian peninsula. Milan is preeminent in Milan, Genoa, Florence, and the Italian Alpine settlement of Bern. Sicily will control Palermo, Naples, and the islands of Ajaccio and Cagliari. Venice is limited to Venice itself and Bologna in the Italian peninsula, but controls Ragusa and Durazzo on the Adriatic coast nearby. Ownership of provinces taken outside these realms is up for negotiation between members.

b. Spokesman:

In order to enable other countries to more easily understand the coalition’s common stances in foreign policy, one member is given the honor of making statements for the Coalition in the Council. The title of Coalition Spokesmen is given to the King of Sicily. In addition to representing the Coalition to other nations, Sicily also receives an extra vote in the rare event of a three-way tie between members on any issue. Should the King deem it fitting, he also is allowed the task of forming the coalition’s common foreign policy, and planning the fulfillment of its short and long-range goals.

A map specially prepared by Cecil XIX showing different countries' claims on territories.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Basically I just filled in a territory with the color of the faction that claimed it. I also changed the borders in Prague, Hamburg, Bologne and Durazzo to reflect that those lands have already been taken.

When I noticed multiple or unresolved claims, I used diagonal lines alternative between claimants. In situations where the disputed province is already controlled, I gave the faction with the homefiled advantage triple-thick lines.