Europe 1430, 1740-1769 (Map Game)

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1740

 * Portugal moves farther and farther into the Algerian desert. But as it does, the Portuguese are left out of their comfort zone and a large portion of the Portuguese army is killed by raiding Berbers.
 * The North African state sees their chance to get back their territory from Portugal and declare war.
 * An Albanian revolt arises in the Balkans around the Portuguese and Alexandrian outposts, establishing the independent Muslim state of Illyria.
 * The local officials in Thessalonika are killed in a riot and a rising general in the puppet government declares himeself King of Thessaloniki.
 * The Greek revolts prompt Wallach Union troops to move into northern Greece, and the towns are now being occupied by Wallachian, Hungarian, and Bulgarian troops.
 * Bohemia seizes the city of Hamburg in the name of the German-Czech Federation. A Bohemian army also captures the Baltic port city of Kiel from the Hanseatic Republic. (Brown = German-Czech Federation.)
 * With untrained and un-seaworthy Lithuanian sailors, the German-Czech Federation loses a humiliating naval battle against Denmark. This allows Britain to finally take control of the seas around Gotland.

1741

 * Prussia and Bohemia raise a new fleet of their best German sailors to send to Gotland. Agents of the German-Czech Federation also sabotage the major harbor at Gotland, destroying a handful of British and Habsburg ships but failing to wipe out the entire fleet as expected. With the harbor at Gotland crippled, the fleet is unable to return to the docks. Immediately after receiving news of the danger, Denmark dispatches its own fleet to assist them.
 * The Byzantines march south to reestablish order over the minor state of Thessaloniki, also dispatching large invasion forces to grab and hold as many of the northern Greek islands as possible on the Aegean Sea, between Thrace and Thessaloniki.
 * The Duchy of Morea ferries several conscripted troops south to claim the island of Crete.
 * With naval superiority in the North Sea secured, Danish, Estonian, British, Habsburg, and Gotland troops make multiple landing in Midgard, some in the east, and some in the west.

1742



 * The invasion of Midgard begins full force while the Prussian-Bohemian fleet completely destroys the British-Habsburg fleet in the Baltic Sea. The Danish ships arrive too late to be any help, many are wrecked on the coast of Gotland while others are forced to retreat back to Denmark.
 * To take the pressure off of Midgard, troops from the German-Czech Federation invade Denmark. Midgard's forces are also successful in repelling Danish and Estonian troops from the south and the east, but are unable to withstand Habsburg and British landing forces to the west, where their defenses are particularly weakened.
 * The Byzantines encircle Thessaloniki by seizing territory on all sides of it.
 * Anatolia authorizes the Knights of St. John to secure any Greek islands for their domain between Rhodes and Crete, unwilling to allow the Greek rebels of Morea to establish a foothold in Asia Minor's seas.
 * As the cold northern winter sets in, the German-Czech advance becomes bogged down after reinforcements arrive from America, while forces in Midgard make rapid advances.

1743

 * Prussia and Bohemia stall their invasion plans for Denmark and land their best troops on the eastern coast of Midgard, defeating a considerably sized British force. Their fleet, now in complete control of the Baltic Sea, also blockades Gotland.
 * The king of Midgard prepares his capital with a five-year food supply in case of a long siege.
 * Estonia agrees that all territory captured on Midgard's eastern coast will be ceded to Gotland.
 * The forces invading Midgard surround the capital of Midgard, while also offering peace to Midgard favorable to the invaders. The terms are rejected as the capital is prepared for a siege and the German-Czech Federation has already recaptured all of Midgard's eastern coastline and is on the way to drive back the besieging forces.

1744



 * Gotland surrenders to Midgard as starvation and disease became rampant among the population trapped on the island by the Prussian blockade. A puppet government is set up, a rather unstable puppet government.
 * Morean soldiers manage to capture the Cretan capital but due to unrest they are unable to hold it for long. Many of the Morean soldiers are later killed and Cretan nationalists secure order among the population. They proclaim the Socialist Republic of Crete.
 * Byzantine troops retreat from northern Greece and prepare for a new invasion of Thrace while the Wallach Union is preoccupied with Greece.
 * The two armies of Britain (and its allies) and the German-Czech Federation clash outside of the Midgard capital. Fighting rages on without a clear winner and both sides retreat to recoup. The British army realizes that it is too weak to do any more damage in Midgard and retreats back to the west were they have a stronghold. (Orange = Britain, Hapsburg, Denmark)
 * All of Midgard's eastern territory is restored and they plan on sending an invasion force to Finland under a joint operation with Livonia.
 * The German-Czech Federation captures Rostock from the Hanseatic Republic and they manage to retain their territory in Denmark.
 * The Danish army makes some minor advances in Midgard.

1745



 * After a small merchant fleet from Scandinavia is mistaken for a naval fleet from Estonia and attacked by Midgard ships, Scandinavia declares war, sending huge amounts of men and supplies to assist the invaders in Midgard.
 * Having prepared for war with Scandinavia in advance, agents of the German-Czech Federation cripple the Scandinavian government by setting the officials up for a phony meeting and having them assassinated, stalling the war effort and causing chaos on the home front.
 * The superior Byzantine army launches a fierce counterattack deep into the heart of Bulgaria. Wallachian and Hungarian resistance is only mimimum, except around the capital, Preslav. The Wallach Union protests that its ceasefire agreement with Byzantium has been broken.
 * The Duchy of Morea begins expanding northward into Greece.
 * The Knights of St. John consider attacking the newly established and unstable Socialist Cretan government, thus they start building up their powerful naval fleet.

1746



 * Using heavy artillery, the armies of the Byzantine Empire blast the walls of Bulgaria's southern cities in ceaseless bombardment, weakening them for final assaults. The outnumbered and outgunned garrisons, however, already succumbing to disease and starvation, surrender. Bulgaria retains only its northern and western provinces, and the Byzantines settle down for a while to vanquish the populance.
 * The Kingdom of Italy becomes the very first country to recognize the Socialist Republic of Crete's right to exist as an independent Greek nation-state. The Cretans thus permit them to construct an Italian port in Crete again. The Italians' revived interest in the eastern Mediterranean alarms the independent Milanese of Adana, the Byzantine Empire, and the Spanish state of Anatolia.
 * In North America war finally breaks out when the German-Czech Federation shells a nearby British outpost in New Scotland. The British responded by sending troops into Bohemian territory and destroying a nearby town.
 * While the Scandinavian government gathers itself together after the Germanic plot, they send a moderate amount of reinforcements to the Habsburg armies, allowing them to make slight advances in the north, while they also begin to talk with the Muscovian government about supplying the invaders.
 * North Africa continues a successful assault on Portugal's northwestern African territories.
 * Sicily and the Papacy work together on a major counteroffensive to restrict the Italians to northern Italy and check Italian advances beyond the Papal States.
 * A British naval force occupies Bohemian Australia.

1747



 * Polish Parliament votes to join the war on Bohemia's side and brings up Poland's elite units to the Prussian front, officially initiating the Dominion of Poland into the German-Czech Federation.
 * Polish, Prussian, and Bohemian troops make minor advances, securing more territory in the Hanseatic Republic and Denmark.
 * As Denmark recalls more of its frontier armies home to defend its mainland, Midgard launches an assault into Danish territory on the Swedish peninsula, the populace welcome the Midgard troops as a liberating army.
 * The Italians build up diplomatic relations with the faraway Commonwealth of Belarus-Ukraine. The two nations formulate an alliance in return for allowing the Italians to build a port in Crimea. The renewal of Italian presence on the Black Sea worries Georgia and the Byzantine Empire to no end.
 * The Byzantines choke off trade to Bulgaria and force it to become landlocked. They also press towards the Bulgarian capital, Preslav.
 * Scandinavia, with their troops prepared and government stable once again, launches an assault in northern Midgard.

1748



 * The Byzantine army overruns Preslav and officially dissolves the State of Bulgaria.
 * Denmark is almost completely driven off the Swedish peninsula by German-Czech Federation troops to the East and Midgard forces to the North. This frees up Midgard to refocus on the large-scale Scandinavian invasion to the north, and the Danes only retain a few scattered coastal positions.
 * With British armies long gone from Midgard, Neu Habsburg also withdraws its troops as its smallish army has suffered irreplaceable losses against the German-Czech Federation.
 * Livonia renews its assault on Estonia.
 * The Italians are completely driven from southern Italy by the Sicilian forces.
 * Algeria launches a fierce counterattack against Portugal's African empire, and allies itself with the State of North Africa.
 * The Sultanate of Sudan secures a profitable new trading deal that shares profits over the Red Sea with the Hedjaz government.
 * Trying to prevent any further humiliation, the British, Danish, Habsburgs, and Estonians sue for peace from Midgard and the German-Czech Federation. Promising to withdraw from Midgard and return all taken overseas territories, while the German-Czech Federation must withdraw from Denmark, and Estonia remains independent.

1749



 * The peace treaty over Midgard is finally signed by representatives of the British Federation, the German-Czech Federation, Midgard, Denmark, and Estonia. No representatives of Neu Habsburg or the Hanseatic Republic was present. The ceasing of hostilities are agreed on as follows: Livonia, the German-Czech Federation, and Midgard are to recognize Estonia's right to exist as an independent nation. All Prussian and Bohemian troops to withdraw from Denmark and Midgard. All Estonian-allied forces to withdraw from Midgard. Livonia, Estonia, Midgard, and Scandinavia can keep any territory conquered. Annexed territories in the Hanseatic Republic are allowed to remain part of Prussia. All territories in North America on opposing sides are to observe the terms of the treaty and likewise cease hostilities.
 * Even though the German-Czech Federation failed to achieve total victory against Britain, they feel victorious because they stood up to them. To help further unify the Federation, the member countries agreed to set up a government similar to the British Federation. The capital of the German-Czech Federation will be based in Vienna.
 * Smarting from the embarrassment they suffered during the Midgard War, the British Government orders a top down review to investigate why their military can't seem to win despite the tougher training standards.

1750



 * The German-Czech Federation refuses to trade with Neu Hapsburg and it persuades Livonia from any trade with it also.
 * Prussia hires a Dutchman to explore the 'Far Side of Africa' and find a suitable place to create a Prussian colony. It is much easier for the German-Czech Federation to trade beyond the Baltic thanks to Hamburg, the North Sea port.
 * Portugal and Algeria clash multiple times with Algeria razing and destroying many Portuguese towns in North Africa. Portugal has lost all of it's territory that it recently gained from Algeria. The war against the 'overstretched' Algerians starts to seem like a futile effort over a bunch of sand to the Portuguese population.
 * The Commonwealth of Bulgaria-Ukraine finalizes a treaty with the Socialist Republic of Crete that greatly increases the amount of trade revenue coming into Belarus-Ukraine.
 * The Kingdom of Italy dispatches a huge naval fleet to set sail for Crete, with the goal of protecting Italian interests in the Cretan port for fear of the kingdoms in Asia Minor or the Knights of St. John, whom they feel are disrupting Italian trade lines in the Eastern Mediterranean.
 * The Italian trading outpost in Crimea begins to gain a significant community of merchants and settlers.

1751



 * The Papal States, with the aid of Sicilian armies, drives the Kingdom of Italy completely out of the central Italian peninsula.
 * The Italians begin to gain huge profit from their Black Sea trade.
 * The enormous Italian fleet that set sail the previous year anchors in the Socialist Republic of Crete. They gain the approval from the Cretan authorities to winter here.
 * The British government is enraged to discover many of the head training and supply officials in their invading Midgard armies during the previous war were bribed by the German-Czech Federation to impose restrictions and encourage laxness, poor morale, and ill discipline among the troops to ensure that Britain would fail in trying to gain any ground in the war. Numerous navy officials are also discovered to have been giving away plans to the Prussian Navy, allowing them to destroy the British fleet in the Baltic. The British Federation subsequently orders an anti-corruption campaign across Great Britain and her overseas colonies. Meanwhile they execute the officials who was involved in the scandal. They charged them with treason.
 * With Bulgaria conquered and the Wallach Union trying to fend off the Byzantine Empire, the unstable puppet government in Greece begins to collapse. The Byzantines quickly replace it with a new one, ensuring that they, instead of the Wallach Union, possess the most control over the Greek government.
 * Bohemian Australia is resettled by British settlers. Many of the Bohemian residents are deported and sent on a long, hard, journey to Ceylon.
 * Decommisioned soldiers from the British Army and Navy begin arriving in droves in the British Australian colonies. they're given large land grants inland, along with many basic nessecities to begin a profitable farm. this caused enourmous growth in size of Britains colonies in Australia. thanks to Australia's fertile ground, it begins to export large amounts of wheat and fleece to the America's.
 * The Hanseatic Republic decided to give up their colony in North America by giving them independence, so they can withdraw their troops to help defend themselves against the Prussians, in case the German-Czech Federation decides to strike again. The new nation is called New Saxony and, in a ironic twist, they join the German-Czech Federation.

1752

 * Europe begins to suffer the beginning stages of a Malthusian Catastrophe, as populations in Germany, Scandinavia, and Spain begin to outstrip their respective countries ability to produce food. Britain and France appear to have avoided this problem for now, by encouraging immigration to their American colonies, along with Australia's increased agricultural output.
 * With their armies freed from the north, Bohemia again returns its troops south to aid Italy. The Midgard War had caused them to pull out of the war and only offer logistical aid.
 * A famine strikes eastern Bohemia, as taxes on poor farmers in order to supply the army in italy, combined with increasing demand for food, causes most farmers to barely feed themselves through the winter. in many eastern Bohemian cities, Bohemian military units are forced to fire on starving workers attempting to raid the military grainaries.
 * The famine also spreads as far south as Hungary, which begins to experience some food shortage towards the north. Hungary's borders are also packed with Bohemian refugees who have traveled from the East and are crowding Hungarian cities.
 * The enormous Italian fleet in Crete sets sail east for Adana, much to the horror of the independent Milanese there, as they are unable to withstand such a large-scale invasion. The Kingdom of Italy then again demands direct annexation from Adana as an overseas territory. Adana, pressured by Anatolia, Kurdistan, and the Byzantine Empire, refuses.

1753

 * The food riots in Bohemia begin to occur in the western areas of the country, as well as the east. In addition, Prussia, Navarre, and Aragon all begin to suffer from similar problems.
 * Neu Habsburg begins a massive expansion of its colony in OTL Papau New Guinea, and begins to convince some of its people to immigrate there, although they suffer very little from the European famine.
 * The Byzantine Empire remains oblivious during the food shortage due to their access to the rich fertilelands of Asia Minor. As Hungary succumbs to the famine, the Byzantine emperor begins to make a new fortune selling grain at reduced prices to the Hungarians.
 * The Italian fleet lands in independent Adana. The armies of Adana thus brace themselves for the attack. As the war between Italians begins, Byzantium and Anatolia each send troops to support Adana. Anti-Italian propaganda soon rocks the Greek Byzantine Empire, since many of the citizens remember it was the Genoese who finally captured Constantinople and ended the original Byzantine state.
 * A small but growing movement appears in Greece, Anatolia and Morea, supporting annexation by the Byzantine Empire, in order to resist the "Italian expansionism" and restore the former glory of the Byzantines.
 * North Africa and Algeria renew assaults on Portugal's African territory. In response, the Portuguese introduce conscription, which is met by fierce civilian opposition. Draft riots also take place in several major cities.

1754

 * The food riots in Bohemia escalate as they begin to spread to the eastern parts of the country, overwhelming the capacity of the Bohemian government and threatening to destroy the country. Bohemia declares martial law in the country and cease all military operations. To help maintain law and order in the country they recall troops from the North American Colonies.
 * Due to the famine thousands of Bohemians begin to emmigrate to the Bohemian colonies and Dominions overseas. This plus food imports from the colonies begins to ease tensions.
 * Two years of Bohemian military aid turned the tide in the Italian war, allowing the Kingdom of Italy to crush the Papal States and push Sicily back onto the Island of Sicily. A peace treaty is signed ending hostilities, and the pope retreats into the city of Rome.
 * Sicily recalls many of its troops from the Tunez Republic to help defend the island of Sicily in case of an Italian attack. They also make emergency plans to retreat to heavily-fortified Malta if Sicily is ever taken.
 * The Kingdom of Italy gains ground in Adana, only to fight increasingly losing battles against combined Anatolian and Byzantine armies. Another fleet is thus sent to launch a renewed invasion, anchoring in Crete.
 * Kurdistan and Anatolia begin building up a large fleet around the Italian naval forces in Adana. The Byzantine Empire also dispatches a fleet to sail down the Aegean and pass through friendly Rhodes in order to join the conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean.

1755



 * British East Australia is given province-hood.
 * Talks begin with Scotland for reincorporation into the Great British Federation. They are promised their own Province. The British Government is hopeful due to the tradition of friendly relations across the border since the 15th century.
 * The Sicilians pull all troops out of Tunez, making a peace deal promising to help take control of Portuguese Algeria. They then set off for Adana, planning to crush the Italians in a pincer movement.
 * The independent Milanese of Adana resent Sicilian involvement in the war as much as they resent Italian invasion. The Byzantine Empire issues a warning to Sicily, ordering them to stay out of the Adana conflict or face the wrath of Byzantium and her allies.
 * The Sicilians dispatch a fleet from Malta to sail west and land troops so they can assist North Africa and Algeria against Portugal.
 * The Papacy issues a formal excommunication of all nations supporting or allied with, the Kingdom of Italy. All Italian citizens are declared heretics. This also causes some concern among the strictly Catholic citizens in the southern part of the nation.

1756
''Post something in a new year or post nothing at all. That is the rule and always has been. ''
 * The Scottish population threatens to rebel if Scotland is incorporated into the British Federation. With the growing threat of a popular revolt, the Scottish government decides that incorporating Scotland into the British Federation would be folly and declines the request. However, they continue to maintain friendly relations with Great Britain and its territories.
 * The Duchy of Morea, Anatolia, and the Knights of St. John threaten to crush the Socialist Republic of Crete between them unless they sever relations with Italy. The Order of St. John, usually neutral in fights between Christians, takes up arms to defend itself after the Italians destroy several of its warships, since they deem the knights a threat to Italian interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

1757

 * In response to the previous food crisis, Bohemian parliament establishes a crown ministry to oversee Agricultural production and storage in order to prevent such a thing again. Also, as reward for their help in aiding the motherland through the crisis, the Colonial Dominions are upgraded to full Dominion status, allowing them to trade internationally rather than exclusively with Bohemia and develop their own legal code.
 * The populace rises up against the Neu Habsburg rulers attempting to rejoin France, aided by volunteers and weapons from France.

1758

 * Assistance from Britain helps the Neu Habsburg government puts a violent end to the revolution, but as a result the government of Neu Habsburg becomes a constitutional monarchy as the Neu Habsburg parliament gains more power through a new constitution, and due to France helping the rebels, they are forced to give up more of their northern Atlantic land.
 * Britain gives a warning to France and told them to stop interfering in Neu Habsburg or they will face consequences if they did it again.
 * The Sicilians abandon their outposts in Portuguese territory and resume their invasion of the Tunez Republic. Tripoli, already devastated by the years of fighting, falls even easily then before. An uprising also occurs in southern Italy, inspired by independent Sicily.
 * The grand Italian fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean clashes with the navies of the Knights of St. John, Anatolia, Adana, Kurdistan, and the Byzantine Empire off the coast of Asia Minor. The result is a decisive Italian defeat. The allied fleet then goes on to blockade Italian positions in Adana.

1759

 * After an armed merchant from the Netherlands was shot by a Wallonian soldier, believing him to be an armed militiant, the Netherlands declares war on Wallonia and invades Wallonia with some gains, a majority of European nations declare their neutrality.1759.png
 * Dissatisfied with the poor handling of the recent famine in the German-Czech Federation, and Bohemia's warmongering policies, the dominions of Poland and Lithuiania and the easternmost duchies of Bohemia secceed from the GCF, forming a new federal nation known as the Confederacy of the Ostmark. They request an alliance with the Muscovian Empire, hoping fear of Muscovy's vast (if poorly trained) forces will prevent Bohemia from retaliating. They also force Livonia into the confederacy.

1760

 * The Netherlands begins a new large offensive, pushing back Wallonian forces for miles.
 * Bohemian Loyalists in Poland and Lithuania begin a huge uprising against Ostmark forces claiming the merger is illegal as it didn't receive royal assent in Polish and Lithuanian parliaments.


 * Bohemian dukes that joined Ostmark are seized by Bohemian troops and local loyalist citizens and executed for treason. Their families are stripped of their titles and the local government is handed over to civilians. Muscovy stays out of it claiming its a civil matter and they won't risk war over a civil matter. Bohemian territory is fully under Bohemian control by the end of the year.


 * Bohemian parliament begins a series of reforms to improve representation, this is greeted by massive support by the population.


 * The crowns of Jerusalem and Damascus are joined in union, thought the nations remain separate for now.
 * Adana finally drives the Kingdom of Italy out of its territory. A new Italian fleet arrives from Crete, but is quickly destroyed in a massive Naval battle off the coast of Anatolia.
 * With the Italian Navy still reeling from its losses in Adana, Sicily invades southern Italy to support the growing revolt there. By the end of the year, the city of Naples is in Sicilian hands.
 * The Knights of St. John, with their superior navy, blockade Crete.

1761



 * Bohemian revolts across Ostmark territory and an added Bohemian invasion of the former dominions and commonwealths of Poland and Lithuania begin to take their toll. Soon, the Bohemian government has seized both due to the growing instability. They restore the provinces as the Dominion of Poland and old Commonwealth of Lithuania, respectively. Parliaments of both states are also dissolved and ruled directly by the Bohemian parliament and monarchy.
 * Livonia is restored to an independent monarchy once more, much to the relief of its people.
 * The Duchy of Morea, the Knights of St. John, and Anatolia prepare for an invasion of the Socialist Republic of Crete to force it to end relations with Italy and check Italian expansion into the Eastern Mediterranean.
 * After a group of merchants from Neu Habsburg are attacked on their way to Wallonia, as a result Neu Habsburg declares war on the Netherlands and invades them in the north, the rest of Europe's countries continue to be neutral.
 * Bohemian occupying troops are attacked in several places in Poland and Lithuania, where the support for the Confederacy was greatest. The resultant crackdowns across both dominions futher alienates the Polish and Lithuianian people, who resent being forced into the Bohemian Empire. soon, the unrest begins to spread into Livonia.
 * Italian troops cut off from their escape back to Italy continue to resist through small groups across southern Adana.

1762



 * Mass desertions lead to the Habsburg forces being annihilated by the Dutch army.
 * Bohemian, Lithuanian, and Polish leaders meet to discuss the future. Wanting no more to do with war, the Bohemian King suggests a compromise. The Bohemian King remains King of the dominions in a ceremonial role only. Independent Polish and Lithuanian Parliaments are established, that appoint a representative of the King, a Royal Steward. This position would act with the King's voice, but would be accountable to Parliament. This way the dominions would essentially be entirely independent, and maintain cultural ties to Bohemia. Seeing their opportunity to be independent, yet maintain ties to one of the major world superpowers, they accept wholeheartedly. Bohemian troops withdraw.
 * The Socialist Republic of Crete surrenders to the alliance against them, Italy pulls back to the mainland to secure its borders and crush Sicily once and for all.
 * The Hussite Church of Italy declares that all Italian Catholics are welcome in their services.
 * The Italian parliament offers the Pope an autonomous enclave within Rome so as to remain independent, as well as a guarantee of said autonomy in perpetuity. Not wishing further war, the Pope accepts.
 * In order to better combat the Italians, the state of Greece and the Kingdom of Thessaloniki are officially incorporated into the Byzantine Empire, although they retain much of their autonomy. The major effect of this is greatly increased coordination between the various military forces, and a significant increase in trade on the Aegean Sea, due to a large reduction in tariffs. The Byzantine Empire greatly increases the amount of food sold to Hungary (in return for a stretch of Hungarian-controlled northern Greece), and offers to help Bohemia even out it's still fluctuating food supply, if they sever relations with the Italians.
 * After a mass desertion by their army, Neu Habsburg pulls out of the Netherlands and declares neutrality in the war again.
 * Sicilian forces crush an Italian army outside Naples, checking Italian advances to recapture southern Italy.
 * The King of Livonia ends his alliance peacefully with Bohemia, since unrest from Bohemian-influenced territories is in danger of causing instability in Livonia.
 * Adana, Anatolia, and Byzantium launch a ruthless search-and-destroy operation across southern Adana, wiping out the last of the Italian land forces present there.

1763



 * The Socialist Republic of Crete is forced to sever relations with the Kingdom of Italy. The Italians' allies are now dwindling, while they have managed to make enemies of several major Eastern powers. The Italian merchants and their families on Crete are deported by Anatolia back to Italy.
 * The Bohemian parliament agrees to reject the Byzantine demand that they end relations with the Italians. Meanwhile, Italy's trading colony in Crimea continues to grow to the point when the Commonwealth of Belarus-Ukraine grants the Kingdom of Italy a lease on the southern portion of the region.
 * The Knights of St. John each appoint a high-ranking member of the Order to govern each of the three Greek islands in their domain, with the Grand Master as governor of Rhodes, their largest island and main headquarters.
 * Catholic and Orthodox Christians living in the Muslim state of Illyria achieve permission from the Albanian rulers to form the minority Church of Illyria, with distant ties to the Papacy in Rome and the Byzantine Church in Constantinople.
 * With two heirs each claiming rulership over the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the nation of Damascus, the crown is separated between the two states once more.
 * Algeria, North Africa, and Portugal, exhausted by the long, futile, warfare between them, agrees to accept a ceasefire over northwestern Africa.
 * The Byzantines install revolving turrets for Greek Fire cannons on all of their ships, which can unleash the flaming mixture onto the decks of enemy vessels, causing devastating carnage. This is quickly demonstrated by a minor clash with the Italian Navy in the Adriatic Sea. All of the Italian ships are destroyed.
 * Wallonia and the Netherlands, with the Germans close to utter defeat and the Dutch overextended from their recent conquests, formulate a temporary truce to recover.
 * The British Government enters into talks with the Byzantine Empire by hoping to form an alliance against the German-Czech Federation by stirring up instability in the Adriatic and on Bohemia's southern border.

1764

 * The Byzantines end negotiations with the British Federation and begin to disregard them. They want no part in a Western European conflict and see no reason to provoke neutral Bohemia. The Byzantine emperor also still hopes for future business with the nations of the German-Czech Federation and does not wish for an unnecessary alliance with the faraway British to impede trade.
 * Angered by the Habsburgs' recent war with the Dutch, the British Federation warns that they now have Neu Habsburg all but at their mercy and it is only through their leniency and attempt to forget past griefs that they have supported them and allowed them to exist. They order the Habsburgs not to attempt another invasion of the Netherlands or Great Britain will take action against them.
 * The Habsburgs, remembering how the British had once deposed them from the Netherlands and fearing British wrath, agree to a finalized peace treaty with the Dutch government.

1765



 * With their troops returned from the east and the Sicilians breaking the peace treaty, the Italians surge southward again, driving the Sicilians back to their island and besieging Palermo. With the Sicilians breaking a legal and recognized treaty, no one comes to its aid.
 * The North American provinces of Cascadia, New Scotland, and Nova Hibernia begin pushing for independence from the British Federation in a similar situation to the Bohemian Dominions, maintaining cultural ties and monarch, but with its own parliament and constitution. Support for this movement is largely due to the diversity in population in these provinces producing a unique culture rather than the staunch british culture in other colonies such as Great Guyana.
 * Unrest steadily grows in Neu Habsburg due to a french population being ruled by a traditional enemy and said regime supported by another traditional enemy. Attempts at building support for the regime are greeted with hostility by the population. There is growing international pressure for the Habsburg royals to step down and allow reunification with France.
 * A marriage of favored cousins bring the Byzantine Emperor and Bohemian King closer.
 * The Italians begin work on an armory to protect their colony in Crimea.

1766

 * The Byzantines raise their first elite unit from mainland Greece, the Athenian Musketeers. Athens, a city already known for their rising marksmen in the Greek world of gunpowder, supplies two regiments of highly-trained and disciplined musket infantry, heavily armored in medieval style to protect the gunners as they reload their firearms. The recruits were also forced to undergo two years of rugged training before being sent to Constantinople.
 * The Sicilians prepare their emergency plans to evacuate to the heavily-fortified island stronghold of Malta should the worst come true in the war against Italy.
 * Greek agents destroy the newly-constructed armory on Crimea, killing the guards in a massive explosion. The Commonwealth of Belarus-Ukraine insists that the problem was provoked and must be dealt with by the Italians themselves. The Kingdom of Italy thus sends letters to Georgia and the Byzantine Empire, informing both nations that the armory was strictly to defend the Italian trading colony on Crimea.
 * To discourage crime in Constantinople, an elite order of Byzantine soldiers are organized into a police force that cracks down on crime, exacting harsh penalties for simple and common offenses, such as vandalism or defacement of property. The punishment for thievery or banditry is public execution. Organized crimes in the city are soon rendered extinct.

1767



 * Thanks to their increased trade revenues and profits from even moderately taxing their new Greek provinces, the Byzantine Empire is now the richest nation in the East. As an indirect result, the new emperor of Byzantium uses a fortune restoring Constantinople to its previous glory and combating poverty in the city borders. The empire experiences a Glorious Age of revival in the Greek language, culture, and in the religion, as many Greeks begin to rediscover their Byzantine past. The neglected church of St. Sophia, abandoned due to the budget cuts during Thrace's stint as an international territory, is reconstructed and many Roman palaces, left bare since the Genoese occupation, are restored to their former lavishness. To prevent another enemy occupation, the Byzantines require all adult males of the city to own weapons so they can take up arms against any invaders. Constantinople's walls are also rebuilt to withstand extended artillery barrages and fitted with modern guns.
 * The Sicilians, with much difficulty, succeed in forcing the Italians to retreat towards the very northern tip of Sicily. Recognizing Italy's weakness is on the seas due to their staggering naval losses in the Adana war and against the Byzantines, the Sicilians dispatch their formidable Malta fleet to take to the water and defeat the Italians on the Mediterranean.
 * Georgia and the Muscovian Empire, having unofficially ceased fighting for years, finally declare a formalized peace treaty.
 * In order to harass their Sicilian enemies and prevent the entire Maltese fleet from attacking the Kingdom of Italy, the Tunez Republic lets a nest of Muslim pirates loose on Sicilian waters, promising them as much gold as they can loot from enemy ships. However, the Sicilians ignore the pirates and refuse to engage them until they have fought the seriously weakened Italian Navy.
 * Britain decides to talk to the Sassanid Empire and in establishing a closer relationship. Talks go smoothly. With open relations with the Sassanid Empire, the British Federation is able to open a trade route in the Persian Gulf region and get a powerful ally.

1768

 * The Nationalism Crisis intensifies in the Great British Federation. Irish, English and Scottish Nationalism rises up, and the Cascadians, Nova Hibernians and New Scottish begin agitating more loudly. In contrast, the Carribean, South American and West African Provinces are entering a new age of prosperity.
 * The Spanish states of Navarra and Aragon begin agitating for union, as the Kingdom of Spain's empire emerges from decades of neglect in the Far East.
 * Equally, the French population of the Hapsburg state begin a violent resistance to the regime, but the Habsburgs attempt to suppress it. This soon boils over into a bloody civil war.
 * Portugal sells its portion of France to the Kingdom of Italy.
 * The League of Britannia is formed. Though technically across the British Federation, it is mostly concentrated in the aforementioned loyalist Provinces. It harks back to the days of the Kingdom of Britannia, based in Great Guyana and encourages Loyalism. As well as this, it represents many constituencies in the Federal Parliament in Bahamania as the Britannia Party. The League is viewed by most as a mere subdivision on the British Isles for the British Federation.
 * The Sicilian fleet from Malta destroys the much smaller Italian fleet off the coast of Sardinia. Italian ships are withdrawn from Sicily to aid in the battle, cutting off the Italian land forces trapped on Sicily. A series of bloody battles ensue.
 * Iconoclasm rocks the Byzantine Empire when it crowns its first Iconoclastic emperor in centuries. The emperor soon makes his beliefs known that worship of the saints or the Holy Virgin is a form of paganism, and he orders that icons be banned from Constantinople. Churches across Byzantium are also to destroy any icons in their possession. The emperor insists that icons on church walls be defaced and replaced with crosses. He also burns the holiest icons in the Byzantine capital at a public square.
 * The Muslim pirates dispatched by Tunez desert their loyalties and, seeing no profit or hope in attacking the Sicilian navy, instead turn to the Eastern Mediterranean, where they begin looting merchant ships there.

1769

 * The Byzantines pass a policy of Toleration within their empire to prevent major pro-icon revolts. While churches are still forbidden to have icons on their walls or carry them, individuals are allowed to bring icons to church for personal worship and may continue the practice at home. This satisfies most of the population, but the emperor encourages clergy to specifically begin spreading messages in Greece emphasizing the Christian doctrine against idols.
 * Due to the decreasing socialist fervor in Midgard-occupied Scandinavia, Scandinavian troops move into the disputed territory and restore control by the end of the year. The Scandinavians also reaffirm their ties to both Muscovy and the Swiss, while a new alliance is made between both Scandinavia and Denmark.
 * The Sicilians drive the Italian army back to southern Italy with huge losses on both sides. With Sicily too badly ravaged by the invasion to counterattack, and with the Italians utterly checked, the war begins to dwindle down into a stalemate. The Sicilians fortify their northern coast with heavy artillery positions and numerous well-garrisoned forts to prevent the Italians from making any landings again.
 * The Knights of St. John declare war on the Tunez pirates harassing trading ships from the Byzantine Empire, Anatolia, Alexandria, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Grand Master, eager for having at last found some Muslim enemies for the Order to combat, vows he will not rest until the pirates are eradicated or driven back to the other side of the Mediterranean.
 * The Kingdom of Jerusalem and Damascus work towards providing all their ships with an armed escort to discourage the Tunez pirates.

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