Principia Moderni IV (Map Game)

The Ming Dynasty still rules over the vast lands of China. On the other side of the world, the Hundred Years War continues between England and France. Europe is still stuck in the old ways of feudalism and chivalry while the notions of a New World are considered figments of imagination.

We welcome you to the long awaited fourth expansion of that immortal series. Welcome to Principia Moderni IV! Starting in 1400 AD, this is the dawn of the modern world and the tail end of the Middle Ages. The Renaissance is just kicking off in Europe, while the nations in the western side of the continent are locked in the last gasp of the Hundred Years War. The Muslim world is still reeling from the invasions of Turks and Mongols, with the Caliphate resting in the collapsing Mamluk Egypt and the Ottomans on the rise in Anatolia. Make it count.

The first game was the most successful on the wiki, leading all the way to the modern day with mostly plausible posts and little controversy. The second game reached almost to the modern day, but failed due to a plethora of ASB events and moderator bias. The third game was much more worthy of the first, almost running into implausibility but climbing back into a shining glory by the end. Riding on the latest reforms of map games since the end of PMIII, this is the most logical next step in that evolution. Remember  above all other rules — have fun.

The Map
1540 AD

Important Pages

 * Rules and Algorithm
 * Alliances 
 * Holy Roman Empire
 * Feudal Dynasties
 * College of Cardinals
 * Nations

Oversight Committee

 * Chief Overseer United Republic

The Night's Watch (Moderators)

 * Lord Commander Scrawland
 * Commander of the Shadow Tower Wolves
 * First Ranger Callumthered
 * First Steward Edgeofnight
 * The Mountain that Rides: Feudy McPlagueface
 * Septon Nathan1123


 * Overseer: United Republic

The Wildlings
All users currently on the wiki may play unless otherwise noted.

Banned Users
A ban from plausibility strikes lasts thirty days, afterwhich the third strike is repealed and the banned player is unbanned. However, the newly unbanned player rejoins the game with two strikes, as a form of probation.
 * Vivaporius (1490)

Plausibility Strikes
'''Three strikes and you're out! Each strike resets after 30 years of the most recent strike.'''


 * Candies - I (1533)

Moderator Strikes
These are strikes for moderators and how they moderate. The same three strikes rules apply. If a moderator is banned from moderating, however, they can still play as their nation. Mod strikes can be delivered in one of three ways: Moderators can be given strikes for the following reasons:
 * 1) If a sufficient number of players (more than half of all players voting) vote to give a moderator a strike.
 * 2) If I, Scraw, give them a strike.
 * 3) If a majority of all mods (ie more than half of the total number of mods, excluding that moderator) vote to give a moderator a strike.
 * 1) Exhibiting bias that would benefit the nation they are playing.
 * 2) Exhibiting bias that would negatively affect a player they have a personal dispute with.
 * 3) Making a ruling that contradicts a proven fact from OTL or an established fact from earlier in the game.
 * 4) Overruling a decision of a majority of moderators.



1550
''' Bakan Kaurar of Noongar makes several attempts to bargain with the Anangu League, but ultimately the city is completely leveled. '''

''' The Oromo people consolidate a central government in central Somalia. '''


 * Kingdom of Burgundy: Guyana and Nieuw Amsterdam expand by 25px each. The site of the abandoned Bilzen colony is resettled with its original name.


 * Abbasid Caliphate: Trans-Sahara caravan trade makes contact with Songhai and Benin, re-establishing the North African trade route once again. The Ulema declares war on Ethiopia, seeing it as the last obstacle to assert domination over the continent. 60,000 troops are sent from Alwah along the Blue Nile towards Lake Tana, while 84,000 troops cross from Adal to attack the Amhara valley. Pope Yahya openly protsests this action, as the Emperor of Ethiopia was officiated by the Coptic Church. These complaints are ignored; however, the result of the Ethiopian War has sparked a new generation to become more actively involved in politics, trained in the Humanist and Mu'tazila philosophy of the older generation. The Arab-India Company continues to organize trade across the Indian Ocean. Mehmed Ibn Tulun pushes further and visits the capitals of China and Korea, offering a sea route for trade to supercede the Silk Road. He offers selling slaves in exchange for the usual silks and spices. The Qaser Al-Rahim is almost complete with the classical styles of the early Caliphates adapted to the Rennaissance. Al-Rahim patronizes the production of portraiture in the Caliphate, promoting the art of depicting real humans and animals. Translation of heiroglyphics sparks a renewed interest in Acient Egyptian history, and many tombs of the New Kingdom are re-discovered, although most are sadly pilaged. A new addition of the Tareeq by Al-Babil is published, including ideas on laws of motion and physics.
 * African Sultanate (vassal, playing until someone wants it): The navy continues to be built up in the Atlantic. Globes and geography are carefully studied by Musa ibn Zayn, organizing possible routes of exploration for Maghreb. The navy is tested by establishing new trade routes along north Africa as far as Benin.
 * Chinese Empire: New squadrons are dispatched to the Bao and Ming islands, swapping with the squadrons there so that they can be repaired if needed and there crews cycled out for leave. Chinese funding in Cheing Mai, Kuala Lumpur, Siam, Champa, and Cambodia is increased to build schools and roads, as well as some workshops in order to help grow there economies and trade with China in the future. The Emperors son is officially designated heir to the throne, and he begins to be groomed for the positoin, even though for the past 10 years he has shown his intelligence and cunning in Sakhalin and southeat Asia, making a large majority of the Imperial cabinent look to him as an honorable and more than comptetant future Emperor.
 * Abbasid Dip: Mehmed Tulun asks to trade with China by sea to increase relations with the Muslims in southern China
 * Gurkani Diplomacy: The Sultan would like to join up with China to destroy the Chagatai Khanate, who is a threat to both China and Gurkani, and who refused to reason with our state. The Sultan tells the Chinese a good reason to support us is the fact that eventually the Chagatai will create Mongol unrest in a aim to bring back the glory days of Genghis Khan.
 * Gurkani Sultanate: The Sultan was about to begin forced conversions of certain Shia muslims, but was stopped by one of his advisors, who warned that a revolt would occur. The advisor also has advised that the new jannisary unit be trained in secret to prevent a Shia uprising. 3000 Jannisaries will be ready in two years. Meanwhile, the Sultan begins building massive bombards in preparation for his Indian offensive. He also is making his cavalry 6/10 archers armed with the composite bow, with the rest being armed with lances and with some being heavy cavalry. The Sultan has some interest in creating a European-Style pikeman unit, however, some of his advisors have voiced their opposition to that idea, as they don't want to adopt too many Christian influences. However, the Sultan modernizes the gunpowder weapons in the army, putting them roughly on par with that of the europeans. The Sultan gives a speech to his populace "The Abbasids are taking Christian Ethiopia. The time will come to take Hindu Dehli. Allahu Akbar!" Campaigns continue to promote Sunni Islam. Believing war with the new Hindu India to be imminent, the Sultan orders a detachment of our army be sent on the borders, which numbers 50,000 troops. Many Sunni and Shia are united about the prospect of looting India's wealth. However, many fear that the Chagatai Khanate will intervene in the conflict.
 * Papal States: Pope Gregory XII holds a consistory this year and appoints two new cardinals to the College: his successor as Northern Patriarch Gunther Brewer, and the Bishop of Messina Alessndro Fieschi. By raising the latter, Gregory hopes to ensure good relations between the States and the Southern Italian states. In the University of Bologna, the Immaculata astronomers and mathemeticians put the finishing touches to their revision of the Julian calendar, hoping to present their work to the Pope (who commissioned it) next year. The foreign missions continue to gain converts for the Faith. In relation to that, Pope Gregory, being of the Northern Rite, considers ways to introduce the Northern Rite to the New World and other places, whilst at the same time not confusing the New World neophytes by introducing a different Rite too early.
 * Sultanate of the Ottomans: Suleiman begins to work on modernizing the army and amassing the people to a more Pro-War type people, the slaves from africa are given freedom (seeing I can't make a deal to free them) they are sent to mosques and cities to work on improving things. Suleiman is seen as a strong man as he begins to work on the nation's military might. The population begins to grow mostly around the city of Anakar and Izhimr. Suleiman begins to work on creating all black janasir units (due to them being slaves). Suleiman begins to work on a mixed military.Areas are build to open trade, while Amernians are put in office job in Armenian areas. Madrassa are made talking about unity among muslim and things like that. Gurkians weaponry is study by men at Ankara and are copied. A army is sent to Rhodes and keep the enemy troops in Ottoman prisons and working on converting them. Sunnis mosques are made in hope of slowly converting Azeris to Islam along with Persians and Armenians. the black population is thanked for their help in the war and mini black Sultan rules over majority black areas. the black population slowly rises mixing with turks. the army is updated and our Sultan begins to call for more people to follow the state which way it goes. Ankara population slowly grow. A envoy is sen to trade with Persia.  A trade envoy is sent to Egypt to trade with Cairo and to gain acess to the Suez Passing.
 * Islamic Emirate of Azerbaijan: the state is run by Azerbaijanis, and give out religious ruling calling for men to help trade and open up to Kurds in the areas to tighten the bond. Madrassa are made talking about unity among muslim and things like that. Christians are put in office jobs in Christian areas.Sunni Mosques are made. the Sunni Muslim population slowly grows but no a huge jump in numbers. The state begins to work on trading with Persia
 * Islamic Khanate of Crimea: the tar tar in the area are put in office jobs and troops are sent to train troops in the areas. Jizyah is not enforced until a certain time. Madrasses are made to work on the idea of muslim unity.  trade ships are sent and trade with the Caliphate and other nations. Sunni mosques are made but only in muslim areas. the Sultan of the region begins to improve the army and navy. A trade envoy is sent to the main land
 * Holy Bulgarian Empire: The Empire following its relatively quick and dynamic victory over the Ottomans, celebrates heavily with the celebration in Vasiligrad being heard and observed from Izmit and Uksudar right across the straits. The Bulgarian investments into Moldavia continue with roughly 2000 Bulgarians having moved into the area to establish many of the imperial systems the rest of the provinces have come to take for granted. The development specifically of the highway system into Moldavia takes precedence so as allow the Bulgarian merchants, troops, and people to move much more freely into the area. Tsar Aleksandar himself visits the area and points out several things that need to be done to bring the new province up to speed. The populations grows to about 6.27 million.


 * Norway-Sweden: The kappelian quickly gains support in Sweden due to winning the loyalty of the key nobles and other tactical measures used by the King. Specifically gaining support among the many disgruntled Jaegarians, Because of this Popular support many begin calling for an independent church of Scandinavia due to being ruled by a See which they have no say in from a far away land. (Referring to the College of Cardinal is more of a nobility and patrician thing) (Pope Response). In other news the colony of New Riksdale is very successful despite it's cold and harsh enviroment mainly due to it's inhabitants being adapted to the sort of weather, it expands 50 px. In light of the colony of New Riksdale's success a new colony is established on the Island of Nova Scotia called Vinland (keep in mind person's colony is in quebec not in Nova Scotia). Around 100 laps and fins and some Norwegians arrive mainly seeking freedom of religion and escape from persecution while promising to keep loyal to the King.
 * Papal Diplomacy: The Papal Nuncio to Norway-Sweden points to Decree 4.1 of the Decrees on Church Governance of the Council of Cologne, which mandates that "There shall henceforth be...a Scandinavian Church of the Northern Reformed Rite, which shall have jurisdiction over the Northern-Rite Christians of within the territory of Scandinavia... [it] shall be governed by a Primate, assisted by a council of the bishops of the nation." He says that, therefore, the Norwegians have had the option to establish a functionally independent Church of Scandinavia since 1534.
 * Norway OOC: (Callum I am aware of that and I probably should have been more clearer about this but the Kappelians are bringing scadinavians to their wing and using the excuse that the Scandinavian church has no representation of our beliefs in the college of cardinals
 * Cologne: Archbishop Aldrich welcomes Gunther Brewer to the Imperial Synod in 1550 and heartily invites him to contribute to the discussions. Meanwhile, the journal from the Cologne Seminary, unofficially referred to as the German Paper, begins to circulate thoroughly throughout the HRE. Archbishop Aldrich invites Gunther Brewer to write an article for the German Paper (Brandenburg/Prussia response please) in order to assist with German unity.
 * Essen: Abbess Hadwig’s canonesses in Brandenburg assist in tending to the illnesses there and quickly learn from Brandenburger/Prussian physicians. Meanwhile, Adelphinian Canonesses in the New World begin to slowly evangelise the natives in the territory under Portugal’s rule. At home, there is a surge in daughter abbeys of the Order of St Adelphina, with three new abbeys declaring themselves before the end of the year, and Abbess Hadwig begins to fear that the Rule will not be able to govern these many separate abbeys. However, it prevails, and several of these daughter abbeys involve people from outside territories, like Berg and Cleve. Thus, the idea begins to spread. Mining improvements finish, and trade picks up again like it hasn’t since the rule of St Adelphina herself.
 * Kingdom of England and Ireland: Work is kept to keep the current existing roads maintained while some new ones are built in Ireland. More fur and fish arrives in England from Avalon feeding the people and keeping the court of England up to date with the latest fashions while other furs are sent into Europe for trade as tobacco is. The colony of Avalon expands 25px inland. The fur trade picks up especially in England as they come into high fashion. From New Gywnedd more tobacco keeps arriving while a small trickle of slaves/ African volunteer settlers continues to move to the colony to work while a smaller number of English and Welsh settlers move over to supervise their labours. The colony of New Gywnedd expands 25px inland. This is a growing constant trade route from Europe to Africa and onto Arcadia before returning. In England the materials from the colony is working well for the English economy. More muskets are introduced into the army while the navy is kept at a solid 300 ships.


 * Oman: A fort is built in Mahajanga. The war continues with Imerina. Mahajanga is made the new capital of the Island of the Moon.

1551
'''The Bakan of Ngarrindjeri is murdered by one of his servants, so the Anangu League starts to fall apart after the fall of Noongar. At the same time, refugees from the war begin speading the South Australian Civilization to the far reaches of the continent.'''

The city-states of Peru begin to consolidate into a new kingdom.

Barbary pirates from Africa continue to plague Italy, the most nortorious of all being Abdullah Barbossa.

'''Further issues plague Chinas colonial ventures into indonesia specifically corruption in the allocation of funding following the collapse of the first outposts. This leaves all colonies and outposts in Indonesia empty and further movement to the area impossible. This paired along with the inward focus of the high court of China makes further expansion a political impossibility with many hoping to See china become less violent in asia specifically wanting more internal development and settlement over expensive and pointless outward expansion (that means no more colonizing AT ALL china, period end of story. This is non negotiable.)'''

Screw this. I quit. -Nova 19:18, December 22, 2016 (UTC)

''' The further development of the Mapuche south of the Qulla Confederation has led to the centralization of multiple small Mapuche cities. A qulla attempt to conquer them was met with extreme reprisal and raids across the southern half of the confederation. Considering the low population of the Mapuche their military aptitude is relatively frightening for the Qulla. '''

''' A short but Brutal revolt breaks out in the Caucasian region of Russia only to be Brutally and ruthlessly put down by a joint Russo-Georgian army. The predjudice in which the army puts down the revolters severely depopulates many areas in the region with as many as 150,000 killed and more fleeing the area. This results in a large wave of Russian Settlers to the region. '''

''' Russian expansion into Siberia also re-initiates as many natives are integrated into Russia as the Cossacks secure more and more territory using Siberian rivers to navigate. '''
 * Abbasid Caliphate: Imams and clerics sent by caravan across the Sahara establish the ecclisiatical system of Mu'tadid II over the Muslims of west Africa. A second attack against Ethiopia this year is sent against Amhara and the Blue Nile, although it is estimated 14,100 people have already died in the battles last year. Coptics in Egypt continue to protest this attack, citing the policies of the Ulema in the past to favor more open discussion between cultures than outright invasion. The youth movement in Syria picks up moment as well, but under different causes. After hearing about the brutal conditions of fighting in the Ethiopian highlands, the youth in Syria demands there should be more power for the common man on the attacks in foreign lands. This year the tomb of Pharaoh Pseumenes II of the Twentieth Dynasty was uncovered, being the first such tomb found mostly in-tact. A group of alchemists in Baghdad begin applying the method of inquiry by Al-Babil to chemical elements, separating out the superstitious assumptions of the past with new theories. The Qaser Al-Rahim is completed this year, being a gleeming palace of silver and glass with vaulted ceilings and a Roman rotundra. It even included a portrait gallary which depicted realistic art of the Caliphs stretching back to the reign of As-Saffeh in 750 AD. Attempts of sea trade continue to be offered to the rulers China and Korea.
 * ​African Sultanate (vassal; playing until someone else wants it): Islam is spread to the Empire of Benin in the south. Colonization efforts begin to expand the Sultanate southward into the Sahara. Trade with the west African empires begins to bring them into the Muslim sphere of influence away from Europe. Slaves are bought en masse from west Africa to be sold in the Barbary and Mediterranean. Abduallah Barbossa is the pirate king. Preparations are made to >>>>>cross the Atlantic <<<<< 
 * Gurkani Dip: We request an update on our navy's reconstruction.
 * Not approved, nate. - scraw
 * Sultanate of the Ottomans: Suleiman begins to work on modernizing the army and amassing the people to a more Pro-War type people, the slaves from africa are given freedom (seeing I can't make a deal to free them) they are sent to mosques and cities to work on improving things. Suleiman is seen as a strong man as he begins to work on the nation's military might. The population begins to grow mostly around the city of Anakar and Izhimr. Suleiman begins to work on creating all black janasir units (due to them being slaves). Suleiman begins to work on a mixed military.Areas are build to open trade, while Amernians are put in office job in Armenian areas. Madrassa are made talking about unity among muslim and things like that. Gurkians weaponry is study by men at Ankara and are copied. A army is sent to Rhodes and keep the enemy troops in Ottoman prisons and working on converting them. Sunnis mosques are made in hope of slowly converting Azeris to Islam along with Persians and Armenians.. the black population slowly rises mixing with turks. the army is updated and our Sultan begins to call for more people to follow the state which way it goes. Ankara population slowly grow. A envoy is sen to trade with Persia.  A trade envoy is sent to Egypt to trade with Cairo and to gain acess to the Suez Passing. The new Sultan Şehzade Mustafa Muhlisi is seen as a strong man after his father. We begin to take in Muslims from the Cauucasian revolt, coming in the masses they swarm into Muslims areas and some are sent to Christans areas to mix and convert the population. We ask Rasman to join under the ottomans (MOD)
 * Islamic Emirate of Azerbaijan: the state is run by Azerbaijanis, and give out religious ruling calling for men to help trade and open up to Kurds in the areas to tighten the bond. Madrassa are made talking about unity among muslim and things like that. Christians are put in office jobs in Christian areas.Sunni Mosques are made. the Sunni Muslim population slowly grows but no a huge jump in numbers. The state begins to work on trading with Persia
 * Islamic Khanate of Crimea: the tar tar in the area are put in office jobs and troops are sent to train troops in the areas. Jizyah is not enforced until a certain time. Madrasses are made to work on the idea of muslim unity.  trade ships are sent and trade with the Caliphate and other nations. Sunni mosques are made but only in muslim areas. the Sultan of the region begins to improve the army and navy. A trade envoy is sent to the main land
 * Florence: The Duke improves the armories and forts near the coast to help preventing barbarian raids in Florence. The militaristic enthusiasm ends but the army increases to 36 thousand men.
 * Papal Diplomacy: Pope Gregory XII asks for a trade agreement as well as mutual assistance against the heathen pirates.
 * Gurkani:  The Sultan is continuing to revitalize the state.  We request a deal with China so that we together, can stop the Chagatai Khanate.  Turks continue to rise to power, with some even saying, the Turkic people have even more power than they did during the Timurid Empire. The Jannsaries continue to train in secret. The unit will be 3000 men and will be complete next year. Believing war with Hindu Dehli to be imminent, the Sultan keeps an army of 50,000 soldiers on the border, ready to invade at any moment. Sunni Islam continues to spread, with several of the wealthiest Gurkanis converting. A Turko Mongol General, Tokhtamysh is growing in power, and plots to put a fellow Sunni Muslim Turk as governor of Dehli when it is conquered. Some of his generals are concerned that he might try to seize power from the dynasty himself, however, no one questions him, due to the fact he rules with an iron fist. Our mounted archer force continues to grow, ready to destroy Hindi Dehli at any moment. The populace is very exited about the prospect of the wealth of India.
 * Maiam: Trade continues the other Portuguese colonies. The Smallpox Plague begins to ebb. Much of the nation is desolated, with large percentages of the population dead. Maiam reaches out to Portugal and asks for settlers to help rebuild and revitalize the nation. Maiam also requests a small navy under Maian control. Expansion continues along the southern border. Work continues to renovate and update existing buildings and roads, and to create plans for future upkeep and renovations.
 * Poland-Lithuania: With recent events occuring across the continent, King Stanislas I begins expanding the nation's economy and infrastructure by constructing roads and schools. With this in mind, he decides to expand the armed forces in an attempt to revitalise Poland's once mighty military, and multiple exercises are made. We secretly decide to send agents into Austria in order to sabotage their defences and plant false evidence to accuse Brandenburg of the espionage operations. With that being said, they are sent to begin planting the evidence, and thus begin sabotage efforts. On the other hand, we seek to ask for Bulgarian and Russian assistance in the event of combined Ottoman and Abassid aggression, and begin to build fortifications in the areas of Ukraine that Poland still holds, along with any borders to the Ottoman Empire.
 * Polish Diplomacy: We would like a trade deal with Croatia in order to better the relations between the two nations.
 * Croatia accepts - Natemod
 * Kingdom of England and Ireland: Work is kept to keep the current existing roads maintained while some new ones are built in Ireland. More fur and fish arrives in England from Avalon feeding the people and keeping the court of England up to date with the latest fashions while other furs are sent into Europe for trade as tobacco is. The colony of Avalon expands 25px inland. The fur trade picks up especially in England as they come into high fashion. From New Gywnedd more tobacco keeps arriving while a small trickle of slaves/ African volunteer settlers continues to move to the colony to work while a smaller number of English and Welsh settlers move over to supervise their labours. The colony of New Gywnedd expands 25px inland. This is a growing constant trade route from Europe to Africa and onto Arcadia before returning. In England the materials from the colony is working well for the English economy. More muskets are introduced into the army while the navy is kept at a solid 300 ships. Increased trading with the far east as England begins to become more mercantile and London establishes itself as somewhere to trade.
 * Papal States: Pope Gregory XII writes to the Church of Scandinavia, asking whether they would appreciate having their Primate raised to the cardinlate. As a Northern-Rite man himself, the Pope is keen to increase the Rite's representation in Church governance in Rome. He also writes to the Patriarch of the Northern Rite and the Primate of Scandinavia, proposing that some sort of missionary organisaiton be established to co-ordinate Northern-missionary work in Scandinavian and (future) Prussian colonies. He suggests a "Northern Foreign Missions Society" [based on the Paris Foreign Missions Society], a society of priests who, though they take no extra vows and thus aren't an order, are joined by a missionary zeal and purpose. In other news, the Immaculate continue their campaign of evangelisation in France against the Kappelites, focusing their attention on proper education of the poor in Kappelite areas as well as gaining positions such as tutors, chaplains, and confessors to the nobility there. The Knights Hospitaller of New Rhodes are written to by the Patriarch of the Latin Rite. Eager to safeguard the legacy of Adrian VI's letter against slavery, he asks if the Order could consider enforcing the ban on slavery in any way they can.
 * Great Iberia:
 * ​Portugal: The leading crown of Great Iberia - Portugal - has kept Iberia intact through a series of personal unions since the conclusion of the Iberial Civil War in 1539. Manuel of House Braganza, the first of his name, has ruled since 1521. In a few short years, he will have celebrated thirty years of rule. In his time as the king of Portugal, he has established colonies in Panama, ended the Iberian Civil War, united Great Iberia under the Crown of Portugal, and conquered the Aztecs. His heir Sancho is in good health, with the House of Braganza currently in little danger of a succession crisis. The kingdom of Portugal directly controls a large stretch of land, from Gibraltar to Galicia. Its population is currently 13 million souls, with a population boom seeing the nation continuing to swell with people. The population of Great Iberia is expected to reach 14 million by 1575. The most prominent cities in the union are Lisbon, Madrid, and Valencia, with Lisbon being the capital of both Portugal and Great Iberia. Portugal has an alliance with France and Scotland and retains good relations with England. Portugal hopes to ally with England in time. With the end of the Iberian Civil War, the nation begins working on making Portuguese a more dominent culture in the union. Town criers all over the union are expected to speak Portuguese in addition to their regional languages. In addition, schools in Iberia teach students Portuguese. Festivals celebrating Portuguese culture become fairly common in towns, with the Portuguese crown paying for many of these festivals. The Spaniards are treated as partners in the union, not underlings, though Portuguese culture is clearly intended to become the dominant culture in Iberia in the years to come. The same treatment, unfortunately, is not given to those of different religious backgrounds. Since the 15th century, as a result of the Inquisitions, there has been a legal and societal distinction between Old Christians and New Christians. Jews and Muslims who converted to Christianity - New Christians - are currently forbidden from marrying Old Christians. This law extends to their ancestors. Many nobles and clergy believe in the 'purity of blood,' i.e. the lack of heresy in their bloodline. In populated areas, this causes divisions between districts, especially areas with high and formerly high populations of non-Christians. In February, Manuel passes the Perdão da ignorância act (Forgiveness of ignorance); this essentially dissolves the marriage boundaries between the natives and settlers. With Christians New and Old allowed to wed in the colonies, the populations may recover from the smallpox crisis. The economy of Portugal is a powerhouse, both in Europe and in the New World. The military, as a result, operates with state-of-the-art arms. The navy of Portugal is a vast expanse of ships, with several being built this year. Old ships are scrapped, many of their parts being used in the construction of new ships. Portugal sends aid to their new colony of Maian to help them rebuild after the conquest of the Aztecs and the smallpox crisis.
 * Amazonia: Several ships full of colonists arrive in Amazonia, though the growth of the colony is fairly delayed due to the lack of arable soil. However, the primary export of Amazonia is wood. The expanding empire of Portugal is ever in need of timber. The Amazonian Royal Timber Company has been providing wood to Portugal and the rest of Iberia since 1548. Coffee has become another export of Amazonia, though the bean has not quite caught on yet in the Old World.
 * Aztlan: With the Mayans having accepted the Portuguese offer, Portugal merges the two states into a colony called Maiam. Cour has permission to edit the name of this colony, as he will be playing the colony.
 * Nova Lusitânia: Several ships full of colonists arrive in Nova Lusitânia. The church of São Pedro is finally completed, the Immaculata having learned Portuguese by this time and worked closely with the settlers of the colony. Many colonists of Balboa Rocha have relocated to the area near the church of São Pedro, with a rather sizable gap of space in between the settlements existing as of this year. This separation causes a delay in the growth of Balboa Rocha, though the area São Pedro becomes increasingly profitable. The people near the Church of São Pedro request a charter to create the city of São Pedro so as to differentiate between Balboa Rocha and the area around São Pedro. An answer arrives late this year approving this request.
 * Spain: Spain remains a junior partner in the union of Great Iberia. It has been ruled by the Portuguese king Manuel of House Braganza since 1539. While Portugal prospers as the leaders of Great Iberia, Spain also enjoys its prosperity. Despite losing Gibraltar, Spain retains many port cities along the Mediterranean. The Spanish culture is becoming increasingly replaced by Portuguese culture, though there have not been any significant changes in the cultures as of yet. Currently, the Portuguese language is becoming more common in Spain with each passing day. The Crown intends to make Portuguese the most prominent language in Spain. King Manuel of Iberia instructs Burgundy to return all illegally-seized Hispaniolan land at once. With no legal claim to Hispaniola, it may not be sold. Several warships are sent to Hispaniola in case of armed conflict.
 * Hispaniola: The colony of Hispaniola produces much prosperity for Spain and the rest of Iberia. The primary export of Hispaniola is sugar cane. In many cases, this sugar cane is refined to make rum, which is already very popular in the West Indies. The militia of Hispaniola sees rapid expansion, especially once the warships from Spain arrive.