Armada (Map Game)

The Year is 1585; The Eighty Year's War continues as the dominating Iberian Union under the Habsburg Crown is known as the spitting image of power within the New World. On the European Continent though, cracks within their hegemony have become clear in the past decades as the Dutch Struggle for Independence continues and the House of Tudor and Von Habsburg bump head to head within the English Channel. In spite of this, the world continues to turn onto a new page.

The Azuchi-Momoyama Period continues in Japan, The Mughal Empire continues to assert itself within the Indian Subcontinent, The Ottomans strive to assert their inheritance as Caliph as the Moroccans stand in firm opposition to their reign. While in China, The Ming Dynasty stands strong but unsure for how much longer. It is an era where the tides of the world are changing. Titans can fall and those with great resolve can rise from their ashes to take their place on the world stage. The world is what you can make of it. Welcome to Armada!

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The Game

1585

Within the Eighty Years’ war, the Spanish forces led by the Prince of Parma capture Antwerp.

An ill and elder Pope Gregorius XIII died from a fever. With the sad news reaching across the Catholic World, a new papal election is called.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquers Shikoku island from the Chōsokabe clan. In the meantime, the Japanese Archipelago is surprised by a giant tsunami that devastates swaths of the coastline.

Kongolo Mwamba found the Kingdom of Luba in the Congo River Basin, establishing Mwibele as the capital city.

The Treaty of Nemours is signed after King Henri's capitulation to the demands of the Catholic League. As a result, political turmoil within France intensifies with the Huguenots being on edge against the crown.

A first group of colonists sent by Sir Walter Raleigh, under the charge of Ralph Lane, lands in the New World to create the Roanoke Colony off the coast of North Carolina. They plan to depart from the Island the following June.

The first commercialized form of chocolate reaches Spanish Markets becoming quite popular among the wealthy.

• Azuchi–Momoyama Nippon: Tennōheika Banzai, and may the reign of Michihito be prosperous and bring peace to Nippon. This is the 28th year of his reign, and it has seen the Sengoku period reach its climax. The Ashikaga shogunate, which had presided over a state of perpetual civil war since the Ōnin war of 1467, fell during Michihito's reign. The armies of Oda Nobunaga, allied with a number of daimyo and samurai including Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hashiba Hideyoshi, had carved a path of blood to Kyoto, forging mighty alliances and crushing those who opposed them. Oda Nobunaga installed Ashikaga Yoshiaki as a puppet, though when the shōgun again attempted to assert power, Nobunaga dethroned him, ending the Ashikaga shogunate in 1573. From there, his armies swept across Honshu, nearly uniting the island and purging the Ikkō-ikki. Then, in 1582, Nobunaga was betrayed and forced to commit seppuku. The man who had eschewed so many traditions, transformed Japan's military, and ruthlessly exterminated his enemies was dead. His clan began to tear itself apart between his two bickering sons. It seemed, for but a brief moment, that his domain had come crashing down the second his head hit the floor. This was not the case. One of his closest generals and friends, Hashiba Hideyoshi, largely assumed the power held by Nobunaga and the Oda clan, avenging his death. Soon after, he supported the infant Oda Hidenobu over the bickering sons of Nobunaga. Shibata Katsuie, a general loyal to the Oda clan challenged Hideyoshi and supported Oda Nobutaka. This came to a head in 1583 (Tenshō 11), at the Battle of Shizugatake, where Hideyoshi emerged victorious. The young Oda Nobutaka, a son of Nobunaga who had aligned with Katsuie, was forced to commit seppuku. He wrote in his death poem: "You had killed the one you had served / may the gods strike you down, Hashiba Hideyoshi." His brother Oda Nobukatsu betrayed Hideyoshi soon after and was supported by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Half a year of fighting culminated in the Komaki campaign, which saw Nobukatsu stand down. Hideyoshi had settled the quarrel between Nobunaga's son and ended any cause for war between himself and his now-rival Ieyasu Tokugawa. This takes us to 1585, our point of divergence. Hideyoshi was perhaps the most powerful man in Japan, but Tokugawa claimed descent from the Minamoto clan, i.e. Ieyasu could become shōgun. Hideyoshi, however, was of peasant descent. This year, Hideyoshi arranges to be adopted by the Fujiwara clan, historical holders of the title of Kanpaku, or chief advisor and regent, and is given this title by the emperor. He is also given a new clan of his own: Toyotomi. The men who held the title of Kanpaku were the most powerful men in Japan during the Heian period, before the rise of the shōgunate. A shōgun was a military commander. A regent was a step removed from the Chrysanthemum Throne. Had Hideyoshi desired to become shōgun, an adoption by the Minamoto clan would have been all he needed instead. With his new title, Toyotomi Hideyoshi continues his work to unite Japan. First on the chopping block is the Negoro-Shū warrior monks of Kīshū. This group practices Shingon Buddhism, an esoteric form of Buddhism which tended to clash with other Buddhist groups, though they are known to associate with other monastic groups such as the Ikkō-ikki. The Negoro-Shū are also allies of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hoping to declaw a potential fifth column and rob Ieyasu of an ally, Toyotomi Hideyoshi raises some 6,000 men to purge the Negoro-Shū. Smaller temples are targeted first, forcing the monks to flee to their main fortress of Negoro-ji. The samurai surround the temple complex and butcher those inside with no mercy. Negoro-ji burns as Hideyoshi's forces move on. What few survivors remain flee to Ōta Castle, home to one of the few-remaining ikkō-ikki groups remaining, though the samurai army was hot on their heels. Ōta Castle is besieged and falls after a brief siege. The monks are slain and the samurai foolish enough to grant them refuge are forced to commit seppuku. Their families are also put to death. The peasants are shown mercy and are simply disarmed. The peasants formed the bulk of the ashigaru, light infantrymen who typically used the arquebus. This armed peasant group was a major component of Oda Nobunaga's victories and have since become a staple of the Japanese armies. By sparing the peasants, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is able to keep the local ashigaru on his side, which he will need. A massive effort by Oda Nobunaga to bolster the Japanese navy continues into Toyotomi Hideyoshi's reign. Two new Tekkōsen (lit. "iron ships) are constructed this year. They are some of the world's earliest forms of ironclads. These massive, iron-covered atakebune are floating fortresses and are used to spearhead naval campaigns. They are roughly comparable to Korean turtle ships. They are, of course, not the only ship being built. Japan's navy is several hundred ships strong and it receives its fair share of atakebune as well as the medium-sized sekibune. Many ships are put to use against the wakō. These pirates were always a thorn in the sides of East Asian coastal cities, but saw a golden age during the late Sengoku period. Some of these pirates boast considerable firepower. Under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the wakō are being sent to the bottom of the ocean in droves, making south-bound and westbound trade much safer. The considerable Toyotomi navy also sees action in the invasion of Shikoku. Led by Hideyoshi's half-brother Toyotomi Hidenaga, an invasion force 113,000 strong storms the island of Shikoku to take on the Chōsokabe. This clan had taken advantage of Oda Nobunaga's death and seized control of Shikoku. The Toyotomi army is split three ways, sieging the island on multiple fronts. After only two months of fighting, Chōsokabe Motochika surrenders. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in the meantime, is occupied with fighting in Etchu. Again, the local samurai lord leading 20,000 men is forced to contend with a united Japanese army and loses horribly. With yet another rebellious southern lord put in his place, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is that much closer to pacifying Honshu. The largest threat he faces on the Japanese mainland comes from the Tokugawa clan, though Hideyoshi’s current tactic of picking off Tokugawa allies who overreach has been working well thus far. Indeed, Hideyoshi has been preparing for an inevitable battle between himself and Tokugawa, which at times feels like it could happen at any moment. Castles throughout Japan have been constructed during Oda Nobunaga’s campaign, an effort which continues in Toyotomi Japan. Perhaps the most striking and certainly the most ambitious is Osaka Castle, which Toyotomi has modelled after Azuchi castle. He has stated he intends to surpass it in every way. It is being constructed on the site of Ishiyama Hongan-ji, the Ikkō-ikki headquarters which Nobunaga burnt to the ground in 1580. Construction on Osaka Castle began in 1583 and by this point the inner donjon (main keep) has been built. Further work on the castle complex is expected to last well over a decade. At one point, Hideyoshi convinces himself Tokugawa is preparing to march south, even considering recalling Hidenobu. However, in the middle of this year, a tsunami strikes the northern reaches of Honshu and Ezochi, devastating what naval ships are stationed there. Though trade with Ezochi is somewhat affected, there are far more lucrative trade routes to the south than there are to the north. Trade with Ming, Joseon, Portugal, and Spain bring in an immense amount of wealth to the island, though the fact that there is not a 10-plus-sided civil war happening is also making both Tokugawa and Toyotomi very wealthy. Many trade routes which had been dangerous or held by rival clans have now been made safe. In the time not spent fighting, Toyotomi Hideyoshi spends a considerable amount of time expanding this trade network. Along with it, he re-appropriates the Takeda spy network. Hideyoshi is well-versed in stealth and had even captured a castle during his time with Nobunaga by sneaking into it. He was familiar with the workings of shinobi in Japan. Oda Nobunaga famously purged several ninja clans. Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu both embrace these groups... assuming they are willing to work for the respective daimyo. In fact, Hideyoshi is practically immersed in this stealthy underground. This year, he employs Fūma Kotarō, aligning the Fūma clan with his government. His second wife and concubine Yodo-dono, in the meantime, sees a considerable amount of training in martial arts. Legal prostitution in Japan is fueled by the Yūkaku, effectively sanctioned red light districts. Yodo-dono, at the direction of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, oversees the training of a number of Kunoichi, female ninjas trained in the art of espionage and information gathering. These Kunoichi infiltrate Yūkaku from the highest echelons of society to mid-range brothels. The growing shinobi network under Hideyoshi is keeping a close eye on Tokugawa Ieyasu, though counter-espionage by way of his allied shinobi. He seems to have an even larger network, having fostered a number of renegade ninjas from Iga and Kōga, along with his patronage of the Hattori clan.
• Grand Duchy of Tuscany Grand Duke Fransesco arrives home to Tuscany after a productive meeting with the Emperor of the Holy Roman Emperor. The meeting was about the two small principalities of Lucca and Piombino, which the emperor said he had no interest in and would not intervene if they were attacked. After this meeting the Grand Duke sends a peaceful but thinly veiled aggressive note to Prince Alessandro of Piombino. This letter offers the prince a peaceful choice. The first option would be that Piombino would become an autonomous part of Tuscany with its own prince serving as the leader while reporting to the grand duke. They would be allowed to have their own army with only the foreign policy being shared between them two. (Mod response needed about the princes response) The grand duke also reminds him that They are entirely surrounded by Tuscany. Following this, the king travels to the city of Volterra where he inagurrates two new porcelain Factories in order to bring the wonders of manufactoring to this small but productive city. Crown Prince Antonio Travels to Florence where he meets with local leaders and religiuos leaders such as the bishop of Florence etc. The queen gives birth to a daugther who they name Anna in honour of her elder sister who sadly passed away last year. This brings great pleasure to the Grand Duke as he had seen both his firstborn son and daugther die before himself.
  • Piombino response: Iacopo VII refuses to be bullied by the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
• Viceroyalty of Peru. Fernando Torres de Portugal y Mesía orders the construction of more roads in Peru (forgive the redundancy) and the Río de La Plata basin. Also, some fortresses are under construction in Valdivia, Lima, and Buenos Aires, to protect the cities against the pillage. The conversion of the Guarani is entrusted to the evangelist Luis de Bolaños, who arrived in the region named by the natives as "Caazapá." The Viceroy also convoke some scientists across the Empire to work here. He hired engineers to expand the shipyards in Callao, and now some merchant ships are under production there.
• Banten Sultanate:
  • After the death of Maulana Yusuf in 1580, his son Maulana Muhammad continued the leadership in the Sultanate of Banten, despite being (at the time of his ascension) only 9 years of age. This made Sultan Muhammad the youngest sultan throughout the history of Banten. For five years (from 2580 until 1585), the wheels of government were run by Prince Arya Jepara, Sultan Muhammad's uncle. Despite the young age of it's ruler, Banten continued to flourish as merchants enjoyed relative freedom in trade. The influx of traders filled the tax income of Banten's treasury. But now, it's 1585, and Sultan Muhammad now officially ruled in his own right.
• Kingdom of Navarre: With various sectarian conflicts across Europe raging, such as the the Eighty Years’ war and the Cologne War, King Henry III of Navarre invites all of the Protestant refugees, peasants and lords alike, from the United Provinces, the Electorate of Cologne and from all across the rest of Europe alike, who have been forcefully driven away from their homes, from their feudal lords and overlords, to settle in his lands, within the Kingdom of Navarre and the rest of his rather vast demesne (Duchies of Vendôme, Beaumont and Albret/Counties of Marle, La Fère, Soissons, Foix, Armagnac, Comminges, Bigorre, Limoges and Périgord/Viscounty of Béarn/Lordship of Donezan), and start their new lives there, free and safe of any form of religious persecution. Pamphlets advertising the Kingdom of Navarre and the and the rest of King Henry III's rather vast aforementioned demesne as a safe refuge for Protestant believers are distributed all across every state of the Holy Roman Empire that is not tolerant to the Protestants faith, persecuting them or infringing upon their people's religious rights, alongside war torn states that are suffering from sectarian conflict, much like the United Provinces and the Electorate of Cologne. For those fellow adherents unable to travel on their own, due to financial difficulties, or safety on the road, a Calvinist Militant Order of Chivalry, the "Samaritan Order" is founded by King Henry III of Navarre, with the explicit humanitarian purpose of assisting Protestant refugees, regardless of their sect, to escape persecution and immigrate to the safeheaven that King Henry III's demense is, to start their lives anew. The Samaritan Order is provided with the resources to initiate its apostolic work, such as funds, military equipment and vessels, by King Henry III of Navarre, who willingly provides funds from his personal treasury, military equipment from his personal armories and vessels from his personal fleet, alongside several buildings to house the Samaritan Order. [Mod Response] Apart from that, the King Henry III understands the urgent need to further strengthen the defenses of his rather vast demense, due to all of the persecution happening across Europe against adherents of the Protestant sect, it is only a matter of time before his lands are similarly targetted. Therefore he commissions significant improvements in major settlements all over his demense, such as, but not limited to, the settlements of Pau, Tarbes, Foix, Muret, Labrit, Rodez, Carlat, Auch, Usson, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Saint-Palais, Limoges, Périgueux, Marle, La Fère, Soissons, Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, Vendôme, among others. These aforementioned settlements experience a strengthening the construction works aimed at strengthening of durability of the existing defensive fortifications these settlements possess, such as heightening the existing walls and building exterior and inner walls alike, raising more watchtowers and strengthening the existing ones, digging the existing ditches deeper and wider as well as digging up brand new ditches, alongside the construction of many other perimeter fortifications. Finally, King Henri III of Navarre begins to gather up support to oppose the abhorrent Treaty of Nemours, in the aftermath of its ratification, which essentially not only revokes all previous edicts granting religious and political concessions to the Huguenots, but also forbades the practice of all religions except Roman Catholicism in France, with "heretics" not permitted to attain public office and ministers from other religions are banned, in addition to forcing all subjects to convert to Catholicism or risk being expelled from France. This Treaty is completely preposterous, an anathema to all Protestant faithful. Therefore King Henri III fiercely advocates for the establishment of a defensive league, similar to the League of Torgau and the Schmalkaldic League within the Holy Roman Empire in the past, yet under King Henry III's overall leadership, as all of the Protestant lords across the Kingdom of France are invited to join this league to defend themselves against this complete and total violation of their noble and religious rights alike, that the abhorent Treaty of Nemours seeks to strip them of. [Mod Response]
  • Mod response: The Sarmatian Order is met with skepticism until late November when a woman who was saved by this order begins regaling (somewhat fanciful and romantic) tales of her and her family's rescue. Similar tales begin to spread through Navarre and beyond. Not only does this allow the Calvinist Order to gain traction, it inspires a number of swashbuckling stories of their adventures for years to come. Protestants from Spain and France begin migrating to Navarre, settling primarily in Foix and Limoges. This also has the unintended effect of causing a number of Jews and Muslims to travel to Navarre, causing tensions in larger cities.
  • Dutch Dip: The Estates-General offer an alliance to King Henri III of Navarre and Mauritz offers to host the Sarmatian Order within the States of Holland and Zeeland.
  • Navarre Dip: King Henri III of Navarre gladly accepts the alliance offer from the United Provinces of the Netherlands and the Grand Master of the Samaritan Order gladly accepts Stadtholder Mauritz's offer to host the Samaritan Order within the States of Holland and Zeeland, expending the Samaritan Order's operations there for the benefit of Calvinist and other Protestant adherents alike.
• Habsburg Austria: This year Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia, and Archduke of Austria has passed on. The life he lived was short with many not being surprised as he was sickly from birth. His reclusive behavior and mental instability as he aged left him with few well wishers on his death bed. The legacy of Rudolf is that of a patron for the arts having assembled a vast collection of curiosities over the course of his reign. With his death and refusal to organize the line of succession, all his titles with the exception of Holy Roman Emperor have passed onto his oldest brother, Ernest Habsburg. Elections are called for to the other Electors of the Holy Roman Empire to convene and decide on the next Emperor (Mod Response/Event). With Ernest's rise to the throne, his first priority is reining in the finances of the Habsburgs which were used to support the eccentricities of Rudolf II and to that end, the excessive contents such as his pet tiger and lion are to be sold off among other things with the rest being kept where it is. Furthermore, The policies of Rudolf II in persecuting the Protestants for the Counter-Reformation will be dialed back in an effort to maintain stability within the Habsburg realms with split between Catholicism and Protestantism.
• Kingdom of England: Having suppressed conspirators and rebellion, Queen Elizabeth reigns as monarch of England, Wales, and Ireland. Across the sea, her forces now support the rebellion of the seven dutch republics against Spain while on the high seas, her famed Sea Dogs raid the trade-routes of England’s would be enemies. However, most pressing is the news of the murder of William of Orange. Sensing the potential collapse of the republic, Elizabeth offers the young republic the Treaty of Nonsuch under which she will agree to provide 6,400 soldiers, 1,000 cavalrymen, an annual subsidy of 600,000 florins in exchange for Brill and Flushing as cautionary towns, the right to appoint two councillors to the Council of State of the United Provinces, and (per the OTL Dutch proposal) Elizabeth will accept the title of General of the Provinces and Sovereign of the Netherlands. (Mod Response) Knowing that this act will certainly provoke a Spanish response. Elizabeth sends an emissary to conduct secret peace negotiations with Philip II, hoping to end the war before it begins. (Spanish Response) Meanwhile, far to the west, Ralph Lane leads an expedition at the behest of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth. His objective is thus, to build a colony at Roanoke. With a fleet of five ships Lane and his forces will first traverse the Atlantic, before tacking north to their destination. Hoping to purchase food from the natives, Lane brings a number of cases of glass beads, cheap metal knives, and an assortment of other trade goods much desired by the natives. A large store of food is also transported to sustain the colony in its first years. However, a storm disrupts the journey and Tiger, the flagship, is separated from the rest of the fleet. After several weeks waiting for his other ships to arrive, Lane determines to turn north and make for Roanoke, trusting the other sailors to make the voyage safely. Through good luck and skill the voyage is largely a success with all of the ships arriving in one piece. Lane establishes a fort on the north coast of Roanoke Island, clearing the treeline back from the palisade and constructing several buildings for the defense and sustainment of the colony. Contact is made with the local native tribes and glass beads, pewter cups, and poor quality tools provided as a show of goodwill. (Mod Response)
  • Dutch Response: The Dutch gladly accept hoping the English support will turn the tide of the war.
  • Native Response: Natives in the area of Roanoke are apprehensive to new comes and warily accept trade
• Viceroyalty of Portugal: To legitimize Portugal's rule over its colonial subjects and in the eyes of its clergy and the Pope, renewed efforts of missionary work will be undertaken. A force of 35 Jesuits will be sent to Goa to bolster its efforts and staff the seminary there in addition to 20 more Jesuits to be sent to Macau to aid in the founding of a seminary there and propagate missionary work. In addition 30 native Goans and 30 native Han people will be sent to Portugal to aid in educating missionaries to their respective cultural zones. A force of 2,000 men will be sent to Portuguese Ceylon to bolster the hold on the island and deter the Kingdom of Sitawaka from reprisals against the Portuguese and their vassal. A new program of settlement will be undertaken in Ceylon to cement the Portuguese influence in the region with 200 settlers being granted permission to build a settlement in a location of their choosing and rights for growing and selling spices granted to those who go. Two envoys will be sent to the Ryukyian and Luban Kingdoms to petition the them for the right to base ships for resupply (Ryuku only) and the right to trade with local merchants. [mod response]
• New Spain:
  • Mainland: Viceroy Alvaro de Zuniga makes his entry into Mexico City passing by Pubela on the way, taking note of the democratic society that resides in the city. Away from the power of the encomenderos and Merchants in Mexico City. His first order of business is to begin negotiations with the Chichimec through Miguel Caldera, offering them clothing, food, and other amenities. As well as pulling soldiers back from their land (Mod response). The New Viceroy also provides funds and slave labor to improve the Fortifications of Ports in Veracruz, Acapulco, Havana, and Santo Domingo. He also starts militias in coastal provinces for better defense. He ask the crown for Land and Naval officers. (Player response) Around the hardest hit area of Campeche. Due to the massive decline of the population of Natives; the Viceroy begins to increase the number of slaves imported to the Mainland. Some are owned directly by Crown to improve the roads to a more even gradient to allow wagon travel. The viceroy also puts a hold on the removal of the Regular clergy for the Secular clergy. As the regular clergy has the support of the people. He also makes the decision to break up the Marquessate of the Valley of Oaxaca. Giving the land around native communities to those communities. The rest of the land is held by the crown to be surveyed and sold. Surveys also begin in central Mexico to access land ownership and how much land is “unclaimed”. He begins to work on new laws of property ownership to better use the lands in the viceroyalty.
  • Caribbean & Florida: The fort in St Augustine already under construction is given a boost of labor with slaves. Relations are made with natives assessing if missions could be started in their lands. In Cuba merchants look for ways to diversify the economy. Different plants are planted around Havana for large cultivation which could boost the fortunes of the colony. The same happens in Santo Domingo.
  • Phillipines: Cebu is too prone to pirate attacks, the new capital is moved to Manila. Defenses here are also expanded And 200 men are sent to bolster the garrison. Ships explore the islands in the archipelago and further south.
• Dutch Republic: Following the signing of the treaty of Nonsuch with England and having secured the vital support of a foreign power the States-General convene to determine the next course of action. Mauritz van Oranje the son and successor to Willem the Silent is named Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland, and along with his cousin Willem Lodewijk set about pushing for the reorganization of the Dutch States Army incorporating the Mercenaries so graciously provided by Queen Elizabeth of England General of the United Provinces though they face some pushback from Leicester. Due to their background in classical war history and the having learned from the lessons of recent battles against the Spanish Tercios Mauritz begins looking at ways to transform the rebel forces into a more cohesive fighting force meanwhile the fotresses still under the command of the Dutch are reinforced. Seeing an Opportunity Mauritz proposes that the Dutch Republic aid their kin in Cologne who are beset by foes on all sides, to secure an ally on the Rhine cutting off the Spanish road and strengthening the hand of the protestants in Northern Germany to foster alliances there. The Estates-General puts forward the plan to Queen Elizabeth to secure he blessing and support for the endevour (English reply needed). Mauritz also reaches out to the Evangelical league in the Holy Roman Empire to redouble the efforts to back Gebhard I of Cologne in his struggle, to this end he also seeks to hire Huguenot Mercenaries to assist. (MOD Response). More to be added later.
  • Kingdom of England: The queen provides her tacit approval saying: "If they must, then I shall permit it, but if into their own damnation they descend, so be it."
  • Evangelical League Response: As Cologne is not a member of the Evangelical League, what aid is sent largely comes from individual states rather than the league at large, though the lukewarm English approval encourages some of the more important members to join. This includes Nassau, the Palatine, and Hesse-Kassel. Between these groups and the mercenaries, about 10,000 troops can be expected to aid the Dutch.
• Russian Tsardom: The newly crowned Theodore I of Russia meets with his close friend Boris Godunov, to create the pogranichnyy (Border Guard) that can resist Tatar attacks and attack in Tatar territories in response.The oprichnina will be tasked with stopping any attempted plot against the Tsar.Due to alleged attempts to get the Tsar to divorce his current wife, an edito is written to prohibit divorces. Seeking that it has the approval of the patriarch of Moscow. Several fortresses are built on the southeastern borders to prevent Tatar invasions.
• Spanish Empire: with The War of the Dutch Rebellion continuing, King Felipe II receives the reports of the success of the Prince of Parma. Having ensured the security of Brussels and furthermore moved onto capturing Antwerp, the Spanish Army is believed to be on a path of victory within the lowlands. Though reports now seem to be coming in that the Dutch have blockaded the rivers of Antwerp forcing the regional economic center to begin to face a heavy hit. In order to prevent this from slowing down the army, the Prince of Parma intends on regrouping his forces with the regiments from the French Comte and Wallonia. From there he would march his men of 18,500 to Gouda as Admiral Hernan Luciano Rodriguez de Duarte would command the Spanish fleet to blockade Nieuw Maas and bombard Den Haag. During this time though Phillip II falls ill to an unknown illness leaving him very weak. Historians would later believe his voracious appetite after feasting day and night for the first 6 months of the year may have led to him becoming a diabetic. Unsure of the length of his own mortality, he is inspired to take bold actions and amend his mistakes, doing his best to address as many issues as he can in what may be his last years or even months. The Council of Flanders is convened in Valladolid by orders of Felipe II. He announces that he will dismiss the council immediately, replacing it with an entirely newly branded administration. Seeing the failures and struggles of the old government, he thanks them and awards them handsomely for their services with medals of honor and a banquet. By the end of the commemoration of the old, he plans to establish the Viceroyalty of Burgundy to place an emphasis on the land's roots but also the diversity of the region since it is not singularly Flemish. The President would be an appointed official of the Monarchy from native descent within the region. As a result, at the end of the banquet, the guest of honor would be Viceroy Alessandro Farnesse di Parma with Elvin I de Sedan being president of the new viceroyalty. In the meantime though, Felipe II would send a letter to his cousin Albert in Austria offering him the throne of Burgundy so long as the Holy Roman Emperor wills it (Austria Response). As this goes on, the tensions with the Crown of England have been brought to new heights especially with Elizabeth's involvement with the 7 Treasonous Republics of the Netherlands. The Queen's offer to mediate peace is received well by Felipe II though his discontent with her remains strong. The King would proceed to send a letter to the English offering to host a conference in Brussels (English Response). Meanwhile Isabella de España seeks a husband to marry, as a result, she ends up falling in love with Teodosio II, Duke of Braganza.
  • Austrian Habsburgs: Albert VII accepts the offer of the King of Spain and with the blessing of Ernest goes to Burgundy to govern it.

1586

The English colonists in Roanoake transmit diseases to the local population. Smallpox and influenza outbreaks are common there. Some of the natives fight over how to deal with the situation with a large faction blaming the foreigners. Conversely, the white population is growing on these lands. Due to the aforementioned, Ralph Lane suggests the importation of black slaves as the principal manpower in the Colony, and he demands more supplies. But the wars in Europe obstructed the communications with the Crown and many of the colonists departed from the colony in June in fear of lacking supply.

Tensions arise between Spanish Navarre and the Kingdom of Navarre. Some riots occur between Catholics and Protestants in Roncesvalles, San Juan Pie de Puerto, Fuenterrabía, and Saint Etienne de Baïgorry.

Philip II lives despite his worsening Diabetes. His ill health has left the crown to begin readying for the next monarch in line for succession.

The Catholic Mary Queen of Scots devises what is known in OTL as the Babington Plot - a conspiracy to assassinate Elizabeth I of England. Mary, with the backing of Spanish forces, hopes to oust the Protestant regime and restore Catholicism. The plot partially fails as Elizabeth lives but is scarred and wounded. This attempt however offers the conspirators enough morale to begin their insurrection as the Marian Forces seize control of the Midlands and the Northwestern Territories of England.

Piombino requests aid from multiple countries against Tuscany after the brazen threat sent last year. Most are involved in religious disputes and are unable to aid Piombino. The city instead turns to mercenaries to defend itself, nearly bankrupting itself in the process.

A strong earthquake rocks the coast near Lima, absolutely devastating the region. The 8.1 magnitude earthquake causes a tsunami that washes inland, flooding parts of the city.

The Battle of Zutphen results in a Spanish Victory as the Dutch War of Rebellion continues.

Thomas Cavendish of England begins the first deliberately planned circumnavigation of the globe.

The reign of Emperor Ōgimachi of Japan ends, and Emperor Go-Yōzei ascends to the throne.

As English and Spanish diplomats convene in Brussels to discuss making amends and pushing for peace, Sir Francis Drake assaults the cities of Santo Domingo and St. Augustine inflicting heavy damages

António da Madalena from Portugal is the first westerner to visit Angkor Wat.

English ship Vanguard, the first Royal Navy vessel to bear this name, is launched at Woolwich.

Jacobus Gallus composes his motet O magnum mysterium.

The cities of Voronezh, Samara, and Tyumen in Russia are founded.

As an absolute shock to nobody, Ernest I becomes Holy Roman Emperor after his ascension to the throne of Austria following the sudden passing of Rudolf II.

• Grand Duchy of Tuscany Following the initial response by the prince of Piombino,the king offers him another deal:An economic package to revitalize the failing piombino economy in exchange for the island of Elba. (Piombino and Spanish Reponse needed) Tragedy strucks when Grand Duke Fransesco is killed by a fallin beam,while viisitng the construction cities of the two porcelain factories he planned last year. Crown Prince Antinio succeds to the throne as Antonio I and immidietly launches an investigation into his fathers death. This investigation concludes that faulty handling of materials were the cause of the incident. In order to give the accused builders a fair trial,the duke re-establishes the judiciary system which had been abolsihed during his fathers reign. The Grand Duke is very intressted in draining some of the marshes around florence and direcs extensive research into the subject,to be ready by 1580. Since Antonio I has no heir as of yet,he appoints his uncle Ferdinand as next in line. In order to appease some of the more infulential members of the Tuscan nobility,the king creates the Royal advisory council. This council is composed of three Priests and 3 nobles and serves to advise the duke on matters of the state.
• Kingdom of Navarre: After hearing news of the sectarian riots occuring inside his realm, an extremely enraged King Henry III of Navarre mobilizes his forces to ruthlessly crack down on these Catholic agitators within his realm, specifically in the settlements of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint Etienne de Baïgorry in Lower Navarre, while significant guards detachments are posted within the Navarrese Kingdom's territory to block every single (mountain) pass between Lower Navarre and the settlements of Hondarribia and Roncesvalles within the Spanish held Navarre, while the Samaritan Order is utilized to escort any and all Protestants within Spanish held Navarre seeking to escape religious persecution towards their safety to the free Kingdom of Navarre, to resettle and hopefully restart their lives anew there. [Mod Response] WIP
• Dutch Republic: Having mustered the support needed The Dutch States Army is assembled into 2 Army Groups are made totaling some 30,000 men (13,000 k, 10 k Germans and mercenaries, and 7,000 English), each 15,000 strong. The first group under the command of the Earl of Leicester will move into position to attempt to relieve the besieged Germans at Cologne (numbering some 10 k i think) While the second army group lead by Willem Lodewijk and Mauritz van Oranje shadow Leicester's group before swinging to the west and South to cut off any potential reinforcements gonig along the Spanish Road. taking up position along the Rhine protected by Water barges and ships whose flat bottoms give allow them to navigate with ease the waterways, and act as a means of blockading the water ways to prevent supplies and reinforcements from coming up river.... More to be added alter.