Changes: Merveilles du Monde (Map Game)

Revision as of 06:37, 10 May 2020

After a long trek through Asia spanning two decades, Venetian explorer Marco Polo published the compiled journal of his travels in 1295. He described in great detail the Near East, with its many castles and fortresses held by many mighty empires. He entered the Gate of Iron, through which Alexander crossed into the east millennia ago. He toured the eight kingdoms of Persia and witnessed scores of miracles and wonders, many of which he dared not publish for he felt his audiences would not believe what he wrote. He described in great detail the exploits of the great Kublai Khan, the intrigue in the Emperor's court, the sprawling landscape of Yuan China, and the massive battles that took place during his stay.

Polo named his work Livre des Merveilles du Monde - Book of the Marvels of the World. In publishing these journals, he brought knowledge of the eastern world back to Europe and vice versa. Just like that, the world got a little bit smaller. The Holy Roman Empire - locked in a state of interregnum with no end in sight - became aware of the wars of Kublai Khan. The faltering Byzantine Empire and its breakaway state of Trebizond became the subject of discussion from Lisbon to Kathmandu. The wealthy Abu Bakr II of Mali would seek to follow in Polo's footsteps, paving the way for the rise of Mansa Musa. The Kamakura Shogunate of Japan defeated wave after wave of Mongol forces while, an ocean over, Mesoamerica was still reeling from the fall of the Toltec Empire.

Merveilles du Monde is a spiritual successor to the Principia Moderni franchise. It sets the clock back to the year 1295, in the Late Middle Ages - in other words, an era of great change and great suffering - an era in which nations rose and fell - an era in which power was cemented ...

Map

Moderators

Greed: Crim (talk)
Pride: User:Nathan1123
Wrath: Feudy McPlagueface (talk)
Gluttony: User:Tullin
Sloth: Solace (talk)
Envy: Dren
Lust: Topaz

Important Pages

The Game

1500

The recent discovery of the West Indies, concurrent with the fall of the Latin Empire and the collapse of the Mamluk Sultanate, usshers a new age of civilization that puts the Medieval Era to a close. The Rennaissance that began in the early 15th century has now reached its apex, in terms of production of new arts, music, literature, philosophy, and technology. The possibility of a "New World" spurs ideas in Europe that the world is far bigger than they had imagined, placing earlier concepts of "Christendom" in a different perspective.

The increasing speed of intellectual development, fueled by the movable type press, gives rise to the concept of the "complete man" or the "grand tour". Modern historians apply more rigorous critical analysis of earlier sources, coining the motto to study history Ad Fontes. This also is used in the rising trend of humanist philosophy, most famously championed by Machiavelli, which urges people to study religious doctrine in ad fontes as well.

The fifth Christian Jubilee comes into play this year, at the discretion of the Papacy.

Philip "the Upright" of Pfalz is officially proclaimed to be King Philip II of Germany (after Philip of Swabia from the 12th century), at Aachen. His rule depending heavily on the support of the existing imperial electors, Philip is faced with the task of pulling his own weight in the shadow of the recent era of Henry VIII, or otherwise comfortably take a back seat and let the empire run itself.

The Duke of Berry is captured in battle against King William II, and is subsequently imprisoned for heresy, now that the King and the Pope have once again been reconciled. William goes on to purge out heretical nobles in southern France and assume their lands back to the crown.

The Chieftain of Jaragua in OTL Haiti is very hostile against the Germans, and refuses to relinquish the port. The rival Chieftain of Marien makes an offer of alliance with either the Hanseatic or Spanish West Indies.

King Henry of Denmark considers England's alliance with Sweden an act of hostility, and thus begins to write slander against the House of Beaufort in London. He notes his opinion that not only did Henry VII depose the Yorkist King Edward, but had him quietly murdered as well.

Ali Mirza Safavi, the Shah of Iran, makes many reforms to the government and infrastructure of the nation, and raises their military to prepare for campaigns in the east. Twelver Shia Islam becomes the dominant institution across the whole nation.

As Leonardo da Vinci is making prototype diving equipment for Venice, he thinks that he might return to Florence at some point, if they had some interesting project for him to dig into.

The Empire of Oaxaca invades and occupies Tenochtitlan, while the Kingdom of Xalisco collapses into anarchy, shattering the kingdom into numerous city-states.

Hanseatic League: The request from the chieftain of Marien is accepted. (more to come).

Kingdom of Portugal: The expedition for the New World sets sail this year, commanded by Vasco de Gama and Dias it also include a famous man known as Pedro Álvares Cabral. The expedition heads out into the Atlantic Ocean looking for any new islands or land masses. (MOD RESPONSE NEEDED NEXT TURN). Meanwhile, the king pays a visit to Portuguese Angola and Moçambique where he meets with Governor Paul de Gama who discusses the recent trade post setup. With more trade posts being set up, the trade profits increase so its decided that this years surplus shall be used to build a suitable headquarters for the governors of Moçambique and Angola. With Dias gone for an expedition, a replacement for Angola has to be made. António de Abreu is appointed interim governor of Portuguese Angola until Dias returns. Meanwhile, quaggas in the royal garden has a foal who the king names Dias after Dias who discovered them and brought them home.
Empire of Ethiopia: The Empire continues to thrive in its golden age. With merchants and traders arriving from the Roman Empire to India, the Empire has over the years developed into a crossroads of different ideas, philosophies and ways of life. As such Ethiopia has become a crossroads for the travel of news, knowledge and ideas, which greatly propels Ethiopian culture as it incorporates ideas from Hindustan, Egypt, Mali, and even Europe. The Empire continues to see trade flow from India, with some merchants stopping in Ethiopian port cities before traveling to Egypt while others sell their wares to inland merchants who move West to Mali to sell their wares there. Ethiopian merchants also maintain strong trade relations with the Swahili city-states, with many merchants acting as vendors of Indian goods to these city-states. The Ethiopian trade offices established in the Swahili cities decades ago ensure a stable flow of trade between the Swahili and the Empire. The Imperial military continues to drill, with the 10,000 strong standing army drilling constantly with firearms acquired from Europe and India. The Emperor Tewodros III decides to divide the army into two divisions, with the original 5,000 Chewa warriors becoming the “Old Guard” while the newer 5,000 levies from the Imperial cities are dubbed the “Young Guard.” The Imperial Artillery Corps continues to train as well, and by now has become quite adept at artillery warfare. The Chewa militia, when training after the harvest season, now drill as much with the arquebus as they do with the sword and spear. By now most Ethiopian merchants have begun to acquire smaller cannons to fit on their ships to defend against pirates, leading to an integration of firearm weapons into Ethiopian merchant vessels. The Emperor, through his Hindustani wife, the Empress Viti, asks his father in law the Maharajah if he would be willing to send cast-iron forgers and blacksmiths to Ethiopia to begin a foundry in the Imperial capital of Barari. The Emperor also asks permission to begin buying cannons from Hindustan annually to strengthen the Empire’s defenses [HINDUSTAN RESPONSE NEEDED]. The Spanish ambassador to Ethiopia, Fernando de Polanco arrives at the port of Beri, having sailed around the Cape to reach Ethiopia. Though Ethiopian merchants had previously seen Spanish caravels before, the sight of such large and powerful ships entering the harbor causes alarm amongst the populace. The Imperial Governor of the city is relieved to hear of the peaceful Spanish intentions and sends word to the Emperor Tewodros III of the arrival of the Spanish embassy. The Emperor, wanting to see these foreigners and their vessels for himself, rides to Beri with a large entourage, and visits the harbor himself to see the Spanish caravel. The Emperor is stunned by the ships, noting they tower above the dhows and possess large and fiercome cannons to protect them, in contrast to the small cannons mounted on the dhows. Tewodros meets with de Polanco, greeting him warmly as a fellow Christian, and is pleased to hear of the good intentions of the Spanish Emperor and expresses a desire to open formal relations with Spain. The Emperor Tewodros sends a delegation of diplomats and nobles through the Trans-African Silk Road, along with a few Spanish explorers as guides, to Mali, where they soon arrive at a Spanish settlement. There the Ethiopian delegates present themselves to the Spanish authorities, and present a letter written by the Emperor translated into Spanish addressed to the Spanish Emperor. The letter contains a formal greeting from the Emperor, who addresses the Spanish monarch as an equal and fellow Christian, and informs the Spanish Emperor that Ethiopia has received his ambassadors and is eager to open formal diplomatic relations. [SPANISH RESPONSE]. In the meantime, de Polanca is treated as an honored guest and is personally shown around the country by the Emperor, who shows off Ethiopia's bustling trade markets, stable bureaucracy, well built infrastructure and bountiful fields of crops.
- Hindustani Response: The Maharajah happily agrees to the requests of his son-in-law, the Emperor of Ethiopia.
Archbishopric of Mainz: Archbishop Bertrand of Villingen continues to preach that abuses of church authority are to be eliminated wherever they are found, lest they discredit the church. He begins donating extensively from his own personal wealth to the church, living in a more austere manor, as the Pope has modeled. He also preaches that, as all wisdom is God breathed so, too, the Church should be the leader in science and education. He patronized the University of Darmstadt, continuing to try to improve it, now seeking more learned priests to teach the philosophy and science classes. He supports the study of ancient literature, having always been a lover of history, in the certainty that all knowledge benefits man and brings him closer to god. He concentrates on improving the laws and taxes of Mainz, and working to increase general prosperity. He patronizes the Assembly of Preachers, Pontifical Press, and publishing of new books. He patronizes the arts and sciences in Mainz. The Archbishop accepts to offer of associate membership in the Hanseatic League, offered last year, in order to increase the trade and prosperity in his electorate. Imperial Treasurer Kaspar Von Roggendorf continues to monitor closely the income and expenditure of the empire, and keep the tax code fair and the trade revenues high, and to invest in foreign trade. The naval reforms and expansions continue to slowly roll forward. The construction of the Naval Academy in Rostock, and the new port city called Heinrichshaven continue. Von Roggendorf, in his capacity as Treasurer of the entire Holy Roman Empire, continues to patronize the arms industry in Prague, following the same incentive program as Bavaria. Von Roggandorf appeals to the Emperor to appoint a new Grand Admiral, an experienced navy man who can take over the practical aspects of expanding and modernizing the Imperial Fleet. He suggests that the King of Lotharingia, who has been very successful at reforming his own fleet, and whose family has held the title of Grand Admiral for years, should be asked to recomend a worthy man for the post. (Palatine and Lotharingia Response). Grand Marshall Jan Zizka continues restoring the Army of the Holy Roman Empire. He continues with the reforms and expansions of the Army and its weapons, keeping them cutting edge. He continues to keep their training standards high and well-organized, and continues the practice of mixing men from around the Empire and moving units to different Imperial cities, so they come to think of themselves as soldiers of the Empire, not of one city. He keeps the build up of the military a bit slower than before the war, however, so as not to cause alarm.
Kingdom of Mutapa: Birth rates begin to increase due to the abidance of food and land. Mata finally has his bombard and it operator, however, when instructed to teach how to build one he would praise our Iron-titanium allies, but laugh at how we are a long way off from building our own. He tells Mata to pay for people who can at least help us get started with blast furnaces. Five of the said men would arrive by the end of the Year Three in the capital and Year Two in Makovibra. Adai Penai returns from another great survey trip with his notes taking in much more detail of Southern Africa. He speaks of a marvelous bay (OTL Sadhanha Bay) and locals who once showed Mitshawri and the horse gladly aided the travelers. Adai's next mission would be as a diplomat, he's sent to the island of pale men settlers to ask who they are. (Portuguese player response) With may more horse the horse force is expand to 500 men and the royal guard would add another 1,500 bringing the number to 24,000 men. The Faraist scholars sent out into the countryside years earlier tell of how literacy is going up especially with more to read. Mata's Tamil is getting much better as he now serves as a translator to the people during the Yogas often speaking in both Tamil and Shona. Settlers are sent to the bay Adai spoke of, with the Khoe people to serve as a labor pool and eventually be citizens. One of the first scouts sent out finally returns battered and one-eyed. However, he speaks of the land of Ithiyopiya another great 'empire' as they call it. He is sent with sailors one of the royal ships to make official contact with the Empire. (Ethiopian Player Response). The docks at tunga are expanded seeing as the Royal navy now has 20 ships that patrol the coastal waters. One ship is caught up in a monsoon and blown to the east into a large land mass (RNG for chance of survival and rescue). The Indian population now stands at around 300 in the capital and 30 in Makovibra and the usual merchants at the ports.
- You don't have this navy.
- What navy would I have then? I have posted building more ships in prior turns. -Tharpe.
- Ethiopia Dip: The Empire is pleased to hear of a new powerful kingdom in South Africa and is open to establishing formal relations and trade.
Kingdom of Ayutthaya: Census = (5500000e^((1496-1408).0025)) = 6853422/ Levy = 68534/ Deployed = 28534/ Unraised: = 40000/ The combined forces of Hindustan, Blambangan, Bali, and Ayutthaya are given orders to launch in pursuit of withdrawing enemy forces as they withdraw to the beachead that Majapahit-Dai Viet forces established in the opening phases of the war. The troops are ordered to set up entrenchments arround the enemy position lined with cannons, arquebusiers, and archers who are to hold position and engage advancing enemy forces. The melee troops are order to advance cautiously with scouts sent forward to probe enemy defenses and identify traps set in place by the invaders. The bodies of dead animals are ordered chucked by trebuchets and catapults into the enemy camp to spread disease with Ayutthayan troops ordered to stay back and away from the enym camp while the disease is running rampant in the camp. (Algo Needed). The victory of last year on Bali has made its way home providing good news and helping to contribute to confidence in the new Rama's ability to wage war. With the boost of a victory on Bali, a few more cities and towns caught in between the current situation with Phitsnanulok and Ayutthaya begin to lean in favor of Ayutthaya's influence. Borromarachathirat III has continued with his policy of posturing and aggressive actions against Ayutthaya prompting Sunan Kudus to return once more to the region to reaffirm the loyalties of the towns and cities. The nobles of Sukhothai have openly declared their support for Ayutthaya considering the union entered by the two cities years ago and have denounced Phitsnanulok prompting many cities and towns within the region to follow their overlord in support of Ayutthaya. The experiences of the war on Bali have led the leadership of the War College in Ayutthaya to conclude that a greater mastery of logistics is required for Ayutthaya's officers and knowing Japan's ability to maintain logistics to far off locations such as Bintan, a request is sent requesting that Ayutthayan officers be permitted to travel to Japan to observe how its military functions and to observe to see what can be adapted or learned by Ayutthaya. (Japan Response). The Ayutthayan efforts to block off Majapahit merchants and ships from the Straits of Malacca continues to be an ongoing effort on their part as more ships are continually confiscated and repurposed as vessels of war and Majapahit ships are engaged in battles. The Commerce Guild continues to advise its merchants to avoid hostile ports and dangerous trade routes to ensure that the operations of the guild aren't too greatly impacted. The Conservative faction has proven itself an increasing difficulty to deal with due to its support of the harassment of Muslims prompting the use of the Capital Defense Corps in routine patrols alongside the patrols of the Temmengung's office within the confines of the city. The Royalist faction continues to provide near unwavering support in favor of Ramathibodi II and have also contributed a few troops from their regions to assist in supplementing Ayutthayan patrols into the hinterlands caught between the power struggle. The agricultural reforms of Ramathibodi II continue to be implemented in albeit only in regions with promising production in terms of rice. The Mekong defenses have begun to receive scholars of the War College to help in planning out the defenses based on Ayutthayan experiences from previous wars.
- Japanese Dip: We agree to allowing attaches.
Iceland: The Papal marriage proposal is accepted with them marrying in February, nine months later a boy by the name of Henry is born. 2,000 Icelanders are requested to settle with the C.C.C a small town by the name of New Reykjavik.

Roman Empire: A busy year for the empire, 1500 begins with news arriving from Florence. The Sack of Florence by the crusader thugs shocks the empire. With the city burning, Strategos Doukas, the general in command of the Roman guards defending the banking district issues a general order to evacuate the banks. The force of professional soldiers establishes a defensive perimeter and begins the systematic evacuation of the gold and silver from the vaults of the Florentine banks. Tens of thousands of pounds of precious metals are evacuated from the city to the ships waiting in the harbor. Additionally, any Florentine merchants who wish to flee the destruction of their city for a new life in the east are offered asylum. With the massive influx of precious metals, a national reserve of gold is established within the treasury and the rest distributed among the various banks in the consortium that bailed-out the Florentine banking industry. In addition, a number of priceless art-pieces that survived the rebel’s purge are saved from the crusader’s torch and are placed within the imperial palace. A record of the events written by Strategos Doukas in wonderful Latin is published less than a month after the events and is distributed across the empire and its trade partners, largely those connected by the BlackSea river basins. The record calls out the Satanic behavior of the thugs who claim themselves crusaders and calls on all good Christians to reject the teachings of those who would condone and support such acts. The influx of cash from Florence is a boon to the imperial economy with investment skyrocketing. The Forum of the Ox, now encircled by imposing bank buildings thrives as a center of finance, commerce, and investment. Constantinople, among the largest cities in Europe struggles under the weight of its own population. Water services and food imports are a necessity to such a degree that another water-works project is begun to serve the city better with clean water. The sewers, built many centuries ago are mapped in preparation for a revival project to be carried out later this decade. In the meantime, the naval rebuilding continues to modernize the Roman Fleet, creating one of the most advanced green-water navies on the planet. In late April, Kaisar-Autokrat Andronikos V dies of an increasingly worsening fever. Quickly thereafter, his son Kaisar Herodotus is crowned Kaisar-Autokrat Herodotus II, Basileus of the Greeks and Romans. Having taken the throne, Kaisar Herdotus II sees an opportunity. Thanks to the refit the vast majority of the fleet is in dock together in Constantinople. Herodotus II quickly raises the Themes, a full force of 36,000 men. He embarks with his fleet, 7,000 Tagmata, and 12,000 men on an invasion of Krete to retake the island for the empire. Under the command of Strategod Doukas, 12,000 men raised in Greece launch an invasion of southern Eubea to liberate the rest of that island from the Venetian menace. Simultaneously, 12,000 men under Prince Manuel take up defensive positions at Gallipoli.
- [Algo, Please]: 17,000 men and 350 ships, are attacking Krete. The army comprises 12,000 heavy infantry, 3,000 heavy cavalry, and 2,000 light cavalry. The fleet will land the troops just east of Heraklion before setting-up a blockade and siege of the city. 150 of the ships will then sail west to establish an interdiction line between Krete and Morea. Siege guns are brought with the army to level the walls of Heraklion and break the city’s defenses.
- [Algo, Please]: 12,000 men and 100 ships, are attacking Venetian Eubea. The army comprises 8,000 heavy infantry, 2,000 heavy cavalry, and 2,000 light cavalry. The force will cross over to the island from mainland Greece with the support of the 100 ships which will escort the army south to Karystos, the main Venetian capital in the south of the island before establishing a blockade. A small force of light cavalry and will be used to burn the farms around the city, with effort to avoid Greek civilian casualties and target Venetian estates, drawing out Venetian defenders against these raiders who will then shadow them, hoping to draw them into field engagement where the Roman army will have the tactical advantage. Siege guns are brought just in case.
County Palatine of the Rhine: The Emperor accepts the proposal from Archchancellor - Bertrand, who he had bestowed the office of Archchancellor, and he appoints the King of Lotharingia as the Grand Admiral of the Holy Roman Empire. The Imperial Academy of the Culinary Arts opens this year, and the Emperor gives a speech at its opening, and gives out liquorice and other treats to all those in attendance.
- Mainz: The Archbishop thanks the Emperor for this honor, and promises to try to be worthy of it. As Archchancellor, acting in his best interpretation of the Emperor's orders, He arranges to mmet with the king of Lotharingia next year to discuss him officially passing the title of Grand Admiral of the Imperial Fleet to a chosen man.
Empire of Japan: The empire this year continues pushing major operations into Indonesia and with the collapse and failure of the Majahpahits armies the commander of the Kensei order regiment deployed to the Riau Islands treats with various elements of the local nobility on Borneo and finally solidifies into talking to the most senior indigenous nobles in Majahpahit controlled Borneo. An offer is put on the table. The Empire of Japan will support and defend the independence of the new state (to be named Kalimantan or whatever domestic dynasty would take over as per Islamic naming convention). In Return the small arm of territory (making up of parts of OTL Sarawak and containing the city of Kuching) would given to Japan, the two nations would sign a treaty of friendship and alliance as well as an equal trade compact. The point is made that Majahpahit is non-Islamic, far away, battered, and has clearly drained the manpower of Kalimantan for their own endeavors. (mod response, please). With the acceptance of the offer in short order, the Japanese army coalesces alongside the navy and arrive in Kuchin to a rag tag group of militia in the city. As per the agreement the Japanese forces occupy the small area granted to them and immediately begin to fortify the city. Immense work is done to accommodate the regions natives regardless of their religious predispositions or organizational level, and quick relief is given to the region which has been relatively starved of manpower due to the war with the Thais and other Javanese kingdoms. The arrival of 13,000 troops is alarming to the citizenry who expected a sacking of the city and region since they lacked in manpower and materials to fight back. However, as the weeks turn to months, various improvements have been made specifically in regards to food supply as rice and dried fish is brought in in large amounts to help alleviate food rationing, and the large presence of the Japanese armada in the nearby sea gives them some peace of mind that no more of their men need to die in a war not their own. The issue of religion is handled in stride as the honorable Ibiki Moriyama of the Kensei order secured total religious autonomy (as the Shinbutsu Shugo does not necessarily do missionary work) as well as respect for the Islamic tradition seeing it essentially as harmless. Support is also given to the new Kalimantan allies as shipments of food and even arms and armor are given to help them rebuild their drained manpower from the Bali war. At home, the arrival of this news is met with shock but also admiration. The acquisition of territory in a bloodless fashion as well as the negotiating skill of the Kensei Order Masters is not gone unnoticed or unrewarded. A declaration is sent back giving Ibiki a free range to establish a Kensei Order Shrine on the island. The development in Kenenaitzu continues as another group of enterprising fur rangers arrive and establish themselves in the region on contract for five years with a handsome payment given depending on their service. The establishment of a well plotted route to the new world outpost is established and the Aleuts within the claimed Aleutian Islands chain are organized and offered modern goods in exchange for their services in acquiring valuable furs and pelts as well as blubber for use in many other economic activities. At home, the rebuilding of Kamakura and Nankaido in general continues. The re-development of many of the Eastern ports continues to accommodate higher traffic.
- Mod Response: APPROVED.
Duchy of Thuringia: Konrad Jung becomes the provincial vicar of Saxony and Thuringia by his religious order, and he begins to visit and oversee the eleven monasteries in the region. He observes numerous problems or acts of corruption left over since the Henrician Civil War, and begins an arduous process to try to right them. He presents many of his ideas about reforming the church and religion to the monasteries, leading to many secretly considering his position among the monasteries of the region. He begins writing a theory that God alone is able to grant forgiveness, not the Pope or any system within the church. Jung begins to lecture on the Psalms, and on the books of Hebrews, Romans, and Galatians. As he studies these portions of the Bible, he comes to view the use of terms such as penance and righteousness by the Catholic Church in new ways. He becomes convinced that the church is corrupt in its ways and has lost sight of what he sees as several of the central truths of Christianity. Meanwhile, the prophetic writings in Germany seem to point toward the Thin White Duke, and the discovery of the golden plates emboldens him. He continues formulating his politico-religious ideology, using der Vergolten Block, der Glucklich Block und der Tablette Or as a primary source influencing his beliefs. The Thin White Duke also accepts the marriage proposal from Saxony. The printing press industry in Thuringia continues to grow, spurred on by the Thin White Duke, with books from across the known world being translated and mass produced. The White Knights grow exponentially in number at first, and now consist of a significant force. The holy order is tasked with building infrastructure across Thuringia primarily.
Papal States: Pope Pius III is outraged by the Sack of Florence, the crusade was to help the Florentines fight against heresy not sack the city. The pontiff demands that those that participated in the sack be punished, he also announces that the money that would be used to pay the mercenaries that rebelled will be used to recover Florence from the sack. The Jubilee of 1500 is celebrated in Papal States with a solemn mass at the Basilica of Saint Peter. The ideas of the Archbishop of Mainz of how to end the abuses of the use of indulgences are studied by Pius III. With the recent cases of heresy in Europe, scholars of Saint Augustine’s University start to propose works for the defense to the Papacy and the Catholic Faith. Ferdinand of Habsburg and Catherine of Foix have twins, Maria and Magdalena. Peter III of Lenzburg asks Cecilia of Gorizia in marriage. [MOD response needed, please]. The Holy Father creates as cardinals Giovanni Battista Bertuccioli (Papal States), Francesco Eroli (Papal States), Henry Deanne (England), Thomas Savage (England), Tamás Bakócz (Hungary) and Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros (España). The marriage dispensation asked by English diplomats last year is approved by Pope Pius III.
- Marriage accepted.
Kingdom of Hungary: In our nation we produce more movable type press machines in our factories to produce and increase the development of books and flyers. Our navy starts to build more ships in our ports to police our waters from the ongoing shit show with the Italian states. The army itself starts to recruit people in what we call the Black Legion/Regiment. Troopers of the army wore black armor with green highlights to blend in with the forests of our nation. For now we double the amount of troops that protect our borders due to all the fiasco going on with our neighbors. Trade goes well with our neighbors as we increase our imports of technological gadgets from other parts of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Agriculture is a big export out of our nation due to the large rural areas of our nation. Farm towns and villages are experiencing a surplus of crops this year in the fields. The economy is doing well increasing slowly with the flow of money going in and out of the nation due to trade. The start of construction of a university in the capital city begins this year. With the increasing population in our nation especially in the capital city, what we do is start building new homes for our people. With all this construction and building going on new jobs have opened up to our population of people. Unemployment has deceased due to the new jobs being created.
- Banate of Bosnia: Within this territory everything is doing fine. We feed off Hungary itself by prospering with trade and the economy. Our industries are doing what we can to help out Hungary.
- Banate of Severin: The territory experiences prosperity from Hungary. Trade is going well and the economy is as well. Other sectors of the nation do well also helping out Hungary.

Rossiya: Dimitri and Sophia have their first child a girl who is named Katerina. Dimitri thrives in the Court of Constantinople mingling amongst the dignitaries of other nations and the Greek Nobility, clergy, scholars, and artists. He takes a personal in the philosophical works that have seen a revival in the Hellenist wave that has taking root in the city. He also takes a great interest in the Varangian guard of which many a Rus' served in over the centuries. He takes to learning of military history and tactics. Dimitri also becomes close friends with Herodotus II. The collection and redaction of old laws and customs continues with some being dismissed or argued upon between the Tver faction, the republican faction, and the more reactionary Boyars who do not back either side instead seeking to restore the divided nature of the Rus for their own individual gains. Mikhail begins dividing the spoils of the recent conquests amnogst his men to ensure their loyalty to his son, as he feels the strain of years on the saddle. He continues to fund the construction of hsi new fortress at Tver. Reform of the infantry and the overall army structure continues as well drawing on the lessons of the battles form Kazan a larger amount of firearms are required for infantry, along with the need to have a strong countermeasure to cavalry, training in both firearms and polearms is required while the number of Russian cavalry is also seen as in need of an increase with many of the freeholder communities being encouraged to breed more horses to allow fora greater number of them for both war and caravans. Mikhail III promotes the usage of the river ways as a means of improving supply lines and internal trade. Commissioning a large number of large river boats capable of carrying large cargo and others capable of carrying men and cannons to erxert greater control over the river ways that dot Rossiya.
Kingdom of Lotharingia: "Were Di" In Bonen and Artois Generaal-Admiraal begins to notice more and more resistance from lower nobility in the gewesten. The nobles even begining to ensemble an armed force, the force being reported to be around 2,000. Thus Juliaen de Kremer as per his ability raises a further 2,000 soldiers, De Kremer having a total of 5,000 soldiers. Juliaen placing them in cities such as Calais and Bonen, the soldiers ordered to keep the peace and disarm any individual seen as a danger. The troops being armed mostly with pikes and Punaisier, the Generaal-admiraal declaring martial law in Bonen and Artois. As William Wallace former count of Guînes, Compromise seeming unlikely between the king and the former lords and nobles of the land. While in Rotterdam the first shipments of West India, these goods including fish, shark teeth and other vegetation. The land having hundreds of kinds of vegetation herbs and spices, which does create interest and a desire for the RHC to explore more.
Kingdom of Scotland and Ireland: Famine relief efforts finally end this year, after four years, with the temporarily lowered prices of hansa foodstuffs helping us end the famine more quickly and conclusively, allowing us to funnel the extra funds to the C.C.C. Meanwhile, with Ireland now under far more centralized authority as a result of the land seizure and punishment of hoarding nobles and merchants during the famine, we redistribute most of these lands to those Irish lords who continued to stay loyal to their king and people and helped in the famine relief effort or helped persecute and expose though who were hoarding during the famine. Although this of course has not led to full scale land seizure of land from most of the major lords, it has led to major, large scale seizures from many disloyal or incompetent minor lords. These lands are, for the most part, redistributed too those who are loyal (except in Northern Ireland, where much of the seized lands are added to the royal domain in the region), with a few of the most loyal and most favored lords who had the most outstanding service finding the lions share of the seized land redistributed to them, with these men, who were previously very minor lords, such as Matthew McConaughey (mostly in Connaught and the surrounding areas), Seamus Ó Sullivan (based in the Cork region and with various lands from throughout Munster already in his possession), Cormac Mac Ruidhrí (mostly based on Central Ireland but now being lord of various minor townships throughout Ireland), and Seosamh Ó Dhuiling, coming to be some of the most powerful lords in Ireland almost overnight, a position that relies almost entirely on the grace of King Edward from the wrath of those who the land was taken from. With most of the powerful lords in Ireland now being loyalists, we push through a proposal to create a joint parliament between the two kingdoms, which would be located on the isle of Mann, which, although technically part of Scotland, is ethnically distinct from both Ireland and Scotland and is roughly halfway between the two kingdoms. With the newly powerful “new lords” and those who had gained from this crisis in general having gained so much from it and understanding that they rely on the King’s generosity to hold onto it, at least until they can become more powerful, this proposal is quickly pushed through the Irish Parliament, and the Scottish parliament eagerly agrees, leading to the official opening of this joint parliament in Mann this year, and although both of the separate Irish and Scottish parliaments will continue to exist, this greater parliament, with the purpose of coordinating the responses to crises like this in the future, is now established, and will become increasingly important in the future. Meanwhile, with the acquiring of the most major textile company in Scotland and Ireland by Gilmore Druimeanach, he begins to focus on expanding the textile industry into Ireland, as a massive expansion of his operations and the Scottish Textile industry overall. He continues to expand these industries, fueling the Scottish economy even further. Meanwhile, in other news, the popularity of Scottish Whiskey continues to grow in Ireland, as despite the famine being over its popularity remains even after the hard times of it has past, something that is merely the smallest thing used to emphasize the many similarities between the Two Gaelic people’s. In other news, with intermarriage having been encouraged for over two decades now between the Scottish and Irish nobility and the people overall, many of the products of these unions have now become adults and entered the social fabric more broadly, with several having become important throughout both Ireland and Scotland. This serves to further encourage the image of Gaelic unity encouraged by both King Edward and his Father King Robert, as they are living, breathing embodiments of that ideal, being children of both cultures with the best aspects of both, embodying the desire for unity being encouraged.
Saxony: With the turn of the century, large celebrations and extremely loud fireworks go off with a bang this year in the Duchy and Prince-Electorate of Saxony. Edmund Alwin invites all the Prince-Electors and other Dukes and nobles of the Holy Roman Empire, including the newly-elected Holy Roman Emperor himself, to Saxony to join in the celebrations and witness a celebratory festival. While there, a firework goes off right next to Edmund Alwin, badly burning him, and singing his hair, as well as, it is discovered shortly afterward, almost completely deafening him for life. Wenceslaus IV of Saxe-Wittenberg, meanwhile, newly married, has a child named Wenceslaus V of Saxe-Wittenberg (suspiciously only six months into the marriage). Meanwhile, Edmund Alwin deems the writings of Meise dangerous for the Duchy of Saxony, and, havng arrested the man, attempts to poison him. In an interesting parallel to the Count Palatines black liquorice incident of a few years before, Edmund Alwin accidentally gives Meise a bowl of black liquorice instead of arsenic, and the man survives. He also claims to have delivered the rest of the plates he received from angels to his brother Michael. Despite the fact that the plates were being held in a vault, they disappear mysteriously the next day, and a man named Michael comes forward with one and a half silver plates, while another man, also called Michael, comes forward with the other one and a half silver plates. Each publish their own translation, but no-one can figure out how the texts join together. These are even more alarming than the first, proclaiming "Rome is a serpent's egg that must be crushed: The Pope smothered in his shell: Why, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves. Men at some time are masters of their fates.The fault is not in our stars,But in ourselves, that we are underlings." Not wishing to incite Papal anger, Edmund Alwin arrests the men (the Two Michaels) and considers executing them, but seeing that failed dismally and miserably in Meise's case, he ejects and exiles all three men (Meise and his apparent brothers) from Saxony, and they leave and go to Thuringia, which they claim is "God's Home".
Duchy of Habsburg: Leopold von Habsburg dies this year at the age of 68. Peter von Habsburg becomes the new Duke, and Leopold (1489) becomes heir apparent. The Duke proposes close relations with the nations Swabia, and tries to influence Baden region. Fortress built along Rhine River and West Sungau. Alliance offered to Wurttemberg.
Kingdom of England: The establishment of the alliance between England and Sweden leads to greater maritime trade between the countries, which helps the English economy recover from the recent York-Beaufort conflict. However, there remains some dissatisfaction amongst the nobility over the Treaties of Mann and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. In Yorkshire, Richard of York makes use of this dissatisfaction as he tries to rebuild the Yorkshire military, trying to attract local nobles with the promise of a more assertive foreign policy against the Celtic Confederacy. King Henry VII, knowing that Yorkist rebels remain active in Yorkshire, considers sending a large contingent of Lancastrian soldiers north to root them out, but he judges that this would be an overly costly endeavour at this time and instead focuses on improving the stability of England by trying to accelerate the economic recovery from the conflicts. The negative reaction from the Kingdom of Denmark toward the formation of the Anglo-Swedish alliance does not surprise the English Parliament, and they remain convinced that this alliance will be beneficial to England's economy and naval standing. With the aid of James Tuchet, 1st Earl of Essex and Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Bristol, King Henry VII commissions some new ships for the English navy to be built at the ports of Dover and Bristol. King Henry VII also decides that the Catholic Church can be beneficial in improving the stability of England. Thus, he writes to Pope Pius III, proposing that the Order of Divine Mercy establish a branch in England. (Papal response) Archbishop of York Thomas Rotherham dies, and Thomas Savage is translated from the see of London to succeed him. Later in the year, Archbishop of Canterbury John Morton also dies, and Henry Deane is translated from the see of Salisbury to succeed him. The newly married Dorothy Grey and Marcantonio I Colonna visit her father Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset in Dorchester. A result of the visit, Marcantonio meets King Henry VII and is eventually contracted to lead a company of mercenaries in England similarly to his work as a condottiero in Italy. King Henry VII's daughter Mary Beaufort (b. 1490) is betrothed to John Tuchet (b. ~1483), eldest son of James Tuchet, 1st Earl of Essex. King Edward IV of Scotland and Isabella of Habsburg have their second child, a son named Kenneth IV (b. 1500), in honour of the first King of the Scots (OOC: Joseph gave me permission to write about this part of the family tree). Later in the year, Beatrice Beaufort and Thomas Grey the Younger have their second child, a son named Robert (b. 1500); and Sérlait of Bruce-Auvergne and John VII, Duke of Brittany have their second child, a daughter named Bonne (b. 1500). In Europe, Burkhard von Lenzburg and Girolama Farnese have their second child, a daughter named Isabella (b. 1500); and Aymon II, Duke of Savoy and Margaret of Geneva-Lenzburg have their first child, a son named Edward II (b. 1500). Ari IV Sturlungur (1447-1500), uncle of King Domnhall V of Iceland and a distant relative of the Plantagenets through the Lenzburgs, dies of a disease.

Vinland: The population hits 6,350. Trade flourishes. Herleif privately considers converting to Christianity. His son has disclosed he has been privately practicing for years. In other news, the metallurgic industry grows in certain cities.
- Esgigeland and Unamaland: The commonwealth expands deeper into Unamaland.

Greater Kingdom of Arles and Burgundy: The economy is improved and such. Centralisation is boosted.
- Pisa: Philippe Lowen II caves in to local pressure and gethers an army to fights in Italians. They call Arles for support.
Kingdom of Wales: The construction of a line of fortifications is initiated at the Anglo-Cornish borders as dictated by Prince Michael Joseph "An Gof" of Cornwall, with the aim of strengthening the defenses of the recently liberated Principality of Cornwall from the ever lurking English threat. The construction of a similar fortification line at the Anglo-Welsh borders is initiated, drawing parallels as a reverse Offa's/Wat's Dyke due to its intention of keeping the English forces out of Wales, but unlike these primitive earthworks, a solid and adequate for its time fortification line is planned instead of a patch of earthworks, as instructed by King Edmund, who follows suit, recognizing the virtue in Prince Michael's project, as you can never be too safe from the English. Reconstruction continues as we continue to recover from the previous Wars of the Three Realms and the subsequent re-spark of the War of the Roses. Lucrative trade by the Companaidh Ceilteach Afraganach (C.C.C.) with the Emirate of Jabal Asada and the Malian Empire brings newfound wealth to our realm, further encouraging the continuation of our colonial efforts. The newly established printing shops in Cardiff, Caernarfon and other major Welsh cities have proven to be commercial successes, continue circulating best sellers like the Welsh language version of the Bible, "Sinclar's Adventures" by none other than the great explorer Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, "King Arthur, the Progenitor of Wales" by reknowned Welsh author Lewys Glyn Cothi, "A history of the Gaelic peoples" by the Scottish author Micheal MacGille and other already popular books, now rendering them affordable even for the lower nobility, the merchant class and the commoners. The construction of an additional two caravels continues. Our total fleet stands at 12 caravels. With the War of the Roses and the War of the Three Realms behind us, the unifying theme of the worship of Saint Owain (Lawgoch) perseveres, providing a sense of national unity to the Celtic Confederacy, bolstering our efforts to consolidate our realm, to strengthen it sufficiently to be able to withstanding the test of time against the adversity of bordering the vile Kingdom of England. King Edmund continues to promote the reconciliation of his realm, divided into two similar yet starkly different halves, the Pura Walia region, dominated by the independent minded Welsh nobility and the Marchia Walliae region, dominated by the Anglo-Norman nobility, by encouraging the adoption of Welsh customs and traditions by the Anglo-Norman part of his nobility, furthermore encouraging marriages between the Anglo-Normans and Welsh noble families, with a bit more success thus far, as a few more Yorkist and Lancasterian supporters alike, but loyalist to the Welsh crown above all, Anglo-Norman noble families that have good relations with King Edmund of Wales following suit by adopting even more Welsh customs and traditions and/or intermarrying with the Welsh nobility for the time being.
Hindustan: The early 16th century signalled the emergence of a pan-Indian style of architecture known as the Hindustani style of Architecture, after the state and the dynasty which was responsible for its creation. Previously, North India was dominated by what came to be known as the Khilji style of Architecture, after the Khilji dynasty which was a purely unique and indigenous style of Indo-Islamic architecture. The Hindustani style was pan-India in the sense that examples of this style can be found across India and by the 17th century was the dominant style of architecture in the Indian subcontinent. The Hindustani style was an amalgamation of the earlier Khilji style, the Persian style and various regional North Indian styles including North Indian temple architecture. With the rise of Persian influence and the Indo-Persian nobility at the court led the emergence of the Charbagh (four gardens) as an important element of the Hindustani style of architecture.

1501

Pedro Cabral lands at a very large landmass known in OTL as the northern coast of Brazil. Meanwhile, the discovery of the Yucatan peninsula spreads as ground breaking news across Europe, not only indicating a previously-unknown landmass, but also one with complete farming and houses, in contrast to the "savages" encountered so far.

After the mercenaries in Florence go rogue and depose the Papal-backed Medici ruler, in favor of a Spanish puppet, the Medicis form an alliance with Siena, Modena, Venice, and others, to combat Spanish dominance of the Italian peninsula, and expect the Pope to likewise support them. Known as the League of Como, this alliance invades Florence to depose the Spanish claimant. The population of Florence, especially after the brutal sack of the city itself, opposes the new ruler. Aid is also requested from known opponents of the Spanish, such as France and the Holy Roman Empire, who is the current titular King of Italy. Later historians may look at this moment as the first "Italian War".

In India, the unification of the subcontinent under the Hindustani dynasty begins to sew cracks of envy and a growing hatred within the seemingly eternal empire. Disastisfied with the dynasty itself and having differing religious beliefs, the Wali of Bengal declares the independent Sultanate of Bengal, with himself as its head Sultan. To prove legitimacy in the eyes of India, he sends a force of 50,000 to assault Patna. Meanwhile, civil unrest begins to unfold in the Deccan Plateau, with native separatists in Karela amounting 25,000 people.

In France, Count William Wallace of Guines organizes a coalition of French vassals to stop the Lotharingian advancement on the Somme. He gathers a total of 3,300 levies from the Burgundian free nobles to attack the Lotharingian encampments.

In Spain, the latest Andalucian revolt assumes control over population centers comprising almost 80,000 people just north of Gibraltar. This causes significant unrest to also begin to sprout up in the Rif part of Morocco.

The English Royal Advisor expresses grave disapproval of the Treaty of Llanfair, and do not wish to recognize its cession inasmuch as they don't recognize much anything about the Celtic Confederacy. He recommends opening an alliance with France, equally threatened by the Welsh-Scottish interference in Brittany, now finding common ground against a common enemy. King William himself, having cleaned up his own civil war, is open for a temporary rapprochement.

In Naples, a plague breaks out consisting of a very strange and unknown disease, dubbed "syphilis". As this disease only appears on people having unmitigated sex, it is taken to be a divine punishment on people succumbing to lust.

The Xaroyaca Empire collapses suddenly, shaking the balance of power in Mesoamerica. While the Huastec Ehecatl Hualcauhmi expands his realm into the fractured Empire, rumors circulate throughout the region of "sea men" speaking strange tongues arriving in the Yucatan.

In France, Edmund Fontaine of Paris uses iron parts and coiled springs to build a portable timepiece.

Greater Kingdom of Arles and Burgundy: With the coalition of Italian States against Hispania, a small Pisan Army of 3,000 enters Florence. This is to defend it against Italian Attacks. In Arles, Lucas II proclaims the lands to be united as one Kingdom, without the need of Burgundy swearing fealty to France. The recovered Arlean Navy of 60 ships moves to La Spezia, blockading the Modenan Supply. The Painting of Lucas I is painted. Altisi "Sharparm" dies this year, and he is mourned as a great general and warrior. The centralisation of the Kingdom Continues. The economy is improved and six more ships are built.
Dai Viet: The increasing Japanese influence in Southeast Asia has raised serious concerns for Dai Viet. (SECRET). The Emperor discusses with the court about the situation. "The Japanese have been getting their hands on our business lately. What do you think about this?" "The situation is very serious, Your Majesty. First, they have disrupted our domain of the sea. Secondly, they insulted our ally of Majapahit by supporting the independence of Kalimantan. Your Majesty, please consider taking actions against them!" "It's very true that they have been doing that. But, insulting them at the moment can lead to another conflict. I want to avoid that, considering their influence and manpower. They have very good ties with our rival, Siam as well, so I fear that would be a two-front war. So, instead, I will do the following: I will send envoys to ask them about the situation, possibly to improve relations with them. The History Texts also mentions the Madyas nation which we had contacts with during the reign of Emperor Nhan Tong. I will send envoys to them as well, possibly to improve relations with them. That will slowly give us a standing in the archipelago." "Your actions are very wise, Your Majesty. But, what about our ally, Majapahit?" "Sending more troops to aid them would be suicide. The war is lost." (END SECRET). The Emperor sends envoys to Japan carrying gifts of silk and swiftlets' nest to Japan, asking to improve relations with Japan. They also demand Japan's fleet to move away from Dai Viet's domain of the sea, convincing that they mean no offense but just trying to protect the country's domain. (Japan Response Needed). Also, the envoys arrive in OTL Mindoro instead of Madyas. Thinking it was Madyas, the envoys landed in there only to find out the islands isn't occupied by any nation.
- Japanese Dip: The Empire will back off the direct coastal regions of Dai Viet, but the Viet's shall remain tied to the mainland. Further attempts to expand into the islands to their east or south will be met with direct and open Hostility. They are recognized as de-facto part of the Japanese trade umbrella and infringement upon that will result in open conflict as well.
Iceland: The king’s son has a daughter named Anna. Henry is being prepared to take over if his father should suddenly die.
Archbishopric of Mainz: Archbishop Bertrand of Villingen, now Archchancellor, arranges a meeting with the King of Lothringia, in which he requests that the king of Lothringia consider the distinguished officers who have helped him create the Lothringian navy, and recommend an officer of great ability to build up the Imperial navy in the same way. (Lothringian Response). Along the way, he attends the celebration in Saxony, and notes with pleasure that the Duke of Saxony is still a strong defender of the true faith, though he is growing very curious about Thuringia, and resolves to visit there next year. He takes this opportunity to get to know his fellow electors, in preparation for taking up the reins of the imperial administrative system. He continues to preach that the church should hold itself to a high standard of conduct, while at the same time emphasizing the benefits that come from a church with strong, centralized leadership in the form of the Pope and the great good this accomplishes, such as the holy armies that can depose unjust leaders, the massive charity organizations, and the free education which is now available all over the empire. He continues donating extensively from his own personal wealth to the church, living in a more austere manor, as the Pope has modeled. He continues to preach that, as all wisdom is God breathed, so, too, the Church should be the leader in science and education. He patronized the University of Darmstadt, continuing to try to improve it, still seeking more learned priests to teach the philosophy and science classes. He supports the study of ancient literature, having always been a lover of history, in the certainty that all knowledge benefits man and brings him closer to god. He concentrates on improving the laws and taxes of Mainz, and working to increase general prosperity. He patronizes the Assembly of Preachers, Pontifical Press, and publishing of new books. He patronizes the arts and sciences in Mainz. He joins the Pope in condemning strongly the Crusaders who acted in a barbarous and unchristian manor in Florence, and not only makes a donation himself to help repair the damages, but orders the Imperial Treasurer to give a donation as well. He publicly endorses the actions of the League of Como. Imperial Treasurer Kaspar Von Roggendorf continues to monitor closely the income and expenditure of the empire, and keep the tax code fair and the trade revenues high, and to invest in foreign trade. The naval reforms and expansions continue to slowly roll forward. The construction of the Naval Academy in Rostock, and the new port city called Heinrichshaven continue. Von Roggendorf, in his capacity as Treasurer of the entire Holy Roman Empire, continues to patronize the arms industry in Prague, following the same incentive program as Bavaria. Grand Marshall Jan Zizka continues restoring the Army of the Holy Roman Empire. He continues with the reforms and expansions of the Army and its weapons, keeping them cutting edge. He continues to keep their training standards high and well-organized, and continues the practice of mixing men from around the Empire and moving units to different Imperial cities, so they come to think of themselves as soldiers of the Empire, not of one city.
- Lotharingia Response: The Senatus Regus Lotharrii tells the Archbishop that owning Aachen and Gulik is worth more then Paradise. The Senate nor king being interested in the title or even allowing the Imperial navy in Lotharingian cities.
Roman Empire: Facing minor victories in Krete and Eubea, the Roman land forces in Krete are transfered to Eubea to end the fighting there. The naval blockade is continued to keep the island isolated and the Venetian forces there contianed. The 12,000 men kept in reserve are loaded onto ships and joined by the remaining ships of the imperial fleet, some 500 vessels, called for emergency duty. These ships make a break for Venice proper, looking to destroy the local garrison, seize the city’s wealth, and force an end to the war. Should a landing be ill-advised or defenses clearly exceed the strength of the army then a massive naval bombardment will be used to level the Venetian Arsenal and the city’s harbors.
- [Algo, Please]: 12,000 men and 500 ships against Venice’s garrison. The army comprises 10,000 heavy infantry, 2,000 heavy cavalry. The operation will begin with intense naval bombardment of the city followed by an invasion of the un-fortified city. Should the defenders appear to outnumber the Roman Forces the landing will be called-off but bombardment will continue. Great volumes of Greek Fire are brought to fill the Venetian canals with flame to cook the city's inhabitants alive. The liquid is deployed by several large fire-barges built specifically for this task and armored with wetted leather and iron plates. These barges dump hundreds of barrels of the flamable substance throughout the city before lighting the entire-city aflame. The Doge's Palace is also targetted with the aim of leveling in totallity the coastal building.
- [Algo, Please]: With Russian reinforcments of 5,000 heavy infantry and the survivors from the invasion of Krete the Roman forces now number 24,000 men including 15,000 heavy infantry, 6,000 heavy cavalry, and 3,000 light cavlary. They advance on the Venetian positions on the island, setting up a siege against the Venetian fortifications.
Rossiya: Dimitri sends a letter to his father requesting 5,000 men to assist The Greeks in their conquest of Venetian held lands. Mikhail III aquices to this sending 5,000 men to be commanded by his son. The young Russian who was in charge of these exchanges is a young Russian from Kiev named Nikolai Turgenev the son of a Russian merchant who started trading in Moldovia and in Crimean back in the 1480s making himself a small fortune on tapping into the Black Sea Trade. Nikolai proves to be a steadfast friend of Dimitri and shows his knack for discrettion in dealing with the biddings of the young Prince and proves resourceful in doing these jobs quickly making himthe right hand man of the Prince as his clerk. The Rus fighting under Dimitri partake in the battle of Eubea fight in formation with the greeks adopting their formations of piketeers using Greek Menulions (pikes) and muskeeters. Back in Rossiya. Tensions continue to grow as efforts to push for a more centralized administration are resisted by many of Boyars and the republican faction in the cities. Mikhail continues to do all he can to bolster his son's position making sure that the lower noblity and freeholders who provide the core of his personal vassals remain loyal to him. Despite the administrative issues and economic growth continues in Novgorod, Tver and KIev.
Hindustan: Shamsher Singh died earlier that year and was succeeded by his eldest nephew (eldest son of his brother Hussain), his nominee, Zulfiqar Mirza and adopted the regnal title of Devanampriya Samraat Zulfiqar Mirza Hindustani (Beloved of the Gods Emperor Zulfiqar Mirza Hindustani). Zulfiquar Mirza was chosen above Shamsher Singh’s two sons as he considered them unable to rule the vast Empire that he had established. Empress Viti, the wife of the Ethiopian Emperor was close to her cousin brother, Zulfiqar Mirza, he was extremely despised by Haydar Singh, Shamsher Singh’s second eldest. Ahmed Singh, Shamsher Singh’s eldest, had accepted Zulfiqar’s nomination to respect his father’s decision. Ahmed Singh’s relations with Zulfiqar Mirza remained frosty at best. The Wali of Bengal, Wali Kapilendra Gajapati, decided to initiate a revolt against the new Samraat (Emperor) knowing of the situation in Delhi. He was able to get the elderly General Narendra ud-Daula on his side and expected to win his sovereignty. While Kapilendra Gajapati had expected that his revolt would lead to a breakdown in Delhi, it did not happen. Zulfiqar Mirza immediately dispatched 80,000 troops of the Imperial Army and 50 light cannons under General Sikander Bakht to defend Patna. This also led Zulfiqar Mirza to strengthen the Intelligence department and expand it issuing a Farman (which was the first Farman to be printed using a Metal Movable Type) However, the Department had been severely weakened over the previous years and had fallen into insignificance, Zulfiqar Mirza’s sudden interest would not be able to stop further revolts, as history has shown. Zulfiqar Mirza was also the first ruler to adopt the title of Emperor and began calling his realm as the Hindustani Samrajya (Hindustani Empire).
County Palatine of the Rhine: After a few years in office, Philip had left his mark on the empire and the culinary world forever. He completed his recipe book, which functioned as a sort of memoir, and left the truth of his secret ingredient to his eldest son Louis. On one fateful day in March, the Emperor decided to make his most daring experiment yet: a layer cake that was a life-sized sculpture of Charlemagne. This proved a daunting task, that kept the Emperor up day and night. The later investigation would posit that it was during this state of impaired judgment from lack of sleep, and perhaps also from consumption of cooking wine, that the Emperor accidentally left the ovens on for too long. When responders arrived to help the Emperor a firing was already blazing that consumed part of the Emperor’s laboratory in downtown Frankfurt. Although Imperial Guard Jan Jakob attempted to rescue him from the flames, the smoke proved too much for the older Emperor, and he passed away by morning.
Hesse: When the news of the Emperor passing reaches Agnes of Hesse, she believes the office may be cursed and urges her husband Jezrahiah not to run. Instead she learns that Frederick von Hohenzollern is running, and she endorses him. After discovering the news that he tried to frame her for murder, Agnes hopes that will get him away from Hesse. As Frederick is quite ambitious and conceited he takes up the campaign vigorously. She makes a grim realization, that the Emperor was killed in the presence of a Hessian knight, making her wonder if it was truly an accident that he died and the Hessian claimants are now running.
Kingdom of Lotharingia: "Were Di" Juliaen de kremer Generaal-admiraal is brought aware of the army of 3,300 soldiers under William Walace of Guines. It becomes clear to the Generaal-Admiraal that even as peace is desired, that faith has chosen otherwise for him. Thus Juliaen sends a messenger to the King Jan V about the current situation and on the fact that the Gewesten are in danger and that he desires more troops to prevent foreign intervention from helping the rebelion. The king responds with first ensuring the full might of the General-admiral in Artois and Bonen and by sending an aditional 1,500 soldiers, while Juliaen recruits another 500 pikemen. This totals the Lotharingische armee in Krijggebiet West to 7,000 soldiers mostly centered around the City of Bonen which he declares a fotres which must fight until death. While in Rotterdam the RHS Rijnpoort, Rotterdam and Zuyder Zee return back from the "Eilanden met Hemelse stranden". They return with even greater wealth then before with more fish gold, rare stones and metals and foods, this wealth being yet untapped by any mayor power. Thus the Rotterdamse handels compagnie prepares to make voyages happen every two years and explore the land around Fasul peninsula. As it is believed that the lands around the peninsula have even greater wealth, as the peninsula is believed to have an unlimited amount of food and vegetation. The peninula being remarked with fertility of the lands and people, as the Lucayan speak about a lake that can make people youthfull once more. While in Frisia the "Wagenaar famyljebedriuw" sets their first journey to lands way this being the Orkney Islands where some fish and whale fat and many other goods. This confirming the companies status as a starting company daring to take risks, which foreign merchants shouldn't mess with. King Leonard even looking into investing into the company itself, as it shows great potentional which could help the royal navy greatly.
Kingdom of Portugal: With the discovery of Brazil, the king claims all of Brazil for Portugal as Cabral is appointed governor of Portuguese Brazil after establishing a trade post in Porto Seguro. (nate gave permission). Dias returns to his post as Governor of Angola which continues to grow steadily. The alliance with the Celts is signed which is done in an effort to grow Portugal's power. In the other colonies the profits keep increasing due to increasing trade with the natives. This year's colonial suplus is being used to build bridges and roads in Sao Tome and Principe, to make the environment more friendly to live in.
Kingdom of Mutapa: Mata begins to write a book himself about the intermingling of Mitshawri and Faraism. The docks at Tunga are expended as 16 ships now patrol coastal waters. (I was navy building prior to 1500 you can check.) The settlement in Saldahna bay is slowing teaching the Khoe the ways of Mutapa with the usual pastoralist moving thier camps closer to the settlement. Adai leaves to map the Northern Domains of the kingdom. Settlers at Lake Malawai complain of native attacks. Mata dispatches 100 cavalrymen to track down the leaders of tribes in the area in try to integrate them. Kiku the one-eyed returns to Ithiyopiya to ask officals if they would like to visit our lands. (Ethiopian Player response.) Another ship is sent the island of Mozambique to ask who these new settlers are. (Portuguese player response.) ~~Blast furnaces slowly pop up around the capital but are limited to close to the royal house and mostly in the Ahruja quarter.~~ Tamil becomes more and more a part of the language as concept not in shona are just kept in Tamil.
- You lack sufficient metallurgy knowledge to have blast furnaces. -Drenegan
Saxony: Edmund Alwin is saddened to hear of the passing away (death) of the Emperor, who he voted for, and sends a message to Frederick von Hohenzollern, saying he will vote for him in exchange for the Counties of Lindau and Wernigerode (Hesse Response?) However, he also pledges to vote for whoever can promise him the most territories. He hopes this is an acceptable request. The "wuntein" (from French Fontaine) becomes the most common and popular kind of timepiece in Saxony. Edmund Alwin also proposes that the County Palatine be raised to an electorate - having produced one Emperor, it ought to be given the electoral dignity, he feels. Shadrach de la Marck has one illegitimate son, named Otto Shadrach. A painter named Gottfried Palast Lustrum, in Saxony, is found to be able to paint and create remarkably lifelike portraits.
Kingdom of Bohemia: After the death of Philip II, Ottokar IV considers running for the office of Emperor, but finds himself too preoccupied with other developments. He does not attend the election, but partially through the insistence of his brother Charles, the Bohemian delegation votes for Frederick von Hohenzollern. It is noted that there is increased activity of the Taborites in Bohemia, leading to an uneasy situation among the religious. Works from neighboring Thuringia and Saxony began to circulate within the nation thanks in part to the printing press, leading to increased proliferation of non-orthodox ideology. In Brandenburg especially, where Duke Charles is a noted opponent of the Pope, the estates there are increasingly more lenient and slow to act against heretical communities. The King, however, has no noted objection to the Pope, and he tries to promote religious uniformity. Improvements to the military are undertaken, with the professional army setting a goal of equipping one in every four soldiers with a firearm, as opposed to the previous norm of one in five, and the European average of one in ten. This proves an expensive undertaking, and is a goal that is only gradually met. In order to fund this going forward, changes to taxation and bureaucracy began in the days of Henry III continue to be expanded. ~~Nationwide a system of taxing households based on wealth, as assessed by regular censuses is implemented, which is collected twice a year in times of war.~~ In order to make tax collection easier, a coin system reform is introduced, in which a coin with finer silver content, weighing one-half gram, is implemented, and a more stable ratio of 100 coins of silver to one coin of gold is implemented. The Bohemian army also further decreases cost and improves its doctrine based on the lessons of the Taborite movement; pavisors and wagons are used to guard infantry, while the nation’s cavalry is trained in harassing enemy forces attacking the center. Bohemia also houses one of the most renowned cannon makers in Europe, as the decrees of the Henry III have led to Prague being home to the main cannon producers of the Empire, which in turn has made them one of the most sought after continentally. The nation has a large number of light cannons, which are chiefly used in pitched battles as opposed to only sieges, and are more mobile than cannons of old.
- That method of taxation is more of a modern development than one suited for this time period. -Drenegan.
Empire of Japan: Empress Suiko having put in much time into governing the country recognizes the clear fact that her own husband, having been handpicked for her at the age of 16 has effectively not been involved in any politics even as a member of the Fujiwara clan which hold the title of a High noble house of Japan. Her husband Yoshiro having refused to let their son participate in government or martial education has flown in the face of many of the long held traditions of the Imperial family. However, as their son reaches the age he should involve himself in a political position, Yoshiro refuses to let the 17-year-old leave the imperial-held castle in Nagoya. As crown prince Kenshiro is held against his will essentially, much to Suikos Chagrin a surprising amount of support comes from the the daimyo of the country as they all see this as a mishandling of the crown prince and spitting in the face of the Empress. This surprising outpouring of Support emboldens Suiko who in a shocking move neglects to use the Imperial army and orders that her son be retrieved from Nagoya Castle immediately, using specifically forces from the daimyo giving them an implicit trust that her son will come to no harm. Of the hundreds of Daimyo, 93 offer up their personal forces and march on Nagoya now bereft of Imperial forces who had been ordered to stand down and remain in their barracks. Yoshiro left with only 300 of his personal guards relents releasing the boy and commits Seppuku bringing the bizzare episode to a close. As Kenshiro arrives in the capital to great fanfare he is submitted to rigourous testing to figure out his lacking skills and is promptly pushed at the Zaibatsu to train him in the ways of managing trade and heavy arithmatic and writing to get him up to speed and prepare the young man to become emperor of Japan one day. Known simply as the Sarawak concession the Japanese administration of the area has been relatively problem free for the first year and the assessment of the region has come it. Kuchin being a relatively decent sized port is slated to become the Japanese supply and transit hub of the entire region for Japanese based trade and military action. the 15,000 troops previously sent to the region are requested to be kept there specifically by the Zaibatsu which wish to see their trade in the region remain and offer to help offset the cost of maintaining them. With 5,000 troops left on Batam and the remaining 10,000 in the Sarawak Concession the Imperial diet authorizes the troops to remain and replaces the active Kensei order troops with 5,000 imperial troops. The separation of Kalimantan has also had far reaching consequences, most of them good as the state has breathed its first breath of freedom in decades. While a sultanate in its own right, the warm relations between Japan and Kalimantan promptly get warmer as the trade between the two starts to speed up and a lack of persecution of muslims continues to remain a source of improving relations. As the situation calms down still the large fleet sent to handle the situation is disbanded and the Southern Combined fleet returns to their respective regions with the 250 ship South China Sea fleet now basing most of its operations out of Kuchin rather than Batam. However, a significant presence of the fleet is still given at Batam due to its strategic positioning. As of the census this year including the new Sarawak concession the Empire of Japan is noted to have nearly 11.5 million people and growing. A trend, however, is noticed that even with major trade going full steam ahead, the local economies seem to be doing absolutely fantastic. With prosperity and a major surplus, as well as multiple years of record harvests, the population has started to grow at a heavy rate on the home islands as well as a few places in Manzhuguo. This begins to fuel into a newer trend of more largescale urbanization occuring in Japan. With a stable home currency, the cataloguing of secret fields and the growing use of cultivated land, and the large scale improvements in varying local economies, Japan has begun a period of unprecedented population growth. This year a more permanent expedition of settlers is sent to Kenenaitzu to maintain hold over the area. Multiple landings also result in further claiming of land on the island chain running up to the Kenenaitzu settlement. Development in the Azuma islands, now properly named as the Koba islands (after Kenta Koba who settled the region originally in the north) continues as multiple smaller villages have begun to pop up across japanese held territory in the region.
Duchy of Habsburg: Peter fathers twins: Ernest and Maximilian in year 1491, they are now ten years of age. Peter discovers he has an aunt, long lost sister of Leopold, they are invited into family and given place to live. In fact, all Habsburgs, the Duke gives a place for them to reside in Swabia. Niccolo von Habsburg, having been a priest, petitions holy father to be a cardinal. (Papal response). Albert VII von Habsburg is hosted in party, and the relative is granted lands, decides the Duke. Declared Lord of Kehl, across from Strasbourg. Alliance offered to Wurttemburg still. (player response) and to Hesse (player response).
Kingdom of Hungary: In our capital we continue to build the biggest university of all of Europe. We develop and expand our mines all throughout the nation. Our military recruits new people to join daily by setting up flyers around the nation. The royal black army academy in our nation begins remodeling by adding more to the existing building making it bigger. With trade going so well we import military weaponry and tactical books at an increased rate so we can equip our troops with the most brilliant educational material. As for the weaponry, we only buy the most advanced weapons on the market from whoever is selling. Other stuff we import is more technology from other nations. In our factories we continue to produce more printing presses so we can increase the number of books and flyers within the nation. Agriculture is going well with that being our biggest export from our nation. With fighting going on in Venice, we guard our border more tightly on our side and shoot down any person from their side of the boader that tries to cross into our nation. The ports increase by the develop of more ports. On the ports more ships are made for the navy.
- Banate of Bosnia: Within this territory everything is doing fine. We feed off Hungary itself by prospering with trade and the economy. Our industries are doing what we can to help out Hungary.
- Banate of Severin: The territory experiences prosperity from Hungary. Trade is going well and the economy is as well. Other sectors of the nation do well also helping out Hungary.
Kingdom of Ayutthaya: The war with Majapahit has finally been concluded with its unconditional surrender in the wake of the loss of all its forces invading Bali. The entirety of Majapahit's holdings on Sumatra and Bangka are to become vassal to Ayutthaya with the Molucca Islands and South Sulawesi released as allied sovereign states to Ayutthaya with the Ayutthayan Commerce Guild monopolizing on the spices they produce in exchange for fair compensation. With the island of Bangka under Ayutthayan control a force of troops is sent to expel the Dai Viet garrison from the island and ensure that the island is firmly in the hands of Ayutthaya's vassals. With the war finally over, Prince Borromarachathirat III has begun to move aggressively to expand and consolidate the hinterlands between Phitnanulok and Ayutthaya due to Ayutthaya's forces still returning from Bali in preparation for the inevitable conflict to come. The Capital Defense Corps of Ayutthaya has been deployed in far larger patrols than in the years prior to combat the Phitsnanulok troops moving into the regions with Sunan Kudus reaching out to the cities and towns of the Malay peninsula, who are extremely loyal to him following his time as governor, to contribute their forces to Ayutthaya's efforts to secure as much possible before tensions boil over. The Conservative faction of Ayutthaya's court have begun to withdraw to their holdings and regions as they have chosen to side with Borromarachathirat III in the coming conflict and started the mobilization of their forces. In the meantime, Ramathibodi II has undertaken efforts to begin moving Ayutthayan documents, records, artifacts, and other treasures to safe locations where they are to remain until the war is over as a precaution should Ayutthaya ever come under threat. The Ayutthayan navy remains wholeheartedly loyal to the Royalist faction and continues to oversee the flow of commerce and trade due to their inability to affect the war on land. The Japanese quarter of Ayutthaya have offered a group of troops made up entirely of volunteers to Ramathibodi II granting him the use of the the Japanese samurai who had made their home in Ayutthaya. The Commerce Guild has declared its intent to remain neutral on the matter but has made concealed efforts to supply and reinforce the Royalist in a way that ensures they profit.
- Dai viet response: Dai viet demands Ayutthayan troops to withdraw from bangka as the island is under Dai Viet occupation. Dai viet have been making concessions with Ayutthaya throughout the war and thus demand Siamese troops to respect dai viet’s presence in bangka considering they have already have access to most of sumatra.
- Ayutthaya Diplo: Dai Viet's demands are refused on the grounds that Bangka was Majapahit territory under the security of Dai Viet's forces meaning that Dai Viet possesses no legal claim to the island unlike Belitung where Dai Viet does have a legal claim considering its purchase of the island. The concessions Dai Viet speaks of are entirely unknown to Ramathibodi Ii.
Kingdom of England: King Henry VII of England is hesitant about the royal advisor who encourages an alliance with France; given that a lot of the English nobility still resents the French for the loss of the English continental territories a few decades ago and the current French King has a dubious reputation on the continent, he thinks this would not be a good idea. Nonetheless, King Henry VII agrees with the general notion that alliances outside of the British Isles will help stabilise and strengthen England. Aside from the recently establish alliance with Sweden, King Henry VII also writes to the King of Spain, asking to reaffirm the Anglo-Spanish alliance that was in place during most of the Hundred Years' War. (Spain response). King Henry VII also writes to the King of Lotharingia, another nation that had aided England during the Hundred Years' War, proposing an alliance between England and Lotharingia also. (Lotharingia response). The Anglo-Swedish alliance continues to benefit the English economy and help it recover from the recent war, with the English selling coal and salt in exchange for metal ores and lumber from Sweden. In Yorkshire, Richard of York continues to use dissatisfaction with the Treaties of Mann and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch to gather local nobles to his side, promising a more aggressive foreign policy towards the Celtic nations. The deposed Edward VII, who by now has reached adulthood and gained a voice of his own, generally agrees with this strategy of gathering support but is more moderate in temperament. Though, their influence remains constrained to the very north of England, with the only major noble currently supporting them being Henry Percy, 5th Earl of Northumberland, while the nobles of Westmorland (including Edith, mother and effective regent of the young Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland) are more Lancastrian and stymie Richard of York's diplomatic efforts. Under the leadership of James Tuchet, 1st Earl of Essex, boatbuilding continues in the ports of Essex, which benefits the maritime trade between England and Sweden. With the approval of Pope Pius III (OOC: Lou could not post this turn but said this would be approved), friars, monks and nuns of the Order of Divine Mercy arrive in England. King Henry VII grants them land near Wells Cathedral in his home county of Somerset to establish an abbey/priory, which becomes known as Bluefriars similarly to how Dominican priories are called Blackfriars and so on; the name Bluefriars is also used by some establishments of the Augustinian sub-order the Brothers of Penitence but these are relatively uncommon. Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset (1455-1501) dies of a disease and his son of the same name (b. 1477), the husband of King Henry VII's daughter Beatrice Beaufort, becomes the 2nd Marquess of Dorset. George Beaufort, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Isabella della Rovere have their third child, a daughter named Anne (b. 1501). Later in the year, Henrietta Beaufort and her second husband William Courtenay have their first child (her fourth), a son named Philip (b. 1501); and Edmund Courtenay and Anne of Bruce-Auvergne have their fifth child, a son named Reginald (b. 1501). In Europe, Anna of Geneva-Lenzburg (1431-1501), aunt of Peter III, titular Count of Geneva, a distant relative of the Plantagenets through the Lenzburgs, dies of natural causes. In Chambéry, Aymon II, Duke of Savoy and Margaret of Geneva-Lenzburg have their second child, a daughter named Marianne (b. 1501); and in Rome, Peter III, titular Count of Geneva and Cecilia of Gorizia have their first child, a daughter named Joan (b. 1501).
Empire of Ethiopia: The Imperial Trade Guild begins hearing from a number of merchants in India of the magnificent wealth of the spice kingdoms in the East. This, combined with Makda Akousa’s report of a wealthy island spice kingdom east of India, compels the Imperial Trade Guild to fund a group of ships sailing eastwards, where, following Makda Akousa’s records and maps, they arrive at a port of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The Ethiopian merchants express their greetings to the Kingdom, and express their desire to begin initiating trade between the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the Ethiopian Empire. [AYUTTHAYA RESPONSE NEEDED]. With more cannons arriving in Ethiopia, the Emperor orders that the Imperial cities begin being fitted with cannons to provide better defenses. The first city to be outfitted with cannons is not the Imperial capital of Barari, but instead the port of Beri, which serves as Ethiopia’s largest port on the Red Sea. The arrival of Hindustani iron workers also leads to the establishment of an Imperial Foundry in Ethiopia. The Indian iron workers soon begin to teach cast iron forging to Ethiopian metalworkers.
- Ayutthaya Diplo: The land of Ethiopia is recalled from an expedition launched decades ago where the expedition provided aid in exchange for the acquisition of arquebus' from a distant land and trade was stabilized. Although Ethiopia is remembered of fondly, their integration into direct trade with Ayutthaya is done with reluctance and limitations considering that their religion is one that brought ruin to China decades ago and still has the ire of the Tian Dynasty.
Kingdom of Wales: King Edmund of Wales dies from old age at the age of 67, having lived a full and trully magnificent life, novel material. His son, Crown Prince Lionel, ascents to the throne of Wales. The construction of a line of fortifications continues at the Anglo-Cornish borders, as dictated by Prince Michael Joseph "An Gof" of Cornwall, with the aim of strengthening the defenses of the recently liberated Principality of Cornwall from the ever lurking English threat. The construction of a similar fortification line at the Anglo-Welsh borders also continues, drawing parallels as a reverse Offa's/Wat's Dyke due to its intention of keeping the English forces out of Wales, but unlike these primitive earthworks, a solid and adequate for its time fortification line is planned instead of a patch of earthworks, as instructed by King Edmund, who follows suit, recognizing the virtue in Prince Michael's project, as you can never be too safe from the English. Reconstruction continues as we continue to recover from the previous Wars of the Three Realms and the subsequent respark of the War of the Roses. Lucrative trade by the Companaidh Ceilteach Afraganach (C.C.C.) with the Emirate of Jabal Asada and the Malian Empire brings newfound wealth to our realm, further encouraging the continuation of our colonial efforts. The newly established printing shops in Cardiff, Caernarfon and other major Welsh cities have proven to be commercial successes, continue circulating best sellers like the Welsh language version of the Bible, "Sinclar's Adventures" by none other than the great explorer Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, "King Arthur, the Progenitor of Wales" by reknowned Welsh author Lewys Glyn Cothi, "A history of the Gaelic peoples" by the Scottish author Micheal MacGille and other already popular books, now rendering them affordable even for the lower nobility, the merchant class and the commoners. The construction of an additional two caravels finishes. Our total fleet stands at 14 caravels. The construction of an additional two caravels is initiated. With the War of the Roses and the War of the Three Realms behind us, the unifying theme of the worship of Saint Owain (Lawgoch) perseveres, providing a sense of national unity to the Celtic Confederacy, bolstering our efforts to consolidate our realm, to strengthen it sufficiently to be able to withstanding the test of time against the adversity of bordering the vile Kingdom of England. King Edmund continues to promote the reconciliation of his realm, divided into two similar yet starkly different halves, the Pura Walia region, dominanated by the independent minded Welsh nobility and the Marchia Walliae region, dominanated by the Anglo-Norman nobility, by encouraging the adoption of Welsh customs and traditions by the Anglo-Norman part of his nobility, furthermore encouraging marriages between the Anglo-Normans and Welsh noble families, with a bit more success thus far, as a few more Yorkist and Lancasterian supporters alike, but loyalist to the Welsh crown above all, Anglo-Norman noble families that have good relations with King Edmund of Wales following suit by adopting even more Welsh customs and traditions and/or intermarrying with the Welsh nobility for the time being.
Vinland: The population hits 6,350. Herleif is injured this year during a hunting expedition and dies. He is succeeded by his son Eric Kuis, who immediately proclaims that the Christian shrine near Elufsker be rebuilt in stone. This causes puzzlement among the Odinist tribal elite. In other news, trade flourishes and the metallurgic industry develops.
- Esgigeland and Unamaland: The commonwealth pushes deeper into Unamaland.

1502

Another day, another stealing of Sky's ideas. SolaceEaSw (talk) 04:33, May 7, 2020 (UTC)

COMPETITION: Starting this month, we are going to be hosting writing contests to flesh out the world around us. We want to know about something fun or cool in your nation. These contests will judge pages about MdM you’ve written (not turns in game). We're going to give you a prompt and let you run with it. The first Merveilles du Monde Writing Contest will begin on May 1st and will run until May 31st. Voting will open during the final week of May. For this month, the topic is religion: This includes but is not limited to religious thinkers, sects, heresies, philosophers, persecutions, and saints. You may write about anything pertaining to the topic that took place between 1295 and the in-game current date.

Frederick von Hohenzollern is elected Emperor Frederick IV of Germany.

The League of Como successfully takes the city of Florence after a brief battle, capturing the previous king and reinstalling Lorenzo de Medici. Their success prompts a similar revolt in Genoa among the populace, with Modena spearheading an invasion there to liberate Genoa. Concurrently, a revolt breaks out in Pisa with League support, as the nobility of the city seek to elect their ruler once more, as opposed to the Arlesian King who rules the city.

The declining state of Nubia splinters the region into numerous, competing tribal federations, with borders being stationed between the Islamic north and the Coptic south. One of these northern federations, led by a Bedouin warrior known as Ak'ari al-Tabat, establishes the Tabatabai Sultanate in OTL Aswan.

A visionary Mullah in the city of Gao, only referred to as "the Antouman", preaches that Yuniyya Islam is bullshit, and that the Chad Emperor practices heresy and wears dresses in his spare time. Although this is currently unknown to the Emperor of Mali, the Antouman grows popular in the local area, with a cult of personality attracting supporters.

The Safavid Dynasty of Persia begins to lead a campaign in the east, conquering some of the states that broke away from the Timurid Dynasty generations ago.

The death of Maharaja Shamsher Singh cracks the long-held sediment of unification in India, with many religious and political leaders speaking simply proclaiming that "no one can simply succeed such a great leader!", although many wish to put their name to the throne. Among these claimaints are the Nayaka Feudal Lords of the Deccan and the South, who collectively organize into the treacherous and unrelenting Nayaka Federation. Proclaiming the succession of Zulfiquar Mirza to be illegitimate, they coalesce around another throne claimant, the Shiqdar of Gulbarga. Within weeks, the city of Gulbarga is conquered, becoming a central point for the new Nayaka state. The Nayaka state now stands, threatening the imposing forts of Alaipur (Devagiri) and Sultanpur themselves, very important cities of Hindustan. The Nayaka begin an assault against the 60,000 Hindustani troops in Kerala with an army of 72,000, utilizing flanking strategies to advance against an army up-hill.

With the war against Majapahit over, the Conservative faction of the Court has begun to take up arms against the city of Ayutthaya, in support of Prince Borromaracha III in Phitsnanulok. The faction maintains defiance against the policies of the court on a variety of issues.

Japanese outposts created in the newly discovered lands of the north are abandoned due to conflict with the natives.

Mali Empire: Details on each Mansa's personal life is largely undocumented during this time period, so constructing the personality of each ruler is often times a challenge of historians. Mustafa II is described by people of his court as extremely youthful and virile, performing feats of athleticism such as riding his hourses through the Aviary of Timbuktu. He was noted to distance himself from court politics, and instead focus on running the empire's administration directly in person. The accusations of his political enemies often described the Mansa as rather effeminate, dressing himself in brighter colors and makeup, or even in some cases wearing a dress. It's not clear how much of these accusations were exaggarations, especially as many of these words were not published until many years after the fact. One theory ties back to the protrait of Mansa Mustafa in the "Hall of Emperors" in the Nabi Yunus Mosque in Timbuktu, which depicts him wearing an archaic West African robe that could be mistaken as a dress. Another theory was raised in the 1930s after the exhumation of Mustafa's bones, which suggest that he posessed much wider hips and narrow waist compared to the average person at the time. At any rate, these kind of lampoons was just a small symptom of the growing problems in the inland regions of the empire, particularly in the subkingdom of Gao. Gao had slowly become more of a hub of Sunni Muslims that had immigrated from Bornu, which continued to clash with the Yunni Islam more common in the Mali Empire. It was in this context that the Sunni Muslim preacher Jayob Antouman fostered support in his ongoing conflict against the Yunni faith. In the south, the Mansa hopes to follow through the success of Jabal Asada in order to secure religious harmony across the tributaries of West Africa. The drastically-increased tribute of slaves are assumed from Asada's new vassal of Futa Jallon, and will continue as a firther explotation of their human resoruces. Mansa Mustafa reaches out to the Emir of Jabal Asada, commanding that he should come visit the city of Segu to pay homage to the Manding Caliph, the true successor of Muhammad, affirming his allegience to the Yunni Sect of Islam. (Player RESPONSE). The rising power of the Abbasid Caliph in Egypt is of great alarm to the empire, in the midst of dealing with religious conflict between the Sunnis and Yunnis. He attempts to send an envoy of peace to Egypt, consisting of 80 camels, 60 donkeys, 70 officers, 110 slaves, 50 Mithqals of gold and 100 Mithqals of salt, to the Caliph in Cairo. He says by the envoy that the Mali Emperor would ask to respect our alliances and trade relations in Egypt as we have had for many years, insofar as recognizing Al-Mutawakkil as the Sultan of Egypt, but we do not recognize him as the successor of Muhammad, as has been an ancient custom of our people. (EGYPT RESPONSE). Exploration of the Atlantic Ocean continues, as Mali seeks to find better trade routes to India to replace the declining resource of the Sahara Caravan trade. In light of our long-standing mutually-beneficial trade relations, the Mali Empire reaches out to the Kontor of the Hanseatic League in Mar Yakub (Cape Verde), asking for purchasing their navigation charts and maps to have a better understanding the extent of the known world, and what routes the Europeans are using to reach India. (HANSA RESPONSE).
Abbasid Caliphate: The reign of Caliph al-Mutansir II was a point of turbulence but was necessary for the growth of the Abbasid dynasty after centuries of misplacement and disaster consistantly looming at all times. The size of the Grand Army, established nearly three years prior, outfits the seven major fortresses of the Caliphate with each holding 3,000 troops directly, supporting a total of 21,000, with the Quwalnukhba stationed in Cairo. Caliph al-Mutansir II, hearing about the rise of Muslims in their struggle against the Spanish Crown, declares war on the Spanish Empire, sending a force of 5,000 warriors, led by Ibrahim al-Jan ibn Muhammad, to establish a source of security and liberation for the people of Rif in the city of Nador, while an additional force of 6,000, led by a young but the strategical Admiral Emran ibn Mohammad Ahl al-Baghdadi, flank the garrisons at Taourirt in a surprise raid at night. [Algos Needed]. A Mamluk knight and diplomat known as Abdel Baqer Al-Najdi travels to the domain of the Wattasid dynasty, expressing that the Abbasid Caliph will ensure the return of Rif to the people of Morocco if they become a vassal of The Caliphate. [Wattasid Response Needed]. Meanwhile, Samir al-Azad gathers enough funds to venture into the Indian Ocean, heading eastward towards these mysterious spice kingdoms, launching off of the port of Dhaka. I wonder where he will go. [Mod Response Needed].
- The expedition travels and arrives at a land known as Hindustan at a city by the name of Goa. -Drenegan.
Iceland: The heir has another son named Arnar.
Vinland: The population reaches 6,475. Trade flourishes with the Mi'kmaq and throughout the island. The metallurgic industry grows this year. Many smiths and metalworkers hear rumors of the great technology and fine crafts of the sea-farers from the east. They mentions these rumors at the 1502 Thing held in Vargrberg, requesting that Eric Kuis bring new knowledge and technology to Vinland. Eric Kuis, in response, sends letter to the Portuguese, petitioning the Queen to send men of great expertise to Vinland in order to educate the island's people on new metalworking techniques and technologies. [PORTUGUESE RESPONSE]. In other news, Eric Kuis proclaims Christianity a "great faith" at the Thing. Rumors persist that he is a secret Christian, although because there is hope he brings better techology and knowledge to this island, this is temporarily tolerated.
- Esgigeland and Unamaland: The commonwealth expands further into Unamaland. Keathutberga reaches a population of 294.
- Portuguese Dip: We accept and sens a group of out finest metalworkers to them.
In the Messin Republic this year, a new Head-Aldermann is elected named Arnaud, and he prioritizes strengthening the nation to handle possible future threats in these uncertain times. He orders the training of a small army that in times of war can be supplemented by mercenaries and levies. A new system is also put in place to better count the population and fairly raise said levies. Arnaud reaches out to the nearby nation of Saarbrucken, stating that both of our nations have much to gain from mutual cooperation and protection against much larger neighboring nations, and Arnaud believes that by banding together and combining their administrations, they can ensure the mutual defense of both regions more easily. Therefore he asks Saarbrucken to join the Messin Republic as an equal member, with full citizenship and voting rights for its aristocracy, and with the leaders of Saarbrucken retaining their autonomy and leadership over their respective region. (Mod response needed). Arnaud also asks the Duchy of Habsburg, Duchy of Wurttemberg, and the Swabian League for allies. (Player and mod responses needed).
- The County of Saarbrucken does not feel like they need to join in the Messin Republic, as they are more closely aligned politically with Nassau, but they are grateful for the offer
- Wurttemburg is not sure of an alliance right away but they are open for closer diplomatic relations
Kingdom of Ayutthaya: The conflict between the Royalist and Conservative factions have broken out in full swing this year. In the opening phases, the Capital Defense Corps of Phitsanulok, numbering at 6,000 men, has advanced to engage and capture the city of Sukhothai pinning the garrison of 2,000 inside the city. Hearing news of the actions of Prince Borromarachathirat III, Ramathibodi II calls on the garrison of Ayutthaya as well as the initial troops that could be quickly gathered from as far south as Ranong, amassing a force 14,000 strong to advance on Phitsnanulok with him at the helm. The troops make it far north as the Royalist city of Uthai Thani before the Conservative city of Nakhon Sawan and nearby Conservative cities and towns dispatch a force composed of 10,000 men to halt the Royalist forces from making any further headway. The troops engaged in pitched battle along the banks of the Chao Phraya River near the town of Plalai with the first major battle of the war ending in a victory for the Conservatives under the command of Sakda Thanom and a humiliating defeat for the numerically superior Royalist forces. The Royalist withdrew to Uthai Thani to fortify it as the command post for the conflict and to recuperate their losses as more troops are brought in from the South. Khoja Hassan has been dispatched to the Northeastern region of Ayutthaya with an escort of 1,000 men to gather troops to move against Phitsnanulok only to find the region in turmoil itself as the Conservative-aligned nobles made their move against the newer nobility put in place following the previous revolt in the region. This news is sent back to Ramathibodi II on the swiftest mounts available with Khoja Hassan settling down in the city of Yasothon to use it as the rallying point for the Royalist-aligned forces of the region bringing together a force 15,000 strong which is then directed at Amnat Charoen to reach the Royalist troops stationed along the Mekong, primarily at fort Ban Nong Phue. The Conservative forces in the region numbering 19,000 are divided into two forces with one composed of 16,000 are sent to intercept Khoja Hassan's effort to reach the border troops with a small detachment of 2,000 men sent to harass and occupy the border garrison. Khoja Hassan manages to wrest a victory from the claws of the enemy through the clever positioning of the siege cannons and arquebusiers he had been allotted for his escort. Despite, his victory Khoja Hassan is forced to make camp at the town of Non Pho Sub due to hi efforts only amounting to driving off the Conservative forces who had returned to Amnat Charoen to wait for the troops sent to the crush the border garrison to return. Eventually, a force from the Royalist city of Ubonrachathani arrives is dispatched composed of 1,000 men to assist Khoja Hassan he makes another, attempt to break past the enemy lines with the bulk of his forces engaging the Conservative forces in pitched battle around Amnat Charoen while an entirely mounted cavalry force is sent to the relieve the garrison. Eventually, the border garrison can break free from their encirclement and link up with the main force under Khoja Hassan as he continued to drive the enemy back away from Amnat Charoen leaving the city vulnerable for him to seize. The reinforcements expected from as far south as Malacca eventually arrive bolstering the forces of Royalist forces at Uthai Thani to by 8,000 men as well as a volunteer force from the Japanese quarter of Ayutthaya composed of 500 troops including samurai. Ramathibodi II breaks his forces into two armies with one composed 14,000 and the other of 6,500 men with the smaller being dispatched to assail the temple of Wat Nong Kradi Nok on the other side of the mountains near Ulthai Thani which was being used to house Conservative troops in preparation for a pincer assault on the command post with the Conservative troops in Nakhon Sawan. They manage to surprise the enemy forces encamped at the temple and drive them back to Wat Si Ulthum Phon on the northern end of the mountain ridge. Buying time for Ramathibodi II to train and rest his troops in preparation for the grueling campaign ahead. In Pegu, the city of Yangon has risen in support of the Conservatives with Borromarachathirat III having promised their independence in exchange for their support and raised a force at 10,000 strong from various Conservative allies in Pegu to advance on Bago and push onto Three Pagodas Pass, the main transit point into Ayutthaya and manned by a force composed of 5,000 trained troops. The commander of the garrison at the pass has seen fit to allot 3,000 of his men to augment the Royalist forces amassing at Bago totaling at 6,000 troops. A graduate of the War College, Nattanai Chaiprasit, who had been serving in the garrison at Three Pagodas Pass has been given the authority by the commander of the garrison to take command of the Royalist forces and fight the Conservative troops. The opposing forces engaged in battle at the town of Dabein with the result being a stalemate with neither side able to secure the advantage and drive each other out of the town. The city of Prome in the chaos has declared itself in favor of the Conservatives and mobilized it's forced to move southwards and assist the Conservative forces in sealing of Three Pagodas Pass to remove Ayutthayan control from it. The Ayutthayan Navy continues to dutifully perform its role in safeguarding naval trade routes for the conflict but has made the support of the Royalist quite clearly refusing to aid and harassing Conservative supporting merchants. The Commerce Guild has declared its neutrality in the state of affairs but has made concealed efforts to provide supplies to the Royalist at cheapened cost.
Kingdom of Lotharingia: "Were Di"The "Koninglyke West Afrikaansche Compagnie" seeing the succes of the Rotterdamse Handels and the discovery of "Den Eilanden met een Hemels Strand" begins to look into making more voyages to India. One way of making this easier is by funding Uurwald as it is the closest port and town distance wise to India, and has good suply of food and wood to build new ships and tools for those attempting a voyage. The town of Uurwald even being renamed to Kaboutshaven by the KWAC guilds in the honour of Giovanni Caboto, or Jan Kabouts as he's know in Belgic. Although the KWAC is stronger then ever before competition is arising such as small merchants banding togheter to go on voyages to East and West India. The voyages going under the banner Compagnie vry handelsvloten (CVH), this being a name given to these free merchants by the Government itself. A Group of ten Merchants from the Middelburg area grouping togheter to send a voyage to India, under the leadership of Antoon Brouwer. Antoon brouwer and his merchant friends able to buy one Jersey and one Sloop, the ships being called Middelburger Sint Michiels and Middelburger Maelceadar. These ships going to from Middelburg to Caruna to Samla where they then go to Portuguese part of Hendrico Island, where after they to go at once to southern point of Africa find a big island of the coast of the African Kingdom of Mutape. The group under leadership of Antoon Brouwer offering money, trade and taxation upon the traders and their families if he is allowed to set up a small town and port on the island of Ushurutswa. (Mod Response). This small town would allow a more free and open trade in Asia and Africa, Brouwer planning to allow all merchants to stop in the small port for only small sum. The merchants wanting to have an island and town of hospitality and liberty. Thus the small Sloop Middelburger Maelceadar stays at the island of Ushurutswa, the Jersey going to the Indian town of Surat. The Middelburger Sint Michiels Reaching the town and buying Indian curry spice and herbs, these being very popular and seeked after in Lotharingia. The Lotharingians selling Belgic wool and gold and much more, even if it's clear there is more of a demand for Indian goods then there is for Belgic goods. King John V seeing the trouble of the spanish in the Rif region, moves 1,000 of the 6,000 soldiers on the Burgundonian front, as he sends these troops to help his wife with the troops. The king wanting to help his wife but not able to do more then he does now due to the rebelion in Bonen and Artesië. The fight continuing still which begins to work both on the nerves of Admiraal-generaal Juliaen de Kremer and King Jan V, the king sending 2,000 soldiers to Juliaen. Thus the Army on the Burgudian border having shrunk to 3,000 from the original 6,000
Kingdom of Portugal: Hearing about the Abbasids declaration of war on Spain, the king is forced to take a hard decision. He decides that the risk of losing Western Sahara is too small with the risk of a growing Abbasid caliphate and decides to declare war on the Abbasids. 15,000 troops are mobilized and begin to march to Ceute and Mellila while the Portuguese navy begins operations with the help of the Spanish navy. The king himself leads the army putting his sister Inez as heir if he were to die. The king also orders that the Western Sahara colonies shall prepare for sieges and evacuates non-essential people there. The army is split into two battle groups consisting of 10,000 and 5,000 with the stronger heading to Ceuta and the lesser to Melilla.
Empire of Ethiopia: Ethiopian iron workers continue to learn from the Hindustani workers sent over. Under the guidance of Hindustani cast-iron forgers, work continues on an Imperial foundry, with materials, tools, and proper forges being built in Barari. The forges begin attempting to create the first Ethiopian-built cannon under Hindustani guidance. In northern Somalia the Chewa fortresses built over a century and a half ago have turned into flourishing cities, bringing Ethiopian culture, religion and people into the region. The Prince Adalfredo, acting as the Duke of Somalia, creates a military college in Cha’fu, the chief Chewa-fortress turned major city in northern Somalia. High-ranking and influential Chewa families who traditionally formed the pool of officers amongst the Chewa send their men to train and learn at this new military academy, where they are educated in military history, tactics and strategy. The efforts of the Imperial government to use the Order of St. Anthony and the Order of St. Laurentius to educate the populace sees moderate success, as the monks of each Order continue teaching classes in Greek and Amharic, with the monasteries by now having evolved into schools for the peasantry and lower class. The Emperor Tewodros III is tremendously concerned following the collapse of the Nubian Christian Kingdom of Makuria. Intending to preserve Christianity in Nubia, the Emperor sends diplomats to his ally the Kingdom of Alodia, offering to provide firearms and security to the nation in exchange for Alodia becoming a vassal of the Empire. The Emperor also promises Alodia they will be placed in control of Christian Nubia if they submit as a vassal [MOD RESPONSE NEEDED].
- Alodia wants to try to handle it themsleves before resorting to that
Hanseatic West Indies: The colonies in Paaschen and St. Brennan prosper, especially on the latter with the alliance with the native chiefs is forged. The captain Harald Krull hears of the landmasses to the west, and attempts with a crew composed of Arawak natives andGgerman sailors to travel along the coast west of the Wiehnacht colony (OTL Trinidad), and to set up settlements along the coast, and if possible, to make friends with the locals. (RNG FOR THE VOYAGE PLEASE). On St. Brennan the diplomats of the Hansa Colonial administration meet with the allied chiefs there. They are offered generous presents and even guns to fight their rivals, however, only under the condition that they will allow more settlements on the northern coast of St. Brennan. The Hanseatic Diplomats state that the natives will not be stripped of any land (except for just enough to support the colonies food supply that is) and that the wealth will be shared with their people, for they will be treated as good neighbors. (MOD RESPONSE NEEDED). Palisades start to be build to fortify the settlements, and pigs imported by the settlers start to be a common sight all over the islands. Sweet potatoes, known as yellow beets by the German settlers and fishing are major food sources, while valuable sugar, fruit and tobacco, a plant that the indigenous people of the islands use as medicine and for ritual purposes are cultivated by a small extend. Especially for the cultivation of the latter the governor of St. Brennan sees a great opportunity (especially when he notices that the sailors and soldiers are quite fond of the extracts and the smoke, to a degree of addiction) to make a profit with these. Small scale farming for tobacco to be imported to the Hanseatic cities begins.
- The voyage discovers the island of OTL Nueva Esparta.
Archbishopric of Mainz: Archchancellor Bertrand of Villingen visits the Archbishopric of Bremen on his way back from Lotharingia, and interviews several well-known captains who might be worthy of becoming Commander of the Imperial Navy. He creates a list of prospective names, which he presents to the Emperor for approval when he congradulates him on his election and pledges his loyalty as Archchancellor this year. He also visits Thuringia, and listens to a sermon by Konrad Jung. Deeply impressed by the man, he meets with him afterwards and invites him to return with him to Mainz, to talk at length about how the church should be reformed (Thuringia Response). He assumes control over the administration of the imperial circles, and makes sure that the emperor’s laws remain uniformly and efficiently enforced over all the imperial immediacies. He continues to preach that the church should hold itself to a high standard of conduct, while at the same time emphasizing the benefits that come from a church with strong, centralized leadership in the form of the Pope and the great good this accomplishes, such as the holy armies that can depose unjust leaders, the massive charity organizations, and the free education which is now available all over the empire. He continues donating extensively from his own personal wealth to the church, living in a more austere manor, as the Pope has modeled. He continues to preach that, as all wisdom is God breathed, so too the Church should be the leader in science and education. He patronized the University of Darmstadt, continuing to try and improve it to be one of the greatest universities in Europe, still recruiting more learned priests to teach the philosophy and science classes. He supports the study of ancient literature, having always been a lover of history, in the certainty that all knowledge benefits man and brings him closer to god. He concentrates on improving the laws and taxes of Mainz, and working to increase general prosperity. He patronizes the Assembly of Preachers, Pontifical Press, and publishing of new books. He patronizes the arts and sciences in Mainz. Imperial Treasurer Kaspar Von Roggendorf continues to monitor closely the income and expenditure of the empire, and keep the tax code fair and the trade revenues high, and to invest in foreign trade. He is inspired by the reform of Bohemia to the coin system, and begins ordering the Imperial mints to also standardize, as well as abandoning the minting of coins unique to the individual Free Imperial Cities, in favor of a single type of Imperial coin. The naval reforms and expansions continue to slowly roll forward. The construction of the Naval Academy in Rostock is completed and the new port city called Heinrichshaven continues to grow up around the shipyards. Von Roggendorf, in his capacity as Treasurer of the entire Holy Roman Empire, continues to patronize the arms industry in Prague, following the same incentive program as Bavaria. Grand Marshall Jan Zizka continues expanding the Army of the Holy Roman Empire. He continues with the reforms and expansions of the Army and its weapons, keeping them cutting edge, and increasing the use of more modern weapons among his soldiers, and keeping their training modern. He continues to keep their training standards high and well-organized, and continues the practice of mixing men from around the Empire and moving units to different Imperial cities, so they come to think of themselves as soldiers of the Empire, not of one city.
Papal States: This year, Pope Pius III creates as cardinals Tommaso Asti (Papal States), Pietro Accoti (Ancona) and Jean Ferrier (Arles). The Holy Father declares Pope Martin V and Pope Eugene IV as Blessed.
Duchy of Habsburg: The Duke feels very slighted, when ~~Niccolo asked to be made a cardinal, but~~ the Pope made three other fellows one instead and ignored Niccolo. Discontent against the Papacy begins to rise, and Duke Peter advices the family to get out of Italy and come to Habsburg. ~~Peter gives out titles to his family members, those who arrive.~~ The alliance offers that Duke Peter requested were all ignored. Angered, he seeks allies elsewhere. He offers alliance to Metz, Bavaria, and Hesse (Player responses needed).
- You only control Peter Habsburg and his immediate family in the Duchy of Habsburg, all the other family members are in Rome, such as Niccolò of Habsburg, and thus are under the control of the Papal States. Baring action from the Papal States player, you can assume that none of the Habsburgs in Italy leave Rome.
Saxony: Edmund Alwin, the Duke and Prince-Elector of Saxony requests the County of Weringerode from the newly elected Emperor Frederick IV, which he requested last year in exchange for voting for Frederick. Having indeed voted for Frederick, he hopes the new Emperor will oblige him and reward him for his support. (Hesse Response?) Shadrach de la Marck, meanwhile, continues on his search for Alexander Suslin. Having found nothing of interest inside the mysterious church he climbed into several years ago, he decides to go to a cartographer, and asks this cartographer if the map of Southern Swabia Tuslin left behind has any secret markings or messages concealed in it. (Mod Response?) The Duke of Saxony Edmund Alwin also offers an alliance with the Duke of Habsburg.
- Hungary Dip: We accept your niece.
Hesse: Emperor Frederick is crowned in Aachen late last year, and he begins his term as Emperor, creating a new government. He combines many of the choices of the previous two cabinets, deciding to let the Archbishop of Mainz continue being Archchancellor for another cabinet. Hesse accepts the alliance from the Habsburgs. Agnes hears that Saarbrucken is closely aligned politically to Nassau, and although this is news to her, she decides to take advantage of the situation by telling them they should swear fealty to Nassau. (Mod response). The Emperor replies to Saxony that he can not do that as he doesn’t know what that is, but decides he will give the Duke a position in the cabinet at least as a reward. The Hessians begin to take heed of many of the publications coming from Thuringia. As Agnes has no love for the Papacy after their many fiascos against her, she allows such sentiment to go unpunished. She is angered that she was excommunicated in a random fashion from the Pope, and that he still technically has not lifted it, as he mistakenly un-excommunicated someone named “Anne” instead. This starts to lead her to believe there is some truth to the heretical idea that a papacy and church hierarchy is actually not beneficial, but she wonders if it’s corruption or incompetence brought on by the overbearing bureaucracy.
- Saxon diplomacy: Edmund Alwin thanks the Emperor, but, as the Duke already holds a position in the Imperial cabinet, and as the Duke discovers, after further research, that Wernigerode no longer exists, he instead asks for the County of Stolberg (a small and insignificant German state in the Upper Saxon Circle).
Kingdom of Hungary: The army continues its growth in troop count each year, with the King planning expansion of his borders within the next decades he talks about a great Hungary. The build up of our navy and the ports continue. The King's son is looking for a wife. (Anyone can respond): The university continues growth of people being eager to get in and learn from the best. Trade increases with people importing in bulk technology and ideas from other nations. While our agriculture sector exports a ton of crops all over Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The military academy continue to expand in size. The economy is booming throughout the nation feeling healthy. Population is growing a lot these past few years. The mass production of printing presses have increased. Publication has increased a lot with books and papers all throughout the nation. Education by the increased in books have increased tremendously. Our banks are flourishing. The mines are doing well with the finding of more minerals for to make our currency and other expensive items.
- Banate of Bosnia: Within this territory everything is doing fine. We feed off Hungary itself by prospering with trade and the economy. Our industries are doing what we can to help out Hungary.
- Banate of Severin: The territory experiences prosperity from Hungary. Trade is going well and the economy is as well. Other sectors of the nation do well also helping out Hungary.
  - Saxon diplomacy: Edmund Alwin offers his neice Eberhardina de la Marck as a potential bride for the King's son.