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Papal States
States of the Church
Stati della Chiesa

OTL equivalent: Papal States, Antalya and Cap Bon
Flag of Papal States
Flag of Papal States
Capital
(and largest city)
Rome
Language Italian, Latin
Religion Roman Catholicism
Demonym Roman
Government Theocratic elective monarchy
Area 14,150 km2
Population <1 million 
Established 754

The Papal States, also known as the the State(s) of the Church, the Pontifical States, the Ecclesiastical States, or the Roman States is a theocratic elected-monarchy in the Italian peninsula. It is a Roman Catholic secularist state, under direct sovereign rule of the Papacy.

History[]

  • pre-game history coming soon

Since his papal election in 1447, Pope Nicholas V had been a well-liked pope, who had held a Jubilee in 1450, and is well known for creating monuments throughout the city of Rome. He also introduced the plan to incorporate St. Peter within the states, which had encouraged military support in order to protect the nation of any invasions.

By the early 1450s, the nation had noticed ambitions for Milan to formally annex the republic of Genoa. Nicholas V, discussing with several members of the church, had realized that a full-out war would ensue between the states. He had announced to Milan that he was in favour of war (though preferably little blood would be shed), which had gained support throughout Europe. The States, being relatively expansionist in nature, had hoped they could gain Corsica as a consequence of the war, and had an agreement between its allies as to the nature of Genoa's dissolution. While the decision had seen some dispute between inhabitants, the church had stated that the war would "bring the Catholic peoples together into a larger state, as our Lord God intends," and mentioned the island would be in better hands.

Pope Nicholas had been rather popular throughout the states, however some criticized him, claiming his foreign politics had gotten in the way of his religious ethics. Nicholas had become ill by the summer of 1454, and many fear he may have been poisoned. Throughout the land, the people pray their pope becomes well again, and can continue his ambitions to expand Papal and Roman Catholic influence.

However, by March of 1455, Pope Nicholas is declared dead, and the word is spread throughout the land. By the next month, Pope Callixtus III is elected Pope. The election is seen as a turning point, and Callixtus declares that Nicholas V's ambitions will not go as planned, and cancels any attack planned by him upon the Genoans. He announces that a peaceful union is encouraged, and that no blood shall be shed, for it is not what God intended for His people.

The nation had seen an increase in military and naval build up by the mid-1450s. The latter had been influenced both by the expansion into St. Peter, as well as increased attacks by Hafsid pirates. As a result of piracy and religious disputes, Pope Callixtus had announced to the Catholic Church of his ambitions of a peaceful expedition to the Hafsid on the peninsula of Cap Bon, in order to establish a Papal territory. The hopeful city-state would better encourage the spread of the word of God and Roman Catholicism, as well as stopping Tunisian pirates from attacking Papal ships. As the war progressed, however, more and more Islamic states began joining the war on the side of Hafsid, in order to both weaken the state and repulse the Catholic expedition from Tunisia. The Catholic Church hoped the invasion would end by 1457, in order to reduce the death toll.

Foreign relations[]

Papal States, Europe (Principia Moderni II)

Papal States and foreign relations within Europe

Allies[]

  • Kingdom of England
  • Republic of Venice
  • Duchy of Milan
  • Kingdom of France
  • Kingdom of Greater Bavaria
  • Crown of Castile
  • Naples-Savoy
  • Scotland

Friendly states[]

Roman Catholic states[]

  • Scandinavian Union
  • Byzantine

Proceed with caution[]

  • Members of the "Russian Commonwealth"

Territories[]

  • St. Peter - united within the States
  • Venaissin-Provence - gained through vassalization and annexation
  • Cape of Alfons - blessed by Pope Callixtus III, captured during the Papal-Hafsid War

Tensions[]

  • The Caliphate - religious reasons, perpetual threat of war.

Colonization algorithm[]

  • In Southern Europe: -3
  • In the center of the Mediterranean: +1
  • Traveling across the Atlantic: +10
  • Ships must travel through a strait (Gibraltar): +5
  • Nation's border half consists of a coast (e.g., Portugal, Papal States): +3
  • Navy was created more than 400 years ago: -4
  • Naval expansion (ten turns): -0.5*10 = -5
  • Have a territory in the same continent: +1
  • Small navy: +10
  • Motive (religious): +3
  • Won a war using the navy: -1
  • Lack of funding due to wars: +5
  • Total: 1500-3+1+10+5+3-4-5+1+10+3+5= 1525