Grandfather's Notes on Rulership: An Epic of Burgundy

Fake wars and diplomacy

Doesn't Burgundy look grand? What about Luxembourg and Brabant, you ask? Never mind the vassals for a moment. They will be dealt with later.

Phillip takes the money and begins repairing damage to the fortifications in Champagne, Nivernais, and Friesland. He also changes domestic policy one step in the direction of quality.

In July, a royal marriage is arranged with Milan.

In August, the Succession in Luxembourg takes place, and Luxembourg becomes a vassal. Phillip adds them to his alliance.

January, 1452: Upgrades continue in the fortresses in Nivernais. Next year, Friesland will be upgraded. Also, royal marriages are arranged with Venice and Savoy.

In March, royal marriages are arranged with Tuscany and Portugal.

January, 1453: Fortress upgrades are completed. Phillip now begins to save money for a fine arts academy.

In February, royal marriages are given to Pommern and Bremen.

In June, royal marriages are conducted with Mecklemburg and Siena.

In July, a royal marriage is conducted with Brittany.

In September, Milan begins harassing Burgundian merchants. Phillip chooses to resolve the issue diplomatically.

January, 1454: A royal marriage is conducted with Munster, Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, and Novgorod. Money continues to be saved for the fine arts academy.

January, 1455: Rumors of collapse come in from the area where the mongols rule. New nations have appeared, such as Ukraine and Astrakhan. Money continues to be saved for the fine arts academy.

In October, a royal marriage is arranged with Denmark.

January, 1456: Phillip's ally in England is fighting the War of the Roses. Phillip continues to save money for a fine arts academy.

In July, royal marriages are conducted with Sweden and Holstein.

January, 1457: Money continues to be saved for the fine arts academy. Things are quiet for Burgundy, which Phillip is pleased for.

In June, some nobles make tenders of alliance to Venice. Phillip is furious, but there is little he can do but repair the damage to stability. There is no time or money to fight a war with Venice at the moment.

In December, Friederich of Austria is elected Holy Roman Emperor. Nobody is fooled, however. Bohemia is the one pulling the strings for their vassal, Austria.

January, 1458: A fine arts academy is now under construction in the capital. Phillip is now saving money for a refinery in Alsace.

January, 1459: Things are very quiet for Burgundy. Money is still being saved for the refinery to be built in Alsace.

In April, France and her vassals become involved in a huge war brewing in the area of Georgia. Phillip breathes a sigh of relief. No war will be had with France until he is ready for one.

On September, dark news is received from the Pope. He has declared war on Burgundy, dragging his allies in Tuscany and Brittany into the war.

The Phony War (September 4th, 1459- October 12th, 1462)

Phillip calls upon his ally in England to help in the war. They accept.

For the moment, there is nothing to be done. Burgundy shares no border with any of her enemies. He will wait until they attack and then crush their armies. The English will deal with Brittany.

January, 1460: No action in the war. The fine arts academy is completed. Phillip continues saving money for a refinery in Alsace.

In August, members of the nobility demand their old privileges. Phillip gladly gives them to them, and now Burgundy has maximum aristcracy.

January, 1461: No action in the war with the Pope. England has lost Maine to Brittany, but is landing troops to liberate it. A royal marriage is arranged with Genoa.

In July, Poland diplomatically annexes Saxony. The Holy Roman Empire is consolidating into larger states.

By September, several powers on the Baltic have grown tired of Polish bullying, and a general war is in progress there.

January, 1462: Still no action in the war with the Pope. Brittany is kicking England around the continent, and Phillip expects a peace soon between them. A refinery is now under construction in Alsace.

In April, a plague sweeps through Nivernais.

In June, England pays 25 ducats to the Pope for peace. All of the land Brittany had occupied now reverts back to English control.

In August, royal marriages are conducted with Byzantium, Georgia, Tver, and Ryzan.

In October, the Pope offers a white peace, and Phillip accepts.

Why did the Pope declare war, you ask? Lad, I asked my grandfather the same thing when he told me that story. He did not have an answer either. But there is something to be learned from this. The Pope may wield some power, but he does not always wield it intelligently.

January, 1463: Money is being saved for a refinery in Champagne.

In April, Luxembourg is added to the alliance with Brabant and England.

In July, Phillip changes his domestic policy. Research and production is being hampered by decentralization. He begins to centralize the government. It is now one step away from complete decentralization.

January, 1464: The refinery in Alsace is completed. Soon, one will be built in Champagne. Things remain quiet for Burgundy. Phillip is growing quit old, and will son die.

In September, Phillip signs trade agreements with Venice, Portugal, and Genoa.

January, 1465: Money is still being saved for the refinery to be built in Champagne.

In October, Modena secedes from Aragon, and declares themselves independent. Phillip recognizes their government.

In November, a royal marriage is arranged with Modena.

January, 1466: Oldenburg is invited into the alliance Burgundy shares with England, Luxembourg, and Brabant. They accept. The former hated enemy of Burgundy is now an ally as well as vassal. A state gift is sent to Luxembourg. They now love Burgundy.

February, Orleans is annexed into France, and Savoy becomes a vassal of France. Phillip is concerned.

In March, the cities demand their old rights back. Phillip has just tried to centralize his government, and refuses their demand. Stability drops.

In May, France annexes Bourbannis peacefully. The king of France is now consolidating his hold over the country.

In October, Phillip sends letters of introduction to all his allies. Luxembourg now is the closest friend of Burgundy.

January, 1467: State gifts are sent to Oldenburg and Munster. They now are friends of Nurgundy.

In February, France peacefully annexes Auvergne. France is now a united country again, except for the English lands and Brittany.

On June 27th, Charles I assumes the mantle of Duke of Burgundy. He is not the monarch his father was, but he will still serve Burgundy well.

In December, the Pope declares war. Charles does not bother to call his allies, for the Pope has no real way to deliver troops to Burgundy lands.

January, 1468: Charles orders more troops called up. He fears France may go to war with Burgundy soon.

In April, the charade of Austria as an independent country ends. They are militarily annexed by Milan.

In May, with the charade of Austria over, Bohemia assumes the mantle of Holy Roman Emperor.

In August, Munster grants us military access.

January, 1469: The army is finally up to the support limit of the country. Merchants have secured a foothold in all centers of trade in Europe.He awaits France and the inevitable war, but the good news is that a white peace is signed with the Papacy.

January, 1470: Out of the blue, England declares war on Eire. The alliance honors the commitment to war, and Charles does likewise, though he has no way to really intervene in the conflict. Also, a royal marriage is conducted with Baden.

In October, Eire offers a white peace, and Charles accepts.

January, 1471: State gifts are sent to the Palatinate and Mainz. Charles strongly desires to be elected Holy Roman Emperor.

In April, Vsaldiv of Bohemia is elected Holy Roman Emperor. Charles is not pleased, but decides to continue to butter up the electors.

January, 1472: More gifts are sent to the electors of the HRE. Bohemia has strong influence, but one more diplomatic annex for them, and the electors will likely look for a new champion. Also, Poland's actions have made more than one state disappear.

Wait, what was your question? Why spend all this money in gifts to the member states of the Holy Roman Empire? Ahh, you are a bright lad indeed. Notice I never said it was a good idea, no? But, I get ahead of myself. Just sit back, and watch what happens.

January, 1473: Even more gifts are sent to the electors of the HRE. So far, it is slow going. Charles is not the diplomat his father was.

In February, dissidents in Brittany ask for help. Charles refuses, and stability drops because he looks weak to the nobility.

In July, Charles changes his domestic policy to even more offensive.

January, 1474: State gifts are sent to Cologne and Munster to help finance their wars. They now are very good friends with Burgundy.

In October, England declares war on Scotland. The alliance honors the call to arms, but once again, Charles has no way to go to the fighting.

January, 1475: More gifts are sent out to German states. Charles hopes to have countered Bohemian influence by the time the next election occurs.

January, 1476: Rather than gifts this year, Charles engages in royal marriages with Cologne, the Palatinate, England, and Munster.

January, 1477: Things are still quiet for Burgundy. Charles still is keeping an eye on France, but France seems pre-occupied with other things.

In February, France peacefully annexed Savoy. Charles grows very concerned, and confers with his allies. He has casus belli against France for two years.

In July, France goes to war with Teke to assist their allies, the Knights of St. John. Charles mobilizes the army for war.

January, 1478: Preparations continue for war against France. More troops are being called up. Once they are ready, war will begin.

On August 24th, Charles issues his declaration of war against France. The war is afoot.

The Piedmont War (August 24th, 1478- October 2nd, 1480)

Burgundy's allies, England, Luxembourg, Brabant, and Oldenburg are now at war with France, the Knights, and Baden.

Charles marches his army directly on Paris to annihilate the army there.

By September 15th, he has settled down to siege Paris. Several French armies are crossing the Seine to try and lift the siege.

By November, he has cleared most of them. He assaults Paris, but is repulsed. Baden has Alsace under siege.

January, 1479: After several battles, the French lift the siege of Paris. Charles withdraws into Champagne to gather reinforcements.

By May, Charles has laid siege to Paris again. A huge French army is laying siege to Artois.
By August, Oldenburg assists in the siege of Paris. Charles assaults and sacks the city. The French army leaves a covering force in Artois. Charles marches to lift the siege there.

By November, Artois is liberated by Charles. He marches on Picardie.

By December, Picardie is under siege by Charles. The French have laid siege to Nivernais.

January, 1480: Reinforcements are called up. Charles is still laying siege to Picardie.

By April, Amiens has almost fallen to Charles. The French have left Nivernais for some reason, and have marched south.

On July 15th, Amiens falls. Charles marches on Paris to intercept a liberation army.

On September 2nd, the Battle of Paris is fought, and Charles is victorious. A small French army has laid siege to the capital. He moves to crush them.

By September 25th, Charles crushes the French army in the capital, annihilating it.

On October 2nd, the French signal they have had enough. They offer Picardie and Dauphine in exchange for peace. Considering that Dauphine has not even been invaded yet, Charles accepts the offer. The war is over and has been very successful.

Burgundy looks like this now.

[future screenshot here]

Diplomacy and more diplomacy

Ahh, a clever question you ask, lad. Why did Charles not get military access along with the lands in Dauphine? The answer lies in the peace offer from France. See, since Dauphine had not even been occupied yet, the French offer was very valuable. It saved Charles the time of invading it himself. As it turns out, Dauphine will not be too much trouble.

Charles arranges royal marriages with Munster, Poland, Lithuania, and Siena.

January, 1481: On New Years Day, Charles makes a new proclamation. With his victory over the French, he proclaims himself "Regent of France, as King of Burgundy". No longer will the rulers of Burgundy be called dukes, but they will be kings who hold a claim to French lands. The English and various vassal states to Burgundy support the action, but the rest of Europe is wary. Burgundy's reputation has gone down because of the last war. For the moment, Charles will lay low.

The addition of Picardie and Dauphine have added much needed manpower to Burgundy, increasing the supportable amount of troops.

In April, Baden becomes a vassal of France. Charles is incredulous. Even after a major loss in a war, France's diplomatic skill is unmatched.

In May, Charles refuses to implement new tariffs proposed by the merchants. Burgundy moves one space in domestic policy towards free trade.

In August, Charles arranges a royal marriage with the new power in Iberia, Spain.

January, 1482: Charles uses the census tax to add field artillery to the army. These new pieces of artillery are expensive, but should prove well worth it in future wars.

In March, a royal marriage is arranged with Novgorod.

In June, a royal marriage is arranged with Venice.

January, 1483: The census tax is used to continue rebuilding the army. More troops are required.

In February, there is unhappiness among the artisans. Charles orders the traitors executed.

In June, a royal marriage is arranged with Holstein.

In November, a royal marriage is arranged with Sweden.

In December, a royal marriage is arranged with Milan.

January, 1484: Troops continue to be raised. There is no end to the need for troops.

In August, Charles changes his domestic policy to more innovative. It is now balanced between narrow minded and innovative.

In August, the nobles demand increased pensions. Charles refuses, and stability drops.

January, 1485: Still more troops are being raised. Charles is investing heavily in stability to try and recover from the extortion from his nobles earlier.

In February, the army achieves arquebus armament, making Burgundy the most advanced army in Europe.

In October, Picardie rises in revolt, seizing the garrison. Charles leads the army in an assault, and sacks the province quickly.

January, 1486: On New Years Day, Charles dies in his sleep. His son, Phillip IV, assumes the throne of Burgundy. He is a superb diplomat, and arranges royal marriages with Denmark and Wallachia. He begins preparations to peacefully annex Brabant, Luxembourg, and maybe even Oldenburg.

On February 15th, Phillip peacefully adds the duchy of Brabant to Burgundy. He disbands their large but poorly trained army.

In March, Phillip arranges royal marriages with Bohemia and Scotland.

In June, royal marriages are arranged with Eire and Hungary.

January, 1487: Phillip gives the Palatinate a place in the alliance. He also sends a state gift to Luxembourg. They are not impressed.

In February, another state gift is sent to Luxembourg. They are almost ready to be annexed.

In May, Naples secedes from Siena. Phillip recognizes their government with a royal marriage.

On June 2nd, Luxembourg is peacefully added to Burgundy. Europe takes a grim notice of this, and Phillip's reputation goes down even as his skill as a diplomat is recognized. He disbands their army as well, as it would be to expensive to keep around.

On October 3rd, and exceptional painter offers his services to the crown. Phillip takes out a loan and accepts the offer. The painter now works for Phillip, and domestic policy changes to more innovative.

January, 1488: State gifts are given to Oldenburg and the Palatinate to reassure them. They were not pleased with the annexation of Luxembourg and Brabant. Relations within the alliance have been damaged, but well placed bribes should solve the problem.

In June, a royal marriage is conducted with Tuscany.

In August, a royal marriage is had with Georgia.

January, 1489: A personal gift is sent to England. Munster is added to the alliance. Troops are rased for the moment.

On January 6th, the English go to war with the Scots. The alliance repsonds with their own declarations of war. Phillip does likewise, and now Burgundy is at war with Scotland. He will not move against the Scots, however.

In February, Venice proclaims themselves Sole Defender of the Catholic Faith. Phillip sends them his blessings in the wars against the infidels.

In May, Phillip accepts a white peace from the Scots.

In August, Dauphine rises in revolt. The army stationed there crushes them.

January, 1490: Phillip now sends personal gifts to England, Cologne, and Baden. Also, a royal marriage is arranged with Pskov.

On April 9th, some feudal families have a feud that breaks out into open violence. Phillip sides with one, and Lorraine rises in revolt. The army is sent in to crush them.

By May, the revolt is crushed.

In December, a royal marriage is arranged with Brittany.

January, 1491: Phillip continues to work diplomacy with his allies. Munster, Oldenburg, and the Palatinate receive personal gifts. Munster is now very friendly, and Oldenburg and the Palatinate are Burgundy's best friends.

On May 1st, France diplomatically annexes Baden. Phillip takes a dim view of this. War may be called for.

In September, England ends their war with the Scots, taking the Highlands. Phillip now prepares for war with France to fight for the independence of Baden. Once he convinces the Palatinate to become a vassal, it will be time for war.

January, 1492: The Palatinate rejects an offer of vassalage. Phillip diverts money to new troops. Once they are raised, war will be declared with France.

On June 28th, the army is ready. Phillip declares war on France with his casus belli from the annexation of Baden. All allies in both alliance respond.

OOC Notes:

For those paying attention, you will note that the "Succession in Burgundy" event never happened. Here's why.

For Burgundy to get that specific event, both France and Austria must exist. Austria does not exist. And so, there was never a question of Burgundy being inherited between Austria and France. On a side note, if the event does pop up, there is an option that has Charles not die, and thus no inheritance takes place (but Austria and France get really pissed).

On another note, I have finished the game to its end, and I will be posting regularly until I've posted everything. Screenshots will be forthcoming, as I upload them to the net.

I dont have a clue, Sharur.

Oh, and one other thing. There were some really bizarre things that happened in the game later on. For example, the Edict of Tolerance never happens. Also, Spain runs their inflation so high that by 1600, they constantly have their government fall. They dont even get to explore very much or conquer very much. And an orthodox Ottoman Empire forms at some point, only to be diplo-annexed by Byzantium, I think.

Even worse, I never corrected for the Charles V bug until the 1700s, so Spain spend half the game as an Austrian vassal.

The War of Baden Liberation (June 28th, 1492- November 7th, 1494)

The Army of Dauphine marches through Savoie, to lay siege to Bearn. The Army of Picardie marches on Paris. The goal of the war is to take Baden and maybe Bearn from France, and then to release them as vassals.

By July, Paris is under siege.

By September, Bearn is under siege. Small French armies are marching around to try and stop the chaos. The Pope's armies are marching north through Milan to assist in the war.

On October 8th, the Army of Dauphine defeats the Pope at the Battle of Bearn. The siege there will continue.

In November, an assault against Paris fails, but Paris will soon fall. Oldenburg has reinforced the siege there. Also in November, the Pope offers a white peace, which Phillip accepts.

January, 1493: The siege in Paris goes well. Burgundy's allies are helping at both the siege in Paris and in Bearn. The snowy winters in Bearn is hurting the army, but the pressure is still being applied there. France has no real armies in sight. Phillip pours the census tax into infantry.

Also in January, Poland peacefully annexes Bremen, and Venice accepts the status as vassal to Spain.

On March 7th, Paris falls to a siege. France's allies, the Teutonic Order, Cyprus, and Mainz all offer a white peace, which Phillip accepts. France stands alone. The army will march on Baden to take it.

In April, an exceptional painter offers his services to Phillip. Phillip takes another loan, and accepts the offer. Innovativeness goes up by one. The remaining money from the loan buys artillery in Franch-Comte.

By August, Baden is under siege. An assault in Bearn fails.

In December, the French army is trying to liberate Paris.

January, 1494: Baden and Bearn are close to falling, but Paris has been liberated by the French. More troops are called up, and there are high hopes of winning the war.

On June 16th, Bearn falls to siege. Baden is close to falling. The Army of Dauphine marches to Paris to sack it again.

On July 1st, Baden falls to the Army of Picardie. It marches on Orleanis. The French reject a demand of Baden and Bearn. The French army is tied up in Piedmont, suppressing a revolt there.

In September, Phillip changes course in the war. He orders the Armies of Picardie and Dauphine to converge on Paris, unite, and to crush the city.

On November 7th, the unite and assault Paris. The city falls. Phillip drags the French to the negotiating table, demanding Bearn, Baden, and 300 ducats. The French give in. The war is over!

The war has been a huge success, weakening France some more.

On November 17th, Phillip creates two new countries. Baden comes back into existence as a Burgundian vassal, as does Helvetia. Europe takes note of this.

[OOC note: I did not know it took money to create a new country. I took a loan when I created Baden. Ooops!]



The new nations of Baden and Helvetia.

Lad, you ask an intruiging question. Why bother receating countries that dont exist? Well, it seems Phillip has a penchant for diplomacy. His goal is to prevent Polish Hegemony. The Poles wielded enormous influence in the Holy Roman Empire at the time. Rather than see a Pole elected as Emperor and rampaging through Western Europe, he wanted to have himseklf elected and then lead a war against the Poles.

yes, yes, I know you have read your history. Yes, I know he never takes the title and war with the Poles does not happen this century. For some reason, despite all his efforts, it never happens. But the Poles never take the title either. It ended up being a stalemate.


[ooc note: The system of being elected HRE is different than in EU1. As you read along, see how much I invested in trying to get electedm but never do. There is anotehr thread in the bug forum that I started that discusses this, but noone has figured out what voodoo ritual you use to get elected.]

You know what's funny, Sharur? Instead of liberating France as my vassals, I end up doing the opposite when France starts to fall apart adfter becoming my vassal by military force. When you read it, it sounds like something in today's papers...

"Today, Burgundy troops attack the Hugeounots who seceded from France..."

Holy Roman Diplomacy

January, 1495: Phillip changes military doctrine to more quality. His normal leaders gain better use of fire. He begins planning on eliminating his debt, and takes pains to increase his stability.

In May, Picardie rises in revolt. The army deploys to deal with them.

January, 1496: Diplomacy is worked at the moment. The new nations of Helvetia and Baden receive personal gifts to keep them happy. Munster and Cologne do as well. The hope is that at some point, Phillip may win election as Holy Roman Emperor.

In June, a royal marriage is had with Genoa.

January, 1497: Phillip prepares to pay off a loan. He also is ready to attempt to vassalize Munster. On the 4th, Munster gladly accepts an offer of vassalage from Burgundy. With Poland encroaching to their doorstep, they are very afraid.



In June, Phillip finds out that several of his ordinances have not been followed. The country has reverted back to complete decentralization.

In October, one of the loans is paid off.

January, 1498: More diplomacy is being worked, with letters of introduction being sent to Baden, Helvetia, and Bavaria.

[OOC note: For some reason, my relations with Helvetia and Baden continue to decline for no reason. Does a higher BB rating cause all relations to decline over time? I have the same religion as they do, and I have tolerance at max. I wonder...]

In May, another loan is paid off.

January, 1499: It has become apparent that Poland has been sending huge bribes to member states of the Holy Roman Empire. Phillip counters this with his own letters of introduction. Soon, he hopes the current Emperor dies, so that he may be elected.

In December, the last of the debt is paid off. Phillip is now free from making interest payments.

January, 1500: Personal gifts are sent to Bavaria and Bohemia, financing their wars against Poland. Phillip now has established very cordial relations with them. His election to the post of Holy Roman Emperor should be assured now.

In April, Bavaria annexes Milan peacefully. In response, Phillip arranges a royal marriage with Bavaria.

January, 1501: State gifts are sent to Pommern and Genoa, shoring up diplomacy in that area. Also, letters of introduction are sent to the members of Phillip's alliance. He is still trying to counteract Polish influence in the Holy Roman Empire.

In February, the clergy demands certain rights. Phillip ignores them, and stability declines.

January, 1502: More letters are sent out to members of the Holy Roman Empire. Support for Burgundy increases, but Poland still wields enormous influence.

In April, Phillip appoints a good minister to assist him in government affairs.

January, 1503: Phillip begins an upgrade project for fortifications within the kingdom. First, the capital in Bourgogne is upgraded. Letters are still being sent out to Pommern and Kleeves, trying to convince them to vote for Phillip in the next election.

In June, the peasants in Flandern spontaneously upgrade their fortress without royal funds. Phillip is most pleased.

In September, royal marriages are arranged with Pommern, the Palatinate, and England.

January, 1504: Fortifications are complete in Bourgogne. Phillip sends state gifts to Tuscany and Mainz.

In November, peasants in Brabant send a petition to Phillip, begging for a redress of grievances against their nobles. Phillip seizes the opportunity, and grants the redress. Stability drops, but he makes gains in centralization.

January, 1505: State gifts are sent to Mainz and Pommern. They are now very cordial to Phillip. He should be able to secure election to the position of Emperor, when and if the current one dies.

In February, royal marriages are conducted with Mainz and Cologne.

In October, Phillip re-christens his alliance as the Alliance of Brussels. Burgundy is now allied with Baden, Helvetia, Oldenburg, and Munster, all of whom are vassals to Burgundy. He also gains military access from Bohemia and Bavaria.

January, 1506: Phillip begins saving money for fortification upgrades in Artois.

In July, peasants in Dauphine rise in revolt. There is no way to send the army in to defeat them.

In September, royal marriages are conducted with Poland, Lithuania, and Portugal.

January, 1507: Upgrades begin on fortifications in Artois.

In May, Bohemia becomes a vassal of Lithuania. The Holy Roman Emperor is a puppet once again.

In June, the Teutonic Order becomes a vassal of Lithuania. Phillip is very concerned.

In July, Dauphine falls to rebel scum. There is nothing the army can do at the moment.

In September, the artisans are unhappy again. This time, Phillip gives in to their demands. He abolishes a tax. Serfdom moves one step in the direction of free men, and he takes a loan to cover the new expenses.

January, 1508: Fortification upgrades begin in Champagne.

In July, military access is gained from Cologne, Tuscany, and Siena. Also, a royal marriage is arranged with Novgorod.

January, 1509: Phillip decides to guarantee the independence of Brittany and Kleeves. Since neither country is allied with Burgundy, this move allows Burgundy to react should Poland attack Kleeves or France attacks Brittany.

In March, the cities demand their old rights. Phillip refuses to give in, and stability drops.

January, 1510: Phillip notes that a general war has broken out in the Holy Roman Empire between Poland and her allies and Lithuania and her allies. The Palatinate is involved in this war. Phillip proclaims a guarantee on their independence to ensure that they do not get absorbed.

In March, Phillip finds corruption within his government. He takes a loan to fight the corruption, and stability drops.

In June, Phillip changes domestic policy to more centralized. Stability drops.

January, 1511: War in the Holy Roman Empire continues. Phillip keeps an eye on it.

January, 1512: Money is being saved for paying off a loan.

In October, Phillip pays a loan off.

January, 1513: Spain's Venetian Empire is falling apart. Bosnia has declared independence. Venice and several other provinces remain in rebels hands. Also in January, Phillip sends out personal gifts to Genoa, Mainz, and Cologne, increasing their esteem of Burgundy.

January, 1514: Phillip is saving money to pay off the last loan.

In June, Phillip issues the "Germanic Intervention Policy" against Poland. Poland has been warned by Burgundy. Should Poland go to war with any other powers in Europe, Burgundy will have casus belli to declare war. The member states of the Holy Roman Empire smile upon this decision.

In December, Austria declares independence from Bavaria. Phillip gives Austria a royal marriage. Bavaria's alliance is now broken.

January, 1515: Phillip continues to eye the situation in the Holy Roman Empire carefully. Bohemia's current ruler, who is also emperor, refuses to die. If he ever does, Phillip should succeed him as emperor.

In March, Martin Luther nails his 95 theses to the church door in Wurtemburg. So far, no provinces in Burgundy have turned Protestant. Phillip takes an aggressive stand against the new heresy.

In October, Phillip recreates the Alliance of Brussels. Now it includes Mainz, Oldenburg, Munster, and Baden. Helvetia politely declined an offer to join. Phillip now will try and vassalize Mainz.

January, 1516: A new emperor is elected. Ferdinand of Spain is elected Holy Roman Emperor. Phillip is incredulous. He cannot believe that the electors of the Empire would elect him over himself.

Also in January, Athens secedes from Spain's empire. Phillip takes note of this.

In February, Phillip gives Athens a royal marriage. Spain's Venetian Empire is still crumbling around them.

In March, the last of the debt is paid off.

In May, the Pope signs the Treaty of Tordesillas with Spain and Portugal.

January, 1517: Phillip begins saving money for more fortification upgrades. He wants to have all of Burgundy upgraded to new standards. He also begins considering peacefully annexing Baden and Munster.

In March, Baden is peacefully annexed into the realm. Royal marriages are given to Eire and Serbia to reassure Burgundy's neighbors. Also, Hevletia is added to the Alliance of Brussels.

In May, Lithuania peacefully annexes Bohemia. The Holy Roman Empire now looks like this.



January, 1518: Fortification upgrades begin in Picardie. Once this is done, the border with France will have large fortifications. Also, Phillip sends personal gifts to Munster, Mainz, and Oldenburg to reassure them after the annexation of Baden.

In August, a foreign drill instructor becomes available. Phillip hires him, taking out two loans. Domestic policy becomes more quality and offensive. With the extra money from the loans, Phillip gifts more gifts to his vassals, repairing the damage done to relations from Baden's annexation.

January, 1519: Austria arranges a special wedding with Spain. Spain is now an Austrian vassal. Even on the news of the Habsburg wedding, Albania declares independence from Spain. Phillip recognizes the new country with a royal marriage. He also prepares to peacefully annex Munster.

In June, Spain becomes Sole Defender of the Catholic Faith.

In August, Ragusa secedes from Spain. Spain cannot seem to hold on to her empire in the area.

In October, Phillip recognizes them with a royal marriage.

In November, Spain re-annexes Athens.

January, 1520: Upgrades begin in Baden to the fortifications. Munster does not seem ready to be annexed, but Oldenburg is full of instability. Phillip sees his chance.

On February 16th, Oldenburg is peacefully made a part of Burgundy. Phillip notes that he now has Protestants living with in his borders. He adjusts his tolerance to them accordingly.

Burgundy looks like this now.



January, 1521: Phillip begins saving money so that he can pay off the loans in two years. Still, merchants are being sent out to keep a solid hold on trade throughout Europe. The grain supplied by trade is vital to keeping army costs down.

In May, Hanover rises in revolt. The army is sent to deal with them.

In June, Lithuania peacefully annexes the Teutonic Order.

January, 1522: Technology has advanced enough to enable chief judges. Once fortifications are completed, it will be time to promote chief judges.

In August, Phillip changes his domestic policy. The government is now more centralized.

January, 1523: Phillip has saved over 400 ducats, and prepares to pay off the loans in July.

In April, bizarre news is received from Sweden. They have become Protestant.

Then in May, Denmark follows suit.

In July, all debt is paid off.

In September, poor government policies have hurt stability and investments in trade and infrastructure research.

January, 1524: Phillip sends personal gifts to all members of the Alliance of Brussels, and to Brittany as well. Phillip wishes to cultivate Brittany as an ally.

In May, Phillip refuses to grant his nobles export licenses, because he has no money to do it. This causes stability to drop.

January, 1525: Phillip astonishes Europe when he peacefully annexes Munster. He also sends personal gifts to Helvetia, Mainz, Aragon, and Brittany to shore up diplomatic options. The gifts are received with a luke warm reaction.



By June, Phillip has decided to forego fortification improvements until the chief judges are promoted. This will bring higher income to the country and make it more stable. Then, fortification upgrades can continue.

In July, Baden rises in revolt, securing the garrison. The army is sent in to deal with them, and the revolt is crushed within days.

Ahh, yes, you noticed something important, lad. Not a single war fought in years, yet Burgundy has expanded very well. There is an important lesson in that for you. Clauswitz is very correct, and you should listen to him when he says war is politics by other means. You can see that simple diplomacy can expand an empire just as war can.

Now, don't be fooled. The diplomatic means require much patience and skill. But it can net big rewards.

Preparation for war with England

January, 1526: Phillip IV finally dies. His son, Charles II assumes the throne. Charles is not the diplomat his father was. Revolts in Oldenburg and Baden are crushed quickly when they rise up on the new year.

In May, a reformation of the army is conducted.

In September, Austria inherits Hungary. The tiny state of Austria has been very lucky since its rebirth.

January, 1527: Promotion of chief judges continues.

In March, a royal marriage is arranged with Bavaria.

In July, Oldenburg rises in revolt.

By September, the revolt is crushed.

January, 1528: More promotions of chief judges continue. Letters of introduction are sent to Brittany, Aragon, and Mainz.

January, 1529: More promotions of chief judges continue. A personal gift is sent to Brittany.

Then, in February, a plague strikes Munster, killing 5,000 people.

In March, royal marriages are conducted with England and Aragon. Charles is angered when Burgundy's good friend, Brittany, refuses to join the Alliance of Brussels.

In December, Pommern turns Protestant.

January, 1530: The promotion of chief judges continues. Charles also guarantees the independence of Brittany. If Brittany will not ally with Burgundy, that is fine. But anyone attacking Brittany will be attacked in kind. This applies doubly to France.

In December, Oldenburg and Hanover rise in revolt The army moves to crush the rebels.

January, 1531: Promotion of chief judges continues.

In February, the revolts are curshed, but plague then strikes Brabant.

In September, a general war breaks out when Bavaria declares war on Austria.

January, 1532: The promotion of chief judges continues. A personal gift is sent to the Palatinate.

January, 1533: More promotions of chief judges.

January, 1534: England has turned Protestant! Also, Athens has seceded from Spain, again. Charles considers war against England.

In February, Charles cancels the military access he has from England.

In March, Charles finds corruption within his government. He has no money to fight it, and is preparing for war with England. He has no choice but to let it go. Inflation is now at 19%.

In August, everything is ready. Charles declares war against England.

[OOC Note: Im still learning to play at this point. I did not realize until after I declared war on England that I have no casus belli against them, depite their religion change. Another big oops, but I come out of it ok.]

The Channel War (August 22nd, 1534- February 24th, 1536)

The Channel War (August 22nd, 1534- February 24th, 1536)

England's allies, Aragon and Ragusa, join on their side. Mainz and Helvetia join Burgundy. Charles has no casus belli, and stability drops.

He orders the Army of Flanders into Calais, and he orders the Army of Baden into Caux. There are no English armies in sight.

In October, an assault in Calais fails, but only barely. The garrison there is mostly wiped out. Cauz is under siege as well.

January, 1535: No field engagements have been fought against the English. There are no English armies in sight. An assault is conducted against Calias, but it fails again. More troops are called up in Flanders. Caux is close to falling. Even more interesting, France has peacefully annexed Genoa.

In February, Helvetia bows out of the war with a white peace to England, but Ragusa offers Charles a white peace, which he accepts.

On the 14th, Caux falls to the Army of Baden. It advances into Normandie.

By March, meager English resistance in Normandie has been brushed aside, and Normandie is under siege. Calais still has not fallen.

In April, Baden rises in revolt, as does Franch-Comte.

On May 5th, Calais finally falls. The Army of Flanders advances to Maine.

On September 5th, an assault sacks Normandie. Aragon offers a white peace, which Charles accepts.

On October 9th, an assault sacks Maine. Charles orders the armies combined, for a sizable English army has landed in Caux and is trying to liberate the province. Once the armies are combined, they will lift the siege. England refuses a demand of Calais, Caux, and 100 ducats.

By December, the siege of Caux is lifted and the remaining English forces are being pursued across Normandie.

January, 1536: Baden has fallen to rebel scum. A small army is sent to correct the problem. England still refuses a peace settlement.

By February, an English force has landed in Calais, and is trying to assault the province, but it is no matter. On February 24th, Charles finally forces a deal from the English. England cedes Calais and Caux, and gives Burgundy 175 ducats for peace. The war is over.

The war has been a success in a limited sense. Because of revolts at home, Charles was unable to demand a return to Catholicism from England, but he did liberate two Catholic provinces from them.

Burgundy now looks like this.

How to pick a fight

Now, Charles directs the army to crush the revolts in Baden and Franch-Comte.

In May, Charles has a noble assassinated. Stability drops some more.

By September, the revolts are put down.

January, 1537: Munster rises in revolt, and the rebels seize the garrison. The army is sent in to deal with them. Also, more troops are raised to replace loses from the war. Charles also changes his domestic policy to a more centralized government.

By February, Munster is liberated from the rebels.

In June, an explorer has offered to serve Burgundy. Charles gives him a ship, and he starts his voyage of discovery in Zeeland.

January, 1538: Bohemia has declared themselves independent from Lithuania, and is now a Protestant country. Charles is not sure whether he should rejoice at Lithuania's misfortune or whether he should be angry at the existence of another Protestant country. He gives Scotland and Cologne royal marriages.

In December, the peasants of Baden rise in revolt, but are quickly crushed.

January, 1539: Another general war breaks out in Germany. Charles gives royal marriages to Athens, Naples, Novgorod, and Brittany. More cavalry is being raised to replace losses from the war with England.

In October, a conquistador offers his services to the crown. Charles has him wait in Flanders from more troops, then he will board the explorer's ships to head for unexplored areas.

January, 1540: Charles proclaims a guarantee on Brittany as wars heat up in Europe. He also sends letters of introduction to Mainz and Helvetia.

In September, Caux rises in revolt, but is crushed.

January, 1541: The conquistador is heading for Bermuda to explore the island. Stability has been restored, and fortifications are being upgraded in Baden. They were damaged in the revolts.

In May, Bermuda has been explored. Upon the new year, Charles intends to establish a trading post there.

In September, internal trade ordinances are enacted in Zeeland, increasing tax values there.

In December, a trade agreement is reached with Poland.

January, 1542: Traders are sent to Bermuda. The naval supplies there will be very useful in the coming years.

In February, interesting news is heard from England. She has become Catholic again. Charles extends an offer of a royal marriage to them, and they accept.

By June, the traders sent to Bermuda have failed. More are sent.

By September, the traders have been successful. Charles orders colonists sent to follow up. Since there are no natives in the area, a colony will be established and allowed to grow naturally.

In October, Charles learns that ordinances are not being enforced within the kingdom. Centralization has suffered.

January, 1543: Fortress upgrades begin in Alsace. A revolt has broken out in Baden, but is quickly crushed.

In May, the colonization attempt in Bermuda fails. Another attempt will be made next year.

By July, the conquistador has landed in America, at Roanoke. He begins to explore.

January, 1544: Colonists are sent to Bermuda, while traders are sent to Roanoke and Chesapeake.

In February, Poland turns Protestant. Charles grows concerned. He may send them a warning on the new year.

In March, the people of Lenape are discovered in Delaware.

In June, the conquistador is slain in Susquehanna by natives. The explorer continues to explore.

In August, the colonization of Bermuda fails. Burgundy is out of colonists.

In November, the artisans begin to make trouble. Charles executes the trouble makers.

In December, France declares war on Brittany. Charles notes that they have violated Burgundy's guarantee of Brittany, and prepares Burgundy for war.

January, 1545: A royal marriage is obtained with Brittany. Charles pours money into the military for war. France is at low stability, and should be easy pickings.

[OOC note: A bug in the game caused my guarantee of Brittany to give me casus belli on her allies instead of France! I edited the game accordingly, but the situation is bizarre to say the least.]

In February, Dauphine rises in revolt. There is nothing Charles can do, since he shares no land border with them. The war with France will have to take priority.

In March, France ends their war with Brittany. Charles is still not quite ready for war. It will take a few months for the troops to be in position.

On June 23rd, everything is ready. Charles declares war on France.