Die freie Stadt Mainz - A great hunt for glory
In 1419 Mainz was a rather weak German state whit a small army. There where no alliances and no royal marriage whit any significant country at all. That it was a seat of an Archbishop and that it was an elector of the Holy Roman Empire didn’t help much. The Palatinat, an other German city state, had claims on Mainz so under the last years to 1419 they had build up an army of 15000 men for the porpoise to concur it. On the 4th of January war was declared upon Mainz and the Palatinat army begun marching towards the city. On the 19th of February the armies clashed on the shores of Rhein. The Mainz loss was devastating. 5000 men were lost. The realms of the army retreated out of sight for the Palatinat. Because the Mainz army was not capable to do anything they were not followed. Mainz army marched south to Heidelberg, the seat of the Palatinat duke, and camped outside the walls.
The city of Mainz had not been any more if it were not for the German city state of Kleves joined the war upon the Palatinat. An army from Kleves soon arrived outside Heidelberg and helped whit the siege of the city. The army was so big that the Palatinat did not try to liberate their capital from the enemies outside the walls and hoped that they would capture Mainz before the united Kleves and Mainz army would take Heidelberg. But they did not. On the 2nd of January Hessen joined the war and on the 27th Heidelberg fell. Because Mainz most skilled diplomat still were in Hessen no peace were made. Mainz garrison surrendered on 21st of March and the Palatinat army marched south. On the 30th the armies clashed once again. This time the Palatinat lost witch meant disaster for their duchy. A new siege on Mainz begun; this time by Hessen. The defence of Heidelberg was abandon and the remains of the Palatinat army begun a siege on the city. But it was too late. On the 12th of April Mainz was recaptured and by that was the Palatinat erased from the map.
Some years of peace and wealth now begun in Mainz. However, as quickly as the old war ended a new started. On February the 3rd 1428 the drunken king of Hungary insulted the archbishop of Mainz, face to face whit his ambassador, calling him a fat German mollusc who should be executed instantly. The archbishop of Mainz declared war on Hungary the very next day. In Hungary they laughed but in Luxemburg they took it very seriously and joined the war on Hungary’s side. Luxemburgs great army soon had besieged Köln, a new ally to Mainz. After some time Köln fell but so did Luxembourg to Kleves. After inherit Köln to Luxemburg their army now begun marching towards territory owned by Mainz. They met no resistance because they had totally destroyed Mainz army some time before. Because their entire army camped outside Heidelberg Kleves now could continue their concur of Luxemburg without much resistance.
The Luxemburg army did “kehrt euch“after their capture of Heidelberg and went home to retake Luxembourg. But before they succeeded did Kleves dictate a peace giving them Köln. Mainz and Kleves now signed an agreement making Kleves vassal of Mainz. At this stage the Luxemburg army was heavily reduced to 7000 men and by that smaller then Mainz brand new army. Mainz did a successful attack on Luxemburg and made them their vassal in the peace.
In January 1436 did Kleves declare war upon Gelre and thus England and Aragon who where in the alliance. England easily advanced through Burgundy that they already were in war with and towards their German enemies.
In 1419 Mainz was a rather weak German state whit a small army. There where no alliances and no royal marriage whit any significant country at all. That it was a seat of an Archbishop and that it was an elector of the Holy Roman Empire didn’t help much. The Palatinat, an other German city state, had claims on Mainz so under the last years to 1419 they had build up an army of 15000 men for the porpoise to concur it. On the 4th of January war was declared upon Mainz and the Palatinat army begun marching towards the city. On the 19th of February the armies clashed on the shores of Rhein. The Mainz loss was devastating. 5000 men were lost. The realms of the army retreated out of sight for the Palatinat. Because the Mainz army was not capable to do anything they were not followed. Mainz army marched south to Heidelberg, the seat of the Palatinat duke, and camped outside the walls.
The Mainz Cathedral.
The city of Mainz had not been any more if it were not for the German city state of Kleves joined the war upon the Palatinat. An army from Kleves soon arrived outside Heidelberg and helped whit the siege of the city. The army was so big that the Palatinat did not try to liberate their capital from the enemies outside the walls and hoped that they would capture Mainz before the united Kleves and Mainz army would take Heidelberg. But they did not. On the 2nd of January Hessen joined the war and on the 27th Heidelberg fell. Because Mainz most skilled diplomat still were in Hessen no peace were made. Mainz garrison surrendered on 21st of March and the Palatinat army marched south. On the 30th the armies clashed once again. This time the Palatinat lost witch meant disaster for their duchy. A new siege on Mainz begun; this time by Hessen. The defence of Heidelberg was abandon and the remains of the Palatinat army begun a siege on the city. But it was too late. On the 12th of April Mainz was recaptured and by that was the Palatinat erased from the map.
Kleves saves the days.
Some years of peace and wealth now begun in Mainz. However, as quickly as the old war ended a new started. On February the 3rd 1428 the drunken king of Hungary insulted the archbishop of Mainz, face to face whit his ambassador, calling him a fat German mollusc who should be executed instantly. The archbishop of Mainz declared war on Hungary the very next day. In Hungary they laughed but in Luxemburg they took it very seriously and joined the war on Hungary’s side. Luxemburgs great army soon had besieged Köln, a new ally to Mainz. After some time Köln fell but so did Luxembourg to Kleves. After inherit Köln to Luxemburg their army now begun marching towards territory owned by Mainz. They met no resistance because they had totally destroyed Mainz army some time before. Because their entire army camped outside Heidelberg Kleves now could continue their concur of Luxemburg without much resistance.
The Luxemburg army did “kehrt euch“after their capture of Heidelberg and went home to retake Luxembourg. But before they succeeded did Kleves dictate a peace giving them Köln. Mainz and Kleves now signed an agreement making Kleves vassal of Mainz. At this stage the Luxemburg army was heavily reduced to 7000 men and by that smaller then Mainz brand new army. Mainz did a successful attack on Luxemburg and made them their vassal in the peace.
In January 1436 did Kleves declare war upon Gelre and thus England and Aragon who where in the alliance. England easily advanced through Burgundy that they already were in war with and towards their German enemies.
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