Who's Got Two Thumbs and is about to Post an Update?
@ Enewald: I CapitaLIze LetTers I ThiNk aRE ImpeORtanT>
Oh, and Friedrich VI is much different than Friedrich The Great. His Wife is an entirely different subject, one that will be expanded upon eventually...
@ Tweetybird: I'm Glad I can keep people's Attention.
@ Storey: Something Like That, but not Quite.
@ Winner: Ferdinand is Human, he never advanced past Level 1, but What he, and Several Others, are is actually quite important to figuring out what the hell is going on, so keep guessing.
Oh, and You missed something. Check the end of 'The Kingdom of France in 1500'. Leopold Ruled as Emperor for 3 Years between his Father's Suicide and Falling in Battle against Venice.
More specifically, he succumbed to the 'Godly Ruler Curse' that the game has, as his stats were MIL9 ADM8 DIP6.
@ gabor: No one's going to be assimilated, someone definitely put a stop to that...
Oh, and as for Rudolf being unfairly criticized, I would like to point out that this Rudolf is the same one that Killed Hungary. Criticism of him is not entirely unwarranted.
And the Questions will indeed keep multiplying. After all, this guessing is FUN!
~~*~~
The World of 1600
Chapter 6: The British Isles and North America
The War of the Roses
Part 1 of 3
At the Fall of Constantinople, England received both a Boon and the most recent of a string of disasters.
The British Isles in 1453
English Possessions in Southern France are not Shown
In 1453, King Henry VI went mad for the first time. Long had Henry been an invalid King, ruled over by Counts and Regents, however this latest development shattered what little authority he had. The Nobles began to organize into Camps to attempt dominance over the invalid King almost immediately.
While this went on, the young Prince Edward was born to King Henry and Queen Margaret, ensuring a succession and requiring more subtle measures by any who wished to move against the Ailing King. The Primary Antagonist against England would be the Duke Richard of York, eventually King Richard III of England.
It was between Margaret and Richard that the war innitially began, as their feuds for control of the Mad King Henry would divide the Nobles of England into two Camps, those supporting the Duke Richard Plantagenet of York, the so called Yorkist Camp, and those supporting Margaret and Edward, or the Lancastrian Nobles. Their Feud would largely be inconclusive for its early time, and it would also remain unnoticed, going on beneath the scene of the Kingdom itself, being conducted as an Invisible War of Spies and Influence throughout most of England.
The Division of Influence in England, with York in White, Lancaster in Red, and Neutral Lands in Light Grey
However it was only a matter of time before this Shadow War spilled out into the Light, and Fighting eventually broke out at The Battle of St Albans in 1455. Richard had long been dissatisfied with the situation in England, being essentially exiled to his Leutenancy in Ireland, while the Duke of Summerset exercised great authority both over the King and the Heir. As a supporter of the Popular Queen Margaret, who herself had numerous connections with the Nobles of England, Summerset was able to flaunt his power and seized numerous titles formerly held by Richard of York, an insult the latter would not stand. In 1455 he marched with a large army against both the King Henry, recently recovered from his Madness, and the Duke himself. He was joined in this endeavor by the Earl of Warwick Richard Neville, himself a personal enemy of Summerset since the latter was given a portion of Neville's Rightful Lands.
The Armies met at St Albans, and the result was hardly even a battle, so much as a slaughter. Richard of York's well Equipped, Veteran, and Larger army proved more than a match for the Royal Army, and easily defeated the latter. Henry was Captured and returned to the throne of England as little more than a Puppet under Richard of York. In a touch of Diplomatic Brilliance, Richard was dissuaded from claiming the throne directly, although he had a legitimate claim, and instead consented himself with being 'merely' Lord Protector of England.
However his influence was not to last. Although Henry fell into Insanity again in 1458, Richard was effectively ousted from control by a Coalition of Nobles, lead and organized by Queen Margaret, and unhappy with his flaunting of his power. He was quickly stripped of his title as Lord Protector, with a Regency Council assembled instead and lead by Margaret, who effectively prevented Richard from even taking part in the council by her superior influence.
After attempting to lead another campaign against the now largely united Nobles, this campaign being dismantled before it could be executed, Richard was assigned to lead the English Armies against France, as the latter attempted to seize English Possessions in Aquitaine. The assignment was a Death Sentance effectively, the French having a vastly superior army, and being lead by the King Charles VIII 'The Victorious' himself. Unfortunately for the Nobles of England, they had not accounted for the French King's Son Louis XI, who worked against his father and actively supported Richard, leading to the latter's swift and decisive victory in southern France.
With this Victory under his bealt, Richard moved North again, returning to Ireland, where he engaged in a short campaign across the small Island, seizing large amounts of territory directly and establishing protectorates over the many small Irish Duchies on the Island, creating a defined Heierarchy of States that maintained control of almost the entire Island safe the extreme North, as this was taken under the protection of the Kingdom of Scotland to check Richard's Expansion. By the time Richard returned to England in 1460, most of the island was under his control.
On Ireland, Richard acted like a King in his own Right. He Flaunted his Influence and Autonomy, glorifying himself in his victories, while subtly weaving a plot of connections with the English Nobility. Richard raised his own armies of Local Irish Men, granting the lands significant autonomy to gain their loyalty, and drawing taxes and tribute from many of the princes of England to gift it to his Irish Dependents. In England, the Nobles dared not to move against him directly, as they would be seen as the aggressors, and they dared not face the by this point Legendary Richard in Battle Directly.
Richard's 'Kingdom of Ireland'
When Henry regained his sanity once more in early 1460, he dispatched envoys for Richard to appear before him in London and answer for his many insults. Richard accepted, and marched on London at the Head of an Army of 10000 in only a few months. With no time to raise a suitable levy, and the Earl of Warwick, himself a very powerful and influential man, siding once more with Richard of York, Henry and his Supporters were easily defeated, and with Richard's Popularity amongst the people of England and the Lesser Nobility, who had by this time grown very tired of the Upper Nobile's Stranglehold on Englsih Government, Richard was able to exert his influence in the Kingdom, culminating in the disenherittance of Prince Edward and the Crowning of Richard Himself as King of England in 1461.
As King Richard III, he would quickly set about renovating the Royal Court, attempting to permanently remove the influences of Margaret and her Son Edward, both of whom fled to Margaret's Native Lorraine for safety. There they would have only limited influence in England until 1471. In the Time before that point however, Richard utterly reshaped the Royal Beaurocracy. He Reorganized Noble Titles and stripped many of the Lancastrian Nobles of their titles, his popularity and personal holdings giving weight to his edicts and decrees. He took great delight in appointing a Regent over the Lancastrian Territories who was in effect little more than a puppet of Richard himself. By the end of his reorganization of the English Crown, Richard's Territory had more than Doubled in Size, as had the territory of his Friend the Earl of Warwick.
The Kingdom of England under Richard III of York at its height, in 1469
Showing Richard's Personal Holdings in White, His Irish Vassals in their Colors, and the Earl of Warwick's Personal Holdings in purple.
English Possessions in Southern France are not Shown
As Mentioned, Richard accomplished all of this with the influence gained from his Victories, granting him Popularity, and his Rich Personal Holdings. Unfortunately for Richard, he would lose both beginning in 1459, when many of the Irish Duchies rebelled.
With Richard Called away from England and the State, the Nobles began to reassert themselves, all of this was compounded by Louis XI seizing the English Possessions in Aguitaine, easily defeating the General Richard had Placed there, further sinking Richard's Popularity. When a Personal Dispute distanced Richard from the Earl of Warwick, often called 'Kingmaker' for his role in deposing two Kings in this conflict, Richard's Fate was sealed. The Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville, was one of the most powerful individuals in the entire Kingdom. His Personal Income was rivalled only by that of the King Himself and he possessed large swaths of Land in addition to his central location at the Heart of the Political Dealings of England. In Many ways, the Earl of Warwick had been King of England for a Long Time, periodically deposing whatever puppet officially sat upon the throne and chosing a new one.
Leaving his Irish Campaign in defeat to attempt to salvage his Kingshop of England, Richard was captured outside the City of York by his Son George, who had joined with his Father-in-Law the Earl of Warwick in support of Margaret and Edward. Richard was quietly executed the next day, legend has it by drowning in a vat of Wine, and Prince Edward became King Edward IV of England. The Innitial Effects of this were profound, with both Richard Neville and George Plantagenet gaining considerable territory. George Was Granted his father's Duchy of York, in addition to receiving the newly created Title of the Duke of Clarence, while Richard Neville was once again given Generalship In Perpetuity over Calais, sadly, he would die the following year, passing the Generalship over once more to the Crown to appoint to who it chose, and Passing his Lands over to his Son-in-Law George.
George at this point enterred the English Poltical Sphere with Excitement and Energy. By all Accounts he was a kind and generous person who rewarded his friends well, and did not hate even his most convicted of enemies. His Wealth ensured his power, while his Generosity with that wealth secured his popularity. In the first three years of his reign as Duke of Clarence he established a Court at the Castle Warwick that virtually rivalled London itself in terms of prestige, and certainly in popularity.
Edward himself was a little liked King. He was largely incompetent in the affairs of state, leaving those to his Mother Margaret and the Nobles of England. In addition, he found himself unable to Sire any Male Children, or even Children at all, becoming the father of only a single Daughter, named Mary. Thus it was generally understood that Edward would not bring stability to the English Line. Unfortunately, few other choices remained. George expressed no desire for the Crown, while his Brother's Edward and Richard were both distrusted among most of the Nobles of England, although they each had their followings, particularly Edward.
The Climate of Stability would indeed be Short Lived, when King Edward IV died in 1476. With the situation in Ireland having desintigrated further following Richard's Death, Edward went to Ireland himself in the summer of 1472 and began a massive campaign against the Irish Duchies. When innitial Victories brought him prestige and confidence, he began to press harder, seeking complete dominance over the island. Unfortunately for him, the tribes of Ireland briefly united in 1476, surrounding his army outside Sligo and killing him.
England plunged once more into chaos.
~~*~~
August 24th, 1597;
The Meeting with my new Patron went well, though I must admit feeling a bit unnerved by him. His Mannerisms are strange, he never looks at whoever is speaking, and he stared often into space, seemingly disinterested. He never stood, was not polite, and seemed largely disinterested in even my existence.
Likewise, his appearance was also strange. Although not truly inhuman, he seemed curious. His Physique was feminine, were he to change his dress, I think he would be easily confused for a woman. Regardless, any lack of physical assets he possesses is more than made up for by his intelligence.
We Played Chess together, and despite giving me the advantage of first move, He Resoundly Defeated me. Although I don't consider myself to be a tactician, it was dissapointing.
Regardless, we conversed of politics, and he has demonstrated himself to be keenly aware of the workings of the world. He was obviously well read, quoting numerous works as if it were second nature, being well versed in modern political thought, perhaps even more so than myself. His Position as Professor is not unwarranted.
My Price was set, I begin my research tomorrow, and have gained access to both his impressive Personal Library, and the University Library on his behalf.
~~*~~
Part 1 of 3
Get Ready for some Serious Dynastic Infighting
And pay Attention to one of the characters here, because he's about to do something that most of the real life versions of these characters probably would have considered Blasphemy.
I Consider it a Poetic Irony
Heh, Looks like splitting up the posts is just going to make me put more detail into each area.
Oh Well, I have a very good reason for spending a lot of time on this part...