• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

Hamilcar

El Rey
12 Badges
Mar 9, 2002
324
0
Visit site
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Cities: Skylines - After Dark
  • Stellaris
  • Cities: Skylines - Mass Transit
  • BATTLETECH
  • Stellaris: Synthetic Dawn
  • Stellaris: Humanoids Species Pack
  • Stellaris: Apocalypse
  • Stellaris: Ancient Relics
  • Stellaris: Federations
  • Stellaris: Nemesis
Preface

After failing miserably with my two previous AAR’s (world conquest with Orleans and the history of Baden-Württemberg written entirely in haiku), I have decided to give it a third shot and I will try and stick with this one until people tell me to shut up.

The fact that I work in Astronomy is both a blessing and a curse. It means I will have endless stretches of time to think about the storyline while I track famous microquasars at night, but at the same time this means I have a hectic schedule, so don’t expect frequent updates.

Q: What's the country?
A: The glorious County of Holland.

Q: What kind of AAR will this be?
A: I am going to interweave first-hand accounts with fake historical texts. I intend to go at a rather slow pace time-wise and I’m more interested in atmosphere than the glory of World Conquest. I have an idea of how this will work, so please bear with me.

Q: Is any file-editing going on?
A: Not at the start, no. But if it serves to promote the storyline, I will shamelessly edit to heart’s content.

Q: Can I contribute?
Sure! If you want to join this AAR and maybe take over one or more of the characters, both from Holland and abroad, feel free to pm me!

Q: What version of EU 2 are you using?
A: I’m running a heavily customised 1.05 patch. I installed the EEP and the GUFSM (kudos to both teams!), as well as Mad King James’ excellent ai mod and Deserteur’s extensive Language mod.

Q:Will there be pictures?
A: You betcha! I have free, fast webspace from my university that I intend to fill. No annoying care2-sorry-we’re-complete-bastards pics.

All names/persons here are either fictional or historical, or simply bad puns.

I apologise to all Dutch readers for my butchering of their language.
 
Last edited:
Si vis pacem, para bellum -- A Holland AAR

If you want peace, prepare for war.
--Motto of the Roman Legions


The Early 15th Century
1417-19 – Dynastic Struggles

When Jaqueline de Bavrie succeeded her father Wilhelm as the Countess of Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland in 1417, she faced a precarious situation. She arranged a marriage with Jan IV., Duke of Brabant and a nephew of Philippe le Bon of Burgundy in the hope that this would secure her claims on the lost duchy and prevent territorial ambitions of the ever more powerful Burgundians. However, this marriage soon proved to be futile, as Jan was an incompetent and under the sway of Duke Jean I. sans Peur of Burgundy who kept pressing for surrender of the city of Arras in Artois.

Nevertheless, Jaqueline had inherited a rich nation. The coffers of the sate were filled (300d) and trade in the Low Countries flourished. The Friesians paid tribute and were bound by treaties of alliance to the County and sources reveal that the mood between the two states was quite friendly at the time. (Vassals, alliance, relations +100)

Like in most states of the period, the sovereign had little control over the various lower nobles and city councils, whose virtual independence from the government had been secured over centuries by tradition and particularization. (Aristocracy 9, Centralization 0)

amsterdam.jpg

Fig. 6 -- Amsterdam


--A History of the Low Countries
J.G. Jackson
1979, Cornell University Press


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Shore near Vlaanderen
A merchant vessel from Bremen

kogge.jpg


“Those Dutch sailors aren’t bad.”
“You’re right, Herr Kapitän. Handling their ship quite well. The currents round here are strong and the many sandbanks are dangerous…”
“And I bet those Holländers know every single one of them! Hah!”

The western breeze had been low for the last hours, but a sudden gust struck the fat Kogge’s sails and they filled.

“Off we are! Prepare to tack!”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3 – The Height of the Hundred Year’s War
1415-1420 Henry V. in France

…The Hundred Year’s war had reached another climax as the armies of Henry V. and Jean I. sans Peur marched upon Paris. By 1419, Rouen had capitulated and Normandy was under the control of the English…

Amongst the more notable armies of the time that had an impact on the outcome of the war were the troops of the County of Holland. The Dutch, unlike the main continental contestants of the war, followed more of a naval doctrine. While Holland’s navy was small, it was highly effective as a patrolling and escort force protecting Dutch sea trade and interests… (Naval 4)

The Dutch had taken a cue from the titanic clashes between French and English troops and like them had moved on from traditional late-medieval siege warfare and had started to utilize more mobile forces, including a change towards cavalry. Nevertheless, the old structures of the medieval force were still in place and nobles commanded an army of pressed peasantry…. (Offensive Doctrine 5, Serfdom 8)

It is notable that the commander-in-chief of Holland’s army at the time was an obscure man called Al-Rashid. How a man with a clearly Arabic name came to be the leader of a European army is a mystery, but the few accounts of the time that refer to him declare him to be an able tactician who paid close attention to the changes in doctrine that lead to the defeat of the French during this part of the War.

--La Guerre de Cent Ans: Une Histoire Complète
Giscard de Villepin
1992, The Paris-Sorbonne University Press (PUPS)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…and the Infidel Christians burned and looted and took many prisoners, amongst them our trusted aide and friend, may Allah protect him…

--Account of a Genovese raid near Tripoli
Fazul Rabi Saïd-Rahman
Old Manuscripts Colletion, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
 
Last edited:
Map fo the Low Countries
Presenting the State of the man Lords and Noble Gerntlemen of the Nether Lands.

holland1.jpg


A map of the Netherlands prepared for King James I. of Scotland, showing the various small states that made up the area, as well as the advancec of the Burgundian troops towards Paris.

Old Manuscripts Colletion, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
 
Countess Jacqueline sat brooding at her desk, maps of her possessions and wider Europe scattered all across it.

“Damn this fool Jan to hell. And Jean too! By God, one day…”

Her chambermaid was frightened. The countess’ vicious paroxysms were renowned at the court in Amsterdam; and lately they had only become more frequent.

“And the English too! Damn them all, those thickheaded fools and their war!”

But so far, neither side had sent any armies to Holland. But Arras was in the line of fire, and that fox Jean of Burgundy has already set his eyes on it.

“Sans Peur! Hah! I’ll teach you fear, Jean. I’ll teach you fear!”

She took a deep breath and collected herself again. Then she took a piece of parchment and began to prepare ink and quill. With a frown on her brow, she began to write.

To His Excellency Opperbevelhebber der Landstrijdkrachten, Khalid al-Rashid of the Army of Holland,

We desire to put some fright into the heart our dear relations from Bourgogne, the Good Duke Jean. He is most vulnerable now that he is marching upon Paris together with the English, and so we desire to threaten his position a little. To this end, we order you to march towards Zeeland and draft between eight and ten thousand men on horse and camp near the border to Vlaandern, where every man shall light three fires.

Any funds you require to equip those men are herewith granted, though I expect a total of 170 gold ducats shall suffice. I expect you in position within three months.

May God bless you enterprise.

Signed,
Jacqueline de Bavrie
Gravin van Holland, Zeeland en Henegouwen


“Annabel, bring be a candle, quick,” she demanded with her usual impatient voice. The handmaid hurried to fetch the required candle. Jacqueline took a piece of crimson wax and used the candle’s bright flame to liquefy the wax. A deep scent reminiscent of honey and forest started to spread in the room. When sufficient wax had dripped onto the folded letter, Jacqueline pressed her seal ring onto the already hardening wax and thus converted her letter to the absolute will of the sovereign of Holland.
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by Mad King James
Ahh I take it you didn't decide to honor the Treaty of Woudreichem? ;) (muhahaha!)

Oh, I'm still not there. But I don't think I'll honour it. :D
 
Périphéries de Paris – a prison
2:41 pm

Pierre had enough. He’d been standing upright since sunrise, guarding the heavy wooden door of the cell that held the once proud King Charles VI. of France. Now a broken man, Charles was a prisoner of Duc Jean sans Peur of Bourgogne. And while Jean negotiated with Duke Humphrey of Gloucester and the Dauphin of France, it was up to Pierre and his companion Jacques, two peasant boys from the Bourgogne and proud soldiers of the Duke without fear.

Standing was hard work, Pierre had soon realized. Much harder than he had ever imagined. The noontime heat was sweltering and triggered him to yawn periodically.

He scratched his head.

Suddenly, a very agitated captain came around the corner.

“You there, open the door!”

“Excusez moi, but I’s can’t do that. Ain’t allowed, wif all due respect, monsieur.”

“Under orders of Duke Jean, I am to bring the prisoner to his presence, at once!

He quickly searched his heavy brocade shirt and produced a very official looking letter.

Pierre couldn’t read.

He hastily waved the paper around and pronounced:

“I am charged by His Grace the Duke to bring the prisoner to Paris where he is to be executed!”

Executed? The King of France? In Paris? Was Jean so far beyond fear that he would dare behead the King in the heart of France?

He began searching for the keys and slowly opened the heavy door.



Later that day in Paris.

i3_0063.jpg
 
Chapter 3 – The Height of the Hundred Year’s War
1415-1420 Henry V. in France

…With the execution of Charles VI. of France, Jean I, out Burgundy irrevocably into the camp of the English. Some attribute the execution to pressure exerted by the English, while other sources indicate that Jean sought to convince Henry V. of his sincerity and loyalty.

jean_moving.gif

Fig.3 -- Jean's Army moving towards Nevers

With the deed done, word of the King’s death spread quickly throughout France and thus the Hundred Year’s war reached another watershed. Jean anticipated that urgent action was required to prevent the Dauphin, now nominally King Charles VII., from rallying the remaining French nobles and vassals, in particular those of the central and southern states of Auvergne, Bourbonnais and Orléans. With time against Jean, he commanded his army of nearly 20,000 men to march southeast to besiege the city of Nevers (see Fig.3) in order to create a corridor from Paris to Bourgogne to allow his army to be re-supplied and in the hope of coming one step closer to the old Burgundian dream of a nation spanning from the Netherlands to the Mediterranean.

marching1.gif

Fig.4 -- The Army of Holland threatening the border to Flanders

Meanwhile, the ambitions Dutch county of Holland sent a newly recruited army to threaten the isolated Burgundian city of Antwerp in Flanders by camping next to the border (Fig. 4). The danger that this move presented to Jean may have been obvious to him, but with the Dauphin demanding his skin, he imprudently chose to ignore the threat.

-La Guerre de Cent Ans: Une Histoire Complète
Giscard de Villepin
The Paris-Sorbonne University Press (PUPS)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

…ande the countess ordered the citie off Vlissingen to paye a fixed taxe of twethi-four gulden ducatii per annum. There was some dissent amongst the most honourable gentlemen of the citie, but the countess sent three hundred well-armed Iberian mercenaries to enfforce her wille…

--Records of the City of Vlissingen
The Mayoral Records
Old Manuscripts Colletion, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

(Centralization +1)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A large Encampment near the border to Burgundian Vlaandern
]9:21 pm, 28th April, 1419

Khalid Al-Rashid was exhausted. He had rushed here all the way from Amsterdam with new orders from the countess and now had to see them implemented. Why did she have to mess with my deployment? My design pf two concentrated camps at the necessary choke points would have fully satisfied Her Grace’s order of making the Burgundians nervous. But no! She had to split his army into three separate camps to make it look even bigger. Was she really counting on scaring the lords in Vlaandern so much that they would just surrender?

“Gerd, Jan, come here!” He shouted.

“Yessir! What’s the call, sir?

“As per Her Grace’s order, every man should light three fires, but I only see around two thousand fires here. By my count, our three thousand men here should have around nine thousand fires list. Go ahead and make sure that I see nine thousand camp fires within the hour!”

“Aye Sir, in a moment Sir!”

She wants war, so much is clear. But are we prepared to challenge the might of Burgundy and perhaps even England? I pray to Allah that we are, for if we fail…
 
Last edited:
Really great, Hamilcar! Love the flavour screenies and the editing on the from-game ones. The whole dialogue and narrative is really superb too.

*clicks subscribe*
 
Very impressive, Hamilcar. Lots of...spiffy graphics and stuff. Keep it up.

*subscribe*
 
Holland AAR is very nice

Baden-Wurttenberg now dead

Fie, this is sad thought.


:D

_______________


This looks like a great start though, and I love the graphics!

Definitely will be checking this one out!
LT
 
Next installment tonight, hopefully. :)
 
The Early 15th Century
1417-19 – Dynastic Struggles

Despite the fact that Jacqueline had managed to hold on to power in Amsterdam for nearly two years, her relations from the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach schemed against her. Her uncle Jan of Bavaria repeatedly contested the legality of her inheritance and had managed to drum up considerable support from several key powers, including Pope Martinus V., Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund and chief of all, Jean sans Peur of Burgundy.

Encouraged by his success in France and the capture of Paris, Jean felt that he could dictate a treaty to Jacqueline which would for all intents and purposes make the county of Hainaut part of now Greater Burgundy and relegate Holland to a minor power in the area. Jacqueline, by all accounts a resolute and confident woman, defied the treaty offered to her at the city of Woudrichem at the 2nd of August 1419.


Jean was reportedly greatly upset when he heard of Jacqueline’s refusal to submit. But Burgundy was not the only party snubbed and both Patrimonium Perti and Empire took affront. (Burgundy –100, Papal States –50, Austria –50, Hungary –25, Stability –3)

On the 3rd of August, Burgundy declared war upon the County of Holland and her ally Friesland, and while Henry V. of England had little intention to interfere while the Crown of France was within his reach, he too declared a formal state of war. (War with Burgundy and England)

siege1.jpg

Fig.15 -- The Army of Al-Rashid lays Siege to Antwerp, Vlaanderen

--A History of the Low Countries
J.G. Jackson
Cornell University Press


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

war1.gif


--Map of Troop Movements, Dutch early 15th Century
Bodleian Library
University of Oxford England


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To His Excellency Opperbevelhebber der Landstrijdkrachten, Khalid al-Rashid of the Army of Holland,

You are to march AT ONCE towards Antwerp and lay siege upon the city, We anticipate that Jean will not tolerate this and WILL react. He has two obvious choices – face you at Antwerp or lay siege himself upon Arras.

We cannot foresee which path the Burgundian will take, but we trust you to be prepared should he desire to meet you on the field of battle. Under NO circumstances are you to aid Arras should Jean strike there, for we can always retake the city later. Also you are NOT to retreat towards Vlaanderen, for Our cavalry shall be useless there.

We hope that you will prove your worth and best the Fearless on the field of battle and that the French shall foil any attempt of his to even reach Antwerp before the city falls to Our army.

May God bless you.

Signed,
Jacqueline de Bavrie
Gravin von Holland, Zeeland et Hainaut

--Records of the City of Amsterdam
Old Manuscripts Colletion, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
 
Bohemia
23rd August 1419

husb.gif


The burning of John Hus at the Council of Constance.
From Ulrich Richenthal's Das Concilium: So zu Constantz gehalten ist worden, des jars MCCCCXIII

(Augsburg, 1536), a "modernization" of the original edition of 1483.
 
Next instalment tonight hopefully. Now that the war is under way, I'm experimenting with several ways of bringing the battles to life (including, but not limited to Flash). Anyone who has experience doing this?