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do u plan to inherit england or just keep them under a pu

I will definitely inherit them; either by integrating or through natural events, whichever comes first.

To make sure I'm 100% correct with this, I will not gain any cores in Great Britain upon inheritance, as the only way to automatically get cores is for them to be in your culture group or within the HRE?
 
England wasnt the war I was expecting! I would have guessed something more close to Roma. But well, all must fall eventually so the order in which they do is not really of any importance. Although I am pretty sure GB won't share the same idea at present time.
 
England wasnt the war I was expecting! I would have guessed something more close to Roma. But well, all must fall eventually so the order in which they do is not really of any importance. Although I am pretty sure GB won't share the same idea at present time.

No, they aren't as malleable as they ought to be.
 
Looks like the war will be won very soon. When you inherit the UK will you release Ireland and Scotland for a more historical Roman border or will you keep it all under a new and improved Empire?

Well, the historical Romans did (briefly) hold southern Scotland, up to the Antonine Wall. So theoretically, if Avindian wanted to, he could have dibs on Lothian and Ayrshire.

To make sure I'm 100% correct with this, I will not gain any cores in Great Britain upon inheritance, as the only way to automatically get cores is for them to be in your culture group or within the HRE?

Correct, you will not get cores in Britain. Also, the HRE auto-coring on inheritance only works if you're a member of the "Damned German Empire"—and you're not anymore, right?
 
Well, the historical Romans did (briefly) hold southern Scotland, up to the Antonine Wall. So theoretically, if Avindian wanted to, he could have dibs on Lothian and Ayrshire.

Correct, you will not get cores in Britain. Also, the HRE auto-coring on inheritance only works if you're a member of the "Damned German Empire"—and you're not anymore, right?

For the HRE core on inheritance you need to be a member of the HRE and you only get cores on provinces that are inside it.

Good to know about the coring; I think I'll leave Scotland alone, at least for the time being.
 
You should free Ireland. O'Connor's great contributions to the Empire should be rewarded.
 
You should free Ireland. O'Connor's great contributions to the Empire should be rewarded.

I agree. O'Connor has done much fer the italians. he should be awarded a free home country.
If not make him duke of Ireland.
 
Well, the ancient Roman empire never controlled Ireland, so a free Ireland would fit the script ( obviously conveniently vassaled :D ) and the services O'Connor did for the Empire amply deserve a good reward ;)
 
You should free Ireland. O'Connor's great contributions to the Empire should be rewarded.

I agree. O'Connor has done much fer the italians. he should be awarded a free home country.
If not make him duke of Ireland.

Well, the ancient Roman empire never controlled Ireland, so a free Ireland would fit the script ( obviously conveniently vassaled :D ) and the services O'Connor did for the Empire amply deserve a good reward ;)

I assure you all, O'Connor will be well-rewarded. As for the fate of Ireland, I haven't decided yet. There is an OPM Ireland, and I could sell the Irish provinces to them upon inheritance. Or, I could annex the OPM. Or, we can leave it as is. If somebody makes a compelling case for options two or three, I'll consider it, but I'd rather have a free Ireland.
 
There isn't much evidence of any Roman influence on Ireland, never mind occupation (though apparently Agricola went on an expedition there at some point), so Ireland should probably best be left as either a very close ally or a vassal.
With regards to Scotland, the Romans held most of the Lowlands (almost all the way up to Inverness) during the reign of Septimius Serverus. I'd say that warrants an eventual annexation. :D
 
Well if I was remaking the Roman Empire, I'd take Mesopotamia, even if the Romans only had it for a few years.
 
Not so long ago I have begun to read this superb tale of tuscany, yet it seems you crank out new chapters faster then I can actually read them. Impressive stuff. I am curious to know how much time you spent on writing a new chapter on average?
 
There isn't much evidence of any Roman influence on Ireland, never mind occupation (though apparently Agricola went on an expedition there at some point), so Ireland should probably best be left as either a very close ally or a vassal.
With regards to Scotland, the Romans held most of the Lowlands (almost all the way up to Inverness) during the reign of Septimius Serverus. I'd say that warrants an eventual annexation. :D

Good to know; Scotland is at the very last of my concerns for the future, though :)

So...if a Roman soldier once squatted there its free game for the Empire?
So...adding on colonies would be verboten? I mean the glory of Roma etc etc etc.
Nice moves with the British, time for the Gaul.

Well if I was remaking the Roman Empire, I'd take Mesopotamia, even if the Romans only had it for a few years.

well other Empires have been founded on less firm historical-legal grounds so it sounds perfectly reasonable to me

My goal is to expand at least as far as the Romans did. I'm not saying colonies will never happen, but I will say they aren't a priority, and I'd like to have as much of Europe in my grasp before I colonize in a big way. I will say that I have no intentions of taking German land north of the Danube and east of the Rhine unless everything else is done first.

Not so long ago I have begun to read this superb tale of tuscany, yet it seems you crank out new chapters faster then I can actually read them. Impressive stuff. I am curious to know how much time you spent on writing a new chapter on average?

That's a good question. The short part is choosing and editing screenshots -- I take anywhere between 40 and 80 per chapter, and choose the twenty (or less) best, mostly battles, significant events, etc. I leave out some random events because they have little practical effect or have no impact on the story. The writing, that's the tricky part... some updates take about eight hours to write, some later, although I break it up over several days.
 
Chapter 33: Sweet victory and a new Emperor

20 May 1628, office of the Foreign Minister (and Regent!), Rome

Regent Pietro Leopoldo Farnese knew he had about 10 years in office, with his son being about five. He'd matured a lot since the last time he was in a position of power, and left the military questions to Marshal van Dijk. With no real foreign minister, however, Pietro still had an awful lot of work to deal with. He didn't make any major changes to the Council of Ministers, as he was used to working with both the Marshal and Chancellor Buti.

He begged Gian Carlo, the Chancellor's father, to take up the foreign ministry, but he refused. That meant even less time with his son. From all he knew, though, his son was doing very well. His old friend Julius kept him apprised of important events.

His most pressing issue was the refusal of the British to even negotiate.

chapter33may1628.jpg


Despite the entirety of the British isles being under Tuscan occupation, the King stubbornly insisted on his independence. The British only had a few colonies across the Atlantic left. Pietro sighed. That meant ordering the one thing he'd hoped didn't have to happen: an invasion of the New World. While he'd anticipated the possibility, and heard that the Marshal had some fine plans already, he would have preferred not to deal with it.

Just in case, to make sure that the journey would be as simple as possible, both Hamburg and Burgundy were contacted for military access rights, which were quickly granted. [1]

Pietro prayed that they wouldn't need to be used.
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6 January 1629, the Imperial Throne Room, Rome

King George III of Great Britain was a new visitor to the Empire of Italy. As Pietro Leopoldo Farnese prepared to meet with him to sign the historic Treaty of Rome, he couldn't help but ask himself how one little country had obstructed such progress for so long. Until Riga was out of the war, the British would have categorically refused to sign any treaty. After Riga's white peace, however, the British were as meek as mice.

Pietro was so busy with the treaty that he completely missed an entire war going on in India and the loss of Greek as an accepted culture.

chapter33september1628.jpg


As Pietro reviewed the treaty text and began to sign, he caught the eye of Colonel Alexander O'Connor, the man behind the claim on the British throne. Pietro nodded and smiled at the faithful Colonel. King George III coughed, bringing the Regent's eyes back where they ought to have been.

"Forgive me, your Majesty. If you would be so kind as sign the treaty, we can have you on your way."

The King coldly smiled. He scratched out his name so quickly that there were serious concerns about the legibility of the signature.

"That's done, then. What is to become of me?"

Pietro carefully considered his response. "I shall give you two options, your Majesty. Without qualification, you must abdicate the throne, as shall all of your heirs. This is a precondition for your remaining alive and at some degree of liberty. If you choose to return to the British Isles, you may do so, but only as a private citizen. Otherwise, you may retire to whatever climate you find most pleasant -- we would be happy to offer you a proper estate in Sicily, should you be so inclined -- but your attempt to return to Great Britain at a later date would force me to order your execution. What say you?"

George III did not let his obvious relief show. He was too skilled a monarch for that. George was convinced that he would be executed no matter what; this gave him the opportunity to save face. "I place myself in your care, Regent Pietro. I will give neither you nor your son any trouble."

Pietro beamed. "Excellent. I shall make the arrangements at once!"

chapter33january1629.jpg


After George III left, Pietro gestured towards the heroes of the War of Unification, indicating that they should come forward. Colonel O'Connor, Colonel Brutus Porcius Cato, and General Rodolfo Gentileschi approached the throne.

"Gentlemen, each of you shall be rewarded for your service to the Imperial Throne as you see fit. It goes without saying that you shall all be promoted. General Gentileschi, how can the Empire reward you?"

Rodolfo smiled. "You spoke of promotion, yet there are only two jobs that I might see as a promotion: Chancellor or Marshal. I have already heard that Marshal van Dijk is retiring once a replacement is named. That is the position I would most covet."

Pietro nodded. "Then that position is yours. You shall be known as the new Marshal of the Empire as soon as Karel retires. Colonel Cato, what would you have?"

Brutus was inwardly frustrated. He had wanted to replace Marshal van Dijk. However, he had worked well with General Gentileschi and wanted to continue that relationship. "If Marshal Gentileschi agrees, I would be honored to serve as his Deputy."

Pietro was actually relieved, knowing full well of Brutus's ambitions. "You shall be given General's rank and the job you desire as the Marshal's Chief of Staff. Colonel O'Connor, I have a special offer for you, if you would hear it."

The Irishman, who initially thought he'd be forgotten, nodded. "Of course, Regent."

"With George III on permanent vacation, we need a reliable person to administer Great Britain until it can be legally incorporated into our Empire. I think that person is you. I would make you the Governor-General of Britannia."

O'Connor was dumbfounded. He would have been happy to have been appointed a General, but this was much more than that. He would be responsible for ruling some of the richest lands in the Empire, and the first colonies in the New World. With his eyes brimming with tears at the thought of the gift he'd been given, all the Colonel (now General) could do was nod.

"Splendid! You all have new duties to attend to; I think you have no time to waste. Thank you all for your service to the Empire. Dismissed!"

The new Marshal, Chief of Staff, and Governor-General of Britannia all chatted excitedly. Pietro smiled.

Sometimes it was good to be Emperor! (Or at the very least, Imperial Regent.)
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7 May 1631, office of the Chief of Staff of the Marshal of the Empire, Rome

General Brutus Porcius Cato had held his position for two years, and had done a commendable job, he thought. Without the Marshal's protection, however, he probably would not have been Chief of Staff for two days. Generals Galilei and Buonarotti were both furious at being passed over for the Marshal's job and the second-highest military office in the Empire. There wasn't much they could do, legally, but both had powerful friends in Rome and both had sterling reputations. They could have easily caused tremendous hardship for the Legions.

It was Marshal Gentileschi who shielded his subordinate, a welcome change from the way legionary politics used to work. The Marshal gave both Generals very important assignments; General Galilei was named General-in-Chief of the Imperial Legions, which ensured he would get the credit for any successes in the field. General Buonarotti was given the prestigious honor of acting as the personal bodyguard of the former King George III.

With the political crisis averted, however, a new threat loomed. The Timurids, once again, had begun raiding villages in the province of Anatolia.

chapter33october1630.jpg


Looking over a map of the region, General Cato thought the best plan was to seize Hawran; after that, it would be best to let the Timurids drive Castille out of the region.

chapter33may1631.jpg


After getting approval from the Marshal, General Cato put his plan into action; all he had to do was wait for the results.
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1 October 1633, the Van Dijk College of War, Florence

Karel van Dijk, former Marshal of the Empire, couldn't help but grin every time one of his students called him "Marshal." It was unusual for an ex-Marshal of the Empire to continue to serve the Empire in some capacity, but Karel van Dijk was an unique case. After retiring, he'd first considered returning home to Holland, but was informed that his presence would not be welcome. Just living in a rich estate wasn't good enough for him; he had to feel useful. When Marshal Gentileschi argued for the construction of a War College to train high ranking officers in the latest art of war, he immediately suggested that Karel van Dijk be the namesake and the first President of the Van Dijk College of War.

chapter33december1631.jpg


Karel was thrilled to accept. He went all over Europe looking for teachers for the new college. He also had more time to spend with his children; he'd given them all Italian (or Latin) names, and none of them ever learned to speak Dutch. He'd been purposeful in this decision. Although he was Dutch by birth, it was the Empire of Italy that was his own. He'd wrestled with a way to Latinize his last name, but gave up. Plus, with a college named after him, he couldn't very well change it now!

The Empire had good news too. The Timurids had conceded defeat, giving the Empire five years of peace from the barbarian hordes.

chapter33january1632.jpg


As President of the College of War, van Dijk began carefully studying the armies of other European countries, and found that the infantry armies of Sweden provided a useful tactic to the legions.

chapter33october1633.jpg


He shared his new idea with the Commandant of the Germanicus Academy, d'Appiani d'Aragona, who loved it and drilled his new soldiers in the new style.
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1 October 1637, coronation of the Emperor Francis II, Rome

Pietro Leopoldo Farnese was now back to simply being Foreign Minister, the way he liked it. He fervently wished that, perhaps someday, he could retire, but he couldn't very well argue with his son, particularly when that son was about to become Emperor.

The last years of his regency had been quiet. The military lost two honorable men; Giuliano d'Appiani d'Aragona, the Commandant of the Germanicus Academy, and General Ascanio Maria Buonarotti. His replacement for the Commandant was somebody who promised to assist with the production efficiency of the Empire.

chapter33january1635.jpg


Maurizio Carafa was something of an unknown, politically. He owned a construction company that had recently been given the orders to build a University in Mus. His other businesses were all equally lucrative, so when Innocenzo Buti, the Chancellor of the Empire, suggested hiring a Minister of Commerce, Carafa was virtually the only name on the list. He promised to drastically increase efficiency throughout the Empire; a tall order, but one that needed doing.

Under Pietro's regency, the Empire gained a new Legion, the Legio XVII 'Britannia' and a new Classis, the Classis V 'd'Este'. The new Classis was particularly robust; it consisted of 20 Flytes, giving the carrying capacity of 2 legions, and 20 Galleons. The new Legion was of the "quick legion" type, but used the Gustavian tactics put into effect by Marshal van Dijk.

All in all, Pietro was pleased with the Empire his son now commanded, and was eager to see how the Empire of Italy would continue to thrive and grow under Francis II's watchful eyes.

chapter33october1637.jpg

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[1] They owned Iceland and Greenland, respectively.

I've got two short-ish updates in the pipeline before 1650 and a new State of the Empire. I'm not sure when I'll get around to them, but rest assured I will!