Luck and skill combined with talent. I have faith young Jedi.It will certainly take a lot of luck
Yeah, I'd like the chicken to pluck and cook itself too but really...
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Luck and skill combined with talent. I have faith young Jedi.
Yeah, I'd like the chicken to pluck and cook itself too but really...
Very true. Thank you for your continued faith; it may be rewarded (or not
). Working on a new update now; I've got the images edited and uploaded, just a matter of writing the post.
Chapter 15: Humiliation
1 October 1500, the Imperial War Room
Emperor John I took a look at the faces around him. This meeting of the Imperial War Council was much smaller than normal; he was very concerned about secrecy. Only three individuals sat around the small table: Marshal of the Empire Andreas Germanicus, Foreign Minister Pietro Leopoldo Bizzelli, and the Duke of Constantinople, Tiberius Graecus.
"Friends, we have an opportunity that cannot be missed. Our hated enemy, the infidel Turks of the Ottoman Empire, engaged themselves in a war against the Mamluks in Egypt. We learned through the offices of our Foreign Minister, whose agents intercepted this letter."
An Ottoman declaration of war on the Mamluks, dated January, 1500
"We have also finally secured a royal marriage with Milan, but for now, this is our most pressing concern. Duke Graecus, I understand you have some information for us?"
Tiberius Graecus nodded, reached into his cloak, and pulled out a map, detailing the positions of the Ottoman armies.
"Emperor, fellow Councillors, this is as of April 1500. Before we actually attack, I should be able to get more recent deployments; my spies tell me it will take another two to three days."
Marshal Germanicus carefully studied the map. "Emperor, I must agree; this is a unique opportunity. I will have to wait until the Duke provides with us a more recent map, but it looks like they are devoting significant resources to invade Egypt. This could be our chance to secure additional lands and glory for the Empire!"
The Emperor nodded. "I have ordered two additional legions -- the II and III -- to Constantinople, under the command of our new General, Cosimo Grimaldi."
Andreas looked stunned. "Emperor John, why was I not given the opportunity to command?"
"Marshal, you are much too valuable to our Empire to let you serve in the field. I know you had your heart set on a Generalship, but the Ottoman Empire is much too far away, and I need you here at my side, helping plan our ultimate victory."
Although Andreas privately raged inside, outwardly he nodded. "Very well, your Imperial Majesty."
Emperor John then announced, "Gentlemen, let us meet back here in three days' time. We have a war to plan!"
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4 October 1500, the Imperial War Room
Andreas Germanicus paced back and forth outside the War Room. For some reason, he hadn't been given the proper time for the meeting, and arrived to find the door closed and locked and voices whispering inside. He could finally take it no longer, and pounded on the door. Emperor John himself opened it, and smiled (although Andreas could not help but find the smile insincere). He ushered his Marshal in.
"Ah, here he is, gentlemen. Why did you take so long, Marshal Germanicus?"
"I was told the meeting was at 1:00 PM, not 12:00 PM. Perhaps one of my adjutants gave me the wrong time."
The Emperor waved this off, and motioned him to the table.
"Marshal, you are just in time. Duke Graecus has come up with an ingenious plan!"
It became all too clear to Andreas the moment he looked at the map and the arrows drawn; they knew he would not approve.
The Graecus plan
Graecus rose and began to explain. "Marshal, as you can see, two Legions will invade Burgas, and two more will invade Edirne. With the brilliant leadership of General Grimaldi, we will drive the Turk out of Edirne, while the other legions begin to siege and occupy Burgas."
Both the Emperor and Duke Graecus looked askance at Marshal Germanicus, as if waiting for his approval. Andreas sighed. "May I speak freely, Emperor John?"
Emperor John nodded eagerly.
"This is, by far, the worst possible plan for defeating the Ottoman Empire. Look at this map; Edirne has a river flowing through it, which will greatly impede General Grimaldi's advance. Even if we are successful, casualties will be horrendous! Why not take advantage of the Turk's foolishness, and occupy the lands to the East of the Hellespont? We can deprive the enemy of the resources he relies so heavily upon, prevent him from raising reinforcements. Our fleet will prevent any army from crossing to assist."
Duke Graecus looked personally insulted. "You would abandon Constantinople? The enemy's capital is in Edirne; if we do capture it, they will be forced to treat with us!"
Very patient, Marshal Germanicus explained his position. "Duke, with all due respect, Constantinople is better used as a drain on Turkish forces than as the last line of defense. Let the Turk siege; he's tried it before and will try it again, with the same results! While they are tied up in Thrace, we could even land forces in Greece, and begin working our way back towards Constantinople, after we've deprived the enemy of half of his territory."
Emperor John pointed to a symbol on the map. "Marshal, the enemy fleet is in Edirne; they could ferry troops to defeat the Legions in the East. If we engage it, we risk leaving the straits uncovered. Even worse, the Ottomans could invade our homes, with only one legion to protect us!"
Marshal Germanicus was starting to lose his temper. "Who cares? The more time they waste not engaging our forces, the more success we will have. They only have enough transports to send 12,000 soldiers anyway; with our superior defensive positioning, even one legion should easily defeat any attempt to invade our homes. You must listen to reason; my plan will save lives and still achieve a great victory!"
The projected enemy and allied forces
Emperor John I snootily replied, "But their army, Marshal Germanicus. Surely you have read the works of Marshal Marcus Porcius Cato; we must crush their army, then we can occupy their lands!"
Andreas couldn't take it any longer. "And what if they finish the Mamluks off quickly, you damned fool! While we're wasting time with their soldiers, they can land whatever forces are currently in Egypt in their main holdings! We only have four legions, and without Swedish support immediately, we would be outnumbered! Give up your stupid obsession with glorious victories! Warfare has changed since Marshal Cato led your soldiers to victory in the Great Italian War! How could you be so blind?"
All of a sudden, Andreas realized he'd gone much too far. Emperor John's expression told the entire story; he was about to explode. "MARSHAL, YOU FORGET WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO! NO DAMNED FOREIGNER IS GOING TO ACCUSE ME OF INCOMPETENCE! GUARDS, ARREST THIS TRAITOR, AND HIS FAMILY TOO!" [1]
The guards hesitated briefly -- after all, as Commandant, Andreas Germanicus had trained many of them -- but in the end, complied with their orders. Wordlessly, Andreas followed them to the Imperial dungeons. Luckily, his wife and children were visiting family in Mecklenburg; they would be safe.
He saw one gratifying thing, as he was led away in chains. General Grimaldi's aide looked very concerned, as if he realized how dangerous this plan would be.
The official declaration of war
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2 November 1500, a cell in the Imperial Dungeon
Andreas Germanicus scratched his beard. The guards had kindly kept him informed of the war against the Ottomans. Austria, it seemed, had actually provided some war subsidies, about 11 ducats a month. Andreas could not help but think that Austria wanted Tuscan forces distracted. At best, they hoped that Tuscany would beat the Turks and secure their own borders. He huffily noted to himself that Austria wasn't actually volunteering any troops, just money, the one thing Tuscany had no need of.
One of the guards approached his cell. It was certainly one of the nicer cells; much larger than most of them, and he even was given books and allowed correspondence. He was still a Count, even if he was arrested, and he knew that the Emperor would never revoke his patent of nobility, because it was given by his father. Maybe that explained John's idiotic obsession with glory in battle; he felt small compared to his father, despite his huge figure.
As the guard drew closer, Marshal Germanicus got off of his bed, and walked to the door. When he was the guard, particularly the guard's pale complexion, he knew that the news could not be heard.
"Marshal, I got you a copy of the casualty report from the first Battle of Edirne."
Now it was Andreas's turn to turn white. "My God. He has the gall to call this a victory?! We lost half a legion! Their generals are much better than I thought too; it looks like the Sultan himself is leading Ottoman forces. At least one bit of news is good. With us occupying their capital, they will feel compelled to throw forces at us, and now we have the better defensive ground. Thank you very much, Stefano. I will not forget your kindness."
Stefano shakily nodded, then returned to his post. He hoped the Marshal was right.
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30 March 1501, the camp of General Cosimo Grimaldi, Burgas, Ottoman Empire
After the first bloody victory, things seemed to be turning around for his men. Battle reports showed fewer and fewer Tuscan casualties and more and more Ottoman casualties.
The trend had continued, but the Turks kept coming, testing his weaknesses, and probing his defenses. He had to constantly shuttle legions between Edirne and Burgas, and while the enemy was free to withdraw and reinforce from time to time, he was not.
He could not help but wish he had contact with Marshal Germanicus; the Emperor just constantly sent notes demanding attack after attack. Burgas had nearly fallen, and he looked forward to being able to rest, if possible, and recover his forces. Where were the damned allies, anyway? Nobody had contributed so much as a single soldier!
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24 July 1501, the newly Tuscan palace at Burgas
Emperor John I entered the city in triumph. At last, they had made a conquest in Ottoman lands! He knew that fool Germanicus had no idea what he was talking about. Casualties had been higher than they expected, but the infidel Turk had proven no match for the superior armies of the Empire of Tuscany.
General Grimaldi entered the palace, saluted his Emperor, and gave his report.
"Your imperial majesty, progress on the siege of the Ottoman capital is going well. Our numbers are weak, but our spirit is stronger than ever before!"
Emperor John I nodded, and with a big smile, replied, "And what of the Turkish siege on Constantinople? How did they get through our defenses?"
General Grimaldi shrunk. "I cannot rightly say, sir. It would seem that they either have a larger fleet than we expected, or the fleet that is being blockaded by ours is not their main fleet. They might also have advanced into Thrace after a recent battle. I simply cannot say." [2]
John I scowled. "When do you plan to launch an attack to retake the city?"
Grimaldi looked stunned. "With all due respect, Emperor, my men are exhausted. Three of the Legions are at well under 50% strength; only the V Legion is in any position to attack, and they've lost a third of their men. Our best bet, I think, would be to allow our allies to consolidate their gains in the East, and hope for Swedish support. They alone of our allies have not sent troops, as you can see on this map."
John I grimaced, but nodded. "Very well, General. I will ask the King of Sweden for support, but I expect an effort to relieve the city sooner rather than later. We have the Ottomans nearly broken; we must continue to press our advantage. Carry on!"
As General Grimaldi saluted and walked out of the palace, he privately thanked God that the Emperor was in such a good mood. The last he wanted was to see more dead soldiers.
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3 September 1501, the cell of Andreas Germanicus
Andreas was lightly napping, when Stefano the guard woke him. "Marshal, the Emperor is coming!"
He was wide awake now. He rose, determined to show the Emperor that his spirit had not broken. The Emperor looked very smug as he approached the cell door. "Ah, Marshal Germanicus. I trust your accommodations are comfortable?"
Andreas said nothing, which made the Emperor slightly irritated, but he pressed on. "Have you heard the news? God himself has blessed our war with the Turks!"
Andreas couldn't help himself. "How could you possibly know that?"
John I grinned. "The Pope himself has declared a Crusade! All the armies of Europe will surely come to our aid now!"
Andreas couldn't believe it. The Pope authorized a crusade for the first time in almost two hundred years? Why would he do that?
John I took the Marshal's stunned gaze for awe, patted him on the head, and chuckled as he walked out. One the Emperor was out of earshot, Stefano the guard motioned to the Marshal.
"Marshal, what he didn't tell you was that Austria convinced the Pope to call the crusade."
This shook Andreas out of his silence. "Austria? What on earth are they playing at?"
The guard shrugged, and Andreas sat down on his bed. Perhaps the Emperor was right; maybe with God's blessings, victory was certain. But he seriously doubted it.
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10 November 1501, the Imperial Throne Room
As a personal favor to the Emperor of Austria, John I had released Marshal Germanicus and reinstated him. It seemed that Andreas still had some friends in the Germanies, even if he was no longer a citizen. However, John made it very clear that the Marshal still answered to the Emperor and that he had best keep his tongue.
Andreas was amazed as he looked through the most recent troop report.
The Ottomans had more troops? Not less? Where on earth were they? Where did the Ottomans get them? Weren't the casualties having some kind of effect. He looked at the casualty reports from the legions and sighed. The I and III had less than 4000 men -- the IV and V were barely better off, with less than 6000 men a piece. The conquest of Burgas had allowed them some time to recover, but Thrace was about ready to fall any day now; the only hope was that Edirne would fall first.
A very grim looking Foreign Minister now entered the room. Everybody immediately knew that something was wrong.
"Emperor, this just came in. It is a peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and the Mamluks."
Everybody was taken aback, even the Emperor. Andreas, on the one hand, felt vindicated, but on the other hand, knew that his vindication came at the cost of thousands of Tuscan lives.
"Minister Bizzelli, please see if the Ottoman Empire would be willing to consider a peace arrangement, for the secession of Burgas."
Andreas could hardly contain his disbelief. The Emperor still thought he could come out ahead? The fleet was in a very bad situation; it could either block the straits or prevent landings by Ottoman troops, but not both. Still, Andreas kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to go back to prison.
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18 December 1501, the Marshal's office
A very timid knock sounded at the door. "Yes, come in?"
It was Stefano, formerly of the guards, but now the Marshal's personal aide. "Stefano, my friend, what brings you here?"
Wordlessly, he handed the latest battle report over to the Marshal.
Andreas was instantly furious. "Why in the hell are we fighting in Bulgaria? More importantly, where the hell is Grimaldi? Why isn't he on this report?"
Stefano looked crestfallen. "Sir, I don't know. The last I heard, Grimaldi was still in charge of the siege of Edirne. I can only assume the Emperor ordered him to stay."
Andreas scowled, was about to agree with him, then turned white. "Are - are these numbers right?"
Stefano, teary-eyed, nodded. "That's right sir. Three legions. Every single man dead."
"Those damned barbarians! Not a single prisoner?"
Stefano shook his head. Andreas pounded his fist on the table. "By God, somebody ought to answer for this. Listen, I have a plan. I want you to talk the guards."
As the two quietly whispered to one another, things were going even worse in the Ottoman Empire.
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11 June 1502, the Imperial Throne Room
In the end, the Ottoman army kept growing larger while the Tuscan army grew smaller. One final battle eliminated the last Legion in the Ottoman lands; only General Grimaldi survived.
The Emperor had ordered all the troops be equipped with new weapons, not realizing it would take a while for them to master the new pikes he'd ordered.
Their morale crippled and very confused, the troops were no match for the fresh and brilliantly led Ottoman army. To a man, they were all slaughtered.
Constantinople fell on 30 January 1502. Although new men were being recruited, there was obviously little chance of even a marginal victory at this point. The allies of Tuscany were being beaten one by one; the fleet had to pull out of position to attack the Ottoman navy, armed with transports and on the way to Tuscany, and Ottoman soldiers poured across the straits.
The Emperor was oblivious to all these concerns. He was still congratulating his foreign minister on claiming the throne of Milan.
For Andreas Germanicus, that was the last straw. It was time to execute his plan. He'd ordered the only intact legion, the Legio II 'Sicilia', to Florence. He pounded on the door to the Throne Room, flanked by no fewer than 50 guards. As he burst in, the Emperor's expression became very, very pale.
"Gian Gastone Datti, Emperor of Tuscany, by order of the people of Tuscany, you are hereby guilty of treason and conspiring to needlessly slaughter the soldiers of the Empire. You are under arrest. You will be taken to the island of Malta, where you will be looked after, but you will no longer be allowed to issue any commands to any soldiers, and the Empire shall be ruled by a council of nobles, until such time as you choose to abdicate to your son. Guards, arrest this traitor."
With no hesitation -- many had friends or even sons who had died needlessly in the recent Holy War against the Ottoman Turks -- the soldiers saluted and placed the Emperor in chains.
"This is an outrage! Let go of me! I am your Emperor, dammit! I was appointed by God; only God can remove me! Let me gooooooooo......"
They dragged the screaming Emperor away. Marshal Germanicus turned to the Foreign Minister. "Minister Bizzelli, I have already negotiated peace with the Ottoman Empire. Please send one of your men with a chest of gold; they, thankfully, had no interest in Tuscan lands. Let us rebuild our strength, and return to our proper concern -- the security of Italy."
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[1] Honestly, this is my fault -- I just blamed it on the Emperor
Those who have read my past AARs know that I intend to rely a little too heavily on the offensive, and then I get really stubborn and don't know when to quit. When/if (probably when) I get to war with the Ottomans again, I'll be much more sensible and take the path of least resistance.[2] Yeah, I don't remember how they got there. That's one of the problems with taking so long to update after you've played.
We'll have one more proper update before I need to play some more again; all I'm going to tell you is that there's another war, but that this time, it goes far, far better.
I'll probably update this weekend, most likely.
Obviously I was rooting for Tuscany, but aars which are not a continuous stroke of victories are much more fun
But was there really nothing you could have salvaged? And did the Ottomans manage to defeat your fleet?
Anyway my own war with the Ottomans (who are not worthy of the term 'empire' any more in my game) will soon start, so I'll make sure every Tuscan soldier killed in an alternate reality will be avenged twicefold!
But was there really nothing you could have salvaged? And did the Ottomans manage to defeat your fleet?
Anyway my own war with the Ottomans (who are not worthy of the term 'empire' any more in my game) will soon start, so I'll make sure every Tuscan soldier killed in an alternate reality will be avenged twicefold!
Ouch! That was pretty painful! I'm actually surprised you did so terribly, you could've had half of Greece after this war.
Ouch, that hurts. Lets just hope you do not have to fend off too many vultures. Congrats to Andreas, someone had to get rid of that mad fool, and I am glad it was my character that did it.
Obviously I was rooting for Tuscany, but aars which are not a continuous stroke of victories are much more fun
But was there really nothing you could have salvaged? And did the Ottomans manage to defeat your fleet?
Anyway my own war with the Ottomans (who are not worthy of the term 'empire' any more in my game) will soon start, so I'll make sure every Tuscan soldier killed in an alternate reality will be avenged twicefold!
The Ottomans never touched my fleet -- there were two minor battles and I won them both. The problem was I could either keep them blockaded or block the straits. I really should have gone with the Marshal's plan (no pun intended), but I didn't think of it at that time.
In all honesty, I could have recovered, given the time, but there's a much more lucrative war a-coming.Yeah, you're right; I was too worried about an Ottoman invasion force when I didn't have the troops to hold them off. I really needed either a bigger navy, or just let them run amok. I will not make this mistake again!
Yeah, I certainly could have. At the end of the day, though, it's a valuable learning experience. I am not done with the Turks, rest assured.
I've already started to rebuild the army and my fleet is intact; short of an Austrian declaration of war, I feel pretty secure for the moment. Of course, some more expansion wouldn't hurt
I take it it was you changing the unit type, and thus the loss of all your morale, that screwed you? Man that sucks the war was looking to go in your favor. Oh well, next time shall be better yes?
That hurts...But the Otto's will be there for another battle
so who's in charge??Andreas?
so who's in charge??Andreas?
You'll soon see; not entirely yes, and not entirely no
I take it it was you changing the unit type, and thus the loss of all your morale, that screwed you? Man that sucks the war was looking to go in your favor. Oh well, next time shall be better yes?
Yeah, I knew at that point I was going to sue for peace anyway. If I could have specified, I would have. Meh.
Although your Teutoburg Forest moment probably wasn't much fun to watch unfold as a player, it does make for a terrific story in the AAR. Great update!
I think that this update made the AAR even more interesting. It's good to see some defeats from time to time. Now, back to Italy!
They shall be avenged in copious quantities, I assure you
I aim to please. In fact, that's what I was thinking the whole time! Yeah, it wasn't a stupid mistake at all, just role-playing! ::looks furtively from side to side::
Italy is indeed next on the menu.
I'm catching up on some threads at the moment, but I'll soon edit pics and post the final update before I need to play some more again.
Don't those Ottomans know about the glorious return of the Roman Empire under Tuscany? They should have been humbled to give their land to such a worthy cause.
Don't those Ottomans know about the glorious return of the Roman Empire under Tuscany? They should have been humbled to give their land to such a worthy cause.
Indeed
Chapter 16: Vindication
1 January 1502, the Imperial Council Chambers
Andreas Germanicus, Marshal of the Empire of Tuscany, was both fearing and welcoming this day. Arresting the Emperor was easy, with the support of an entire Legion of devoted men. However, he had to convince the most prestigious men in the Empire that he'd made the right decision. This would be much more difficult. He was confident they would see reason, but was by no means certain. Every Duke from the Empire was here. His counterparts on the Imperial Council, Foreign Minister Pietro Leopoldo Bizzelli and his father, Philosopher Bonaventura Bizzelli, were here, as was the Imperial Chancellor, Axel Gathenhielm. He and Axel had a very close relationship; as the only two foreigners with any power in the Empire, they shared many of the same hopes, fears, and concerns.
Once all six Dukes were seated, Andreas carefully looked at each one. Three were older than him; the Cato brothers, Publius and Sextus Porcius, and Agrippa Tullius Cicero. Bartolomeo del Moro, the Duke of Sicily and Malta, was about his age; Tiberius Graecus and Prince Rodolfo were both quite a bit younger. He was particularly nervous about Prince Rodolfo, but as the Duke of Rome and Heir to the Imperial Throne, he had to sign off on anything involving his cousin, Emperor John I.
Only one important individual was not in the room -- General Cosimo Grimaldi. Recently ransomed back from the Ottoman Empire, he was busy raising new regiments for the Legions of the Empire of Tuscany. General Grimaldi was extremely grateful to Marshal Germanicus; he understood and fully approved of the Marshal's actions.
Andreas carefully considered the likely voting blocs, if it came down to a vote. Tiberius Graecus would likely vote against any decision, as he was very close to the Emperor and had a substantial hand in planning the campaign against the Ottomans. The Catos, particularly Publius, would very likely sympathize with the Marshal. The other three Dukes were total unknowns.
"Gentlemen, I appreciate your rapid response. We are in a time of internal crisis, and the sooner we can resolve this, the quicker we will be able to get back to something approaching normalcy. We must discuss what we should do with John I. Does anybody have any suggestions?"
Tiberius Graecus, unsurprisingly, rose first, and railed against Andreas laying hands on God's chosen representative on Earth, the Emperor of Tuscany. His ranting and raving continued for about ten minutes, but when he realized that nobody was listening, he quietly sat back down and sulked.
The first real solution was proposed by Sextus Porcius Cato, the Duke of Siena and Pisa. "We could proclaim a Noble Republic. That was Tuscany's form of government before St. Maso I proclaimed the Empire over 100 years ago. We would form an Assembly of Nobles, elect an executive, and then proceed based upon the votes of the Assembly, with the executive carrying out our wishes."
Andreas wrote this proposal down. The next came from Cato's brother, Publius, the Duke of Naples. "I agree with my brother's ideal for an Assembly of Nobles, but I would prefer a hereditary leader as the executive. This would give us stability and legitimacy in throughout the rest of Europe."
At Publius Cato's idea, many heads around the table nodded, except of course for the Emperor's lackey, Tiberius Graecus, who simply scowled. Sextus fully backed his brother's plan.
Over the course of the next few hours, the details were hammered out. They would still call the executive the Emperor, for practicality's sake, but his rule would no longer be absolute. The Emperor would choose his own advisors, his own Marshal, Chancellor, and Imperial Council, but the Assembly of Nobles would have to approve any such choice, and could vote "no confidence" in a corrupt or weak minister's case. The Emperor would be the head of state, and the commander in chief of the military (Andreas objected to this provision, but was voted down), but all major decisions had to be voted on by the Assembly of Nobles. In a state of emergency, the Emperor could rule by decree, but only for six months. In the event of war, a War Council would be formed, as in ages past, who would decide formally on major decisions. All members must be present in the event of war.
The Assembly of Nobles would be comprised of all the Dukes and Counts in the Empire. One's position on the Assembly was automatic and hereditary upon receiving a patent of nobility. The Emperor alone could grant patents of nobility; they could only be stripped if the Emperor and at least two thirds of the members of the Assembly voted in favor. All offices, except Emperor, were to be open to all citizens of the Empire, provided they were not citizens in any other realm. The Assembly could ask the Emperor to abdicate, but not demand it. All future Imperial Councillors would now be Barons, not Counts; thus, they could not serve in the Imperial Assembly. Barons were no longer hereditary; only Dukes and Counts were. This was designed to break the stranglehold of local life by the Barons, many of whom were corrupt.
With the Constitution of the Empire of Tuscany drafted -- here, ex-Chancellor Sextus was invaluable -- a formal vote was called by the first Assembly of Nobles. Of the ten voters -- Marshal Germanicus, Chancellor Gathenhielm, Philosopher and Foreign Minister Bizzelli, and the six Dukes -- only three voted against the Constitution. Nobody was too surprised when Tiberius Graecus voted no. Rodolfo Datti, the Heir to the Throne, also voted no, which was also no surprise. However, Duke Cicero's "no" was a bit of a shock. Everybody asked him to explain himself, and soon he did.
"Gentlemen, I cannot, in good conscience, vote the Empire of Tuscany out of existence, which is exactly what you plan to do. The Empire is simply too big to be ruled by committee, no matter how well-intentioned. I think if my father were still alive, he would agree. It is not man's place to question the order of things -- simply to make the best of it. The only way I could support this coup de tat -- which is precisely what this is -- is if the Emperor himself also signed the Constitution."
Many were stunned by Agrippa's speech. After all, for many years, he had unceasingly complained about his place in the order of things, being assigned to jobs he did not care for, and so forth. However, Andreas actually agreed with Agrippa's sentiment. He came to Tuscany to get away from bickering, back-biting, and arguments; that was why, despite his personal dislike for John I, he still gave a lot of power to the Emperor. All he wanted was a check on the authority of the Emperor. He held a second vote -- and this was unanimous -- that the Emperor should be consulted and his signature requested. He agreed to personally deliver the constitution to the still jailed John I.
Tiberius Graecus smirked. There was no way John I would ever voluntarily restrict his own power. This whole foolish experiment was doomed to failure.
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2 January 1502, John I's cell
Gian Gastone Datti, or John I, Emperor of Tuscany, paced back and forth in his cell. He'd actually spent a lot of his time thinking. Almost all at once, the idea that he, and he alone, had doomed 36,000 brave men of the Empire to death, had very nearly killed them personally, struck him. He actually spent the first week in captivity weeping, refusing to eat. His once massive frame now looked positively gaunt. To make matters worse, he had not a single visitor, except oddly enough, Marshal Germanicus, who usually looked in on him once a day.
Worst of all had been the dream, and that weighed on his conscience more heavily than anything else. In the dream, he had died and visited his father, Julius the Great, in heaven, after St. Peter allowed him passage. Julius took one look at his son, horrified, and told St. Peter to send him to Hell, with all the other murderers in history. John always awoke completely covered in sweat. Many times, the guards had awoken him, claiming he had been screaming so loud they thought he was killing himself.
There was only one recourse for John I. Redemption. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. Given the opportunity, he would earn his office and the respect of his people once more.
When Andreas Germanicus walked through the cell door, John was eating -- as the Emperor he did eat better than the average prisoner -- but did not stop; he only had so long to eat each day. He was a bit confused by the piece of paper in Andreas's hand, however.
"What have you got there, Andreas? May I see it?"
Andreas nodded, and handed the Constitution to the Emperor. John I put down his utensils and carefully scrutinized the document.
"If I understand you, you are asking me to cede my God-given authority to rule my own Empire to you and your cronies? Why on Earth would I agree to that?"
Andreas felt his skin flush, but curiously, John I looked neither arrogant nor argumentative; he was actually asking a legitimate question, albeit in a less-than-kind way.
"Emperor, the guards have reported your screams in the middle of the night on a number of occasions. I think you genuinely regret your actions; this Constitution will not only free you from your cell, but give you a true chance to atone for your sins against your people."
John nodded. The simple fact he didn't leap up and strangle Andreas showed he had learned a lot. He continued to carefully peruse the constitution. "You are giving me sole authority to grant patents of nobility and the right to promote nobles? Are you sure this is wise? I could pack the Assembly with my own loyal supporters."
Andreas smiled. "This is entirely within your rights; however, I think you will find that even the most loyal of servants will betray his master if his own interests are threatened."
John gave an ironic grin of his own. "Too true, too true. I have only one stipulation before I sign this. I actually think you ought to remove the emergency powers section entirely."
Andreas was stunned. "You would willingly weaken your own power?"
John replied, "To be honest, I would abuse this too willingly. I am well aware of my failings, and any man would probably just itch for an excuse. I cannot, in good conscience, sign this until that is deleted."
With a flair, Andreas scratched it out. John signed the document, nodded, and returned it. "It is done, then. Take a few days to regain your strength and collect yourself, Emperor John I."
As Andreas turned to leave, John asked, "A final question, Marshal. Would you have signed this if you were in my position?"
Andreas paused, ruefully grinned, and shook his head. "I would not, Emperor. Absolute power is intoxicating; it took considerable strength to not declare myself Dictator for Life as soon as I realized the power of the army behind me. I genuinely thank God every day that we do not make the same mistakes the Romans did."
John I stood, drew himself up to his full height, and shook Andreas' hand. "I could not agree more, Marshal. I could not agree more."
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4 July 1502, the Imperial Throne Room
Emperor John I had been back on the throne for six months. He actually quite enjoyed working with the Senate -- an homage to the Roman Republic that absolutely begged to be made, the Assembly of Nobles had voted for the change in name almost immediately. They made him think much more carefully about making decisions.
Formally, the Senate met once a month. Since many of them had other duties as well, one day a month was about as frequently as they could meet. However, they all exchanged letters with each other, which was fine with John I. It made actual voting go much more quickly when they did need to meet. As Emperor, he was given the right to order an emergency session of the Senate whenever he needed to make a major decision -- and a major one needed to be made, and soon.
He'd sent out the notices two weeks earlier; he mostly had to allow for Tiberius Graecus, as he lived the farthest from Florence of any Duke. As they arrived, all gathered in the Throne Room. John had used some funds to expand the Throne Room and add a large table; in effect, the Throne Room was now also the Council Chamber. As Tiberius Graecus walked through the door, John was slightly concerned -- Publius Cato was not there. He turned to ask his brother, Sextus, where Publius was.
"Emperor, I regret to inform you that my brother has taken ill. He is in good spirits, but the doctor has ordered him not to make any major trips for another two weeks. With your permission, one of his sons, Marius, is waiting outside; he has full authorization from his father to act on his behalf and vote."
John nodded, and motioned for Marius Porcius Cato to enter. The charming young lad -- just now entering his majority at age 16 -- bowed to everybody in the room, then took his father's seat. His twin brother, Marcus, was at home tending to their father. They might be twins, but Marcus was much more introspective and quiet than his brother. A family joke was that he was really Sextus's son, and not Publius's, which always horrified his uncle.
With all ten Senators present, as well as General Grimaldi, John I laid out his dilemma. "As you all know, during the most recent war, Foreign Minister Bizzelli took the initiative and, at my request, claimed the throne of Milan. I have recently learned that the King of Milan has a new heir. When the King dies -- and I have heard he is quite ill -- his heir will take over the throne, eliminating my claim to the throne. If I -- or my successors -- inherit the throne of Milan, at some point in the future, Austria cannot request we turn over our lands, and thus, we will be able to proclaim the Empire of Italy, giving us formal claims on many of our neighbors and allowing us to, finally, unify the Italian peninsula.
"Our only recourse is to declare war on Milan to force the formation of the Personal Union. This will negate the heir's claim. Foreign Minister Bizzelli thinks it is quite likely that we will end up at war with most of Italy over this issue; here is his report."
"Marshal, how is the rebuilding of the army coming?"
Marshal Germanicus opened his satchel and took out a report. "We have about 15,000 men -- the Legio II 'Sicilia' is intact, we are in the process of formally forming another Legion as we speak. Every province has been ordered to raise as many troops as they can; it may take us another six months to get back to full strength, however."
John I shook his head. "That's not fast enough; could we succeed with what we have or will have soon?"
Andreas carefully considered the list of enemies. "The only countries who are likely to be a direct threat are Savoy, Genoa, and Milan. I do not think any of these countries have access through Austria, which eliminates Aquelia, Baden, and Wurtemburg. We are now strong enough to neutralize the Venetian navy, so they are little concern. I think we can manage, with skilled leadership and our allies."
John nodded. "Minister, what of our allies?"
Pietro consulted his records. "Parma and our vassals will certainly answer the call. Sweden, however, is in the midst of a bloody war with Finland and Pskov; it is almost guaranteed they would refuse, and that is a valuable alliance to maintain, at the moment."
"Very well; let us contact Ferrara, Modena, and Parma individually. Notify Sweden of our intentions, but assure them we do not require support. Gentlemen, are there any questions?"
General Grimaldi raised his hand. "Emperor, what objectives should we pursue in this war, apart from the Personal Union?"
Emperor John smiled. "An excellent question. Any recommendations, Marshal?"
"Our paramount concern is Milan, obviously. Secondary objectives could include vassalizing the other states that enter the war; I am fearful of annexing any territory directly, as that could give Austria a license to intervene."
At this, Foreign Minister Bizzelli rose. "Emperor, I have consulted the records of the Holy Roman Empire -- the provinces of Istria and Sardinia do not belong to the Damned German Empire, and we could safely add those, if we have the opportunity."
The Emperor now formally requested the vote, with no further questions or comments. It was unanimous -- war was to be declared on Milan. The Imperial War Council would be the Emperor, Marshal Germanicus, Chancellor Gathenhielm, and Foreign Minister Bizzelli. Despite many pleading attempts, Duke Tiberius Graecus was not welcome. The Emperor actually had considered revoking his patent of nobility, but the Senate would not hear of it; if only in memory of the service of his grandfather and father, the Duchy of Constantinople must remain in the hands of the Graecus family.
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4 August 1502, Camp of the Legio II 'Sicilia', Ancona
General Grimaldi hurried along preparations as quickly as possible. The Second Great Italian War was every bit as intense as the first one had been, several years ago. Three battles, at this very moment, were proceeding -- the Battle of Parma, with the Legio I 'Imperator' against 5000 Genoese; the Battle of Verona, with 13,000 Venetians against a mere 5000 Tuscans; and a naval battle between the Classis I 'Byzantia' and the fleet of Aquelia.
Marshal Germanicus had temporarily taken command in Parma while General Grimaldi led the Second Legion north to join in the Battle of Verona; a search for a second qualified General had been largely unsuccessful. He knew that with each passing day, the Battle of Verona could be lost; thankfully, they could retreat to Austrian territory, thanks to the military access agreement that had been one of the few diplomatic bright spots during the Ottoman War.
As men hurried to put on their armor, General Grimaldi hoped the Marshal knew what he was doing; he couldn't face losing another four legions over some pointless cause.
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15 August 1502, the Imperial War Room
Marshal Germanicus was both pleased and depressed. The battle of Parma had been a tremendous success, and even now the First Legion was advancing on Lombardia. They had thrown back the Aquelian navy, capturing a cog in the process.
Unfortunately, the Second Legion could not get to Verona in time. They retreated into Austrian territory, where they could recover their strength.
The Emperor was actually holding a memorial service for the families of those who had died in both battles; a big change from his attitude in the last war, where men were simply expendable. This gratified Andreas to no end. General Grimaldi was now overall commander in the field; he was on his way to Verona, to drive out the enemy. Another 6000 men were being trained and issued arms in Florence; the Marshal personally trained this group, for once acting only as a Commandant, his real passion.
Privately, Andreas Germanicus knew he would retire at the end of this war; between the political intrigues and raising his family, he had about all he could take. He still hoped for a Duchy, but even if he didn't get one, he was much more at ease, and knew his family was well provided for. Gaius had wanted to enlist in one of the legions, but he was too young -- only 10 years old. His daughter, Andrea, was very beautiful, and was being courted by many suitors. They would both live good lives, and what else could a father hope for?
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18 September 1502, the Chancellor's office
Axel Gathenhielm was a bit uneasy. The Emperor had proclaimed today "Victory Day" because of the two decisive battles that had just been resolved.
Axel was concerned, however. The economy was terrific; there was no question of being able to pay the troops. He trusted Andreas' judgment implicitly, and even he seemed in good spirits. He was still worried, though, because his younger brother Gustav, following in Axel's footsteps, had enlisted in the fleet. Tuscany had the finest navy in Italy, there was no question about that. Even the best navy still suffered casualties, and Gustav had absolutely no business being on a boat to begin with. He was very prone to seasickness, and what was worse, had lost an eye in a duel back in Sweden -- that was why he had joined the army to begin with. Still, Gustav was insistent, and the Emperor had made a special exemption to get him into the navy.
He had a feeling the war was from over; two successes, no matter how impressive, did not usually win a war.
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23 December 1502, Brescia, Austria
Aleandro del Moro, second son of the Duke of Sicily, was a member of the Legio II 'Sicilia' in the Ottoman War. He'd been named Commander of the Legion because of his father, but had earned it with his extraordinary charisma and personal courage on the battlefield. When the Legio I 'Imperator' was reformed, he was named Commander, with a promise that he would be promoted, should he achieve success. The Battle of Lombardia -- in which the King of Savoy had personally led the army -- was not decisive, but it was a victory nonetheless, and Lombardia fell a few days later, with him in command.
General Grimaldi, a brilliant mind in his own right, recommended del Moro for a promotion and a decoration; in command of the Second Legion, he'd ordered the assault on Lombardy and personally put del Moro in charge of the assaulting force. His conduct and skill were exemplary.
Needless to say, he was not very happy when he heard that a new General had been selected and would be taking a special detachment-- 6000 cavalry -- to assist Ferrara in Verona. Alex -- as he preferred to be called -- was even madder that, apparently, the new General had asked he become his chief of staff, instead of staying with the Legion, where he belonged. What General had the gall to demand he be demoted?
As he griped to himself about being passed over for promotion, a huge commotion overtook the entire camp. Many were bowing, saluting, and falling all over themselves to greet the new general. This made Alex even more furious, and he stormed off to see who this idiot was, who dared to take his promotion. As he approached the new general in the distance, prepared to give him a peace of his mind, he gaped when he saw the very particular armor of the House of Datti; the Emperor himself was taking command!
Alex was simultaneously embarrassed and relieved; he saluted Emperor John I and smiled nervously. The Emperor returned the salute and the smile.
"Ah, Aleandro del Moro, I presume? You've done very well -- General Grimaldi speaks very highly of you. Marshal Germanicus assured me that you were perfectly capable of handling this assignment yourself; however, I think I have something to prove to my men, given my ghastly performance against the Ottomans, and so I have taken charge of this detachment personally. However, given my inexperience in the field, I will leave most matters in your capable hands; I will just take the credit, as is the general's prerogative." He chuckled at his own joke; Alex chimed in, more out of politeness than out of genuine amusement.
"Commander, lead the way. I expect a full report on your men. We ride at dawn!"
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16 January 1503, Verona, Milan
Casualties had been horrendous -- 5 out of every 6 men were dead. The early scouting reports were wrong; the Venetians had infantry, not just cavalry. The small Ferraran attachment was nearly useless; they were all exhausted from repeated engagements. However, despite the casualties, Emperor John I had won the day in his first battle.
Alex del Moro wiped his brow, barely even able to lift his hand. He was absolutely exhausted, but amazed both at his own performance and the Emperor's. They were outnumbered and outmaneuvered at almost every turn; Leonardo Veniero was a brilliant tactician. In the end, Emperor John himself had let the charge that broke the enemy and sent them fleeing into Austrian lands. The Emperor of Austria, out of respect for Tuscany, had promised to only give them 24 hours; with infantry of his own on the way, John I was prepared to fight again.
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1 May 1503, the Doge's palace in Venice
Emperor John I grinned from ear to ear. Thanks to skillful maneuvers by Alex del Moro and his own tenacity, they had defeated the Venetian army in two straight battles and had seized the city of Venice.
While the Venetian provinces in Greece were safe, for the moment, it was only a matter of time, and John I knew the Doge desperately wanted peace. As Emperor, he made all treaties, although they needed to be approved by the Senate, but he had a feeling this one would be. Venice would free all of her Greek provinces; these countries, in turn, had already signed signed alliances with the Empire of Tuscany. In exchange, Venice would be neither vassalized nor annexed; the Doge was free to go about his business, provided he never troubled the Empire of Tuscany again. The Doge was almost trembling with relief as he signed.
The new kingdoms of Crete, Epirus, and Albania pledged eternal brotherhood with the Empire of Tuscany. This would also serve to check the expansion of Austria, or so he hoped, as it would keep them from expanding farther into the Balkans. As liberators, Tuscany would undertake no infamy; a glorious day all around! He'd also gotten peace feelers from Savoy; they were offering a white peace, and he planned to accept that as well.
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11 September 1503, the Imperial War Room
Marshal Germanicus could not be happier. General Grimaldi had won a decisive victory in Lombardia on 20 July 1503, eliminating the entire army of Milan.
A second victory, although not as decisive, eventually forced Genoa to come to terms.
The peace treaty with Genoa was far less lenient than what Venice had received; unlike Venice, Genoa was a one province nation, and that meant she could be annexed. To avoid angering the Emperor of Austria, John I agreed that the Doge of Genoa would simply swear eternal fealty to the Emperor of Tuscany; in exchange for this pledge of vassalage, Genoa would maintain some level of independence.
Only two powers remained -- Aquelia and Milan. As Milan was alliance leader, Aquelia needed to be confronted next.
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26 January 1504, Legionary Camp in Friuli, Aquelia
Carlo Savonarola, the new General of Imperial Forces, had not expected such a rapid promotion. Two unexpected deaths had placed him in an exalted position. Bartolomeo del Moro and his first son, Giacopo, had been assassinated by a disgruntled Baron, angry that the Emperor refused to make him a count, mostly because the Baron in question was not only corrupt, but incredibly stupid to boot. The Baron was arrested and executed for treason in record time -- the Imperial Senate wasted absolutely no time in passing judgment -- but Alex del Moro was now the Duke of Sicily, and had to return home to deal with his affairs.
On 30 September 1503, General Cosimo Grimaldi also passed away; as the Legions had marched east, through Austrian lands, some bad water gave the General dysentery, and he died shortly afterwards. Savonarola was the most experienced officer left in the army, and although he had neither the brilliance of Grimaldi or the charisma of del Moro, he'd been in the legions for over twenty years and had risen from a common soldier during the war between Milan and Parma to Commander of the Third Legion. He liked to drink and have a good time, but his stamina was incredible, often living off of 15 minutes of sleep during war. Three wives had already left him -- he was rarely, if ever, home, and more often than not took whatever companionship he could find out in the field. He had no children (that he knew of), but he was still pleased with the promotion and the higher salary. You no longer earned an automatic patent of nobility as a General, which was fine with him. He had no desire for estates, or riches -- just good wine, good friends, and good fights.
His victory at Friuli had been costly -- he'd taken far more casualties than the enemy -- but the ground was not ideal for combat; as the enemy army was on the run, he was certain that Aquelia was doomed. As he advanced, 7000 troops were sailing to Sardinia, to assist the small Modena detachment.
Victory was near -- he could practically taste it.
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9 October 1504, the Imperial Palace
The entire Senate was gathered. This was another big vote, after all, even though it was merely a formality, in most eyes.
General Savonarola had defeated the army of Aquelia with ease, and their navy soon followed. It was only a matter of time before they surrendered, after the Battle of Görz in February, which ended the threat of Aquelia's army.
Aquelia sued for peace, but the demands were high.
On 9 September 1504, Malta, Messina, and Palermo were officially declared "core lands" of the Empire of Tuscany. A ruthless but necessary campaign by Duke Alex del Moro rooted out the last few Sicilian nationalists; they were all executed, many said by Duke del Moro personally. However, along with Umbrian and Lombard, Sicilian was now an accepted culture in the Empire of Tuscany, to the delight of many.
It took another month, mostly because there were so few diplomats to be had, but Milan had finally agreed to a peace treaty with the Empire of Tuscany.
The vote took less than a minute. It was unanimous; Milan and Tuscany were now ruled by Emperor John I.
In the eyes of everybody at the table, his bravery in battle and his conduct had been exemplary. He'd atoned for his mistakes in the war with the Ottomans, and had even set aside some lands in Florence for an orphanage for those who had lost their parents in war. As he basked in the glory, Emperor John I rose.
"I have a few announcements, gentlemen, then you can all join the celebration of our victory. First, I have the privilege of assigning three new Duchies. Given their years of exemplary service, I hope you will all join me in congratulating Bonaventura Bizzelli, Duke of Istria, and Axel Gathenhielm, Duke of Sardinia."
The applause was thunderous. As many rose to leave, the Emperor waved them down. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I believe I said three Duchies. Although I am now the Emperor of both Milan and Tuscany, I cannot properly administer them both. Until the lands officially become part of the Imperial heritage, I am creating a Duchy of Milan. Our new Duke will be none other than our brave Marshal, Andreas Germanicus!"
At this last statement, everybody not only applauded, but rose to their feet. Andreas' eyes teared up -- he'd finally made it! He'd accomplished everything he'd ever set out to do, since he'd left Mecklenburg all those years ago. He bowed and thanked everybody profusely; the adulation lasted for almost ten minutes before the room began to clear. Andreas was the last one, along with the Emperor.
"Andreas, before you go, I understand you had something to ask of me?"
He wiped his eyes, and then nodded. "Emperor, I would ask you to select a new Marshal of the Empire. I've been waiting for the right moment to retire, and I think this is it. If you want my recommendation, Alex del Moro would be the best choice; Carlo is a great General, but he loves being in the field too much."
John I quickly agreed to both. "I trust your judgment, Andreas, as well as my own. Alex will be a superb Marshal; I'll have a palace aide stop him before he gets back to Sicily. I want to thank you personally for your years of service. I also hear that Andrea has married a Count back in Mecklenburg and is on her way back to Germany; please pass along my congratulations. She is a fine woman, and I hope they will be very happy. I know we have never been the closest of friends; after all, we've imprisoned each other. Nevertheless, as a small token of my gratitude, I am also knighting you Sir Andreas Germanicus, Order of the Empire of Tuscany. You are in elite company; only Marcus Porcius Cato Maior has ever received the honor. May God bless you, Andreas, and your children."
Andreas, again with tears in his eyes, gave a very crisp salute, then with his back straight, turned around and left. The Empire was in excellent hands; John had grown more in the last three years than he had in the first twenty or so he'd been alive. Andreas would still attend every Council meeting -- it was his duty as the Duke of Milan, after all -- but he could sleep confidently, every night, knowing that John I was the Emperor of Tuscany.
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I'm now just about entirely caught up, game play wise -- I've got about half of another update ready, but I'd like to try to flesh it out a little more. I think this more than makes up for the disaster against the Ottomans -- a PU with Milan, Genoa as my vassal, Venice as an OPM, and two new provinces that I should get cores on (possibly; not sure about Istria) once I form Italy. Not a bad day's work, if I say so myself.