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I have now played past 1580. Be prepared for several updates in the next few days, covering the reigns of the Ferdinandos and... the foundation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany!
 
Chapter V - il Granducato di Toscana​

"Whenever men are not obliged to fight from necessity, they fight from ambition; which is so powerful in human breasts, that it never leaves them no matter to what rank they rise."
-Machiavelli


Ferdinando I
A regency council ruled in the name of Ferdinando until 1534. During that time, Florence watched as European politics were forever changed by the tides of history. By the time young Ferdinando took control of his government, the world was very different than his father had left it.

Firstly, the Protestant Reformation tore through Northern and Eastern Europe, despite the condemnations of a weak Habsburg Emperor and an even weaker Papacy. By 1532, the four temporal electors had converted to the new religion, but were split between Bohemia and Brandenburg. The Catholic archbishops, disenchanted with Habsburg "leadership", backed the young Duke, Johann von Wittelsbach. He soon styled himself King Johann V of Bavaria, Holy Roman Emperor, founding the line of Bavarian Emperors.

flor_religion1532.jpg


Secondly, internal politics reached a crisis in the waning years of the regency, comprised primarily of the realm's wealthiest merchants. Fearing the loss of their property and personal rights as the last vestiges of the Republic faded away under the new monarchy, they forced the young Duke Ferdinando to sign a "Bill of Rights". Forever limiting the monarch's power over his subjects, this act ensured every man's basic rights (or at least, every man who owned land or other valuable property).

Finally, as Ferdinando came to the throne in his own right, the new Bavarian Emperor sought a strong Catholic ally in Italy to help secure his throne against Protestant and Habsburg enemies. He suggested Florence unite its realm with Parma by forcing the young and illegitimate Duke of Modena into vassalage.

flor_subjugatemodena.jpg



The War for Tuscany
Thus, with the Emperor's backing, Ferdinando I declared war on Modena mere months after coming to power in 1534, bringing the entire peninsula into war.

flor_modenawar.jpg


The Sienese, Sicilian, and Neapolitan fleets overpowered the Genoese, as Florence had no fleet of significance. Despite failure at sea, the Genoese militia and Mantuan army proved too much for the forces of Modena, and they set about subduing the Duchy. Ferdinando's army had to contend with 4 threats: the Sienese besieged Florence itself, riots broke out Romagna and Ancona, Sicilian forces landed at Rome, and the Neapolitan army set out to reclaim Abruzzi. Marching his army back and forth across the Duchy, Ferdinando proved a capable commander, dispatching and dispersing enemy after enemy. Eventually, he suppressed the revolts and destroyed the Sienese army. This allowed a small force to besiege Siena while the bulk of his forces went south to deal with Sicilian-Neapolitan incursions.

By 1536, Modena surrendered, and its Duke swore fealty to Florence. In 1538, Ferdinando shocked everyone by annexing Siena. Soon after, the Kings of Sicily and Naples agreed to a truce, having been repelled by Ferdinando time and again.

The brutal annexation of Siena angered everyone in the Empire, even the Emperor. However, Johann deeply desired a strong friend in Italy and arranged to legitimize Ferdinando's conquest by allowing him to be crowned Grand Duke of Tuscany. Thus, he adopted the style "Ferdinando I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Duke of Urbino, Rome, and Parma, and Protector of all Italy" (though the latter claims, to Parma especially, were not recognized even by the Emperor).

flor_tuscany.jpg

Note: I sort of cheated, by taking out my DIP 7 requirement for forming Tuscany, because I felt it high time to form Tuscany for this AAR.

flor_west1538.jpg

The Western World, 1538 Note: I changed Tuscany's color to a dark red, simply because I missed the red of Florence.

Also Note: Perisa formed - and it's Shiite! Also it's spreading Shiite, and force-converted Haasa and Khorasan to Shiite! There's a legit Islamic split in this game (brownish red blob in Iran/Iraq)
 
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Super Cool! I'm very impressed at your unification of the Peninsula thus far - looking forward to what happens to Modena and then, perhaps, Venice and Savoy on either side of the Po Valley.

Good luck!
 
The red of Firenze was sort of fiercer. :) Congrats on your accomplishment. Is Siena now your core that you're Tuscany or do you have to go through the whole coring process and thus suffer the HRE penalties?

I see your 'conversion mod' worked for OE, but I also see Lith, Muscovy, Venice and even Crimea went converting like there's no tomorow. so pbly your changes, sadly, work only with those countries that adopted either HT or Ecumenism.
 
Super Cool! I'm very impressed at your unification of the Peninsula thus far - looking forward to what happens to Modena and then, perhaps, Venice and Savoy on either side of the Po Valley.

Good luck!

Thanks. There definitely will be more wars in Italy so stay tuned!

The red of Firenze was sort of fiercer. :) Congrats on your accomplishment. Is Siena now your core that you're Tuscany or do you have to go through the whole coring process and thus suffer the HRE penalties?

I see your 'conversion mod' worked for OE, but I also see Lith, Muscovy, Venice and even Crimea went converting like there's no tomorow. so pbly your changes, sadly, work only with those countries that adopted either HT or Ecumenism.

Yes, it gives the core on all 3 Tuscan provs, so yes.


As for conversion...

TOLERANCE/RELIGION UPDATE 1538

flor_religion1532.jpg

...it mostly worked for Lithuania too... it still has one Orthodox province (in the two provinces not connected to the rest of it, between Muscowy and Crimea). Lith converted a few Ortho provs, but the ones it didnt were taken by Muscowy(except for that one by Crimea). Those it converted still have 'Large Tolerated Ortho Minority'. OE has managed to convert Achaea now, but still I've played to in 1580 that's all it has. So yes, it does curb conversion alot for countries with Ecu/HT. Venice converted its islands to Catholic, and they declared independence as a Catholic Despotate Greece, but that's infinitely more plausible than the Islamic Republic Greece I usually see. Perhaps Venice should have Ecumenism? More likely, I think some degree of resistance to conversion should exist between Catholic/Protestant/Reformed vs. Orthodox. i.e. Orthodox countries should have a harder time converting Western Christian provinces and vice versa; could be done by a modifier perhaps?

As for Muscowy and Crimea, most of the provinces they have started out Ortho/Sunni (except for Kharkov and Jedysan) but honestly I would expect them to convert most heathens.

All in all, I'd have to say it's a success; my main goal (OE not converting Greece) was accomplished. Perhaps I could add more refinements, though?

On a side note, the Reformation is particularly strong in this game. As you can see above, by 1538 Denmark/Norway and Sweden plus most of northern Germany and Switzerland went Protestant. Every province in Bohemia went Protestant via the Reformation events, but it still has large Catholic and Hussite minorities all over. The Imperial Cities of Nuremburg and Lubeck (yes they quit the Merchant Republic), went Reformed, and they will be joined in that faith by Frankfurt as well when it gets released from Hesse. Poland and Hungary go Protestant as soon as they reach a peace in their wars... Livonian Order and more German states will go Protestant as well by 1580. More on this when we get to it.
All 5 western kingdoms (Scotland, England, France, Spain, Portugal) will continue to remain staunchly Catholic.

Also, I don't think this has anything to do with my changes, but this is the first time (for me) that Perisa formed - and it's Shiite! Also it's spreading Shiite, and force-converted Haasa and Khorasan to Shiite! There's a legit Islamic split in this game!
 
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Chapter VI - To Trample Underfoot​

"Hence it comes that all armed prophets have been victorious, and all unarmed prophets have been destroyed."
-Machiavelli


Ferdinando's Conversion
If conquering Siena strained Ferdinando's relationship with Johann, converting to heresy severed it.

Ferdinando I and his father had never declared themselves enemies of the reformers, and indeed, saw truth in Luther's hatred for the corruption of the Papacy. They had not reacted when in the 1520s and 30s Protestant reformers came to Florence, converting some small towns and parts of Florence and Pisa. But by 1539, the majority of the city of Florence had converted to the new faith. Ferdinando himself had taken to reading the reformers' message, since it was available in Italian. Following his conscience, and against all counsel of his advisors, he publicly professed his Protestant faith in 1539.

The diplomatic backlash was significant. Though Florence had long since effectively cut ties with the Papacy, Ferdinando's Catholic allies could not abide this declaration of heresy. He died in 1541, leaving his new Grand Duchy friendless and engulfed in religious turmoil as the overwhelming Catholic majority struggled with a Protestant Regency.

Not surpisingly, this led to civil war, as many Catholic nobles throughout the realm openly rebelled against the regency ruling in the name of the young Ferdinando II.

flor_nobleopp.jpg


By now, though, the state's centralization - and the aristocracy's lack of real power - allowed the regency to keep control fairly easily, putting down several rebellions for the next seven years. In 1546, Ferdinando II took over the reigns of the country.

flor_ferdII.jpg


Ferdinando II had taken his father's conversion to heart, and set about consolidating his Protestant reign over a largely Catholic country. He encouraged reformers to spread their message across Tuscany, and in the rest of Italy as well.

flor_forbidbooks.jpg


Ferdinando II was an able administrator, and was able to move Tuscany in a new direction following its break with Genoa. Having moved towards a more market-oriented economy, his moderate and well-balanced policies gave Tuscany the stability in government it desperately needed.

Meanwhile, Protestantism continued to spread throughout Tuscany, Germany, and Eastern Europe. Even after Johann virtually eliminated Protestants from Bavaria, in 1553, his son Albrecht IV, the new Emperor, announced his conversion and proclaimed toleration in the Empire (for Protestants, at least).

flor_religion1553.jpg


Ferdinando II and Albrecht IV rekindled their fathers' friendship, signing an alliance later that year. Albrecht also arranged for a newly Protestant Rome to be admitted into the Empire in exchange for the hand of Ferdinando's sister in marriage. Bavaria's Swiss allies soon joined forces with Tuscany as well.

flor_newprotestant.jpg



The First Venetian War
In an effort to hurt the rising power of Protestants, Venice and Genoa barred Protestant merchants from trading in their cities. With the Emperor's backing, Ferdinando declared war on Venice in 1562 in an effort to force the Most Serene Republic into re-opening its ports to Protestants.

flor_1stvenetianwar.jpg


The conflict brought King Felipe II of Spain, self-proclaimed Defender of the Catholic Faith, into the war. Thankfully for Ferdinando II, the Spanish were busy fighting New World heathens as well as in the Baltic against Poland and Livonia, on behalf of Catholic Lithuania. They could not commit many more troops to Venice's defense.

Faced with Swiss and Imperial troops, the Duke of Wurttemberg surrendered quickly, converting to the Protestant faith in the process. Ferdinando marched on Genoa to knock them out of the war quickly as well, and returned east a year later to defeat the Venetian army in Romagna. Chasing them through Ferrara, the Venetians were decisively defeated at Verona. Meanwhile, the Swiss and Bavarians had conquered Brescia and Friuli, respectively. Venice's last mainland holding, Treviso, fell in August of 1563, and they were forced to concede defeat.

Tuscany occupied Treviso, ostensibly to keep Imperial troops near Venice to ensure the Venetians would honor the terms of peace, and keep their city open to the Protestants. Ferdinando reclaimed the region for the Empire, under Tuscan administration. With Venice's surrender, the Spanish agreed to a truce.

flor_treviso.jpg
 
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I admit I'm a bit surprised by Tuscany becoming protestant. Pure role-play or is there a reasoning behind this decision?
As for Treviso; it's not cored, right? Now that you've placed it within HRE, aren't you asking for penalties to be imposed on you?
Bavaria, as long as it holds the HRE crown, seems to be a perfect choice of an ally.
No religious wars yet?
 
Good update.

I take it CJL78 made it so that the decision to form Tuscany also gave a core on Siena. Still, there are now Treviso and Parma as 'illegally occupied' HRE provinces; Parma has a university and Treviso high tax. There will have to be some penalties. But it is pretty much the only way, isn't it?

Converting to Protestant as an Italian state with the goal to form Italy.. an interesting decision. But all the dissolved monasteries will pay off, I guess.
 
I admit I'm a bit surprised by Tuscany becoming protestant. Pure role-play or is there a reasoning behind this decision?
As for Treviso; it's not cored, right? Now that you've placed it within HRE, aren't you asking for penalties to be imposed on you?
Bavaria, as long as it holds the HRE crown, seems to be a perfect choice of an ally.
No religious wars yet?
Protestant - Well mainly I went Protestant because Firenze and Pisa were going Protestant on their own and I'm too innovative to use missionaries. By converting and encouraging Protestant spread most of my provinces have gone Protestant now without using any missionaries. Plus, I think this was influenced by innovation and anti-Papacy, so I think it fits with the role-play perspective I can see a liberal Italian proto-nationalist monarchy that kicked the Pope out of Italy going Protestant. As far as material benefit, I could see that the Reformation is strong and Protestant allies will be easy to come by, Protestants get +PE and Catholics have -Tax modifier, so from a financial standpoint I make a bit more money. Also (see next comment) +1 base tax in all provinces!

Treviso - is not a core, however the Venetian territories are considered former HRE provinces that were removed from the Empire by an aggressor. So instead I get the modifier "Imperial recognition of our de facto possession" when I return it to Imperial jurisdiction; the Empire considers me to be a liberator of Imperial territory. So Parma is still my only illegal province, but I have good relations with the Empire in general. The modifier as you can see in the last screenie, gives bonuses to tax, -infamy, etc..

Religious war - Bohemia started a war with the Protestants in the early 20s when it was still Catholic. It won, and turned Protestant itself as soon as it made peace because most of its provinces went Protestant during the war lol. But there has been no "War of the League of X" as far as I know, but I joined the Protestant thing late.

Good update.

I take it CJL78 made it so that the decision to form Tuscany also gave a core on Siena. Still, there are now Treviso and Parma as 'illegally occupied' HRE provinces; Parma has a university and Treviso high tax. There will have to be some penalties. But it is pretty much the only way, isn't it?

Converting to Protestant as an Italian state with the goal to form Italy.. an interesting decision. But all the dissolved monasteries will pay off, I guess.

As above: Treviso not occupied, it is legally reclaimed for the Empire from evil Venetians (though not a core). I get a core on Siena by the Emperor proclaiming me Grand Duke of Tuscany, and yes, +1 base tax on every province from dissolved monasteries is hella nice. :D

Could you show us the state of religion in India? It always annoys me when the Sultanate of Delhi converts all their Hindu subjects.

Sure, I'll do that in the next religion update.
 
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Chapter VII - Like Father, Like Son​

"So long as Fortune varies and men stand still, they will prosper while they suit the times, and fail when they do not. But I do feel this: that it is better to be rash than timid, for Fortune is a woman, and the man who wants to hold her down must beat and bully her."
-Machiavelli


The Third Ferdinando
Ferdinando II continued to rule Tuscany until his death in 1570, during which time he groomed his son for the throne, providing for him the education only the wealthiest monarch in Italy could afford. Ferdinando III was eager to prove himself worthy of being his father's heir, and immediately upon ascending the throne, ordered the construction of the Grand Canal across Tuscany and central Italy, to the benefit of trade and commerce.

ferdIII.jpg


However, the Catholic nemesis, Venice, the only real remaining threat to Tuscany's power in Italy, was rebuilding its forces and negotiating with France and Spain for a future campaign to reclaim Treviso, and return the Pope to Rome. However, in 1572, England and Portugal declared war on Spain over trade rights in the New World. With the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1573 by their combined fleets, England and Portugal were able to cripple Spanish trade in their colonies even as Spaniards besieged Lisbon. With Spain weakened - and England a nominal ally of France since a cadet branch of the Valois had ascended the English throne - French troops poured over the Pyrenees in 1574, claiming the rights to Rousillon. Led by King Henry VII de Valois of England, and King Henri II de Valois of France, the War "de los Dos Henriques", as it was known in Spain, had begun.


The Second Venetian War
With the 4 major Catholic kingdoms at each other's throats, Ferdinando seized the opportunity and declared war on Venice in 1575, citing supposed violations of the terms of the Treaty of Treviso. Spain declared war on Tuscany in Venice's defense, but with their ports blockaded by English warships, there was nothing the Spanish could do.

venwar2.jpg


The war began with early successes for the defenders as Ferraran and Mantuan forces defeated Modena's army and Genoa besieged Parma. Soon after, the main Tuscan army in Treviso defeated the Venetians in Friuli, left an occupying force to subdue the province, and marched back west where the second Venetian army was crushed at the Second Battle of Verona. At news of the defeat, riots broke out in Venice and mobs took to the streets. Soon the city itself was in the hands of radical revolutionaries.

In the north, Wurttemberg again surrendered to Swiss and Bavarian troops after only a few months, but the Duchy of Salzburg kept up a heroic defense for over a year.

After the fall of Venice's Po valley holdings, Tuscan and Swiss armies swept in to Mantua, Ferrara, and Genoa, lifting the siege of Parma. After the fall of the garrison at Mantua, Ferrara and Genoa agreed to a truce.

With the Peace of Mantua in 1477, Venice ceded the last of its Lombard holdings, leaving the former merchant empire in control of only Friuli and Istria outside of the city itself. Venetian power was definitively shattered, and it would never recover. The fate of Mantua was more complicated. In the end, Ferdinando III brokered a deal with Emperor Albrecht IV, whereby Tuscany returned the Venetian lands to Imperial jurisdiction (much like Treviso) and placed a Protestant on the throne in Mantua, and in return Mantua would become a dependent of Tuscany in all but name. [vassal] Really, though, the deal was a win-win for Tuscany, as it gave a needed legitimacy to the Tuscan occupation of the Po valley lands.

The Medici's Tuscany now stood unrivalled in Italy, but threats from the east and west still loomed.

tuscany1577.jpg

Italy and the Western kingdoms, 1577
 
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CJL78 said:
Treviso - is not a core, however the Venetian territories are considered former HRE provinces that were removed from the Empire by an aggressor. So instead I get the modifier "Imperial recognition of our de facto possession" when I return it to Imperial jurisdiction; the Empire considers me to be a liberator of Imperial territory. So Parma is still my only illegal province, but I have good relations with the Empire in general.
This must have changed since MMP2 then. Good for you. Tuscany is now in a pretty comfortable position. And it is only 1577, not bad.
 
Indeed, there must have been some changes in MMU. Now that I play it, I see Venice's land is outside HRE, but this mechanism is new to me. So actually, you got away with land-grabbing. Poore Venice, it being outside HRE puts it in a precarious position; although in my now second MMU game I see La Serenissima not only surviving but doing well (late 1500s).

I wonder if the wars of religion will break out. I love the feature but too often I see them to peter out.

The outcome of the Iberian Peninsula war has a potential to reshape Europe almost as much as the arrive of Tuscany. France seems strong even though it hasn't consolidated yet.
 
Help needed for forming Italy

Nice! How will the lien affect you when/if you leave the Empire?

See below

This must have changed since MMP2 then. Good for you. Tuscany is now in a pretty comfortable position. And it is only 1577, not bad.

Thanks, yes I'm very satisfied with my luck and performance thus far.

Indeed, there must have been some changes in MMU. Now that I play it, I see Venice's land is outside HRE, but this mechanism is new to me. So actually, you got away with land-grabbing. Poore Venice, it being outside HRE puts it in a precarious position; although in my now second MMU game I see La Serenissima not only surviving but doing well (late 1500s).

I wonder if the wars of religion will break out. I love the feature but too often I see them to peter out.

The outcome of the Iberian Peninsula war has a potential to reshape Europe almost as much as the arrive of Tuscany. France seems strong even though it hasn't consolidated yet.

France has had Lorraine and Hainaut as vassals for a long time as well. It refuses to kick England out of Morbihan, Normandy and Gascogne though.

Help Needed for forming Italy

Well, I can probably conquer Italy without your help, but I need some suggestions for exactly what should be required.

I hadn't actually played in Italy in MMU and was basing my knowledge of forming Italy on the MM Manual, but apparently the Iron Crown decisions were taken out between MMP2 and MMU. The only way to form Italy in MMU as it now stands is the Italian Nation decision, which requires owning Rome, Genoa, Naples, Venice, and Milan, having a core in Rome, having a core in Genoa OR Venice, and having a core in Milan OR Naples. This decision immediately removes all provinces from the Empire (meaning you have to leave the Empire), moves the capital to Rome (I want to stay in Florence) and gives cores on all provinces in Italy region (which includes all Italian cultures plus Savoie, Trent, Malta, and Istria)

Here's the thing: At this point (now 1615) I now own the majority of Italy, but taking Venice is next to impossible as I just don't have the fleet necessary to get there.

Here's my beefs with this new decision:

1) I don't think having all 5 of those cities should be necessary. Historically, Sardinia-Piedmont > Italy became Italy without Rome or Venice. Granted, that was a nationalist movement and this will be more of a dynastical claim to Italy the region.

2) I don't think forming Italy should, necessarily, remove you from the Empire.

3) I don't think you should have to move capital to Rome, but have an option (decision) to do so once you form it.

So I need help coming up with a new 'Take the Iron Crown' and 'Granted the Iron Crown' decisions, the primary difference being one takes you out of the Empire; the other keeps you in it.

What I've come up with (Latin culture group, not PAP, etc are givens):

Take the Iron Crown:
- Own (or own through vassal) Milan (where the Iron Crown is)
- Own (or own through vassals) [1/2, 2/3?] of [Italy region/Latin culture?] provinces

Effects:
- Kicks Italy out of the Empire, if in it.
- Infamy, bad relations and CBs for Pope, HRE, Italian states, etc. pretty much everyone will hate your Napoleonic ambitions
- Cores on all Latin provinces (not Trent, Savoie, Malta, maybe Istria)

Granted the Iron Crown
- Imperial member state and/or HR Emperor
- Own and [core or 'Imperial recognition of de-facto possesion'] on all Lombard and Ligurian provinces (includes Milan)
- +195 relations with Emperor or are Emperor

Effects:
- Keeps Italy in the Empire (or joins if non-member Emperor?)
- Cores on all Latin provinces in HRE region (all Lombard, Ligurian, Venetian, Tuscan provinces, plus Savoie? not Trent and Istria)
- bad relations with other Italian states, less infamy than taking it

Suggestions? Criticisms? Comments? All welcome. I'm not really looking to make it easier, per se, but I find the current requirements too restrictive.
 
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Why don't you look into MMP files? There were four ways of forming Italy, I think. 'Iron Crown' -granted, 'Iron Crown' - taken, Sardinia-Piedmonte and Revolutionary Italy. You might copy and adapt these for your needs (and than add to your Firenze mini-mod).
 
Why don't you look into MMP files? There were four ways of forming Italy, I think. 'Iron Crown' -granted, 'Iron Crown' - taken, Sardinia-Piedmonte and Revolutionary Italy. You might copy and adapt these for your needs (and than add to your Firenze mini-mod).

I have and these are forming the basis for this but I can't simply copy/paste as they use some flags and stuff I don't think are used in MMU. For example, Sardinia-Piedmont seems to have been completely taken out (tag and all).

So I will more or less be modifying the MMP decisions but they won't be exactly the same.
 
Submod Update
Also the tolerance changes have not worked completely as desired and I have noticed two main problems which, if fixed, I believe will solve the problem once and for all:

1) Accepted cultures do not get the negative missionary effects non-accepted cultures do, but I believe they should in most cases. I believe this is why Lithuania was still decent at converting Belarusian and Ukrainian provinces while OE has not converted the Balkans. The OE has managed to convert about half of their Greek provinces now (1615) both because Greek is accepted and...

2) The Dei Gratia minority advisor events, which allow you to get an advisor if you choose to do so, but if you choose not to, your country gets a "Religious Intolerance" modifier for ten years, increasing missionary success chance. It was during a couple of these periods that the OE managed to convert about half of their Greek provinces.

Fixes
For 2) I changed the DG minority advisor events to make AIs with Ecumenism choose to accept their religion group advisor and HT AIs to pick heathen advisors instead of picking the "Religious Intolerance" choice. I am immediately adding this to my AAR at the point I am currently at (1615).

For 1) I am working on events that will fire in a province if it is an accepted culture but NOT of the same culture group, which will give the province a modifier called something like "Ethnic Religious Differences" (working title) that will give the province the same missionary effects as if it were non-accepted. This will hopefully stop both Lithuania converting Belarusians and Ukrainians and OE on Greeks. This will also at least slow down non-tolerant states a bit (such as Venice on Greek islands)
 
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