The Campions of Faith
By 1550 Protestant movement grew from a small creek to a large river. All the kings of the North and half of the Princes of Holy Roman Empire embraced the movement as if it did preach the True Word of God. In fact, it was the Church money and property that attracted them the most, but the end result was the same anyway - the Christendom was split in two. A bitter struggle between Catholics and Protestants drew Europe in a series of wars, which later came to be known as Religious Wars of the XVIth century.
As an answer to Reformation Church made an effort to re-organize itself and bring new life to old ideas. This movement, known as a Counter-Reformation, was embraced by Spain, Genoa, Austria and Papal States, which formed the spearhead of the Catholic crusade against the North. At the head of Protestant world was the alliance of England, Scotland and Netherlands (all Reformed Protestants), which threatened the very heartland of the Catholicism - Rome itself (in 1550's English conquered Modena, which placed their armies at a short distance from the Eternal City).
First English War
The banners of Counter-Reformation allowed the Popes to declare war on any Protestant state without the loss of stability and with no internal opposition. Taking advantage of this, Rome declared a war on England in 1561. Modena was quickly besieged and after a short siege the citizens surrendered the city to the Papal army. English, however, reclined to give up the claim to the only piece of Italian land that they held.
Meanwhile, Genoese expedition sailed around Iberian peninsula and soon Papal allies conquered Lincoln and London itself. The English surrendered Lincoln to Genoese, and the idea of Irish Crusade was born.
While the war was raging in Italy, the Pope received numerous letters from his spies in England all of them repeating the same thing again and again - Irish Catholics are not happy with Protestant rulers in London and would gladly support Papal intervention. Once Genoa was able to defeat English on their own turf, Romans had no doubt as to their further actions. By 1565 Admiral Colonna sailed in the footsteps of Genoese and brought a 10,000-strong Papal army to the shores of the Green Island. In the future more reinforcement would arrive and by 1570 Munster and Leinster would be conquered by Roman troops.
English, desperate to put an end to this war, finally managed to convince Pope to sign a peace treaty, which gave the Church Modena and Leinster. The latter was a Reformist province, but it took no longer than a year to bring it back to the Catholic Faith. Thus, Papal States gained an important foothold on the British Isles.
First Nubian War
There are almost no records left of this war. It was fought on the southern frontier of Egypt against black-skinned Muslim heretics called Nubians. They were no match for better organized and equipped Papal armies, but the desert attrition did cause Romans some casualties. Eventually, they were able to bring their foe to submission, receiving two provinces of Bain Al Hajar and Nubia.
Religious Wars in Germany 1580-90
Inspired by victory over England and Nubia, the Church turned its attention to Germany, where Protestant Princes began to clearly defy the rule of the Pope's most important allies - Austrian Archdukes and Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. This time a ruling Pope decided to use Imperial armies to achieve his goals. A war was declared on Wurtemburg and in less than a year Austrian armies conquered the little state and made the Prince to renounce Protestant faith and organize the return of his people to Catholic Church. Pope's Tuscanian allies were also successful, bringing home some 100,000 in gold.
The next victim was to be Helvetia. However, this war turned out to be the biggest mistake in Papal history for the last 80 years. Swiss turned out to be allied with French, who made a short work of Imperial armies and besieged Papal Mantua. Pope promptly decided to admitt his defeat and pay out Swiss rather than loose any territory to French.
Second, Third, and Fourth English Wars 1579-97
Continuing the Northern Crusade, Papal States fought three wars with England in a row, all of them having a particular pattern. Normally, English would have little or none troops in Ireland at the start of the war. In the beginning of hostilities they would recruit soldiers among Irish, who would fight half-heartedly for their historic oppressors. Even though it was better organized and had technological superiority over Papal army, Ebglish army still had raw recruits against Roman veterans. In the end, English lost Munster, Connaught and Ulster, leaving Meath the only English province in Ireland.
During those wars English also experienced Catholic uprisings in England itself, which would spread from Genoese-held Lincoln. At one time the rebels even took London itself and four provinces beside it. Those rebellions greatly helped to advance Catholic cause in Ireland.
Meanwhile, at home...
As Papal States grew larger in power, territory and influence more and more businessmen wished to invest in our economy. By 1590 they've built Fine Arts Academy in Rome, Naval Equipment Manufactury in Emilia and 9 warships in Romagna. The Church was gaining more power in Tuscany as well. In 1570's Tuscany agreed to swear the oath of allegiance to Rome and by 1591 Florence became the part of the Papal States. This gave the Popes another Fine Arts Manufactury and some 50,000 soldiers, which became quite usefull against those who dared to oppose the triumphant advance of God's warriors.
The end of Counter-Reformation
By 1591 the movement stopped being fashionable and the Church had to abandon it for a time being.
I decided to not to go back to being a Counter-Reformative country. Rome still has no knowledge of the New World, so that extra colonist is of no use to us. Then, there are more important matters to consider. The Catholic Alliance needs to grow and in order to be able to improve relations with Catholic country Papal States needs to be a Catholic country itself.
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Central Europe in 1594
French continue their advance into Germany, annexing Kleves and taking Munster from Hessen. They also fought successfully against Swedes and Danes (see the map). All in all they contribute a lot to the Catholic Cause. So do the Poles. Their advance in Germany pushed back the borders of Protestant world. Our war with Wurtemburg only helped Brandenburg to annex it a decade later.
Turkey in 1594
Turkey finally managed to annex Mamelukes, but by that time Christian powers managed to get their piece of the Holy Land, with Spanish owning Lebanon and French - Judea. I hope to advance from Egypt and take Jerusalem, but this might be a hundred year project, taking into account my wars with England.
