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Every Doge Has his Day – by the “B Team”

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Originally posted by TheBee

And it sounds like there is no Spain, right? So does Aragon still exist? Someone referred to Catalunya lately...

But without Spain, it also means that France and England have a free reign in the New World (well, apart from the few Venetian colonies), right?!

Never been in a game without Spain. I also noticed that The Netherlands don't show up... guess the guys at Paradox never thought of Venice controlling the low countries :D
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There's a Castille but no Spain. Venice can't see much of the New World so I don't know if Castille is going the normal route that Spain takes.

Joe
 
How extortion and such things doesn’t necessarily make a good ruler

The Vercotti brothers sat down and read “The Prince” by some bloke called Mac-something.

“So, brother… what about this Big Mac? Can he help us defeat The Rebels?”
“I dunno. But his book burns…”
“Would be a shame if someone sat fire to it”
“You’ve already done that”
“What?”
“You’ve set fire to it! You’re almost in the fireplace”

<deleted>


And so the days came and went.


In Friesien, clog-wearing members of The Rebels slugged it out with Venetian soldiers, and were forced to pay two bob for not being set fire to.
The same thing repeated itself repeatedly (yes, I know, that last word was unnecessary, but I am trying to stretch this a bit, as nothing happened (AuthAAR’s Note)) in several of Venice’s lovely provinces. The Rebels would try to abduct the province, then the Venetian Vercotti-sponsored venerable armies would stop them in their attempt and threaten to set fire to the remaining members of The Rebels.

In order to avoid The Rebels setting fire to too many things, or abducting whole cities, some city walls were improved, and some men were told to sit on horses and try to set fire to nearby rebels. Some accidentally set fire to their horses, and thereby managed to get fresh horse steak for their dinners. There was much rejoicing.

And so the days came and went.


Until one day, the venereal… venerical… vNet using… Venetian! That’s it! Venetian.


Where was I?


Oh, yeah. The Doge croaked.
 
From "The Early History of the Venetian Empire" by Frederico Antonio Rictus

"At the very heart of the Venetian Capitol lies the Doge’s Palace, housing the most powerful man in Italy. In the Palace, a rounded room nestled within its deepest folds holds a massive oaken table.
Traditionally, it was known as the Map Room, for when Venice was young and weak, it was in this very room that the early Doges with their Generals, Merchants and Diplomats planned the country’s expansion. It stayed the map room until Doge Pasquale Malipiero in one of his first orders in leading the country ominously renamed it the War Room. It had stayed that way until Doge Nicolo Marcello had it converted into the main office of the Doge."

Now, sadly it was used for more mundane affairs.


Giacomo Antonelli sat before that same massive oak table looking at the old maps that lined the walls showing the history of an expanding young country that became the most powerful country in the world. The room sadly was now just a memory of its former glory as it was now used by a sub-committee to hold its meetings. The committee was called The Executive Union for Internal Investigation, commonly known as EUII.

Giacomo sat drumming his fingers as he waited for the meeting to begin. His associates Franco Corelli and Dominic Francseco sat quietly behind him with the finished report that had brought them all here for this important event. Finally a small side door opened and a line of Venetian functionaries filed into the room. Giacomo watched intently and was disappointed to see that only mid level bureaucrats made up the committee who would judge his work. It was what he had feared or perhaps better to say, resigned himself to expect. His time and effort was going to be wasted on the almost powerful since none of the council of ten showed enough interest in coming.

He sighed.

Well he still had to give his report and since he had already been paid for it didn’t really matter who he gave the report to. Still, he was disappointed.

Five men sat down at the massive oak table that dominated the room. They were dressed in their robes of office and Giacomo had to begrudgingly admit that they were an imposing sight. A small man at the side of the room announced in a large booming voice.

"The Executive Union for Internal Investigation committee is now in order. The business of the day is the historical rehabilitation of the late Doge Marino Grimani."

The large man seated in the center of the table looked at Giacomo and asked.

"Signor Giacomo Antonelli I assume you are ready with your report?"

Giacomo looked at the chairman of the committee who dominated the members not only by his force of will but also by his massive size. Nary a pastry within arms reach had escaped from Signor Bretones since the age of 10 and it showed. But Giacomo knew that the impression of indifference that the layers of fat produced were a disservice to the energy of the man. He was going to have to be brief and to the point to satisfy Signor Bretones.

"Yes I am ready."

"Then proceed."


OOC And so begins the strange and I do mean strange reign of Doge Marino Grimani. Probably will only take three or four posts to complete.
 
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"Then proceed."

"As you know I was recruited last year by our great Doge Leonardo Loredano II and also by the Ca’ Foscari University to reconstruct the life of the late Doge Marino Grimani."

"Yes, yes get on with it."

"Yes of course. The college is interested in adding to its library of the history of Venice while Doge Leonardo Loredano II is interested in finding out where and why all the money in the treasury has gone missing."

"Signor Antonelli you’re beginning to waste my time. We all know why we are here."

"Of course. My apologies but a little background is necessary.’

From the frown on the chairman’s face Giacomo decided to hurry along.

"With the help of the government, in allowing access to sensitive government files and the help of the Grimani family, in allowing access to his personal papers and diary, I believe I can help everyone understand who Marino Grimani was and what drove him to do what others can make no sense of."

Giacomo took a drink of water and continued.

"He was born the third son of Maria and Franco Grimani."

A thin old man sitting at the end of the massive oak table interrupted.

"Signor Antonelli. You’re not going to relate his entire life story to us are you?"

Giacomo looked down at the stack of notes on his desk and pushed them aside.

"No of course not Signor Payeras. I was just saying that if it were not for the untimely death of his two older brothers in a flood he would have had a career in the church. When I visited his hometown the priest from his church told me many stories of young Marino’s devotion and piety. He showed a particular affinity to the poor and ill. But with the death of his two older brothers he was forced to enter the family trade but his devotion to God never left him."

"Yes, yes I’m sure Doge Grimani was a pious man. But so what? Are you saying that his piety was what first manifested itself as the Wallachia affair?"

"No it began long before that, ah, affair. His divergent ideas first appeared after the great revolt in Zeeland in 1595."

The members at the table all shook their heads at the memory of that terrible revolt.

"Over thirty thousand rebels attacked our army in Zeeland and only after a terrible battle were defeated. But Doge Grimani pardoned the surviving rebels to the surprise of everyone. This patterned was repeated again in Silesia. However he went a step farther and ordered improvements in Silesia’s infrastructure to improve the relations with Venice. It was pointed out that this would take time to have an effect but he would not be dissuaded and of course that was just a prelude to the infamous Wallachia affair."

Giacomo quickly looked through his notes and then continued.

"Before we get to the shocking tale of Wallachia I would like to point out a fact that seems to have escaped the official notice of the government and the people. During the entire 10 year reign of Doge Grimani not a single soldier was recruited."

Signor Bretone leaned forward a shocked expression on his face.

"Not one?"

"None"

"Any Calvary?"

"No."

"But cannons were forged were they not?"

"Nope. Sorry not a one was produced."

The men at the table looked at each other dumb-founded at the idea that no one would have noticed such a thing.

"Giacomo anticipating the next question continued.
 
What is the next question?

*ponders the infinite*
 
"Giacomo anticipating the next question continued.

"There was of course no danger in the situation. The military might of the Venetian army was up to the task of putting down revolts. That and the diplomatic activities of Doge Grimani proved up to the task of keeping the peace with the forces that were in place. Oh, armies were consolidated and moved to areas of unrest they just were not increased in size. However there was one area where he improved our military capabilities. He seems to have been concerned by the state of the Venetian navy so he had 4 warships built during those ten years.

Signor Bretones stared at Giacomo for a minute before summoning up the energy to ask.

"Four warships? That is all?"

Yes that is correct. In going through his diaries it appears that he was concerned about our inability to move large forces across the Atlantic Ocean if we needed to help protect our growing colonies."

But how is it that our enemies who surround us didn’t take advantage of the situation especially after the Wallachia affair?"

"Ah a good question. That of course brings us to Wallachia and those that followed. As you know in January 1596 Doge Grimani shocked Venice by creating the new country of Wallachia! They gladly became our vassals but it still came as a shock to the people of Venice. He might not of survived this political turmoil but he had been generous with the government’s ducats until the storm died down."

Signor Bretones interrupted.

"Yes I remember. I was a junior assistant secretary at the time and received a raise and bonus that year right after the news of Wallachia being granted statehood."

He smacked his lips at the fond memory of what his bonus had bought while the others members of the committee nodded in agreement.

"Who would have known what would follow? If anyone had known Grimani would have been assassinated on the spot!"

Giacomo nodded his head and took another drink before continuing.

"That sudden expression of generosity set the pattern for his entire reign. In 1597 Denmark was reformed and became a vassal. In 1598 Navarra joined the ranks of the vassals of Venice. 1599 Siebenbürgen was formed. 1600 and the proud island of Corsica was reborn. 1601 and Sardinia joined its island neighbor as a vassal of Venice. 1602 and Cyprus rejoiced at its creation and sang the Doge’s name to the heavens. 1603 and Albania was reformed. 1604 and Hellas joined the growing list of new countries. And finally last but not least Ragusa joined the list of nations paying homage and half their income to Venice.


With each name the men at the table seemed to visibly shake and shrink in size. Finally as Giacomo finished reading the list of provinces lost to Venice the chairman interrupted him.

"Enough! We know what happened and now you’re telling us that he did it because he wanted everyone to love him? Fine! We all love the dead bastard but that doesn’t answer where the hell the ducats went. With Venice still the most powerful country in the world we should be rolling in ducats but we’re not. What did he do with the ducats? I pray you do not tell us he gave them away.’

Giacomo paused to take another drink of water but found the glass empty. Shrugging his shoulders he continued.
 
"No, Doge Grimani was pious not stupid. He put the money to good use as he saw it. He improved the infrastructure of Venice with his many construction projects. He also noted at the beginning of his reign that the world hated Venice and all she stood for and it weighed heavily on him. So he did what any politically practical man would do. He started bribing officials of various countries."

"Excuse me if I’m wrong but are you telling us that he gave our ducats away?"

"Well gave is too strong a word I would use buy as in he bought Venice good relations with other countries."

"What countries pray tell."

"Well at his death Portugal, our ally, was our good friend as you would expect but also France, Russia, Sweden, and Castile were the best of friends with us. Of the European powers only Poland and England were still our hated enemies."

"Why those two? Did he run out of time or ducats?"

"Well no not really. In interviewing his family I found out that even though he was supportive of the arts and in particular music he at an early age expressed his distaste of Polish-Polka’s. No one knows why but it seems to have tainted his feelings toward Poland."

"And England? Since when did they start playing Polka music?"

"Well as I said earlier Doge Grimani wasn’t insane. During his reign he sent colonists to the Americas and built two colonies into cities. I think he thought that there might be a future conflict in the New World with England and he was practical enough to allow a future Doge the choice of what to do."

Giacomo looked behind him and nodded his head at his two assistants who immediately brought forward the entire report and placed it on the massive oak table. The chairman and his associates all stared at the richly bound volume and leaned away as if repulsed by the mere sight of it. Before Giacomo could say another world Signor Bretones leaned forward causing his bloated face to add another ring or two of fat around his neck and said.

"The government of Venice thanks you Signor Giacomo Antonelli. I will make sure that your diligence it noted and that your work is safely stored in a guarded and hidden location. Please remember that anything that you found during this project is considered sensitive and it would not go well for you if you spoke of it to others."

As one the committee members rose and filed out of the room. The small man at the side of the room called out.

"The Executive Union for Internal Investigation committee is now out of session. Long live Doge Leonardo Loredano II."

Giacomo Antonelli sighed and motioned to his subordinates to follow as he left the room and the notice of history.
 
Originally posted by Rictus
Heehee! That's me! :D (well, the Rictus part anyway)

Apart from that, Storey, that's a darn awful lot of countries you set free. But a tale well told, all the same :)
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Heehee :p Yep it's you.


I couldn't help myself. The problem is that at this point in the game it's all over unless you plan on taking over the world, which I dislike doing. So I built up the economy of Venice and set all those countries free. I've never set so many free in such a short time so I don't know what effect it will have on Venice. But the country is strong enough to survive even this.:D If Wasa wants to he can kick Poland of England's collective butt. I wonder what he dicided to do?:eek:

Joe
 
Originally posted by Storey
"And England? Since when did they start playing Polka music?"
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Splendid as always, Storey. :)

Certainly it is an innovative new strategy to use your vast income to set countries free and bribe everybody and his neighbour for no tangible gain. :D

Three cheers for the good and pious Doge Marino Grimani!
 
<resurfacing>

Just poked my head in here to see how things were developing. Still a LOOOONG way to go before my next turn, but it doesn't look like I'll (or anyone else will) be in too precarious a position.

And Storey, I understand the need to reintroduce drama, but still that was painful to read. Probably necessary, but still... :)

Always nice to see a Grimani in action, though.

EF1

~ps: bump.
 
Peter, Stroph1 and Edgar Francis I. Thanks for the comments. Yes it was a strange turn but I tried to make it interesting. Now I don't know where we stand with the next player. I believe it's Wasa but I haven't seen him on the forum for awhile. Are you there Wasa?:D

Joe
 
*Bump*

So MrT who should I pass the file on to. We have a few volunteers.:)

Joe
 
Originally posted by Stroph1
Joe,

You can pass it on to me and I will do the next Doge since nobody else has volunteered.

Stroph
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Okay coming your way!

Joe
 
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