The Great European War

[blklizard]

Russia looks great, could be an interesting eastern clash is they and Poland or the Ottomans end up on different sides in the war.
Well, besides Britain, which nations are left? We can't start randomly calling places out now can we?
Though unless I forgot something, we haven't seen much happening in central Germany so far, is that an idea? It's smack in the middle of Europe, surrounded by many nations you already covered. Something must've happened there?

I've mentioned a few other nations but I guess they were overlooked. Here's a list of nations I mentioned that will have their own history: Great Britain, Jagiellionian, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, Belgium, Greece and Illyria. I just haven't decided which one to pick and how to weave it into the first update.

 

[blklizard]

Jagiellonian Empire

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1356)​

History

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Kingdom of Mazovia (1356-1662)

Mazovia was never considered a powerful nation. If anything, the small kingdom was easy pickings for any of its neighbors. Somehow, generations of Mazovian rulers managed to keep the nation independent for more than a century through their excellent diplomacy. Their close relations with Poland definitely played an important role as Poland went on a rampage in their expansion. Poland first secured a personal union with Lithuania through war. She then went on to conquer eastwards while, occasionally, turned her sights to the west and south due to a call to arms or aggression from a foreign nation. Poland grew to be the undisputed power in the east as no other nation could halt her expansion. The Polish war machine seemed invincible with her neighbors trembling for the day the great power might turn her sights on them. In 1450, two crises, peasant war and civil war, brought the great nation to its knees. For the next five years, Poland struggled to suppress the rebels until she collapsed to the point where she occupied only a small fraction of what she once controlled. Pommerania, Brandenburg and Bohemia all took advantage of Poland's weakness by expanding into Polish territory. Lithuania, Polotsk and Ukraine broke free and gained their independence. The Teutonic Order regained the territory she lost to Poland as her golden age just began. Mazovia controlled the same territory she had in 1356 because, with the close relations, the small nation didn't take advantage of Poland's crises. However, it was becoming obvious that Poland was destined for annexation. Mazovia could no longer rely on diplomacy if she hoped to survive in the new age. The small kingdom must find new allies so she could carve out an empire to call her own.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1455)​

For a long while, Mazovia stayed low waiting for an opportunity. Prussia, formed from Teutonic Order in 1500, had annexed all of Pommerania in 1467 but her war dragged on for several more decades between the nation and the HRE. Ukraine declared war on Poland to further solidify her position while Lithuania fought a two front war against Bohemia and Polotsk. Janusz I, the Mazovian monarch that rose to the throne in 1501, wasn't much of a diplomat but he was well known for his military capability. His lack of diplomacy skills didn't stop him, however, from securing an alliance with a rising power in the west called Brunswick in 1503. Both nations were once a minor power that could be annexed at any moment. Thus, the Brunswick monarch was understanding of Mazovia's situation and was willing to give a hand. Just as luck had it, Brunswick was ready to declare war on Brandenburg to reclaim her rightful territory. The two monarchs agreed to split Brandenburg between them with Mazovia taking the provinces Brandenburg took from Poland. Janusz I proved himself an excellent general as he led his forces victory after victory against Brandenburg forces. During the peace deal, Brandenburg was split as agreed upon by the two nations. The Polish population, oppressed under Brandenburg rule for many decades, welcomed the liberators in the form of Mazovian forces. Poland was fully annexed by Ukraine seeing Mazovia the rightful ruler of the Polish region. Janusz I was ambitious who dreamed of reuniting the Polish people under one flag. A sudden illness ended his reign early in 1524 seeing his son, Janusz II, rise to the throne. It wasn't until the rise of Janusz III that Mazovia began a new series of expansion in the region.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1521)​

Bohemia occupied a few provinces that the Brunswick monarch saw as his own. Mazovia sought to recover Polish territory occupied by the Bohemians that were wrongfully taken in 1442. Thus, the two nations were at war with Bohemia in 1546 to reclaim their territory. Janusz II only had a ten year reign seeing his son, Janusz III, take the throne two years before the war. Bohemia was a powerful nation in the HRE that had been the emperor of the HRE for several generations. Defeating them wasn't an easy task but the two nations were in the position to do so. One nation could strike from the west while the other nation could strike at the east to stretch Bohemian forces thin. In addition, Bohemia just finished their war with Austria that drained their treasury and manpower. Despite all her disadvantages, Bohemia was fending off the invasion until Ukraine declared war on Bohemia. The entry of Ukraine saw Bohemian forces pushed back steadily. It wasn't until the main Bohemian army was decisively defeated by Janusz III at the Battle of Krakow, resulting in the heavy casualties suffered for Bohemia, that turned the tide of the war for Brunswick and Mazovia which saw the two nations victorious in 1566. Ukraine had exited their war two years earlier seeing them acquire eastern portion of Bohemia. Brunswick reclaimed her cores while Mazovia, having played the key role of ending the war, took an enormous chunk of Bohemia for the peace deal. Bohemia, following her war, lost their emperor status and was at the mercy of her many neighbors. Conversely, Mazovia was on the rise with the help of her ally, Brunswick. The two wars brought the two nations closer together forming a very tight bond that was to be tested in the centuries to come.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1566)​

Janusz III reigned for another twenty years where he brought in a series of reforms to his nation. Mazovia had grown rapidly in the last century so she was fairly overextended. The reforms dealt with the extension problems while stabilizing the provinces. In addition, the Mazovian military was improved while her economy was improving too. There were a few uprisings but nothing that couldn't be dealt with. When Janusz IV rose to the throne in 1586, the new Mazovian monarch learned that the few uprisings were the result of Bohemia repeatedly funding rebels in Mazovian territory. The only solution to the problem was annexing the Bohemian nation but that brought about another complication. Given that Brunswick was the new emperor of the HRE, attacking Bohemia could create a divide between the two nations by forcing the German nation to fight Mazovia. Surprisingly, the Brunswick monarch sent a letter stating he was willing to turn a blind eye on the aggression as long as the Mazovian monarch agreed to not further expand into the HRE. No one knew how the Brunswick knew about the situation but the statement was welcoming news for Janusz IV. Thus, war was declared on Bohemia in 1588 which ended in 1591 with the Czech nation fully annexed. During the war, a great uprising in Ukrainian territory saw several provinces with Polish population defect over to Mazovia. The extra provinces were well accepted but the fact that Prussia grown stronger in the process was troubling news for Mazovia. Prussia was growing very powerful very quickly. Both Mazovia and Brunswick had interests in seeing the Prussian Empire dismantled.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1591)​

Neither the monarch of Mazovia nor Brunswick felt they were ready to take on the Prussian Empire that had recently defeated the Swedish Empire with new acquisition of territory. While Brunswick turned her focus on developing the economy and expanding the military, the new Mazovian monarch, Janusz V, turned his sights on Ukraine. Ukraine lacked allies and she was already in a losing war against the Prussian Empire. Attacking and taking Ukrainian territory both strengthened Mazovia while denying territory from Prussia. Janusz V was aware that such an action might bring about the wrath of Prussia but he knew a clash between the two nations was bound to happen sooner or later given they shared a border. He was in a better position if Prussia was slightly weaker when war does occur. Ukrainian forces were in full retreat following a series of battles with Prussian forces so their western possessions were poorly defended allowing Mazovian forces to make gains quickly. Prussia concluded her war with Ukraine in 1646 to deal with a problem in the east. This peace deal allowed Ukrainian troops to regroup as they put up a last ditch effort to halt Mazovian advance. The Ukrainians resisted stubbornly and, for two years, they managed to hold onto their capital city. The high casualties for Ukraine meant her defenses eventually crumbled with her capital seized by Mazovian forces in 1656. Ukraine was annexed that year seeing Mazovia and Prussia sharing a longer border. Previously, such a long border was viewed as disadvantageous for Mazovia since it gave the Prussians more options in their invasion. However, the border proved to favor the Mazovians when the rising nation, along with Brunswick, declared war on Prussia in 1657.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1656)​

Monarchs of both Mazovia and Brunswick had been bidding their time for a war against the Prussian Empire. Weakening the growing empire was imperative for the safety of the two rising nations. The fact that Prussian troops were forced to attack in the far east was the perfect moment for them to declare war in 1657. Western parts of the Prussian Empire were left undefended making them easy pickings for the alliance. The Prussians were forced to hire mercenaries when their main forces suffered heavy losses against Russian rebels. These mercenaries, while numerous, lacked the quality of Prussian soldiers making them less effective against the enemy. Prussia, faced with a two front war she couldn't win, was forced to talk peace with Novgorod in 1658 so she could focus all her men in the west. By then, it was already too late for the empire to salvage a victory as much of her territory were occupied by enemy forces with the Prussian capital amongst them. Mazovian forces were in position to intercept Prussian forces preventing them from liberating the occupied provinces. It became obvious for the Prussians that they had no hope of winning the war. However, the war still dragged on until 1662 when the Prussian emperor was captured by Mazovian soldiers. His capture signified the conclusion of the five year war resulting in Prussia ceding territory both to Mazovia and Brunswick. The defeat also signified the decline of the Prussian Empire with her annexation occurring a few years later. Janusz V felt the victory was the perfect moment to unify his people by giving them an identity that encompassed not only the Polish but all the conquered people. Thus, the Jagiellionian Empire was born in 1662.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1662)​

Jagiellonian Empire (1663-)

The Jagiellonion Empire passed a series of reforms that not only saw greater tolerance towards heretics and heathens but also increased the discipline of Jagiellonion soldiers. Despite the reforms, there were still many revolts that were forcibly put down so the reforms only saw results several decades later. Prussia was fully annexed in 1669 by Jagiellonian Empire seeing the end of the once mighty empire that controlled much of Eastern Europe since the fall of the Polish Empire. The annexation of Prussia did overextend the empire slightly requiring a few decades before the region was stabilized. Relations with Germany remained high given how the two empires worked together in achieving their goals and create their respective empires. The borders of the two empires did change slightly over the decades to appease both sides but there was no negative impact on their relations. Nearing 1750, the Jagiellonion Empire was in preparation for war against a growing power that she couldn't ignore if she wished to protect her borders. The Russian Empire to her east was growing very powerful and Jagiellon felt threatened by a possibility of an invasion by the Russians. Germany promised to answered her call if the two empires ever clashed. There were a few border disputes that nearly sparked war but it wasn't until Russia declared war on Livonia before the Jagiellonion intervened. Germany, as promised, joined the war against Russia. The three mighty empires were at war but, little did they know, the war between Jagiellon and Russia soon pulled the rest of Europe into the war.

Mazovia and Surrounding Nations (1682)​

 

[blklizard]

Just a short update, the history for Jagiellonion Empire is halfway finished. I'm still not sure when the other half will be finished though.

 

[blklizard]

Germany

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1356)​

History

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Kingdom of Brunswick (1356-1662)

King Magnus took the throne of Brunswick in 1345. More than a decade had passed but the borders of Brunswick remained the same. Magnus wasn't an ambitious man and was content with the kingdom he had. To make matters worse, he didn't establish any diplomatic channels with his neighbors seeing Brunswick isolated in the regional politics. His isolationism policies may not have hurt Brunswick in the short term but, in the long run, it put the kingdom on the brink of annexation. When Magnus died in 1357, his much more ambitious son, Magnus II, took the throne. Magnus II hoped to create a nation that didn't fear its many neighbors. When he took the throne, Brunswick was somewhat strong but a slight misstep could easily result in her annexation. Thus, Magnus II began searching for allies in the region but he could only secure an alliance with the small nation of Magdeburg. The single alliance was better than nothing so Magnus II spent the remainder of his time and resources building up his army. Meanwhile, he had one of his subjects fabricate a claim on the neighboring kingdom of Anhalt. Anhalt was a small nation with allies that couldn't reach Brunswick making them the ideal target for expansion. Once the army was ready and the claim was made, Magnus II declared war in hopes of a swift victory. The Archbishop of Magdeburg (the nation of Magdeburg was an Archbishopric) agreed to enter the war with Brunswick. Everything went well for Magnus II until the declaration of war from Münster in the west. To his horror, Magnus II learned that Magdeburg declined the call to a defensive war leaving Brunswick alone in the struggles against another Archbishopric nation. Conversely, Münster had their allies, Oldenburg and Friesland, come to their aid which saw their combined forces more than double the entire Brunswick army.

Magnus II was in a dilemma where he must consider how to deal with the new threat in the west. He didn't expect the Archbishop of Magdeburg to dishonor the call to arms. Even if he marched his entire army to defend against the enemy, his forces were still vastly outnumbered. As for the siege of the Anhalt capital, the siege progress was slow so no one was sure when the city walls could be breached. During this time, Magnus II sent messengers to neighboring nations requesting for help but they returned with no success. Brunswick was alone and the province of Hannover fell to the aggressors soon after. Knowing that he had no chance of defeating Münster and her allies, Magnus II sent two men to the capital of Münster. One man was supposed to bribe a few top officials while the other man acted as a diplomat offering up a peace deal. The two men helped conclude the war between Brunwick and Münster in 1368 with only the province of Hannover ceded to the Archbishopric. The loss of the province, along with the ducats needed for the bribes, nearly bankrupted the kingdom but, for Magnus II, the fact that his nation still retained its independence was a small victory he'd happily take any day. Magnus II only had to focus on the siege of Anhalt capital now that the other war concluded. He needed a victory in this war desperately as he required the tax income from the province of Anhalt to pay back the loans before his small kingdom does fall into bankruptcy. If that were to occur, other neighbors might choose to attack and, for the next peace deal, Brunswick was destined to be annexed. Meanwhile, three kingdoms south of Brunswick were growing steadily. Saxony annexed her neighbor, Thuringia while Hesse annexed Mainz. Bavaria acquired two new provinces allowing them to steadily expand northwards. For the kingdom of Brunswick, only the province of Anhalt truly mattered.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1368)​

The Brunswick army continued its siege of the Anhalt capital which seemed to refuse to fall to the attackers. The defenders managed to fend off several small scale assaults so their morale remained high. No breaches had been made which was the reason why no actual progress was made. Magnus II was naturally frustrated with the lack of progress and, to make matters a bit worse, he learned that there were Magdeburg forces spotted at the Brunswick-Magdeburg border. When he demanded an explanation, the Archbishop simply replied that he was having a training mission at the border and that Magnus II had nothing to worry about. Magnus II didn't buy the explanation but he wasn't in a position to challenge the Archbishop. In 1371, Magdeburg forces launched an surprise attack on Brunswick capital. Magnus II had no choice but respond to this betrayal by sending nearly all of his forces to deal with the attackers. He left a thousand or so men to continue the siege of the Anhalt capital. To worsen the situation, the kingdom of Lüneburg joined the Archbishopric in the attack. Together, the two nation field a combined army of eight thousand men. Magnus II, however, only had seven thousand men with him which, combined with their fatigue due to the long siege, put him at a disadvantage. He could have brought with him eight thousand men but he couldn't bear the siege of the Anhalt capital lifted seeing all progress lost. If given a breather, Magnus II had no doubt of Anhalt sending troops to aid his enemies. Being outnumbered, Magnus II wisely entered his capital where, with the garrison of a thousand men, put the two sides on par in numbers. Thus, the siege of the the Brunswick began with the fate of the small kingdom hanging in the balance.

Staying inside the city walls, the seven thousand soldiers finally got some rest making them a lot effective in actual combat. The attackers surrounded the Brunswick capital as they began what they expected to be a short siege. The attackers had the assumption that the defenders' morale was low following the loss of Hannover to Münster. Yet, the presence of Magnus II helped bolster the morale so his men still had the will to continue resisting. The attackers began to grow restless as they waited outside the city gates. The leaders of the siege were growing impatient when they were making slow progress. In 1373, the attackers were surprised by an attack in their rear from Brunswick forces. They hadn't expected to meet any hostile forces which resulted in a complete withdraw of the attackers. The siege of the Brunswick capital was lifted and the Brunswick soldiers that launched the surprise attack were greeted as heroes. Magnus II learned that the soldiers were the same soldiers he left behind to finish the siege of the Anhalt capital. They had finished the siege on January of that year resulting in the annexation of Anhalt. Soon after, they rushed back to help lift the siege of the Brunswick capital. The officer, by the name of Laurin Kindler, in charge of the men was the man behind the plan to launch the surprise attack. Magnus II, impressed by the man's quick thinking and boldness on the battlefield, promoted him to general. Magnus II ordered the newly promoted General Kindler to lead his forces against the vile Magdeburg and her accomplice, Lüneburg. Magnus II hadn't tell his men that he was getting more ill each day. He knew his days were numbered and was content that God sent a promising general like Kindler to lead his nation to victory after his death.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1373)​

Magnus II died few days after Kindler set off on the counteroffensive. Magnus III rose to the throne and led the nation in mourning of the old monarch. General Kindler learned later of the monarch's death and was deeply saddened. The general was determined to defeat the enemy but he was undecided who to attack first. After some discussion with his officers, Kindler chose to attack Lüneburg first. The small kingdom had a smaller army making them the easier target. Once Lüneburg capitulated, Kindler only had to deal with the Archbishopric that began this conflict. The Brunswick army marched directly north into Lüneburg territory. The town garrisons barely put up any resistance as they didn't expect to be attacked so soon. A month later, the Lüneburg capital was encircled with all of Lüneburg's forces trapped inside. Meanwhile, Kindler sent men into Magdeburg territory to spread rumors about his men setting up an ambush for the Magdeburg army. Without the Lüneburg army reinforcing them, the Magdeburg army stood little chance against the Brunswick army so Kindler hoped the rumors could deter the Archbishop from moving his forces. By divide and conquer, his army could suffer minimal losses in the entire conflict. The Archbishop seemed to believe the rumors because his entire army remained in the capital where they didn't learn of the siege of Lüneburg capital until it was too late. By the time they learned of the siege of Lüneburg in 1376, the capital city was already occupied by Brunswick forces seeing the small kingdom annexed into realm under Magnus III. Magnus III, upon hearing the capitulation, ordered a small feast to celebrate the occasion. He wished to prepare a larger feast once Magdeburg also become a part of his realm.

Following the fall of Lüneburg, the Archbishop of Magdeburg was suddenly fearful of his situation. He sent diplomats to Brunswick promising a sum of ducats and a non-aggression pact. Naturally, Magnus III refused the offer knowing that the Archbishop couldn't be trusted following his betrayal earlier. General Kindler led his forces into Magdeburg territory where they encountered little resistance until they arrived outside the Magdeburg capital in 1377. All five thousand Magdeburg soldiers were inside the capital with the one thousand men garrison. Kindler's eight thousand men completely encircled the capital city as they prepared for a long siege. Kindler learned from his spies that the Archbishop had improved the fortification while driving out the civilians so his supplies could last longer. The civilians driven out of the city, however, chose to join alongside the Brunswick army to fight against the man that betrayed them. A month into the siege, the Brunswick army swelled up to ten thousand men which further demoralized the defenders. Despite all the disadvantages that plagued them, the Magdeburg defenders held out until the capital finally fell in 1385. The Archbishop was stripped of his titles and sent to live as a commoner while his nation was integrated into Brunswick. Kindler returned to the Brunswick capital where he was treated as a great hero. A great feast went ahead as promised by Magnus III for the magnificent feat of the general. Brunswick was on the brink of annexation when she lost a province to the nation of Münster. Yet, the incredible turnaround saw the nation gaining three provinces after to solidify her control over the region. In the south, Magnus III learned the coalition of Hesse and Saxony managed to drive out the Bavarian from Northern German region.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1385)​

Magnus III allowed his nation to stay at peace for the next two decades for Brunswick to recover. The loans were paid off while her armies were built to full capacity. Magnus III wanted another war to further expand his realm. General Kindler had, sadly, passed away during the peaceful period so the monarch needed a new general to lead his forces. After much difficulty, Magnus III picked a young man called Robert Weber to be the new general. With a general selected, the Brunswick monarch needed a target. Around the time General Weber earned his position, The Hansa chose to embargo Brunswick. Magnus III was furious with the embargo knowing that it was greed of the Hanseatic elites that was the cause. Thus, he declared war in hopes of lifting the embargo. General Weber soon learned the dire situation his monarch put Brunswick in when his scouts reported large enemy forces marching towards the Brunswick-Hanseatic border. The Hansa, with their high trade income, saw them hire several mercenary armies that totaled twenty thousand men not including the standing Hanseatic army which was reported to be ten thousand men strong. With sixteen thousand men under his command, General Weber fought very defensively and managed to hold off enemy forces for nearly a decade. Then, the Hanseatic forces suddenly retreated from the front lines which greatly puzzled General Weber. Later, the spies under Weber learned that The Hansa also embargoed the kingdom of Brandenburg which brought upon them the wrath of the other Germanic nation. The Hanseatic elites got overconfident with their military might resulting in their eastern flank crumbling. Thus, they called back their forces in Brunswick to halt the Brandenburg advance.

General Weber knew this was the best opportunity for his forces to go from the defensive to offensive. With the Hanseatic forces preoccupied with Brandenburg forces, Brunswick forces rapidly occupied the western half of The Hansa. In 1423, the Hanseatic capital fell to Brandenburg forces resulting in their eastern possession, including Lübeck, become a part of Brandenburg. A week later, Brunswick annexed the remainder of The Hansa seeing the trade republic wiped out. Even though Brunswick didn't gain the great gem known as Lübeck, she got two rich provinces that were still quite valuable. Magnus III ordered another feast to celebrate the victory but, during the feast, he was poisoned and the assailant was never caught. Magnus IV rose to the throne next and had to prepare for his father's funeral. The nation was in mourning of the passing of another great monarch that made Brunswick stronger. In the south, Magnus IV learned that Hesse backstabbed Saxony by launchng a surprise attack on her former ally. Saxony was somewhat caught off guard seeing her losing some territory. Only good news from this conflict was that Brunswick's southern border was temporarily safe. Still, Magnus IV knew that his nation needed to expand elsewhere if Brunswick were to challenge Brandenburg in the east. Under General Weber's suggestion, the Brunswick army went through a series of small reforms that saw the soldiers more effective on the battlefield. In addition, the monarch sent soldiers to the newly conquered provinces to suppress any rebels that dared to rise up against Brunswick.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1423)​

Magnus IV wished to further expand his realm but his options were very limited. To the south of Brunswick, Hesse was a rising power that could only be taken down if Brunswick dedicated all of her resources in the war. Cologne and Saxony were both prince-electors so showing aggression might bring about the wrath of the emperor. Brandenburg was definitely out of the question since the Brunswick monarch had no confidence that his side could secure victory against the mighty Germanic nation. In the west, the nation of Münster was growing steadily and attacking her wasn't a good idea. Thus, Magnus IV was left with Holstein in the north that was without any allies. The kingdom of Holstein had been isolated in European politics just as Brunswick was during the reign of Magnus. Part of the reason was that many nearby nation didn't want to deal with a war that involved Denmark. Denmark had claims on Holstein territory but, due to Holstein being part of the empire, the Danish monarchs had been hesitant to attack the small kingdom. However, neighbors of Holstein still weren't willing to risk an alliance since the emperor needed time to arrive at the front lines which could already be too late for nations in close proximity of Denmark. As a member of the HRE, Brunswick could attack Holstein without the intervention of the emperor. The lack of allies and a small army made Holstein ripe for conquest. In addition, Magnus IV received news that Brandenburg might have interests of integrating the small kingdom into her realm as well. Thus, Magnus IV declared war on Holstein in 1433.

General Weber marched a small force of six thousand into Holstein territory. In a short engagement, the Holstein army, under the command of their monarch, suffered massive losses forcing the survivors to retreat back into the capital. Weber ordered one of his officers to lead two thousand men to the province in the north to begin the siege there. By 1436, all of Holstein was occupied seeing the isolated Germanic nation a part of the Brunswick nation. Magnus IV, however, was troubled by what he learned in the south. Hesse showed aggression towards Saxony and the emperor actually turned a blind eye on the aggression. Cologne and Trier, the other two prince-electors, joined alongside Saxony to contain the expanding Hesse but their coalition could do little against the rising military power in central German region. All three nations lost territory to Hesse making the nation even more powerful. This was disturbing news for Magnus IV because his nation just happened to border this growing threat. If Brunswick put off attacking Hesse, the monarch knew that no nation in the region could contain the expansionist called Hesse. Interestingly enough, a diplomat from Cologne arrived in Brunswick requesting the aid of Brunswick in the fight against Hesse. The ruler of Cologne promised to elect Brunswick as the next Emperor should Magnus agreed to aid him. Days later, the ruler of Trier also arrived with a similar message. The promise of two votes was too alluring for Magnus IV to ignore but he required the two diplomats to write down their agreement on paper. Once the proper documents were completed, he ordered Weber to gather their men at the southern border to prepare for war.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1436)​

War was declared on Hesse in 1440 with Brunswick as the war leader. Brunswick had formed a coalition that included Saxony, Cologne and Trier who all joined in the war. Magnus IV hoped this coalition was enough to contain the threat in the south. The war turned badly early on when the Trier ruler agreed to a white peace with Hesse in 1441 before turning on Cologne. Cologne was, as a result, forced to exit the war months later only to lose a province to Trier several years later. The war was suddenly between Hesse and Brunswick along with Saxony. The war dragged on for two decades before the small coalition found some success. In two separate battles, Hessan forces suffered heavy losses allowing both Brunswick and Saxony forces to advance deeper into Hessan territory. The war against two opponents was hurting Hesse too much so the Hessan monarch agreed to a peace deal from Saxony in 1472 that saw several province gained by the Saxony monarch. Magnus IV was furious to learn his allies abandoned him leaving his nation alone to fight Hesse. Knowing that General Weber required assistance, Magnus IV chose to lead a newly recruited army, numbering five thousand men, personally to battle. A Hessan spy, upon learning this development, informed one of the Hessan generals to intercept and, ideally, capture the Brunswick monarch. Several months later, Magnus IV's army was crushed and the monarch died in battle. The Hessan monarch had hoped the death of Magnus IV could end the war by severely demoralize the Brunswick forces. Yet, the exact opposite occurred as the Hessan monarch learned later.

When the news of Magnus IV's death reached Weber and his men, they were furious and were determined to avenge their monarch. Brunswick forces attacked with new ferocity that completely caught Hessan forces off guard allowing them to overwhelm their enemies. Main Hessan forces were crushed while their remnants hid within city walls that were under siege. In 1467, all of Hesse was occupied resulting in Brunswick gaining sizable territory in the peace deal. Magnus V, the son of the previous monarch, actually released the Hessan monarch. He explained to his subjects that the only way he could avenge his father was to take the rest of Hesse in the next war so that what his father died for could be a part of Brunswick. With the conclusion of the war, Magnus V sent diplomats to Trier and Cologne to remind their rulers of their promise. To his disbelief, the rulers of Trier and Cologne actually denied it all. When Magnus V claimed that he had the promises on paper, the prince-electors argued that their agreement was with Magnus IV. With the Brunswick monarch dead, the agreement between the two sides automatically nullified. Magnus V sent a diplomat to the emperor with the documents demanding justice. The emperor, not in the mood of dealing with such petty politics, chose to give Brunswick the permission to attack the prince-electors so the agreement could be fulfilled. Magnus V, however, was more ambitious than what the emperor first suspected as he no longer cared about the votes. Instead, he sought the provinces controlled by the prince-electors.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1467)​

Magnus V allowed his nation a decade of peace so she can recover from the long war against Hesse. In 1477, Magnus V declared war on Cologne which had yet to recover from her war with Trier. The Cologne forces were defeated swiftly with the capital under Brunswick control in 1479. Cologne was annexed by Brunswick and, soon after, Magnus V declared war on Trier. Trier experienced the same fate two years later seeing both prince-electors eliminated from the HRE. The emperor wasn't pleased to learn that Brunswick annexed the two nation so he sent a diplomat demanding an explanation. Magnus V told the diplomat that the emperor granted him permission to attack the two prince-electors so he did just that. As for the annexation, he did it since the prince-electors refused to fulfill the agreement. Thus, the only solution was to take their territory despite his best efforts to solve the issue diplomatically. The fact that the two prince-electors were executed when their capitals fell meant neither the diplomat nor the emperor could get confirmation on the matter. The emperor knew he made a grave mistake giving Magnus V permission but it was too late to make up for it. Since that day, the relations between the emperor and Brunswick worsened but, for a rising nation like Brunswick, the relations were of little concern as long as she was stronger than the emperor. With the two prince-electors dealt with, Magnus V turned his sights on Hesse which he sought to annex before his death. Months after the annexation of Trier in 1500, Brunswick declared war on Hesse. Magnus V was exceptionally lucky as Hesse was, at the time, busy fighting a civil war.

A pretender rose up and, with some support, was giving the new Hessan monarch problems. The pretender occupied some territory which allowed him to eventually lay siege to the Hessan capital. By the time Brunswick declared war, the pretender almost broke through the walls of the capital so he could finally obtain the Hessan crown. The civil war had really weaken the nation making Hesse very vulnerable to an invasion. Brunswick forces attacked and encountered very little resistance until they arrived outside the Hessan capital. When they arrived at the Hessan capital, the pretender had broken through the city's outer defenses and was in the process of slaughtering the garrison. Brunswick forces charged in and, an hour later, they had the pretender executed and the Hessan ruler captured. On the next day, Hesse was annexed by Brunswick seeing Magnus V completing his father's dream of ruling over the region. Magnus V died a week later but, since he had no living male heirs, one of his cousins took the crown. The new monarch of Brunswick was Erich who began a new chapter for the kingdom of Brunswick. When Erich rose to the throne, the threat of Brandenburg became a lot more obvious. While Brunswick was busy annexing Cologne, Trier and Hesse, Brandenburg used the opportunity to annex all of Saxony. The two nations could no longer ignore each other as they must fight it out to determine which nation ruled over Northern German region. Erich used the early stages of his reign consolidating his control over the newly conquered territory while strengthening both Brunswick military and economy as preparations for the upcoming war. In his search for allies, Erich found the kingdom of Mazovia that inevitably played a major role in the future of Brunswick.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1501)​

War was declared on Brandenburg in 1504 by Erich when he felt his side was ready. Brunswick soldiers were prepared for a long war while their allies, the Mazovians, were also ready to strike at Brandenburg. The fact that Brandenburg had to fight a two front war put Erich's enemy at a massive disadvantage from the very start. With the false conception that Mazovia was the weakest of the two nations and could be defeated easily, the Brandenburg monarch made the mistake of ordering his main forces on attacking Mazovia. The Brandenburg monarch soon learned, through the hard way, of the multiple defeats in the east at the hands of a man called Janusz I. Despite being outnumbered at numerous occasions, the Mazovian monarch won all his engagements resulting in the complete rout of Brandenburg forces in the east. The fact that Brandenburg's western front was only lightly guarded only worsened the situation. The constant defeats in the east and the steady advances of Brunswick forces, due to little resistance, in the west saw Brandenburg forces losing more and more territory to enemy occupation. Soon, only the Brandenburg capital remained with the west occupied by Brunswick and the east occupied by Mazovia. There were plenty of soldiers in the capital garrison but supply shortage became a major problem. The attackers simply needed to lay siege as they starved out the defenders who couldn't do anything about it. The war was practically won with the defeat of the Brandenburg monarch inevitable. However, an old enemy of Brunswick chose this opportunity to create problems. Erich, while leading an army outside the Brandenburg capital, was notified of several major rebellions across his territory.

The rebellions didn't occur as simply coincidences as Erich's spies eventually uncovered the Münster archbishop as the head of the plot. Münster's archbishop was apparently after some of Brunswick provinces but he dared not to attack Brunswick directly. Brunswick was, at this point, quite powerful and a war was, according to the Münster archbishop, unfavorable since the cost greatly outweighed the benefits. Instead, the archbishop used his large treasury to fund rebels in Brunswick territory knowing that Brunswick forces required time to march back into friendly territory. Confident that the siege of the Brandenburg capital was in good hands, Erich and a handful of his generals led their forces back to suppress the rebels. Contrary to their initial assumptions, Erich and his generals realized that the situation in western Brunswick was much more dire than they first anticipated. There were numerous large rebel armies that had already occupied several provinces and a few were closing in on the Brunswick capital. The rebel armies were also fairly well armed thanks to the weapons gifted by the Münster archbishop. Erich and his generals first defeated the rebel armies heading towards the Brunswick capital before they turned their attention on liberating rebel occupation. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to liberate all of the occupied provinces. As a result, several of their provinces defected over to Münster in 1521. A month later, the Brandenburg capital was captured and the German nation capitulated. Brandenburg was split between Brunswick and Mazovia seeing Brunswick nearly double in size. The new gains outweighed the losses to rebel defection but it was still a hard pill to swallow for Erich. Erich, unable to cope with the losses to Münster, soon got very ill and had to stay in bed. Not long after, Erich II took over the throne and, in his early stages of reign, brutally crushed several large rebellion in former Brandenburg restoring order in the newly conquered region. After laying his father to rest, Erich II wisely listened to his advisers and turned his attention to a powerful empire called Prussia.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1521)​

Erich II never got the chance to see war against Prussia. He spent much of his reign aiding Mazovia in the fight against Bohemia. Sharing a long border with the Bohemians, Brunswick had interests in eliminating this threat if possible. Erich II declared war on Bohemia in 1546 to reclaim his rightful territory. In the peace deal, Mazovia was given a large part of Bohemia as a way to thank them for their participation in the war against Brandenburg. Erich III rose to power in 1588 after a relatively successful reign under his father. Several reforms were initiated under Erich II's rule that only bore fruit when Erich III came to power. Brunswick soldiers were better disciplined and were some of the best soldiers in Europe. Across the nation, infrastructures were improved so that, in the situation of future rebellions, Brunswick could react quicker and arrive sooner. The Brunswick treasury was growing steadily as the German nation enjoyed peace and prosperity following the war with Brandenburg. Erich III also made history by being the first Brunswick monarch to be voted as the HRE emperor. Such a prestigious position showed how far Brunswick grew over the century so Erich III ordered a grand feast to celebrate the occasion. The Brunswick monarch was also an intelligent man who was keen enough to know that Mazovia was plotting against Bohemia but feared Brunswick intervention. Thus, he sent a letter to the Mazovian monarch claiming he was willing to turn a blind eye in this situation. Two weeks later, Mazovia declared war and Brunswick didn't intervene. Yet, Erich III managed to play innocent in the matter claiming the messenger never alerted him of the war until it was too late. That was partly true since Erich III sent a small ambush party to dispose the Bohemian messenger before he could enter Brunswick territory. Erich III further expanded on his father's reforms making Brunswick even stronger in preparation of the war against Prussia which was the only neighboring nation that could pose a real threat to Brunswick.

Brunswick enjoyed further peace and prosperity until Erich IV declared war on Prussia in 1657 alongside Mazovia. Erich IV hoped that the large treasury and reforms, that were made possible by his father an grandfather, were enough to take down the Prussian Empire. In this case, the Brunswick monarch that rose to power in 1641 was simply overestimating the capabilities of the Prussians. The Prussians were busy fighting the Russians in the east making their western possession wide open for attack. With their two front war, the Prussians stood little chance, especially after their heavy casualties when they fought Russian rebels. Brunswick forces made steady gains as they occupied former Pommerania and, eventually, the Prussia capital along with surrounding provinces while the Mazovians made steady progress in the east and effectively cutting off the Prussians from their capital. Despite holding the Prussian capital, the war dragged on until 1662 when the Prussian emperor was captured by Mazovian soldiers. Brunswick acquired former Pommerania and Prussian territory that was considered to be within German region in the peace deal. The new gains allowed Brunswick to expand their influence to Eastern Europe so the nation could establish a greater presence in Europe. Erich IV made history in a different way from him father soon after the conclusion of the war. With much of Northern German region under the control of him, Erich IV felt this was the moment to declare his nation as Germany. By creating Germany, Erich IV saw the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the rise of a nation that was meant to include all Germans. This was a historic day since both Germany and Jagiellon were created on the very same day in 1662. The two monarch agreed upon the same day to show their close relations and the everlasting bond between the two mighty empires that rose up in Central and East Europe. The birth of two empires really had a great impact on their neighbors who greatly feared this alliance. As a result, the two empires inadvertently created many enemies that were envious of their status in Europe.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1662)​

Kingdom of Germany (1663-)

The creation of Germany, as mentioned above, saw many envious neighbors banding together. The first German Emperor, Erich IV, passed many reforms including a major military reform that saw him merging the military reforms of Prussia with those of his soldiers to create the ultimate fighting machine. In the next decade, there were some changes in the border between Germany and Jagiellon to satisfy both sides. Old documents and records were compared to ensure that neither side occupied territory that rightfully belonged to the other empire. The two empires hoped to avoid anything that might create a division between them weakening their alliance and giving their enemies a time to strike. At the time, Erich IV's main focus was on the small nation of Westphalia that rose up in the west. The past was not forgotten by the emperor who wished to reclaim the territory lost to the now medium European power. The hostilities between the two nations ran deep over the centuries and, unless Germany acquired its former territories, the empire could become a laughing stock in Europe. Still, the emperor noticed that Germany was surrounded by several powerful nation which meant that he needed to be ready for a multiple front war. This became especially obvious when the German Emperor learned of the web of alliances that were being created. He knew that, once a single war was declared, the alliances could be pitted against one another plunging all of Europe into war. He used the remainder of his reign ensuring peace inside Germany so the empire enjoyed further prosperity that could ensure it outlasted its neighbors in a long grinding war. When Jagiellon declared war on Russia for her aggression towards Livonia, Germany naturally answered the call to arms from her long time ally. The war that engulfed all of Europe had materialized as Erich IV predicted. The first German Emperor was, however, fortunate to pass away before the conflict began. Instead, his grandson, Erich VI, was in power when the Great European war began.

Brunswick and Surrounding Nations (1672)​

 

[Michaelangelo]

I love seeing tiny little nations expand into sprawling blobs. It's going to be so hard picking a side to root for.

Ah finally, we will get to see what happens with the mess that is Germany.

 

[sebas379]

Just finished reading Russia. I wonder how strong they will be. They don't have all the Siberian land, but on tech that might be an advantage. They didn't westernise, did they?

You mentioned an alliance of Russia, Sicily, Austria-Hungary and Greece? An alliance that surrounds the Balkans, interesting. A Central-European coalition, in a way.

And Jagiellon, what a nice shape! Almost like congressional Poland under Russian rule prior to WW1, hehe. but if Austria-Hungary is going to grow where I think they will (south of Jagiellon) they will get sandwiched hard...

 

[blklizard]

I love seeing tiny little nations expand into sprawling blobs. It's going to be so hard picking a side to root for.

Ah finally, we will get to see what happens with the mess that is Germany.

Yup, but wait until you learn of all the nations participating in the war. As for Germany, the history should take awhile since a lot will happen.

Just finished reading Russia. I wonder how strong they will be. They don't have all the Siberian land, but on tech that might be an advantage. They didn't westernise, did they?

You mentioned an alliance of Russia, Sicily, Austria-Hungary and Greece? An alliance that surrounds the Balkans, interesting. A Central-European coalition, in a way.

And Jagiellon, what a nice shape! Almost like congressional Poland under Russian rule prior to WW1, hehe. but if Austria-Hungary is going to grow where I think they will (south of Jagiellon) they will get sandwiched hard...

Ingame, Russia didn't westernize. As for the war, they won't be getting any handicaps since it would weaken their alliance as a whole.

You are correct about the alliance though there are other members I haven't mentioned yet. They're in an interesting position which will be more obvious once we get to Greece, Austria-Hungary and one nation we sort of mentioned so far.

Jagiellon was supposed to include Hungary but, for story sake and balance wise, I modded it so they only needed the Bohemian, Polish and Lithuanian capital along with Warsaw. Their shape is interesting because that's roughly the region they're given by the people that made Death and Taxes. As for directly south of Jagiellon, there's actually another nation I haven't mentioned yet. The nation isn't exceptionally powerful but her location does spice things up (I'm not talking about Bulgaria if that's what you're thinking ).

 

[blklizard]

Just a quick update! Germany history is a third finished!

 

[sebas379]

Germany is being a lot of fun, that much is obvious Still too early to tell who is going to come out on top. Brandenburg, Hesse and Saxony could easily pull the win from Brunswick at this early stage. It's always fun to see some nations expanding in Germany.

 

[blklizard]

Germany is being a lot of fun, that much is obvious Still too early to tell who is going to come out on top. Brandenburg, Hesse and Saxony could easily pull the win from Brunswick at this early stage. It's always fun to see some nations expanding in Germany.

I had fun writing it as well . Yes, things can get interesting in Germany since you could have different nations expanding every time. As for now, there's a major showdown between two German nations in these parts.

Quick update! Two thirds of the history is done, the finale won't be up for another few days unfortunately.

 

[sebas379]

Well that's going to be one big German civil war to determine who gets to unify the nation.
...Or it'll just give France or Jagiellon a chance to overrun half of Germany

 

[blklizard]

Well that's going to be one big German civil war to determine who gets to unify the nation.
...Or it'll just give France or Jagiellon a chance to overrun half of Germany

Of course, we don't want a large nation having easy pickings, right? Jagiellon is the closest ally with Germany and France happened to have their own problems to deal with.

Update! German history is finished! It was fun to write but I feel burned out . I might take a short break from this AAR.

 

[Asantahene]

Subbed! I like the Wiki style and it's good to see how these nations form. How are you able to get into the detailed history of each country and who were you actually playing as?

 

[Michaelangelo]

That was certainly an exciting history. I'm hoping Germany can claim all the German lands in the Great European War.

Just curious, but who was emperor up until Brunswick took the crown? You might have mentioned the country, but I must have missed it.

 

[sebas379]

Germany looks strong, maybe not as strong as possible when controlling the whole region, but it's definetly a force to be reckoned with.

 

[blklizard]

Subbed! I like the Wiki style and it's good to see how these nations form. How are you able to get into the detailed history of each country and who were you actually playing as?

Welcome! I played as Great Britain (why it will be covered last in the histories) and let's just say that the actual formations of these nations don't make good stories. Thus, all the stories, except for Great Britain's, will be invented out of thin air with only the maps to work with.

That was certainly an exciting history. I'm hoping Germany can claim all the German lands in the Great European War.

Just curious, but who was emperor up until Brunswick took the crown? You might have mentioned the country, but I must have missed it.

Germany has some fierce competition for sure. It would be a big feat if they can but we have RNG that will determine the outcomes. So, even I don't know what will happen. Bohemia was the previous emperor but, following the beatdown from Brunswick and Mazovia, Brunswick became the new emperor.

Germany looks strong, maybe not as strong as possible when controlling the whole region, but it's definetly a force to be reckoned with.

Remember, we need some sort of balance or the war will be over quickly.

 

[Asantahene]

Bravo Blklizard-bravo

 

[blklizard]

Bravo Blklizard-bravo

Thanks! I must attribute to the inspirations of reading other AARs along with my long-standing Langobards AAR. The two factors really helped me learn how to better imagine scenarios and come up with small stories that are more interesting to read and write. Of course, having people commenting is always a great motivator.

 

[blklizard]

Westphalia

Münster and Surrounding Nations (1356)​

History

---

Archbishopric of Münster (1356-1520)

Bernhard was the Archbishop of Münster since 1354. He was a pious man who only sought peace and prosperity for his nation. Bernhard maintained good relations with all his neighbors which, for the time being, ensured peace in the region. In 1360, a terrible illness saw Bernhard too ill to continue ruling over Münster. Another bishop by the name of Ferdinand took control over the nation, through an election, and he was a different man from Bernhard. Ferdinand firmly believed that peace could only be achieved through the expansion into neighboring lands. By strengthening the nation through conquests, the neighbors of Münster would think twice before attacking the Archbishopric. For the next five years, Ferdinand ordered a massive expansion of Münster's military might seeing the nation's army grew from three thousand men to eight thousand men. In 1365, Ferdinand declared war on Brunswick to acquire the province of Hannover. Before the declaration of war, Ferdinand sent a messenger to the Archbishop of Magdeburg with a generous sum of ducats and a letter. The ducats and letter were enough to convince the Archbishop of Magdeburg to dishonor their call to arms with Brunswick. Thus, Brunswick was alone and Hannover was ceded to Münster in 1368. The acquisition of Hannover was a great victory for Münster but not everyone was happy, especially the peaceful Bernard. Bernard, despite being very ill, pulled himself out of bed and arrived at the court. Everyone was shocked to see Bernhard present but no one was surprised to hear Bernard denouncing Ferdinand for his warmonger policies. Because Bernard was still an influential figure in Münster, the combination of his denouncement and pressure from others in court forced Ferdinand to step down from power. Before his death in 1369, Bernard picked Ernst as the next Archbishop of Münster.

Münster and Surrounding Nations (1368)​

Ernst was picked by Bernhard for his similar stance of peaceful approach to diplomacy. The new Archbishop hoped to maintain the good relations with his neighbors as Bernhard did. Yet, the man's resolve was soon tested when the small republic of Aachen requested aid from Münster. Cleves declared war in 1385 and wished to fully annex the small republic. Ernst was against all wars but ignoring a plea for help from a weaker nation went against his beliefs. In court, Ernst held a vote over the issue hoping to let the people of Münster decide on the nation's stance. A day of voting saw the side of aggressive stance winning by a very small margin. Thus, Münster was at war again but, this time, she was defending a weaker nation against an aggressor. The Münster army was reduced to only five thousand men since Ernst came to power. The new Archbishop saw no need for a large army which could only prompt more wars. The Münster army, while reduced, was still more than a match against the Cleves army and the siege of the Aachen capital was lifted in 1386. The Cleves army was annihilated before it could return to its capital resulting in the Münster army laying siege to the capital. The siege lasted nearly a year until it fell in 1388. With Cleves completely occupied, Ernst must decide upon the fate of the small kingdom. Ernst had hoped to force the kingdom to pay a small reparation and allow it to remain independent. He saw annexation as an act of aggression which he tried to avoid. However, the fact that the Cleves monarch felt no remorse over his aggression and even suggested that he would attack Aachen again made Ernst to change his decision. Allowing Cleves to remain independent threatened the peace in the region so Ernst, though hesitantly, annexed Cleves into his realm. In 1388, Münster was becoming one of the rising powers in Western Germany and her strength was making her neighbors nervous.

Münster and Surrounding Nations (1388)​

The annexation of Cleves made the Aachen republic especially fearful of her own fate. The ruling class of Aachen had the misconception that requesting the aid from Münster was a mistake. Now that they shared a border, Aachen was most likely next on the list of Münster expansion. In a surprising decision, Aachen declared war on Münster a month after the peace deal between Münster and Cleves. Ernst was shocked by the turn of events considering that his nation just protected Aachen from annexation. Following the defensive war, Ernst had no intentions of participating in further wars. Despite the decisive victory over Cleves, Münster lost many men in the conflict which saddened the Archbishop greatly. The Archbishop actually hoped to not see another war in his lifetime but that hope disappeared with the aggression from Aachen. The ruling class of Aachen made one key mistake when they declared war. Münster, while expanding steadily, was still in good relations with all her neighbors. As one of the strongest nations in the region, Münster wasn't a nation anyone attacked unless they were certain of victory. The good relations, along with the fear effect, saw all of Aachen's allies dishonor the call to arms. Aachen was alone in her struggle against the Archbishopric due to the miscalculation of the ruling class. The Münster army was still en route to the capital so it had to turn order to march onwards to Aachen. The Aachen army was soundly defeated and, with the Aachen capital walls yet to be repaired from the earlier siege, all of Aachen was occupied in 1389. Ernst reluctantly accepted the suggestion of nearly everyone at court to annex the republic. If Aachen wasn't annexed, most within Münster feared that other nations might declare war fearing little consequence. The annexation did help send a message to the neighbors of Münster that aggression towards the Archbishopric resulted in loss of land and even annexation.

Münster and Surrounding Nations (1389)​

Ferdinand II rose to power in 1425 as new Archbishop. When Ferdinand II came to power, the Archbishopric of Münster had enjoyed nearly four decades of peace. Münster enjoyed prosperity during the peace but the prosperity also made the neighbors of the Archbishopric jealous. While most didn't show their discontent openly, Oldenburg was one of the few kingdoms that expressed their opinion about Münster. The Oldenburg monarch was especially unhappy about that fact that Münster expanded with impunity and oppressed the people of two formerly independent nations. The monarch public announced his intentions of funding the Aachen and Cleves nationalists as a way of weakening Münster. Initially, Ferdinand II paid little heed to the announcement. Unlike Ferdinand, Ferdinand II was a more peaceful man preferring the policies set under Bernhard and Ernst. However, several uprisings, as a result of the funding, caused lots of havoc within Münster territory and cost the Archbishopric many lives and resources. Ferdinand II sent a messenger request the Oldenburg monarch to cease his actions but, instead, received an insulting reply. The Oldenburg monarch made the mistake of pushing Ferdinand II too far. The Archbishop was grieving for the lives lost from the uprisings and was determined to put an end to them. Seeing the refusal to accept demands from the Oldenburg monarch, Ferdinand II declared war in 1434 on the kingdom in the north to end the uprisings. The kingdom of Oldenburg wasn't prepared for the invasion and, in 1436, it was integrated into Münster. Ferdinand II had no regrets declaring war and, as far as the neighbors of the Archbishopric were concerned, the aggression was justified. With the annexation of Oldenburg, Münster became a dominant power in the region. Still, she was surrounded by a few neighbors she dared not antagonize. Attacking the prince-electors could bring the wrath of the emperor while Brunswick, growing steadily out of control, was too powerful to fight.

Münster and Surrounding Nations (1436)​

Archbishopric of Westphalia (1521-)

Entering the sixteenth century, there was a growing sense of unification within Westphalia. The region was roughly split between Münster and Brunswick. The Archbishop, Bernhard II, wished to unify the people of Westphalia while the Brunswick monarch had other goals to pursue. Thus, the people of Westphalia saw Münster as the nation that had their interests in mind. Münster, being weaker than Brunswick, couldn't hope to attack Brunswick in a head on war and win. While Brunswick was busy fighting Brandenburg in 1504, Bernhard II was still doubtful that his nation could take on the might of Brunswick. Thus, he used the ducats saved up over the decades from the peace and prosperity to fund rebels. While Brunswick did put down many of the rebel forces, a significant number succeeded seeing many province defecting over to Münster. The addition of the new provinces made it possible for Westphalia to form in 1521. Bernhard II was known as the first Archbishop of Westphalia but he still felt he failed his duties. Some parts of the Westphalia region were still under Brunswick control because the rebels there were defeated before they could defect the province. The funding of rebels also created a greater division between Westphalia and Brunswick. When the Brunswick monarch, Erich III, became the emperor of the HRE, he passed the imperial reform: Ewiger Landfriede. The reform saw the end of armed conflicts within the HRE which was a method to halt Westphalia from expanding. The Archbishopric, however, was unaffected by the reform since the archbishop and his successors saw no need for further wars until they were pulled into a conflict of unimaginable scale. Peace lasted for Westphalia until 1750 seeing the German nation one of the most developed nations in Europe. These developments proved integral to Westphalia's performance in the Great European War.

Westphalia (1521)​

 

[blklizard]

Update! Westphalia history is finished! Felt odd writing about an Archbishopric though .