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NEW WORLD! I'm eager to see Scottish colonial nations.
 
Colonize New England and call it Nova Scotia! No, wait, that already exists....

Indeed it does! Hopefully here the Scots can make a better go of it and have the country named after them, rather than just the easternmost point.

Good progress there! The colonies will surely benefit the realm. Your game is played without CoP I guess, so no colonial nations will be seen?

Yeah, exactly. I played up until the 1700s back in November - so a good few patches ago and we'll before CoP came along. So there will be no colonial nations for quite some time in the AAR. I'm sure sure what will happen why I try to play again - it may be that the save is no longer compatible due to things like the western European trade node - but I'll tackle those issues once I'm caught up!

NEW WORLD! I'm eager to see Scottish colonial nations.

As per the above reply, I'll need to disappoint you at first unfortunately. We will see what happens when I try to continue the save though.
 
No Darien yet, then? It's only a matter of time, I'm sure. ;)

A great return to form, Seel. Thoroughly enjoyable to read, and plenty of detail to savour. I'll be interested to see how the situation develops back in the British Isles. Is there any threat of English revanchism at this point? A war would certainly be an interesting read, if I'm going to be selfish.

Very much looking forward to more.
 
Great to see this updated again :) Was wondering when you'd come back to it!

Nice to see Scotland colonizing Newfoundland as well, with the increase in revenues I'm sure could prove helpful if England decides to make any moves into Ireland or to reclaim the lands you've taken from them.

However, when you mention a complicated relationship with the merchant class makes me wonder if they'll eventually rise up for democracy in the future.
 
No Darien yet, then? It's only a matter of time, I'm sure. ;)

A great return to form, Seel. Thoroughly enjoyable to read, and plenty of detail to savour. I'll be interested to see how the situation develops back in the British Isles. Is there any threat of English revanchism at this point? A war would certainly be an interesting read, if I'm going to be selfish.

Very much looking forward to more.

Thank you Densley.

One huge advantage of landing in northern America is the relative absence of malaria and the Spanish - the two torpedoes which sank Darien! This update was a little tamer than those before - the threat from England was keenly felt as they rearm; James and his council have felt restricted in terms of aggressive expansion. The English vassalisation, and progress towards integration of Leinster rules out any diplomatic expansion for the time being. It remains to be seen whether the slow pace of colonial expansion will satisfy those that clamour for conquest.

And by that, I mean to signal that you can look to some more war oriented updates in the very near future :)

Great to see this updated again :) Was wondering when you'd come back to it!

Nice to see Scotland colonizing Newfoundland as well, with the increase in revenues I'm sure could prove helpful if England decides to make any moves into Ireland or to reclaim the lands you've taken from them.

However, when you mention a complicated relationship with the merchant class makes me wonder if they'll eventually rise up for democracy in the future.

Thank you tnick - I'm glad to see that my absence has not cost me your readership :) Development of the Scottish provinces is unlikely to bring the wealth required to offset the greater population of England, and so a strong colonial presence will be vital. Getting there first was important - if Scotland can build a relatively large colony then it should be safer from the inevitable colonial rivals that will be encountered.

Indeed, while supporting the merchants just now gives James the power base, and resources, to implement his strategies, it is unlikely they will always be satisfied with a supporting role.
 
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The Reformation and the Spanish Armada

In 1503 Beothuk became the first colonial city established in North America – although at this time the vast extent of the new world continent could only be guessed at. The furs from the new world were already proving popular in the Scottish markets, but the volume was still very low. Kier Selkirk’s exploration had uncovered a number of smaller islands, and what appeared to be a vast continent to the west of Beothuk, and further north lay the frozen shores of Greenland, a vast barren island which Viking legends had written about.

James ordered that the colonists establish a local administration, so that Beothuk could act as the hub for Scottish expansion in the new world. With limitless possibilities, Scottish merchants and colonists clamoured for the establishment of new settlements on the islands, for trade fleets to ply and protect the exotic goods, and even for the building of fortresses and the establishment of garrisons. Communication improved with the natives, and rumours of larger settlements and a limitless continent, filled with an abundance of strange new resources. A form of hysteria was developing, with over-excited men trying to fund and equip expeditions single handedly.

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Greenland, although not valuable, was held to be of high strategic value by James III​

However, despite the campaigns for a settlement on the edges of the explored coast of the new world, James III insisted that royal resources be concentrated on establishing a new colony on the coast of Greenland. Unpopular with merchants, James faced the almost unanimous opposition of the court – the Kings insistence that Scotland must head off potential rivals before working towards the interior was not persuasive. By July 1504, Scotland’s second colony had been established at Eiriksfjord.

Population in the North American settlements began to speed up as more regular voyages were scheduled between Leith and the new ports. This led to an increase in the demand for shipping, and as the Scottish ports began to fulfil these orders their capacity expanded. Soon Scotland possessed one of the most active shipping industries in Europe.



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Incomes of Europe compared; a gap remains between the Scottish and English.​

James III continued with his efforts to modernise the Scottish administration. Widely read, and heavily influenced by the Byzantine scholars who arrived during his father reign. To help placate the fears of the merchants, new fortifications were established across the midlands of England. Despite these fortresses, the court soon uncovered evidence of English plotting against the Scottish possessions in Ireland. First, 6,000 rebels under Garbhan Sarsfield rose in Munster, and although the Scottish garrison were easily able to put down the insurrection. No sooner had the blood on the fields dried, and English agent was captured in the town of Wexford attempting to steal documents so that an English claim could be fabricated on the town.

Resources were diverted into improving the quality of the Scottish navy, while troops were positioned close to the English frontier. On the 26th April, Cardinal Davis of the diocese of St. Andrews was elected as the latest Cardinal in the Holy See. The election of Davis gave Scotland a plurality in the chambers of St Peters, making Scotland the controller of the Papacy. Henry IIX, King of England, chose this day to die. His son, the future Henry IX, was too young to assume the crown, and so a regency council was formed. James III could feel safe from attack for the time being. James III decided to take advantage of his influence in Rome, and excommunicated the young heir.

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Excommunication of Henry IX​

With Scotland’s security safe for the time being, James III returned to domestic factors. As Scottish land began to expand in the new world, a system of governance would have to be established. Currently, while the Scottish colonies amounted to some 1,500 people on two isolated outposts, there was little need to establish a complex bureaucracy, but if the overseas possessions were to expand sufficiently to match the ambitions of the Scottish merchants then it would soon be required.

James picked a particularly irritating and simple merchant, Malcolm Grey. Grey was a man who snuck around the Royal Court desperately courting whatever favour he could among the wealthy and influential, and granted him the dubious honour of being the first Viceroy of Greenland.

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The Practice of Delegating Viceroys​

The fledgling colony did not receive its incapable governor well. First, he diverted manpower and resources from the building of critical infrastructure to set up a grand palace. Then, he led a small sortie up the coast to the prime fishing grounds, known to be sacred to the native fishermen, and claimed the land. This naturally provoked a strong reaction from the natives, undoing many months of diplomacy. A scuffle breaks out, and after a short skirmish 500 of the native warriors lay dead. Grey acts to supress the spread of news, preventing the court in Edinburgh hearing of the breakdown in relations with the natives.

Meanwhile, in the old country James was eagerly promoting more European learning. Along with the arrival of scholars from Constantinople, James had imported a printing press from the Low Countries and was encouraging the circulation of as many texts as he could secure. Over time, the influential literature introduced new ideas into Scottish engineering, philosophy and theology, boosting research.

Over the next few years, the merchant class kept up their demands for an increase in colonisation. Finally, by 1514, James relented and authorised the expenditure to double the number of colonies in the new world which could be settled simultaneously. A new colony was established on the west coast of Newfoundland, to act as a springboard to the wider continent.

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Scottish colonisation began to gather pace​

As well as looking to the continent and the colonies, James promoted internal infrastructure projects to strengthen his control over the realm. Large fortresses were built across the southern border with England. This network doubled the number defending the border from 3,000 to 6,000 men. James was conscious that the Scottish Royal Army was now outnumbered 2:1 on the mainland, and with only around 6,000 men available in Ireland James was concerned that any conflict might be worrying one sided.

Throughout the later part of the second decade of the sixteenth century, England struggled in the face of widespread hostility from her European neighbours. The heretic religion, coupled with the official excommunication, meant securing an alliance among the Catholic powers was almost impossible. Castile, in particular, adopted a hostile policy toward the English. Worried about the possibility of a catholic coalition, England stayed her hand, despite the growing confidence that Scotland could not stand against her newly outfitted armies. In early 1521 a catholic alliance of Castile, Aragon and Genoa declared war on England. The two Iberian states outfitted a huge armada, supported by Genoese mercenaries. James III immediately placed the Royal Scottish army on alert and arranged for supplies and ammunition to be made ready.

However, the populace were not enthusiastic about participating in an Iberian war. As settlements expanded in the new world, Edinburgh was enjoying the benefits of peace and stability. New settlements were established at Labrador on the north eastern coast of the vast continent. In addition to the new world, James encouraged the establishment of new plantations in Ulster, where large farms and textile works were being expanded.

James was determined to attack England while the opportunity presented itself though, and diplomats were sent to forge claims on the English lands in Ireland. Another diplomat was sent to Madrid in order to establish the terms for an alliance. James wanted to secure the Spanish promise that they would not make peace until Scotland could establish the upper hand on the British Isles. In 1523, an agreement was finalised, and the Spanish landed several thousand men in Cornwall. James also agreed to fund the distribution of new matchlock muskets to the army.

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Matchlock Muskets were introduced, James ordered the army to immediately begin drilling​

By March, the Castilian offensive had petered out – England raised 10,000 men and put the invaders to the sword at Wessex. The Iberians demanded that Scotland fulfil her obligations, and attack London. James was torn. The council was unanimous in their opposition – the English had paid for experienced Swiss and Bohemia mercenaries, soldiers whose faith had brought them to the British Isles to resist the Papist Spaniards. The Scottish army had not yet mastered their new equipment. The Castilian plan had failed, and merely succeeded in emboldening the English defenders.
 
Nice to see colonization going well, although it sounds like your Greenland colony may be a source of troubles in the future.

Too bad that Castille has had issues with England, and the fact that England is surviving that large war is looking worrisome for James. I can imagine the English deciding to jump at Scotland to pay you back for that excommunication. Will definitely be very interesting to see how it plays out, if they do declare war on you hopefully you will be able to survive. I guess with the wealth that the colonies are bringing in you could always get some loans and hire mercenaries if England does come after you.
 
Hurrah for excommunication? Perhaps a witchsmeller pursuivant will be next? ;) Interesting that England still has more income. that will need to be rectified...
 
Hurrah for excommunication? Perhaps a witchsmeller pursuivant will be next? ;)

I feed him milk! Bloody milk! :D

Great to see colonial advances are quick coming, though Grey hardly sounds the most competent man for the job. Hopefully his bumbling won't be too detrimental to your agenda. Noentheless, I'm looking forward to the day hen you can branch out into America and the Windies. Then I imagine you'll be a good way to solving this Anglo-Scottish income problem.

Excommunication is another interesting issue. Maybe it'll spurn interest in the reformation when it hits the British Isles? I do like seeing them convert, so that would be a bonus, to my eyes. And, of course, you get to attack them do free.
 
Nice to see colonization going well, although it sounds like your Greenland colony may be a source of troubles in the future.

Too bad that Castille has had issues with England, and the fact that England is surviving that large war is looking worrisome for James. I can imagine the English deciding to jump at Scotland to pay you back for that excommunication. Will definitely be very interesting to see how it plays out, if they do declare war on you hopefully you will be able to survive. I guess with the wealth that the colonies are bringing in you could always get some loans and hire mercenaries if England does come after you.

A source of trouble, and also not a particularly valuable strip of land! I think at this point the English AI were preparing for war; they were certainly fabricating claims quite a lot. We are still quite some distance from economic parity; if I hire 5 mercenaries the English can hire at least 8. The main difference is the English control of London's trade, until I can compete with them there they are likely to remain competitive.

Hurrah for excommunication? Perhaps a witchsmeller pursuivant will be next? ;) Interesting that England still has more income. that will need to be rectified...

Yep, hopefully the gradual growth of the colonies will slowly begin to close the gap, but really it's going to take a few wars!

I feed him milk! Bloody milk! :D

Great to see colonial advances are quick coming, though Grey hardly sounds the most competent man for the job. Hopefully his bumbling won't be too detrimental to your agenda. Noentheless, I'm looking forward to the day hen you can branch out into America and the Windies. Then I imagine you'll be a good way to solving this Anglo-Scottish income problem.

Excommunication is another interesting issue. Maybe it'll spurn interest in the reformation when it hits the British Isles? I do like seeing them convert, so that would be a bonus, to my eyes. And, of course, you get to attack them do free.

There will be a lot of reformation action in the British Isles, although not for a few decades yet. The Windies would be attractive, but Scotland will need to strengthen her hold on Canada and along the North American coast first.

Thanks for all your feedback folks, next update will be sometime next week.
 
No CB needed. War needed. Land grabbed needed. Like, ASAP.:p
 
Well, Grey is an incompetent idiot, but then again, he's lording it up over Greenland - false advertising if ever there was any. Although it might be necessary from a gameplay perspective to have a stepping stone in Greenland to the New World, there's certainly no good real-world reason for trying to colonize that frigid wasteland. Unless a monopoly on glaciers is what you desire. ;)

So what I'm saying is: at least Grey is messing about in a backwater, as opposed to the actual valuable lands in North America proper. :)

Your excommunication of the English king seems to have been the last straw for them (well, the occupation of English lands probably doesn't help, either). Will be interesting to see if your border forts can make up for the numerical superiority of the English - war seems to be a given.
 
So glad I found this AAR! Subbed; enjoying the updates tremendously. Always good to see England beat up a bit...

Thank you, there will be more fighting in the British Isles, although it won't all be so one sided.

No CB needed. War needed. Land grabbed needed. Like, ASAP.:p

On it, coming right up!

Well, Grey is an incompetent idiot, but then again, he's lording it up over Greenland - false advertising if ever there was any. Although it might be necessary from a gameplay perspective to have a stepping stone in Greenland to the New World, there's certainly no good real-world reason for trying to colonize that frigid wasteland. Unless a monopoly on glaciers is what you desire. ;)

So what I'm saying is: at least Grey is messing about in a backwater, as opposed to the actual valuable lands in North America proper. :)

Your excommunication of the English king seems to have been the last straw for them (well, the occupation of English lands probably doesn't help, either). Will be interesting to see if your border forts can make up for the numerical superiority of the English - war seems to be a given.

Very true, the only real reason is the prevent Norway/ Denmark or even England finding an alternative route to the New World. James wants it all!
 
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The Third Anglo-Scots War

Despite the failure of the Castilian attack, James did not want to let down his allies. Having France and Castile on side could be invaluable, and James wanted Scotland to be known as a stout ally. The 15,000 strong Royal Army stood ready in Derby on the English border, and the English army had suffered losses while facing the Castilian’s. On the 18th March 1523, war was again declared and the Scots once again marched south.

Two weeks of rapid marching brought James and his army to Wessex, where the English army had just finished off the last of the Castilian invaders. Henry IX commanded just under 9,000 men, but the English had suffered some losses in the earlier part of the war and were not yet ready to face the larger Scottish force. The English cavalry was a larger, well trained force, but in all other respects the Scots enjoyed a healthy numerical advantage; their artillery core had double the guns of their English counterparts.

Henry IX, however, was an extremely skilled commander. Although James had been fairly well schooled, he could not match the natural genius of the English King. Tipped off about the approaching army, Henry deployed his guns and infantry skilfully on a low hill, while the heavy cavalry assumed a position on the flank. On approaching, the inexperience of James III showed as he attempted to storm the English position, with little strategy save blunt force. The Scottish cavalry found themselves stuck between units of infantry, and unable to operate they saw almost no action during the battle. The infantry struggled slowly up the hill, facing stiff resistance from the English infantry and guns, and constantly harried by the English cavalry. The one ace up James’ sleeve were his cannon, which slowly broke the spirit of the infantry. After days of battle, Henry was forced to withdraw. The English had lost only 3,200 men, while Scottish casualties were actually slightly higher at over 3,500.

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James pursued the fleeing English to Norfolk, while the 6,000 Irish garrison divided and invaded the two English provinces. The battle of Norfolk was shorter than Wessex, and again casualties were fairly even. The two armies marched south and clashed again outside the walls of London, and again the results were indecisive. Henry’s army was reduced to just under 4,000 men, while James still led 8,000. Further battles occurred at Gloucester, Gwynedd, Kent and then finally Essex, where Henry was finally put to the sword. The Castilian’s landed another 11,000 men on the south coast. England was in trouble.

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The English fleet still ruled the waters of the British Isles, but with large numbers of Castilian, Portuguese and French ships prowling the waves off the British Isles encouraged the Scottish admiralty to leave the port. In the Irish Sea, a large allied fleet managed to catch the English main fleet – sinking every ship. 10 large war ships and 7 trade fleets were destroyed, ending the threat from the English navy on the seas.

During the conflict, Scottish merchants remained active in England, and the large numbers of reinforcements and supplies crossing the border meant that contact between the two countries had increased dramatically. This brought Scottish society into contact with the new religious ideas which were permeating throughout England. Soon, these ideas began to take hold north of the border, and in May 1524 Lancashire became the first Scottish province to become dominated by Protestantism.

Without any English resistance, the Scottish armies and her allies soon began to overrun large parts of England. Dublin and Leinster soon fell to the Scots, and on the mainland North Wales and the Marches were also captured. Castile and Portugal captured much of the south coast, while on the continent the French had overrun England’s ally in Brittany. Castile were the first to arrive in London, and soon her armies swelled to over 20,000 and had laid siege to much of the south east of the country. James was able to reach south wales before the Iberians but apart from that there was little to do – there were simply too many occupying forces in England. Rather than risk provoking his allies, James decided to maintain his force in Wales and wait to see how the war unfolded.

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By November 1525, the Castilians ended their war, and withdraw. James quickly spread his forces and began to occupy the rest of the country. Henry IX managed to raise another 2,000 men, but they were crushed at Essex. A separate peace was negotiated with Brittany, who were forced to surrender the vast majority of their land to France, reducing themselves to just a small strip of land around the capital.

While James was abroad at the head of the army, there was no one to coordinate a response to the spread of the heresies. From Lancashire, a small group of radicals departed to spread their faith to the new world, and soon Labrador had converted. Cumbria soon converted as well, as the reformation gathered pace

It would be a further year and a half before James was ready to negotiate. Small battles occurred, but the English were exhausted and struggled to raise any significant numbers of men. In May 1527, James met with Henry in London to negotiate a peace. England would surrender her territory in Ireland, as well as the Marches and North Wales. England would also pay a small indemnity, although it was large enough to force Henry to borrow.

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The treaty of London brought the entirety of Ireland under the control of James, as well as shifting the balance of power in Scotland’s favour on the British Isles. The English were exhausted after the successive invasions, and rebellion was again in the air. The indemnity and debts accumulated during the war would help slow the pace on any recovery. However, as James returned the ideas of the reformation had well and truly taken hold. Would it be Scotland that emerged from the war as the less stable kingdom?
 
I must say, I find it somewhat fitting that Henry IX is facing up to the Stuarts – Henry IX in out timeline being the final Jacobite Stuart pretender. (Incidentally, as I've been reading a lot about the Glorious Revolution recently, will we be seeing the Stuarts slide into absolutism, or will the reformation quash any belief in the divine right of kings?)

Good (in a way. :p) to see you consolidate your hold over Britain. England is definitely in a pitiful state. I admit, I would like to see a (successful) English rebellion quite a bit. Maybe we can look forward to that in the coming centuries?

Great stuff as ever, Seel. I always like seeing new updates here!
 
You've reduced England quite a bit from the looks of it. Seems like Scotland may end up forming Great Britain (or would it be the United Kingdom?)

Great use of allies though seems Castille and France both helped out quite a bit.

As for the Reformation I'm sure that's going to cause some mischief after the war, especially with some of your colonies converting. Should be interesting to see if King James has the ability after the war to curb the religious rift in his lands.

On a side-note where did this Hastings dynasty come from? Makes me imagine England is run by a department store chain selling/renting DVDs, books, and music :p
 
Most likely the surname isn't Hastings, but the rulers were originally lords of the town of Hastings, south of London.

One word of note: do not, I repeat NOT, give this link to Alex Salmond...