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If you have indeed spoken to my secretary and he has revealed what I suspect he has, then there is no point in denying what I've done. I will admit that during my time as prime minister and treasurer, I may have taken funds from the treasury. My family was in dire financial straits and I abused my position to alleviate the situation. I will accept whatever punishment is necessary for such a crime.
As for the claims of attempted regicide, I will continue to profess my innocence. It is true that I did indeed spy on the emperor. I had men in place to watch his movements, to see who he talked to and what he said, but this was not for some nefarious purpose. As I stated earlier, I feared someone trying to manipulate His Imperial Highness, who at the time was a young impressionable man. And these claims that I sent men to "convince" the emperor are completely misconstrued. I am not foolish enough to send someone to murder him simply because he did not like who I appointed. No, what I was trying to convince the emperor of was that not everyone can be trusted. I was sending out some trusted men to find proof that I could use to show him that there were indeed people at court looking to use him for their own needs instead of Hispania's. This "convincing" did not involve harming the emperor. Of course nothing came out of this plan, for someone attacked the emperor before I could find anything to convince him that I was right.
I've heard nothing before of false orders sent to the army, and I surely had no reason to do so. I was already prime minister, and attempting to take the one position higher than mine would have been suicide, even with the army on my side. I can safely say I had no knowledge of any military coup. It is unfortunate my brother Sanç passed away, since he could have helped clear up this matter, although if you say the notes were forged it seems likely the former marshal was not involved.
Very well, I will speak then, and make myself clear. I was not involved in the attempt on His Imperial Highness's life, nor did I ever intend to harm him. I have always advocated for a strong Hispania, one led by its rightful emperor, Jaume IV. I will be honest, I was sometimes quite cold with the emperor, and that we butted heads more than a few times, but it was all for his own good. As his prime minister, I wanted to ensure his position remained strong, and that required making tough decisions that a newly crowned monarch might not be willing to make. I do not fault him for it, for he had a great burden placed on his shoulders unexpectedly and at such a young age. My actions may have viewed negatively by the court, but I did them all for the emperor. I appointed family because I knew they could be trusted. I did not want to see someone manipulate His Imperial Highness and weaken the Crown's power. I have always served the emperor with the utmost loyalty. I had no reason to harm him either. He had already appointed me prime minister, and as we are seeing now, attempting to kill him would only have shifted the blame to me. I may have seemed strong-willed and aggressive to some of you, but I am not stupid. That was why I resigned immediately after. To stay in that position would have only implicated me in a crime I did not commit. Clearly whoever targeted His Imperial Highness knew this and tried to frame me for it, but we are fortunate that someone was there to save him. I will state this again, for I can never make myself any more clear: I did not try to kill the emperor.
Lies. I have proof that you did hire somebody to kill the emperor. His name is Jose Sanchez. He is a mercenary from a company based in Castile. You used the money you stole from the treasury to pay him enough to quit his job and work for you, and you opened the secret passages to allow him to enter into the emperor's quarters. You never wanted to protect the emperor. You just wanted to give yourself more power, to manipulate him to serve you, to take over this great nation blessed by God. I tell you now, we will take back our nation from you and the others who have stolen it. We will save Hispania from the likes of you who wishes to take the throne from its divinely ordained occupant! Give up now and confess, Bartomeu, and the emperor might show you mercy.
((Assume that I have also presented all necessary information and evidence to back up my claims))
Lies. I have proof that you did hire somebody to kill the emperor. His name is Jose Sanchez. He is a mercenary from a company based in Castile. You used the money you stole from the treasury to pay him enough to quit his job and work for you, and you opened the secret passages to allow him to enter into the emperor's quarters. You never wanted to protect the emperor. You just wanted to give yourself more power, to manipulate him to serve you, to take over this great nation blessed by God. I tell you now, we will take back our nation from you and the others who have stolen it. We will save Hispania from the likes of you who wishes to take the throne from its divinely ordained occupant! Give up now and confess, Bartomeu, and the emperor might show you mercy.
((Assume that I have also presented all necessary information and evidence to back up my claims))
You have proof that someone hired this Jose Sanchez, but I can safely say I've never heard of this man in my life. I will admit that I did take money from the treasury, but all that went towards paying off my family's debt. I'm sure even my secretary can support me in this, for he was the one that arranged all the shipments of funds. I never hired this assassin, nor had a reason to. These claims that I helped the assassin gain access to the emperor are just as unfounded. I didn't even know of the existence of these secret passages until after the incident. All your evidence reveals is someone went to great lengths to see the emperor dead, but it does not prove that that person was me.
I have indeed been selfish in that I took money from Hispania for my own needs, but never have I put the emperor at risk. Hispania benefits from a strong emperor, and I was merely helping our young emperor learn the ways of ruling. His murder would have done the opposite, putting the nation into a state of chaos. Regencies are never good for a nation. Accomplishing my goal of a stronger Hispania was far better served by working alongside the emperor.
You will never get a confession out of me, for I will not confess to a crime I did not commit.
You did by letting Jose get to him. If you were a loyal and effective prime minister who even as much as thought about putting the greater good before self-interests, you would never have let Jose as much as enter the palace. I know you hired Jose. The money you stole from the treasury was invested in shell companies in your home city as well as in "administrative costs." The mercenary captain reports that Jose was paid a large amount of money to assassinate the emperor. Only one person in Hispania has ready access to that much money--you. We know everything about your misdeeds. You're only delaying your demise. You might not confess now, but you will soon.
((If this and following ICs contain information I don't know about, assume I'm bluffing.))
You did by letting Jose get to him. If you were a loyal and effective prime minister who even as much as thought about putting the greater good before self-interests, you would never have let Jose as much as enter the palace. I know you hired Jose. The money you stole from the treasury was invested in shell companies in your home city as well as in "administrative costs." The mercenary captain reports that Jose was paid a large amount of money to assassinate the emperor. Only one person in Hispania has ready access to that much money--you. We know everything about your misdeeds. You're only delaying your demise. You might not confess now, but you will soon.
((If this and following ICs contain information I don't know about, assume I'm bluffing.))
I don't see how I can be solely blamed for letting some nobody get at the emperor if I did not even know of his existence. I did take money from the treasury and it was invested in companies while listed as administrative costs, but I don't see how that implicates me as the one who hired this assassin. And I find it laughable you think that no one else has enough money to hire an assassin. Are the nobles of this realm so destitute that none of them could even afford to hire one man? Anyone with any wealth could have paid the assassin. If you had even bothered to check about those funds I stole, you'd know they all went to paying off my family's debts, not hiring some assassin. I will repeat, and will continue to repeat, that I did not attempt to have the emperor killed.
Very well then, Bartomeu, I shall let somebody else have their turn to present evidence. I believe I have said enough for now.
((Private))
Curses, he thought. Bartomeu was good at this. He had obviously covered his tracks well. But he did provide some clues as to what he should investigate next...
((Investigating the stolen funds, namely where they were invested, which companies they went to, what they were used for, if Bartomeu's family was indebted to someone and who, and if the stolen funds were used to pay these debts))
((Investigating the stolen funds, namely where they were invested, which companies they went to, what they were used for, if Bartomeu's family was indebted to someone and who, and if the stolen funds were used to pay these debts))
Tracing the stolen funds led to several businesses in Toledo, many of which had gone bankrupt, disappeared, or had simply never existed in the first place. There seemed no way to trace where the gold went, since anyone could have taken it at the time. The few legitimate businesses still around appear to be linked to the Trastámara estates in Toledo, either providing them with goods or services they needed. Without looking at their records, you can't tell more, but with Bartomeu on trial all necessary documents were handed over. The paper trial indeed shows all funds eventually making their way to the duke. Cross-referencing the funds coming in with debt paid off seems to match in most cases. The funds unaccounted for are small in number, so if any of the stolen money was used to pay an assassin it either was not recorded down when transferred by one of the front companies or the money was obtained from elsewhere. As for the debt itself, Bartomeu mostly owed money left over from his father and grandfather, for his lands were not able to produce enough to match spending. The fact that his two brothers spent a lot and gambled frequently did not alleviate the matter. Money is owed to many different companies, nobles, and even a few Trastámaras.
Bartomeu shuffled nervously in his seat, clearly caught on at least one charge. His expression became sullen, perhaps as the reality of his situation set in.
If you have indeed spoken to my secretary and he has revealed what I suspect he has, then there is no point in denying what I've done. I will admit that during my time as prime minister and treasurer, I may have taken funds from the treasury. My family was in dire financial straits and I abused my position to alleviate the situation. I will accept whatever punishment is necessary for such a crime.
As for the claims of attempted regicide, I will continue to profess my innocence. It is true that I did indeed spy on the emperor. I had men in place to watch his movements, to see who he talked to and what he said, but this was not for some nefarious purpose. As I stated earlier, I feared someone trying to manipulate His Imperial Highness, who at the time was a young impressionable man. And these claims that I sent men to "convince" the emperor are completely misconstrued. I am not foolish enough to send someone to murder him simply because he did not like who I appointed. No, what I was trying to convince the emperor of was that not everyone can be trusted. I was sending out some trusted men to find proof that I could use to show him that there were indeed people at court looking to use him for their own needs instead of Hispania's. This "convincing" did not involve harming the emperor. Of course nothing came out of this plan, for someone attacked the emperor before I could find anything to convince him that I was right.
I've heard nothing before of false orders sent to the army, and I surely had no reason to do so. I was already prime minister, and attempting to take the one position higher than mine would have been suicide, even with the army on my side. I can safely say I had no knowledge of any military coup. It is unfortunate my brother Sanç passed away, since he could have helped clear up this matter, although if you say the notes were forged it seems likely the former marshal was not involved.
If that is the case, you may as well lock up the entire council, including His Imperial Highness. As prime minister, it was key that I looked out for the emperor, and that required keeping tabs on him to ensure that he was safe. It was part of the job, although I may have taken it to a certain extreme. It wasn't as though I was snooping through his private documents. My men were to serve as observers, an unseen contingent of guards if you will, who were to keep an eye on the emperor at all times.
If that is the case, you may as well lock up the entire council, including His Imperial Highness. As prime minister, it was key that I looked out for the emperor, and that required keeping tabs on him to ensure that he was safe. It was part of the job, although I may have taken it to a certain extreme. It wasn't as though I was snooping through his private documents. My men were to serve as observers, an unseen contingent of guards if you will, who were to keep an eye on the emperor at all times.
But you did spy on the Emperor. And spying is a form of espionage, whether for foreign or private use, or even political use, as you have admitted. Why would you have men watch the Emperor and lsten to his private converstaions? Was it glean information on his actions. Maybe something to blackmail him on? Spying, for whatever purpose, is espionage, and the fact that you have just lied to the court, you are also guilty of perjury, at least that's where I am concerned.
But you did spy on the Emperor. And spying is a form of espionage, whether for foreign or private use, or even political use, as you have admitted. Why would you have men watch the Emperor and lsten to his private converstaions? Was it glean information on his actions. Maybe something to blackmail him on? Spying, for whatever purpose, is espionage, and the fact that you have just lied to the court, you are also guilty of perjury, at least that's where I am concerned.
As far as I am aware, watching someone is not a crime, especially when it is practically part of your job, and neither is espionage if you prefer the term. If it is, someone should inform His Imperial Highness that he should fire his spymaster, whoever that is, before he is placed on trial next. It would look bad for the Crown if it is caught breaking the law, after all. And as I stated before, I was ensuring that no one was trying to manipulate the emperor into serving their own needs. I would have been a terrible prime minister if I had let some greedy nobles siphon away the emperor's power.
- Bartomeu de Trastámara
((I have no idea if spying is illegal here, since it seems to be done frequently and there is literally a spymaster position. ))
Montségur asked himself if it went better than expected, or if he hadn't expected it. Either way, the change in the army's leadership was complete with Mandromenos' resignation. A new army. Of course, said army was now in need of new officers.
Also, de Leon had found out the assassin's name. There would likely be a bunch of men named 'José Sanchez' around, but the army's records would clarify if the man was one of the couriers by asking if this Sanchez had his own weapon. Maybe this would be a step more towards tracking his origins. Also, the marshal would see if anyone else from this Castillian mercenary company entered the army back then. If they did, then the leader of the company was involved, the one hired in the first place, and so Montségur planned how to arrest the man.
Having served in the army for a while and with his family having a great tradition, I hereby appoint Alejandro de Leon as Lieutenant General. May he show the same energy and zeal on the battlefield as he does in the trial.
Also, de Leon had found out the assassin's name. There would likely be a bunch of men named 'José Sanchez' around, but the army's records would clarify if the man was one of the couriers by asking if this Sanchez had his own weapon. Maybe this would be a step more towards tracking his origins. Also, the marshal would see if anyone else from this Castillian mercenary company entered the army back then. If they did, then the leader of the company was involved, the one hired in the first place, and so Montségur planned how to arrest the man.
Looking back in the records did reveal a José Sanchez who had served in the Exercit Valencia, but he had been expelled from the army in the mid-1710s for various offences like disobeying an officer and bad behaviour. Complaints by several men serving alongside him at the time were registered. He was not in the army during the time of the assassination. There seems to be no connection between the mercenary company and the army other than the assassin seeking employee with them after getting booted from the army and nothing tying him to these mysterious couriers.
* * * * *
((Time for me to end the vote, at least for those not related to the trial. I will allow another 12 hours for council members to change their votes to innocent or guilty. Also, @zenphoenix I will need a stat focus for your general if you accept the position.
I'll get started on the playthrough in a bit. Seeing as the trial has no impact on it, feel free to keep presenting questions and I'll try to keep an eye out for them. Some final verdicts would be nice too.))
The assassin was a dead end concerning the couriers. All Montségur could try to do was prevent this from happening again. For that purpose, each messenger from the marshal would wear an insignia indicating him as such; the sergeant major generals and higher ranked would know the men possibly sent as couriers, and the orders would be signed by the marshal and sealed with the seal of his office and his title. This should be secure enough for now.
No evidence has been presented so far that points solely towards Duke Bartomeu. His guilt hasn't been proven, and the charge of corruption already assures that should he be the instigator, there is no danger for the emperor from the same attacker. Is he not, then declaring him guilty would only encourage the would-be regicide to try again. So I hold him as innocent on the charge of attempted regicide.
((Changing my vote for Bartomeu Attempted Regicide to Innocent.))
((notice to the chat, I am going away on a holiday tomorrow, from 11PM GMT, over to the states and around the Frenchies in Canada, so no i can't say hi mike sorwi, for a holiday that will last 13 days. I hope i can pop on to keep up to date with matters, but idk for sure if i will be able to formally craft a new character and participate as he/she, sorry about this guys, but things should be back to normal for a while after that, until uni . Hope you understand and see you when i next do))
I must also concur with the marshal here. The evidence is plentiful, but not quite conclusive enough for me to consider condemning a man to death. Seeing as the accused has already pleaded guilty to the other charges of corruption, he will already be punished regardless. I pray we are making the right decision here today.
- Cardinal Joan de Trastámara, Court Chaplain of Hispania
((notice to the chat, I am going away on a holiday tomorrow, from 11PM GMT, over to the states and around the Frenchies in Canada, so no i can't say hi mike sorwi, for a holiday that will last 13 days. I hope i can pop on to keep up to date with matters, but idk for sure if i will be able to formally craft a new character and participate as he/she, sorry about this guys, but things should be back to normal for a while after that, until uni . Hope you understand and see you when i next do))
((Private))
They had condemned his radical shift in direction due to fear, ignorance, and obstinance. Very well, thought Timur, he would leave. But not before avenging the Holy City. Before he could do that, however, he had to make some arrangements.
Pigs,
Bow down to my greatness, it is through my magnanimity that you have survived thus far. You know it too, for if you really could get by on your own, you would let me go. But I know, you are too weak to survive without me, failures all of you. Your mother's would bark in humiliation if they knew the true extent of your cowardice.
Your Leader,
Timur Shah-un-Shah
Dear Saint-Pierre,
I have sent an insulting letter to the TATC Council, and I wish for you to know why. I do not send it out of hatred, but to give the TATC great impetus to forcefully discharge me of my position. It is likely you do not understand, and you may never, but I wish not to give you cause to personally hate me. You may spread this knowledge with whoever you deem fit, so long as I am still ejected from service.
It seems quite clear that the council is divided on deciding the fate of the accused in regards to the charge of attempted regicide. A third believes he is innocent, another third that he is guilty, and the rest are still undecided or have not voiced their opinion. Seeing as a clear majority has not been found for a guilty verdict, it seems there is no other option but to declare the accused innocent of attempted regicide. However, the charges of corruption are a different matter. The accused has admitted to these crimes, and thus he can be found nothing but guilty. As dictated by law, I shall decide the punishment. For stealing from the treasury and other corrupt acts, I condemn Duke Bartomeu de Trastámara to life imprisonment. As befitting his age and station, he shall be imprisoned somewhere comfortable. He shall also be required to abdicate all his titles, passing them on to his son and heir. Seeing as this entire debacle was started by his family debts and seeing as the accused admitted to his crimes, the Crown shall pay off all his family's debt through the purchase of the title to the county of Salento. Anyone who knows the history of that province knows it's better off with the Crown. I hope this appeases those who are still unsure whether Bartomeu made an attempt on my life. This trial is adjourned.
- His Imperial Highness, Jaume IV de Trastámara, Emperor of Hispania, Caesar of Rome, & Protector of the Greeks
After the end of the recent trial, the court began discussing a potential colony in Tierra del Fuego on the tip of South America. The Crown obliged, sending a colonist to the region.
The latest army expansion saw the numerous Hispanian armies bolstered in numbers, bringing them all up to 32k men. This stretched the resources of the army, which became oversized even with the aid of the state’s military advisors.
Poland, in a surprising move, managed to secure a port on the North Sea from Munster. Poland now stretched across the continent, with ports on the Black, Baltic, and North Seas.
The Church of Jesus Christ may have made great headway in regards to relations between Christians, but heathens still received similar treatment as they had for centuries. While more peaceful methods were always used first, eventually the Inquisition would move out in full. Of course this sometimes provoked the locals, especially after the sacking of Mecca. Several thousand men rose up in Sirt for those very reasons, but the Exercit Africa had little difficulty ending that rebellion.
The navy continued to expand at a rapid rate. Threedeckers and trabakuls were constructed in significant numbers to increase the size of both transport fleets and the Armada Colonial.
Poland’s war against Hungary was enveloping a significant part of Central Europe. Austria was the first to cave, unwilling to send thousands more to their deaths over this dispute. They agreed to a white peace with Poland, who wanted to focus solely on Hungary.
Newfoundland could not bear British tyranny any more and declared yet another independence war, with the Thirteen Colonies joining them again. Hopefully they would be able to pull off a victory this time.
The shipyards of Iberia and Italy were busy near the end of the year as a series of heavy frigates were placed under construction by the grandmaster.
In November, Emperor Henri III of France passed away before he could even reach 30. The Crown passed to his youngest brother, Louis. Not even 20, the new Emperor Louis XIX had yet to sire an heir, putting French succession in doubt for now. The only other male Valois left was his brother Charles, who had denounced his claim to the French throne upon ascending to the Swedish throne. With males only considered in succession, this put the future of France in doubt. There was talk that a Trastámara might even inherit the throne.
Investment in Portugal was conducted, for the region had become a key part of the empire’s shipbuilding sector.
Timur Shah’s push for Hispania to adopt a policy of free trade was mostly ignored by the court, who much rather preferred the current mercantilist agenda. Surely it was better for Hispania, who controlled so much of the world trade, to focus on economic autarky and to cut out foreign trade where possible. Not all merchants agreed with this idea though, and instead believed Shah was right, for a policy of free trade would allow greater access to foreign markets while Hispania’s strong trade presence was enough to protect domestic industry. A few merchants of the TATC even resigned, seeking employment elsewhere.
Hungary, struggling to fend off Poland, was willing to sign an unfavourable peace with Cologne. They cut ties with Mainz to get Cologne off their back.
March of 1726 proved a momentous time as the Christian faith was returned to Jerusalem. The heathens had all but left, or even converted.
The Exercit Valencia was transported to Syria in preparation for war against Persia, while the Exercits Athens and Jerusalem were moved closer to the border. The Exercit Firenze also started marching towards the war theatre. When the first three were in place, the declaration of war was sent. All of Anatolia would be conquered for Byzantium.
The Exercit Athens, under Field Marshal Fausto Villanova, headed straight for Van, the target province. The Exercit Valencia under Marshal Alexandre César de Montségur headed straight for the fort at Mosul, while Lieutenant General Alejandro de Leon and the Exercit Jerusalem went for the fort at As Sahiliyah. The Exercit Colonial also sailed out from Africa to go for Persia’s provinces in Arabia.
Byzantium seemed to have some difficulties deciding upon command for the Greek armies. Basileus Ioannes X seemed intent to lead his forces himself, with his cousin in charge of the second army. There were even rumours that General Pausianus Mandromenos had been fired, although these were dismissed when he ultimately took command of the main Greek force. ((Byzantium has sure been acting weird. For some reason they kept firing their 3-star general I gave them, probably because they were at their leader limit. Took a few tries to make him stay.))
The first battle happened in the disputed province of Van, where the Persian army had been lying in wait. Field Marshal Villanova engaged them alone, to great success. The terrain had worked against him, but the brilliant general was facing an inferior army, both in equipment and skill. Ultimately, he dealt significant casualties to the enemy while keeping his army quite intact.
The colony in Cape Coast became self-sufficient, another African port to dominate trade. Colonist Sancho Villanova head back out to Australia, settling a colony in Gunditjmara for the Montségur family.
Just as Van fell to Hispanian forces, word arrived from Sweden. With a little push from France, the Swedes had decided to accept Pope Pius II has the legitimate pope, denouncing the imposter in Frankfurt. This may have also been influenced by the fact that the current Valois king still did not have an heir, leaving yet another nation looking towards the Trastámara family to secure their throne.
The Persian army was gathering forces on the border, skittering around the Hispanian siege armies. The Greek army under General Mandromenos had marched right to the war theatre and then promptly headed back towards Constantinople to seek reinforcements while Basileus Ioannes X made his way over. One straggler army made the mistake of lagging behind. Field Marshal Villanova pounced at that opportunity, catching a small army led by the Persian Crown Prince unawares.
As the main Persian army was slowly boxed in, Lieutenant General Leon managed to capture the fort at As Sahiliyah, opening the way further east. He marched onwards to Samawah, the next fort in his path.
France continued to colonize near Hispanian colonies, setting up their own colonial nation in Oceania called Terre Australe.
The Exercit Firenze moved in south to secure some unoccupied provinces, and that is when the Persian army struck. The other two nearby Hispanian armies attempted a leapfrog technique, with Villanova taking over the siege of Mosul and Montségur marching to the battlefield. The Greek general, Mandromenos, was also on his way. The Exercit Firenze fended off the Persian for a week before Montségur arrived, and a few days later the Greeks attacked the Persian flank. Severely outmatched, the Persians could not maintain the offensive and had to retreat, losing half their numbers in the process. With the enemy fleeing east, Montségur moved on to the fort in Kirmanshah.
Resources were put into La Mancha to bolster gold production from the valuable mines.
The uncertainty of Swedish succession was starting to raise tensions abroad as disputes broke out both in Sweden and in allied courts. The French insisted that while Karl IX had denounced his rights to the French throne, that did not mean that Louis XIX could not inherit the Swedish throne from his older brother. Many critics pointed out that Karl IX only ruled through his wife, the true ruler of Sweden, and her closest relative was Peronella de Trastámara, the daughter of the late Emperor Joan III. If the matter could not be settled, it seemed likely Hispania and France would go head to head over the throne of Sweden.
The Greeks moved to eliminate the Persian threat once and for all With his usual boldness, General Mandromenos marched straight at the enemy army, crossing a river and placing his army in a terrible position in the process. In a battle that lasted nearly two months, the two armies fought ferociously. The Greeks nearly quit the field they were so exhausted and demoralized, but the Persians gave up before the Greek front could fully collapse. The remainder of the Persian army fled, essentially ending any resistance at that point.
The capture of Mosul secured the western front. The Exercit Firenze went north to capture the forts up there, while Villanova and his army pushed to the Caspian.
Noble rebels rose up in Nuevo Leon. Hopefully they would be able to handle them this time.
Leon captured the fort at Samawah, the final push in a march towards the Persian Gulf.
French Louisiana annexed Creek, further encroaching on the Thirteen Colonies, just as the colony at Tierra del Fuego took off. Now everyone wanted to move to the colonies.
A famous minstrel travelled across the countryside, bringing joy to the Hispanian people and keeping them content with their lives.
Part of the Persian army tried to sneak west, but Villanova blocked their path. They ran themselves up against his defences without success, with the field marshal managing to surround them in the process and force their surrender.
The Swedes had only made minor colonial efforts, grabbing a colony or two in an isolated part of Africa. They had apparently befriended the people of Kongo, announcing that from now on Kongo was their protectorate and they would not allow others to attack them.
The Persians, unable to take on the Hispanian or Greek armies in battle, were trying to sneak past to retake their land. Field Marshal Villanova blocked yet another attempt at this.
Emperor Jaume IV sat down in prayer with the governor of Nueva Sicilia, a common tradition now with the colonies.
The colony in Palembang was finally able to sustain itself, a great blessing for the Burgundy-Ivrea-Orange family. Now Colonist Vladimir Pugachev could colonize Nakipa for the Lübecker family.
The main Persian army made a break for Wasit, but this time Greek General Mandromenos intervened. The Shah of Persia led his army himself, but that made little difference. Despite the Greeks being in another unfavourable position after making a river crossing, the Persians could not match their numbers or skill, retreating back east.
The Exercit Colonial had been working on its own in Arabia, but finally managed to secure the fort at Muscat.
By June of 1628, Persia was suing for peace. While Hispania could push further into Persia, there seemed little reason to do so for one province. All armies were called back and a peace signed. Persia was to hand over Van as intended. Emperor Jaume, reminded of the incident involving Mecca and perhaps prodded by the prime minister who now had an interest in Arabia, asked that a clause be added to the treaty demanding that Persia hand over a few provinces originally taken from Najd and Persia. This was meant as a sign of good faith to make up for the desecration of their holy site, and was a first major step in mending any relations. To finish it off, Persia also had to hand over most of their treasury as always.
Within the next few weeks, two more significant peaces were signed elsewhere in the world. The first was between Poland and Hungary. Polish aggression continued unhampered as they claimed several Hungarian provinces, all in the name of nationalism. The fact that most of these provinces were mostly populated by Hungarians didn’t seem to deter them. It seemed more likely Poland had used it as a means to snatch up northern and eastern Hungary to smooth out their borders.
The second significant peace was between Britain and its colonies. Yet again, Britain proved the victor, forcing Newfoundland to settle a peace and pay for the war costs. Perhaps the fact the smaller Newfoundland kept leading the charge was the cause of both losses. Either way, with both British colonial nations clamouring for freedom, it seemed likely another attempt was due when the truce ended. Perhaps it would be in Hispania’s benefit to intervene the next time.
Peace with Persia just opened the war for the next stage of conquest. Once the Exercit Colonial was back in Africa, the tiny state of Malindi could be eliminated. War was declared, with little resistance expected.
The Malindi army was wiped out in four days, and what they called a navy in less than that. This didn’t deter the men higher up from calling for further investment in the navy.
When the truce with Egypt ended at the start of 1729, the armies that had been in Persia were slowly shifted towards the region. The Exercit Firenze went home, but the Exercits Athens and Jerusalem moved into the Holy Land, while the Exercit Valencia sailed over to eastern Libya. Field Marshal Villanova took over command of the Exercit Africa to handle the North African campaign. With their only ally being Ajuuraan, and vice versa, war was declared on Egypt. Mare Nostrum would be achieved.
Field Marshal Villanova split his army into two to take on the two forts in North Africa. The Exercit Athens was to secure the Mediterranean coastline to force the Egyptian navy to sea. Lieutenant General Leon was given the task of taking Cairo, the Egyptian capital, while Marshal Montségur marched south to take the southern forts.
The fleet operating at the Gulf of Aden ran into Ajuuraan’s trade fleet, an uneven match to be certain. Ajuuraan wasn’t going to be trading with anyone any time soon.
The Exercit Colonial managed to take Lamu from Malindi, essentially ending that war. Now they could focus on Ajuuraan. As for Malindi, it was annexed, another part of the East African coastline.
With the Egyptian navy such a farce, Admiral Konrad Lübecker was given command of the Flota Mediterranean, seeing as taking the main fleet out of mothballs was pointless for this conflict. He managed to eliminate an Egyptian trade fleet as his first act of the war.
The colony in Parnaiba became self-sustaining, linking the two main parts of Sanchonia together. The emperor then personally requested that Colonist Sancho Villanova establish a colony on the island of Nootka, perhaps as a naval base for any further expansion that far north.
The Egyptian fleet was forced from port in April, where they faced off against Admiral Lübecker and lost. A second encounter was just as deadly.
The royal family experienced two losses in 1729. Jaume’s aunt Isabel, empress dowager of France, passed away, followed shortly by Jaume’s own mother.
The Egyptian army was eventually spotted, hiding out in the far south of Egypt where they could not be reached. That also meant their entire country was undefended.
Ajuuraan’s army tried to sneak around south as the Exercit Colonial occupied their land. The Hispanian army was far better trained for such an encounter and ended any hopes of resistance. By June, their capital was taken and Hispanian men rampaged across their country. Their navy didn’t fare that well either.
July of 1729 brought the capture of Cairo with Basileus Ioannes’s help. The Greeks were already moving into Egypt, and now the Hispanian armies were spreading out to occupy what land they could.
Hispania found a new neighbour in West Africa as Zazzau almost destroyed Oyo, expanding their way to the coast. Now Oyo was vulnerable.
Any attempts by Ajuuraan to reform their army and break free failed miserably.
By November, most of Egypt’s homeland was occupied, with only the southern forts holding out. The Exercit Athens was sent home, and the Exercit Jerusalem followed shortly after.
The fall of Halaib, the only thing protecting Egypt’s army, was the death toll for the Egyptian nation. While Villanova marched victorious through Kef in North Africa, Marshal Montségur launched an attack on the Egyptian army. The general crushed the Egyptian force, which lacked sufficient leadership.
The Montségur family was achieving success of its own overseas as settlers in the colony it founded struck gold.
Yemen polished off Adal, securing the horn of Africa.
Bahmanis, Hispania’s Indian neighbours, decided the only way to survive was to steal Hispanian ideas.
The start of 1730 saw many breakthroughs in Hispania. The topic of constitutionalism surfaced again, sparking more progressive ideas for government. The design of the East Indiaman, a massive ship capable of shipping far more goods and troops, greatly aided military, trade, and colonial efforts. Reforming parts of the infantry and cavalry regiments into loose companies for irregular use proved effective during war.
With the new ship designs, the transport fleets were refitted to make them more efficient.
By the end of January 1630, Ajuuraan was at Hispania’s mercy. Wanting to secure more ports to strengthen Hispania’s trade presence, a demand was sent for all of Ajuuraan’s coastline. Hispania clearly dominated East Africa.
The fall of Ouargla spelled the end of the North African campaign, with only a few patches of desert left resisting.
The policy of mercantilism came back to bite Hispania once again. Hispanian merchants were so used to the government protecting them at all costs that they lost their competitive edge and did not feel the need to work so hard, in turn hurting Hispania’s finances.
Lithuania decided to declare war on Kazan yet again, perhaps this time deciding to finish off the Central Asian nation.
The war between Tunis and Egypt had all but been forgotten until Tunis signed a peace with Egypt. Unable to get at any of their land, Tunis instead forced Egypt to hand the one province at the entrance of the Red Sea back over to Yemen. This made Hispania’s war easier.
When the last Egyptian fort fell, a peace could finally be signed. The goal was clearly to dominate the seas. The remainder of Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline was claimed, finally securing all of the Mediterranean for Hispania and its allies. Chancellor Andreu de Trastámara took this one step further. The Egyptian coast on the Red Sea was claimed too, allowing for future expansion south and perhaps one day linking up with the East African possessions. Kef in North Africa was also taken for the fort as a means to better defend Tunis.
Tensions between France and Hispania over Sweden melted away when King Karl sired a son, the young Gustav Adolf. There was some doubt the boy was actually his, for his wife was quite promiscuous, but nothing could be proven. As for France, they still had no heir to their throne, and with no valid male heir, it seemed likely they might accept a Trastámara on their throne if the king passed away.
Presenting His Imperial Highness, Jaume IV de Trastámara, Emperor of Hispania, Caesar of Rome, and Protector of the Greeks.
We have finally done it. A dream long thought impossible in the old days of Aragon, but now we can rightfully claim dominance of the Mediterranean. Not only that, but we have fulfilled our promise to the Greeks. Hopefully they shall be pleased with us now that Anatolia is theirs.
It also appears that the Valois line is in dire straits. It is fortunate us Trastámaras are much more prolific.
Now we should look to the future. So many things to consider. With gold found near Nueva Sicilia, perhaps we should focus on our colonies’ growth. Our recent conquests may have also angered some of our neighbours, so perhaps taking some time to smooth over relations is wise. Of course with a tiny state like Oyo on our border, one more conquest isn’t too much.
We should also consider how we want to shape Hispania for the future. Reforming the administration to strengthen the economy or allow for further expansion may be a possibility. Perhaps focusing on trade or diplomacy is wise for our empire. The military should not be neglected either. How shall we proceed then?
((Looks like we get to choose both a new mission and an idea group, which I shall include screenshots of below. Other than that, ministers have until Monday at 12PM PST to post their plans. Players may also propose laws or reforms in that time period.
I’m also not quite sure what to do about the possibility of a Trastámara ending up on the French throne. Seeing as it’s clear females can’t inherit, how would that even happen? If the Valois line goes extinct, do they just pick a suitable noble family, or closely related royal family, to take the crown? If anyone has any ideas for how to explain the events if the game does off the French emperor without an heir, feel free to share.
Also, I’ve decided that the rule restricting colonial armies to only having conquistadors leading them is rather outdated. We’ve reached the era of imperialism where European powers conquered land everywhere, with exploration mostly resigned to a bygone era. I’ve thus removed the position of conquistador, much as I did with explorers before, and raised the number of generals we can now have. Generals can now lead any army, and with some iAAR magic they can reach them instantaneously from half way across the world and still make it back to Valencia in time to vote.
))
