((Yes: 4/13
No: 6/15
Abstain: 3/8
The first numbers are the votes and the second VP.))
-
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((Yes: 4/13
No: 6/15
Abstain: 3/8
The first numbers are the votes and the second VP.))
"Will you confess today?" the cardinal asked his prisoner.
Bearded, weak, naked, and foul-smelling, Almeria looked up and replied weakly, "How can I confess to something that is not true?"
Velazquez sighed. "Must you be so difficult? You did openly support heresy and all signs point to you as the murderer of our beloved king."
Almeria screamed as he took another turn in the rack.
"Keep him busy," the cardinal said to the Chief Inquisitor. "I shall be gone for a long time. Inform me if any new developments occur."
Bearded, weak, naked, and foul-smelling, Almeria looked up and replied weakly, "How can I confess to something that is not true?"
Velazquez sighed. "Must you be so difficult? You did openly support heresy and all signs point to you as the murderer of our beloved king."
Almeria screamed as he took another turn in the rack.
"Keep him busy," the cardinal said to the Chief Inquisitor. "I shall be gone for a long time. Inform me if any new developments occur."
- 2
- May 6, 2015
- 2.278
- 3.161
That damned Cardinal Velazquez had left. Ferdinant was alone with the chief inquisitor.
Chief Inquisitor: "You can make it easy on yourself. Just confess that you are a heretic and that you killed the king."
Ferdinant: "Why would I kill the king? I have always been a loyal supporter of the king! Someone must be framing me!" ((Ferdiant does not know who did it, but he is suspecting it))
CI: "Well, I will make you confess to being a heretic then!"
Ferdinant screams in pain while on the rack.
Ferdinant: "I am not a heretic!"
CI: "You are a heretic and you know it!"
Ferdinant: "You may be able to trick the peasants, but I am smarter."
CI: "You are a peasant!
Ferdinant: "I am a smart peasant then."
CI: "You are dumb enough to not confess!"
Ferdinant: "Torture is better than death for something that is simply not true."
CI: "That is a lie and you know it!"
Ferdinant feels like his arms and legs could seperate from his body any moment.
Ferdinant: "No, it's not a lie! I will not fall for your tricks!"
Chief Inquisitor: "You can make it easy on yourself. Just confess that you are a heretic and that you killed the king."
Ferdinant: "Why would I kill the king? I have always been a loyal supporter of the king! Someone must be framing me!" ((Ferdiant does not know who did it, but he is suspecting it))
CI: "Well, I will make you confess to being a heretic then!"
Ferdinant screams in pain while on the rack.
Ferdinant: "I am not a heretic!"
CI: "You are a heretic and you know it!"
Ferdinant: "You may be able to trick the peasants, but I am smarter."
CI: "You are a peasant!
Ferdinant: "I am a smart peasant then."
CI: "You are dumb enough to not confess!"
Ferdinant: "Torture is better than death for something that is simply not true."
CI: "That is a lie and you know it!"
Ferdinant feels like his arms and legs could seperate from his body any moment.
Ferdinant: "No, it's not a lie! I will not fall for your tricks!"
- 3
- 1
((Private))
To the most esteemed king
King alfons
I request that I The count of Almeria become a diplomat, to represent the proud Kingdom of Aragon, I am driven and will do anything for the good of the kingdom
From Juan De porcelli
To the most esteemed king
King alfons
I request that I The count of Almeria become a diplomat, to represent the proud Kingdom of Aragon, I am driven and will do anything for the good of the kingdom
From Juan De porcelli
We do not have need of a diplomat at this time, but perhaps in a few years. ((I've already done the playthrough, so I can't add you in until after the date I played to. After the update you'll be an official diplomat.))
- His Majesty, Alfons VII de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Protector of the Greeks
1545-1551 – Prosperous Times
King Alfons VII’s reign started off relatively quiet, at least in Aragon. The rest of Europe was experiencing a much more tumultuous period. Sweden continued its dominanation of the far north, annexing the Teutonic Order. Over in Muscovy, rebels were rampaging through their southern provinces. The English had proclaimed themselves to be Great Britain at some point, although Scotland contested that name.
It was becoming a common practice for conquistadors to charm the princesses of the tribes they encountered, for they never knew when one of those princesses would save them from the chopping block.
The colony in Montevideo was experiencing some difficulty. A disease known as Roman Fever had spread in the colony and was killing off the settlers. Wolfgang Oliver Lübecker, the man backing the colony, coordinated a relief effort with Colonist Miguel Villanova to ensure a proper response was carried out. The colony could not be lost.
Mutiny was always a problem for conquistadors. Conquistador Miguel de Leon was forced to flog several men after they had attempted to run off to live with the natives. He couldn’t allow such behaviour without punishment.
In March of 1546, Manfred Castagna, the army organizer that had been hired years ago, passed away. Treasurer François de Montségur did an extensive interview process to find a suitable replacement, but every candidate he found was asking for higher wages than they deserved for their skills. He even convinced one man to retire with a hefty bribe, provided he go find a suitable replacement. A few months later, the man returned with one Jeroni Barcelo. His desired wages were a bit higher than expected, but he possessed the exact skillset the treasurer required. He was officially hired on the spot.
Maintaining a proper diet was a tricky thing to handle in the middle of the wilderness. Little was known about scurvy, but it was taking its toll on some of Leon’s expedition. Some suggested they seek medicine from the local natives, but the conquistador scoffed at that notion. The natives were just as likely to poison them as give them actual medicine. He instead encouraged men to try eating some of the local fruit, even if no one really knew which ones were edible. It seemed to do the trick for now.
As Conquistador Leon was passing through the native nation of Muisca, he received word that Portugal had declared war on them. It appeared that Portugal was willing to expand its colonies by targeting the natives. It was also during this time that Leon encountered the expedition returning from North America. The two rerouted to Muturu, since they needed to resupply before heading out again.
Lithuania decided to take advantage of Muscovy’s rebel problem and declared war.
King Alfons VII was not the most trusting of people. He saw things hiding in every shadow. During August of 1546, some suspicious characters showed up at court briefly, seeking an audience with the king. No one was quite sure what transpired between them, but the men were not seen again, at least not publicly.
The problems of Montevideo continued as the natives launched an attack on the colony. The expedition forces had finally reached Muturu, but they were too far away to help. Two mercenary companies were disbanded and Leon headed south to Montevideo with 6k men. He obviously did not arrive in time to help, with over a hundred settlers killed by the natives. Only 30 were able to flee in time and return later to start rebuilding.
The price of fish dropped as Lent, the time where most people gave up meat and ate fish instead, became less practiced as Protestantism spread. Northern Germany was becoming a Protestant stronghold, with more countries converting and others seeing their population start following a heresy. Despite that, its influence outside the region was minimal at best.
Genoa finished it wars with Crimea, and despite having all its Anatolian provinces occupied, it managed to conquer back a few provinces from its former vassal. Genoa’s expansion east was becoming a growing concern at Greek court.
Treasurer Montségur instituted some measures to lower inflation, which had been slowly rising ever since the gold mine in La Mancha had been taken. His policy proved successful, lowering inflation by roughly 2% and thus cutting costs by about half a ducat a month.
In October of 1547, Conquistador Leon finally reached Montevideo. A culling of the natives in the area was performed to ensure the locals would never harm the colony again. A thousand natives met their end with only 25 men from the expedition dead. The threat was finally gone. Leon then resumed his exploration.
The following month, France annexed its vassal Luxembourg, allowing it to expand further northeast. Some at court worried that if France kept expanding, they could be a threat to Aragon in the future. King Alfons VII kept a close eye on his ally, although for now their expansion was far from Aragon.
Efforts to bring the Knights under Aragon’s protection proved a difficult process. The king proclaimed that he would guarantee their independence, but in response the Knights vowed they would not ally with Aragon. The Knights’ alliance with Venice complicated matters and the Knights did not like Aragon’s numerous diplomatic ties. King Alfons, fearing the Venetians would use this against Aragon, cancelled the guarantee immediately. ((Basically I couldn’t quite get enough points for the alliance, but any diplomatic relations with them instantly raised the points needed for an alliance because we were penalized for being over our diplomatic limit.))
Relations with Galicia were going much more smoothly. The small state was in a precarious position, what with three larger powers on its borders. Its alliance with Aragon inevitably raised tensions with Portugal and Castile. Using that fear, the duke of Galicia was convinced to swear fealty to the king of Aragon to preserve his duchy. Galicia would now be a vassal of Aragon.
Cardinal Cassano Velazquez’s growing power at court was becoming more worrisome to many. The king seemed to be unconcerned on the matter. Letters had been written to the king about the danger of the cardinal’s growing power, but he never acknowledged them. Anyone who tried to speak to the king about conspiracies at court were quickly shuffled away by Queen Caterina.
A prominent Aragonese merchant working for the Trans-Pyrenean Trading Company returned from France bankrupt, but after a conversation with the king and Grandmaster Auguste de Saint-Pierre, the man was given a small loan to restart his business.
A lieutenant under Leon’s command who had deserted years ago finally resurfaced when it was discovered he was working for the Portuguese. Word soon reached court of this possible security threat. Within a month, the man was found dead in the middle of a town square in Portuguese Colombia with his throat slit. No one could find the ones responsible, and even the king thought the man should have been brought back to Aragon to be tried for his crimes. The king wanted someone to get to the bottom of the situation, but the queen changed his mind.
In March of 1549, a massive building plan was undertaken. With funds accumulated over the years, Steward Armand Antonio Sastre ordered the construction of barracks to be built in Urgell, Girona, and Roussillon.
Conquistador Leon had encountered rumours of a city of gold, this one known as El Dorado. A man who claimed to have seen the city gave him a crude map, although some suspected it was all lies. When a landmark on the map was found, Leon was finally convinced and began the hunt for El Dorado.
Attempts to form an alliance with the Knights were going nowhere. Eventually Chancellor Jaume Limmona resorted to an incentive no man could resist: money. A small gift of 25 ducats was given to the Knights to help keep the holy order active. This offer finally convinced the Knights to agree to an alliance.
In July, the colony of Muturu finally became self-sustaining and was placed under the administration of Sanchonia. Hearing the news, Colonist Miguel Villanova left Montevideo and headed for Bahia to found a colony with the backing of Armand Antonio Sastre. Hopefully this one would not go as badly as Montevideo so far. When news reached the man that Montevideo’s biggest export was grain, he felt he had made the right choice.
September saw the end of the truce with Portugal, as well as the loss of a few claims. The king made use of his spy network to ensure that Aragon would have an excuse to take Algarve and Alentejo in the event of war.
The colony of Bahia started off different than the last. For one, a significant tribe lived next door, known as Tapuia. Some wanted the native nation conquered to bring the true faith to them, but that was a matter for another time. What was important was securing the growing colony from local threats. The army from Africa was called in to eradicate the natives before they could threaten the colony. A short battle later, the native were gone and only 18 men lost for Aragon.
The ports of Aragon were ever growing. With such an extensive trade network and heavy reliance on the fleet, large wharves had to be built across the kingdom. Of course the army wasn’t neglected either. A new strategy was developed known as the Aragonese Square (some attempted to call it the Spanish Square, but that was vetoed instantly by all military personnel involved). Combined with the new Tercio infantry, the Aragonese army was unmatched.
Portugal’s war with Muisca wasn’t going entirely as planned. They had managed to occupy half of the native nation, but at the cost of the western half of Portuguese Colombia. The Portuguese clearly had not learned how to wage a colonial war yet.
In April of 1550, Steward Sastre arranged for an extensive shipyard to be built in Gibraltar. The main fleet was stationed there when not in use, making it the ideal location for such a project. The steward also backed a project to improve the production of textiles, although such manufactories were not placed under construction as of yet.
The combined efforts of the Council were paying off. Montségur’s ability to lower inflation and fill up the treasury, Sastre’s popular building projects, and Limmona’s eventual success with the Knights all made the king and his government look very good. The kingdom was happy and others were taking notice.
Lithuania’s attack on Muscovy proved a great success for them as they took over half a dozen provinces from the eastern behemoth. Muscovy was clearly in decline, but the expansion of Lithuania was worrisome.
October of 1550 brought sad news as Emperor Andronikos V of Byzantium passed away. Co-emperor Maurianus Palaiologos took over as emperor, securing the imperial throne at last. Relations with the Greeks could not have been better for once. Despite this, the king seemed convinced that foul play was at work. The death of his father had made him suspicious of any death of a royal. The king spent more and more time in his chambers, doing who knows what.
In February of 1551, the truce with Castile ended, and the claims on Burgos and Castilla La Vieja were disputed in turn. The king sent out his spies again, this time to Castilla La Vieja. Castile’s time on this earth was limited if the king had anything to say about it.
The policy implemented years ago to enforce church attendance was paying off. Sunday Mass had become a fundamental part of life for most people and the clergy in response viewed the king more favourably. This strong sense of faith united the kingdom greatly.
Chancellor Limmona kept feeling out the Knights, trying to see how they would feel about accepting the protection of Aragon. There were many forces in support among the Knights, but not quite enough. Perhaps if Aragon made a display of strength, that would convince them to change their mind.
Over in the New World, Conquistador Leon returned to Muturu, taking a short break from his quest to find El Dorado. ((I’m not sure what happened, but the button to search for the Seven Cities won’t work for the expedition. Hopefully returning to friendly territory will fix it.))
Presenting Her Majesty, Queen Caterina.
I am afraid that my husband is currently indisposed and cannot attend to courtly matters. Do not fear, he is not ill. He merely has many matters on his mind. I am certain he will resume his stately duties shortly. I assure you I am capable of handling any affairs the court requires me to perform.
For now, we have other concerns to consider. Portugal and Castile are weak and open to attack. I shall confer with the chancellor on the matter, but I believe that war may be a viable option. Aragon will only truly be safe when Iberia is secured.
As for this heresy growing elsewhere in Europe, we must remain vigilant. There are many ways to handle heresy, whether through conciliation or brute force, and we must be prepared to use any. The stability of the kingdom and preservation of the Trastámara line is my main concern. Heresy cannot be allowed to threaten that.
((Now for the usual routine. All ministers have until Tuesday at 12pm PST to post their plans, and anyone may post laws in that time. Just a reminder that the Inquisition may perform investigations again. We can now reach Madagascar due to improved colonial range, but not much else than before.
Pensioners:
@Supergrej
@AvatarOfKhaine
@jakp25
Dying:
@ManderTea
@SirAlucard))
The Vatican was as bad as he had feared. The feckless cardinals had no plan to deal with the growing heresy in Germany. Many of them were simply unfit for the job as they had received the position due to generous contributions to the Vaticans. Others were of the same mind as His Holiness and were more concerned with the construction of the new basilica or politics in Italy. While Velazquez agreed that these were worthy concerns, he urged the pope to take a harder stance against heresy. The pope replied that the emperor would need to take care of his unruly vassals.
News from Aragon was good, at least. His loyal priests in Aragon had informed the cardinal that more people were attending Mass than ever before. Perhaps his fears about growing heresy int he kingdom were unfounded. Still, he suspected that the court was rotten and that he had stopped the disease by imprisoning Almeria. He hoped that the king was faring well, for nasty rumors about his mental state and wife's domineering nature reached him. If the queen was an effective administrator and enemy against heretics then so be it, but he did not trust a Tuscan to act in the best interests of the Church.
The military was faring well and he corresponded regularly with his generals. They had all agreed to implement a new doctrine that had been developed some years before. The Aragonese army would now adopt the "Aragonese Square" in conjunction with the devastating tercio. They would have to test the doctrines on an enemy, though. The only dark spot was the fact that the new colony had been attacked by natives after the Iron Cardinal ordered two mercenary regiments in the area to be disbanded.
Now that the truce with Castile and Portugal was over, a new enemy was in plain sight. The Iron Cardinal hurried back to the kingdom to help lead the armies against their traditional enemy. Castile would be finished once and for all, for Aragon was the sword of Christendom. No one could deny her destiny.
News from Aragon was good, at least. His loyal priests in Aragon had informed the cardinal that more people were attending Mass than ever before. Perhaps his fears about growing heresy int he kingdom were unfounded. Still, he suspected that the court was rotten and that he had stopped the disease by imprisoning Almeria. He hoped that the king was faring well, for nasty rumors about his mental state and wife's domineering nature reached him. If the queen was an effective administrator and enemy against heretics then so be it, but he did not trust a Tuscan to act in the best interests of the Church.
The military was faring well and he corresponded regularly with his generals. They had all agreed to implement a new doctrine that had been developed some years before. The Aragonese army would now adopt the "Aragonese Square" in conjunction with the devastating tercio. They would have to test the doctrines on an enemy, though. The only dark spot was the fact that the new colony had been attacked by natives after the Iron Cardinal ordered two mercenary regiments in the area to be disbanded.
Now that the truce with Castile and Portugal was over, a new enemy was in plain sight. The Iron Cardinal hurried back to the kingdom to help lead the armies against their traditional enemy. Castile would be finished once and for all, for Aragon was the sword of Christendom. No one could deny her destiny.
Finally he was home, after picking up where his father had stopped, Ioannes had now completed the grand journey his father started.
He could now return home and serve the King and Aragon properly again. Ioannes quickly sent a letter to the King. (@Michaelangelo )
((I finished my military training yesterday, so now I can engage more in this AAR and post more than a few sporadic posts when I was home on leave
))
He could now return home and serve the King and Aragon properly again. Ioannes quickly sent a letter to the King. (@Michaelangelo )
My grace Alfons VII de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Naples, and Protector of the Greeks,
I apologize for not being able to express my sadness over the death of your father. He was truly a great man that benefitted Aragon greatly, and he will be remembered.
My grand journey that my father started is now at an end and I will resume my full duties to both you and the country.
If possible, I would like to fund a colony in Havanna, to eventually grow and hopefully encompass the entirety of the Caribbean, further strenghtening our power in the world.
Your loyal servant,
Ioannes de Alvaro, count of Sassari
Lux Tenebris Vincet
I apologize for not being able to express my sadness over the death of your father. He was truly a great man that benefitted Aragon greatly, and he will be remembered.
My grand journey that my father started is now at an end and I will resume my full duties to both you and the country.
If possible, I would like to fund a colony in Havanna, to eventually grow and hopefully encompass the entirety of the Caribbean, further strenghtening our power in the world.
Your loyal servant,
Ioannes de Alvaro, count of Sassari
Lux Tenebris Vincet
((I finished my military training yesterday, so now I can engage more in this AAR and post more than a few sporadic posts when I was home on leave
))
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- 2
((I finished my military training yesterday, so now I can engage more in this AAR and post more than a few sporadic posts when I was home on leave
((Hey, welcome back!! I'm glad you will be able to be more active now
))- 4
An old Jaume Limmona, seemingly kept alive only for one last performance of his duty, lays out his chancellor's plan in a letter;
My liege,
Declare War on Portugal, with an aim to take as much colonial territory as possible and only after as much of that then take the southern Portuguese provinces in Iberia.
Continue efforts to grant the Knights our protection (vassalise), the Mamluks are strong and will look to pounce if at all possible.
Continue to maintain good relations with our allies.
Your Grace,
Jaume Limmona, Chancellor of the Realm and Duke of Naples and Capua
My liege,
Declare War on Portugal, with an aim to take as much colonial territory as possible and only after as much of that then take the southern Portuguese provinces in Iberia.
Continue efforts to grant the Knights our protection (vassalise), the Mamluks are strong and will look to pounce if at all possible.
Continue to maintain good relations with our allies.
Your Grace,
Jaume Limmona, Chancellor of the Realm and Duke of Naples and Capua
- 1
Your Majesty,
The Grandmaster plan shall remain the same.
Auguste de Saint-Pierre,
Head of the TPTC, Grandmaster of Aragon
The Grandmaster plan shall remain the same.
Auguste de Saint-Pierre,
Head of the TPTC, Grandmaster of Aragon
I am most pleased to see that the plan for the treasury worked out marvellously. As such I see no need to change it. For the current court advisers, I hope they can continue their services much longer, but I have to take their retirement into consideration. If so, then we should look for a better, yet more expensive, advisor to further spread our efforts ((one more +2 advisor if one retires)). The arts would not need more sponsorship from the crown ((no artists or philosophers)), while having a diplomatic advisor is most recommendable to avoid bloodshed ((statesman or diplomat)). It pains me to see that the Castillians are not following the example of the Galicians, but I guess that there has been too much war in the past to just put aside these differences.
With the death of the honourable duke von Thun, there is also an opening on the Cortz. I am forwarding my name to enter this noble assembly.
One last thing I wish to address is the colonial situation. While it might be wise to concentrate our colonial efforts, I would like to finance the colonization of what is known as Nazca. It is close to the hospitable natives of Cusco my brother encountered and opens up many possibilities for trade - as well as gold useful for the economy.
Speaking of which, the chancellor might need to reconsider his decision to take Portugal's colony in the inevitable conflict. The pope has accorded them the rights on the region they named 'Colombia', and taking this land would certainly raise tensions with the holy see.
Your most humble servitor,
François de Montségur, Duc de Trinacrie and Treasurer of the Crown
______________________________________________________________
((I think I might have an explanation for the seven cities hunt - we have discovered all of South America, and both the Fountain of Youth and El Dorado are on this continent, so we can't find them any more. I think we should at least have a proper ending for these searches (even if the Fountain technically ended with de Leon's 'first death'), so I'd propose either to end them with a failure or say that Leon (or Montségur) found one of them. Maybe we should have a vote about this.))
To His Majesty and the Royal Court,
~Cardinal Cassano Velazquez
Archbishop of Pirineo
Marshal of the Kingdom of Aragon
- May 6, 2015
- 2.278
- 3.161
Ferdinant started his 7th year of imprisonment by the inquisition.
The last 6 years had been relatively uneventful. The inquisition still firmly believes that he is a heretic, though that is very wrong. He was a very good Catholic, and everyone knew that.
Ferdinant was used to the torture. When they tried something on him he would sarcastically say: "Ouch".
((3/4 YEARS UNTIL 'MURICA BRINGS FREEDOM TO ARAGON!))
The last 6 years had been relatively uneventful. The inquisition still firmly believes that he is a heretic, though that is very wrong. He was a very good Catholic, and everyone knew that.
Ferdinant was used to the torture. When they tried something on him he would sarcastically say: "Ouch".
((3/4 YEARS UNTIL 'MURICA BRINGS FREEDOM TO ARAGON!))
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Diego had been uneasy with his new assignment as a Diplomat since the beginning. His reputation in Byzantium during the wars preceded him by some degree which meant for a cold reception upon his arrival. But the past was easy enough to drown out with lavish parties thrown at his estate to entertain the functionaries and sycophants that filled the Byzantine court. He made sure a gentleman guest never left without his desires filled in some way, although this put an equal strain on his own coffers. The death of the Emperor was sad indeed but the new Emperor seemed like a warmer recipient to Diego's presence at court.
It was during this time that Diego also began pursuing his personal interests in the marriage department. For that he reached out for the daughter of the Duke of Palermo (@alscon)
He then turned his attentions to more professional matters. He had to get out of Byzantium and if he was to be married then he would need to be closer to home, not only to ensure his new bride fulfilled her marital obligations but things were uneasy in Aragon and he was removed from the court politics all the way out here. He dashed off a letter to the aging Chancellor (@AvatarOfKhaine).
It was during this time that Diego also began pursuing his personal interests in the marriage department. For that he reached out for the daughter of the Duke of Palermo (@alscon)
Your Grace,
I write to you today to secure the most fortuitous opportunity to unite our two families. I have heard great tales of your daughter's virtue and beauty and it is with good faith that I propose for you to accept her betrothal to me. I am also of noble blood and as the Count of Vizcaya I can assure she will live a life that she has been accustomed to. I eagerly await your response.
Diego de Bazan, Count of Vizcaya, Ambassador to Byzantium
I write to you today to secure the most fortuitous opportunity to unite our two families. I have heard great tales of your daughter's virtue and beauty and it is with good faith that I propose for you to accept her betrothal to me. I am also of noble blood and as the Count of Vizcaya I can assure she will live a life that she has been accustomed to. I eagerly await your response.
Diego de Bazan, Count of Vizcaya, Ambassador to Byzantium
He then turned his attentions to more professional matters. He had to get out of Byzantium and if he was to be married then he would need to be closer to home, not only to ensure his new bride fulfilled her marital obligations but things were uneasy in Aragon and he was removed from the court politics all the way out here. He dashed off a letter to the aging Chancellor (@AvatarOfKhaine).
Your Grace,
I believe my duties in Byzantium have reached their apex and our relations here cannot be improved to a greater state than they are now. I would like to request that I be sent as our Kingdom's Ambassador to France as I believe this heresy spreading across the Germans will only grow in fervor and we will be best suited to have someone in Paris to respond accordingly should tensions build higher and force France's hand in deal with the threats of their neighbors.
Diego de Bazan, Count of Vizcaya, Ambassador to Byzantium
I believe my duties in Byzantium have reached their apex and our relations here cannot be improved to a greater state than they are now. I would like to request that I be sent as our Kingdom's Ambassador to France as I believe this heresy spreading across the Germans will only grow in fervor and we will be best suited to have someone in Paris to respond accordingly should tensions build higher and force France's hand in deal with the threats of their neighbors.
Diego de Bazan, Count of Vizcaya, Ambassador to Byzantium
Alexandros Kostopoulos writes a letter to the King
Dear Your Majesty Alfons VII de Trastámara
I would like to formally Request that I resign my position as general of the army.I am getting old and Not as quick on my feet as I was when i first asked to be general of he grand Aragon army during your fathers reign. I am sure a younger man would be a much better general in the long run than one such as myself. That is why I formally Request to Regin from my position of General in the grand Aragon army.
As for Byzantium I believe that we should instruct our chancellor to begin to fabricate claims on behalf of the Byzantines in Genoa lands in West Anatoila. They have gotten stronger and they threaten the grand city of Constantinople itself and this worries the Greek court as it should.. They need to be stopped and besides this will look good in the eyes of the Greeks who will see this in a good light as we would have taken care of a threat to their capital city of Constantinople . So with that said I formally suggest that we help them take back the lands of the former Eastern Roman Empire. Which includes the lands Genoa have currently. if we do this will look good not only to the Greeks but it will send a message around the world.. The Aragon is not to be messed with. This will send a message to our allies that we are a strong nation and to our enemies that we are to be feared. but not only that.. But the land that Genoa has I have heard the coastal provinces are rich in goods. So I ask why would we allow our enemy to have those riches.. When if we give it to our ally Byzantium.. We all benefit from it. ?
Policy change ( Have the chancellor Fabricate claims on West-Anatolia lands, The ones on the coast )
Your humble Servant
Alexandros Kostopoulos
Count of Athens
Repersentive of Byzantium
I would like to formally Request that I resign my position as general of the army.I am getting old and Not as quick on my feet as I was when i first asked to be general of he grand Aragon army during your fathers reign. I am sure a younger man would be a much better general in the long run than one such as myself. That is why I formally Request to Regin from my position of General in the grand Aragon army.
As for Byzantium I believe that we should instruct our chancellor to begin to fabricate claims on behalf of the Byzantines in Genoa lands in West Anatoila. They have gotten stronger and they threaten the grand city of Constantinople itself and this worries the Greek court as it should.. They need to be stopped and besides this will look good in the eyes of the Greeks who will see this in a good light as we would have taken care of a threat to their capital city of Constantinople . So with that said I formally suggest that we help them take back the lands of the former Eastern Roman Empire. Which includes the lands Genoa have currently. if we do this will look good not only to the Greeks but it will send a message around the world.. The Aragon is not to be messed with. This will send a message to our allies that we are a strong nation and to our enemies that we are to be feared. but not only that.. But the land that Genoa has I have heard the coastal provinces are rich in goods. So I ask why would we allow our enemy to have those riches.. When if we give it to our ally Byzantium.. We all benefit from it. ?
Policy change ( Have the chancellor Fabricate claims on West-Anatolia lands, The ones on the coast )
Your humble Servant
Alexandros Kostopoulos
Count of Athens
Repersentive of Byzantium
Finally he was home, after picking up where his father had stopped, Ioannes had now completed the grand journey his father started.
He could now return home and serve the King and Aragon properly again. Ioannes quickly sent a letter to the King. (@Michaelangelo )
My grace Alfons VII de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Naples, and Protector of the Greeks,
I apologize for not being able to express my sadness over the death of your father. He was truly a great man that benefitted Aragon greatly, and he will be remembered.
My grand journey that my father started is now at an end and I will resume my full duties to both you and the country.
If possible, I would like to fund a colony in Havanna, to eventually grow and hopefully encompass the entirety of the Caribbean, further strenghtening our power in the world.
Your loyal servant,
Ioannes de Alvaro, count of Sassari
Lux Tenebris Vincet
((I finished my military training yesterday, so now I can engage more in this AAR and post more than a few sporadic posts when I was home on leave
((Glad to have you back. Technically the king does not deal with colonies, as that's the colonist's prerogative. I may as well include a list of the colonies people want.
Here are the ones currently selected by the colonist to be colonized in this order:
wzhang29 - Montevideo
Keinwyn - Bahia
O5060403 - Cape
Von Habsburg - Fernando Po
ThePatriotOfDreumal - Rio de Janeiro
Andre Massena - Guantanmo
Here are the ones that have not been accepted yet:
chief bearpaw - Cameroon or Gabon
Totally Oink - Tandil
Robban204 - Havana
alscon - Nazca))
Your Majesty,
I am most pleased to see that the plan for the treasury worked out marvellously. As such I see no need to change it. For the current court advisers, I hope they can continue their services much longer, but I have to take their retirement into consideration. If so, then we should look for a better, yet more expensive, advisor to further spread our efforts ((one more +2 advisor if one retires)). The arts would not need more sponsorship from the crown ((no artists or philosophers)), while having a diplomatic advisor is most recommendable to avoid bloodshed ((statesman or diplomat)). It pains me to see that the Castillians are not following the example of the Galicians, but I guess that there has been too much war in the past to just put aside these differences.
With the death of the honourable duke von Thun, there is also an opening on the Cortz. I am forwarding my name to enter this noble assembly.
One last thing I wish to address is the colonial situation. While it might be wise to concentrate our colonial efforts, I would like to finance the colonization of what is known as Nazca. It is close to the hospitable natives of Cusco my brother encountered and opens up many possibilities for trade - as well as gold useful for the economy.
Speaking of which, the chancellor might need to reconsider his decision to take Portugal's colony in the inevitable conflict. The pope has accorded them the rights on the region they named 'Colombia', and taking this land would certainly raise tensions with the holy see.
Your most humble servitor,
François de Montségur, Duc de Trinacrie and Treasurer of the Crown
______________________________________________________________
((I think I might have an explanation for the seven cities hunt - we have discovered all of South America, and both the Fountain of Youth and El Dorado are on this continent, so we can't find them any more. I think we should at least have a proper ending for these searches (even if the Fountain technically ended with de Leon's 'first death'), so I'd propose either to end them with a failure or say that Leon (or Montségur) found one of them. Maybe we should have a vote about this.))
((Technically von Thun isn't dead yet, since he has until the next update to show up and make a new character. We'd vote on the Cortz after the next update. Also that explanation for El Dorado makes sense. I guess I'll ship Leon up to North America. I'll leave it up to zenphoenix to decide what his character does. I'd say we didn't find it, since we would have received some benefit from it, but it could be another Cibola.
Just to clarify, are you objecting to the Chancellor's plan or just suggesting an amendment?))
((No need. We have claims all over there. It was part of an old plan. Just so everyone knows, I go crazy with claims on any mildly hostile powers or rivals we have. I'm pretty sure we have claims on half the Mediterranean coast.
))
- May 6, 2015
- 2.278
- 3.161
((@Michaelangelo))
My king, my name is Ferdinant II de Almeria, former merchant, admiral and grand admiral of the kingdom and head of the ATC. I ask you if you can free me from the prison I have been put in for 7 years now, without evidence. I have been tortured to almost immobility in this prison. Their only evidence was based off me not going to church sometimes, but I was an admiral and I am often at sea, so I cannot go to church when in the middle of the ocean. I do pray in a small church on my ship.
So that's why I ask you, my king, to free me from the prison I have been unrightly put in.
Ferdinant II de Almeria
So that's why I ask you, my king, to free me from the prison I have been unrightly put in.
Ferdinant II de Almeria
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((Private))
Queen Caterina read through the letter, ensuring it was something the king should see. A man wrongly imprisoned by the Inquisition? She vaguely remembered the incident, but had not King Ferran III supported it? Perhaps it was best to leave the issue alone. Knowing her husband, he'd start getting suspicious again if he learned the Inquisition was imprisoning men without cause. With the threat of heresy on the horizon, conflict with the Church was not needed. Unity between the Crown and Church would keep a kingdom strong. With that decided, she went to burn the letter in the fireplace.
"What's that? A letter for me?" King Alfons VII said as he stepped into the room.
The queen plastered on a smile and turned to face him. "It is, but nothing you need to be concerned with. You already have far too many problems to deal with."
"Nonsense. Let me see it."
Queen Caterina considered withholding it, but that would only spark suspicion towards her. The king had to be handled with care. His paranoia was growing with every day. He spent days at a time in his room contemplating plots and schemes. On several occasions he had had guards sweep the palace for assassins. None were ever found, but it only spoke of the king's paranoia. The queen grudgingly handed over the letter.
King Alfons VII read over the letter and stiffened as he did. "Why is this man in prison if no evidence of heresy was found?"
"You father did not think it wise to dispute the Inquisition's judgment," Queen Caterina said. "Perhaps following his example would be best."
Alfons scowled. "I am not a tyrant who lets men be imprisoned for no justifiable reason. The nobles would have my head if I set that precedent."
"Well, my dear, it's not that sim--"
"Enough!" the king said. "I want this man released at once."
The queen nodded and said, "Of course, if that is what you desire." She left the room, a scowl on her face.
((Public))
By royal decree, it has hereby been decided that Ferdinant II de Almeria shall be released from the Inquisition's prison.
- His Majesty, Alfons VII de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Protector of the Greeks
((Okay Dreumel, you are free now. You haven't been reinstated as a merchant or admiral, but you no longer have to IC from prison and can resume your duties with the ATC.))
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I believe it is time to expand the navy yet again. As Grand Admiral, I recommend that we construct five more light ships to protect our trade in the Mediterranean and with the New World. After those are built, we should build five more transports to ensure we can safely transport our armies without worrying about losing too many men if the ships are attacked.
- His Majesty, Alfons VII de Trastámara, King of Aragon and Protector of the Greeks