A Brief History of the Teutonic Order (1492-1508)
First a few game notes: I am playing the US v1.08. The AI is set to Normal/Weakling (I’m not that good a player yet
!). Random and Historical events are both on. I’m using the standard Grand Campaign.
My Lords, I have now served as Chancellor of the Most Holy Teutonic Order for the last 16 years. It has been, I believe, a good period for our people. Let us journey back, to when I came to power, in 1492.
1492: Having just taken over from the former Chancellor, I take stock of what we posses. Diplomatically, we are surrounded by potential enemies. To the East lies Russia, the Great Bear. She wars with Kazan as I write this. To the South, Poland-Lithuania poses the greatest threat; she is joined by Prussia, her vassal. To the North is Sweden, thought not particularly concerned by her right now, we must always be wary. Our only friend in this region is Courland, our vassal and ally. Our armies are small but well led. In Livonia is our King, Johann Tieffen, leading an army of 10,000/8,000/30. Marschener in Ingermanland joins him with 5,000/5,000. This year would be a quiet one for our realm. We raise an additional 2,000/1,000 for Marschener, but aside from this nothing of note happens, and the realm prospers.
1493: I start by greeting Poland-Lithuania with a warm letter welcoming them to the new year (rel. –159). We hear in February that Hungary (Bohemia) has gone to war with the Turks. We wish our Christian brethren well, thought we are in no position to help them. In May, we ourselves go to war with Pskov, dutifully, Courland joins us. The peasantry are none too happy that we war with no reason however (Stability to +1). In June, Tieffen defeats an army of 6,000 Pskovian Cavalry on our own soil, then begins marching. While this happened, Marschener descended from the North on an undefended Pskov, and laid siege to the city. The Pskov scum raise an army of 7,000 infantry in August, who engage Marschener to no avail. The arrival of Tieffen that month seals Pskov’s fate, and an assault later in that same fateful month, takes the city, and we annex our first enemy. The last thing of note is that we dispatched a young Colonel named Jung with some 4,700/3,940 of Tieffen’s men to Livonia.
1494: The year begins quietly, nothing happens until April, when we commission Mosbrugger in Memel with 3,000 infantry. In September, with the harvests over, many youths come to the cities to enlist in our great army. We welcome them with open arms of course (Random Event: 4,500/900 in Livonia).
1495: In Portugal Manuel I takes to the throne. We have also mastered the art of crafting artillery, something I am sure will aid us in the coming years. We send a letter to Courland detailing our findings, which they are grateful for (rel. to +100). Plettenberg (Field Chief Judge) arrives in Livonia, and assumes command from Jung. In February we receive news that Russia has annexed Vorones, Ryazan, and Lipetsk from Kazan, troubling news indeed. I also begin establishing relations with the Germanic powers of Central Europe by offering the hand of my Lords daughter to the Hanseatic League. They accept, and one of their Counts accepts our princess as bride.
1496: In April, 1,000/1,000 are added to strengthen the Memel garrison. Then, Disaster! Rebels in Pskov take the city, endangering our stability and power. Tieffen is dispatched, and quickly defeats the rabble of traitors. In December, he personally leads an assault, and retakes the whole of the province. When he returned, I noticed he had picked up a rather nasty cough from the winter fighting.
1497: Despite our physicians’ best efforts, Tieffen dies in May of a lingering cough that worsened to pneumonia. The bells ring in churches all over the land, honoring one of our best generals, and of course, our Great King. With no obvious successor, I am placed in charge of an interim Regency. Fortunately for myself (and my head!), the year is an unusually quiet one for us, as nothing of importance happens for the remainder.
1498: After only a few months without a King, Friedrich von Sachsen ascends to the Throne of the Teutonic Order. Being a Field Chief Judge, he also takes command of our army in Pskov. A letter to the court in Courland informing them of our joyous news warms our relations somewhat (rel. to +107). Furthermore, we establish economic superiority with a monopoly in Kurland.
1499: We greet Courland this new year with a letter pledging our further support of their government. (rel. to +105). This year would prove to be a trial for von Sachsen, as he would have to put down a rebellion in Pskov, and deal with fierce trade in Kurland. However, he would prove to be a very capable leader in both areas. At year’s end, we had retaken our monopoly, and kept Pskov.
1500: Once more peace and prosperity settle over our land. But there is an uneasiness permeating the air. I fear this may be only a brief calm before the storm….
1501: Friedrich von Sachsen, in true Teuton fashion, has declared that our superiority over the Russians must be proved in battle, and in March, we deliver our Declaration of War. Fortunatley, Russia stands alone, and as always, Courland marches with us. Plettenberg marches on Tver, while Sachsen himself aims to take Novgorod. Curiously, no Russian army confronts us, and after the assault and capture of both provinces, and in November, we send an offer of peace to Moscow, getting both regions in return for a cessation of hostilities.
1502: Our relations with Courland, following our success against the Great Russian Bear, are at an all time high (rel. +200), and we offer to them the next logical step in our relationship. After several months of treaty writing and re-writing, I oversee the peaceful annexation of Courland, adding just that much more power to our growing presence in the Baltic. In August, 7,000 rebels emerge from the countryside in Tver, but Plettenberg is quick to annihilate them. None the less, we raise 3,000 of our own infantry in November to assist against any further rebellions.
1503: Another 3,000 are raised in Tver by the end of January. It appears however, that the Tverians are not content with our rule, as 9,000 rise up in August. Once more, Plettenberg is more than up to the challenge.
1504: To guard against yet further uprisings, we commission 1,000 in Memel, 1,000 in Kurland, and 2,000/1,000/10 in Tver. We also seek to strengthen ourselves diplomatically, and enter quite eagerly into an alliance with Bohemia, Austria, and Hungary. This should give the damn Poles something to consider before attacking us! We continue our army expansion program by raising another 1,000 in Tver, while at the same time, von Sachsen’s own son is wedded to the daughter of an Austrian Duke.
1505: We have now mastered the technique of mounting our cannon on ships, though at this time, it has little application as the whole of our fleet consists of but 1 warship and 2 transports. Throughout the year, we have sent a stream of letters to Austria in correspondence, and we are now looked upon rather favorably by them (rel. to +105). This is important, as our alliance with them expires in August of this year! All my fears would turn be naught though, as we were able to reaffirm military support from both Austria and Hungary. Once more, we have run rings around the Poles!
1506: Seeking to rid ourselves of one enemy, this year marks the opening of a major diplomatic effort aimed at Russia. A river of letters is sent to Moscow, and we present them with a statue commemorating the end of the Teuton-Russo war of 1501. By the end of the year, this has paid off brilliantly, and we can now assume the Russians to be neutral in any coming conflicts we are involved in (rel. to –49).
1507: This is the last year to be included in this chapter, and it has certainly been an interesting one. We have achieved with Russia, a Royal Marriage, and a stance of true neutrality with them (rel. to -29). The peasants in Tver however, don’t seem to accept these latest developments, as they engage in open revolt in January, February, August, and December. We suspect Polish involvement, as each revolting “army” consists of more infantry than there are people in the province. By the year’s end, we have fought and been victorious against a total of 160,000 peasants split roughly even over the four revolts! Our agents believe that the worst is over now, and I can only hope so….
First a few game notes: I am playing the US v1.08. The AI is set to Normal/Weakling (I’m not that good a player yet
!). Random and Historical events are both on. I’m using the standard Grand Campaign.My Lords, I have now served as Chancellor of the Most Holy Teutonic Order for the last 16 years. It has been, I believe, a good period for our people. Let us journey back, to when I came to power, in 1492.
1492: Having just taken over from the former Chancellor, I take stock of what we posses. Diplomatically, we are surrounded by potential enemies. To the East lies Russia, the Great Bear. She wars with Kazan as I write this. To the South, Poland-Lithuania poses the greatest threat; she is joined by Prussia, her vassal. To the North is Sweden, thought not particularly concerned by her right now, we must always be wary. Our only friend in this region is Courland, our vassal and ally. Our armies are small but well led. In Livonia is our King, Johann Tieffen, leading an army of 10,000/8,000/30. Marschener in Ingermanland joins him with 5,000/5,000. This year would be a quiet one for our realm. We raise an additional 2,000/1,000 for Marschener, but aside from this nothing of note happens, and the realm prospers.
1493: I start by greeting Poland-Lithuania with a warm letter welcoming them to the new year (rel. –159). We hear in February that Hungary (Bohemia) has gone to war with the Turks. We wish our Christian brethren well, thought we are in no position to help them. In May, we ourselves go to war with Pskov, dutifully, Courland joins us. The peasantry are none too happy that we war with no reason however (Stability to +1). In June, Tieffen defeats an army of 6,000 Pskovian Cavalry on our own soil, then begins marching. While this happened, Marschener descended from the North on an undefended Pskov, and laid siege to the city. The Pskov scum raise an army of 7,000 infantry in August, who engage Marschener to no avail. The arrival of Tieffen that month seals Pskov’s fate, and an assault later in that same fateful month, takes the city, and we annex our first enemy. The last thing of note is that we dispatched a young Colonel named Jung with some 4,700/3,940 of Tieffen’s men to Livonia.
1494: The year begins quietly, nothing happens until April, when we commission Mosbrugger in Memel with 3,000 infantry. In September, with the harvests over, many youths come to the cities to enlist in our great army. We welcome them with open arms of course (Random Event: 4,500/900 in Livonia).
1495: In Portugal Manuel I takes to the throne. We have also mastered the art of crafting artillery, something I am sure will aid us in the coming years. We send a letter to Courland detailing our findings, which they are grateful for (rel. to +100). Plettenberg (Field Chief Judge) arrives in Livonia, and assumes command from Jung. In February we receive news that Russia has annexed Vorones, Ryazan, and Lipetsk from Kazan, troubling news indeed. I also begin establishing relations with the Germanic powers of Central Europe by offering the hand of my Lords daughter to the Hanseatic League. They accept, and one of their Counts accepts our princess as bride.
1496: In April, 1,000/1,000 are added to strengthen the Memel garrison. Then, Disaster! Rebels in Pskov take the city, endangering our stability and power. Tieffen is dispatched, and quickly defeats the rabble of traitors. In December, he personally leads an assault, and retakes the whole of the province. When he returned, I noticed he had picked up a rather nasty cough from the winter fighting.
1497: Despite our physicians’ best efforts, Tieffen dies in May of a lingering cough that worsened to pneumonia. The bells ring in churches all over the land, honoring one of our best generals, and of course, our Great King. With no obvious successor, I am placed in charge of an interim Regency. Fortunately for myself (and my head!), the year is an unusually quiet one for us, as nothing of importance happens for the remainder.
1498: After only a few months without a King, Friedrich von Sachsen ascends to the Throne of the Teutonic Order. Being a Field Chief Judge, he also takes command of our army in Pskov. A letter to the court in Courland informing them of our joyous news warms our relations somewhat (rel. to +107). Furthermore, we establish economic superiority with a monopoly in Kurland.
1499: We greet Courland this new year with a letter pledging our further support of their government. (rel. to +105). This year would prove to be a trial for von Sachsen, as he would have to put down a rebellion in Pskov, and deal with fierce trade in Kurland. However, he would prove to be a very capable leader in both areas. At year’s end, we had retaken our monopoly, and kept Pskov.
1500: Once more peace and prosperity settle over our land. But there is an uneasiness permeating the air. I fear this may be only a brief calm before the storm….
1501: Friedrich von Sachsen, in true Teuton fashion, has declared that our superiority over the Russians must be proved in battle, and in March, we deliver our Declaration of War. Fortunatley, Russia stands alone, and as always, Courland marches with us. Plettenberg marches on Tver, while Sachsen himself aims to take Novgorod. Curiously, no Russian army confronts us, and after the assault and capture of both provinces, and in November, we send an offer of peace to Moscow, getting both regions in return for a cessation of hostilities.
1502: Our relations with Courland, following our success against the Great Russian Bear, are at an all time high (rel. +200), and we offer to them the next logical step in our relationship. After several months of treaty writing and re-writing, I oversee the peaceful annexation of Courland, adding just that much more power to our growing presence in the Baltic. In August, 7,000 rebels emerge from the countryside in Tver, but Plettenberg is quick to annihilate them. None the less, we raise 3,000 of our own infantry in November to assist against any further rebellions.
1503: Another 3,000 are raised in Tver by the end of January. It appears however, that the Tverians are not content with our rule, as 9,000 rise up in August. Once more, Plettenberg is more than up to the challenge.
1504: To guard against yet further uprisings, we commission 1,000 in Memel, 1,000 in Kurland, and 2,000/1,000/10 in Tver. We also seek to strengthen ourselves diplomatically, and enter quite eagerly into an alliance with Bohemia, Austria, and Hungary. This should give the damn Poles something to consider before attacking us! We continue our army expansion program by raising another 1,000 in Tver, while at the same time, von Sachsen’s own son is wedded to the daughter of an Austrian Duke.
1505: We have now mastered the technique of mounting our cannon on ships, though at this time, it has little application as the whole of our fleet consists of but 1 warship and 2 transports. Throughout the year, we have sent a stream of letters to Austria in correspondence, and we are now looked upon rather favorably by them (rel. to +105). This is important, as our alliance with them expires in August of this year! All my fears would turn be naught though, as we were able to reaffirm military support from both Austria and Hungary. Once more, we have run rings around the Poles!
1506: Seeking to rid ourselves of one enemy, this year marks the opening of a major diplomatic effort aimed at Russia. A river of letters is sent to Moscow, and we present them with a statue commemorating the end of the Teuton-Russo war of 1501. By the end of the year, this has paid off brilliantly, and we can now assume the Russians to be neutral in any coming conflicts we are involved in (rel. to –49).
1507: This is the last year to be included in this chapter, and it has certainly been an interesting one. We have achieved with Russia, a Royal Marriage, and a stance of true neutrality with them (rel. to -29). The peasants in Tver however, don’t seem to accept these latest developments, as they engage in open revolt in January, February, August, and December. We suspect Polish involvement, as each revolting “army” consists of more infantry than there are people in the province. By the year’s end, we have fought and been victorious against a total of 160,000 peasants split roughly even over the four revolts! Our agents believe that the worst is over now, and I can only hope so….
