- ARCHIVE - Ducal Court of Bremen

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The ambassador from Aragon enters.

“Hnorable Duke of Bremen,

The King of Aragon thank you for the loan you provided. The King is still hoping for peace, but yet have the Genoan Doge refused to respond my King. If this odd silence continues it may be to late to return to an honorable peace, but hope is, as I believe, the last ting that abandons man...”

 

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It was difficult being duke of Bremen these days.
Not because of the usual burdens, or even the unusual ones. Walking the thin line between Mecklemburg and Holstein in an attempt to hold the Hansa together was difficult, but no more than Johann had expected.
The Imperial Elections had ended in a for Johann very satisfying way, as he had more or less openly supported Erich von Wittelsbach almost before Victor died.
And the problems about Genoa were to far away to really matter to Bremen, who was only involved due to the military-commercial treaty with Aragon.

The thing that really made it hard to be Johann was Friedrich the Spoileds escape.
One of the guards assigned to guard him had been found dead, and later Friedrich von Wettin had been murdered in his home.
Johann was no fool, and he knew that the madman wanted him dead, and even worse, that the heretic former duke had his eyes on Johanns sister, Meike.
So now private audiences with Johann were impossible. At all times, two armed and alert guards were with the duke, even when he sleept.
Heavier measures had been taken to protect the ducal family of Bremen. Meike had, for the duration of the crisis, been sent to Boulon-Rhuen, a fact which Johann had done his best to keep secret. He had planned to send Maria-Elisa there to, but in her usual stubborn way, she had refused to "flee before a lunatic. In times of peace as in times of dangers, especially in danger, my place is by your side", as she had put it.
So she continued to host her parties, to receive her visitors, and in general fullfill her duties as duchess of Bremen.
Of course, she was also guarded at all times, even though it had taken a lengthy and loud discussion to persuade her to accept this.
Johann-Kazimierz, the dukes son, was also guarded. Johann did fully expect Friedrich the Spoiled to murder an infant is given the chance, and it was public knowledge how much such a murder would hurt the duke of Bremen.
Heinz Heinrich Pesch, the officer in charge of the security, fully beleived only an direct assault by at least 100 men had any chance of hurting the ducal family now.

 

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Pedro d`Alcira, the ambassador from Aragon has left for Gelre, but before he left he leaved a note to the Duke.

 

[Herr Doctor]

A letter from Kiel arrives:

"My friend,

I have received news now from Boulon-Rhuen... I am awful afflicted. I do not have words to state my feelings. But I still don`t know what happened with my niece Anna?.. Anyway we must to do now something. Holstein will not leave it so!

Adolf VIII, duke of Holstein and Schleswig"

 

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In the dark corners of the castle, he waited. He knew it was only so much time before the Duke would pass. Hours had passed, yet he made no move. He was patient and could wait forever if need be. At last, his patience was rewarded. From the end of the hallway, noises were heard, the sound of many guards. Now was the tricky part. If he were to reveal himself, the guards may kill him and the last thing he wanted to do was shed their blood and ruin his goals.

As the guards and the Duke passed, he followed. He knew that the full guard could not always surround the Duke, and he was correct. As the Duke lay down to rest, the guards were posted outside the doors. He knew ways to demobilize a man without killing or harming him. As the two guards at the door grew drousy, he made his move. The guards were quickly knocked out and with much silence and then he entered the bedchambers. He carefully and quietly thrust his knife into the bed beside the Duke and waited. Within a few minutes, the Duke had awoken, to see him waiting. Before the Duke could react, he put his hand over the Duke's mouth.

"Rest easy milord, I am not here to kill you. I have an offer to make of you. Perhaps we should speak in private."

 

[Herr Doctor]

Johann von Forz open the court, came to Johann III and speaks with him:

"Your Grace, I know that may It`s not good time for such things but... I want to inform you that my lord Duke Adolf of Holstein signed trade agreement with Poland. It`s only a project and he want to offer it for discussion in the Hanseatic Council"



Hanseatic-Polish Tarde Agremeent
#1. Merchants from Hansa Trade Union will not pay any taxes at the territory of the Kingdom of Poland.

#2. King of Poland guarantees protection for the trade transit of Hansa taking place through Poland.

#3. Polish merchants will pay only 15 % of taxes in Hanseatic ports.

#4. Polish merchants can use Hanseatic trade ships only for 10 % of rent payment.

#5. In case of any necessities Holstein guarantees to give Poland a loan of 10,000 Talers (1 eco) for the term of 1 year.

Adolf, Duke of Holstein and Schleswig
Wladyslaw Jagello, King of Poland

 

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A rider appears in the court,

"Your Eminence,

I am a represntative of Axel Brahe, the regent of Sweden, a state that is about to disapear. As of late you have shown that you support, along with Holstein, the Swedis cause.

And now the Church has sided with Sweden, and as soon as the Pope hears the the Danes have publically annoucned their intentions to annex Sweden I assure you his justice will be swift.

I ask you to support Sweden fully. As combined the HRE and the Church would surley overwhelm the Danes, and I assure you that the Swedish poeple will also rise up against the Danes as soon as support is garnered.

Denmark is in the grip of the devil, and Gods justice shall fall upon the King of the Danes who has comitted the sin of Greed, and I ask that you help deliver that holy justice and support Sweden."

The man bows and awaits an answer.

 

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"Are you sure 'bout this?" Dietrich Spegel turned around and looked at Heinz Heinrich Pesch, the sergeant who commanded the small group of soldiers.
They were 12, and they had strict orders not to examine the contents of the wagon they were escorting. The duke had stressed this point for them, and they were handpicked for their loyalty and lengthy service to the ducal family. None of them had even thought about disobeying the order.
Only Heinz Heinrich Pesch knew where they were heading, and he understood why Dietrich questioned his directions.
They had started out by following the road south, and had been riding for days. And then, as they neared the border to Hannover, they had turned of the main road, and had begun to cross the country.
Heinz had consulted a card with instructions, and obviosly followed landmarks. They crossed small streams, changed directions near reconiseable single standing stones or trees with distinctive features.
And then they started to leave populated areas. Some of the soldiers had dreaded to enter the villages that had died out in the plague just 5 years ago, but loyalty to their duke had driven them to continue. All the villages were empty, as those were a few families, through luck or isolation, had managed to survive were abandoned by the survivors, who sought the safety in still existing villages. With time, these depopulated parts of the county of Bremen would repopulate, but for now, the only men the wildlife had seen in years were the Bremer soldiers who now escorted their unknown cargo, and the secret figures that had arranged for this transfer to take place.
Finally, the men stopped, and the sight of what lay ahead, and Heinz Heinrichs order "Leave the wagon here. We ride for at least three days, and then return in a week to see if it is still here," had prompted Dietrich to ask his question.
Heinz nooded, and the soldiers removed the horses from the wagon.
Then the 12 Bremer soldiers left, thus fullfilling Duke Johanns part of a secret bargain.

 

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A letter arrives from Kiel, but is from the Duke of Mecklemburg.

"To Johann III, Duke of Bremen.
My man at the Imperial Diet have sent me a draft to a socalled "Imperial Commerce Commission", and to tell you the truth, I dont like it. I really don't like it at all. To deepen my concerns, I have heard that you are mentioned as its potential Imperial High Treasurer. I cannot help but to think that this intend from the Emperor to gain further control over the Princes will damage the Hansa Trade Union, since there suddenly will be areas where the interests of the Hansa and the Empire will collide. Is this not true? An example: What if the Imperial Commerce Commission was to put an embargo on, say, Denmark, and a majority of the Hansa members wanted to continue trade with the Danes, what then?
And what about the coinage. What kind of foolish idea is that? That is a clear breach of princely independence, and you perfectly well know, that I cannot afford that kind of defeat one more time.
If I am to accept this "construction", I would demand that you make sure, that an extra article is added. One that ensures the independence and autonomy of the trade unions, at least what the Hansa is concerned. Otherwise it would cause great trouble within the Hansa, since it definitely weaken it. I'm sure my fellow Hansa-members agree.
Your Friend, Henry IV, Duke of Mecklemburg"

 

[Longinus]

A letter arrives from Frankfurt.

"My Dearest Friend and Brother,

First of all let me express my greatest sorrow and condolences. That Satan beast, spoiled Saxon shall pay for this even if we would have to burn whole Saxony to the ground, or even half of the Empire. When I heard about this event only revange was thumping in my heart. There will be no forgiveness nor mercy. As usual you have my full support.

I think we should also bring this case to our newly Elected Emperor as this is clearly The Spoiled's overlord fault as well. Too long has he holded us back.

As to Saxons themselves I think we shoul finally state our opinion again. We should invoke "Treaty of Dresden" and once again show who is their benefactor. Their stubbonrss and errors strike at me time by time as The Spoiled escape is their fault as well. Who could allo this dethroned spawn of Satan to enter their lands?

Second issue is Swedsih annexation. I need your advice and help here as it seems and am between hammer and anvil. One one hand I am pressed to give Nyland to the Danes on the other hand I am pressed not to do this. Sweeds themselves came to me and begging for help. Although I couldn't forgive The Spoiled but my heart tells me that I should forgive the Sweeds.

Lastly there is reform of the Empire. I think that both of us should talk with Erich von Wittelsbach and try to come up with something. I am currently in Frenkfurt and observing his steps closely. Perhaps we are witnessing Empire reborning? Please come to Frankfurt if you will have some time,

I hope that Maria-Elsie is feeling good as well as her and your son.

I wish you all good health and fortune.

by his own hand in Frankfurt

Joachim of the Greif

 

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A letter arrives from the Duke of Mecklemburg.

"My dear friend, Duke of Bremen.
I have heard about the tragedy that has fallen upon your family. Words cannot express what we feel here in Mecklemburg, since we cannot imagine such terror.
If there is anything I can do about this, Mecklemburg and I are at your service.
Condolences from Henry IV, Duke of Mecklemburg."

 

[Auspend]

A letter arrives from Nurnburg

Duke Johann III of Bremen, Richter von Germania,

Your presence is hereby requested in the Imperial Diet in Nurnburg to serve in your post as Richter von Germania. It is asked that you either arrive or designate a proxy within one month's time(Thursday).

~Adolf Konstanz,
Scribe to the Richter-Kurfurst

 

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Heinrich thought that he had to continue the conversation they had started, so to not disturb the other men in the diet with the issue, he walked to talk more private with Herr Dyck.

"Excuse me for the words about the treaty, I read through the first act, but did not bother the appendix. Anyway you most oc-operate on this one. There is a risk we might be forced to ask you to destroy the Treaty. We do not want the situation we recently had in Saxony again, that a regent would rule us, we can already see the Council making wounds in our Duchy, we need a strong Duke. Anyway that does not meen that the Wettins would step out of Saxon history, the proposal that seems to be the final decision is that a new Duke is elected and forced to adopt young Albrecht, I would like you to support that decision, and to respect our will."

 

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KIDNAP EVENT

Bremen honour is at stake. Funds are sought and invested massively to find Friedrich (The spoiled) With the whole Empire looking for him it is hard to hide.

Friedrich "The Great" (as he saw himself ) arrives in the Castle in Meissen, where he and his wife seek refuge.

He has the fallback plan of fleeing to the boarders of Austria. The Saxon Council will not help him in anyway, they could rather do the opposite, help to catch him. He knew that, but there were a few still loyal or sympathetic



1. He realises his precarious position here and considers moving before discovered.

2. He disappears as arresting forces arrive

3. Saxon gives him away to imperial forces

4. A trusted guard with swarthy complexion, isn't so trusty. He is discovered so he slips into the night to escape. (He escapes)

5. A trusted guard with swarthy complexion, isn't so trusty. He is discovered to come from Persia (Timir) before he slips into the night to escape. (He doesn't escape)

6. A foreign agent gets so close as to get found out. The fanatic throws himself from a window when caught. He was from the east .

7. Undisclosed Imperial sources send information to the Emperor as to his where abouts. A cordon is thrown around the castle. (Friedrich is besieged)

8. A trusted guard with swarthy complexion, isn't so trusty. Buying the other guards for enough money that they could live as gentry for the rest of their lives, they grab him one evening whilst he was walking the walls, and whisk him away into the dark.

(1 eco to trigger. 2 eco to modify. ) Funding: Bremen Government (1 eco), Persian Nobility (Timurid)(2 eco)BZali info only.

A 4 is rolled (+2) = 6

A foreign agent gets so close as to get found out. The fanatic throws himself from a window when caught. He was from the east . Nothing more is known of the assassin OR the where abouts of Freiderich of Saxony, 'The Spoiled'

 

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A letter arrives.

“Noble Duke of Bremen,

I wish to offer you this treaty to you, for your support for Aragon in its struggle against Genoa. It will bring even more riches to your nation as Gelre as you will be able to controll much of the spice trade in Northern Europe. Spice that Aragon has obtained from the Mamelukes, by a signing a very favourable trade deal.

signed

Alfonso V, King of Aragon”

In the letter was also a note with a trade offer.

”Merchants from Gelre and Bremen shall be the first to bid on spice, that the Crown of Aragon has purchased from the East, intended for re-export to nations bordering the Baltic Sea and to the northern nations of the Holy Roman Empire (north of the city of Prag) and have the right to re-export it to these nations. They shall pay no taxes or fees for this trade with spice, other then such taxes and fees that their own nations may impose.”

 

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Magnus von Stargard enters the room to talk to Otto Kaufmann. The Mecklemburgian makes it short and sweet.

"Hmm, my Duke was wandering what makes this Aragon-spice agreement so special, that it cannot embrace the entire Hansa... it seems a little strange to my lord, that Bremen and Gelre would cut Mecklemburg out of such profitable trade as these spices present."

He looks at the Bremer guild head...

"Maybe you would care to enlighten me on that, mein herr?"

 

[LUDWIG]

A monk arrives bearing a letter.
"His Grace Cardinal von Webber approves bishop Erasmus as a worthy successor to the departed Archbishop Töllnich.
May the new Archbishop Erasmus lead his flock according to the word of God and the teachings of the Holy Mother Church.

-----
Signed and sealed by
Cardinal Jan von Webber
Primate of Germania"

 

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A letter arrives.

“Johann III, Duke of Bremen and Prussia, Chairman of the Hansa, My friend and ally,

It is always good to hear from you, my friend. Your words of support ease my burdens. Yet have the Doge of Genoa not confirmed the peace he himself has proposed, but hopefulle he will soon and peace and trade routes can be restored. I also want to apoligese for the troubles the spice agreement may have had on your fine Hansa Union. It was intended to show my gratitude for your and Gelres financial support and was there fore given to your Dutchies, not your Union. It was also given to show the world that Aragon is a Kingdom who gives it support, without stating demands, to its friends. As stated in the agreement you are in your fully right to re-export the spice to any nation who borders the Baltic or is positioned in the Holy Roman Empire, north of Prag. I am sure of that your fine trade chancellors can work something out with the other members of the Hansa Union.

As for another matter, Aragon would be interested in import metalls such as cupper and tin. The war have stretched our own resources and I would appriciate if you, with your extensive knowledge in trade, could help me in finding these resources, and establish a profitable trade route.

Signed by

Alfonso V, King of Aragon”

 

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Magnus von Stargard looks at Otto Kaufmann and smiles.

"The deal sounds profitable, and I would like to discuss it in detail, and I do understand your dilemma.
Hmm, however, about the math concerning the weight of Bremen and Gelre merchants. You say that you combined should represent 50 percent of the Hansa. Probably, but may I remind you, that under Mecklemburgian jurisdiction lies the great trading cities of Lübeck, Wismar and Rostock? The first being the biggest trading city in the entire northern area. So, if Bremen and Gelre combined constitutes 50 percent of the Hansa, then Mecklemburg alone will surely represent about 35-40 percent. Well, this is just all math and unimportant, really.
And could you pass along a message to your Duke? It seems, that he has got the impression, that Mecklemburg does not favor his friendship. Tell him, that it could not be further from the truth. The bond between Mecklemburg and Bremen is one of the strongest ones that Mecklemburg has at all. My Duke would rather die, than throw away the good relationship between our two fair lands. It was just the matter with Holstein, that made my Dukes blood boil. Please ask your Duke Johann to forgive my lord Henry. It would be sad to see such a perfect cooperation being slain because of some stupid ambassadors."

 

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Hansa Trade Council

Magnus von Stargard adresses the Hansa Trade Council:

"Gentlemen, Britanny will only allow the Hansa to open up a Guild House in Nantes, if we all four sign and seal a letter to them stating so. Even though this is not a problem, I have the distinct feeling that Britanny is staling us for some reason. I ask the council what we are to do about it?"