- ARCHIVE - Ducal Court of Mecklemburg

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Ducal Court of Mecklemburg

Nation: Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Head of State: Prince-Margrave Michael I, Arch Lictor, sole heir of ye noble house of Strelitz, Baron of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
Religion:Catholic
Culture: German
National Statistics: 1/1/4/4/2
Provinces: Mecklemburg
Ports: 1

 

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Important People
Michael I of Mecklenburg-Strelitz: The heir to the Duchies of both Strelitz and of Schwerin, Michael is now the youngest Prince in The Empire being only aged 17. His father has just recently died of diptheria and Michael has been recalled from Berlin where he was placed 5 years ago to ensure non-agression between Brandenburg and Mecklemburg. For the first time in it's existence, Mecklemburg's two duchies share the same heir, via the marriage of Michael's father, Charles IV, heir of Strelitz, and his mother, Christine, heir of Schwerin. Amid the rejoices of the population that the two duchies quarrels have finally ended, Michael has energetically set about reorganizing and enlarging the small standing army with mercenaries and recruits from all over the northern Empire. Certainly an interesting career awaits our young prince...

Archbishop Gunther of Lubeck: Archbishop Gunther is the most trusted advisor of Michael, and certainly the most skilled diplomat he has at his disposal.

Frederich of Ratzeburg: Michael's childhood friend and right-hand man. He is supreme commander of Mecklemburg's forces and foremost among the Prince's guard.

Frederick Strelitz: The younger brother of the late Charles IV, he represents Mecklemburg in the Hanaestatic League, and his council has been most valuble to Michael of late.

Diplomats
1 Hath been sent unto Bremen to relieve the embargo of Holstein.
1 Hath been sent unto Holstein to curry an alliance.

Treaties
The Mecklenburg-Baden treaty of friendship and good will
A member of Hansa

 

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A brief description of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...

MECKLENBURG-STREL1TZ consists of two detached parts, the duchy of Strelitz on the E. of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and the principality of Ratzeburg on the W. The first is bounded by Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Pomerania and Brandenburg, the second by Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Lauenburg, and the territory of the free town of Lbeck. Their joint area is 1130 sq. m. Pop. 103,451.

Mecklenburg lies wholly within the great North-European plain, and its flat surface is interrupted only by one raiIge of low hills, intersecting the country from south-east to north-west, and forming the watershed between the Baltic Sea and the Elba. Its highest point, the Helpter Berg, is 587 ft. above sea-level. The coast-line runs for 65 m. along the Baltic (without including indentations), for the most part in flat sandy stretches covered with dunes. The chief inlets are Wismar Bay, the Salzhaff, and the roads of Warnemnde. The rivers are numerous though small; most of them are affluents of the Elbe, which traverses a small portion of Mecklenburg. Several are navigable, and the facilities for inland water traffic are increased by canals. Lakes are numerous; about four hundred, covering an area of 500 sq. m., are reckoned in the two duchies. The largest is Lake MUritz, 52 sq. m. in extent. The climate resembles that of Great Britain, but the winters are generally more severe; the mean annual temperature is 48 F., and the annual rainfall is about 28 in. Although there are long stretches of marshy moorland along the coast, the soil is on the whole productive. About 57% of the total area of Mecklenburg-Schwerin consists of cultivated land, 18% of forest, and 13% of heath and pasture. In Mecklenburg-Strelitz the corresponding figures are 47, 21 and 10%. Agriculture is by far the most important industry in both duchies. The chief crops are rye, oats, wheat, and hay. Smaller areas are devoted to buckwheat, pease, rape, hemp, flax, and hops. The extensive pastures support large herds of sheep and cattle, including a noteworthy breed of merino sheep. The horses of Mecklenburg are of a fine sturdy quality and highly esteemed. Red deer, wild swine and various other game are found in the forests. The industrial establishments include a few ironfoundries, wool-spinning mills, carriage factories, dyeworks, tanneries, brick-fields, soap-works, breweries, distilleries, numerous limekilns and tar-boiling works, and numerous mills of various kinds. Mining is insignificant, though a fair variety of minerals is represented in the district. Amber is found on and near the Baltic coast. Rostock, Warnemuhde and Wismar are the principal commercial centres. The chief exports are grain and other agricultural produce, live stock, spirits, wood and wool; the chief imports are iron, coal, salt, wine, and beer. The horse and wool markets of Mecklenburg are largely attended by buyers from various parts of Germany. Fishing is carried on extensively in the numerous inland lakes:

The Prince's residence.

 

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The Armed Forces of Mecklemburg:

The Household Guard: Consisting of 500 men. They carry the traditional broad axe of the Guard. Commanded by Frederich of Ratzeburg.

Host of Strelitz: Consisting of 2000 men. Roughly 800 archers, and the remaining 1200 consisting of a mixed force of men-at-arms and mercenary pikemen.

Host of Schwerin: Consisting of 2000 men. 500 crossbowmen, 400 archers, 100 'lancers', and 1000 men-at-arms.

Ratzeburg Detachement: Consisting of 500 men. 200 mercenary pikemen, 100 archers, 200 men-at-arms.

The Grand Fleet of Mecklemburg:

Five galleys, the Ratzeburg, Schwerin, Strelitz, Muritz, and Michael.

 

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The court is open!

 

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Return to Lubeck...

Contemplation was Michael's bread and plotting was his drink. Berlin was boring him, he longed to walk the narrow alleys of Lubeck again, to smell the fresh air of Ratzeburg. He had been in Berlin 5 years now, a pawn of his father, given to the Brandenburgers to seal his pact of non-agression with them. As if I mattered enough to my father to stop his ambitions!

Michael was jerked back to reality by a knock on his door.
"Come in!" he barked.
A servant walked in, bowed stiffly, and handed Michael a piece of parchment. Michael stared at it, he never recieved letters, yet here it was, as plain as daylight. He waved the servant away with a distracted gesture, and looked at the seal, it was his father's. Michael unfolded the letter, it read:

"Dear Michael, I am very sorry to be the one writing to you of your father's death. He passed away at 11' o'clock on the 5th of September, of an illness unknown. He had been sickly for quite some time now, but not very seriously. This is a sudden and unexpected shock to the household. Your presence in Lubeck is requested immediatly. Signed, Frederick Richenbachen, king's esquire."
Michael smiled, this was what he had been waiting for for years.

 

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A letter from Baden

Onto the Michael I of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.


I have heard you are planning to open Mecklenburg to the world and to harvest the fruits of trade and diplomacy. I had also heard that Mecklenburg is dependant on import of salt and wine and therefore I ask you are you willing to accept my ambassador to discuss trade.

Signed Jakob I margrave of baden,price of Holy Roman Empire

 

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Lübeck... The gate to the Baltic. Or at least, so did people once say.

These days, many a merchant trying his luck in the Baltic Sea docks in the harbour for supplies before moving on, and many other stops here to sell their goods. A great number of them flies the Hanseatic flag alongside their national symbols, and most of them speak about how much membership of the Hansa has benefitted Mecklemburg.

One of the merchants, arriving from Bremen, destined for Narva to profit on the lucrative lumber traffic to Lisbon, makes a short stop to deliver a letter to the duke.

Michael I of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

News of your fathers death have reached me, and I am deeply saddened by it. I knew your father as a great man, with whom I often had the great pleasure of cooperating, for the greater good for both Bremen and Mecklemburg.
As a member of the Hansa, your father had a man representing him and his nation in the Hanseatic Council in Bremen, and untill further notice, I will continue to respect your fathers appointment of that man, allthough I would be honoured to accept any other, chose by you, in his place.

It is my hope that Bremen and Mecklemburg can continue the friendship between our nations started so many years ago, and that we may continue to dominate trade, as Hanseatic members.

May God grant your father rest.

Johann III
Duke of Bremen, of Hannover, of Prussia
Chairman of the Hansa
Richter von Gross Germania
Imperial High Treasurer

 

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To Jakob of Baden, I say that I am willing to accept your offer of trade and I hope that we might both profit from such a deal. Well know here is the famed wine of your land, though I was unaware as such that you reaped a harvest of salt. Where, pray tell, does your fine spice come from?

 

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To Johann III of Bremen, I thank ye kindly for your condolonces of my late father. I say unto thee that I will verily appoint a new man to represent Mecklemburg at the Council of Hansa. The new representitive shall be my late father's brother, Frederick Strelitz, a fine man he is.
Yours truly,
Michael I

 

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A letter arrives from Bremen.

Onto his Grace, Margrave Michael I.

I thank you for your kind letter, and am pleased to announce that your representative to the Hanseatic Council is welcomed in my court.

I have no desire for anything but close friendship between our states, as we are both neighbours and fellow members of the Hanseatic Union.
As such, I hereby grant you right to negotiate on behalf of the Hanseatic Union, so that you may secure a strong and profitable agrement with Baden, for the greater good of the Hansa.
Any treaty needs approval of the Hanseatic Council, same as if any other man had signed it.

It is my hope that you will understand the great potential the Hansa offers any independent state, especially one not greater than Baden, and that you will not give away our markets for free.
Should you desire any closer proof of our friendship, you need but name it, and I shall see if it is in any way possible.

Johann III
Duke of Bremen, of Hannover, of Prussia

 

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Onto the Margrave Michael I



Our rock salt comes from mines south of Karlsruhe, our capital. Trurly it has very good quality and trade with salt is very good. May we send an ambassador to your margravate?


Signed by his own hand in Karlsruhe Jakob I margrave of Baden.

 

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Onto the Margrave Michael I



Our rock salt comes from mines south of Karlsruhe, our capital. Trurly it has very good quality and trade with salt is very good. May we send an ambassador to your margravate?


Signed by his own hand in Karlsruhe Jakob I margrave of Baden.

Verily! Your ambassador will be recieved as a guest of honor here.

 

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Finally envoy of Baden arrives.

"Good day to you your illustrious lordship."

He bows.

"My name is Otto Ahlefeld, one of many ambassadors of my duke. I am trurly impressed by beaty of this land just as beauty of your court. I was send to represent Baden in trade and possible other diplomatic matters here and possibly in neighbour states. Trurly I never seen so much farms and crops as here. We are mainly interested in wool and little of tar for our merchant ships on Rhine , we also heard that you have dye workshops but pray tell me where does the resources for dyes come from? You surely must import it but we want to be sure."

 

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We are honored by your presence Otto Ahlefeld, for we are but a small country possesed of simple folk. We would gladly sell our good unto thee. Most of our dye is derived from the Weld and Buckthorn berries you no doubt saw growing pletifully on your way here. Any order or exchange of goods is acceptable. What kind of a deal do you propose?

 

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Prince-Margrave Michael I of Mecklemburg,

We do wish to engage with you in a trade agreement. We have noticed that your country has no oysters and regret this. Do you wish to trade, say, some of your fine horses for our oysters, timber, mayhaps even salt or wine, which we see you import in substantial amounts. Is this the case? If you do wish to engage in such a manner, we will certainly welcome other products of yours across our borders.

Duke Otto IV of Holstein

 

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To Otto of Holstein,
I thank ye kindly for your offer, though I must regretfully decline. I do not see how a trade agreement would benefit us much, seeing as we are neighbours and reap much of the same harvest. However, may I suggest a treaty of non-agression?
-Michael I

 

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Prince-Margrave Michael I,

Surely! I can not think of a better way to begin a healthy relationship between our nations. I hope that a trade alliance, perhaps even a defensive pact will be signed in the future. That is, once we are ridded of this terrible vassalship.

 

[Longinus]

”Onto Michael, Duke of Macklenburg,

Chere Cousin,

We have just learnt about the passing of Your father and thus we wish to convey our condolences. He was a good, noble and pious man who will undoubtedly find his place in Heaven.

With this, however, comes a burden, responsibility and honour of governing Macklenburgian fief and coronet. We thus pray that your reign to be most good and prosperous. Both of our Houses has always shared a great deal of friendship and blood thus our blessings are even more sincere.

We wish to meet Your Grace as soon as time allows this to happen, thus we call Your Grace to Nurnberg where a proper ceremony of investing Your Grace with the title of the Imperial Prince shall take place, there we will also gladly receive your oath. We hope that we shall also find enough time to converse.

Godspeed

Dictated in Nurnberg,

Joachim of the Greif, King of the Romans, Germany, Italy, Sweden etcetera.”

 

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My proposal of trade deal is:


Mecklenburg-Baden treaty of friendship and good will


Article I: This treaty is purely matter of Mecklenburg and Baden

Article II: Both nations will lower tarrifs and tolls for merchants of other side

Baden: Shall lower all taxes and tolls by 15 % for merchants with wool and tar and dye.

Mecklenburg: will lower all taxes and tolls by 15 % for merchants with wine,salt

Article III: Both nations will protect merchants of other side on roads that will be used for this purpose. If one side will fail to do so it will repay the cost of cargo to owner.

Article IV: In case of war Baden will have discount on wool of another 5%, in return Mecklenburg will have discount of another 5% on wine

Article V: Both nations will live in friendship and peace and have duty to do so.

Signed
[_] Jakob I margrave of Baden
[_] Prince-Margrave Michael I of Mecklenburg.


OOC: Mechanical effects should be non-agression treaty and trade treaty to make everything clear