- ARCHIVE - Ducal Court of Venice

[Estonianzulu]

"Noble Doge, I am Francesco Cossiga, and I, like Jean Elstarda have come to gather information on this noble alliance of Italian states.

What are the rules, the guides and the plans of this alliance?

I have also been asked to request that I be stationed as permenant ambassador to your noble court."

 

[Wulfram]

Tassos Katsiambis, the Ambassodor from Constantinople speaks

"Your Grace,

I trust you will offer peace to the Serbians now you have foiled their invasion of the Ottomans. If you continue your attacks I fear that our relations will be impaired."

 

[Wulfram]

A letter arrives from Constantinople

"Your Grace,

I would understand if you were to continue war against Serbia, but I fear that the people of Constantinople would not, and neither would the Patriarch.

If you continue to wage war upon Serbia, popular opinion in Constantinople and other parts of the Empire would force my hand. I would be forced to close of my lands to Venician merchants, and that would be bad for us all

As for the Patriarch, he has informed me that he is considering calling for the Orthodox people to rise up in revolt against you, and I doubt even your mighty forces would find it easy to contain revolts in all your Orthodox provinces.

Consider well your actions, for I fear they could adversely affect the welfare of the Serene Republic for many years to come, and none would wish that would they?

Signed

Ioannes VIII Paleologus
Basileus Rhomaion"

 

[Estonianzulu]

"Modena has long been considering this alliance. However, recent events leave Modena confused.

Is Venice, that most holy Republic of St. Mark, fighting with the heathan Turks? Please tell Modena that we are mistaken, or is some strange occurance going on?"

 

[Estonianzulu]

Francesco Cossiga, ambassador to Venice-

" After much deliberation, Modena has decided to join the League of St. Mark as an ally to our friend Venice.

And now that we have decided to join your war against Serbia as an ally to you. We shall send troops to aid you in your sieges and help end this great fighter against peace."

 

[unmerged(3261)]

To His Pacific Highness, Francesco Foscari, By Grace of God and Glory of Profit Doge of Venice,

Peace and profit be yours, kind and Christian neighbor. Your words have been well-received in Dijon, and we pray ours are received with equal joy on the Rialto. It is our most sincere hope that in time, the greatest power on terra firma, the Duchy of Burgundy, and the greatest upon the seas, Venice, may come to know closer ties and bonds. Know that should you ever require assistance, we stand ready to help however we may.

We remain, in interest of commerce and concord,

Philip
Duke of Burgundy
First Peer of France
Securer of Peace and Profit

 

[unmerged(6519)]

A woman entered the audience room in Venice.

"Your Grace, the Doge of Genoa,

I am Sandrine De'Revol, the former representitive of Normandy in Calais to the Commonwealth of the Federation of nations. I have been granted reassignment to your great mercantile city. With your permission, I shall become the ambassador from Normandie to Venice. Your Grace is welcome to send an ambassador to Caen as well.

Also, when recontrol is gained over Napoli by Queen Giovanna, she is most willing to join this Alliance of St. Mark that you have created. But there is a condition that she will tell you upon the time of the recontrol of Napoli.

At your leave, your grace.."

 

[unmerged(6519)]

"My apologies, your grace...I meant Doge of Venice...

...this is Venice, correct?"

 

[Darth Tracid]

A luxembourgian envoy enters the room.

"My grace,
our once faithfull vassals and your allies, the kingdom of Hungary have broken their oath and declered themselves free.
I have been sent here by Elisabeth of Görlitz to ask you for your assistance in the war that will be the result of this act.
She wants nothing but the best relations with Venice, and hopes that you choose the right side in this conflict.
We have no choice but to war with the king of Hungary. A short time ago, our duke Sigismund I. freed them, believing they were able to cope with independence. It has failed. The king of Hungary has failed his people. We have no other choice.
Luxembourg doesn´t offer you anything, for this is not a war of gain, but a war against a ruler who failed his country."

 

[unmerged(1463)]

A letter arrives from Paris
Noble Doge, Times of Joy has struck France and our diplomatic corps is being sent all over, soon an ambassador will be sent to Venice, if that is your wish.

First of all let me congratulate you on your noble strife to make Italy united we wish to the best of succees.

Signed
Charles VII

 

[unmerged(3261)]

A Burgundian youth, fair-haired and smiling brightly, drops into a low bow upon entering the Doge's court.

"Your Magnificence,

His Grace, the Duke of Burgundy, has bid me come and signal his official reception of your own ambassador to his court. Your loyal lord and his lady have been well-received by His Grace, and he looks forward, through the transmittance of ideas and policy through them, to greater ties with the Republic of St. Mark. In reply, he has sent me, Gilbert de Rocheouart, to serve, if you shall have me, as His Grace's own representative to Venice.

As ever, Your Pacific Highness, His Grace wishes you greater, and indeed the greatest, profit and peace."

 

[unmerged(6519)]

Sandrine entered the audience room with a bit of information.

"Your Grace,

The Queen has agreed to your request for Janues to be withheld. She is currently off the coast of Morea. She wishes to know if she can land on the island of Crete, currently controlled by yourself. I prey war does not break out between the Republic and Constantinople.."

 

[Wulfram]

A letter arrives from Constantinople

"To His most Pacific Majest, Francesco Foscarini, Doge of Venice,

You seem to read insult where there is none. I merely seek to council one who I wish to befriend away from an unwise course.

Why should I be held responsible for any revolts caused by your unjustified aggression against Serbia? I would deplore them, as I deplore all conflicts between Christians.

The Patriarch however has a different calling to mine, and his responsibility is to all Orthodox instead of just those who live within the boundaries of the Empire.

Finally, I resent the tone you took in your previous letter. The Empire is not Venice's vassal to be ordered about upon a whim. I suggest you learn to show the respect which God's vice-regent on Earth deserves.

Signed,

Ioannes VIII in Christ the God, King and Emperor of the Romans

 

[Wulfram]

A letter arrives from Constantinople

"Your Majesty,

I do not know what you expect me to do. Do you believe that a secular ruler should censor the spiritual? Do you really think that aggressive action against the holy city would gain you anything?

I will try to persuade the Patriarch to refrain from making any unwise sermons, but if you continue to prosecute war upon Serbia I fear that I will not be able to restrain him.

Signed,

Ioannes VIII in Christ the God, King and Emperor of the Romans."

 

[unmerged(8915)]

A small entourage disembarks in the port and make for the court without any stops. They are Wallachian envoys. The leader of the delegation adresses the Doge:

Dearest and most Wise Doge of Venice,

the court of Wallachia has heard that your most splendid alliance of St. Mark has been broken by the foolish actions of Hungary and its infant monarch. It fills us with sadness that your hard work has come to nought.

However, acting as delegates of the Balkanic Alliance in Sarajevo, we would like to humbly invite the mighty Venetian Empire to our alliance so that Venice would have allies who can strike against her enemies in unison.

I am sorry for not introducing myself first of all. My name is Roman Voulas and I will represent the Wallachian court of the Republic of St. Mark.

Wallachia would be so grateful if Venice would join our alliance, which official text is kept in Sarajevo, that te most trusted man of the Wallachian Voivoda, Vlad Tepes will marry one of your beautiful daughters as another measure of strengthening the bond.

Thank you for your prescious time and let your answer stride towards Bosnia and the mountains of Wallachia."

Afterwards, the delegates leave the court and spend the entire day awed by the beauty of the Lagoon City.

 

[unmerged(6975)]

A letter arrives from Ragusa

"Great Doge of Venice,
We too hope one day to see your banners raised with ours at the council of Sarajevo. I hope that the friendship between our countries and the jewel of the Adriatic, Venice, will grow and strengthen as the days pass. And surely it would do Venice no disservice to ally with the Balkan states, especially considering past troubles with Serbia and other nations?

Signed, his lordship
Duke Stefan Crnojevic of Ragusa."

 

[Darth Tracid]

A messenger from Luxembourg enters the court.
"Your grace, Elisabeth of Luxembourg has sent me here to thank you for your support on this issue and she would like to assure you that she has every intention of a close and good relationship between Luxembourg and Venice.
As for the current war in Hungary, if you wish to do so, the luxembourgian army and it´s allies are massing on the hungarian border in austria. If you wish to send soldiers there, they will be very welcome. But due to the war in serbia, which you have at your hand, it will also be seen very joyjully if you would join this crusade after this your campaign has been ended, with a victory of yours I hope."

 

[unmerged(7661)]

A serbian envoy under the white flag brings a secret letter to the ventian lines around belgrad.

 

[unmerged(6975)]

"Greetings,

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Ioan Tepes of Wallachia and Milena Crnojevic of Ragusa. Two services will be held at Dubrovnik cathedral, an orthodox service in Romanian as well as a catholic service in Italian. Translations will be available for Latin, Greek, German, and Serbic.

Signed, his lordship,
Duke Stefan Crnojevic of Ragusa"

 

[Estonianzulu]

"We have heard recent words about the end of the League of St. Mark. How could this be? It was the purpose of this alliance to make Italy peacefully united.

If Hungary leaves this alliance, Modena and the Republic of St. Mark are still members, so Modena sees no reason why our grand alliance should remain one."