Austria: From pawn to superpower, part 2
Version 1.8UK and IGC1.7c. Very hard difficulty/normal aggression/base victory points.
Comments in [] like [foobar] are informative or inquisitive, but not part of the narrative.
The extent of the Austrian Empire in the year of our lord 1612: The empire stretches from the Turkish Empire in the southeast to Poland-Lithuania in the northeast, to the Netherlands in the northwest (with Hannover as a buffer zone) to France in the west to Spain in the southwest (Savoy as a buffer zone). Savoy, having annexed Baden & Wurtenburg, has been an Austrian vassal since 1555 and seems likely to remain so for some time, since she makes an excellent buffer with Spain. Due to excessive annexation by Maximillian II badboy coalition wars are no rarity.
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Chapter IV: 'The 8 years war and consequences thereof'
Anno domine 1612 Mathias, first of his name, is crowned king and emperor of the Austrian Empire. (The electors of the Holy Roman Empire have chosen the Spanish king but Mathias, like his predecessors, claims the title, and mantle, of emperor). This ends the 8 years regency following the death of Rudolf II, the builder. Mathias' first priority is to rebuild the shattered Austrian armies and alliances at which he is ultimately succesful and within a few years the Austria-Savoy-Venice is as strong as ever before. Mathias, a great lover of the arts, sponsors the first fine arts academy in Austria. The fields of the Austrian Empire have been fertilized with blood and a new generation of soldiers is ready to defend the empire. By 1618 the standing army has a strength of 350,000 men of which 60,000 and 150 cannon are stationed near Constantinople. They will be needed.
By 1619 Mathias dies leaving Ferdinand II the throne. Shortly after his coronation Turkey (reacting to a perceived weakness) declares war thus firing the first shot in yet another of the ultimately futile coalition wars. Pommerania-Russia-Persia declares war. Hessen-Spain-Netherlands-the Palatinat declares war. Denmark-Sweden declares war. Poland-Lithuania & France declares war. And finally England declares war. 6 Alliances with 13 nations declaring war within a week!? Their aim is clear and explicitly stated by Spain, France and Poland-Lithuania: Nothing less than the dismantling of the Austrian Empire will satisfy them. Ferdinand is neither amused, nor pleased, and orders the southern army under Wallenstein (4/4/4/1) to defeat Turkey, thus securing the south-eastern border. His faithful allies have, naturally, rallied to the Austrian call to arms in each defensive war.
The Turk is gone! Wallenstein arrives in Constantinople within a month, defeats the weak 30,000 man army defending the Turkish capital, and immediately storms the walls. The sultan, cowering within the harem, is captured and signs a peace treaty ('the Sultans Shame') exactly a month after declaring war and Wallenstein, having lost but 2,000 men returns to the Hungarian provinces to guard against Polish and Russian incursions.
In the months to come Papenheim (3/2/4/1) in the North and Wallenstein in the South practice the tactics of Rudolf II. As huge enemy armies swarm over the northern borders the Austrian armies concentrate on one enemy at a time, letting the enemies beseige the Austrian border provinces at will, while cutting of their supply lines. This quickly reduces huge armies to large armies and large armies to small. After a year of war the Hessen-Spain-Netherlands-Palatinat alliance withdraws from the war, Austrian paying 250 ducats indemnities. This marks the last time in recorded history, that Austria paid for peace. Papenheim invades Pommerania while Wallenstein invades Poland. By November 1620 Papenheim controls all of Pommerania, which is promptly annexed. He turns south to help Savoy against France. By may 1621 Wallenstein has captured Posen and the capital of Poland-Lithuania and Ferdinand II gracefully accepts peace gaining Posen. English, Danish and Swedish armies are landing in Pommerania and since the French and the Poles are out of the war Papenheim rushes to the North. (Wallenstein is ordered to guard the south and east again.
By 1622 Ferdinand II has learned to rue the lack of a fleet (the Austrian fleet consists of 2 warships and 6 traders). His armies can't reach England, can't reach Sweden and, since France occupied Jylland decades ago, they can't reach Denmark either. His northern army under Papenheim defeats every landing (and they are frequent) but there is no real room for negotiation. These are the only enemies left - and there is nothing to be done, since he has vowed never again to pay for peace. So he raises an extra 100,000 men in two new armies to guard the newly acquired provinces. This drags on for years...
And by 1625 Turkey declares war again and, surprise, surprise, so do the Netherlands-Spain-Hessen-Palatinat alliance, this time under the leadership of the Netherlands. Wallenstein, recuperating with his army in Pest, marches southeast, defeats the Sultans armies, reaches Constantinople and storms the walls...again. At swordpoint the cowardly Sultan signs a peace treaty and Wallenstein returns to Austria taking much of the harem as his personal booty [according to tradition he told Ferdinand, that 'since I am spending so much time with them anyway, it were better did they not only see me at my worst.' and Ferdinand replied: 'show them the lance of Austria'. This is probably attributed.]. After this the Sultan was the laughingstock of Europe and often referred to as 'the Sultana of Constantinople'. Wallenstein being temporarily indisposed the war against the Spanish alliance is left to Papenheim, and by 1627 peace is a reality. Austria leaves this war more powerful than ever before with 500,000 men under arms. For his exploits against the infidel Ferdinand II is justly revered and many are the titles granted him: king, Emperor, defender of the faith, the Hammer of God.
Anno domine 1629, Ferdinand II, the Hammer of God, having reigned but a decade, dies. In his reign Austria annexed Pommerania and defended itself against the great coalitions of the 8 years war. He smote the Sultan twice. He leaves an Austria ready to reap the fruit of his labours - a lasting peace. The Austrian alliance partners are still faithful.
Ferdinand III is crowned king and he announces the start of a new industrial era: Manufactories are to be built wherever suitable. Venice is vassalised in 1629 beginning a process that will eventually in 1645 gain them admittance to the Austrian Empire on equal terms. Ferdinand's reign is blessed with prosperity and apart from a few rebellions in the newly conquered provinces the shadow of war does not mar the Austrian countryside. This cannot be said of the rest of Europe, where Spain and the Netherlands, having swallowed Hessen and the Palatinat is fighting a bitter war against France. With Venice being part of the Empire Austria has finally gained a fleet... and a shipyard. Gradually over the years a few brave souls will volounteer as settlers, perhaps fulfilling the dreams of Rudolf II: The colonization of the new world. Having obtained detailed information of the world Ferdinand turns from northern America which is busily being colonized by the English, French and Spanish and casts his eyes on the riches of India. Bad advice makes him send more than a thousand settlers to Santal in an attempt to settle this immensely rich province - without any soldiers to protect them since the soldierc could not be expected to survive a journey from Europe to India by sea. In 1646 success looks inevitable with more than 400 Austrian settler, but they are all slaughtered by the 20,000 natives that year. This makes Ferdinand abandon Santal and turn to the Southernmost province of India, which has been depopulated by some other power. Ferdinand is pleased, however, with the opening of a new centre of trade in Austrias only Amercian possession Chicontini. Ferdinand is also credited with appointing many provincial governors.
Anno domine 1652 Ferdinand III, the peace-king, dies. In his reign none dared lift a hand against Austria. He built more than fourteen manufactories, quited the most recently conquered provinces, kept a stable country, kept inflation at 0-1% throughout his reign, and diplomatically annexed Venice. Loved by his people, respected by the nobility and envied by all other European monarchs, it is a sad day when Ferdinand III dies. No heir is of age so a regency is proclaimed. Who knows what the future will bring?
Chapter V: 'Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor.'
Glory! Leopold I is crowned Austrian king and emperor in 1658 and like his predecessors he claims the title of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire though this is held by the Spanish king by the will of the electorate. It is an auspicious day that is perhaps only done justice in the famous poem 'Leopold: Rex et Imperator'.
The earliest sign of greatness is probably the diplomatic annexation of Savoy in july 1661, Savoy having been an Austrian vassal for 106 years. Leopold felt the righteousness of offering this to so steadfast an ally and the Savoyan leaders acquiesced. (The Duke of Baden (Savoyan since 1566) wrote in his memoirs: 'He is a great man. The weight of the world is on his shoulders, yet he bears it with good will, being supported by the hand of God. When he talks of his visions and of the Empire I see in him a Constantine, when he speaks of war I see a Caesar.')
1665. Upon the death of the Spanish king the electorate of the HRE (which is mostly Austrian) proclaims what is obvious to all: Leopold I is the true Holy Roman Emperor. His claim must now be considered valid even by the Spanish. In his famous 2nd coronation speech he makes it clear that no longer a fantom, a dream of times past, a hope of the Christian world, the Empire has finally been resurrected, the Empire of Charlemagne, and of Rome. There is to be no more talk of a second or third Rome, but only of the Empire. He promises to be the truest friend and kindest master to his allies but the sternest of foes to his enemies. He vows not to declare war on any Christian nation unless they attack an ally of the Empire but complete and final war against any who would attack the Empire. Or to quote Leopold, 'We have fought for our place in the sun and have won it.' Needless to say this infuriates the other nations of Europe. The Christian nations, with the exception of Parma and Tuscany, the alliance-partners, cannot accept this and the Pope denounces Leopold. The moslems fear his wrath but hope that a European alliance will arise to oppose him.
True to his word Leopold does not attack the nations conspiring against him but concentrates on expanding the trade and infrastructure of the Empire. He starts the settlement of yet another colony on the southern tip of India and increases the army by another 100,000 men bringing its peace-time strength to 650,000 and 1000 guns. He also starts constructing a miniscule militia in India as well as an Indian fleet, but at one warship or two traders per year, this fleet grows slowly, but steadily. During these years of growth Europe is at peace. It is reported than the other European nations are stockpiling weapons and training troops in preparation of destroying the Empire in its infancy.
By 1677, 12 years after the proclamation of Empire, in Leopold's 19th year of reign, war is on hand. Turkey-Crimea-Georgia declares war. Poland-Lithuania, France and the Papal states declare war and the Netherlands, England and the Teutonic Knights declare war. The Spanish, having recently insulted by the French, stay out of this massive conspiracy. [Note: The Knights have survived mainly because both Russia and Poland-Lithuania have been so busy fighting Austria]. Leopold entrusts his armies to Montecucculi who though aging is still an impressive leader (4/4/3/1), Ferdinand (3/2/2), Waldeck (3/3/2/1) and Commercy (4/2/4). They treat the enemies very roughly, and discarding the tactics of Rudolf II, enemy armies are destroyed the moment they cross the Empire's border and but two years later, in 1679, the allied forces are on their knees and beg for peace at the Emperors feet. He displays a measure of mercy, taking Krakow from the Poles and letting the Netherlands get a white peace. (It is rumoured, but has never been proved, both that he was trying to persuade the Netherlands by their own free will and feared a weakened Netherlands next to France). But no such mercy for the Turk - as the Sultan loses Macedonia and Bujah). Having little respect for the current Pope, but much for the Church, he does not annex the Papal states.
Having seen such a complete victory, and Leopold's capacity for mercy, none dare challenge the Empire for the rest of his lifetime. The Empire grows more prosperous with each passing year and Parma joins the Empire in 1690, Tuscany joins in 1703. Also the second Indian province grows to a city at last naturalizing the natives and becoming the centre of trade for most of India. In the meanwhile the Netherlands have annexed Hessen and the Palatinat.
Anno domine 1704, Leopold I, the Great, dies. He resurrected the Empire, protected the people from foreign aggression and expanded the empire by 8 provinces. He reigned for 46 years of which all but two were peaceful. He promulgated the doctrine of complete war and departed from the tactics of Rudolf II. He created the Church of the Empire. His last orders to his successor: 'Protect the Empire and the Faith; Never strike the first blow'. He left the Empire without allies, since all allies had peacefully joined the Empire.
Chapter VI: 'The Papal treachery and the empty chair'
Josef I is uncontested Emperor, but he is untried. The Pope, having seen the church's secular power decline within the Empire and suffering from the bitter knowledge of his defeat against Leopold, begins conspiring in secret with the remaining independent nations. The deaths of Commercy and Stahremberg in 1705, two of the Empires greatest commanders seem to support his arguments that this conspiracy has the blessing of God. The Empire is caught by complete surprise when in may 1706 war is declared. The Pope has mustered a grand coalition of separate alliances for this last desperate attempt at asserting Papal primacy, dragging in even middle eastern and Indian infidel nations.
The alliances are as follows.
Spain, Portugal, Scotland and Persia.
Poland-Lithuania, France, the Papal States, Morocco, Sweden and Hyderabad.
Georgia and Ethiopia.
England and the Netherlands.
Russia, Algeria, Denmark and Ragusa.
Hannover. [I really wonder why Hannover wasn't in any of the other alliances]
[This actually includes all the remaining nations in the world, except Genoa, Turkey, Oman, Mughal, Mysore, China & Nippon]
But the Pope has committed his last mistake. Leading the Empires main army of 100,000 men is Prinz Eugen, long known to be a brilliant military theoretician, turns out to be a genius on a battlefield (5/5/5/1). Ludwig (4/4/4) commands the 2nd army. Josef I is made of the same stuff as Leopold, but he has little mercy left after such treachery. He commands Prinz Eugen to Invade France, Ludwig to invade Poland and the 3rd army to invade the Papal states. The 4th army is to invade Ragusa. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th armies will defend the Empire from hostile incursions. The Indian expeditionary corp is to embark on the Indian fleet and make landings in the English colony of Buhampur and amongst the Portuguese trading posts in India. Not one is to be left standing. As Prinz Eugen in succession captures 2 provinces from the French by assault the French ask for a seperate white peace within the month and it is granted to close one front. Then Prinz Eugen marches into the Spanish provinces. In the meanwhile the 4th army has reached Ragusa and upon storming the fortifications, Ragusa is formally annexed. The 4th army stays as an occupation army, as the 6th turns north, to Poland-Lithuania. By February 1707 Prinz Eugen has assaulted and captured 6 Spanish provinces, destroying 5 armies that would oppose him. He has only lost 20% of his force, and a new 40K detachment of infantry is on its way. Spain offers peace giving away Alsace, Helvetia and Lyonnais which is accepted. This removes the Spanish alliance from the war.
Prinz Eugen's army is reinforced and ordered towards the Netherlands... By March 1707 the Papal states are under the 3rd army's control, and they are annexed. The Pope commits suicide shocking the Catholic world and Josef I orders the chair of Saint Peter left vacant, the papacy abolished until a worthy successor be chosen. He has the backing of the formidable Church of the Empire created by Leopold I from the Catholic, Ortodox, Reformed and Protestant churches within the empire.
Ludwig has been busy destroying Russian, Polish, Persian, Georgian and Swedish armies but is ordered to end the war with Poland-Lithuania. He assaults the capital in april 1707 and offers peace receiving 250 ducats, which is accepted. Then he turns to Russia.
In the meanwhile on the Indian front 4 Portuguese and 2 English tradingposts have been burned and Buhampur taken from the English by siege and it is unlikely that the Empire can get more from England since, even now, it is hard to reach that Island past the combined fleets. But peace with England would also remove the Netherlands from the war, and that is not part of Josef's plan. Prinz Eugen has reached the Netherlands and with his army of 110,000 men rolls over all opposition, storming every fortification. He takes 6 provinces belonging to the Netherlands pausing briefly to capture and annex Hannover in may 1707 and by august 1707 the Netherlands sue for peace offering Mainz, Hessen and Pfalz which is accepted. [I made the mistake of thinking of the Netherlands as a gold-shield nation that could not be annexed.] Then England signs a peace treaty giving Buhampur (which has a shipyard) and pretty soon Georgia and Ethipia (which never reached the battlefield) sign a white peace. As Prinz Eugen turns to the East from the Netherlands Russia knows fear and upon a cold plain peace is given to Russia at the low cost of Bessarabia in December 1708, ending the treachery of the Pope.
Josef I orders India be mapped since the lack of maps of Hyderabad precluded invasion during the war. He restores order to the Empire though he has to put down occasional rebellions. He continues building colonial armies in India and with the new Indian shipyard captured from the English begins creating a true Indian fleet.
Anno domine 1711, Josef I, the Conqueror, the Papal Bane, dies. He reigned for 7 years and annexed 12 provinces causing 2 nations to disappear forever. He emptied the chair and it remained vacant to the day of his death. He was the most hated man amongst Catholics outside the Empire. He mapped India.
Chapter VII: 'A knight of mists and shadows'
Karl VI is Emperor. He has always been fascinated by Nippon, that distant island-nation inhabited and ruled by the samurai, which has rejected the outside world since 1636. His interest borders on fanaticism but even so his declaration of war on Nippon two weeks after his coronation takes everyone by surprise. Everybody agrees that he has a Casus Belli, since Nippon rejects trade, but the closest forces are in India, and there are but 60,000 of them. Even worse, they are not the Emperor's finest, but a colonial militia. And Nippon is allied with China... But Karl is adamant. He orders 50,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns to embark the Indian fleet (all that it can carry) and set sail for Japan. At this point Turkey declares war but nobody else cares to follow Turkey's lead, so Prinz Eugen has his marching orders within a few days. Within a few months the Indian fleet has disembarked the expeditionary force on Nippon which promptly defeats a 100,000 cavalry army and returned to India for 30,000 raw levies. These arrive just in time to invade the remaining two Nipponese islands under Nipponese control and before new years eve Nippon has been annexed. In the meanwhile Prinz Eugen has overrun Apulia, Istria and Naples and the 8th army (the Constantinople guard) sacks Constantinople january 1712, ending the war with the Empire gaining the three provinces. The expeditionary force has been transported to China and has seized Tianjin (the Centre of trade) and Heipei. In August 1713 China signs a peace treaty giving these two provinces to the Empire. The world is astonished by the exploits of the expeditionary force.
Astonished, perhaps, but not beaten. Five years have passed since the glorious victory of Josef I the Conqueror and Catholic nations proclaiming the need of a new Pope and their allies are ready for another war after five years of rearmament. Poland-Lithuania, France, Morocco and Genoa declare war and Denmark, Algeria and Russia declare war in September 1713. A much smaller alliance than the one Josef I faced and the Empires standing army now surpasses a million men. Needless to say Prinz Eugen is entrusted with the main campaigning army leading to the seperate peace with France 1714 (gaining Dauphine & Holstein), the annexation of Genoa 1715 and the peace with Poland-Lithuania 1715 (gaining Kurland, Memel and E. Prussia). The annexation of Hyderabad 1715 is done by a newly raised colonial militia of 40,000 men.
1715 is also the year that the Netherlands and England declare war as well as the Mughal Empire and Mysore. By 1716 the Indian expeditionary corps annexes Mysore while Prinz Eugen forces the Netherlands to sign a peace treaty giving the Empire Lorraine & Franche Comté. Spain declares war in 1716. A white peace is concluded with Denmark, Algeria and Russia since the Empire still doesn't have a Northern fleet.
1717 marks the annexation of the Mughal Empire by the Indian Expeditionary corps and a white peace with Spain, as well as the year Turkey declares war..again. Georgia also declare war. Prinz Eugen is ordered to defeat the Turk again and so he does in a lightning-quick series of battle ending at Constantinople and gaining Albania, Dobrudja & Hellas. At peace again this campaign nevertheless yielded 5 annexations.
[At this point I checked the badboy. It was only 78, but then I don't generally declare war on anyone... These wars just seem to happen].
This war has left the Empire in control of most of Europe, India and Nippon and 10 centres of trade in all, so the next many years are used to quash rebellions, to increase the Chinese expeditionary force to 200,000 in the two provinces and to increase the Indian militia to 250,000 men. By march 1730, when the heroic Prinz Eugen dies, the standing army is in excess of 1,300,000 men and 3000 guns.
The 1730'ies also mark a shift in the Empire's policies as she lavishes rich gifts of state on Denmark, Sweden, Georgia and the Netherlands, culminating in the alliance with Denmark of 1737. Having had two decades of peace, Karl desires lasting peace, and, perhaps, the peaceful joining of the remaining Christian kingdoms with the Empire.
Anno domine 1740, Karl VI, Shogun, great Maharajah, Emperor, the gifted One, dies. He annexed 5 nations and gained more than a score of provinces. His reign lasted 29 years of which the last 22 were peaceful. He gifted the poor. He left the chair vacant.
Chapter VIII: 'An Empire at peace'
It is 1740 and Maria Theresa becomes the first ruling Empress. A generous woman she lavishes state gifts on the European nations [the non-gold-shield-ones...] while upgrading the fortifications to level 5. Not everybody approves of the Empress, however, and in 1748 no fewer than 7 rebellions must be quashed (papists!) [due to a +5 revolt risk random event]. But the velvet glove contains a steel fist and the armies show no mercy. She is, however, devout and in 1755 Bohemia turns Catholic and in 1759 Transsylvania does. It matters not as much within the Church of the Empire, but every bit helps.
It is 1760 and Maria Theresa has held the throne for two decades and no-one has attacked the Empire. She wants a war to prove her worth on the field of battle like her illustrious predecessors, yet cannot declare war without a Casus Belli without breaking faith with Leopold I, which would enrage the aristocracy and perhaps even threaten the stability of the Empire.
A decade later Maria Theresa has a solution. She will provoke an attack upon the Empire by initiating Trade Embargos against Russia, Portugal and Spain. She embargos Russia first, waits for stability to recover, embargos Portugal, waits for recovering and embargos Spain.... But nothing happens. Even in the face of such a provocation and a clear CB [as well as a high badboy on my part] nobody dares attack the Empire.
Anno domine 1780, Maria Theresa, Empress, dies, having reigned for 4 decades of peace. The Empire increased in prosperity during her lifetime and the treasury grew stuffed [By 1766 all had been researched so everything went to the treasury except for stability gains]. All the provinces of the Empire reached fortress level 6 during the latter years of her reign. She embargoed three nations. She left the chair vacant.
Her successor is Josef II. He continues the program of embargoing extending the embargos to France, Poland-Lithuania and Oman. In the Empires 10 centres of trade are sometimes seen foreign merchants but they are becoming scarce.
Josef II dies after a brief reign of seven years of no consequence in 1787 and is succeeded by a regency. The regency increases the army to 1,400,000 men but nobody attacks the Empire, and in January 1790 Leopold II is crowned Emperor. He considers sitting the chair of Saint Peter and by February he is declared insane by his council, though it is claimed to be but temporary. At his death in 1792 few people sorrow, and Leopold II, the insane emperor, finally gains peace. It is a measure of the stability and might of the Empire that even an insane ruler does not cause any nation to take advantage of the situation.
Franz II is Emperor! He has 1,400,000 men in the standing army and 4000 guns. 150 warships and 75 traders in two fleets. A yearly income of 12,000 ducats and military expeditures of 3,000 ducats. The annual census tax is 1477 ducats and his treasury is 160,000 (or thereabouts). His Empire consists of 114 provinces with 10 centres of trade and comprise most of central, east and southern Europe as well as most of India, all of Nippon and 2 provinces of China (and one solitary province in the Americas).
And he has a plan. He will use his vast treasury as well as repealing his embargos to strengthen ties to the few remaining Christian kingdoms, forge them into a mighty alliance and, beginning january 1, 1800, sweep into Turkey in a last crusade to conquer all the muslim nations of the world.
But this happened in a different age, and is not a subject of this exposition...
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Whew. What a lot of typing. But I finally got something confirmed in this game, namely that though badboy coalition wars often seem suicidal there seems to be some sort of limit to the stupidity (after all, someone has to DOW first). It was really, really strange to have 7 decades of peace knowing that the badboy was 78 to start with, and not even when I declared Trade Embargos would they react. And the only nations I lavished gold on the last few decades were the (potentially) annexable ones.
Well anyhow, I guess this just goes to show how one can conquer much of the world as a succesful badboy with only three declarations of war:
Bohemia 1541, Brandenburg 1565 and Nippon 1711.
Military readiness was 100% during all 300 years and navy was 50% until the annexation of Venice and 100% after that.
I haven't played all the major powers to the end, so there might be some better leader around than Prinz Eugen (5/5/5/1), rank 0, but if so, I don't want to meet him in combat. Care to mention your favourite ass-kicking leader?
Version 1.8UK and IGC1.7c. Very hard difficulty/normal aggression/base victory points.
Comments in [] like [foobar] are informative or inquisitive, but not part of the narrative.
The extent of the Austrian Empire in the year of our lord 1612: The empire stretches from the Turkish Empire in the southeast to Poland-Lithuania in the northeast, to the Netherlands in the northwest (with Hannover as a buffer zone) to France in the west to Spain in the southwest (Savoy as a buffer zone). Savoy, having annexed Baden & Wurtenburg, has been an Austrian vassal since 1555 and seems likely to remain so for some time, since she makes an excellent buffer with Spain. Due to excessive annexation by Maximillian II badboy coalition wars are no rarity.
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Chapter IV: 'The 8 years war and consequences thereof'
Anno domine 1612 Mathias, first of his name, is crowned king and emperor of the Austrian Empire. (The electors of the Holy Roman Empire have chosen the Spanish king but Mathias, like his predecessors, claims the title, and mantle, of emperor). This ends the 8 years regency following the death of Rudolf II, the builder. Mathias' first priority is to rebuild the shattered Austrian armies and alliances at which he is ultimately succesful and within a few years the Austria-Savoy-Venice is as strong as ever before. Mathias, a great lover of the arts, sponsors the first fine arts academy in Austria. The fields of the Austrian Empire have been fertilized with blood and a new generation of soldiers is ready to defend the empire. By 1618 the standing army has a strength of 350,000 men of which 60,000 and 150 cannon are stationed near Constantinople. They will be needed.
By 1619 Mathias dies leaving Ferdinand II the throne. Shortly after his coronation Turkey (reacting to a perceived weakness) declares war thus firing the first shot in yet another of the ultimately futile coalition wars. Pommerania-Russia-Persia declares war. Hessen-Spain-Netherlands-the Palatinat declares war. Denmark-Sweden declares war. Poland-Lithuania & France declares war. And finally England declares war. 6 Alliances with 13 nations declaring war within a week!? Their aim is clear and explicitly stated by Spain, France and Poland-Lithuania: Nothing less than the dismantling of the Austrian Empire will satisfy them. Ferdinand is neither amused, nor pleased, and orders the southern army under Wallenstein (4/4/4/1) to defeat Turkey, thus securing the south-eastern border. His faithful allies have, naturally, rallied to the Austrian call to arms in each defensive war.
The Turk is gone! Wallenstein arrives in Constantinople within a month, defeats the weak 30,000 man army defending the Turkish capital, and immediately storms the walls. The sultan, cowering within the harem, is captured and signs a peace treaty ('the Sultans Shame') exactly a month after declaring war and Wallenstein, having lost but 2,000 men returns to the Hungarian provinces to guard against Polish and Russian incursions.
In the months to come Papenheim (3/2/4/1) in the North and Wallenstein in the South practice the tactics of Rudolf II. As huge enemy armies swarm over the northern borders the Austrian armies concentrate on one enemy at a time, letting the enemies beseige the Austrian border provinces at will, while cutting of their supply lines. This quickly reduces huge armies to large armies and large armies to small. After a year of war the Hessen-Spain-Netherlands-Palatinat alliance withdraws from the war, Austrian paying 250 ducats indemnities. This marks the last time in recorded history, that Austria paid for peace. Papenheim invades Pommerania while Wallenstein invades Poland. By November 1620 Papenheim controls all of Pommerania, which is promptly annexed. He turns south to help Savoy against France. By may 1621 Wallenstein has captured Posen and the capital of Poland-Lithuania and Ferdinand II gracefully accepts peace gaining Posen. English, Danish and Swedish armies are landing in Pommerania and since the French and the Poles are out of the war Papenheim rushes to the North. (Wallenstein is ordered to guard the south and east again.
By 1622 Ferdinand II has learned to rue the lack of a fleet (the Austrian fleet consists of 2 warships and 6 traders). His armies can't reach England, can't reach Sweden and, since France occupied Jylland decades ago, they can't reach Denmark either. His northern army under Papenheim defeats every landing (and they are frequent) but there is no real room for negotiation. These are the only enemies left - and there is nothing to be done, since he has vowed never again to pay for peace. So he raises an extra 100,000 men in two new armies to guard the newly acquired provinces. This drags on for years...
And by 1625 Turkey declares war again and, surprise, surprise, so do the Netherlands-Spain-Hessen-Palatinat alliance, this time under the leadership of the Netherlands. Wallenstein, recuperating with his army in Pest, marches southeast, defeats the Sultans armies, reaches Constantinople and storms the walls...again. At swordpoint the cowardly Sultan signs a peace treaty and Wallenstein returns to Austria taking much of the harem as his personal booty [according to tradition he told Ferdinand, that 'since I am spending so much time with them anyway, it were better did they not only see me at my worst.' and Ferdinand replied: 'show them the lance of Austria'. This is probably attributed.]. After this the Sultan was the laughingstock of Europe and often referred to as 'the Sultana of Constantinople'. Wallenstein being temporarily indisposed the war against the Spanish alliance is left to Papenheim, and by 1627 peace is a reality. Austria leaves this war more powerful than ever before with 500,000 men under arms. For his exploits against the infidel Ferdinand II is justly revered and many are the titles granted him: king, Emperor, defender of the faith, the Hammer of God.
Anno domine 1629, Ferdinand II, the Hammer of God, having reigned but a decade, dies. In his reign Austria annexed Pommerania and defended itself against the great coalitions of the 8 years war. He smote the Sultan twice. He leaves an Austria ready to reap the fruit of his labours - a lasting peace. The Austrian alliance partners are still faithful.
Ferdinand III is crowned king and he announces the start of a new industrial era: Manufactories are to be built wherever suitable. Venice is vassalised in 1629 beginning a process that will eventually in 1645 gain them admittance to the Austrian Empire on equal terms. Ferdinand's reign is blessed with prosperity and apart from a few rebellions in the newly conquered provinces the shadow of war does not mar the Austrian countryside. This cannot be said of the rest of Europe, where Spain and the Netherlands, having swallowed Hessen and the Palatinat is fighting a bitter war against France. With Venice being part of the Empire Austria has finally gained a fleet... and a shipyard. Gradually over the years a few brave souls will volounteer as settlers, perhaps fulfilling the dreams of Rudolf II: The colonization of the new world. Having obtained detailed information of the world Ferdinand turns from northern America which is busily being colonized by the English, French and Spanish and casts his eyes on the riches of India. Bad advice makes him send more than a thousand settlers to Santal in an attempt to settle this immensely rich province - without any soldiers to protect them since the soldierc could not be expected to survive a journey from Europe to India by sea. In 1646 success looks inevitable with more than 400 Austrian settler, but they are all slaughtered by the 20,000 natives that year. This makes Ferdinand abandon Santal and turn to the Southernmost province of India, which has been depopulated by some other power. Ferdinand is pleased, however, with the opening of a new centre of trade in Austrias only Amercian possession Chicontini. Ferdinand is also credited with appointing many provincial governors.
Anno domine 1652 Ferdinand III, the peace-king, dies. In his reign none dared lift a hand against Austria. He built more than fourteen manufactories, quited the most recently conquered provinces, kept a stable country, kept inflation at 0-1% throughout his reign, and diplomatically annexed Venice. Loved by his people, respected by the nobility and envied by all other European monarchs, it is a sad day when Ferdinand III dies. No heir is of age so a regency is proclaimed. Who knows what the future will bring?
Chapter V: 'Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor.'
Glory! Leopold I is crowned Austrian king and emperor in 1658 and like his predecessors he claims the title of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire though this is held by the Spanish king by the will of the electorate. It is an auspicious day that is perhaps only done justice in the famous poem 'Leopold: Rex et Imperator'.
The earliest sign of greatness is probably the diplomatic annexation of Savoy in july 1661, Savoy having been an Austrian vassal for 106 years. Leopold felt the righteousness of offering this to so steadfast an ally and the Savoyan leaders acquiesced. (The Duke of Baden (Savoyan since 1566) wrote in his memoirs: 'He is a great man. The weight of the world is on his shoulders, yet he bears it with good will, being supported by the hand of God. When he talks of his visions and of the Empire I see in him a Constantine, when he speaks of war I see a Caesar.')
1665. Upon the death of the Spanish king the electorate of the HRE (which is mostly Austrian) proclaims what is obvious to all: Leopold I is the true Holy Roman Emperor. His claim must now be considered valid even by the Spanish. In his famous 2nd coronation speech he makes it clear that no longer a fantom, a dream of times past, a hope of the Christian world, the Empire has finally been resurrected, the Empire of Charlemagne, and of Rome. There is to be no more talk of a second or third Rome, but only of the Empire. He promises to be the truest friend and kindest master to his allies but the sternest of foes to his enemies. He vows not to declare war on any Christian nation unless they attack an ally of the Empire but complete and final war against any who would attack the Empire. Or to quote Leopold, 'We have fought for our place in the sun and have won it.' Needless to say this infuriates the other nations of Europe. The Christian nations, with the exception of Parma and Tuscany, the alliance-partners, cannot accept this and the Pope denounces Leopold. The moslems fear his wrath but hope that a European alliance will arise to oppose him.
True to his word Leopold does not attack the nations conspiring against him but concentrates on expanding the trade and infrastructure of the Empire. He starts the settlement of yet another colony on the southern tip of India and increases the army by another 100,000 men bringing its peace-time strength to 650,000 and 1000 guns. He also starts constructing a miniscule militia in India as well as an Indian fleet, but at one warship or two traders per year, this fleet grows slowly, but steadily. During these years of growth Europe is at peace. It is reported than the other European nations are stockpiling weapons and training troops in preparation of destroying the Empire in its infancy.
By 1677, 12 years after the proclamation of Empire, in Leopold's 19th year of reign, war is on hand. Turkey-Crimea-Georgia declares war. Poland-Lithuania, France and the Papal states declare war and the Netherlands, England and the Teutonic Knights declare war. The Spanish, having recently insulted by the French, stay out of this massive conspiracy. [Note: The Knights have survived mainly because both Russia and Poland-Lithuania have been so busy fighting Austria]. Leopold entrusts his armies to Montecucculi who though aging is still an impressive leader (4/4/3/1), Ferdinand (3/2/2), Waldeck (3/3/2/1) and Commercy (4/2/4). They treat the enemies very roughly, and discarding the tactics of Rudolf II, enemy armies are destroyed the moment they cross the Empire's border and but two years later, in 1679, the allied forces are on their knees and beg for peace at the Emperors feet. He displays a measure of mercy, taking Krakow from the Poles and letting the Netherlands get a white peace. (It is rumoured, but has never been proved, both that he was trying to persuade the Netherlands by their own free will and feared a weakened Netherlands next to France). But no such mercy for the Turk - as the Sultan loses Macedonia and Bujah). Having little respect for the current Pope, but much for the Church, he does not annex the Papal states.
Having seen such a complete victory, and Leopold's capacity for mercy, none dare challenge the Empire for the rest of his lifetime. The Empire grows more prosperous with each passing year and Parma joins the Empire in 1690, Tuscany joins in 1703. Also the second Indian province grows to a city at last naturalizing the natives and becoming the centre of trade for most of India. In the meanwhile the Netherlands have annexed Hessen and the Palatinat.
Anno domine 1704, Leopold I, the Great, dies. He resurrected the Empire, protected the people from foreign aggression and expanded the empire by 8 provinces. He reigned for 46 years of which all but two were peaceful. He promulgated the doctrine of complete war and departed from the tactics of Rudolf II. He created the Church of the Empire. His last orders to his successor: 'Protect the Empire and the Faith; Never strike the first blow'. He left the Empire without allies, since all allies had peacefully joined the Empire.
Chapter VI: 'The Papal treachery and the empty chair'
Josef I is uncontested Emperor, but he is untried. The Pope, having seen the church's secular power decline within the Empire and suffering from the bitter knowledge of his defeat against Leopold, begins conspiring in secret with the remaining independent nations. The deaths of Commercy and Stahremberg in 1705, two of the Empires greatest commanders seem to support his arguments that this conspiracy has the blessing of God. The Empire is caught by complete surprise when in may 1706 war is declared. The Pope has mustered a grand coalition of separate alliances for this last desperate attempt at asserting Papal primacy, dragging in even middle eastern and Indian infidel nations.
The alliances are as follows.
Spain, Portugal, Scotland and Persia.
Poland-Lithuania, France, the Papal States, Morocco, Sweden and Hyderabad.
Georgia and Ethiopia.
England and the Netherlands.
Russia, Algeria, Denmark and Ragusa.
Hannover. [I really wonder why Hannover wasn't in any of the other alliances]
[This actually includes all the remaining nations in the world, except Genoa, Turkey, Oman, Mughal, Mysore, China & Nippon]
But the Pope has committed his last mistake. Leading the Empires main army of 100,000 men is Prinz Eugen, long known to be a brilliant military theoretician, turns out to be a genius on a battlefield (5/5/5/1). Ludwig (4/4/4) commands the 2nd army. Josef I is made of the same stuff as Leopold, but he has little mercy left after such treachery. He commands Prinz Eugen to Invade France, Ludwig to invade Poland and the 3rd army to invade the Papal states. The 4th army is to invade Ragusa. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th armies will defend the Empire from hostile incursions. The Indian expeditionary corp is to embark on the Indian fleet and make landings in the English colony of Buhampur and amongst the Portuguese trading posts in India. Not one is to be left standing. As Prinz Eugen in succession captures 2 provinces from the French by assault the French ask for a seperate white peace within the month and it is granted to close one front. Then Prinz Eugen marches into the Spanish provinces. In the meanwhile the 4th army has reached Ragusa and upon storming the fortifications, Ragusa is formally annexed. The 4th army stays as an occupation army, as the 6th turns north, to Poland-Lithuania. By February 1707 Prinz Eugen has assaulted and captured 6 Spanish provinces, destroying 5 armies that would oppose him. He has only lost 20% of his force, and a new 40K detachment of infantry is on its way. Spain offers peace giving away Alsace, Helvetia and Lyonnais which is accepted. This removes the Spanish alliance from the war.
Prinz Eugen's army is reinforced and ordered towards the Netherlands... By March 1707 the Papal states are under the 3rd army's control, and they are annexed. The Pope commits suicide shocking the Catholic world and Josef I orders the chair of Saint Peter left vacant, the papacy abolished until a worthy successor be chosen. He has the backing of the formidable Church of the Empire created by Leopold I from the Catholic, Ortodox, Reformed and Protestant churches within the empire.
Ludwig has been busy destroying Russian, Polish, Persian, Georgian and Swedish armies but is ordered to end the war with Poland-Lithuania. He assaults the capital in april 1707 and offers peace receiving 250 ducats, which is accepted. Then he turns to Russia.
In the meanwhile on the Indian front 4 Portuguese and 2 English tradingposts have been burned and Buhampur taken from the English by siege and it is unlikely that the Empire can get more from England since, even now, it is hard to reach that Island past the combined fleets. But peace with England would also remove the Netherlands from the war, and that is not part of Josef's plan. Prinz Eugen has reached the Netherlands and with his army of 110,000 men rolls over all opposition, storming every fortification. He takes 6 provinces belonging to the Netherlands pausing briefly to capture and annex Hannover in may 1707 and by august 1707 the Netherlands sue for peace offering Mainz, Hessen and Pfalz which is accepted. [I made the mistake of thinking of the Netherlands as a gold-shield nation that could not be annexed.] Then England signs a peace treaty giving Buhampur (which has a shipyard) and pretty soon Georgia and Ethipia (which never reached the battlefield) sign a white peace. As Prinz Eugen turns to the East from the Netherlands Russia knows fear and upon a cold plain peace is given to Russia at the low cost of Bessarabia in December 1708, ending the treachery of the Pope.
Josef I orders India be mapped since the lack of maps of Hyderabad precluded invasion during the war. He restores order to the Empire though he has to put down occasional rebellions. He continues building colonial armies in India and with the new Indian shipyard captured from the English begins creating a true Indian fleet.
Anno domine 1711, Josef I, the Conqueror, the Papal Bane, dies. He reigned for 7 years and annexed 12 provinces causing 2 nations to disappear forever. He emptied the chair and it remained vacant to the day of his death. He was the most hated man amongst Catholics outside the Empire. He mapped India.
Chapter VII: 'A knight of mists and shadows'
Karl VI is Emperor. He has always been fascinated by Nippon, that distant island-nation inhabited and ruled by the samurai, which has rejected the outside world since 1636. His interest borders on fanaticism but even so his declaration of war on Nippon two weeks after his coronation takes everyone by surprise. Everybody agrees that he has a Casus Belli, since Nippon rejects trade, but the closest forces are in India, and there are but 60,000 of them. Even worse, they are not the Emperor's finest, but a colonial militia. And Nippon is allied with China... But Karl is adamant. He orders 50,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry and 60 guns to embark the Indian fleet (all that it can carry) and set sail for Japan. At this point Turkey declares war but nobody else cares to follow Turkey's lead, so Prinz Eugen has his marching orders within a few days. Within a few months the Indian fleet has disembarked the expeditionary force on Nippon which promptly defeats a 100,000 cavalry army and returned to India for 30,000 raw levies. These arrive just in time to invade the remaining two Nipponese islands under Nipponese control and before new years eve Nippon has been annexed. In the meanwhile Prinz Eugen has overrun Apulia, Istria and Naples and the 8th army (the Constantinople guard) sacks Constantinople january 1712, ending the war with the Empire gaining the three provinces. The expeditionary force has been transported to China and has seized Tianjin (the Centre of trade) and Heipei. In August 1713 China signs a peace treaty giving these two provinces to the Empire. The world is astonished by the exploits of the expeditionary force.
Astonished, perhaps, but not beaten. Five years have passed since the glorious victory of Josef I the Conqueror and Catholic nations proclaiming the need of a new Pope and their allies are ready for another war after five years of rearmament. Poland-Lithuania, France, Morocco and Genoa declare war and Denmark, Algeria and Russia declare war in September 1713. A much smaller alliance than the one Josef I faced and the Empires standing army now surpasses a million men. Needless to say Prinz Eugen is entrusted with the main campaigning army leading to the seperate peace with France 1714 (gaining Dauphine & Holstein), the annexation of Genoa 1715 and the peace with Poland-Lithuania 1715 (gaining Kurland, Memel and E. Prussia). The annexation of Hyderabad 1715 is done by a newly raised colonial militia of 40,000 men.
1715 is also the year that the Netherlands and England declare war as well as the Mughal Empire and Mysore. By 1716 the Indian expeditionary corps annexes Mysore while Prinz Eugen forces the Netherlands to sign a peace treaty giving the Empire Lorraine & Franche Comté. Spain declares war in 1716. A white peace is concluded with Denmark, Algeria and Russia since the Empire still doesn't have a Northern fleet.
1717 marks the annexation of the Mughal Empire by the Indian Expeditionary corps and a white peace with Spain, as well as the year Turkey declares war..again. Georgia also declare war. Prinz Eugen is ordered to defeat the Turk again and so he does in a lightning-quick series of battle ending at Constantinople and gaining Albania, Dobrudja & Hellas. At peace again this campaign nevertheless yielded 5 annexations.
[At this point I checked the badboy. It was only 78, but then I don't generally declare war on anyone... These wars just seem to happen].
This war has left the Empire in control of most of Europe, India and Nippon and 10 centres of trade in all, so the next many years are used to quash rebellions, to increase the Chinese expeditionary force to 200,000 in the two provinces and to increase the Indian militia to 250,000 men. By march 1730, when the heroic Prinz Eugen dies, the standing army is in excess of 1,300,000 men and 3000 guns.
The 1730'ies also mark a shift in the Empire's policies as she lavishes rich gifts of state on Denmark, Sweden, Georgia and the Netherlands, culminating in the alliance with Denmark of 1737. Having had two decades of peace, Karl desires lasting peace, and, perhaps, the peaceful joining of the remaining Christian kingdoms with the Empire.
Anno domine 1740, Karl VI, Shogun, great Maharajah, Emperor, the gifted One, dies. He annexed 5 nations and gained more than a score of provinces. His reign lasted 29 years of which the last 22 were peaceful. He gifted the poor. He left the chair vacant.
Chapter VIII: 'An Empire at peace'
It is 1740 and Maria Theresa becomes the first ruling Empress. A generous woman she lavishes state gifts on the European nations [the non-gold-shield-ones...] while upgrading the fortifications to level 5. Not everybody approves of the Empress, however, and in 1748 no fewer than 7 rebellions must be quashed (papists!) [due to a +5 revolt risk random event]. But the velvet glove contains a steel fist and the armies show no mercy. She is, however, devout and in 1755 Bohemia turns Catholic and in 1759 Transsylvania does. It matters not as much within the Church of the Empire, but every bit helps.
It is 1760 and Maria Theresa has held the throne for two decades and no-one has attacked the Empire. She wants a war to prove her worth on the field of battle like her illustrious predecessors, yet cannot declare war without a Casus Belli without breaking faith with Leopold I, which would enrage the aristocracy and perhaps even threaten the stability of the Empire.
A decade later Maria Theresa has a solution. She will provoke an attack upon the Empire by initiating Trade Embargos against Russia, Portugal and Spain. She embargos Russia first, waits for stability to recover, embargos Portugal, waits for recovering and embargos Spain.... But nothing happens. Even in the face of such a provocation and a clear CB [as well as a high badboy on my part] nobody dares attack the Empire.
Anno domine 1780, Maria Theresa, Empress, dies, having reigned for 4 decades of peace. The Empire increased in prosperity during her lifetime and the treasury grew stuffed [By 1766 all had been researched so everything went to the treasury except for stability gains]. All the provinces of the Empire reached fortress level 6 during the latter years of her reign. She embargoed three nations. She left the chair vacant.
Her successor is Josef II. He continues the program of embargoing extending the embargos to France, Poland-Lithuania and Oman. In the Empires 10 centres of trade are sometimes seen foreign merchants but they are becoming scarce.
Josef II dies after a brief reign of seven years of no consequence in 1787 and is succeeded by a regency. The regency increases the army to 1,400,000 men but nobody attacks the Empire, and in January 1790 Leopold II is crowned Emperor. He considers sitting the chair of Saint Peter and by February he is declared insane by his council, though it is claimed to be but temporary. At his death in 1792 few people sorrow, and Leopold II, the insane emperor, finally gains peace. It is a measure of the stability and might of the Empire that even an insane ruler does not cause any nation to take advantage of the situation.
Franz II is Emperor! He has 1,400,000 men in the standing army and 4000 guns. 150 warships and 75 traders in two fleets. A yearly income of 12,000 ducats and military expeditures of 3,000 ducats. The annual census tax is 1477 ducats and his treasury is 160,000 (or thereabouts). His Empire consists of 114 provinces with 10 centres of trade and comprise most of central, east and southern Europe as well as most of India, all of Nippon and 2 provinces of China (and one solitary province in the Americas).
And he has a plan. He will use his vast treasury as well as repealing his embargos to strengthen ties to the few remaining Christian kingdoms, forge them into a mighty alliance and, beginning january 1, 1800, sweep into Turkey in a last crusade to conquer all the muslim nations of the world.
But this happened in a different age, and is not a subject of this exposition...
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Whew. What a lot of typing. But I finally got something confirmed in this game, namely that though badboy coalition wars often seem suicidal there seems to be some sort of limit to the stupidity (after all, someone has to DOW first). It was really, really strange to have 7 decades of peace knowing that the badboy was 78 to start with, and not even when I declared Trade Embargos would they react. And the only nations I lavished gold on the last few decades were the (potentially) annexable ones.
Well anyhow, I guess this just goes to show how one can conquer much of the world as a succesful badboy with only three declarations of war:
Bohemia 1541, Brandenburg 1565 and Nippon 1711.
Military readiness was 100% during all 300 years and navy was 50% until the annexation of Venice and 100% after that.
I haven't played all the major powers to the end, so there might be some better leader around than Prinz Eugen (5/5/5/1), rank 0, but if so, I don't want to meet him in combat. Care to mention your favourite ass-kicking leader?
