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One that you choose when you want to suck up to your supporters in Danzing.Walter Model said:what kind of name is Von Danzig?
von Danzig could have very well avoided this. He should have made sure that those who would vote in favor of his proposal got to vote first. That would have have assured that, driven by either fear or inertia, the others would have continued to vote in the same manner.
I cannot believe Von Danzig left this up to an all or nothing vote. A little more diplomacy and he could have told Von Kettlebut(yes I know thats not his name) to go pound sound along with the rest of the old guard. Now what?
Fulcrumvale: Von Danzig really has little choice. He made his promise in front of the entire Conclave. If he fails and they don't impeach him, he'll still be seen as exceptionally dishonorable.
stnylan: Pretty much. Von Danzig thought his threat would help him. He greatly underestimated how intently the Order DIDN'T want to secularize.
Chief Ragusa: You raise some very good points, and I think you're partially right regarding vassalage.
J. Passepartout: What makes you think he can't make trouble? Even in defeat, he still has many, many supporters.
Avernite: Unfortunately I think the Lithuanian Livonian (take that!) is dead. He was pretty old in the last election.
Walter Model: Hm. Fulcrumvale answered that quite well
Fnuco: He DID have the Danzigers vote first. Unfortunately everyone who hated his idea made sure they'd vote second. I suspect calling the vote in something like a Baltic conclave is a lot more interesting (in the Chinese sense) than one might imagine.
grayghost: He did make it an all or nothing vote as you said. Von Danzig knew many of the knights feared what would happen if he stepped aside. Finding a new hochmeister would be difficult - no one's really stepped forward (but the aging Kettler) recently into leadership roles. He hoped they'd rather stay with a known quanity and risk change rather than wander off into darkness. He bet wrong.
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I've played a little past this next update. Once it hit 1500 words I figured it was time to post.
stnylan: Pretty much. Von Danzig thought his threat would help him. He greatly underestimated how intently the Order DIDN'T want to secularize.
Chief Ragusa: You raise some very good points, and I think you're partially right regarding vassalage.
J. Passepartout: What makes you think he can't make trouble?
Even in defeat, he still has many, many supporters.Avernite: Unfortunately I think the Lithuanian Livonian (take that!) is dead. He was pretty old in the last election.
Walter Model: Hm. Fulcrumvale answered that quite well
Fnuco: He DID have the Danzigers vote first. Unfortunately everyone who hated his idea made sure they'd vote second. I suspect calling the vote in something like a Baltic conclave is a lot more interesting (in the Chinese sense) than one might imagine.
grayghost: He did make it an all or nothing vote as you said. Von Danzig knew many of the knights feared what would happen if he stepped aside. Finding a new hochmeister would be difficult - no one's really stepped forward (but the aging Kettler) recently into leadership roles. He hoped they'd rather stay with a known quanity and risk change rather than wander off into darkness. He bet wrong.
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I've played a little past this next update. Once it hit 1500 words I figured it was time to post.
1585-1587
XLI: Moving Forward
New Leadership
The Conclave of 1585 flatly rejected Tobias von Danzig's bid to move the capital and found the Baltic League. Had he succeeded the knighthood might well have remained intact, but the nation would certainly secularize.
Everyone in the Conclave witnessed his promise to resign leaving Tobias no choice unless he wished to risk impeachment. He'd bet everything on this Conclave, effectively turning it into a vote of confidence, and lost.
This left a very real problem though. Other than Gotthard von Kettler, who admitted he wasn't healthy enough, the Baltic Order had no outstanding leaders. The first round of voting was an unqualified disaster with fourteen candidates for Hochmeister.
Worried they might not be able to unify behind someone, many rallied behind Lord von Kettler. Even if he couldn't 'stay' long, he could buy the Baltic Order time for new leaders to emerge. He nearly won on the second vote. After that von Kettler spoke:
Others argued that a man who didn't want the job was, in fact, perfect. Slowly they whittled away at the number of candidates until two strong candidates emerged.
Those who believed in the ideals of the knighthood as partially espoused by Magnus von Holstein: To fight only in defense or with cause and to seek to protect her people through peaceful means rallied under Meinhard von Habsburg. As a young man he'd converted to Lutheranism and found himself unwelcome at home, so his parents encouraged him to make a name for himself... elsewhere. Habsburg wasn't the epitome of the wise, chivalric king: He could be reckless and outright sneaky, but people generally liked him and his ideals, as well as his message that the Baltic Order would once again be the bastion of northeastern Europe against her enemies.
Others rallied around Matthias von Spanheim. Lord von Spanheim could best be described as a patriot. He loved the Order and had his own vision, one grounded on rapid expansion leading to control of the Baltic Sea. He argued that while honor and courtesy to ones enemies were indeed important, the Order needed to grow if it was to survive a serious assault by Russia, Poland or Austria. He believed in what he said and appealed to those who thought the Order's destiny lay in dominating the region, as well younger knights with little or no land, and those who feared von Habsburg's ties to Austria would lead to some sort of agreement vassalizing the Knights to that powerful state..
Despite his protests and overt threat to resign, Gotthard von Kettler continued to enjoy great support as the voice of reason and stability.
Round 7 said:
At this point von Kettler asked his supporters to support von Habsburg. He argued that von Spanheim's plan, though well intentioned, would subject the knighthood to ruinous wars. He reminded them the last adventure in Sweden took nearly twelve years to sort out.
Out of respect for the Komtur of Viborg, his delegates followed to a man.
Round 8 said:
On November 25, 1485, ten years and one day from von Danzig's ascension, the former Austrian held vigil. Since von Danzig had no hospitaller, he accepted the ring and other emblems of his rank from Lord von Kettler.
Meinhard von Habsburg said:
A New World?
The next year passed quietly for the Baltic Order. Their sole conflict occurred in Danzig itself when Pommeranian merchants pushed out locals frustrated and worried over von Danzig's failure. Their new hochmeister had no intent of letting them fall, however. He moved quickly to support their efforts and they reclaimed their virtual monopoly on Baltic trade.
Russia continued to secure its southern borders, conquering Kazan in 1586 and Astrakhan a year later. Meanwhile the Ottoman Empire defeated Poland, though no land changed hands and Serbia continued to survive. Austria also showed signs of stirring.
Hoping to distract the knights from the worrying political situation, the Hochmeister proposed establishing a colony in the New World. Many jumped at the chance to continue the Lord's work in North America. (Rush of Colonists: +3 colonists - Feb 1587) There only remained one serious obstacle: Finding a place to land.
Despite friendly relations England and the Netherlands had no interest in sharing maps. France and Spain overtly despised the Lutheran Order. On the other hand, Denmark was willing to share their ports (MA) so Habsburg commissioned two warships to go out and find the colonists a new home.
The St. Mary and newly rechristened Sunset landed in southern Greenland on June 20, 1587. Over the next two years the ships repeatedly visited the North American coast, but never did they find a good spot to land due to hostile Indians or poor growing conditions. (Hm. Can non-explorer fleets randomly find coastal provinces? If so I'm having terrible luck. If not.. Bah!)
Order!
While people eagerly awaited news from the two ships, Lord von Habsburg began updating the Rule and Code that held the Order together as well as its governing Charter. The Code itself changed little, binding the Knights to a chivalric ideal coupled with devotion to God. It reasserted von Holstein's vision of a relatively peaceful Order. Most dramatically it opened a second class of knighthood: The often hereditary "Knights of Faith" who had to be Lutheran as well as ordained held the upper titles. The new "Knights of Honor" who could theoretically be anyone who served the Order well and willing to take an oath swearing loyalty.
The governing Charter suffered far more serious changes. Where von Holstein eliminated a few redundant positions, von Habsburg sliced through centuries of bureaucracy demolishing entire departments and returning the Order to a larger version of their Teuton and Livonian ancestors.
He also determined that no one province, no one komtur could ever have enough power to dominate the Conclave again. He borrowed a page from the Knights of St. John and divided the Order into one Greater (religious) House (Danzig, or literally Danzig's cathedral) with four seats, two Grand Houses with three votes, four Houses with two, and ten Sub-Houses with one. Marienburg received an extra seat for the Grand Commander. All Conclave members needed to be 'Knights of Faith.' This system still favored the larger cities, but not to the overwhelming degree as before.
He founded the Council of Seven: The Grand Commander (Hochkomtur) would serve as second in command, while the Grand Hospitaller restricted himself to the 'works' of the Order in charitable and religious matters. The Grand Chancellor served as chief diplomat, the Grand Marshal commanded the Order's formidable military and the Grand Tressler handled the treasury. The Hochmeister and a Komtur chosen by his peers rounded out the Council that ran day to day matters.
On paper this all looked dramatic, but in truth very little changed. Von Habsburg chose the extra officers from komturs or men suggested by them, appeasing those who feared change.. Cutting out layers of bureaucracy, though irritating some who'd grown complacent in an important job with little to do, dramatically improved the Order's efficiency. Peasants and burghers hardly noticed any change at all. In Conclave von Habsburg's reforms pleased the smaller provinces, while pacifying the larger ones with extra votes.
The only real losers were Pomerelian knights and merchants. They correctly believed this was a direct swipe at them. Tobias von Danzig, now 'merely' a Knight of Faith, convinced the Komtur of Danzig of this deliberate and terrible insult.
No, Hochmeister von Habsburg's changes would not go through without a fight.
Literally.
I had a couple of fleets sailing up and down two strecthes of coastline both with an explorer for five years and boith managed not to find a coastal province located between a couple they had found. They both died and the fleets promptly found the "missing" coastal province. So it's possible,
The revolt in Danzig could split the Order into a single province under von Danzig ad the remainder of the Order, shorn of its merchants and would be Merchant Prince (Duke of Prussia), under Hochmeister von Habsburg.
The Order land in Danzig would be carved up amongst other noblesand their tenants who no longer want to live under religious rule. It could be that there'd be a population outflow from Danzig and a population inflow from the Order's remaining provinces. The Order can then concentrate on land and infrastructure as befits a military monastic order albeit Lutheran.
A gutsy roleplay move Catknight.
One cannot but think that one ofthe Order's neighbours is going to put its strength to the test
Poland is off the back of a losing campaign against the Turks. Russia is twice the size it was and is now ready for a war with the Order.
I am surprised that Kettler turned aside the chance to become Hockmeister, though as the man who brought Habsburg to power he will have considerable behind the scenes influence for as long as he lives.
The revolt in Danzig could split the Order into a single province under von Danzig ad the remainder of the Order, shorn of its merchants and would be Merchant Prince (Duke of Prussia), under Hochmeister von Habsburg.
The Order land in Danzig would be carved up amongst other noblesand their tenants who no longer want to live under religious rule. It could be that there'd be a population outflow from Danzig and a population inflow from the Order's remaining provinces. The Order can then concentrate on land and infrastructure as befits a military monastic order albeit Lutheran.
A gutsy roleplay move Catknight.
One cannot but think that one ofthe Order's neighbours is going to put its strength to the test
Poland is off the back of a losing campaign against the Turks. Russia is twice the size it was and is now ready for a war with the Order.
I am surprised that Kettler turned aside the chance to become Hockmeister, though as the man who brought Habsburg to power he will have considerable behind the scenes influence for as long as he lives.
So the Hapsburgs rise to prominence in yet another land. That family is like particularly fertile and fecund vegetation. Once they've seeded they spread, adapting like Meinhard von Hapsburg to new surroundings. It's an infestation I tell you!
Actually, the ramifications of a Protestant Hapsburg in such an important position are very interesting.
As for the revolt, well, I feel little sympathy with these rebels. Wasps should not complain when they themselves are stung.
Actually, the ramifications of a Protestant Hapsburg in such an important position are very interesting.
As for the revolt, well, I feel little sympathy with these rebels. Wasps should not complain when they themselves are stung.
Some things never change do they. I return after a long break and sure enough the internal troubles of the order are the biggest challenge as ever. (Had to laugh at that royal hunt a few updates back )
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A protestant Habsburg? Excellent!
This treason looks like it could have been a lot of fun.
This treason looks like it could have been a lot of fun.
Von Danzig rolled his dice and lost. Now he revolts. The man deserves whats coming to him. Von Hapsburg sounds like a good administrator. The changes that he has implemented seem to streamline the Order, strengthen centralized control, but, also allow more govermental participation by the smaller provinces. Nice set of checks and balances for the time. As long as he can put down this rebellion(which should be no problem) and he does not run into anymore serious internal political issues, he should strengthen the Order as a whole. I merely remains to be seen if the outside world will let him.
Might this be the first of an elective inheritance, in the vein of the HRE in real life?
Would be fun, a semi-inherited Grandmaster title
Would be fun, a semi-inherited Grandmaster title
I agree with stnylan and J. Passepartout about being geeked at the idea of a protestant Habsburg. That opens so many cool possibilities and what makes 'em even better is that there is no negative effect if those possibilities are ignored.
And I also agree with Fulcrumvale, them Danzigers are traitorous bastards. They must be crushed and have thier heads adorning pikes out side the city walls right quick! I think Chief Ragusa is correct with what could happen if Danzig were to go free, which could have some interesting ramifications, however, I feel the rest of the Order would rather raze the entire province before letting the Danzigers go on their own.
Sweet play, Cat. I can't wait to see how this continues forward.
And I also agree with Fulcrumvale, them Danzigers are traitorous bastards. They must be crushed and have thier heads adorning pikes out side the city walls right quick! I think Chief Ragusa is correct with what could happen if Danzig were to go free, which could have some interesting ramifications, however, I feel the rest of the Order would rather raze the entire province before letting the Danzigers go on their own.
Sweet play, Cat. I can't wait to see how this continues forward.
Fulcrumvale: Yes, they will pay!
Chief Ragusa: It could split the Order, but as Draco says there's no conceivable way the Order would let Danzig secede without a fight.
Regarding von Kettler: That was partly me not wanting to have a two year reign then doing it all over again. Perhaps he realized he was ill.
stnylan: Somehow fertile and fecund vegetation doesn't come across as a compliment. The ramifications...we'll see.
Guangxi: Thanks! And your first post, too! I'm honored
Duke of Wellington: Yes, that royal hunt made me...stare at the screen for a moment. Glad to see you're back!
J. Passepartout: Fun to write about anyway
grayghost: He's an excellent administrator. Actually so was von Danzig, but we saw what his plans were. Von Habsburg has an opportunity to go down as one of the great Teuton/Livonian/Baltic grandmasters. God knows if the outside (or inside) world will let him.
Avernite: Quite possibly! There actually were semi-inheritances before. Ludwig von Erlichshausen was Konrad's nephew. Just before Tannenberg two brothers reigned back and back. Meinhard does have children however, so... maybe!
Draco Rexus: I'm glad you like the Protestant Habsburg too. Let's hope you still do in the next post or three. (Or I still do for that matter)
Chief Ragusa: It could split the Order, but as Draco says there's no conceivable way the Order would let Danzig secede without a fight.
Regarding von Kettler: That was partly me not wanting to have a two year reign then doing it all over again.
Perhaps he realized he was ill.stnylan: Somehow fertile and fecund vegetation doesn't come across as a compliment.
The ramifications...we'll see.Guangxi: Thanks! And your first post, too! I'm honored
Duke of Wellington: Yes, that royal hunt made me...stare at the screen for a moment.
Glad to see you're back!J. Passepartout: Fun to write about anyway
grayghost: He's an excellent administrator. Actually so was von Danzig, but we saw what his plans were. Von Habsburg has an opportunity to go down as one of the great Teuton/Livonian/Baltic grandmasters. God knows if the outside (or inside) world will let him.
Avernite: Quite possibly! There actually were semi-inheritances before. Ludwig von Erlichshausen was Konrad's nephew. Just before Tannenberg two brothers reigned back and back. Meinhard does have children however, so... maybe!
Draco Rexus: I'm glad you like the Protestant Habsburg too. Let's hope you still do in the next post or three. (Or I still do for that matter
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1587-1589
XLII: Seizing Our Destiny
Betrayal at Danzig
The Pomerelian rebellion shouldn't have surprised Hochmeister von Habsburg, but it found the pikemen, musketeers and knights of the Baltic Cross settling in for the winter. The Knights lost precious time and money recalling their army. Further the death of Gotthard von Kettler in May saddened many and army morale suffered.
The merchants and knights of Danzig faced similar problems. They'd bought contracts for over twenty banners worth of mercenaries, but it took them time to arrive from Denmark, Germany, France and England. They also solicited help from Polish mercenaries, but King Sigismund III of Poland promptly closed the border between the two nations. He wanted no part of this.
The rebellion therefore began as a war of words. Tobias von Danzig declared himself Guildenmeister of the Baltic League and offered to open trade discussions with anyone including von Habsburg. Hochmeister von Habsburg replied he would consider any recognition of Danzig's independence a hostile act. Mecklenburg followed suit: They didn't want a competing league.
The first battle occurred not in Pomerelia, but in Podlasia where a body of men sought to escape the Lutheran religious nature of the knighthood. They took advantage of ongoing resentment over past Catholic suppression promising a strictly secular state where one could worship how they pleased. This didn't quite please the Catholics either, and many questioned the timing. Tobias von Danzig was responsible for much of their suffering and they actually supported von Habsburg's efforts to take the 'merchant king', as some derisively called him, to task.
The rebels did well enough however, recruiting eight thousand men. Eberhart von Sachsen, a young man enjoying his first command, led nineteen thousand against them. He was overconfident however and underestimated the power of desperation as well as the severe unhappiness of his men. The rebels ambushed him from a rise as they marched and von Sachsen's army broke almost without a fight.
Meinhard von Habsburg intercepted them near Varnia. He absolved those who felt the need after their disaster then addressed them:
von Habsburg said:
Von Sachsen's army might rest, letting winter argue with the Podlasian rebels, but Grand Marshal Matthias von Spanheim had his own army and a mandate to conquer Danzig. In late November he marched on Dirschau, a small town south of the city. The small castle there controlled the only bridge across the Vistula River for many miles. Fortunately the junior knight in charge remained loyal but warned the Danziger army was enroute.
Dietrich von Danzig, Tobias's oldest son, also knew of Dirschau's importance. He arrived too late to stop the crossing and redeployed into the forest north of the town.
Both armies were similar in composition, relying heavily on pike and musket with a small body of heavy cavalry. Von Danzig had much more infantry, but von Spanheim had ten cannon.
On January 1, von Spanheim offered an armistice until January 6 due to Christmas. The Danziger agreed, but when it became clear he used this time to bring more men into the battle von Spanheim attacked two days later.
Cavalry wheeled and clashed between the two lines, but as the rebels held the trees while the Baltic Knights controlled fortifications and buildings north of Dirschau they had little role to play in the battle. Early on the rebels gained the upper hand, effectively using their forest to break up von Spanheim's musket barrage. The Marshall replied by using his cannon to beat down the forest around them. That evening von Danzig retreated a mile into the forest, hoping to circle around and flank von Spanheim when he advanced.
On January 4 the Order advanced through a light snow into the trees. The rebels relied on their cavalry for intelligence, but early that morning the Order's cavalry decisively routed them and so von Spanheim surprised them as they broke camp.
No time to form a proper battle line. The Knights swarmed their brethren, killing hundreds before they could even draw sword and knife - pikes and muskets being worthless in the ensuing melee which bore more resemblance to a medieval battle than one from the late sixteenth century. First in bits and pieces then more and more the mercenaries routed, chased over the snowswept trees and plains to their destruction.
In late January they met the handful of survivors and what few reinforcements they could spare at Plaust, but here Baltic cavalry decisively routed them. Not wishing to risk destruction of their city and livelihood, the Danziger merchants did what their predecessors had twice before, turning on their leaders and surrendering them before von Spanheim's advance.
Meanwhile the expected disaster in Podlasie happened with peasants fleeing into neighboring lands, but winter and the rebels's failure to seize Belastok took their toll. The clever komtur used what few men he had to cut their supply lines. By February the rebel army melted to less than three thousand, and Rittermeister von Sachsen reformed his army. With further reinforcements from Marienburg he now commanded nearly thirty thousand men. Through February and March he seized their castles and villages. Left with no hope of resupply, the rebels dissolved into the provincial population except for the knights who started it all.
Still, there were no excessive reprisals and gradually the matter faded into history.
The Blob!
As the knights celebrated their victory they received troubling news. Austria was indeed on the move. Through a series of manipulations, intrigues and promises they convinced the proud Wittelsbach dynasty to yield reducing Bavaria to a viscounty. (Austria DA Bavaria.)
Meinhard von Habsburg paid very close attention as the Imperial electors met to choose a new emperor, for the 'Viscount' of Bavaria no longer qualified. After several days they endorsed Ludwig III der Fromme of Wurtemberg. Another Austrian vassal. He claimed the empty electoral seat for himself.
Many knights received this with cautious optimism. Wurtemberg was, after all, Lutheran. On the other hand some feared Austria's habit of annexing its neighbors and paid very close attention to their grandmaster for signs of divided loyalties.
At first he gave them reason to fear, for Austrian diplomats hurried to Marienburg to reassure their northern cousins. Von Habsburg received them warmly, congratulated them on their new possessions and even sent gifts to his neighbor. (Diplomatic Move: Austria + 50, +1 diplomat.)
To all appearances this was the end of it as the Habsburgs and their Lutheran cousin went about their business. As months passed and no sign of treachery emerged, knights's faith in their Hochmeister continued to improve. (Stab +2) Some worried when the Russians announced Moscow was the New Rome (Event: Lead us lead the true faith from Moscow) but so long as they kept to themselves von Habsburg cared little for what he considered a delusion of grandeur.
About this time he renewed talks with Mecklenburg. He pointed out that defeating von Danzig helped the Hanseatic League then made a bold offer. In exchange for 'modest' indemnities and overall leadership in political and military matters, von Habsburg would let the Mecklenburgers lead in trade issues and abandon any further talk of a separate 'Baltic League.' After much debate they agreed. (Baltic DV Mecklenburg - May 1589)
All seemed well for the Baltic Order, but now the Hochmeister's eye returned to his homeland. He'd half suspected it would come to this: Meinhard had three children, two boys, and wanted very much to leave them a legacy. (Heir to the Crown: +1 Stability)
Meinhard von Habsburg said:
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"God is on our side". Always love when that is added to the battle cry. On the one hand I can see why Von Hapsburg is doing this, but this seems like another all or nothing gamble. Hope he knows what he's doing.
grayghost said:Hope he knows what he's doing.
(I hope on the reload Poland, the Turks and Venice all DoW them.
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