Played on hard/aggressive. Version 1.08
Part I. The Lion of Bohemia.
In 1492 the Lion of Bohemia, although full of pride for its glorious past, still did not dare to roar freely under the watchful eyes of three eagles. Poland, Brandenburg and Austria, the latter two claiming Bohemian lands as its own, posed no small threat to a small country. Until Vladislav Jagellon, a son of King Cazimir of Poland, set on a throne of Bohemia, Poland, it would seem, should be less likely to attack the country. The other two eagles were different.
Proud country, as it is, Bohemia did not dare to pose as an aggressor first. The beginning years were spent in promoting bailiffs, expanding fortresses and reorganizing the army, so that when the black day comes, the land technology would not embarrass the Lion as its poor generalship should be sufficient for this task. To balance the situation, it was decided to surround Bohemia with allies, and wait for the enemy to declare himself first. Saxony and Thuringen joined Bohemia in military alliance and many royal marriages were arranged across the Europe.
The storm came in 1507. Austria declared war, dragging alongside Bavaria and Wurtemburg. As Thuringen collapsed and surrended to victorious forces of the Imperial alliance, the Bohemian army split and invaded Ostmarch and Vienna. The former fell first, and the army besieging it hurried to the south, just in time to witness the fall of Austrian capital. Austria sued for peace, and offered Ostmarch. The war came to its end in 1508. It took Bohemian armies less than 14 months to bring the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to its knees. Saxony came a winner from the war as well, capturing a rich province of Styria.
In years to come, Thuringen would revolt and declare its independence. It would bravely fight the armies of the Austrian alliance, win its freedom and join our alliance once again. Vladislav, however, would not live to see it, as he died in 1516. He was succeeded by his son Ludvik. He was the only Bohemian king that managed to maintain peace throughout his reign. The country grew rich, investments going to infrastructure and expanding the fortress in Ostmarch.
Ludvik died in 1526, and as he did not live any heir after him, the search for a new king has begun. Ferdinand of Austria, the younger brother of Charles V of Spain, was invited to rule, on a condition that if he ever succeeds to an Austrian throne Bohemia shall never become a part of Austria. Or, to expand on that matter, if he ever wishes to join these two countries together, Bohemia shall be the leader of the union. Ferdinand agreed and became a king of Bohemia.
Austria at that time was having its Times of Troubles. Its nobles grew bolder with each day and led the country into numerous wars, which even made their own king to declare the war on them, on behalf of his Spanish possessions. Many countries joined, Poland between them. Hungary, Austrian ally at the time, was the one that suffered from the Poles the most, ceding Carpathia and Ruthenia to the Polish Eagle.
Ferdinand saw this as an opportunity to support his brother a gain a province or two from the country, which later would become his anyway. Bohemian populace disapproved of this action, stability went down to the lowest point imaginable, but the army with a little help of its German allies saved the day. It bravely fought Hungarian and Austrian troops off Bohemian land, and invaded Austria in turn. Vienna was sacked again, and after another year Presburg. Austrian nobles plead for peace, offering Ferdinand Presburg. His brother Charles was furious at first, but later accepted the reality and on his death in 1556 he made Ferdinand a king of Austria. The king kept his promise and Austria and Bohemia never became one. From 1530, when the second Austrian War ended, until his death, he maintained peace in Bohemia, preferring to expand through diplomacy rather than war. As a result, Bavaria became Bohemian ally, refusing however to become a part of Bohemian kingdom until Ferdinand was dead.
During his reign, the states of the North converted to Protestant course. While there was some support for Protestants in Bohemia, the majority supported the Catholic Church. As Luther defied reason and praised the faith only, he drove away even those, who questioned the wisdom of being loyal to Rome’s tiara.
Maximilian II, who simultaneously ruled Austria and Holy Roman Empire, succeeded Ferdinand in 1564. He once again offered Bavaria to become a part of Bohemian kingdom, this time threatening to bring the full weight of empire’s might upon it, in case it disagrees. Bavaria reluctantly complies, but rebellions will spark in the future, distracting Bohemian army from time to time from its leisure time in the barracks. During one of those rebellions a Fine Academy of Arts is destroyed in Bavaria, and Maximilian orders another one to built in Prague.
It was during that period that Hungary became a part of Bohemian alliance. The relationships between two country were always far from cold, and being good neighbors for so long, they decided to join their efforts in defending Europe against infidel Turk, who by that time stood at the eastern doorway of Italy – Mantua.
In 1574 the Ottoman Porta, together with its allies Georgia, the Hafsid Empire and Nubia, declares war on Hungary. Bohemia and Saxony both honor their obligation to Hungary and send their armies south. 22,000 Bohemians - 10,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry and 30 guns help to liberate Kosovo, capture Macedonia and besiege Constantinople. The city falls for the first time in 1575, and an old king dies safe in the knowledge that he had made everything possible to gain paradise. Rudolf II becomes a third Habsburg to rule Bohemia, and he vows to wage war on Turk and make no separate peace with infidel. Bohemian army, reinforced by 15,000 infantry from home, is yet to see the sight of Austrian armies, which in theory should be fighting for their king-emperor too. In years to come, Bohemians take Constantinople for the second time, liberate Wallachia and help in the capture of Moldova and Macedonia (second time). Georgia accepts peace with Hungary in 1576, getting 200+ in indemnities. They did more than their share of fighting, defeating Bohemian army once and raising a second siege of the Constantinople for a brief period of time. Finally, in 1579, after the Turks liberate their capital once more, a third siege is ordered and when the city falls, the Sultan is forced to accept the inevitable. A grand Christian victory is celebrated across the Europe, and Hungarian king incorporates Istria and Moldova in his kingdom. The Lion of Bohemia, triumphant and satisfied, roars freely, and his roar is heard across the Europe and people bow in admiration and respect to the brave Bohemians, who humbled the mighty Sultan.
Part I. The Lion of Bohemia.
In 1492 the Lion of Bohemia, although full of pride for its glorious past, still did not dare to roar freely under the watchful eyes of three eagles. Poland, Brandenburg and Austria, the latter two claiming Bohemian lands as its own, posed no small threat to a small country. Until Vladislav Jagellon, a son of King Cazimir of Poland, set on a throne of Bohemia, Poland, it would seem, should be less likely to attack the country. The other two eagles were different.
Proud country, as it is, Bohemia did not dare to pose as an aggressor first. The beginning years were spent in promoting bailiffs, expanding fortresses and reorganizing the army, so that when the black day comes, the land technology would not embarrass the Lion as its poor generalship should be sufficient for this task. To balance the situation, it was decided to surround Bohemia with allies, and wait for the enemy to declare himself first. Saxony and Thuringen joined Bohemia in military alliance and many royal marriages were arranged across the Europe.
The storm came in 1507. Austria declared war, dragging alongside Bavaria and Wurtemburg. As Thuringen collapsed and surrended to victorious forces of the Imperial alliance, the Bohemian army split and invaded Ostmarch and Vienna. The former fell first, and the army besieging it hurried to the south, just in time to witness the fall of Austrian capital. Austria sued for peace, and offered Ostmarch. The war came to its end in 1508. It took Bohemian armies less than 14 months to bring the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to its knees. Saxony came a winner from the war as well, capturing a rich province of Styria.
In years to come, Thuringen would revolt and declare its independence. It would bravely fight the armies of the Austrian alliance, win its freedom and join our alliance once again. Vladislav, however, would not live to see it, as he died in 1516. He was succeeded by his son Ludvik. He was the only Bohemian king that managed to maintain peace throughout his reign. The country grew rich, investments going to infrastructure and expanding the fortress in Ostmarch.
Ludvik died in 1526, and as he did not live any heir after him, the search for a new king has begun. Ferdinand of Austria, the younger brother of Charles V of Spain, was invited to rule, on a condition that if he ever succeeds to an Austrian throne Bohemia shall never become a part of Austria. Or, to expand on that matter, if he ever wishes to join these two countries together, Bohemia shall be the leader of the union. Ferdinand agreed and became a king of Bohemia.
Austria at that time was having its Times of Troubles. Its nobles grew bolder with each day and led the country into numerous wars, which even made their own king to declare the war on them, on behalf of his Spanish possessions. Many countries joined, Poland between them. Hungary, Austrian ally at the time, was the one that suffered from the Poles the most, ceding Carpathia and Ruthenia to the Polish Eagle.
Ferdinand saw this as an opportunity to support his brother a gain a province or two from the country, which later would become his anyway. Bohemian populace disapproved of this action, stability went down to the lowest point imaginable, but the army with a little help of its German allies saved the day. It bravely fought Hungarian and Austrian troops off Bohemian land, and invaded Austria in turn. Vienna was sacked again, and after another year Presburg. Austrian nobles plead for peace, offering Ferdinand Presburg. His brother Charles was furious at first, but later accepted the reality and on his death in 1556 he made Ferdinand a king of Austria. The king kept his promise and Austria and Bohemia never became one. From 1530, when the second Austrian War ended, until his death, he maintained peace in Bohemia, preferring to expand through diplomacy rather than war. As a result, Bavaria became Bohemian ally, refusing however to become a part of Bohemian kingdom until Ferdinand was dead.
During his reign, the states of the North converted to Protestant course. While there was some support for Protestants in Bohemia, the majority supported the Catholic Church. As Luther defied reason and praised the faith only, he drove away even those, who questioned the wisdom of being loyal to Rome’s tiara.
Maximilian II, who simultaneously ruled Austria and Holy Roman Empire, succeeded Ferdinand in 1564. He once again offered Bavaria to become a part of Bohemian kingdom, this time threatening to bring the full weight of empire’s might upon it, in case it disagrees. Bavaria reluctantly complies, but rebellions will spark in the future, distracting Bohemian army from time to time from its leisure time in the barracks. During one of those rebellions a Fine Academy of Arts is destroyed in Bavaria, and Maximilian orders another one to built in Prague.
It was during that period that Hungary became a part of Bohemian alliance. The relationships between two country were always far from cold, and being good neighbors for so long, they decided to join their efforts in defending Europe against infidel Turk, who by that time stood at the eastern doorway of Italy – Mantua.
In 1574 the Ottoman Porta, together with its allies Georgia, the Hafsid Empire and Nubia, declares war on Hungary. Bohemia and Saxony both honor their obligation to Hungary and send their armies south. 22,000 Bohemians - 10,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry and 30 guns help to liberate Kosovo, capture Macedonia and besiege Constantinople. The city falls for the first time in 1575, and an old king dies safe in the knowledge that he had made everything possible to gain paradise. Rudolf II becomes a third Habsburg to rule Bohemia, and he vows to wage war on Turk and make no separate peace with infidel. Bohemian army, reinforced by 15,000 infantry from home, is yet to see the sight of Austrian armies, which in theory should be fighting for their king-emperor too. In years to come, Bohemians take Constantinople for the second time, liberate Wallachia and help in the capture of Moldova and Macedonia (second time). Georgia accepts peace with Hungary in 1576, getting 200+ in indemnities. They did more than their share of fighting, defeating Bohemian army once and raising a second siege of the Constantinople for a brief period of time. Finally, in 1579, after the Turks liberate their capital once more, a third siege is ordered and when the city falls, the Sultan is forced to accept the inevitable. A grand Christian victory is celebrated across the Europe, and Hungarian king incorporates Istria and Moldova in his kingdom. The Lion of Bohemia, triumphant and satisfied, roars freely, and his roar is heard across the Europe and people bow in admiration and respect to the brave Bohemians, who humbled the mighty Sultan.
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