Brandenburg unter nichts: An AAR

[unmerged(5383)]

1434
Magdeburg, 25 Jan

Johann’s supply train had arrived in Berlin in November, right before the peace. Then it had been sent to Magdeburg to reinforce the army in Oldenburg, which had been defeated by Gelre, whom a white peace was signed with on 25 Nov of last year.

However, instead of just carrying weapons or food, this shipment included 500 new recruits for the army. There was one problem: in between Oldenburg and Magdeburg was Saxon-owned Hanover, and the Saxons had requested a large toll to be paid to cross their territory, too much for the war-exhausted Elector to pay. In his old age, the Elector wanted more and more of the luxurious items in life, and the court life drained monies from the treasury. So a team of diplomats had been sent to Dessau and Anhalt to convince the Saxons to allow access. The offer had just been accepted, and now Johann was on his way to Oldenburg again, this time ‘guarded’ by the recruits.

(EDIT: over 1000 views! Keep on viewing and posting!)

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Sorry for jumping the gun there. I just noticed that in December you're at peace so...anyway, I'll wait next time.

Glad you managed to get access there, otherwise you could be in some trouble later on...

 

[unmerged(5383)]

Just wait and read, MrT, things will change... for good or for bad

 

[unmerged(5383)]

Hanover, 23 Nov

“Sir, there are horses nearby. I hear the shouts of men as well.”

“Coming from which direction?” Johann asked his scout.

“They appear to be coming towards us from Hanover. I can make out the words now. They are not Germans. Either that or their command of German is horrible. What should we do, sir?”

Johann was traveling through Hanover on one of his many trips through the province, and was heading towards Berlin, his men chafing at the bit to see the capital. He had been forced to travel through this heavily wooded path because of reports of Gelre soldiers fighting Saxons near the city. Johann had not heard of the result of their fighting, but perhaps these men would tell him. “Sound the alarm. I will go to parlay with these men and see if they will leave us unmolested.” Johann knew that bandits often traveled this road, but he also was sure that his men could keep them away.

He rode towards the men, dismounted when he saw them and walked towards the apparent leader.

“Sprechen Sie Deutsches?” Johann asked the leader.

“Ja.”

“I am the leader of a neutral Brandenburg(at this the man coughed abruptly) supply convoy heading towards Berlin. If you would allow us to travel unharmed, I personally would be very grateful.”

“Hmm. Perhaps. But then again perhaps not.” The grizzled commander lunged at Johann, knocking Johann to the ground.

“What?! Who are you? Why?!”

The commander prepared to plunge his sword into Johann’s chest, but answered his questions first. “This is your death. I am a soldier under the employment of the duke of Gelre, and we have taken over these lands. Your Saxon puppets are gone.”

“I am from Brandenburg. Why are you attacking me? I am not Saxon!”

“Because you are German.” And with that comment the Netherlander swung at Johann, severing his head from the rest of his body. Then, to his followers: “Finish the convoy. Leave no remains. Let them know that Gelre now controls this province.”

 

[unmerged(5383)]

I have some bad news for all of you following this aar: I'll be gone on a vacation until July 8th. Anyway, here's a small update:

1436
Berlin, 10 Apr

Friedrich was getting old in his years, but he still forced himself to listen to these foreign diplomats, or ‘pompous airheads,’ as he called them in private. This messenger from Saxony, however, was distraught over a decision reached 5 days ago: the complete vassalization of Saxony by Gelre and the annexation of Hanover and Anhalt by Gelre, along with a small indemnity. Although Frederick had been following the war intently, he had not realized that Gelre had captured Saxony’s capital, Dessau. He would have to keep himself abreast of further development. Sadly, he waved the Saxon farewell and told his counts, who were unfazed and uncaring as usual. One, however, the new Count of Kustrin, came to the Elector and spoke with him, worried about this news. His name was Heinrich.

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Originally posted by Leglaen
...And with that comment the Netherlander swung at Johann, severing his head from the rest of his body. Then, to his followers: “Finish the convoy. Leave no remains. Let them know that Gelre now controls this province.”

Foul! Red card offence!!!!

Dastardly behaviour there. I hope you make them pay for this because it's completely out of line. Until you do, I'm afraid your vacation will have to be cancelled. Sorry.

Have a good time Leglean. I'll be looking forward to your return (and revenge).

 

[Bismarck]

Leglaen:

I am going to get caught up on your AAR while you are gone so I can be an active spectator....

M

 

[unmerged(5383)]

Well, I'm back again. I'll have an update tonight in all probability.

 

[unmerged(5383)]

1437
Oldenburg, 1 Feb

Col. Bulow had orders to defeat all suspected rebels and traitors, which he had done faithfully in Magdeburg for the Elector as commander of a small detachment. Now he had been appointed Commander of all forces in the province of Oldenburg, which had necessitated a secret passage alone through Hanover, now under the control of Gelre. Bulow had arrived today, and had been in the middle of his first speech to his new soldiers when a report arrived of uprisings in the city.

Taking his soldiers, Bulow forced marched them towards the rebels, who were disorganized and randomly attacking the city. Remarking to Hausner, his second-in-command, Bulow said, “This will be an easy victory. Not more than three days.”

Bulow’s prediction was on target. It was approaching noon on the third day when the rebels were finally disarmed and defeated. They would be sent to Magdeburg, Bulow believed, for there was a terror named Hartmann.

 

[unmerged(5383)]

Comments are welcome. Next update tomorrow.

 

[unmerged(5383)]

1438
Berlin, 10 Jan

Dieter had been dead for 5 years now, but no one noticed. His son, Michael, had continued to serve the lord in the same capacity as Dieter. For Dieter’s service the peasant family had been rewarded with a plot of land in the lord’s forest-no mere gift. Michael and his mother, still alive but withering away, had built a slightly larger hut nearby to serve as shelter when Michael was home. But now he and his lord were at Berlin attending to the day’s business, which included listening to a report over the past year. Michael hated these boring, obsequious men, who believed that they were just as important as the Elector.

“…and then on 26 May Munster was annexed by Burgundy…” the speaker droned on and on, Michael slipping in and out of consciousness, “…and then on 10 Dec Albert V was elected to become the new Holy Roman Empe…” Michael slept, suddenly and rudely awakened by a sharp rap on the head from his lord, “Come on, no time to sleep, we must hurry to the next room for the Elector!” And so Michael went onward after his lord like a hound after a fox.

 

[unmerged(5383)]

1439
Berlin, 9 Nov

Friedrich was nearing the end of his reign-and what a reign it had been. Brandenburg had doubled in size but Oldenburg was cut off from the ‘mainland’ and now Hessen had taken Hanover from Gelre in a stunning peace announced yesterday. If he had been younger and healthy, Friedrich might have authorized war against Hessen but, in his current state, peace reigned.

As the year came to its close, the betting started, slowly at first, but rapidly gaining momentum. The bet was on when Friedrich would die. Some said as little as one week, but most figured 6 months to a year. Around Christmas, the Elector regained part of his strength, but how long could he last? And more importantly, who would replace him? Currently his son was in place, but there were external and internal elements working against this, as seen by the dreadful Bremen conspiracy revealed two days after Christmas. Several nobles had plotted with the prince of Bremen to poison the heir, but had failed to use enough. The Elector’s son had minor stomach pains and Friedrich I ordered a full inquiry, wanting nothing to stop the orderly flow of things.

What would happen? How would Brandenburg exist during this internal strife? Separatist elements had been at work in Oldenburg, and if the army was defeated by the rebels it would be forced to disperse amongst the countryside, with no path for retreat, blocked by Hessen, Bremen, and Gelre. The king weakened, the plots thickened, the enemies multiplied.

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Nice going!

Friedrich's reign was, indeed, a successful one....that's a rather macabre betting for such a great man. You're painting a rather doom-filled picture at the end, there.

I have fears that the next reign will be a turbulent one in which Oldenburg becomes a serious problem. Can you negotiate access with anyone to get more troops over there?

 

[unmerged(5383)]

MrT, you are right about two things:
1. There will be turbulence
2. There will be negotiations

I can't give away anything else for the moment, just keep reading

 

[unmerged(5383)]

1440
Berlin, 21 Sept

The march had started but an hour ago, after the new king, the former Elector’s son, had been crowned Friedrich II. The mourners walked slowly, their cries spreading across the town on this blustery evening. The torches had been lit and the moans of the crowd could be heard, or so rumor would have it later, as far as Kustrin. The body of the dead king was laid to rest in a simple grave next to a simple church just outside Berlin. The king, in the last signed will had requested this, although that will was ten years old and the king would have probably liked a luxurious burial, the written word had power.

The affairs of state had been, for the past 9 months, in the hands of a small council led by the new king. Earlier in March, the Pope, for a small monetary donation, had annulled the marriage between Friedrich I’s daughter and the Bishop of Hessen. This broke the last tie between the two lands. The new Elector had then ordered a contingent of soldiers, about 5000 in all, to be raised in Magdeburg. The country was on edge. Former members of that council had been seen in Oldenburg, stirring up unrest among the peasantry. War was imminent, both internal and external. Would Brandenburg rise above it or would it be broken like a wave on the ocean?

 

[unmerged(6777)]

Originally posted by Leglaen
...the Pope, for a small monetary donation, had annulled the marriage between Friedrich I’s daughter and the Bishop of Hessen...

I imagine he would have gone further than that with a Catholic Bishop who should be married only to God and celebate otherwise.

Great instalment, Leglaen. The mood you're setting is definitely highly effective. I feel like I'm on a knife's edge as to what will transpire next. I have a sense that the "negotiations" you mentioned in your response above are likely to involve something other than mere "access"...

 

[unmerged(5383)]

MrT, this is during a period of clerical corruptness and flaunting the rules, so to speak, is seen.

Anyway, here's the next installment:

Oldenburg, 1 Oct

The revolt had begun earlier that morning, Col. Bulow striking out for his army encamped outside the town after seeing the fires start. The revolt had been surprisingly well planned, he thought, and he did not see how it could have erupted in so many places at once. The peasants usually weren’t that smart, so it was probably the Dutch.

Bulow also knew that it would be suicidal to spread his forces thinly and try to combat all the small uprisings, better to wait for them to come to him. The town of Oldenburg was what the rebels had to capture to gain control of the surrounding areas, so Bulow waited there.

However, subversive elements were aflame inside the city as well, so Bulow, when the main rabble arrived, would be squeezed between the two forces. Bulow’s men controlled about three quarters of the city, along with the farms outside it, so they had a reasonable chance of survival and victory.

Approximately three days after the start of the revolt, the rebel army appeared and encamped in front of Bulow’s army. By this time the fighting in the town had grown desperate. For instead of crushing the uprising, the rebels had managed to defeat the ‘invaders’, who were unused to this kind of warfare. Only a group of Croat mercenaries had been able to make any sort of progress, storming several houses and holding the cathedral under repeated assault. With the arrival of more rebels, Bulow would be forced to fight a desperate battle on two fronts, constantly having to switch troops from one side to the other.

Would he survive? Would Brandenburg retain control of this province? Find out next time.