II Elector Joachim I Nestor and Count von Stenger
II Elector Joachim I Nestor and Count von Stenger
Joachim was not a terribly active ruler. He contented himself with avoiding thinking about the coming storm of the Reformation and simply running his country. His Prussian holdings were never significant to him and he considered them a part of Poland (as, officially, they were). He was, like almost all German princes, always wary of too much imperial influence which lead him to form a simple system of secret alliances within the Empire in case of war. The members were mainly his relatives in Brunswick-Oldenburg, in Bavaria, Cleves and Thuringen.
The Members of the anti-imperial alliance, the League of Princes
Corruption was rampant throughout his reign which was of no help to the Brandenburg-Prussian economy, abuse of the peoples of East Prussia by the governors was regular and brutal. And this, mainly due to Joachim's negligence. Though what is seen as his greatest failure during his early rule, which in fact he was in no position to act, was the adding of the lands of the Hansa to the holdings of the Danish King Christian the Second. Losing influence each day in Sweden in the face of the fiercely independant nobility, Christian sought to regain the initiative in Germany. First by taking over Sleswig-Holstein and then by invading the hanseatic lands of Bremen-Mecklenburg. Thus, Brandenburg now had another mighty neigbor at its borders, which might continue its invasion of Germany at any time. In the face of Danish aquisitions in Germany, Spanish aquisitions on the western border of the Empire and the accession of Karl V as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain and Archduke of Austria, Joachim had a change of heart.
The Danish position in Germany
Karl V's possessions in France and Germany
He would reform the army, give it proper funding and finally create an offensive force intended for the invasion of either Danemark or Silesia. Joachim managed to form some loose dynastic ties with both the Danish royal family and the House of Habsburg in order to lessen the likelyhood of their aggression. His son, Joachim II Hector von Hohenzollern was sent to be educated in Ducal Prussia. There he was trained not only by members of the Order in military prowess, but was also introduced to the ideas of Luther (to his father's chagrin).
In 1521, influenced by his cousing Albrecht and pressured by the junkers worried of Danish encroachment, Joachim let a certain Count von Stenger, a famous and skilled member of the Order, to become an adviser. Von Stenger captivated the Elector, convincing, strong, presenting himself as the only barrier Brandenburg had against Danish and Polish aggression. Indeed, von Stenger had fought both succesfully in successive wars in defense of the Order. Adviser is perhaps a weak word however, Stenger was ruthless, oftentimes almost bullying Joachim into submission claiming that his departure would doom Brandenburg. Stenger advocated, unsurprisingly, an alliance with the Teutonic Order, Joachim was adamant about the issue and refused to renounce his oath of neutrality in the region.
In early 1523, war erupted between Sweden and the Emperor on one side and Danemark and the Russian principalities on the other. Danemark had already been weakened by numerous rebellions in the hanseatic cities and Sweden scored easy victories, annexing the russian principality of Pskov. The n Karl V was also succesful and tore Bremen from Denmark. After the Austro-Danish peace, the war in Sweden was still raging, Stenger argued fiercely with his lord over the necessity of war with a prostrate Denmark, now, in order to claim lands of Holstein-Mecklenburg in the name of the Empire. Joachim however, saw that the war would not be seen as legitimate, there had been no provocation from the Danes, they we're fellow christians, indeed catholics and Joachim had just arranged for one of his niece, Luise, to marry a danish prince. However, Stenger forced the issue.
He made Joachim sign a letter claiming that he would allow his niece to marry into the Swedish Vasa line. Joachim had understood a distant relative Maria would be married, however, the letter he signed was not specific. Von Stenger had calculated well, the Swedes naturally believed that the letter was refering to the more well known Luise, not Maria, this meant Joachim would sever the ties with Denmark and remarry Luise to a Vasa. The implication was indeed that Brandenburg would help the Swedes in the war once the dynastic ties were broken. By the time Joachim understood what had happened, all was in disarray. Gustav went to the Hohenzollern palace itself and a fierce argument erupted between the Swedish King and the German Prince. Gustav made several threats hinting that he would perhaps take undefended Ducal Prussia from Joachim. In the end Gustav and Stenger's voices prevailed. War was declared and a marriage was celebrated.
The margravate was shaken by the news. There were many rumours that Swedish intrigue had acted in the palace or that the Elector had protestant ideas. None of which were quite true, what is certain is that there was no public support for the war. The subjects of Joachim had not been prepared mentally for war, although they had expected one, they were shocked that their state should start it. Although there were no real revolts. There were some small riots and more importantly (mainly due to the renoucement of marital vows) many conservative peasants, clerics and junkers refused to give their due in either food, support or gold. Stenger as a general had never had to deal with civilians, hence his complete disregard, even miscalculation, for preparing the war in the eyes of the people. Joachim's brother, field marshal Casimir, lead the assault.
Casimir marches against the Danes.
The war was incredibly unpopular, but not only this, there were mass conversions to protestantism by local priests in protest against the war. These were spurred on when Hesse became the first protestant state. In the Memeland, there was a complete rebellion of the peasantry lead by protestants and Old Prussian (natives) peasants. This was swiftly crushed, but it convinced von Stenger that the protestants needed recognition. Von Stenger was totally indifferent to the question of religion, but it mattered to him that religion interfered in his plans. Thus, he coaxed the catholic Elector-prince into giving protestants some recognition, or at least tolerance, from the state. Meanwhile abroad, the military situation could not be better, the German armies had practically walked through Denmark and then used stolen ships to reach Copenhagen which was subsequently captured. Von Stenger who had made such a blunder in home affairs, had made a spectacular victory abroad. Holstein and Mecklenburg were ceded to Brandenburg and a small reparation was paid. The Swedes would soon after have Danemark cede the provinces of Skane and Jamtland. The Danes would never forgive the Brandenburgers for this piece of Stenger's treachery and the subsequent military humilation and pillage of their capital. To this day, Danes remain suspicious of their southern neighbors.
Copenhagen is sacked by jovial Germans.
Meanwhile prostantism and revolution were sweeping through Europe. And Karl V Holy Roman Emperor, born master of the Old World, was powerless to stop the change. In Italy, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies had rebelled and declared itself independant, in Ireland, the English had lost control of their Irish subjects. Within the Empire, more and more principalities were switching to the new faith. No longer was von Stenger the garant against foreign agression. Now he represented the voice of moderation against protestants.
Von Stenger was not this however, he was an opportunist, should there be a crisis, he would be ready to exploit it. Henry the VIII, King of England had rejected adherence to the Pope in order in order to divorce, yet again, his wife in defiance of Karl V. Von Stenger sensing history, proposed an alliance to the anxious King Henry in January 1532, intended against the Emperor. Mere months later, France declared war on England, claiming the coastal town of Calais. French motivations are easy to understand. Spain and Austria each, alone, had vastly superior armies to France. The only place to expand with Karl's toleration was a heretic country, England in this case. What's more, England's allies had just fought a war and had no navies to send aid. Thus, England was alone against France, although her German friends were with her in spirit (barring Bavaria). However, it was almost certain England would falter, France had created alliances with the Irish clans and the Scots, England faced war on all fronts.
Can England hold?
Overcome by guilt over the fate of England, having faced his last years humiliatingly under the thumb of von Stenger Joachim I Nestor passed away quietly in his sleep. His son Joachim II Hektor was a conflicted man. On the one hand, he had been raised into military virtues by the Knights of Ducal Prussia and he loved all that von Stenger represented in this. However, the humiliation of his father and brutal treatment of the Danes had been too much. On new year's 1535 he kicked von Stenger, step by step, out of the Hohenzollern palace and banished him from the realm. Thus, the Stenger era was over, the old knight withdrew to his Livonian estate and died some years later of a stroke and disappointment. Brandenburg would now start anew, lead by a chivalrous soldier and devout lutheran.
) which means that bohemia starts as an Austrian vassal, Danemark has a CBS on Holstein, France loses CBS on the netherlands, Hannover has CBS on hansa and some other stuff I can't remember
