Chapter 3 - 1444 to 1460: The Brittany Question
In November of 1444, the Empire of Britain stands as one of the most powerful nations in the known world. Militarily, its navy is the largest, and its army the third. The Army of Scotland, 10 thousand strong, resides in Lothian, while the Royal Army stands guard in Norfolk. The 10 thousand man Army of Brittany waits in London for the main fleet to transport it across the channel. The main fleet, named the Fleet of the Isles, boasts 8 heavy ships (early Carracks), 12 Barques, and 20 transport Cogs.
Politically, it is the pinnacle of forward progress, with its Parliamentary system. At the moment, the seven seats, meant to represent the many different regions of the Empire, are deciding on a new land reform bill to increase development across the nation.
The emperor is currently Saxon de Gael I, who inherited the throne 12 years ago during the Civil War, and who has led the empire well considering the hardships he and his nation endured. His heir is his 1 year old son Scotty de Gael.
For now, the Empire is at peace, internally and externally. Aquitaine, Denmark, and Galicia stand by Britain's side as faithful allies. The most pressing area is Brittany, which continues to cry for independence, a cry that could easily turn to outright revolt if not appeased or silenced. Saxon hopes the Army of Brittany will be able to keep the territory secure from revolts.
(Alliances)
In May of 1445, word arrives from Anatolia of the Eretnid struggle for independence from Turkestan. The Turkic people there, long removed from the rest of Turkestan, feel no allegiance to their former masters. Several neighboring powers support the young nation, eager to see Turkestan weakened.
Relations worsen between the Empire and France later in the year as France openly declares Britain its bitter rival. Saxon orders several new fortifications constructed in Brittany, in case of French invasion. Unfortunately, the rather weak France is allied to Byzantium, a foe Britain does not desire.
In June of 1447, Lotharingia's King dies without an heir. Poland inherits the throne, but France contests the Polish takeover of the throne and declares war, pitting France and its ally Mecklenburg (Byzantium did not answer the call) against Poland and its allies Sweden, Serbia, and Brandenburg.
Now would be the good time for British expansion into Normandy, as France is busy with the eastern powers, but the threat of a Byzantine retaliation is enough to ensure the British wait for a better opportunity. Saxon orders the Royal Army to relocate to Brittany as a precaution, in case the situation changes.
In the meantime, 10 more regiments are raised in England. This Army of England is sent to Norfolk to fill the absence of the Royal Army.
In December of 1449, the Land Reform bill is passed through Parliament. The next 10 years in Britain will be 10 of development and construction. By 1460, several provinces have seen significant expansion of their infrastructure and towns.
In 1453, the war for Eretnid independence comes to an end. As Eretna was overcome by Cyprus from the south, eager to bite a chunk of territory off the new nation, it gave up several of its southern and eastern counties. Turkestan, unable to completely defeat its enemy, settled for retaking the northern coast of Anatolia. Now, Eretna is struggling against internal strife as peasants across the country rise against the rulers, demanding more rights.
In April of 1454, the war between France and Poland is long over, with the utter defeat of the former. Saxon sends an envoy to Poland to offer an alliance with Britain. King Tomasz IV of Poland accepts graciously, and the new British-Polish alliance is created. With the powerful nation by his side, along with Aquitaine, Denmark, and Galicia, an invasion of Normandy may still be possible against France and the Byzantine Empire.
Rumors reach Britain of the Byzantines' navy, which is far larger than Britain's. Determined not to be left behind, Saxon orders construction of several new heavy and Barques and early Carracks. What also comes is the word of their expanded army. Although technologically inferior to the British soldiers, the ranks of the Byzantines outnumber them.
The British troops' first combat since the Civil War comes in 1455, as a noble man named Eadsige raises a substantial army of 21 thousand men in Aquitaine and attempts to overthrow King Æthelric de Gael. The Army of Brittany, placed under the leadership of the talented General Scipion Barca Saunders, and the Royal Army, led by the mediocre General Idhrendur Norfolk, march to Poitou, which is currently controlled by the Rebels. They meet with the Aquitaine main army of 17 thousand and besiege the castle there.
As Poitou is retaken by the loyalists and British, the armies move to Limousin, where the rebel army of 20 thousand is. For reasons unknown, the Aquitaine army does not move to help their allies. It is a victory, and the rebels scatter at the loss of only a few thousand on each side. The victorious Brits return to Brittany, a job well done.
In March of 1460, the Empire is ready for war against France. Aquitaine is stable again, Poland, Denmark, and Galicia are ready, and France is none the wiser. But at that moment the outcry from Brittany reaches a peak. It is simply unwise and frankly impossible to ignore anymore.
Many in Britain, especially the more Isolationist landowners, support Breton independence fully, but losing the fairly wealthy counties would be a blow on the British economy, which is not the greatest. It is given to the Parliament to convene and decide, much like the Council did years earlier, on the fate of Brittany.
Vote (please comment either A, B, or C):
The three viable options for Brittany's future are:
(A) Keep them in the Empire: Brittany's desire for freedom will be ignored, but it could greatly destabilize the region and potentially the Empire itself.
(B) Give them autonomy: Brittany will be released as a vassal nation of Britain, still a part of the Empire but with a functioning government of its own people. Its King would be BPM III de Gael.
(C) Give them independence: Brittany will be released entirely, but an alliance will be forged between it and the Empire. Its King would be BPM III de Gael.
This vote will end Monday 10:00 AM EST
NOTE:
-I noticed a ways through that I hadn't upped my video settings. I always lower them when I do testing so the game runs faster. Now, the only option disabled is Post Effects (which show seasonal changes). Let me know if you prefer it on or off (the first screen of Eretna has it on, the second has it off).
-I also noticed that Denmark changed during the conversion back to Danmark... I will fix this for next chapter.
-I've realized that the Aegean Islands is a nation with no island holdings! I will rename them for next chapter
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-Funny, the number of things you realize only once you start playing. I now know there are TWO nations in the world called Turkestan! And that they are both colored similarly, making differentiating them difficult! It is weird to see "Turkestan has declared war on Turkestan"...
