Chapter 2: The reign of Willem VI
Part 1
With a new unit of men-at-arms built, and another under way to counter the 1000 men of Munster, who were allied with Hainault, on New Year’s Day 1400, the scheming brothers declared their puppet Willem VI von Hannover as the rightful King of Holland, and his first action was to declare war on Hainault.
Fearful of the great strength of Holland, Munster dishonoured their alliance, leaving Hainault to fight alone. With troops already placed in Vlaanderan, on the border of Hainault’s lands, they marched in destroying the 1000 men defending the province, and laid siege on the 26th January. Willem, keen to increase the economy as much as possible, raised War Taxes for the duration of the war. On the 12th July, news reached the army that Willem’s wife had given birth to a boy, named after their King. Finally, on the 17th March, 1401 Hainault fell, after over a year of siege warfare.
Willem immediately annexed Hainault.
During the war, the brothers had decided to give a gift to the state of 50 Ducats, to support the effort that their new King was putting in.
Our victory, and the 20 prestige acquired, meant that we had completed a mission. A new mission to form an alliance with Liege was requested, as the two brothers wished for a strong ally in protecting the new territory.
The mission was simple, and was accomplished two days later, gaining 3 prestige and an alliance against a potential Burgundian threat. Further alliances were sought out in fear of Burgundy, and relations were improved through careful diplomacy with both France and England. Meanwhile, the brothers looked further, toward the Empire:
Further, news reached Amsterdam of Hainaultian acceptance of our rule, and the people rejoiced.
In July 1403, we reached Government Tech 4 and decided to take National Trade policy as our idea.
Unfortunately, Willem’s new Trade Policy did not please the Dutch sailors, and, as was their want, they began smuggling good into and out of England:
Eventually, our diplomatic overtures to England worked, and in 1405 Willem had a new military partner – England.
However, the alliance came at a price. Rumour had it that Willem had performed certain ... favours ... for the King of England’s wife, who was growing weary of her doddery husband. Willem, seeing a chance to raise his manlihood in the eyes of his people, accepted the charges with great roars of laughter. However, they knew that he was not a true man, under the control of the brothers Zuiderzee that he was, and the country had some minor turmoil.
By 1407, Willem’s trade policy had born fruit, with five merchants in every major trade centre in the known world, and more besides. His attentions now moved to military matters, as he increased the size of his army in preparation for an offensive war aimed at gaining the heartlands of the low countries.
In 1408, something scary occurred. France, with the majority of its province already occupied by a combination of Bohemia and rebels, was declared war upon by Burgundy, who dragged in Aragon and Brittany, in what could easily further the Burgundian blob south of Willem’s lands.
However, it thankfully came to nothing but a Prestige War, as it was over a Trade Dispute. However, as you can see, France is still occupied by Bohemian troops, and is very weak.
Following an insult sent to Utrecht, in preparation for war, a slider change was enacted toward land, resulting in Naval Officers retiring. This doesn’t matter however, as I have no Naval tradition anyway. Scarily, Brabant, guaranteeing Utrecht, have 8000 troops to my 9000.
Having minted for 3 months to provide for an army to face Brabant, we are then faced with a noble who has, naively, made a mistress of a Brabantian woman. Fearing spies in the future war, that was now almost inevitable, Willem rustled up some false evidence and executed him.
This done, and the stability regain, the new force of Dutch longbowmen declared war on Utrecht on Christmas Day 1411, dragging in Brabant as Cologne and Liege reneged on their alliances with Utrecht and Holland respectively. The objectives were clear: Brabant and Utrecht, at any cost.
With the declaration having had hardly enough time to stop ringing through the lands of Holland, Orleans, Munster and The Palatinate promised their help:
With Utrechtian forces dead and buried, the Brabantians were slaughtered to a man at Breda, leading to sieges across Brabant.
Meanwhile, France, at war with England, collapses, becoming an OPM. Willem and the brothers look down with greedy eyes.
After almost two years, Utrecht finally falls.
Peace. Which is followed by the removal from favour of Albert Zuiderzee, as he is greviously harmed by his brother during a drunken brawl.
Ah, the fruit of Willem’s prodigious loins are springing up across Europe:
France falls:
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