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Sorry, Rirre, I was so excited to make it through the BB wars that I had to post about it. But it was VERY busy. Fighting everywhere, armies going back and forth, being reDoW'ed and fighting off hordes of enemies.
My newest concept is to go no further east than the Vistula River, where it has been speculated that if the original Roman Empire had expanded to that point they might have survived. My idea is to go to that point and head somewhat southeast through Galizien and down to the Black Sea. I think I might go slightly north at that point to connect up to Kaffa and Kerch.
Another Teaser....Remember when I said Austria would pay? Boy did it ever! Guess how much of it is left by 1637! Same for France and England! There are NO german minors left. In fact, Germany is totally mine.
Poland has Lithuania of course. Teutonic Order has Novgorod. Muscowy hasn't become Russia. The Mongols still exist in historical Russian territory. Aka, the Golden Horde. Iberia belongs to me, all of it. I have northern America due to wars with England. Mayans and down to the Isthumus are mine. Parts of S. America are mine. About half of the Carribbean are mine. Only England has colonies and I have taken most of them.
The Byzantines still exist! Only has Thrace Ottomans have taken a severe spanking from me and Alexandria is owned by Nubia.
Have no idea what is going on in Asia, haven't gotten squat for explorers and am very close to getting naval tech to finally go see what is going on there.
Ireland has their entire Island and one province of Scotland, although Scotland no longer exists.
So who wants to guess first?
My newest concept is to go no further east than the Vistula River, where it has been speculated that if the original Roman Empire had expanded to that point they might have survived. My idea is to go to that point and head somewhat southeast through Galizien and down to the Black Sea. I think I might go slightly north at that point to connect up to Kaffa and Kerch.
Another Teaser....Remember when I said Austria would pay? Boy did it ever! Guess how much of it is left by 1637! Same for France and England! There are NO german minors left. In fact, Germany is totally mine.
Poland has Lithuania of course. Teutonic Order has Novgorod. Muscowy hasn't become Russia. The Mongols still exist in historical Russian territory. Aka, the Golden Horde. Iberia belongs to me, all of it. I have northern America due to wars with England. Mayans and down to the Isthumus are mine. Parts of S. America are mine. About half of the Carribbean are mine. Only England has colonies and I have taken most of them.
The Byzantines still exist! Only has Thrace Ottomans have taken a severe spanking from me and Alexandria is owned by Nubia.
Have no idea what is going on in Asia, haven't gotten squat for explorers and am very close to getting naval tech to finally go see what is going on there.
Ireland has their entire Island and one province of Scotland, although Scotland no longer exists.
So who wants to guess first?
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About BB wars. Did you change the settings during the game because I had the impression that you played on normal?
No idea as for guessing (what should we be guessing on?)
No idea as for guessing (what should we be guessing on?)
Originally posted by Judge
About BB wars. Did you change the settings during the game because I had the impression that you played on normal?
No idea as for guessing (what should we be guessing on?)
Guessing is how much of Austria, France and England are left. Venice is a bonus.
I changed settings to promote a BB war. went to very hard. Wanted one so I could speed up the conquest process. Plus I ws getting a little bored. That way it would keep me from having to DoW and getting so many Stab hits. It's getting expensive to return my stab to plus settings so I sort of let the others DoW me now.
France and austria one province each.... england two provinces plus colonies. Was I far of?
WHENS THE NEXT INSTALMENT????? Im getting nervous just sitting and waiting here..
WHENS THE NEXT INSTALMENT????? Im getting nervous just sitting and waiting here..
The empire had spent years dealing with rebellions as well as trying to convert numerous German provinces from Protestant back to the one true faith. The inquisition spread out throughout Germany, working diligently for the church. Unfortunately they met with less than stellar success. In fact, the conversion attempts were a abysmal failure. Everywhere. In every way. The heretics were completely unwilling to return to mother church.
Religious revolts were crushed ruthlessly, and those caught worshipping in the Protestant way were brutally reminded that there was but one church. To no avail. They stubbornly refused to change their ways. Seemingly nothing the inquisition did, the thumbscrews, the rack, even the ritualistic flogging made no difference whatsoever. Nothing like this had ever been experienced by the inquisition. They were at a loss to explain their massive failures.
The head of the inquisition, Father Emil Lagasse, was ordered back to Stockholm to explain the failures to the Arch Bishop himself. It would prove to be a conversation that Lagasse would not enjoy. The hairshirt over the welts left from his self flagellation would prove to be painful in the extreme. The demotion to a small parish in Ericksfjord, Greenland was insult to injury.
A new chief judge was appointed to the Supreme Imperial Court. Known only as the Judge, he would bring in a new era of jurisprudence and be in charge of improving the imperial judicial code which had became somewhat antiquated. The emperor himself hand picked him after reading a fascinating reproof of imperial law that Judge had written. It was so well crafted, and quite true in it’s points that the Emperor intervened when Judge was arrested for anti imperial sentiments.
Erik XV met with Judge personally and spoke to him throughout the day, even dining with him twice. He decided that he liked what Judge had to say and decreed that Judge was NOT against the empire, but was in fact only trying to promote change for the good of the empire. Judge’s installation as Chief Justice was bitterly opposed by the Senate, but Erik wasn’t the pansy they had anticipated. He over rode their objections with an impassioned speech in front of the entire Senate, which was well attended by the commons. The overwhelming response from the commons convinced the Senators that it would be most unwise to deny the Emperor his desire. The nomination was unanimously passed.
LordLeto, Senator of Flandern, also felt that Judge was a good choice. He personally congratulated the new chief justice before button holing the emperor about trade considerations that had been adversely affecting the CoT in his home province. The two men talked animatedly as they left the senate chambers. It was widely believed that LordLeto was completely responsible for the imperial decree that enabled traders of the empire to be vastly more effective. Flandern is one of the wealthiest provinces in the empire, and LordLeto had managed to make it even more wealthy and powerful.
Grand Admiral Rirre authorized a most ambitious plan to build imperial shipyards in Stockholm, Skane, Jylland, Flandern, Andalusia, and Catalonia. The navy needed to update the ships of the line. They were beginning to be outdated. The navy was still supreme upon the waves, but there was no desire to let the imperial advantage slip through its fingers. A navy wide ship replacement was in order. It would be done. The empire would not surrender naval supremacy.
Field Marshal Anibal, head of the entire army, was going through a painful reorganization of legions. What was once a cavalry dominated force would be transformed into armies of foot soldiers supported by cavalry. Cannon would be placed upon heavily reinforced wagons to allow for faster transport. A new training regimen would be put into place. The ancient legions once traveled more than 26 miles a day. They would again. The time of cavalry was nearing its natural end. The firepower of the foot soldier was superior to the cavalry charge. Only a surprise cavalry attack would be truly effective. Therefore, they would be reduced to a supporting role.
By 1571 the legal reforms had been enacted, and the army and navy had been transformed. The treachery of Austria had not been forgotten, nor forgiven. It was more than past time to teach the Hapburgs the error in interfering with the empire during times of war. In October the empire informed them that a state of war now existed between the two powers.
France and the Papal States eagerly joined on the side of Austria, only to make a swift peace with the empire in November. Austria was alone against the might of the empire. There would be no mercy. The Emperor was unwilling to settle for less than the total destruction of the Hapsburgs.
Religious revolts were crushed ruthlessly, and those caught worshipping in the Protestant way were brutally reminded that there was but one church. To no avail. They stubbornly refused to change their ways. Seemingly nothing the inquisition did, the thumbscrews, the rack, even the ritualistic flogging made no difference whatsoever. Nothing like this had ever been experienced by the inquisition. They were at a loss to explain their massive failures.
The head of the inquisition, Father Emil Lagasse, was ordered back to Stockholm to explain the failures to the Arch Bishop himself. It would prove to be a conversation that Lagasse would not enjoy. The hairshirt over the welts left from his self flagellation would prove to be painful in the extreme. The demotion to a small parish in Ericksfjord, Greenland was insult to injury.
A new chief judge was appointed to the Supreme Imperial Court. Known only as the Judge, he would bring in a new era of jurisprudence and be in charge of improving the imperial judicial code which had became somewhat antiquated. The emperor himself hand picked him after reading a fascinating reproof of imperial law that Judge had written. It was so well crafted, and quite true in it’s points that the Emperor intervened when Judge was arrested for anti imperial sentiments.
Erik XV met with Judge personally and spoke to him throughout the day, even dining with him twice. He decided that he liked what Judge had to say and decreed that Judge was NOT against the empire, but was in fact only trying to promote change for the good of the empire. Judge’s installation as Chief Justice was bitterly opposed by the Senate, but Erik wasn’t the pansy they had anticipated. He over rode their objections with an impassioned speech in front of the entire Senate, which was well attended by the commons. The overwhelming response from the commons convinced the Senators that it would be most unwise to deny the Emperor his desire. The nomination was unanimously passed.
LordLeto, Senator of Flandern, also felt that Judge was a good choice. He personally congratulated the new chief justice before button holing the emperor about trade considerations that had been adversely affecting the CoT in his home province. The two men talked animatedly as they left the senate chambers. It was widely believed that LordLeto was completely responsible for the imperial decree that enabled traders of the empire to be vastly more effective. Flandern is one of the wealthiest provinces in the empire, and LordLeto had managed to make it even more wealthy and powerful.
Grand Admiral Rirre authorized a most ambitious plan to build imperial shipyards in Stockholm, Skane, Jylland, Flandern, Andalusia, and Catalonia. The navy needed to update the ships of the line. They were beginning to be outdated. The navy was still supreme upon the waves, but there was no desire to let the imperial advantage slip through its fingers. A navy wide ship replacement was in order. It would be done. The empire would not surrender naval supremacy.
Field Marshal Anibal, head of the entire army, was going through a painful reorganization of legions. What was once a cavalry dominated force would be transformed into armies of foot soldiers supported by cavalry. Cannon would be placed upon heavily reinforced wagons to allow for faster transport. A new training regimen would be put into place. The ancient legions once traveled more than 26 miles a day. They would again. The time of cavalry was nearing its natural end. The firepower of the foot soldier was superior to the cavalry charge. Only a surprise cavalry attack would be truly effective. Therefore, they would be reduced to a supporting role.
By 1571 the legal reforms had been enacted, and the army and navy had been transformed. The treachery of Austria had not been forgotten, nor forgiven. It was more than past time to teach the Hapburgs the error in interfering with the empire during times of war. In October the empire informed them that a state of war now existed between the two powers.
France and the Papal States eagerly joined on the side of Austria, only to make a swift peace with the empire in November. Austria was alone against the might of the empire. There would be no mercy. The Emperor was unwilling to settle for less than the total destruction of the Hapsburgs.
The imperial invasion was massive. Tirol, Ostmarch, Erz, Mecklenburg, Sudenten, Masovia, and Salzburg were quickly over run and their capitols put under siege. The Austrians were caught completely by surprise. They were busy with their other war with Poland. The first through seventh legions were the ones involved with the war. They were all the new type of army and the worth of the new system was apparent nearly immediately.
The cannon quickly breached the walls of each province and assaults quickly brought an end to their resistance. The legions moved on to Vienna, Stiermark, Presburg, Odenburg, Carpathia, Pest, and Krain. Only Vienna had a true army standing in the way of the 1st legion. The Austrians fought like madmen, finally giving in when the last man died at the gates of the city. All 56 thousand of them. Not one of them surrendered. The commander of the legion reported that the enemy had been defeated, but that they had fought quite bravely even if poorly. The empire lost only 15 thousand troops in the action. There was still more than enough to take the city.
The conquest continued with only minimal resistance from the Austrians. They gave Poland Carpathia. The empire had conquered Carpathia, not the polish. Yet again, a foreign power had accepted land for peace that they did not deserve. The Poles would be punished later. The imperium had a very long memory.
The legions chased the last remnants of the Austrian armies in Bulgaria in 1576. Austria offered Erz, Mecklenburg, Moravia, Sudeten, Salzburg, and Tirol. The empire eagerly accepted as religious rebellions in Hessen, Munster, Holstein, and Bremen. The 1st legion swiftly moved to quash the revolts which had been brought about by yet more failures to convert the protestants to the one true faith.
Grand Admiral Rirre reported that the only naval battle between Austria and the empire had occurred in The Sund. An imperial naval squadron intercepted an Austrian fleet and systemically decimated it. Afterwards the defeated Austrians were harried all the way to the coast of Greenland before being totally destroyed. There were no Austrian survivors.
Field Marshal Anibal reported that the new strategy and tactics of the legions had been proven successful. Very successful. The Senate and Emperor were very pleased with the results of the military and the subjection of new lands for the empire.
LordLeto informed the Praetorian Guard of a plot by some senators to assassinate the Emperor. His timely warning saved the emperor’s life. The senators involved were summarily hung after a brief trial presided over by Judge himself. LordLeto also rammed a bill through the senate to improve the roads and bridges throughout the empire.
His championing of trade and improving the infrastructure of the empire along with saving the imperial life caused the emperor to grant him the title of Duke of Gaul. He would oversee the governorship of all of Gaul owned by the empire. He was quite a young man, barely eighteen. LordPaul, his father, had died recently in a fall from his horse during a fox hunt. Therefore LordLeto had to take over at an age earlier than originally anticipated, but he had been well prepared by his father.
Grand Admiral Rirre had come from a long line of seamen. His many times great grandfather had been an oarsman in the original Diaspora from Rome. His own grandfather had been a Captain during the war with Denmark. His father had retired as an admiral, highly decorated for his explorations of the South American and African coasts.
Field Marshal Anibal can trace his own lineage back to Septimus Severus himself. His family had always been in the army in some capacity or another. Anibal was the first in his family to reach the title of Field Marshal, let alone to command all of the imperial might on land. It was an awesome responsibility, but one he embraced with a will and passion.
Pirate activity in the Caribbean had increased in it’s ferocity and tenacity. Grand Admiral Rirre himself undertook the task to rid the seas of this blight upon trade. The emperor guaranteed the independence of Oldenburg as France seemed interested in acquiring the minor German state. The empire was completely surprised when Friesen declared war upon Oldenburg, and unprepared.
By the time the empire could respond Oldenburg was defeated and annexed. The 2nd legion prepared to do battle as the war declaration was offered. The Friesens tried to defend themselves but they still used the tactics of the 15th century and were grossly overmatched. The legion swept the enemy army aside and stormed the poorly constructed defenses of the city. Oldenburg rebelled against their overlords and defected to the empire to the shock and delight of the senate. Friesland soon capitulated and became a tiny part of the empire.
In October of 1580 the empire decided that Poland’s time to receive her punishment was at hand. To confuse the issue the senate declared war on the rump state of Bohemia. The Bohemians were horrified. They had no army whatsoever. The Poles predictably declared war on the empire. The legions were well prepared for them.
The cannon quickly breached the walls of each province and assaults quickly brought an end to their resistance. The legions moved on to Vienna, Stiermark, Presburg, Odenburg, Carpathia, Pest, and Krain. Only Vienna had a true army standing in the way of the 1st legion. The Austrians fought like madmen, finally giving in when the last man died at the gates of the city. All 56 thousand of them. Not one of them surrendered. The commander of the legion reported that the enemy had been defeated, but that they had fought quite bravely even if poorly. The empire lost only 15 thousand troops in the action. There was still more than enough to take the city.
The conquest continued with only minimal resistance from the Austrians. They gave Poland Carpathia. The empire had conquered Carpathia, not the polish. Yet again, a foreign power had accepted land for peace that they did not deserve. The Poles would be punished later. The imperium had a very long memory.
The legions chased the last remnants of the Austrian armies in Bulgaria in 1576. Austria offered Erz, Mecklenburg, Moravia, Sudeten, Salzburg, and Tirol. The empire eagerly accepted as religious rebellions in Hessen, Munster, Holstein, and Bremen. The 1st legion swiftly moved to quash the revolts which had been brought about by yet more failures to convert the protestants to the one true faith.
Grand Admiral Rirre reported that the only naval battle between Austria and the empire had occurred in The Sund. An imperial naval squadron intercepted an Austrian fleet and systemically decimated it. Afterwards the defeated Austrians were harried all the way to the coast of Greenland before being totally destroyed. There were no Austrian survivors.
Field Marshal Anibal reported that the new strategy and tactics of the legions had been proven successful. Very successful. The Senate and Emperor were very pleased with the results of the military and the subjection of new lands for the empire.
LordLeto informed the Praetorian Guard of a plot by some senators to assassinate the Emperor. His timely warning saved the emperor’s life. The senators involved were summarily hung after a brief trial presided over by Judge himself. LordLeto also rammed a bill through the senate to improve the roads and bridges throughout the empire.
His championing of trade and improving the infrastructure of the empire along with saving the imperial life caused the emperor to grant him the title of Duke of Gaul. He would oversee the governorship of all of Gaul owned by the empire. He was quite a young man, barely eighteen. LordPaul, his father, had died recently in a fall from his horse during a fox hunt. Therefore LordLeto had to take over at an age earlier than originally anticipated, but he had been well prepared by his father.
Grand Admiral Rirre had come from a long line of seamen. His many times great grandfather had been an oarsman in the original Diaspora from Rome. His own grandfather had been a Captain during the war with Denmark. His father had retired as an admiral, highly decorated for his explorations of the South American and African coasts.
Field Marshal Anibal can trace his own lineage back to Septimus Severus himself. His family had always been in the army in some capacity or another. Anibal was the first in his family to reach the title of Field Marshal, let alone to command all of the imperial might on land. It was an awesome responsibility, but one he embraced with a will and passion.
Pirate activity in the Caribbean had increased in it’s ferocity and tenacity. Grand Admiral Rirre himself undertook the task to rid the seas of this blight upon trade. The emperor guaranteed the independence of Oldenburg as France seemed interested in acquiring the minor German state. The empire was completely surprised when Friesen declared war upon Oldenburg, and unprepared.
By the time the empire could respond Oldenburg was defeated and annexed. The 2nd legion prepared to do battle as the war declaration was offered. The Friesens tried to defend themselves but they still used the tactics of the 15th century and were grossly overmatched. The legion swept the enemy army aside and stormed the poorly constructed defenses of the city. Oldenburg rebelled against their overlords and defected to the empire to the shock and delight of the senate. Friesland soon capitulated and became a tiny part of the empire.
In October of 1580 the empire decided that Poland’s time to receive her punishment was at hand. To confuse the issue the senate declared war on the rump state of Bohemia. The Bohemians were horrified. They had no army whatsoever. The Poles predictably declared war on the empire. The legions were well prepared for them.
Our armies waited for the Poles to invade, which they did. The Poles crossed the Vistula River in the face of withering gunfire. They melted away in the onslaught. None survived. They sent three more armies to die across the river until March of 1581. The 2nd legion advanced in Carpathia, the 3rd into Mazovia, the 4th into Krakow, while the 5th were busy cracking Bohemia’s capitol like a rotten egg.
Nubia declared war only to quickly sue for a white peace. We quickly advanced into Galizien and Podlasia after conquering Carpathia and Krakow. The Poles were stubborn, sending wave after wave of armies against us, only to shatter against the steely might of the legions. Volyn, Lithuania, and Moldavia were rapidly subjected to imperial rule. Mazovia continued to resist the empire. Common citizens were manning and repairing the walls even in the face of constant bombardment.
Podolia and Ukraine also fell to the empire. In December of 1582, the Austrians declared war on Poland again. France joined in with them. Poland was in very deep trouble. By March of 1583 Dobruja, Smolensk, and Chernigov fell to the empire.
A purge of the senate was ordered and carried out by LordLeto after some idiotic senators accepted a peace with Bohemia with their agreeing to become part of the empire. It negated the entire war with the Poles. Needless to say, rivers of blood washed out to Stockholm Harbor. The Emperor was furious and had to be calmed by LordLeto personally. Erik was promised that LordLeto would lead the senate investigation personally, so such things never happened again.
The Protestants still resisted returning to the one true faith. In October of 1587 our trading post in Leone Africa was burned to the ground by irate natives. This was odd since for 2 decades they had seemed to be very happy. It was suspected that the French colony nearby probably incited the natives.
“Sire! Our trading post in Leone has been destroyed!”
“We have a trading post in Leone?”
“Yes, sire.”
“Where the hell is Leone?”
“Africa, sire.”
“I could have sworn one of my predecessors had decreed no more colonizations?”
“He did sire.”
“Than why did we have a trading post in Africa?”
“We apparently won it in a war some time ago?”
“What war?”
“I’m afraid I have no idea, sire.”
“Fine, whatever. Who did it?”
“We think the French incited the natives in the area to do it.”
“Why would the French do that?”
“I was probably due to the fact that they have a colony nearby and our trading post might have been draining trade from them.”
“I see. Convene the senate at once! This means war!”
March 8, 1588 the imperium declared war on France. Austria was quick to come to the aid of France even though the last time they had faced the empire they had been completely blitzed.
French Comte, Lyonnais, Cevennes, Schwyz, Bern, Provence, Dauphine, Champagne, Picardie, Nivernais, and Ile de France were immediately invaded and put under siege. The French army was busy in the Ottoman Empire fighting with the Papal States. More legions swept into the totally undefended Austrian territories as well. The imperial headquarters were puzzled at why the Austrians would declare war and have no armies to defend herself. No matter, it would just make the conquest easier.
Luxemburg, Artois, Lorraine, Koln, and Kleves were also put under the imperial thumb with newly conscripted legions. There would be no sudden appearances of French troops to surprise the legions.
To keep the imperial losses to a minimum there would be no costly assaults. Attrition would be the name of the game. Once the inhabitants had scoured their cities for the last rats they would be eager to open their gates to their conquerors.
By September of 1591 both Austria and France were on their knees begging for mercy. Austria was allowed to keep Vienna, Presburg, Odenburg, Maros and Maygar. The rest of their territory was forfeit, all the way to Rumelia on the Black Sea.
The French were allowed to keep Ile de France, Champagne, Nivernais, Lorraine and their two colonies in Africa. The wars were over and the empire had expanded mightily. LordLeto had a lot of work to do to pacify the newly conquered Gaul provinces.
Again the army proved it’s superiority to any other nation’s. The senate was well pleased and ordered special medals awarded to the legions involved. The expense was high, but well worth it in the opinion of the masses.
Nubia declared war only to quickly sue for a white peace. We quickly advanced into Galizien and Podlasia after conquering Carpathia and Krakow. The Poles were stubborn, sending wave after wave of armies against us, only to shatter against the steely might of the legions. Volyn, Lithuania, and Moldavia were rapidly subjected to imperial rule. Mazovia continued to resist the empire. Common citizens were manning and repairing the walls even in the face of constant bombardment.
Podolia and Ukraine also fell to the empire. In December of 1582, the Austrians declared war on Poland again. France joined in with them. Poland was in very deep trouble. By March of 1583 Dobruja, Smolensk, and Chernigov fell to the empire.
A purge of the senate was ordered and carried out by LordLeto after some idiotic senators accepted a peace with Bohemia with their agreeing to become part of the empire. It negated the entire war with the Poles. Needless to say, rivers of blood washed out to Stockholm Harbor. The Emperor was furious and had to be calmed by LordLeto personally. Erik was promised that LordLeto would lead the senate investigation personally, so such things never happened again.
The Protestants still resisted returning to the one true faith. In October of 1587 our trading post in Leone Africa was burned to the ground by irate natives. This was odd since for 2 decades they had seemed to be very happy. It was suspected that the French colony nearby probably incited the natives.
“Sire! Our trading post in Leone has been destroyed!”
“We have a trading post in Leone?”
“Yes, sire.”
“Where the hell is Leone?”
“Africa, sire.”
“I could have sworn one of my predecessors had decreed no more colonizations?”
“He did sire.”
“Than why did we have a trading post in Africa?”
“We apparently won it in a war some time ago?”
“What war?”
“I’m afraid I have no idea, sire.”
“Fine, whatever. Who did it?”
“We think the French incited the natives in the area to do it.”
“Why would the French do that?”
“I was probably due to the fact that they have a colony nearby and our trading post might have been draining trade from them.”
“I see. Convene the senate at once! This means war!”
March 8, 1588 the imperium declared war on France. Austria was quick to come to the aid of France even though the last time they had faced the empire they had been completely blitzed.
French Comte, Lyonnais, Cevennes, Schwyz, Bern, Provence, Dauphine, Champagne, Picardie, Nivernais, and Ile de France were immediately invaded and put under siege. The French army was busy in the Ottoman Empire fighting with the Papal States. More legions swept into the totally undefended Austrian territories as well. The imperial headquarters were puzzled at why the Austrians would declare war and have no armies to defend herself. No matter, it would just make the conquest easier.
Luxemburg, Artois, Lorraine, Koln, and Kleves were also put under the imperial thumb with newly conscripted legions. There would be no sudden appearances of French troops to surprise the legions.
To keep the imperial losses to a minimum there would be no costly assaults. Attrition would be the name of the game. Once the inhabitants had scoured their cities for the last rats they would be eager to open their gates to their conquerors.
By September of 1591 both Austria and France were on their knees begging for mercy. Austria was allowed to keep Vienna, Presburg, Odenburg, Maros and Maygar. The rest of their territory was forfeit, all the way to Rumelia on the Black Sea.
The French were allowed to keep Ile de France, Champagne, Nivernais, Lorraine and their two colonies in Africa. The wars were over and the empire had expanded mightily. LordLeto had a lot of work to do to pacify the newly conquered Gaul provinces.
Again the army proved it’s superiority to any other nation’s. The senate was well pleased and ordered special medals awarded to the legions involved. The expense was high, but well worth it in the opinion of the masses.
Before anyone asks we haven't gotten to the BB wars yet. I'm trying to prime the pump, so to speak.
Very impressing Amric, France and Austria at the same time thats gotto be worth some extra points.
Just one thing I get seasick.... but I can probobly get a remedy for that from the Imperial pharmacist.
TO THE WAVES
Just one thing I get seasick.... but I can probobly get a remedy for that from the Imperial pharmacist.
TO THE WAVES
Well, after generations and generations of total devotion to the imperial army, I'm proud to see that my family (well, me) has a Field Marshal on the Army! Amric, are you calling me a new JVLIVS CAESAR ?
Let's teach those barbarians germans a lesson!
Let's teach those barbarians germans a lesson!
Grand Admiral Rirre fondly remembered how his grandfather taught him about the sea and how to cure his seasickness issue. Grandpa used to take him out on The Sund for weeks at a time in a small coracle. Rirre would be violently sick for quite a long time, and his grandfather would help him recover and finally to enjoy the sea. Grandpa would do this 3 times a year, only the winter was the time of year not to go out on The Sund.
It took most of his teen years, but Rirre finally conquered his seasickness and now has absolutely no trouble going out to sea, and in fact truly enjoys it.
Field Marshal Anibal, called the little Caesar by his staff, actually tries to play down the comparison as he is far too humble to believe in that sort of thing. Mostly. Well, secretly in his heart he likes the moniker, but realizes that there hasn't been a Caesar in hundreds of years, and there isn't going to be by old imperial decree. Being hailed as Caesar is only a step away from being hailed and Imperator, and that is to close to being hailed as Emperor. And that would NEVER do, he is far to fond of his head where it is to attempt a coup against the imperial throne.
BTW, for those guessing, at this time you are pretty close, however for the time I spoke of, 1637. Well, no. But you will see...the BB wars are coming...and boy are they a doozy.
France and Austria were pretty easy as they both were involved in other wars and just flat out didn't have anybody home to defend themselves. Sneaky, I know, but hey, it's not my fault they're stupid.
It took most of his teen years, but Rirre finally conquered his seasickness and now has absolutely no trouble going out to sea, and in fact truly enjoys it.
Field Marshal Anibal, called the little Caesar by his staff, actually tries to play down the comparison as he is far too humble to believe in that sort of thing. Mostly. Well, secretly in his heart he likes the moniker, but realizes that there hasn't been a Caesar in hundreds of years, and there isn't going to be by old imperial decree. Being hailed as Caesar is only a step away from being hailed and Imperator, and that is to close to being hailed as Emperor. And that would NEVER do, he is far to fond of his head where it is to attempt a coup against the imperial throne.
BTW, for those guessing, at this time you are pretty close, however for the time I spoke of, 1637. Well, no. But you will see...the BB wars are coming...and boy are they a doozy.
France and Austria were pretty easy as they both were involved in other wars and just flat out didn't have anybody home to defend themselves. Sneaky, I know, but hey, it's not my fault they're stupid.
Grand Admiral Rirre proclaimed that he would personally lead the Caribbean fleet in it’s quest to destroy the pirates trying to strangle imperial trade in the area. He set sail in his personal flagship the Unconquerable to Havana. The trip was uneventful and he pulled into the harbor at Havana to see the Caribbean fleet in dry dock.
The fleet was in poor repair due to the constant sailing and fighting of pirates. With very little let up they had sailed until the main beams cracked and splintered in most of the ships. In fact, what was in dry dock was only 10 ships. The rest were considered to old and damaged to repair.
This news shocked and infuriated Rirre who ordered the one time commander of the fleet to take his flagship and patrol the waters of Greenland for pirates. Commander Jensen complied with alacrity. Rirre’s temper was well known in the navy and Jensen had no intention of causing his superior to think of a new far more unpleasant command for him.
Jensen sailed with his leaky ship. Eventually a report came back from Ericksfjord that he had arrived and begun repairs to his ship. He also ordered the building of 3 more ships to bring his total command to four. Stadacone, Massachusetts, and Connecticut would provide the new ships. Otherwise it would take years to build in the harsh conditions of Ericksfjord.
Every colony in the Caribbean was ordered to build one ship of the line for the new fleet. Rirre sailed from one colony to the next(editors note, when I say colony I mean it is up to city size). Jamaica, Puerto Rico, et al were convinced of the need as pirates were in nearly every sea lane attacking merchant ships of the empire. Only the English seemed to be immune, but then they only had a small colony in the region and it was quite poor, and no other European nation had any interests in the area.
The Aztecs didn’t have the technology to deal with the pirates, and relations with the Central American empire were very poor. One could say that they hated the imperium with a passion. It was fortunate that they considered attacking us a very bad idea. They even allowed trade with them, but the prices for their goods were so high as to make it hardly worth the effort to do so.
It was quite by fortune that chocolate had been discovered in the empire’s Central American possessions as it enabled imperial traders to bypass the Aztec chocolatiers and
harvest chocolate on their own. Doing so caused the price of chocolate to drop, putting a crimp in the Aztecs plans to corner the market. The English were quite put out by this, and sent a strongly worded note of protest to LordLeto, who was the acknowledged trade leader in the imperial senate.
LordLeto replied that if the English didn’t like the new supplies of chocolate they were welcome to try to find their own, or pay the higher Aztec prices. The English ambassador spluttered and complained but LordLeto let it be known that the imperial traders were not to be bullied or coerced by the English on threat of immediate reprisal.
By 1593 the Caribbean fleet was ready for training maneuvers. In 1592 he had ordered the transfer of some Mediterranean fleet captains to the Caribbean who had been languishing in Baleares for years with nothing to do. They were all eager to get back into harness. His strategy and tactics classes became famous around the Cuban island as the Hell Room sessions.
It was brutal and unyielding, but it produced results. By the time of the sea trials every captain knew exactly what he was going to be doing at all times. It was so successful that Rirre sent his lesson plan off to Stockholm to have it implemented as part of the courses for the new Naval Academy that was being built.
The sea trials went very well; in fact the new fleet intercepted a pirate fleet and sent them down to the bottom of the sea with minimal effort. The fleet went out and did what the imperial fleet is known for, sinking pirates. Up through 1598 the fleet patrolled heavily throughout the Caribbean. Pirates appeared with nauseating regularity. It was like someone was funding them.
Rirre had a confrontational argument with the Governor General of Cuba who thought the navy was doing a bad job of controlling the pirates. Rirre informed him that there was no way to garrison every little fly speck island in the Caribbean, but if the Governor General wanted he would be glad to take as many men as the man wanted to as many islands as possible.
The Governor General decided that this was not in his best interest and dropped the matter quick quickly, especially when a year later a personal missive from the Emperor informed him that Rirre was to be given carte blanche in whatever he wanted in his pursuit of the pirates.
In June of 1598 Rirre finally discovered proof of English collusion with the pirates when he boarded a pirate ship with a full complement of imperial marines. Inside the captain’s cabin were orders detailing the pirates activities and a letter of marque from the English parliament which ordered said missive to be burned. The pirate captain didn’t burn it, and the empire now knew the English were indeed responsible.
It would have only been the English held responsible if it weren’t for Venetian coins found in the pirates personal treasure chest. The Venetians had no interests in the Caribbean at all. There should be no such coins there.
Put to the question the pirate captain admitted that the Venetians were also involved with the scheme by helping England finance it. That was enough for Rirre, who sent the damning evidence by fast picket ship to the Emperor.
Erik called LordLeto and Judge into his chambers for a candid discussion.
“Gentlemen, we have a problem. My first instinct is to declare war,” Erik waved the evidence at them.
“Majesty, I don’t think war is the answer,” Judge gently took the papers from Erik,” I think there must be some other way to teach them both a lesson.”
LordLeto nodded,” Personally I think we should enact a trade embargo of both of them. It will hurt them quite badly financially.”
“Indeed,” Judge smiled,” I think that just might be the ticket.”
“They’ll still finance those damned pirates,” Erik growled.
“Majesty, it will prove very difficult for them to do so,” LordLeto demurred.
“How so?” Erik queried.
“Trade is what both England and Venice depend upon for their livelihoods,” LordLeto replied,” Especially since we have taken so much of their empires. They need that trade from our CoT’s. They won’t have it. Money will dry up. Financing the pirates will be very difficult for them.”
“They’ll have to stop doing it if they want to keep any kind of army, navy, or infrastructure in their own countries,” Judge continued,” Plus they will have to finance their own court systems when the inevitable smuggling occurs. It will put a terrible strain on them.”
Erik grinned,” It’s not a war, but it will do for now. Most excellent. LordLeto, push it through the Senate. Thank you, Judge for your help.”
Both men bowed deeply before leaving the imperial presence,” It is our honor to serve, sire.”
The fleet was in poor repair due to the constant sailing and fighting of pirates. With very little let up they had sailed until the main beams cracked and splintered in most of the ships. In fact, what was in dry dock was only 10 ships. The rest were considered to old and damaged to repair.
This news shocked and infuriated Rirre who ordered the one time commander of the fleet to take his flagship and patrol the waters of Greenland for pirates. Commander Jensen complied with alacrity. Rirre’s temper was well known in the navy and Jensen had no intention of causing his superior to think of a new far more unpleasant command for him.
Jensen sailed with his leaky ship. Eventually a report came back from Ericksfjord that he had arrived and begun repairs to his ship. He also ordered the building of 3 more ships to bring his total command to four. Stadacone, Massachusetts, and Connecticut would provide the new ships. Otherwise it would take years to build in the harsh conditions of Ericksfjord.
Every colony in the Caribbean was ordered to build one ship of the line for the new fleet. Rirre sailed from one colony to the next(editors note, when I say colony I mean it is up to city size). Jamaica, Puerto Rico, et al were convinced of the need as pirates were in nearly every sea lane attacking merchant ships of the empire. Only the English seemed to be immune, but then they only had a small colony in the region and it was quite poor, and no other European nation had any interests in the area.
The Aztecs didn’t have the technology to deal with the pirates, and relations with the Central American empire were very poor. One could say that they hated the imperium with a passion. It was fortunate that they considered attacking us a very bad idea. They even allowed trade with them, but the prices for their goods were so high as to make it hardly worth the effort to do so.
It was quite by fortune that chocolate had been discovered in the empire’s Central American possessions as it enabled imperial traders to bypass the Aztec chocolatiers and
harvest chocolate on their own. Doing so caused the price of chocolate to drop, putting a crimp in the Aztecs plans to corner the market. The English were quite put out by this, and sent a strongly worded note of protest to LordLeto, who was the acknowledged trade leader in the imperial senate.
LordLeto replied that if the English didn’t like the new supplies of chocolate they were welcome to try to find their own, or pay the higher Aztec prices. The English ambassador spluttered and complained but LordLeto let it be known that the imperial traders were not to be bullied or coerced by the English on threat of immediate reprisal.
By 1593 the Caribbean fleet was ready for training maneuvers. In 1592 he had ordered the transfer of some Mediterranean fleet captains to the Caribbean who had been languishing in Baleares for years with nothing to do. They were all eager to get back into harness. His strategy and tactics classes became famous around the Cuban island as the Hell Room sessions.
It was brutal and unyielding, but it produced results. By the time of the sea trials every captain knew exactly what he was going to be doing at all times. It was so successful that Rirre sent his lesson plan off to Stockholm to have it implemented as part of the courses for the new Naval Academy that was being built.
The sea trials went very well; in fact the new fleet intercepted a pirate fleet and sent them down to the bottom of the sea with minimal effort. The fleet went out and did what the imperial fleet is known for, sinking pirates. Up through 1598 the fleet patrolled heavily throughout the Caribbean. Pirates appeared with nauseating regularity. It was like someone was funding them.
Rirre had a confrontational argument with the Governor General of Cuba who thought the navy was doing a bad job of controlling the pirates. Rirre informed him that there was no way to garrison every little fly speck island in the Caribbean, but if the Governor General wanted he would be glad to take as many men as the man wanted to as many islands as possible.
The Governor General decided that this was not in his best interest and dropped the matter quick quickly, especially when a year later a personal missive from the Emperor informed him that Rirre was to be given carte blanche in whatever he wanted in his pursuit of the pirates.
In June of 1598 Rirre finally discovered proof of English collusion with the pirates when he boarded a pirate ship with a full complement of imperial marines. Inside the captain’s cabin were orders detailing the pirates activities and a letter of marque from the English parliament which ordered said missive to be burned. The pirate captain didn’t burn it, and the empire now knew the English were indeed responsible.
It would have only been the English held responsible if it weren’t for Venetian coins found in the pirates personal treasure chest. The Venetians had no interests in the Caribbean at all. There should be no such coins there.
Put to the question the pirate captain admitted that the Venetians were also involved with the scheme by helping England finance it. That was enough for Rirre, who sent the damning evidence by fast picket ship to the Emperor.
Erik called LordLeto and Judge into his chambers for a candid discussion.
“Gentlemen, we have a problem. My first instinct is to declare war,” Erik waved the evidence at them.
“Majesty, I don’t think war is the answer,” Judge gently took the papers from Erik,” I think there must be some other way to teach them both a lesson.”
LordLeto nodded,” Personally I think we should enact a trade embargo of both of them. It will hurt them quite badly financially.”
“Indeed,” Judge smiled,” I think that just might be the ticket.”
“They’ll still finance those damned pirates,” Erik growled.
“Majesty, it will prove very difficult for them to do so,” LordLeto demurred.
“How so?” Erik queried.
“Trade is what both England and Venice depend upon for their livelihoods,” LordLeto replied,” Especially since we have taken so much of their empires. They need that trade from our CoT’s. They won’t have it. Money will dry up. Financing the pirates will be very difficult for them.”
“They’ll have to stop doing it if they want to keep any kind of army, navy, or infrastructure in their own countries,” Judge continued,” Plus they will have to finance their own court systems when the inevitable smuggling occurs. It will put a terrible strain on them.”
Erik grinned,” It’s not a war, but it will do for now. Most excellent. LordLeto, push it through the Senate. Thank you, Judge for your help.”
Both men bowed deeply before leaving the imperial presence,” It is our honor to serve, sire.”
Erik XV died on the first of September of 1598, leaving various sons contending for the throne of the empire. Johan IV, Johan V, Johan VI, Karl IX Felip all vied for the throne. They nearly threw the entire empire into a four way civil war like the ancients.
Armies rallied to each man and war was in the offing when Sigismund I made a successful grab for the throne and had the Praetorian Guard behind him. Since he was in Stockholm he had an air of semi legitimacy that the others lacked. By September 17, he had solidified his position with a royal marriage to Poland, which also agreed to become the empire’s vassal.
That was enough to tip the scales in his favor. The others, in various styles of graciousness, gave up on their dreams of being Emperor. The empire was saved from a devastating civil war that just might have destroyed everything that had been accomplished up to this point.
Field Marshal Anibal sighed in relief when the news was reported to him. He had been so busy over the last three years teaching in the new War Academy that he hadn’t been paying as close attention to the outside world as he should have been doing. His efforts at turning out reliable, competent war captains were bearing fruit. Soon enough he could leave the academy in good hands and return to his true offices.
It wouldn’t be soon enough, in his opinion. The War Academy needed his attention now, but once he had a viable core of teachers he had every intention of getting back into his normal office and doing what needed to be done there. Fortunately there were plenty of old war horses who were retiring from active service and Anibal’s infamous charm convinced most of them to take up harness again as teachers at the Academy.
It was with great anticipation and relief when Anibal handed the reins of the Academy over to Liv Dragon V, who would be the Commandant of the school. The retired General was happy to continue to be of service and swore that the cadets would prove to be the best of the best of the empire. Anibal assured him that he expected no less and returned to his own office in the Legion offices in the War Department Building across from the Senate Chambers.
A massive square separated the War Department from the Senate across the way. The other two sides had the Cathedral and the Imperial Museum. Up the hill was the Imperial Palace on the highest hill in the city, overlooking it entirely. The old Palace was being used as the museum.
Treasures from throughout the empire were housed in the massive facility. Many, many people visited daily to peruse the many forms of art. The Louvre and The Hague were faint shadows of what this museum had actually attained, in both it’s collection and grandeur.
The Imperial Opera House, Imperial Symphony, and Imperial Theatre composed a triangle nearly the size of the Imperial Square, but was about a mile away and was nearly always busy with operas, symphonic works, and plays being put on all the time. Even the early works of William Shakespeare appeared there as the English willingness to see theatre was overshadowed by their ongoing economic depression.
Opera singers and symphony composers flocked to the imperial capitol in the hopes of seeing their own work recognized and lionized. Stockholm was the leader of art and culture for all of Europe. Every nation looked at her in envy, for no other nation could possibly compare.
Not even the magnificence of Constantinople could truly compare with Stockholm. The Byzantium capitol may have been older, and larger, but the new Romans had put great effort in their city. And it showed, in the finest granites and marbles. The cleanest streets, and the largest and best maintained sewer system in the world.
At no point was garbage ever allowed to be thrown on the streets to collect hordes of flies and breed disease. Gustav Vasa had instituted the Imperial Medical School during his reign and great advances in medicine had been discovered and used to the betterment of all imperial citizens.
By the time of Sigismund’s reign there was an Imperial Medical Center in the largest city of every province in the empire. Cleanliness is next to godliness was one of the greatest watch words of the doctors, and they preached it to their patients. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater was a phrase that was soon to be forgotten and ridiculed. Bathing was considered an important ritual for all.
The ancient Roman baths had come back with a vengeance. What was even more impressive was that the finest neighborhoods actually had indoor plumbing and toilet facilities. The underground sewers were massive in their size and scope. They were built to handle 100 times more waste than they currently were doing. It was recognized that eventually every home would be able to afford indoor plumbing and it would be prudent to be prepared for such an event.
A tremendous waste treatment plant outside of the city handled the waste products, culling the waste from the waters to use as fertilizer and treating the water so that it could return to the sea as free of waste as possible. Environmentalism was something the empire was quite serious about, for it recognized that the ancients had been wasteful of resources. Most of the other nations of the time were also wasteful, but the empire, having started in a small province of Svea that had quickly expanded under the Danes and then the new Romans recognized that resources just might be a finite thing and it would be best to treat them as such.
The English, French, Austrians, and even the hedonistic Byzantines decried such practices as foolish. The empire’s citizens however were the healthiest in all of Europe. While plagues had run rampant in many other nations, only two outbreaks of limited scope had ever bothered the empire. Other nations said it was coincidence, but the imperial physicians disagreed, as did the senate and the Emperor.
The proof is in the results the empire replied, which did nothing to convince the nay saying nations. No matter, the empire is doing well, and it’s people were healthy and relatively happy. There had never been a case of famine in the empire, and as far as LordLeto and other like minded senators, and there never would be, ever. Gentle, non intrusive irrigation techniques were developed along with crop rotation at the Imperial School of Agriculture which had been founded by Erik X over a century before hand.
It had been brought to his attention that the soil quality of Sweden was relatively poor and he decreed that such an institution as the School of Agriculture must be founded. It was, and the results were clear to those in power as well as the common farmer. The fertilizer from the waste treatment plant was sold to farmers for a pittance. It originally had been given away but nobody would try it. Free was not good, it was felt. Therefore it was decided to sell it for 10 pennies a ton. It didn’t pay for itself, but that wasn’t really the point. The enriching fertilizer helped to nourish the soil of Sweden and allowed the treatment plant to dispose of the waste in a useful manner.
Highways were surveyed and built between major centers of trade and the largest cities. The ancient Roman roads were repaired and many more built. Infrastructure was very important and the legions could also use the roads for rapid troop and supply movement within the empire. Whenever the empire conquered and held new lands the Imperial Corps of Engineers would arrive and survey for new roads and highways before a building spree would commence and many of the newly conquered would be put to work for a fair wage.
Territory devastated by war would soon discover that the empire took care of its own, even the newly conquered. A poor province is a drain on resources and it would be better off if it were fully developed and became an integral part of the imperium. The Senatorial Building had been expanded numerous times to allow for the influx of new senators from the new territories. Once your territory became a part of the empire, you were a citizen.
The Commons had their own chambers which dwarfed the Senate. Their building was just too massive to be next to, or even near the Imperial Square. It took up a square mile and was over 15 stories tall. A Senator was one for life, and a Common representative had a ten year span before he or she had to stand for re election. The Supreme Court shared a square with the Commons, the Imperial Courthouse, and the Imperial Jail and Central Police and Fire Headquarters.
The Police and Firefighters shared buildings throughout the city. It was more economical to do such, and quite a few Police officers were backup firefighters as well. Underground aqueducts carried water throughout the city and hydrants were placed strategically throughout the city so that the firefighters were never all that far from a source of water to combat fires.
The streets were very wide, usually 3 times wider than the typical European city. The city planners realized that some day in the future traffic would be greater than it was now and if the streets were already planned for being wider there would not be a need to knock down buildings to make them wider or deal with the undeniable traffic congestion that was sure to occur.
The Parks department oversaw ten very large parks and innumerable smaller parks all over the city. Stockholm was not a granite jungle for there was greenways as well and the city was very beautiful. Even visitors from other lands marveled at the wonders of the imperial capitol. Frenchmen were said to lament that even fair Paris was a poor neglected stepchild to Stockholm. Viennese and Venetians also bemoaned the fact that their cities also could not compare.
Romans sniffed at the pretensions of the new Romans, but secretly despaired of ever achieving the marvels of Stockholm. Byzantines pretended that Stockholm could not be as great as Constantinople but were shamed at the luxuries and such that were the normal lifestyle of the commoner in Stockholm that were never in evidence in Constantinople. Indoor plumbing was far less common in Byzantium than Stockholm.
All major cities within the empire were being rebuilt to the newest standards of the empire. Even Madrid in Iberia had indoor plumbing. The marvels of the empire were envied the world over, which did nothing to help the poor reputation the empire undeservingly had world wide. Envy and jealousy were something the empire was used to dealing with from their brother nations.
Armies rallied to each man and war was in the offing when Sigismund I made a successful grab for the throne and had the Praetorian Guard behind him. Since he was in Stockholm he had an air of semi legitimacy that the others lacked. By September 17, he had solidified his position with a royal marriage to Poland, which also agreed to become the empire’s vassal.
That was enough to tip the scales in his favor. The others, in various styles of graciousness, gave up on their dreams of being Emperor. The empire was saved from a devastating civil war that just might have destroyed everything that had been accomplished up to this point.
Field Marshal Anibal sighed in relief when the news was reported to him. He had been so busy over the last three years teaching in the new War Academy that he hadn’t been paying as close attention to the outside world as he should have been doing. His efforts at turning out reliable, competent war captains were bearing fruit. Soon enough he could leave the academy in good hands and return to his true offices.
It wouldn’t be soon enough, in his opinion. The War Academy needed his attention now, but once he had a viable core of teachers he had every intention of getting back into his normal office and doing what needed to be done there. Fortunately there were plenty of old war horses who were retiring from active service and Anibal’s infamous charm convinced most of them to take up harness again as teachers at the Academy.
It was with great anticipation and relief when Anibal handed the reins of the Academy over to Liv Dragon V, who would be the Commandant of the school. The retired General was happy to continue to be of service and swore that the cadets would prove to be the best of the best of the empire. Anibal assured him that he expected no less and returned to his own office in the Legion offices in the War Department Building across from the Senate Chambers.
A massive square separated the War Department from the Senate across the way. The other two sides had the Cathedral and the Imperial Museum. Up the hill was the Imperial Palace on the highest hill in the city, overlooking it entirely. The old Palace was being used as the museum.
Treasures from throughout the empire were housed in the massive facility. Many, many people visited daily to peruse the many forms of art. The Louvre and The Hague were faint shadows of what this museum had actually attained, in both it’s collection and grandeur.
The Imperial Opera House, Imperial Symphony, and Imperial Theatre composed a triangle nearly the size of the Imperial Square, but was about a mile away and was nearly always busy with operas, symphonic works, and plays being put on all the time. Even the early works of William Shakespeare appeared there as the English willingness to see theatre was overshadowed by their ongoing economic depression.
Opera singers and symphony composers flocked to the imperial capitol in the hopes of seeing their own work recognized and lionized. Stockholm was the leader of art and culture for all of Europe. Every nation looked at her in envy, for no other nation could possibly compare.
Not even the magnificence of Constantinople could truly compare with Stockholm. The Byzantium capitol may have been older, and larger, but the new Romans had put great effort in their city. And it showed, in the finest granites and marbles. The cleanest streets, and the largest and best maintained sewer system in the world.
At no point was garbage ever allowed to be thrown on the streets to collect hordes of flies and breed disease. Gustav Vasa had instituted the Imperial Medical School during his reign and great advances in medicine had been discovered and used to the betterment of all imperial citizens.
By the time of Sigismund’s reign there was an Imperial Medical Center in the largest city of every province in the empire. Cleanliness is next to godliness was one of the greatest watch words of the doctors, and they preached it to their patients. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater was a phrase that was soon to be forgotten and ridiculed. Bathing was considered an important ritual for all.
The ancient Roman baths had come back with a vengeance. What was even more impressive was that the finest neighborhoods actually had indoor plumbing and toilet facilities. The underground sewers were massive in their size and scope. They were built to handle 100 times more waste than they currently were doing. It was recognized that eventually every home would be able to afford indoor plumbing and it would be prudent to be prepared for such an event.
A tremendous waste treatment plant outside of the city handled the waste products, culling the waste from the waters to use as fertilizer and treating the water so that it could return to the sea as free of waste as possible. Environmentalism was something the empire was quite serious about, for it recognized that the ancients had been wasteful of resources. Most of the other nations of the time were also wasteful, but the empire, having started in a small province of Svea that had quickly expanded under the Danes and then the new Romans recognized that resources just might be a finite thing and it would be best to treat them as such.
The English, French, Austrians, and even the hedonistic Byzantines decried such practices as foolish. The empire’s citizens however were the healthiest in all of Europe. While plagues had run rampant in many other nations, only two outbreaks of limited scope had ever bothered the empire. Other nations said it was coincidence, but the imperial physicians disagreed, as did the senate and the Emperor.
The proof is in the results the empire replied, which did nothing to convince the nay saying nations. No matter, the empire is doing well, and it’s people were healthy and relatively happy. There had never been a case of famine in the empire, and as far as LordLeto and other like minded senators, and there never would be, ever. Gentle, non intrusive irrigation techniques were developed along with crop rotation at the Imperial School of Agriculture which had been founded by Erik X over a century before hand.
It had been brought to his attention that the soil quality of Sweden was relatively poor and he decreed that such an institution as the School of Agriculture must be founded. It was, and the results were clear to those in power as well as the common farmer. The fertilizer from the waste treatment plant was sold to farmers for a pittance. It originally had been given away but nobody would try it. Free was not good, it was felt. Therefore it was decided to sell it for 10 pennies a ton. It didn’t pay for itself, but that wasn’t really the point. The enriching fertilizer helped to nourish the soil of Sweden and allowed the treatment plant to dispose of the waste in a useful manner.
Highways were surveyed and built between major centers of trade and the largest cities. The ancient Roman roads were repaired and many more built. Infrastructure was very important and the legions could also use the roads for rapid troop and supply movement within the empire. Whenever the empire conquered and held new lands the Imperial Corps of Engineers would arrive and survey for new roads and highways before a building spree would commence and many of the newly conquered would be put to work for a fair wage.
Territory devastated by war would soon discover that the empire took care of its own, even the newly conquered. A poor province is a drain on resources and it would be better off if it were fully developed and became an integral part of the imperium. The Senatorial Building had been expanded numerous times to allow for the influx of new senators from the new territories. Once your territory became a part of the empire, you were a citizen.
The Commons had their own chambers which dwarfed the Senate. Their building was just too massive to be next to, or even near the Imperial Square. It took up a square mile and was over 15 stories tall. A Senator was one for life, and a Common representative had a ten year span before he or she had to stand for re election. The Supreme Court shared a square with the Commons, the Imperial Courthouse, and the Imperial Jail and Central Police and Fire Headquarters.
The Police and Firefighters shared buildings throughout the city. It was more economical to do such, and quite a few Police officers were backup firefighters as well. Underground aqueducts carried water throughout the city and hydrants were placed strategically throughout the city so that the firefighters were never all that far from a source of water to combat fires.
The streets were very wide, usually 3 times wider than the typical European city. The city planners realized that some day in the future traffic would be greater than it was now and if the streets were already planned for being wider there would not be a need to knock down buildings to make them wider or deal with the undeniable traffic congestion that was sure to occur.
The Parks department oversaw ten very large parks and innumerable smaller parks all over the city. Stockholm was not a granite jungle for there was greenways as well and the city was very beautiful. Even visitors from other lands marveled at the wonders of the imperial capitol. Frenchmen were said to lament that even fair Paris was a poor neglected stepchild to Stockholm. Viennese and Venetians also bemoaned the fact that their cities also could not compare.
Romans sniffed at the pretensions of the new Romans, but secretly despaired of ever achieving the marvels of Stockholm. Byzantines pretended that Stockholm could not be as great as Constantinople but were shamed at the luxuries and such that were the normal lifestyle of the commoner in Stockholm that were never in evidence in Constantinople. Indoor plumbing was far less common in Byzantium than Stockholm.
All major cities within the empire were being rebuilt to the newest standards of the empire. Even Madrid in Iberia had indoor plumbing. The marvels of the empire were envied the world over, which did nothing to help the poor reputation the empire undeservingly had world wide. Envy and jealousy were something the empire was used to dealing with from their brother nations.
On June 17, 1599 Venice and England declared war upon the empire as a last ditch effort to get the trade embargo lifted against them. Georgia and the Papal States joined in, hoping to nibble a little bit of the empire away.
Legions rushed into Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Piemonte, Venice, Romagna, and Emilia. England attacked the legions stationed in Kent and Lincoln, only to be utterly crushed. Ireland joined the war against the empire at the same time Georgia sued for a white peace.
Liguria and Firenze were put under siege after Piemonte and Romagna fell to a quick assault. The 1st legion dropped onto Vorpommern and trashed the Pope’s tiny army stationed there before assaulting the outnumbered and outgunned fort. To no one’s surprise the papal forces were snuffed out to a man.
The colonial legions based in North America swept through the English possessions like a hot knife through butter. No true fortifications anywhere at all. The small English army based there was chased all the way to the Iroquois border where they were summarily defeated. The few prisoners were sent to build roads in the new world while the war raged on the European continent.
February of 1600 had the 12th legion at the gates of Rome while the 14th legion surrounded Siena after their successful sacking of Venice herself. In September Istria, Dalmatia and Smyrna were being harassed by the legions as well once Croatia and Bosnia fell.
A huge army erupted out of Rome and pushed the 12th legion 50 miles back from the city for six months before exhausting themselves against the armed camp of the legion. The 12th ruthlessly sliced them up before presenting themselves back in front of the Roman gates.
The 15th legion in Kent pushed into Wessex, only to have English troops pour over the border from Anglia to put siege to Kent. The 16th legion in Lincoln pushed into Anglia to lay siege to London herself. The 17th dove into the Midlands to set the land afire. The 15th marched back into Kent and laid the English low, who ran away in a panic toward Wessex with the legion in hot pursuit.
The English continued to run away. The 15th stopped off the finish Wessex off before continuing the pursuit into Cornwall. In May of 1601 London fell and the 16th legion dropped on Bristol like a plague of frogs. Legionnaires were everywhere. The small English garrison panicked and shut themselves into Bristol proper only to be over run in a matter of days.
Rome herself fell in October, but the Pope was in hiding. The legion began a house to house search as well as the catacombs under the city. Dalmatia and Piemonte fell to the might of the empire.
April 24th, 1602 was a wonderful day for the empire. The Pope was found in the burial catacombs and brought before Field Marshal Anibal personally. The Pope ceded Vorpommern, Marche, and Romagna to the empire and begged for forgiveness.
The 12th legion was transported to Corsica to spank the local Venetian garrison. A massive assault brought the island under the boot of the empire within a week.
By August of 1607 Kaffa and Kerch were finally subdued as well as Adana. Sigismund himself screwed up royally and accepted peace with Venice before getting anything from the English. The empire accepted Corsica, Adana, Kerch, Kaffa, Ionia, Croatia, and Bosnia.
The senate accepted the peace plan but Sigismund’s health deteriorated to the point that in 1611 he died to be replaced by Gustav II Adolph.
Gustav was presented evidence that France had picked up on supporting the Caribbean pirates when Venice and England no longer could, so France was also put under a trade embargo. In June, France under pressure by her merchants declared war upon the empire.
The victorious legions from Italy had redeployed and when the war declaration occurred they were ready. All of France was rapidly swamped with the legions. The few troops the French had were quickly placed in chains and put to work on the imperial roadways.
The French were helpless to prevent every province from falling to the empire in time. No costly assaults this time. Slow and steady would win the day. June of 1613 Austria, who had dishonored the alliance with France in 1611, declared war on the empire. France gave up everything except Paris and Champagne. They were virtually gone from history.
Austria had initial success in Ostmarch only to face the wrath of the legions marching from France. She fought ineptly, to be perfectly honest, and all of the provinces were conquered by March of 1615. Austria was stripped of everything but Vienna itself.
England declared war in April of 1615 against the empire. This time Gustav would make sure that there would be no more mistakes. Georgia, Venice, Armenia, and Ireland all piled onto the war wagon. Muscowy and the Teutonic Order also declared war. The empire had no designs upon their northern neighbors and kept the home legions right where they were, on the border. The Duchy and Orders troops died in droves at the border, completely incapable of crossing it.
General Winter also put paid to many Muscowy troops as well as the Teutonic Orders also. Georgia, Armenia, and Eire sued for a return to status quo in 1616. Georgia immediately declared war on Ak Koyunlu, and all of her allies stupidly joined in, which caused them to send troops to aid Georgia. Which was suicidal when also in a war against the empire.
In 1619 the English sued for peace and were eager to hand over Wessex, Midlands, Acadie, Tuscarora, Guadeloupe, Catskill, Micmac & Susquehanna. Unfortunately France and Austria both declared war in 1617. The empire was too busy dealing with the other enemies to deal with them effectively.
But once they had been dealt with, both France and Austria would feel the wrath of the empire.
Legions rushed into Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Piemonte, Venice, Romagna, and Emilia. England attacked the legions stationed in Kent and Lincoln, only to be utterly crushed. Ireland joined the war against the empire at the same time Georgia sued for a white peace.
Liguria and Firenze were put under siege after Piemonte and Romagna fell to a quick assault. The 1st legion dropped onto Vorpommern and trashed the Pope’s tiny army stationed there before assaulting the outnumbered and outgunned fort. To no one’s surprise the papal forces were snuffed out to a man.
The colonial legions based in North America swept through the English possessions like a hot knife through butter. No true fortifications anywhere at all. The small English army based there was chased all the way to the Iroquois border where they were summarily defeated. The few prisoners were sent to build roads in the new world while the war raged on the European continent.
February of 1600 had the 12th legion at the gates of Rome while the 14th legion surrounded Siena after their successful sacking of Venice herself. In September Istria, Dalmatia and Smyrna were being harassed by the legions as well once Croatia and Bosnia fell.
A huge army erupted out of Rome and pushed the 12th legion 50 miles back from the city for six months before exhausting themselves against the armed camp of the legion. The 12th ruthlessly sliced them up before presenting themselves back in front of the Roman gates.
The 15th legion in Kent pushed into Wessex, only to have English troops pour over the border from Anglia to put siege to Kent. The 16th legion in Lincoln pushed into Anglia to lay siege to London herself. The 17th dove into the Midlands to set the land afire. The 15th marched back into Kent and laid the English low, who ran away in a panic toward Wessex with the legion in hot pursuit.
The English continued to run away. The 15th stopped off the finish Wessex off before continuing the pursuit into Cornwall. In May of 1601 London fell and the 16th legion dropped on Bristol like a plague of frogs. Legionnaires were everywhere. The small English garrison panicked and shut themselves into Bristol proper only to be over run in a matter of days.
Rome herself fell in October, but the Pope was in hiding. The legion began a house to house search as well as the catacombs under the city. Dalmatia and Piemonte fell to the might of the empire.
April 24th, 1602 was a wonderful day for the empire. The Pope was found in the burial catacombs and brought before Field Marshal Anibal personally. The Pope ceded Vorpommern, Marche, and Romagna to the empire and begged for forgiveness.
The 12th legion was transported to Corsica to spank the local Venetian garrison. A massive assault brought the island under the boot of the empire within a week.
By August of 1607 Kaffa and Kerch were finally subdued as well as Adana. Sigismund himself screwed up royally and accepted peace with Venice before getting anything from the English. The empire accepted Corsica, Adana, Kerch, Kaffa, Ionia, Croatia, and Bosnia.
The senate accepted the peace plan but Sigismund’s health deteriorated to the point that in 1611 he died to be replaced by Gustav II Adolph.
Gustav was presented evidence that France had picked up on supporting the Caribbean pirates when Venice and England no longer could, so France was also put under a trade embargo. In June, France under pressure by her merchants declared war upon the empire.
The victorious legions from Italy had redeployed and when the war declaration occurred they were ready. All of France was rapidly swamped with the legions. The few troops the French had were quickly placed in chains and put to work on the imperial roadways.
The French were helpless to prevent every province from falling to the empire in time. No costly assaults this time. Slow and steady would win the day. June of 1613 Austria, who had dishonored the alliance with France in 1611, declared war on the empire. France gave up everything except Paris and Champagne. They were virtually gone from history.
Austria had initial success in Ostmarch only to face the wrath of the legions marching from France. She fought ineptly, to be perfectly honest, and all of the provinces were conquered by March of 1615. Austria was stripped of everything but Vienna itself.
England declared war in April of 1615 against the empire. This time Gustav would make sure that there would be no more mistakes. Georgia, Venice, Armenia, and Ireland all piled onto the war wagon. Muscowy and the Teutonic Order also declared war. The empire had no designs upon their northern neighbors and kept the home legions right where they were, on the border. The Duchy and Orders troops died in droves at the border, completely incapable of crossing it.
General Winter also put paid to many Muscowy troops as well as the Teutonic Orders also. Georgia, Armenia, and Eire sued for a return to status quo in 1616. Georgia immediately declared war on Ak Koyunlu, and all of her allies stupidly joined in, which caused them to send troops to aid Georgia. Which was suicidal when also in a war against the empire.
In 1619 the English sued for peace and were eager to hand over Wessex, Midlands, Acadie, Tuscarora, Guadeloupe, Catskill, Micmac & Susquehanna. Unfortunately France and Austria both declared war in 1617. The empire was too busy dealing with the other enemies to deal with them effectively.
But once they had been dealt with, both France and Austria would feel the wrath of the empire.