Ottoman Empire 1548-1568: The Glorious Victory against Catholicism
Sessurea the Wise sat on his throne. He overlooked his realm. The army was larger and better lead than ever. A NAP was signed with Austria. This was the perfect time for expansion in another direction. Now to find a target... Ah! The muslims in Morocco have been oppressed by catholic Spain for too long! They should be freed and welcomed into the one Sunni Empire. To do that however, the fleet needed serious expansion. So, the following years saw a rapid expansion of the fleet to 600 galleys. Preparations were made for an attack on Spain. Forces were moved to North Africa, lead by Suleyman and Leonardo. These consisted of around half the total army force of the Ottoman Empire. Another quarter guarded Hungary, since it was expected that France would use its military access through Austria to intervene. The last quarter was on anti-rebel duty, and these could be quickly redeployed to assist in the defense of Hungary. All was ready...
War was declared. Portugal honored the alliance and joined in the defense of Spain. Battles enraged around the deserts of Fez and Tangiers. Leonardo used cavalry armies in swift movements that annihilated enemy armies. Suleyman in the meantime used an infantry force to push south and gather momentum versus Spain. The Portuguese navy had been reinforced to such a level were the navies of Spain and Portugal outclasses the Ottoman navy, so the victory had to be gained over land. Suleyman got cut off from the rest of our forces a few times, but with ingenious tactics he was able to fight off his enemies in the mountains. Suleyman lived and claimed many land for the Ottoman Empire. France then DoWed us. This was not totally unexpected, one catholic King helping out another. The French force in North Africa was quickly defeated by Leonardo however, together with a Spanish force. The French then retreated from this scene and instead focused their attack through Hungary. Then, the unthinkable happened: Austria declared war upon us! The evil Austrians broke our NAP. This is without honour. Quickly, more forces were recruited in Thrace and Macedonia to meet this new threat. Outnumbered 2 to 1, the Ottoman forces were still able to hold off the Catholic assault. When reinforcements arrived, French forces were quickly cut to pieces on the plains of Hungary. The great French generals, Guise, Montmorency and Team France all died on the field of battle. France, with virtually no army left, then signed a white peace with the Ottoman Empire.
In the meantime, the war with Spain was going well. Eventually, we had so much hold over Spain that his declines of our peace offers for Tangiers, Fez and Toubkal caused instability in his own lands. With 7% revolt risk in national provinces and several italian provs already in rebel hands, the Spain King saw the wisdom of surrender. Fez, Tangiers and Toubkal were gained. Then, the Imperial Armada ferried Suleyman and Leonardo back to the battlefield in Hungary. Austria, now without support, had retreated into its own country and prepared a defence. Quickly, Suleyman and Leonardo raised new armies and joined the imminent attack ('zergling rush'
). Suleyman started an offensive in the north, taking Carpathia and sieging Moravia. In the south, general Osman sieged Steiermark. Lala Mustapha threatened Odenburg with his cavalry force, and Presburg was sieged by Leonardo and his cavalry. With Steiermark, Presburg and Carpathia in Ottoman hands, Austria quickly surrendered Presburg to avoid further advances. This was a wise decision by the Archduke. More provinces would have been demanded had the war continued... The Archduke is an oathbreaker, and the Sultan will never forget this insolence...
The rest of the session was spent on bettering the economy and converting the last heathens in the Empire, a task almost complete now.
