Knights of Opportunity: In Hoc Signo Vinces, Chapter 6
The Northern Knight
...As the cavalry charge broke the infantry, he fell back, marshalling his scattered troops. His was not the largest army, nor was it the most important one, but it was a linchpin in the northern defense against the hordes of Europe, and he would stand or die trying. Throughout the day he spent his soldiers like a miser handing out coins, a few here, a few there, yet always trying to conserve his hoard. The English were beaten back with sore losses, but the Swedes pressed the attack and the Poles were readying their cavalry for yet another charge. It was not right, he thought. In a better world, his stand would have broken the horde, or fought valiantly to the last man, keeping the enemy at bay just long enough for reinforcements to arrive. But, alas, he thought, as his position was finally overrun and he was ushered into the world to come, this world is imperfect.
"...Truly, the second war of anti-Hospitaller encirclement (1654-1659) was a most spectacular affair. Throughout Europe armies marched to the call of their monarchs, and mighty armies clashed in Spain, Austria, and Germany. But Europe was only one of four theatres. In Northern America, the Indian tribes were suppressed one by one, and the natives of Africa did little better. Only in India and the Indonesian islands were the knights in retreat, and they were forced to give give up control of many colonies. Of the numerous battle has elsewhere been told. To give a true scale of the conflict, a list of the separate wars waged against the Hospitallers will suffice:
Code:
[font=courier new][color=white]
[color=yellow ]Europe Outcome BB[/color]
[color=skyblue]Crimea, Ottomans, Aden[/color] Hellas, Macedonia, Smyrna +3
[color=skyblue]Cologne[/color] +67d 0
[color=skyblue]England, Sweden, Pommern[/color] White peace 0
[color=skyblue]Eire, Genoa, Savoy[/color] Gave up Leinster :) and gained 800d -1
[color=skyblue]Hellas[/color] White peace 0
[color=skyblue]Milan, Austria, Bavaria, Kleves[/color] Steirmarch, Kleves vassalised, 440d +1
[color=skyblue]Palatinate, Helvetia[/color] Palatinate and Helvetia vassalised 0
[color=skyblue]Poland[/color] White peace 0
[color=skyblue]Scotland[/color] White peace 0
[color=skyblue]Spain, Brittany, Sardinia[/color] Spain vassalised 0
[color=skyblue]Tuscany[/color] White peace 0
[color=yellow ]Asia Outcome BB[/color]
[color=skyblue]Atjeh[/color] Jambi and Palembang ceded -2
[color=skyblue]Brunei[/color] Kalimantan and Sarawak ceded -2
[color=skyblue]Delhi, Khazak Horde[/color] White Peace 0
[color=skyblue]Hyderabad, Bengal, Uzbehks, Gujarat[/color] Goa and Bombay ceded -2
[color=skyblue]Makassar[/color] +153d 0
[color=skyblue]Mataram[/color] Gave 50d for peace 0
[color=skyblue]Mysore, Hedjaz, Iraq, Vijayanagar[/color] Kerala and Cochin ceded -2
[color=yellow ]Africa Outcome BB[/color]
[color=skyblue]Benin[/color] 5 provinces 0
[color=skyblue]Kongo[/color] 3 provinces and 340d 0
[color=skyblue]Zimbabwe[/color] 5 provinces and 100d 0
[color=yellow ]Americas Outcome BB[/color]
[color=skyblue]Aztec, Zapotecs[/color] +200d 0
[color=skyblue]Chimu[/color] 3 provinces 0
[color=skyblue]Creek, Cherokee[/color] Gained Allehegany, Tennesee 0
[color=skyblue]Dakota[/color] 3 provinces 0
[color=skyblue]Huron[/color] 3 provinces and 750d 0
[color=skyblue]Inca[/color] 9 provinces 0
[color=skyblue]Lenape, Iroquois, Shawnee[/color] 8 provinces and 2175d 0
[color=skyblue]Maya[/color] +38d 0
[color=skyblue]Navaho[/color] 3 provinces and 175d 0
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[color= silver]31 wars[/color] 39 provinces surplus and 4848d -5
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As a result of the the war, the presence of the Knights in India had been considerably reduced. This was, however, in the large scheme of things outweighed by the huge conquests in the Americas, and the decisive victory in Europe.
Sometimes, the front is porous
On the balance victorious, the Grand Master settled down to heal the nation and convert the many pagans of the Americas who now fell under his sway. But the mid seventeenth century was an restless time. Corruption was rife, and only partially crushed in the purges of 1662 and 1669, and the peasants rose against their rightful rulers in 1663 and again in 1664, leading to wide-spread rebellions as the stability of the realm plummeted. It soon became obvious that the bureaucracy was not up to the tasks of running such an empire, and the great and expensive bureaucratic reform of 1668 (it was estimated that it cost 1000d, a full 10% of the yearly income) sent even the clerks rioting in the streets. Finally, the disquiet became so pervasive that the loyal subjects of Normandy petitioned the Grand Master for redress, and his denial, though no doubt seeming the right choice at the time, led to the great political crisis of 1671
Fortunately, the seventies and eighties were to prove rather more quiet. Sicily and Helvetia were welcomed into the realm, raising spirits in Europe, and increased emmigration to the new world led to substantial population booms in several provinces. Meanwhile, trade was prospering, and several rural areas were beneficiaries of agricultural revolutions.
By 1690, it was deemed time to incorporate the Palatinate into the Knights realm.
The Palatinate prior to annexation
Which, unfortunately, caused the Knights Realm to be considered dishonourable scum. Again. Fighting was fierce, especially in Austria, were the gallant Savoyard Prince Eugene led the Imperial armies to victory innumerable times, before his command was crushed by the sheer weight of numbers and he was captured.
Prince Eugene fights the Knights Hospitaller
Despite initial setbacks, the Grand Navy of the Knights was able to crush the English home fleet, and by 1692 England was under siege.
Hospitaller's on the advance
Meanwhile, in Asia, the last Hospitaller possessions were ceded to Mataram and Mysore, to allow the Grand Master to concentrate on Europe. Having made peace with England and Austria, forcing them to become vassals of the Order, the northern army was sent into Sweden.
The battle is taken to the Swedes
Despite a war-weary population, the Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Rocaful stood firm: no peace except on Hospitaller terms, and he pressed the war to the fullest. Finally, by July 1696, peace reigned across the land. The Knights Hospitaller were now merely considered extremely bad, but future wars of anti-hospitaller encirclement were deemed most unlikely, since Austria, England, Kleves, Milan, Spain, and Sweden were all vassals of the Grand Master.
Slowly, so slowly, the work of repairing strained relations began with the purpose of forging the mightiest alliance the world had ever seen. By January 1701, Austria, England, Kleves, and Spain had all joined the Knights' Alliance, but, for reasons unknown, Sweden were loth to join.
Thus none were prepared for the disaster of 1702. Following some border skirmishes in Wielpolska and Krakow, Austria attacked Sweden. This fighting amongst the vassals was most unwelcome, so the Grand Master promptly refused to join the war against his own vassal. England and Kleves likewise refused the Austrian call to battle. Spain, unfortunately, did not, but joined the fight with gusto. The alliance was splintered. Though all the nations remained faithful vassals, Spain and Austria were now in a Spanish led alliance, and Spain quickly began admitting new members. As the war between the vassals drew to a close in 1703, Kleves was finally incorporated into the Knights Realm. Fearing that this would cause an adverse reaction, the tiny state of Hannover was granted limited autonomy in a show of good will.
Kleves is annexed, but the vassal alliance is splintered
Meanwhile, the Grand Master prayed, and he prayed hard. And most of all, he prayed that his vassals would stay out of wars with each other and that the Spanish alliance might falter, such that all the vassals could be brought into the fold. And finally, as an aside, he prayed that the new refinery program would pay off. At 10,000d per manufactory, he was only building one every second year.
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OOC: And that was a good example of trading land for peace. It allows a larger presence in Europe prior to the BB wars, and cuts down on the number of theatres of operations during the first few BB war years. Then, when the time comes to return to Asia, several provinces already have the right culture and some of them also retain the right religion.
Morale of the 1702 debacle. Sometimes, the max four other nations in a human alliance limitation truly sucks!
Additionally, it taught me that vassals
can be in an alliance other than their overlord's under very special circumstances, and that such an alliance can admit new members, and that this is very, very, very, frustrating.
