Chapter 7: Breaking the Coalition.
After all the warfare of the past 30 years, France is in dire need for some stability, and I do mean the regular usage of that word.
On top of that, our AE is such that any agressive move on our part might see an increase in the number of coalition members.
With that in mind, I spend the next decade keeping out of trouble. I build temples, constables and armories, annex Auvergne and repair relations with my vassals and allies. I also begin improving relations with most of my neighbours.
The first half of this chapter will therefore mostly be about international news.
Louis dies and is succeeded by his son, Louis, whose heir is also named Louis. I wish there was a way to change those names, like there is in CK2. Oh well. At least my king and heir both have pretty good stats.
31st of July, 1478. The Iberian Wedding. Aragon turns from a useful ally to a potential enemy and I really have to force myself not to claim Navarra as an excuse for war against Castille. I have enough enemies all around me as it is. Castille, until further notice, is still “just” a rival. Maybe I should wait 50 years and hope that Aragon gets integrated. That way, I could release them in war as a vassal and annex them afterwards myself. I kind of like that plan.
Which brings me to Austria and the HRE. After the Austrian subjugation by Poland, Hesse has become emperor. As usual, they are on a shopping spree for OPMs surrounding them and have grown to a 4-province nation at this point. A risky proposition would be to wait until Poland integrates Austria. Fight Poland, vassalise Austria in the peace deal, feed them, annex them. The main risk , of course, would be that Poland+Lithuania+Austria=one very scary Commonwealth. And with more than a foothold in the HRE, the prospects become really daunting.
At some point, I should consider sucking up to Muscovy.
Apart from the Iberian Wedding, this was the most exciting thing that happened in 2 years time. The war was almost decided by the time I got the call to arms, so France never mobilized, though I did see Flemish forces bravely setting out for Tuscany.
In february, 1484, Savoy finally sees the error of their ways and leaves the coalition. Since I am halfway to military tech 7, I do nothing. I want to have cannons before I go to war again. Lots of cannons.
Brittany leaves the coalition in June of 1485. They accept an alliance and Royal Marriage with France, but refuse to give up their alliance with Burgundy. So I have to coerce them into giving it up. Scratch another coalition member.
Two weeks later, England leaves the coalition as well. All of a sudden, Burgundy’s network is falling apart around them. With only Provence, Lorraine and Alsace to count on, the opportunity is too good to waste.
Two days later, I declare war on Burgundy. I have 2 armies. Both are 25K strong and both are lead by excellent generals. One will head north, to engage the main Burgundian army. The other one will stay in the south at first and take care of the actual duchy itself.
The first major engagement. I loose 7250 men, against the Burgundians’ 14022. I call that a pretty good result. They run to Zeeland. I don’t think I can reach them there without crossing one river or another, so I plant my army in Antwerpen.
My second army has left a siege in Avignon. With my vassals (including Brittany) sieging Bourgogne, Nevers and Charolais, I see no reason to stick around. After getting rid of a massive Provence rebel army of 10,000 strong that left Maine and set up shop in Bourbonnais, I send the army to Breda.
With overwhelming odds stacked in my favour, the battle is a slaughter.
To my own surprise, the Burgundians flee only as far south as Anjou. 15,000 men die, almost by accident (my army ran into them by surprise, really).
Time to start carpet sieging Burgundy and her allies.
Alsace begs for mercy and I let them off easy. I have no wish to antagonize the HRE. Yet.
June 1487. A peace deal is made. In retrospect, I realise that I screwed that one up. I should have gotten them to give Antwerp and Artois to Flanders, instead of taking them myself and giving them to my vassal afterwards. That would have saved me about 30 AE. As it is, I get -6 from Aggressive Expansion as far east as Muscovy. Not very smart if I ever want to get them to like me, I guess. Heck, even my own vassals now have a -3 AE against me. Joy all around.
To close this chapter on a more positive note, I present you a look at France and her vassals. From the Pyrrennees all the way to Antwerp and from Brest to the Alps, almost all of it under my rule. Not nearly enough to my liking, but we’re getting there.
See you next time.
