Chapter 15: Renewal.
In the midst of continuing religious turmoil, relations with Lorraine, by 1523, have improved sufficiently to start annexing them. While this will upset the HRE, I need those provinces to fullfill my original premise: building up France at least to its modern-day limits.
In order to decrease the number of revolts, I embark on a building spree of courthouses in those provinces with the highest revolt risk.
By oktober of that same year, I reach level-10 Administration. Time to choose a new idea. There are several likely candidates:
Religion, to help fight heathens and heretics.
Diplomacy to help in foreign relations.
Expansion because it gives me a colonist and missionary.
After a lot of soul searching, I decide to go for the Idea Group that will help me the most throughout history: Defensive Ideas.
Four years later, both the number and intensity of revolts have decreased dramatically, giving my army time to finally begin recovering.
I am hesitant to enact significant decisions to help fight the upheavals. They all carry an equally significant price tag: increased Revolt Risk, increased tech and idea costs, increased stability costs.
In 1529, Scotland is vassalised by England. Their days are counted, it seems. The Royal Navy is as unassailable as it has always been in 80 years.
In the same year, Micmac and Powhatan become English protectorates. I am playing with the normal New World, so England has reached Canada. A quick check tells me that my own Colonial Range is only 375 km and I know that there are at least 2 provinces in South America that have not been colonised. If I want to get in on it, I will need added range and Colonial Ideas. Let’s start with the range issue by improving relations with Galicia.
January 1530. I haven’t been able to further decrease the RR in France, so I start looking at the various religious decisions again. A plan begins to form, and a quick question on the forum tells me what I need to know.
Enacting the Edict Of Nantes, along with the Declaration of Indulgence, means, basically, a medieval form of Freedom Of Religion. Protestants and Reformists will still be frowned on, but they will be tolerated. This, along with converting Picardie, leaves me with only 2 provinces that have Revolt Risk, Zeeland (Dutch nationalists; I really should change their culture but it costs 200 Diplo points) being the most worrisome (+7.5%).
Six months later, with the integration of Lorraine finished, I definitely feel like France has made a fresh start. My active armies are back up to full strength and I even have a full 5,541 MP in reserve again!
This game never ceases to amaze me. Austria asks me for an alliance. They have an army of 32,000 strong and a strategic position in the HRE. Of course, I acccept and strengthen our ties with a Royal Marriage.
Here is a look at my Religion tab, dated 18 August, 1530.
Two important things happen on the 25th of November, 1530: Austria asks for my help in a war against Mainz and France gets a 15% boost to army morale.
I accept the call to arms, mainly because Burgundy is allied with Mainz.
This war becomes even more promising when France becomes war leader. Four days later, Burgundy honours their alliance with Mainz.
Bad mistake!
I annihilate their armies and start carpet sieging, while getting military access rights through a neutral HRE member. This will allow me to move armed forces to Austria through the Alps.
By March, 1531, all enemy armies have been destroyed and France is mass sieging Mainz, Munster and Bavaria as well.
Louis XIV becomes the new king of France. There’s even an heir that’s not called “Louis”!
The two Spains and Hungary are in a war of their own. Even though the numbers claim superiority, it’s obvious that Hungary will be the one paying the price.
Münster is the first to bow out, in early february, 1532.
Miltary Tech level 11. I am at 100% warscore, but I am waiting for Gelre to fall.
Austria peaces out, but the war continues. If I am lucky, I may be able to finally cut Burgundy down to size.
It is done. Burgundy looses Gelre and Brabant. I quickly move to RM Brabant and ally with them. Hopefully, after some coaxing, they will accept an offer of vassalisation.
All that is left of Burgundy is now surrounded by French lands. I cannot help but wonder what kinds of nightmares the duke has when he goes to sleep at night?
I pushed the wrong button at one point and ended up with a world map, so I might as well share it with you.
France’s spirit is soaring again. Prestige and legitimacy are in the 90s, France has the largest army in the world and one of the highest incomes in the world.
I cannot wait to see what the future holds and I hope to see you there.