In the year of our Lord 1492, His Magesty Merino III surveyed his diminuitive domains and shuddered. Stuck squarely between the mighty empires of Spain and France, things looked bleak for the diminuitive nation of Navarra, especially with an army of only 15,000 brave men to hold the wolves at bay.
Merino knew the fate of Navarra would hinge on his judicious choice of allies, and so he approached both Spain and France as allies. Both laughed. So Marino instead turned to the states of Portugal and Sierra Nevada, whose proximity to Navarra in no way made up for their lack of military prowess. Nevertheless, they would have to suffice for now.
Merino spent the following years marrying off his children, promoting local officials, expanding trade, and gradually building up Navarra's military. The states of Hessen and Hannover joined Navarra's rag-tag alliance, offering little help save to put some miminal pressure on Spain's northern possesions should war with Spain ocur. Thankfully, this alliance came to an uneventful end in the year 1503, and Merino was free to seek an alliance with a stronger nation.
After being rebuffed again by its neighbors, though, Navarra finally was only able to construct an alliance with England and the Hanseatic League. Not the sort of protection Merino had in mind, but better than nothing. Only months after this alliance was formed, events took an auspicous turn for Navarra. Spain and its allies (Poland, Helevatia, The Palatinat, Cologne, and Hessen) declared war on France and her allies(Savoy, Scotland, The Papal States, Algiers, and Portugal). Merino watched as thousands of Spanish soldiers passed near his boarders heading north, and he knew that now was the time to strike against his southern neighbor. With luck, he could force a quick peace with Spain, and thereby expand Navarra's holdings to include the fertile coastlands of its enemy.
Navarra's armies assembled, and in the spring of 1509 war was declared. Merino summoned Navarra's allies, and both England and the Hanseatic League voiced their support. Such friendship brought a tear to Merino's eyes. And so, days after declaring war, Navarra's army of 23,000 foot soldiers, 3,000 cavalry, and 40 cannons marched south through the mountains of Aragon to the Spanish capitol of Castille. Merino's plan was to break the Spaniard's morale by taking their capitol, then turn his attention to Aragon and the lands surrounding it.
Just as Navarra's army reached Castille, however, a Spanish army of nearly 35,ooo men appeared on Navarra's borders and drove to it's capitol. These dueling sieges continued for the better part of the year, each army racing to take the other nation's capitol and force a peace. Alas, the poor lads of Navarra were too slow. Meriino manages to salvage a peace out of the debacle, paying the greedy Spaniards 147 ducats, but steadfastedly refusing to humbe himself before the Spanish throne.
The next several years were spent rebuilding Navarra's defenses. Merino vowed to never taste defeat again. Navarra would be strong or it would not be at all. He watched helplessly as the Spaniards and her allies bloodied the French armies to the north, knowing such victories only strengthend Spain. Ultimately, Spain prevailed in this war, taking Champagne from the French, while Spain's ally, Cologne, took Nivernais as the spoils of war. Merino watched with comtempt as France's Charles XIV groveled before the Spanish lords, begging for peace. It was then that Merino knew that he had been wrong all along -- the Spanish were too strong to fight, but the French . . . the French were another matter indeed.
On September 15, 1516, Merino get his chance to test his new-found theory. Navarra's long-standing friend England declared war on France, and sought Navarra's support. Merino enthusiastically rallied his troops and marched north with and army of 13,000 footmen, 3,000 cavalry, and 40 cannon. The target was Bearn. French scouting forces sought to harrass Navarra's army, repeatedly attacking the force as it marched northward, but were quickly dispatched. Navarra finally laid seige to Bearn later that fall, and an 8,000 man reinforcement contingent was dispatched from Navarra to aid the effort. As Bearn was about to fall, however, a 25,000 man French army was seen on the horizon. The men of Navarra met their charge, and when the dust cleared, the brutalized French forces were in full retreat northwards, Bearn had surrendered, and less than 1,000 soldiers of Navarra had fallen.
Merino's men moved northward, chasing the French retreat, and laid seige to Gascogne next. The French made a half-hearted attempt to stop the assault, but to no avail. The men of Navarra would not be denied. On March 28, 1518 Gascogne fell, and Merino's men moved east to Guyene. Merino hoped for another quick victory in the fetile lands of Guyene, but alas the seige seemed to go on forever. French forces were seen massing in Poitou, and Merino considered suing for peace, hoping to retain Bearn. But just as he summoned his couriers, a strange army was seen moving quickly through Lyonnais. The northmen had arrived!! 15,000 golden-haired warriors of the Hanseatic League joined in the seige and the walls of Guyene fell. Couriers were quickly dispatched to the French monarch, and Bearn and Gascogne were ours.
Our allies fared much worse in the war however. England was overcome by the kilted Scotsmen, losing the Marches to the barbarians, while the Hanseatic League were attacked repeatedly by France's German allies and ultimately forced to concede defeat and pay repirations.
Nevertheless, Merino was estatic. Navarra was now a force to be reckoned with. But oh how things would change. Merino had greviously misjudged the French. They were not lambs to be slaughtered at will, and had no intention of letting tiny Navarra humilate them in front of the rest of the continent.
On April 3, 1543 a huge French army of over 100,000 men was seen in Guyene. Merino dispatched orders to muster his forces, but alas it was too late. A lone French courier arrived at the court. He approached Merino's throne, smiled slightly, and in a mocking tone that only a Frenchman can truly master, he said 'Navarra is ours.' And almost to the second, an army of 110,000 screaming Frenchmen raced over the Gascogne boarder.
Merino mobilized his armies, but he knew it was too late. His standing force of 30,000 men hurried north to meet the French juggernaut, and pleas were sent to England for aid. Surely the English would come, Merino thought, for they are our only hope.
Navarra's army met the French outside the gates of Gascogne and with the courage of the damned, charged forward. 100 French cannons erupted. 15,0000 French cavalry met the charge. And when the screaming had stopped, 26,000 men of Navarra lay dead.
The French took Gascogne in short order, and moved unchecked into Bearn. It faired no better, and the French army moved to Navarra. The garrison there fought for their lives, bouyed by the hope that English sails would soon arrive over the horizon. Where were the English? Merino knew they would arrive. If only his men could hold firm. And then the news arrived. England had signed a treaty of peace with the French . . . and Navarra was lost.
Merino stood before the French throne, his country in shatters, his reign ended, his spirit broken. And as he had sworn he would never do, he slowly knelt and paid homage to his new leige, the King of France.
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This was my first try with an AAR, sorry if it rambled, but it sure was fun to write (and play).
Merino knew the fate of Navarra would hinge on his judicious choice of allies, and so he approached both Spain and France as allies. Both laughed. So Marino instead turned to the states of Portugal and Sierra Nevada, whose proximity to Navarra in no way made up for their lack of military prowess. Nevertheless, they would have to suffice for now.
Merino spent the following years marrying off his children, promoting local officials, expanding trade, and gradually building up Navarra's military. The states of Hessen and Hannover joined Navarra's rag-tag alliance, offering little help save to put some miminal pressure on Spain's northern possesions should war with Spain ocur. Thankfully, this alliance came to an uneventful end in the year 1503, and Merino was free to seek an alliance with a stronger nation.
After being rebuffed again by its neighbors, though, Navarra finally was only able to construct an alliance with England and the Hanseatic League. Not the sort of protection Merino had in mind, but better than nothing. Only months after this alliance was formed, events took an auspicous turn for Navarra. Spain and its allies (Poland, Helevatia, The Palatinat, Cologne, and Hessen) declared war on France and her allies(Savoy, Scotland, The Papal States, Algiers, and Portugal). Merino watched as thousands of Spanish soldiers passed near his boarders heading north, and he knew that now was the time to strike against his southern neighbor. With luck, he could force a quick peace with Spain, and thereby expand Navarra's holdings to include the fertile coastlands of its enemy.
Navarra's armies assembled, and in the spring of 1509 war was declared. Merino summoned Navarra's allies, and both England and the Hanseatic League voiced their support. Such friendship brought a tear to Merino's eyes. And so, days after declaring war, Navarra's army of 23,000 foot soldiers, 3,000 cavalry, and 40 cannons marched south through the mountains of Aragon to the Spanish capitol of Castille. Merino's plan was to break the Spaniard's morale by taking their capitol, then turn his attention to Aragon and the lands surrounding it.
Just as Navarra's army reached Castille, however, a Spanish army of nearly 35,ooo men appeared on Navarra's borders and drove to it's capitol. These dueling sieges continued for the better part of the year, each army racing to take the other nation's capitol and force a peace. Alas, the poor lads of Navarra were too slow. Meriino manages to salvage a peace out of the debacle, paying the greedy Spaniards 147 ducats, but steadfastedly refusing to humbe himself before the Spanish throne.
The next several years were spent rebuilding Navarra's defenses. Merino vowed to never taste defeat again. Navarra would be strong or it would not be at all. He watched helplessly as the Spaniards and her allies bloodied the French armies to the north, knowing such victories only strengthend Spain. Ultimately, Spain prevailed in this war, taking Champagne from the French, while Spain's ally, Cologne, took Nivernais as the spoils of war. Merino watched with comtempt as France's Charles XIV groveled before the Spanish lords, begging for peace. It was then that Merino knew that he had been wrong all along -- the Spanish were too strong to fight, but the French . . . the French were another matter indeed.
On September 15, 1516, Merino get his chance to test his new-found theory. Navarra's long-standing friend England declared war on France, and sought Navarra's support. Merino enthusiastically rallied his troops and marched north with and army of 13,000 footmen, 3,000 cavalry, and 40 cannon. The target was Bearn. French scouting forces sought to harrass Navarra's army, repeatedly attacking the force as it marched northward, but were quickly dispatched. Navarra finally laid seige to Bearn later that fall, and an 8,000 man reinforcement contingent was dispatched from Navarra to aid the effort. As Bearn was about to fall, however, a 25,000 man French army was seen on the horizon. The men of Navarra met their charge, and when the dust cleared, the brutalized French forces were in full retreat northwards, Bearn had surrendered, and less than 1,000 soldiers of Navarra had fallen.
Merino's men moved northward, chasing the French retreat, and laid seige to Gascogne next. The French made a half-hearted attempt to stop the assault, but to no avail. The men of Navarra would not be denied. On March 28, 1518 Gascogne fell, and Merino's men moved east to Guyene. Merino hoped for another quick victory in the fetile lands of Guyene, but alas the seige seemed to go on forever. French forces were seen massing in Poitou, and Merino considered suing for peace, hoping to retain Bearn. But just as he summoned his couriers, a strange army was seen moving quickly through Lyonnais. The northmen had arrived!! 15,000 golden-haired warriors of the Hanseatic League joined in the seige and the walls of Guyene fell. Couriers were quickly dispatched to the French monarch, and Bearn and Gascogne were ours.
Our allies fared much worse in the war however. England was overcome by the kilted Scotsmen, losing the Marches to the barbarians, while the Hanseatic League were attacked repeatedly by France's German allies and ultimately forced to concede defeat and pay repirations.
Nevertheless, Merino was estatic. Navarra was now a force to be reckoned with. But oh how things would change. Merino had greviously misjudged the French. They were not lambs to be slaughtered at will, and had no intention of letting tiny Navarra humilate them in front of the rest of the continent.
On April 3, 1543 a huge French army of over 100,000 men was seen in Guyene. Merino dispatched orders to muster his forces, but alas it was too late. A lone French courier arrived at the court. He approached Merino's throne, smiled slightly, and in a mocking tone that only a Frenchman can truly master, he said 'Navarra is ours.' And almost to the second, an army of 110,000 screaming Frenchmen raced over the Gascogne boarder.
Merino mobilized his armies, but he knew it was too late. His standing force of 30,000 men hurried north to meet the French juggernaut, and pleas were sent to England for aid. Surely the English would come, Merino thought, for they are our only hope.
Navarra's army met the French outside the gates of Gascogne and with the courage of the damned, charged forward. 100 French cannons erupted. 15,0000 French cavalry met the charge. And when the screaming had stopped, 26,000 men of Navarra lay dead.
The French took Gascogne in short order, and moved unchecked into Bearn. It faired no better, and the French army moved to Navarra. The garrison there fought for their lives, bouyed by the hope that English sails would soon arrive over the horizon. Where were the English? Merino knew they would arrive. If only his men could hold firm. And then the news arrived. England had signed a treaty of peace with the French . . . and Navarra was lost.
Merino stood before the French throne, his country in shatters, his reign ended, his spirit broken. And as he had sworn he would never do, he slowly knelt and paid homage to his new leige, the King of France.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This was my first try with an AAR, sorry if it rambled, but it sure was fun to write (and play).
