Nice poem, even if it is for an elephant named Hanno. An albino one at that too. Is there such thing as an albino elephant?
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I think every mammal can be an albino, as they all have melanin as far as I know.
On-topic again: Nice chapter, Bingo Brett. With Aragon on it's own I think you should be able to finish the job. After that, let's see what the Reformation has in store for the Pope.
On-topic again: Nice chapter, Bingo Brett. With Aragon on it's own I think you should be able to finish the job. After that, let's see what the Reformation has in store for the Pope.
comagoosie: Here's a little background on Hanno
stnylan & Qorten: Oh the Reformation is going on, but Pope Leo is just giving it a dismissive wave right now.
stnylan & Qorten: Oh the Reformation is going on, but Pope Leo is just giving it a dismissive wave right now.
Bingo Brett said:Oh the Reformation is going on, but Pope Leo is just giving it a dismissive wave right now.
That's likely to change pretty soon. At least the war looks a lot more manageable now with Castile out. Good luck vs. Aragon; I suspect you'll have to invade Iberia to really get anything from them.
comagoosie said:Hanno's real
*faints*
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I think someone learned something new today!
Chapter 24: Pyrrhic Victory (1520-1522)
The garrison on Minorca Island was unusually resolute in defending their island from Marshal Legnago’s forces. With little food or water, they held out for six months, which was longer than even the Marshall expected. The Baleares were no longer under Aragon’s jurisdiction, yet Enric I still refused to negotiate. Either an assault on the mainland of Aragon territory would be needed or Pope Leo would have to give up his plans for capturing Ancona.
Grumblings from the College of Cardinals on the length and conduct of the war continued as the war entered its seventh year. The Turks were on the move again into the heart of Europe and Emperor-Elect Albrecht was desperate for assistance. Several Cardinals begged Pope Leo XI to end the hostilities with Aragon and fight the Turkish menace instead. Complicating matters was the only major naval battle of the war, The Battle of Cagliari, where the Papal fleet (1 caravel, 7 galleys, 2 cogs) was caught just as they sailed out of the harbor by the Aragon main taskforce (4 barques, and 4 cogs). The Papal fleet won the battle sinking half the Aragon force, but lost both a cog and the flagship Petrus Romanus. Nearly 100 ducats worth of naval warships lay at the bottom of the Med.
The Battle of Cagliari
1521 saw the Turks overrun Saxony once more, sack Berlin in May and annex Brunswick and Wurzburg. The once thought of as mighty Holy Roman Empire teetered on the brink of oblivion. Also a new religious philosophy known simply as “Reformed” sprang up to compete with the Lutherans in northern Germanic States including the Emperor-Elect’s own Brandenburg. Pope Leo XI tried to reason with Luther and the Reform leaders, but after receiving no response, he excommunicated them all and charged all Catholic monarchs with upholding the fight against heresy. This demand gave rise to the famous quote from Martin Luther, ““The more you tighten your grip, the more provinces will slip through your fingers!” No change in the status of the Papal-Aragon war was noted, though Aragon did succeed in causing a small revolt in Roma.
The next year, political strife within the College of Cardinals reached new heights. Chancellor De Medici believed the risk of a schism was great. Informants loyal to the Pope discovered Cardinal Petrucci and at least four others were conspiring to kill the him. Regretfully, Pope Leo XI signed the orders to condemn Petrucci as a traitor and execute him, while the others were deprived of their benefices as Cardinals and imprisoned.
To end the drift away from his policies Pope Leo conducted what became known as the Grand Consistory of 1522 on March 11th of that year. Instead of merely replacing the four deposed Cardinals, he promoted thirty-one to the College, swelling its ranks to over fifty members. Although some of the ones promoted to the red hat were well deserving such as Cardinal Campeggio a well known cannon lawyer, and Cardinal Boyens* who had prevented several imperial provinces from converting. Others such as Cardinal Alfonso of Portugal, and Cardinal Giovanni Borgia (Legitimized son of the Duchess of Ferrara and Grandson of the famed Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia) had their offices bought for them without question.
Many of these questionable cardinals of Italian heritage were given bishop assignments in lucrative sees far from Rome, such as Riga and Stockholm. The latter, was to be given to Cardinal Pisani, the son of a Catholic Venetian senator who had spent most of his adult life chasing women through the Palace of the Doge and St. Mark’s Square. King Karl X of Sweden refused to acknowledge the appointment and with the consent of the nobility and the people’s Riksdag set up the independent Church of Sweden in 1522 renouncing ties with Rome.
King Karl X of Sweden, the first true Protestant monarch
Later in 1522 the stalemate with Aragon finally concluded when King Enric capitulated to the demand to cede Ancona to Pope Leo. With the exception of Avignon, the territory of the Papal State was now whole. Pope Leo XI had achieved the greatest military victory of any Pontiff, but the cost of that victory was staggering. There would be no parade for this victory however, as it coincided with the news that Sultan Osman III and his hordes of Turks had reached the Rhine!
*In OTL, Pope Adrian VI (1522-1523)
“The more you tighten your grip, the more provinces will slip through your fingers!” Martin Luther 1523.
The garrison on Minorca Island was unusually resolute in defending their island from Marshal Legnago’s forces. With little food or water, they held out for six months, which was longer than even the Marshall expected. The Baleares were no longer under Aragon’s jurisdiction, yet Enric I still refused to negotiate. Either an assault on the mainland of Aragon territory would be needed or Pope Leo would have to give up his plans for capturing Ancona.
Grumblings from the College of Cardinals on the length and conduct of the war continued as the war entered its seventh year. The Turks were on the move again into the heart of Europe and Emperor-Elect Albrecht was desperate for assistance. Several Cardinals begged Pope Leo XI to end the hostilities with Aragon and fight the Turkish menace instead. Complicating matters was the only major naval battle of the war, The Battle of Cagliari, where the Papal fleet (1 caravel, 7 galleys, 2 cogs) was caught just as they sailed out of the harbor by the Aragon main taskforce (4 barques, and 4 cogs). The Papal fleet won the battle sinking half the Aragon force, but lost both a cog and the flagship Petrus Romanus. Nearly 100 ducats worth of naval warships lay at the bottom of the Med.
The Battle of Cagliari
1521 saw the Turks overrun Saxony once more, sack Berlin in May and annex Brunswick and Wurzburg. The once thought of as mighty Holy Roman Empire teetered on the brink of oblivion. Also a new religious philosophy known simply as “Reformed” sprang up to compete with the Lutherans in northern Germanic States including the Emperor-Elect’s own Brandenburg. Pope Leo XI tried to reason with Luther and the Reform leaders, but after receiving no response, he excommunicated them all and charged all Catholic monarchs with upholding the fight against heresy. This demand gave rise to the famous quote from Martin Luther, ““The more you tighten your grip, the more provinces will slip through your fingers!” No change in the status of the Papal-Aragon war was noted, though Aragon did succeed in causing a small revolt in Roma.
The next year, political strife within the College of Cardinals reached new heights. Chancellor De Medici believed the risk of a schism was great. Informants loyal to the Pope discovered Cardinal Petrucci and at least four others were conspiring to kill the him. Regretfully, Pope Leo XI signed the orders to condemn Petrucci as a traitor and execute him, while the others were deprived of their benefices as Cardinals and imprisoned.
To end the drift away from his policies Pope Leo conducted what became known as the Grand Consistory of 1522 on March 11th of that year. Instead of merely replacing the four deposed Cardinals, he promoted thirty-one to the College, swelling its ranks to over fifty members. Although some of the ones promoted to the red hat were well deserving such as Cardinal Campeggio a well known cannon lawyer, and Cardinal Boyens* who had prevented several imperial provinces from converting. Others such as Cardinal Alfonso of Portugal, and Cardinal Giovanni Borgia (Legitimized son of the Duchess of Ferrara and Grandson of the famed Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia) had their offices bought for them without question.
Many of these questionable cardinals of Italian heritage were given bishop assignments in lucrative sees far from Rome, such as Riga and Stockholm. The latter, was to be given to Cardinal Pisani, the son of a Catholic Venetian senator who had spent most of his adult life chasing women through the Palace of the Doge and St. Mark’s Square. King Karl X of Sweden refused to acknowledge the appointment and with the consent of the nobility and the people’s Riksdag set up the independent Church of Sweden in 1522 renouncing ties with Rome.
King Karl X of Sweden, the first true Protestant monarch
Later in 1522 the stalemate with Aragon finally concluded when King Enric capitulated to the demand to cede Ancona to Pope Leo. With the exception of Avignon, the territory of the Papal State was now whole. Pope Leo XI had achieved the greatest military victory of any Pontiff, but the cost of that victory was staggering. There would be no parade for this victory however, as it coincided with the news that Sultan Osman III and his hordes of Turks had reached the Rhine!
*In OTL, Pope Adrian VI (1522-1523)
I am so glad that the papal states is able to expand. During the first few updates, I honestly thought you would be annexed before 1500.
I am glad I was wrong
I am glad I was wrong
Turks on the Rhine! Shocking. Time to dust off the Soldiers of Christ rhetoric of Bernard of Clairvaux or Urban II and get a Crusade going.
Holy Crap, you can't be serious!!! Turks reaching the Rhine? Better to either stop the inter-European struggles and unite against the Turks, or get away in your ship and colonize the New World.
canonized: Maybe Batman? Quick! To the Popemobile! But I think the Turks took advantage of the religious strife in Germany to expand. Picked off the smaller guys one at a time.
comagoosie: Me? Get Annexed? Bah! I believe the Papal State's expansion is over for a while. They're surrounded by friends and allies! Peace, prosperity and unlimited rice pudding!
stnylan: Indeed shocking! I blame the French. You never really can go wrong when you start to blame the French. I'm going to recommend Pope Leo XI that they start serving "Franciscan Fries" at the Vatican cafeteria. :wacko:
Qorten: What a wonderful idea. Except the Papal State just got national idea number 2, bureaucracy. I'm not sure changing to QFTNW is an option unless they take a major stability hit again. Guess it's time for the former idea.
But I think the Turks took advantage of the religious strife in Germany to expand. Picked off the smaller guys one at a time. comagoosie: Me? Get Annexed? Bah! I believe the Papal State's expansion is over for a while. They're surrounded by friends and allies! Peace, prosperity and unlimited rice pudding!
stnylan: Indeed shocking! I blame the French. You never really can go wrong when you start to blame the French. I'm going to recommend Pope Leo XI that they start serving "Franciscan Fries" at the Vatican cafeteria. :wacko:
Qorten: What a wonderful idea. Except the Papal State just got national idea number 2, bureaucracy. I'm not sure changing to QFTNW is an option unless they take a major stability hit again. Guess it's time for the former idea.
Chapter 25: The New Europe (1523-1526)
As he entered the thirteenth year of his pontificate, Pope Leo XI found the European continent vastly different. Protestantism (which is what the various heresies were now called) had swept across parts of northern and central Europe. Combined with the vast stretches of land controlled by the Ottomans, the result was a hodgepodge of religious rulers differing from their peoples and a great fervor of discontent. The Empire had been split into three and the Turkish hordes seemed more and more unstoppable.
The religious and political map of Europe c. 1523-1524
Pope Leo XI sincerely wanted peace, for the demands on him during the war were too taxing. He wanted to fully pursue his pastimes of the arts. He resisted the call from Siena to go to war with Milan, though he did renew their alliance later in the year stressing its defensive clauses. And Pope Leo also provided funds to the remaining Imperial Bishoprics to bolster their coffers against the Turks. New money seized from the Barbary raiders helped to improve the defenses in Romagna, and Abruzzi when the technology became available.
The Pope had the honor of directing the great Jubilee of 1525. But unlike the one presided by Innocent VIII twenty-five years before, the number of pilgrims was halved. Still the great thinkers and artists and pilgrims of the day attended helping to improve the stability within Rome, though the frivolity did not please all. Few pilgrims came from the Empire and portions north as travel through Ottoman held lands was too dangerous.
It became clear in that summer of 1525 that the Pope had become exhausted from the demands the Jubilee put on him. Pope Leo XI, despite his youthful age, was never in the best of health. He had always been a more rotund man, and he was often winded after long masses or rather sweaty on the hot days. Pope Leo suffered through many a most misfortunate malady.* Soon after becoming Pope, Leo XI fell ill with influenza. He put up with frequent occurrences of gout from his love of rich foods. The Pope constantly suffered from hemorrhoids and an anal fissure that required daily cleaning and care by his ever faithful retinue of servant nuns. During a bout with malaria like his predecessor in 1521, the English Ambassador was informed that Pope Leo had died, but he miraculously recovered. So when the Jubilee year ceremonies concluded he reportedly said, “Now if you do not mind, I want to go paint something!” and Pope Leo went into semi-retirement at the Vatican.
Thus, Cardinal De Medici became more entrenched as the real power at the Vatican. Though he moved slowly at first, the Chancellor began to consolidate a more independent power base should something unfortunate happen to his cousin the Pope. But the Chancellor was one who always took both sides of every issue. He scaled back some of the lavishness in the Vatican but recommended Pope Leo approve new funds for Michelangelo to complete additional frescos in the various Roman chapels. He increased spending on provincial defense, but reduced the number of men in the Papal army to 6,000 (much to the displeasure of the Marshall). Cardinal De Medici maintained the pro-French stance of The Papal State, and drafted a letter for Pope Leo XI rebuking King Henri for annexing Brittany in 1525.
News reached Rome in August 1525 that the Scourge of the East, Osman III had died. The new Sultan Mustafa I was not nearly as militarily talented as his father, and it was hoped that Catholic princes under the Sultan’s thumb would rise up, or that the great Catholic countries would join together to fight the Turk. To help make that happen, Cardinal De Medici met with the Crown Cardinals outside of Rome to discuss a renewed Holy League against the Turks. Much to De Medici’s disappointment, most of those assembled were lukewarm to the idea. Only Cardinal Luzjanski, Ambassador of Poland and Lithuania was genuinely interested in fighting the Turks.
The plan was simple. Keep the Ottoman Empire in a perpetual state of war until it collapses under the exhaustion of itself. Osman III had been at war with practically everyone during his twenty year reign, and Sultan Mustafa was still fighting fellow heathens to his east. Although risks for countries like Poland and Lithuania were high, it was a lower risk for The Papal State which shared no common border with the Turks. Pope Leo XI however, refused to approve the war declaration, and the idea was shelved for now.
In November 1525, Marshal Legnago died and the country mourned the great military hero. Some even petitioned the Pope to make the Marshall a Saint for his contributions. Later in the month Pope Leo hosted a large banquet for visiting dignitaries from Emperor-Elect Albrecht. The Holy Father complained of indigestion and retired for the evening much earlier than usual. The next morning the Sister who brought Pope Leo his breakfast found him dead. Rumors spread that he had been poisoned, but most likely Leo XI died from appendicitis. In the span of one month, two leaders of the Papal State died; many wondered if their replacements would be competent men.
*Pope Leo X in OTL died from the malaria in 1521, and he did suffer from most of the illnesses described here. Poor nuns!
“Now if you do not mind, I want to go paint something!” – Pope Leo XI 1525
As he entered the thirteenth year of his pontificate, Pope Leo XI found the European continent vastly different. Protestantism (which is what the various heresies were now called) had swept across parts of northern and central Europe. Combined with the vast stretches of land controlled by the Ottomans, the result was a hodgepodge of religious rulers differing from their peoples and a great fervor of discontent. The Empire had been split into three and the Turkish hordes seemed more and more unstoppable.
The religious and political map of Europe c. 1523-1524
Pope Leo XI sincerely wanted peace, for the demands on him during the war were too taxing. He wanted to fully pursue his pastimes of the arts. He resisted the call from Siena to go to war with Milan, though he did renew their alliance later in the year stressing its defensive clauses. And Pope Leo also provided funds to the remaining Imperial Bishoprics to bolster their coffers against the Turks. New money seized from the Barbary raiders helped to improve the defenses in Romagna, and Abruzzi when the technology became available.
The Pope had the honor of directing the great Jubilee of 1525. But unlike the one presided by Innocent VIII twenty-five years before, the number of pilgrims was halved. Still the great thinkers and artists and pilgrims of the day attended helping to improve the stability within Rome, though the frivolity did not please all. Few pilgrims came from the Empire and portions north as travel through Ottoman held lands was too dangerous.
It became clear in that summer of 1525 that the Pope had become exhausted from the demands the Jubilee put on him. Pope Leo XI, despite his youthful age, was never in the best of health. He had always been a more rotund man, and he was often winded after long masses or rather sweaty on the hot days. Pope Leo suffered through many a most misfortunate malady.* Soon after becoming Pope, Leo XI fell ill with influenza. He put up with frequent occurrences of gout from his love of rich foods. The Pope constantly suffered from hemorrhoids and an anal fissure that required daily cleaning and care by his ever faithful retinue of servant nuns. During a bout with malaria like his predecessor in 1521, the English Ambassador was informed that Pope Leo had died, but he miraculously recovered. So when the Jubilee year ceremonies concluded he reportedly said, “Now if you do not mind, I want to go paint something!” and Pope Leo went into semi-retirement at the Vatican.
Thus, Cardinal De Medici became more entrenched as the real power at the Vatican. Though he moved slowly at first, the Chancellor began to consolidate a more independent power base should something unfortunate happen to his cousin the Pope. But the Chancellor was one who always took both sides of every issue. He scaled back some of the lavishness in the Vatican but recommended Pope Leo approve new funds for Michelangelo to complete additional frescos in the various Roman chapels. He increased spending on provincial defense, but reduced the number of men in the Papal army to 6,000 (much to the displeasure of the Marshall). Cardinal De Medici maintained the pro-French stance of The Papal State, and drafted a letter for Pope Leo XI rebuking King Henri for annexing Brittany in 1525.
News reached Rome in August 1525 that the Scourge of the East, Osman III had died. The new Sultan Mustafa I was not nearly as militarily talented as his father, and it was hoped that Catholic princes under the Sultan’s thumb would rise up, or that the great Catholic countries would join together to fight the Turk. To help make that happen, Cardinal De Medici met with the Crown Cardinals outside of Rome to discuss a renewed Holy League against the Turks. Much to De Medici’s disappointment, most of those assembled were lukewarm to the idea. Only Cardinal Luzjanski, Ambassador of Poland and Lithuania was genuinely interested in fighting the Turks.
The plan was simple. Keep the Ottoman Empire in a perpetual state of war until it collapses under the exhaustion of itself. Osman III had been at war with practically everyone during his twenty year reign, and Sultan Mustafa was still fighting fellow heathens to his east. Although risks for countries like Poland and Lithuania were high, it was a lower risk for The Papal State which shared no common border with the Turks. Pope Leo XI however, refused to approve the war declaration, and the idea was shelved for now.
In November 1525, Marshal Legnago died and the country mourned the great military hero. Some even petitioned the Pope to make the Marshall a Saint for his contributions. Later in the month Pope Leo hosted a large banquet for visiting dignitaries from Emperor-Elect Albrecht. The Holy Father complained of indigestion and retired for the evening much earlier than usual. The next morning the Sister who brought Pope Leo his breakfast found him dead. Rumors spread that he had been poisoned, but most likely Leo XI died from appendicitis. In the span of one month, two leaders of the Papal State died; many wondered if their replacements would be competent men.
*Pope Leo X in OTL died from the malaria in 1521, and he did suffer from most of the illnesses described here. Poor nuns!
Who is the dark green country around Crimea and north of there? Any chance they, whoever they are, would join the fight against the Turks? As it is I fear the Turks may have become so large and powerful to be literally unstoppable. Presumably they keep military tradition very high, plus as a lucky nation, they would always have several very good generals and admirals.
What was historically Charles V's nightmare scenario seems to have come frigheningly true in your game! Is there no salvation?
What was historically Charles V's nightmare scenario seems to have come frigheningly true in your game! Is there no salvation?
jwolf: The dark green IS Crimea... And no, they're not going to help me. Maybe Obi Wan Kenobi can?
And no, they're not going to help me. Maybe Obi Wan Kenobi can?
Bingo Brett said:The dark green IS Crimea...
Oh Sh**, there goes that idea.
And I suppose Crimea is allied to the Turks? THIS IS THE END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION!! YOU ARE DOOMED!!!
*weeps*
Man , another terrible setup . Stupid turks and their mean-ness =( . It's amazing how the AI just lets it happen though haha ! Have they no sense of history ! ROFL
jwolf said:
LOL! :rofl: Perfidious as the Turks may be, some people might find life under Ottoman rule appealing.
Qorten: I don't think the Papacy is allowed to convert to Sunni. Lutheran though might be a possibility... :wacko:
(P.S. that sound you just heard was canonized throwing up in his mouth a little at the thought of a Lutheran Pope!
)