Papal CrusadAARs - A Papal States AAR

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Chapter 18 - Fifth and Sixth Ottoman Wars

Preface: It occurs to me that the screenshots I have for this update suck because they don't show the war results properly. Unsurprisingly, we start the update with a papal election.

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Innocentius passed on in 1655 and the papal electors met that year to raise a new Pope. Fabio Chigi, the Cardinal Secretary of State under Innocentius was the victor in these elections.

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Alexander's first years as Pope were peaceful and quiet. It was, in fact, a time when all of Europe was at rest. But this could not last forever. Alexander knew full well that the Ottoman's had recovered some of their former territories in the wake of Hungarian disarray in the years following 1640. They still had yet to be pushed out of Europe. So in 1663 Alexander renewed the old alliance with Hungary and France and once again set the wheels of war in motion. However, Alexander too the novel step of also inviting Poland to the alliance, and to his delight the Poles accepted, further strengthening the alliance.

After two years, Alexander felt enough had been done. The French were weary of distant wars and were beginning to grumble about making a separate peace. Alexander's offer was to demand Hellas and Bulgaria back to Hungary and Morea and Macedonia to Poland. The Turks agreed, though the Sultan snarled something about knowing the Pope's greed would return in 5 years...

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But it would not be Alexander's greed...

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Nor would it be this Clemens...

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"The work of driving the Ottomans out of Europe is nearly complete," said Clemens. "We have only to finish the job now."

"It isn't even a challenge anymore," responded his chief generals. "The Turks are assailed ever more by the Persians."

"They are still strong in Africa," said the Pope. "We can change that later though. For now let us remove them from this territory of Bujak."

With that simple goal in mind, only a short war was needed. The Poles captured Bujak quickly, and after a few short battles Clemens offered a new peace if the Ottomans would concede Bujak to Poland. They were happy to do so. Well, perhaps not happy, but they did it anyway.

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Situation update, 1677:

Western Europe:

Poland and Russia:

Middle East - Safayid Empire on the rise!

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[stnylan]

The Safavids do look like they might replace the Ottomans as your infidel enemy of choice in the near future.

 

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Indeed, but one infidel at a time. The CrusadAARs are not yet finished with the Ottomans...

 

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Did I say one infidel?

Chapter 19 - Seventh and Eighth Ottoman Wars

Because I meant two infidels. The small Mamluk kingdom is proving to be a thorn in the papal side also. The Mamluks refuse access between Alexandria and the Holy Land and have recently begun to favor the Ottoman Empire. Clemens resolved to do something about this.

"It is time we removed the provocation of these unholy princes," he declared. In 1685 the papal armies in Egypt and the Holy Land. With no support from the Ottomans the war was short and onesided. After Cataract and the Nile regions were conquered, Clemens sent a peace offer.

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More papal elections:
1689:

1691:

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Innocentius' nine year reign as pope passes peacefully and quietly as Rome took stock of her situation and prepared for the turn of the century. He lasted long enough to declare the first Jubilee of the century.

In 1700 the electors convened again and ushered in a new century with the advent of a new pope.

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"Holy Father?" Clemens looked up to see the page waiting nervously in the doorway, a letter extended from his right hand.

"Come," Clemens said kindly, "bring the letter to me." He took the offered envelope and slit it to extract the folded letter inside. It was news from Alexandria. The mission work on the other side of the Nile had been completed. "Goshen is recovered," he murmured.

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"It has been a few years," said Clemens. "It is long since time that we shaved the Sultan's beard again."

"What about our allies?" asked General Stefano. "They have long since tired of aiding us against the Ottomans."

"It no longer matters," said Clemens. "We are too much for them now, even without allies. The Persians knock at their very doors, they will have no troops to spare for North Africa."

This indeed proved to be the case. Papal regiments from Sicily and the Baleares poured into Tunisia and Orania. One by one the North African provinces fell, from Tunis around the Straits of Gibraltar as far south as the Sahara regions of West Africa. For good measure, the Thracian regiments captured Anatolia. By 1709 the Sultan was once more on his knees begging for mercy. Clemens took Fez, Tangiers, Toubkal, Aures and Orania as tribute.

"Why do we not take more?" asked Stefano.

Clemens smiled. "We do not need to. These provinces are plagued with rebels already. The Turks will not be able to hold them for long. Mark my words. Indeed I am loathe to hold these ones we have gained myself. We will release them to their local nobles."

"None of the local rules will take Orania," reported Stefano.

"Very well, we are forced to Christianize it then," said the pope.

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By 1715 Tunisia, Algeria and Sus had all declared independence from the Ottomans and the Safayid Empire had conquered all of Turkey but for Anatolia.

"It is time to finish the job," said Clemens. "Take Anatolia, removed the Sultan once and for all and begin the mission work there at once."

A short siege later....

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At the rise of Innocentius as pope here is the situation in Europe and the Middle East. The Ottomans are like weeds! Despite the annexation they swiftly rebel against their Persian overlords and they live again!

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[stnylan]

I wonder if they will make things easier for you (the Safavids) by declaring war?

I am always wary of Popes called Innocent

 

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They won't I'm afraid. And as for Innocent, no need to distrust him, he died after three years of peace. I think I have 4 updates left including this one, so on to the update....

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Chapter 20 - Wars, Wars and Rumors of Wars

Innocent watched quietly as the Safayid Empire ruthlessly went back to war on the upstart Ottomans. His successor, Benedictus, was not nearly so passive.

"It's all well and good if they want to be at the throats of the Persians and vice versa," he said. "But after all the work of my forebears before me, I will not allow the Turks to exist outside the rule of Rome. Let us crush them before they gain too much of a foothold."

Now a poor three province nation, the Ottomans are easy to dispose of. The papal armies do not even waste time sieging the cities. They rush in headlong and capture them all in days. Benedictus relieved them of Smyrna as part of the peace agreement.

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6 years later white smoke again plumed lazily into the sky above St. Peters Basilica, heralding the arrival of a new pope.

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"How long shall these Muslims in North Africa trouble us?" said Clemens. "Twice now we have sent priests to Orania to convert the heathens and both times they have arisen in revolt. Shall we continue to accept their unbelief or shall we demand an end to this? It is time to save their souls."

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"The Christian migrants we have dispatched to Smyrna are getting into conflicts with the Muslims there," reported Cardinal Albani.

"Excellent," replied Clemens. "That will give us a reasonable excuse to 'convert' them."

"God's will be done," said Albani, with a grim smile.

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Clemens was one of the more successful converters of heathens, due to his ruthless methods. However he did not live to see the completion of this job.

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The merchants of Rome were distraught. "Holy Father," their chief representative said," for years now the Austrians have denied our traders access to the rich markets of Vienna. Because of this we do not fare as well as other nations and our economy suffers for it. We beg you to do something about this injustice!"

"Short of war there is little we can do," said the pope. "Dare we risk war with Austria?"

"Your Holiness," Stefano spoke up, now older but still supreme commander of the papal armies. "Our fleets our stationed off the coast of Ferrara and the bulk of the Austrian army is currently in Veneto. If we move quickly we can trap them there and we will be free to sack their cities."

Stefano's plan was bold but relatively foolproof. Austria had no allies and the possibility to trap 4/5's of its army in Venice was too good to pass up. In 1740 the Papal States declared war and the army poured into Tirol and then on into the rest of Austria. In two years the Austrian war machine was in ruins and all her cities were captured. Benedict offered them a humiliating treaty. Austria had no choice but to accept.

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Several years later, the bishop of Anatolia reported by letter that the Smyrna solution had been applied successfully in Anatolia as well.

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Europe and Middle East, 1749:

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OOC: I'm glad I recently found out about the Venetian Straits. It sure was nice to catch the Austrian army in Venice right after they'd concluded a treaty there. For the record my list of vassals is now Austria, Ottomans, Mamluks, Morocco and Tlemcen.

 

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I knew third choice in Religious Turmoil random event could be useful.

 

[stnylan]

I have to say I am moderately impressed that a few of the German minors remain so late in the game. Usually in my games they have died out by 1700.

 

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I knew third choice in Religious Turmoil random event could be useful.

Considering in this game I can recover my Stab in one year it was a no brainer. That option is only no good when it takes you 10 years to get the stab back.

stnylan: Some of those minors have come and gone a few times.

 

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Considering in this game I can recover my Stab in one year it was a no brainer. That option is only no good when it takes you 10 years to get the stab back.

You have the choice but there is a cost.

stnylan: Some of those minors have come and gone a few times.

Stnylan doesn't know AGCEEP includes integrity events for HRE. It is only for Electors, Emperor and some special monarchs (Charles for Burgundy and Spain).
In a perfect world, Electors and Emperor shouldn't even try to annex but protect.

 

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The cost is fair, it's high for a large empire but reasonable for a smaller nation. I like it.

 

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If your innovativeness is not your main concern, then yes.

 

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Heh, good point. It almost never is for me. :rofl:

 

[stnylan]

Stnylan doesn't know AGCEEP includes integrity events for HRE. It is only for Electors, Emperor and some special monarchs (Charles for Burgundy and Spain).

Actually I do know - I have played AGCEEP a number of times, from quite early days - but nevertheless in my games they tend to stay gone. Luck of the dice I guess.

 

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Actually I do know - I have played AGCEEP a number of times, from quite early days - but nevertheless in my games they tend to stay gone. Luck of the dice I guess.

Probability should be very high but it is a fact they are only random events and nothing will happen if provinces are not owned by an Elector or the Emperor himself, and owner must be at peace too.

 

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Good to see Austria brought into the fold!

 

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Nice move with the straits!

 

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Ok guys,

In the interest of getting this AAR done before I am gone for a week I'm going to neglect the narrative part so that I have time to get the last three updates done. I don't think you're missing much if I do that, I'm not much of a writer anyway. :rofl:

Chapter 21 - Make Us More Vassals

We start the update off with another quarter century Jubilee, one with a nice bonus:

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Then Hungary annexes Venice. How convenient! We want Venice, part of the plan to unite every province with Italian culture, and we now have a CB on them. Plus they just annexed their ally and we have Austria and Poland as allies. We declare war and do some capturing with our allies help.

We really only wanted Veneto, so we can release Bulgaria as a vassal.

This action changes the face of Europe to look like this:

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A few years later a new Pope is elected, yet another Clemens.

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About the same time, Austria got tired of Switzerland owning two of their cores and declared war on them. We help them out. After all Switzerland used to be our vassal and broke out of it so we owe them one.

We take Wirtemburg before Austria can, and release it as a vassal also. But we give Ansbach to Austria in the process.

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France has a trade embargo on us at this time too and we're feeling confident despite France being the major world power by far. We get England to join the alliance with Austria and Poland and ourselves. France also owns Piedmont which is the last Italian cultured province we don't own. We declare war. Our powerful alliance makes a tough go of it against France's might, but after a few years we get enough warscore to convince them to give us Piedmont and Provence.

We don't really want to own Provence though. That will just give them a CB on us. We release Provence.

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Europe in 1765:

We've now united every Italian province and we have a whole slew of vassals, of which Austria is the main one. But we've now also added Bulgaria, Wirtemberg and Provence to the list. Will they survive? Stay tuned!

 

[stnylan]

all in all it looks like you are going to leave the Papacy in a very strong position.

 

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Do you actually do that every time, or do you copy/paste it?

I like your writing. You clearly translate what happens, to me that's good writing. Keep it up!