Portugal Grand Campaign Part II (1600-1700)
As the 17th century gets underway, I decide to focus initially on filling in some of the gaps in my overseas empire. I am extremely concerned about my poor relations with Spain, and I realize that I will need to win any conflict decisively in the New World if push comes to shove. I launch a naval construction program and a build-up of my army in the Americas. After establishing a naval base in South Africa, I am also positioned to stake a claim to India. By 1618, most of the Indian coastline is claimed by my trading posts, which offer lucrative revenues from the trade in oriental goods and spices.
Europe's economic development has generated rapidly growing demand for sugar, and I have scaled up production with new colonies in Brazil. This in turn has boosted demand for slaves. My navy is occupied with pirates in the Caribbean, which complicates my plans to subdue the natives on the west African coast, which continue to raze my trading posts. Morocco beckons with its strong economy and Saharan slave markets. My army in Tangiers is heavily outnumbered by the Moroccans, but Portugal has become the first European power to introduce muskets into its army. This is no abstract accomplishment - I am hoping that my troops can inflict enough casualties with their firepower to neutralize the enemy's numerical advantage by the time they close for melee combat. In 1620, I make a gamble and invade. The war is a disaster for me, though the military technology performs well. I am able to occupy the Moroccan capital for the price of a 75% casualty rate, but the war drains my treasury for six years due to my inability to build up a force capable of dislodging the Moroccans from the mountains and desert south of the capital. With revolts breaking out in some of my colonies and the Spanish massing on my borders, I finally agree to accept the Moroccan's modest indemnity. I now have a hive of angry hornets on my southern flank.
Meanwhile, my potential allies the French are grappling with internal unrest and military humiliation. The two-province German state Kurpfalz sends shockwaves through European capitals when it manages to attack and defeat the French in 1612 and again in 1630. Kurpfalz actually gains three of France's wealthiest wine-producing provinces in the ensuing peace agreements! In 1631, the English kick the French while they're down in a short war in which they regain Calais and trounce the French navy. Needless to say, these developments douse any hopes I might have had for an effective Franco-Portuguese alliance.
Austria continues to expand unchecked in alternating wars against Russia and Poland. More worrying still, the Austrians have captured territory on the Aegean coast from the Venetians and are aggressively ramping up production in their shipyards at Ragusa. By 1650, Poland virtually ceases to exist as it surrenders six provinces to Austria, three to Russia and even two to Crimea. Russia's loss of territory to Austria is somewhat compensated by its own gains against Poland and Sweden. But it is clear that Russia will share the fate of the Poles unless it can finally hold the field against the Austrian army.
The situation by 1650 is looking dire for me due to the unchecked advances of Spain and Austria. I am only generating about one colonist per year at this point, and I am not even able to sustain a monopoly in Portugal's own center of trade against the encroachments of merchants from Morocco and Navarre. Due to a second loan I took in the 1630s following the Moroccan debacle, 40% of my spending is going to servicing debt with a 105% interest rate! My wealth is rated fifth and my army is the weakest in Europe. On the bright side, I have finally consolidated my position in India with a city. My navy is also larger than both the English and Spanish navies combined, an advantage which is reinforced by a marked technological superiority on land and sea. For the time being, the Spanish seem to be focussing on the Incans, who still have six provinces left that could buy me some time.
Elsewhere, the English and Dutch have formed an alliance, which unfortunately is fostering their cooperation outside Europe. The Dutch now have a dominant position in Indonesia, while the English claim most of North America excluding Texas, California and my colonies on the south east coast. In the near east, Persia may finally be getting the upper hand against the Turks following its successful vassalization and annexation of the Mamelucks.
I decide that decisive measures are needed and enact a sweeping change of fiscal policy by sharply reducing the research budget to finance new projects. My first order of business is the construction of a city in the Andes that can bring in some significant revenues from gold production. By 1664, I have retired all of my debt. I also work to improve diplomatic relations with England, France and the Netherlands as I begin to court the Italian states. I even provide some quiet financial assistance to the Incans, who nonetheless continue to crumble against the Spanish.
Things are really looking up by 1670. Milan agrees to become my vassal, and one year later, Tuscany joins my empire on its own initiative. This breakthrough more than doubles my population and gives me two rich manufacturing centers of wine and textiles. I am now feeling confident enough to venture another attempt against Morocco in 1674. Though I bring enough manpower to the campaign this time, casualties are extremely high and I am forced to send reinforcements from my Home Guard to finish the annexation by 1678.
Spain immediately exploits the depletion of my Home Guard and declares war on me in 1678. Initially, I am caught with my pants down as over 100,000 Spaniards pour over our common border. Oporto falls, my army is swept aside and the enemy is soon besieging the gates of Lisbon. But I have been preparing for war with Spain for 20 years. I am counting on my heavy investments in fortifications for my Iberian provinces to delay and weaken the Spaniards while I go on the offensive in South America. My armies rip through the Spanish colonies down the Pacific coast from Costa Rica to Peru. Meanwhile, reinforcements have arrived in Portugal from Morocco and Tuscany, and my army routs the weary Spanish army outside Lisbon. The Spanish army is so decimated that I decide to take the war into Spain itself. The war ends in 1680 with a devastating defeat for Madrid: I force them to hand over a city in Colombia as well as Andalusia. Andalusia is not only a populous wine-growing province and the location of Spain's main shipyard, it is the center of trade for all of Spain. Spain is now doomed as a global power.
In 1682, an event of almost equal importance occurs in northern Europe: the Netherlands merges into England under a single crown! Spain is soon relieved of its last two Belgian provinces. England now controls ten very wealthy provinces in continental Europe in addition to the consolidated Anglo-Dutch empire. As an aside, England has repeatedly failed for the past 200 years to make any progress whatsoever in its bid to annex Scotland.
As for the French, their situation apparently becomes so wretched that Switzerland dares to issue a unilateral declaration of war in 1676. The cocky Swiss quickly get themselves annexed, however. France later manages to recover Calais from England. In 1698, the French wrest two provinces from Spain, now the Sick Hombre of Europe. But despite repeated attempts, France is only able to recover a single province from the Kurpfalz, which does not even appear to have the support of any other state. I'm glad to see the French back on their feet. I may need them against this Anglo-Dutch superpower.
My next project is the development of Italy as a bulwark against Austrian expansion to the west. Naples had thrown off its vassalization under Spain during our war, and I soon add its 100,000-man army and Parma to my Italian alliance. In 1689, I lead my allies to victory against Genoa, annexing Corsica and the Genoan center of trade on the mainland. The only setback during the campaign is an unrelated declaration of war by the Indian state of Mysore. Although I am eventually able to defeat them with my garrison and rebuild using the indemnity, Mysore initially succeeds in destroying all of my trading posts in India.
By the end of the century, I have already achieved my goal of becoming the leading economic power worldwide. I monopolize the trade in much of France and Italy (from Genoa), the entire Iberian Peninsula, South America, most of western Africa, India and much of China (whose trade runs through my thriving Indian city). The trade from India and China, incidentally, is worth more than virtually all the trade in Europe alone. In addition, I am reaping large tax revenues from the manufacture of rum in Brazil and Florida, gold in the Andes, ivory in Africa and wine and textiles in Europe. My military is adequate and I have the capacity to build up quickly if necessary. Unfortunately, my technological lead has been eroded by reduced spending on research.
At the same time, England has emerged as a serious rival and is actually slightly wealthier than I. By excluding my merchants, they have cemented their dominance of north American trade (including the trade generated by my colonies there). Their Indonesian trade income is nearly as lucrative as my Indian commerce. The English/Dutch have Europe's largest army and their fleet is nearly four times as large as mine. England also has a number of well-placed naval bases (in the Falklands, Jamaica and the Cape of Good Hope for example) that enable them to project power around the world.
By 1700, Austria is at the gates of Moscow, is nearly done with Poland and Brandenburg and is expanding into the Crimea. To my alarm, the Austrians have also built up a powerful Mediterranean fleet in addition to their huge army. Russia is perhaps 30 years away from joining Poland in the dustbin of history. Sweden has a mere four provinces left due to repeated invasions by the Russo-Danish alliance, and I am hoping that the two allies will finish off the Swedes soon so that they can turn to England and Austria. One of the reasons the Danes have been so slow to annex Sweden is that they have invested heavily in manufacturing instead of in the military. It will be interesting to see whether this pays off over the next 100 years; they could be a valuable ally.
Expanding my power in the Med will be a major priority over the next 100 years. There are two geopolitical issues to be resolved there. First, Savoy and the Papal States have formed an alliance pairing up their very strong militaries. My relations with both states are good, but uniting all of the Italian states under my leadership will take a lot of expensive diplomacy and perhaps even a showdown with the Papal States. Second, I need to do something to manage the consolidation of the Muslim countries into a force that can deal with the Austrians. After annexing Iraq and gaining ground against the Turks, Persia has emerged as the dominant force in the region. But Persia is still faced with a potent Oman-Algeria alliance as well as the Turks and their North African vassals.
So it comes down to this: who is the bigger threat, England or Austria? In the next 50 years, the three superpowers will inevitably lock horns. I think it's an even contest as it stands, so the winner will be the one that most quickly develops its economic potential and mobilizes or conquers the nations that are still unaligned.
As the 17th century gets underway, I decide to focus initially on filling in some of the gaps in my overseas empire. I am extremely concerned about my poor relations with Spain, and I realize that I will need to win any conflict decisively in the New World if push comes to shove. I launch a naval construction program and a build-up of my army in the Americas. After establishing a naval base in South Africa, I am also positioned to stake a claim to India. By 1618, most of the Indian coastline is claimed by my trading posts, which offer lucrative revenues from the trade in oriental goods and spices.
Europe's economic development has generated rapidly growing demand for sugar, and I have scaled up production with new colonies in Brazil. This in turn has boosted demand for slaves. My navy is occupied with pirates in the Caribbean, which complicates my plans to subdue the natives on the west African coast, which continue to raze my trading posts. Morocco beckons with its strong economy and Saharan slave markets. My army in Tangiers is heavily outnumbered by the Moroccans, but Portugal has become the first European power to introduce muskets into its army. This is no abstract accomplishment - I am hoping that my troops can inflict enough casualties with their firepower to neutralize the enemy's numerical advantage by the time they close for melee combat. In 1620, I make a gamble and invade. The war is a disaster for me, though the military technology performs well. I am able to occupy the Moroccan capital for the price of a 75% casualty rate, but the war drains my treasury for six years due to my inability to build up a force capable of dislodging the Moroccans from the mountains and desert south of the capital. With revolts breaking out in some of my colonies and the Spanish massing on my borders, I finally agree to accept the Moroccan's modest indemnity. I now have a hive of angry hornets on my southern flank.
Meanwhile, my potential allies the French are grappling with internal unrest and military humiliation. The two-province German state Kurpfalz sends shockwaves through European capitals when it manages to attack and defeat the French in 1612 and again in 1630. Kurpfalz actually gains three of France's wealthiest wine-producing provinces in the ensuing peace agreements! In 1631, the English kick the French while they're down in a short war in which they regain Calais and trounce the French navy. Needless to say, these developments douse any hopes I might have had for an effective Franco-Portuguese alliance.
Austria continues to expand unchecked in alternating wars against Russia and Poland. More worrying still, the Austrians have captured territory on the Aegean coast from the Venetians and are aggressively ramping up production in their shipyards at Ragusa. By 1650, Poland virtually ceases to exist as it surrenders six provinces to Austria, three to Russia and even two to Crimea. Russia's loss of territory to Austria is somewhat compensated by its own gains against Poland and Sweden. But it is clear that Russia will share the fate of the Poles unless it can finally hold the field against the Austrian army.
The situation by 1650 is looking dire for me due to the unchecked advances of Spain and Austria. I am only generating about one colonist per year at this point, and I am not even able to sustain a monopoly in Portugal's own center of trade against the encroachments of merchants from Morocco and Navarre. Due to a second loan I took in the 1630s following the Moroccan debacle, 40% of my spending is going to servicing debt with a 105% interest rate! My wealth is rated fifth and my army is the weakest in Europe. On the bright side, I have finally consolidated my position in India with a city. My navy is also larger than both the English and Spanish navies combined, an advantage which is reinforced by a marked technological superiority on land and sea. For the time being, the Spanish seem to be focussing on the Incans, who still have six provinces left that could buy me some time.
Elsewhere, the English and Dutch have formed an alliance, which unfortunately is fostering their cooperation outside Europe. The Dutch now have a dominant position in Indonesia, while the English claim most of North America excluding Texas, California and my colonies on the south east coast. In the near east, Persia may finally be getting the upper hand against the Turks following its successful vassalization and annexation of the Mamelucks.
I decide that decisive measures are needed and enact a sweeping change of fiscal policy by sharply reducing the research budget to finance new projects. My first order of business is the construction of a city in the Andes that can bring in some significant revenues from gold production. By 1664, I have retired all of my debt. I also work to improve diplomatic relations with England, France and the Netherlands as I begin to court the Italian states. I even provide some quiet financial assistance to the Incans, who nonetheless continue to crumble against the Spanish.
Things are really looking up by 1670. Milan agrees to become my vassal, and one year later, Tuscany joins my empire on its own initiative. This breakthrough more than doubles my population and gives me two rich manufacturing centers of wine and textiles. I am now feeling confident enough to venture another attempt against Morocco in 1674. Though I bring enough manpower to the campaign this time, casualties are extremely high and I am forced to send reinforcements from my Home Guard to finish the annexation by 1678.
Spain immediately exploits the depletion of my Home Guard and declares war on me in 1678. Initially, I am caught with my pants down as over 100,000 Spaniards pour over our common border. Oporto falls, my army is swept aside and the enemy is soon besieging the gates of Lisbon. But I have been preparing for war with Spain for 20 years. I am counting on my heavy investments in fortifications for my Iberian provinces to delay and weaken the Spaniards while I go on the offensive in South America. My armies rip through the Spanish colonies down the Pacific coast from Costa Rica to Peru. Meanwhile, reinforcements have arrived in Portugal from Morocco and Tuscany, and my army routs the weary Spanish army outside Lisbon. The Spanish army is so decimated that I decide to take the war into Spain itself. The war ends in 1680 with a devastating defeat for Madrid: I force them to hand over a city in Colombia as well as Andalusia. Andalusia is not only a populous wine-growing province and the location of Spain's main shipyard, it is the center of trade for all of Spain. Spain is now doomed as a global power.
In 1682, an event of almost equal importance occurs in northern Europe: the Netherlands merges into England under a single crown! Spain is soon relieved of its last two Belgian provinces. England now controls ten very wealthy provinces in continental Europe in addition to the consolidated Anglo-Dutch empire. As an aside, England has repeatedly failed for the past 200 years to make any progress whatsoever in its bid to annex Scotland.
As for the French, their situation apparently becomes so wretched that Switzerland dares to issue a unilateral declaration of war in 1676. The cocky Swiss quickly get themselves annexed, however. France later manages to recover Calais from England. In 1698, the French wrest two provinces from Spain, now the Sick Hombre of Europe. But despite repeated attempts, France is only able to recover a single province from the Kurpfalz, which does not even appear to have the support of any other state. I'm glad to see the French back on their feet. I may need them against this Anglo-Dutch superpower.
My next project is the development of Italy as a bulwark against Austrian expansion to the west. Naples had thrown off its vassalization under Spain during our war, and I soon add its 100,000-man army and Parma to my Italian alliance. In 1689, I lead my allies to victory against Genoa, annexing Corsica and the Genoan center of trade on the mainland. The only setback during the campaign is an unrelated declaration of war by the Indian state of Mysore. Although I am eventually able to defeat them with my garrison and rebuild using the indemnity, Mysore initially succeeds in destroying all of my trading posts in India.
By the end of the century, I have already achieved my goal of becoming the leading economic power worldwide. I monopolize the trade in much of France and Italy (from Genoa), the entire Iberian Peninsula, South America, most of western Africa, India and much of China (whose trade runs through my thriving Indian city). The trade from India and China, incidentally, is worth more than virtually all the trade in Europe alone. In addition, I am reaping large tax revenues from the manufacture of rum in Brazil and Florida, gold in the Andes, ivory in Africa and wine and textiles in Europe. My military is adequate and I have the capacity to build up quickly if necessary. Unfortunately, my technological lead has been eroded by reduced spending on research.
At the same time, England has emerged as a serious rival and is actually slightly wealthier than I. By excluding my merchants, they have cemented their dominance of north American trade (including the trade generated by my colonies there). Their Indonesian trade income is nearly as lucrative as my Indian commerce. The English/Dutch have Europe's largest army and their fleet is nearly four times as large as mine. England also has a number of well-placed naval bases (in the Falklands, Jamaica and the Cape of Good Hope for example) that enable them to project power around the world.
By 1700, Austria is at the gates of Moscow, is nearly done with Poland and Brandenburg and is expanding into the Crimea. To my alarm, the Austrians have also built up a powerful Mediterranean fleet in addition to their huge army. Russia is perhaps 30 years away from joining Poland in the dustbin of history. Sweden has a mere four provinces left due to repeated invasions by the Russo-Danish alliance, and I am hoping that the two allies will finish off the Swedes soon so that they can turn to England and Austria. One of the reasons the Danes have been so slow to annex Sweden is that they have invested heavily in manufacturing instead of in the military. It will be interesting to see whether this pays off over the next 100 years; they could be a valuable ally.
Expanding my power in the Med will be a major priority over the next 100 years. There are two geopolitical issues to be resolved there. First, Savoy and the Papal States have formed an alliance pairing up their very strong militaries. My relations with both states are good, but uniting all of the Italian states under my leadership will take a lot of expensive diplomacy and perhaps even a showdown with the Papal States. Second, I need to do something to manage the consolidation of the Muslim countries into a force that can deal with the Austrians. After annexing Iraq and gaining ground against the Turks, Persia has emerged as the dominant force in the region. But Persia is still faced with a potent Oman-Algeria alliance as well as the Turks and their North African vassals.
So it comes down to this: who is the bigger threat, England or Austria? In the next 50 years, the three superpowers will inevitably lock horns. I think it's an even contest as it stands, so the winner will be the one that most quickly develops its economic potential and mobilizes or conquers the nations that are still unaligned.
