Riga - Range's Sabbatical (Yeah sure)
(Vanilla game-Normal settings)
• To sum up what Range was faced with - one word can be used as a
description ... Spartan.
• Riga's military would consist of one regiment and one cog for a very
long ...long ...long, long . .long, long, long time.
• The funds that were gained would come solely through production and taxes.
• Trade would be non-existing...not one ducat gained.
• Inflation would have to be kept as low as possible - if not at - 0 -.
• Loans would spell death for Riga (especially in the beginning)
• Riga's allies, or in most cases their ally would have to be chosen wisely (or,
forced upon us).
Riga -1453
The tale will be told by me, as it was passed on to me by Range my father.
• Do not judge Range, too harshly in hearing the account.
• There was a reason for every one of his actions.
• Believe me when I say that the survival of the small nation of Riga was foremost in his mind and heart.
• Remember, the road to greatness is not an easy road to take when you begin with close to nothing.
• When you begin with nothing, the prospect of even surviving seems remote, but not as impossible as the attempt to make Riga into one of the greatest countries that ever existed.
• Greatness comes in many forms, by the way military might, trade, or in the Riga's greatness through prestige.
• It began in May of 1453 with the first Riga council meeting.
• In attendance with my father for Riga's first council meeting were six others.
• They were thought to be the most learned men of Riga. Of course, remember Riga was very small. Its capital Riga had barely 1500 people. So, the chances for there being truly brilliant men in Riga were slim at best.
May 30, 1453
The men in attendance were:
• Herman - finance.
• The three brothers: Conrad (Production), Cune (land) and Contze (Navy)
• Thomas – Religion
• Otte - Trade.
• In hearing my father say the three brother's names, I had to laugh.
• My father recalled that he had to bite his tongue to keep from snickering
• "Excuse me, Conrad, Cune and Contze is it?" My father asked them.
• "Yes, sir," they replied almost in unison."
• "Correct me if I'm wrong," said Range, almost thinking about not continuing. "I
know only a little of your language. But, isn't the name Cune and Contze a sort of a pet name for Conrad?"
• The three brothers nodded yes, and sort of chuckled.
• "Our mother loved the name Conrad,” the brothers explained.
• "So, all three of you could answer to the name of Conrad ... doesn't that become
confusing?"
• The three brothers looked at one another, and leaned together to converse. It was Conrad that soon replied, "Not to our mother it doesn't."
• "Well, it is to me," Range remembered commenting to himself beneath his breath.
1 December 1453
• Thanks to the hard work of the Riga's council, the infant country doubled the nation's stability almost over-night.
• Teutonic Order became Riga's first ally (Riga needed a ally)
• As for the Teutonic Order ... Range didn't truly like or trust them. "They'd stab us in the back as soon as to look at us" he openly argued.
• Of course for that reason alone, Riga didn't dare turn them down. Keeping with the old adage, "Keep you friends close, but keep your enemies closer." He decided to keep them real close.
9 December 1453
• Hanseatic League is formed with Riga being a member.
• This might have been a reason why Riga did so well, without actively trading in a market.
The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hanse) was an alliance of trading cities and their guilds that established and maintained a trade monopoly along the coast of Northern Europe, from the Baltic to the North Sea (13th-17th centuries)
7 November 1454
• Riga had gained its full stability.
• To Range's dismay it also came at the time when war raised its ugly head.
• Teutonic Order had sounded the Call to Arms due to the aggression of Novogrod.
• Range agreed to the Teutonic Order terms of engagement – Riga’s troops would be used solely for defensive measures.
• Seeing that the nation still only had one regiment to assemble for war, there wasn't much more she could expected to do.
• Basically, the Teutonic Order's reason for an alliance with Riga was that in times of war they could be certain that Riga would not be able to take advantage of them and take over a province when they weren't looking.
• As for the war, and staying on the sidelines ... this was impossible for Range.
• When the enemy came close to Riga, and its troops could assist to turn the tide, Range led his forces into battle.
• Of course, the war lasted longer than expected (they all do).
• After a string of victories and short line of defeats the war ended on
Shortly after the war, there was sort of a falling out within the council.
8 January 1458
• The council was called to assembly to discuss ways to jumpstart our economy.
• Otte spoke up, rather brashly. In his usually, no nonsense stance he was rather persistent in his arguing with Range to point of being downright rude.
• My father, Range held his temper. But in his usually manner he pointed out the facts to Otte. "I could very easily do without you."
9 January 1458
• That next morning, the council was one head short. It seems that Otte, Riga's trade minister had met with an untimely accident (he was gone).
• "We still have a glaring problem in economy," began Range in opening remarks to the council. "Are there any suggestions?"
• Cune and Contze huddled up for a moment t the table, before suggesting a remedy for the nation's situation.
• Cune suggested that Riga build a larger army and go to war.
• Contze's suggestion was similar, but he wanted us to build a larger navy for the same reason ..
• Conrad clapped his hands over his ears not wanting to hear Range's reply and began to lament, "Woe is me."
• Range sighed in disbelief and asked, "You both do realize that we are at our arm force's limit ... any additional troops will bankrupt us for sure. And, besides that who would you like us to go to war with?"
• "Whom," Conrad corrected me, before placing his hands over his mouth.
• Both, Cune and Contze then in unison replied, "Gotland."
• "What," Range yelled, "our ally?"
• Dad said that he then stared at Conrad.
• The man had covered his eyes.
10 January 1458
• Needless to say the next day, the council was shay two persons when it convened.
• "Conrad," said Range, "I want to offer my deepest condolences for the
loss of your brother's Cune and Contze who are no longer with us."
• Range then turned to the business at hand and put the same question that he had asked the day before to the three surviving councilmen (Herman, Thomas and Conrad).
• After pondering the issue for a moment Herman then suggested that we raise funds through the act of dropping some of our Government and production funding and place the ducas into the treasury instead.
• "Why...I don't know," said Range, before reasoning, "but, won't that bring up inflation?"
• "Only a tad and the benefits willed be enormous," replied Herman.
11 January 1458
• The council met with one less member that morning.
• Thomas (Clergy) died during the night of natural causes. He passed away at the age of 76...dying of old age in his sleep.
• He was a saintly man. And, it would seem so was his son his son Alfred – (who was the main reason why Riga was able to get chosen by the Pope as an Elector’s of the Holy Roman Empire years later).
16 July 1458
• The council was shay one other member that morning.
• Herman would no longer be able to attend another council meeting, or anything again.
• Inflation had risen to .4 percent. Now that might not sound much, but to a country that is only earning 8 ducats a year it was too much to allow to continue. Riga was barely breaking even.
• With Herman gone, Conrad was the only other member (besides Range) on
the council.
• As Conrad nervously took his seat at the far end of the table from Dad, he raised his hand like some schoolboy wanting to be excused.
• "You have a question, Conrad?" Asked Range.
• "Excuse me for asking this." He swallowed hard as he composed his words in his mind. "If it would not be too much of an imposition, I would like to resign."
• Immediately after hearing Conrad, Range dropped his head to the table in
disbelief. "Ow," said Range. He didn't bother to raise his head, just waved him to leave.
• With the closing of the door Range was alone. He began to talk to himself and as he spoke his words were muffled against the table. "I'm going to have to find another council."
8 August 1485
“That’a boy Alfred…” (Of course the king took the credit.)
4 January 1507
• It was the morning after Range had (due to the lack of a better description) run through his twelfth council that he sat alone in the council chamber.
• In entered Johann Von Wallenrodt (the newly King appointed Gov't Tech advisor).
• Neither, Range or Johann had met before.
• Having just entered the chambers, Johann stopped to look about the room.
• He looked confused, as he asked, "Excuse me, sir...am I in the right room?"
• "Well, I supposed you are in the right room if you're looking for the Council
Chambers," replied Range.
• "I was told to report to someone named Range...that there was a council meeting going on."
• "That's right...and, if you're Johann Von Wallenrodt we can begin the meeting."
• He gazed about the large room that was stately decorated and marveled "Just the two of us?" Johann took a seat at the far end of the table.
• "Yeah, I find it easier that way ... fewer disagreements." Range paused for a moment. Then, he commented, "Of what I’ve heard about you, I’d say we’re cut from the same you and I."
• Johann had been taken by surprised by that comment. He smiled weakly, before He nodded gently.
• Johann would prove to be a great reason why Riga would make great leaps and bounds in the Government advancements over the next fifty years.
(Vanilla game-Normal settings)
• To sum up what Range was faced with - one word can be used as a
description ... Spartan.
• Riga's military would consist of one regiment and one cog for a very
long ...long ...long, long . .long, long, long time.
• The funds that were gained would come solely through production and taxes.
• Trade would be non-existing...not one ducat gained.
• Inflation would have to be kept as low as possible - if not at - 0 -.
• Loans would spell death for Riga (especially in the beginning)
• Riga's allies, or in most cases their ally would have to be chosen wisely (or,
forced upon us).
Riga -1453
The tale will be told by me, as it was passed on to me by Range my father.
• Do not judge Range, too harshly in hearing the account.
• There was a reason for every one of his actions.
• Believe me when I say that the survival of the small nation of Riga was foremost in his mind and heart.
• Remember, the road to greatness is not an easy road to take when you begin with close to nothing.
• When you begin with nothing, the prospect of even surviving seems remote, but not as impossible as the attempt to make Riga into one of the greatest countries that ever existed.
• Greatness comes in many forms, by the way military might, trade, or in the Riga's greatness through prestige.
• It began in May of 1453 with the first Riga council meeting.
• In attendance with my father for Riga's first council meeting were six others.
• They were thought to be the most learned men of Riga. Of course, remember Riga was very small. Its capital Riga had barely 1500 people. So, the chances for there being truly brilliant men in Riga were slim at best.
May 30, 1453
The men in attendance were:
• Herman - finance.
• The three brothers: Conrad (Production), Cune (land) and Contze (Navy)
• Thomas – Religion
• Otte - Trade.
• In hearing my father say the three brother's names, I had to laugh.
• My father recalled that he had to bite his tongue to keep from snickering
• "Excuse me, Conrad, Cune and Contze is it?" My father asked them.
• "Yes, sir," they replied almost in unison."
• "Correct me if I'm wrong," said Range, almost thinking about not continuing. "I
know only a little of your language. But, isn't the name Cune and Contze a sort of a pet name for Conrad?"
• The three brothers nodded yes, and sort of chuckled.
• "Our mother loved the name Conrad,” the brothers explained.
• "So, all three of you could answer to the name of Conrad ... doesn't that become
confusing?"
• The three brothers looked at one another, and leaned together to converse. It was Conrad that soon replied, "Not to our mother it doesn't."
• "Well, it is to me," Range remembered commenting to himself beneath his breath.
1 December 1453
• Thanks to the hard work of the Riga's council, the infant country doubled the nation's stability almost over-night.
• Teutonic Order became Riga's first ally (Riga needed a ally)
• As for the Teutonic Order ... Range didn't truly like or trust them. "They'd stab us in the back as soon as to look at us" he openly argued.
• Of course for that reason alone, Riga didn't dare turn them down. Keeping with the old adage, "Keep you friends close, but keep your enemies closer." He decided to keep them real close.
9 December 1453
• Hanseatic League is formed with Riga being a member.
• This might have been a reason why Riga did so well, without actively trading in a market.
The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hanse) was an alliance of trading cities and their guilds that established and maintained a trade monopoly along the coast of Northern Europe, from the Baltic to the North Sea (13th-17th centuries)
7 November 1454
• Riga had gained its full stability.
• To Range's dismay it also came at the time when war raised its ugly head.
• Teutonic Order had sounded the Call to Arms due to the aggression of Novogrod.
• Range agreed to the Teutonic Order terms of engagement – Riga’s troops would be used solely for defensive measures.
• Seeing that the nation still only had one regiment to assemble for war, there wasn't much more she could expected to do.
• Basically, the Teutonic Order's reason for an alliance with Riga was that in times of war they could be certain that Riga would not be able to take advantage of them and take over a province when they weren't looking.
• As for the war, and staying on the sidelines ... this was impossible for Range.
• When the enemy came close to Riga, and its troops could assist to turn the tide, Range led his forces into battle.
• Of course, the war lasted longer than expected (they all do).
• After a string of victories and short line of defeats the war ended on
Shortly after the war, there was sort of a falling out within the council.
8 January 1458
• The council was called to assembly to discuss ways to jumpstart our economy.
• Otte spoke up, rather brashly. In his usually, no nonsense stance he was rather persistent in his arguing with Range to point of being downright rude.
• My father, Range held his temper. But in his usually manner he pointed out the facts to Otte. "I could very easily do without you."
9 January 1458
• That next morning, the council was one head short. It seems that Otte, Riga's trade minister had met with an untimely accident (he was gone).
• "We still have a glaring problem in economy," began Range in opening remarks to the council. "Are there any suggestions?"
• Cune and Contze huddled up for a moment t the table, before suggesting a remedy for the nation's situation.
• Cune suggested that Riga build a larger army and go to war.
• Contze's suggestion was similar, but he wanted us to build a larger navy for the same reason ..
• Conrad clapped his hands over his ears not wanting to hear Range's reply and began to lament, "Woe is me."
• Range sighed in disbelief and asked, "You both do realize that we are at our arm force's limit ... any additional troops will bankrupt us for sure. And, besides that who would you like us to go to war with?"
• "Whom," Conrad corrected me, before placing his hands over his mouth.
• Both, Cune and Contze then in unison replied, "Gotland."
• "What," Range yelled, "our ally?"
• Dad said that he then stared at Conrad.
• The man had covered his eyes.
10 January 1458
• Needless to say the next day, the council was shay two persons when it convened.
• "Conrad," said Range, "I want to offer my deepest condolences for the
loss of your brother's Cune and Contze who are no longer with us."
• Range then turned to the business at hand and put the same question that he had asked the day before to the three surviving councilmen (Herman, Thomas and Conrad).
• After pondering the issue for a moment Herman then suggested that we raise funds through the act of dropping some of our Government and production funding and place the ducas into the treasury instead.
• "Why...I don't know," said Range, before reasoning, "but, won't that bring up inflation?"
• "Only a tad and the benefits willed be enormous," replied Herman.
11 January 1458
• The council met with one less member that morning.
• Thomas (Clergy) died during the night of natural causes. He passed away at the age of 76...dying of old age in his sleep.
• He was a saintly man. And, it would seem so was his son his son Alfred – (who was the main reason why Riga was able to get chosen by the Pope as an Elector’s of the Holy Roman Empire years later).
16 July 1458
• The council was shay one other member that morning.
• Herman would no longer be able to attend another council meeting, or anything again.
• Inflation had risen to .4 percent. Now that might not sound much, but to a country that is only earning 8 ducats a year it was too much to allow to continue. Riga was barely breaking even.
• With Herman gone, Conrad was the only other member (besides Range) on
the council.
• As Conrad nervously took his seat at the far end of the table from Dad, he raised his hand like some schoolboy wanting to be excused.
• "You have a question, Conrad?" Asked Range.
• "Excuse me for asking this." He swallowed hard as he composed his words in his mind. "If it would not be too much of an imposition, I would like to resign."
• Immediately after hearing Conrad, Range dropped his head to the table in
disbelief. "Ow," said Range. He didn't bother to raise his head, just waved him to leave.
• With the closing of the door Range was alone. He began to talk to himself and as he spoke his words were muffled against the table. "I'm going to have to find another council."
8 August 1485
“That’a boy Alfred…” (Of course the king took the credit.)
4 January 1507
• It was the morning after Range had (due to the lack of a better description) run through his twelfth council that he sat alone in the council chamber.
• In entered Johann Von Wallenrodt (the newly King appointed Gov't Tech advisor).
• Neither, Range or Johann had met before.
• Having just entered the chambers, Johann stopped to look about the room.
• He looked confused, as he asked, "Excuse me, sir...am I in the right room?"
• "Well, I supposed you are in the right room if you're looking for the Council
Chambers," replied Range.
• "I was told to report to someone named Range...that there was a council meeting going on."
• "That's right...and, if you're Johann Von Wallenrodt we can begin the meeting."
• He gazed about the large room that was stately decorated and marveled "Just the two of us?" Johann took a seat at the far end of the table.
• "Yeah, I find it easier that way ... fewer disagreements." Range paused for a moment. Then, he commented, "Of what I’ve heard about you, I’d say we’re cut from the same you and I."
• Johann had been taken by surprised by that comment. He smiled weakly, before He nodded gently.
• Johann would prove to be a great reason why Riga would make great leaps and bounds in the Government advancements over the next fifty years.
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