You need to fix those few tiny blotches inside your eastern holdings just to make things look nice
(and that's always a good excuse to go to war)
(and that's always a good excuse to go to war)
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Chapter 9 : Shifting Alliances
In 1544, the Papacy declared war on Munster. This was an expansion of the province that the Papacy got during the exile from when Rome was controlled by Protestants. With the Order's restoration of Rome, not to mention an alliance with them, the call to war should have come, and it should have been immediate. There was, however, one thing stopping the Papacy from calling the Order, The Emperor.
Another decision that showed the sectionalism between Northerners and Westerners. The Northerners supported the war, remembering the ancient alliance with the Emperor, and the days when the Order was not under the Empire's wing. The Westerners did not support the war, being new members joining the Order when it did not rely on the Emperor for its very existence, and to demonstrate once and for all that the West is the only home for a true catholic. Easterners may have supported the war, for either weakening the Order, or for desires that a return to the old days will re-institute the Livonian Order. Southerners supported the war solely to weaken the Order, but both Easterners and Southerners opinions were irrelevant.
The Order could not stand a war with the Papacy, and despite Northern sentiments, the call to join the Emperor was denied.
Northerners were furious, and blamed all Westerners. This anger was soon directed at one minority, Pomeranians, who were more Northern than Western, but were caught in the Pro-Prussian backlash.
No major event would affect the Order for several years, until the death of Georg in 1550. His successor, Johann Eustach was the vice president at the time, and when calling the Capitulum, sent notices to only those who supported him. Eustach became the Hochmeister of Prussia, and his brother was given the vice-presidency. His knack for manipulation would serve him well, and he would become a controversial figure in the future. There is difficulty in whether his decisions were a lesson in centralization through pragmatism, or of divine guidance.
Eustach's Portrait
It was customary for the Hochmeister to go visit other major allies at least once, and Eustach was never one to miss an opportunity to give any (important) person advice on how they act, or how they could gain his favor. Eustach was also known for finding very subtle ways of instilling the right feelings into the right people. His mission to the Emperor was no exception. The Emperor was uneasy with the Order, after denying his call to arms, and Eustach needed his good graces, but must also keep in mind not to alienate the Papacy. He found a way to convince the Papacy of his loyalty, while doing the same for the Emperor, despite their being at odds.
His alliance with the Papacy was sealed with his adoption of a cardinal into his inner circle of advisers. The cardinal was already helping, and the recognition could be seen as the Emperor saw it, as taking on a cardinal for the sake of the Papacy. The Papacy saw it as Eustach recognizing the Papacy's authority in matters temporal, an authority shaken greatly during the Reformation.
The Cardinal's official recognition was not handled lightly. He was made head of the Marienburg Protestant Missionary Corps. While sounding like a niche Corps, Marienburg was the center of Reformation in Eastern Europe. The siege of the capital, which has been continuous, is because of Marienburg. The Cardinal was given the position, and through imprisonments, tortures, sermons, distribution of books, theological arguments, street corner sermons, and every means imaginable, broke the back of the Reformation. The North celebrated, as the siege of the Capital finally came to an end.
The fall of the reformation brought on a new zeal, and the clearing brought on by The Cardinal scared enough protestants that Eustach formalized discrimination in the bureaucracy with the Eustach Proclamation. Protestant Sergeants and Knights were kicked out of the Order, but the focus of the Proclamation was focused on the Ordained Brothers. Monasteries were officially incorporated into the state, and some were closed due to either heresy, or not being zealous enough.
In 1544, the Papacy declared war on Munster. This was an expansion of the province that the Papacy got during the exile from when Rome was controlled by Protestants. With the Order's restoration of Rome, not to mention an alliance with them, the call to war should have come, and it should have been immediate. There was, however, one thing stopping the Papacy from calling the Order, The Emperor.
Another decision that showed the sectionalism between Northerners and Westerners. The Northerners supported the war, remembering the ancient alliance with the Emperor, and the days when the Order was not under the Empire's wing. The Westerners did not support the war, being new members joining the Order when it did not rely on the Emperor for its very existence, and to demonstrate once and for all that the West is the only home for a true catholic. Easterners may have supported the war, for either weakening the Order, or for desires that a return to the old days will re-institute the Livonian Order. Southerners supported the war solely to weaken the Order, but both Easterners and Southerners opinions were irrelevant.
The Order could not stand a war with the Papacy, and despite Northern sentiments, the call to join the Emperor was denied.
Northerners were furious, and blamed all Westerners. This anger was soon directed at one minority, Pomeranians, who were more Northern than Western, but were caught in the Pro-Prussian backlash.
No major event would affect the Order for several years, until the death of Georg in 1550. His successor, Johann Eustach was the vice president at the time, and when calling the Capitulum, sent notices to only those who supported him. Eustach became the Hochmeister of Prussia, and his brother was given the vice-presidency. His knack for manipulation would serve him well, and he would become a controversial figure in the future. There is difficulty in whether his decisions were a lesson in centralization through pragmatism, or of divine guidance.
Eustach's Portrait
It was customary for the Hochmeister to go visit other major allies at least once, and Eustach was never one to miss an opportunity to give any (important) person advice on how they act, or how they could gain his favor. Eustach was also known for finding very subtle ways of instilling the right feelings into the right people. His mission to the Emperor was no exception. The Emperor was uneasy with the Order, after denying his call to arms, and Eustach needed his good graces, but must also keep in mind not to alienate the Papacy. He found a way to convince the Papacy of his loyalty, while doing the same for the Emperor, despite their being at odds.
His alliance with the Papacy was sealed with his adoption of a cardinal into his inner circle of advisers. The cardinal was already helping, and the recognition could be seen as the Emperor saw it, as taking on a cardinal for the sake of the Papacy. The Papacy saw it as Eustach recognizing the Papacy's authority in matters temporal, an authority shaken greatly during the Reformation.
The Cardinal's official recognition was not handled lightly. He was made head of the Marienburg Protestant Missionary Corps. While sounding like a niche Corps, Marienburg was the center of Reformation in Eastern Europe. The siege of the capital, which has been continuous, is because of Marienburg. The Cardinal was given the position, and through imprisonments, tortures, sermons, distribution of books, theological arguments, street corner sermons, and every means imaginable, broke the back of the Reformation. The North celebrated, as the siege of the Capital finally came to an end.
The fall of the reformation brought on a new zeal, and the clearing brought on by The Cardinal scared enough protestants that Eustach formalized discrimination in the bureaucracy with the Eustach Proclamation. Protestant Sergeants and Knights were kicked out of the Order, but the focus of the Proclamation was focused on the Ordained Brothers. Monasteries were officially incorporated into the state, and some were closed due to either heresy, or not being zealous enough.
Seems like you've taken on the role of infusing politics with the Counter Reformation and taken the lead from Vienna. Good for you!
Chapter 10: Western Politics
The 1560's would be an important decade for the Order, which would greatly affect the future of not just the Order, but Central and Eastern Europe would be directly affected by Eustach's decisions and would do his best to guide the Order through this trying decade.
At the start of the decade, the Order was faced with a major identity crisis. The Order was split into several groups, and Eustach had to appease everyone, and inevitably no one. The Westerners were in HRE territory, profited from trade, and were rather untouched by the reformation. The Western merchant families that the Order gained with Hansa land wanted to expand into the North Sea, and then into the English channel. These families wanted a more Western european focus, and their wishes were soon imitated by all Westerners. This was in direct opposition to the Northerners. They were the traditional homeland of the Order, although they were rocked by the Reformation. They wanted to maintain relations with Russia, and finally defeat Lithuania. Eustach, while living in the North himself, did listen to the Westerners when he signed an alliance with the French. This was supposed to be the start of a profitable relationship that would get the Order into Western politics.
One of those was accomplished, when Eustach was thrown headfirst into a whirlwind of Western politics. France had signed the alliance with the Order, and before the ink had dried, declared war on their traditional enemy, The Empire.
While this may have been routine for France, the Order had never been to war with the Empire. Relations may have been tense, with the Order allying with the Pope, but they were never going to hostility.
Now, with no escape, the Order found itself at war with their old friend, and fighting with what many deemed 'The new enemy'
The Order's army was totally unprepared, with half away on a routine war with Lithuania, and the Emperor wanting revenge, there was little to stop the invading army. The traditional organization fell apart as armies scattered to the South, and tried to recoup while the border was besieged. Forces from across the Empire all fell on the Order. While the Emperor attacked because he was betrayed, the distrust and fear that created the Protestant Alliance against the Order never truly went away. The smaller nations knew their strength lie in unity and under the guiding hand of the Emperor. The collection of smaller nations comprised enough strength to let the Emperor defeat France.
While the Order was busy fighting the Empire, Spain struck against France while it was weak, and again the Order was called in. Many in the Empire had heard of Spain only because of the Reconquista and their giving land to holy orders like the Order of Santiago. This unnerved some people, as Catholics who fought the Muslims in Jerusalem fighting Catholics who fought the Muslims in Andalusia and bringing faith to the heathens in a new world can only benefit France and the Devil.
The West was being besieged, and fortresses were being taken by the Protestant minor nations. France could not deal with the Emperor alone, and Spain controlled the south half of France, while the North half was actively besieged by Austria.
The entire Order was surprised, then, when the Emperor backed out, without taking any concessions from France. This was viewed as a major stroke of luck for the Order, and the cunning of French diplomats could be comparable to the Rudolf Brothers. The minor states attacking the Order were forced to back off, and the Order could finish their 'war' with Lithuania.
Then, the Order sent their troops through to France, so that they could help against the Spanish. It was 1566, and half of France was owned by Spain, and the Order was just now able to send troops to help. Just as in the Crusade for Rome, the forces of the Order were forced to walk their way to war across the Empire. Some question if it was worth it, as surely France could not hold out against such an assault.
The Order fought valiantly, and eventually pushed the Spanish back, although at great cost. The Spanish were now on the defensive, and only little bits of french land were under Spanish control. As much land was being taken as was being won back. The Order had twenty two thousand men in Gerona, and then...
France ceded two provinces to Spain. Nobody in the Order knew what to do with this. France agreed to give two provinces and annul their treaty with the Order. The previous achievement of the French diplomats was now cast in another light.This was a key moment highlighting the difference between the Order and Western Europe. The West may fight a war for a minor treaty, a minor advantage that can be pressed at a later date. The Order, however, was a descendent of a military order. Their mission was to purge heresy, and they were born fighting tooth and nail with Poland for their very survival. Every war was a war for survival with an enemy where no co-existence was possible, until one or the other was eradicated. France was loosing, so they ceded two provinces to Spain.
This peace required the French break their alliance with the Order, and many felt the ultimate sting. After saving France, the only thanks was losing the one ally the Order had in the West.
Muscovy, the Order's last ally, declared war on Kazan. The call was accepted without question, why decline when you have a true ally such as Muscovy? There was no reason to help, and the Order's armies needed to recover from the past wars.
While the decade was coming to a close, in 1569, and Muscovy was closing its war with Kazan,Hochmeister Johann Eustach I died. His successor was Ulrich II.
The decade started with ambitions for new trade, and new places for politics to make the Order more powerful and great. These dreams were dashed by war, and the decade would end with war.
While the earlier half was filled with major conflict, they would end with a whimper.
Eustach would die with his army at home, and waiting for the current war to end. His dreams for influence across Europe had been dashed. He died with a decade working towards nothing.
The 1560's were a trying time, and by the time the year 1570 comes, they would be seen as a very sad time.
The 1560's would be an important decade for the Order, which would greatly affect the future of not just the Order, but Central and Eastern Europe would be directly affected by Eustach's decisions and would do his best to guide the Order through this trying decade.
At the start of the decade, the Order was faced with a major identity crisis. The Order was split into several groups, and Eustach had to appease everyone, and inevitably no one. The Westerners were in HRE territory, profited from trade, and were rather untouched by the reformation. The Western merchant families that the Order gained with Hansa land wanted to expand into the North Sea, and then into the English channel. These families wanted a more Western european focus, and their wishes were soon imitated by all Westerners. This was in direct opposition to the Northerners. They were the traditional homeland of the Order, although they were rocked by the Reformation. They wanted to maintain relations with Russia, and finally defeat Lithuania. Eustach, while living in the North himself, did listen to the Westerners when he signed an alliance with the French. This was supposed to be the start of a profitable relationship that would get the Order into Western politics.
One of those was accomplished, when Eustach was thrown headfirst into a whirlwind of Western politics. France had signed the alliance with the Order, and before the ink had dried, declared war on their traditional enemy, The Empire.
While this may have been routine for France, the Order had never been to war with the Empire. Relations may have been tense, with the Order allying with the Pope, but they were never going to hostility.
Now, with no escape, the Order found itself at war with their old friend, and fighting with what many deemed 'The new enemy'
The Order's army was totally unprepared, with half away on a routine war with Lithuania, and the Emperor wanting revenge, there was little to stop the invading army. The traditional organization fell apart as armies scattered to the South, and tried to recoup while the border was besieged. Forces from across the Empire all fell on the Order. While the Emperor attacked because he was betrayed, the distrust and fear that created the Protestant Alliance against the Order never truly went away. The smaller nations knew their strength lie in unity and under the guiding hand of the Emperor. The collection of smaller nations comprised enough strength to let the Emperor defeat France.
While the Order was busy fighting the Empire, Spain struck against France while it was weak, and again the Order was called in. Many in the Empire had heard of Spain only because of the Reconquista and their giving land to holy orders like the Order of Santiago. This unnerved some people, as Catholics who fought the Muslims in Jerusalem fighting Catholics who fought the Muslims in Andalusia and bringing faith to the heathens in a new world can only benefit France and the Devil.
The West was being besieged, and fortresses were being taken by the Protestant minor nations. France could not deal with the Emperor alone, and Spain controlled the south half of France, while the North half was actively besieged by Austria.
The entire Order was surprised, then, when the Emperor backed out, without taking any concessions from France. This was viewed as a major stroke of luck for the Order, and the cunning of French diplomats could be comparable to the Rudolf Brothers. The minor states attacking the Order were forced to back off, and the Order could finish their 'war' with Lithuania.
Then, the Order sent their troops through to France, so that they could help against the Spanish. It was 1566, and half of France was owned by Spain, and the Order was just now able to send troops to help. Just as in the Crusade for Rome, the forces of the Order were forced to walk their way to war across the Empire. Some question if it was worth it, as surely France could not hold out against such an assault.
The Order fought valiantly, and eventually pushed the Spanish back, although at great cost. The Spanish were now on the defensive, and only little bits of french land were under Spanish control. As much land was being taken as was being won back. The Order had twenty two thousand men in Gerona, and then...
France ceded two provinces to Spain. Nobody in the Order knew what to do with this. France agreed to give two provinces and annul their treaty with the Order. The previous achievement of the French diplomats was now cast in another light.This was a key moment highlighting the difference between the Order and Western Europe. The West may fight a war for a minor treaty, a minor advantage that can be pressed at a later date. The Order, however, was a descendent of a military order. Their mission was to purge heresy, and they were born fighting tooth and nail with Poland for their very survival. Every war was a war for survival with an enemy where no co-existence was possible, until one or the other was eradicated. France was loosing, so they ceded two provinces to Spain.
This peace required the French break their alliance with the Order, and many felt the ultimate sting. After saving France, the only thanks was losing the one ally the Order had in the West.
Muscovy, the Order's last ally, declared war on Kazan. The call was accepted without question, why decline when you have a true ally such as Muscovy? There was no reason to help, and the Order's armies needed to recover from the past wars.
While the decade was coming to a close, in 1569, and Muscovy was closing its war with Kazan,Hochmeister Johann Eustach I died. His successor was Ulrich II.
The decade started with ambitions for new trade, and new places for politics to make the Order more powerful and great. These dreams were dashed by war, and the decade would end with war.
While the earlier half was filled with major conflict, they would end with a whimper.
Eustach would die with his army at home, and waiting for the current war to end. His dreams for influence across Europe had been dashed. He died with a decade working towards nothing.
The 1560's were a trying time, and by the time the year 1570 comes, they would be seen as a very sad time.
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This AAR is great! I honestly hope though that somehow the Teutonic Order will rise up as Protestant Prussia.
Great job, can't wait to see where it goes from here.
Great job, can't wait to see where it goes from here.
This AAR is great! I honestly hope though that somehow the Teutonic Order will rise up as Protestant Prussia.
Great job, can't wait to see where it goes from here.
Thanks! It's nice to see some Texas in the sea of Euro-Trash Commies
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Hey AshWarrior, this is a very nice first AAR of you. I just read through it in one go, luckily there are only two pages so far. It will be interesting to see what you are going to do with the Teutons. So far they are staunch Catholics, so will they fight the Reformation tooth and nail or decide their fight lies outside of Europe, in the Middle East or in the Americas?
Chapter 11
Peace in our time
After the tragedy of the 1560's, the Order desired peace. With the death of Eustach, there was debate over who would be the next Hochmeister. Heinrich von Bobenhausen was at the time of the Capitulum, a highly prestigious member. He used his office as Generalprokurator to his advantage. By being the emissary to Rome, who has become the center of the Order's diplomacy since the Roman Crusade, and the end of the New Alliance. His knighthood in the Order garnered support from the knights. With the popular vote, and the sergeants lacking any one candidate to back, they consented to Heinrich von BobenHausen.Peace in our time
To the Clergy's fear, Sergeants delight, and Knights apprehension, Bobenhausen renamed himself upon taking the title of Hochmeister. This was unprecedented in the Order, and naming himself after Ulrich was a powerful statement. Ulrich was seen as the epitome of secularization in the Order, and this was unusual when Ulrich II used his role as ambassador to Rome for popular Clergy support. Indeed, many considered him mad. Whether or not this was an act of pride, madness, a calculated maneuver, or just an irrelevant historical footnote, it is interesting for the Order.
Ulrich II stated that his renaming was to follow after the Papal traditions. This is unusual for two reasons. First, following the papacy may seem like a wise decision, but in following what the Pope himself does is bordering on the heretical. Secondly, he named himself after Ulrich. If he had chosen Georg, who started in the Romuvan Wing, or Lubranski, a respected Polish Bishop, or even one of the Rudolph Brothers it would have been less controversial.
Despite his choice of Ulrich, the Order was pious, proper and proud of it. No other nation could claim the piety that the Order took for granted. It was constantly striving to move past secular politics, moved the Papacy back to Rome, used clergy as administrators, and was a theocracy through and through.
Despite the strong emphasis on Catholicism in Teutonic life, the Order still had an ally in Muscovy. The alliance had been maintained for little more than a century. This was, of course, despite the Gerechfert Gilde, who had become less Anti-Muscovite and more Pro-North as the Gilde evolved. The Gilde is an interesting group in the Order, and they saw a resurgence whenever relations with Muscovy were low, and they saw a boost like never before when the Muscovites became something much more.
This scared many, with Russia now claiming land all over, including land inside the Order. Tensions were tense in 1563, and in 1566, relations would become unsustainable.
In the Empire, the Protestand coalition had expanded, and they were now banded together in less of a protestand coalition, and more of a anti-catholic coalition.
Lines were being drawn, and the Order lost its only ally it had left. Russia broke relations in 1566.
While the 1570's were techincally a time of peace, they would also be a time of lines being drawn. Everybody knew that a massive war was on the horizon, and in all likelihood was entirely unavoidable.
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Nice AAR so far! I've never really dared to try playing as the Teutonic Order as I've always been quite aware of the troubles they face at the beginning. This has really made me think of a possibly campaign as them!
Well, losing Muscovy/Russia was sort of inevitable and to be expected. Now you'll have to hope you won't be forced to fight a two-front major war.
Chapter 11
The Great Game
The Great Game
In the 1580's, The Order was just getting over the French Wars, and the Order faced no external, or any major internal threats. With the stability, Ulrich II started some restructuring. He gave promises to the Knights and Sergeants, which terrified everybody. Ulrich II's plans was to revitalize the Order's cavalry. The use of cavalry had diminished with the rise of gunpowder, but Ulrich II gave future land leases to anyone in the aristocracy who wanted to hear. His promises were vague, but spoke of lands filled with nothing but plains and horses, who would soon be distributed to everybody who would listen.
Tensions between Russia and the Order continued to mount, and a rivalry emerged that had been brewing for hundreds of years. The Gerechfert Gilde grew to unaccounted levels of popularity. Cities were wearing the Gilde logo as prominently as their Cross.
(Russia's Rivals)
As well as fearing Russia, The Order's border came to contact with the Ottomans. Bordering a Muslim Country is as intolerable as bordering a heretic country, and the Ottomans became another major enemy for the Order.
With nothing but a decade of paranoia, the 1590's became a firestorm of pre-emptive strikes and open hostilities.
To start with, Ulrich II came and announced to all of Danzig, that the Order was in league with the Ottomans. Before a riot broke out, Ulrich II then showed the people what he meant, and exactly how he intended to fix it.
The Ottoman's army was backwards, and they had little chance to expand into European politics, and they snuck their way into the Catholic league with little fanfare. Their presence was subtle, and members of the Order could feel the subtle influence of the Ottoman creep into their life. Nobody knew what else they were capable of, or where else they could be.
With no choice but to declare a crusade, the Order marched in and swept away the Ottomans, who never stood a chance. Even the Emperor joined into the fray, looking for Balkan influence. Ulrich had promised the people to free christains, and most thought this meant freeing Byzantium, or freeing Athens, but Ulrich had also made promises to the nobility detailing exactly what kind of freeing he would be doing.
Ulrich had released a token nation, Achea, who was technically a crusader state,but their government was predominantly Sunni. The liberated land was soon distributed to whoever Ulrich had promised land to. The supply did not meet demand.
His new policies in the territory of Lithuania and the new Ottoman territory was nothing but serfdom. Normally, citizens in annexed lands are given citizenship, or some form of nationality in the new country, but Ulrich II actually repealed membership for many in the South. There was a new landscape in the South, one of Serfdom and servitude in the service of the nobility, who feasted on gifts from Ulrich.
The land everybody had assumed Ulrich promised was Lithuania, and Ulrich delivered when he went to war with Lithuania. This also brought Georgia to war with the Order. The Order could not march to Georgia, so Ulrich declared war on Crimea, who were a stepping stone, and the armies soon marched into Georgia, where Ulrich replaced the local nobility with his in a forced peace. The government had no say but to follow Ulrich's wishes. Immediately after supplanting the local nobility, Ulrich made true on his promises in the defense of Christendom. He declared war on every nation that Georgia could, with the justification that they were rightful lands of the home of Eastern Christendom.
His conquests multiplied, and the country was only tied together by a thread. Georgia was his tool for conquest, and the new territories worked under the yoke of serfdom. The North and West were tired of war, and Ulrich II ended his wars.
In 1601, Ulrich II died and his successor, Albrecht I, was given the aftermath of conquest.
The enactment of Serfdom makes me sad. That is conduct unbecoming of such a righteous and meritous theocracy as the Teutonic Order. All (Catholic) Christians under the just and holy banner of the Order deserve equal oppurtunity to succeed, bettering themselves and in turn bettering the glory of the Order. A happy peasant is a productive peasant, and a productive peasant makes for a greater realm.
OOC-wise and IC-wise, I strongly suggest you turn away from such disorderly conduct and remember the traditions of the Order and the greatness that made it so: every (Catholic) Christian is equal in the Order (though the Hochmeister's word is still law). Can Theocracies get Plutocratic Ideas? I always love playing the "nice guy". I like rewarding my friends, enriching my subjects, and CRUSHING MY ENEMIES.
OOC-wise and IC-wise, I strongly suggest you turn away from such disorderly conduct and remember the traditions of the Order and the greatness that made it so: every (Catholic) Christian is equal in the Order (though the Hochmeister's word is still law). Can Theocracies get Plutocratic Ideas? I always love playing the "nice guy". I like rewarding my friends, enriching my subjects, and CRUSHING MY ENEMIES.
The peasants are happy to be under the Order, why, they're just up in arms to greet the Hochmeister in every town he visits
I do really want theocracies to get plutocratic ideas, but thats the sacrifice one makes for the good of the Order
Hochmeister! Why is the Holy Land not yet secure? There can be no tolerance for a Holy Land in the hands of the Infidels!
- 1
Update?
I know that I haven't updating this in many, many months, and since then, the save file was made unusable, my computer (really actually) got 4,500 viruses, wiped, but I won't be stopped.
Starting with an AAR and then losing the save completely and continuing after several months is unorthodox, but I've spent enough time thinking about the world that I don't think I can help but finish what I've started. Maybe it'll be for the best, because my story was growing outside of the game mechanics, which were becoming increasingly more of a 'and then I conquered X', with nothing to stop snowballing out of control.
With little ado, people of earth, lets not waste any more time.
Speaking of the Order in any capacity is impossible without at least mentioning a region, so divided was the Order into its respective regions.
The North was the original land the Order possessed in its original Prussian Crusade. They had seen the downfall of Novgorod, Poland, Lithuania, Brandenburg, and every enemy of the Order defeated, except for Russia. In fact, the North had seen Muscovy become Russia. Despite being the heart of the Order from its infancy, it was also the center of the Reformation in the Order. This has been a stain on the North, one that the West has been more than happy to rub in. The North was the center for trade, and has always controlled trade in the Baltic. However, the mutual embargo the Order and Russia have declared has hit the North very hard. Ports once bustling with Novgorod, Muscovite, Swedish, Danish, Polish, Lithuanian, and even Pomeranian merchants are empty. Those countries and people are either gone, or changed beyond recognition. Northern ports are not as important as they once were, but their importance is still there. They are a neccessity, and without control of the Baltic, the Order would collapse. The Northerners are the old-fashioned cities of the Order, and the administrative capital, being the capital of the Hochmeister and the base of operations for almost every major Corps. German is the language of the North, and speaking anything else outside of the docks will cause revulsion in your average Northern Member. The North has become extremely proud of their Prussian heritage, and look down on any other 'inferior' languages. Even other German cultures are seen as inferior, despite the unmistakable influence of Polish/Lithuanian culture in the Order.
The West is lands that the Order has taken in the HRE in wars against many Protestant nations, or those who declared war in league with the hated Poland before the reformation. These lands were not expected to create their own identity, but they soon rose to rival the North. When the Reformation broke out in Germany, only minor pockets of heresy snuck in, and despite being in the thick of it, the West miraculously maintained their loyalty to the Papacy. The West has become the trading center for the Order, and overall a cosmopolitan place. Traders from Western and Eastern Europe come to the West, with stories and goods from places as far West as the New World, and as far East as the Orient. The Gerechfert Gilde has an altogether negative connotation in the West, as only the most intolerant and ignorant Westerners are as dim as their paranoid Northern counterparts. While the West is an important trade hub, it is being divided among itself. The local cities have seen such prosperity, they have been able to undertake projects individually that some would consider best left for more governmental means. Nonetheless, cities have been hiring their own law enforcement, building their own churches, and their mayors have made increasingly invasive inquiries into who the newest bishop will be in their city. Now this is not to say that the West is disloyal to the Order, or that any would foster ideas of independence from the Order, but there are several cities that have given their members fundamental rights that many in the Order might find too much for such low ranking members, and certainly too much for those that don't have any membership.
The South is a relatively new addition to the Order, and their identity is still being formed. It is lands that used to be Poland/Lithuania, which were given to Sergeants during Ulrich's largest conquests. The enforcement of serfdom has heavily affected the South, which has few cities to rival their coastal counterparts. The economy is mostly agrarian, run by a wealthy class of land owning Sergeants, and worked by a large class of serfs who are denied membership into the Order. Any who could have moved to the West, but after the initial exodus, there hasn't been any migration to speak of, with serfs marrying others inside their lords estate. The South is important, it may not have the economic power of the North, but it is a major source of manpower for the Order, and many generals hail from the South, with private education being the major means of education. Serfs are not allowed to read, it being that they need to be told scripture, lest they misinterpret and fall into the protestant trap of heresy. It is not helped that many of the serfs are Polish. Poland was the most dangerous threat to the Orders existence, and was so for a hundred years. Despite the efforts of the legendary Jan Lubranski, a Polish Bishop who tried to create peace between the two rivals, being a Southern Pole is almost as bad as being a Livonian Pagan. Perhaps this will change in the future, but for now, the South is home to Polish serfs and Prussian kings.
The Georgian Region is a new addition to the Order, being added by Ulrich II during his pseudo-wars with Russia over Crimea and the Caucasus. This land was given to Knights, and they manage to be more independent than their Southern counterparts. There are, however, more classes than the South. The Muslim population is actively being converted and worked, while the Orthodox/Georgian population is being treated much better. The North fears heresy, but the Georgian Region is far enough for necessity to outweigh prejudice. Many in Georgia are welcoming the Order, and have happily converted. They are able to maintain some semblance of their autonomy, while having the greatest army in the world defending them from the Turk and the Russian alike. The Order also has quite a good image from the crusades for the Georgian natives, who have spent centuries talking about the Crusader in the West, and some of the more foolish among them wondered if maybe they were on their way to save them, as they saved Jerusalem. When the fabled kingdom came, many youth were eager to convert and join, but the elders, who were displaced by the invading knights, were hesitant to welcome the invaders and turn their back on their fiercely maintained independence. For the time being, the area is pacified, and the Muslim nations could only watch as the lesser among them were absorbed into Georgia. The area is by no means safe, however, as the Knights were loyal to Ulrich II not the Order, and are watching Albrecht very attentively.
The Order stretched from Jutland to Novgorod, to Georgia, to Wallachia, and was administered in theory by one body, but it was obvious that calling the Order one country was an oversimplification. The only unifying voice in the Order was a call for peace. The armies had been exhausted in Ulrich II's ambition, and many in the Order were newly widowed and orphaned. The Order, already divided, was falling apart at the seams, and the only man in a position to hold it together was Albrecht, at least, as of yet.
I know that I haven't updating this in many, many months, and since then, the save file was made unusable, my computer (really actually) got 4,500 viruses, wiped, but I won't be stopped.
Starting with an AAR and then losing the save completely and continuing after several months is unorthodox, but I've spent enough time thinking about the world that I don't think I can help but finish what I've started. Maybe it'll be for the best, because my story was growing outside of the game mechanics, which were becoming increasingly more of a 'and then I conquered X', with nothing to stop snowballing out of control.
With little ado, people of earth, lets not waste any more time.
Chapter 12
A World Unto Itself
The Order had been successful since the 15th century, and entering into the 17th century, much had changed. People lived under the Order who had never seen the original Prussian lands. Most monks no longer lived in monasteries, but courthouses, the second most important building in town. Knights were becoming fewer in the North and the West, but still held a vital role in the South and the newly acquired Georgian Region. The Hochmeister was once split between different domains, but being Hochmeister of Prussia soon meant Hochmeister of the Order. Becoming an honorary member of the Order was no more difficult or momentous than joining the ever increasing Gerechfert Gilde. The Turk may have been beaten, but the Bear was ever watchful of the Order's strength and even more attentive to its weakness. With paranoia as integral to the North as piety, the Gerechfert Gilde became common enough for Ulrich II to commission a Gerechfert Corps. The Corps were initially a way to train diplomats and missionaries at the same time. Soon the Corps system was invaluable to the Order. Corps became responsible for not only producing diplomats, but preserving works of art, and then of creating new ones. Any famous Prussian art of any kind was a member of a Corps of some kind, and in most cases bore a message approved by their respective Corps. Even a Hochmeister got his start in a Corps, and being in one was a great start for a political career.A World Unto Itself
Speaking of the Order in any capacity is impossible without at least mentioning a region, so divided was the Order into its respective regions.
The North was the original land the Order possessed in its original Prussian Crusade. They had seen the downfall of Novgorod, Poland, Lithuania, Brandenburg, and every enemy of the Order defeated, except for Russia. In fact, the North had seen Muscovy become Russia. Despite being the heart of the Order from its infancy, it was also the center of the Reformation in the Order. This has been a stain on the North, one that the West has been more than happy to rub in. The North was the center for trade, and has always controlled trade in the Baltic. However, the mutual embargo the Order and Russia have declared has hit the North very hard. Ports once bustling with Novgorod, Muscovite, Swedish, Danish, Polish, Lithuanian, and even Pomeranian merchants are empty. Those countries and people are either gone, or changed beyond recognition. Northern ports are not as important as they once were, but their importance is still there. They are a neccessity, and without control of the Baltic, the Order would collapse. The Northerners are the old-fashioned cities of the Order, and the administrative capital, being the capital of the Hochmeister and the base of operations for almost every major Corps. German is the language of the North, and speaking anything else outside of the docks will cause revulsion in your average Northern Member. The North has become extremely proud of their Prussian heritage, and look down on any other 'inferior' languages. Even other German cultures are seen as inferior, despite the unmistakable influence of Polish/Lithuanian culture in the Order.
The West is lands that the Order has taken in the HRE in wars against many Protestant nations, or those who declared war in league with the hated Poland before the reformation. These lands were not expected to create their own identity, but they soon rose to rival the North. When the Reformation broke out in Germany, only minor pockets of heresy snuck in, and despite being in the thick of it, the West miraculously maintained their loyalty to the Papacy. The West has become the trading center for the Order, and overall a cosmopolitan place. Traders from Western and Eastern Europe come to the West, with stories and goods from places as far West as the New World, and as far East as the Orient. The Gerechfert Gilde has an altogether negative connotation in the West, as only the most intolerant and ignorant Westerners are as dim as their paranoid Northern counterparts. While the West is an important trade hub, it is being divided among itself. The local cities have seen such prosperity, they have been able to undertake projects individually that some would consider best left for more governmental means. Nonetheless, cities have been hiring their own law enforcement, building their own churches, and their mayors have made increasingly invasive inquiries into who the newest bishop will be in their city. Now this is not to say that the West is disloyal to the Order, or that any would foster ideas of independence from the Order, but there are several cities that have given their members fundamental rights that many in the Order might find too much for such low ranking members, and certainly too much for those that don't have any membership.
The South is a relatively new addition to the Order, and their identity is still being formed. It is lands that used to be Poland/Lithuania, which were given to Sergeants during Ulrich's largest conquests. The enforcement of serfdom has heavily affected the South, which has few cities to rival their coastal counterparts. The economy is mostly agrarian, run by a wealthy class of land owning Sergeants, and worked by a large class of serfs who are denied membership into the Order. Any who could have moved to the West, but after the initial exodus, there hasn't been any migration to speak of, with serfs marrying others inside their lords estate. The South is important, it may not have the economic power of the North, but it is a major source of manpower for the Order, and many generals hail from the South, with private education being the major means of education. Serfs are not allowed to read, it being that they need to be told scripture, lest they misinterpret and fall into the protestant trap of heresy. It is not helped that many of the serfs are Polish. Poland was the most dangerous threat to the Orders existence, and was so for a hundred years. Despite the efforts of the legendary Jan Lubranski, a Polish Bishop who tried to create peace between the two rivals, being a Southern Pole is almost as bad as being a Livonian Pagan. Perhaps this will change in the future, but for now, the South is home to Polish serfs and Prussian kings.
The Georgian Region is a new addition to the Order, being added by Ulrich II during his pseudo-wars with Russia over Crimea and the Caucasus. This land was given to Knights, and they manage to be more independent than their Southern counterparts. There are, however, more classes than the South. The Muslim population is actively being converted and worked, while the Orthodox/Georgian population is being treated much better. The North fears heresy, but the Georgian Region is far enough for necessity to outweigh prejudice. Many in Georgia are welcoming the Order, and have happily converted. They are able to maintain some semblance of their autonomy, while having the greatest army in the world defending them from the Turk and the Russian alike. The Order also has quite a good image from the crusades for the Georgian natives, who have spent centuries talking about the Crusader in the West, and some of the more foolish among them wondered if maybe they were on their way to save them, as they saved Jerusalem. When the fabled kingdom came, many youth were eager to convert and join, but the elders, who were displaced by the invading knights, were hesitant to welcome the invaders and turn their back on their fiercely maintained independence. For the time being, the area is pacified, and the Muslim nations could only watch as the lesser among them were absorbed into Georgia. The area is by no means safe, however, as the Knights were loyal to Ulrich II not the Order, and are watching Albrecht very attentively.
The Order stretched from Jutland to Novgorod, to Georgia, to Wallachia, and was administered in theory by one body, but it was obvious that calling the Order one country was an oversimplification. The only unifying voice in the Order was a call for peace. The armies had been exhausted in Ulrich II's ambition, and many in the Order were newly widowed and orphaned. The Order, already divided, was falling apart at the seams, and the only man in a position to hold it together was Albrecht, at least, as of yet.
Remove Serfdom! Freedom to the people!
(Also I do want the Order to be liberalised.)
(Also I do want the Order to be liberalised.)