-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
A Bastion of Calm
"And through the torrent my eyes did spy, a glorious city perched atop a tall mount, untouched by the storms which drown the world belolw"- "The City of God" by Scott McKenzie a Scottish Novelist
http://www.icarusindie.com/juszuf7/daniel/postdutchwar.jpg - Bohemia and Europe following the "Hispano-Dutch War"
Following the victories of Ferdinand II in the "War of Navarre", Europe entered into a period of strife and war, the likes of which had not been seen for at least a century earlier. Throughout this conflict, the Kingdom of Bohemia turned its attention inward and under two successive Kings, Ferdinand III and Luitipold I, it would continue to prosper while the other Kingdoms saw fit to destroy one another.
The "War of Navarre" had sapped the strength of the other two great powers in Europe at the time, Spain and France. Although the French quickly recovered under the bold helm of Lious XIV, Spain lacked such brilliant and inspired leadership and would remain stuck in a prolonged civil war against pheasents and nobles for the next 30 years. France, meanwhile, continued to punish its successor states and was quick to dismantle the Kingdom of Britanny which had done it so much damage in the past.
To the East, Novogorod and Sweden were locked in a titanic struggle for control of the Batlic trade. Although Sweden had won the last conflict, Novogorod had turned its attention to the East and South, completely destroying the Kingdom of Kazan, and annexing the last remaining Russian statelet into itself.
Novogorod had long considered itself the protector and savior of the Russian people, but now the Senate which ruled the vast Empire took this one step further and declared themselves the Republic of Russia and took, as their leader, the Boyer Michael of the family Romanov. An old, but prosperous, man he would rule for several years before being suceeded by his son Alexi.
The hopes and dreams of the Russian people were quickly challanged. The Swedes, having little chance of winning, had tried to force one of their own canidates upon the Russians. When the Senate of Novogorod flatly refused their claims, the Swedish delegate had returned to home, promising revenge.
In 1642 Queen Kristina of Sweden announced her intention to repay the slight in full. Calling upon her allies the Lithuanians, the Swedes quickly managed to overrun nearly all of Russia. Despite the bowing out of the Lithuanians in 1644 , nothing could stop the Swedish Juggernaught. His entire nation overrun, Alexi was forced to cede nearly all of Northern Russia to Sweden, save Novogorod itself, depriving the Kingdom of a seaport.
" http://www.icarusindie.com/juszuf7/daniel/russia.jpg - Eastern Europe after the "War of Russian Containment"
The immense Swedish victory sent shock waves throughout Europe, which were felt even in Bohemia. Although France had long been the traditional enemy of the Kingdom, wary eyes now began to turn North. The ruling German aristocracy of Bohemia felt they had a special claim to the lands of Germany, it had been this drive which had forced them to turn against France time and time again. Now, however, with the great Northern Empire holding areas of Northern Germany and dominating the Baltic, there were calls for a change in stradegy.
Luitipold I responed by increasing the size of the military and putting extra resources into Trade to gain more finances. Any war with Sweden would be long and deadly, as it would draw in Sweden, England, Lithuania and Saxony. It could also be profitable, perhaps even leading to the annexation of the troublesome Duchy of Saxony which was currently encircled by Bohemia, as well as the acquirment of Meckleburg and other Northern German cities.
The Bohemians also gained another diplomatic victory when Spain, faced with another war of independence in Pommerania, made peace with the new Kingdom in exchange for a payment of gold and a change of its religion. Although Spain was a traditional ally of Bohemia, their holding of Pommerania had long been a point of contention between the two Kingdoms. Its independance now gave Luitipold the chance to incorporate it into his own sphere of influence.
As the 1650's drew to a close, Bohemia and Sweden found themselves hurtling towards a great war which could very well leave both Kingdoms shattered and broken. Burgundy continued to expand, having annexed its sister-vassal of Alsace, and Spain attempted to rebound from its long period of near-anarnchy. Finally, the Ottoman Empire, having expanded enormously in the past several decades, was on the verge of near collapse. Europe would not return to peace for some time.
"And through the torrent my eyes did spy, a glorious city perched atop a tall mount, untouched by the storms which drown the world belolw"- "The City of God" by Scott McKenzie a Scottish Novelist
http://www.icarusindie.com/juszuf7/daniel/postdutchwar.jpg - Bohemia and Europe following the "Hispano-Dutch War"
Following the victories of Ferdinand II in the "War of Navarre", Europe entered into a period of strife and war, the likes of which had not been seen for at least a century earlier. Throughout this conflict, the Kingdom of Bohemia turned its attention inward and under two successive Kings, Ferdinand III and Luitipold I, it would continue to prosper while the other Kingdoms saw fit to destroy one another.
The "War of Navarre" had sapped the strength of the other two great powers in Europe at the time, Spain and France. Although the French quickly recovered under the bold helm of Lious XIV, Spain lacked such brilliant and inspired leadership and would remain stuck in a prolonged civil war against pheasents and nobles for the next 30 years. France, meanwhile, continued to punish its successor states and was quick to dismantle the Kingdom of Britanny which had done it so much damage in the past.
To the East, Novogorod and Sweden were locked in a titanic struggle for control of the Batlic trade. Although Sweden had won the last conflict, Novogorod had turned its attention to the East and South, completely destroying the Kingdom of Kazan, and annexing the last remaining Russian statelet into itself.
Novogorod had long considered itself the protector and savior of the Russian people, but now the Senate which ruled the vast Empire took this one step further and declared themselves the Republic of Russia and took, as their leader, the Boyer Michael of the family Romanov. An old, but prosperous, man he would rule for several years before being suceeded by his son Alexi.
The hopes and dreams of the Russian people were quickly challanged. The Swedes, having little chance of winning, had tried to force one of their own canidates upon the Russians. When the Senate of Novogorod flatly refused their claims, the Swedish delegate had returned to home, promising revenge.
In 1642 Queen Kristina of Sweden announced her intention to repay the slight in full. Calling upon her allies the Lithuanians, the Swedes quickly managed to overrun nearly all of Russia. Despite the bowing out of the Lithuanians in 1644 , nothing could stop the Swedish Juggernaught. His entire nation overrun, Alexi was forced to cede nearly all of Northern Russia to Sweden, save Novogorod itself, depriving the Kingdom of a seaport.
" http://www.icarusindie.com/juszuf7/daniel/russia.jpg - Eastern Europe after the "War of Russian Containment"
The immense Swedish victory sent shock waves throughout Europe, which were felt even in Bohemia. Although France had long been the traditional enemy of the Kingdom, wary eyes now began to turn North. The ruling German aristocracy of Bohemia felt they had a special claim to the lands of Germany, it had been this drive which had forced them to turn against France time and time again. Now, however, with the great Northern Empire holding areas of Northern Germany and dominating the Baltic, there were calls for a change in stradegy.
Luitipold I responed by increasing the size of the military and putting extra resources into Trade to gain more finances. Any war with Sweden would be long and deadly, as it would draw in Sweden, England, Lithuania and Saxony. It could also be profitable, perhaps even leading to the annexation of the troublesome Duchy of Saxony which was currently encircled by Bohemia, as well as the acquirment of Meckleburg and other Northern German cities.
The Bohemians also gained another diplomatic victory when Spain, faced with another war of independence in Pommerania, made peace with the new Kingdom in exchange for a payment of gold and a change of its religion. Although Spain was a traditional ally of Bohemia, their holding of Pommerania had long been a point of contention between the two Kingdoms. Its independance now gave Luitipold the chance to incorporate it into his own sphere of influence.
As the 1650's drew to a close, Bohemia and Sweden found themselves hurtling towards a great war which could very well leave both Kingdoms shattered and broken. Burgundy continued to expand, having annexed its sister-vassal of Alsace, and Spain attempted to rebound from its long period of near-anarnchy. Finally, the Ottoman Empire, having expanded enormously in the past several decades, was on the verge of near collapse. Europe would not return to peace for some time.
Last edited:
I jus started reading this and Its really great! 
I like you history-book style very much ( almost as much as your Doge-style)
I like you history-book style very much ( almost as much as your Doge-style
)
Originally posted by kurtbrian
I jus started reading this and Its really great!
I like you history-book style very much ( almost as much as your Doge-style
thanks! I hope to update this again tonight or tomorrow, depending how things pan out. Its nice to se I'm getting a few more readers
Ok, new update deffiantly this weekend. I'm sorry i'm falling behind, but with classes and everything I'm swamped! Still I want to get this back on the raod soon, and I promise major action soon...one way or another. Either to push Sweden out of Germany or to kill France for blocking me fro mtheir COT. GRRRRRRR
The Coming Storm
"Hush! Can you hear it?/ Look! Can you see it?/ The sky grows dark/the thunder you can hear/a terrible storm grows near"-Edwin Blackford English Poet
As the period of regrowth came to an end, The Kingdom of Bohemia found itself surrounded on all sides by enemies, great and small. The Great Northern Empire of Sweden has consolidated its hold upon the newly acquired Russian lands and was stronger than ever, relations had cooled between the both Spain and Bohemia-the main two members of the "Old Alliance", and the Kingdom's traditional enemy of France had began to expand into Germany once again.
Bohemia itself was also being ruled by King Luitipold, a cunning and daring man who considered the Kingdom to be the rightful rulers of Germany and considered any outside power expanding into the country to be a slight and an afront to his personal honor.
His confidence also sprang from the growth of the Bohemian military which had increased nearly 33 percent in the past decade, and which was still the most advanced and well disaplined in all of Europe and, therefor, the world. This army had dealt many a tremendouw blow to its enemies in the past, and there seemed no reason why it could do so now.
It was decided that, the best course of action, would be to turn his attention against the Swedes in the North who had bottled up the entire Baltic trade. They were Bohemia's main compition in Danzig and their control over Meckleburg and the Northern German states was unacceptable. Their alliance with Saxony would also make it possible for the smaller statelet to finally be swallowed up by Bohemia. There was England to worry about, but a quick campaign through North America would be able to convince the Republic to sign a white peace.
On the other hand, the French seemed intent on provoking a war with the Bohemians as well. During the late 1650's and early 1660's the French had cut off trade to Bohemia twice, sending the later Kingdom's economy into a freefall. Furthermore, under the Sun King, they had expanded further into Germany than any other foreign power before, and made threatenign ovatures towards the Bohemian vassal of Burgundy, which was close to reoccupying all of its non-Dutch lands from before the Habsburg annexation.
In 1559 the "Old Alliance" expired after years of respective peace. Luitipold, who had long grown tired of Spanish domineering of the alliance and, for that matter, the haughty manner in which they dealt with their Bohemian cousins, worked to rebuild the alliance with Bohemia as the main partner. Portugal, a vassal of Spain, had long since resented the manners of both of the main alliance members and refused to even entertain the notion of joining.
Luitipold, instead, invited Burgundy into the alliance as a counter to French imperialism, Bavaria who he hoped to vassailize and annex one day in the future, and Kingdom of Hungary which was ruled from Seibenburgen. This new alliance, it was hoped, would be able to counter the might of France and Sweden, depending how diplomatic matters developled.
And Europe moved closer to all out war.
"Hush! Can you hear it?/ Look! Can you see it?/ The sky grows dark/the thunder you can hear/a terrible storm grows near"-Edwin Blackford English Poet
As the period of regrowth came to an end, The Kingdom of Bohemia found itself surrounded on all sides by enemies, great and small. The Great Northern Empire of Sweden has consolidated its hold upon the newly acquired Russian lands and was stronger than ever, relations had cooled between the both Spain and Bohemia-the main two members of the "Old Alliance", and the Kingdom's traditional enemy of France had began to expand into Germany once again.
Bohemia itself was also being ruled by King Luitipold, a cunning and daring man who considered the Kingdom to be the rightful rulers of Germany and considered any outside power expanding into the country to be a slight and an afront to his personal honor.
His confidence also sprang from the growth of the Bohemian military which had increased nearly 33 percent in the past decade, and which was still the most advanced and well disaplined in all of Europe and, therefor, the world. This army had dealt many a tremendouw blow to its enemies in the past, and there seemed no reason why it could do so now.
It was decided that, the best course of action, would be to turn his attention against the Swedes in the North who had bottled up the entire Baltic trade. They were Bohemia's main compition in Danzig and their control over Meckleburg and the Northern German states was unacceptable. Their alliance with Saxony would also make it possible for the smaller statelet to finally be swallowed up by Bohemia. There was England to worry about, but a quick campaign through North America would be able to convince the Republic to sign a white peace.
On the other hand, the French seemed intent on provoking a war with the Bohemians as well. During the late 1650's and early 1660's the French had cut off trade to Bohemia twice, sending the later Kingdom's economy into a freefall. Furthermore, under the Sun King, they had expanded further into Germany than any other foreign power before, and made threatenign ovatures towards the Bohemian vassal of Burgundy, which was close to reoccupying all of its non-Dutch lands from before the Habsburg annexation.
In 1559 the "Old Alliance" expired after years of respective peace. Luitipold, who had long grown tired of Spanish domineering of the alliance and, for that matter, the haughty manner in which they dealt with their Bohemian cousins, worked to rebuild the alliance with Bohemia as the main partner. Portugal, a vassal of Spain, had long since resented the manners of both of the main alliance members and refused to even entertain the notion of joining.
Luitipold, instead, invited Burgundy into the alliance as a counter to French imperialism, Bavaria who he hoped to vassailize and annex one day in the future, and Kingdom of Hungary which was ruled from Seibenburgen. This new alliance, it was hoped, would be able to counter the might of France and Sweden, depending how diplomatic matters developled.
And Europe moved closer to all out war.
"The War of Baltic Supremecy"
"Fire burns your face/ blood stains your hand/ Force the Breach/Force the Breach/Victory is close at hand!" - Robert Smith(1890-1916) English Poet
For years Europe had existed in a state of near constant cold war. Dominanted by the three main blocs, The Northern Alliance, the Old Alliance, and France, war was never far from breaking out. And yet, is never did. Throughout much of the mid 17th Century no major power came to blows with one another. France continued to expand into Germany, Sweden into Northern Europe and Russia, Spain in the New World, while Bohemia jelously guarded the contitent as a setinel of the status qou. The situation was, in the words of a later historian, "A tinder box waiting for the match to be struck".
In previous years the proverbial match had often been Franco-Bohemian relations. Traditional enemies, they had drawn all of Europe into their bloody contests many a time before. The growing state of Burgundy existing as a constant reminder of how the winner of those contests had often been. However, in recent years, relations had warmed to the point were the Bohemian King Luitipold had considered marrying his younger sister to the Dauphine of France. Although such offers were declined, the tendency continued.
Bohemia had long considered itself the protector of the Continent. Its previous wars with France had been wars of containment, meant to crush a foe before it could threaten the entire continet. However, having suffered under the leadership of several bad Kings, it had been in no condition to counter the growing power of Sweden who had consumed much of Russia and parts of Northern Germany.
Luitipold, however, was unwilling to allow the mistakes of past kings be carried over unto his reign. For years he rebuilt the mighty armies of Bohemia, attempted to ressurect the shattered economy, and returned stability to the land, all for the sole purpose of pushing Sweden out of Germany and shattering its strangle hold upon the Baltic trade.
By 1668 he had even managed to have the French embargo lifted, even gained international concencus for his crusade against the North. Luitpold had arranged the vassalization of Seibenburg so that it would help supply troops to the proposed Northern war. Relations were improved with Spain and Burgudny, even through the prior still refused to allow Bohemian merchants to enter their trade ports. Luitipold even supported Burgundy in their failed war against the Republic of Hevettia.
His plans seemed perfect. Upon the decleration of war, the Grand Army would attack North into Meckleburg, while a second army would besiege Bremen. At the same time the Army of Danzig would march along the Baltic coast, attacking Prussia, Courland and so forth. Finally the Army of Austria, stationed on Ansbach would fall back and allow the Saxons to attack, while a firth army would attack and capture the remains of the Duchy of Saxony, and incorporate them into Bohemia.
On January 11th, 1672 Bohemia officially invaded the Kingdom of Sweden. Very little would go as planned.
"Fire burns your face/ blood stains your hand/ Force the Breach/Force the Breach/Victory is close at hand!" - Robert Smith(1890-1916) English Poet
For years Europe had existed in a state of near constant cold war. Dominanted by the three main blocs, The Northern Alliance, the Old Alliance, and France, war was never far from breaking out. And yet, is never did. Throughout much of the mid 17th Century no major power came to blows with one another. France continued to expand into Germany, Sweden into Northern Europe and Russia, Spain in the New World, while Bohemia jelously guarded the contitent as a setinel of the status qou. The situation was, in the words of a later historian, "A tinder box waiting for the match to be struck".
In previous years the proverbial match had often been Franco-Bohemian relations. Traditional enemies, they had drawn all of Europe into their bloody contests many a time before. The growing state of Burgundy existing as a constant reminder of how the winner of those contests had often been. However, in recent years, relations had warmed to the point were the Bohemian King Luitipold had considered marrying his younger sister to the Dauphine of France. Although such offers were declined, the tendency continued.
Bohemia had long considered itself the protector of the Continent. Its previous wars with France had been wars of containment, meant to crush a foe before it could threaten the entire continet. However, having suffered under the leadership of several bad Kings, it had been in no condition to counter the growing power of Sweden who had consumed much of Russia and parts of Northern Germany.
Luitipold, however, was unwilling to allow the mistakes of past kings be carried over unto his reign. For years he rebuilt the mighty armies of Bohemia, attempted to ressurect the shattered economy, and returned stability to the land, all for the sole purpose of pushing Sweden out of Germany and shattering its strangle hold upon the Baltic trade.
By 1668 he had even managed to have the French embargo lifted, even gained international concencus for his crusade against the North. Luitpold had arranged the vassalization of Seibenburg so that it would help supply troops to the proposed Northern war. Relations were improved with Spain and Burgudny, even through the prior still refused to allow Bohemian merchants to enter their trade ports. Luitipold even supported Burgundy in their failed war against the Republic of Hevettia.
His plans seemed perfect. Upon the decleration of war, the Grand Army would attack North into Meckleburg, while a second army would besiege Bremen. At the same time the Army of Danzig would march along the Baltic coast, attacking Prussia, Courland and so forth. Finally the Army of Austria, stationed on Ansbach would fall back and allow the Saxons to attack, while a firth army would attack and capture the remains of the Duchy of Saxony, and incorporate them into Bohemia.
On January 11th, 1672 Bohemia officially invaded the Kingdom of Sweden. Very little would go as planned.
"The War of Baltic Supremecy"
"The best laid plans of mice and men..."
King Luitipold of Bohemia had hoped that by striking at Sweden in the middle of the great Northern Winter, he would catch his opponents off guard. Also, as the navigation in the Baltic was difficult during those hard months, it would be possible to sweep over Swedish Germany and the Southern coast before the Swedish King would be able to react and resupply his forces. Unfortuantly, the King failed to take into account the affects of the winter upon his own troops.
Immediatly upon the decleration of war, the main Bohemian army marched and attemped to beseige Meckleburg, while Prussia was also attacked, as per the King's war plan. At the same time another army attacked Saxony from from behind, while the Saxon troops engaged the Bohemians in Wurzemburg.
The plan, very quickly, fell apart however. Following the defeat of the Saxons, the Army of Wurzemburg marched north to assail Bremen. However, due to the destruction caused by the previous battle it first needed to be resupplied with fresh men before being able to take up seige. By the time Prussia had fallen, the troops were sent to Courland to cut off any attacks from Sweden's Russian lands, and many of the lesser allies of the Northern Alliance, such as Lithuania, bowed out of the conflict gracefully. The wall of Meckleburg, however, showed no signs of falling any time soon, and the beseigers were growing frusterated. After nearly a year, a futile assault was staged in Novemember of 1672 which resulted in only the deaths of more Bohemian and German soldiers.
Further difficulties would arise in the form of Bavaria. This state, atlthough a Bohemian ally, had long possessed a philosophy of feirce independance. And so, when Baravia marched to help her allies in Saxony, her King came as well as commanding General, and took over command of the seige. It took several months before Luitipold discovered the trick, as he had been focusing most of his attention upon the bloodbath in Northern Germany but, once it was brought to his attention, the Bohemian soliders were withdrawn from the seige.
By this point, however, it was to late. Nearly 10 thousand soldiers had perished in the seige, many of the Bohemian infantry men. The remainders of the once grand army were sent North, along with reinforcements, to help the beseigers of Meckleburg, the hope being that adding more cannon might made the defeat of the walls even easier. They would arrive in the nick of time.
Badly in need of a decisive victory in order to keep the war effort going, the Swedish King had compiled a large army of over 30,000 soldiers and marched in Mecklemburg with the goal of freeing the city from the horrible seige. On Novemember 23rd, 1673 the two armies clashed in a titanic battle. By its end it would leave over 30,000 men dead, 17,000 of them Swedes and 13,000 Bohemians.
Although the Swedish had been defeated, the battle had gutted the Bohemian army, and left it unable to follow through with the seige. Realizing the futility of the matter, the Bohemians withdrew from the city several weeks after fighting had ended. Despite Bohemian victory in battle, the Swedes had accomplished their goal, and the Battle of Mecklemburg was to go down in their national mythology as a defining moment of Swedish nationalism.
Meanwhile, the Baltic front of the war was progressing in favor of Bohemia who had captured Memel, Prussia and Courland, despite the blistering cold weather which was slowly grinding down the Bohemian forces. With more and more Swedish forces arriving in the reagon, however, there was a growing fear that the tide might turn towards Sweden in the coming months.
Bremen fell on January 14th, 1674 to the truimph of the Army of Moravia. Luitipold, sensing victory, sent them to attack and beseige Mecklemburg while the shattered remains of the former army would act as reinforcements. The two armies met and surrounded the city in Febuary of that year, and hunkered down for the long seige.
The King of Sweden, however, would not take this assault upon one of his greatest cities, without a fight. He had already decidded to make the city the lynch pin of his entire defensive campaign, to loose it now would be a financial, militarialy, moral disaster the likes of which his nation had never seen.
The "Second Battle of Mecklemburg" occured on March 7th, 1674 and would have much the same impact as the first one. Although the Swedes were driven from the field, the armies of Bohemia were shattered. Fearing a second Swedish assault which would end all hopes of winning the war, they withdrew for a second time to lick their wounds and recover.
By June of that same year, when the Army of Moravia returned to Mecklemburg for the third time, both sides had seem to have become embittered by the war and sure of their own defeat. The Swedes had come to fear that Mecklemburg would surly fall within another few months and then the Bohemians would march North and attack Holstein and perhaps even sack Copenhagen.
The Bohemians, for their part, had lost all hope of ever taking Mecklemburg, the true goal of the entire campaign, and the sudden appearance of Swedish armies on the Southern Baltic lands filled Luitipold with fear. To make matters even worse, peasent revolts were beginning to spring up all along the countryside. The notion that the Swedes could push back his gains and even invade Bohemia proper was enough to dismay even the strongest of kings.
Following the second retreat from Mecklemburg, Luitipold had send a peace offer to the King of Sweden, but it had been denied. Now the King, in his depression, was ready to talk. On July 3rd, 1674 Sweden offered to Bohemia the city of Bremen and the Duchy of Prussia, as well as the trading post of Stantcon in exchange for peace. Luitipold readily accepted.
The war not entirely over, however, for Saxony still had to be dealt with. Despite their loss ot Bavaria, which had settled to force them to accept the Catholic Church and pay indemities, it had not formally existed the war and the Treaty which had ended the war had excluded Saxony from its terms. Bohemia was free to deal with it as it would like. Enraged by the lack of gains in the war, Luitpold quickly placed Saxony under seige and, when it fel lseveral months later, annexed the land. It was celebrated as a mighty and grand victory.
The War of Baltic Supremacy proved to be a disaster for Bohemia. Although they gain gains in the war, they did so at the cost many hundres of thousands of lives. At the end of the war their once mighty armeis had been smashed and decimated and their repuation, once the pride of the King, had been ruined by an unprovoked attack as well as annexation of a smaller state. It had proven to the world that Bohemia's armies were not immortal and could be defeated, even my nations not as advanced.
Finally, and perhaps most dangerously, Bohemia had not managed to crush Sweden in the manner it had France in the past. Although having lost lands, it had not been enough to destroy Sweden control of the Baltic. The Kingdom of Sweden remained a slightly wounded, and enraged, enemy to the North which would, most likely, have to be dealt with again in the future.
"The best laid plans of mice and men..."
King Luitipold of Bohemia had hoped that by striking at Sweden in the middle of the great Northern Winter, he would catch his opponents off guard. Also, as the navigation in the Baltic was difficult during those hard months, it would be possible to sweep over Swedish Germany and the Southern coast before the Swedish King would be able to react and resupply his forces. Unfortuantly, the King failed to take into account the affects of the winter upon his own troops.
Immediatly upon the decleration of war, the main Bohemian army marched and attemped to beseige Meckleburg, while Prussia was also attacked, as per the King's war plan. At the same time another army attacked Saxony from from behind, while the Saxon troops engaged the Bohemians in Wurzemburg.
The plan, very quickly, fell apart however. Following the defeat of the Saxons, the Army of Wurzemburg marched north to assail Bremen. However, due to the destruction caused by the previous battle it first needed to be resupplied with fresh men before being able to take up seige. By the time Prussia had fallen, the troops were sent to Courland to cut off any attacks from Sweden's Russian lands, and many of the lesser allies of the Northern Alliance, such as Lithuania, bowed out of the conflict gracefully. The wall of Meckleburg, however, showed no signs of falling any time soon, and the beseigers were growing frusterated. After nearly a year, a futile assault was staged in Novemember of 1672 which resulted in only the deaths of more Bohemian and German soldiers.
Further difficulties would arise in the form of Bavaria. This state, atlthough a Bohemian ally, had long possessed a philosophy of feirce independance. And so, when Baravia marched to help her allies in Saxony, her King came as well as commanding General, and took over command of the seige. It took several months before Luitipold discovered the trick, as he had been focusing most of his attention upon the bloodbath in Northern Germany but, once it was brought to his attention, the Bohemian soliders were withdrawn from the seige.
By this point, however, it was to late. Nearly 10 thousand soldiers had perished in the seige, many of the Bohemian infantry men. The remainders of the once grand army were sent North, along with reinforcements, to help the beseigers of Meckleburg, the hope being that adding more cannon might made the defeat of the walls even easier. They would arrive in the nick of time.
Badly in need of a decisive victory in order to keep the war effort going, the Swedish King had compiled a large army of over 30,000 soldiers and marched in Mecklemburg with the goal of freeing the city from the horrible seige. On Novemember 23rd, 1673 the two armies clashed in a titanic battle. By its end it would leave over 30,000 men dead, 17,000 of them Swedes and 13,000 Bohemians.
Although the Swedish had been defeated, the battle had gutted the Bohemian army, and left it unable to follow through with the seige. Realizing the futility of the matter, the Bohemians withdrew from the city several weeks after fighting had ended. Despite Bohemian victory in battle, the Swedes had accomplished their goal, and the Battle of Mecklemburg was to go down in their national mythology as a defining moment of Swedish nationalism.
Meanwhile, the Baltic front of the war was progressing in favor of Bohemia who had captured Memel, Prussia and Courland, despite the blistering cold weather which was slowly grinding down the Bohemian forces. With more and more Swedish forces arriving in the reagon, however, there was a growing fear that the tide might turn towards Sweden in the coming months.
Bremen fell on January 14th, 1674 to the truimph of the Army of Moravia. Luitipold, sensing victory, sent them to attack and beseige Mecklemburg while the shattered remains of the former army would act as reinforcements. The two armies met and surrounded the city in Febuary of that year, and hunkered down for the long seige.
The King of Sweden, however, would not take this assault upon one of his greatest cities, without a fight. He had already decidded to make the city the lynch pin of his entire defensive campaign, to loose it now would be a financial, militarialy, moral disaster the likes of which his nation had never seen.
The "Second Battle of Mecklemburg" occured on March 7th, 1674 and would have much the same impact as the first one. Although the Swedes were driven from the field, the armies of Bohemia were shattered. Fearing a second Swedish assault which would end all hopes of winning the war, they withdrew for a second time to lick their wounds and recover.
By June of that same year, when the Army of Moravia returned to Mecklemburg for the third time, both sides had seem to have become embittered by the war and sure of their own defeat. The Swedes had come to fear that Mecklemburg would surly fall within another few months and then the Bohemians would march North and attack Holstein and perhaps even sack Copenhagen.
The Bohemians, for their part, had lost all hope of ever taking Mecklemburg, the true goal of the entire campaign, and the sudden appearance of Swedish armies on the Southern Baltic lands filled Luitipold with fear. To make matters even worse, peasent revolts were beginning to spring up all along the countryside. The notion that the Swedes could push back his gains and even invade Bohemia proper was enough to dismay even the strongest of kings.
Following the second retreat from Mecklemburg, Luitipold had send a peace offer to the King of Sweden, but it had been denied. Now the King, in his depression, was ready to talk. On July 3rd, 1674 Sweden offered to Bohemia the city of Bremen and the Duchy of Prussia, as well as the trading post of Stantcon in exchange for peace. Luitipold readily accepted.
The war not entirely over, however, for Saxony still had to be dealt with. Despite their loss ot Bavaria, which had settled to force them to accept the Catholic Church and pay indemities, it had not formally existed the war and the Treaty which had ended the war had excluded Saxony from its terms. Bohemia was free to deal with it as it would like. Enraged by the lack of gains in the war, Luitpold quickly placed Saxony under seige and, when it fel lseveral months later, annexed the land. It was celebrated as a mighty and grand victory.
The War of Baltic Supremacy proved to be a disaster for Bohemia. Although they gain gains in the war, they did so at the cost many hundres of thousands of lives. At the end of the war their once mighty armeis had been smashed and decimated and their repuation, once the pride of the King, had been ruined by an unprovoked attack as well as annexation of a smaller state. It had proven to the world that Bohemia's armies were not immortal and could be defeated, even my nations not as advanced.
Finally, and perhaps most dangerously, Bohemia had not managed to crush Sweden in the manner it had France in the past. Although having lost lands, it had not been enough to destroy Sweden control of the Baltic. The Kingdom of Sweden remained a slightly wounded, and enraged, enemy to the North which would, most likely, have to be dealt with again in the future.
1. nice AAR
2. give us a map!
3. i enjoyed the "alternate history" you created with characters in the 1400's. especially ladislav pohrobek a habsburg he's jagellonian from poland
4. keep up the good work and give us a map!
EDIT: I found the map, looks great! all i found ouch for is to liberate your slovakian brothers in pressburg and carpathia. go baroque czechoslovakia!
2. give us a map!
3. i enjoyed the "alternate history" you created with characters in the 1400's. especially ladislav pohrobek a habsburg
he's jagellonian from poland 4. keep up the good work and give us a map!
EDIT: I found the map, looks great!
all i found ouch for is to liberate your slovakian brothers in pressburg and carpathia. go baroque czechoslovakia!
Do you think you will ba able to rebuild your army before any pesky neighbour attacks you? Maybe you should spend some time improving fortifications and only triggering small wars with weak neighbours to gain strength.
And nice updates!
And nice updates!
Thats pretty much my goal is to spend the next several years rebuilding my forces and not get dragged into any wars. My foritifcations are fairly well developed, at least near the French boarder, but my Northern ones could be better. Now I spend my time rebuilding. As for anyone attacking me, as my BB is still pretty low...going nearly thirty years between wars limited the chance of everyone ganging up on you even if it makes for a less exciting AAR Things SHOULD be fine, as long as Sweden doesn't get revenge happy on my ass
Things SHOULD be fine, as long as Sweden doesn't get revenge happy on my ass
New Update within a couple of days. I havne't had much time to play, unfortuantly, but things are going well. *laughs* When I look at France I see that our old Sun King is still alive, I'm beginning to think that the man is immortal! Of course Luitpold I is still around and kicking on my side as well
The Wars of Mad King Philip
"The Sun has set upon the land/the flame of liberty is extiniguished/the jester sits upon the throne/the people call for justice"- Daniel Dombeck, American Poet
Bohemia, following the War of Baltic Supremecy was a great power, exaughsted. Although the war had lasted for only a few short years, the cream of the Bohemian military had been destroyed, the Kingdom's relations with other nations had plummeted, and the common people, angered over the draft, had begun to raise the flag of rebellion.
And what had it all been for? Sweden had been defeated, not destroyed, and would continue upon its Imperial path for years to come. In 1693 alone, the proud nation of Scotland was forced to cede its northern territories to the Great Northern Empire.
What the nation needed now was a long period of peace and rebuilding so that, when then next war came, there could be no question at all over who would dominate the battle field and the peace table. Furthermore the Bohemian economy, one of the strongest in Europe despite its lack of colonies, was in bad need of reformation. The reliance upon the French trade had made them supseptible to sabatoge by their old enemies.
Luitipold began to expand his merchants into outside of Western Europe, gaining a dominate hold in Novogorod, as well was expanding into the New World center of Manhattan. He also began to reform the tax practices of his kingdom, cutting out many corrupt middle officials and installing Judges into many of his provinces. The results would be monumental. By 1697 at the end of the "Wars of Mad King Philip" the Kingdom's inflation had dropped to 19 percent, from an all time igh of 53 at the beginning of the Baltic War.
The King also expanded his military once again, relying more on the calvary tactics of the Swedes, in order to flank and decimate the infantry heavy armies of the French . 10 years after the completion of the "War of Baltic Supremecy" the armies of Bohemia had almost completly rebounded. Had it not been for Philip of Burgundy, all might have gone according to the plans of Luitipold.
On May 30th, 1687 Philip of Burgundy, an able and persistent King, fell from his horse while on a ride, striking his head. The head wound quickly became infected, and Philip was bed ridden for several weaks with a high fever constantly on the brink of death. Although his body recovered, some say that his mind never truly did, that the fever had done permenant damage to his brain. Wether this is the case or not, shortly after recovering is health, the King began to show agressive tendencies and irrational fears, which had not been present before the accident.
In 1688 Burgundy decladed war upon the Swiss Confederation but the King, for what ever reason, refused to send troops into that country, so afraid was he that his armies would meet with defeat.
However, without waiting to complete that war, Philip announced to the world that he was the rightful heir to the crown of France and immediatly raised an army with the purpose of marching upon Paris and destroying the armies of the Sun King. It would prove to be a grave error.
Although Bohemia was in no shape for a long drawn out battle, Luitipold found himself honor bound to defend his vassal, evne is said vassal was losing his grip upon reality. The three main armies of Bohemia set march to conquer the lands of "French Germany" upon the Rhine.
What followed was a quick and brilliant campaign. While two armies attacked French Germany upon the Rhine, a third army moved through the Neatherlands and began a seige of Artois with the hopes of moving on towards Paris. Although Bohemia did meet with several military defeats, it was able to conquer nearly all ofthe lands in question, although the Army of Silesia was forced to retreat from Paris after only two months of seige.
Despite these great victories, however, Bohemia did not have the stomach for a long drawn out battle, and as they moved further and further into France their own supply lines were became longer and less defendable. Peace was a nessessity, besides, Luitpold must have figured that with the Spanish still in, enough forces would remain to divert French efforts from Burgundy.
In 1690 peace was made, and trasfered 2/3rds of French Germany int othe Hands of Bohemia. Although these two provinces were superated from Bohemia proper by several other statlets, Luitpold had already gained rights of passage through these lands, making this less of a problem.
While celebrating his victory, Luitipold was given notice that Seibenburg, another vassal, had began an invasion of Poland. The years of war had not yet ended.
"The Sun has set upon the land/the flame of liberty is extiniguished/the jester sits upon the throne/the people call for justice"- Daniel Dombeck, American Poet
Bohemia, following the War of Baltic Supremecy was a great power, exaughsted. Although the war had lasted for only a few short years, the cream of the Bohemian military had been destroyed, the Kingdom's relations with other nations had plummeted, and the common people, angered over the draft, had begun to raise the flag of rebellion.
And what had it all been for? Sweden had been defeated, not destroyed, and would continue upon its Imperial path for years to come. In 1693 alone, the proud nation of Scotland was forced to cede its northern territories to the Great Northern Empire.
What the nation needed now was a long period of peace and rebuilding so that, when then next war came, there could be no question at all over who would dominate the battle field and the peace table. Furthermore the Bohemian economy, one of the strongest in Europe despite its lack of colonies, was in bad need of reformation. The reliance upon the French trade had made them supseptible to sabatoge by their old enemies.
Luitipold began to expand his merchants into outside of Western Europe, gaining a dominate hold in Novogorod, as well was expanding into the New World center of Manhattan. He also began to reform the tax practices of his kingdom, cutting out many corrupt middle officials and installing Judges into many of his provinces. The results would be monumental. By 1697 at the end of the "Wars of Mad King Philip" the Kingdom's inflation had dropped to 19 percent, from an all time igh of 53 at the beginning of the Baltic War.
The King also expanded his military once again, relying more on the calvary tactics of the Swedes, in order to flank and decimate the infantry heavy armies of the French . 10 years after the completion of the "War of Baltic Supremecy" the armies of Bohemia had almost completly rebounded. Had it not been for Philip of Burgundy, all might have gone according to the plans of Luitipold.
On May 30th, 1687 Philip of Burgundy, an able and persistent King, fell from his horse while on a ride, striking his head. The head wound quickly became infected, and Philip was bed ridden for several weaks with a high fever constantly on the brink of death. Although his body recovered, some say that his mind never truly did, that the fever had done permenant damage to his brain. Wether this is the case or not, shortly after recovering is health, the King began to show agressive tendencies and irrational fears, which had not been present before the accident.
In 1688 Burgundy decladed war upon the Swiss Confederation but the King, for what ever reason, refused to send troops into that country, so afraid was he that his armies would meet with defeat.
However, without waiting to complete that war, Philip announced to the world that he was the rightful heir to the crown of France and immediatly raised an army with the purpose of marching upon Paris and destroying the armies of the Sun King. It would prove to be a grave error.
Although Bohemia was in no shape for a long drawn out battle, Luitipold found himself honor bound to defend his vassal, evne is said vassal was losing his grip upon reality. The three main armies of Bohemia set march to conquer the lands of "French Germany" upon the Rhine.
What followed was a quick and brilliant campaign. While two armies attacked French Germany upon the Rhine, a third army moved through the Neatherlands and began a seige of Artois with the hopes of moving on towards Paris. Although Bohemia did meet with several military defeats, it was able to conquer nearly all ofthe lands in question, although the Army of Silesia was forced to retreat from Paris after only two months of seige.
Despite these great victories, however, Bohemia did not have the stomach for a long drawn out battle, and as they moved further and further into France their own supply lines were became longer and less defendable. Peace was a nessessity, besides, Luitpold must have figured that with the Spanish still in, enough forces would remain to divert French efforts from Burgundy.
In 1690 peace was made, and trasfered 2/3rds of French Germany int othe Hands of Bohemia. Although these two provinces were superated from Bohemia proper by several other statlets, Luitpold had already gained rights of passage through these lands, making this less of a problem.
While celebrating his victory, Luitipold was given notice that Seibenburg, another vassal, had began an invasion of Poland. The years of war had not yet ended.