"For heavens sake boys, can you not start to act like the young men that you are or will you insist on behaving like small schoolboys". Eisenstein simply despaired when he thought "and these are Prussia's finest young men who will take up the reins of government in future"
"Rictus, wait. Sit over there on the right. I don't want you sitting next to Bloomfield. I've heard the stories so we'd better keep you two apart"
"What's this Durham? Asleep in lectures?"
"What, er?" Durham stammered rubbing his head where a large bump had grown. "No, I was just contemplating one of those passages from Winkelstein's diaries". A chorus of jeers met with this remark.
"Well settle down. We have to continue with the Prusso-Kurland war story. Where was I up to?" Eisenstein said as he flicked through his papers.
"Pisskoff just declared war on Teutonic Order", Bloomfield shouted out. The class erupted in laughter allowing Rictus the chance to launch a well aimed clump of writing paper at Bloomfield's ear. Bloomfield glared back and mouthed "Dawn. Tomorrow."
"Alright boys. Yes here we are"
A royal marriage was celebrated in February with our distant cousins in Lorraine. I've no doubt we'll hear little from them but we make sure to remind our prince to write to the happy couple regularly. Hopefully these letters will give us a little useful intelligence from the region. Admittedly, intelligence is not a word I would readily use in conjunction with his highness but at least his tutor was well qualified in the job of educating imbeciles. In the meantime I must talk to Stettin about progress in our campaign against Kurland.
As Spring arrives, our cannon have still not been completed although I get the encouraging news that the city of Kurland may be softening as their walls are starting to show signs of weakening from the Prussian mining activity. We are assured that the city will soon break and we will have our prize.
Surprising, we hear in May that Pskov continues their siege of the Teutonic capital. Court is unable to suppress its joy, in spite of the fact that we have our own war to fight. After many months, our are finally completed and sent to Kurland for the final push before a second winter.
We also find additional funds to send a second merchant to Venice.
By summer, Stettin is justly proud of his cannon as they show their effect after continual bombardment. During four months last summer the walls held firm (3) while in two months since the guns arrived they had been badly breached (to -3). He wants to press the advantage but I argue against any rash moves which would cost more Prussian lives. We decide in the end to continue the bombardment.
I hear also that our merchant of Venice writes back to tell me of business being brisk but competitive. Well call me genius but I did choose to send him there although didn't expect him to produce the same yield in a year that we spent on sending him there in the first place. I thank our lord for making me so intuitive as well as for possessing so great a mind.
Finally, at the end of September, the city of Kurland capitulates and they offer to surrender. Our envoy hands them our demands for the full annexation. In order to ensure a smooth hand-over, some of the key figures are removed from the city to await a decision as to where they might be relocated. In honour of his service, in commanding the royal army, Stettin is granted a large estate by the sea in our newly acquired lands and Brandenburg takes control of the main army force in Kurland which is now put back to stand by as I am forced to turn my attention to our debt commitments.
After examining our accounts I realise how profitable the war has been for us. Our monthly income had since escalated to over 4 ducats per months, largely from the trade tarrifs from Kurland. Unfortunately, most of the Kurland merchants disappear but it seems that the costs of the war, particularly the loan interest payments, were more than covered by our gains and we can now see ourselves as a minor force in the region.
For some reason my deputy has sent another merchant to Novgorod which I only find out when news arrives from the latter that he has successfully established himself there in the wool trade. Why, oh why must he continue to do this. Some time he will make a mistake and I will have no choice but to find alternative employment for him. For the time being I call him to one side to reprimand him for being just a little too "fortunate".
The prince, while I am doing this, sends a message to the Austrians proposing a royal marriage. Unfortunately, it seems that the Austrians were less than impressed about our war against Kurland and they reject the prince's offer. Well next time perhaps he will discuss these things with me first as I would have assuredly advised him against such a move at this time
Brandenburg, in the meantime, reports that he has received a request from ships in the Baltic who wish to return to port. It is a pleasant surprise to hear that Kurland possessed a navy. The warship and 2 transport ships are admitted to harbour in Eastern Prussia.
The professor put down the papers and adjusted his spectacles. Viewing the hall he continued. "Here we see the successful conclusion of the war which, in one move has more than doubled the lands, population and income of Prussia. The impact of this on the Prussian economy cannot be underestimated. In simple military terms, Prussia now had twice the capacity it had a year before. It had a navy and a rich trading province to provide much needed income so vital to the vibrant growing nation"
"Of course, let us make no mistake. Prussia was not, at this time, strong: only stronger. As we will see, it would be later wars that would be able to show Prussia as a real fighting force in the region. Even now, the Teutonic Order to the north possessed a fighting force twice the size of Prussia's while Poland's armies would outnumber Prussia's by over 10 to 1."
"That's all for today", Eisenstein brought the lesson to a close. "If you can read up the notes, I want you to consider what impact did the war and peace have on Prussia. Look at this not just from a territorial viewpoint but also other factors such as the economic and diplomatic perspective."
"Any questions?"
