The Castillian Imperialism - (Death and Taxes Mod)

[blklizard]

Felipe IV

Chapter 296

While Felipe IV was busy admiring the extent at which Spain had expanded over the last few decades, his attention was inadvertently brought over to the large Orthodox nation of Russia. The enormous nation had him stunned considering that the two nation were practically sharing a border in the Caucasus region with only two Ottoman provinces separating them. This meant another potential enemy of Spain.

Spain had never gotten along with Orthodox nations so Russia would be no exception. Yet, the might of Russia couldn't be underestimated, especially from what Felipe IV learned later about the nation. Nations like Lithuania stood no chance against the Russians who seemed to field seemingly endless number of soldiers for their campaigns. A war with this enemy could be very bloody indeed.

 

[blklizard]

Felipe IV

Chapter 297

The Kartids were too far to save the Ottomans from another humiliating defeat. All the provinces save for their capital was taken in the peace deal resulting in Spain being literally a step away from controlling all of Anatolia. The two provinces separating Spain and Russia were left alone for the time being while Felipe IV looked to prepare for the inevitable conflict that was bound to happen in the near future.

The Kartids agreed to a white peace shortly after since their army did little throughout the war other than pillaging a few villages. Rebels in Kartids meant their army was constantly fighting them as opposed to challenging the Spanish soldiers who mostly remained in friendly territory. The entry of Kartids did little to change the outcome of the war but Felipe IV didn't like the intervention of the heathen nation.

 

[blklizard]

Felipe IV

Chapter 298

Felipe IV died in suspicious circumstances leaving the throne to his two year old grandson. A regency council took over and they did everything in their power to maintain the status quo until the heir was old enough to ascend the throne. One of their new policies saw military drill implemented in training so the Spanish recruits would be some of the best soldiers in the war before they even saw actual combat.

During this period of peace and prosperity, Byzantium was also integrated into Spain. The Byzantium government was opposed to this but some coercion did the trick. The Greeks weren't too thrilled about this development and numerous uprisings took place as a result. The uprisings were becoming a serious problem in the Greece region until Carlos III finally came to power.

 

[blklizard]

Carlos III

Chapter 299

As soon as the truce ended, the fifth and final crusade was declared on the Ottomans. With only a thousand men guarding the Turkish capital, the Spanish armies easily overwhelmed them and occupied all of their provinces. All of the Ottoman territories were occupied within a month of the war being declared. The Ottomans were finally no more and all of Anatolia belonged to the Spanish nation.

Carlos III used this opportunity to enact a decision which shocked the world. Byzantium had been integrated before he was old enough to take the throne but Carlos III was going to give the old empire a second chance by claiming to be the new Byzantium Emperor. A new era had begun and, at the time for many in the Spanish nation, they were uncertain what this change would do for their nation and people.

The 300th chapter will be a special where we will see how and why Spain becomes the new Byzantium.

 

[Michaelangelo]

The first half of that batch of updates was getting attacked excessively by suicidal Muslim nations and the second half excessively declaring war on them instead.

It seems like the name Felipe gets you killed pretty quickly. Carlos seems to be a safer choice.

Forming Byzantium with Spain? I certainly wasn't expecting that.

 

[blklizard]

The first half of that batch of updates was getting attacked excessively by suicidal Muslim nations and the second half excessively declaring war on them instead.

It seems like the name Felipe gets you killed pretty quickly. Carlos seems to be a safer choice.

Forming Byzantium with Spain? I certainly wasn't expecting that.

Well, maybe the Spanish kings learned to take the initiative.

Not a good time to be Felipe for sure.

Well, you'll see why it happened in this chapter.

I will be changing up the style dramatically for the remainder of the AAR. I realize I'm being repetitive and it's no fun to read either.

Carlos III

Chapter 300

While the regency council was ruling over Spain, there were disturbing rumors regarding what the Byzantium vassal was plotting. Over the decades, Spain had done much to restore their territory. Byzantium might not be close to resembling the empire at its heights but it was no longer a nation destined to be annexed into another nation. With Spain protecting her, Byzantium remained an existing nation in a volatile period in history when nations rose and fall in a few decades.

The rumors claimed that the Byzantium people were preparing for an uprising against their Spanish overlords. This made little sense since Spain had been so kind to their one and only vassal. In other parts of Europe, a vassal would be integrated very early on as soon as the overlord was given a chance. Spanish monarchs had been very kind and lenient when it came to how much autonomy Byzantium enjoyed.

Yet, these were still rumors so the regency council couldn't exactly act on the information until they had more concrete evidence. With hopes these rumors were merely those made by the enemies of Spain, the regency council sent undercover agents to Byzantium to learn the truth. While most were killed before they got anything worthwhile, one of the agents did manage to uncover parts of the elaborate plot of the Greeks.

To their horror, the regency council learned that the Byzantium government had been planning the uprising for almost a decade. They were discontent because Byzantium was once a powerful empire known and feared by all. The regency council couldn't believe how ungrateful the Greeks were when, at one point, their nation ceased to exist due to the invasion of the Muslims in Anatolia.

There was only one solution to stop the Greeks from launching a massive uprising. The regency council took action and integrated the nation before the Byzantium government could react. Those who opposed the move were executed at once since the regency council didn't want to deal with further opposition. The sudden changes most definitely knocked the Byzantium leaders off balance.

The Byzantium leaders were knocked off balance but their desire for a free Byzantium hadn't been diminished. They were actively rallying rebellions throughout the Greece region which required Spanish forces to deal with them promptly. The streets of the major cities in Greece were very bloody as the rebellions were reaching new heights. The armies stationed there defected due to their loyalties to the Greeks so Spanish armies were deployed from elsewhere.

The bloody conflicts in Greece lasted for a few years until the rise of Carlos III to the Spanish throne. Carlos III had been hearing about the rebellion and, as an ambitious ruler, he looked to quell the conflicts. Yet, the method of brutally crushing the local rebels wasn't working so he searched for an alternative. A fortunate turn of events soon gave him the alternative to put down the rebellions for good.

One top Byzantium rebel leader was captured in one of the battles and Carlos III met the man personally due to his desire to resolve this bloody situation which engulfed the Greece region. They discussed about the situation in Greece for several days and what was spoken in the room was known to only a few people. The information never reached historical records so what was spoken essentially died when those present passed away.

First, Carlos III had to prove his worthiness by eliminating the Ottoman Empire which was an insult to the Byzantium Empire. Annexing the heathen nation was a very easy feat given how weak it had become. Afterwards, the captured rebel leader was set free with him promising that he would end the conflict there and then. While his advisers were heavily against it, Carlos II trusted the man would be true to his word.

Carlos III's trust wasn't betrayed as the conflict in Greece did indeed come to an abrupt stop. The key Byzantium leaders all gathered at Constantinople where Carlos III was crowned the Byzantium Emperor. Spain ceased to exist as the Byzantium Empire took over in her place. A new age had begun following a rather bloody period of time in Spanish history with the discontent among the Greeks.

Carlos III later learned that, even though the Byzantium leaders were unified against Spain, their ideas of an acceptable solution differed. Some wanted an independent Byzantium to break free from Spain. Others wanted Byzantium to continue her existence but they weren't too picky about how this was accomplished. Those in favor of the former option were also the most impulsive so they were, ironically, the first to be killed in the conflict.

The captured Greek leader belonged to the latter camp and his discussion with Carlos III showed him that the Spanish monarch did care about his people. When he returned home, there were doubts about his intentions but his arguments convinced many to join him in a more peaceful solution to all of this. Eventually, everyone agreed that crowning Carlos III as the Byzantium Emperor was the most logical approach.

The bloody conflicts in Byzantium had been resolved at last but the changes didn't bode well with the Spanish nobles who felt betrayed by the changes. Many of them demanded an explanation and Carlos III gave them exactly that. His speech was recorded in historical archives and it was often referred to by historians as one of the greatest speeches ever given by a Spanish monarch.

 

[blklizard]

Carlos III

Chapter 301

As the Byzantium Emperor, Carlos III first declared Constantinople as the new capital. Major projects took place which saw the city expanded tenfold with the population rising to new heights only rivaled to the golden ages of the old Byzantine Empire. The defenses of the city were also further improved since the city was a lot more vulnerable to potential enemies in the Balkans and those bordering the Black Sea.

Three peaceful years passed as Carlos III stabilized his nation and convinced his few critics how this change would benefit the nation as a whole. Then, war raged in Africa as Byzantium looked to control most, if not the entire, continent. Benin, Mali, Songhai, Oyo and Hausa were the first targets but the five wars also saw the other African nations with the exception of Ethiopia taking part. Their participation would do little to change the outcome of these wars.

Backwards and outnumbered, the African nations offered no real challenges for the Byzantium soldiers. Hausa was the first to be annexed followed by Benin and Oyo. Both Mail and Songhai lost a handful of provinces starting their decline into oblivion. Carlos III then took another decade to stabilize the newly conquered provinces before the wars against the African nations were all renewed once the truce ended.

In the second main African campaign, Kongo, Mali, Songhai, Swahili and Kanem Bornu. No notable nations entered on the side of the enemy so the outcome remained the same. Swahili lost two provinces because she was fractured following her war against Ethiopia. Mali and Songhai both lost more provinces while Kongo was left with only her capital. At this time, the heathen nations of Muzaffarids and Kartids chose to attack Byzantium.

Persia also got some ideas soon after but she, unlike Muzaffurids and Kartids, lost provinces for declaring war. Three provinces traded hands seeing Byzantium extending her reach further east. Carlos III also introduced battlefield commission to ensure the Byzantine generals were indeed the best possible. The wars only became harder from this point onward and new tactics were needed to keep up with technology.

The provinces Azow, once Genoan province, and Ardabil, once Persian, both defected to Byzantium on the promise the people would be better protected from external threats. Several years passed since the defections before Carlos III died peacefully in bed as the first Spanish Byzantium Emperor in history. The throne would be passed over to his son, Felipe V, who vowed to continue what his father started.

 

[blklizard]

Felipe V

Chapter 302

A year since his rise to the throne, Felipe V resumed the major campaigns in Africa. Mali, Kongo and Kanem Bornu were respectively annexed before Muzaffarids declared war on Byzantium again. Nothing came out of the war with Muzaffarids but Songhai and Mutapa both lost significant number of provinces in their peace deals. The heathen nation of Oman also declared war on Byzantium bringing Ethiopia into the conflict.

Ethiopia was arguably the strongest African nation but she still paled in military strength against Byzantium. Three separate battles saw the Ethiopian army decimated. It was also during this war when Felipe V adopted Absolute Monarchy which closely resembled the Empire government Byzantium Empire was famous for. A number of Ethiopian provinces defected during occupation which were credited to this change.

Mutapa did attack once the truce ended between the two nations and ended up losing a province in the process. Muzaffarids and Kartids continued declaring their wars which were becoming an annoyance more than anything. The war with Ethiopia did conclude a few years later with two more of her provinces ceded and state religion changing from Orthodoxy to Catholicism. Oman was also annexed in the process.

To cut down on the costs of the land armies, Felipe V introduced the regimental system which would save the nation considerable amount of ducats. In return, he abandoned the Quest for the New World idea which had allowed his predecessors to explore and colonize all of Africa. Once the regimental system was in place, Felipe V turned his attention to Europe which his ancestors had left untouched for far too long.

War was first declared on Naples but Felipe V never got a chance to see the outcome of the war. He was out hunting one day when his horse was startled throwing him off. The injuries were serious seeing him dead a few days later. His son, Andreas I, would take over as the new Byzantine monarch who would be heading the campaigns against European nations in the centuries to come.

 

[blklizard]

Andreas I

Chapter 303

Naples, despite fighting rather valiantly against the Byzantine soldiers who were transported to the Papal State before the war, stood no chance and was completely annexed. Great Britain was the next to be targeted due to her lone province in Greece which she didn't deserve. The British were unwilling to fight a war against Byzantium over Janina so they ceded the province the first opportunity they had.

Andreas' attention then turned to the Papal States who controlled the Eternal City, Roma, which belonged to his nation by rights. Numerous nations like Milan and Venice came to the aid of the Papal State but they could do little to stop the annexation from taking place. Byzantine troops then remained on the defensive until the war leader of the opposition, Venice, agreed to a white peace given neither side had anything to fight for anymore.

Afterwards, the inevitable war against Russia took place. The Byzantine generals utilized the narrow passageway in the Caucasus Mountains to decimate what seemed like endless streams of Russian soldiers. Their enemy might have numbers but their quality paled to what Byzantium could field. At the same time, wars were resumed in Africa as Andreas looked to finish off the minor African nations saved for Ethiopia.

Songhai and Mutapa were both annexed while Russia agreed to convert to Catholicism. The change in the Russian state religion would have catastrophic impact on the Russian nation which was the intended purpose of the war. Next, war transitioned over to the Balkans where Bulgaria became the primary target. Her numerous allies could do little to save her from ceding a number of provinces to Byzantium.

In that same year, Byzantium also declared another war on Great Britain to oust her presence from the French region. Burgundy and Holland entered alongside Great Britain but their participation couldn't halt the Byzantine advances. Burgundy and Holland each lost a province in the process while Great Britain lost all of her holdings in Southern French region seeing Byzantium making her first bit of progress into the region.

To better deal with the multiple fronts and larger wars, Andreas introduced the concept of grand army to ensure there were always enough soldiers to constantly keep the enemies of Byzantium at bay. Oman then broke free from Ethiopia which saw Byzantium declaring war on them. Ethiopia surprisingly joined into the war before Russia also entered the war for revenge for the previous war.

Oman lost two provinces and Russia one making Ethiopia fortunate to not lose any land in the war. The next war was with Bulgaria again but Ethiopia joined against Byzantium once again. Bulgaria lost even more territory before the heathen nations, Muzaffarids and Kartids, attacked Byzantium once again. While the war raged on against the heathen nations, Andreas I passed away in bed leaving Andreas II to deal with the wars.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Nice to see that royal purple stretch across the map.

That is one hideous Europe. Bohemia is insane.

 

[blklizard]

Nice to see that royal purple stretch across the map.

That is one hideous Europe. Bohemia is insane.

Bohemia will anger the giant purple blob.

Andreas II

Chapter 304

Three years since taking the throne, Andreas II negotiated his first peace deal with Kartids seeing five new provinces acquired. He also declared his war shortly after when Muscowy broke free from Russia. The Muzaffarids also lost five provinces to Byzantium seeing enormous gains in the two wars. Muscowy was annexed two years later because one of their provinces happened to be a small town in the Caribbeans.

Andreas II then declared war on Bulgaria which saw Ethiopia coming to her aid in futility again. The Bulgarian capital was quickly taken but the entry of Russia certainly complicated matters. Yet, Russia wasn't in the mood of fighting Byzantium so the war ended with a quick white peace. Then, the Persians declared war for their old territories. Not even fazed by this declaration of war, Andreas II attacked Armagnac to make further advances in the French region.

Armagnac first got annexed before the Persians lost a province in the process. Andreas II then reenacted the Quest for the New World to explore the Caribbean to maintain a solid foothold there. Meanwhile, the preparations were finally ready for the war against Bohemia. Bohemia was a rising power in the region and Andreas II was about to contain their expansion considerably. The grueling war only saw a single province acquired along with Poland and Transylvania released from Bohemia.

Andreas II was preparing for another major campaign against Bohemia to end this threatbut he was found dead one day under suspicious conditions. The king was given a proper funeral while his heir, Ioannes VII, took the throne. Ioannes VII was said to be related to the Byzantium ruler before the old empire was integrated into Spain so he was a prime suspect for the death of Andreas II.

 

[blklizard]

Ioannes VII

Chapter 305

Ioannes VII continued the tradition of declaring a war shortly after his rise to the throne. Bulgaria was declared war upon and, despite Austria joining the war, the Byzantine soldiers expected limited resistance. Russia and Ethiopia were also targeted because Ioannes VII was an ambitious man wanting to accomplish more than his predecessors. The Russians were putting up more resistance than first expected so Byzantium found it suffice to take a single province.

Bulgaria was completely annexed putting Byzantium a step closer to controlling the entire Black Sea when Muzaffarids once again attacked Byzantium. Baluchistan also joined into the fray with her own reconquest war. Muzaffarids lost two provinces within a year but Persia then attacked Byzantium with the same excuse as Baluchistan. Both Baluchistan and Persia got nothing out of their wars but they were also fortunate to not lose anything either.

The Caribbean was then completely explored and more or less colonized so the Quest for the New World was abandoned for the second time in favor of the Cabinet to ensure a better executive council. Months later, Ethiopia finally got out of her war with eight provinces ceded to Byzantium. The annexation of Ethiopia seemed destined as there was simply no place to run for the African nation.

Byzantium enjoyed five years of peace before Ioannes VII began a major campaign in the Middle East. Four separate wars were declared at the same time and it didn't look too good for the nations that went against Byzantium. Khiva was the first to be annexed followed by Kashmir giving up three provinces. Kokkand had to cede two provinces for peace to happen while Byzantium continued to prosper with the implementation of National Trade Policy.

One Persian province defected to Byzantium and the Byzantine generals expected more of these events to happen. However, the war with Persia had to be concluded earlier with six provinces taken from the heathen nation. The war with the various French states was of a greater priority so Ioannes VII didn't want to bother with the peace negotiations with insignificant nation like Persia.

While war was raging on in the French region, Baluchistan once again launched a cowardly attack on Byzantium with the Muslim nation of Knights. The war in Europe ended with all the nations fighting Byzantium converting to Catholicism. Alencon was the only exception where she was converted and gave two provinces to Byzantium. Ioannes VII just finished negotiating peace with Baluchistan when he suddenly died from poisoning.

 

[blklizard]

Andronikos V

Chapter 306

The Muzaffarids, after being such a nuisance with their numerous declaration of wars, were finally annexed a few months after Andronikos V rose to the throne. A year later, the Byzantium ruler attacked Kazan, a nation which had recently broken free from Russia. Three provinces were taken from Kazan as a result despite the urge for Andronikos V to annex the nation to complete his control over all of the Black Sea.

After five years of peace which was rather rare in Byzantium, the nation was once again engulfed in multiple wars, five wars to be exact during this period. The Knights were the first nation to be defeated following a loss of three provinces. Then, Persia was annexed before Baluchistan agreed to ceding four provinces to the Catholic nation. The fourth war saw Durrani losing five provinces while the fifth war ended with a white peace.

Hardly a year passed before Byzantium was at war with Ethiopia. The war lasted for awhile due to the large territory Ethiopia controlled but seven provinces were eventually transferred from Ethiopia to Byzantium. Then, Kazan changed her capital so Andronikos V immediately jumped on the opportunity to take Crimea, the last non-Byzantium province to border the Black Sea. Kazan agreed following much of her territory occupied by the Byzantine soldiers.

The Byzantium ruler then implemented Espirit de Corps to ensure greater discipline among his men in battle. This was a great addition to what were already powerful land armies in the known world. Then Byzantium returned to her old habits with multiple wars happening once again. This time, she was fighting four separate wars. Durrani was first to be annexed followed by Baluchistan which shared the same fate.

Naguar was annexed a year later along with Sind. As a result of this war, four nations were wiped from the map helping Byzantium clean up her borders somewhat. Andronikos V then went into insanity due to some foreign food he chose to eat to celebrate for his victories over the Indian nations before he was mercifully dead a few months later leaving the Byzantium nation to his son, Zoe II.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Seems to be a lot of poisonings going on here. Sounds like the royal family needs a food taster.

 

[blklizard]

Seems to be a lot of poisonings going on here. Sounds like the royal family needs a food taster.

Ya, they need the CK2 title to have someone taste the food for them.

Zoe II

Chapter 307

With new territory from India, Queen Zoe II established the East Indian Trading Company to expand the trading networks of Byzantium to a much global scale. Zoe II did made changes to where the focus of wars for Byzantium would be at when she declared war on Milan. Bloody battles happened across the Italian Peninsula, French region and even the Balkans but the coalition against Byzantium was eventually withered to nothing.

One Milanese province did defect but Milan mostly lost her territory through the peace deal where thirteen provinces were ceded. A short war was declared shortly after as Byzantium reclaimed one of her cores from Ethiopia. Several more years passed before Byzantium was at war in the French region against Alencon and France along with their allies. These conflicts also saw minor skirmishes in the Caribbean.

Alencon and France both resisted valiantly but they simply lacked the manpower to withstand the overwhelming numbers of Byzantine troops. Alencon was defeated first with four provinces lost, one of which was in the Caribbean. France was defeated shortly after but she only lost two provinces in the peace deal. With so few territory gained from the two wars, Zoe II declared three separate wars a year later against Morea, Venice and Milan.

Morea was quickly annexed with the Byzantine soldiers busy redeployed to the front lines. Venice lost three provinces after her capital was occupied while more bloody battles were taking place around Venice. The Milanese armies were fighting fiercely and making Byzantine soldiers earn every inch of their advances. Before the war against Milan could end, Zoe II passed away from an illness leaving the throne to Michael X.

 

[blklizard]

Michael X

Chapter 308

The war with Milan was dragging out long enough for Milanese provinces to defect to Byzantium. While Byzantine troops were winning the war against Milan and her numerous vassals, Michael X declared war on Ethiopia. At this point, the Ethiopian military was so incapable that their war with Byzantium ended very soon with eight provinces lost as a result. Michael X then targeted Venice for his next war.

Bavaria and many of her allies including Austria and Lithuania came to the aid of Venice so the war against Milan finally concluded with four provinces gained. The war against Bavaria and her allies proved very difficult indeed with the multiple fronts but the hardships didn't stop Byzantium from making more advancements until improved foraging was established to ensure lower attrition and larger armies.

Venice was eventually fully annexed and the losses inflicted on the coalition saw the other belligerents agreeing to white peaces. Michael X then returned his focus to the French region with Alencon, France, Nevers and Dauphine as the war targets. Nevers was first eliminated through annexation before Alencon monarch agreed to cede four provinces to Byzantium. Dauphine was then annexed while her allies could do little to change it.

Michael X introduced the bill of rights to grant his citizen fundamental rights which was a very radical move at the time. Then, France was finally crushed and three provinces were taken. In response to Bavaria interfering earlier in the war between Byzantium and Venice, Michael X declared war once the truce was over along with a separate war against Austria. The two wars were exceptionally bloody with the losses almost impossible to record accurately.

The Byzantine monarch then took a huge risk by declaring another war against Milan. Surprisingly, the Byzantium armies were holding their own and Austria was the first to be defeated with three provinces lost. Bavaria lost four provinces in her peace deal and, before the war against Milan was concluded, Michael X declared five separate wars which shocked even his own advisors.

Milan finally exited her war with three more provinces ceded. The five wars raged on and Savoy was the first targeted nation to get a peace deal with a single province lost. Afterwards, Burgundy lost two provinces, Alsace and Lorraine were both fully annexed, and Switzerland ceded four provinces before the series of campaign in Western Europe finally ended for Byzantium.

Peace was not meant to last as Bavaria was attacked against once the truce ended along with Austria. Bavaria lost two additional provinces and Austria three additional provinces. When people thought peace had finally returned, Byzantium was again at war with Milan and, a few years later, Alencon. Alencon lost her last province in Europe due to the peace deal while Milan lost three more provinces as she shrank considerably over the last few decades.

War would continue to rage furiously after a few years of rare peace as Byzantium was once against in five separate wars. France was first defeated and ceded her last province in Europe before Burgundy was fully annexed. Bar was annexed afterwards before the entry of Poland and Lithuania into one of the remaining wars proved to be a difficult challenge for Byzantium given her relatively weak defenses in the east and the sudden death of Michael X.

 

[blklizard]

Manuel II

Chapter 309

Shortly after his rise to power, Manuel II negotiated the peace deal with Liege seeing three provinces change hands. He then acquired three more provinces from Flanders before signing a devastating peace deal with Lithuania which saw her release five different nations weakening her dramatically. Once the conflicts died down, Manuel II would make history by reforming the Roman Empire with him as the Roman Emperor.

It wouldn't be a Roman Empire without more conquests and, when given a chance, Manuel II declared four separate wars. The peace deals dictated that Champagne lost one province, both Berry and Styria were annexed. As the war with Milan was coming to a close, the Roman Empire was in another four wars which Manuel II declared. Avignon would be the first nation of the new wars to be annexed.

Switzerland would follow the footsteps of Avignon as was the fate of Genoa. Savoy would be the next nation to be annexed before Milanese provinces in the Balkans began to defect over to the Roman Empire. Champagne would be targeted once again as soon as the truce was over and her last province in Europe was taken. The Milanese ruler then had a chance to sign the peace deal which saw four more provinces lost.

Literally a few months later, the Roman Empire was in five separate wars which she started. Several large battles took place with all Roman victories but Manuel II himself was fighting a losing battle with his illness as he passed away that same years leaving Demetrios I to rule over the Roman Empire. Regardless who was taking the throne of the Roman Empire, there was little stopping her from rapid expansions in Europe.

 

[blklizard]

Demetrios I

Chapter 310

Demetrios I just had to sit back as the war continued in his favor. Liege lost two more provinces in her peace deal and The Palatinate also lost the same number of provinces in hers. The arrival of Prussian armies complicated matters but, once regrouped, the Roman armies had no problem disposing the new arrivals. Without Prussian troops in the vicinity, Brabant was forced to give up two provinces like Liege and the Palatinate.

Apparently, Demetrios I continued to be generous by taking two provinces from Holland too before he annexed his first nation with Münster. Once most of the truces were over, the Roman Empire resumed her expansion with five new wars. Salzburg was annexed shortly after the war was declared followed by a province taken from Bavaria a few years later. Austria ceded two provinces once Vienna was occupied just as Prussia agreed to convert to Catholicism in her war with the Roman Empire.

Hesse lost three provinces in her peace deal which seemed rather unfair for the small nation but at least she was spared from annexation which Mainz couldn't avoid. Provence was one of the more fortunate nations where she was vassalized as opposed to annexed. Then, Flanders unexpectedly attacked the Roman Empire with the Revolutionary War casus belli but, for her troubles, she lost a province.

Demetrios I listened to his advisors and ensured a few years of peace. Then, the Roman Empire was in five separate wars once again. Austria lost Vienna to the Roman Empire while Milan also lost her capital. Hungary ceded two provinces before Bavaria became the third nation in this decade to lose her capital. Yet, none of these could come close to the peace deal for Brandenburg where eight provinces were given to the Roman Empire.

A year later, the Roman Empire was at war against the pretender Holy Roman Empire with another five wars, this time against the minor powers. These minor powers stood even less chance starting with Cleves annexed. Cologne would be also be integrated into the Roman Empire and Holland lost her last European province. Demetrios I then surprised everyone with his war on The Knights which had fallen to the heathen faith.

Brabant, Luxembroug and The Knights were later annexed in that order concluding all of the wars at the time for the Roman Empire. The conclusion of the wars also saw the conclusion of Demetrios I who passed away from an infection. He had to leave his throne in the hands of Alexios II who was already a very promising candidate. The Roman Empire would soon be embroiled in more conflicts.

 

[blklizard]

Alexios III, Manuel III

Chapter 311

If Great Britain thought she was safe from the Roman Empire, then the British officials clearly didn't read about history and lacked the necessary preparations. Romans troops were gathered in Wales where they launched an invasion which saw limited resistance. Alexios II was then found dead in his chamber poisoned a few days after Roman troops occupied ninety percent of Great Britain on the British Isles.

Manuel III then took over and did the peace deal granting the Roman Empire six British provinces. He then resumed the tradition where Rome fought in five separate wars against most of Europe. The slow progress saw Manuel III sign a white peace with both Poland and Brandenburg ending two of the five wars prematurely. The next peace deal saw Hungary ceding a single province.

Bohemia lost three provinces in her peace deal which finally allowed Roman troops to attack Transylvania. One Transylvanian province defected to the Roman Empire just as the peace deal was signed seeing five more province transferred over to Manuel III. The Roman Empire would continue her conquest until all of the Old World belonged to her since the New World didn't interest her one bit.

This concludes this AAR. At this point, I have no interest to continue since it was mostly microing troops, declaring wars and repeat which isn't fun at all. Thank you to everyone who tagged along to the very end. It was a fun one for sure.

 

[Michaelangelo]

It is a downright travesty that you let what I assume is Ethiopia survive and not claim all of Africa. Those random tiny European states within your border are a nuisance too.

So did the HRE get dismantled? Can't have that pretender state existing when the real Rome is around.