The Greatest Enemies are from Within: The reign of King Frederick III, the Paranoid
The Greatest Enemies are from Within:
The reign of King Frederick III, the Paranoid
(March 3rd, 1648- February 7th, 1670)
King Frederick III is not the man his father or grandfather was. He has far less talent than either of them, except in military matters. But as a civil administrator, he is not nearly as competent. The nobility immediately begin to sense domestic and foreign policy weaknesses in him, and are moving to consolidate their own power at the king's expense. His reign will be far more difficult, if only because the nobility have begun to realize the power they have lost during the reigns of two great kings.
In May, the Scots sue for peace, and pay small war indemnities. England has little cause to celebrate. The Parliament and King are almost at war, and civil war looms over the horizon. If the situation deteriorates in England much further, bigger powers could intervene.
January, 1649: Frederick orders fortification increases in some provinces, and sends more colonists to Sulawesi. Frederick realizes that as long as he acts like his father, the nobility will behave. But he is deathly paranoid that they will try and reassert old privileges.
Also, France annexes the Hasfid Empire by force of arms, giving France sizeable North African possessions.
January, 1650: Frederick continues to fortify provinces and colonize Sulawesi.
In August, he arranges a royal marriage with Helvetia.
January, 1651: Frederick continues to fortify the Union's borders; however, he is planning something to elevate him to the greatness of his father and grandfather. Both Mecklemburg and Madgeburg are owned by the Netherlands. They also have Lutheran populations. Frederick figures that once the royal marriage with the Netherlands expires, it may be time to go to war to liberate fellow Protestants. It may also help keep the nobility in line, by giving them a war to worry about.
By February, France takes a separate peace with the Turks, with the Turks ceding Rhodes to France.
In July, the war between the Turks and Savoy ends, with Savoy ceding Macedonia to the Ottoman sultans.
January, 1652: Frederick begins to finance all merchants that he can find to go to the center of trade in Holland. The goal is to force the Dutch to initiate a trade embargo, giving Frederick an excuse to go to war. The trade in Holland is valuable enough to warrant an embargo to protect, so he is confident he can precipitate a war.
In October, Frederick arranges a royal marriage with Aragon, again doing so just to snub the Spanish.
In March, Frederick renews the Alliance of the Northern Wind, pleasing Russia, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Helvetia.
In November, cracks begin to appear in Frederick's rule. The clergy begin speaking out against him. He has no choice but to appease them, and stability is reduced.
January, 1653: The trade war in Holland continues. The Union has a monopoly there, and Frederick hopes that the Dutch will soon get tired of it and will embargo them. Frederick also begins building up the army in preparation for war.
By September, Spain has annexed something called the Inca Empire, and Savoy has become a vassal of France.
January, 1654: The trade war in Holland continues, but the Dutch do not seem to be ready to do an embargo. Army build up continues even as colonists are sent to Sulawesi and Samar.
January, 1655: Great news in the colonial realm. Sulawesi is now a full city. It has been re-christened New Pommerania. Even better, it now has a center of trade within it. Frederick may take a break from the trade war in Holland to monopolize trade at New Pommerania.
In April, Spain annexes the Aztec Empire.
January, 1656: New Pommerania has the most valuable center of trade in the southwestern Pacific, and Frederick is pleased to let the nobility know that the Union own all trade through the area. Union merchants are making the Union wealthier by the day. The nobility are pleased, and are less vain than they have been. Frederick hopes the success continues.
January, 1657: Colonization and army build up continues, even as New Pommerania is improved with fortifications and tax collectors.
In December, the royal marriage with the Netherlands expires. Frederick does not bother to renew it, but rather issues a claim on the throne of the Netherlands. The claim on their throne hardly causes a stir, as Frederick did not word it properly. His diplomatic skills are not up to the task of provoking a war, it seems.
January, 1658: Improvements continue on New Pommerania. Frederick also begins raising troops there, to defend the island. Colonists pour into other provinces near there and in India. Frederick continues to finance the merchants as much as the budget will allow. Any remaining money goes to the army.
In February, he issues another claim on the throne of the Netherlands, but they do not get very upset.
January, 1659: Colonization continues. New Pommerania becomes more improved with every passing year. Frederick issues another claim on the throne of the Netherlands, and they now regard the Union as their enemy. Frederick hopes they will initiate an embargo soon. He also sends letters of introduction to Russia, Brandenburg and Saxony. He even offers vassalization to Helvetia, but they decline.
In September, Portugal declares war on Turkey, dragging their ally the Netherlands into the war. Frederick sees an opportunity.
January, 1660: Frederick orders the Army of Kurland to the Pommeranias, and gives command of it to General Krabbe. The Army of Bremen is now under the command of General Schack. The Army of the North is deployed to Nyland to await naval pick up, and is under the command of General Bjelke. Frederick is preparing for war, and is only waiting for the right time to strike the Netherlands down.
By September, the General Bjelke is aboard the Union's ships, and is sailing to Holland. General Krabbe is positioned in West Pommerania, and General Schack is positioned in Holstien, ready to commence the war.
On October 14th, King Frederick issues a declaration of war against the Netherlands, and he calls upon the Union's allies. They all respond to the call to arms. The Netherlands' allies respond as well, and Frederick has his war. With the war, Frederick hopes to keep the nobility busy so as to keep them from chaffing under his rule. Besides, the Dutch have lands the Union could use.
The Greatest Enemies are from Within:
The reign of King Frederick III, the Paranoid
(March 3rd, 1648- February 7th, 1670)
King Frederick III is not the man his father or grandfather was. He has far less talent than either of them, except in military matters. But as a civil administrator, he is not nearly as competent. The nobility immediately begin to sense domestic and foreign policy weaknesses in him, and are moving to consolidate their own power at the king's expense. His reign will be far more difficult, if only because the nobility have begun to realize the power they have lost during the reigns of two great kings.
In May, the Scots sue for peace, and pay small war indemnities. England has little cause to celebrate. The Parliament and King are almost at war, and civil war looms over the horizon. If the situation deteriorates in England much further, bigger powers could intervene.
January, 1649: Frederick orders fortification increases in some provinces, and sends more colonists to Sulawesi. Frederick realizes that as long as he acts like his father, the nobility will behave. But he is deathly paranoid that they will try and reassert old privileges.
Also, France annexes the Hasfid Empire by force of arms, giving France sizeable North African possessions.
January, 1650: Frederick continues to fortify provinces and colonize Sulawesi.
In August, he arranges a royal marriage with Helvetia.
January, 1651: Frederick continues to fortify the Union's borders; however, he is planning something to elevate him to the greatness of his father and grandfather. Both Mecklemburg and Madgeburg are owned by the Netherlands. They also have Lutheran populations. Frederick figures that once the royal marriage with the Netherlands expires, it may be time to go to war to liberate fellow Protestants. It may also help keep the nobility in line, by giving them a war to worry about.
By February, France takes a separate peace with the Turks, with the Turks ceding Rhodes to France.
In July, the war between the Turks and Savoy ends, with Savoy ceding Macedonia to the Ottoman sultans.
January, 1652: Frederick begins to finance all merchants that he can find to go to the center of trade in Holland. The goal is to force the Dutch to initiate a trade embargo, giving Frederick an excuse to go to war. The trade in Holland is valuable enough to warrant an embargo to protect, so he is confident he can precipitate a war.
In October, Frederick arranges a royal marriage with Aragon, again doing so just to snub the Spanish.
In March, Frederick renews the Alliance of the Northern Wind, pleasing Russia, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Helvetia.
In November, cracks begin to appear in Frederick's rule. The clergy begin speaking out against him. He has no choice but to appease them, and stability is reduced.
January, 1653: The trade war in Holland continues. The Union has a monopoly there, and Frederick hopes that the Dutch will soon get tired of it and will embargo them. Frederick also begins building up the army in preparation for war.
By September, Spain has annexed something called the Inca Empire, and Savoy has become a vassal of France.
January, 1654: The trade war in Holland continues, but the Dutch do not seem to be ready to do an embargo. Army build up continues even as colonists are sent to Sulawesi and Samar.
January, 1655: Great news in the colonial realm. Sulawesi is now a full city. It has been re-christened New Pommerania. Even better, it now has a center of trade within it. Frederick may take a break from the trade war in Holland to monopolize trade at New Pommerania.
In April, Spain annexes the Aztec Empire.
January, 1656: New Pommerania has the most valuable center of trade in the southwestern Pacific, and Frederick is pleased to let the nobility know that the Union own all trade through the area. Union merchants are making the Union wealthier by the day. The nobility are pleased, and are less vain than they have been. Frederick hopes the success continues.
January, 1657: Colonization and army build up continues, even as New Pommerania is improved with fortifications and tax collectors.
In December, the royal marriage with the Netherlands expires. Frederick does not bother to renew it, but rather issues a claim on the throne of the Netherlands. The claim on their throne hardly causes a stir, as Frederick did not word it properly. His diplomatic skills are not up to the task of provoking a war, it seems.
January, 1658: Improvements continue on New Pommerania. Frederick also begins raising troops there, to defend the island. Colonists pour into other provinces near there and in India. Frederick continues to finance the merchants as much as the budget will allow. Any remaining money goes to the army.
In February, he issues another claim on the throne of the Netherlands, but they do not get very upset.
January, 1659: Colonization continues. New Pommerania becomes more improved with every passing year. Frederick issues another claim on the throne of the Netherlands, and they now regard the Union as their enemy. Frederick hopes they will initiate an embargo soon. He also sends letters of introduction to Russia, Brandenburg and Saxony. He even offers vassalization to Helvetia, but they decline.
In September, Portugal declares war on Turkey, dragging their ally the Netherlands into the war. Frederick sees an opportunity.
January, 1660: Frederick orders the Army of Kurland to the Pommeranias, and gives command of it to General Krabbe. The Army of Bremen is now under the command of General Schack. The Army of the North is deployed to Nyland to await naval pick up, and is under the command of General Bjelke. Frederick is preparing for war, and is only waiting for the right time to strike the Netherlands down.
By September, the General Bjelke is aboard the Union's ships, and is sailing to Holland. General Krabbe is positioned in West Pommerania, and General Schack is positioned in Holstien, ready to commence the war.
On October 14th, King Frederick issues a declaration of war against the Netherlands, and he calls upon the Union's allies. They all respond to the call to arms. The Netherlands' allies respond as well, and Frederick has his war. With the war, Frederick hopes to keep the nobility busy so as to keep them from chaffing under his rule. Besides, the Dutch have lands the Union could use.
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Getting Mecklemburg and Manado so cheaply was very well done. It's interesting that with your swamping of the COT in Holland and the claims to the throne you couldn't get them to lock you out of their COT. What is the diplomatic rating of Frederick? Good luck and keep writing.
