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MrSmiley

Creator of Atlantis
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The Northern March : Kurbrandenburg

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The Electorate of Brandenburg. Founded out of the ancient land known as the Nordmark, or North March in 1157 by Margrave Albert the Bear, a powerful Germanic warlord working for the Holy Roman Emperor himself. Slowly it grew over 150 years, taking regions from heretics and barbarians under the rule of the Ascanian dynasty. It reached its largest height under them in 1250 AD, with the successful conquering of Pomerania from the Danish. Then Henry II Ascania died, leaving the Margrave of Brandenburg for the Wittelsbachs to take.

Over the next 70 or so years, the once powerful Margrave was passed around the Great Houses of Germany like the country of Poland in the twentieth century, until eventually it rested in the hands of the Luembourgs, who bought it from the Wittelsbachs for 500'000 guilders, uniting it with Luxembourg and Bohemia through dynastic ties. Ultimately, it was to remain ignored until now, near the end of the year of our lord 1399, when the winds of change can be felt throughout Europe. The old powerhouses of the Empire are collapsing under newcomers such as the Bourgougnes and the Hapsburgs. Is it time for Brandenburg to overthrow its Bohemian rulers and reclaim what has been lost? Or will the elector fade into the background of history, like so many others?


Hi guys, this is the intro to my new AAR. Im just going to be playing one of my favourite nations in EU3 of all time, the beautiful Brandenburgs, and ill be chucking up the first actual part (not this little intro) in around about 9-10 hours hopefully. Also check out 1453 Annus Horribilis for my Poland MP AAR. Thanks :D

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The Northern March : House Hesse-Kassel

Part 1 : The Margrave of Brandenburg

"My lord, there is a messenger here from Charles of Luxembourg. He gave this to one of the Guards on duty, and promptly left." The Steward placed down a small roll of paper upon the Margrave's oak table. Over the past month since his appointment as Margrave of Brandenburg, Lord Paul von Anhalt-Dessau had recieved numerous letters, from his benefactors and employers in Bohemia and Luxembourg, and from his spies in the court of King Phillipe II of Burgundy. Striding over to the table, he immediately noticed the seal of House Luxembourg. "Your are dismissed." He stated to the steward, as he picked up the letter and tore the seal. Walking over to the grand window of the Castle, which held magnificent views across Berlin and the farmlands of Brandenburg, Paul began to read King Charles of Luxembourgs letter. 'The Burgundians have declared war on us, claiming that our land is rightfully part of theirs. My family in Bohemia has stated they are unable to help, as the Emperor is currently busy defending the eastern border from aggression. Therefore we call upon you, our vassal, to send aid in this dark time.' A smile began to form on Paul's face. His spies had told him to expect aggression from Burgundy soon but he had not expected it to be this soon. Folding the letter up, he ripped it into two, then four, then eight pieces and cast them to the wind. Luxembourg would soon discover that they are all alone in their war.

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Paul stared down at the assembled lords of Brandenburg. All gathered here today in the grand hall of Berlins castle, they had been muttering amongst themselves while Paul had been busy reading his spies most recent letters. Although originally hated by them when he had been appointed by the accursed Luxembourgs, his actions in the past few months had managed to gain their respect and support. "Counts, Barons and Mayors, please be seated!" Paul called out, taking the chair closest to one that had recently been brought in, an ornate chair that dwarfed all the others. "I have just received news from my contacts within the court of the Burgundians. Luxembourg has been taken and their king, our so-called king, has been sent back to his brethren in Bohemia in disgrace." Cheers went out across the great hall, as all the lords who held no love for their fake king rejoiced in the news of his downfall. Paul raised his hand for silence and continued. "Yet i fear if we do not act quickly, our Bohemian neighbours will be quick to re-take our throne! Therefore, in the sight of God and all the Lords of the land, i do present to you your new King, Georg I von Hesse-Kassel!" Upon this utterance, a figure dressed in shining plate armor stepped from behind the chair and stood in front of the lords. The lords were all silent, until suddenly Count Hans van den Hoof, a reputedly figure around the court who was known for his love of beer and practical jokes, jumped quickly to his feet. "I recognize this man!" He shouted, pointing his figure straight at the soon-to-be king. "He is the son of the son of the daughter of the ancient Ascanians, our true lords!" Immediately all the lords began to talk among-st themselves, some also stating how they recognized this man as well. Hans looked around at all the lords who had begun to talk louder and louder, and suddenly noticed the uncertainty and fear growing on both the 'King' and the Margraves face. Shouting in a clear voice that drowned all the other Lords out, he exclaimed. "If any man were worthy to hold this throne, it would be this man. A king must be King in blood, as well as in title. Therefore, Hail King Georg I, may his line last for a thousand seasons and more!" So saying, he slammed his fist to his chest, and bowed before his new lord. More hails began to echo round the hall, until eventually it reached a cacophony that even old King Charles I may have heard.

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Part 2 : A new King in the North

"This Kleine Rat has been called into session. My King, may i present the Counts of the realm." Paul stated to the assembled small council, whose job would be to advise the king through the coming times of trouble. "No, no. I am already entirely aware who these people are. A king must know his own first, his enemies second i believe is the claim?" Said King Georg I, albeit in a less smooth manner then he had hoped. Countess Brunnhilde von Banzendorf of Ruppin picked up on this diplomatic uncertainty and smiled. Her husband, recently dead, had often said how good it was to have a King whose grasp of talking and socializing was poor, as there were always ways to advance your status. And Brunnhilde had taken these lessons to heart, as a young girl of fifteen, dragged away from her family in Bavaria and forced to marry the old,cynical Count of Ruppin. His death had been so soon that no children had been produced from their union, though not for lack of trying on his part. Count Giovanni Pierluigi I de Palestrina of Neumark noticed the slight smile on Brunnhildes lips and shook his head slightly. He knew what she was thinking. The young lady could only think about advancement and status, at least, when she wasnt busy praying to the Lord God. Giovanni saw this new king as a chance for Brandenburg to unite the still-warring kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire, and forge a brighter future for the kingdoms of Europe. He had always loved the old tales of King Charles the Great, or Charlemagne, and his unification of almost all of civilized western Europe. Admittedly the kingdom had fractured with his sons but carefully placed blades and powder could have dealt with such a threat. Realising that while he had been daydreaming again, the entirety of the Kleine Rat had been staring at him.

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"Oh yes, my King, my lords, my lady. I must apologize, i was just thinking back to the news i received from the east. Nothing to concern you with yet but there is this." Pulling out a large map of the Margrave of Brandenburg back from 1250AD, Giovanni laid it out upon the table. "Here. On this map is Brandenburg as it used to be, and should be. As you can see, the current Duchy of Pomerania is technically part of this territory....." The King looked up suddenly at Giovanni, becoming noticeably more animated at this sudden discussion change. "You mean to say Count Palestrina-Neumark, that we have a reason to claim this land for our realm?" "Indeed my lord, we could very well war for this land, but i fear that our armies would not be able to compete with those of Pomerania and its allies, Bohemia and the Teutonic Knights. I would in fact suggest an all together different route to claim this land. You see, the current King of Pomerania has no son, only daughters and his oldest is right now eligible for marriage." Sliding over a pre-written message to the King, Giovanni continued. "If you were to sign this, we could have the marriage within the next month, and then there would be no need for war."Hans, who had been silently drinking out of his massive horn for beer began to laugh out loud at this proposal. "Marriage, while all good and well, is a foolish way to try and gain more land. War is for conquest, marriage is for making heirs. Simple." Chuckling when he finished, he placed his horn down and raised a hand to silence the protesting Giovanni. "Of course we need to get our king married soon, as an heir would certainly help the stability of this throne. And if you believe that a marriage with Pomerania may also get us land, then fine, do what you will." Pushing his chair from the table, Hans grabbed his horn and began to leave. Before exiting the council chamber, he turned to his king, proclaiming. "And ive seen all of the daughters of the King of Pomerania. If your marrying the oldest one, i must say you are a lucky man. She will certainly not be difficult to make heirs with my King!" Issuing a deep-bellied laugh upon his statement, he stumbled out, leaving the small council to discuss other matters.

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Georg I paced the floorboards outside the door of his bedroom over and over, listening carefully for any sounds that would reveal what is happening. The screams of his wife had stopped twenty minutes ago, after going on for almost three hours. Each one had been like a dagger into his heart, ripping him open as he dreaded seeing his beautiful flower broken. Hedwig had arrived at the palace one year ago, and she had been everything that Hans had promised and more. Upon stepping from her carriage that had brought her south, he had immediately noticed her icy blue eyes, a perfect match for her pure blond hair. They had talked for hours and hours in the chambers before their sudden marriage, arranged and done before a small collection of Lords and Ladies in the castle cloister. Before the night of the wedding, Georg I had gone to meet with Hans, who had suspected that Georg I might be lacking in certain areas of expertise in being a King. Him and Hans had met two months later, when the news that Hedwig was pregnant was made public to the realm. Hans had clapped him on the back and shouted about how useful his advice must have been. The creak of the door opening brought him out of the reminiscing, as the Nun from the Church of St. Paul moved closer to speak with him. " My King, you may come into the room now." "Is my wife fine? Is the child?" He mumbled, his inability with socialising with anyone but his with and Hans becoming even worse as dread and worry got a stronger hold on him. The nun merely walked into the darkened room, as he followed her. "Hedwig!" He exclaimed as he saw his wife, resting upright on the bed holding a baby in her arms. "Are you hurt? Please dont be hurt, please." Hedwig rested her hand on his arm as he rushed to her side. "Its fine Georg. The nun was very good, very helpful." Georg turned to the nun, handing her a large bag of ducats and indicating she should leave.

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Hans reached the castle and leapt off his horse, rushing through the doorway at such a speed that he knocked the gatekeeper to the ground. "My apologies warden!" He shouted as he ran through the castle til he reached his Kings bedroom. Two guards blocked his entrance and refused to let him in. "I am here to see my King, let me through!" "Im afraid the king has requested that he not be disturbed at this moment my lord." Stated one of the guards, their halberds blocking anyones entrance. Hans knew they would not let him through for anything, which could mean good or bad. Though if the king did not want to see anyone... It might be jumping to conclusions but that did not sound good. Raising his head, he saw his King standing before him, a large grin on his face. "Hans, apologies for the guards, i was just busy with my wife." "So they are both alive and well my lord?" Hans stood and moved towards Georg I upon asking. "Yes. Both Queen Hedwig and the Prince are well." "The prince my lord?" Hans asked, hardly believing the luck that the realm was experiencing. This new king, who he had hailed merely out of sorrow, was turning into the best decision he could have made. "Yes", said the King as he pushed the door open to reveal his wife and the newly born boy,"My son, Prince Johann of Brandenburg."


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I'll sub because I'll always follow a Brandenburg/Prussia AAR and because I'm a fan of George Smiley
 
The Northern March Chapter Two : The Red Eagle Rises

Part One : The Intervention

"More news from our spies in Burgundy, my king. They tell us that King Phillipe II has declared war on yet another nation, this time the Kingdom of Lorraine. Our allies, the Milanese have being called into what is being called by most nations the Great Burgundian War. There is no word yet from our spies in Bohemia and Austria but we can safely assume that they will not be pleased with this news. It seems that the star of Burgundy can only go higher." Margrave Paul stated, closing up the parchment he received an hour ago. King Georg I looked around at the members of the court. It had been only five months since the birth of his son and already the stability he had ensured with an heir was crumbling. The lack of warfare and conquest since the split from the Luxembourgs had caused serious doubts, and if he did not secure land or glory for Brandenburg soon....There would be no Kingdom for his son to inherit. "Who else has joined on the side of Lorraine?" Paul took out another piece of parchment and perused it before answering. "A few minor nations my lord. Holland, Hainaut, Mainz, Cologne and Bavaria. It should be an easy war for Burgundy." Giovanni stepped up to the King, who lent to listen to the count, and began to whisper in his ear. "My king, if i may suggest, we could easily obtain a war on any of those at war with Milan, with no fear of intervention by Bohemia. We could then use this to strengthen our own kingdom, hopefully to the point were we can even threaten some more....substantial powers." Georg I mused over this suggestion before answering. "Who would you suggest?" "Mainz would be the obvious choice. They are an elector, they have weak allies and friends, and they are close enough to make it a quick war." The king remained silent for a few seconds, clearly considering his options. Suddenly he stood up and began to walk out of the great hall. On the way out, he stopped, resting a hand on Pauls shoulder and stating in a confident manner. "Tell the troops to assemble. We ride to Mainz within the month."

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The Brandenburg army had swept down upon the unsuspecting Thuringians and their Wurzburg allies. Within a day, the enemy had lost 2500 troops, and the Brandenburgs only 1800. What seemed to be only a minor victory to some, Georg knew that this was an important day. As he sat in his war tent, the army preparing to move out and hunt down the remnants of the Thuringians, Hans stepped through the cloth door, wiping some of the blood on his breastplate on it. "Well we certainly showed them the price of fighting with Brandenburg. Im leaving with the scouting parties in the hour and just wondered if you wanted to celebrate our first victory of many, my lord." So saying Hans seated himself in the seat directly opposite the King, and pulled out the drinking horn that never seemed to be far away. "You certainly did well today, my King. Your assault upon the western flank with all of our reserve cavalry demolished their lines. How did you know that they had placed most of their Wurzburg reinforcements on the left?" Leaning over the map that showed his current enemies, King Georg took a deep gulp of his wine before replying. "It seemed logical, as they feared a Hessian assault more then an ambush. Our luck there gave us the advantage." "You certainly know more about warfare then you do about diplomacy my lord, ill give you that." Standing up, Hans looked at the map once more. "Are you sure we can defeat so many? We are outnumbered three to one." "They are fools Hans. They wont fight together, but alone." Hans smiled at those words, and left the tent, drinking once more from his horn.

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Part 2 : The Eight Years War

The rain spitted down on the most recent battlefield of the Brandenburgian war. Another victory for the invincible armies of Brandenburg, or so it seemed. Hans walked his way through the dead as he searched for what he dreaded. Reports had come in recently that men had seen King Georg, charging his cavalry straight into the centre of the Colognian army and that was the last time anyone had seen him. Hans pushed over another knight, checked his face and saw that it was not Georg. Somewhere on this battlefield lay the general who had made this war possible so far. Somewhere.

Three hours later and the rain had turned into a heavy downpour, the raindrops drumming on Hans' armor. He had looked over every dead man he could find, and still no sign of his king. Looking back over the battlefield and the thousands dead, Hans conceded defeat. The body of the King may have been lost, in this field in the middle of Ansbach, but the zeal with which he had fought every battle would not be forgotten. The drums signalling the death of the king were already booming across the vast expanse of silence when Hans gave up his search. Georg I was dead.


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The death of the King had come as a shock to most, especially the young Queen who had been in her room for over 3 days now, refusing to come out and talk to anyone. The only one who was not concerned was his young son Johann, who at the tender age of 4, did not understand yet that his father had died ensuring his son a kingdom worth ruling. The army in the field was now being commanded by a general who called himself Konrad the Great, a wandering knight who had fought with the Brandenburgians the entire campaign. For all his grandiose and arrogance, Hans had hired him because the assurance of his greatness came from him being great. Konrad had led them to more victories, as the Mainz Alliance was weakened again and again. Hesse leaving the war and cancelling its alliance had cause trouble for the army, as they now fought alone. All of these events, while bad, did not weaken the strength of Brandenburg, Giovanni noted. If anything, they just made the people stronger and more ferocious in their resolve. Even with this boost for morale though, Giovanni knew that the end of the war was a long way off.

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Part 3 : The Treaty of Wurzburg

Regent Paul von Anhalt-Dessau stepped into the State Room of the Wurzburg palace. He turned around to hold the door for the youn King Johann, who had insisted on coming to the signing of the treaty. Paul had allowed it, as it would be good practice for the young boy, to get used to watching people sign his demands. The eight bishops, dukes and a syndic from Frankfurt were already assembled and prepared to sign. They had watched their crops burn, their armies be crushed and their castles fall, and not a single enemy soldier had set foot on Brandenburg soil. The representative of the eight, the Archbishop of Wurzburg, stepped forward and began to read the treaty. Due to the circumstances, they had been offered only unconditional surrender, with no chance of appealing for any changes. "All members of the Mainz Alliance that sign will; never attack Brandenburg or join in a war against it, never set foot on Brandenburg soil unless they are fighting a war on its side, will sign over all rights as individual nations and become vassal states to it." The Archbishop stopped reading here and looked up at Paul and the young king. "You're going to vassalise all of us? Eight different nations? The emperor will not stand for this! I wont stand for this!" Paul began to step forward, to explain the situation, when suddenly King Johann spoke up. "You have no choice. Unconditional surrender. You will accept, or you will die and your successor will accept." All the gathered lords turned to look at this boy, who had managed to put so much hatred and threat into his statement while maintaining such a calm look and tone. "I...I....we will sign. We will sign, my....king." Muttered the Archbishop, the moment taking him by surprise. Paul looked down at his King and nodded to him, taking pleasure in the way he had dealt with the Bishop.

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Well thats two posts in 24 hours, and there will probs be a 2 day/3 day break for me now, as i have to do my Polish MP AAR as well
 
still that 24 infamy is a killer. vassalising all those countries was not my best plan, but thats what you get for having a child king.
 
Yeah i lied. I said i would take a break but this BB campaign is just too much fun :D. So here is the next chapter.

The Northern March Chapter 3 : The Pomeranian Succession

Part 1 : An Empire in Flames

Christian Zikwitz had been looking forward to working for the new King of Brandenburg for his whole life. A second son of a trader from Neumark, he had been given to Count Giovanni as an aide. His father had seen him as merely a drain on the family funds but Giovanni had seen much more in this young boy. He had elevated him to the rank of advisor, then as the Margrave of Neumark when Giovanni was forced to leave during the Eight Years War. Christian had taken pride in his work and had attempted to prove his worth to his lord to the best of his ability. All that hard work had paid off, as his ability to ensure that the minorities of Neumark felt valued and as considered as their Germanic brethren had led to his most recent employment as the King's Envoy. Now he held court with Kings and Dukes and the most recent news he had recieved was most fascinating. It seemed that Bohemia was in a war against Burgundy and Austria. Tens of thousands of troops had been raised and marched around the Holy Roman Empire, and it was said the villages and towns were been burned and pillaged from Bar to Stiermark, as the great nations fought. Truly, thought Christian as he walked into the Hall of King Johann, we live in interesting times.

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Part 2 : The Warrior King

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Johann watched from his golden throne as all the lords of the land came to swear fealty to their new king. As each passed and said the words that would bind him to Johann, the boy king nodded and smiled at them. His father may have been diplomatically disabled but he was not. He knew that a kingdom did not run on war alone, it had to be balanced by negotiations and administration. Sure, a show of force could maintain an empire or kingdom for a few years but eventually it would fail. Promises, words and money were needed to ensure lasting survival. Ironic then, that his first act as King Johann VI of Brandenburg was to declare war upon the Pomeranians. "Thank you my lords and ladies," He exclaimed once the last of them had gone before him, "I assure you that i shall use your oaths wisely. Please ride back to your fiefdoms now, for i shall need you and your troops in the coming war." Walking over to his two most trusted advisors, the diplomat Christian and the Margrave Paul, Johann began discussions of the coming war. "Our current forces number eight thousand infantry and four thousand cavalry, correct?" "Indeed, my lord." "Then i shall ride with them tomorrow to Stettin and then the Hinterpommern. The Pomeranians have no army to stand in our way." So saying, Johann motioned for his Squire, a boy the same age as him, to gather his armor and bring his warhorse. "Might it be wise to wait til we know the forces of the Russians first, lord?" "I fear no Novgorod scum. They shall arrive to late to save their allies." Leaving the hall, Johann admired the vast Brandenburgian army gathered before him, stretching all around the walls of Berlin in their camps. He understood his fathers love of war now. There was a certain appeal to it, to its glory and absolute certainty. May his first battle be like his fathers, a resounding victory.

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The great-sword sliced downwards, whistling as it cut through the air into the shoulder of the Pomeranian Knight. The pure force behind it buried it right into his body, cleaving him upon and causing him to scream until Hans finished him with a knife to the throat. Looking round, he saw that the rest of the Brandenburg cavalry had cleared up the bulk of King Gryfs valiant defense of Stettin. Knowing that this battle was the end of Pomerania, Hans bent down and begun to loot the bodies of the nearest enemies. No sense letting all that expensive armor and other accompaniments go to waste. Who knows, he might even get lucky and... Ah-ha! Bloody brilliant he thought, as he pulled out the skin of some drink. Smelling it, he recognized it as some of the expensive French wine he had heard about. Sitting down on the ground to get a good drink, he thanked the corpse of the knight for his courtesy in giving a fellow soldier a little charity. "Drinking with the dead again, Hans?" Said someone from behind him, causing him to leap and swivel rapidly, spilling some of the wine on his breastplate. The face of King Johann smirked down at the Count from its bloody helm, as the king dismounted and walked towards the knight. "Aye my king, they are poor company but they dont complain." Hans chuckled, offering the skin to the king, who took it and took a gulp. "They put up a good fight Hans. I never expected them to try defend here though. Nothing of value and no easily hold-able positions. Ah well. This war is over for them now." The King remounted and rode off at this statement, leaving Hans by himself once more. Hans feared for the young King, as he knew the danger in fighting on the battlefield. He did not want to lose another king during a pointless battle. Putting the skin into his armor, Hans continued to search for more treasures in the corpses.

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Part 3 : The Battlefield is a Dangerous Place

The new King of Pomerania laughed as he rode with his knights through the Hinterpommern forest after the fleeing Russians and Norwegians. Johann VI relished his new title and the new name his soldiers had given him, the Warrior King. He was no longer held in low regard for being only a boy, not after the countless victories over the Danish, Norwegians and Novgorodians. All had tried to invade the Kingdom of Brandenburg but none had succeeded. Now he was merely awaiting the reply from the Russians on the white peace he had offered, as he had no intention of claiming any of their land. "The enemy has been spotted my King! Only a kilometer away by the scouts estimation and fleeing for the Bohemian border." Johann looked to the side, at the hundreds of knights at his side. Another easy victory for the Brandenburgians then. It was a shame, he thought, how no enemies they fought seemed to be able to give them any kind of trouble. Maybe the Bohemians, an old enemy, would be worth attacking next.... "The King of Bohemia" He whispered to himself, finding satisfaction in the title. It was certainly something that he deserved to have, and the Bohemians were not as strong as they had used to be. He snapped out of his dreams for power as the first line of knights smashed into the Norwegian lines, as they had attempted to set up a barricade, far too late. Shouts of pain and screams suddenly came from the western flank of the riders, as arrows and bolts began to fly out of the woods. "Ambush!" Shouted the King, attempting to see the archers in the darkness. "Ambus...Argh!" He cried out as a bolt dug through his back causing him to fall from his horse. Staggering to his feet, another bolt fired into his back, dropping him onto his knees. Blackness began to cover his vision, his last sight been that of his proud army annihilating the Norwegians. Then his body shuddered as he breathed his last, upon some pointless battlefield on the border of Neumark.

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"Lord Christ, protect us during these dangerous times. Protect our King and those of his blood. Grant us victory against the heathen. Amen." Paul repeated the same prayer he had every day since Johann had left. He had always believed in his own ability, in not relying on some greater power but when war came calling, and he could not intervene or fight, he prayed. Pulling out his appointment list, he noted that he had a lesson with Wilhelm Friedrich, the younger brother and current heir to the throne of Brandenburg. Until Johann came back from war and had the time to have a family, Wilhelm was the second most important man in the realm. This day would be spent learning, he flipped over to the schedule to check, oh yes that's right, the status of Electors and their roles. Paul began walking to his office, where the necessary books lay, when suddenly Count Hans rushed through the door. "Ah Hans, i thought you were busy fighting the Russians with our King in Hinterpommern? Has the battle already ended?" "The battle has indeed ended but at a terrible price." Exclaimed Hans, seating himself in one of the churches pews.
"I rushed here as soon as i could, riding the entire day, to bring you the news. Our King has died fighting the Norwegians. They say he was killed by archers in an ambush on the forest border." Paul propped himself upon the nearest pillar as the news hit him.
"I had hoped to have no kings die during my Margraveship, and now we have two already..." He muttered to himself, closing his eyes as he tried to absorb what had happened.
"We must tell Prince Wilhelm. The body is been brought back at the head of the army tomorrow for a grand burial. The soldiers refuse to fight til their King has been buried. They did love him so, more then his father." Stated Hans, taking the initiative when he saw the pain he had caused Paul.
"Yes, yes of course. I have a lesson with the Prince soon, i shall tell him there. Who will tell the Queen Mother?"
"I will. I fear the news will hurt her most of all...." Hans solemnly said, as the bells of the villages in Brandenburg began to ring. All the realm now knew of the Warrior Kings death.


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And just to say this in my non-AAR font (which seems to change everytime i type) i am shocked at how rapidly my kings die. it makes for great narrative, but i need them to stop dying in battle or its gonna get boring for people reading soon :D
 
Well sorry to disappoint anyone who was keeping up with this but im ending it here. It was interesting test but i clearly need to go back and refine my writing style/narrative. Also choose a better country. So dont expect anymore updates.

CLOSED (FOR MAINTENANCE WILL BE BACK ASAP) - MRSMILEY
 
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Well sorry to disappoint anyone who was keeping up with this but im ending it here. It was interesting test but i clearly need to go back and refine my writing style/narrative. Also choose a better country. So dont expect anymore updates.

CLOSED - MRSMILEY

I personally would say keep going -- a minor setback makes an AAR more interesting, not less so. I think your writing is fantastic and needs no improvement. That said, I'll eagerly follow whatever you get to next!
 
yeah i just need to make a quick comment, and i said it on the AAR posting forum thing, but this is only closed for maintenance. I will be starting it up again, i just feel that my style isnt right yet. And god do i suck at paragraphs. So yeah, i kinda ment if your following this, dont expect anything to be up for at least a week. That said, im probably lying, and ill be putting up one as soon as i play the campaign again. :D
 
yeah i just need to make a quick comment, and i said it on the AAR posting forum thing, but this is only closed for maintenance. I will be starting it up again, i just feel that my style isnt right yet. And god do i suck at paragraphs. So yeah, i kinda ment if your following this, dont expect anything to be up for at least a week. That said, im probably lying, and ill be putting up one as soon as i play the campaign again. :D

I'm glad you decided to stick with it, I've been really enjoying this so far. I love your style so far, so don't change too much!
 
just played another 20ish years, which should be enough for another 2 chapters, especially seeing as there have been some very interesting things going on. Next update should be up in probs 10-11 hours, with the 5th chapter popping up the day after hopefully. Quickest updates around :D
 
The Northern March Chapter 4 : The Bohemian Question

Part 1 : King Wilhelm Friedrich the Great

Friedrich pondered over the the note he had just received from his vassal, the Duke of Thuringia. 'The western front of Bohemia has fallen, my King, as their armies flee eastwards. We shall begun our push for the capital tonight.' He had read to himself out loud, as he wondered whether his vassals knew the true nature of the Bohemians. They were not fleeing east so much as they were repeatedly defeating his army in numerous engagements, forcing Wilhelm to rely on timed retreats and hasty maneuvering. Thankfully two good things had come out of this war. Firstly, the capture of a shipment of the Bohemians new weapons, longbows they were called, and secondly, the refusal of the French to honor their alliance with the Luxembourgian King.
Both of these details were conjoined, as the French could not come to the Bohemians aid thanks to a grand war between them and the Burgundians, Austrians and English, and the longbows had come from pillaged English supply lines. Now the armies of Bohemia and Brandenburg were on par, and Wilhelm could more comfortably engage them. He was not allowed to lead his troops from the front though, like his predecessors, as Margrave Paul and his Klein Rat forbade it. He had considered ignoring them but he could see where this policy of protection came from. They did not want to lose another king in a war.


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The Brandenburgian Grand Army marched in the city of Praha under utter silence. The city had been sacked and burned only four days previously and the King had been captured at the battle of Niederlausitz. It was there that King Wilhelm had forced him to accept the terms and sign a treaty at Praha. Now all of Bohemia could only watch as their once proud nation was put to shame by the Kingdom of Brandenburg. Giovanni's dreams for the kingdom were getting closer to closer to fruition, as the Kings of Brandenburg, though short-lived, burnt brightly in their strength and dedication. Soon the Bohemians would sign in the Grand Hall of the Palace, watched by their ancestors from statues and paintings, as they signed away the province of Breslau and the vassaldom of Silesia. While only a minor part of the Kingdom, Giovanni knew that it would demoralize the other German nations who had to fight Brandenburg, and send a message to any other nations that they should fear the rise of the North. Still... his conversations with Paul had revealed something that the western nations had tried to ignore. A great evil had risen in the east... No. No, thought Giovanni, it is nothing to be afraid of yet. Today is a day of celebration and joy.

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Part 2 : The North United

Emperor Wilhelm Friedrich I.... A good name, thought King Wilhelm. He would look forward to becoming the emperor. The Austrians had been lax, letting the Brandenburgians gain so many electors as vassals. Now he held three votes and was so close. Looking round the deep Hinterpommern forest, he hoped this meeting with his cousin would produce the results that had been promised. A meeting with a representative of the Emperor, and the promise of potentially sharing the crown. Life had been too good lately.
"Halt sire." Called one of the men, as the King rounded a corner and found his guard staring at the bridge to the Kolberg.
"Is there any reason we are stopping?" Asked the King impatiently.
"Lord Balur pointed out that something seems wrong with the bridge. my King. I agree. It seems to have been weakened, possibly through the heavy rain we have had recently. We should find another place to cross." Stated the knight, looking up and down the river. The King huffed at this and moved his horse closer to the bridge to see for himself. One of the knights suddenly drew his sword and called out that he saw something in the forest behind them. The king looked over as his other three guards went to see. The bridge seemed to be mostly fine, thought the king. "I think we should attempt to cross. The bridge should hold our weight still." Upon this statement the King began to move, only to feel a sword on the back of his neck.
"I'm afraid there will be no crossing my lord." Wilhelm turned to look at his aggressor to see Lord Balur, one of his sworn guard, holding the sword. The other knights lay behind him, cut open while checking the forest.
"What? Have you lost your mind man? I am your King!"
"You are not my King if you are dead. Your cousin sends his regards." Balur grimaced as he pushed the blade through the Kings throat. He took no pleasure in killing his lord and breaking his oath but Joachim had hired him for one purpose alone. Kill the king before he can marry and have other heirs. Time to go see his new king Balur supposed, throwing his sword other the bridge and mounting his horse.


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The Peace of Hamburg in the year of our lord 1437. Joachims first victorious war as King of Brandenburg and of the North, as appointed by the Emperor himself. The power of the Hansa, whose Stattholder had been found guilty of devilry and witchcraft, causing his excommunication, had been broken and their lands restored to their true rulers. Under Brandenburg protection though, of course. Joachims reign had been fraught with disaster though. First had been the rise of Count Hans, who had claimed that Joachim had killed the previous King for the throne and should be deposed. His capture and execution in the Berlin main square had ended any questions of Joachims rule, though it may have played a part in the death of the Margrave Paul von Anhalt-Dessau. He had refused to leave his quarters after the death of Hans, only coming out to pray once a day. He had been found, in early 1436, dead at the feet of Saint Paul, his own sword through his heart. Though the looks of hatred and anger had disappeared from his subjects, they had only been replaced by fear and horror.
Count Giovanni, the only surviving member of the Klein Rat and the holder of the new title of Berater des Konigs, watched as King Joachim stared at the city of Berlin. He knew what his King was thinking, and he knew that the accusations against the King were correct. He could not let that be known or recognized for one second though, as it would cause the realm to fall apart at the seams. Giovannis whole life work, his entire dream of a united Empire, lay with ensuring this deceitful, disgusting man continued to hold the throne. If he lost it, then not only was Brandenburg doomed but so was the Holy Roman Empire and possibly the world. News had reached the courts of Europe about the fact that they had long ignored but no longer could. The Russians had fallen to the Golden Horde. The Teutonic Order had fallen to the Golden Horde. The Polish were struggling to hold back the Golden Horde. Nothing could stop them, nothing could halt their inevitable rush for Europe. They were coming, and it may already be too late to stop them.


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