A century of not so much decline.
Protestant religion gains a new supporter in 1530, as the nation of Mecklemburg accepts this new religion. All Nordic CoTs are now ruled by Protestant states.
Russia goes to war with a huge alliance of Moslems in early 1532, asking us to join. There now exists a state of war between us and Golden Horde, Uzbek Kaganate, Sibir and Chagatai Khanate.
During the same year our alliance goes to war with Austria and France, whom we are eager to declare a war on, as we share no border with them. Thinking to strike early and strong we sail for Cyprus, but after a failed landing we return back to Venice, from which we plan a new attack on French Italy. A landing then takes place in Modena-Firenze, but our medieval pikes were no match for the French army, armed with Muskets and artillery.
Our army destroyed to the last man, we were to meet the wrath of the French. Luckily for us, they could only attack us by sea. Luckily because just as they ruled the land, we ruled the sea. Our navy was refitted to the best quality and quantity to defend our shores from our enemies. The French navy suffered heavy losses, whereas ours lost not even a full escardon: In the total of twenty five battles we fought around the Adriatic Sea our losses were three galleys. The French lost five warships, eleven galleys and two transport ships.
As a result of our magnificent performance on the sea, we were able to block off all French invaders. The French now came into a dead end, and were happy for the white peace we gave them in late 1536. Not only had we gained a huge boost of political prestige, as the world now looked upon us as the leading nation in navalwarfare, but also the returning victoriuos ships brought back a treasure, a treasure which would change the priorities of Venetian politics once and for all, a treasure worthy of which the huge losses of the war, a treasure of the decade, no a treasure of the century:
Maps, maps, oh so many maps... The French had lost most of their grand navies in endless battles with the Spaniards, resulting in the unification of the mediterranean and the Atlantic fleet. The base of this fleet was in the Ligurian Sea. The French admirals had to do tasks around the world, fighting in the new world and Africa. The French thought that their navy was invincible as long as it moved together. They had thus placed all of their high command on the ships during their thrust on us. Now, as their luck in the seas were not so great, we were able to defeat the ships and capture some of them, along these ships we captured many commanders of the French fleet, some of which had been to the new world themselves in the past. Questioning them, as well as capturing the maps the ships had with them, the navies coming back home were to present us with something unique. Not only did we learn more of the sea they call Atlantic, but also we were to see the excact location of the area they call "The New World". So many times had we heard rumors of it, mostly from the Spanish traders, but now it was all for true!
A company was formed to look into the area. Although the republic was at first reluctant, but after recieving the first golden ducats from our trading post in the area called Standacone, they were more happy to make the needed investements. For quite some time we suffered from inflation, and our merchants lost their competetive edge on the markets, but for such a small price were able to furthermore expand our colonies in the area known by its former owners, France and England, as Canada.
Canada is soon settled by us, at least the amount of what we know of it, we hear tales of other nations close to us, nations which time has not changed...
The immensive amounts of tar, wood and other resources important for building a decent navy, soon flow to our nation, resulting in an even more strong navy.
In the old continent the most important issue of the decade is the fact that due to the collapse of the Papal alliance, we are able to attack Ragusa, taking Kosovo from them. It is with the excuse of this war that the Russians leave our small allaince and seek for glory on their won.
It is July of 1540 that the world is shocked by news, so extreme and so devastating that the leader of our nation is almost about to choke on the wine he is drinking: Austria has inherited the realms of Hungary!!! The little minor, the dying empire, the ridicule of all Europe HAS TAKEN CONTROL OF HUNGARY! Not only does this completely wreck the Polish alliance, make the Franco-Austro alliance the strongest in the world, expanding from the Atlantic to the Black Sea, but also it makes it impossible for us to ever again be at war with France. The danger factor of our region has risen tenfold, at least. For two decades, two long dark and terrifying decades, the alliance lasts...
The aforementioned events even further isolate us from the European theatre, and as such we are able to concentrate on our colonial empire. Calvinism strikes Europe in 1540 but with very little results at first, due to the indirect pressure from the Austro-Franco alliance.
In 1551 the political climate is slightly more refreshing for us, as the French ask and recieve a military access from us, preventing them to strike us with the speed they could have.
In 1560 Cyprus declared independence from France, but was annexed two years later. This event was a prologue for the inevitable, in late 1560 the Franco-Austro alliance breaks down, with Austria declining the call for war against Russia.
The following events are filled with mist, schemes and strong men who refused to play by the book. Austria quickly allies with Burgundy and many of the North German states, thus swallowing the alliance of the Pope. The French are at first unable to ally with anyone else but their financial ally Genoa, but in 1565 with the independence of the Netherlands from Burgundy, they began to build up. An as if the situation was not too tense already, the Palatinat declares Calvinist in 1569 after three decades of Pope-incited force-catholicism. The natural choise of alliance for this reformed state, is of course the Netherlands, and thus France. The Pope is humbled, but has to agree the call of the French alliance, for his own security.
Our alliance during this time, fought some irrelevant wars with our Eastern neighbours. Byzantium gained some land, we did not even fight, all was so irrelevant as we had no gains in that region. However to ensure the welfare of our vassal and thus the stream of money coming from them, we invite both Poland and Lithuana to our alliance in 1569.
In the British Isle, the only visible reform of the latter period of the century is Scotland going Protestant and later reformed.
The world war finally kicks in 1570. France, Genoa, The Palatinat and the Pope declare a war on Austria, Burgundy and Wurzburg. The Netherlands are too busy elsewhere to fight the war. The war ends in 1572 to a very reasonable peace deal: Austria gains Baden, the only French province with German being the dominant culture.
In 1572 as a counter-measure to the reformations of faith in Europe, the Pope begins a campaign for counter-reformation. Spain, the country which has been the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire for half a century in a row, is the first to declare participation in the campaign. Aragon follows, only a year later.
In 1576 Ragusa declares independent from Austria. The thrones of these empires were united only a decade before. We use this chance we have to declare and annex this state. The annexation is naturally blessed by the Pope, as he wishes to see the fall of Austria and rise of France and thus himself.
Papal states goes counter-reformed in 1577. Lithuana went Calvinist in 1590.
In August of 1603 a genious squad leader of our army presents us with a plan to expand the knowledge we have on the new world. We hire him to do the job, and soon he and his companions, Cartographers, soldiers, settlers and other miscallenious people are shipped to Standacone, which by that time had grown into a city.
The man we sent meets the rumoured people, which time had forgotten in the early 17th century. Apparently they are calling themselves Iroquois and Huron. We search the surrounding areas and civilize the wild neighbouring areas, filled with fur animals and naval supply raw materials. Our success in Canada is so triumphant that the revolting states of England seek into our regime. The defections happen in the first century of the seventeenth century. Even the famous refinery of Acadie joins our realm, even further advancing our trade.
During the 17th century very few wars are fought, but large peaceful annexations take place: Austria annexes Burgundy in 1608 resulting in a COT opening in Bohemia, stealing our markets and Spain annexes Aragon in 1613.
It is in January of 1630 that our Canadian empire gains the blessing making it perfect: a Center of Trade is opened in the capital of our Canada, Standacone. The only competition this COT gains is the one from Spanish Zacatecas, which is rumoured to be somewhere much South from our posessions.
Looking back at the century we achieved three great goals: 1.We gained a colonial empire. 2.We cut the tech gap. (From 8 levels in behind to 1 level in behind in land tech.) 3.We improved our infrastructure greatly. (LVL 4 infra and Legal counsel promotions)
Here are some maps of the period in question:
Asia in 1630. Note the humongous Mughal empire, who are the protector of the Sunni faith by the way. (BTW: I forgot the line between Persia and Ak Kyonkolu, they are not allied, I forgot it, sorry.)
Europe in 1630. (Forgot to colour up Bergenhus, it is Danish.)
Us in Canada in 1630. Not much commenting apart from the red dots, which are explained in the picture to be the defections from England.
Sorry for the long delay, but I was in a really busy situation in school and stuff. Game is kinda wierd at the moment. Mughals are überstrong with firearms already (lvl 11). I kinda wish I could see China before its "times of troubles" kick in. British Isles are odd. Russia is doing good. Austria being the white block, and France expanding to Italy. Germany is stranger than normal, Poland and Lithuana eaten up, the Netherlands born and Sweden live and kicking. Exciting maybe, only time will tell......
