Sienese Campaign

March - December 1517

With the declaration of war of Florence upon Siena in March of 1517, the Italian Peninsula was once again thrown into chaos. Florentine forces under the command of Turchetto da Lodi marched on Siena. Da Lodi and his army expected a quick battle in the field, and a prompt surrender of the city. What they found instead was the beginning of a long a grueling campaign - not just for themselves, but for all participants in the conflict.

It started with the siege of Castello Aiola. The Castle was relatively old when compared to Florentine fortifications, but it possessed sloped walls and was placed in a favourable position. With ample stores and a strong garrison, the fortress held out for 2 months before it was virtually reduced into a rubble-strewn hilltop. With this, the defenders finally surrendered.

With Aiola secured, the Florentines rapidly advanced on the city of Siena. Quickly surrounding the city, the Florentines hoped to have the city fall quickly to their attacks. Unfortunately for them, this fortification, too, was too tough to crack quickly. Resigning themselves to the fate of a long siege, they placed their siege camp south of the city, hoping to both give themselves an advantageous access to the Tressa River, but also to prevent any Papal reinforcements from breaking into the city without first giving battle to the bulk of the Florentine army.

This, of course, does mean that the Pope is involved in the war. As of May of 1517, the Pope had assembled an army and declared war upon the Republic of Florence. To complicate matters further, the Orsini were up to what can only be described as shenanigans.

Following the declaration of war by Florence upon Siena, the Orsini, which had mustered an army of largely light cavalry, raced to their territory of Pitigliano, within the territory of Siena. Adopting a rather peculiar position, the Orsini were simultaneously declaring themselves free of Sienese rule, while also insisting on their willingness to help the Sienese against the Florentines - as commanded by His Holiness, no less!

Utterly unable to deal with this nonsense in the rear, the local commanders of Siena decided not to contest the Orsini on this, and allowed them to effectively occupy all of the territory of Grosetto, pulling the garrisons towards the defence of Siena and its fortifications.

Siena would, despite the assistance from the Orsini, fall to the Florentines. After a long siege, the Florentines were finally able to use a combination of siege guns, sapping, and raids from within the tunnels under Siena to breach its defences and storm the city in late August of 1517.

The city was not spared the harsh realities of war.

Soon after this, however, the Florentines left a small garrison force to keep the skirmishing Sienese and Orsini troops at bay, and took the bulk of their force north. By this time the Papal forces had breached the Barberino defences, and placed Prato under siege.

For the remainder of the year, action in southern Tuscany remained scant. Bands of cavalry roamed and raided eachother, but no large force was willing to move out from their various hilltop fortifications. The situation settled into an uneasy stalemate, with Florence unable to land a killing blow on the Sienese government, who operated out of Montepulciano - still untouched by the Florentines, with much of it due to the capable command of Virginio Orsini, who rose to the occasion and deftly commanded the light cavalry, keeping the Florentine forces at bay.

Siege of Barberino

May - August 1517

Dispatching several garrisons to the northern passes, da Lodi continued the siege. Elaborate siegeworks were constructed of sloped embankments, gun emplacements, and a series of mines and tunnel-fighting. Siena itself was watered via ancient tunnels and caverns under the Tuscan Hills. Launching raiding parties through these caves and tunnels lead to a series of bloody skirmishes under the ground mirroring that of those above ground, where cavalry and infantry both fought in scattered, but intense, fighting around Siena and through the Tuscan hills surrounding the city.

While the Siege of Siena progressed slowly, the Papal forces in the Apennines were not having much luck either. Although they were able to beat the Florentine reinforcements to the Barberino, they were unable to crack the new fortifications constructed there without significant time to build ideal cannon emplacements. Significant time had to be dedicated to hauling equipment into the mountains adjacent to and overlooking the Barberino, to begin pounding the fortification into submission. This gave ample time for Florentine reinforcements to bolster the garrison, meaning that the fortress did not fall until August of 1517. By the time the fortress did fall, the Florentines were able to shift reinforcements around. Guido II Rangoni has the honour of being first over the walls of Barberino.

During the fighting, Ulrich von Sax was struck with a bout of dysentery which prevented him from leading from the front, which greatly affected his standing among his fellow Switzers. Gian Giordano Orsini was also wounded during the storming of Barberino, and although he survived, he caught a fever, and languished until December when he finally expired.

With the fall of Barberino, the Papal army unleashed itself upon Tuscany like a swarm of locusts. Light and heavy cavalry alike scoured the countryside, depriving the Florentines of the ability to move troops around in anything other than large columns of heavily armed and escorted troops.

The Papal forces were not the only enemies in northern Tuscany however. In the intermittent period, the Genovese and their allies made an entrance into Tuscany, putting Lucca and Pisa under threat.

Versilian Campaign

July - December 1517

Genovese forces included 2000 von der Marck Landsknecht, commanded by the Condottiero Gian Giacomo Medici di Milano. As he and the rest of the Genovese army pressed for Lucca, more reinforcements were being raised by the Governor of Milan - Louis de Bourbon, Prince de La Roche Sur Yon. Additionally, the Piombinese and Massese raised forces to join the Genovese in, hopefully, ousting the Florentines from Pisa and Lucca, and putting a stop to their generally aggressive ways.

While the Genovese were able to reach Tuscany relatively easily, there stood two very large fortifications in their way. To the east was Lucca, and to the south Pisa. Taking either of these would, with their new walls and extensive (and modern) fortifications, be very difficult.

Lucca would fall by the end of the year. Although their fortifications were new and very well-built, the city had no stomach for another protracted siege. The city had changed hands a half-dozen times in twice as many years. With Florentine garrisons shifted around to deal with the defence of Prato, Florence, and Pisa, the locals in the city threw the gates open and declared the city open, and neutral. Antonio Alberico II Malaspina was first into Lucca, and promised the people of the city that they would be safe under his protection for the duration of the conflict. Lucca would play no part in any further conflict, and Antonio Alberico made good on his promise.

This allowed Genovese forces to proceed with a relatively secure flank towards Pisa.

As the Genovese struck south towards Pisa, the Piombinese struck northwards. Cut off from the outside world, the city was not willing to go quietly as Lucca had. Pisa had held its own in several sieges the past few decades - and now they had bolstered defences that were a great boon to the ability of the city to hold out. If they could cause such a headache for the Florentines in 1500 with dirt embankments, what could they accomplish with stone and mortar?

By the end of the year, the countryside around Pisa was devastated, but the city held firm, with no signs of surrender on the horizon. Several assaults by the Genovese and Piombinese forces proved unsuccessful, even with Bourbon reinforcements - several thousand French Aventuriers bolstering their numbers.

Siege of Prato

August - December 1517

The Papal army descended from the Appenines upon Tuscany like a swarm of locusts. The city of Prato had seen this prior, not too long ago. Drawing on the recent history of the German King in Tuscany, the city of Prato steeled itself - with ample support from the Florentines - against the Papal army.

Not only was Prato able to offer ample resistance against the Papal army, it was able to completely thwart any attempts to capture the city by the end of the year. Defenders were even able to lead a series of devastating raids into the Papal camp, masterminded by the Florentine commander Niccolo Machiavelli. Florentine raiders were even able to identify the tent of Giulio de Medici, managing to stab the man in the leg and rendering one leg permanently lame as he scrambled to escape. He did, in the end, survive however. Annibale II Bentivoglio, however, did not survive. During one such raid, he lead his men in a desperate effort to drive these raiders out of the siege camp, and caught an arquebus blast to his unarmoured chest for his trouble.

Raids were not the only threat posed to the siege camp surrounding Prato, however. Disease began to percolate through the attacking army, rendering Ambrogio Landriani incapacitated.

Conclusion

The year saw campaigns started in both northern and southern Tuscany, but neither side was able to win a decisive knockout blow they were hoping for. A large part of this is due to the nature of fortifications in Italy, which seemed to be reaching a level of maturity that resulted in long, protracted sieges, rather than decisive battles in the field that the armies of Italy had grown accustomed to in the past 20 years.

Lucca fell to the Genovese alliance, as did Barberino and the Futa Pass to the Papal armies. But Florence was able to weather these defeats, holding these armies at bay with the mighty fortifications of Pisa and Prato respectively. The situation in the south, however, was in some ways a mirror of the north. While Siena did indeed fall to the Florentine forces, the war in the north forced the Florentines to abandon on dealing a knockout blow to Siena - which would open the road to Rome.

The next year could prove to be decisive - but then again, this year was intended to be decisive for both armies too.

October 1517

Charles de Croÿ, Count of Chimay and Imperial Prince, andrecently elected head of the Burgundian Circle, crossed the border from the Austrian Low Countries into Hainaut, aiming to reach his home of Chimay, on the border between Hainaut and the Kingdom of France.

In Chimay, he began to drum up discontent against the Estates of Hainaut, and in particular the French-appointed Governor, Charles' brother-in-law, Robert II de La Marck. Robert quickly heard of this, and dispatched his son, the Seigneur de Fleuranges, to lead local garrisons to Chimay, to arrest the insurrectionist.

After a brief struggle at the Château de Chimay, de Croÿ's garrison was forced to surrender, and with it, Charles was arrested by Robert de La Marck, Seigneur de Fleuranges. He was taken to Mons where the Estate Council are deliberating on what to do with him.

In 1504, we almost lost everything. After the Death of George of Bavaria, his Daughter, Elisabeth of Bavaria, inherited the Title alongside her Husband Rupert, but the Munich Line of Wittelsbach wanted to split up the Duchy with Bayern - Straubing.

But thankfully, Elizabeth and Rupert managed to get the Emperor to avoid the Split and ensure a deal with the Elector of the Palatinate to avoid the Doom of Landshut. Elizabeth died - leaving her Kids to rule the Duchy. Phillip and Otto Henry are both in minority and as such are under Regency by Frederick II, Elector Palantine.

We are the largest Duchy in Bavaria and enjoy the Privilege of Non Appeal. Yet, the 95 Theses were soon to stir a lot up in the Lands of the two Dukes...

It took Portugal time to recover from the costly war of 1509 against the Mamluk Sultanate and the Emirate of the Ocean. A period of reinvestment followed, as well as a reduced focus on expansion. Instead, Portugal built out its holdings in Kochin and the Malabar coast. Forts in Kolathunadu and Kollam followed, and eventually a permanent fortress was built in Kozhikode by 1517. The once-great Samoothiri of Kozhikode, known in Europe and the mighty Zamorin of Calicut, was reduced to a mere puppet of the Portuguese viceroy.

At the same time, that viceroy concluded an alliance with the powerful Vijayanagara Empire, whose star was rising. This gave Portugal the land-based power to dominate the Malabar Coast: inland resistance would be met with the armies of Vijayanagara. In return, however, Portugal waged costly sea wars against Emir Oruç Okyanuslu, who had allied himself with the Sultan of Bijapur, on behalf of the Hindu empire. While Portugal possessed a much more powerful fleet, the tactics of the locals had adapted to the Portuguese ways of war. Gujaratis, Hadramawtis, Malabaris and Turkish Ghazis had imported Ottoman shipbuilding techniques and had been learning to use their artillery in the Portuguese fashion. This made engagements much costlier for Portugal, so they had avoided northwards expansion.

Emir Oruç Okyanuslu had meanwhile established himself in Hormuz while recruiting warriors from the entire southern Arab peninsula, mostly from the Hadramawt, from the Malabar coastline, mostly Muslims chafing under Portuguese dominations, and from Gujarat. While his cause had originally been religious, the budget of his emirate now relied on dominance over the horse trade from Arabia to the Indian Peninsula, a monopoly he had wrested from local merchants. While this had damaged goodwill, the pirate maintained his reputation protecting pilgrims and merchants from Portugal where he could.

The Emirate and the Portuguese now most often met each other between Sri Lanka and Sumatra. Portugal had charted the Andaman Islands and the Malay Peninsula, conquering the city-state of Malacca in 1516. Muslim merchants were now moving to other cities, chiefly of which was Aceh in Sumatra. Having learned from the Portuguese, Oruç dispatched yearly convoys to Aceh, importing spices that were offloaded in the Red Sea. However, when these convoys ran into Portuguese ships, the results would be disastrous, often for both sides.

As such, conflict continued throughout the Indian Ocean. The local Muslim states, their merchants, and their 'pirates' could not kick out Portugal, but neither could this European power take complete control over the ocean. Nevertheless, the India Armadas were the biggest cash cow of the Iberian kingdom, and as long as they could bring home yearly hauls of spices worth their weight in gold, unchallenged by any other Europeans, Portugal was in a good position.

July, 1517

King David is 44 years old. He has been King of Georgia for more than 12 years. Under his watchful eye, the lands that were once divided all give tribute to Tbilisi. As he promised to his subjects and his Lords, the Turk was cowed through Crusade. Even now, the Franks bear down upon the White City and look towards Constantinopoli. One of David's greatest regrets was not emulating the deeds of his famous predecessor King Tamar, who installed the Autokrators of Trebizond by her own power...but any more would have inflated his ego past the breaking point. A man's head can only get so big before his neck snaps, especially a King whose brow is laden with a gold Diadem.

King David long distrusted his brother. Prince George is intelligent and ambitious- two things that are good in a King, but not in a Batonishvili, a Crown Prince. He had given George the Regency over the Co-King Luarsab, but even this was too close for comfort, too close to the reins of power. Thus, with an agreement with Shah Ismail George was made into the Mtavari of Yerevan- simultaneously a Governor and the one man who made King David's claim over Armenia legitimate. Finally, the succession was secure. David sighed with relief and began to draft plans for the future.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Foreign Policy

The foundation for all of Georgia's current tributary arrangements are Defensive Alliances against the Turk. Despite the blow that has been dealt, they still pose a threat (at the very least, a border) and the alliances are still considered valid and necessary by the Crown. From this day forward, the alliances are renewed and are expected to be renewed by any successor to any vassal state. Deviation from this norm will be considered treason.

Abkhazia has had a Defensive Alliance with Georgia for almost a decade. Now that Georgia is ascendant, King David is comfortable enough to declare Georgia the protector of Abkhazia- Turks, Tatars, and Circassians beware. This protection is expected to come with some sort of payment, either in money or in men...

Speaking of Circassians, mercenaries and the sons of Lords have come with their hosts and influenced Georgian politics since 1506. These men have connections with powerful Circassian families descending from Inal of Kabardia, such as the Chemirgoy, Besleney, Kabardia, and Shapsug tribes. King David wishes to "cash in" on these relationships, and propose Defensive Alliances with them against the Turk and Tatar.

Domestic Policy

With Peace and Unity as the law of the land, King David wishes to put one last thread in the tapestry of his long reign. For the longest time, the monasteries across Georgia have lain in ruin, destroyed by Turk and Georgian alike. Why should they remain in such a sorry state? The enemy has been beaten back! What better time would there be than now to restore one of Georgia's longest traditions of monasticism?

There would be time to do more, but for now, David needed to rest. He got tired more easily as of late. He blew out his candle, and went to bed. It would be a long day tomorrow arguing with the Darbazi.

[M]: Multiple things:

• Reiterating the Defensive Alliances with my vassals against the Turk. From now on, it is expected that these Alliances are renewed with every successor.
• Abkhazia is declared as a Georgian protectorate, and are expected to give some form of tribute.
• Circassian tribes are reached out to in order to create Defensive Alliances against the Turks and Tatars, using connections fostered over the last decade with Circassian mercenaries.
• Abandoned or damaged monasteries are repaired and new trusts are set up to support them. I'm thinking around 100,000 ducats with per tick payments? Could be more though.

July 1517

“Do not falter at this hour, but go onward in God's name, since both the blessed Saviour and the false prophet Mahomet conspire to deliver the enemy into our hands.”
~ Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, during the conquest of Oran

The Crowns of Spain declare war against the Ottoman Empire to drive back the Moors and liberate the Balkans from Turkish oppression.

Jul-Aug 1517

The Kingdom of France, will continue its Crusade efforts against the Sublime Porte.

[M: I'm stupid and I forgot to post this earlier.]

House Bourbon raises additional troops for the most Holy Crusade against the Turk.

[M: Raising in Auvergne. Forgor to post.]

7 May, 1517

Julius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, for future remembrance of the matter...

While the holy and righteous task of Crusade, which now stands at the pivotal moment, and which we planned to support with a force of our own this year, bolstered by ten thousand Sienese soldiers pledged to the Cross, the Republic of Florence, having disregarded our call for peace and unity between Christians in the name of the holy mission of the Crusade, rather than dedicating itself to that task, instead wages war against its Christian brothers in Siena.

We can no longer ignore the obvious policy which Florence pursues. When the powers of Christendom find themselves embroiled in matters of great importance, the Florentines weep and gnash their teeth, crying out that despite all the great wealth God has bestowed upon their Republic, their treasury has not even the tiniest mote of gold to spend. As much as they might wish to help, their hands are tied!

This deception is threadbare. It is not that Florence has no gold to spend on these matters. It is that they are too busy filling their appetite for land and slaking their thirst for blood at the expense of their neighbors. Siena is only the most recent of their targets. Before it came Lucca, Piombino, Pisa. Even our Patrimony itself has not been spared the ambition of Florence, for not a decade ago, the Florentines did put Rimini to the torch in their quest to conquer the Romagna!

It was our sincere hope that this madness was limited to a few men, and that, with their departure, a more pacific and Christian government would find its way to power in Florence. We know now that the bellicose impulses of the Republican government do not originate from the men who lead it. Otherwise, the expulsion of Piero Soderini and the election of new leaders would have ended this madness.

The two pillars which uphold society are the spiritual one, of wood, and the living one, of marble. The spirit is of wood, but not petrified; it is alive and growing and the many rings composing its trunk are the generations of saints which have ascended into heaven through the saving grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The marble is strong, mighty, and majestic, but fragile. In all of its glory, the masonry which has been carefully carved since before the days of Caesar still is susceptible to fissure, and always has many faces, not always harmonious. It requires a strong, steady hand to build and maintain. Florence, in opening the halls of power to the mob, has thrown a chisel to every man, who, rather than building and maintaining the pillar of marble, seek to carve out chunks of it for their own benefit. Now their pillar seems fit to topple, and with it, endanger the very fabric of Christian society.

The only medicine for this madness is faith in God and a strong hand. Force must be met by force. It is the only language they understand.

The Papal States declare war upon the Republic of Florence, in defense of Siena.

May 1517
After reports returned regarding the Spanish efforts in the Maghreb last year, Spain has decided to rebuild the ships that were lost during the campaign. The following will be built over the coming years:

• 14 Galliots
• 9 War Galleys
• 5 Gun Caravels
• 1 Gun Carrack

May/June 1517

Common within the Holy Roman Empire were the Cathedral Chapters, ones that had the right to decide the elections to ecclesiastical offices. In the Archbishopric of Mainz, the canons of these Chapters were drawn from the aristocratic elite, such status necessary after Archbishop Matthias of Bucheck's 1326 edict, and usually came from those that made their home in the encompassing or surrounding lands, and served as one of the primary ways for the smaller noble families to achieve further influence and wealth.

There were 12 that elected bishops and one for the position of Archbishop of Mainz. This latter one held significant sway over the whole principality, with their prestige distinguished by being able to elect an Elector. While still subject to the confirmation of the Pope, this gave the body the leverage to demand capitulations before casting their votes for any given candidate; a desperate noblemen could see himself agreeing to terms that made him a puppet. Over the years, all these capitulations had made the Chapter into a corporate body with its own financial assets, parallel to the administration headed by the Archbishop.

In 1252, Pope Innocent IV gave the Mainz Cathedral Chapter the right to add new members to itself, though requiring the Archbishop's confirmation. These additions also needed at the very least to be ordained a subdeacon, though only four seats required a priest and only these were bound to one residence. This meant that the remaining 20 canons, the total fixed to 24 in 1405, ended up living rather secular lives.

The opinion of the current Archbishop of Mainz, Albert von Hohenzollern, was that this system was unfair, inefficient and left the larger polity of Mainz decrepit. Considering this was an opinion formed by one that participated in and benefited from it, it shows how easy it was to see its faults. Indeed, seeing the peasant revolts that had recently sprung up worryingly close, and thinking of the recent history of inadequate military performance, had made him worried. Some of discontent was likely to come from the inherent systematic abuses and, most concerning, the negligence of religious duties, and the Archbishop's weak grip did nothing but encourage it.

Determined to solve these issues, he considered his options. He had not signed on any extreme terms, just the standard respect for the privileges of the canons and a whole load of monetary gifts, so while he certainly did not enjoy the scrutiny of the Chapter, there was room to maneuver. If he had his way, he would do away with the Chapter entirely, and rule as he saw fit. But that was a wild dream, and not something to entertain... So, once he had returned from the Crusade and paid enough lip service to his supposed illness, he got to work on what he could, for the moment.

[M]

The Archbishop of Mainz begins working under a initial set of new unofficial policies:

• Noble families from the parts of Upper and Lower Hesse that swore oaths of allegiance, as well as the Hohenzollern, will be favored when it comes to approval to the Cathedral Chapter and appointment to administrative positions;
• Approval of members to the Cathedral Chapter that are not part of the previous group will be put on hold, using delays and playing willful ignorance.

During Charles' departure from Guelders he had entrusted the regency of his duchy to his dutiful wife and a handful of noble advisors. His officer corps, most trusted lieutenants and a good chunk of the youth nobility were taken on crusade. Most of them would never return home, including Charles.

The news would take until Christmas 1516 to reach Guelders and it took Arnhem by storm. The duke had gone off to war countless times, more often ruling from afar than from home, so people were well used to intermediate regencies, but none had expected their triumphant duke to fail, moreover, to die.

Margerite, much as she liked, perhaps even loved her husband, wasted no time gathering the necessary nobility for a meeting of the estates to proclaim their eldest, Charles III as the duke of Guelders and to secure the passing of holdings and rights to Arnolf, the second son. The arrangements were such that Guelders and Zuthpen would remain united and some form of titles and holdings from the former county of East Frisia would pass on the Arnolf at a later date. She then arranged for the remains of the duke to be carried through Arnhem on a grand procession from the palace to the church, where she had craftsmen from Antwerp come over to create a stone likeness of her late husband - that he may be remembered forever as he was - with head attached. Special attention was given to invite the nobility of Utrecht, Burgundian Brabant, Holland and Zeeland, dignitaries from Frisia, and of course the beloved family in Bar-Lorraine to attend the lavish funeral. No expense would be spared for the liberator, the duke and great commander of Guelders.

The elaborate funeral and general estates preparations took a lot of time for Margerite, but she was diligent and thoughtful to send word to Guelders allies in Frisia to prepare a programme of public works, festivities and bribes of the more unruly elements in Frisian society - as the last thing she needed was another Frisian uprising. Criers and decrees were widely shared in mourning of the Potestaat and liberator, his deeds in repairing damages caused by the Saxons, investments into Frisian capacities and desire to Frisia thrive would be presented and widely shared.

As for Guelders itself, the noblemen of the realm on Margerite side would not be left emptyhanded - as the recently finished grand stables of Arnhem would be 'gifted' as recompense for the losses during the crusade and their continued loyalty in the face of threats over the past years from Frisia and Cleves. Most important of which, and the person who would effectively become the right-hand man of Margerite was count Bernhard van Meurs, who had spent time in place of Charles at the French court until the Guelders Estates had paid the full ransom for Charles.

[M]
Charles van Egmond is buried in the Eusibian church of Arnhem.
Charles van Egmond III is made duke of Guelders and potestaat of Frisia.
Arnolf van Egmond will receive, at some point, lands in East Frisia.
Margerite van Egmond enforces her regency with the general estates and seigneurity of Guelders.

TRANSFIX OF 1512, OR 'BASIC LAW', REFORMING OF THE 1396 'LETTER OF ALLIANCES':

ASSOCIATIONS:

• Wool Office/Tanners/Cloth Shearers - 4 seats.
• Iron Market
• Linen workers/Dye workers.
• Goldsmiths/Silversmiths.
• Merchants of Windeck
• Fur traders
• Merchants of the Heavenly Kingdom Painters, Sculptors, Saddlers, Glassmakers
• Belt/Bucklecutters/Bridle workers
• Stonemasons/Carpenters
• Forges
• Bakers
• Brewers
• Leather workers, bag and glove makers.
• Food Markets
• Fishmongers
• Tailors
• Shoemakers/Tanners/Clogmakers
• Armourers, weapon smiths and the Barber-Surgeon.
• Tinsmiths/Collarmakers
• Barrel makers/Winemakers and transporters.
• Linen/Coarsecloth makers.

Broad Council, or '44ers':

• 44 association representatives (two from each of the 22 guild associations)
• 23 member committee, 'the small committee', made a majority to run the city.

BROAD HOUSE PRIVILEGES:

Pledges not to undertake or prepare any new military campaigns on its own initiative.

No new alliances, documents or contracts were allowed to be concluded or entered into, regardless of which lords or estates. Likewise, no new hereditary or life annuities burdening the city were allowed to be granted without the consent of the “44ers” if they exceeded a sum of more than 1,000 guilders per year.

GENERAL RULES:

The candidate for the council office had to be an honourable, adult citizen of Cologne and born in wedlock.

Individuals had to obediently follow the decisions of the majority; in the case of disputes, acts of violence or insults among each other, as well as in the case of dishonourable misconduct, the Council was to be recognized as the judicial authority .

Officials were prohibited from accepting money or gifts other than their salary in order to prevent outside influence on decisions taken by the Council.

Everyone committed themselves to ensuring, now and in the future, that every new citizen would be asked to join one of the Gaffeln within 14 days and to swear an oath to the now valid “constitution”.

Citizens have a right to not be seized from their homes, attacked or touched without permission, and if these rights are infringed, he may call upon the council.

OATH EXERPT:

"… All and every article and law that is written before and after in this document, we, the aforementioned mayors, council, offices and guilds, once with the entire community in Cologne, and further with all those who are sworn and bound with us, as we are with them, all and individually, first firmly vowed and assured in good, complete loyalty and then willingly sworn physically with outstretched fingers by the saints, and we vow, assure and swear by means of this document to hold, follow and execute them completely and exactly as they are described and explained by us before and after in this document, for all eternity, firmly, constantly and inviolably, and at no time to advise, act or speak against them with any cunning, deceit, intrigue or evil treachery that has ever been thought up or can still be thought up..."

May 1517

France musters a new host in Provence for expected campaigns in 1517 and 1518.

##The Spanish Fleet: May-August 1516

While the fires of war already raged across the Aegean and the Balkans, Spain involved the Shabbiyya Sultanate, an ally of the Ottomans, in the Christian Crusade: the death of King Ferdinand of Aragon had delayed the start of their crusade, but it would still come.

The Spanish fleet was huge, rivalled only by the Venetians and Ottomans now facing each other in the east. 30 proper galleys, 60 galliots, and 3 galleasses alone would have terrified any sea power, but they had brought also 12 carracks and sundry lesser ships. With this fleet, they sailed for the Shabbiyyan and Ottoman naval shipyards and bases of Tetouan and Mers-el-Kebir, and destroyed them utterly in thorough operations. The power of the Spaniards so overwhelming the corsairs scurried like rats from the coast, or sailing as fast as their ships could take them for safer ports like Tripoli and Djerba.

Alongside the destruction of port facilities, other cities coastal were also targeted for raids and sacking. They levied their artillery at Oran, Algiers, and Bejaïa among other, lesser, cities, and took from them their wealth, what ships that remained, and many slaves. The Spaniards did in fact seek out Christian slaves to be liberated, and scores would indeed see themselves be freed from a short and wretched life of working the oars, to instead find themselves working fields in southern Spain. However, many others were - for convenience’s sake - pressed into galley service as the Spaniards themselves sought to replace their attrition losses. Outnumbering the Christians liberated by far were the Muslims taken captive and forced into galley slavery in turn.

##The Destruction of the Coast: September - October 1516

However, Sultan Muhammad Hassan al-Saiqa did not sit by idly. He gathered his Black Banner Army, expecting a Spanish attack like their Siege of Tunis, against it or perhaps another city. At the same time, he sent a fleet out to seek battle against the assembled Spanish fleet.

The fleet consisted of some 10 galleys and 20 xebecs, and was to work with Hayreddin Reis, the Ottoman corsair. Hayreddin, however, had narrowly escaped Mers-el-Kebir with his life intact and was now gathering his motley crew of survivors at La Goletta, and absolutely refused to fight the Spanish head-on. As such, the Shabbiyyan fleet adopted a posture of raiding the Spaniards.

Avoiding battle and seeking strikes against only lone Spanish ships was easier said than done with such a massive fleet out at sea. The best opportunity came when the Spaniards launched their attack on Ghar el Melh, located in its lagoon north of Tunis, itself the base of the Shabbiyyan fleet. However, despite the brazen overconfidence of the so far unchallenged Spaniards, their firepower and fleet size was so vast that with it they brushed off what few losses they suffered, managed to catch the raiding Shabbiyyans, and destroy most of their fleet.

Nevertheless, after the raid of Ghar el Melh, the Spaniards considered the Shabbiyyans defeated, broke up their fleet, and allowed captains to raid as they saw fit, mimicking the corsairs. Utter desolation of the Maghreb coast was to be the result.

Sultan al-Saiqa, meanwhile, marched west. He could do naught at sea against this kind of force, not without an Ottoman fleet by his side, but he needed something to make this war seem even, both to his people and to the Spaniards. As such, he took his entire army to put Melilla to siege, the one Spanish port on the Maghreb coast. The Spanish had not planned for this.

##The Siege: November 1516 - May 1517

Surrounding the city itself, al-Saiqa occupied most of the province before the Spanish reinforcements arrived. The fleet itself had to be reorganised, missives sent to the raiding flotillas, in order to supply the city with manpower and supplies. A story unfolded similar to the siege of Portuguese Ceuta. Flesh would have to hold these walls when stone could not.

Shabbiyya’s Ottoman bombards, which they had now become adepts at using, reduced the walls of the city to rubble and debris, which would now have to make do as the shelters of the Spaniards. They attempted several naval cannonades, but found the Shabbiyyan artillery either positioned too high or too far inland, and sometimes they would be surprised by a battery that had secretly moved overland, and which would then open fire on the ships. In open water, they were prime targets, and thus much more vulnerable than the artillery on land. Instead, the Spanish ships rotated men in and out of Melilla, to keep morale high. Defenders would have to survive for a week or three, then they would return to Malaga for a month or two. Then they would go back in to the grinder.

Despite the rotations of men, the Spanish forces still suffered casualties. Starvation was not a problem, but sanitation could not be improved and months into the siege, each bombardment claimed lives. Then there were the Shabbiyyan assaults. These claimed lives on both sides, and many of them. Corruption and nepotism among the Spanish commanders in charge of the rotation saved many of the ordained order knights from the inglorious work of manning crumbled parapets on foot, and the best among the infantry also bought their way out of serving in Melilla, until eventually the Shabbiyyans faced mostly poor marines.

Under these conditions, the siege endured. The Spaniards continued raiding the coasts, but there was nothing Hassan al-Saiqa could do about it. Meanwhile, the Spaniards would not attempt to dislodge the Shabbiyyans in the field of battle. Matters deteriorated until the Shabbiyyans, experienced in the perseverance of similar sieges, launched a final assault in May of 1517, and took Melilla.

At this point, there was very little left to raid along the Maghreb coastline, from Tangiers to Bizerte. Everything of value had been taken or people had moved inland. Cities such as Algiers had all been sacked and were now barren fortresses devoid of wealth and trade. The degree of the destruction would hit Europe too, as ivory prices surged among other goods still traded for with the Maghreb. Spain had showed its supremacy over the sea, but in that had also shown its unwillingness to take African soil, which had now turned into an inability to hold it.

Meanwhile, Sultan Hassan al-Saiqa suffered a blow to his prestige. Previous failures of his, such as the Sack of Tunis, had been long forgotten given his tremendous string of victories. Now, merchants and corsairs alike - the people of the coast - began to wonder if these were perhaps the end times. If the Ottomans were falling, and unable to protect them at sea. And if the Sultan had any business staying on good terms with the Sublime Porte whose star had fallen so much from its prime position in the heavens in these last years.

Summary

• Maghreb coastline is devastated.
• Melilla falls to Shabbiyya Sultanate.

Losses

Spain

• 14 Galliots (also due to storms)
• 9 War Galleys (also due to storms)
• 5 Gun Caravels (also due to storms)
• 1 Gun Carrack
• 2 Capitanias (1,000 men)
• 2 units of Military Order Knights (200 men)
• 9 Light Artillery
• An additional 4,000 marines

Shabbiyya

• 10 Galleys (conscripted)
• 20 Xebecs (conscripted)
• 9 units of Maghrebi Inland Infantry (3,200 men)
• 3 units of Amazigh Warriors (1,200 men)
• 8 units of Amazigh Cavalry (3,200 men)
• 2 units of Tali’at al-Mutabi’ina (1,000 men)
• 4 Siege Artillery
• 8 Field Artillery

May/June 1517

The Ten Thousand Princely Counts and Their Most Noble Deeds

Hear ye, hear me, tis' the tales of most honorable men, and the deeds that have made cause for their elevations.

Hear ye, hear me, tis' the deed of His Pityfullness, the new Prince Count of Ameisenhaufen. His most diligent subjects frightened by the steps of the Landsknechts, His Pityfullness bravely stood in the path of the soldiers, redirecting their march. For the ant hills that stand to this day in his domain, he be praised.

Hear ye, hear me, tis' the deed of His Roundness, the new Prince Count of Wurst. His people beleaguered by the scent of good food not their own, but cooked in the oven of the devil, His Roundness courageously stuff his meat and presented to the masses. For the sausages so well packed, he be praised.

Hear ye, hear me, tis' the deed of His Calmness, the new Prince Count of Rötung. His servants cried out and begged for forgiveness, for they had acted unsatisfactorily, somehow. Gracious as he is, His Calmness assured them that they need not fear reprisal for sins they did not commit, and beat them only enough to leave small marks. For his mercy, he be praised.

"Hear ye, hear me, tis' the final hearing. Lest we not be accused of secular favoritism, may these new Prince Abbeys be praised. The reason, indeed, we shall consider to be their name, which someone, somewhere, ought to know.

[M] Such a pamphlet would, in small quantities, begin production in the Rhenish printing presses. Someone, for some reason, seemed to find the elevation of so many Counts and a couple of Abbeys in one go humorous, especially when the declaration accidentally got double printed.

The Imperial Chancery has announced the following promotions, effective immediately:

• The Imperial County of Bentheim is now the Princely County of Bentheim
• The Imperial County of Holstein is now the Princely County of Holstein
• The Imperial County of Isenberg is now the Princely County of Isenberg
• The Imperial County of Nassau is now the Princely County of Nassau
• The Imperial County of Oldenburg is now the Princely County of Oldenburg
• The Imperial County of Sayn is now the Princely County of Sayn
• The Imperial County of Spiegelberg is now the Princely County of Pyrmont
• The Imperial County of Tecklenburg is now the Princely County of Tecklenburg
• The Imperial County of Wied is now the Princely County of Wied
• The Imperial County of Eppstein is now the Princely County of Eppstein
• The Imperial County of Hanau is now the Princely County of Hanau
• The Imperial County of Leiningen is now the Princely County of Leiningen
• The Imperial County of Solms is now the Princely County of Solms
• The Imperial County of Waldeck is now the Princely County of Waldeck
• The Rhinegraviate of Salm is now the Princely Rhinegraviate of Salm
• The Imperial County of Stolberg is now the Princely County of Stolberg
• The Imperial County of Hohenlohe is now the Princely County of Hohenlohe
• The Imperial County of Rieneck is now the Princely County of Rieneck
• The Imperial County of Furstenburg-Baar is now the Princely County of Furstenburg-Baar
• The Imperial County of Oettingen is now the Princely County of Oettingen
• The Imperial County of Waldburg is now the Princely County of Waldburg
• The Imperial County of Zollern is now the Princely County of Zollern
• The Imperial County of Veldenz is now the Princely County of Veldenz
• The Imperial Abbey of Waldsassen is now the Princely Abbey of Waldsassen
• The Imperial Abbey of Quedlinburg is now the Princely Abbey of Quedlinburg
• The Dukes of Palatinate-Simmern and Palatinate-Zweibrucken and their heirs have been confirmed with the right to use the title Count Palatine

Date: May 1517

With Spigno taken and the crimes of the Lords of Spigno repaid at least in part. The Minor council has decided to annex the lordship into the Superb Republic as it once used to be an extension of Genovese rule. The title of Lord of Spigno will be granted to Fillipo Doria whom blood ties grant him a claim to the seat. While he is still busy in service to his Holiness in Rome he has proven himself worthy of such a title and his kin in House Doria shall run the Lordship for him until his return.

Lastly to finish consolidating control over more of Liguria, House will finally be cementing it's alliance with the Marquisate of Massa and Carrara through the marriage of the Marquis eldest daughter Ricciarda Malaspina and Lorenzo Cybo. With this act the east coast has been fully secured.

(M: Spigno is annexed into Genoa. Massa & Carrara gets a marriage alliance with House Cybo on the Minor Council in Genoa.)

March, 1517

Kingdom of Hungary

Replenishes and raises new troops around Slavonia.

Replenishes and raises new troops around Temes.

March, 1517, the Orsini d'Ancona e Pitigliano raise troops around Ancona for crusading.

[MARCH-APRIL 1517]

Matching war dec here is my intent to do it before the tick

continuing the crusade

March 1517

Not that this is necessary, but the Sublime Porte continues the war.

January/February 1517 (using the 1 tick grace period)

The Sublime Porte

Replenishes and raises new troops in Serbia.

Replenishes and raises new troops in Croatia/Dalmatia

Hesse

March 1517

Albrecht Hohenzollern leads his army out of Hesse and returns east. The large columns of Landsknechte previously based here leave in their wake the remnants of semi-permanant camps and waste behind with a single flag left in the ground bearing the sigil of the house of Hohenzollern.

[Lowering troops]

March-April 1517

The Republic of Florence hereby declares war on the Republic of Siena and the Petrucci tyrants of the city. Florence cites the violation of the Treaty of Montepulciano as revealed by the papacy.

It has been revealed the Siena has betrayed its word and aided the Medici who sought to take over the republic some years ago. Such treachery must be punished!

Early 1517 [Does this retro to January-February?]

We've gotten ourselves involved in this conflict against the Tatars, we better be ready if they retaliate now. And with our army reorganized, we will be ready.

William De Croy was pleased at what he had accomplished. With the Emperor's absence in the East, young Ferdinand was almost as pliable as his brother had been before him. The large number of Burgundians Margaret had welcomed to the court in Innsbruck certainly didn't hurt. He had secured a promotion for two of his nephews, and it had barely cost his family any money.

Phillip de Croÿ - William's nephew and heir - had probably been due for a promotion anyways. While William bore the title of Count of Porcéan, Phillip had simply been Lord of Aarschott. However, it had not been too hard for William to convince Margaret's Regency to promote Phillip to the rank of Count in exchange for his services as commander, leading the Burgundian reinforcements to the front lines and taking over the position previous held by the Duke of Guelders.

However the real victory had been the acquisition of a second Count-ranked title for the House of De Croÿ. Phillip's younger brother Robert had recently been granted a prominent position in the Imperial Chancery in Vienna, and William had made a point of having Robert meet Phillip the Handsome's bastard daughter Anne. Anne had been lonely ever since her sisters Eleanpr and Isabella had left Mechelen, and she had - as predicted - fallen for Robert as soon as William had suggested the two of them get engaged.

While Margaret had always hated her brother's infidelity, she had raised Anne alongside her legitimate nieces and nephews, and refused to have her be married off to a landless bureaucrat. However, Anne was owed a dowry, which William pooled with some of his family's money to purchase an estate for Robert in the Austrian Alps. Now Robert was Count of Wocheiner Feistritz, and Anne was destined to be a countess.

[Burgundy participates in the crusade]

Alfonso d’Este replenishes his forces.

January-February 1516

The Ban of Croatia replenishes troops

The Ban of Jajce replenishes troops

The Ban of Srebrenik replenishes troops

The minor Dukes of Silesia replenish their troops

The Voivode of Transylvania replenishes troops

The Prince of Moldavia replenishes troops

The Prince of Wallachia replenishes troops

Craiova raises troops

March, 1517

Wacław, now a seasoned duelist and commander, calls upon both his father and the lords of Silesia to send both men and supplies to reinforce their army and grow their numbers. They are to meet them at their encampment in Bosnia, or Croatia - or even Serbia. Wacław isn't all too sure where he is, but he knows that more troops surely will solidify him as the only candidate for the Duchy of Belgrad.

[M: Raising & resupplying troops in Bosnia.]