May 1505

Venice and the Kingdom of Scotland have had some contact recently, with Scotland, and England for that matter, supporting the Venetians in their efforts against the Muslim powers. Now Venice needs more support, but this time it can offer great benefit to Scotland as well, with plenty of civilian investments being on the table. James IV figures that supporting Christians while enriching the crown and the kingdom is as good an idea as any, and will approve this plan. 

The King will ask his advisors, among these categories, how 350,000 ducats can be split up: Rye farms, fisheries, breweries, iron mines.

Meta:

30,000 florins a tick will be paid to Venice in return for 350,000 ducats. The ducats will be used for new or expanded fisheries, rye farms, breweries, and iron mines.

The fair people of La Serenissima denounce in the strongest possible terms the violations the Kingdom of France has incurred upon our Republic. They have spit upon our peace to which we have sacrificed so much, We ceded everything they have desired and beholdened ourselves to a foreign crown if it meant we could obtain France’s mercy. But the ever treacherous King of France oh so hungry in more lands to conquer and rule in tyranny. There is no possible or valid justification for this blatant war of aggression except for the complete annihilation of our Republic.

Let it be known to all nations of Italy, this is the fate that awaits all of you if you dare to resist the will of Le Roi. The institution who has raped and pillaged an entire peninsula, conquered Rome and reduced it to a mere shadow of its greatness, destroyed Naples and left a pretender before the throne, devastated Milan and eliminated a once proud family off their golden halls. Now they come for us, the last independent great power of Italy

Le Roi will announce before the world all kinds of grievances against Venice, decrying us as deceitful, treacherous, unworthy of respect. But Le Roi has not extended such grace and generosity he claims to have given Venice for it's own desire for peace and prosperity as a partner of France. He has proven time and time again to be an aggressor nation willing to tear up treaties with the flimsiest justifications.

It is with such solemn duty that Venice shall repudiate the Peace of Monza, declaring the treaty null and dissolved. All French influence in Venice will be excised as we declare our independence from French client status.

Venice has tolerated France's attempts at subjugation for too long. There shall be no surrender, there shall be no concessions, We shall fight to the bitter end until the Ultramontanes are expelled from our beloved peninsula. We shall fight them on the rivers, on the fields of the Veneto, we shall fight them on the walls, in the streets, we shall fight them on the seas!

We will NEVER surrender!

[Statement before the Venetian Senate and spread to the courts before all of Europe denouncing the French as oathbreakers of the highest order]

February, 1505

Charles IV, Duc d'Alençon, was fifteen years of age at the Tournament of Lyon. He had unhorsed Thomas de Foix-Lescun, the brother of his sisters soon to be husband. However, in the next round he was defeated, although not unhorsed, by Pierre de Bayard, who eventually won the tournament. Fifteen, and he scored fifth in his first jousting tournament, barely defeated by one of the most skilled knights in all France. This was, all things considered, a fairly good performance coming from the youngest participant in the joust. The spectacle also allowed for the young Duke to network with the most famous nobles of the land during the intermissions and the days of celebration after the end of the tournament.

Charles, following his defeat and the eventual victory of Bayard, approached him in his lodgings after his initial celebration.

"Sir Pierre de Bayard. You had bested me in the tournament. I must sincerely congratulate you on your victory, you truly are the most chivalrous man in all France. I would like to match Le Rois award for the Tournament of Lyon as a sign of respect for such an accomplishment."

"Thank you, but I must respectfully decline an additional 20,000 ducats from the Duc d'Alençon. If you insist, I cannot say no to this. I do this not for the coin but for the honor. I do appreciate the sincerity of your congratulations however."

"Very well then, I admire your Catholic modesty. That is not what I came here for, however. I saw how well you rode after you defeated me in the second round. I admire it greatly. I have come here to request that when we return to Blois, you tutor me in the martial skills. I have received assent from Le Roi Louis XII himself that you educate me. I would be most honored if the greatest knight in all France would accept the task of training the second prince of the blood."

"I see! Your ambition and humility is respectable. Although we were opponents on the tournament grounds, we will travel to Blois as friends, and as student/mentor if Le Roi asks of it. We ride at dawn."

[M: Pierre de Bayard spends the next few months training and educating Charles in the art of war]

Christoffel was in a budget meeting discussing how to fix the failures of the Raad.

The Raad van Utrecht, or the city council of Utrecht, was given extraordinary powers in a recent declaration of his. Pressured by the merchants, who he considered (and still does though to a lesser degree) great allies, he signed off on it. It was just little thought to him how much of a headache it would become. The anger in the usually serene Prince-Bishop began to boil. Eventually, the merchants soon shuffled out realizing the impasse they were at.

How... just how stupid could they be? Incompetent? Thinking they can take him for a fool? Extravagant spending projects and all the like, meanwhile they knew full damn well they couldn't raise the funds to do so. Meanwhile, they keep yapping about taxes and how we need to keep them low, but when they're 100,000 ducats in the red, they come prostrating before him asking to take funds out of his own account begging for any show of mercy.

He would not grant it this time.

—

It was a pleasant time for the baron. He was spending his time with his family and aides inside his master's city, the city of Utrecht. It was, in his eyes, a bit of a den of thievery and too modernistic for him, but he enjoyed the festivities. He especially enjoyed the artists lining up in front of him, as the College of the Masters, so ingeniously created by his master Prince-Bishop Christoffel, presented awards to local artists and leaders within the city. Then one of his aides turned to him. "Is that Elbert, milord?"

By jove that was Elbert! He had run away from his estate, his castle, a decade ago! Now he was here, and receiving rewards? Rewards created by these pompous cretins for pompous cretins? What did he paint? What did he sculpt? It did not matter, he managed the land, created improvements, and most importantly gave everyone in the damn city what they needed to survive: food. And it was Elbert's job to do all that he commanded, be cause he was his serf. He was his.

The baron's calm demeanor prevailed for a moment. When the ceremony was over and a member of the city guard passed he tugged on their coats. Looking down at the short man, they saw he pointed at one of the recipients of the award. "He's mine! I own him. He belongs at my estate!"

The guards were unnervered. They did not want to upset the member of nobility and risk losing their jobs, but they also didn't understand in what world the man would have to return to his farm. In the interest of the baron, the guards detained Elbert.

Soon men began to gather, as the baron couldn't keep his mouth shut. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he declared Elbert his property and a traitor to himself, the crown, the Empire, God, gold, his dead wife. He tried to plead with the crowd but no one was listening. Elbert was well decorated and well dressed, he was no serf. And did he not know, the city's air liberates?

As the situation got tense, emboldened commoners began to mock the baron. The guards did not feel like getting the ire of the crowd thrusted upon them so they let the jeers and objects get thrown at him. The baron, fearing for his life, departed, though screaming that he would have his revenge. His property would not be stolen from him.

—

At the public meeting of the Raad took place the next day, and the Prince-Bishop Christoffel sat in attendance. Slowly, the grievances of the commoners were heard. The Prince-Bishop held his head attentively, hearing about the worsening roads and the need for repairs. He heard about how the city's dockyards were badly damaged and were in need of urgent repairs. Also, someone's dog died and no one paid respects. Something like that.

He understood everyone's frustrations, and he almost wished he could help. But the Raad's complete failure to keep track of its own spending forced his hand. The Raad was spending hundreds of thousands of ducats on road repairs, reinvigorated dockyards, and — errr — paying respect to dead dogs? Maybe not the last one. But definitely the first two! The Raad had to learn its mistake.

But then someone came in. The Prince-Bishop couldn't see him but a feeling of unease entered the air. Christoffel became nervous. Soon a man came to the front, cutting past the commoners next to him. He was beautifully decorated in a fur suit with a black felt hat. He starstruck Christoffel with his display of wealth.

Yet the crowd knew who he was. He was the baron from yesterday! As the jeers met the baron, he demanded they be stopped. Christoffel made a wave and an order for quiet by the guards was given out. The baron then explained the situation. The city had stolen his property! Elbert was running around free, he should've been at his manor tending to his aching feet! And a mob nearly killed him! Surely the Prince-Bishop should respond?

With the end of every sentence the plump face of the baron morphed into that of a tomato. Christoffel turned to the audience and saw the same rage building up in them. Then, a member of the Raad spoke out.

"You lily-livered dog! Elbert is a free man, he is an artist and pillar of this community! I would rather cross swords than see you take away his freedom!"

The last line caused everyone to go stir-crazy in the assembly. Christoffel looked around as everyone was shouting. The baron kept barking orders at the guard to defend him as jeers taunted him. Someone said someone had a knife and was stabbing people, so then everyone left in a panic. The meeting had been a disaster, and the baron strutted out of there after the chaos subsided.

—

In a secluded room the Prince-Bishop heard the mayor and the elite members of the Raad. The mayor played mediator, but he was clearly sticking to the side of the Raadites. They were screaming the baron was out of line and they would draft a law that would declare every serf that was in the city was free from their bonds. Not just that! If they even breathed the air of the city, they would be absolved from their bonds.

Christoffel felt backed into a corner. The baron was blabbering on about his weakness. The Raad was out for blood. Surely this law would never see the light of day? Surely a compromise could be reached. Isn't that right Mr. Mayor?

—

ORDER FOR DISBURSEMENT OF MONIES BY THE PRINCE-BISHOPRIC OF UTRECHT:

1. Construction of the following:
   1. A luxury clothmaker within the city of Utrecht. (10,000)
   2. A regular clothmaker within the city of Utrecht. (10,000)
   3. When these projects are finished members of the merchant community shall take over their running, but shall owe some debt to the Prince-Bishop for constructing these businesses for them.
2. A total reconstruction of the road system in Utrecht:
   1. A study of the roads of Utrecht shall be conducted. Architects and engineers shall be found by the College of Masters who are suitable in their field. They shall then conduct a study and present a report about the state of Utrecht's infrastructure.
      1. This study shall cost no more than 20,000 ducats.
   2. Once the study is complete all the recommendations they give shall be given to their utmost. A focus shall be made on completely redoing the roads in the city of Utrecht.
      1. This shall cost no more than 360,000 over a period of three years.
   3. Certain parameters and regulations shall be made for the construction of "main" or "integral" roads (which shall be defined by the Raad)
      1. Roads which meet the definition shall have a ditch on their sides for water and sewage to roll off into it.
      2. A program shall be made to buy homes/buildings that obstruct these ditches and bulldoze them. Then reconstruct them when they are far enough away from the ditch.
      3. The roads which are to be constructed in section 2 of article 2 shall also follow these new parameters and regulations.
3. A study of the port inrastructure of the city of Utrecht.
   1. A study shall be conducted into the existing port infrastructure of the city of Utrecht. Experts in this field shall be procured yet again by the College of Masters.
      1. This study shall cost no more than 20,000 ducats.
   2. The Raad van Utrecht shall take these suggestions and act on them in a state of fiscal responsibility.
      1. This state of fiscal responsibility shall be decided by the Prince-Bishop of Utrecht.

Signed,
CHRISTOFFEL VAN EGMOND
Prince-Bishop of Utrecht

With Lucca refusing to undergo negotiations for the return of Florence's stolen territory in 1498, the Signoria has opted to [declare war on the Republic of Lucca.] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfpMNAyKILc)

March-April 1504

As all around the Italian Peninsula troops were raised, so too the Orsini of Gravina did also.

It helped they had had a cohort of Italian pike raised for the better part of 2 years to assist with lawlessness already.

Get in losers we’re going to battle!

May 1st, 1505

The Holy Bible preaches forgiveness, a turning of the other cheek when you have been wronged and to love thy neighbor. Saint Peter, one of the Holy Disciples, was forgiven three times for his transgressions against God. God, in his infinite wisdom, gave him the opportunity to redeem himself. While Saint Peter was forgiven, one infamous disciple committed a crime so deceitful, he remains the most infamous traitor out there: Judas. By betraying Jesus for a mere thirty coins, Judas condemned himself to a life of shame. Unable to live deal with the ramifications of his betrayal, Judas ended his saga with a gruesome death in Potter's Field.

However, there is a power in Italy who masquerades as Saint Peter, claiming their latest bout of treachery will be their last as they beg for forgiveness while they continue to like Judas, collecting coin while betraying his Master. They have gone against every agreement made with le Roi in living memory, subverting the numerous treaties between both parties while the ink has yet to dry and the wax seal has yet to harden. As such, in recognition of the various violations of mutual agreements, the Kingdom of France and her allies makes war on the Serene Republic of Venice.

Dear friends,

It has been my most honor to serve as the Prince-Bishop of Utrecht. Thrusted into this responsibility I know not how, I thank a thousand graces up to our Lord for such an awesome position I find myself in. But there are more times than I can count that I am filled with dread, not only of the fate of this Empire but of the very souls that inhabit it.

I feel the entourage of Satan has taken hold of this here Empire and mischief and misfortune has consumed it. The institutions that we have felt privileged to be under have broken down. None have raised a sword to these repeated onslaughts, and now these institutions, which acted as a levee against the impending tide, have broken. All at once, it seemed the Eternal Peace which was so promised at the Diet of Worms in 1495 has been shattered into a thousand pieces.

Let us review the many dark events that have plagued our Empire in just the past few years, shall we? The complete and abject failure of the Common Penny, the invasion of the Count of Hoya-Nienburg by the Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg, a gigantic rebellion in Frisia which has resulted in swords being drawn over the fate of the province and of East Frisia, and finally, the impetus of this chaos, the Wetterau.

But what has happened with them. Surely these maladies have concluded? The Common Penny remains uncollected, the Count of Hoya-Nienburg seeks protection in a foreign land, a Prince has been banned and vultures now come to eat the remains, and, most humiliatingly, the force of our arms of our Empire have seemingly failed to subdue a few upstarts in Central Germany.

I admit to you I do not know the full scope of any of these problems, perhaps I have even misattributed what the truth is. But I can tell you what I see it on the weary refugees which come to my doors, the stories of war and the horror it brings. Perhaps some wars are just, I concede, but there is no justification you can give to the thousands of squatters which now call Utrecht home, nor to the many men having to see their villages burn and friends slain, and most definitely not to the children who have to pick through piles of corpses to find their mother or father, praying in some forlorn hope that they are still alive.

To those that ignore these men, and continue with their pursuit of lust and power, I pray Jesus lied about the existence of Hell, for if it does exist its gates would be open wide to you.

It is in this background of chaos and sheer despondency that we must act. With the power and grace of God I believe we will succeed, but for that we must engage in clear and comprehensive reforms to the Imperial system. We must strengthen the Kreis and give more power to the members therein, so peace can be ensured at a more local level. We must raise funds collectively for our institutions and to end the strain they have been placed upon. And finally, we must in some way give greater responsibility to the Diets and institutions so that a proper system of grievance hearing can be achieved. Then, and only then when these items are completed, can we have a peace that God will show favor upon.

Shall the Eternal Peace guaranteed at Worms be guaranteed only for the strongest? Shall the small localities of this Empire be swallowed up by those larger? Shall our institutions fail and courts turn away legitimate claims? Shall our armies go rogue from lack of pay, or our magistrates go hungry from lack of wage?

Shall their be chaos in this realm, or shall their be peace? Shall God look favorably upon us or shall we be condemned as fools? Can an Empire divided against itself bear it much longer?

With a sense of urgency,
CHRISOTFFEL VAN EGMOND
Prince-Bishop of Utrecht.

—

After dictating the letter, Christoffel dilly-dallied over whether to publish it or not. Reading it carefully, he finally put it down. Turning to his aide, he simply waved his hand. "Print it."

—

Over 200 copies of the open letter are to be printed. Specifically those within the Gottesfreiden or those associated with them shall be targeted with this letter. Though, the circulation of the open letter shall not be limited to them, all ecclesiasties which enjoy immediacy shall be sent a copy, along with the original signatories, Armenknechte Petition of 1504 and the supporters therof.

These efforts shall be coordinated by Aart B. Fricke, a braggadocious and careless fool who serves as "representative" to the Reichsregiment, and Phillip van Bentelzoon, the permanent plenipotentiary of the Prince-Bishopric of Utrecht to the Free City of Hamburg.

March/April 1505

Troops converge towards Ankara to stamp out a rebellion in the Empire. Şehzade Ahmet leads the charge.

##April 1505

The feasting of Easter signified the return of Christ to Earth, and with it came the return of meat to the tables of banquet halls across France. No banquet table, however, was nearly as grand as that of the King himself. Louis XII had suffered a brief period of illness in February, but had recovered well enough to be quite contented at the feasting of Easter. He was typically a fairly austere and frugal man, but demonstrating his wealth and generosity on an important holy day such as Easter called for the best. Courses upon courses of succulent meats delighted Louis, who indulged in over-consumption in one of the rare moments of his life. Roasted lamb with a salt crust and mustard-ginger sauce. Honeyed and salted ham, dripping with rich wine sauce. Capons cooked in their own fat, stuffed with herbed eggs and currants, the fat rendered so tenderly that the entire bird would dissolve in the mouth. Veal with a fennel flower sauce, aromatic and sensuous on the tongue. Roast piglets, stuffed with raisins, and served with a yellow pepper sauce - bursting with flavour despite the chef, proudly, boasting of the sauce not containing a single peppercorn. Viaunde Cypre - ground chicken with almond milk and spices, so smooth and creamy that one could mistake it for cream.

Dabbing sweat from his brow, he tucked into the increasingly succulent meats. As the meal progressed, his forehead began to shine more and more, and he frequently dabbed at it with a cloth, in between mopping up drippings of sauces and grease from his ermine and blue velvet doublet. Louis found himself rather restrained by his doublet - not simply for the reason of the prodigious amount of bloat he was experiencing from the sheer quantity of food he consumed, but by its oppressive heat. His tailor had assured him that April was still plenty cool enough to warrant such a thick doublet - and indeed - many in the admittedly draught-ridden hall were well-clothed with warm doublets and thick tunics. Many, in fact, seemed rather cold. The hearths were alight with great flames, belching heat that Louis could not stand. Dabbing his head once again, he could scarcely breathe until the end of the feast when he made an escape - as everyone was concluding their meal - to find a lighter outfit to switch into - under the auspices of preparing to dance.

By the end of the night, Louis' had passed from the Seventh Circle of Hell to the Ninth, and he found himself shivering in his airy summer clothes. He dabbed his brow once more, and struggled to endure the remainder of the night.

By the next morning, Louis was bedridden. At first it was assumed to be prodigious drink, but Louis had admittedly stayed away from too much drink, only partaking in a modest quantity of Anjou bestowed upon him by Louise de Savoie, as well as, at her insistence, a dram of eau de vie de Cognac. Louis was indeed ill once more, and seemed to be far worse off than his brief illness in February. His fever would not break, and delirium began to set in.

With le Roi incapacitated, Cardinal d’Amboise and la Reine took to assembling a council to manage the affairs of the crown. As Louis’ fever did not break, this quickly turned to ensuring that everything was in order should he perish.

In this moment, with Louis seemingly on the brink of death, he gained a brief moment of lucidity, and called for his sword to be brought to him. His servants, not wishing to hand a man not in-touch with reality a weapon, handed him his walking stick. Not knowing the difference, he called for his daughter Claude to be brought to him. In a touching moment, he presented her his ‘sword’, and told her to protect herself from those who wished to do her harm. Then, his fever sapping what was left of his strength, he collapsed once more, to rest for another day.

The King, obviously, was in no place to conduct matters of state. The Cardinal d’Amboise thusly assembled a council, to act in the stead of the King, but also to take over as a Regency Council should the King perish. As the King was issued his last rites, and the Kingdom was on the brink of war, the council summoned as follows:

• Cardinal Georges d'Amboise, Archbishop of Rouen
• Anne de Bretagne, Duchess of Brittany, Queen of France
• Louise de Savoie, Regent of Valois
• Louis II de La Trémoille, Viscount of Thouars, Constable of France
• Guy de Rochefort, Chancellor of France
• Florimond Robertet, Treasurer of France
• Engilbert de La Marck, Count of Nevers

While this council has assembled, two of the members are unable to manage the affairs of the realm in Blois. Anne de Bretagne has had to take a long leave of absence to manage ducal affairs in Brittany, and La Trémoille is leading the armies of the King.

March/April 1505

Worrying intelligence has arrived before the Signorie that rumored enemies of Venice are plotting once again to see its complete destruction. Provvettidore Andrea Gritti has seen it fit to shore up defenses all across the Terra Firma and our possessions across Italy. Garrisons in Ravenna, Puglia, and Verona have been placed on high alert. Using the Po River, warships of the mighty Venetian fleet have been transferred to defensive positions around the Lago di Garda. The Adriatic Fleet has been mobilized and Venetian Engineers are now redoubling efforts to increase fortifications across the Republic. We must not be caught unaware!

[Venice dumps money to shore up fortifications across the Republic, Prototype formations have been recalled into service, Ships are mobilized and transferred to multiple locations, and garrisons are raised to a heightened state of readiness]

[April 1505]

Mon tres redoubte seigneur et pere, tres humblement a votre bonne grace me recommande,

My brother - your son - has left for Spain. Since my arrival in Mechelen four months ago, he and his court has been busy briefing me on the current state of affairs in the Low Countries. However, he did not let me fully take the reins until last week as he prepared for his own departure.

I must say that I am relieved that he is gone. He is blind to some of the smaller matters of State, and cares more about his own grandeur than about the state of the Burgundian treasury. His absence will allow me to deal with some of the corruption that he has sadly allowed to infiltrate the court.

I have heard mixed reports of your adventures in Germany. I am sorry that your soldiers failed you on the battlefield, and I am deeply apologetic that some of them are the Swabians that I recommended to year a year ago. However, the good news is that the Wetterau Counts no longer rampage through the Middle Rhine, and peace is around the corner.

The news from Bavaria is much better. You have clearly set things up so that the succession of Bavaria will be decided peacefully regardless of how the court rules, and I will now instruct the Burgundian on the court to stop obstructing and begin hearing closing arguments.

You probably also wish to hear news of the grandchildren. Eleanor is doing a good job learning to be a little lady. She really took a liking to Francis when he visited last year, and I hope that their betrothal can be saved. While I was never able to take up my promised role of Queen of France, she may succeed where I failed. However, at the same time, with rumours of France marching another army through the Alpine passes, I wonder how likely it is that peace with France can be saved.

Charles is doing well. He has a great deal of courage, and is more thoughtful than his father, but sometimes he gets a pensive look that reminds me of his mother. I hope his adult life will be more happy than Juana's has been.

Isabella is still very much a child, but she has become quite fond of Phillip's bastard daughter Anne. I sure hope that Anne will live through these tender years. She will make a good companion to Isabella I hope.

I look forward to joining you on your journey to Hungary in a couple months. My business in the Netherlands should have quieted down by then and I will be able to leave things in the hands of Phillip de Croy.

Your faithful daughter,

Margaret

Hero saw all was well in his lands. And yet Fryslân kept seeing more and more strife and toil. Was this the correct path to embark on? Had he made the correct decisions? Who was a true Frisian? And who was able to protect them?

What meant being Frisian? Did it entail sticking to worldly matters, or were there esotherical matters that needed to be adhered to. The continuous battle against the tide, storm and nature had hardened them, honed them, made them adaptable. Frisians traded across the known world, fought across the known world. For wealth, for ideals.

And Hero was no different. He would continue his fight against nature. Against his own nature. Hero Omkes would persevere. Many should flock to his banners, and drive out those unfit.

Banners fly over Italy again, and the della Rovere's fly too.

horses stir, branches shake, sunlight catches on golden oak leaves

[raising troops]

Woke up, thought this was necessary, provisional Post, will add detail tomorrow

Same rules as here apply for the moment

MAR/APR 1505

With war on the horizon, Bologna raises her standards for war.

[Troops raised for Bologna]

While the Ottomans waste their coin on eastern expeditions against new foes, old wounds have begun to fester, plagued by meddlesome diseases. Emboldened on the one side by Ala al-Dawla Bozkurt Beg of Dulkadir, and on the other side rising tensions between Mamluks and Ottomans, Giyaseddin Halil Bey of Ramazan has been revealed to have involved himself with upstart scions of the Karamanid dynasty.

In western Cilicia, a man calling himself Ibrahim III Karaman Bey has raised an army. While the main line of the Karamanids went extinct a few years ago, their power dispersed, Ibrahim Bey has somehow come into the coin and resources to gather powerful local allies around him, and raised the ancestral banners of his house. While the Ottoman star has been rising for a long time, all can see that the Ismail has been causing unrest even from afar. It would not be long until the Qizilbash of Anatolia showed their true colours. And then the House of Osman would lose its primacy.

Ibrahim III saw his chance. He only had to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure would come tumbling down. With the overt blessing of Giyaseddin and Ala al-Dawla, the advancing Ismail, and the Mamluks destroying the Ottoman “allies” in Iraq, this was surely a chance for the Karamanid Dynasty to enter a new renaissance.

A rebellion under the Karamanid pretender Ibrahim III starts in Cilicia and Central Anatolia. It is clear he has the support of Ramazan, but he is also flush with money that must have come from somewhere. The rebellion is well-organised and has been in the works for a while.

Occupation map

Welcome to the Empire Powers Season XII Recap for the year 1504, where the events of this week (year) are rounded up into one place and summarized.

Previous recaps: 1500 | 1501 | 1502 | 1503

Map in January of 1504 | Map in January of 1505

Major events

• Ottomans/Safavid - War

The Ottomans take Erzincan and Erzurum but suffer heavy losses on the march from the Safavid, who refuse to engage in battle. Once their advance is stopped, the Safavids turn and take Diyarbakir.

| Reso post

• Wetterau/Hesse - War

The Wetterau coalition deals more defeats to the Imperial armies, forcing them back and onto a mediation. However, the death of Wilhelm II of Hesse causes a succession crisis, with many claimants coming forward and some even making occupations partially at the expense of the Wetterau's own.

| Imperial ban | Reso post

• Frisia - Rebellion

Frisia rebels against the rule of the potestate Charles of Guelders, but the Duke is able to put it down.

| Rebellion | Imperial ban | Reso post

• HRE - Imperial regress

The failures of Imperial Reform hit the Empire with widespread and wide ranging complaints. Factions begin to form based on the estates' perceived solutions.

| Imperial regress | Decree of the Common Penny | Circle courts | Petition

• Hoya/Brunswick - War?

The Welfs of Brunswick invade Hoya, but the Count leaves without a fight. Before doing so he poisons the contents of his cellar, which kills multiple notables.

| Reso post | Exile

• Poland/Lithuania - Joint Crowns

King Aleksander Jagiellończyk's realms are united into a new political entity, the Joint Crowns of Poland, Lithuania, and Ruthenia.

| Joint Crowns

• Portugal/Hintanids - War

The Hintanids attempt to retake the Portuguese held coast, but faced with a motivated defense can only recover lands not already fortified.

| Reso post

• New World - Exploration and colonization

Christopher Columbus' voyage goes wrong and he ends up stuck in Santo Domingo for a while until he can gather enough men to set sail again.

Meanwhile, a small expedition sets off from Bremen.

| Columbus' journey | German expedition

Minor Events

• Hafsids - Shabbia Brotherhood

The Shabbia Brotherhood rises within the inner lands of the Hafsids due to their inability to control the area.

| Brotherhood rises

• Corsica/France/Borgia/Genoa - Treaty of Corsica

A treaty is signed between the former King of Naples and now Lord of Corsica Ferdinand and new King Cesare Borgia, resolving their dispute.

| Treaty of Corsica

• Rome - Stolen musician

Cardinal Ippolito d'Este steals his brother Giulio d'Este's favorite musician.

| Stolen musician

• Borgia/Orsini - Marriage

Angela Borgia and Giovanni Orsini are married.

| Marriage

• Saluzzo/Ghibelline - Defensive pact

Saluzzo and the Ghibelline of Genoa sign a defensive pact.

| Defensive pact

• Zayyanid - Succession

Abu Abdallah IV dies and is succeed by his son, Abu Abdallah V.

| Succession

• Pomerania - Demands

Pomerania attempts to force Stralsund to heed Ducal laws.

| Demands

• Scotland - Parliament

James IV calls parliament to receive assistance in dealing with the pacification of the highlands.

| Parliament

• Saxony/Bohemia/Glogau- Land purchase

Ducal and Electoral Saxony sell the Duchies of Sagan and Biberstein to Bohemia. The former is then given to Glogau.

| Land purchase | Sagan to Glogau

• Schwyz - Trial

Captain of Ravencloaks, Elias of Schwitz, is sentenced for his actions in the Three League passes. He is placed as commander of a unit of other criminals and banished to live in a new village away from the rest of society, Stooshof.

| Trial

• Utrecht - Trade treaties

Utrecht signs trade treaties with multiple others. The town of Nijkerk in particular is sold to Guelders.

| Mainz | Hamburg | Guelders

• Spain/Burgundy - Trade treaty

Spain and Burgundy sign a trade treaty.

| Trade treaty

• Florence - Banking

Florence expands the operations of the Bank of Florence.

| Hamburg branch | Munich branch | Other branches

• Borgia/Bourbon - Marriage

Gioffre Borgia marries Louise de Bourbon-Montpensier, and is named Duke of Mâcon.

| Marriage

• Muscovy - Appointments and privileges

Grand Prince Ivan of Muscovy declares his son Vasily as heir and his third son Viceroy of Pskov. Privileges are also granted to the estates.

| Heir | Viceroy

• Denmark/Austria - Treaty

Denmark and Austria sign a treaty wherein Prince Christian is betrothed to Princess Isabella of Austria, a loan is given to Austria and a number of trade related articles are implemented.

| Treaty

• Ghibelline - Betrothal

Lorenzo Cybo and Ricciarda Malaspina are betrothed.

| Betrothal

• Hansa/Denmark - Treaty

The Hansa and Denmark sign a treaty wherein mutual recognition of rights and sovereignty is agreed upon.

| Treaty

• Castile - Succession

Isabel I of Castile dies. A council is decreed to serve as regency in case Joanna of Castile is unable to rule.

| Decree | Isabel dies

• Savoy - Succession

Filiberto de Savoy dies on a hunting trip. He is succeed by his son Fillipo, under a regency while a minor.

| Succession | Regency

• France - Tournament

The King of France announces a tournament to celebrate the recent appointment of François II as the Grand Chamberlain of France.

| Tournament called

• Hungary - Stroke

King Vladislaus II suffers a stroke, with Queen Catherine, Cardinal Tamas Bakocz and Palatine Imre Perenyi exerting great control during his recovery.

| Stroke

• Royal Prussia - Appointment

Nicholas von Wolkow is made Governor of Royal Prussia.

| Appointment

• Saluzzo - Succession

Ludovico II dies, and is succeed by Michele-Antonio, temporarily under the regency of Margherita and Claudio di Savoia-Racconigi.

| Succession

• Mainz - Succession

Berthold von Henneberg dies, Jakob von Liebenstein succeeds him as Archbishop of Mainz.

| Succession

• Scotland - Death

James Stewart, Duke of Ross, dies.

| Death

Date: March/April 1505

Seeing the situation unfold in Italy the Ghibelline Houses raise some condotierri.

M: Raising Troops.

Seewen; Kanton Schwyz

Date: March; 1505

The Foundry of Seewen, known as the "Die Gießerei der Weißen Lilie" (Trans. The Foundry of the White Lily) to the citizens of Schwyz had finally finished construction back in 1504, but due to lack of experienced blacksmiths, had to train up their dedicated branch of gunsmiths which would be honing their craft far into the future. Many influences were left behind by the Bohemians in this place, from the ways of casting to even engraving certain patterns onto the cannons, which would give the needed edge to the Waldstätte. But most importantly, for the Landammann, would be the prestige that would be gained with the construction of this foundry, after all, it was the first building of its kind in the entire Confederacy, including both the Cantons and Associates.

However, the big question remained for the cannons themselves - Iron or Bronze? While the casting process could be made easier and cheaper by utilizing iron, which was already in quite a high demand in the canton due to the amount of metalsmiths working on weapons and armour for the Reisläufer, the fear of supply diminishing did push the gunsmiths to rethink the decision of blindly using iron as their base. On another hand, the cannons of Bohemia, which we had already used in the past, were made from bronze, a material lighter and less prone to rusting unlike its iron counterpart. Of course, this would come with a price, in the literal aspect. Purchasing tin and copper from abroad would be the main issue if we would decide to utilize bronze cannons, yet, the final say would be given to Meisterbüchsenmacher Albrecht of Seewen.

Landammann Eric Baumann: Any news on the decission Albrecht? It seems we might need those cannons sooner than expected...

Meisterbüchsenmacher Albrecht: We are almost done with the cast Eric, and from my trials I must state that if we are to go to war, we will need immense amounts of Bronze. Iron is great for Bombards, but everytime we made a Falconet or a Saker, the iron would see cracks in a few months...

Landammann Eric Baumann: So... In the end both metals will have to be used?

Meisterbüchsenmacher Albrecht: Ay, iron for the Bombards, and bronze for Falconets & Sakers...

Finally, a decision would be made after almost a year of the foundry working. Many trials and failures were experienced by the Schwyz metalsmiths, but it seems that finally the seeds we planted in the past bear sweet fruit for us to pick. Three branches of the Kanonenschmiedegilde would also be formed, in respects to the cannons which were planned to be made in the foundry.

Bombenkanone - Example

The biggest cast cannon of Schwyz, the Bombenkanone is cast from iron, and due to its weight, transported by oxen pulled wagon. Due to this, the cannon does not find a place in the battlefield, for the lengthy amount of time just to prepare it to fire. Nonetheless, it conducts the role of firing on the walls of cities and castles, the true task it was designed to do. Currently, the Canton of Schwyz has a single bombard by the name of "Wrath of Tell", which we had purchased back in 1501 from Bohemian Foundries. While we do not plan to enter any sieges at the moment, having the option to cast our own Bombenkanone will surely be helpful...

Steinadler - Example

Named after the Golden Eagle which flies through the valleys of Schwyz, the Steinadler is the Field Artillery which is used by the troops of the canton. Being the heaviest piece which can be drawn by either two cart horses or an ox, these cannons are the true pride of the Foundry. Cast from bronze, the shine it produces gives another reason why the Meisterbüchsenmacher has decided to give it the name after the Golden Eagle. The simple perimeters of the cannon are saved in the Cannoneer Chronicles, which are kept in the archives of the Kanonenschmiedegilde.

The barrel of the Steinadler is approximately 2.8 m long, having a calibre of 3.25 inches. Due to the usage of bronze, it weights less than its iron counterparts, at around 1850 pounds. The cannon fires a shot weighing 5.25 pounds approximately 2,200 yards, which gains enough momentum from using approximately 4 pounds of gunpowder.

Rötelfalke - Example

The answer for the need of a fast moving piece of artillery, the Rötelfalke, like its bigger brother Steinadler, is a cannon which is cast from bronze. Like the Falcons have the Falconet, we have the Steinadler and the Rötelfalke. Having a shorter lenght and smaller a smaller calibre, this piece is meant to travel together with the Reisläufer bands, as a supporting element, after the mistakes we learned at the Battle of Como. Due to the light size of the rounds and the cannon, it can be staffed by just a single cannoneer, but it is recommended to have at least two of them, to effectively aim and load it.

The barrel of the cannon is approximately 1.4 m long, having a calibre of 2 inches. The whole piece weighs 320 pounds. The Rötelfalke uses around 0.6 to 0.7 pounds of black powder to fire a 1 pound cast iron shot at a maximum range of approximately 1,600 yards.

Besides the cannons, the foundry also produces the cast iron ammunition for them, acting as the heart of metal smithing innovations in the canton... Lastly, the Landammann has sent out letters to the close friends of Schwyz in the Confederacy, in an effort to promote the new Foundry and its products. He has also sent more letters to the new Canton of Basels, looking for artisans who would be able to engrave difficult patterns on the cannons, such as the respective animals they are named after.

Summary:

• Flavour

‣ With the completed construction of the Foundry, the products are given names. Siege Artillery is known as Bombenkanone, Field Artillery is known as Steinadler and Light Artillery is known as Rötelfalke.

‣ All artillery made in the Foundry of Seewen will be engraved with the coat of arms of the village of Seewen and the Schwyz Cross. Letters KS will be engraved near them as well.

• Moderation

‣ Invitation is sent to artisans of Basels to travel to Schwyz, with them tasked to decorate the cannons made in the Foundry with intricate patterns, certain marks or animals.

‣ Friends of Schwyz, mentioned in a prior post, are invited to either send novice metalsmiths to work in Schwyz or even purchase the new cannons from Schwyz.

‣ After careful deliberations, the cannons of Schwyz will be made from Bronze, while the Bombards will be cast from iron. Cast Iron Round Shots will be used by all the Artillery Pieces, but the Bombards will be able to utilize Stone Round Shots in the event that they lack supplies.

If everyone else is doing it, so shall we.

Raising Troops.

Hero Omkes sees trouble on the horizon, and decides to band together some troops.

[m] Raising troops

Pieter stood at the town hall in Hollum where he had gathered some of the best captains Ameland had to offer. And he spoke:" Brave men of Ameland although most Amelanders were spared the horrors of war in Frisia. It is now time that I must ask you guys to join the war effort. East Frisia has shown his treacherous side and has now been officially banned by the emperor. So I ask you to join the war effort for justice and glory! You all shall be compensated for the duration of the war of course." Some of the captains walked away but he managed to convince a few captains and their ships to help him in the fight.

After his appointment with the captain, he retreated to his little castle on the island where his family was residing. After spending some time with them he returned alone to the mainland to replenish some of the losses that he had had from last year's battle. He promises his wife that he shall return safely and his kids that he shall bring them some gift from the war.

[M] Raising some man and ships

The three dukes mentioned here declare war on Edzard of East Frisia, on the basis of him being an imperial outlaw, and his lands free for the taking.

"Doors bust open as scores of armed Venetian militiamen storm through a building they have been monitoring for days. Within the walls of what used to be Piero de Medici’s estate, rumors in the streets abounded of anonymous individuals given entrance to the Medici’s estate. These words would eventually seep into the ears of the Lords of the Night who then spread the word amongst the Venetian signorie. While Piero de Medici is not exactly an individual worthy of suspicion from the Venetian state, the lack of information corroborating Medici’s actions within Venice and what the estate has disclosed has caused paranoia within the Signoria to swell up. The existence of unaccounted-for nobles and agents speaking to the Medici prompted the Lords of the Night to launch an inquiry over the Medici's estates. Rumors of a plot within the halls of Venice either targeting or involving the Medici in some way alarmed the authorities to the point that a raid on the Medici estate was necessary to stop said plot and find these agents. It was a rash decision, for once the authorities arrived, the Estate was already evacuated, with many of the Medici's possessions still in the building. This incident has prompted the Medici Family to denounce the Republic for its transgressions against Piero de Medici for damaging his property accusing the Venetian authorities in an attempt to arrest him."

- di Lazio: Thus this concludes my report before your most esteemed Signorie as to the chain of events that occurred that day. Are there any questions from the Senate?

- Giustiniani: Is there space for other powers being involved in the plot?

- di Lazio: It is certainly possible yes

- Giustiniani: Who?

- di Lazio: We have a few suspects, agents of the Signorie in Firenze may be responsible in sparking a plot against their enemies in the Medici, infiltrating the city.

- Giustiniani: How, Venetian security is top of the line? If Soderini was involved we should know about it.

- di Lazio: It may also be the Borgias... The Medici have been involved in multiple plots in Rome, maybe some of it has spilled over here.

- Giustiniani: Impossible, Venice is a safe haven and the fact this occurred is a stain on Venetian honor and pride. This scandal must be rectified at once!

- di Lazio: With all due respect Signorie Giustiniani, if there were spies in Venice, the Lords of the Night will know about it first. Evidently, the fact this plot went out of hand indicates the Lords of the Night require immediate reforms to it's structure and command. If enemy spies can gain root from within the confines of the city of Venice, the whole organization must be institutionalized and beholden to the state.

- Giustiniani: I am in agreement, nevertheless people must face consequences for this. The head magistrate of the Lords of the Night must resign for his incompetence and replaced with someone else. The Lords of the Night shall be reorganized into a new public security institution, the "Night Watch" which shall incorporate the Lords of the Night into an official government office with superintendents serving as provincial security officers and the Sage of Public Security at the helm, a new position of the Doge's cabinet, I vote for Senator Antonio Tron of House Tron, Son of Filippo Tron to be appointed into this new branch of government. The motion is set forth to a vote.

The vote passes

- Foscarini: What about the situation with the Medici? We cannot simply ignore these accusations

- Giustiniani: I know personally some of the Medici and espionage against their host is not something they would do. This whole affair has been frankly an overreach of our authority in the issue. They must be restored.

- Foscarini: Other nobles may see the Medici example as an example of Venetian distrust, A law must be put into place to establish codes of conduct on the Night Watch and formalizing how political refugees are treated in Venice. The Night Watch is there to provide public safety, and asylum seekers will be provided a security detail to ensure no hostile foreign powers can breach Venice's security. And in the situation where the Night Watch conduct an overreach of their power, asylum seekers taken in by Venice should be granted the ability to take the Night Watch to court if infringements upon the privacy of those deemed asylum seekers are committed by the Night Watch. The judge tasked with said case will then deliberate over if the claims hold water and if so, may request reparations or restitution from the government. Asylum seekers who commit crimes within Venice are still beholden to the law, but they are nonetheless given the tools to defend themselves and protection from increased security in Venice.

- Giustiniani: This proposal is sound, this bill will hopefully ensure trust is rebuilt among the noble families of Italy. Anything else?

- Morosini: Perhaps reparations to the Medici for the trouble?

- Giustiniani: Hmmm, perhaps.

- Morosini: The Medici have not wronged us in the past, keeping this grudge is not going to be within Venice's interests in the future. He should be paid back.

- Giustiniani: Proceed then... All in agreement? Then the vote has passed!

[To address the Medici Scandal. Venice creates a new public security service in Piazza San Marco on 4 Calle d'Ascencion, and passes a new Law concerning rights of asylum seeking nobles granting them legal defenses against police overreach. A restituary sum of 80,000 ducats is wired to the Medici family for transgressions of the state of Venice against the Medici family and an official apology from the Doge of Venice is provided.]

The only one more despised than one who stands outside from the House of Ali is one who seeks to divide from within.

A state of war exists between the Mahdi and the false worshippers of Ali who pervert our holy faith, the Musha‘sha’iyyah

March, 1505.

By request of Cesare Borgia, King of Naples, the men of Piombino will march alongside his armies in response to this cowardly attack on his life, in exchange for payment for the services of the brave soldiers of Piombino. Although Iacopo IV's age is uncommon amongst Condottieri Commanders in Italy, his reliability and experience helps most clients get over the detail, at least for the time being. A 1.000 men will be raised to support the Borgia war effort, if war ever comes to Naples that is.

#1505

The steppe had quieted down with the loss of Khan Ahmed and peace between the Tsar and the Lithuanians once more. The Crimeans were enjoying the great wealth brought by the fruit of their labors. The Nogai had fled a threat beyond the Caspian that had slaughtered several tribes bringing them to the edge of extinction, now pasturing on the lands of the quickly forgotten Great Horde. The Astrakhan Khanate remains quieter than both of their neighbors, though they too enjoy the fruits of others labor as the razing of Sarai has given the city of Astrakhan even greater wealth.

The Giray family had seen profane success across the Pontic-Caspian steppe in recent times, and their hordes had benefitted greatly from this. There was particular wealth that had been centralized in the plains and coast of Crimea not seen in some time. This was, however, the steppe and there were only a few laws that existed across the land. One of these laws was that the wealthiest of them all would collect crows and vultures circling them in the hopes of taking what they could for themselves. One particularly intrepid vulture was Khan Mirza of the Nogai who had gathered a collection of Turko-Mongolic tribes together.

Khagan Menli Giray had claimed the title and succession of the Golden Horde, and now his mere existence threatened the stability and prestige of any Khan who sought to find his way between the three-headed dragon of Muscovy, Lithuania, and the Sublime Porte. The Nogai were eager to secure coin and foodstuffs for themselves and establish their presence in the area. Khan Mirza gathered several zuut from his constituent tribes and set off to the southwest towards the Black Sea.

The Khan would discover a major hindrance that was quite unexpected to the seasoned warrior. Unlike the Great and Astrakhan Hordes, the Crimean Khaganate was not centered around a single, strong fortification. Menli Giray and his forebears had established several forts in key locations, many of which were possible only due to their Ottoman confederates, and this also meant that there was not an easy target for the Nogai to strike for loot. The Crimeans, who had been caught unawares by the attack, were able to quickly take advantage of this boon from Allah and gather up their own host. Neither side would find the other easily engaged in a decisive pitched battle for several weeks.

Eventually the Nogai would flee the Crimean Khaganate with painfully little success but similarly little casualties. Menli Giray, in his infinite wisdow, sought to ensure this slight would not go unpunished. The coming months until the cold winter set in the two hordes would engage in skirmishes as both sides were goaded by the other for fear of enduring a raid on their camps otherwise. There was little effective change in the relationship of the Nogai or the Crimeans as the two battled for supremacy but Menli, even in his old age, was able to beat back the new threat without losing face.

https://youtu.be/zu8bEljrolk?si=VBr_TGjYdnL1Rzrk

with the blessing of medicis past, i am taking up the post of the rightful rulers of the florentines.

1503, The Citadel, Cairo, Mamluk Egypt

"The Mamluk Sultanate, ran by a cabal of enslaved Circassians, guided by their ancestral Christianity... THE MAMLUK SULTANATE, RAN BY A CABAL OF ENSLAVED CIRCASSIANS, GUIDED BY THEIR ANCESTRAL CHRISTIANITY!"

Sultan Ghuri raged in the presence of his courtiers

"Those backwater rawafidh! How dare they speak of the Custodians of the Holy Cities in such a manner. The gall, the temerity!"

Just a few hours previous, the representative of the Musha‘sha’iyyah had spoken those very words, gravely insulting the Sultanate and those who have given their lives in the defense of its borders and faith. Ghuri -- while in a fit of rage -- sought justice for this insult, he would instead temporarily choose mercy and forcefully have the ambassador prostrate in forgiveness.

However, Ghuri knew his God was one of real justice. In time, he would receive the call to bring a great deliverance of Allah's will upon the Musha'sha'.

---

March 1505, The Citadel, Cairo, Mamluk Egypt

Sultan Ghuri unfurled a brief letter from his trusted Amir al Arab in Al-Jazira.

"My Sultan, Ismail marches on Basra. The Shia fight one another in a bit for superiority of their faith. It seems that the time is upon us. Your wish is my command."

Sultan Ghuri would break into a sly grin

"Call the Emirs to the Citadel, at once!"

---

"My trusted Mamluks! I am sure you all remember how you felt when the vile ambassador of the Musha‘sha’iyyah insulted all that you hold dear. Allah is truly merciful and has allowed us a chance for due justice. Our beleaguered Sunni brethren oppressed by the Musha'sha' cry out for a savior, who are we to not answer the call?"

Ghuri would unsheathe his ceremonial sword, and raise it vigorously in the air

"WAR IS UPON US! FOR THE PROPHET, FOR HIS SUNNAH, FOR HIS SUCCESSORS! BASRAH WILL BURN!"

---

The Musha‘sha’ ambassador in Cairo is summarily detained and a procession ordered by Ghuri has him publicly humiliated, flogged, his tongue cut out, and eventually beheaded. If it was not already clear,

A state of war exists between the Mamluk Sultanate and the Musha‘sha’iyyah