The Fall of Burgundy - EUIII
 

If you ask a European Historian what one of the great unheralded and underappreciated events in European History was, they would point to January 5, 1477, when Charles the Bold would die at Nancy in battle with Lorraine and Switzerland.

As the last Duke of Burgundy, whose only issue was an unmarried 19 year old daughter, the lands of Burgundy were split in several ways. The Hapsberg’s of Austria inherited the lowlands, France much of lower Burgundy, and several states would again be free, such as Alsace and Barrois.

The dissolution of Burgundy freed up France to consolidate its eastern holdings, gave France back a lot of the wayward duchy’s lands, and was one of the signature events in increasing France’s might.

Wars would be fought for an age over the lands, as Spain, France, various Imperial interests, England and Austria would vie for the lands that were once Burgundy’s. Battle over control of the lowlands would last for centuries.

Burgundy was building a powerful nation. The combination of most of the lowland wealth plus land in much of modern day east France and west Germany gave Burgundy one of the richest nations in Europe.

When Burgundy was dissolved, here is the land it held:



This map shows that even during the final ten years of the Duchy, Charles the Good was continuing to expand Burgundy as much as he could. You can see lands acquired in 72/73, 76, and more. The continued expansion was a part of the Duchy’s plan to move themselves away from France’s shadow, since technically, they still owed the French King their fealty.

One of the greatest, “What If?” questions that surround Europe is what would have happened if Charles the Bold had not died at Nancy? With the might of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, east France and West Germany behind them, how much would they have been involved in colonization? How much more would they have expanded? There are still many smaller nations around them they could bring to the fold. Would they stretch back down to the Mediterranean? Would they move west or east? Perhaps gobbling a French Minor would help expand and keep the Hapsburgs off their back at the same time. Perhaps they would have ousted Britain from Calais.

I can think of two possible dynasties revolving around the Fall of Burgundy. One begins on January 4th, with you playing the role of Burgundy. What can you do with her? What is the upper ceiling on Burgundian expansion? I think that would be interesting to do and fun to boot!

There is another option…

It is January 5th, and the war for Burgundian Succession has begun between France and Austria. France is already at war with the Castille/Aragon alliance. The England/Portugal alliance is at war with Castille/Aragon. Granada is still free.

Europe is about to go through some major upheavals including The Protestant Reformation. At the same time, the Colonial Age is about to begin. In the face of that, we are not ready. This is a time of giants. Right now, Austria has 102,000 troops in Valenciennes and another 22k in Sundgau. How can we survive in this time?

We are the newly freed Duchy of Lorraine. We were in battle against Burgundy for our lands, which had just been taken in the last year, but we had recaptured Nancy. We killed the Duke and ended the Burgundy threat to our lands, but there will be more. Both Austria and France look down upon us.

In real life, Lorraine would take Bar in 1480 dynastically, and hold everything for a while until the mid 1500's when they would be reduced to just Nancy and the surrounding area for more than a century before being absorbed fully it France. What if it continued to expand? With the rest of the continent fighting religious wars, major battles, and colonizing; what if little Lorraine began to expand further and further? What if Lorraine became the new Burgundy?

That is my goal in this dynasty. To take Lorraine right after the fall of Burgundy and guide her to becoming as powerful, and with similar land profile, to Burgundy. That does not mean I have to follow the profile exactly, but just to try and carve out a state, as a technical vassal of France, in between France and the other nations to the east, including the very valuable lowlands.

Can this be possible? With vision, can Lorraine become something great?

This is an unusual dynasty for me, since I usually begin as far back as I can to help make a one province nation as strong as I can for later in the game, and 1477 is definitely later. I also have some very specific goals, rather than just playing as Lorraine and hoping to have fun.

Here are some facts:

I am playing with Divine Wind and all of the other expansions.

This is the beginning, historically, of the Austrian domination of Europe in terms of land. They already were in a dominant position based on diplomacy and dynasty, but now their land jumps significantly, and in ten years, they will have bitten off a chunk of France as well. As the Emperor as well as the infusion of the large and wealthy territories to our north, they have become the power du jour in Europe. They also have the largest influence with the Papacy right now as well, and this is Austria's time in the sun.

Options:

Lucky Nations; Off
AI Aggressiveness; Normal
Difficulty; Normal

Everything else is normal, inflation, merchants, missionaries, colonists, etc.

50 years wait for land and sea provinces

Born in 1451, the Duke of Lorraine, Rene II de Vaudemont is just 26, but has been the Duke for 4 years. While Burgundy threatened us, he tried a variety of ways to keep Lorraine free, but failed, and Lorraine fell for a bit. However, an alliance with Switzerland and the purchase of Swiss mercenaries allowed Rene II, grandson of the great Rene of Anjou to lead the combined Lorraine/Swiss army and recapture Nancy; thereby setting in motion the destruction of Burgundy. Yesterday we defeated, not just an army, but an entire nation. Yesterday, in our capital, we changed Europe forever.

All about Lorraine is celebrating, and the Duke is very happy. However, I know that this may be temporary. How long will it be until someone else comes from the east or west and attacks us. Certainly Austria must be looking to unite her new lands to the north with her lands to the south of us. If she takes us completely out of the fight, then she will have a land connection between Briesgau and Sundgau in the south and Luxembourg in the north. We have to be very wary of the Emperor.

Similarly, France has just expanded massively, and our liege may force us to rejoin her as more than a technicality. During the past 7 years, France and Burgundy both wanted us, and we played one against the other, as an ally of first Burgundy, and then when it became clear that Burgundy was secretly building forts in our territory, we switched to France. Despite that, Burgundy invaded us, and France came to our aid, temporarily. Then they went to peace with Burgundy and France was been content to allow us to fight and survive, or die, on our own. Now that Burgundy is not around to fight with and use against France, we can be sure that Louis XI will try to force us back into the fold, now that his sworn enemy is dead. (Louis XI got along well with the previous Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good).

My name is Anton de Guise, and I am both related to our Duke and his advisor. He is a great general in the field, and he is good at diplomacy. Like all good rulers, he has a good man behind the throne, guiding him. That man, for Lorraine, is me. I was educated in a Barrois Monastery and now I have risen to the position of Chancellor. I am the main person that oversees three aspects of Lorraine; politics, justice, and the economy.

I am the one who takes the bigger cases in the Duchy, and decides them. I listen to grievances brought by nobleman and peasant and merchant alike. As the head adjudicator of the land, I also pass laws. I oversee the economy and the infrastructure of the Duchy. Finally, I am typically the one who makes diplomatic decisions, although my Duke is the one who will carry them out. He also fights battles and rules.

I know what the future will bring; Austria and France could knock on our door at any moment. I suspect we may have to play these two off against each other just like we did with Burgundy and France.

Here are the goals we need to survive long term:

1). Establish an alliance with a major power early to help insure our survival.
2). Increase our military significantly, to be able to handle smaller powers around us. We need to be the big fish in the small ponds to expand, so that we can try and handle the bigger fish later.
3). Rearrange our nation's laws, policies, and infrastructure to survive long term.
4). Expand east or west quickly, in order to add to our domain.
5). Develop our nation's economic infrastructure to be able to spend enough to survive, and later to thrive.
6). Play off the bigger powers in order to keep Lorraine out of wars it shouldn't be in.
7). Invest wisely into the future, and enable us to stand in the battlefield toe to toe with any nation.
8). Slowly, grow into a modest power than can slide into the power vacuum left by Burgundy.

A look at Lorraine.

Our King does not have an heir at this moment.

King Rene II

Admin 4, Military - 5, Diplomacy; 7.


Metz; The Northern of our holdings, Metz has 18013 Burgundian Catholics who work largely in the iron mines. They make 16.92 ducats for us annually. Just a level 1 fort, but many buildings, including marketplace, trade center, constable and workshop, church and courthouse, training fields and armory. North of Lothringen, Metz is east of Barrois, west of Elsass, south west of Worms and south of both Trier and Luxembourg.

Lothringen; The southern of our holdings, and our capital lands of Nancy. Iron mines are also the major economic export of the area, and 18.9 ducats are made by the 6505 Burgundian Catholics here. It has all of the buildings that Metz has, plus a level 2 fort and the National Focus. It is directly south of Metz, east of Barrois, south-west of Elsass, west and north of Breisgau and Sundgau.


Our current mission is to accumulate money.

We have 1 stability, and several diplomats, magistrates, etc, but no spies or missionaries

We are a Feudal Monarchy with National Conscripts and Merchant Adventures as our ideas.

Our army is a simple 2000 Men-at-arms and 1000 Latin Knights. (Barrois has 2k infantry and Alsace the same).

Sliders:



Centralization -4. Being Centralized is always good for everything but war exhaustion, but the nobles and pressure often pushes you the other way. Right now, this is a very strong place to be.



Aristocracy -1. I like Aristocracy, cheaper regiments and cavalry, more diplomats, and better leaders. I'd love to be at -5. This is not where I would want it, so moving it is a priority, but not a major one.



Free Subjects +2. Meh. I cannot move farther towards FS due to government limitations. The stab loss is nasty and the cavalry cost increase not great, but the tech bonuses are very handy.



Innovative -1. You lose a lot for this tech bonus; stab cost, minuses to missionary production, papacy relations, and war exhaustion worsens. All for a -3% tech thingie. I like this slider right in the middle.



Free Trade +3. This isn't a super great slider. All things are good except the reduced compete chance. It's not bad, and I'll skip most of this for now.



Offensive/Defensive 0. Right in the middle. The funny thing is that I can do one side or the other very easily, but in the middle is the worst place to be on this slider! My preference is defensive for the siege bonus and fort bonus even with the morale hit, but I'll take the defense minus for better leader shock and better morale on the Offensive side Either way, the overall advantages outweigh the disadvantages if you war around it.



Land -1. Why would a landlocked nation even care about naval? Naval only helps colonization and navies. The other side helps your army. Cost, manpower, forcelimits and morale are all increased by more Land. This is a priority.



Quality/Quantity 0. Another one where I can do one or the other. I prefer quality for the leader increase and discipline, but it makes infantry cost more and decreases manpower.



Slider Changes I Want:



Quality -4 at least

Defensive -4 at least

Aristocracy -4 at least

Land -4 at least

Innovative 0



All of these except for Innovative are for military purposes. I move us towards 0 in Innovative, and we gain a holy man. He's a level 1 Theologian, nothing major.

We have 10 tech in every thing except Trade, which is 11.

I send some Merchants to Liguria.

I send a Royal Marriage offer to Austria.

What to do with the problematic Ideas?

National Conscripts isn't too bad. +50 manpower can help us defeat a similar smaller nation.

Merchant Adventures is horrible - -33% placement cost for my nation? And that's it! Yucky yucky yucky.


Better Options:

Military Drill - +1 morale
Engineer Corpse - +1 siege
Bureaucracy - +10% Tax
Church Attendance Duty - -33% stability cost and +5% annual Papal Influence
Divine Supremacy - +0.5 Missionary annually and +5% annual Papal influence as well

I want to upgrade my army, so I'm taking Military Drill. My stab drops 3 to -2. I put all of our investment into stability upgrades.

I spend 20 cultural tradition to make a Statesman.

I hire:

Jean Krogloth, 1 star statesman

I want to hire this 4 star stability advisor, but I want to see if the math is there for him first. After checking, I hire:

Piero, 4 star artist

We are allies with Switzerland, who is also allied with Austria. We have no lands around that we have a historical claim to. No one has a claim to our lands either.

We have an alliance CB on Savoy because Switzerland is at war with them.

Future targets of expansion:


Barrois to the west has to be our first target. We';ve got a great rep with them, but I am not sure that if their leader dies we get it, like in real life - I'm not sure that EUIII is set up in that way.

Our Duke's grandfather, Rene of Anjou, is currently Duke of Provence. His firstborn son, Jean d'Anjou, was the Duke of Lorraine until he died in 1470. His only son who survived out of childhood, Nicholas, took over for three years and died without issue in 1473.

Rene I's second and third and fourth sons died some time ago, all in childhood.

His first daughter is Yolande de Bar. She married Frederick II of Lorraine in order to end the dynastic dispute about which line of the family should inherit the Duchy of Lorraine. When Nicholas died in 1473, she chose to abdicate the title immediately to Rene II, her first born son. (In real life, she will do the same when, in 1480, he father dies and she immediately passes the Duchy to Rene II again, and that includes claims to several King titles).

So, what happens with the titles that my grandfather still has in his possession, in 1477 if he dies now? And who is this guy the game made up for the Duke of Bar? In real life, the title was vacant until 1480.

It doesn't look like I have a chance at inheriting Bar. Could I inherit Provence? I just looked and he has Charles as a successor. (Probably Charles IV who inherited because of a will to give him the titles of Provence and Anjou). This prevented me from inheriting through my mother the Duchies.

Other targets:

East is the bishopric of Alsace. North is the two province bishopric of Trier and the two province land of The Palatinate. Nearby is one province Baden, Aachen, and Koln. These could be later targets, but Barrois is the most important. Why?

It has no ally. It's currently not a vassal of France.

I order 1000 men-at-arms in Lothringen. I turn Rene II back into a general and send him out regularly to practice with the men. I think I can do some damage with a general, 4k troops, and both of my national ideas.


After 7 pages of Word and 2900 words, I'm about ready to hit pause and move on. Are you ready to begin?

In two days we receive word from Austria that our Royal Marriage proposal has been accepted. I decline alliance offers from Bohemia and Aachen. France has agreed to a RM proposal we just sent as well.

Switzerland has asked us to rejoin the war against Savoy, and we agree. I order War Taxes collected.

Jan 8 - Bar is now allied with the Palatinate.

Jan 10 - Brittany, allied with Savoy, join she war, and Austria, as the HRE declares war on both Brittany and Savoy. Thanks Austria!

Jan 19 - I decline an alliance offer from Mainz.

Feb 3 - I accept an alliance offer from Baden.

Feb 5 - The Palatinate has allied with Switzerland and DOW'd Brittany and Savoy as well.

Mar 1, Stability increase. Austria has captured just one French province but lost three in the lowlands.

Mar 4 - With Austria busy and on my side in war, I drop my stability by two to DOW Alsace and order my 4000 troops in. Her ally, Bavaria, joins her.

Mar 21 - We win the battle of Elsass and begin the siege.

May 1 - Stab increase

June 1 - Stab increase

July 1 - Stab increase again

Aug 1 - Yet another stability increase.

Aug 29 - We take Alsace but they refuse an Annex, so I move to our capital, where the remnants of their army are besieging us.

Oct 1 - We defeat their army around Nancy in Lothringen, and we have a stability increase.

Oct 2 - We annex Alsace's province of Elsass.


Elsass - 16098 Catholic Rheinlanders live here and work the wine fields. They make 19.22 ducats for us annually. They are east of both of our provinces, and adjacent to Baden, Pfaltz, Worms, and Briesgau. Other than a level 1 fort, it has nothing in it.

I must have missed it, but we are in a Trade League with Genoa, and all three of our merchants set up shop there.

I use the army tradition I had to make a Army Reformer, 2 star, and hire him.

I gained a ton of infamy, 10, from the declaring and annexation. I need to wait and cool that off a bit.

Dec 7 I offer a White Peace with Savoy and they accept.

Jan 1, 1478 Stability increase to +3. I fire Piero.

The Succession War is going badly for Austria, who are currently in a big hole.

Jan 3 Naples agrees to a Royal Marriage with us.

Mar 9 The last few months have seen a lot of nations warring with France, including, now, Provence. Trier is undergoing rebel problems, which will help me keep them down, in case I want to head there next, but I need a long cool off period after grabbing Lorraine.

Mar 26 Peace with Savoy and Switzerland.

May 20 France has been Excommunicated.

June 26 Royal Marriage accepted with Milan.

July 24 Every single lowland province and both Gaus are in the hands of France, but Austria has captured several French provinces including Paris.

Aug 1 I spend 5 magistrates to Formalize Weights, Scales and Measures. +5% taxes, -0.5 revoltrisk, Trade efficiency +10%, and +10% production efficiency. This lasts forever.


Sept 5 Bar has stupidly joined the Savoy/Brittany alliance in their war against Austria et all. They better hope Austria ignores them.

Jan 3, 1479 Royal Marriage with Bavaria.

Mar 1 The Gaus fell back to Austria after ally Hungary took them and left, but Bar has moved their 300 troops and split them to besiege both. Ballsy.

May 5 RM: Portugal, Aragon

Aug 14 RM: England

Aug 20 England DOW's France.

Oct 1 I reject Austria's request to give them Alsace, and we lose a stability and Austria gains a Liberation Casus Belli against me.

Nov 8 Despite a minor siege in the capital, Bar has managed to capture Luxembourg.

Jan 1, 1480 We complete out mission to stockpile gold with more than 100, and gain 10 as well.

My next mission is to Protect Against Trier. I order 1000 cavalry built in Metz.

I also spend a magistrate and 48 ducats to build a Constable in Elsass.

Mar 1 - Stab increases back to +3

Mar 17 - Now 1000 infantry ordered in Metz

Mar 24 - Savoy and Austria are now at peace, and they must sunder their alliances with folks, including Bar.

Mar 25 - Rebellion in Elsass, and 8000 troops try to take it

May 2 - We have finished our mission. The next one is to again accumulate money.


May 5 - The rebellion is ended and the rebel remnants are fleeing to Austria to disturb them , not us

May 7 - RM: Castille

May 13 - Venice DOWs Austria to hit them while they are focused on France (smart). Austria's allies, inc Switzerland join her, and I now have an Alliance CB vs Venice.

June 26 - The Duke has a new, strong heir, and the line is secure.

July 1 - I spend two magistrates to Promote Cultural Unity in Elsass. This removes the Alsace core from it. Alsace no longer exists as an idea, and cannot be formed again.

Aug 5 - RM with Norway and Denmark, Sweden rejected my offer.

Dec 3 - RM Hungary

Feb 5, 1481 -RM with Byzantium, a rebel state that was released when Venice lost their war to Austria, and gave up Crete and Naxos as Byzantium

Apr 1 - I spend some influence to recruit a level one Treasurer.

May 11 - The emperor of Austria has died and his son has been elected the new HRE. Austria currently has two French provinces and has lost all of her western provinces. She is stubbornly holding on though, and I like that.

May 19 - Reichsreform has passed.

Aug 15 - What I want to do is help out Austria. If I can besiege and retake a few of these provinces France has captured perhaps I can swing the war back to Austria's favor. But we would lose the tolerance of France and some stability due to our marriage. So no, no war declared right now.

Nov 9 - RM: Brandenburg

Jan 1, 1492 - Trade Tech Increases. We have completed our mission.

Our new mission is to make Thuringia vote for us in the HRE. We have a negative relation due to being allies pulled into a war a while ago, so I need to make nice.

I send Thuringia a gift of 6.6 ducats and order a workshop built in Alsace (I changed its named from Elsass).

Feb 4 -Another gift sent.

I am having some severe slow down issues. Let me check what's up.

Looks like all I had to do was disconnect from Paradox, and all is fine.

May 2 - RM: Thuringia

June 4 - They agree to give our troops military access

July 13 - We also give them access to ours

Aug 15 - Another gift sent

Dec 1 - I have sent three more gifts


I;m having another issue with lag now with giant save games, so I'm grabbing the beta 5.1 and installing it and hope that it doesn't break the save game.

Feb 11, 1483 - A son of our family is now the next in line of Brandenburg.

Mar 2 - One final gift maxes our relations with Thuringia

Mar 9 - The war between France and Austria has ended. France gained Hainaut, Vlaanderen, and forced Austria to release Holland, Tirol and Luxembourg. Releasing Luxy makes me happy, because that is another potential. All of those released nations are now allies of France. It's not as bad as it could have been I suppose.


Sept 6 -What do I do with Luxembourg? I'm considering putting it in my Sphere of Influence. But France has an alliance with it. Hmm. No Sphere for now.

Sept 10 - The Pope has excommunicated Bar! Which controller did that? Austria. I order 1000 troops built and my maintenance e jacked up

Oct 1 - I DOW Bar due to Excommunication.

Oct 12 - We defeated the Barrois, but The Palatinate has joined the war and dropped troops in Alsace.

Jan 1, 1484 - We capture Bar and annex them. We only gain 2 infamy due to their excommunicated status.


Barrois -12612 Burgundian Catholics work the cloth trade and make nice bolts. 19.19 ducats are made here. It is a core of Bar and Provence. I order Constable built here, since it has just a level one wall. It is next to Metx, Lothringen, Frenche-Compte, Bourgogne, Champagne, Valenciennes, and Luxembourg. Three of those are French.

Feb 8 – We drive away The Palatinate from Alsace.

Mar 6 – I win in Worms and begin a siege

Mar 17 – They arrive in Metz and also begin a siege

Apr 13 – I give Austria military access

Apr 15 – I split my army and defeat them in Metz and destroy their army

May 10 - RM: Ansbach

June 29 – Pfaltz falls to us

Oct 6 – Worms falls

What to do now? I could take Worms in peace. That’s a bit too fast right now, and too much infamy (4). I could annex them, but that’s even more infamy (8).

They are both wealthy provinces and worth the stretch, but not now. I got my prize, and this is just bonus. I could go for vassalization, but that’s 4 infamy too.

The issue is that I am considering the aggressor because I declared war on Bar, and The Palatinate was their ally, so I declared war on them, technically. I just expected to get peace with them, but when I defeated them in Alsace all nice and stuff, I couldn’t but help to push. 8 infamy is way too much, and 4 is over 10 total. It’s just 7 and a half years in the dynasty, I don’t have to expand this much.

My stability is about to drop one from Bar.

Vassalize, take Worms, or let them go?

Worms is the good short term plan, I permanently get Worms added to my nation. Vassalize is the long term plan, make nice, and diplo annex later.

Long term. I Vassalize The Palatinate and gain another 4 badboy. I also force them to annul their alliance with Switzerland.

Okay, good stuff.

Oct 18 - Austria agrees to give us military access.

Nov 9 – RM: The Palatinate

Dec 2 – White Peace with Liege and her allies.

Jan 1, 1485 – I order a Workshop built in Barrois

I order 1000 men at arms in Metz

Jan 28 – I get an event about recruits flocking to our banner and I choose to funnel them to our capital, and it gains +1k manpower.

May 5 – Alliance with The Palatinate formed

Dec 1 – 4 Austria provinces in the lowlands are captured by rebels. We may see some map changes in a bit.

Dec 9 – RM: Sardinia

Dec 21 – Military access granted to Papal States

Mar 2, 1486 – How about a map?

The Aus and A’s around me are Austria’s territory

The brown horseshoe land above me is Trier and its two provinces. Luxembourg is the green triangle above me. The Palatinate is where “Lorraine” changes from my light blue to its sea green.

Mar 6 – RM: Bohemia

Apr 15 – RM: Holland

Since Bavaria ha vassalized Thuringia in war recently, they won’t vote for us, so I get rid of my mission.

My new mission is to get a RM with Baden, so I wait for a diplomat

Apr 26 – I choose to lose 196 ducats invested in trade tech when we find some corruption.

June 1 – We are now in a RM with Baden, and Lorraine lost an infamy. Our next mission is to Make Brandenburg vote for us. We already have really good relations with them.

July 2 – We now give them access

Aug 2 – RM: Oldenburg

Sept 12 – Joy of Joys., Brandenburg was just beaten in a war with Poland and forced to annul all treaties, so I jump in and offer an alliance ,and they accept.

Oct 1 – Land Tech Increase

Nov 2 – I send a gift to our new ally

Nov 30 – Franken has revolved back to The Palatinate, but they have rebel issues, so I send over some troops. Bavaria granted me military access in order to get there.

Dec 15 – We give Brandenburg access

Feb 10, 1487 – We defeat the rebels in Franken, thus securing it as the 3rd Palatinate province.

Feb 12 – Another gift to Brandenburg

Mar 14 – We now have maxed relations with Brandenburg

Mar 26 – I promote cultural unity in Barrois and Bar and loses their cores on her (Provence still has it).

Mar 28 – Slider time

I move us towards Defensive and I get an event that causes us to lose 10 army tradition

Apr 11 – I get military access from Baden to move in and help them with a rebel problem

May 5 – Rene II won in Baden

July 5 – I start trying to woo Bohemia with some diplomats in order to bring them up (another elector)

July 12 – I proclaim a guarantee against Baden.

Aug 29 – Bohemia lost a war to Hungary and had to release Silesia and break some diplomatic agreements, so I can now double dip by sending in more diplomats to help us out.

Sept 1 – Government tech increase. I can get a new idea!

What do I want….

The Beta patch has made a few ideas better. The Engineer Corps now also gets +25 fort defense in addition to the +1 siege. We will be taking that.

Feb 2, 1488 – Rebels in Alsace

Mar 22 – Defeated

June 12 – I get a Gift to the State and put it in the treasury. I start sending gifts to Baden.

I order a Canal built in Lothringen

July 17 – I pull Baden out of Bavaria’s Sphere of Influence and put them in mine.

Nov 23 – I guarantee Luxembourg’s independence

Jan 1, 1489 – Production Tech increases

May 31 – Now that I have maxed relations with Bohemia, I am working on Koln.

June 1 – Naval Tech increase

Oct 23 – Rebels in Alsace

Nov 22 – Annihilated

Dec 1 – Austria starts a war against France for Vlaanderen. Everyone is involved, inc Luxembourg vs Austria.

I want to DOW Luxembourg with an Alliance CB. But this CB doesn’t give me vassalize rights. It wouldn not work, I I stay clear and calm.

Jan 1, 1490 – Maxed relations with Koln

Mar 16 – I order the construction of a canal to commence in Metz

Nov 1 – Maximized relations with Mainz


Apr 21, 1491 – Luxembourg got peace with Austria in order to remove Austria’s core on her. Now Luxembourg is free as far as legitimate claims go.

July 17 – Austria re annexed Holland, and gained a ton of infamy.

With the infamy hit, I am currently getting 4 of the 7 electors, but not Brandenburg yet. The breakdown shows me in the lead, but they are still supporting Austria for some reason. I’m sure soon we’ll see them switch.

Aug 9 – It happens, and I finish my Brandenburg mission and gain some prestige.

The next one is to Create an Army for our Nation. I order 1000 Gallowglais infantry to be trained and equipped in Metz

Sept 13 – Bavaria sends me an insult. They’ve been building themselves and have a lot of vassals and allies.

Dec 5 – After a lot of back and forth in Switzerland and a few provinces taken in the lowlands, France wins the war and forces Austria to give up Holland, leaving us exactly where we started.

Mar 4, 1492 – I put Luxembourg back in my Sphere of Influence. I also order the outfitting and training of 1000 Latin Knights in Metz.

May 9 – Now another 1k infantry please

May 27 – I choose invest some ducats in production tech development when we come across some good investments being made there.


June 1 – Castille has declared an Excommunicated ruler as the reason to declare war on France. France has huge war exhaustion, and is now back at war again.

June 23 – Another 1k infantry ordered in Metz

July 6 – Genoa has changed government to a Kingdom, and I join The Hanseatic trade league.

I send some merchants to set up shop in Lubeck, and we enter into a RM with Genoa.

Aug 7 – We completed our mission and gained prestige and army tradition. The next goal set forth by our nobility is to accumulate money.

Oct 12 – England has also declared war on France due to its excommunicated status.

May 1, 1493 – I have spent a lot of magistrates to up my cultural tradition to 100% and now I make a level 6 Government tech guy and fire my level 1 guy for him. Say hello to Charles Alexandre Neubert

Feb 1, 1494 – I raise my taxes and meet our mission. We get some extra ducats from the nobility as thanks.

Our next task they set before us is one I have prevaricated on. They want good relations with Luxembourg. I was also eyeing it for military expansion, but diplo makes sense too. I start sending in diplomats.

Feb 11 – RM: Luxembourg

July 23 – We send a gift to Luxembourg and increase our relations to over 100 and finish our mission. We now grant military access to them and get it from them too.

I have the save the Burgundian people one again for Franche-Compte.

Nov 6 – I bring our tradition back to 100%, and make a level 5 treasurer, and I fire my 1 star guy to hire Joseph Oberlothringen.

Dec 27 – We get word that Naples just was annexed by Aragon, which will extend their life, because they got hammered by Castille in Iberia.

June 1, 1495 – Bavaria is moving up in the HRE in influence of the electors. They now have three going for them and four for me.

July 7 – Alliance with Luxembourg forms.

Aug 1 – Gvnt Tech Increase – I use this learning to build a Spy Agency in our capital.

Oct 1 – Trade tech increase

Dec 28 – RM: Avignon, after Aragon forced the Papal States to release it.

Jan 5, 1496 – Provence smartly declares war on Avignon to capture it.

Mar 1 – After having been controlled by rebels for a long time, Valenciennes has defected to Liege.

May 31 – A comet is seen in the sky and we lose a stability

June 10 – I choose to Introduce our Heir, and we lose some ducats and a diplomat and host an event to formally introduce the Duke’s heir to Europe. It increases our prestige, and will annually increase cultural tradition, prestige and legitimacy for five years.

July 1 – We spend three magistrates to support the Florentine School and for ten years, our infamy will reduce a bit quicker and we get some prestige and cultural tradition.

Sept 2 – Maxed relations with Luxembourg

Oct 1 Our stability is back to the max.

Dec 1 – Land and Government Tech increase

June 14 – 1497 – I help Baden out with some rebel problems

Sept 1, Government Tech Increase

Slider Time too. I move us towards Defensive again and we get a peasant revolt in Barrois.

Sept 18 – The rebels are easily destroyed

as the Chancellor for a new Lorraine. During the 21 years he gave us after the Fall of Burgundy, we expanded into both Alsace and Bar. Additionally, we have vassalized The Palatinate. We have allied with Luxembourg and Baden and have them very close to us.

Our military has increased from 3000 to 14000. We have built canals, workshops, a spy academy and constables. We have manipulated 5 of the 7 HRE electors to vote for us the next time the seat comes open. We kept our alliance with Switzerland.

We have become pertinent. People actually know who we are. Rene II is believed to be a gifted ruler. Anton de Guise did much for his land, and his name shall not be forgotten.

The next step is to continue to push us on the European stage. Becoming the HRE is a perfect way to do just that. We can only hope that an opportunity comes before Austria reestablishes herself as the choice of the electors. We also need to look for expansion opportunities to Luxembourg, Baden, Trier, Anhalt, Koln, Liege, and more. As opportunities arise, it is incumbent on us to take advantage of it.

My name is Gustave d’Avignon, and my family was one of many who left in the Avignon troubles ten years ago. We relocated here to Lorraine where I am enrolled in one of the local monasteries. I learned writing and politics and was recommended to Anton. For six years, I have been Anton’s primary assistant, and I have learned the craft from him. At the age of 23, I have been appointed his successor by Duke Rene II. I can only hope to do the job the honor that Anton gave it.


Chancellor

Anton de Guise – Jan 5, 1477 – Mar 20, 1498
Gustave d’Avignon – Mar 20, 1498 –

June 3 – I get a bad event – Poor Government Choices. I go with the option to lose 40 ducats over the one to lower stability by one.

July 15 – With perfect cultural tradition, I make a level 5 diplomat which will lower my infamy by 0.25 a year. I drop my level 2 land tech army reformer. Say hello to Erik Bickling

Nov 5 – Austria DOWs France for Vlaanderen again. Everybody on both sides is in.

Jan 1, 1499 – Land Tech increases

Sept 1 – Trade tech increase

Nov 5 – RM: Muscowy, Sweden

Feb 1, 1500 – Production increase

Feb 18 – I order the construction of barracks in Lothringen

Mar 1 – Land tech increase

Apr 7 – Switzerland and France go for a White peace.

May 1 – Gvnt Tech Increase

May 14 – I get an event – Sale of Titles. I chose not and I gain 1 aristocracy.

June 28 – The leader of Austria died in the field today, and Rene II has been elected the new Holy Roman Emperor!

August 24 – Due to the war with France by others, I use the Imperial Ban casus belli against France. This will allow me to take Hainaut, Charlois or Franche-Compte from France, and F-C will become a core of me when I take it. It’s the perfect time to DOW against France, as Austria has many troops in her.

I lose a stability. I order my troops to Franche-Comté

All of our allies but Switzerland joins us. I don’t blame the Swiss for no fighting after they just went to peace.

Sept 3 – Bohemia is giving us War Subsidies

Sept 10 – The siege begins.

Sept 13 – F-C falls to a quick assault. It had changed hands quickly twice in the last few months, which was why I thought this would be a good time to DOW France for it

Sept 23 – We begin a siege in Lyonnais

Oct 1 – Stab increase. The Palatinate’s 12k troops are in Champagne. Austria has captured a few provinces and has 32k in Bourgogne.

Oct 12 – We capture Lyonnais after another siege

Oct 23 – We begin a siege of Dauphine

Dec 5 – The papal controller Scotland excommunicates Provence

Dec 9 – Champagne falls to my allies

Dec 10 – We take Franche-Comté and 100 ducats. We gain just 0.4 infamy, a ton of prestige, and I order my troops back!

I lose 2 infamy from my mission and gain some prestige.

Franche-Comté – This is a core of Lorraine, Burgundy and France. 7400 Catholic Burgundians are known as salt traders, and make us 17.16 annually. FC has just the fort and needs some buildings! It is adjacent to: Barrois, Sundgau, Bern, Freiburg, Savoie, Lyonnais, Charlois, Bourgogne. That means we are next to Switzerland, Austria, France and Savoy. I want to start working at getting this province up to speed.



I order a constable building constructed.



If you are following the math, you may be wondering what just happened. How did I declare a war, take a province, and then lose infamy?

I had a mission to conquer FC. If I gained it, my benefits were -2 infamy, +3 prestige, and FC becomes a core. This also gives me a Conquest CB against France, so I can DOW France with it to take FC and only FC and the infamy cost would be 50% of normal.

As the HRE, I can DOW a nation that controls provinces that are in the HRE but the nation isn’t. This is called an Imperial Ban. I can take those provinces at one quarter the infamy cost and half the regular cost.

I used the Imperial Ban to DOW France, so I could take FC. When I did, I only gained ¼ of the normal infamy, but then my mission kicked in and I lost a bunch of infamy. In fact, I lost it all.

Now, there is a disadvantage to this. Our original intent was to play France and Austria against each other. I’ve kept France at a distance with good relations and a Royal Marriage. Now they are in the negative relations and they have a core province on me to DOW me with. I don’t have the HRE Austria to have my back, so I need to figure out a way to keep France at bay for a while.

I intend to re-raise our relations.

Since I have 0 infamy, I should start looking for another combat opportunity.

I offer another alliance to Switzerland and they agree. We are great long term allies.

I hope Austria kicks France’s ass, they are winning in the south and losing in the lowlands.


I’m going to sit back for a bit. My new mission is to get Trier to vote for us. Meh. Okay.

May 11, 1501 – Okay, let’s get’s some infamy. I DOW Trier with the intent to beat it down and vassalize it.

Our stab drops 2

June 6 – Trier falls

July 1 – Stability increases

July 17 – Koblenz falls.

July 19 – We gain 4 infamy and 10 prestige when Trier agrees to be our vassal and break all treaties.

July 23 – Austria wins their war vs France but just takes ducats, and not land (stupid, in my opinion.)

Aug 9 – Now that Trier is voting for us, we get a new mission - make Koln vote for us.

I spend some of the prestige I got in my recent wars to pull Aachen out of the Austrian Sphere of Influence and add it to ours.

Aug 22 - Trier joins our alliance

Sept 1 – I send a gift to Koln

Oct 1 – Production Tech increases. I send nother gift to Koln.

Nov 1 – Stability increases again.

Dec 1 – Gift to Koln

Dec 5 – I convince Duke Rene II to pass the Act of Conformity. It gives us extra Missionaries and a better chance of them taking.


Dec 13 – A workshop is ordered to be built in Franche-Comte.

Dec 21 – Our Koln mission is complete. The next is to Vassalize Baden.

Apr 5, 1502 – Castille won a war with France and forced them to end Armagnac’s vassalage.

Apr 13 – Lauenberg is ceded to me by The Hansa, and I release it and lose some infamy.

Apr 17 – I decline an alliance offer with Castille.

Sept 1 – Production tech increase

Sept 5 – Maximized relations with Aachen

Oct 7 – Aachen agrees to an alliance

Nov 10 – I spend some prestige t change my mission. I have a very low badboy, super high prestige, and Sphere + diplomacy difference, and Baden is at “Very Unlikely” to vassalize. (Lux is “Unlikely”).

The next is to make Brandenburg vote for us. I send a gift their way.

Jan 1, 1503 – Marketplace ordered built in Franche-Comté.

Feb 9 – I also order a Counting House constructed in Lothringen.

Feb 18 – Brandenburg now notes for us. The next mission is Vassalize Luxembourg. At least that one was slightly more likely. I intend to wait until I have no infamy.

Mar 4 – Liege refused to return Valenciennes and I gained an Imperial Ban CB vs them. That’s likely my next target.

Apr 1 – New Naval Technology spreads to us, and we could build shipyards if we had docks.

Apr 2 – France’s excommunicated King finally passed and they are now in a Regency Council.

Apr 24 –Provence DOW’s Avignon. After all of the allies are in, here is the war list:

Provence
Ferrara
Milan
Tuscany
Naples

Vs

Avignon
Brittany
Liege
The Papal States
Savoy

Hopefully Avignon can keep their independence, because the more nations there are inside of France, the less likely they are to take it all back in one successful war.



Apr 25 – I offer vassalization to Luxembourg. They refuse

May 25 – Back to 200 relations

June 25 – Luxembourg accepts vassalization. I lose all of our infamy.

I order some troops built and my maintenance jacked back up, and my troops to Barrois.

My next mission is to make Brandenburg vote for me again. People who really like me lost 25 or 50 relations due to the vassalization. I send a gift

Aug 6 – Gift to Brandenburg – it works

Aug 10 – Our next mission is to vassalize Liege. This would have to be military. I’m about to take them down.

Sept 14 – With an Imperial Ban CB, I DOW Liege. I order my 16k army into Valenciennes.

The Swiss dishonor our alliance.

Sept 24 – Austria annexed Tirol, and I gain an Imperial Lib CB against them

Oct 5 – I assault Valenciennes as soon as I hit it and took it down. My allies and vassals are fighting in Liege’s capital. And I order Rene II’s forces to Namur.

Oct 16 – Liege won in their capital and is marching to Valenciennes

Nov 4 – Namur falls after an assault. The Palatinate has 5k troops in Liege. Liege has 7k in Valenciennes so I move here.

Nov 8 – I get a peace offer giving me Namur and Valenciennes, but I don’t want it.

Nov 30 – The Campaign of Valenciennes is complete with Rene II on top.

Jan 1, 1504 – We are sieging their capital, but The Palatinate was here first, so they are in charge and they are not assaulting, even though they should

Jan 22 – Provence has annexed Brittany. That’s a major coup for them.

Apr 15 – Rebels in Valenciennes so I move to Namur and Valenciennes to destroy their army and the rebels.

May 1 – Trade and Naval both have tech increases

May 13 – Rebels defeated

June 28 – Liege falls

I take Valenciennes and force-vassalize them. I gain 5 infamy.

I also took some gold and forced them to annual treaties with Koln and Freisland.

This completes our mission. I lose two infamy.

My next mission is to make nice with the Swiss.

I move my National Focus to Barrois


Valenciennes – 17408 Catholics work the cloth trade and make very nice linen. They also make 16.46 ducats. This province has just the level 1 fort. It is next to Barrois, Luxembourg, Liege, Namur, Hainaut, Cambray, Vermandois, and Champagne. It is a core of Flanders, France, Austria and no one else. I tried to release it as Flanders after the war, but it wouldn’t let me. I’ll just keep it myself then.

There are disadvantages to taking this. My infamy reduction is hampered by my three non-core provinces (Alsace, Barrois, Valenciennes). Also, my prestige is hurt a bit (although it’s at 100).


July 3 – Gift to the Swiss

Who wants a map?




I put a black line around the territory that’s my vassals. It includes Luxembourg, Liege, Trier and The Palatinate, and it includes that one random province to the east of me.

The K is on Koln, the A on Aachen and the B on Baden.

With this vassalization complete, my next target is unknown. No other land is right next to mine in an open area

July 5 – With my gift to the Swiss, I have a new mission – Save the Burgundian people by taking Bourgogne. Well, I know my next war may be the French again.


Aug 1 – Alliance with Liege formed

Aug 19 – Provence’s leader has died, no longer excommunicated, and they have a Regency Council ruling them now.

Jan 1, 1505 – We are now maxed relations again with Koln after I send another gift just now

Mar 2 – I order a Trade Depot constructed in Franche-Comté

Mar 23 – Austria’s King died and they have a Regency Council too.

Apr 1 – Their now ruler has more diplomacy than the last one, and Austria has passed us by in two of our electors, and it’s now 3 us, 3 Austria, 1 Bavaria

May 2 – Bavaria sent a spy to ruin Austria with Metz, and I rose back to the first spot with them. 4-2-1

June 1 – Naval Tech increases

June 26 – We get news that 5000 rebels in Valenciennes are raping the countryside

Aug 1 – Even at his advanced age, Rene II manages to lead his army to a victory against the rebels

Sept 5 – After years, France and England come to peace from their war. France releases their claim on Calais and releases their vassal Auvergne. Only Foix, Bourbonnais and Orleans are still vassals.

Sept 15 – I get a major event regarding Erik Bickling, my hugely great diplomat. His ability is so great it counts as a major work. I choose to use it diplomatically. I lose 6 infamy and gain 10 prestige. My infamy is all gone. This will help me retain the Emperor title.


These are the nations I am next too: France, Austria, Savoy, Switzerland, Baden, The Palatinate, Luxembourg, Liege, Trier,


Sept 18 – RM: Ferrara

Oct 1 – New Land Technology spreads to our realm

Jan 2, 1506 – I order the construction of a Constable in Valenciennes

May 1 – Gvnt Tech increases

May 15 – Another Comet Sighted and we lose a stability.

Dec 1 – Stability regained

One of the things I’ve been doing to make some cash is to spend magistrates to pump my cultural tradition to 100, then making a great advisor (but not tech) and then waiting a year until that advisor gets picked up by someone else and then making money off that.

Mar 11., 1507 – A workshop has been ordered for Valenciennes

Apr 1 – Production tech increases

June 3 – Trade Station formed in Barrois

Jan 13, 1508 – Our Duke’s firstborn has passed away! Luckily, he has another heir, this is a 14 year old son, and again, with a very strong claim.

Mar 1 – I move my slider towards Defensive and lose 10 tradition from it

June 1 – France annexed Bourbonnais

Sept 29 – RM: Armagnac, Urbino

Nov 1 – I send an insult to France, so I can DOW them whenever I feel like it, and not lose the stability to good relations.

Jan 1, 1509 – I order a canal l built for Franche-Comté

Jan 15 – Hungary just took 6 provinces from the Ottomans

Jan 29 – England has taken the last Irish province.

Apr 6 – England annexes Scotland and no has full control of the Isles.

June 4 – I Introduce my Heir again to Europe.

July 10 – I accept an alliance offer from Castille.

Sept 1 – I DOW France with an Imperial Ban CB

All of my allies are in. I order my troops to Bourgogne

Sept 23 – Bourgogne has already fallen, Valenciennes is under siege, and we are moving in

Oct 12 – I have won a battle in Charolais and assaulted the province and took it. They have troops in Barrois in a siege as well.

Oct 28 – Castille is giving me war subsidies

Oct 29 – France accepts Peace for Bourgogne. We lost two infamy, gained a core on it, and my new mission is to make nice with Koln. I’m surprised France was willing to give up more than we won, it was probably the Regency Council and three sieges in their territory going on.



Bourgogne – 16615 Catholic Burgundians work the wine fields and make 31.98 ducats. The people who work in and around Dijon consider themselves cores of Lorraine, Burgundy and France. I have just chosen to have it join the HRE. It is surrounded by Barrois, Franche-Comté, Lyonnais, Charolais, Nevers, Champagne, and Nemours. Of those, all but two are French.

Jan 1, 1510 – A constable is ordered outfitted and built in our newly acquired possession.

Feb 1 – Stability increases

June 18 – A local fortification expert is discovered in Bourgogne. I order him used there, and the province gets +50% fort defense forever.




September 4, 1510 – After a long a successful reign as Duke of Lorraine and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Rene II de Vaudemont has passed. He was 59. He ruled well from the throne and the field.

His son has succeeded him, Francois I de Vaudemont. The Empire electors have also voted him as the new Emperor.

Francois I – Admin – 8, Military - 7, Diplo - 6


His heir is his five year old brother, Antoine.





Dukes of Lorraine

Rene II de Vaudemont, 1473 - Sept 14, 1510
Francois I de Vaudemont, Sept 14, 1510


Today is a day of mourning.

Sept 10 – RM: Luxembourg, Baden, The Palatinate, Castille, Hungary

Dec 28 – I have a 100% Papal Influence

Jan 1, 1511 – A workshop’s construction has been ordered by Francois in Bourgogne.

Jan 20 – RM: Genoa

Jan 31 – We join Castille in a war vs Inca

Mar 1 – Naval Tech increases

Mar 13 – RM: Milan, Bohemia, Brandenburg

July 24 – RM: England, rejections by Portugal, Naples

July 31 – I accept a white peace offer from Inca

Nov 30 – England DOW’s France

Jan 1, 1512 – We order a marketplace in Bourgogne this time.

Mar 7 – RM: Lithuania, Poland, Muscowy, failed with Naples again

June 17 – An Italian Engineer comes by. I hire him for 200 ducats which results in me taking out a loan and slider moves towards quality and defensive.

Jan 1, 1513 – Trade depot follows marketplace in Bourgogne

Apr 14 – RM: Avignon, Mantua; but Ferrara rejects us

May 5 – RM: Sardinia, Sicily

Aug 1 – I cancel the mission for Trier, and get a new one to build a fort in Alsace

Nov 26 – Revolt in Valenciennes

Jan 1, 1514 – Francois I manages to take out the rebels after I suggested he become an official general in the field. We order the walls in Alsace increased in height.

Jan 15 – Castille got more than 3000 ducats from Inca in peace, plus provinces.

Feb 5 – Peasant’s War in Provence

Mar 1 – Production Tech increases

Apr 4 – I pass the Militia Act. Our stability will be harder, our discipline is better and our sliders move one towards Centralization and Quantity. I didn’t want the second one that much, but I’ll take it.

June 18 – Again, I get pressured to sell titles, I say no, and we move even more Aristocratic

July 20 – If I had taken Champagne in the last war, I would be the Papal Controller right now. I have two, and the controller has two as well, and there’s one from Champagne.

Aug 3 – RM: Aragon

Set 24 - We just lost one of our cardinals.

Jan 5, 1515 – Our fort is built, we gain 5 tradition, and the next mission is to save the Burgundian People and take Nevers.



Feb 22 – I declare war on France using a Conquest CB and not the Imperial Ban one.

All of my allies are in

Mar 18 – Nevers has fallen to me

Apr 10 – Hainaut falls to my allies. I;m in battle in Nevers

May 19 – I’ve lost in Nevers and then Bourgogne where France is.

May 25 – Champagne falls

June 14- They recapture Hainaut

June 22 – My allies win a battle vs France in Verdandois

July 1 – My army moves back out of Franche-Comté to assault Nemours.

July 22 – Valenciennes falls

August 5 – Bearn falls to Castille

Aug 29 – Labourd falls to Castille

Sept 29 – We capture Nemours after fighting their forces twice

Oct 2 – Peace:

We gain 50 ducats
We force France to release Hainaut (I gain some Imperial Authority)
I take Nevers

I get just one infamy, and then I lose 2 to my mission, and Nevers becomes a core.

I order level 2 forts in Bourgogne and Nevers

My badboy is now just 0.2

My next mission is to vassalize Baden – I add Nevers to the HRE


Nevers – 6856 Catholic farmers of Burgundian culture make 12.55 ducats annually. It is a core of Burgundy, Lorraine, France and Nevers. We are adjacent to Bourgogne, Charolais, Berry, Bourbon and Nemours.

Oct 10 – RM: Hainaut

Oct 13 – I join Castille vs Benin

Dec 7 – Baden refuses our vassalization offer.

Jan 10, 1516 – Gift to Baden. I order a Counting House in Franche-Comté

Jan 27 – Austria is kicking the crib by DOWing Hainaut. What are they doing? I join Hainaut.

Feb 17 – They’ve captured Liege, me Sundgau

Feb 22 – England goes to peace with France and forces them to release Flanders.

Mar 2 – I get War subsidies from Venice and Hungary. Apparently Austria has many enemies

Mar 10 – I capture Briesgau

Apr 20 – They are besieging both Namur and Hainaut, and I order my forces to Hainaut.

May 15 – We win in Hainaut

July 2 – We drive them away from Namur

Aug 20 -We win in Ghent and drive away their army

Sept 4 – Ghent falls to a quick assault

Sept 14 – We assault and capture Antwerpen

Oct 1 – Liege is retaken by my allies

Oct 4 – Brabant falls to me

Oct 18 – A quick assault takes Breda

Nov 1 – Trade tech increases

Nov 4 – I can go a few ways on this. Force a release of Brabant. Force me to take a province that will hurt us badly. I have no infamy, I gain 3 from a province as a defender, but my infamy reduction is too small. I have them release the three province nation of Brabant and I gain 20 authority for winning and releasing a HRE state.

Nov 6 – RM: Brabant

Dec 10 – Military access in Brabant, and I have been sweet talking Flanders.

How about a map?




Once again, vassals are in the black. Allies are in the yellow line.

Allies:

Hainaut, Brabant, Baden, Trier, Luxembourg, The Palatinate, Liege, Castille, Aachen


You can see Flanders to my north west. With the release of Flanders and Brabant, big chunks of real estate that were once France and Austria are now free for everyone.

Dec 27 – Benin gives Castille various concessions and that war is over

Dec 29 – Castille is waging war vs Aragon

Jan 4, 1417 – I order construction of marketplace for Valenciennes and Constable for Nevers

Jan 7 – RM Flanders

Jan 25 – France, the Papal Controller, Excommunicates England.

Mar 4 – French rebels bleed over into Valenciennes and I arrive to dislodge them

Mar 11 – I do

Mar 21 – Baden declines vassalization

Apr 1 – Government Tech and a new idea allowed!

There really aren’t a lot of options. I don’t want any of the naval or exploration ones. I’ve got the three military ones I want already. Culture is not my thing right now. Because I am the HRE, I likely won’t need Unam Sanctum when the revolution starts here in a bit. That leaves nothing but Bureaucracy

I’m thinking Bureaucracy, but it’s not super hot. An extra 100ish ducats every 9 or 10 years is hardly important. I bring in about 86 a year in my annual taxes. It would also make me a tad more monthly (like 0.1 or so).

It seems a little underwhelming for a national idea. I’m going to do Espionage, because I like having spies – they can really help sometimes.

Apr 22 – Baden gets a gift

July 28 – Over the last year, Hungary has been joining provinces to the HRE, and they just joined Croatia, which puts mew at 50 imperial authority. Let’s take this authority out for a spin.

July 30 – I pass Reichsregiment

One of the things that Hungary gained by joining some provinces to the HRE is that I no longer have an Imperial Ban Casus Belli on them (that was rather smart, actually).

(This is a good time to pass it, the Protestant Reformation, historically, began in 1517, which is this year, and should happen any time – that will cause massive religious issues for a while)

Sept 12 - I destroy some rebels in Baden

Sept 20 – Baden accepts vassalization

My new mission is to improve defenses in Franche-Comté. I order the fort there immediately

I’m going to have to spend the next year sending out gifts and such to people in order to regain my ties.

Jan 4, 1518 – Workshop ordered for Nevers

May 12 – I help Brabant out with some rebels

June 23 – One of my ruler’s ancestors was proclaimed a Saint. I would normally gain a stability, but it’s worthless

Sept 27 – We maximize our slider towards Defensive and a peasant rebellion begins in Alsace.

Sept 29 -We have a fort in Franche-Comté and our next mission is to make nice with Austria

Oct 3 – England’s ruler died, and thus is no longer excommunicated

Oct 23 – The 8000 peasants in Alsace are taken out

Nov 4 – I spend 8 prestige and add Hainaut to my Sphere.

Nov 5 – RM: Austria

Nov 7 - Mission accomplished, and my next one is to annex Luxembourg. I get a core on it if I do,

Jan 3, 1519 – I am told that Luxembourg has a Maybe chance. That’s pretty good, I take it.

Luxembourg is now a part of my nation. I lose a stability, and gain an infamy.

It becomes a core. I do not lose the infamy I gained though.

Relations dropped with my vassals and people a lot, and I’ll be spending a couple of years bringing them back up, but I’ve got Luxembourg in my nations now.(I’m not building anything this year, just sending out many gifts)



Luxembourg – Cores of four nations (Aachen, Luxembourg, Lorraine, Liege), the 14168 Catholic iron miners are relatively quiet. These Wallonian people make 26.98 ducats for us. It is building a workshop. It is next to Liege, Valenciennes, Aachen, Trier, Barrois and Metz.


My next mission is to make Koln vote for us

Feb 1 – Wallonian is now an accepted culture.

Mar 24 – I take out some more French rebels in Valenciennes

Apr 1 – Stability increase

June 15 – I just inherited Hainaut – huh.


Hainaut – 37086 Wallonian Catholics live here, working largely the cloth trade and making nice clothes. They also make a nice 31.71 ducats for us. It has a Constable, and it is next to Nemur, Valenciennes, Ghent, Cambray, Artois, Vlaanderen. It is a core of Lorraine, Hainaut, France and Austria.


Jan 2, 1520 – I order a marketplace in Nevers

Jan 30 – Austria, the Papal Controller, has Excommunicated Holland. I order my troops near.

Mar 12 – I DOW Holland with an Excommunication excuse. My intent is vassalization.

Apr 18 – I spend influence to gain Liege in my Sphere.

Apr 20 – I have already taken both provinces.

I get 350 ducats, vassalization, and they are forced t o withdraw from all alliances.

I gain one infamy

June 3 – Aragon tells us that The Protestant Reformation has begun in their territory. I have a decision to make.

I will lose 10 imperial authority when people move away from my religion, but I gain ten when they move toward me. If I switch to Protestant now, then as others do, we will gain prestige and such. On the hand, it will ruin my relations with people, including vassalization and such. It’s probably much better short term to stay where I am, and better long term to switch now.

I could switch, then begin Missionary-ing. Everybody’s view of me would drop massively and I’d lose a ton of stability in doing so. However, I could get my stability back up now, work my relations back up, and so forth. It would take years and years to get my relations to where they are today, but I probably have time. Meanwhile, I looked it up and my vassals and allies would stay, and I could even diplo annex them later.

There is a good thing about staying Catholic. As other nations become Protestant or Reformed, the competition for Cardinals decreases and I have an increased chance of getting the Curia.

I do like the Protestant bonuses better – production and taxes. I almost always stay Catholic as well, so perhaps I want to mix things up and go Luther.

What I don’t want to do is hold off on switching to Protestant later due to several of my provinces converting. Why put off what I can do now, when I likely have a long time before the Duke dies and peacetime and infamy to buy down.


June 24 0 I gain a bunch of ducats in a variety of techs as Printing Press gives benefits

July 1 – Naval Tech Increases

July 21 – My first Protestant defection – Oldenburg

Aug 1 – My Statesman has passed so I create another level 6 one.


Alright, screw it. I’m going to Protestant.

I gain a ton of money, and lose some stability. With my blood money and taking the Catholic stuff money, I outlay the money to build a weapons manufactory in Lothringen.

I will be focusing on minting money.

Sept 1 – RM: Holland

Oct 1 – Alliance with Flanders

I am using the Imperial Authority I gained from conversion to Bestow Grace on people to gain relations without using gold

Oct 22 – France bans our merchants from Ile de France

Nov 1 - Stability increases

Nov 8 – Silesia converts

Dec 1 – I have established alliances with many of my old allies. My vassals have been sending me alliance offers. I just re-established one with Aachen.

Jan 1, 1521 – After putting some research aside, our stability increases.

I send a Missionary to Hainaut

Mar 16 – Cleves converts to Protestantism

Apr 1 – Stability increase

May 4 – Missionary to Alsace

June 12 – I decide to spend my precious diplomat form this month to Introduce the Heir.

Sept 1 – Stability increase

Nov 1 – Land Tech Increase

Dec 1 – I’ve been focusing on getting allies that are not vassals back up. Brabant, Aachen, Flanders.

Jan 1, 1522 - Back to +3 stability

Jan 10 – Missionary to Nevers

Feb 1 – I now have my alliance trio I just mentioned at 100 relations or more.

Note that people will not vote for me since they consider me a heretic. I decide to switch Koln’s mission.

Our new one is to improve defenses in Hainaut. I can’t do anything until conversion, because you can’t built and convert at the same time. Ah well.


June 28 – Pommerania converts

Aug 1 – RM: Cleves

Aug 5 – France has converted – interesting development

Aug 24 – Austria converts – and that’s major.

Sept 2- Our relations with France and Austria have risen massively. I’m at +115 with Austria and +30 with France. Weird.

Nov 18 – The Spread of Protestantism hits us and Luxembourg converts

Jan 2, 1523 – Marketplace ordered in Luxembourg

Feb 20 – Mecklemburg has been annexed by Brandenburg and I get an Imperial Ban CB against them

Apr 19 – I defeated some rebels in Nevers that spilled over from France

Apr 27 – France has Religion Civil Disorder and choose to eradicate the heretics for peace

May 1 – All of my vassals now have at least 100 relations with me

June 1 – I create a new 5 star diplomat to replace my own one who would be dying any time soon. I had the cultural tradition to spare

Jan 2, 1524 – Now a Trade Depot to build upon what we started in Luxembourg

Feb 1 – Production Tech increases

Feb 24 – I get a military complacency event and my land tech investment will be slowed for a few months.

Apr 21 – Switzerland converts

I now have enough authority to pass another bill. Should I try for the next reform? Probably not yet,I will wait

May 1 – Alliance with Switzerland. Welcome back!

May 13 – Missionary to Franche-Comté

July 15 – I put down rebels in Aachen

Nov 1 – My allies/non-vassals are all at 150+

Dec 12 - My province of Nevers converts

Jan 2, 1525 – Counting House ordered in Luxembourg

Feb 24 – Bohemia converts

Mar 6 – I get a great work by my trade tech advisor

Apr 29 – A poor vintage of wine from Alsace causes me to lose a prestige.

July 6 – Austria is also eradicating the heretics in its religious disorder.

Aug 1 – The Manufactory is built, and I dispatch a Missionary to Lothringen.

Aug 7 – Valenciennes converts to Protestantism.

Sept 5 – We defeat a religious revolt in Hainaut

Nov 28 – My province of Alsace converts

Jan 2, 1526- Canals are ordered in Luxembourg

Feb 1 – RM: Oldenburg

Mar 5 – My province of Barrois converts

Mar 27 – Lothringen converted very quickly

I send a Missionary to Bourgogne

May 3 – Portugal is trade embaragoing me

Switzerland gets into a war with about 15 minors in East Germany. I’ve got my relations with most of them up 50 from when I converted, so I have no desire to reverse it, and I decline Switzerland’s call. Sorry my friend!

June 5 – My old level 5 trade tech advisor died and I made a level 5 production one and hired him.

June 19 - The Austria province of Gelre has gone to Utrecht after rebels

July 2 – I lose a stability from decadence (an event)

Aug 1 – Trade Tech increase

Oct 1 – Stab increase

Oct 20 – Franche-Comté is now protestant.

Dec 18 – Missionary to Metz

50 YEAR REVIEW



In 50 years, I’ve taken just 6 provinces in war, and that’s it. That’s very sloooow for me. By now, I should have had 20-25 provinces. The problem is that infamy in the HRE prevents you from taking too much, and for holding a province that isn’t a core. In a few months, Alsace will be a core. In 7 years, Barrois will be. Then things will pick up a bit. My infamy reduction is very slow, even with the 5 star diplomat advisor.

My provinces:

Lothringen – Protestant, Iron, 54.74 ducats, weapons manufactory
Metz – Catholic, Iron, 36.07
Alsace – Protestant, Wine, Not Core, 31.46
Barrois – Protestant, Cloth, Not Core, 30.37
Franche-Comté – Protestant, Salt, 37.41
Bourgogne – Catholic, Wine, 42.70
Nevers – Protestant, Grain, 15.33
Luxembourg – Protestant, Iron, 40.29
Valenciennes – Protestant, Not Core, Cloth, 33.81
Hainaut – Catholic, Cloth, 34.26



My Vassals:

Holland
The Palatinate
Trier
Liege
Baden


My Allies:

Flanders
Brabant
Aachen


Imperial Authority – 65
Prestige – 75
Infamy - 1


Army #1 – 21000 in Bourgogne
Army #2 – 12000 in Hainaut


Member of the Hanseatic Trade League

9th most income
2nd best prestige
Best Production Efficiency

Tied for 2nd highest trade tech

The HRE picture is muggy. Current Electors:

Brandenburg – Vote for themselves
Bohemia – Vote for Austria (They are Protestant)
Mainz – Vote for Bavaria
Koln – Vote for Bavaria (Both of these are Catholic)
Thuringia – Vote for Bavaria (Vassal of Bavaria)
Trier – Vote for Lorraine
The Palatinate – Vote for Lorraine

What I need to do is capture Mainz or Koln and force them to be my vassal. Then I’d be up 3-2-1-1.

Jan 10 – I send a diplomat to The Palatinate and force them to change to Protestant. I gain 10 authority.

Feb 1 – Counting House in Alsace. Diplomat to Baden forcing them to convert to Protestantism

May 5 – Holland converts upon my request. I now have 95 Imperial Authority. Time to take it for a spin.


June 10 - I try to reform the Hofgericht and fail, I lose 50 authority

Aug 3 – Conversion by Brunswick

Aug 9 – Trier converts for me

Aug 30 – The province of Bourgogne has converted. Our missionary’s work is done.

Oct 3 – RM: Brunswick

Nov 1 – Alsace is now a core. That means my infamy and prestige won’t be taking such a hit.

Dec 1 – We are now accepting of Rheinlander cultures

Dec 27, 1527 – After a Christmas Eve hunting accident, the Chancellor was wounded and lay bedridden for three days. He passed today at the age of 48. He had unwisely failed to provide for a successor and I have been appointed to the role. As an experienced lieutenant in our military and a member of the diplomatic core, I have a good understanding of Empire politics. I intend to find and train new candidates immediately, since I am older than Gustave.



Chancellors of Lorraine

Anton de Guise – Jan 5, 1477 – Mar 20, 1498
Gustave d’Avignon – Mar 20, 1498 –Dec 27, 1527
Stefan de Guise – Dec 27, 1527 –

Jan 2, 1528 – Counting House for Bourgogne

Feb 1 – Metz’s conversion is successful.

I’m not doing anything with these spies, so I switch my National Idea to Bureaucracy and lose 3 stability

May 1 – Stability increase

May 26 – Byzantium is now in a Personal Union with us. Our Duke is the leader.

Byzantium has Greece and some islands, nothing major, and certainly not the city it is named for.

We are now allies of Byzantium

May 28 – Hainaut has converted and all of my provinces are now Protestant., I order the fort in Hainaut to be enhanced

Sept 1 – Stab Increase

Jan 1, 1529 – Stab increase, Canal for Bourgogne

May 30 – I built the fort and my new mission is to incorporate Baden.

June 3 – Baden agrees to join my nation and I lose a stability.

This is the first province I’ve taken that was never held by Burgundy

My next mission is the final one of its kind likely to come down the pike. Save the Burgundian People, and take Charolais.



Baden – 8376 Rheinlander Protestants work the hills making a nice vintage of wine. It brings us 21.44 ducats annually. Württemberg, Baden and myself all had claims on this province. It is east of Alsace, and next to Pfaltz, Ansbach, Wurttemberg and Briesgau.


This is the first land I’ve gained in ten years!

July 6 – I fire my level 5 diplomat for a level 6 one I managed to make

Aug 1 – A new slider choice takes me to Quality, and I get a new Commandant

Sept 1 – Through a circuitous sent of events, Flanders has wound up in war with Koln. That means I have gained an Alliance CB again them… Do I take it? I have to!

I DOW Koln after moving troops to Trier.

I don’t even bother bringing in my allies

Oct 3 – I have conquering them and force vassalize them and to convert to Protestant. I gain 4 infamy.

Dec 1 – Stability increase. Government tech does as well

Jan 3, 1530 – Counting House ordered for Valenciennes

June 7 – RM: Corsica

One of the things I’ve been doing is sending out gifts to a lot of HRE states. A couple of 6.6 gifts to a small nation can move it up a lot and perhaps make it a lot more inclined to vote my reform. I also generally don’t want to be disliked by my people.

June 27 – I defeat rebels in Namur for Liege

Aug 2 – France is at war with Provence, Auvergne and some others. She only has one ally in Eastern Europe. This is a good time

Aug 6 – I DOW France with an Imperial Ban CB. I call on my allies.
Aug 8 – France’s only ally, Bohemia, chose not to join her. All of mine are in.

Aug 18 – Charolais has fallen

Aug 25 – I fall to assault Vermandois

Sept 2 – Champagne falls to an ally

Sept 15 – I have taken Lyonnais

Sept 16 - I take Charolais and 400 in gold.

I get 0.4 infamy and then lose 2

My next mission is to build a University in Luxembourg.



Charolais – 5267 Protestants work the salt trade and produce 21.15 ducats. These Burgundians are claims by me, Burgundy and France. This is adjacent to all three of my lower burgundy provinces, as well as Lyonnais, Bourbon and Auvergne.

I think we need a new map




As you can see, my normal Black lines designate a vassal and yellow for allies. I also marked Mainz with an M, in case I decide to go after it in the future. Right now I don’t need to, but you never know.

You can see my blood money at the top. I may save up and try to build that university in Luxembourg.

France is about to take Auvergne and perhaps other nations, so it’s going to at least be back to even after this war.

If this were not the HRE, I would have 4 or 5 more French provinces by now. I could have taken Champagne in that war, and jumped my infamy up massively. No thanks.


Since Charolais is the last Burgundian province in France, that won’t likely happen again.


A medium term goal is to make nice with France as such.

Oct 29 – Auvergne annexed
Nov 5 – Wurttemberg forces Bavaria to release Ansbach

Feb 1, 1531 – I take out some rebels in Valenciennes that spilled over from France


Mar 13, 1531 – Our elderly Chancellor, Stefan de Guise, passed today in his mid-fifties. He was a man of great energy, and even as old age took him, he had a twinkle in his eye and a spring in his step. We shall miss him.

During his four years as Chancellor, Stefan found and trained both myself and my brother to succeed him if needed. I have been called on to do just that. As the grandson of a Swiss mercenary that served in the second Battle of Nancy that saw Burgundy fall, I have a history of military service. I have also been raised here in Nancy, sent to the church and then removed after we left. I was then admitted to a school of learning in Venice and learned much of coin and ink. I returned six years ago and began a life as book binder, until I was pressed into service as a scribe for the local courts. There I was found by the Chancellor and educated in the finer elements of service to the Duke of Lorraine.

I am now 36 and ready to take on this mantle. My predecessors were great men and all will be remembered for their long hours and dedication to making Lorraine as great as it can be.



Chancellors of Lorraine

Anton de Guise – Jan 5, 1477 – Mar 20, 1498
Gustave d’Avignon – Mar 20, 1498 –Dec 27, 1527
Stefan de Guise – Dec 27, 1527 – Mar 13, 1531
Giroldus de Basel, Mar13, 1531 -