Welcome to the world in 1640 where history took a largely different turn in the now-called 20-years-war spelling doom to the old imperial order and shattering the balance of Europe forever. While war rages on in France, Spain and England, the heart of Europe settles on peace. In the last decade, the protestants and calvinists, led by Danish intervention and the military genius of Saxe-Weimar's field commanders have triumphed over the catholic commanders. While many feel that the peace is a foul compromise most parties have other concerns or a visible exhausted. Northern Germany was defended successfully against catholic rampage but both south and Bohemia suffered greatly from marroding armies - mostly mercenaries - and many cities and villages were burned to the ground. Historians might later estimate that nearly a tenth of imperial citizens died and the horrors of this long war already weight heavily on the survivors.
At the Peace conferences in Franconia the Holy Roman Empire met its fate as the emperor - unable to recognize the failures of the counterreformation he aspired to push upon the "heretics" - is forced to recognize the cessation of most of the German realms from the Empire. Not only imperial rule but also the fate of the rest of the empire as well as of catholicism concern the catholic states - Austria, Bavaria, Baden and Salzburg as well as Italians. The victories protestant union now comes together at Weimar to discuss the creation of a stable alliance against foreign powers which - like the triumphant Denmark already has - might expand into their territories. Even with the dissolvement of ecclestial territories Germany remains a deeply divided realm and no one of princes inspires to knit it as close together as other realms. After all the whole rebellion was not so much a matter of religion for them but one based on (German) freedoms of the princes against the emperor's tyranny.
France has been all but destroyed in the last decades and some spectators already proclaim it might go back to early Capet times where the crown was weak. The Hugenottes, once a dwindling minority, have came to be a force again after catholic power was visibly shattered in the empire. The ripples opened up when the deeply divided kingdom was unable to claim La Rochelle as many funds were occupied trying to keep the protestant revival at bay. The king, driven by Cardinal Richelieu, claimed the responsibility for the failure lying with the protestants and a mirror image of the imperial conflict emerged. With the king killed by protestant forces and his heirs under arrest France descends headlong into chaos. France is evenly split between the confessions but foreign powers too stake their claims - they (mostly Spain) speak of retaking - and the Bretage is posed to divide itself yet again from the kingdom. Only the next decade will show who emerges victorious or if there will be a real victor at all.
Though Spain lost most of its influence in central Europe it considerably gained power in the last decade. While having to finally concede the indepence of the United Netherlands Spain is secure of religious turmoil and keeps both her Italian and Flemish-Wallonian posessions. The addition of Southern Wallonia and some areas in southern France styled as reconquest as well as French and English civil wars bring it once more to the prime of power. But trouble is brewing with a rebellion in Portugal and the costs of maintaining such a far stretched empire ramping up. Following the weakness of Austria and other parties Spain may now face the burden of holding together and keeping both Europe as well as catholics safe from Turkish onslaught.
The Union of England and Scotland - while still standing in theory - has been dissolved by force. At odds with the powerful parliament - even though not alone as such an instituation (contrary to popular scientific belief) - the king alienated most of his countrymen by binding with the Spanish and ignoring the situation in Germany altogether. A rebellion has finally sprang up against the perceived tyrant and like his french counterpart he was killed by the rebels. While the powerful general Cromwell was killed by loyalists the English Civil War rages on undecided. Emberassing as it may be the initial point for the war was the sinking of the Mayflower in the Northern Atlantic and the parliament using that as a scapegoat to arrest the king who they suspected to sabotage the colonial ambitions for his "Spanish friends".
While the English Civil War stands mostly as a conflict between English and English and to a much lower degree between Irish and English Scotland has yet to make her move yet. While reeling at the shock of the king's murder Scotland is deeply concerned of Danish power reemerging and does not want to commit itself in a war without being unthreatened by the Nordic power. As English and French colonial ambitions are delayed some scottish nobels argue for an expansion of power in the New World.
Standing as the Great Protector of both protestants and calvinists Denmark has reached a new height of power, expanding their lands in Germany with gains in Pommerania and Oldenburg. But this new position is in now way secure and neither the Protestant princes nor Sweden will accept further Danish expansion. Denmark feels confident dealing with one of these enemies but not both at once. While there is no issue at all Denmark fears the German princes might aspire a more united German realm born from the ashes of the old and such a foe might prove more menacing than the damage Swedish mercenary armies may inflict.
Sweden, destroyer of Russia, Lion of the North, now aspires to finally take the true mastery of the Baltic. The German princes in the vincinity have already been stripped of their most powerful protection willingly, without realizing they weakened themselves too much. Poland-Lithuania is concerned with the Turkish threat and their new Russian subjects and ironically take the brunt of the 3rd Rome's destruction while Sweden only has very low costs in the newly added territories. That leaves Denmark to be contained with Skâne and Norway directly to be added to Sweden as soon as possible. Nevertheless the Russian campaign exhausted the treasury and Sweden has to find some years of peace before taking on new conquests.
Poland-Lithuania, also known as the Commonwealth, is a vast realm with numerous vassals and great internal freedom. After the Swedish Victory in the Nordic War the Commonwealth moved against Russia to finish it, breaking it in several duchies now vassals to the Commonwealth. While in theory the plains to Ural and Siberia beyond are now open to the Commonwealth it is too divide and internally weak to pursue such an eastwards colonisation. At all it only proves as blocker to a reemerging of Russia and as a liability for all around. The city of Moscowy being still under occupation is a rebellious hotbed. The fall of the so-called 3rd Rome may well prove the death of Russian orthodoxy.
The great winner of the crisis in Europe is undoubtly the Ottoman Empire - or would be if it can overcome the series of incompetent rulers and the unruly vassals. The caliph is still intimitaded by the loss at Vienna and weakend by internal strife. As if that would not suffice the Ottoman vassals of Transylvania and Crimea gain upidity. Should the Ottomans though take the historical chance of a weak Europe it may well spell doom to it and shatter it forever by taking out the heart.
Closer previews with background and maps
France
Great Britain
Scandinavia
Protestant Germany
Eastern Europe
Holy Roman Empire and Italy
Western Muslim World
Spanish World
Stats preview
Empires and Cultures
Orders preview
France
Great Britain
Scandinavia
Protestant Germany
Eastern Europe
Holy Roman Empire and Italy
Western Muslim World
Spanish World
Stats preview
Empires and Cultures
Orders preview
Signup is done as follows: I present three tiers of nations and you pick one preference out of each of these. Nachopointmercy and I will then decide who will get which. The game will start in aproximately one week during which I will present three historical lectures on Imperial Destiny, religion and nationalism (because contrary to all the "experts" around here the majority of history research books already cite nationalism as a force in the 16th century, well a hundred years before game start and with the 19th century just being its golden age) which set up the scenario along with a map and stats next weekend.
First Tier (perceived "great powers"):
Kingdom of Spain
Ottoman Empire
Kingdom of Sweden
Kingdom of Denmark
PLC
Persia
Divine Empire of China
Second Tier (important players):
Austria
Kingdom of Scotland
Netherlands
Saxony
Brandenburg
Lüneburg
Palatinate
Kingdom of France
Hugenotte France
Kingdom of England
Republic of England
Sultanate of Timbuktu
Third Tier (may cause mayhem):
Venice
Tuscany
Savoy
Kurland
Hesse
Papal State
Nizhny Novgorod
Switzerland
Leinster
Brittany
Porugese Rebellion
Morocco
Transylvannia
Crimea
Bavaria
Lorraine
Württemberg
Kazan
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