Round XXIX (1595-1606): Being the tickled one
Ray: GOOOOOOOOOOD Evening everyone and Welcome to "BIG RULER". I'm Ray Porter, and I am here with George I. Joe and B. Rene Daid to help you all follow that alternative history! This season, we are following
Savoy. Last time, Ferdinando III "the border cleaner" was crowned, reduced the length of his borders in Africa, expanded in Indonesia, and gained a bunch of new vassals in Europe, mainly through liberated states. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Ferdinando III de Savoie,
Imperator Romanus Sacer, Re d'Italia, Magyarország Királya, Rei d'Aragó, König von Bayern, České Královem, Erzherzog von Österreich, Herzog von Köln, Herzog von Fürstenberg, Duc de Lorraine, Graf von Hohenzollern.
Ferdinando: Good Evening Ray.
Ray: Ferdinando, last time you managed to slightly reduced the length of your borders in Africa, but it seems that you mainly focused on Europe?
Ferdinando: This is correct. I had to improve my authority as Emperor, and this is now done. Moreover, our work paid as we have been able to disband 75,000 troops in Europe, may it be in Denmark or in South West of France, as we do not need to protect our borders against our own vassals.
Ray: But what will you do with such authority?
Ferdinando: Well, I was aiming to reform the Empire. If everything goes according to my plan, I hope to achieve two, maybe three important reforms this round.
Ray: What are they?
Ferdinando: Well, first of all the members of the Empire are safe thanks to the Emperor. They need to contribute (financially) to the war effort, even if they are not vassals. Then, we need to make sure the members of the Empire don't try to eat one each other. The wars Italy had to lead in the Empire through history have been to maintain the Catholic faith. I prefer fighting towns of heretics than kingdoms of heretics.
Ray: But the largest nations of the Empire, Bavaria, Austria, Bohemia, both are under your rule.
George: Ray, what about Holland and Brandenburg? I agree, they should not become stronger.
Ray: Hum... Anyway, you spoke of 75,000 troops disbanded?
Ferdinando: This is just for Europe. We disbanded a total of 165,000 men in the last decade, and I plan to disband as much this round. We still need to clean our borders, mostly in Africa.
George: I don't get it... Many viewers expressed their stupefaction... Can't you afford your military?
Ferdinando: We sure can, but we have to maintain an army of more than 1 million men right now. The money going to their salary is not going to schools, to farms... It's not going to forts, spies or military research...
Ray: But why not just disband some troops? Why do you need to go on the offensive to disband troops? I don't get it....
Ferdinando: For two reasons. First of all, in History, all previous rulers who disbanded troops then had issues defending the territory against foreign invaders or rebels. I will never disband an army if it is not safe to do so. Moreover, disbanding armies because of new borders, then just after a war, mean that I will not actually fire 15,000 trained soldiers, who might revolt and cause trouble. It means that I will allow 5,000 veterans to retire and mourn their 10,000 fallen comrades.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
George: You know what Ray, if he really wants to disband troops, I will support him doing it the way he does. Fighting.
Ray: You are right. In January 1596, the last 30,000 men still on the Ceylan island are allowed to give their last fight, as OPM Jaffna, who controls the northern part of the island, is attacked and quickly annexed.
George: This war gives ideas to minors though. A few days before Jaffna capitulation, in February, Dahomey attacks Italy. Followed by nDongo in March. Fortunately, this time Aragon has some troops to defend its African holdings.
Ray: The list of heretics attacking Italy increases every month. The White Horde declare wars in April, while its ally Kanem Borno joins the war in May. Still nothing worrying for Ferdinando, as he got control back in Summer. In June, he orders the heretics to be pursued both inside and outside Italy.
George: And in July he can sign a peace with Dahomey, allowing only two disconnected provinces to remain in control of the African state.
Ray: On the other hand, Fall is similar to Spring, with minor African Kano attacking Italy. African Djolof and Mutapa, honoring alliances with respectively Kano and nDongo, also join the wars.
George: Nearly all Africa is at war right now, if we consider the civil war ongoing in Mali.
Ray: In October, OPM Pahang, in the Malacca peninsula, attacks Italy. It might be too much for Italy though.... Ferdinando quickly peaces out with all his opponents, only capturing nDongo's Loango and White Hord's Tatarsk... Italy still is at war against Kano and Pahang.
George: This will not be long wars. Pahang is annexed in February 1597. Now all the African forces can focus on Kano's provinces.
Ray: In March, the states from the HRE supports Italy in their "war taxes" reform. Every state sees its income slightly reduced, but Italian Taxes Income is up 50%.
George: This is good, as Italy does not need to disband as many troops as they plan anymore. Anyway, Kano is annexed in August, and only a few months later, in January, Yemen attacks Italy. They think Hejaz, newly revolted Adal or even the Timurids will join them, but they will be on their own I am affraid.
Ray: Then Ferdinando lets his generals in Arabia take care of the war, and he forces the members of the HRE to sign a permanent peace treaty in February 98, slowing down Holland and Brandenburg progresses in Germany, a few days before a colony is set up in Kamchatka, to allow the North Pacific Exploration Fleet to rest.
George: And while Italy still is at war with Yemen and making very slow progress in the Arabic sand, in April 98 Mali attacks Italy, calling its ally HOH
Ray: HOH?
George: You will never bet who joins Mali in this war?
Ray: Mutapa, Kanem Bormo, Djolof..?
George: Burgundy?
Ray: OPM Enclavec European Catholic Burgundy?
George: This one!
Ray: Ferdinando laughs so loud he signs a truce with Yemen
George: In Indonesia, Kedah and its ally Bima see that as an opportunity to backstab Italy. Fools.
Ray: Mali is peaced out only a few days later, now only a few enclaves are not Italian in West Africa.
George: This makes the borders ugly... No one likes it. In July, OPM Gurma attacks Italy. It is annexed within weeks.
Ray: To celebrate this new victory, in August 1598, Ferdinando instaures the Gold Standard, which allows him to mint more money.
George: And Italy is back to peace, after nearly three years of war, in October 1598, cleaning the Malacca peninsula and getting a foothold on the Sumatra Island.
Ray: This foothold will have to be defended... It is probably against Ferdinando's plan...
George: Yes, but Indonesia is messy. Italy will need a lot of troops over there to clean it up. I think he can afford this deviation.
Ray: Anyway, in July 1600 we are back to war, with the oriental Dorvn Hoard attacking Italy, quickly immitated in August by an Hejaz-Kaabu alliance. Italy has no interest annexing Kaabu in a war declared by Hejaz, so they quickly peace out with the African state, while in August, the Chugachiqmiut province is discovered, as required by the Senate.
George: And their new mission is to colonize the closest Dorvn Hoard province...
Ray: I am not sure they will be able to do that, as Kereit only borders a Siberian colony with no more than 50 families to populate it...
George: You are right. Still, Italy has to capture Kereit to end this war. Minor Indonesian Minangkabau decides to attack Italy. Srivjaya and Kelantan also go into war...
Ray: Wait a minute! OPM Kelantan decided to attack Italy, but Strivjaya, the biggest force in the area, attacked Minangkabau instead!
George: This is probably why they became the regional power. Seizing any opportunity to expand, just as Savoy did 250 years ago.
Ray: You are right. Winter 1600-1601 see the end of the Indonesian wars, with Italy annexing Kelantan, and Srivjaya annexing Minangkabau. Here is the situation in Indonesia.
George: The first few months of 1601 will bring peace to Italy. Hejaz cedes Unayza to Italy, while the Dovn Hoard officially capitulates to get control back on Kereit.
Ray: At the end of the year, Italy declares its first war of the round, and it is in Africa. Dahomey is attacked, quickly joined by nDongo.
George: nDongo takes control of the war but cannot prevent Dahomey's annexation in November. In January, the situation looks bad for nDongo, who gives Italy a bunch of gold to prevent further invasion.
Ray: Now Italy can enjoy peace. In April, Trabzon is annexed, but Ferdinando does not seem to be willing to go to war again...
George: But Fall 1603 decides otherwise. Kanem Borno, then a Mali-Adal-Yemen alliance attack Italy in November. Adal is quickly stormed and could be annexed...
Ray: But Ferdinando prefers forcing Adal to renounce to all its claims and give all its gold to Italy, as he does not want to upset the other nations. This behavior is seen as honorable by the Indian population of Kozhikode, an Italian trading post, which now considers itself as Italian.
George: We will probably see wars in India in the upcoming rounds...
Ray: Probably. Anyway in April 1604, Mali is annexed, before Kanem Borno capitulates, ending the wars.
George: This time however is not the time for peace. Lutherian Augsburg is attacked in May 1604. The defender of the Lutherian faith is Castille, so Italy calls for all its parners before declaring war...
Ray: But this is not preventive enough. Ladies and gentlemen, after England last round, Ferdinando offers us a war with Castille!
George: Italian troops quickly focus on Castillian holdings in Morocco and Southern Italy, while Aragon takes care of Spain. Spanish holdings in Scandinavia are totally ignored right now. The main battles are in Spain, while Napolitan forces are not skilled enough to cause Italy any trouble.
Ray: In December 1604, Augsburg is converted and vassalized... I am worried about it, because a lot of foreign rulers raised an eyebrow because of this useless and illegal vassalage... The next province to be annexed by Italy might be too much to handle for the other nations... And in January 1605 OPM Travanacore takes his chance, attacking Italy.
George: This does not trouble Ferdinando, as he has enough men in the area to take care of the Indian state. Moreover, the early battles in Spain were Aragonese victories. The border is progressing quickly now that the German allies of the coalition are joining the front. Castille already lost its holdings in Africa, Italy and the Roman Empire.
Ray: This is good for Italy, as this gives just more confidence to the HRE states that their Emperor is doing the right thing. In August 1605, Ferdinando can vote a new reform, claiming the Imperial Crown to be hereditary.
George: I don't understand why he'll do that?
Ray: Well, a few complaints in the beginning of his reign made the Palatinate, Saluzzo and Lorraine loose their electorate statute. Ferdinando lost the majority in the electoral chamber, with the potential to see Brandenburg, or a Lutherian state, being elected Emperor at his death. Now this will not happen.
George: I see. In September, Kaabu then Djolof attack Italy. Italy now is fighting one big war against Castille, and three minor ones against Kaabu, Djolof and Travanacore... Well, two minors one, as Travanacore is annexed at the end of the month.
Ray: And Djolof as soon as November. The two annexations, plus probably Kaabu in a few days, highly upset the other rulers. In November, OPM Theodoro attacks Italy, claiming that Ferdinando is - I quote - a "dishonorable scum".
George: This is rather harsh!
Ray: It is. In January, the state of Julig-Berg-Cleves attack Italy on the same motive. Their allies Sweden, Burgundy, and the Free City of Cologne join the war.
George: Other might join the fun as well. Knowing that, Theodoro and Kaabu are quickly annexed, Julich is stormed and forced to capitulate as soon as March 1506.
Ray: Italy wants to end the wars quickly to prepare for bigger attacks. France, Poland, Moscow might be trouble...
George: Yes. With all easy Spanish holdings quickly seized, and Austria-Aragon troops doing a nice job in the peninsula, Italy is ready to defend against any one...
Ray: Who will be the next one to attack Italy? Will Castille finds some support? Will Italy disband troops? You will learn all of that in the next episode of BIG RULER!
