Alex, nicely done; your sense of the battle is immaginative and impressive. Next time, though, please write the stories before I update, so I can just cut and paste. 
BirdNES: 1500 AD: A New World
- Thread starter Birdjaguar
- Start date
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
Alex, nicely done; your sense of the battle is immaginative and impressive. Next time, though, please write the stories before I update, so I can just cut and paste.
OOC: I was bored! And since I was and still am desperate to not study for Spanish...
I wonder if I can write NESing in my college application. Creative talent in storywriting?
No orders so far, so NPC it is. I will assume he goes through with it.
EDIT: Fifty's avatar is disconcerting. At best.
Israelite9191
You should be reading
Bird is very much right. Seeing Fifty's avatar in the NES forum is.....frightening.
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
OOC: 
Just saying, thread was getting too low
Just saying, thread was getting too low 
das
Regeneration In Process
You know, I still can't figure out what the hell was that supposed to be/to reference/to imply. I googled and Wiki'd for it, but still can't find anything. Care to clue me in?
a_propagandist
The Light Brigadier
Kramer from Seinfeld?
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
Does anyone know what going on with Swiss? He has been noticeably absent.
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Any update ETA?
Update 11 1550-1554
Ayutthaya City 1550
Official couriers left the palace early on an auspicious morning. One arrived at the embassy of the Tra Vinh within the hour. The second was announced at the very ornate and elaborate home of the Chinese Ambassador a little later. By the time the couriers left, both buildings were closed and shuttered as if they had been vacant for years, if you ignored the manicured grounds that surrounded them. The following were soon posted on the public announcement boards throughout the city:
“It is with the greatest regret and misfortune that the Second Khmer Empire declares war upon Tra Vinh to recover the ancestral territories of the First Khmer Empire after proposals by the Emperor Fiang, the Divine Protector, for her to peacefully join. For that, and reasons of state.”
“The King of Ayutthaya, Cambodia and Pagan was once the loyalist of all the loyal vassals of the Dragon Throne, yet the actions of the current Emperor have pushed His Highness to the wall. China, ignoring the heavenly mandate given to her by the Heavens in that China is the Center of the World, has expanded abroad into territories granted by the past Ming Emperors to the King of Ayutthaya, Cambodia and Pagan. In addition, the current Emperor has actively worked to destabilize and weaken his said loyal vassal through dabbling in the arts of merchants and trade. Also through ignoring the words of the First Ming Emperor, the current Emperor of China has showed his infidelity and lack of filial piety. For the above stated reasons, the King of Ayutthaya, Cambodia and Pagan has no choice but to do her utmost in restoring the proper Confucian values in the Middle Kingdom by assaulting her heinous and incorrect oversea possessions. May the Ming Emperor see the Glorious Light of Confucius and return to the Proper role of the Scholar-Emperor!”
The Imperial fleet had left Java a week earlier and was already standing off the Chinese Sumatran trade center. The 3 squadrons of Khmer war junks hardly noticed the 3 squadrons of Chinese ships anchored in the harbor: Khmer dragonflies to Chinese mosquitoes. The ships that made an effort to defend the port were sunk with single broadsides. The panicky remainder of Chinese ships was allowed to escape. Their story would be a nice deterrent for ambitious Chinese admirals. The 2 divisions of assault troops were met with weaponless, upraised arms. Because of the poor roads and rainy weather, it took another week to bring all of Chinese Sumatra into the Khmer fold. To the east the new Chinese trading post on Bali was even less troublesome to acquire.
The war against the Tra Vinh did actually require fighting, but it was a one battle war. The considerable might of the Tra Vinh (6 divisions, well trained and gunpowder equipped) arrayed themselves against 3 of Khmer’s best divisions. The superb training of the Khmer troops gave them a rate of fire double that of their enemy, balancing the numbers. But it was their discipline that carried the day. Volley after volley claimed lives on both sides, but it was the Tra Vinh that broke first; they threw their guns away and ran for the jungle. The fallen king accepted generous terms for surrender and was made an archduke of the empire for his cooperation.
Outcomes:
+Tra Vinh TP to Khmer
-1 Khmer div
-1 Chinese sqd
+Sumatra TC to Khmer
Tiptoeing through the Tulips
At breakfast one morning in early 1550 the new King of Spain had a past life experience and thought that at one point he had been a great shogun in Japan. This gave his considerable table guests a great laugh. One Duke of Corunna laughed so hard that he snorted sangria out his nose. The King was not amused. It got worse later when the king ordered new armies and thought that he could somehow add to a nonexistent “standing army” (whatever that was). He was politely told that perhaps he should return to his bed and get additional rest. Everyone knew that armies could only be hired for campaigns and that usually 8 at a time were raised. In fact the king’s accounting was so terrible that behind closed doors it was said that onlyMGod could fix the mess the king had made with his accounts. They were probably right. But Spain was a Catholic nation and miracles could be expected.
40 divisions were raised: 16 divisions were sent to the Caribbean, 8 to Amsterdam via Antwerp and the last 16 held at home to honor the Treaty of Barcelona.
“Never fight a land war in Asia.”
The Indian war between the Mughals and Bengal did not renew until after the monsoons of 1551 were over. And then it was pursued with vengeance. Khmeria maintained 10 renewed divisions in the field to fight along side the Bengali 23. In addition, Gujar and Jatt tribal cavalry were recruited from the old lands of Rajputana. Over 35 divisions took the field. Opposing them were 34 hardcore Mughal divisions.
The Bengali assault was a two pronged affair focused on Delhi. The Khmer along with the recruited horsemen attacked from Ajmer while the regular Bengali army moved along the river valley. The Bengal reached Delhi first and their momentum stalled before the massive array of Mughal power deployed around the city. After a week of stalemate, the Mughals would not be denied a battle. They attacked and threw out a force to check the approaching Khmerians before they could save the Bengali. Day long pressure on the Bengal lines was wearing it down and their collapse was near. Where was Khmer? They were coming. With magnificent discipline the relentlessly advance through the opposing Mughals and routed them into the advancing Jatt cavalry. The Khmer and Jatts appeared at the rear of the Mughal army at the same time and the world paused. The Bengal troops were about done and collapse was nigh. A Mughal victory was immanent, as was their destruction at the hands of Prince Ramesuan. The fates of empires hung in the balance and Humayan choose to live another day. Delhi would be lost, but his empire saved.
With precision and confidence, the Mughals disengaged and headed north across the rivers to safety. Delhi fell within a month and any remaining Mughal lords were slowly and inhumanely put to death. The Khmer had fulfilled their obligations to restore the Rajput lands to Bengal and now rested and took precautions should the war continue.
Antwerp 1551
Pietro Verner sat with his wife Mathilda, their eldest son Wilhelm (now 16) and John Cabot in a tavern in on the Antwerp quay. There was much to discuss. A year earlier a shadowy figure named “William, chanceux orignaux” had led the Dutch into a full rebellion against Spain and established an independent state call the Netherlands with a seat of government in Amsterdam. It had been brewing for years; ever since the Dutch accepted Protestantism and the merchant factions had spent their own money to support England. The chaotic rule or lack of it, in Madrid had just provided the opportunity. The few Spanish troops had been quickly ousted and much of the region was now under William’s control.
The Spanish response went badly in the end after some initial successes. The rebel stronghold was among the merchants of trading towns so when the Spanish army crossed the Rhine they found little resistance and moved quickly towards Amsterdam. The Dutch were ready. Their forts well stocked and armies hired. Timely flooding of fields made every siege attempt hopeless and battlefield engagements risky. When Great Britain sent several divisions across the Channel, the chance of a Spanish victory dwindled very low. So in the end Spain held much of the southeast and the remainder celebrated what would be known in later years as “Prague spring”.
The Aztec trouble in the New World was taking priority apparently. Both Hispaniola and Puerto Rico had been attacked. Divisions destined for North America had been diverted and others sent from Spain. The Dutch meanwhile had been trying to strengthen ties with was now Great Britain since the marriage of the English Edward VI to Mary I of Scotland last year. The young couple was being advised by the Lord Chancellor, Thomas Wriothesly, who had been a strong ally of the now dead Henry. John Cabot expected a smooth transition and no interruption to the wool trade. The sudden war between Portugal and Genoa caught everyone by surprise. Well, everyone but Portugal has no intention of sharing the rest of the world with anyone.
The last bit of news before relayed before John departed was rather strange. The Calusan tribe of natives from North America had been actively recruiting Europeans to settle in their lands. Free land was given to those who offered practical skills the tribal leaders wanted. These Calusans were savvy enough to have success among those displaced by the ongoing wars in Germany and England. Catholics and Protestants alike were embarking to make their fortune in the Americas. This would bear watching. The pleasantries of the day turned sad and John Cabot rose to leave. Wilhelm rose with him. He was to apprentice with John for the next two years and the two of them were bound for England and then America. Mathilda wept at her loss and wept some more in her pride in her first born. She smiled through her tears as she hugged him goodbye and prayed for his safety. Wilhelm blushed with embarrassment at her emotion and pretended he would not miss her and her fussing over him with such love. They talked (and hoped) of the reunion they would have in 1553. Conditions permitting, it would be in Genoa.
…And let slip the dogs of war!
The war began with an attack on Genoa itself. Portuguese ships and troops assaulted the city creating panic and destruction in the early morning hours. Within a few days or a few weeks, all across the western hemisphere the Portuguese attacked Genoa’s holdings. It was a massive and well coordinated attack. New Zena fell; as did the Vespuccica trading center, Ardovest in Mali and Nastasia at the foot of Africa. Nova Roma alone held out, though it was much diminished.
Of course the attack on Genoa failed. The Portuguese fleet was outnumbered and when Tuscany honored its alliance the destruction of the attackers on land and sea was complete. As Genoa prepared for war, word came back about the losses overseas and the desperate situation in Nova Roma. In the fall of 1550 three things happened: Tuscany raised 16 divisions and used its 20 squadrons to support Genoa; Spain mobilized 16 divisions; and Genoa sent a relief force and most of its navy to Nova Roma.
The Tuscan and Genoan fleets overwhelmed the Portuguese ships guarding the straits at Gibraltar in a massive and destructive battle. The Italians were in no mood to be merciful. The few Portuguese who survived scattered. The Genoans then sailed to Nova Roma and destroyed the Portuguese besieging the city. The Tuscan fleet meanwhile bombarded the shipyards at Lisbon any elsewhere along the coast bring all building to a complete halt. It was at that point that the King of Spain marched 16 divisions into northern Portugal and waited. He had no beef with John, but was obligated by treaty to defend Genoa. Messengers were sent inquiring as to just how much war Portugal wanted.
Outcomes:
-New Zena colony Genoa
-Vespuccica trading center Genoa
-Ardovest in Mali Genoa
-Nastasia Genoa
-12 sqds Genoa
-6 sqds Tuscany
-15 sqds Portugal
-10 divs overseas Portugal
Ayutthaya City 1550
Official couriers left the palace early on an auspicious morning. One arrived at the embassy of the Tra Vinh within the hour. The second was announced at the very ornate and elaborate home of the Chinese Ambassador a little later. By the time the couriers left, both buildings were closed and shuttered as if they had been vacant for years, if you ignored the manicured grounds that surrounded them. The following were soon posted on the public announcement boards throughout the city:
“It is with the greatest regret and misfortune that the Second Khmer Empire declares war upon Tra Vinh to recover the ancestral territories of the First Khmer Empire after proposals by the Emperor Fiang, the Divine Protector, for her to peacefully join. For that, and reasons of state.”
“The King of Ayutthaya, Cambodia and Pagan was once the loyalist of all the loyal vassals of the Dragon Throne, yet the actions of the current Emperor have pushed His Highness to the wall. China, ignoring the heavenly mandate given to her by the Heavens in that China is the Center of the World, has expanded abroad into territories granted by the past Ming Emperors to the King of Ayutthaya, Cambodia and Pagan. In addition, the current Emperor has actively worked to destabilize and weaken his said loyal vassal through dabbling in the arts of merchants and trade. Also through ignoring the words of the First Ming Emperor, the current Emperor of China has showed his infidelity and lack of filial piety. For the above stated reasons, the King of Ayutthaya, Cambodia and Pagan has no choice but to do her utmost in restoring the proper Confucian values in the Middle Kingdom by assaulting her heinous and incorrect oversea possessions. May the Ming Emperor see the Glorious Light of Confucius and return to the Proper role of the Scholar-Emperor!”
The Imperial fleet had left Java a week earlier and was already standing off the Chinese Sumatran trade center. The 3 squadrons of Khmer war junks hardly noticed the 3 squadrons of Chinese ships anchored in the harbor: Khmer dragonflies to Chinese mosquitoes. The ships that made an effort to defend the port were sunk with single broadsides. The panicky remainder of Chinese ships was allowed to escape. Their story would be a nice deterrent for ambitious Chinese admirals. The 2 divisions of assault troops were met with weaponless, upraised arms. Because of the poor roads and rainy weather, it took another week to bring all of Chinese Sumatra into the Khmer fold. To the east the new Chinese trading post on Bali was even less troublesome to acquire.
The war against the Tra Vinh did actually require fighting, but it was a one battle war. The considerable might of the Tra Vinh (6 divisions, well trained and gunpowder equipped) arrayed themselves against 3 of Khmer’s best divisions. The superb training of the Khmer troops gave them a rate of fire double that of their enemy, balancing the numbers. But it was their discipline that carried the day. Volley after volley claimed lives on both sides, but it was the Tra Vinh that broke first; they threw their guns away and ran for the jungle. The fallen king accepted generous terms for surrender and was made an archduke of the empire for his cooperation.
Outcomes:
+Tra Vinh TP to Khmer
-1 Khmer div
-1 Chinese sqd
+Sumatra TC to Khmer
Tiptoeing through the Tulips
At breakfast one morning in early 1550 the new King of Spain had a past life experience and thought that at one point he had been a great shogun in Japan. This gave his considerable table guests a great laugh. One Duke of Corunna laughed so hard that he snorted sangria out his nose. The King was not amused. It got worse later when the king ordered new armies and thought that he could somehow add to a nonexistent “standing army” (whatever that was). He was politely told that perhaps he should return to his bed and get additional rest. Everyone knew that armies could only be hired for campaigns and that usually 8 at a time were raised. In fact the king’s accounting was so terrible that behind closed doors it was said that only
40 divisions were raised: 16 divisions were sent to the Caribbean, 8 to Amsterdam via Antwerp and the last 16 held at home to honor the Treaty of Barcelona.
“Never fight a land war in Asia.”
The Indian war between the Mughals and Bengal did not renew until after the monsoons of 1551 were over. And then it was pursued with vengeance. Khmeria maintained 10 renewed divisions in the field to fight along side the Bengali 23. In addition, Gujar and Jatt tribal cavalry were recruited from the old lands of Rajputana. Over 35 divisions took the field. Opposing them were 34 hardcore Mughal divisions.
The Bengali assault was a two pronged affair focused on Delhi. The Khmer along with the recruited horsemen attacked from Ajmer while the regular Bengali army moved along the river valley. The Bengal reached Delhi first and their momentum stalled before the massive array of Mughal power deployed around the city. After a week of stalemate, the Mughals would not be denied a battle. They attacked and threw out a force to check the approaching Khmerians before they could save the Bengali. Day long pressure on the Bengal lines was wearing it down and their collapse was near. Where was Khmer? They were coming. With magnificent discipline the relentlessly advance through the opposing Mughals and routed them into the advancing Jatt cavalry. The Khmer and Jatts appeared at the rear of the Mughal army at the same time and the world paused. The Bengal troops were about done and collapse was nigh. A Mughal victory was immanent, as was their destruction at the hands of Prince Ramesuan. The fates of empires hung in the balance and Humayan choose to live another day. Delhi would be lost, but his empire saved.
With precision and confidence, the Mughals disengaged and headed north across the rivers to safety. Delhi fell within a month and any remaining Mughal lords were slowly and inhumanely put to death. The Khmer had fulfilled their obligations to restore the Rajput lands to Bengal and now rested and took precautions should the war continue.
Antwerp 1551
Pietro Verner sat with his wife Mathilda, their eldest son Wilhelm (now 16) and John Cabot in a tavern in on the Antwerp quay. There was much to discuss. A year earlier a shadowy figure named “William, chanceux orignaux” had led the Dutch into a full rebellion against Spain and established an independent state call the Netherlands with a seat of government in Amsterdam. It had been brewing for years; ever since the Dutch accepted Protestantism and the merchant factions had spent their own money to support England. The chaotic rule or lack of it, in Madrid had just provided the opportunity. The few Spanish troops had been quickly ousted and much of the region was now under William’s control.
The Spanish response went badly in the end after some initial successes. The rebel stronghold was among the merchants of trading towns so when the Spanish army crossed the Rhine they found little resistance and moved quickly towards Amsterdam. The Dutch were ready. Their forts well stocked and armies hired. Timely flooding of fields made every siege attempt hopeless and battlefield engagements risky. When Great Britain sent several divisions across the Channel, the chance of a Spanish victory dwindled very low. So in the end Spain held much of the southeast and the remainder celebrated what would be known in later years as “Prague spring”.
The Aztec trouble in the New World was taking priority apparently. Both Hispaniola and Puerto Rico had been attacked. Divisions destined for North America had been diverted and others sent from Spain. The Dutch meanwhile had been trying to strengthen ties with was now Great Britain since the marriage of the English Edward VI to Mary I of Scotland last year. The young couple was being advised by the Lord Chancellor, Thomas Wriothesly, who had been a strong ally of the now dead Henry. John Cabot expected a smooth transition and no interruption to the wool trade. The sudden war between Portugal and Genoa caught everyone by surprise. Well, everyone but Portugal has no intention of sharing the rest of the world with anyone.
The last bit of news before relayed before John departed was rather strange. The Calusan tribe of natives from North America had been actively recruiting Europeans to settle in their lands. Free land was given to those who offered practical skills the tribal leaders wanted. These Calusans were savvy enough to have success among those displaced by the ongoing wars in Germany and England. Catholics and Protestants alike were embarking to make their fortune in the Americas. This would bear watching. The pleasantries of the day turned sad and John Cabot rose to leave. Wilhelm rose with him. He was to apprentice with John for the next two years and the two of them were bound for England and then America. Mathilda wept at her loss and wept some more in her pride in her first born. She smiled through her tears as she hugged him goodbye and prayed for his safety. Wilhelm blushed with embarrassment at her emotion and pretended he would not miss her and her fussing over him with such love. They talked (and hoped) of the reunion they would have in 1553. Conditions permitting, it would be in Genoa.
…And let slip the dogs of war!
The war began with an attack on Genoa itself. Portuguese ships and troops assaulted the city creating panic and destruction in the early morning hours. Within a few days or a few weeks, all across the western hemisphere the Portuguese attacked Genoa’s holdings. It was a massive and well coordinated attack. New Zena fell; as did the Vespuccica trading center, Ardovest in Mali and Nastasia at the foot of Africa. Nova Roma alone held out, though it was much diminished.
Of course the attack on Genoa failed. The Portuguese fleet was outnumbered and when Tuscany honored its alliance the destruction of the attackers on land and sea was complete. As Genoa prepared for war, word came back about the losses overseas and the desperate situation in Nova Roma. In the fall of 1550 three things happened: Tuscany raised 16 divisions and used its 20 squadrons to support Genoa; Spain mobilized 16 divisions; and Genoa sent a relief force and most of its navy to Nova Roma.
The Tuscan and Genoan fleets overwhelmed the Portuguese ships guarding the straits at Gibraltar in a massive and destructive battle. The Italians were in no mood to be merciful. The few Portuguese who survived scattered. The Genoans then sailed to Nova Roma and destroyed the Portuguese besieging the city. The Tuscan fleet meanwhile bombarded the shipyards at Lisbon any elsewhere along the coast bring all building to a complete halt. It was at that point that the King of Spain marched 16 divisions into northern Portugal and waited. He had no beef with John, but was obligated by treaty to defend Genoa. Messengers were sent inquiring as to just how much war Portugal wanted.
Outcomes:
-New Zena colony Genoa
-Vespuccica trading center Genoa
-Ardovest in Mali Genoa
-Nastasia Genoa
-12 sqds Genoa
-6 sqds Tuscany
-15 sqds Portugal
-10 divs overseas Portugal
Cairo 1552
Abdul was a cautious man. In his business he had to be. In most situations he always had his cousins Mohammed and Feyd travel with him and while doing so, dress in identical robes. He did not like to be followed. The pressing crowds and winding streets of Cairo made it difficult to keep his target in sight and so when the Christian dog stopped in a coffee bar, Abdul relaxed. He’d been tracking this man for weeks. From all appearances and outward activities he passed as a Persian trader, but Abdul knew he was trouble. Twice in the past year he had burned granaries and caused panic among the peasants of the delta region. The Sultan’s storehouse south of Giza was his target tonight and Abdul would not let that happen. Mohammed covered the back door as Feyd feigned bartering for tobacco at the front.
The shop owner palmed a silver coin as he listened to Abdul’s portrayal of the Christian who hid beneath the Muslim disguise. As Abdul exited, a tough looking crowd gathered around the surprised Ethiopian whose mangled corpse was tossed into back alley a few minutes later. For two years Abdul had been tracking Ethiopian agents who were active in Egypt. They had been sowing the seeds of discontent among Egyptians and sabotaging important infrastructure up and down the Nile. This particular one was the last on his list. A slow and painful crucifixion would have been nice, but it would have drawn too much attention. Dead is dead, praise be to Allah. The three cousins hurried back to the small building outside of the palace that served as their Cairo base.
The Peloponnesus 1553
Maria Doria, Princess of Greece, had been in hiding now for three years. Thank god she had her children and her husband. They made it all bearable. Three years ago she had had to decide what was most important to her and had cast her lot with her husband. The opportunity had come for her to be whisked away to safety and leave Greece to its uncertain fate. It had all been arranged by her powerful Genoese family: Escape for her (and even the king if he wanted) pickup in a secluded cove, sailing to safe haven, the untimely death of Basil and Konstantinus, waiting in luxury until the Turks had crushed the fledgling Greek state and finally a return to rule the Peloponnesus as a vassal to Istanbul. She choose Konstantinus and a free an independent Greece. She defied her family and sealed her fate to that of independence. What people will do for love. Despite the hardships, they had been good years for her, her children and her husband. The money and help from abroad had been their lifesaver and as long as it kept coming they would fight on. Mercenaries were more than willing to fight the Turk.
Addis Ababa 1554
For the last 2 days Abdul and his cousins had hung from a large tree that overlooked the Blue Nile. Their feet just barely touched the ground when the wind wasn’t blowing and their arms were numb from being stretched over head for so long. At this point numbness was a blessing and Abdul longed for death. Beatings, biting ants, hot coals and sharp knives had taken their toll and left all three of them shells of the men they had been when they arrived in Ethiopia six weeks earlier. Praise be unto Allah; they had done his work and done it well. At Abdul’s last count the twenty four of Ethiopia’s most knowledgeable masters of gunpowder weapons had been slain along with assistants and helpers. One harquebus factory, the newest, had been burned. And scores of the most skilled workers maimed so they could not work any more. Their little reign of terror had come to an end, though, as they attempted one last assassination before heading back down the river to Egypt. The trio’s end would come tomorrow. The soldiers talked openly of fire, flaying and feeding their manhood to the local dogs before they rutted with the local whores all through the long night.
Negusa Nagast listened intently to the story of the capture and final demise of the Egyptian assassins. They had set him back and delayed his planned military improvements. The loss of the skilled artisans and knowledgeable Europeans was a blow both to the army and to his pride. Along with the assassinations, the Egyptians had been smart enough to burn many of the books on siege warfare and fortifications that he had imported at with great effort. Payback was only a matter of time though.
The campaign against Egypt was not what he had hoped. Ethiopia’s success against the Nubians and capture of the Nile valley right up to the Egyptian border had made the Sultan nervous and all the ills of the lower Nile were now blamed upon Ethiopia, even if he didn’t know that is where the responsibility did mostly lie. There was a mounting sentiment against Ethiopia all across Egypt and the Sultan in Cairo was more popular than ever for his strong stand against the Christian south. His spies also told him that Egypt had asked the Great Sultan in Istanbul for aid should war come. The Mamluks even saw a chance for a return to favor should war ensue. But mostly Negusa was pleased. His troops were using the harquebus with some skill and speed and the Spanish Musket had been most effective in subjugating the Nile Valley. Great strides were being made. Khartoum was becoming an important trade center along the Nile, but should war with Egypt break out, that might set the merchants back until it ended. He would have to ponder that problem.
Corinth 1554
Basil walked through the ruined town with his generals until they found a clear spot in the rubble where they could sit and talk. It had been a difficult five years and most of Greece had suffered for it. For two years the Turks had marched their armies across the Peloponnesus solely to destroy anyone and everything. Where possible they were met by Basil’s armies and brutal battles ensued without mercy or quarter given. In 1552, Corinth was besieged and taken; six months later he had mustered the strength to take it back. The raids and bandits groups he had started in northern Greece and in Ionia had taken some of the pressure off his small land. Their biggest salvation though came from Muscovy. In late summer of 1553 the Russians had landed 10 divisions along the Black Sea coast threatening Sofia and Adrianople. The Great Sultan had had to respond. And while the initial success of the Muscovites had carried them deep into Bulgaria, steady attacks by the Ottomans had pushed them back closer to the coast. A wider war was in Basil’s favor; perhaps now peace could be discussed or alliances with Poland and Austria secured.
Outcomes:
-5 divs Muscovy
-12 divs Ottomans
Croatan
It was fall 1554 and Captain Robert Morgan watched as his crew maneuvered the “Bloody End” into the shallow waters of the secluded sound. Three other heavily armed ships rode at anchor just ahead. The skull emblazoned black and green flag of the “Sons of Liberty” stood smartly in the breeze atop the masts of all the ships. He was a long way from Bristol and the staid life he left there. Five ambitious captains had left Europe five years ago to stake their fortunes on the rich trade flowing from the azure waters of the Carib Sea to the ports of Europe. They all knew the risks of piracy, but they also knew the rewards and so far it had been rewarding. Roberts cohorts in crime (Philip de Chambrun, Seamus Kilpatrick, and Rutger Akkerman) all awaited his arrival. Rum and good times awaited all tonight. They would mourn poor Harald Svensgaard who was lost with all hands, but seven, three months past in a fury that carried the “Storm Breaker” to a foaming, crashing end upon the Exuma reefs.
The captains would all winter over in this quiet area of the world and make repairs neglected in the busy season of piracy just past. They would make their plans, update their charts and talk about the safe havens they shared throughout the Indies. With the loss of Harald, they might even recruit another ship or two. There certainly was plenty of booty for all.
Strasburg, Spring 1554
Antonio di Paolo and Pietro Verner had the windows of the Inn open to the spring breezes; their view took in the apple orchard that stretched from the road down to the river. The blossoms were mostly gone and the new green leaves were just appearing. Pietro was on his way to Genoa to meet Mathilda, John Cabot and young Wilhelm. The meeting was a year late and he could not afford a leisurely trip, but he and Antonio had to talk. The League of Strasburg was a growing influence in the region and while it was not unlike so many of the other German states in that respect, it did have a more sinister side. The nobles who ruled the League were all strident traditional Catholics. They were so strident that anyone who did not share their enthusiasm for pre-Reformation Church doctrine and practices, were ousted from the area. Beatings, burnings and even murder usually accompanied the efforts to purify the population.
As they talked though, the odd parts began to surface from Antonio’s story. The League was supported by a shadowy group call the Order of St. Stephen. Membership was secret, but most people figured that the nobles of the League were also members of the Order. The Grand Master had been identified as one Augustine Bellinus, though that was assumed to be a pseudonym. Antonio had traced the financial support through myriad hands that led back to wealthy patrons in Portugal and Poland. Given the heavy handed efforts of the Catholics in Poland the connection was not a surprise. Pietro noted that the peaceful years of central Europe may be numbered if this group continues to grow in power and influence.
As they talked through the day and into the evening, Pietro and Antonio traded their news. France, Genoa and the new North African Sultanate were all quiet and profitable. Even the King of Portugal was just fussing about with his wardrobe and, if the rumors were true, idling about in the south with his lovely Queen. Pietro’s oldest daughter, Sarah had married Johann Brick’s son, Oscar, and they had moved to Kaffa to keep tabs on the goods spilling out of the Silk Road and into Europe via the Black sea. On a sad note, Nicholas, the family patriarch had died last winter, quietly in his sleep. The funeral had brought many of the older traders to the small church outside of Jena where the family plot was located. At dawn they parted. Pietro headed south to Genoa and Antonio back to breakfast. He would stay another week in Strasburg.
Travelers Notes
As the courts of Europe talked about the wars in the new world and wondered at their outcomes, news traveled in from the east too. The most Catholic King of Poland had formalized the persecution of heretics and troublemakers. The previous five years of death and degradation had not been enough for the Polish authorities. All the Protestants, near Protestants and anyone else who even looked like a Protestant were rounded up and tortured into confession. At which time they were tried for being a heretic and paraded though the streets in an auto de fe that usually culminated in their being burned at the stake. The Catholics loved it and came out in droves to watch the regular events which took place throughout Poland. By the time 1554 ended, there was hardly anyone in the entire country who did not look or act like the most traditional of Catholics.
The fever of religious purity was so strong that hardly anyone noticed the tightening grip of Muscovy on Livonia and their advances around the Black Sea. The expanding empire of the Kazan grew quiet and most thought that Maxmud II must have died because his grip on the warlords of the steppes seemed to be weakening.
Persia completes its section of the Silk Road. Military exercises keep the army in fighting form. The most recent training took place along the eastern shore of the Arabian Peninsula and added additional land the growing Empire. Mecca, though, had been expecting greater independence that has not materialized and its citizens grow restless under Shia dominance.
Mail adopts Portuguese as its official language. Schools now teach it to small children and it will soon be a unifying force in the diverse and very tribal nature of West Africa. Muslim missionaries have been sent into non Muslim areas of the country as well as those neighboring areas to convert citizens to the ways of the Prophet. In addition, the Mali navy sails its first, and only, ocean vessel up and down the coast to show it off to all who live along the shore. A nucleus of a navy is under construction and sailors are in training. Mali enters into an alliance with Portugal.
The Sultan of the Mamarids along the North African coast fires his accountant for miscounting his treasury and what could be afforded in the current five-year plan. After paying for an explorer to map the great Sahara to the south and contact Mali and then paying Portugal for more land, there was no money for ships or to complete the deal with Lisbon. But stranger things are afoot in that small nation: rumors spread throughout the region that a deal had been cut with Persia and the very souls of the nation’s population had been sold. But for what? As with most rumors, the exact details are never clear or easy to discover. There was talk of Persian Imams settling in Algiers, and building Shia mosques and silliest of all, converting everyone to the lunacy of Shiite Islam. When nothing happened, the rumors and trepidation subsided and life returned to normal.
Genoa 1554
The mother and child reunion in Genoa was a spectacle. The Verners had taken a stylish “townhouse” in the best part of the city and welcomed their son back to Europe with a grand party and festivities in the plaza that were open to all who cared to attend. Many did. Thee days later when all was quiet in the big house and it was just “family” the real party began. The true tales of the New World were told to the smallest detail.
John Cabot and Wilhelm Verner and various associates sailed from Antwerp in 1551. There first stop were the Kalmar colonies. They were prosperous and growing. And as they sailed down the coast, they noticed that all the colonies were doing quite well: New Oslo, Nova Scotia, Nova Roma and even the new Portuguese settlements that bordered the Calusa. That is where they spent the first winter. And they learned all about the Calusa. These strange natives seemed quite intelligent and organized. They were rapidly learning to be very European. Their village craftsmen made European looking things, they had worked some European garments and accessories into their native attire. Calusan natives worked along side Europeans of many nationalities in shipyards and trading houses. They had a small navy of Calusan style ships that clearly were based on Portuguese designs, but had been adapted to fit the local needs. Gunpowder weapons were everywhere apparent. The journals of the little expedition were rapidly filling with all kinds of useful and esoteric information as well as contacts.
In the spring of 1552 they rounded Florida with an eye on the Spanish colony on Cuba for a visit. But the area was in an uproar. The year earlier the Aztecs of all people had invaded Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The attacks had not been anticipated and the fort garrisons were not especially prepared. The ferocity of the Aztec warriors (now armed with guns rather than stone weapons) overwhelmed any resistance offered by the Spaniards. By the year’s end both islands were dominated by the invaders. The slaves who worked the cane fields were freed and Aztec rule began. All surviving Spanish settlers were transported to the nearby Genoan colony and dumped overboard within an easy swim of the beach. John Cabot and Wilhelm Verner’s arrival coincided with the return of the Spanish to Hispaniola. The House of Verner waited the outcome in Cuba. The Spanish army landed at Santa Domingo and drove the Aztec troops back into the city. While steady in battle, the Aztecs had never faced a disciplined European army before and that lack experience showed. From the reports though, it was clear that the Mexica would soon be fierce competitors on battlefields anywhere in the world. The ensuing naval battles followed the same pattern: skilled crews sailed finely build ships, but the Aztec training was no substitute for bloody action on the high seas against captains who had been fighting all their lives. In the end the Aztecs gave up Hispaniola and kept Puerto Rico where they concentrated their troops and fought back every Spanish attempt to retake the island. The Spanish navy dominated the sea lanes and kept trade routes open.
Outcomes:
-13 Sqds Aztecs
-11 Divs Aztecs
-10 Sqds. Spain
- TP in Mexico for Spain
As the war subsided, Spanish expansion continued. New Valencia (at the mouth of the great central river of North America) was colonized and more settlers sent up river where they made first contact with a native empire of continental center (Cahokia). John and Wilhelm visited the new colony, but did not travel up river. There was lots of potential for profits all along the North American coast. From New Valencia they traveled to the Portuguese holdings along the Vespuccica coast where they planned the next leg of their journey. It had been Antonio’s idea and he was waiting for them when they arrived at the end of 1552.
Once they crossed the narrow isthmus that joined the land of the Mexica to Vespuccica, they hired boats to carry them south to the new Genoese trading post in the land of the Inka. Their arrival was quite a surprise to the Italians and much celebrated since visitors were few and very far between. Their new Inkan friends were most hospitable and anxious to trade and find ways to continue the contact. Antonio assured them they would keep the connection. Inb the year they spent among the Inka, our traders traveled throughout the northern parts of the empire and even made a single trip south to the capital in Cuzco high in the mountains. All the Europeans wondered how anyone could live in such thin air. John Cabot was ill for most of that visit so to make sure he did not die, they cut their stay and returned north. As plans were made for the return trip north several Inkan of middle rank expressed an interest in going with the intrepid traders. Of course they were permitted. These five stalwart fellows quickly fell into the Verner family fold and became the foundation of their new outpost at the Portuguese isthmus.
By Spring 1554 Antonio was off Cadiz, Madrid and then to Germany. John Cabot an Wilhelm Verner sailed to Cuba and then back up the American coast before heading back to Europe and the reunion in Genoa. Their trip was delayed as they were caught up in the 1554 invasion of Nova Scotia by Kalmar. The invasion was sudden and unexpected. One Kalmar army landed at Guthrie and had control of the city by nightfall; another army marched south and within a couple of months the entire colony was in Nordic hands.
Travelers Notes:
Aztecs continue to expand settlements along the Pacific Ocean including a trading post far up the western coast of America called Mexico-Ramaytush (SF). Additional expansions take place to the south in Nicanahuac and in the previously established Cocopa.
In Europe the rebuilding goes on. The Austrian city of Split on the Adriatic sees an influx of trade and becomes a significant trading center for the Archduke, who is also crowned the King of Bohemia Hungary in lavish ceremonies that probably broke the bank. None-the-less the population is upbeat about the future and feeling a bit more prosperous. Soon after, Ferdinand’s son and heir, Maximilian is crowned King of Dalmatia.
Bavaria shifts its government away from a divine monarchy to something more akin to a limited constitutional monarchy where a Diet held some of the formerly royal power. Funds were also provided to improve education for guild members and other city dwellers.
In Brandenburg all efforts go towards rebuilds infrastructure just like in Venice the great trading roads extend further and further every year. In Rome the New Pope Julius follows in the footsteps of his predecessor and grows in popularity as he continues to support a reformed Catholicism. Tuscany is unwavering in its support for the new Pope and the re-branded Church. Angelo de Papa openly speaks of a new Rome uniting all reform minded Catholics under a single banner: a new Empire that was truly Holy and Roman.
Khmer expands it colonial reach in the far reaches of the world just as Japan successfully completes a VoD to that very area
Abdul was a cautious man. In his business he had to be. In most situations he always had his cousins Mohammed and Feyd travel with him and while doing so, dress in identical robes. He did not like to be followed. The pressing crowds and winding streets of Cairo made it difficult to keep his target in sight and so when the Christian dog stopped in a coffee bar, Abdul relaxed. He’d been tracking this man for weeks. From all appearances and outward activities he passed as a Persian trader, but Abdul knew he was trouble. Twice in the past year he had burned granaries and caused panic among the peasants of the delta region. The Sultan’s storehouse south of Giza was his target tonight and Abdul would not let that happen. Mohammed covered the back door as Feyd feigned bartering for tobacco at the front.
The shop owner palmed a silver coin as he listened to Abdul’s portrayal of the Christian who hid beneath the Muslim disguise. As Abdul exited, a tough looking crowd gathered around the surprised Ethiopian whose mangled corpse was tossed into back alley a few minutes later. For two years Abdul had been tracking Ethiopian agents who were active in Egypt. They had been sowing the seeds of discontent among Egyptians and sabotaging important infrastructure up and down the Nile. This particular one was the last on his list. A slow and painful crucifixion would have been nice, but it would have drawn too much attention. Dead is dead, praise be to Allah. The three cousins hurried back to the small building outside of the palace that served as their Cairo base.
The Peloponnesus 1553
Maria Doria, Princess of Greece, had been in hiding now for three years. Thank god she had her children and her husband. They made it all bearable. Three years ago she had had to decide what was most important to her and had cast her lot with her husband. The opportunity had come for her to be whisked away to safety and leave Greece to its uncertain fate. It had all been arranged by her powerful Genoese family: Escape for her (and even the king if he wanted) pickup in a secluded cove, sailing to safe haven, the untimely death of Basil and Konstantinus, waiting in luxury until the Turks had crushed the fledgling Greek state and finally a return to rule the Peloponnesus as a vassal to Istanbul. She choose Konstantinus and a free an independent Greece. She defied her family and sealed her fate to that of independence. What people will do for love. Despite the hardships, they had been good years for her, her children and her husband. The money and help from abroad had been their lifesaver and as long as it kept coming they would fight on. Mercenaries were more than willing to fight the Turk.
Addis Ababa 1554
For the last 2 days Abdul and his cousins had hung from a large tree that overlooked the Blue Nile. Their feet just barely touched the ground when the wind wasn’t blowing and their arms were numb from being stretched over head for so long. At this point numbness was a blessing and Abdul longed for death. Beatings, biting ants, hot coals and sharp knives had taken their toll and left all three of them shells of the men they had been when they arrived in Ethiopia six weeks earlier. Praise be unto Allah; they had done his work and done it well. At Abdul’s last count the twenty four of Ethiopia’s most knowledgeable masters of gunpowder weapons had been slain along with assistants and helpers. One harquebus factory, the newest, had been burned. And scores of the most skilled workers maimed so they could not work any more. Their little reign of terror had come to an end, though, as they attempted one last assassination before heading back down the river to Egypt. The trio’s end would come tomorrow. The soldiers talked openly of fire, flaying and feeding their manhood to the local dogs before they rutted with the local whores all through the long night.
Negusa Nagast listened intently to the story of the capture and final demise of the Egyptian assassins. They had set him back and delayed his planned military improvements. The loss of the skilled artisans and knowledgeable Europeans was a blow both to the army and to his pride. Along with the assassinations, the Egyptians had been smart enough to burn many of the books on siege warfare and fortifications that he had imported at with great effort. Payback was only a matter of time though.
The campaign against Egypt was not what he had hoped. Ethiopia’s success against the Nubians and capture of the Nile valley right up to the Egyptian border had made the Sultan nervous and all the ills of the lower Nile were now blamed upon Ethiopia, even if he didn’t know that is where the responsibility did mostly lie. There was a mounting sentiment against Ethiopia all across Egypt and the Sultan in Cairo was more popular than ever for his strong stand against the Christian south. His spies also told him that Egypt had asked the Great Sultan in Istanbul for aid should war come. The Mamluks even saw a chance for a return to favor should war ensue. But mostly Negusa was pleased. His troops were using the harquebus with some skill and speed and the Spanish Musket had been most effective in subjugating the Nile Valley. Great strides were being made. Khartoum was becoming an important trade center along the Nile, but should war with Egypt break out, that might set the merchants back until it ended. He would have to ponder that problem.
Corinth 1554
Basil walked through the ruined town with his generals until they found a clear spot in the rubble where they could sit and talk. It had been a difficult five years and most of Greece had suffered for it. For two years the Turks had marched their armies across the Peloponnesus solely to destroy anyone and everything. Where possible they were met by Basil’s armies and brutal battles ensued without mercy or quarter given. In 1552, Corinth was besieged and taken; six months later he had mustered the strength to take it back. The raids and bandits groups he had started in northern Greece and in Ionia had taken some of the pressure off his small land. Their biggest salvation though came from Muscovy. In late summer of 1553 the Russians had landed 10 divisions along the Black Sea coast threatening Sofia and Adrianople. The Great Sultan had had to respond. And while the initial success of the Muscovites had carried them deep into Bulgaria, steady attacks by the Ottomans had pushed them back closer to the coast. A wider war was in Basil’s favor; perhaps now peace could be discussed or alliances with Poland and Austria secured.
Outcomes:
-5 divs Muscovy
-12 divs Ottomans
Croatan
It was fall 1554 and Captain Robert Morgan watched as his crew maneuvered the “Bloody End” into the shallow waters of the secluded sound. Three other heavily armed ships rode at anchor just ahead. The skull emblazoned black and green flag of the “Sons of Liberty” stood smartly in the breeze atop the masts of all the ships. He was a long way from Bristol and the staid life he left there. Five ambitious captains had left Europe five years ago to stake their fortunes on the rich trade flowing from the azure waters of the Carib Sea to the ports of Europe. They all knew the risks of piracy, but they also knew the rewards and so far it had been rewarding. Roberts cohorts in crime (Philip de Chambrun, Seamus Kilpatrick, and Rutger Akkerman) all awaited his arrival. Rum and good times awaited all tonight. They would mourn poor Harald Svensgaard who was lost with all hands, but seven, three months past in a fury that carried the “Storm Breaker” to a foaming, crashing end upon the Exuma reefs.
The captains would all winter over in this quiet area of the world and make repairs neglected in the busy season of piracy just past. They would make their plans, update their charts and talk about the safe havens they shared throughout the Indies. With the loss of Harald, they might even recruit another ship or two. There certainly was plenty of booty for all.
Strasburg, Spring 1554
Antonio di Paolo and Pietro Verner had the windows of the Inn open to the spring breezes; their view took in the apple orchard that stretched from the road down to the river. The blossoms were mostly gone and the new green leaves were just appearing. Pietro was on his way to Genoa to meet Mathilda, John Cabot and young Wilhelm. The meeting was a year late and he could not afford a leisurely trip, but he and Antonio had to talk. The League of Strasburg was a growing influence in the region and while it was not unlike so many of the other German states in that respect, it did have a more sinister side. The nobles who ruled the League were all strident traditional Catholics. They were so strident that anyone who did not share their enthusiasm for pre-Reformation Church doctrine and practices, were ousted from the area. Beatings, burnings and even murder usually accompanied the efforts to purify the population.
As they talked though, the odd parts began to surface from Antonio’s story. The League was supported by a shadowy group call the Order of St. Stephen. Membership was secret, but most people figured that the nobles of the League were also members of the Order. The Grand Master had been identified as one Augustine Bellinus, though that was assumed to be a pseudonym. Antonio had traced the financial support through myriad hands that led back to wealthy patrons in Portugal and Poland. Given the heavy handed efforts of the Catholics in Poland the connection was not a surprise. Pietro noted that the peaceful years of central Europe may be numbered if this group continues to grow in power and influence.
As they talked through the day and into the evening, Pietro and Antonio traded their news. France, Genoa and the new North African Sultanate were all quiet and profitable. Even the King of Portugal was just fussing about with his wardrobe and, if the rumors were true, idling about in the south with his lovely Queen. Pietro’s oldest daughter, Sarah had married Johann Brick’s son, Oscar, and they had moved to Kaffa to keep tabs on the goods spilling out of the Silk Road and into Europe via the Black sea. On a sad note, Nicholas, the family patriarch had died last winter, quietly in his sleep. The funeral had brought many of the older traders to the small church outside of Jena where the family plot was located. At dawn they parted. Pietro headed south to Genoa and Antonio back to breakfast. He would stay another week in Strasburg.
Travelers Notes
As the courts of Europe talked about the wars in the new world and wondered at their outcomes, news traveled in from the east too. The most Catholic King of Poland had formalized the persecution of heretics and troublemakers. The previous five years of death and degradation had not been enough for the Polish authorities. All the Protestants, near Protestants and anyone else who even looked like a Protestant were rounded up and tortured into confession. At which time they were tried for being a heretic and paraded though the streets in an auto de fe that usually culminated in their being burned at the stake. The Catholics loved it and came out in droves to watch the regular events which took place throughout Poland. By the time 1554 ended, there was hardly anyone in the entire country who did not look or act like the most traditional of Catholics.
The fever of religious purity was so strong that hardly anyone noticed the tightening grip of Muscovy on Livonia and their advances around the Black Sea. The expanding empire of the Kazan grew quiet and most thought that Maxmud II must have died because his grip on the warlords of the steppes seemed to be weakening.
Persia completes its section of the Silk Road. Military exercises keep the army in fighting form. The most recent training took place along the eastern shore of the Arabian Peninsula and added additional land the growing Empire. Mecca, though, had been expecting greater independence that has not materialized and its citizens grow restless under Shia dominance.
Mail adopts Portuguese as its official language. Schools now teach it to small children and it will soon be a unifying force in the diverse and very tribal nature of West Africa. Muslim missionaries have been sent into non Muslim areas of the country as well as those neighboring areas to convert citizens to the ways of the Prophet. In addition, the Mali navy sails its first, and only, ocean vessel up and down the coast to show it off to all who live along the shore. A nucleus of a navy is under construction and sailors are in training. Mali enters into an alliance with Portugal.
The Sultan of the Mamarids along the North African coast fires his accountant for miscounting his treasury and what could be afforded in the current five-year plan. After paying for an explorer to map the great Sahara to the south and contact Mali and then paying Portugal for more land, there was no money for ships or to complete the deal with Lisbon. But stranger things are afoot in that small nation: rumors spread throughout the region that a deal had been cut with Persia and the very souls of the nation’s population had been sold. But for what? As with most rumors, the exact details are never clear or easy to discover. There was talk of Persian Imams settling in Algiers, and building Shia mosques and silliest of all, converting everyone to the lunacy of Shiite Islam. When nothing happened, the rumors and trepidation subsided and life returned to normal.
Genoa 1554
The mother and child reunion in Genoa was a spectacle. The Verners had taken a stylish “townhouse” in the best part of the city and welcomed their son back to Europe with a grand party and festivities in the plaza that were open to all who cared to attend. Many did. Thee days later when all was quiet in the big house and it was just “family” the real party began. The true tales of the New World were told to the smallest detail.
John Cabot and Wilhelm Verner and various associates sailed from Antwerp in 1551. There first stop were the Kalmar colonies. They were prosperous and growing. And as they sailed down the coast, they noticed that all the colonies were doing quite well: New Oslo, Nova Scotia, Nova Roma and even the new Portuguese settlements that bordered the Calusa. That is where they spent the first winter. And they learned all about the Calusa. These strange natives seemed quite intelligent and organized. They were rapidly learning to be very European. Their village craftsmen made European looking things, they had worked some European garments and accessories into their native attire. Calusan natives worked along side Europeans of many nationalities in shipyards and trading houses. They had a small navy of Calusan style ships that clearly were based on Portuguese designs, but had been adapted to fit the local needs. Gunpowder weapons were everywhere apparent. The journals of the little expedition were rapidly filling with all kinds of useful and esoteric information as well as contacts.
In the spring of 1552 they rounded Florida with an eye on the Spanish colony on Cuba for a visit. But the area was in an uproar. The year earlier the Aztecs of all people had invaded Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The attacks had not been anticipated and the fort garrisons were not especially prepared. The ferocity of the Aztec warriors (now armed with guns rather than stone weapons) overwhelmed any resistance offered by the Spaniards. By the year’s end both islands were dominated by the invaders. The slaves who worked the cane fields were freed and Aztec rule began. All surviving Spanish settlers were transported to the nearby Genoan colony and dumped overboard within an easy swim of the beach. John Cabot and Wilhelm Verner’s arrival coincided with the return of the Spanish to Hispaniola. The House of Verner waited the outcome in Cuba. The Spanish army landed at Santa Domingo and drove the Aztec troops back into the city. While steady in battle, the Aztecs had never faced a disciplined European army before and that lack experience showed. From the reports though, it was clear that the Mexica would soon be fierce competitors on battlefields anywhere in the world. The ensuing naval battles followed the same pattern: skilled crews sailed finely build ships, but the Aztec training was no substitute for bloody action on the high seas against captains who had been fighting all their lives. In the end the Aztecs gave up Hispaniola and kept Puerto Rico where they concentrated their troops and fought back every Spanish attempt to retake the island. The Spanish navy dominated the sea lanes and kept trade routes open.
Outcomes:
-13 Sqds Aztecs
-11 Divs Aztecs
-10 Sqds. Spain
- TP in Mexico for Spain
As the war subsided, Spanish expansion continued. New Valencia (at the mouth of the great central river of North America) was colonized and more settlers sent up river where they made first contact with a native empire of continental center (Cahokia). John and Wilhelm visited the new colony, but did not travel up river. There was lots of potential for profits all along the North American coast. From New Valencia they traveled to the Portuguese holdings along the Vespuccica coast where they planned the next leg of their journey. It had been Antonio’s idea and he was waiting for them when they arrived at the end of 1552.
Once they crossed the narrow isthmus that joined the land of the Mexica to Vespuccica, they hired boats to carry them south to the new Genoese trading post in the land of the Inka. Their arrival was quite a surprise to the Italians and much celebrated since visitors were few and very far between. Their new Inkan friends were most hospitable and anxious to trade and find ways to continue the contact. Antonio assured them they would keep the connection. Inb the year they spent among the Inka, our traders traveled throughout the northern parts of the empire and even made a single trip south to the capital in Cuzco high in the mountains. All the Europeans wondered how anyone could live in such thin air. John Cabot was ill for most of that visit so to make sure he did not die, they cut their stay and returned north. As plans were made for the return trip north several Inkan of middle rank expressed an interest in going with the intrepid traders. Of course they were permitted. These five stalwart fellows quickly fell into the Verner family fold and became the foundation of their new outpost at the Portuguese isthmus.
By Spring 1554 Antonio was off Cadiz, Madrid and then to Germany. John Cabot an Wilhelm Verner sailed to Cuba and then back up the American coast before heading back to Europe and the reunion in Genoa. Their trip was delayed as they were caught up in the 1554 invasion of Nova Scotia by Kalmar. The invasion was sudden and unexpected. One Kalmar army landed at Guthrie and had control of the city by nightfall; another army marched south and within a couple of months the entire colony was in Nordic hands.
Travelers Notes:
Aztecs continue to expand settlements along the Pacific Ocean including a trading post far up the western coast of America called Mexico-Ramaytush (SF). Additional expansions take place to the south in Nicanahuac and in the previously established Cocopa.
In Europe the rebuilding goes on. The Austrian city of Split on the Adriatic sees an influx of trade and becomes a significant trading center for the Archduke, who is also crowned the King of Bohemia Hungary in lavish ceremonies that probably broke the bank. None-the-less the population is upbeat about the future and feeling a bit more prosperous. Soon after, Ferdinand’s son and heir, Maximilian is crowned King of Dalmatia.
Bavaria shifts its government away from a divine monarchy to something more akin to a limited constitutional monarchy where a Diet held some of the formerly royal power. Funds were also provided to improve education for guild members and other city dwellers.
In Brandenburg all efforts go towards rebuilds infrastructure just like in Venice the great trading roads extend further and further every year. In Rome the New Pope Julius follows in the footsteps of his predecessor and grows in popularity as he continues to support a reformed Catholicism. Tuscany is unwavering in its support for the new Pope and the re-branded Church. Angelo de Papa openly speaks of a new Rome uniting all reform minded Catholics under a single banner: a new Empire that was truly Holy and Roman.
Khmer expands it colonial reach in the far reaches of the world just as Japan successfully completes a VoD to that very area
Here is the
map. Post your questions. The red line is the demarcation between Portuguese and Genoa claims.
The update will go up tonight. Stats and map will go up tomorrow.
I am disappointed in this update; it seems very rushed and I feel that I have forgotten stuff. It was also difficult to fight two major wars with one player on each side as an NPC. for those of you who have been slighted I am sorry. NPCs who are not involved in wars, will see your efforts in stats when they go up. I will be around the house on Friday morning and will check in then before I leave after lunch. All NPC diplo will take place when I get back as will answers to questions and the fixing of errors. Thak you for your patience. It has been a long week with 10-11 hour days at work every day (to get readyto be gone next week) and getting this completed.
I am disappointed in this update; it seems very rushed and I feel that I have forgotten stuff. It was also difficult to fight two major wars with one player on each side as an NPC. for those of you who have been slighted I am sorry. NPCs who are not involved in wars, will see your efforts in stats when they go up. I will be around the house on Friday morning and will check in then before I leave after lunch. All NPC diplo will take place when I get back as will answers to questions and the fixing of errors. Thak you for your patience. It has been a long week with 10-11 hour days at work every day (to get readyto be gone next week) and getting this completed.
DuxTexanii
Warlord
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2007
- Messages
- 152
Just wanted to note that Maria is married to the crown prince Konstantinos, not Basil himself. But I'm happy to see she didn't sell Greece down the river. 
alex994
Hail Divine Emperor!
OOC: An excellent update as always despite your harsh words bird, but the disappearance of the Khmer Captain turned pirate is disturbing, what could he possibly be up to? 
Could it be..? No, it is best not to think of that
And now, I wait for His Imperial Majesty the Chinese Emperor to make a statement. On another note, should shadowbound drop out, I would like to note propagandist has first priority to China.
Could it be..? No, it is best not to think of that And now, I wait for His Imperial Majesty the Chinese Emperor to make a statement. On another note, should shadowbound drop out, I would like to note propagandist has first priority to China.
I believe it has now been fixed; sorry for the error.Just wanted to note that Maria is married to the crown prince Konstantinos, not Basil himself. But I'm happy to see she didn't sell Greece down the river.
OOC: An excellent update as always despite your harsh words bird, but the disappearance of the Khmer Captain turned pirate is disturbing, what could he possibly be up to?
And now, I wait for His Imperial Majesty the Chinese Emperor to make a statement. On another note, should shadowbound drop out, I would like to note propagandist has first priority to China.
Suon Suk is not gone, I just had no time to write his bits this go around. I am trying to post a map that is 85%+ complete, but I cannot get to Imageshak for some reason. I will keep trying. and if I cannot tomight, then I will try again tomorrow early in the morning.
Symphony D.
Deity
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