Update 7: 1521-1525: The World is Round
Characters:
Nicholas Verner (born 1470) head of the House of Verner
Helene Verner, wife (born 1472)
Jean Claude Vauchamps, Helenes brother (born 1480)
Verner Children: Pietro (b 1492), Jeanine (b 1495), Sarah (b 1497), Johann (b 1501)
Claire ORourke, wife of Jean Claude, (b 1487); Jean born 1521; Marie born 1524
Claires brothers: Ryan, Charles, & Sean (all sailors on English. Irish and Scottish ships)
Wu Kuan, former merchant of Ning-Po, Wokou pirate and now an established trader in the Spice Islands; (born 1470)
Wu Meiying, daughter of Wu Kuan (b 1490); married Pietro; Son Niccolo b 1522
Herman Rabb, archivist to Maxmillian of Austria
Father Francis, Catholic priest living in Italy
Gulrukh "Face like a Rose", a Pashtun princess from a Muslim royal family of Balochistan
Births, Deaths and Marriages
It was June 1524 And the rejuvenation of spring had not quite turned to the mature routine of summer. The women and children of the Verner household were enjoying a picnic and frolic along a stream outside of town. Helene reveled in the company of her growing family. Jean Claude had married Claire who held baby Jean and struggled to maneuver around her ever growing belly. Jeanine and Sarah each had three children. Johan had not yet married, but her eldest and favorite, Peter, had taken a wife. To no ones surprise, except the neighbors, it was Meiying. Her son Niccolo was now two. With spring and babies their talk turned to the royal marriages and young princes and princesses of Europe. There had been many in recent years, and deaths too.
King Joao of Portugal had died in 1522 and Alfonso VI now reigned there. By treaty, Marie of France was engaged to marry Juan III of Spain and Infanta Eleanor did marry Phillipe Orland the heir to the throne of France. The wedding, so they were told, was sumptuous beyond reason to the eternal glory of King Charles. Eleanor received a grand dowry and piece of the True cross from the Kings private collection. The dashing young king Henry of England married Eleanor of Austria and the kings of both Scotland and Ireland attended. The queen was quick to bear: Abigail in 1522; Pearl in 1523; and Sparrow the following year. To the kings disappointment, she bore no sons. The death of King of Kalmar was a bit worrisome, because the line of succession was not clear and it might come to a war nobody wanted. In 1522 Louis Jagiellon turned 16, became King of Bohemia and ended the Austrian regency.
Muscovy and the East
Johan Verner had spent the last three years in the east making connections with traders in Poland, Russia and the wild tribes of the steppes. He had seen firsthand the rebuilding of Kiev with its new, grand, outer wall and the influx of northern Russians into the southern lands of the Tartars and Cossacks. In the north he met with the Stroganovs. These wily Russian merchants, favored by the Tsar, were collecting furs from the Urals and beyond and needed contacts with western markets. Johan was glad to oblige. The peace with Poland had revived the trade lost during the long wars. The Knights had yoked themselves to the will of the Tsar and so survived. Peter Obolenskiy and 700 soldiers had even marched into Riga in 1523 to establish a Russian presence there and make sure that the Baltic was open to Russian merchants. Grandmaster Johann von Tiefen had died in 1521 and the Duke Frederick of Saxony elected Grandmaster. The Duke downplayed his losses and concentrated on rebuilding his declining charge. He worked to improve tax collection and the efficiency of his ministers and agents. He even built a small navy in his improved port facilities; perhaps he was looking to the sea as a new opportunity. Johan wasnt sure. Across the Baltic in Sweden Sten Sture the Younger was vying for power and attracting a large following in Stockholm and calling out once again for Swedish independence.
Johans travels in Russia confirmed the rumors. The Tsar was concentrating his power everywhere, even against the Russian Church and spending lavishly to do so. The Catholic Lithuanian nobles had been welcomed as lost children now returned home and tradesmen of all kinds from the west were flocking to special foreign enclaves (called Germantowns) in Moscow, Novgorod and Kiev. Not surprising, war was on the Tsar mind too. But this time he was looking east. Kazan was his target. The Tsar himself led his army. The campaign of intimidation turned into one of destruction helped by his Nogai and Cossack allies. Kazan collapsed. The northern third was immediately absorbed into Muscovy at the point of a gun; the southern third, prepared for a peaceful annexation. The eastern third was swept into the hands of the Nogai.
To the south Prince Yaroslavskiy led 7000 men and cannon to war along the Crimean border, but success here was less certain. The Crimean Tartars were disciplined and well led; a match for the assortment of Russians, Cossacks and even a few Teutonic Knights. Two years of campaigning put a stop the raids on Russian lands and moved the disputed zone much further south, but it didnt earn the Prince an outright victory.
In Poland Glinski was hard at work restoring order and prosperity. Every effort was made to reduce the corruption that had been spreading through the government apparatus and the bribery that he did not control. He worked to improve the Baltic ports and make trade more attractive and tax revenues increase. Even the University of Casimir was bequeathed gold to hire more learned men and buy the latest in books.
Mapmaking with Waldseemueller
While in Paris, Nicholas and Helene met with the famous mapmaker to discuss the New World. M. Waldseemueller was working on a new map and shared what he thought was true. Recent exploration had revealed more about this uncharted world and he hoped even more would be known soon. The Portuguese had discovered that the shortest way to Joania was by way of Diascia where strong westerlies would drive ships from the southeast corner of Diascia straight to the tip of Africa without the tedious coastal sailing of the past. The south Atlantic was open ocean. Compared to Columbia, Diascia appeared to be quite small.
The Venetians had been working with the English to develop better ships, more suited to exploring the oceans than galleys and as a result they had launched their first voyage of discovery in 1524. He had just acquired copies of Venetian explorer Giuseppe Beatis maps that promised an easy path to the east along the south coast of New Spain. A new unexplored southern continent lay nestled between Columbia and Diascia. To his surprise, though, the Scots may have found a way east too. An old map from before 1510 showed a northwest passage that might lead to the Indies. In addition, Waldseemueller was pretty certain that both England and Scotland had sent more expeditions in recent years. One of the English ones was led by Francis Drake and had been gone for a long time now. Another English expedition had rounded Africa headed for Malacca. It successfully reached India, but adverse winds, low supplies and threats of pirates forced it to return short of its goal.
In fifteen hundred and twenty three,
It was Drake who sailed the wide blue sea
From England safe and harbors snug
He headed west for Persian rugs
Captains Log: Ship date 10.12.1523
F. Drake
Our preparations are completed and on the morning tide we sail west from Ft Eleanor in hopes of reaching England again via the Indies and the uncharted seas before us. Our twenty ships are well-crewed and provisioned. We will boldly go where none has gone before Captain Francis Drake commanding the Monmouth
Captains Log: Ship date 11.24.1523
F. Drake
For six weeks weve been at sea sailing and mapping the coast of Columbia. West is our destination, but then we sailed south and east and then north always keeping the land to starboard. While we rejoice at our success and the loss of only one ship to coral reefs a fortnight ago, we find ourselves but a few days sail from Ft. Eleanor. Alas, rather than return in failure, we turn south once again to follow our fate.
House of Lee
Nicholas Verner, Meiying, Peter, Claire and Jean Claude huddles over the latest Waldseemueller map of the world. It was quite grand and very detailed. The topic of discussion was a proposal from the Banking House of Lee for a joint expedition to the Far East. Such a venture would have been out of the question just a few short years ago, but with the arrival of Meiying, things had changed. The economics of such a voyage were being talked about, to be followed by the risks. The Songhai coast was crowded with small trading forts that were always in need of European goods. New colonies in unknown places like Gambia and Congo might have some long term value if good contacts were established. Then there was Joania. From the reports of Matthew Smith the potential was quite real and a Verner man there could generate many times his costs in profits especially if the rumors of gold were true. Things were less certain once around Africa. The English, it was said, had a fort at Pemba/Zanzibar and their ships had reached India. Not to be out done, James of Scotland had sent ships around Africa to chart the sailing routes to the east. The Portuguese had a new colony north of the English Pemba and another on Madagascar, but they had lost their rights trade in Goa. King Raya of that unpronounceable Indian kingdom had turned against them. As the men got sidetracked into discussing the fickleness and ignorance of oriental despots, Meiying reminded them that Vijayanagar was bigger than France and richer than most of Europe and that fickled and ignorant King Raya was both shrewd and powerful. He would only push the Portuguese out if he had good reason and better alternatives. They must now be able to fight back against the cannon fire of the Portuguese ships; how else could they keep them out? There had been rumors, though, that the enterprising Portuguese had set up a new base far to the east in the Spice Islands themselves. The signs looked good for a trading venture and the House of Lee had a good reputation. Dispatches would be sent to London to set the size of the expedition and make the arrangements.
Two small carracks sailed from Calais in the spring of 1522 destined to round the capes of Africa and make for India and the Spice Islands. Alexander Lee represented the bank and Peter Verner, his merchant enterprise. Anxious with anticipation and at Peters side on the deck of the Lydia Sutherland was Meiying and their son. Ryan and Charles ORourke were among the crew. As they rounded Brittany and crossed the Bay of Biscay the conversation was of France and its King. While Charles was only King of France, he was seen by all as the epitome of what it was to be a King. Court life was said to the most extravagant in all Europe, full of parties and banquets not seen anywhere else. He was respected by all, both within his borders and those outside. His patronizing of the arts, literature, trade and the church only added to his prestige everywhere. He was religiously progressive and supported reforms that did not go too far or too fast. The kings recent marriage arrangements with Spain were certainly interesting and would have an impact on all of Europe upon the deaths of Charles or Juan. They speculated about just how involved Charles would ultimately get in Italy and whether or not the French army was making plans to put an end to unresolved little wars.
Italy, Prelude to War
Father Francis was rather impressed. He had been paying close attention to the progress of warring nations of Italy and Europe and five years had brought lots of changes. Much of it he could lay at the feet of Henry of England who was working with the Venetians to teach and learn new ideas. Matchlocks were now the weapon of choice for almost all of Europe and several nations were easily producing the new cast iron cannon for both ships and armies. War was getting deadlier now and there was even talk of better firearms being used in distant Muscovy. The larger carrack style vessels were common in most ports of call and even tiny Genoa had it first caravels. The Portuguese and Spanish galleons were still proprietary to Iberia, but the good priest knew others were working hard to catch up. The larger ships were too useful for both trade and war to be ignored. The Venetians had sent ships to the new world and made contact with some of its strange inhabitants. Tales of stone cities and tall temples were mixed with those of cannibalistic feasts, feathered clothes and jungles too thick to walk through. And there was talk of gold.
War in Italy
The war began actually began in the Adriatic in the spring of 1521. Phillip had sold his fleet of ten galleys to Venice and as the Venetians were sailing them up the Adriatic, the Neapolitan fleet attacked. Four to one odds favored the Neapolitans and the Venetians fled seeking the safety of Zara. Half were sunk by their pursuers and the remainder bottled up. Two weeks passed until the relief came. 90 Venetian warships appeared in battle array one calm morning. The Neapolitans fought well, but were no match for the skilled Venetian crews. Of the 30 ships on blockade duty, three escaped.
Losses
Naples -27 ships
Venice -8 ships (total including those purchased from Austria)
As summer heated the long days, misfortune stalked the Sforzas. Outside Genoa Francisco arrived late to post hunt feast in a pleasant meadow to find two courtiers blue-faced and choking on fresh cooked pork. The cook was spitted and roasting, but before he was done, he claimed to have been hired by fancy-dressed men from Savoy. Under done, he was served to the pigs. A few weeks later in Milan, Maximillian Sforza was shot as he left church after Sunday mass. He was struck in the shoulder and the bleeding ruined a fine silk doublet. But he survived. The assassin was never caught and, not surprisingly, the bullet looked Italian. War was in the making.
The Neapolitan army of 3000 men and 20 cannon along with their French paid mercenaries (750 Dutch Arquebusiers; 2000 German Landsknecht with 5 cannon; 2500 Swiss Pikemen; 500 Polish Hussars) arrived in Milan in the summer of 1522. The Milanese were well-prepared and fielded 4000 men and 12 cannon of their own plus another 3000 stalwart German landsknecht with 5 cannon that Austria paid for. As the Neapolitans come over the Apennines into the Po Valley towards Piacenza, the Milanese were ready. The Austrians held the center and the Milanese the flanks. The attack came against both flanks and was led by the mercenaries. The Neapolitan soldiers pinned the landsknecht. The pikemen and hussars turned their target flank threatening the rear of the landsknecht. To avoid destruction, the defenders withdrew across the river. Six weeks later the armies squared off outside Pavia. Well-prepared defenses tipped the balance to Milan this time and the invaders retreated to the mountains to lick their wounds. A wet fall and harsh winter took their tolls on both sides and it was much reduced forces that faced each other at Lodi in May of 1523. Again the Neapolitans faced landsknecht troops while the mercenaries looked to crush one flank or the other. But on this day, the Germans refused to be pinned and flanked; they attacked the hesitant southerners and sent them reeling back towards Piacenza and the safety of the Po. The mercenaries saw a disaster in the making and with an experienced eye, turned the rout into a retreat. By summer the campaign was over.
Losses:
Milan -1720 men, -3 cannon
Austrian Mercenaries: Landsknecht -1240 men
Naples-1245 men, -8 cannon
French Mercenaries -2700 men -1 cannon
China in Africa! No need to wait till modern times! 
Sure I will add a bit of tech to your stats.
