The Conquest of Florence
The Papal and Spanish combined Artillery Battery had been pounding the walls of Florence for several weeks now, and the mighty defenses of that center of the Renaissance looked about ready to fall to the self proclaimed Army Of God. This was a fine day for the Catholic World, faced on enemies from seemingly all sides, to further the dominance of the Papal States. Of course the people in Florence may not be immediately fine and happy with their new leader, but in the long run they will realize the benefits of said new ruler.
This campaign of a little less then a month had not been an easy one though. The first few battles of the campaign were hard fought, and only the crack guard division of the Knights of St. John prevented further losses. His Holyness would have to remember to renew their lease on Malta. The Tuscans knew this war was lost the second the battle of Spain peeked over the horizon, for no mere Italian City State could stand up to the might of one of Europes greatest powers. The only real scare of the war was when the Tuscans, realizing victory was forfeit in the main battle line conflict against Papal Battle Group Alpha, attempted to withdraw from the main battle-line and go through the Apennine Passes. Fortunately, the Pope in all his wisdom saw fit to position two infantry divisions as a battle group Beta, who managed to hold off the larger Tuscan force in the narrow passes until our larger Alpha group arrived in time to flank and crush the Tuscan forces, forcing a total withdrawal back into Florence for the final assault.
At this time, the Army of God also received extraordinarily fortuitous news, that the French Navy had totally crushed the Tuscan force at its moorings, and had cleared the way for the main body of the Spanish army to arrive and aid us in our siege of Florence! It was also heard the massive French Army was marching at this very moment through Northern Italy to crush the vile Tuscans, but the forces of God can wait for no one else. And now we are back to where we began, with the Battery crushing the stone of the capital of Tuscany. All of a sudden, you heard a section of the wall collapse, and then two more! In this moment of grand anticipation, the French and Papal generals ordered their Forces to march forward, and a minor fluster of fire opened upon our troops. But no matter, for our superior numbers and arms would ensure our victory. We marched into the mighty city, the glorious helmets of our Guard and Dragoons glinting in the midday light. The city itself is thousands of years old, founded by the great Caesar for his veterans in the time before Christ.
Our forces march past the wonderfully beautiful Basilica of St Minias on the Mountain, enroached upon the highest point in all Florence. I beg to God this is not where the Tuscans choose to make their last stand, for to defile this sanctuary with blood would be to spit on the gown of a holy man. To his great dismay, several shots rang out at his forces from the ancient chapel, and with an inner groan he ordered his division forward in a great mass, up the stone steps. He saw now, why they had to make their stand here. Their great fortezza of Florence had been virtually destroyed, with only a few fractions of a wall still standing. His men rushed in past the awe-inspiring marble doors and into the rest of the basilica. The casualties of the Army of God were heavy, for there were a great deal of places for the entrenched Tuscans to hide. The majority of troops were ordered to rat out the remainder of the hiding Tuscan forces, and several commanders with a troop of guardsmen proceeded into the back of the chapel, were the leaders of Tuscany were hiding. There, in the choir overlooking the magnificent crypt of St. Minias first Martyr of Florence, stood the vast majority of the Tuscan generals. Several sat with their head in their hands, saddened at the loss of their great city.
We took them into custody, ready to interrogate them as to the whereabouts of their remaining peers but it was not necessary. The French general, late yet triumphant, twirled his mustached with his hands and announced We have them! and entered the city with the two remaining Tuscan generals in chains. These scum, he proclaimed Where in the countryside preparing for another attack, when they were caught by surprise
. By the French Army . The Papal generals could see just outside of the demolished city walls. Many of them were already grumbling about feeding this new army, but it was no matter. Apparently the French right of passage through Northern Italy was running out, and they must leave now. They delivered about a thousand Tuscan prisoners of war into our hands, assured us there was no more left and departed.
The Pope now reigns as master of all Central Italy, with only a few minor kingdoms to oppose him. Should Florence and Rome be totally conciliated, the possibilities are, to say the least, delighting.