Part 33: Europa Universalis III: Chapter 3 - Bloodshed: 1403 - 1410
1403 - 1410: Bloodshed
Waldemar gathers his Generals and assesses the situation. Swabia is suffering from war fatigue and its population may decide to revolt at any moment, but its army is still in good condition and it has a large pool of manpower reserves to draw on. They quickly establish that there are three possible targets for France to launch an offensive against.
The Duchy of Dauphine is the most obvious target. While this is the prize that France declared war over, its weak army means that it is unlikely that the French King will commit the bulk of his forces against it.
Holland, an ally of Dauphine, also presents a tempting target for France, as the wealthy trading city of Antwerpen lies right on its border.
Finally, the Imperial Demesne itself lies on the border to France.
Waldemar divides his forces into two armies of 10,000 men each, giving the command of the second force to General Karl Breitmayer, the youngest son of a Swabian Baron who proved himself an able officer in the War of the Golden Bull.
The two armies are sent across the border into French territory, hoping to lure out the bulk of the French army and bring it into Swabian territory, where it can be bogged down and destroyed. Unfortunately, the plan seems to have the opposite effect, as the French scatter in the face of the Swabian attack, while sending an army of 15,000 men into Dauphine.
The main French army of 20,000 men, led by the King himself, enters Holland a month later.
Worms and Koblenz fall in quick succession, and Waldemar decides to change his tactics, turning his army south towards Dauphine.
The French and Toulousian forces there are besieging the Count of Savoy, who chose to scorch the earth of his lands rather than let the French have them, burning villages and cities to the ground and denying the invaders the ability to forage for food, forcing them to rely on badly organized supply trains from France. Finding his enemies weak from hunger and disease, Waldemar sends his forces into Savoie.
The Frenchmen give a good account for themselves, but are eventually forced to retreat, lifting their siege of Chambery. Waldemar sends Breitmayer in pursuit along with two-thirds of the combined Swabian forces.
He then turns the rest of his army back towards Worms, where a small French force is attempting to retake the city, quickly driving the attackers off and pursuing them into Trier. Despite this aggressive move, the French King remains in Holland, where he has begun laying siege to Antwerpen.
Meanwhile, Breitmayer has pursued the defeated French army all the way from Savoie to Bourbon. After being forced to retreat once more, the Frenchmen are finally run to the ground in Orleans, and the last 1,600 men out of what was once an army of 15,000 surrender to the Swabians.
Disheartened by these losses, and by the French King's stubborn refusal to withdraw the bulk of his remaining army from the siege of Antwerpen, the Duke of Toulouse offers peace in December of 1404. Waldemar accepts.
In January, Trier falls to Waldemar, who moves on into Luxembourg. One month later, Breitmayer is standing at the gates to Paris, as revolts begin to erupt throughout a war-weary France. This finally stirs the French King into action, and he quickly withdraws from Holland and begins rushing his troops towards Paris.
Upon seeing the utterly decimated state of his armies and the growing number of revolts in his realm, the French King is forced to accept that the war is lost, and offers Emperor Waldemar a white peace. Though Waldemar is loath to accept a peace with no gains of land or tribute, the truth is that he has been lucky that Swabia has remained free of revolts throughout the war, and he knows that his luck cannot hold out forever. The peace is agreed on.
As he returns home to Württemberg, news reach him from the Holy Lands. A war fought between the Crusader states of Alexandria and Jerusalem against Egypt has resulted in a resounding victory for the Crusaders, and Egypt has been forced to cede several territories.
The Khanate has also suffered defeat in its war with Syria, sparking a revolt by Persian nationalists, who have succeeded in creating a free Persia.
With things relatively calm at home for once, Waldemar decides to follow in the footsteps of Austria and Saxony, declaring himself to be the King of Swabia rather than just its Duke, cementing Swabia's status as an independent state.
He also turns his attention to trade. Much in thanks to the Trade Agreement signed with Venice, Swabia's merchant houses have managed to establish a significant presence in the city-of-canals and are bringing in a steady monthly income.
In the interest of building up support at home, a number of Waldemar's cousins and nieces are married off to the relatives of the Prince-Electors.
More troubling news arrive from Burgundy in January of 1407. The valleys of Piemonte have long been the last region to house a major Cathari presence. Ever since the persecutions of the Catholic Reawakening, they have maintained a low profile, but with the Pope's humiliation in the War of the Golden Bull, they have become emboldened, and are once again leaving Piemonte to evangelise in other regions.
Minor Cathari Sects have appeared in Dauphine and Savoye. Though a localised problem for now, if allowed to go unchecked these sects may very well gain influence over the entire province.
Back at home, the Bourgeoisie is loudly complaining about their lack of privileges, and makes a petition to Waldemar requesting more representation in the Reichstag. Naturally, Waldemar rebuffs their demand.
Highly disturbing news arrive in June. The King of Lithuania has died and left no heirs, and has willed his throne to go to his son-in-law, the King of Georgia. However, the Oldenburg King of Austria, who had formed a marriage alliance with Lithuania to increase their power in the region, is not content to see a hostile power bloc appear on their border, and has staked their own claim to Lithuania. If Georgia wins, it means that the Holy Roman Empire gets another very powerful and dangerous neighbor, but if Austria wins, it will eclipse Swabia and become the most powerful German state. For Waldemar, neither outcome is a good one.
Several years of peace have done much to repair the instability caused by war and social upheaval, and a highly productive calm settles over Swabia.
Unable to do anything about the Succession war raging in the East, and eager to turn his eye to foreign affairs once more, Waldemar makes the Duchy of Urbino the target of his attentions. Since being liberated from Papal rule, Urbino has been a steadfast ally of Waldemar, but Waldemar wants more. Under the pretense of protecting Ancona from another Papal incursion, he offers the Duke of Urbino to become his vassal.
The Duke is not too eager to give up his newfound freedom, and rejects the offer. However, Waldemar is not easily dissuaded, and after a mix of vague promises, bribes and veiled threats, the Duke caves in, and Urbino becomes a Swabian vassal.
Though Urbino is now liberated and safe, much of the lands of Sicily and Naples remain under the Papal yoke.
Waldemar's work in Italy is far from done.
