Part 42: Europa Universalis III: Chapter 12 - A Reformed World
Intermission: A Reformed World
Swabia's prestige is beginning to recover after plunging to its lowest point since the Golden Bull under Ernst II's rule. Its chief allies are Saxony and Great Britain, although the latter has been devoting less and less attention to Europe since the beginning of its colonization efforts.
Its court is currently dominated by Ernst Vietz, an associate of the Fuggers, who has been hired to oversee the complex task that is the establishment of the Imperial Bank and Imperial Mint.
A new invention has found its way to the Imperial Army - field artillery. Its system of Men at Arms has also been replaced with skilled mercenaries from Scandinavia and Ireland known as Galloglaigh Infantry. With General Sülzla's death in January of 1520, Swabia now lacks good generals, though it has a solid foundation for recruitment among the Swabian officer corps.
Centralization efforts over the last few decades have met with some success, though Swabia still remains a largely feudal state. The counter-reformation has sparked new depths of intolerance for heretics among its Catholic population.
Thanks to Sülzla's efforts, Catholicism remains the religion of the overwhelming majority, though the newly acquired Mantua remains a Cathari stronghold. Swabia's scattered provinces produce a wide variety of goods, with Salt and Cloth being the most profitable.
Technologically, Swabia is beginning to fall somewhat behind the times, as its sheer size and artistocratic, narrowminded society hinders the advancement efforts of the Renaissance. Fortunately, as it sits at the center of the Empire, bordering dozens of small, wealthy and innovative states, it is able to keep up somewhat due to new ideas spreading over its borders.
The Imperial Army is composed of a full half professional cavalry, making it quite costly for its size. The Imperial Navy, on the other hand, is only good for keeping pirates away and the occasional skirmish with other Italian galley fleets.
On account of Verona losing its Elector status and being replaced with Anhalt, Swabia now has some more support in the Electoral College. Mainly, it lacks a serious contender, as the Cathari and Protestant Electors have trouble agreeing on who to support instead.
The current Pope is from Austria, and quite fond of his birth country, something all too well reflected in the composition of the College of Cardinals.
Extent of the Empire in 1520. Holland, Utrecht, Gelre, Friesland, Verona, Savoy, Provence and Pisa all seceded during the Reformation, and Hamburg was recently occupied by France. Provence was regained for the Empire when Dauphine annexed it.
Northern Europe is dominated by the Protestant faith, asides from England which remains devoutly Catholic. The lowlands and Central Germany are almost entirely Cathari.
Southern Europe remains mostly Catholic, though Burgundy is a mishmash of Protestant and Cathari states.
Iberia's immeasurable wealth has allowed it to establish the largest standing army in the world, as well as a large high seas fleet, though a recent colonial conflict with Great Britain ended in the destruction of most of the Iberian and almost the entire British fleet. France is still unstable and chaotic, and their army has yet to recover. Syria has expanded across Persia and Arabia, forming a new Sunni Great Power in the holy lands. Austria, meanwhile, continues to try to match Swabia militarily, though their greater reliance on infantry hampers their ability on the battlefield.
