Part 43: Europa Universalis III: Chapter 13 - Internal Affairs: 1520 - 1540

1520 - 1540: Internal Affairs

The last King of Aquitaine dies in February of 1520, and its throne passes fully to Dauphine. What was once a great power is now merely a contested territory, fought over by its neighbours.


Brittany's long-standing independence also comes to an end not long thereafter, as it is annexed by France in May of 1521.


In August of 1521, the Swabian army is reorganized once more after the model of Swiss Landsknechten.



Devastating news arrive in winter that year - both Saxony and Anhalt have succumbed to the Lutherans, and asides from losing an ally, Swabia now only has the support of two electors. To retain the title of Emperor, Waldemar must now have the support of the Ortenburgs of Austria, something they will doubtlessly use to their advantage.


Another ugly reminder that the Reformation is not yet a thing of the past is the Cathari rising in Schwaben in November of 1522, which is brutally surpressed by the Imperial Army.


With the loss of Saxony as an ally, a new ally is found in Sicily, which has taken a considerably friendlier attitude to the Empire since its last defeat. Asides from the prestige of adding the island to the Empire, this alliance puts the Sicilian galleys on Waldemar's side.


Construction and training of field artillery begins in 1523, as each of the three Imperial armies receives a compliment of Houfnices.


Iberia has long been the world leader in development of Government practices, and their increased revenues from production of exotic goods has led to a reform within the Caliphate, creating a new, efficient bureaucracy to administer its lands.


Silesia is the next victim of the Lutherans, as a Protestant revolution seizes power and appoints a Protestant cousin of the old Duke as its new ruler.


Sporadic risings of Reformers and Heretics continue across Swabia, but the Imperial Army proves as efficient as ever in putting them down.


New field artillery is developed in August of 1527, along with methods for centralizing the production of cannons and hand weapons into manufactories.


The efforts of Ernst Vietz bear fruit in January of 1528 with a bank reform that increases the size of loans Swabia can take out and significantly reduces the devaluation of the Mark.


Waldemar immediately takes out a large loan, using it to fund the construction of a Weapons Manufactory in the mining province of Oberpfalz.



Great Britain attacks Morocco in June of 1528 in the hopes of seizing control of Morocco's North American colonies.


Though without any real interest in Morocco or Maghreb, Waldemar sees a chance to gain access to an important naval base - the tiny Sultanate of Mallorca is protected only by a miniscule army and the guarantees of Morocco. Claiming that the Baleares must be secured in order to safeguard any Swabian attack on North Africa, Waldemar declares war on Mallorca.


The fleet is loaded with troops and sent out, but is intercepted by the Maghreb Navy and forced to retreat.


A second attempt to sneak the Imperial army along the coast of Provence meets with disaster, and a Maghreb attack destroys Swabia's entire Galley escort, forcing the remaining fleet to seek shelter in Provence's ports.


Morocco, having lost the battle for the Atlantic to the powerful British fleet, asks Swabia for separate peace. Realizing that such a peace would also leave Mallorca undefended, Waldemar agrees.


The Imperial Army lands on Mallorca in 1529, defeating its small garrison easily. Its forts are besiged and occupied, and in May, Mallorca surrenders.



Shortly after a Swabian garrison is established, missionaries are sent in to begin converting the population to the true faith.


Turning his matter back to domestic policy, Waldemar settles a debate between the Offensive and Defensive schools of military thinking by officially favoring the latter.


Other great powers are not idle, however, and a war between the Byzantines and Venice ends in disaster for Venice, costing it three-fourths of its territory, and giving Constantinople access to the gold and silver mines of Görz and Krain.


The idea of a future Byzantine occupation of Venice itself is not an appealing one, and Waldemar begins negotations to integrate the rump state of Venice into the Empire. Venice formally joins the Holy Roman Empire in February of 1530.


The British blockade of Morocco drives it into bankruptcy in July of 1532. Peace is settled shortly thereafter with a number of Moroccan colonial concessions.


The conversion of the Baleares proves surprisingly painless, its mercantile population quick to see the benefits of pleasing their new overlords and trading with the vast Imperial markets.


The loan used to fund the Weapons Manufactory in Oberpfalz comes due in January of 1533, and is duly repaid.


Through the efforts of the Imperial Bank, Ernst Vietz and the Fuggers, Swabian inflation has now been whittled down to zero, allowing it much more leeway in minting during times of war. Plans are drawn up for the addition of a fourth Imperial Army.


Ill news in October, as Urbino is formally recognized as a part of Austria, meaning that a slice of Austrian land now divides Swabia in two.


The relative peace and quiet means more time spent on internal policy, and Waldemar begins to cautiously support the anti-Mercantilist factions, hoping to strengthen Swabia's ability to trade abroad.


With Swabia's unbroken centuries-long possession of Mainz, the Imperial Capital has seen a gradual change in culture, to the point where it now looks, sounds and feels like a Swabian city rather than a Rheinlaender one.


In October of 1537, Waldemar finishes his work on a codified system of law to replace the various local laws and customs in Swabia's cities, allowing for the establishment of crown-controlled Courthouses.


The upset over Mantua dies down later that year.


In October of 1538, Waldemar makes a gamble by formally annexing Switzerland. The loss of Switzerland as an elector means that Swabia no longer has the support to make Waldemar's heir Emperor, should he die.


The move draws little protest, as many Electors feel that Waldemar have made a miscalculation, and eagerly look towards the possibility of breaking Swabian hegemony at last.


Waldemar begins courting Tuscany, the only Elector besides Swabia and Austria to remain Catholic. Despite improved relations and even the forming of a new military alliance, Tuscany remains unwilling to support Swabian succession.


Dismayed, Waldemar turns his attention towards his contingency plan - making Pommerania an Elector. With skillful manipulation of the Reichstag, he succeeds in his ploy. Since Waldemar is Duke of Pommerania, this effectively allows him to get around the restriction against an Elector voting for itself by voting for Swabia as the Elector of Pommerania.


The succession is secure for now, but all it takes is one more Elector siding with the Duchy of Meissen to hand it the crown. The days of easy Hohenzollern succession are over.