Part 51: Europa Universalis III: Chapter 20 - To Rule the Waves: 1650 - 1675

1650 - 1675: To Rule the Waves

The one advantage of having been ousted from the Imperial Throne is that the Reichstag can no longer dictate Swabian policy. Werner III turns Swabia's resources towards promoting a new life for Swabians in the colonies in Africa and the East Indies.


In 1651, the mighty Ming Empire is torn in two as the rival Qin dynasty of the North declares independence.


Christening of the backwards Hindu population of the Swabian East Indies progresses as hoped, with many taking the cross to please their new masters.


A second colonial cavalry army is sent to the East Indies to help consolidate Swabian control.


With the additional forces in place, Ernst Breitmayer turns his attention to the nearby Kingdom of Makassar. War is declared, the Swabian army makes landfall, and the Army of Makassar is slaughtered on the open field.


The siege lasts seven months before Makassar finally falls. The great metropol, home to over 200,000 souls, is brutally sacked and annexed to Swabia.


The turn comes next to the remainders of Majapahit, which receives much the same treatment, despite putting up almost no resistance.



Though it encompasses only a small part of the East Indies, Swabia's budgeoning colonial empire is populous and wealthy, producing large amounts of spices and cotton for export back to Europe.


News of Breitmayer's excessive brutality is not well received in Europe, especially in the Church, which wants converts rather than corpses. Pope Paulus III sends a stern reprimand to King Werner, who fires Breitmayer from his position as colonial Governor.


In 1653, news arrive of rumblings of discontent in Iberia's vast colonial empire. High taxes, oppressive laws and corrupt Govenors are among some of the complaints, and a colonial assembly gathers in the region of Qtizi on the narrow land bridge between the North and South continents of the new land to discuss the possibility of secession from Iberia. The Caliph defuses the situation by lowering taxes, but it seems doubtful that diplomacy can maintain the status quo indefinitely.


In spring of 1655, Werner assembles his royal counsel. He explains that he intends to create a Swabian parliament, modelled after the Reichstag, to aid in the administration of the Kingdom. Parliament is also given regency powers in the event of a minority Monarch, so that another personal union under a foreign power can be prevented. This rather liberal move on Werner's part is attributed by many to his mentor and friend Ernst Koff, who still acts as an unofficial advisor during Werner's frequent visits in Schawben.



Come 1655, Werner has succeeded in gaining the votes of Cleves and Venice, and now has the majority in the Electoral College. Piedro IV dies in winter the same year, and Werner is elected Emperor. House Hohenzollern is back where it belongs.



The Demesne returns to Swabia, which is now whole once more.


In 1656, Werner founds the Swabian East India Trade company, chartered to handle the trade with fish, spices and cotton in Swabia's colonies.



Unpleasant news arrive in August the same year as Werner learns that Brandenburg, the fourth largest state in the Empire, has become a subject country to Austria.


Diplomatic talks with colonial dissenters finally breaks down in Iberia in 1657, with the new Caliph effectively declaring war on any secessionists and abolishing the tax reductions. Secessionist movements are brewing in the Fabur Islands in the Caribbean and along the western coast of Jadakal.


During one of his visits to Koff's estates in Schawben in 1662, Emperor Werner falls off his horse and breaks his neck - a rather sudden and unnecessary death for an Emperor only twenty-nine years old. He leaves no sons, and the throne goes instead to the sixteen-year old son of his sister Ludmilla, Konrad III von Hohenzollern. The relative stability of the Empire under Werner's rule means that Swabia's support has grown, and Konrad is elected Emperor with the support of a full half of the Electors.


In 1663, local administration in Kongo has grown to the point where Loango has a properly functioning port with the capacity to supply ships in the surrounding waters, opening up the possibility of colonizing the surrounding coasts.


Colonization of Africa's jungles is slow and costly, but nonetheless Konrad funds the establishment of a colony in Luanda. Luanda has a large and relatively peaceful native population, who have traded with the Swabians for decades, and it is believed that they can be assimilated into the new settlement with time.


The British half of rises against their overlords in May, declaring independence. Scandinavia, whose garrison on Ceylon is much larger than the British, immediately uses the opportunity to invade the newly independent half and annex it, gaining full control of the entire island.


The colonial governments of four Caribbean islands declare independence in June, styling themselves the Islamic Republic of Fabur Islands.


In August, an army is sent to Kongo to clear the way for future colonization by 'addressing' excessively aggressive native populations.


In 1664, news arrive that France has formed an alliance with Lithuania, an alliance that disposes over a quarter of a million men between the two Empires. The good relations between Byzantium and Lithuania have broken down in recent years, and the Byzantine Emperor is just as concerned by the news as Konrad is. He sends an envoy to Mainz proposing an alliance - the two halves of the Roman Empire, standing back to back against the imposters who would style themselves Emperors.

Konrad agrees.


In 1665, Great Britain drags Swabia into a war over some colonial possession or another that pits it once again against the declining Maghreb Empire.


Two Imperial Armies are sent to Tripoli, driving back the Maghreb troops that have entered Swabian territory.


The Maghreb troops are heavily outnumbered and technologically outclassed. One by one, the Maghreb forts fall, until Tripoli itself surrenders in August of 1666. Swabia takes another slice of North Africa in the peace agreement.



By 1667, Swabian Kongo has grown considerably along the coast. While the new colonies only contain a few hundred people in each, and will take decades to become self sustaining, it is a step forward for Swabian control over Africa.


Iberia is slowly declining into strife, with rebellions abroad and at home. For now, the Army of the Caliph is keeping the order, but it is doubtful if that order can be maintained forever. Another slice if the Iberian Caribbean declares independence in 1668, becoming the Sultanate of Tarrbitz.



Funded by increasing revenue from the colonies, Konrad begins an expansion of the army in 1669, increasing the size of each of the five Imperial Armies from 20,000 to 25,000 men. The total size of the standing Swabian army is now 135,000 troops.


Brandenburg becomes fully a part of Austria in 1670, greatly growing the power of Swabia's chief rival.


Strengthened by the creation of the Swabian East Indian Company, Swabia's trade has gone from an insignificant side revenue to its third biggest income source. Swabian merchants dominate the markets of Venice, Constantinople and Gloucestershire.


A devastating plague sweeps over Verona in 1672. Despite Konrad's best efforts to contain and quarantine it, a fifth of the city's population succumbs.


Genoa and Dauphine get dragged into opposing sides of a war in 1673 that results in Nice and Genoa both being annexed to Dauphine. The city-state of Genoa is no more.


News begin to arrive of the resources found in Swabia's new colonies. Kisarna turns out to be rich in elephants, while Gabona proves to be a highly fertile region.


In 1674, bribes and gifts from Swabian merchants results in the Qin Empire opening its largest center of trade to the Swabians, who quickly establish a monopoly there.


As autumn turns to winter in 1674, the long peace between France and Swabia is finally broken with the news that the French have crossed the border into Saxony. Swabia is now at war with France and Lithuania.



With Swabia's restoration to the Imperial throne, it is once again up to the Reichstag to determine its future policy, and as tends to be the case, there are three propositions to choose from.

The Imperial Army Recruitment Act is back, seeming to be more relevant than ever in face of the impending war with France and Lithuania.


The Establishment of the Imperial Colonial Company would allow the Empire to pool its resources in the interests of founding colonies in Africa and the East Indies. In addition to more colonists being available, this proposal would also allow for the establishment of 'Imperial' colonies that would provide income for the entire Empire rather than just Swabia, as well as allowing the Holy Roman Empire to spread to other continents.


The Proposal for the Creation of a Dignified Imperial Cabinet would create a cabinet of diplomats from all over the Empire in Swabia to collectively settle disputes and arrange embassies to foreign powers. This act would both strengthen the prestige of Swabia and help address any 'misunderstandings' resulting from Swabian foreign policy.