Chapter XXVIII: The Closing of an Era
As 1688 dawns and new year celebrations begin, an air of hope permeates across Europe. Christendom, including North Africa, parts of the Balkans and even the black sea, now covers an area larger then the Roman Empire at its height, and has the potential to go even farther. Yes there have been a few hiccups in the east, but by and large the Great Crusade has seen remarkable success across the board. For the first time in centuries, the Pope, joined by millions of Christians, dares to hope that soon the Holy land itself will again be under the control of the Cross. However, within a few months the Kingdoms of Great Britain and France are plunged into deep mourning, turning their thoughts inwards and creating a time of reflection on the mortality of man. While walking through St. James's park with her son and grandson in mid January, the 78-year-old Queen Mother Henrietta Maria caught a slight chill, which quickly turned into pneumonia.
Try as the doctors might, its clear that the old woman is on her deathbed. As the Queen Mother declines, she is constantly attended by her family, including her beloved daughter the Duchesse d'Orleans (having been granted permission to see her mother on her deathbed by the French King), her favorite grandchild the Prince of Wales, and her close companion Queen Catherine. She is also visited by the leading Courtiers, government ministers, Catholics, common and noble alike, who revere her as a saint for all that she has done for them, and many others. By shear force of will, Henrietta holds on for the 39th anniversary of her husband's Martyrdom, January 30th, rallying to hear a special mass in her chapel. Sadly the effort is to much for this grand old lady. On February 2nd 1688, the Queen Mother Henrietta Maria passes away, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren surrounding her. The death of the only living daughter of Henri IV of France, one of the last survivors of the grand Court of her husband and a true living monument to history casts a dark shadow over her two nations. For her family, especially her three surviving children, the Queen Mother's death is a devastating blow. The siblings are joined in their mourning by the citizens of three nations, especially the people of London, a true surprise. As much as they disliked her religion and determination to return England to the Catholic fold, to Londoners she was still the King's mother, and an institution unto herself.
Saying goodbye to history: the funeral of Henrietta Maria
Her funeral, held on February 11th, is a magnificent yet somber affair, attended by hundreds of people, with thousands more remaining outside of Westminster Abbey to catch a glimpse of the Queen Mother's final journey. The funeral is precided over by the Queen Mother's close friend and confidant Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet of Meaux, with a eulogy read by the Prince of Wales himself, who in a rare show of emotion tears up near the end, along with his father the King. When the ceremony ended, the funeral cortege left the abbey for Windsor Castle, where the earthly remains of the Queen Mother shall lay beside those of her husband for the time being, while plans are drawn up for an elaborate royal mausoleum to be erected in Hyde Park to house them both.
The most intimidate consequence of Henrietta Maria's death is a shifting of power at Court. The Queen Mother had long led the French Faction at Whitehall, which advocates a close alliance with France in foreign policy and emulation of the French on the Domestic front. With the Queen Mother gone many believe that her faction will lose its power and begin to fade away. However, no one counted on the resourcefulness and growing sense of purpose of the Duke and Duchess of Kendal. Up till now the Kendals have been considered relative non-entities on the political stage, influential in Court life, party-planning, poetry and other hedonistic pursuits, but not much else. But underneath the smiles, laughter and constant parties Henry-Sebastian and Maria Anna have been laying the ground work for their own faction, founded on the duel beliefs of absolute monarchy and Roman Catholicism. Under the influence of his grandmother, mother, wife and lovers the Duke of Kendal been convinced of the truth and righteousness of the Roman faith. Though he has yet to fully convert, Kendal quickly becomes a leading voice for the Catholics at Court, surprising many and thrilling his mother. Though it will be several years before they gain the level of influence that their grandmother had, its obvious that the Kendals are emerging as major powerbrokers.
The second, subtle consequence of the Queen Mother's death is its affect on her son, the King. Despite their differences and clashes over the years, mother and son had grew very close over the past decade, and her death was a sharp blow to Charles II, especially in light of the fact that she only began accompanying the King on his famous early morning walks at his own request, tinging guilt with mourning. While it will take some time for the symptoms to show up, those close to the King are increasingly aware that he is suffering from depression, combined with a weakening of his health from a long life of hedonism. Over the next few months Charles begins withdrawing more and more from public and court life, spending much of his time in Windsor and Winchester, in the company of his brother and cousin Prince Rupert. At the same time, more and more Royal duties have been delegated to the Prince of Wales, who becomes Prince Regent in all but name. Though courtiers and ministers alike pray for the King's recovery, some are privately thrilled at the early ascension of Prince Charles to a position of power.
Already the Prince has a reputation as a hardworking and skilled administrator, open to new and innovative ideas, from his time as President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. It is hoped by many that this shift of power will mean a change in the ruling ministry, as the Marquess of Carmarthen and Earl of Rochester have by now been in power for nearly a decade. Though most of the ministers are capable administrators, skilled at formulating domestic and foreign policy, there is an increasing feeling of that the government is stagnant, needing new blood. Sadly for those opposition MPs and excluded nobles, the Prince has no plans to change the ministry's current makeup, as he is still getting acclimated to governing a whole country, and feels that it is necessary to keep experienced men in the halls of power. And with the changing tides in the Great Crusade, Charles will need all the help he can get, for the beginning of his informal regency coincides with preparations for a new League operation.
Over the past few years there has been increasing discussion over what the ultimate goal of the League should be. For Venice and Genoa, its the annihilation of the Barbary states, for Austria the expulsion of the Turks from Hungary, for Poland and Russia control of Moldavia and the black sea, respectively. But for the Papacy the goal has been clear from the beginning. It is a goal secretly nursed by each Pope since the 14th century, occasionally suggested by the great Catholic monarchs and prayed for by the common man. Now this goal finally seems to be possible for the first time in centuries: the reconquest of the Holy Land. Before this cherished idea has seemed to be impossible, the stuff of vague promises and excuses for Christian monarchs to raise taxes. But with Christendom united like never before and the infidels being steadily pushed back, people across Europe are daring to hope that the home of Jesus Christ will again be returned to the loving embrace of Christendom. However, it is one thing to talk about restoring the Holy land to Christian hands, its another thing to actually follow through with it. As such, Pope Innocent XI, well aware that he will need to win over the Supreme council in Vienna, decides to appoint a new Nuncio to pitch the idea and bring the more reluctant representatives around. For this important mission the Pope appoints a trusted and highly experienced colleague, Cardinal Fabrizio Spada, the current legate (or governor) of the papal territory of Urbino. For Innocent, Spada is the prefect candidate. As the former Nuncio to France, Savoy and Venice Fabrizio is well versed in the political games of Europe and, being from an old establish Princely family means many doors that would be closed to a lesser cleric will open for him. The only downside to some is his age (only 46) but other then that there is no objections at the papal court to this classically handsome noble being appointed to Vienna (officially Apostolic Nuncio to the Holy Roman Emperor). On March 3rd Cardinal Spada, accompanied by an impressive reunite, departs from for the Imperial capital, arriving on the 15th and presenting his letters of credence to the Emperor on the 17th, and is shortly after admitted to the Supreme Council as the Papal representative. The scenes that greet him are less then encouraging.
The council is full of divisions, between Catholics and Protestants, east and west and north and south. One on hand several nations, including the Netherlands, Sweden, the various German principalities and Genoa, are in favor of consolidating the various conquests and negotiations with the Sublime Porte. They are unsurprisingly opposed by Austria, Venice, Poland, Russia and Spain, who are in favor of continuing the war, liberating more territory. In the middle is France, Great Britain, Portugal, Denmark and the Italian states, who see the merits of both sides arguments but are unwilling to take sides yet. Thus Cardinal Spada's goals are twofold. One, he needs to rally the League behind the idea of continuing the war and two, convince them to devote their resources to liberating the Holy land. Thankfully the Cardinal isn't alone in his endeavors. Shortly after arriving in Vienna, he calls on several members of the younger generation, including the Duchess of Cambridge, the Prince of Asturias, the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Lorraine (both recently returned from the front-lines). It takes several visits, involving deep political and spiritual discussions, but in the end the Cardinal manages to convince this group to support him in this endeavor.
With the backing of these powerful patrons, Fabrizio begins a campaign to gain the support of the great powers. Thanks to his new connections with Duke Charles of Lorraine and Archduke-Infante Fernando the Cardinal has an assured in with the Spanish and Imperial governments, and thanks to his time as Nuncio to France, contacts with the Court of Versailles, the most important being Monsieur and Madame. With these international links, Cardinal Spada can confidently assure Rome that ".... the great matter is all but solved, and the holy places of our lord will soon be back in our hands." However, even with the backing of such powerful royals, there is still no guarantee that the papal venture will succeed. In fact, it isn't until early May that a possible campaign for the holy land is formally brought up in the council, and even then there is still considerable opposition. The Pope, once word of the debates and arguing reach him in Rome, he becomes increasingly concerned. In this he is joined by much of the Papal Curia and various ranking clerics across Europe. Many times over the centuries attempted crusades have been derailed by disagreement and the selfishness of man. If the council decides to end the war now, at the cusp of being able to liberate the holy land from the Islam, it would be a truly devastating blow for all Christendom. As such, the Pope begins to look for ways to strengthen his influence in the League, with the final aim of rebuilding the power that the Church enjoyed in centuries past.
Under orders from the Secretary of State, Cardinal Alderano Cybo, Nuncios across Europe are instructed to find ways to make the Church indispensable to the governments of the great powers and to increase Papal influence in the new North African states. At first the task seems impossible, thanks to the determination of many nations, such as France, Savoy, Portugal and increasingly Spain, to limit any input from the Church on the political spectrum. However, a request for money from Grandmaster Gregorio Carafa of the Knights Hospitaller triggers a spark of inspiration. At the same time, a stunning discovery is made by a low ranking clerk in the Secret Vatican archives, which is quickly brought to the Pope's attention. Between these two events, a new idea begins to form within the Vatican, one that will have profound consequences across Europe and is bound to cause shock, awe and a bit of anger in all of the Princely courts.
The architect of a new order: Pope Innocentius XI
Meanwhile, in Vienna a decision is finally made. On May 20th the Supreme council votes to focus their resources on a campaign to reconquer the holy land for Christendom. The news sends shock waves across Europe and triggers massive celebrations, primarily in Catholic countries but also a few Protestant ones as well. For the officers on the Supreme council however, the debating and politicking was the easy part. Now comes the difficult task of deciding just how to go about launching this holy campaign. At the same time, arguments have already began among the councilors on what will happen to the Holy land after it is conquered. Should it be given to the Papacy? Or should the Crusader-era Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem be restored? And if the later, who should where its crown? It is against this backdrop that the Pope changes the course of history.
On July 1st, the Pope holds a public consistory (a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals) at the Palazzo del Quirinale, attended by the entire diplomatic corps, numerous members of the Princely families of Rome, high ranking clerics and the exiled Queen Cristina of Sweden. At first the consistory is business as usual, with the Cardinals being presented with their rings, zucchetti (small skullcaps), birette (four-cornered silk hats and galerum rubrum (broad-brimmed tasseled hat) and assigned their titular churches. Various things are discussed, including the situation with the Gallic Church of France, creating hierarchies for the new North African states and quite naturally the war effort. In all its a fairly normal, and for most boring consistory. Much of the audience is left confused as to why they were requested to attend. However, as the meeting winds down, the Dean of the Sacred College announces that His Holiness wishes to address the assembled Cardinals (and therefore the audience). This in itself is a remarkable break with normalcy, as Popes typically speak in the consistory through the Papal majordomo. At this announcement much of the assembled Princes, Prelates and ambassadors sit up and take notice.
Speaking from the throne, Pope Innocent begins with a prayer, thanking God for allowing Christendom to triumph of the infidels these past six years and asks for continuing divine favor for the brave men fighting in his name. He then praises the nations of Christendom for coming together under a common banner and having a common goal for the first time since the reformation, glorifying the reconquest of Hungary, Crete, much of the Aegean and parts of Moldavia and the Crimea. He also exalts the creation of the new Crusader states in North Africa. However, Innocent soon switches gears, condemning the infighting running rampant in Vienna and preaching that it is the duty of all good, Christian nations and men to join together and reclaim Christ's patrimony once and for all. And, he informs his spellbound audience, it is time for the Church to do its part as well.
He then seemingly veers off, speaking of ages past, when great knights defended the Holy land under the Papal banner, answering to no earthly force other than the Pope himself. This august order was sadly betrayed at the height of its power by a greedy, wicked King and abandoned by a weak, powerless Pope. Innocent is of course referring to the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, better known as the Knights Templar. This is when His holiness drops his first bombshell: he reveals to the confused attendees a recently discovered document, later called the Chinon Parchment (after the city it was issued in), which contains shocking information. Back in 1308, at the height of the campaign against the Templars, led by Philippe IV of France, the reigning Pope, Clement V, absolved the last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, and the rest of the leadership of the Knights Templar from charges brought against them by the Inquisition. This causes even greater confusion. Though it has long been suspected that the Templars weren't guilty of any of the crimes they were accused of and the existence of this document has long been hinted at, it is surprising to hear that it really does exist. But what is the point of all this, they wonder? Surely there are more important things for his Holiness to do, instead of giving a history lesson? Fortunately, the Pope's point is soon revealed. With indisputable proof that the Templars were ruthlessly betrayed now in his hands, and the new challenges being presented for the Crusade, Innocent XI believes that the time has come to look to the past to safeguard the future. Therefore, his holiness announces the re-formation of the Knights Templar.
This announcement shocks the entire assembly into silence. No one could have guessed that the Pope intended to make such a momentous decision when they first arrived at the Quirinale. After all, who would have predicted something of this nature? The stunned audience listens, mutely, as the Pope ends his speech with a request for aid, asking the nobles of the great families of Rome to follow in their ancestor's footsteps and aid the Knights Templar in any way they can. Money, land, men, armaments, ships, all are needed if this revived order can be reestablished as the greatest fighting force in Christendom. As the Pope's speech draws to a close and those attending are dismissed, all seem to be deep in thought, unsure of how this momentous announcement will affect them, and indeed all of Christendom. Within hours the news has spread across Rome, within days across Italy and within a week every major power is aware that the Knights Templar are back.
As pandemonium breaks out across the European courts, the Pope issues a Papal bull on July 11th formalizing his July 1st announcement. The Bull, Et usque ad reges totius Europae (to the Kings of Europe), directed towards both the Sovereigns of Europe and the common man, outlines the new rules surrounding the Templars. First, unlike the original Order, the revived Templars will temporarily be open to all Christian men, not just those nobly born. Second, the new Templars will defend all of the Crusader states, not just the Holy land. That means that the Order can and will act as a sort of international force to defend Christendom against the Muslims wherever they threaten. Third, His Holiness, in an attempt to stave off some of the problems that existed under the first generation of the Order, forbids the new Templars from loaning money, declaring it below their station as Knights of Christ. This, he hopes, will keep the Great powers from seeing the revived order as a threat to their own national interests. Fourth, the Order will once again be answerable only to the Pope, though he will take the advice of the various Sovereigns into consideration when dealing with the Templars in various nations. Fifth, the Grandmaster of the Templar order will normally be elected from among the various Masters of the Order (the leader of the Templars in individual countries. However taking the current situation into account, the first Grandmaster shall be appointed by the Pope, with the elections occurring after the first appointee's death or abdication. Finally, he ends with a request, asking that the crowned heads of Europe, and their subjects aid the new sword and shield of Christendom.
With this single document, Innocent XI has proven himself to be one of the most capable rulers of his time, with a deep understanding of the world around him. First, by temporarily opening the order to all men, he has insured that the Templars will quickly grow in number and potentially encourage the nobles to join as well, if only to keep the "peasants" from "polluting the most august Templar order". Second, by banning the revived Templars from loaning money, the Pope has hopefully eliminated one of the major causes of friction between the old order and the various reigning monarchs. Third, by giving the Order the mandate to protect all of the Crusader states, from those in North Africa to the ones hoped for in the the Holy land, the Pope has made them indispensable to the Christan east, hopefully ensuring that there will be no repeats of the actions of 1307. Most importantly of all however, is the wording of the first part of Et usque ad reges totius Europae, stating that all Christian men are welcome in the Knights Templar. Not all Catholic men but Christian men. This means that Protestant and Orthodox men are as free to join as Catholics are. With the stroke of a pen Innocent XI has done what no Pope has eve tried: taken a peaceful first step into attempting to reconcile Protestants, Catholics and even Orthodox, to heal the great schisms of Christendom. This, if nothing else, ensures that history will remember the present Pope as "Innocent the Great." However, that is in the future and for now His Holiness will have his hands full finding a new Grandmaster for the Templar and placating the various monarchs within his Church.
The Pope will definitely need all his energies for this task, for while men across Europe quickly head to their local church to sign on (as directed by their local Priests and Bishops) the rulers and nobles are still on the fence. After an initial shock, the Emperor happily embraces the idea of permanent aid against any Muslim attack, and promptly begins to give aid to the Order. Tracts of seized land in Hungary is immediately donated, while the nobility and commoners alike are leaned on to give their lives in service to the cause. Various supplies, including guns, ammunition, artillery and uniforms (the Templar uniform has yet to be decided on) are gathered, to be dispatched to the new order. In recognition of this act, Innocent grants the Emperor the right to nominate the Master of the Order for the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. This is a prestigious honor, one that will be heavily fought over in the coming years. Taking after their fellow Habsburg, Carlos II and Don Juan Jose also lend support to the Templars in the form of lands and goods, though less in terms of manpower, for the Spanish Monarchy has its own battles to fight and needs its men at home. For all that the Habsburgs offer, it is the Portuguese who give the richest gifts of all.
Back in 1318, a few years after the final dissolution of the original Templar Order, King Dinis I of Portugal created the Order of Christ as a replacement and continuation for the surviving Templars. Open to all who survived the purge in the early 1300s and who could make it to Portugal, the order inherited the power and properties of its predecessors, albeit under the protection of the King rather then the Pope. Over the next few centuries the Order has grown rich and important, becoming one of the most influential Knightly orders in the Iberian peninsula. However, from King Manuel onwards, the Grand Mastership has been held by the Kings of Portugal, giving the Crown access to this source of influence and wealth. Now, seeing an opportunity to untold influence over the Church, King Pedro II makes a startling offer: he shall return the Order of Christ to the fold. By this the King means to reform the Christ Order into the Portuguese branch of the Knights Templar, thereby granting untold riches, power, armaments and other benefits to the revived Order. Of course, before making this offer the King does separate a few of the choice lands from the Order of Christ, adding them to the Royal Estate of the Braganzas, but that is to be expected. For the Pope, this offer is obviously to good to pass up and immediately takes it. In return, he gives the Portuguese Monarch the new title "Most Faithful Majesty" and grants him the right to nominate both the Patriarchs of Lisbon and the Master of the Order for Portugal. It is a great political victory for a nation which until fairly recently was one of many lands subjugated to the Spanish Crown.
While the Braganzas and Habsburgs duel for influence over the Church, the most important player sits on the sidelines, trying to understand what has happened. Understandably, the Sun King is shocked and enraged by the Pope's action. By restoring the Knights Templar, he shames Philippe IV, and by extension France. In years past Louis XIV would no doubt have seized the Papal enclave of Comtat Venaissin and demand that His Holiness resend the decision. However, the Sun King has matured during his long reign and instead of reacting to this insult, he instead sees an opportunity. Privately the King instructs his Ambassador to the Holy See, Charles d'Albert d'Ailly, Duc de Chaulnes to offer the Pope a deal: France will return some of the former Templar lands, send army advisers to help train the new recruits, supply any resources necessary, lean on nobles and commoners alike to get them to sign up, give the Templars the right to set up major military outposts within the Kingdom and to allow them to freely cross French borders. In exchange however, the the Pope must recognize the Declaration of the Clergy of France, effectively making the French Church subordinate to the Sun King and allow Versailles to nominate the first Grandmaster of the Templar order.
For His Holiness, this is an incredibly high price for French support, one that he is not sure he wants to make. Sadly, the Pope is all to aware that without French support, the Templar enterprise will either die or become a Habsurg satellite. If the richest Catholic nation and her allies, including Great Britain, Sweden and several German Principalities, refuse to aid in the rebirth of the Order, other nations could follow, weakening both the new Templar Order and the Holy League, something that the Pope has no wish to see. Therefore, and with a heavy heart, Pope Innocent XI issues a Rescript on August 31st, formally recognizing the Declaration of the Clergy as valid and proclaims that it shall go into full effect starting on January 1st, 1689 (this is of course merely legal fiction, with the Declaration having governed the French Church since 1682). Shortly after, on September 5th, again in the presence of the Diplomatic corps, Prelates of the Church and Princes of Rome, the Pope announces the identity of the new Grandmaster of the Templar Order. A living legend, he has fought in dozens of battles and six major conflicts, is respected across Europe for his martial exploits and strategic genius, is part of the French Royal House and one of the only men to have openly defied the Sun King.This man is Louis de Bourbon, le grand Condé.
A perfect choice: Grandmaster Louis de Bourbon, le grand Condé
For many the choice is surprising. The Prince de Condé is hardly known for his piety or devotion to the Catholic faith (in fact the Prince is widely believed to be an Agnostic and is a well known defender of the Huguenots). On the other hand, he is one of the best generals in all of Europe, which is what the new Templar order needs. But for the Habsburgs, this is a slap in the face. Once again the Empire and the Spanish Monarchy practically bend over backwards to help the Papacy, and once again a Pope favors France. Of course there is no way for them to know about France's blackmail of the Papacy, but chances are they wouldn't have cared. All the Habsburgs see is yet another victory by their rival. But what can they do? If they were to refuse forfill their promises, the Habsburgs would become the laughing stock of Europe, being the ones who put petty anger ahead of the goals and needs of Christendom. Not to mention it would effectively give France a monopoly over the Templars and the Papacy. No, they will have to stay the course and hope that the situation will improve later.
By this time the Spanish have a more pressing matter then dueling with France. In mid August, Don Juan Jose ordered the long planned Spanish invasion of Morocco to begin. In a surprise move, the Don takes personal command of the 30,000 men assembled in Cadiz and sails across the straits of Gibraltar to the largest Christian port in the region, Tangier. From there, the army marches toward the town of Tetuán, about 60 km east of English Tangier. Over the next month the Spanish take the town, along with Ajdir, Nador, Oujda and Tafersit. Thanks to the ongoing Moroccan civil war, Spain's march across the Rif region is practically unopposed, with only scattered, tribal resistance. However, once word reaches the inland regions of the country, both the rebelling nobility and the surviving Black Guard of the Sultan make plans to retake the prosperous and fertile Rif for themselves. Both the nobles, led by Muhammad al-Alam bin Ismail as-Samin, eldest son of the late Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif, and the Black guard, led by Ismail's chosen heir, Muhammad Zaidan bin Ismail as-Samin are well aware that the Spanish are the main threat, as they seek to completely conquer Morocco and forcefully convert the country to Christianity, but are unable to agree to a ceasefire to deal with the invaders. Instead they continue their rather pointless civil war, sending small forces against Don Juan Jose but generally refusing to send large numbers of troops for fear that the other side will take advantage. This obviously further undermines Moroccan unity and the nation's ability to repel the invaders.
King Sebastian's revenge: the battle of Meknes
It is only when the Spanish march on Meknes, the capital of Zaidan bin Ismail, that either side seems begins to treat the invaders as a threat, and by then its to late. On September 9th, Zaidan and an army of around 80,000 meets the Spanish force a few miles from Meknes. The Moroccan army, made up of barely trained, conscripted peasants and 6,000 members of the black guard, is arrayed against highly trained veterans of the Great crusade, four years war and even the Portuguese restoration war, backed up by 8,000 German and Italian mercenaries. What follows can only be described as a massacre. Between Spain's capable cavalry, artillery and engineers, the Moroccans don't stand a chance, with their casualties estimated at around 30,000, including much of the surviving Black guard. Though Zaidan survives and successfully fled the battlefield, his cause is lost, with his army rotting along the road to Meknes and his capital now the headquarters of the Spanish army. Sadly for Zaidan, the worst is yet to come, for the would-be Sultan is captured by patroling soldiers from his brother's army. He is brought to al-Alam's capital at Marrakesh, tried, found guilty and executed. Muhammad al-Alam is now the undisputed Sultan of Morocco, and has the unenviable task of taking the fight to the Spanish. Unfortunately, Don Juan Jose is one step ahead, for in Meknes he has found his own ruler for the country. As the capital of the late Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif, Meknes was the home of both his court and harem, with many young Princes still in residence there. One of these, 10-year-old Abu'l Abbas Ahmad, is just who the Don has been looking for. Young, intelligent, gregarious and easily led, he is the prefect candidate for the Don's plans. Quickly the young Prince is induced to convert to Catholicism, baptized by a Priest in Don Juan Jose's household and proclaimed King of Mauretania (the old Roman name of Morocco, revived by the Spanish to symbolize the country's rebirth as a Christian nation) with the regal name of Philip I. Once again the Spanish have outwitted the infidels.
On September 22nd 20,000 Spanish soldiers leave Meknes for Marrakesh, to end Morocco's civil war, and independence. Thanks to the roads built by Sultan Ismail, they are able to reach the city within a week, arriving outside the walls on October 1st, beginning a punishing artillery bombardment aimed at causing as much chaos within the walls as possible. In this the bombardment is remarkably successful, with the troops and populace within pinned down by the artillery and unable to organize a defense. The bombardment continues over the next week until, on October 7th, Muhammad al-Alam makes a desperate attempt to break the siege, opening the gates and leading a cavalry charge against the the Christians. Once again it is a route, with the cannon making short work of the Moroccan cavalry and the Sultan. The next day the city surrenders, with Don Juan Jose and his army making a triumphant entry into Marrakesh. Within a little more than two months the Spanish have managed to end a three-year-long civil war, successfully occupy most of the important cities in Morocco and reestablish some of their lost prestige. However, pressing matters in Madrid soon force the Don to return to Spain, leaving Carlos de Aragón de Gurrea, 9th Duque de Villahermosa in charge of the occupation. Over the next five months the Duque takes charge of the fledgling Kingdom, setting up new diocese and archdiocese and giving out land to a third of the Spanish soldiers, thus creating a Christian base to grow on. He also takes a page out of Karl I of Numidia's book and offers land and titles to the recently freed Christian slaves. Though some decline and are returned to Europe others, especially those who would be returning to a life of poverty and hardship. Of the estimated 100,000 slaves, about 60,000 chose to remain, forming the nucleus of the new Kingdom's elite, along with the remaining Spanish soldiers. However, it remains to be seen if Mauretania will thrive as the newest member of Christendom or fall back into the corruption of Islam.
Meanwhile, as Spain finally for fills the dream of Ferdinand and Isabella, the rest of the League begins its own plans. The committee for the military, set up to formulate joint plans and coordinate the armed forces of the League membership, has came up with a plan for the invasion of the Holy land. In many ways it is a modern rewrite of the campaign of Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade: League will conquer the island of Cyprus, to use as a base from which to conquer the Holy land. Thankfully the League's marines are already experienced in amphibious landings via the Cretan campaigns, making the Cypriot invasion all the easier. The plan calls for the fleet in the Aegean and most of the garrison on Crete to be redirected to Cyprus, agents to try and stir up a rebellion among the native Orthodox Greeks and raids on the Turkish coast to distract the Ottomans from realizing the true objective. Though the fleet can be redeployed rather quickly towards the Turkish and Levant coasts, it will take time to gather the necessary troops, and of course the always burdensome problem of appointing a commander. At the recommendation of the Duke of Monmouth, Lord John Churchill is appointed overall commander, while his cousin the Duke of Cambridge is to lead the marines.
The hero of Cyprus: Lord John Churchill
The choice of Lord Churchill is a bit controversial, as here is yet another Englishmen appointed to a ranking position. Some even object to his appointment because of his lineage (he is the first Peer of his family) while still more are concerned about his relative inexperience in high command. However, no one can deny his incredible skills. Churchill has the rare ability to grasp the broad issues involved in coordinated the armies of various nationalities, something he learned first in the four years war, when he added his patron Monmouth in joint Anglo-French campaigns in the Spanish Netherlands and improved upon in Scotland, Morocco and Crete. A brilliant administrator with a fine attention to detail , the force he served in rarely went short of supply – when the army arrived at its destination it was intact and in a fit state to fight. Thus it is hoped that Churchill, combined with the Duke of Cambridge (skilled in leading the marines thanks to the Cretan campaign) will make a great team for the Cypriot campaign, especially now that the Duke and Lord have managed to reconcile the mutual dislike that has existed since the Scottish campaign, via their influential wives.
On August 4th, shortly before the planned departure date, the League receives and unexpected boost to their numbers: France has dispatched 12,000 Algerian veterans to Crete, to take part in the campaign. The British leadership are thrilled, as this symbolizes French willingness to finally involved themselves directly in the east. The Habsburgs, the Dutch and many German rulers however, the actions of the French are highly concerning. Up till this point control of the League has mainly rested with the Emperor in Austria and the British, with Spain, the United Provinces and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth resting in the second tier in terms of power. Now, it seems that Versailles is planning a coup, exchanging the Habsburg influence over the Catholic members with that of the Bourbons. And considering the close relationship between Britain and France, some are beginning to extent their suspicions towards the British as well. It remains to be seen if these suspicions are founded or mere paranoia. On August 18th the preparations are complete and the transport fleet sets sail, arriving off the coast on September 3rd thanks to favorable winds. By this time the Venetian and British squadrons have already created a distraction, seizing vessels coming from the ports of Izmir, Antalya and Mersin, successfully convincing the Turks that they should be preparing for a naval campaign, ensuring that no extra resources should be directed towards Cyprus.
Temporarily ignoring the obvious targets of Famagusta and Limassol (the major ports of the island) the fleet goes right for the jugular, landing near the capital, Nicosia. The plan is to quickly capture the headquarters of the Ottoman government on the island, paralyzing the remaining Turkish forces and hopefully allowing a quick campaign. Therefore, on September 5th the League squadron unloads their payload of 30,000 men, who begin the march towards Nicosia. At the same time, about 10 men-of-war sail to the port of Limassol and begin to bombard it, further dividing the Turkish forces, who expect an amphibious assault on the city to soon follow. Much to their surprise and confusion the expected attack never comes, with the ships withdrawing after six days. While the city government tries to figure out whats going on, news soon reaches them of the battle of Nicosia. Preferring a direct fight to a prolonged siege, Lord Churchill goaded the local garrison into meeting him in combat by attacking the surrounding countryside, making the Turks think they are dealing with another minor uprising instead of an invasion force. Their shock at being challenged by a force of 30,000 highly trained veterans at a villiage near the city is therefore understandable. Within a few hours the Ottoman force of 15,000 is decimated, with only a few hundred managing to retreat to the city, quickly followed by the League army.
At this point Lord Churchill offers the city a choice: surrender or face a punishing bombardment. Considering that most of the Cypriot cities lack modern fortifications (Cyprus, normally being so far from any potential battlefield, has been neglected militarily by Istanbul), the governor has little choice but to surrender, throwing the city gates open on September 13th. Lord Churchill is generous in his victory, offering to allow the surrendered Turks to peacefully leave the island, providing the Governor gets the rest of the garrisons, especially the ones in Famagusta and Limassol. Again the governor has little choice. He is well aware that Cyprus lacks the resources to fight the invaders, and that most of the populace of Orthodox Greeks support a return to Christian rule. So, in an attempt to avoid bloodshed, he writes to the commanders of the garrisons in Limassol and Famagusta, informing them of the situation and asking them to surrender to the League army. The commander of Limmasol, having already experienced League bombardments, agrees but Famagusta refuses, calling the now former Governor a coward and traitor. Now that Lord Churchill is aware of where he needs to focus his troops, he sends 8,000 men with Cambridge to secure Limassol and the western half of the island while he heads towards Famagusta with the remaining 22,000 and most of the artillery. Churchill's force arrives a few miles from Famagusta on September 22nd and spend the next few days developing a battle plan.
Though Lord Churchill would prefer to find a way to draw out the garrison, much preferring a true battle to a drawn out siege, it seems as he won't get his way. The commander is keeping his troops firmly within the city walls and denying the enemy their battle. To make things worse, Famagusta, as the favored port of the Ottoman empire, is the only city on Cyprus will modern fortifications and weapons, unnecessarily complicating matters. Thankfully, Lord Churchill has one of Britain's most powerful weapons in his arsenal: the Rupertinoe artillery. Even one of these behemoths can devastate the strongest fortifications, and unfortunately for Famagusta, Churchill has 10 of them. Therefore, over the next week, the League systematically demolishes much of the city's walls, leaving the Turkish commander with two choices: fight or surrender. Not surprisingly he foolishly chooses to fight, thus sealing his fate. On October 2nd, the gates to Famagusta are thrown open by the furious populace and a few disgruntled officers. The League army is greeted by cheering crowds, a surrendered garrison and at the citadel, the head of the now former Ottoman Commander. Apparently both soldiers and citizens alike had little desire to fight the highly capable invading forces from Europe and once the Commander announced his intentions to fight to his officers, events slipped from his control. Whatever happened, the end result is clear: the garrison has surrendered, the major Cypriot cities are in the hands of the League and, aside from a few hundred troops in the countryside, the Ottomans are beaten. Lord Churchill imediantly sends formal news of the successful campaign to the Supreme Council in Vienna and to the Courts of the Great powers.
Dispatched on the fastest corvette available, Churchill's letter is welcome news to a Vienna reeling from a rapidly developing situation. While Europe has had its collective attention turned towards East, with the Cypriot campaign, and West, with the battles in Morocco, a third power has taken the opportunity to ensure that its goal is achieved. On August 18th, instead of sailing to Cyprus with the rest of the fleet, the Venetian squadron, on orders from the Doge and Council of Ten, turns southwest and towards Benghazi. Though it has been nearly a year sense the birth of the Duchy of Tripolitania, neither Duke Doria or the Genoans have made any major move to make good on their treaty claims to Cyrenaica. Yes, there have been a few minor raids on the border between Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, but nothing major. This is of course because their ally Spain has turned its attention towards Morocco, leaving little resources to spare on the Genoan enterprise. Knowing that the current situation won't last long, and that this is an opportunity to good to pass up the new Doge, Francesco Morosini, gives the order to capture the province.
Arriving on September 1st, the Venetians use the tactics learned at Algiers, Tripoli and Crete to quickly take Benghazi. By the 7th only the citadel is left in the hands of the Turks, with over 12,000 Venetian troops now within the city itself. By the 12th the citadel surrenders, leaving the capital of Cyrenaica in the hands of the Venetians. Now the Venetians, led by Swedish Field Marshal Count Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck, turn towards the other major cities of the province, aiming at having complete control of Cyrenaica before news of their actions arrives in Vienna. Over the next two months an army of 18,000 (the remaining 2,000 having been left to act as a garrison in Benghazi) march along the ancient Roman road, taking the cities of Ajdabiya, Marj,Bayda, Derna and finally Tobruk. By the time Tobruk falls in late November the Supreme Council is infuriated at what they see as a betrayal on the part of Venice, summoning the Venetian ambassador to explain his nation's actions.
The ambassador mounts a masterful defense, pointing out that neither Genoa nor Tripolitania have made good on their claims for over two years, thus creating the risk that the province will be reinforced or worse, annexed by someone else, like Egypt. By this point the Malmuks, the ruling caste of that ancient country, have grown increasingly dissatisfied with their Turkish masters and are planning a bid for independence. With this in mind, the Egyptians aim to gain control of as much territory as possible, mainly by offering to garrison the rich regions of the Levant and Syria. Rumor has it they have also offered to lead a campaign across North Africa, to retake the Barbary states. Thanks to the ongoing illegal trade in Alexandria, Venice has became aware of these rumors and is able to use them to their advantage. The ambassador also informs the council that the Most Serene Republic intends to follow the precedence of Genoa and their own previous actions after the fourth crusade by creating their own vassal state, the Principality of Cyrenaica, with Don Giovanni Francesco Morosini, cousin of Doge Francesco as its first Prince. Though the Genoans and their Habsburg allies are still furious, the rest of the council reluctantly decides to endorse the decision, provided that the Venetians sign a treaty renouncing any further independent actions in the east and any claims to both the new principality and the neighboring Duchy. For the Doge, this is a win/win, as his nation has everything they want. However, this does lead to a renewed cold war between the two merchant republics, with the rivalry soon to extend to the client states in North Africa. But for now both sides are satisfied and the council can turn to its other pressing issue: what to do with Cyprus.
Though it has only been in back in Christian hands for a month, many nations have already laid claim to this jewel of the Mediterranean. First up, surprisingly enough, is Britain and Prince Charles. They claim Cyprus both by right of conquest (British soldiers having made up the core of the Cypriot army, being led by two British commanders) and by blood, for Richard the Lionheart had at one point ruled the island. Second, and most absurdly, is Doge Francesco Morosini, who claims Cyprus for Venice, the last Christian nation to rule the island. However, the Doge is merely pushing his claims forward to save face with the Venetian government, as he is well aware there is little to no chance of the island going to the Most Serene Republic. Next up is the Duke of Savoy, Victor Amadeus II. The Duke's family has long claimed the throne of the defunct Cypriot Kingdom, and that of Jerusalem, via blood and appointment by one of the island's last monarchs, Charlotte of Cyprus. However, their blood claim vanished in 1496, with the death of Charles II of Savoy. The young Duke's rights to the island Kingdom here legally inherited, not by his successor Duke Philip II, but by his sister Yolande Louise and later their cousin Charlotte of Naples.
Once again petty disagreements threatens to tear the Holy League apart, and once again an unlikely savior raises up to reestablish unity. King Louis XIV, via his own ambassador, has a perfect compromise candidate in mind: Charles Belgique Hollande de La Trémoille, Duc de Thouars, head of the House of de La Trémoille and a Prince étranger at the Court of Versailles. While the Duc is an important figure in France, that is not the reason he has been chosen. The House of de La Trémoille's right to the status of Prince étranger comes from being the heirs of the body of the last Trastámara King of Naples, Frederick, via his daughter Charlotte. The same Charlotte that inherited the Savoy rights to Cyprus and Jerusalem. Therefore the Duc is the rightful heir to the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus. To the Habsburgs and their Savoy ally this is yet another example of the expansion of French influence, but once again the council accepts compromise over confrentation and, to the fury of Duke Victor Amadeus, votes to accept Charles Belgique as the King of Cyprus on December 2nd. A swift courier is dispatched to Versailles to inform the new King of his ascension, arriving on December 14th. On the 16th, in the hall of Mirriors and in the presence of hundreds of nobles, ministers and clerics, Louis XIV announces the assession of the Duc de Thouars to the throne of Cyprus, calling the new King his "brother monarch". At this time Charles Belgique proclaims that he will reign, not under his given, Christian name, but under the regal name Hugh, after the previous four Cypriot monarchs of that name. It will be several months before Hugh V and his family depart for their new Kingdom, so for the time being Versailles will be the home of two Kings, something not seen sense Charles II's stay in France back in the 1660s.
A return to the past: Hugh V of Cyprus, shortly after his ascension
For the French it seems that the next few months will be full of celebrations for the new Cypriot King, but on December 24th news arrives that plunges the Court of Versailles in general, and the King and Duchesse d'Orleans in particular, into deep mourning. On Decemeber 21st, 1688, at noon, Charles II, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland died, at the age of 58.
Apparently, the late King never fully recovered from the death of his mother and his own associated guilt, becoming more and more depressed as the year went by, weakening his health. In early December he suffered an apoplectic fit, believed to have been brught on by an infection of the kydneys, leaving him entirely bedridden. Though he seemed to recover a bit of his strength on the 15th, it was but a cruel illusion for Charles had another fit on the 18th, in which it became clear that the King was on his deathbed. He asked the Prince of Wales to look after his mistresses: "be well to Portsmouth, and let not poor Nelly starve",and told his courtiers: "I am sorry, gentlemen, for being such a time a-dying". As the King lay dying he asked for Queen Catherine, but she sent a message asking that her presence be excused, and "to beg his pardon if she had offended him all his life." He answered, "Alas poor woman! she asks for my pardon? I beg hers with all my heart; take her back that answer."
On the evening of the 20th, on the last evening of his life, the Duke of York brought Father John Huddleston (the priest who aided Charles II in is escape from England after the disasterious battle of Worchester in 1651) to his bedside, saying, "Sire, this good man once saved your life. He now comes to save your soul." Charles declared that he wished to die in the faith and communion of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Huddleston then heard the King's confession, reconciled him to the Church and absolved him, afterwards administering Extreme Unction and the Viaticum. At six the next morning he revived a little and asked for the curtains to be opened "that I may see the day". Charles II died at noon and there was a stampede to greet the new King, who had retired to his apartment to weep and pray.
For Great Britain, Charles II's death is a true shock and a symbolic end to an era. For 28 years he has ruled the British Isles, leading his nation to a position of greatness never seen before and presiding over a period of tramendious technilogical advancement, not to mention modernizing the nations infestructure. On the other hand, Charles II presided over a new level of decedence and hedonism not witnessed since the height of the Roman Empire, reduced Parliament to a toothless body who's only purpose is to rubberstamp the Sovereign's laws, unleashed bloody reprisal upon his enemies and done more for the cause of English Catholicism then any Monarch in over a century. His legacy is one of controdictions, making him both loved and reviled by his people for centuries to come. But what no one can deny is his epitat, coined by Archbishop William Sancroft of Canterbury at the Kings funeral: "Never before has our islands been graced by such a wise and august Sovereign. Truly his passing is a loss mourned by all mankind". And that is the name which has gone down in history, Charles the Wise.
For now however, all eyes are on the new 22-year-old Sovereign. Between his well-rounded education and time as President of the Council of Wales, not to mention acting as Monarch for the past 11 months, Charles III comes to the throne as one of the most prepared heirs in European history. With visions of Richard the Lionheart and Alexander the Great in his eyes, Charles intends to leave his mark on the world, just like his icons. Only time will tell if this mark will be one from glorious victories or disasterious defeats. But, as 1688 ends, change is in the air. Between new Monarchs in Britain, Cyrencia, Maunturia and Cyprus and the revival of the Knights Templar, the year has been full of excitement and victory, with 1689 promising a restoration of the Holy land itself. Truly God is on the side of Christendom.
So we won't leave our readers with nothing!
