Bloody shame that Poland expelled the Jews - not just because the tremendous impact the Polish Jews had on OTL Polish culture, but because it was one of the few nations in Europe to extend the Jews any sort of tolerance and protection.
"Io Mihailŭ, Împĕratul Românilor" - A Michael the Brave Romania Wank
- Thread starter Zagan
- Start date
Zagan
Donor
Russia is in the Times of Troubles, basicly civil war. It would be quite a long time until they are again a danger of any kind.
"Germany" is still some 200 states some of which "united" into some kind of a Protestant federation / country, fighting the rest of the HRE. No real danger yet from here.
Sweden was decisevely defeated in 1604-1605, before Gustav Adolf. They lost all their possessions but their navy saved the mainland from invasion. They are at their lowest now.
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Zagan
Donor
Romania does not share a border with Austria now.
And Austria is busy trying to defend Vienna from the Protestants.
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Zagan
Donor
I make things hard for the Jews in Christian Europe on purpose.
They will get their Promised Land back way earlier than OTL.
You know, no pain, no gain.
No, seriously, they have to be expelled and opressed in order to decide to go to Palestine (when the Ottoman Empire will be out of there).
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Zagan
Donor
Do a measurement with google maps for example.
The country up north is pretty barren. The logistics for moving an army plus supplies through 1000 kilometers or more of the arctic with no arable land... are pretty daunting. I could even say, impossible.
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So basically,the Ottomans let all these Jews migrate to Palestine(not that surprising during this period) and then when the Ottoman Empire collapses in Europe,the Jews revolt to re-establish Israel?
Zagan
Donor
Wrong.
But please do not insist. I will not tell any more, only that it will be really convoluted.
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Not insisting more spoilers.Just making an educated guess.It's fun to estimate what happens in timelines
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Zagan
Donor
Not insisting more spoilers.Just making an educated guess.It's fun to estimate what happens in timelines
Ok, I am sorry, I did not mean to be rude.
I just feel somehow compelled to explain when asked, because I am a professor in real life.
There are so many posts; did you the answer to the arctic circle invasion route?
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Just as I'd guess what would happen when you would try it,but I was wondering if the Poles even made an attempt.
By the way,how did the Poles actually get to Finland in 1605 without conquering Ingria until 1612 and having no navy?
Another thing is would you consider revising the size of the Polish army?An army of over one million soldiers during this time period seems a bit too excessive,it would likely disrupt agriculture.Not to mention,it would definitely be a logistical nightmare.
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Zagan
Donor
The Poles did have some navy and the Finnic Golf is really narrow and long. Back then even the Swedes had no means to guard all of it with their navy, but the most important factor was that in Finland the population was really (OTL) loyal to Sigismund.
The Poles lost most of their navy when attempting to land in Sweden proper, incomparably better defended. This was after Finland.
About the army sizes: When I use conscription (not perfect, not every male of age conscripted) I tend to use a factor of 10% of the population. And Poland-Lithuania had about 11 million people.
I calculated that the rest of the peasants (11 million total - 1 million Szlachta - 1 million soldiers = 9 million) could continue agriculture.
The logistics were a problem indeed. Do not think that the whole army crossed the Finnic Gulf! Most stayed behind in Prussia, Livonia and Estonia.
Hell, most of them did not see any combat. That army was mostly put together for a show of unparalled strength! And it worked since it scared the **** out of everyone.
For a comparison, in the Thirty Years War fought more than one million soldiers as well.
EDIT: Modified the part of the previous chapter concerning the huge Polish army.
So basicly around one million were conscripted, but fewer were actually necessary and used.
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I.23. Holy Roman Empire
Zagan
Donor
The national unity of the Germans can be seen as an unforeseen and
certainly unwelcomed side effect of the creation of Romania as a Unitary National State.
certainly unwelcomed side effect of the creation of Romania as a Unitary National State.
Holy Roman Empire
Between the Peace of Augsburg and the German Civil War
Since the Peace of Augsburg, the Holy Roman Empire had been in a state of delicate equilibrium and relative peace. There was some kind of balance of power inside the Empire between the Emperor and the Catholic states on one side and the Protestant states on the other side.
This fragile balance of power was actually nothing more than a waiting game. Each side bought its time waiting for something to happen which would either strenghten its own position or weaken the other side. And almost half a century after the Peace of Augsburg, something did happen. The Protestants got lucky.
The most important and powerful state in the Holy Roman Empire was the Habsburg Monarchy, a collection of Catholic Austrian Duchies, mainly Protestant Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia plus some territories which were outside the Holy Roman Empire such as Royal Hungary and Croatia. The Habsburg Monarchs were always elected Holy Roman Emperors by the German Electors. This state was rightfully seen as the backbone of Catholic Germany.
The Decline of the Habsburg Monarchy
Two weak and ineffective Emperors in a row, the Habsburg brothers Rudolf and Matthias were enough to all but destroy the Habsburg Monarchy and plunge the Holy Roman Empire into chaos and civil war:
- In 1591, Emperor Rudolf started the ill-fated war against the Ottomans.
- As if the Ottomans were not enough of a foe, Rudolf attempted at the same time to bring the Romanian Lands under his direct control, instead of being content to have them as allies.
- By 1600, the state had almost gone bankrupt and without Rudolf's wealthy Spanish cousins the war would have been already lost. Interestingly, ending the war in 1600 might have still saved the Habsburg Monarchy from complete destruction.
- The 1601-1602 campaign against the by now united Romanian Lands would prove to be the first nail in the coffin of the once mighty Habsburg Monarchy. The whole Habsburg army was completely destroyed and Rudolf lost Croatia, Hungary, an enormous amount of money as well as his mind.
- With Rudolf incapacitated, his almost equally unfit brother Matthias assumed the Habsburg Thrones and later the Imperial authority. The very close and heated Imperial ellection was a clear sign of the waning power of the Habsburgs.
- In the following years, the cowardly appeasing policies of Matthias were equally bad for the Habsburg Monarchy as were the previous wars of his predecessor. Ironically, while Rudolf waged an useless and catastrophic war against the far-away Romanians, Matthias simply let his Bohemian Crown slowly slip away without ever recourcing to war.
The Birth of German Nationalism
Germany was the birth place of the Printing Press and by the beginning of the 17th century had a fairly literate population (as compared to other parts of Europe). This allowed for the early proliferation of books and newspapers diffusing all kinds of new and revolutionary ideas. In the Northern parts of the Empire, the already revolutionary climate of the Reformation created an extremely fertile ground for other revolutionary ideas as well.
One of this new and truly revolutionary ideas which slowly took shape in Protestant Germany was the National Idea.
It all began with a simple question: "How was it possible that three little countries, mere pawns in the geopolitical games of the Ottomans, Poles and Habsburgs, were suddenly able able to unite into a country strong enough to decisively defeat the Habsburg armies and attain peace with its other two powerful neighbours?"
The answer seemed equally straightforward: "Because they had the same language, the same religion, the same customs and the same culture and so they were all the same people, the Romanian People."
It seems that when a People becomes conscious of its togetherness, it reaches the next stage in its evolution, that of being a Nation. And a Nation takes control of its destiny and shapes its own future.
Exactly this had just happened with the Romanian People. Under the wise leadership of their enlightend King, they united and turned into the Romanian Nation. And their Principalities united into a powerful National State which had the means and will to free itself from foreign domination.
Was it to remain a singular phenomenon? Certainly not. A few years later, Poland-Lithuania coalesced into a National State as well. Although they did not speak the same language, their languages were clearly related and they enjoyed the important benefit of a single religion.
Besides, there were some older states which exhibited a few characteristics of a National State, Sweden and Denmark being the most obvious examples. Or other states which despite being certainly non-National were at least united centralized States, like France and Spain.
May 1604, Dresden, Saxony
A little book, first published by an obscure Dresden printing house became the first manual of the German nationalists. Its title was: Das Römänische Reich - Der Nationalstaat der Römänen (The Romanian Realm - The National State of the Romanians).
1604-1610, Germany
All over Germany, the upper and middle classes of the German People were engaged in heated debates revolving around a very difficult question: "If the Romanians were able to achieve such a remarcable feat, why can't we, the Germans, achieve the same or even more?"
In a few years, all of Germany was full with nationalist societies which slowly coalesced in two groups: The Nationalist Party (Die Nazionalistische Partei) and Radical Germany (Radikal Deutschland). Although both longed for the creation of a German Nation and State, their political aims would diverge significantly over the years.
Nationalist Party:
- Transform the Holy Roman Empire into a proper German Empire (Deutsches Reich) with a federal structure, keeping the previous states albeit with a more limited sovereignty.
- Let the Italian states form an independent Italian Kingdom.
- Freedom of religion for all Christians regardless of denomination.
Radical Germany:
- Abolish the Holy Roman Empire and all the German States within it, depose all the rulers and proclaim a German Republic (Freistaat Deutschland) as a unitary centralized state.
- Forcefully convert all the German Catholics and allow only the Protestant denominations in Germany.
- Conquer and attempt to thoroughly germanize the non-German parts of the Empire as well as some territories outside the borders of the current Empire, like the rest of Italy, Scandinavia and possibly others.
March 1605, Prague, Bohemia
A bloodless coup in Prague turns the Bohemian Crown into a Protestant State run by the Prague Parliament. The role of the Habsburg Monarch is reduced to a mere figurehead.
Incapable to raise a sufficiently strong army in Austria alone and lacking money to hire lots of mercenaries, Matthias acquisces, thus virtually losing control over more than half of his remaining lands (Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia).
From that moment on, the Habsburg Monarchy could no longer be considered a Great Power. It is debatable if it remained even a small Regional Power.
The Habsburg Monarchy's free fall left a significant power vacuum in the heart of Europe. The German Protestants were emboldened and the Ottoman Empire had its eyes set on Vienna once again. And this time the Ottomans might have succeded in finally taking Vienna.
Two important factors stopped the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I from pursuing this goal. The first was the bloody war with the Persians and the second was the realization that the weakened Austria was a useful buffer between the Ottoman Empire and a new formidable foe: Protestant United Germany.
So, the once proud Capital of a powerful realm escaped an almost sure conquest by virtue of being useful to the would be conquerers. It was really shameful.
June-July 1607, Dresden, Saxony
The first German Parliament convenes in Dresden, the Provisional Capital of Germany. The clash between the Nationalists and the Radicals is quickly decided upon in favour of the former which were strongly backed by the German Princes.
1607-1610, Germany
The Nationalists gradually take control of the Northern Protestant German States. Sporadic low intensity fighting takes place between the local and the Revolutionary armies. Some Princes and Bishops are deposed or killed. There are a few clashes between Protestants and Catholics mainly in Northern Germany.
Emperor Matthias has absolutely no influence in more than half of his so called Empire. The Holy Roman Empire is by all means split in two if not actually defunct.
9 November 1610, Dresden, Germany
Note: It seems that the date of 9 November has some kind of occult relation with the German People since it would proeminently appear again and again in German History.
After the death of Elector Christian II of Saxony in August 1610, his younger brother Augustus inherited the Saxon Throne. A convinced German Nationalist himself, Augustus removed all obstacles set by his older brother and fully supported the German Parliament.
On 9 November, the German Parliament abolishes the Holy Roman Empire and deposes Emperor Matthias.
A German Empire is proclaimed with standing ovations as a virtual federal structure with no member states. All German States are invited to adhere to the new Empire.
Saxony is the first German State to become part of the new German Empire in the evening of the same day. More German States would follow suit in the following weeks, some voluntarely, some not.
Europe was inexorably set aflame.
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the Protestants might actually be so strong here, that both Denmark and Sweden might seriously consider to back the lame Austria, with the intention of securing their respective precieved claims on the Coastlands. France might well sit it out since they're to uncertain which one they prefer winning, an actually unified Germany (with less internal conflict to keep them busy) or a weak Austrian-led HRE kept barely afloat by spainish subdisies plauged with highly autonomous princeling that intrigue against each other and Austria, hoping for a Germany imploding much more dramaticly instead of what might well be a 'mere' change of the guards to a more competent rulership.
France might even decide to let them play out their games without interferring directly, rather looking at making landgrabs in northern Italy (German empire couldn't care less, and Austria wouldn't have the resources to help) or prehaps plotting against Spain.
France might even decide to let them play out their games without interferring directly, rather looking at making landgrabs in northern Italy (German empire couldn't care less, and Austria wouldn't have the resources to help) or prehaps plotting against Spain.
Zagan
Donor
There are only two possibilities:
1. Your insight is really great.
2. You broke into my computer and have access to my drafts.
1. The Germans do not want a Republic. There are some really hot-headed Germans there who want to change everything from the foundations up. They did not prevail (and might never prevail).
2. I take an OTL map (in those cases the 1600 Euratlas Wikipedia map) and:
- Open it in a free editor which allows working with layers (Paint.net)
- Add several transparent layers over it: country colors, coastlines & rivers, borders, labels, war arrows, etc.
- Draw on these layers, for example follow the coastlines, etc, with the benefit of seeing everything under it.
- Hide the original layer, save it as png and optimize it (optiPNG.exe)
I intend to make a tutorial about this. It is not extremely high-quality but rather fast and very easy to modify later.
IDEA: I can post a zip file containing the layered Paint.net files for everybody to mess with them if they want to!
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ideal situation for France might well be something among these lines
1. France gets the border on the Rhine, grabbing the lands west of Rhine
2. Northernmost germany is partitioned by Denmark and/or Sweden,
3. the areas with Polish Majority in the Northeastern areas is grabbed by Poland.
4. Venice gets the Austrian coastlands making the Ardiatic sea a private lake.
5. North Italy is spilt off becoming a French Puppet (to independently minded to succesfully rule from Paris)
6. Austria rules a unstable federation where they're merely the loudest voice instead of a leading voice, but having to invest most of their time making sure noone gets the idea to topple them.
7. Spain is 'forced' to keep gifting Austria money unless Habsburg lose the little practical influence they have left, making for a leaky hole in the Spainish treasure chest.
... Now as for how realistic these ideas is, is an open question. Specially as Denmark and Sweden, and Sweden and Poland might not quite argee about where their respective borders might be. ... Ottomans might be inclined to argee with having Austria as a weak ruler of a decimated HRE being a better neighbour to have ascending Wettin Saxony-led German Empire, with noticebly less internal conflict.
German Empire might be just to strong for their own good in terms of protential alliances that aren't just spiteful against Habsburg (and hence quite finicky)
1. France gets the border on the Rhine, grabbing the lands west of Rhine
2. Northernmost germany is partitioned by Denmark and/or Sweden,
3. the areas with Polish Majority in the Northeastern areas is grabbed by Poland.
4. Venice gets the Austrian coastlands making the Ardiatic sea a private lake.
5. North Italy is spilt off becoming a French Puppet (to independently minded to succesfully rule from Paris)
6. Austria rules a unstable federation where they're merely the loudest voice instead of a leading voice, but having to invest most of their time making sure noone gets the idea to topple them.
7. Spain is 'forced' to keep gifting Austria money unless Habsburg lose the little practical influence they have left, making for a leaky hole in the Spainish treasure chest.
... Now as for how realistic these ideas is, is an open question. Specially as Denmark and Sweden, and Sweden and Poland might not quite argee about where their respective borders might be. ... Ottomans might be inclined to argee with having Austria as a weak ruler of a decimated HRE being a better neighbour to have ascending Wettin Saxony-led German Empire, with noticebly less internal conflict.
German Empire might be just to strong for their own good in terms of protential alliances that aren't just spiteful against Habsburg (and hence quite finicky)