The Lion and the Eagle
- Thread starter Kaiser_Jaeger
- Start date
Early Backstory Idea
The Hussite Wars lasted longer, and the nobles of the HRE agreed that a consolidated central government would help in fighting the heathen uprising. This restructuring would include an independent court system, a unified military force, unified currency and a council of nobles who would govern the nation. The nobles would hold most of the power but the king (still an elected position) would have the final say on most matters.
The Most Serene Republic of Venice saw the consolidation of power as a threat to their expanding influence. While the HRE was concerned with putting down the uprising, the Venetian republic began to expand their claims along the Illyrian coast and into the territory of Napoli and Sicily. An offer of protection from the rest of Europe saw the Hafsids brought into the Venetian sphere. The government of Venice entered into a military alliance with the Mamluks with the goal of obliterating the Ottomans.
The Hussite rebellion had been successfully put down by the Catholic forces. Seeking to check the expansion of Venice and the so-called protestants, the HRE, France and Spain befriended the Ottomans and offered protection from the Mamluk-Venice alliance. Venice has long had a policy of religious acceptance and the increasing violence against non-catholics within the Papal Alliance angered Venice. They expanded their alliance to encompass the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Kingdom of England and the Union of Kalmar. Scotland quickly joined the Papal alliance as security against their southern neighbors. Diplomats from both alliances are frantically trying to convince the Safavids of Persia to join their cause. The Nabhani and the Mughals are waiting for the opportune moment to strike at their Persian neighbors.
With two great nations vying for power, war is on the horizon. How far will it spread?
The Hussite Wars lasted longer, and the nobles of the HRE agreed that a consolidated central government would help in fighting the heathen uprising. This restructuring would include an independent court system, a unified military force, unified currency and a council of nobles who would govern the nation. The nobles would hold most of the power but the king (still an elected position) would have the final say on most matters.
The Most Serene Republic of Venice saw the consolidation of power as a threat to their expanding influence. While the HRE was concerned with putting down the uprising, the Venetian republic began to expand their claims along the Illyrian coast and into the territory of Napoli and Sicily. An offer of protection from the rest of Europe saw the Hafsids brought into the Venetian sphere. The government of Venice entered into a military alliance with the Mamluks with the goal of obliterating the Ottomans.
The Hussite rebellion had been successfully put down by the Catholic forces. Seeking to check the expansion of Venice and the so-called protestants, the HRE, France and Spain befriended the Ottomans and offered protection from the Mamluk-Venice alliance. Venice has long had a policy of religious acceptance and the increasing violence against non-catholics within the Papal Alliance angered Venice. They expanded their alliance to encompass the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania, the Kingdom of Hungary, the Kingdom of England and the Union of Kalmar. Scotland quickly joined the Papal alliance as security against their southern neighbors. Diplomats from both alliances are frantically trying to convince the Safavids of Persia to join their cause. The Nabhani and the Mughals are waiting for the opportune moment to strike at their Persian neighbors.
With two great nations vying for power, war is on the horizon. How far will it spread?
“Well that’s unfortunate” - Grand Duke Švitrigaila of Lithuania upon learning of the death of Prokop the Great.
1431
On the first of August 1431 Anno Domini, Friedrich I, Prince Elector of Brandenburg crossed the Bohemian border. He was at the head of three regiments of crusaders, totalling around 12,000. He and his host laid siege to to the city of Domažlice. Hearing news of the siege, Prokop the Bald set out with a Hussite relief army of 6,000 men to aid the besieged city. A rearguard scout spotted the Hussites and quickly informed the Crusader commanders. When the advancing force neared Domažlice, they found themselves set upon by a brigade of 3,000 men led by Johann, Count Palatine of Neumarkt. His ambush caught Prokop and his forces by surprise.
During the fighting, a dying Hussite soldier fell into a horse that was pulling one of the many wagons in the relief force’s procession. The horse spooked and ran forward, breaking free of his yoke. Prokop was defending himself from two attackers with his fearsome battle mace. He brought the mace around in a vicious backhand swing, crushing one attackers breast plate. Hearing a shout of terror and what sounded like hoofbeats, he spun around and was face-to-hoof with a rearing draft horse. The impact to his famously shaved head knocked him down into the mud, where he slid for several feet. The horse was still spooked by the sounds of the battle
Leaderless, they quickly broke ranks and fled back to Plzeň. Johann’s men rejoined Frederick at Domažlice. After three months of being sieged, the city was running low on food and diseases were spreading. After the food stores had run out, the city quickly surrendered. This victory inspired a new vigor in the Catholic forces. After Domažlice, the Crusaders fought many battles. Losing some and winning others. The battles were long and the fighting bloody. Fearing the defeat of the Hussite forces and the confidence that it would inspire in the HRE, Poland and Lithuania began sending aid to the Hussite rebels in hopes of stopping the Crusaders.
1434
Under Caliph Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz II, Ifriqiya began preying on merchant vessels to supplement lower taxes. When he died in 1434, his son Muhammad III the Coward reduced taxes even more and increased the attacks on the merchant ships, especially the wealth Venetian vessels. The increased piracy prompted a swift and strong response from the Republic. They brought the full force of their navy and army to bear and took the Ifriqyan capital of Tunis in a short and bloodless invasion. When Caliph Muhammad saw the Venetian Armada, he ordered white flags to be flown from the battlements, and to open the gates to allow the invaders to enter. When Antonio Grimani, Capitano da Mar entered to the palace grounds to seek an audience with Muhammad to discuss the terms of surrender, he was told that the Caliph had jumped from a bell tower shortly after ordering the surrender. Venice installed the late Caliph’s fifteen year old son as the governor of The Venetian Tributary of Ifriqiya.
1436
After five years of back and forth fighting with no one gaining the upper hand, the Council of Electors decided that in an effort to better coordinate their efforts, the Holy Roman Empire should adopt a more centralized government. After much debate, it was decided that the new country would be called The United Kingdoms of Germany, Italy, Bohemia, and Burgundy. Or, more simply, The United Kingdoms. The different states in the new nation would share a currency and army. The Emperor would still be elected by the Council of Electors.
News of the coming centralization reached the Republic of Venice and, taking advantage of the nobles distraction with the reformation of the empire and the war to the north, they quietly occupied Rijeka and the surrounding Croatian land south of the Sava River and west of the Ottomans. Though Hungary and The United Kingdoms protested, they were to concerned with other matters to devote resources to pushing the Venetians out of the territory immediately.
1439
While the skirmishes continued in Bohemia and the surrounding regions, The United Kingdom’s process of centralization began. On the Day of Epiphany, the 2nd of January 1439, the United Kingdoms, England, Papal States, Teutonic Order, and Hungary proclaimed the Papal Alliance. This alliance served several purposes. The chief, and current purpose of the Alliance was to completely destroy the Hussites and humiliate Poland and Lithuania. The Alliance also agreed that once the Hussites were defeated, they would deal with the “Venetian Problem”. On the Solemnity of Mary, January 4th 1439, after the extensive internal restructuring of the Holy Roman Empire, Pope Eugene IV declared a sixth anti-Hussite crusade and called upon the Papal Alliance to eradicate the heretics in Bohemia.
The combined forces of the alliance numbered 1,622,400. The armies of the the Papal Alliance set their sights on Prague, the seat of the rebellion, and vowed squash the rebellion and all of its supporters.
View attachment 351465
Friedrich I of Brandenburg
View attachment 351464
Prokop the Great
1431
On the first of August 1431 Anno Domini, Friedrich I, Prince Elector of Brandenburg crossed the Bohemian border. He was at the head of three regiments of crusaders, totalling around 12,000. He and his host laid siege to to the city of Domažlice. Hearing news of the siege, Prokop the Bald set out with a Hussite relief army of 6,000 men to aid the besieged city. A rearguard scout spotted the Hussites and quickly informed the Crusader commanders. When the advancing force neared Domažlice, they found themselves set upon by a brigade of 3,000 men led by Johann, Count Palatine of Neumarkt. His ambush caught Prokop and his forces by surprise.
During the fighting, a dying Hussite soldier fell into a horse that was pulling one of the many wagons in the relief force’s procession. The horse spooked and ran forward, breaking free of his yoke. Prokop was defending himself from two attackers with his fearsome battle mace. He brought the mace around in a vicious backhand swing, crushing one attackers breast plate. Hearing a shout of terror and what sounded like hoofbeats, he spun around and was face-to-hoof with a rearing draft horse. The impact to his famously shaved head knocked him down into the mud, where he slid for several feet. The horse was still spooked by the sounds of the battle
Leaderless, they quickly broke ranks and fled back to Plzeň. Johann’s men rejoined Frederick at Domažlice. After three months of being sieged, the city was running low on food and diseases were spreading. After the food stores had run out, the city quickly surrendered. This victory inspired a new vigor in the Catholic forces. After Domažlice, the Crusaders fought many battles. Losing some and winning others. The battles were long and the fighting bloody. Fearing the defeat of the Hussite forces and the confidence that it would inspire in the HRE, Poland and Lithuania began sending aid to the Hussite rebels in hopes of stopping the Crusaders.
1434
Under Caliph Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz II, Ifriqiya began preying on merchant vessels to supplement lower taxes. When he died in 1434, his son Muhammad III the Coward reduced taxes even more and increased the attacks on the merchant ships, especially the wealth Venetian vessels. The increased piracy prompted a swift and strong response from the Republic. They brought the full force of their navy and army to bear and took the Ifriqyan capital of Tunis in a short and bloodless invasion. When Caliph Muhammad saw the Venetian Armada, he ordered white flags to be flown from the battlements, and to open the gates to allow the invaders to enter. When Antonio Grimani, Capitano da Mar entered to the palace grounds to seek an audience with Muhammad to discuss the terms of surrender, he was told that the Caliph had jumped from a bell tower shortly after ordering the surrender. Venice installed the late Caliph’s fifteen year old son as the governor of The Venetian Tributary of Ifriqiya.
1436
After five years of back and forth fighting with no one gaining the upper hand, the Council of Electors decided that in an effort to better coordinate their efforts, the Holy Roman Empire should adopt a more centralized government. After much debate, it was decided that the new country would be called The United Kingdoms of Germany, Italy, Bohemia, and Burgundy. Or, more simply, The United Kingdoms. The different states in the new nation would share a currency and army. The Emperor would still be elected by the Council of Electors.
News of the coming centralization reached the Republic of Venice and, taking advantage of the nobles distraction with the reformation of the empire and the war to the north, they quietly occupied Rijeka and the surrounding Croatian land south of the Sava River and west of the Ottomans. Though Hungary and The United Kingdoms protested, they were to concerned with other matters to devote resources to pushing the Venetians out of the territory immediately.
1439
While the skirmishes continued in Bohemia and the surrounding regions, The United Kingdom’s process of centralization began. On the Day of Epiphany, the 2nd of January 1439, the United Kingdoms, England, Papal States, Teutonic Order, and Hungary proclaimed the Papal Alliance. This alliance served several purposes. The chief, and current purpose of the Alliance was to completely destroy the Hussites and humiliate Poland and Lithuania. The Alliance also agreed that once the Hussites were defeated, they would deal with the “Venetian Problem”. On the Solemnity of Mary, January 4th 1439, after the extensive internal restructuring of the Holy Roman Empire, Pope Eugene IV declared a sixth anti-Hussite crusade and called upon the Papal Alliance to eradicate the heretics in Bohemia.
The combined forces of the alliance numbered 1,622,400. The armies of the the Papal Alliance set their sights on Prague, the seat of the rebellion, and vowed squash the rebellion and all of its supporters.
View attachment 351465
Friedrich I of Brandenburg
View attachment 351464
Prokop the Great