The Age of Enlightenment. Game 9.

Goldstar wrote:April 1704

Lord Palmerston once said only 3 people understood the Schleswig-Holstein Question. Prince Albert who was dead, a German Professor who had gone mad and he himself, but he had forgotten it.  In game 9 we have the Baden-Durlach question.

Ultra-Catholic Bavaria has agreed with Frederick VII Magnus of Zahringen, Margrave of Baden-Durlach, that the Protestant Margraveship will become part of the Electorate.  Protestant rights will be respected and the Margrave gains a seat on the Bavarian Privy council and 500,000 Talers a year, as well as a Dukedom and a further 500,000 Talers pension from the French.

A quick look at the map reveals that the tiny state is located west of the Rhine, directly across from the Austria enclave of Bresiach and would allow France access to it Fortress at Strassburg.

The Emperor has demanded that the agreement be put before the Reichskammergericht and Aulic Council, whilst hinting that Frederick VII Magnus of Zahringen must have converted to Catholicism in order to gain Bavarian and French Honours.  Effectively abdicating by the terms of the Treaty of Westphalia.

In order to force Bavaria's hand Austrian troops have occupied Baden-Durlach and the Margrave's son has met the Emperor in Vienna.  Bavaria has now withdrawn it troops from the Reicharmee and declared any attempt by Austrian or Reicharmee troops to enter Bavaria territory will be seen as an act of war.  France and Bavaria are of course allied.

On other matters the Spanish have allowed the French Army to enter Brussels, but the Dutch have declared the French must withdraw their troops to France or face war.  The Dutch are still entertaining King Charles XII of Sweden and his Army.

The English Fleet has returned to Brest to destroy it half built defences.

The French and Austrian Governments both appear to accept the baby Queen of Spain as the legitimate ruler, so the Succession still appears to be settled.

The Russians continue their war of words with the Dutch, whilst the Tsar bemoans the wests lack of respect for his modernising efforts.

Spain renounces it agreement with Venice demanding that all Spanish forces in Venetian service return to Spain.  The Doge denies there is any and states his intention to continue to honour the Concordia di Milano of 1700.

The Popes spokesman calls for an quick end to the Anglo-French war, but warns Catholic powers not to attack France, I wonder who he could mean?

The Mighty Lord Fong has remained strangely silent this month, no doubt plotting his next diabolical scheme.

Deacon wrote:
Miracle baby is game 9, isn't it?
Game 10 is random spaniard is now king. For the moment anyway.

In Game 8, a secret treaty, part of the settlement of the portuguese war of independence, noted that if either house died without issue, the nation would reunite under the remaining monarch. Treaty confirmed as genuine by the spanish chancellor.  Milan went to Austria.

I am sure there was at least one other game where portugal and spain were united in the spanish succession.

Deacon wrote:

I am sure there was at least one other game where portugal and spain were united in the spanish succession.

The Real Louis wrote:

Deacon wrote:

I am sure there was at least one other game where portugal and spain were united in the spanish succession.

Yes indeed, there was a King Pedro of the Twin-Kingdoms in Game 6.  The arrangements that produced that result all happened before I joined the game, and the T-K eventually collapsed (were resigned) after a sequence of apparently bizarre economic reverses.

Stuart Bailey wrote: What I find odd across the games is that Milan & Portugal seems to have been a big issue in a lot of games but not Flanders.  When historically it was the other way round and most of the emphasis was on  Flanders.  Probably because Louis XIV had spent the last thirty years trying to take the place and everyone else but esp the Dutch & English as much time trying to stop him.

The Real Louis wrote:

Stuart Bailey wrote: What I find odd across the games is that Milan & Portugal seems to have been a big issue in a lot of games but not Flanders.  When historically it was the other way round and most of the emphasis was on  Flanders.  Probably because Louis XIV had spent the last thirty years trying to take the place and everyone else but esp the Dutch & English as much time trying to stop him.

Hmm, well, there's an idea for Game 8...  (actually, in 6, France leased Flanders from the Twin Kingdoms, so got to rule it without fighting a shot).

Goldstar wrote:We would all be suspicious if Lord Fong was ever anything but condescending to the uncultured Western Barbarians.

Jason wrote:used to cut bits off foreigners on a regular basis

Rozwi_Game10 wrote:

Jason wrote:used to cut bits off foreigners on a regular basis

Cool. So somebody has already set the precedent, have they.

Now nobody can complain when Scotsman stew is served on the Rozwi menu