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Lords of the Earth
Campaign Twenty-Eight
Turn Twenty-One
1558 C.E ~ 1560 C.E.

	THE ISLES
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	24mi, 6mc, 6ma, 6ms, 6mw

The Gaelic Empire
( Aberdeen in Strathclyde )
Protestant Christian, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Emperor Erc MacAngus

Diplomacy and Warfare: London [+YFC] in Sussex

Talks go better in London this cycle, but the shocking news is the eruption of a long dead volcano in the Hebrides island. The French conduit town of Arcadia is destroyed. Gaelic Christianity once again makes an appearance in Wessex.

The Protestant Reformation
( London is Sussex )
Protestant Catholic, Tech Level 008 - Renaissance
Edward Stuart, Arthur I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Thuringia [-UN]

Furious over the slaughtering of the Protestant believers in France, Edward authorizes retaliation. Hiring the forces of Robert the Black and attending Mercenaries, Bishop George leads a force of just under 8000 Protestant cavalry and 7000 Mercenaries into Flanders. The Burgundian Guard begins to respond, but reports on the numbers of the invaders alter plans, and Burgundy's armies set up a defensive posture in Antwerp. Bishop George ignores them, and instead sacks the Roman Cathedral. They then move into France.

Emperor Reynaud would lead the armies himself to meet the invading forces. Unfortunately, the size of the defending French army (some 9,000 cavalry, 8,000 Infantry, and 60 artillery batteries) would be too many troops for him to control effectively. This, combined with the far superior skill of Robert the Black forced a severe rout of the Emperor. While he was licking his wounds, the Protestant forces loot the Cathedral in Ile De France, then cross the border once again into Burgundy.

This time, with the Protestant Forces somewhat weakened in the skirmish with the French, Burgundy reacts, bringing some 4,000 cavalry and 3,000 Infantry to bear. Again, however, the national troops would be no match for the Mercenary commander, and Burgundy would withdraw. The Cathedral in Champagne would then suffer a similar fate of being looted. The Protestant Cavalry would end the cycle camped in the midst of the ruined structure.

A second Mercenary Army under Kurt Hanspeter would be hired in Zurich. The force would immediately set off for the Milanese Region of Lombardy. However, two bishops from Rome caught word of the movement, and Reacted toward the invaders. They would meet and the Vatican Army (Some 15,000 heavy Cavalry) would crush the Mercenary force completely.

With the Religious turmoil at a boiling point, especially in France, many Protestant immigrants sped for various Protestant leaning cities. All in all, 10 cities would benefit from this Population Explosion, each gaining a level.

	NORTHERN EUROPE
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	23mi, 5mc, 5ma, 5ms, 5mw

The Kingdom of Denmark and Norway
( Newtown in Denmark )
Protestant Christian, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
King Boris

Diplomacy and Warfare: None.

Odenborg and Newtown are both expanded, both seeing some beautification. An exploration expedition to the North has some success.

The Kingdom of Sweden
( Stockholm in Uppsala )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
King Sten Gustafson Sjoblad

Diplomacy and Warfare: Lekskoza [-FA], Vasterbotten [-NT], Karela [-HS]

Kalmar is rebuilt in Smaland while diplomatic efforts of the crown are unsuccessful.

	WESTERN EUROPE
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	12mi, 5mc, 5ma, 5ms, 6mw
		Sir Robert the Black ( MB36 )
		Major Mikael Barsov ( M654 )

The French Empire
( Paris in Ile De France )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Emperor Reynaud I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Limousin [F], Le Mans [F] in Maine, Cherbourg [-EA] in Normandy [F], Paradis Terre [-HS]

Reynaud institutes a method other than the Papacy's to deal with the Protestant people in France. Rather than slaughtering them, he simply seizes their holdings and gives them to Catholics. The Protestants soon find themselves little more then second-class citizens within the Empire. In the New World, a prominent Naval Captain is killed by natives, luckily another leader is on hand to pick up the wayward navy. Prince Antoine and Queen Catherine both die during the cycle.

The Burgundian Empire
( Antwerp in Brabant )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Emperor Gabriel Henry

Diplomacy and Warfare: Aachen [N/E] in Hainaut, Utrecht [N/E] in Holland

The Emperor orders diplomatic officers to meet with Aachen and Utrecht, but as both cities are Protestant, they refuse further ties with the Crown. Westguard sees some additions to its fortifications.

The Kingdom of Portugal
( Lisbon in Portugal )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 010 - Renaissance
King Enselmo

Diplomacy and Warfare: Akan [EA], Zirid [+YFC]

Diplomacy has good results. Many leader deaths, including the King. Enselmo assumes the throne without trouble.

The Spanish Empire
( Madrid in New Castille )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Queen Isabella

Diplomacy and Warfare: None

Asturias is cultivated and a Royal Road snakes between Valencia and Catalonia. Many Internal Trade fleets are put to sea in the Empire, while field fortifications in Italy are completely disbanded.

	CENTRAL EUROPE
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	5mi, 15mc, 5ma, 5ms, 5mw
		Kurt Hanspeter ( MB7A )

The Holy Roman Empire
( Kolberg in Pomerania )
Protestant Christian, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Emperor Casimir III

Diplomacy and Warfare:

Four Holy Roman Dukes learn of a large army of Cavalry crossing the border into Thuringia, and upon moving to intercept the force are surprised to face a Papal army. The forces are relatively even, the Holy Romans having superior numbers, while the Papist Forces have superior commanders. The Papists win the day, and quickly loot the Protestant Church before settling in for winter quarters.

Westphalia is finally cultivated. Casimir I perishes of old age, but puts in motion acts to crown his grandson the new Emperor, ignoring the tradition of Election. The Dukes grumble, but do not press the issue at this time.

The Swiss Confederation
( Zurich in Switzerland )
Protestant Christian, Tech Level 010 - Renaissance
Over-Speaker Ulrich

Diplomacy and Warfare: Ad'Diffah [-HS], Anglia [+YFC], Awlil [-HS]

More slow conversion of the Gaelic Christians in Mercia. Basic crop improvements are researched and developed. Two diplomats run afoul in Afrika, one wounded in Ad'Diffah, another taken prisoner in Awlil.

The Austrian Empire
( Vienna in Austria )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Emperor Otto I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Saarbrucken [FA] in Alsace [A], Bavaria [F], Brno [T] in Moravia

Austria completes two sweeping changes, Her Economy and Society moving to more Open models.

	ITALY
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	16mi, 9mc, 9ma, 8ms, 9mw

The Milanese Empire
( Milan in Savoy )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 010 - Renaissance
Emperor Augustus Sforza II

Diplomacy and Warfare: None.

Milan and Bergamo have their harbors completed, allowing them to take advantage of their new access to the River Po. Augustus II comes of age, and immediately enters a pact with Venice to build a shared conduit city in Awlil named Milven. Exploration this cycle has better luck.

The Republic of Genoa
( Genoa in Liguria )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 010 - Renaissance
Doge Rufino

Diplomacy and Warfare: Cyprus [+YFC]

Exploration in Afrika yields new maps.

The Republic of Florence
( Florence in Tuscany )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 010 - Renaissance
Doge Angelo

Diplomacy and Warfare: Bilma [N/E], Ghat-Al-Barkhat [C]

Reorganized the troops, added more fishing fleets, and picked up an Oasis.

The Republic of Venice
( Venice in Verona )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 010 - Renaissance
Doge Guido

Diplomacy and Warfare: Crete [F], Kyklades, [F], Rome [-EA] in Latium

Ilyria completes its cultivation and the joint city with Milan is founded. Three areas of research are finalized, their results already spreading throughout the Republic.

The Roman Catholic Papacy
( Rome in Latium )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Pope Innocent IX

Diplomacy and Warfare: Krakow [-UN] in Bochnia, Champagne [-UN], Flanders [-UN], Ile De France [-UN], Thuringia [MN]

Innocent was not sitting idle. The Army of God was on the move, and the first obstacle would be the Protestant Mercenary army brought to task in Lombardy. Convinced that the Protestants meant all out war at this point, Bishop Dahve and Jean Luc pressed the Papal Army into the Holy Roman Empire. Finding themselves arrayed against a coalition of Ducal Forces, most of them Protestant, there was little time spared before the second attack began. While not a complete route as the first battle, the Holy Roman forces were pushed back from the region. The Army quickly seized control of the Protestant Monastery, claiming it for the Pope, then targeted the city of Erfurt. A few prominent members of the city were taken Prisoner, but the majority of the Protestant citizens were simply killed.

Innocent also ordered the captured Gaelic holyman transferred to Vatican Fortress and its dungeons, but the man would die en route. Once word spread of his death, a resurgence of worship and followers of his teachings spring up in Wessex.

	EASTERN EUROPE
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	8mi, 8mc, 8ms, 8ma, 8mw

The Teutonic Kingdom of Latvia
( Riga in Latvia )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
King Augustin Brecht

Diplomacy and Warfare: Kur [N/E], Rzhev [-FA]

King Augustin increased and reorganized the Latvian Armies while the Heir traveled to Rzhev to seek closer ties. Augustin would receive word the next year that his son had been imprisoned for crimes.

The Empire of Poland and Lithuania
( Riga in Latvia )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Emperor Krzysztoff III

Diplomacy and Warfare: Chernigov [A], Danzig [T], Polotsk [F], Silesia [FA]

A new fortress in Odessa and a new city in Polotsk are founded. Poland negotiates a deal with Spain for a location of a Conduit city in Geb-Al Tarik.

The Russian Empire
( Moscow in Muscovy )
Russian Orthodox, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Grand Prince Casimir, Regent For
Emperor Yuri I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Levedia [-YFC], Polovotsy [N/E]

Missionaries to Torki and Khazar while Kalinin is cultivated. A postal roads is built linking Pereaslavl all the way to Crimea. The new Emperor takes a bride from Polovotsy, but it hardly effects the regional leaders in the Diplomatic negotiations. Major Mikael Barsov is given two warships and some gold and ordered to join Pizzaro. He becomes a Mercenary instead.

The Russian Orthodox Primacy
( Moscow in Muscovy )
Russian Orthodox, Tech Level 008 - Renaissance
Metropolitan Zorba

Diplomacy and Warfare: Crimea [N/E], Kalinin [AB], Novgorod [AB], Suzdal [MN]

Stephanos would follow his predecessor into the afterlife this cycle, though still founding one site successfully. The biggest news was the complete conversion of the Khazar by Orthodox Missionaries.

	THE BALKANS
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	5mi, 5mc, 5ma, 5ms, 5mw
	Islamic:	17mi, 12mc, 5ma, 5ms

The Hungarian Empire
( Buda in Alfold )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Jonathon Aquintas, Regent For:
Emperor Mathias Corvinus III

Diplomacy and Warfare: Moldavia [EA]

The Emperor would initiate two Cultivation and two Dredging projects within the Empire, but would die early in the cycle alongside Mathias II, his heir. Jonathon Aquintas would step up as regent for the very young Mathias III. In Buda, it was announced that the body of Saint John the Baptist had been found. This awesome relic would be buried within the city fortress, and a new Cathedral dedicated to the Saint would be built around it. Patriarch Neagu would baptize the young Emperor with the hand of the Saint in a solemn ceremony.

The Baptist Church
( Buda in Alfold )
Roman Catholic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Patriarch Dean Wily Neagu

Diplomacy and Warfare: Krakow [CH] in Bochnia [N/E], Croatia [CA],

Beyond the big news of the Relic and ceremony, a few more sites are established, while a Papal site in Krakow is peacefully swayed toward the new teaching.

	MIDDLE EAST
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	13mi, 8mc, 6ma, 5mw
	Islamic:	1mi, 5mc, 5ma, 5ms

The Ottoman Empire
( Bursa in Phrygia )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Kemel Bey, Regent For
Sultan Dominus I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Belgrade [PT] in Bosnia, Istanbul [N/E] in Constantinople, Varna [PT] in Dobruja, Ludgorie [PT], Trebizond [AW] in Pontus, Ochirida [PT] in Serbia

More Orthodox cities would face the choice between enslavement or surrender. Trebizond would be the lone voice in rebuking the Ottomans, though negotiations bogged down in Istanbul. Ludgorie was quickly conquered while two other armies poked into the shadows in Asia Minor.

The Persian Sultanate
( Tehran in Persia )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 008 - Renaissance
Sultan Oxathres I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Dasht'e Lute [-UN], Khvor [-UN], Kuh'Laleh'Zar [-UN], Neyriz [-UN], Qatar [-HS], Shadad [-UN], Shir Kuh [-UN], Urmia [-UN]

Two new cities are founded on the shores of the Empire while huge swaths of poor wilderness and desert regions are completely released from control.

	THE STEPPES
		Mercenary Pools:
	Islamic:	5mi, 5mc, 5ma, 5ms, 5mw

The Baber Empire
( Samarkhand in Kara-Khitai )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 007 - Civilized
King Baber I

Diplomacy and Warfare: Khwarzim [-EA], Merv [A] in Kophat Dagh

Baber negotiates a marriage between his son and a noblewoman in Merv. An Alliance and twin granddaughters are the result.

	EAST AFRIKA
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	9mi, 7mc, 5mw
	Islamic:	12mi, 13mc, 2ms, 5mw

The Mameluke Sultanate
( Q'arum in Mansura )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 009 - Renaissance
Sultan Hafas

Diplomacy and Warfare: Ashtabah [-T] in Socotra [-T]

The Sultan sent colonists into Nubia, reclaiming the region while a fortress is constructed in Faiyum and a road links Mansura to Egypt. Exploration in Afrika is successful, while the island of Socotra lowers its ties to the Sultanate after embracing Wahhabism.

The Sunni Islamic Church
( Jerusalem in Levant )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 008 - Renaissance
Imam Farookh

Diplomacy and Warfare: Aleppo [N/E], Lebanon [N/E], Levant [CH]

A church and a basic infrastructure to the government created.

The Kingdom of Ethiopia
( Soba in Funj )
Coptic Christian, Tech Level 006 - Civilized
King Makennan

Diplomacy and Warfare: Alwa [F]

Lalibela finished it's cultivation and fortifications were built around the capital. Then the Adalese invaded.

The Adalese Sultanate
( Afarsa in Djibuti )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 006 - Civilized
Grand Sultan Gulzar

Diplomacy and Warfare: Sidamo [T], Xaafunn [-EA] in Berbera [-EA]

The heretical Islamics in Adal, which had been left to their own devices, finally codified their teaching. Wahhabism would be the latest version of Islam to enter the world stage.

Four Adalese leaders would strike into Ethiopia at the head of 8,200 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 10 squads of engineers. Ethiopia would confront them with 7,300 cavalry, 4,200 infantry and 20 entrenched field forts. Adal would be forced to withdraw, losing 1,600 cavalry, 1,200 infantry and 4 squads of engineers. They would destroy 16 of the Ethiopian forts. Adal would press the attack, but this time be routed by an unlucky skirmish which sees the Adalese Prince captured and one of the Adalese Allies killed. The latter army would quit the field and return home.

	WEST AFRIKA
		Mercenary Pools:
	Christian:	20mi, 5mc, 1mw
	Islamic:	17mi, 26mc, 5ma, 5ms, 5mw
	Dongolan:	15mi, 5mc
	Pagan:	29i

The Songhay Empire
( Timbuctu in Songhai )
Dongolan, Tech Level 007 - Civilized
Emperor Sundaka

Diplomacy and Warfare: None.

All eyes are on the Eastern Border as payment is given to the Asante tribe by the Empire. The Religious Strength of the nation continues to rise.

The Empire of Kanem-Bornu
( Ngazargumu in Kanem-Bornu )
Sunni Islamic, Tech Level 006 - Civilized
Emperor Ali Gaji

Diplomacy and Warfare: Daza [Liberated], Hausa [Liberated], Jos [Liberated], Kanuri [Liberated],

Ali orders the hiring of the West Afrikan mercenaries, then commands his army to speed for the main branch of the Asante. He would travel through Daza and Kanuri, both regions throwing off their garrisons and revolting when word of the liberating army arrived. Kanem would bring the Asante to battle in Hausa, who were at the time busy enslaving the population of the region. 5,200 cavalry, 16,200 infantry, 10 squads of engineers and 10 batteries of artillery would face the 37,400 horde infantry. Zad Asante would be wounded by assassins in the early days of the engagement, drastically reducing his ability to command and fight, forcing his son to lead the army. With many of the Asante scattered in the enslavement, Kanem was able to drive the invaders from the field, losing 1,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry, 5 batteries and 6 squads to the Asante's 8,600 dead.

Zad would reorder his men, then attack back into Nupe, this time without the disadvantage of the enslavement. Once again, however, the horde would be repelled, loosing 8,000 troops to Kanem's 1,500 cavalry, 1,000 infantry, 4 batteries and 4 squads. Zad, quite an old man at this point, would perish regrouping in Nupe.

The Asante Tribes
Afrikan Pagan, Tech Level 003 - Barbarian
Tombool Asante

Diplomacy and Warfare: Daza [-UN], Hausa [-UN], Jos [-UN], Kreda [Enslaved], Nupe [Enslaved], Sokoro [Enslaved], Soro [Enslaved]

A rumor began circulating among Zad's men that he was planning to convert to Catholicism once the Kanem were destroyed, becoming a vassal to the Roman Pope. This caused a bit of a stir, but Zad was able to put an end to the rumors and that was that.

Following the setback in Hausa, the horde would face another in Jos. After enslaving the region of Nupe, the Chief of the Radon would be repelled by the local militia in Jos. The Chief would be killed in the fighting, and his army limp back to join Tombool.

The Mbang tribe had none of these problems, quickly enslaving Sokoro, Kreda and Soro, losing only 600 of his 16,000 men.

	Explorers and Adventurers

Magellan's Band
( Lisbon in Portugal )
Sponsors - Spain, Portugal, Archdiocese of Lisbon
Sir Martin Frobisher

Diplomacy and Warfare: None.

Slept.

Pizzaro's Lost Legion
( Antwerp in Brabant )
Sponsors - Burgundy, France, Archdiocese of Basle, Sweden
Francisco Pizzaro

Diplomacy and Warfare: None.

Slept.

Khuldun's Cartographic Armada
( Basra in Abadan )
Sponsors - Mamelukes
Ibn Khuldun

Diplomacy and Warfare: None.

One fleet is lost, the captain with it while survey work continues in Southeast Asia.