Shortly after the turn of the 16th century, a religious revolution commenced in Holland. The GLORIOUS French armies returned and were set on targets closer to home, annexing Liege, Barrois, Lorraine and Alsace to the Kingdom. War was declared in 1490, and though Muscovy attacked Lithuania of it's own accord, taking a sizable piece, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was reforged with French steel. Bringing the Lithuanians back under Polish rule was made a priority, with Milan and Austria consenting to this noble cause and granting the French armies access to cross their land. An alliance was made, sealed with Joan's marriage to the Polish King's son by his 2nd mistress - a bastard not fit to take the throne, though still of noble blood. Taking more precedence were the pitfalls of the Polish Sejm, having lost control over Lithuania. Shortly after her taking the throne, the Austrian Archduke died, paving way for the election of a weakened Bohemia as Emperor. Named for Saint Joan of Arc, Saviour of France, the Queen's reign has proved fruitful. Furthermore, the Austrian Archdukes have suffered Excommunication ever since, making them unelectable by the God-fearing German nobility. The Papacy took it's revenge by immediately leaving the HRE, declaring that the Empire was neither Roman nor Holy. Austria made good on it's pledge to transfer it's French land to France, ceding two provinces in this war (the rest came later). Eventually, Northern Italy and parts of Greece were lost to the attackers. France and Castille once again attempted to come to the Pope's rescue, but could not break through Milan. The Papal armies stood no chance and were quickly overwhelmed. They plotted to clean them up by taking the Pope's land, in league with Milan and the Muslim Ottomans, as well as their other standard defacto vassals, Brandenburg and Sweden. Austria set the stage by annexing Ferrara, creating disgustingly ugly borders in Italy.
The regency of Joan continued to be a dark time for Europe, marked by the bitter UnCrusade by various unholy factions against the Pope.
0 kommentar(er)
