A More Personal Union

[Xgentis]

Prussian in pink that was hilarious.

[volantredx]

Are we seeing a future spymistress? After all rumor and gossip are weapons too.

[Jinx999]

I can't help but wonder if Maximillian is married at this point . . . .

[Saya Aensland]

Originally Posted by Jinx999

I can't help but wonder if Maximillian is married at this point . . . .

Originally Posted by Thespitron 6000

If Maximilian himself is unable to seize Dalmatia--and, temptingly, Venice--then one of his numerous sons can do so.

I'm gonna take that as a yes.

[Thespitron 6000]

Originally Posted by Saya Aensland

I'm gonna take that as a yes.

Maximilian, Charles, Frederick, Gregory, John, Philip, and Stephen (Miksa, Károly, Frigyes, Gerő, János, Fülöp, and István). Daughters Maria and Constanze.

[JacktheCat]

Now if one of the lesser sons was unmarried and suitably 'pliable', that would be an interesting match for Jadwiga ...

On that note, who is Max, Jr. married to? Small, militaristic countries need allies with deep pockets.

[Thespitron 6000]

Originally Posted by JacktheCat

Now if one of the lesser sons was unmarried and suitably 'pliable', that would be an interesting match for Jadwiga ...

On that note, who is Max, Jr. married to? Small, militaristic countries need allies with deep pockets.

He's thirteen. He's not married to anybody yet.

[JacktheCat]

13, pfftt!

At 13, Margaret Beaufort gave birth to her second husband's son.

Plus ... she was, what, all of 4ft7in tall?

[Xgentis]

I wonder what impact the war had on France demography? OTL it was at the time the most poppulated country in Europe even before Russsia.
Did that change? Will southern France recover?

[Thespitron 6000]

July 17, 1607

To the Great White King Across the Waters,
From the hands of Bent Toe, a chief of the Challygotha Shawano, and Ha-Thaypatty, a chief of the Pakowy Shawano, we send greeting.

It is told to us by your servants White Man Mowbray and Iron Sword MacGregor that you are both wise and just, and that you are mighty in your arms and your making of war upon your enemies. We would like to be your friends, for White Man Mowbray and Iron Sword MacGregor have told us that you are most generous with your friends. We are at war with snakes to the north, who wish to conquer our lands and make us their slaves. We have seen your thunder weapons and your horses, and wish to have such things ourselves, to make war on the snakes in the north. These snakes also have these things, but we do not have them. We will trade many things for your weapons and horses. We will trade pelts, and wood, and maize, so that we might have these weapons and keep our freedom. We ask this as your most hearty friends.

(writ by William Mowbray, Alexandria, 17 July 1607)

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To His Majesty Henri of Valois, being by the Grace of God Ninth of that Name, King of England, France and Scotland, from his most humble and loyal servant Thomas MacGregor, the most welcome greeting:

My Noble Lord, of late we have been much in communication with these Shawano, who as a tribe of this region have, in sooth, proven peaceable and friendly, and they have, with the able assistance of your servant the merchant William Mowbray, writ a petition that you might grant them aid, for their territories are infringed to the north by these Snake People, of whom we know little save that they possess weapons known only to the English and French in these lands until this time. In their petition the Shawano request that you grant unto them such muskets and horses as might stem the tide of Snake advance, and far be it from me to presume to know thy will, but I do humbly beseech you, do not grant this request. We know nothing of these Snakes, and it may prove detrimental to our position in northern Gloriana to make them our enemies. Our guns may in the fullness of time be turned against us, and used by these Shawano to drive us from our village of Alexandria and force us to return to Celadon. In this manner your rule would not be hastened over this northern realm, but instead this march should fall to the natives, who would govern it ill. We number a scant one hundred men, and cannot stand against these Snakes, should they come south along the Alpheus and attack. Therefore I humbly advise you decline this petition, and I remain your obedient servant, Thomas MacGregor.

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February 9, 1608:

From Henri, by Right and by God's Will King of England, France, Scotland, Ireland, and Gloriana, Third of that Name, and Defender of the True Faith, I send greeting to the tribes of the Chawano.

An it please you, know this. I have read your petition and found it worthy--with caveats. I find you courageous in your defense of the lands in which you act as custodian, and greet warmly your desire for my friendship, as it is a desire I know myself. But iffen a man be asked for help by a stranger, he giveth it not freely, but with some surety that he should, in the fullness of time, be granted a considered and equal favor. This is the principle of gratitude, which is a commonplace on this continent and shall, in a few little years, be a commonplace on that continent which is called America. Therefore, let it be known among your people that should you desire aid from the English or the French, we should give it, but upon the condition that you submit to our rule over your lands and become our vassals. You shall, given this friendly submission, be permitted to retain your own chiefs, and ways; you shall live in the manner accustomed by your people for countless centuries, as we are accustomed to our own. But: you shall permit the free settlement of my subjects in the lands which you have until now held as custodians, you shall permit the free circulation of our priests, who might preach unmolested, and you shall pay unto us any levies of troops, or of tax, which are appropriate for the defense of your realm and my own. If you submit to these conditions, then I welcome you as honored sons, and you shall be first among my peoples on the northern March of Gloriana, and shall have the guns and horses with which to defeat these Serpents. May God be with you.

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September 21, 1608:

To the Great White King Across the Waters,
From the hands of Bent Toe, a chief of the Challygotha Shawano, and Ha-Thaypatty, a chief of the Pakowy Shawano, we send greeting.

Great White King, we are honored that you have invited us to be your foster sons. But what you have written we read with sadness, for we cannot submit to you. We see that you intend the best, and agree that no tribe helps another tribe without receiving a favor in return, but for all your kind words, to give away our independence to you when we fight so hard to preserve it from the snakes would mean our deaths. Soon we would be English. We would not be Shawano. We thank you for your offer, but we must die in the woods with our spears and our bows as Shawano, and not in your English village with your thunder weapons and your horses as red-skin Englishmen. We are your friends.

(writ by William Mowbray, Alexandria, 21 September 1608)

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April 29, 1609:

From Henri, by Right and by God's Will King of England, France, Scotland, Ireland, and Gloriana, Third of that Name, and Defender of the True Faith, I send greeting to the tribes of the Chawano.

Your reply to my letter fills my soul with tears. The bravery you show is a rarity; that more men should be willing to die for their liberty from foreign invasion would be a great-heartedness indeed. But I know these Serpents not, and to give offense to a kingdom strange to me is foolishness. Only by the acceptance of my overlordship would such actions be justified. I wish you great fortune against your enemies, and remind you that my offer stands. May God be with you, my friends.