Prologue: The Status of Europe
Apollinis et Dianae: A Story of Power,Magnificence and Glory
Prologue: The Status of Europe
Europe in the early 1660's
The year 1666 opens promisingly for Europe. In the Kingdom of England,the leading nation of the British Isles, last years outbreak of Plague in London,which had decimated the population, had started to die down, much to the joy of the Government and citizens of the city. The Second Dutch war, began in the previous year, had started off with a great victory at the Battle of Lowestoft, in which 17 Dutch ships were lost. Though it remains to be seen who will win the war, the Nation is full of hope for a victory over its commercial rival.
The year 1666 opens promisingly for Europe. In the Kingdom of England,the leading nation of the British Isles, last years outbreak of Plague in London,which had decimated the population, had started to die down, much to the joy of the Government and citizens of the city. The Second Dutch war, began in the previous year, had started off with a great victory at the Battle of Lowestoft, in which 17 Dutch ships were lost. Though it remains to be seen who will win the war, the Nation is full of hope for a victory over its commercial rival.
Across the North Sea, the United Provinces of the Netherlands are also gearing up for war. Led by Grand Pensiony Johan de Witt, the Netherlands is one of the most powerful states in Europe, dominating the bulk of trade with India, China, Japan and the East Indies. But for all their strength the Dutch are beset with problems. Their fleet was heavily damaged by the English at the battle of Lowestoft, though with the safe return of the Spice Fleet the Dutch have the money to quickly replace those lost ships. The main problem is an internal one, a tug of war over who should run the State. Until 1650 the Republic was lead by Stadtholders, with the position almost always held by the Princes of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau. However, in 1650 the Stadtholder, William II of Orange, died, leaving the office vacant (though a branch of the Oranges continued to hold the Stadtholdeate of the provinces of Friesland and Groningen) and heirless (his son was born William III of Orange was born a few days later). Thus the House of Orange and their Orangist party lost power to the States-party, now led by the Grand Pensionary. The dispute has continued for almost 16 years, but now, with William III soon to turn 16 and the war with England and Charles II, who happens to be the young Prince's uncle, the domination of the States party might soon be at an end.
Across the English Channel, in France, King Louis XIV has begun preparations for an invasion of the Spanish Netherlands, claimed on behalf of his wife, Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain, oldest daughter of the late King Felipe IV. King Charles of England's sister, Henriette-Anne Duchesse d'Orleans (called Madame at the French Court), married to King Louis' only brother Philippe Duc d'Orleans (called Monsieur at the French Court) , tries to convince her brother-in-law to end his alliance with the Dutch and support her brother in his war. But the King's plans for the Spanish Netherlands relies on keeping the Dutch happy. Though in possession of one of the largest of armies and ruler of the arguably most powerful state in Europe, Louis is not eager to risk the Dutch intervening against him. However, if the English were to successfully defeat the Dutch Fleet, then King Louis' mind might be changed.
For Spain, 1666 begins much less promisingly.On September 17 of the previous year King Felipe IV died, leaving the throne to his only surviving son, who became King Carlos II. Carlos was a depressing figure. Physically and mentally retarded an deformed, barely able to speak, unable to walk, the 4 year old King was the only male left for the Spanish Branch of the House of Habsburg. Under the ineffectual Queen Regent Marianna, Spain is currently engaged in a war against Portugal, formerly in a personal union with Spain but now fighting to regain its independence under the Braganza Dynasty.
In Portugal, King Alfonso VI is proving as ineffective as Spain's Carlos II. Paralyzed on the left side of his body and mentally unstable thanks to a childhood illness, Portugal's affairs had been managed by Alfonso's mother, Queen Mother Luisa de Guzmán, until 1662. Under her Regency, Portugal had secured an alliance with England, via marriage between Alfonso's sister Infanta Catherine of Portugal ( known as Catherine of Braganza) and newly restored King Charles II. Sadly for Portugal, Dom Luís de Vasconcelos e Sousa, 3rd Count of Castelo Melhor, convinced Alfonso that the Queen Regent wanted to steal the throne, with the end result being Luisa being dismissed from power and sent to a convent. Castelo Melhor now rules as Secretary of State and effective Prime Minister, and is currently negotiating with France for a French bride for Alfonso. His power seems absolute, though there are whispers that Infante D. Pedro, the younger brother of King Alfonso and heir to the throne, is planning to put an end to Castelo Melhor's rule.
Across from the Iberian peninsula, Italy lies in an unprecedented era of Peace and prosperity. The Italian Peninsula had been decimated in the previous century, in a series of wars between France and Spain known as the Italian Wars, though has thankfully managed to avoid becoming another battlefield this century. Ruled by a mixture of duchies, merchant republics the Papacy and, in the North and South Spain, Italy is currently in the grip of an artistic and architectural style known as Baroque, which has spread throughout Europe. It remains to be seen if Italy will remain peaceful or if the Dark clouds of war will once again descend on this center of art and culture.
To the North of Italy lies the conglomerate of states known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation ruled by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. The HRE has just begun to recover from the devastation inflicted on it by the thirty years war, in which Germany was the battlefield of nearly all European nations. Sadly the peace of Westphalia, which ended the thirty years war, also helped to almost completely annihilate the Central power of the Empire, with each of the nominal vassal states gaining almost complete sovereignty and control over Foreign policy. The Empire exists in name only, a dying flame. But like the Phoenix, the Empire has the potential to rise again.
Bordering the rotting Holy Roman Empire are the personal territories of the Holy Roman Emperor, known collectively as the Habsburg Monarchy. A mixture of the Kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia, the Archduchy of Austria, and various other Hereditary lands, they are the source of power for the Empire's legal Sovereign, Leopold I. Leopold, the last male of the Imperial Branch of the House of Habsburg, is the brother of Spains Queen Regent Marianna and uncle to her children, King Carlos II and Infanta Margaret Theresa. The potential heir to the vast Spanish Empire, he is currently engaged in the last stage of negotiations to marry his niece, Margaret Theresa.
To the far North of Europe lies the Kingdom of Denmark. Ruled by King Frederick III, Denmark is currently recovered from a series of devastating defeats at the hands of Sweden, only being saved from further humiliation with the death of the Swedish King Karl X.However, this is also a time of great change, for in 1660 King Frederick successfully played the Danish Estates against one another to change Denmark from an elective Monarchy to an hereditary absolute one. It remains to be seen if Denmark's new absolutism will remain intact, and if Denmark will be able to fully recover and possibly regain its former position as a preeminent power in the North.
The leading power in the Baltic and Scandinavia, Sweden is a true power on the rise. Having benefited greatly from the Thirty years war, Sweden went on to win a series of victories over its neighbors under King Karl X. Sadly for Sweden, and thankfully for her neighbors, Karl X died from pneumonia in 1660, leaving his throne to his only child, four year old King Karl XI. Currently under the regency of his mother, Queen Regent Hedvig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, it remains to be seen if Karl XI inherited the military greatness of his father.
And finally, across the Baltic from Sweden lies the Polish -Lithuanian Commonwealth. Once one of the most powerful nations in Europe, the Commonwealth is now plagued by internal and external problems. The Commonwealth is currently recovering from a massive war known as the Deluge, which was essentially a free for all war between Poland and Sweden, with all of the neighboring nations joining in on one side or another. Sadly for the Polish, however, not all the nations of the Deluge have made peace. The Tsardom of Russia, a rising power, is still at war with the Commonwealth, though they have been engaged in off and on peace negotiations sense 1664. The Polish King Jan II Kazimierz has been trying to reform the Commonwealths government, hoping to give more power to the Throne and re-centralize his Nation. he is opposed by the Commonwealths leading nobles, who have no desire to give up their power. It remains to be seen if the King will be successful in his efforts or if they are doomed to failure.
However, for all the shifting and unsoundness of the European nations, the news circulating to all the Courts in that January is news from Oxford, where the English Court has moved to escape the plague gripping London. Over the Christmas Season of 1665 a formal announcement was made, though sense most of the Court had been speculating on the subject since October it was more of a confirmation. Queen Catherine of Braganza was pregnant.
Queen Catherine of Braganza, Infanta of Portugal