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Electorate of Württemberg
Kurfürstentum Württemberg
Timeline: Ninety-Five Theses (Map Game)
OTL equivalent: Württemberg
Wuerttemberg Arms Electorate of Württemberg
1519 - Present
Flag of Württemberg Armoiries duché de Wurtemberg 1733
Coat of arms
Motto: 
Furchtlos und treu
(English: Fearless and Faithful)
Wurttemberg 1530
Württemberg (yellow) in 1530
CapitalStuttgart
Other cities Reutlingen
Official languages Swabian German
Ethnic groups  German
Religion Evangelicalism
Demonym Württemberger
Government Monarchy
 -  Elector Ulrich
Legislature Kronrat
History
 -  County founded before 1081 
 -  Diet of Worms 2 February 1495 
 -  Raised to duchy 21 July 1495 
 -  Declaration of Independence 4 June 1519 
 -  Coronation of King Ulrich 7 June 1519 
 -  Readmittance into Holy Roman Empire 2 February 1522 
 -  Lowered to Electorate 3 February 1522 
Currency Holy Roman Thaler

Württemberg, officially known as the Electorate of Württemberg (German: Kurfürstentum Württemberg), is a state located in southwestern Germany. Until 1519, it was a member of the Holy Roman Empire as the Duchy of Württemberg. On 4 June 1519, Duke Ulrich of Württemberg declared independence from the Catholic Holy Roman Empire in protest against the corruption of the Catholic Church and in support of Martin Luther and his Ninety-Five Theses. Three days later, in a show of further defiance, Ulrich crowned himself King, unilaterally elevating the state to a Kingdom. In 1522, under pressure from Saxony, Württemberg rejoined the Holy Roman Empire as an Electorate.

History[]

Government[]

The Württemberger government is led personally by the Elector, who presides directly over an advisory board known as the Kronrat (Royal Council, formerly the Diet). The Kronrat is an 11-member body of nobles appointed by the Elector to give him advice on legislation, the military, and other issues of national importance.

Württemberg is also divided into a series of provinces, centred around the country's major cities. With the exception of Stuttgart and Memelland, which fall directly under the control of the Elector, each province is administered by an appointed governor.

Four seats in the Kronrat are reserved for the provincial governors. The Governorship of Mömpelgard is always passed to the heir to the Württemberger Crown, while the Governorship of Tübingen is hereditary, within the House of de Villiers — the first Governor was Philippe I, former Prince of Rhodes. The other two Governors serve at the Elector's pleasure. The other seven members of the Kronrat are appointed for a period of 10 years.

Province Governor
Stuttgart
Mömpelgard Christoph, Electoral Prince of Württemberg
Calw
Tübingen Philippe de Villiers de Rhodes
Urach
Memelland

Military[]

The military of Württemberg, known in German as the Kronenwehr (literally "Crown Defence") consists of two branches: the Kronenheer (Army) and Kronenmarine (Navy).

The Kronenheer is of a respectable size, currently employing around 60,000 soldiers, a fraction of whom are currently fighting in Poland-Lithuania. Until the country's secession from the Holy Roman Empire, it was not seen as necessary to maintain a large military, as the combined power of all the Empire's militaries would have been sufficient to protect Württemberg in the event of an attack, and thus it remained small.

However, even after rejoining the Empire Württemberg is now restructuring and rapidly expanding her armed forces. Current focus is on a large army. The Kronenmarine was formed shortly after the occupation and annexation of the port city of Memel from Poland-Lithuania. It is an extension of the Rheinstreitkräfte, a river flotilla headquartered in Stuttgart; the flotilla now serves as an arm of the Navy. The current objectives of the Navy include assisting the Army to expand the Memelland province, and to ensure secure routes through which to trade with Scandinavia.

Economy[]

Culture[]

Foreign policy[]

The Electorate of Württemberg currently has very strained relations with multiple other countries in Europe due to its pro-Reformation policies. Pope Leo X had planned to excommunicate Elector Ulrich from the Catholic Church when the Elector himself announced his conversion to Protestantism. Württemberg is also at war against Austria, in retaliation for its assault on Bavaria in 1532.

Nevertheless, Württemberg maintains healthy relationships with Bavaria, with Princess Anna of Württemberg being betrothed to Bavarian prince Georg von Hegnenberg. A strong and interwoven relationship with the Greek island of Rhodes was also established prior to Ottoman invasion and annexation, with Württemberg providing economic relief and aid by taking on the expenses of parts of the Rhodes military. Now, the Rhodian military has been incorporated into Württemberg's, and the former Prince now serves as a member of the Kronrat and as Governor of Tübingen.

Württemberg also has close relations with Lorraine, and trades with Switzerland and Ostland. The aggression shown by Poland-Lithuania against Ostland has led Württemberg to offer military assistance to Bavaria, one of the belligerents in the current war against Poland-Lithuania.

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