The first big war of the modern world (some consider it the first World War, as at the time Europe was considered the world to the white man), the War of the Protestant League forever changed borders and systems of governing.
Fanning the Flame[]
Things were going south between the Catholic Emperor of Austria and the Protestant Princes. Austria would not tolerate any heresy and even revoked some princes the right to elect the next emperor. The Protestants were not happy about this and they were going to let Austria hear it.
Enemies and Allies of the Catholics[]
Bohemia, the head of the Protestant League (Austria is the leader of the Catholic League) united many German States, Lutherans and Calvinist alike, against the Catholic rule. They got foreign support of the Netherlands and England, however the League would be no match against Austria-Hungary and the combine forces of Poland-Lithuania and France, who had already pledged loyalty to the Catholic League. The Sunni Ottoman Empire and the Orthodox Russia were long time enemies of the Catholics. After Protestant Diplomats did their magic, the two powers were persuaded into joining the Protestant League, with their own interest of weakening Austria and Poland. Frightened by this news, the Pope, now another leader of the Catholic League, called upon the Catholic countries of Spain, Aragon and the Catholic German States to join the war for religious supremacy. Despite the Pope's call, only Saxony and Baden of the German States joined. The Livonian Order, angry at Poland for slaying the Teutons but heavily Catholic, joined the call along with the Free Irish States, who saw this as a chance to push back the Protestant English. Aragon also joined, along with the resentful Spain, who wanted to steer clear of European Affairs. This war would decide who dominates Europe for the next 4 centuries.
For Honor, and Glory![]
Bohemia declares war on Austria in 1603 War had begun. Rallied by Duke Leopard III of Brandenburg, the Combined Army of the German States, led by Bohemia, marched into Vienna. Russia Troops marched into Poland, Turks attacked Hungary's soft underbelly from the south, and English and Scandinavians caused chaos on the North Seas. The start of the war proved to be in favor of the protestants, and the Catholics quickly lost ground. By 1603, the Irish States, Livonian Order and Saxony were fully occupied by the Protestants. Only Brittany and Switzerland had fallen to the Catholics. Vienna was close to falling........
The Hero of the War[]
King Jaroslaw of Poland-Lithuania, leading 30,000 men, made the decisive move against Duke Leopard III in 1604. The Germans were almost in Vienna, back by Turks. The French and the Italian Armies were in ruins. The only nations left to defend Western Europe were the Iberians, who were told to sit on defense by Emperor Maximillian IV of Austria. As the walls fell, and the German-Turkish forces began to rush in, the Polish-Lithuanian force of 30,000 took the 70,000 strong army from behind. Sandwiched between the newly appeared army and the unforgiving walls of Vienna, all of those 70,000 were either killed or imprisoned. Duke Leopard III was captured and beheaded by King Jaroslaw personally. The Polish King would be praised as a hero for years to come.
England Alone[]
Now on the losing side, the Ottoman Empire now had to deal with an Egyptian Uprising to restore Mamluk rule. Russia experienced a similar revolt, although it was put down easily. With two powers distracted by Internal Conflicts, Bohemia, the Netherlands and the German States were totally occupied. Denmark-Norway and Sweden, seeing the war lost, white peaced out of the war. England, now alone, would have to face to storm of 100,000 angry Catholics.
Project No Sun[]
By 1605, only England and the occupied German States remained on the Protestant Side. Facing them was still Spain, France, Austria-Hungary, Poland-Lithuania, and the Papal State. The English and Dutch had already lost all New World possessions. The Spanish and French came together and created Project No Sun. Put into action, Project No Sun had the English Navy sabotaged and destroyed by Hired Mercs. The Spanish-French Naval Force quickly took superiority of the English Channel and landed troops in the mainland. England, with not as strong a land force, was occupied with ease. The war was over, and thanks to the brilliant minds of Spain and France, the Protestants lost the war that meant live or death.