Franconians in Merry Old Breotonia

[Großlausitz]

Kingdom of Breotonia
April 1572

They had given the Montelimarian buccaneers a run for their money, but it hadn’t made the travel any more pleasant than it actually had been. Naval journeys were hard in the late 16th century, even if you weren’t occasionally harassed by a corsair whose Most Catholic Sovereign thought your very own Sovereign chose the wrong confession. Graf Nikolaus von Streitberg, who had recently been appointed to succeed his father, Peter von Streitberg, as Reichsmarschall shook his head in disbelief over the impact of religious matters. Nikolaus von Streitberg was the youngest of seven children and the only son and was but 27 years old. The office of Reichsmarschall, i.e. head of the royal forces, is technically hereditary. However, his four years of minority and three years of additional training following his father’s death had established the practice of the King appointing a range of seasoned lieutenants to support and stand in for the young Marshal.

Only with the formation of the Kingdom of Franken the country embraced the concept of a more permanent war navy. Before the outbreak of the Reformation Wars the House of Knýtling relied on the services of the Patricians of Erlangen and Würzburg in general and their fleets in particular. As those towns and cities became part of a joint realm, the King and his Privy Council realized the need to re-organise the navy. Thus, they copied the Montelimarians office of Lord High Admiral – Reichsadmiral – and put him at the helm of the nascent national navy. Coincidently this was the first occasion a member of the lower house, a member of parliament from Würzburg, was appointed to the Privy Council. Amongst the senior lords there was no one with a similar experience in shipping and equipping war ships. But a lot of the lords were eager to learn lest their competitors in prestige and power overtake them.

Pfalzgraf Heinrich III von Faber-Castell was formally leading the delegation from Franken to Breotonia. Their job was to convince the more-business-minded faction at the royal court to open their country to Franconian trade and give Franconian ships free access to their waters. In the capital of Lunden there was a branch office of the recently re-branded Königlich-Fränkische Handelsgesellschaft, which was the royally chartered company in charge of coordinating Franconian commerce abroad. Yet they were to pay hefty tolls and fees in Breotonia, which reduced the merchants’ precious revenues and subsequently the Crown’s tax revenues as well as the merchants’ ability to lend money to their Sovereign.

In more modern terms Heinrich von Faber-Castell could be labelled as Franken’s token Catholic lord. Since King Sebastian III retained the Catholic Duchy of Schaumburg in personal union, de facto rule was carried out by the Catholic Faber-Castells to soothe the duchy’s nobility and peasantry. Schaumburg was a too reliable monetary source for the Knýtlings to alienate them by forcing Lutheranism on them. Whereas Heinrich von Faber-Castell seemed to be a competent man on the first glance, a second glance betrayed his true nature. Throughout his life he had retained a hedonistic almost childish mind. He was notorious for his affairs. In Nürnberg it was an open secret his younger brother Alexander Johannes actually ran the show in Schaumburg. He even managed to talk his brother in marrying a woman old enough to be his mother, who wasn’t likely to bear him any children. Furthermore, ambitious Alexander Johannes actively encouraged Heinrich’s hedonistic lifestyle in the hope of him succumbing to it. Last but not least, the younger of the two Faber-Castells somehow managed to marry one of Nikolaus’ elder sisters, who was as fertile as a turtle.

Reichsmarschall Nikolaus von Streitberg made a mental note to discuss the matter with King Sebastian upon their return. For now, he had to ensure Faber-Castell didn’t get involved with any important big-shot’s wife, daughter or sister and/or get harmed in any way. Streitberg needed to work hard to make the Pfalzgraf appear as if he called the shots.

King Sebastian had given them three months to work out a deal with the Breotonians.​

 

[Breotonia]

Privy Council Chamber
Blackwater Castle
Lunden, Breotonia

Like the other three hundred and sixty-four days of the year in Lunden, today the weather was unpleasant. It was raining, sort of a heavy drizzle that darkened the sky and ensured the environment was just wet enough to annoy. Luckily for the dozen or so men in the heavily adorned meeting room of His Majesty's Privy Council the cold and damp did not seep so far into the great fortress castle, the gloomy and dark atmosphere, however, could not be evaded with the mere candles that lit the room. The Council had existed in various forms since the beginning of the monarchy centered in Lunden, a natural evolution of the royal court of administrators, nobles, churchmen, and other various men of high office which acted as an advisory board for the monarch.

Breotonia had experienced, in the past one hundred years or so, a marked centralization of the powers of government that many other country's were only now undergoing or had yet to imitate. Once the Crown of Lunden sat on the same head as the Crown of Royale and the Crown of Porton it was necessary for the Breotish Monarch to exercise his powers over the still somewhat defiant local lords who had only a short time before sworn allegiance to a now gone and fallen rival of the King. Some countries still ruled with the cooperation of local nobles. In Breotonia local nobles existed only to carry out the will of His Majesty, not to act on their own will. A legal term for this practice had arisen: Vestri Mos Meus Manuum.

The practice of absolute rule by a king was not common in the West, though there were tales that kings that ruled as gods were common in the lands of the East. With such power concentrated in a single individual, the Sovereign, and then delegated to only his advisors it made the men of the Privy Council exceedingly powerful. It also made the Government, if not exactly efficient, at least relatively quick in its actions. Once upon a time the Council had met personally with the King and offer him advice, today such meetings were rare, perhaps three or four in a year. Like his father, King Gregory II took only a passing interest in his Government. His great grand-father had been the one to push the final rival power, the Duke of Porton, from his place and embody the sovereignty of the entire island in a single individual. He had fought and suffered for this and it was understandable why he had forged the first links of the chain that would bind the nation so tightly together beneath the Crown. Several generations later the monarch that ruled had not sweat or bled for such power, it had been his birthright. That so easily obtained is not so kept so tightly controlled, the paranoia of his ancestors had been replaced with a want of fine things and entertainment. This left the governing to the Council. Instead of regular meetings it was far more common to simply report to the monarch afterwards any actions taken by the group on his behalf.

So, in his absence, the twelve assembled men exercised the powers of His Majesty King Gregory II, in the only way that so many tired old men do. Boringly.

"...this has put considerable stress on the local commerce as so many men have been requisitioned for the collecting of timber. The earl in the area has petitioned His Majesty to slow activity that more men might be used to collect the harvest." Henry Seymour, an earl himself but also Lord President of the Council, looked up from the parchment which was likely the petition. His glance met those of the Lord High Admiral, Prince Rupert. The Lord High Admiral was usually listed as the least senior of all the Great Officers of Breotonia but its occupant exercised great influence by right of the importance of the Royal Navy and was probably as powerful as the Lord High Chancellor or the Lord High Treasurer. Rupert responded with a shrug of his shoulders, "We need the ships, we can't halt everything because of labor problems." Seymour nodded as the other members gave varying noises and motions of agreement. He scribbled a response to the earl that had sent the petition. "The matter is under consideration."

He shuffled these papers away and brought forward a new bundle. While very senior in rank, the job of the Lord President was simply to administer the meetings of the Council, his own powers were very limited. The real powers, beside the Royal Navy, rested in the offices of Lord High Chancellor and, one rank below, the Lord High Treasurer. The Lord High Chancellor, Nicholas Heath (Bishop of Zeal), was the head of the country's courts and a leader of the Catholic Church in Breotonia. The dual nature of this office was apparent in those on the Council that found themselves in his camp. On the other side was Lord Henry Appleby as the head of the treasury and holder of the royal purse strings.

An uneasy balance had slowly evolved between the two offices with ceremonial and religious council members, such as the Archbishop of Lunden and the Lord Great Chamberlain, forming up behind the Lord High Chancellor while the more professional administrative members, such as the Lord Privy Seal, usually backed the actions of the Lord High Treasurer. The tension between the two groups was one reason why Seymour was reluctant to bring up the next item of business as it would undoubtedly set the two off against one another.

"His Majesty has received notification of the intent of King Sebastian to send negotiators seeking agreements on commerce between Breotonia and Franken."

The room became perceptibly more active as Heath swiftly responded in a most cutting manner, "Perfect, we might behead them and send the heads back so that Sebastian might know the fate of all those that turn from the true Church." Appleby's eyes narrowed, "I don't know how His Majesty would react to the knowledge that His Most Honorable Privy Council executed the representatives of a major trading partner because they find God by means of a different path."

Appleby continued, "We have always sought to gain leverage in matters of trade before, why should we not endeavor to do so now? Surely the Montelimarians give Sebastian good reason to be willing to part with extra coin in exchange for Breotish cooperation in trade?"

Seymour interjected, "Perhaps a committee should be formed? To hear those that speak for Franken? Decide what is in the best interest of His Majesty and Breotonia?"

Heath nodded, "Certainly, certainly. I shall be more than happy to head such a committee."

Appleby's eyes practically bulged, "I should think not! This is a matter for the Treasury obviously."

Heath swept the comment away with his hands, "Trade with heretics seems to be a matter left in the hands of my humble office."

Seymour sighed and furrowed his brow, there would be no breaking the tie between the two groups if they were set on it and it would be most improper for he himself to voice a deciding opinion. Of course, there was one member that had no clear allegiance. "Prince Rupert? What do you make of it?" The Lord High Admiral narrowed his eyes at the rest of the Council. "I think," he began, "that getting the Montelimarians to stop their damn games off of our coast would be most prudent. As you won't let me sink their ships, perhaps we can remove their prey if we give the Franconians new places to do their business. Let Lord Appleby see to it."

The Lord High Treasurer relaxed in his seat as he saw momentum swing in his direction, the Lord High Chancellor likewise stiffened. "Well, if it is the will of the Council, by all means, let Lord Appleby attempt to barter our souls for Franconian gold."

 

[Großlausitz]

Kingdom of Breotonia
Lunden, April 1572

They were a curious people, those Breotonians, Graf Streitberg mused while he was riding alongside Pfalzgraf Heinrich III at the helm of the Franconian delegation. With their Crown now ruling the complete island there was no need for large territorial defences and they could focus on developing their naval assets. If, yes, if a military power had managed to land forces on their precious isle, those foes would have given the territorial force a run for their money. Indeed, another – yet more secret – objective of this trip was to convince some ship builders to come to Franken. Their best chance was to find shipbuilders who felt close to Luther’s teachings.

“It’s a great honour to have you here, eure Durchlauchten,” Henrik Peier, the principal of the Königlich-Fränkische Handelsgesellschaft (KFH) branch office welcomed the Earl Palatinate Heinrich III von Faber-Castell and his nominal adjutant Graf Nikolaus von Streitberg. “We are proud to host both the regent of the royal duchy of Schaumburg and the King’s cousin.” Whereas the Reichsmarschall didn’t like to talk about that topic, Peier’s address wasn’t completely hog-wash. His father Peter von Streitberg had been the King’s maternal uncle. “Meister (1) Henrik, I surmise you have prepared proper accommodation for Pfalzgraf Heinrich, as you were told, haven’t you?” Henrik Peier bowed once more and had Heinrich III von Faber-Castell escorted to his quarters.

Ironically the nominal delegation leader of Franken was as hedonistic and little business-interested as his counter-part King George II. Yet neither side knew for now. A little while later the principal returned to the main office. The young earl had spent the meantime enjoying a glass of Breotish spirit. “These island-dwellers know how to distill spirits which make you forget this horrible weather, don’t they?” Peier smirked. “Well, mein Graf, they surely do. Seine Durchlaucht der Pfalzgraf has been supplied with everything to keep him happy and busy. And don’t worry, the ladies of that particular house of joys are very fond of foreign currencies. It’s small but its actual owner is quite loyal, mostly to our gold. I suspect him, a respectable alderman, to have some sympathies for our confession. Eavesdropping on the Earl Palatinate between the sheets is very unlikely.”

“I’m delighted to hear your talents are as excellent and numerous as they were described to me by your fellow merchants in Würzburg. Meister Martin, please fetch the notes with the basic instructions and plans His Majesty and the Privy Council have in mind.” Martin Knecht was the Marshal’s trusted secretary and in charge of the earl’s documents. Together with the other senior merchants who were supposed to participate in the talks Peier and Graf Streitberg discussed how to best achieve the main objectives: Tax free access to all major ports and free passage for the merchant navy of Franken; the war navy would pay an appropriate sum every time they used Breotonia as a short cut. In turn Henrik Peier explained the role of the kingdom’s Privy Council, its main power brokers and the role of the King himself to Nikolaus von Streitberg. “Did I get you right? The Lord High Chancellor is keener on cleaning the kingdom from any heretics, whilst the Lord High Treasurer might be open to reasonable deals.”

Tomorrow they would meet them for the first time.

(1) German equivalent of the outdated commoner’s title of Master Miller, et cetera
​

 

[Breotonia]

Richmond Court Palace
Borough of Richmond-upon-Blackwater
Lunden, Breotonia

Heath was furious as he dismounted his carriage as it arrived at his home towards dusk. His ecclesiastical robes billowed behind him as he stormed across through the gates, paying no heed to the servants that had assembled to meet him upon his return, and into the central courtyard of the palace. It was an extensive home for a humble man of God. Heath had a keen interest in architecture and upon his appointment into a position of authority into the Church and with the alternative streams of income that came with advising His Majesty he was able to exercise this interest at rather great cost to himself and, often, the State. He had overseen many of the properties of the country and the Church and had secured the palace under his own ownership instead of its intended transfer from a defunct order of knights to the Church. Such "oversights" were common place in men of his position. With great passion he took to modifying and expanding the structure in his spare time, he had spent nearly a quarter of a million gold crowns in the renovations since he acquired the estate in 1557.

His personnel guard marched before and behind him, as he entered into the main hall of the palace he was greeted to the sight of a hundred or more petitioners who almost permanently occupied the room hoping to catch a glimpse of the bishop and Lord Chancellor so that they might secure a blessing or garner his favor in government business. He passed them, secure in the knowledge that his guard would keep a safe distance between him and their filth. He smiled and bowed as he walked. Perhaps one day he could forbid the practice but with his home in the city itself it would be viewed badly to close his doors to them. He should have gotten an estate in the country where their kind would not venture.

Once making his way through the sea of human misery he was alone in the private area of estate, save of course for a couple hundred servants and assistants. He made his way to his private apartments where dinner was now being laid out for him. He sat immediately, partaking instantly in the wine and refilling the goblet once he had drained it. He motioned to one of his attendants as he began tearing apart the roasted chicken before him, "Boy, send for Father Thomas. Have him meet me here now." The young man bowed, "Yes, right away Your Excellency."

Perhaps ten minutes passed and Heath continued his supper until the priest arrived. He motioned for Thomas, his personnel assistant and advisor for many years, to take a seat and then looked to the boy sent to fetch him and the other assembled help, "Leave us." The bowed, filing out, and leaving the two men alone. Heath poured another glass of wine handing it to Thomas and then refilling his own glass. Thomas thanked the bishop.

"Thomas, the Sebastian is sending diplomats." Thomas looked slightly stunned but also menacing, as a hungry dog might.

"Your Excellency, this is a perfect opportunity to further establish your loyalty to the Church and His Holiness. To deny the pleas of the nonbelievers and punish them for their heresy."

"Yes, I had similar thoughts." Heath new that such an act would doubtlessly impress the Pope and perhaps ensure he rise to the rank of archbishop or, perhaps, even cardinal. He was constantly working for such elevation and now that such a golden opportunity had arisen it was being taken from him by the equally ambitious Lord High Treasurer.

"Appleby secured the Council's favor in leading a committee on the matter." Thomas again looked stunned.

"Appleby? He's as much a heretic as they. He has no qualms in dealing with Luther's devil offspring. It's outrageous. What did the King say?"

Heath snorted, "His Majesty has not been present a meeting yes this year. I cannot trouble him with the matter, he would be motivated neither to act or to care. Bothering him with such pleas would only weaken my standing with him. I must deal with this by other means."

"You must get the Council to reconsider."

"The Franconians arrive tomorrow. They will never table the motion again unless in extraordinary circumstances. If such circumstances were to occur before any agreement was reached there would be little choice for the Council, regrettably, but to hand leadership of the talks to myself."

Thomas understood what his master hinted at. "Your Excellency, I am sure that with diligent prayer the Lord will ensure such a fortuitous outcome. So that you might better serve him."

Heath smiled devilishly, "I have great faith that you are right." He knew that Thomas would now assist the Lord with the helping hand of a mortal and that Appleby would soon bother him no longer.

 

[Großlausitz]

Kingdom of Breotonia
Blackwater Castle
April 1572

Altogether the delegation from Franken encompassed about fifty-five men and a couple of women – both of the honourable and less honourable kind – who had travelled to the rainy island kingdom in a small but appropriately armed fleet under the command of Reichsmarschall Graf Streitberg. Apart from the Marshal, the Earl Palatinate and Principal Merchant Henrik Peier the other men were knowledgeable clergymen, secretaries, advisors, men-at-arms and a few shady figures, who would prefer to see Lunden at night.

Before their departure from the branch office Meister Henrik had informed Graf Streitberg they had successfully ‘convinced’ a disgruntled member of Bishop Heath’s household to inform the Franconians on a regular basis. “Mein Graf, our asset, so to say, is a junior steward with the household, who had hoped to be promoted steward of one of the bishop’s larger manors. It seems the good Lord High Chancellor postponed the appointment, as there are doubts whether our spy is a faithful son of the One True Church,” he told his aristocratic countryman smirking broadly. Acquiring an informant within Appleby’s household was taking some time, but it was no unachievable feat according Principal Peier.

The heralds were carrying the banners of the King of Franken, as did the men-at-arms, which had been drawn from the Royal Guard at Nürnberg. Neither the young Marshal nor his seasoned royal cousin King Sebastian wanted to risk Heinrich von Faber-Castell’s ambitious brother trying to forward his own agenda via men-at-arms drawn from the Ducal Guard in Schaumburg; or even worse, allow an assassin to kill Heinrich, who was without legitimate heir. As if to foreshadow Franken’s federalist future in a few centuries, both Graf Streitberg and Pfalzgraf Heinrich III were carrying their own family colours like any other noble lord or independent knight.

Eventually they were led into the main hall of Blackwater Castle, which wasn’t so different from its counterpart in Nürnberg, which was the Königsburg (Kingscastle). They hadn’t managed to fully shake off the vestiges of the last centuries, i.e. Middle Ages in modern terms, either. Although trivial, this observation was strangely relieving for Graf Streitberg. In their capacity as the leaders of the delegation, the Lord High Steward kindly welcomed his foreign guests, expressing his desire for the talks to be mutually profitable. Graf Nikolaus von Streitberg knew this was but a set phrase in diplomacy, yet for some reason it boosted his optimism.

Now Pfalzgraf Heinrich III was showing the talents which luckily balanced his laziness and hedonism. Heinrich von Faber-Castell’s charms easily enchanted both men and women, regardless of age. Therefore, Heinrich would act as quick vanguard to pave the way, while the actual gruntwork would be left to Graf Streitberg and Principal Merchant Henrik Peier.
​

 

[Breotonia]

Great Chamber
Blackwater Castle
Borough of Richmond-upon-Blackwater
Lunden, Breotonia

The main room and ceremonial center of most medieval manors and palaces, and the one most associated with occupancy of a king or noble, was the Great Hall. Often an ornate construction and, if not necessarily ornate, very large, it served as the dining room, the official living area, a place to receive visitors and so on. The room that actually served as the main living space for a royal or a nobleman and his family, however, is the relatively less well known Great Chamber. This was the private room , connected to various apartments, in which the family of a manor would be able to escape from their miniature army of servants and advisors. Blackwater Castle was the ancestral seat of the Duke of Richmond-upon-Blackwater for centuries until, in 1499, the Duke was implicated in a treasonous plot and promptly separated from his head by order of the quite elderly but still sharply paranoid King Gregory I (grandfather to Gregory II). The ownership fo the title and of the palace passed into the hands of the monarch's house. The castle had been unofficially made the main center for Privy Council activities and, likewise, the Great Chamber had become the unofficial place of reception for the various representatives of important interests, foreign and domestic, that sought meetings with the Council. The Duke had been wealthy before he shuffled the mortal coil and the riches of his house kept his estate in great condition even after the change in ownership. The Great Chamber was grandly but comfortably decorated. Tables and chairs had been arranged as well as the necessary ink, quills, parchment and other various supplies that might be required during the proceedings. A selection of food and drink was available though not enough to risk spoiling appetites prior to the banquet that would be held that coming night, and every night, until the meetings were finished. Diplomacy, if one did not take care, could easily expand the waistline.

When the noise of the heralds had died down and the array of colored standards faded from memory the gentleman all took their seats and prepared for the game. Appleby had taken the opportunity of the event to reinstate, hopefully permanently, the Board of Trade or, more formally, the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council appointed for the consideration of all matters relating to Continental Trade and Domestic Production. It was a handy committee that, if he could make permanent and ensure that it was within the control of his office, Lord Treasurer Appleby hoped would strengthen his influence over the Privy Council and further refine and strengthen the powers of Government. Underneath the right people of course. There was no place for the zealotry of those like the Lord Chancellor or the mindlessness of the royals. The era of the professional administrator the time of the bureaucrat. If this meeting was successful it would show the merit of his methods and of his goals for the government of the country.

Appleby had chosen two men to assist him most directly, his assistant Mr. William Pitt from the Treasury, and an aristocrat and successful businessman named Robert Shaw II, a baron, whose father had formed the successful Shaw Joint Stock Company which traded in wares from the East. The minds of both men would be invaluable in the proceedings. The one called Heinrich, a pfalzgraf which the Earl Marshal from the College of Arms had assured Appleby was a type of Germanic duke, had been implied at least as the leader of the Franconian delegation in the communications from Sebastian's Royal Household. Appleby greeted him accordingly as they sat assembled, "Willkommen zu Breotonia Ihre Hoheit." With that he exhausted his German, he could speak French and Latin, even a little Greek, but not German which was of mild disappointment at the moment.

"His Majesty King Gregory II is most delighted to be council with His Majesty King Sebastian through this conference and he wishes to impart his warmest regards to His Majesty when you return. It is his, and my own, hope that you can do so not only with these warm regards but also with a fair agreement. Because this gathering was done at your behest might I suggest that the first remarks be made by the Franconians?"

High Street
Lunden, Breotonia

Father Thomas, adorned not in his holy orders but instead in a tattered cloak, passed through the mingling masses of people in the crowded midday streets. The market was full to bursting with Lunden's thousands of inhabitants going about their business oblivious to the priest's presence. He finally ducked into a grungy looking inn. The outside's appearance prepared one well for the interior which was just as crowded with bodies as the street except far more of these people were in varying states of inebriation or, at the very least, doing something that the Lord would care very little for. Thomas averted his gaze from the myriad of prostitutes and dealers of other carnal indulgences as he slunk to the back where a man sat nursing a pint of a foul smelling liquid. The man looked rough in face but was well dressed and seemed to be a class above his fellow patrons thought this discrepancy in manners did not seem to bother him though Thomas was made notably uncomfortable by it, his face looked sour with anger and disgust at the filth that enveloped the hot and humid room. He would spend as little time here as he could manage.

The priest sat, meeting the eyes of the man, "Ulrich, a pleasure as always." The tone of Thomas's voice indicated clearly that he did not find the circumstances pleasurable at all. The rough snickered at the holy man's discomfort. Downing his drink, "What do you have for me this time priest?" Thomas withdrew from his cloak a scrap and parchment with writing on it and slid it across the table. Ulrich scanned it with eyes, "A Great Officer of State? This is a very tall order my friend."

"My master is very keen on the accomplishment of this task. Am I to understand you will be unable to fulfill the contract?"

Ulrich laughed again, undeterred by the obvious attempt at insult, "I'm just going to need thirty pieces of silver."

 

[Großlausitz]

Great Chamber
Blackwater Castle
Borough of Richmond-upon-Blackwater
Lunden, Breotonia

“Please convey His Majesty King Gregory II the very best wishes from His Majesty King Sebastian III of Franken. As a token of his friendship and admiration for King Gregory I was asked by King Sebastian to present you with these modest gifts from Franken,” Pfalzgraf Heinrich von Faber-Castell nonchalantly waved two servants to put two barrels on the ground in front of him. With a look that betrayed him as a connoisseur of the fine things in life, he patted on both barrels. “My Lord, these two wooden containers carry a treasure with them. They are filled with wine harvested in the year of the coronation of King Sebastian.”

“Thank you for having us, My Lord, Gentlemen,” Graf Streitberg added to Faber-Castell’s coaxing. The translation was handled by Graf Nikolaus’ trusted and talented assistant Meister Martin Knecht. Although Heinrich had offered to bring a translator of his own, Nikolaus von Streitberg had managed to prevent him from doing so. Who knew if it wasn’t a henchman of Pfalzgraf Heinrich’s ambitious brother? Stroking his neatly trimmed goatee, the young earl nodded politely when Heinrich von Faber-Castell told the Lord High Treasurer Graf Streitberg and Meister Hendrik Peier would present the ‘technical’ details.

“In Franken Breotonia is reknown for its national business acumen and its readiness to accept other Christian creeds, which basically observe the Holy Scripture’s teachings. We would be more than happy to learn from your sober and good Christian approach to his fellow man and people. Don’t we believe in the very same Trinity? To put it in naval terms, Catholics prefer a luxuriously adorned bark while we Lutherans rely on the less splendidly looking carrack? Having said this, I would like to propose a modest deal: Both Franken and Breotonia rely on the free flow of goods to ensure their national wealth. Whereas constant harassment by the closest allies of the Papacy such as Montelimar inspires us to keep on improving our naval technology, we still need a safe haven between Germania and the Western continents to replenish supplies and/or do business. In return for the annual payment of a lump sum for the next 16 years, Breotonia will open all of her ports to Franconian merchants’ ships, charging no tolls. Furthermore, our Royal Navy will be allowed to pass Breotonian waters unharmed. The Crown of Franken will return the favour for her ports and permit Breotonian warships to anchor and replenish supplies accordingly,” Graf Streitberg explained. It was a matter of fact this extreme demand would be the result. You had to start somewhere, hadn’t you?

“My Lords, keep in mind that Würzburg is the entry gate into the Empire. The Crown has recently seen to restore and repair the damages of the roads between Würzburg and Schaumburg caused by the Reformation Wars. In a couple of years commerce will flow through Franken as abundantly as before the proclamation of the kingdom and the last wars. While the Saxonians insist on keeping Protestant-led caravans out of their Empire, they aren’t that strict on those led by good Catholics. Franken just taxes Imperial caravans heavier,” Principal Hendrik Meier told them.

Meanwhile, Pfalzgraf Heinrich seemed to enjoy the wine served in the Great Chamber.
​

 

[Breotonia]

Great Chamber
Blackwater Castle
Borough of Richmond-upon-Blackwater
Lunden, Breotonia

Appleby eyed the casks of wine with no small amount of envy. Like any man of breeding he enjoyed a fine drink and was particularly attached to sherry or brandy and such a symbolic and surely delightful vintage was right up his alley. He always dreamed of one day, when his work was done, retiring completely to his estate to live out the rest of his days loving his wife and making his own brews. Obviously he would never countenance intercepting some of the precious liquid before it reached His Majesty but, perhaps if he were present when Gregory II got a hold of this gift he would be treated to a glass or two. The King was as fond as anybody when it came to drinking. "A gift His Majesty will most graciously receive and I trust will enjoy infinitely."

He listened intently to Graf Streitberg's opening remarks. To be sure the present Franconian position was uncomfortable at best. Reformation had been a destabilizing experience and one that they themselves were only just adjusting to. Catholic Europe would continue to persecute them for their break. As far as Appleby was concerned, however, the Lutherans were something they would just have to get used to. No doubt the more devoted elements of Breotish religious society would wish to see nothing more than for Franconian circumstances to worsen. Personally the Lord High Treasurer felt not ill will towards the Protestants. That being said, he was fully prepared to exploit their position for Breotish profit. How could they expect anything less?

The opening gambit by Streitberg was to be expected, they both knew it was probably unacceptable but that's how these things progressed. The Franconians offered their extreme, Appleby would give a Breotish counter, and slowly they would dance towards the center hopefully reaching a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement. For Appleby these negotiations were important in and of themselves but also a smaller piece in a much larger game he was currently playing with the Lord High Chancellor. A successful arrangement with the Franconians would give him that much more power and leverage as he maneuvered around Heath and his zealots in establishing a permanent, orderly, and impartial bureaucracy a collection of civil servants who would administer Government free from whatever political, cultural, or religious upheavals would beset the nation from time to time.

A happy resolution with the Franconians would see more coin in the Treasury and his influence expanded at the expense of Heath. With the support of Franken Breotonia would gain expanded access to northern markets of Slavs and the Oelarian. Friendly relations would increase the avenues through which Breotish merchants could further penetrate the continent. For all of these reasons Appleby was eager to come to terms with his guests. Still, he had to dance.

"While the idea of a full payment for access to our ports upfront is appealing, I'm afraid that His Majesty will insist that fees be paid in the normal fashion of tolls based on the amount and type of cargo of each ship. However, it is possible that we might implement a policy of lower rates in certain high traffic ports for ships flying the Franconian flag."

"In a handful of cities with very large volumes of goods passing through them, Lunden and Porton most notably, Franconian traders might be granted the privilege of these reduced rates. Perhaps three quarters of the current taxes?"

"On the matter of the free passage of your warships. Ordinarily we would find the idea rather unsettling but, considering the times that we live in and the rather dishonorable actions of our more fanatical neighbors I understand the Franconian position. Provided that the Royal Franconian Navy adheres to honorable decent conduct while in our waters, and I have no doubt that they will, they are welcome to free passage. Also, when restocking in our ports, provided that adequate payment is received for the debts incurred, we will be most pleased to have them. We are prepared to accept similar treatment for our own warships while in your Kingdom."