((Info: This is an AAR of my first session in Europa Universalis 4. Not sure if a tumblr is the right medium… ))

In the year 1444 of our lord, Frederick II. of Hohenzollern rose to the throne in Brandenburg. Involved in the affairs of the court from early on, he was an ample diplomat and steward, albeit still lacking some experience.

Another thing he lacked was strategic talent, and so it came to be that his first military actions were only successful due to sheer luck and influence from the big powers: A war against the Teutonic Order could only be won when they left their garrison in Neumark unprotected whilst being invaded by Poland. A war against Magdeburg in the year 1457 could only be won because 7000 peasants obliterated the Magdeburgian army before moving on to nearby Brunswick. Both Anhalt and Magdeburg were vassalized.

All seemed well: The relationship with neighbouring powerhouse Poland was stable, Brandenburg was allied with Austria, Bohemia and nearby growing power Hesse. Together with Hesse and their respective vassals, the city of Frankfurt was added and the Hohenzollern Monarch was tied into a tight net of allies and royal marriages.



Such a tight net of alliances made Frederick feel secure. So secure even, he denied alliance requests of Poland to keep the Kaiser happy. His planned war against his northern neighbour Pommerania found positive resonance with his allies, given he can prove he has a valid claim against them. To further strengthen the bonds with his allies - and because he was honourable - he always heeded his partner’s call to arms. The most important ones were against Denmark and against Venice, both in 1470, as well as against Hungary in 1472.

And the latter proved to be the beginning of the end. In a foolish foray into Hungarian territory, the Brandenburgian Army of 13,000 men was annihilated by Hungarian forces at Pecs. The war has been costly up until then, but the battle of Pecs was the turning point of Frederick’s reign. A white peace was arranged in 1472.

The Margraviate of Brandenburg, spanning from the Oder to the Saale, was now completely defenseless. Weeks after this news reached the states of Northern Germany they saw their chance. Thuringia and the Hansa declared war on us, and quickly conquered all of our lands. In 1478, the outlook was dire.

.The attempts of rebuilding of an army were not nearly enough to withstand the enemy forces - only Thuringia could be stormed, and only because the vassal state of Magdeburg was leading the military operations. In the same year, the Peace of Hamburg was signed with the forces of the Hansa, ending the short war in favor of the trade republic.

Frederick II. wasn’t seen much around the court for what proved to be his last two years of life - he preferred solitude, and let his son Karl take care of most of his duties - who ascended upon the throne in 1480.