The United Kingdoms of Franco-Iberia
(Also known as the Valois Dominions)
Montjoie Saint Denis!
Component Territories
Francis III is the current leader of the House de Valois, the King of Aragon and France, the Overlord of Britanny, the Most Catholic King. Born in the year 1648, and having ruled since 1681, Francis III is an experienced ans savvy ruler, known for his pragmatism and flexibility. His reign has been a troubled one, marked by two diametric shifts of power: The rise of the crown of France, and the decline of that of Spain. Looking at the record of his rule, one can clearly see these movements; the Spanish failure to bring back the wayward colony of Peru into the fold, and the french success in the Savoyard War, which resulted in Imperial recognition of the annexation of Nice.
Now aged 52 and sickly, his thoughts have begun to turn towards his own succession. Though he had two sons, one died of sickness, the other in battle, with neither leaving heirs of their own. Thus, his only remaining child is his daughter, Isabelle de Valois. Despite salic law prohibiting female inheritance, Francis has been working tirelessly to ensure that she will succeed him upon his death, forcing the nobles of the kingdoms to swear loyalty to her, and issuing the Edict of Clarification, legalizing the transfer of all Valois domains to Isabelle upon his death.
Nevertheless, he is intelligent enough to know that the french and Aragonese nobility only promised their support under duress, and has thus begun reaching out to other European kings, seeking assurance of their support when the looming crisis hits. His main worry is the Habsburg Emperors, who never abandoned their claim to his thrones.
Though both France and Iberia have had long-lasting relations with one another, stretching back to the days of the Celts, it was only in 1496 that the two powers were formally united, when Joanna of Castile wedded Charles XIII, King of France. The union of the two crowns did not go unnoticed by the other European powers, however, and it was one of the key issues in the Italian Wars. During these conflicts, the Valois were forced to cede Galicia to Portugal to end the latter's involvement in the conflict, beginning a long rivalry between the two powers which continues to this day.
The European status quo was shattered by the bloody Five Year's War (1606-1611), fought over succession to the crowns of Franco-Iberia between Valois and Habsburg claimants. The Habsburgs, newly converted to protestantism, and having united the Germanies beneath the Imperial banner, defeated french army after french army, while the Castilians revolted in support of the Habsburgs. After the french victory at the Battle of Rheims, however, the war ground to a stalemate. The Treaty of Amiens (1611) was then signed, restoring the status quo ante bellum between the two powers.
While most of the castilian colonies in the new world were retaken without too much effort, the Peruvians proved resistant, and continued to wage their own low-intensity war for half a century. Though the Treaty of Toledo (1649) finally ended the grueling colonial war, ending the hostilities between the supporters of the Valois and Habsburg pretenders, the Peruvians continued to maintain that the king of the Valois domains was a usurper, and that the only true King was the descendent of the Habsburg claimant of old.
The Valois came into conflict with the Habsburgs once again after the french annexation of Nice and Savoy. Deemed an unacceptable breach of the balance of powers, the Valois fought a coalition of Habsburgs, Italians, and others in the Savoyard War (1686-1689). Though French armies performed well, the death of the last male Valois heir to the throne brought Francis III to the peace table, desiring to end the war quickly so as to build support for the succession of his daughter, Isabelle de Valois. The war ended with both sides claiming a victory; the Emperor acknowledged the annexations of Nice and Savoy, while the French ceased their expansion into Italy.
The European status quo was shattered by the bloody Five Year's War (1606-1611), fought over succession to the crowns of Franco-Iberia between Valois and Habsburg claimants. The Habsburgs, newly converted to protestantism, and having united the Germanies beneath the Imperial banner, defeated french army after french army, while the Castilians revolted in support of the Habsburgs. After the french victory at the Battle of Rheims, however, the war ground to a stalemate. The Treaty of Amiens (1611) was then signed, restoring the status quo ante bellum between the two powers.
While most of the castilian colonies in the new world were retaken without too much effort, the Peruvians proved resistant, and continued to wage their own low-intensity war for half a century. Though the Treaty of Toledo (1649) finally ended the grueling colonial war, ending the hostilities between the supporters of the Valois and Habsburg pretenders, the Peruvians continued to maintain that the king of the Valois domains was a usurper, and that the only true King was the descendent of the Habsburg claimant of old.
The Valois came into conflict with the Habsburgs once again after the french annexation of Nice and Savoy. Deemed an unacceptable breach of the balance of powers, the Valois fought a coalition of Habsburgs, Italians, and others in the Savoyard War (1686-1689). Though French armies performed well, the death of the last male Valois heir to the throne brought Francis III to the peace table, desiring to end the war quickly so as to build support for the succession of his daughter, Isabelle de Valois. The war ended with both sides claiming a victory; the Emperor acknowledged the annexations of Nice and Savoy, while the French ceased their expansion into Italy.
Portugal: The Portuguese have been a constant enemy to the Valois ever since the union of 1496. Surprisingly adept at warfare, they have acquitted themselves well in nearly every war against the Valois, particularly at sea. Their colonial empire, which sprawls across the world, has been the main source of conflict between the two, particularly the expansion of Brazil.
Holy Roman Empire: The Habsburgs have, in the last century, emerged as the arch-rival of the Valois. Not only do they claim the French and Aragonese thrones, but the two are also divided by religion, the former being protestants, and the later devout Catholics. It is especially the French who are at odds with the Empire: in any european war, one can expect to find the Emperor on one side, and the Valois king on the other.
Poland-Hungary: The kings of Poland-Hungary and France-Aragon have had a traditional alliance stretching back a hundred years, mainly united by their common foe in the newly unified Holy Roman Empire, as well as the Turks, and the Italians.
Holy Roman Empire: The Habsburgs have, in the last century, emerged as the arch-rival of the Valois. Not only do they claim the French and Aragonese thrones, but the two are also divided by religion, the former being protestants, and the later devout Catholics. It is especially the French who are at odds with the Empire: in any european war, one can expect to find the Emperor on one side, and the Valois king on the other.
Poland-Hungary: The kings of Poland-Hungary and France-Aragon have had a traditional alliance stretching back a hundred years, mainly united by their common foe in the newly unified Holy Roman Empire, as well as the Turks, and the Italians.
There is no unified Valois army. Instead, each crown has its own force which acts independently of the others. Each army has its own organization, and quality.
The Aragonese army is reputed to be unreliable, with corruption among the officers being rampant, and moral among the poorly-paid foot soldiers at a low. Meanwhile, the French army is famous for its quality, its talented generals leading well trained and well equipped hosts. The colonial and axillary forces are generally considered to be unfit for battle, and are kept for garrison duty.
The Marshall General of France, responsible for overseeing the defense of the realm, is the Duke of Angers, a visionary known for his enthusiastic adoption of emerging technologies. His Aragonese counterpart, the Duke of Berga, is in many ways his opposite as well. The Duke of Berga is a deeply conservative man, convinced of the supremacy of logistics and siege craft, and the old way of war.
In peacetime, the kingdoms have armies that are quite small; 50 thousand in the Spanish army, 80 thousand in the French, and around 30 thousand in the axillary forces. In war-time, these numbers can increase tenfold, though in practice the cost of feeding, training, and equipping an army of that size would cripple the state.
The Aragonese army is reputed to be unreliable, with corruption among the officers being rampant, and moral among the poorly-paid foot soldiers at a low. Meanwhile, the French army is famous for its quality, its talented generals leading well trained and well equipped hosts. The colonial and axillary forces are generally considered to be unfit for battle, and are kept for garrison duty.
The Marshall General of France, responsible for overseeing the defense of the realm, is the Duke of Angers, a visionary known for his enthusiastic adoption of emerging technologies. His Aragonese counterpart, the Duke of Berga, is in many ways his opposite as well. The Duke of Berga is a deeply conservative man, convinced of the supremacy of logistics and siege craft, and the old way of war.
In peacetime, the kingdoms have armies that are quite small; 50 thousand in the Spanish army, 80 thousand in the French, and around 30 thousand in the axillary forces. In war-time, these numbers can increase tenfold, though in practice the cost of feeding, training, and equipping an army of that size would cripple the state.
Government: France is ruled by His Grace Francis III, in personal union with the kingdom of Aragon and all subordinate crowns thereof. Unlike the other Valois dominions, the authority of the king of France is not absolute- though he rules the nation by himself, he relies on a parliament of nobles to collect taxes, the High Estate. Though these landed nobles are generally supportive of the King's policies, they occasionally cause trouble by refusing to approve taxes or otherwise impeding the crown's objectives.
Colonies: Though France has some colonies elsewhere, notably the Antilles and Louisiana, their main colony is New France, the vast expanse stretching from Labrador to the Great Lakes. From here, France has a virtual monopoly on the trade of furs from the New World, though increasingly the English dispute that claim.
Colonies: Though France has some colonies elsewhere, notably the Antilles and Louisiana, their main colony is New France, the vast expanse stretching from Labrador to the Great Lakes. From here, France has a virtual monopoly on the trade of furs from the New World, though increasingly the English dispute that claim.
Government: In Aragon, the King rules absolute. There are no checks on his power, allowing him to use this realm as a base for power when the French nobility prove difficult. When the Crown of Castile was liquidated in 1612, its lands were added to Aragon divided into provinces. Keeping these territories obedient is a major goal of the Aragonese government.
Colonies: Though Aragon did not itself found any colonies in the new world, it inherited all of Castile's possessions, notably the Carribean, and the viceroyaltys of New Spain and Columbia. Its domination over the Gulf of Mexico is absolute, and it has perhaps the greatest concentrated territory in the new world.
On the Crown of Castille: The Castilian kingdom was liquidated in 1612, when it was annexed into the Crown of Aragon. This measure followed the bloody Five Year's War (1606-1611), fought over succession to the crowns of Franco-Iberia between Valois and Habsburg claimants, in which the Castilians supported the Habsburg pretender. During the war, the Castilian colonies in the new world followed the rebellious lead of their homeland.
Though the Treaty of Amiens (1611) stipulated the return of all Valois colonies in the New World, and most were indeed retaken without incident, the Peruvians refused to recognize the treaty, and continued to fight in a nearly unbroken war for half a century.
Though the Treaty of Toledo (1649) finally ended the grueling colonial war, ending the hostilities between the supporters of the Valois and Habsburg pretenders, the Peruvians continued to maintain that the king of the Valois domains was a usurper, and that the only true King was the descendent of the Habsburg claimant of old.
Colonies: Though Aragon did not itself found any colonies in the new world, it inherited all of Castile's possessions, notably the Carribean, and the viceroyaltys of New Spain and Columbia. Its domination over the Gulf of Mexico is absolute, and it has perhaps the greatest concentrated territory in the new world.
On the Crown of Castille: The Castilian kingdom was liquidated in 1612, when it was annexed into the Crown of Aragon. This measure followed the bloody Five Year's War (1606-1611), fought over succession to the crowns of Franco-Iberia between Valois and Habsburg claimants, in which the Castilians supported the Habsburg pretender. During the war, the Castilian colonies in the new world followed the rebellious lead of their homeland.
Though the Treaty of Amiens (1611) stipulated the return of all Valois colonies in the New World, and most were indeed retaken without incident, the Peruvians refused to recognize the treaty, and continued to fight in a nearly unbroken war for half a century.
Though the Treaty of Toledo (1649) finally ended the grueling colonial war, ending the hostilities between the supporters of the Valois and Habsburg pretenders, the Peruvians continued to maintain that the king of the Valois domains was a usurper, and that the only true King was the descendent of the Habsburg claimant of old.
Government: Britanny is of course ruled by the Grand Duke, who rules his territory directly, managing its cities through governors. Though the Bretons in theory are vassals to the french crown, in practice they pursue their own foreign policy, allying with enemies of the Valois in constant efforts to gain greater autonomy and perhaps even independence.