1607 Spring

“Something has to be done, Kaiser!”

“That’s right, we can no longer tolerate those filthy heretics have their way in the Reich!”

“Order a crusade, Kaiser! Let’s send those evil heretics to hell!”

‘Sigh’

“I understand your worries. But, barely 5 years have passed since the empire fought with the Muslims. I don’t think it’s the right moment to gather an army against the Protestants...”

Just as I expected. The Holy Roman Empire(Germany) didn’t respond in any way at the War of the Lorraine Succession. Why? Because the Empire was split in half, thanks to the religious feud between the Catholic and the Protestant.

Ever since the Cologne War was ended with the Protestant’s de-facto victory, the Catholic side in the Holy Roman Empire was craving for revenge. However, with the long war against the Ottoman, the strength of the southern German feudal lords – who were mostly Catholics – were drastically reduced, which led to Protestant, northern German feudal lords’ relative supremacy. The abnormal situation that 4 out of 7 Prince-Electors – Brandenburg, Saxony, Palatine, Cologne - of the Holy Roman Empire was Protestant continued, and Catholics became the underdog.

But, after 2 wars - War of Iberian Succession and War of the Lorraine Succession – circumstances have changed. A series of defeat in both wars have resulted in terrible damage to the Northern German feuds, which were Protestants. With the Hanseatic League becoming bankrupt and many of their civilians captured as prisoners and sent to America during the War of Iberian Succession, they first became bankrupt. And at the War of the Lorraine Succession, their armies have shattered by the Lioness. In short, they had been added insult to injury after the loss of 2 wars.

And the Catholic feudal lords in Southern Germany wasted no time spotting this once-in-a-lifetime chance. Luckily for them, just a right incident happened at Donauworth in April 1606.

Protestants of Donauworth – a Free imperial city Donauworth, located in Swavia, which was Protestants’ territory – lynched the Catholic monks who were marching, while singing a choir, claiming that the monks were trying to topple the Donauworth city government.

And that’s why the Catholic feudal lords instantly screamed that it was religious oppression by the Protestants and demanded to the Kaiser – Rudolf II, who was my first cousin twice removed – to crush the Protestants. In the end, the weak and unfit ruler Rudolf II, who was only interested in alchemy and astronomy, surrendered to the Catholic feudal lords' demand.

So, Maximilian I – the Duke of Bavaria – who claimed himself as the protector of the Catholic faith, marched to Donauworth city with his troops and the Kaiser’s permission document, and stripped off Donauworth city’s status of the free imperial city and annexed that region to Catholic realm.

Of course, the Protestants went bananas. They claimed this Donauworth incident as religious oppression and immediately formed the Protestant Union. In return, the Catholics considered the formation of the Protestant Union as a challenge to topple the Holy Roman Empire and asked the Rudolf II to suppress this rebellion.

However, Rudolf II didn’t give clear answers, worrying that the Holy Roman Empire might suffer another civil war – which was only avoiding his responsibility as a Kaiser.

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Thanks to Ottoman’s invasion, the Cologne War, which ended with a truce, became de-facto-victory of the Protestants. And with Rudolf II’s age over 50 now, the fact that 4 out of 7 Prince-Electors became Catholic implied that the Protestant feudal lord can become the next Kaiser. So, it was no wonder that both the House of Habsburg – in Austria – and the Catholic feudal lords in the Holy Roman Empire were both anxious about the future. The only one who was not worried about the future was only Rudolf II - the incompetent and weak Kaiser.

1607 Summer

I've heard interesting news in Madrid - the 2nd capital of the United Kingdom - that France took the Catholic League(A coalition of German Catholic Feudal Lords)'s side in the Donauworth incident.

'Well, no wonder. Since France fought against the German Protestants in the War of the Lorraine Succession not long ago, taking their side wouldn't make sense.'

So, with France's utmost support, the Catholic feudal lords started to put more pressure on the Kaiser. Also, this time, the entire Austrian Habsburg family urged Rudolf II as well.

Why? With Kaiser on his last legs now, if the electorate of Cologne remains as Protestant, the worst-case-scenario - the Habsburg family losing the title "Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire" - might become true.

And that was good news to me. If the Holy Roman Empire enters another civil war, the United Kingdom will have a bigger room to maneuver, with whole Europe's attention being focused on Germany.

However, it was risky to openly support the Protestant's side for 2 reasons. First was the Lioness. And second, was the Spanish. Since I'm now the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Iberia, I have to consider Spanish as well, not only Protestants of Netherlands and Great Britain.

And since Spanish are filled up with pride that they're the last resort of the Catholic faith, if they're given the impression that their new king takes Protestant's side, they might revolt against me.

So, I've decided to use only half of my country's power - the financial network of the City of London and the Protestants of the Netherlands.

Instead of openly supporting the Protestants, I've secretly ordered the banks of the City of London and the factories(which has been upgraded from guilds) of the Netherlands, to take the Protestant Union(Coalition of Protestant German states)'s side.

"Lend them money at low interest and sell weapons at low prices. But don't say that I've ordered it."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Of course, your majesty."

Indeed, the Catholic League wasn't happy with it.

"Why, that, filthy traitor of the Catholic Church!"

"How can that hypocrite can call himself as the King of Iberia!"

And I simply replied

"How dare you! Am I - Edward VII, king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Iberia - supposed to take responsibility for all those petty, little merchants' misdeeds?"

Needless to say, it was putting lipstick on a pig. However, since it was also true that the majority of the Dutch were Protestants, the Catholic League didn't have enough motive to wage war against my kingdom as well.

With the United Kingdom's - half-official - support, the Protestant Union was buffed up. The Kaiser in Vienna was just a paper tiger, who has long lost his authority with the battle against the Ottoman. France, which was their only fearsome foe, was not eager to send their troops because of the fatigue from consecutive wars they've had so far.

1607 Winter

With the Kaiser ignoring the Protestant Union's ultimatum, the Protestant Union declared war against the Kaiser - holding the recovery of the status of Donauworth as a Free Imperial City and return of it to the Swavia region.

And that was the last straw for Rudolf II. He ordered the heretic's purge, and the Catholic League was reformed under the name of Kaiser. In short, another religious civil war broke out in Germany.

With the war broke out, Elizabeth - who previously declared utmost support to the Catholic League - immediately gathered 6,000 troops and swept into the Holy Roman Empire.

"Leaving Paris empty. Huh! Is she doing war to get power or craves power so that she continually goes to war?"

Meanwhile, the East India Company reported that the number of settlers of Taiwan Island reached 500. Of course, it's only half of the original aim - 1,000 - but for celebration, I've named the Taiwan Island as New Wales and named de-facto capital of that Island - Taipei - as New Cardiff.

Also, the West India Company reported they've had 10,000 settlers and 30,000 native Americans serfs so far. However, there was also bad news. Smallpox has been widespread among the native Americans, with settlers suffering the lack of labor.

"Ah, yes! Smallpox Vaccine!"

"...I beg your pardon, your majesty?"

"I've heard milkmaids who had previously caught cowpox did not later catch smallpox. Check it."

And so, I've ordered the Royal Society of London to verify it. At first, the scholars of the Royal Society of London stared at me, barely holding the urge to say

'Are you out of your mind, your majesty?'

1608 Summer

Edward Jenner, you're fired! Smallpox vaccine was successfully developed, and it was named as the Tudor vaccine, to commemorate the Royal family - I, to be more exact - 's feat. And I've instantly ordered the Tudor vaccine to be vaccinated in my entire kingdom and colonies. Although there was some fuss - like some newspapers putting caricatures of me as a Minotaur, it was successfully introduced.