Here I Stand: The Game as History By Ed Beach, Designer GMT is estimating that Here I Stand will ship late in February. It is now 9 weeks until the end of February ... and the game has 9 turns. So I thought it would be interesting to cover the history of each turn one week at a time for the next 9 weeks. The game's Scenario Book includes a synopsis of the history of each turn followed by over 80 different historical sketches. These are either descriptions of events of the period or biographies of the characters of the Reformation. I'll pull the most interesting of those each week and post a few of them in the days after I give the basic run-down on the events of the turn. Background In the 15th Century, signals appeared hinting that Europe would soon emerge from the long slumber of the Middle Ages. The invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenberg promised to revolutionize the spread of culture and learning. In 1453, the Ottoman Turks finally overcame Constantinople, sweeping away the final vestige of the Byzantine Empire. The flight of Greek scholars to Italy became a further stimulus to the intellectual Renaissance that was spreading across Northern Italy. The balance of power was also shifting on the Iberian peninsula; Ferdinand and Isabella’s armies removed the final Arab presence in Granada in 1492, the same year that Christopher Columbus sailed for the New World. Even in religious matters, where the Catholic Church held sway throughout the Middle Ages, change was in the air. Building on the work of John Wycliffe, a 14th Century Oxford scholar who created the first Bible translation in English, the Hussites in Bohemia started to question the institutions of the Catholic Church. These Bohemians were able to establish a Hussite church that maintained a degree of independence from Rome, could worship in the Czech language, and offered wine as well as bread at communion. Changes in leadership were occurring as well. Henry VII, founder of the English Tudor dynasty died in 1509, leaving the kingdom to his young son of the same name. The younger Henry had become the heir apparent at age eleven in 1502, when his older brother Arthur caught an infection and died. To maintain the dynastic alliance with Spain, Henry was betrothed to Arthur’s widow, Catherine of Aragon. They were married in June 1509, just a few months after Henry VIII ascended to the English throne. A new pope also ascended during this period. The new pontiff was Leo X, born as Giovanni di Lorenzo de Medici in Florence in 1475. Destined for the church at birth, Giovanni was elevated to the rank of cardinal at the remarkably young age of 14. When he became Pope in 1513, Leo rejoiced, telling his brother "Since God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it." Leo lived by these words, throwing elaborate festivals and parades and spending generously toward the construction of the new building project in Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica. Meanwhile in France, the reigning king Louis XII died on New Year’s Day 1515; his cousin Francis became king. Francis I, age 21, possessed a keen interest in the art and architecture of Italy. He would soon find himself in that part of Europe, fighting in the Italian War that his predecessor had begun. At the bloody battle of Marignano, Francis prevailed over the Swiss and regained control of Milan, the French gateway to Italy. The final dynastic change occurred when Ferdinand II of Aragon died in 1516, leaving the united kingdoms of Castile and Aragon to his grandson, Charles. Born in Ghent in 1500, Charles grew up in the Netherlands under the tutelage of Adrian of Utrecht. Charles had inherited the Netherlands and Franche-Comté from his father in 1506. Spain’s holdings now included Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, several cities on the North African coast, and a ever-expanding presence in the New World. At age 16, Charles V empire was vast and was soon to expand twice more. The Protestant Reformation is about to begin. Turn 1 (1517 - 1523) Short Biographies of Turn 1 Historical Figures: Ferdinand Magellan Pope Leo X’s ambitious schedule to move forward with the ongoing construction work on St. Peter’s Basilica is going to be expensive. Leo therefore works with Albrecht of Brandenburg to issue a new indulgence to fill the Papal coffer. Albrecht’s best salesman, Johann Tetzel, is sent across Germany to convince the townsfolk of their duty to buy indulgences. Enter Martin Luther, a 33-year-old Augustinian monk and son of middle-class parents, who has been lecturing on the Wittenberg faculty for the past six years. Luther intends to initiate an academic discussion on the subject of indulgences. Following the traditions of the time, he delineates his theses on the subject and on October 31, 1517, posts that document on the door of the Castle Church. Luther’s 95 Theses are soon printed in both Latin and German, immediately creating a stir across Germany and cutting into Tetzel’s sales. Leo sends one of his top theologians, Tommaso de Vio Cajetan, into Germany to force Luther to recant. Luther meets Cajetan in Augsburg, but refuses to give ground. Fearing arrest, Luther flees the city at night and returns home. A year later, Luther and his fellow professor Andreas Carlstadt meet Johann Eck in a two-week debate at Leipzig. Luther inserts himself in the debate before Carlstadt can lose too much ground to Eck’s stirring attacks. While these early religious struggles rage on, the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian dies. Francis I and Charles V are the candidates to become the next emperor. Ultimately it is Charles’ ability to borrow money from the Fuggers that allows him to prevail and become the new nominal ruler of Germany. He also inherits Hapsburg lands in Austria after Maximilian’s death. Truly, Charles V is now the greatest ruler in all Christendom. With tensions running high between France and the Hapsburgs over the imperial election, the diplomatic posture of England becomes a concern for everyone. Within three months (May to July, 1520), Henry and his Lord Chancellor Thomas Wolsey arrange embassies with Charles in London, Francis at the Field of Cloth of Gold outside Calais, and then again at Gravelines (in the Netherlands) with Charles. Although the magnificence of the festivities at the Field of Cloth of Gold are unmatched, Henry actually sides with Charles, agreeing to break off the engagement of the Princess Mary to the Dauphin and not ally with France for two years. Henry sends Charles Brandon to invade France just three years later. With his English ally secure, Charles next move is to get to Italy so the Pope can coronate him as Holy Roman Emperor. However, life as the emperor is not that easy. First, the Revolt of the Communeros breaks out back in Spain. Second, the outbreak of Lutheran heresy in Germany needs to be addressed. Thinking along these lines, Leo issues a bull of excommunication against Luther. However, the townspeople of Germany have quickly rallied behind the monk from Wittenberg. Eck and Jerome Aleander have great difficulty in posting the bull anywhere, though they are able to burn Luther’s books in Cologne and Mainz. In retaliation, the audacious Luther publicly burns the Papal Bull in Wittenberg. The renowned scholar, Desiderius Erasmus, is accused of supporting Luther. Erasmus thus begins to distance himself from the movement, even as he fears that Luther’s break from Rome may already be irreconcilable. In this atmosphere, Charles concludes that he must face Luther directly. Luther receives a summons to appear at the Diet of Worms in front of the assembled leadership of Germany. Upon Luther’s arrival, his works are attacked by Papal officials, who ask him to recant completely. On the second day of the proceedings, Luther is finally ready to answer these charges. He states clearly and boldly, that: “I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.” Luther then retires from the hall. He flees Worms before the Emperor can decide his fate. On the way home, the elector Frederick the Wise kidnaps Luther and whisks him away to Wartburg castle for his own safekeeping against imperial agents. The ten months Luther spends at Wartburg end up being some of the most productive of his life; he translates large sections of the New Testament into German during that stay. Luther finally comes out of hiding in 1522 when Frederick needs his assistance to quell the unrest created by the preaching of the radical Carlstadt. Francis also has plans to make Charles’ life miserable. Without formally declaring war, he sends armies into Luxembourg and Navarre. However, the Hapsburgs turn back these threats and then work with Papal forces to drive France out of Milan. The sudden death of Leo X causes uncertainty in the Papal ranks, but even then the French are still defeated soundly at the battle of La Bicocca. Leo is replaced first by Adrian of Utrecht (Charles’ old tutor) and then (after Adrian dies within a year) by Clement VII. Clement is Leo X’s cousin, another Florentine from the Medici family. He would soon face one of the most difficult pontificates in the history of the Papacy. One final problem confronts Charles. In 1520, Selim I, ruler of the Ottoman Empire dies. His 26 year-old son, Suleiman, becomes sultan. This new leader is ambitious, completing the conquest of Belgrade and Rhodes in his first two years as ruler. At Rhodes, Suleiman’s huge army is held off for six months by just 7,000 men of the Knights of St. John. Based on this valiant defense, Suleiman allows the knights to withdraw with honors of war. They would later relocate at Malta where they would prey on Ottoman shipping, making sure that Suleiman lived to regret his leniency on Rhodes.