The Margraviate of Brandenburg and Duchy of Prussia
National Information
Government : Hereditary Monarchy
Capital: Berlin and Königsberg
Population: 600,000
Religion : Ruling Calvinist (Reformed) minority, officially tolerated Lutheran majority
Alliance: The Protestant Union
Government
The House of Hohenzollern:
Privy Council:
Influential Persons of Note:
Society and the State
Military:
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Militia :
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In the late 16th century Maurice of Nassau began a series of Military Reforms in the United Provinces. Maurice sought to harness the cohesion of professional mercenaries while firmly subordinating them to political control. Count Johann VII of Nassau-Siegen had served under Maurice in the Dutch war before the truce, and became enthused with the Dutch concept of military (and societal) discipline.
He decided to apply Dutch concepts of military discipline to the existing traditional German Militia by enrolling young, unmarried men and requiring that they train every sunday under the supervision of professional drill-sergeants; They would be led in battle by the drill sergeants and any local gentry with military experience.
All elements of this "territorial defense system" were in place in Nassau by 1595, and were adopted by the Protestant princes around 1600. Initially, the territorial nobles refused to allow their tenants to participate in the Militia, but an eventual compromise was reached. The Estates would pay for the Militia's weapons and beer, and would pay the drill sergeants' wages. In return, the Prince would have to recruit only from tenants on his own land.
By the time the Protestant states had militarized the "territorial defense system" in most states consisted of Infantry from the Militia, which in most states was made up of one in ten able-bodied males, or 2.5% of the total population, and Cavalry furnished by the territorial nobles and Estates as the traditional "Feudal Levy," which would usually equal a tenth of the combined force.
Gustavus Adolphus adopted this system, and then enhanced it to the point of actual conscription. Few other Princes even tried to do so, let alone succeeded, but he proved it could be done.
Standing Army:
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Brandenburg's peace-time standing army, like most Protestant Princes in the area, consists mostly of it's militia, with a very few professional mercenaries and bodyguards to supplement it. Brandenburg's numbers 15,000 Militia foot, and 1,500 Feudal Horse, along with a few hundred mercenaries in Cleves-Mark. On paper, this is a sizeable force, but in practice it's usefulness was questionable. The most that can be expected of the Militia as it stands is defensive operations - but it has weapons and manpower, which are a start.
Cleves-Jülich:
Economy:
Politics:
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The Estates:
Religion:
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The Reformation spread to Brandenburg in the 1530s, although it's first Lutheran Elector, Joachim II Hector, did not officially convert until 1555. Elector John Sigismund converted to Calvinism in 1613. When he attempted to arrange the conversion of the populace under Cuius Regio , Eius Religio, there were serious protests, and his wife backed the Lutherans, so he decided that both the Reformed and Lutheran church would be tolerated in his realm. He allowed his family to remain Lutheran or convert as they wished. George William, his heir, chose to convert. Many other members of the Electoral family did not.
For the most part, at the time of George William's ascendance to the Electorate, the peasants and a sizeable majority of the Nobility in Brandenburg and Prussia were Lutheran, while the Burgers (Merchants, Academic Scholars and city-dwelling craftsmen and artisans), the higher Court Aristocracy surrounding the Electoral family and the majority of the Elector's subjects in Cleves-Mark were Calvinist.
The Lutheran camp was divided into reactionary hardliners who adopted the Book of Concord and desired to follow John George of Saxony's example of non-intervention and spurning the international Protestant cause, led by Adam Graf von Schwarzenberg, and moderates who, while unwilling to convert to Calvinism, did not whole-heartedly adopt the Book of Concord and had strong anti-Imperial tendecies, following the example of Duchess Ana of Prussia and the conciliatory Johannes Bergius.
Regional Concerns:
Diplomacy
Dynastic Ties:
Diplomatic Obligations:
Diplomatic Relations: