1604 Winter(December)

In mid-December, United Kingdom’s troops led by Philip Sidney crushed the alliance of Denmark-North German Protestant Prince-Electors(* Duchy of Saxony, County Palatinate of the Rhine, Margraviate of Brandenburg, Electorate of Cologne – German Feudal Lords for short from now.) troops at Enschede. At this battle, Sir Philip organized the Tercio in the shaded formation and defeated the 36,000 alliance army with only 20,000 soldiers. Since he noticed that the alliance army’s high-rank officers were not cooperating well, he put the main troop at the left-wing and attacked the enemy’s right-wing first, which led to the destruction of the rest and achieved victory.

After losing 8,000 men at that single battle, the alliance army of Denmark and German Feudal Lords retreated and became defensive, while Philip’s Tercio troops became aggressive and pushed them back.

In late December, the French army also reached the culminating point which led the southern battlefront’s deadlock.

1605 Winter(January – February)

In early January, the United Kingdom’s troops, which were mostly on the defensive till now all turned into an offensive. They reclaimed the 3 states of the Netherlands that were occupied by the alliance troops of Spain and France. From this point, the French army’s legend of everlasting victory led by the Lioness crushed, and their morale went to the dumps.

In mid-January, I’ve sent the Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire – Rudolf II – a message, instead of sending my troops into Austria. It said

“I wish to receive the favor that you’ve promised in 1578, your majesty.”

I was reminding him of his saying

‘I was very delighted. I'll remember your favor. Please tell me when you're in a tight spot. I'll gladly give you a hand!’

when I held an official coronation as a King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the Netherlands.

(* See the chapter 「The Party and the Widower 」)

Of course, that favor may not be that worthy to use in this situation, but since the Austrian Habsburg is not in full condition thanks to 11 years of war with the Ottomans, it can work as a plausible excuse for the Kaiser to step out from this war.

And it worked. Rudolf II soon replied

“How can I eat my words? I’ll gladly keep my promise, my friend!”

In short, even if 4 Protestant Prince-electors and some Catholic feudal lords of the Holy Roman Empire is fighting with the United Kingdom, Austrian Habsburg and Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire will keep neutrality.

It was more than enough. I felt so relaxed as I read his message that I almost felt dizzy and mutter to myself, staring at the ceiling.

“...Okay, now it’s just a matter of time for my victory.”

In mid-February, the Swedish army rose up, earlier than the original promise.

Charles IX, king of Sweden claimed the throne of Lapland and Nordland (*North Finland and Norway) and invaded Denmark. (*Denmark-Norway Kingdom) With Sweden’s attack, the Danish troops retreated from the Netherland battlefront and had to focus on the war against Sweden.

1605 Spring

The Royal Navy, which was led by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, literally destroyed Denmark along with Swedish troops. By March, with the Royal Navy’s looting, there were neither merchant ships nor fishing ships belonged to Denmark at the North Sea. United Kingdom’s marines invaded the Christina(* The current Oslo) and burned the city into ashes, and Denmark’s morale was down in the dumps, which was attacked from both sides.

Finally, at Easter, Denmark surrendered. Denmark had to pay 3 million Ducats of war reparation to the United kingdom and ceded Lapland and Nordland to Sweden. So, Sweden

acquired an additional 30% territory compared with before the 2 months of short war and gained port that can expand into Atlantic without Denmark’s interference.

But, at that moment, Sigismund III, king of Poland, claimed the throne of Sweden and invaded. He forced the United Kingdom to severe ties with Sweden unless it wants its’ food supplies cut, putting an end to a short alliance of Sweden and the United Kingdom.

In May, while the violent criminals and murderers were emigrating to the North American colonies, the United Kingdom army and navy was in the lead in every battlefront. All seas – North Sea, Atlantic, Pacific, and the Indian Ocean – were filled with armed merchant ships of the United Kingdom and even in the ground warfare, with Denmark surrendering and several city-states of Hansa declaring bankruptcy one by one and leaving the war, the United Kingdom’s army’s morale was all fired up.

Crying over spilled milk, the commanders of the Spanish army and German feudal lords who are still participating in this war named the Lioness as commander in chief, but even Elizabeth was all tied up. That was because all troops of the United Kingdom didn’t fight against her army in the field, but just attacked their food and military supply routes and stayed on the constructed defense lines most of the time.

So, according to spy’s report, Lioness complained

“F**k Edward, that scaredy-cat! Even I, being a woman, is fighting on the front lines along with my soldiers! But he has stuck at his palace miles away from the battlefront, forcing his soldiers to die while enjoying luxuries and playing around with his mistresses and maids!”

And I replied

“For one thing, I don’t have a mistress and don’t play around with my maids. And another thing, the king’s main job isn’t going on the battlefield himself and fighting on the front lines and boosting the army’s morale! Isn’t Elizabeth just like Ares the warrior? She needs to be smarter like Athens the wisdom!”

And after hearing my reply, the spy reported that her response was

“Why that sly old fox! I’ll someday burn London into ashes and cut off his head and hang it on the steeple of Notre-Dame!”