1583- King Henri issues the edict of Vichy, which promises religious toleration for all French, Hugenot and Catholic. An Imperial army, led by Alfonso of Aragon, is defeated at Tours. Henri’s army marches south, but is defeated.

The Venetians finally take Caratagena, while the German troops march up Peru to the south. Only Mexico and the Carribean isles remain in Imperial possession.

The Poles are defeated soundly, and the German armies begin besieging cities in Hungary. Venice provides naval support along the coast of Dalmatia (and promptly takes most of the cities thre).

1584 - Emperor Justinian, seeing the victorious armies of the Protestant nations, joins the war in May. His navy attacks the isle of Negroponte, quickly occupying it.

In Venice, the reaction is one of indignation and protest. Venice would like dearly to smash the Byzantines, but lacks the resources after 11 years of war to go to war.

Ivan IV of Russia kills his only respectable son. The leader of the oprichniki (who were not wiped out in this tl, but have slowly gained dominance in Russia because they were able to succeed in the war against Poland), Nicholai Staritsky, claims the throne. The Cossacks protest, and when Nicholai sends the oprichniki against them, he discovers that the entire Russian far east is ruled by the Cossacks. This marks the beginning of the Russian Time of Troubles

1585- Justinian, after his officials capture spies who warn of Venetian plans to make the Levant rise up, begins issuing edicts which force them to convert, and ban many traditional features of life.

The Byzantine fleet heads toward Cyprus. In then most embarrassing incident of the war with Venice (and one that drives home just how far behind in naval technology the empire’s fallen) Byzantine galleys are held off by a single Venetian galleon, which carries as many cannon as FORTY Byzantine galleys. (This isn’t a joke; this is exactly what happened to the Ottoman navy OTL).

Venice captures the Sinai peninsula, and actually sails up to the walls of Constantinople. But a force that tries to liberate Negroponte fails, and the Greek citizens stand behind their new emperor.

The Moriscos reach the walls of Badajoz before being forced to withdraw. The Confederation of Al-Andalus is running low on funds, even with Venetian help.

Henri IV moves on the offensive in France. He captures Bordeax, and defeats another Imperial army.

1586- Budapest falls. Henri IV sends a French armada (largely made up of the French part of the Imperial fleet, and merchant ships) to the Carribean. Predominantly French Trinidad and Tobago raise the banner of France, kicking out the French garrison (the army offshore helped, of course).

The armada then sets sail for Veracruz, which is taken in the name of France. Native rebellions begin to flare up, and the predominantly French (and Hugenot, despite the Empire’s inefficient ban on their travel) coastal cities are quickly taken. Veracruz is the first to raise the banner of the new Kingdom of France.

1587- Sigmund II dies, and the nobility gain effective control of the country. A regime of elected kings was instituted with the power of election vested in the Sejm, then a bicameral body consisting of the lesser and greater nobility. One important aspect of this system was to be the liberum veto, which made it possible for any member of the Sejm to prevent the passage of legislation. The constitution also sanctioned the formation of military confederations of nobles.

Their first proposal is to make peace with the Germans, who have reached the Byzantine border. Emperor Justinian is quick to aid the oppressed Orthodox Christians of Ruthenia and Transylvania, and invades, at their urging.

1588- The Holy Land rises in revolt, as the Emperor’s policy of stopping Moslims from praying takes effect. Aided by Venetians and Persians, the revolt will take 3 years to put down.

Byzantine troops are withdrawn from Poland in April. Emperor Justinian apologizes to the Sejm for the misunderstanding. As German troops are rumoured to be massing for an attack on Warsaw, the Sejm doesn’t have much choice.

French troops gain control of Mexico.

The Britannic armada sets sail for Spain, but the Catholic wind changes its destination. Instead of landing in Estramudara, the fleet lands near Lisbon, and besieges the city.

1589- Venice and Justinian come to an agreement. Venice may keep the Sinai, but the Emperor shall have all Venetian possessions in the Aegean. Veice also gains the right to trade in the Empire with only 2% tariffs.

With the new world gold lost, the Christian Empire has no choice but to consider surrendering. Emperor Phillip refuses to do so, and dies in July. His son, Ferdinand, becomes Emperor. Ferdinand begins seneding out feelers for peace.

Warsaw is besieged by the Germans, but Polish cavalry charges the flanks of the German army, smashing it to ribbons. The army is beaten back over the next year.

King Harold of Scandinavia, with his nation relatively untouched by the war, concludes a peace treaty with the Poles, gaining much of their Baltic coast. He promptly invades Russia, claiming a border dispute.

1590- Henri has proven true to his word. French Catholics are treated well by the Hugenot forces, and in the Imperial south, a popular folk song about the King’s return spreads. "When the King will Come Again," becomes the unofficial national anthem of France.

Britannic forces are forced to withdraw from Lisbon, and march south towards Al-Andalus. Parliament begins debating a withdrawal from the war, and the Irish rise up in revolt (again).

In September, Avignon falls to the French. The Pope flees (again). Venice offers to le him return to Rome, but Pope Eugene rejects it.

1591- Pskov falls, giving Scandinavia all Baltic coastline aside from Germany’s. Justinian personally leads the army against the Moslems of the Levant, and wipes them aside. He liberates Jersualem in march, and holds a sermon of thanksgiving in the Holy Sepulcher. After the ceremony, he begins expelling the Moslems (especially the Lebanonese merchants) from his territory. Many flee to Persia, but the Venetians take many to Al-Andalus.

The Shah of Persia and the Moghul Emperor agree to peace, with the border at the Indus River.

Henri’s troops stand on the Mediterranean, but cannot take Bordeaux.

Phillip dies from a "cold" (many blame poison; with good reason) and his son, Ferdinand, takes over. Ferdinand begins sending out feelers for peace. Everyone agrees. The Poles, desperate to not be caught in a war against everyone on their own, also agree to peace. The nations send delegates to Milano to discuss the treaties.

1592- Treaty of Milano is concluded. The terms of the treaty are as follows:

1. Venice shall gain the kingdoms Naples and Sardinia, as well as Sri Lanka and Zanzibar.
2. Peru shall be ceded to Germany. In return, Germany shall pay the Venetians a fee of not less than 400,000 ducats to recompensate them for military assistance given to the HREGN during the twenty years war.
3. The HREGN acknowledges the Britannic Commonwealth’s control over the Low Countries, and the Commonwealth acknowledges the HREGN’s claims to Trinidad and Tobago.
4. The Kingdom of France is acknowledged as a separate nation from the Christian Empire, under King Henri IV of Navarre. Its southwest border is the city of Bordeaux, and follows a relatively minor river from Bordeaux to Albi. French control over Mexico is acknowledged.
5. The Confederation of Al-Andalus is recognized as a sovereign nation. Its four chief cities are Seville, Corboda, Granada, and Cartagena. Venice gains the right to lease Gibraltar for 200 years.
6. The Christian Empire acknowledges the loss of Charlotte to the Commonwealth.

The final aspect of the treaty leads to much friction between the Venetians and the HREGN. The Emperor claims the kingdom of Hungary for the Empire, but renounces all claims to other Polish territory. The Poles accept, but Venice and the Britannic Commonwealth (to say nothing of Byzantium) refuses. In the end, The Emperor agrees to cede Dalmatia and Tyrol to Venice, and the Britannic Commonwealth agree that The Kingdom of Poland shall be "separate but equal" from the Holy Roman Empire.

Finally:

7. The Pope may return to the Vatican, but acknowledges that he has no temporal rule over Rome or the Marches. Venice is a bit relieved, since it’s the only nation which hasn’t persecuted Catholics over the past 50 years.

With the war at last over, Europe begins to come to its senses after 50 years of near constant religious strife, and enters the Second Renaissance.

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