Hesse into Westphalia into Germany, 1399-1848

Herman II von Hessen 1376 - 1411
In pursuit of the dream of establishing Kingdom of Westphalia, he first initiated a war for Brunswickian Throne, which he won.

Ludwig II von Hessen 1417 - 1424
Following his father's road, he has declared war against Munster, which turned almost into a disaster when the maritime power of Hansa and the great Burgundy joined against Hesse.
However, several lucky battles and just a little concessions allowed Hesse to remain in control of its territories.
He died in one of the few last battles of the war.

Wilhelm I von Hessen 1424 - 1429
He concluded the war by the way of annexation of Archbishopric of Munster, and half a year later he obtained rulership over Meissen due to its original dynasty dying off.
Five years into his reign, he died rather suddenly.
Thanks to inheritance laws, his son and heir, whilst underage, inherited Meissen and Brunswick.

Ludwig III von Hessen 1436 - 1456
Led Hesse into stability and prosperity, and after a short war over Mainz provocation, the archbishopric was made a vassal.

Wilhelm II von Hessen & Wilhelm III von Hessen 1456 - 1459 - 1464
On behalf of Austria, Hesse fought against Bohemia and Burgundy. Both Wilhelms died young and on the battlefield, initiating yet another regency period for Wilhelm IV, who was aged 6 in 1464.

Wilhelm IV von Hessen 1473 - 1475
Begun a war to reclaim the rightful territory of Hamburg against Hanseatic League, which has drawn Teutonic Order into it as well.
During one of battles against the Order near or around Luneburg, he has died, and yet another regency ruled Hesse while Wilhelm V grew up (the war was concluded and Hamburg annexed only in 1479).

Wilhelm V von Hessen 1483 - 1512
With his ancestors obtaining the necessary provinces, Wilhelm V was able to proclaim Kingdom of Westphalia on 22th June 1490, adopting the Administrative Monarchy in the process.
A tolerant and progressive man, this one, he was a supporter of Ecumenism, which put him against the Papacy and the Hanseatic League.
In 1501, Wilhelm V along with entirety of Hesse adopted the ways of Martin Luther, becoming foremost preachers of Protestantism.
Later in his reign, he fought against Hansa to conquer the province of Stade, ultimately being successful.

Christian I von Hessen 1512 - 1545
With help of statesmen and theologians, he was able to issue many national edicts, including Anti-Piracy Act. He also ruthlessly pursued greater freedom of landed subjects.
During his reign, Hesse didn't participate in many wars excepy few minor skirmishes on behalf of Denmark or Austria.

Napoleon I von Hessen 1545 - 1553
Young and talented in all three skills of a monarch, he initiated a war against Magdeburg and Hanseatic League. Magdebug (Altmark) was conquered in 1552, but he died while fighting under walls of Lubeck.
The regency that happened after his death for his son Karl I concluded the war, ending the Hanseatic League and annexing the cities of Bremen and Lubeck.

Karl I von Hessen 1559 - 1593
He promoted innovative thinking, resulting in School Establishment and Education Acts.
Several wars were fought with local minor states, and Lauenburg was annexed as a result, with Lorraine and Palatinate becoming Westphalian vassals.
During his rule, the infrastructure of Westphalian territories was greatly upgraded, and this trend was continued by subsequent monarchs from von Hessen dynasty.
In 1586, after the death of the last Bohemian Holy Roman Emperor, Fridrich III Falcky, Karl I von Hessen was declared by the Electors as the next Holy Roman Emperor - von Hessen dynasty kept the HRE crown ever since.

Karl II von Hessen 1593 - 1632
One of longest-reigning Westphalian monarchs, Karl II wassalized Frankurt and Holstein; an intervention against Austrian savage conquest lasted for over 10 years.
The war ended in 1620, resulting in Austria releasing Styria, Croatia and Tirol, breaking Austrian power forever.

Ludwig IV von Hessen 1632 - 1656
Ludwig's reign was mostly peaceful and prosperous, and the only war was an intervetion against Brandenburg, forcing it to release its Pomeranian territories.

Napoleon II von Hessen 1656 - 1680
Conquest of Friesland occured in 1676, the same year that Constituional Monarchy was proclaimed.

Karl III von Hessen 1680 - 1701
Karl III fought two wars against Neapolitean influence and annexations of southern Holy Roman states. Franken was taken away from Bavaria in another war, while vassal state of Oldenburg was integrated into Westphalia.
In 1695, the Medici dynasty of Milan died out, and Karl III inherited its territories (Cremona, Brescia and Parma).

Ludwig V von Hessen 1701 - 1743
Numerous wars and interventions were fought by Westphalia against France, Holland, Brandenburg and Burgundy. Holland was fragmented and Brandenburg lost Mecklenburg.
Meanwhile, in pursuit of greater Germany, Ludwig V annexed the vassl states of Saxony and Thuringia.

Hieronymus I von Hessen 1743 - 1763
His twenty years reign was marred with various nationalist uprising while on foreign front, Brandenburg was annexed and once again, Neapolitean influence in northern Italy had to be curbed.

Hieronymus II von Hessen 1763 - 1774
Bishopric of Wurzburg was annexed by him in 1765. Meanwhile, the nascent republic of United States of America fought a war of independence against Naples.
Seeing an opportunity, von Hessen dynasty subsidized USA and later initiated a war against Naples to distract it from America.
All this ended in a peace which secured USA's existence, and von Hessen dynasty sponsored its budget from onwards on.

Hieronymus III von Hessen 1774 - 1802
Hieronymus III ended autonomy of many Westphalian vassals, including Trier, Lorraine, Palatinate and Mainz. A formal alliance with USA was made in 1780s, alllowing Westphalia to fight against Naples on behalf of the States.
That allowed United States of America to regain few more provinces from the Lombards. In 1803, after Hieronymus III died, regents of his son and heir Karl IV proclaimed establishment of united Germany.

Karl IV von Hessen 1804 - 1813
Begun preparations for the unification wars, but only in 1809 German government decided it had enough regiments and manpower to unify Germany.
And so, in 1809, the Great Quintuple War has begun against Austria, Pomerania, Styria, Alsace and Tirol, which call for help and get Savoy, Aquileia, Ireland and Prussia involved in the War.
1810: Tirol is annexed, Prussia signs a white peace. Augsburg and Bavaria, due to their German cores, are devassalized, and they eagerly de-ally Germany and ally with Hungary instead.
1811: Pomerania is annexed, Augsburg and Bavaria are attacked by Germany, Hungary joins the Quintuple War on their behalf.
1811 and half: Alsace is annexed.
1812: Styria is annexed, Austrian cores are annexed except Wien, Aquileia signs a white peace but its capital is considered German, so the truce is ultimately temporary.
1812 and a half: Bavaria is annexed, Savoy has to pay an humilitating tribute, Ireland signs a white peace.
1813: Augsburg is annexed, Bohemia warns Germany to stop its conquests; Germany declares war because Bohemia has unfortunate distinction of holding the German Niederbayern and Neumark.
1813 and half: Hungary is humilitated and pays tribute to opt out of the Quintuple War.
Early 1814: Bohemians suffer a devastating defeat, and agree to have Krakow and Silesian duchies released as well as hand over territories of Neumark and Niederbayern.
5th July 1814: Quintuple War is officially over, Germany is nearly whole except Holstein, Meissen, Ansbach, Aachen, Cleves and Cologne being German vassals, while Vien and Gorz remain in foreign hands.
Germany is loved by its vassals and all 7 Electors heap praise over the German-Elect King because there's no other great power they could really praise, considering Germany's size, diplomatic skill, amount of prestige and alliance network.
However, Karl IV has not lived to see the Quintuple War's conclusion, as he died fighting in eastern Hungary, leading Armee von Westfalen against Hungarian forces.

Friedrich III Wilhelm von Hessen 1819 - ...
Regency period during Friedrich III's adolescence oversaw annexation of Ulm and acquisition of Chur from Venetian dukes. In first years of his reign, Friedrich III annexed Meissen and Cleves, as well as initiated another war against Austria, ending in conquest of Wien.
In the 1830s, another war against Aquileia was fought, and its territories outside capital of Gorz were captured. In 1840, the territory of Majerteen in easternmost Africa was colonized to celebrate Friedrich's son and heir, Karl V's tenth birthday.
//(Game ends on 12th January 1848)