It took a lot of arguing. This Mike Stearns, leader of Grantville, wanted impossible things. Separation of the church and state, commoners having the vote, taxation limited and religious tolerance. Madness. Seer folly.
And yet, Sweden sat at the back of the library while his representative argued furiously against it all, silent except when Finland showed him a particularly interesting picture from a book. Machines that flew through the air, bridges that staggered the mind, buildings that reached the sky, ships beyond his understanding. He looked up, caught the eye of his fuming diplomat and nodded. The man threw up his hands in disgust and went back to negotiating furiously. . . . In the aftermath of everything it was revealed that Julie Sims, best shooter in Grantville, was pregnant via her Scottish Fiancée. Piteous Gustav immediately ordered a marriage, partly to avoid the sin of basterdy, but mostly as an excuse to bestow a title and Finnish land on the bride.
Finland had been giddy with joy, promising his new baroness that he’d carve a pair of skis just for her, if only she promised to go hunting with him and teach him how to shoot. Sweden had a horrible suspicion he would get no peace until Finland had an American rifle to call his own, even if the bullets were terribly limited in number.
He watched as Gustav accepted the groom’s startled thanks. His king: Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden and the Baltic territories, newly crowned Emperor of the Confederated Principalities of Europe, who would defy the history books and not die within a year of battle wounds, but live to see a new Europe emerge from the devastation of the 30 years war.
Sweden smiled and wondered when Denmark would receive his letter and the ‘photocopy’ of the ‘European Union’ map. He was confident he would hear the screams of outrage from his new capital. . . . Map they were looking at: http://www.vidiani.com/maps/maps_of_europe/european_union_member_states_detailed_map.jpg
What Europe looked like at that point in time (roughly, 1632 was a very confusing time for map makers, plus nowhere as accurate as we are used to) : http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/thirty-years-war/images/map_1648_Europe.png
Faith and Facts 1.g (last part)
And yet, Sweden sat at the back of the library while his representative argued furiously against it all, silent except when Finland showed him a particularly interesting picture from a book. Machines that flew through the air, bridges that staggered the mind, buildings that reached the sky, ships beyond his understanding. He looked up, caught the eye of his fuming diplomat and nodded. The man threw up his hands in disgust and went back to negotiating furiously.
.
.
.
In the aftermath of everything it was revealed that Julie Sims, best shooter in Grantville, was pregnant via her Scottish Fiancée. Piteous Gustav immediately ordered a marriage, partly to avoid the sin of basterdy, but mostly as an excuse to bestow a title and Finnish land on the bride.
Finland had been giddy with joy, promising his new baroness that he’d carve a pair of skis just for her, if only she promised to go hunting with him and teach him how to shoot. Sweden had a horrible suspicion he would get no peace until Finland had an American rifle to call his own, even if the bullets were terribly limited in number.
He watched as Gustav accepted the groom’s startled thanks. His king: Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden and the Baltic territories, newly crowned Emperor of the Confederated Principalities of Europe, who would defy the history books and not die within a year of battle wounds, but live to see a new Europe emerge from the devastation of the 30 years war.
Sweden smiled and wondered when Denmark would receive his letter and the ‘photocopy’ of the ‘European Union’ map. He was confident he would hear the screams of outrage from his new capital.
.
.
.
Map they were looking at: http://www.vidiani.com/maps/maps_of_europe/european_union_member_states_detailed_map.jpg
What Europe looked like at that point in time (roughly, 1632 was a very confusing time for map makers, plus nowhere as accurate as we are used to) :
http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/thirty-years-war/images/map_1648_Europe.png