Letter to Stollen, February 28th

TO: Herr Johannes P. Flickenhoffer, Personal Assistant to Grand Duke Irwin Amadeus II
Grand Duchy of Stollen

February 28, 1768

Herr Flickenhoffer,

You do Herr Strasser a great but undue kindness in referening to him as von Strasser, a title to which his family has not yet obtained. The address will, I am sure, please him, however. Your letter having been assigned to Wednesday's correspondence, it falls to me to rely Their Grace's answer to you, but I shall be sure to distribute a copy of your correspondence to Herr Strasser as well.

I believe there is certainly grounds for exchange which may be discussed with our supply of iron and dairy products and your own Trakehner horses. The recent move towards a standing army has obliged Their Graces and the various Inhaber of the newly raised units to acquire an issue of government-owned horse for the equipping of the cavalry. Certain units, such as the excellent Fuchshöhle Hussars will largely provide their own mounts with which they are most familiar, but others will certainly require the purchase of further horses.

Their Graces also wish to extend to your court an offer of hospitality to their retreat in the village of Fuchshöhle, centered within the Fuchswald. As is no doubt known to the Grand Duke, the Fuchswald is famous for its fine fox hunting, and Fuchshöhle is a center of tourism for many of the great hunters of Europe. There, perhaps, further matters of trade may be discussed by our separate ambassadors at their leisure while an amicable time is had at the hunt.

Yours with kind regards,

Baroness Verena von Krimm
Chief Attendant to Her Grace, Social Secretary for Wednesdays

Regimental Flags

First off, heavy credit for these goes to Jeff of Saxe-Bearstein, who sent me the basic flag of his own generosity, already colored for the regiments I'd posted. All I did was put the Hesse-Engelburg emblem in the center. Thank you so much, Jeff!

I finally found the answer to stopping them from dropping down the page. If you use tables, you have to type the entire table as one continuous line of text, or ever time you hit the enter key to drop down a line and make your tags easier to read, it inserts another new line in the text.

Princess Gertrude's Own	Grauerhimmel Fusiliers	von Platzen Grenadiers(Schwarze Grenadiere)
Jager Regiment von Behler	von Lintzer Musketeers	Unnamed Guard Regiment

When I was just a lad...

Because I'm too lazy to copy and paste the post and upload the photo here too ;) I'm going to post a link to my general wargaming blog, to which I've uploaded a single picture of the best product of my first venture into painting in my teen years.

http://snickeringcorpses.blogspot.com/

They're not impressive, and I got impatient after those and a few more, and never really finished any others. But they're a reminder that patience can be rewarded, if I take my time and learn new things to accomplish something good with my new figures.

Hesse-Engelburg Coat of Arms - WIP

This is still a Work In Progress, especially as I need to make the Goat supporter a bit smaller so he'll match the stag, and also not get his tail cut off on the right side. I'm also not fully satisfied with the emblems on it. But as Andy asked for pretty pictures, here's my fourth or so draft of the Hesse-Engelburg coat of arms.

Reply to Stollen

From their Graces Guntram and Sieglinde Blauerwolf, rightful rulers of Hesse-Engelburg, unto Their Graces the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Stollen, greetings. Their Graces wish me to extend to you their willingness to establish diplomatic relations forthwith, and discuss how our two sovereign states might benefit from mutual trade.

In reply to your queries, it is my honor to inform you that the currency of Hesse-Engelburg is called the Wolfzahn, and among other things we are well placed to supply our trading partners with goat products and our excellent grade of iron. As many of the iron mines of Europe are engaged in supplying the larger states, such as Prussia, we feel that we are able to focus upon establishing favorable relations with smaller states who would benefit from our own small but still quality resources rather than competing with the deeper coffers of the great empires.

Might I also enquire as to the same information of your own state? I am certain we shall be able to select ambassadors suited to discussing the matters in more depth quite soon.

Respectfully,

Ludwig Strasser
Social Secretary for Thursdays

Currency, Arms, and Flags

The Grand Duke of Stollen forced me to consider an angle I hadn't before, in asking about the principality's currency. After some consideration, and some playing with Google's translation tools, the primary unit of currency for the principality is declared to be the Wolfzahn (wolf's tooth). According to legend, at some ancient point the native tribes traded actual wolves' teeth, a currency therefore based upon the prowess of the tribe's hunters. Or perhaps of their thieves and scavengers. A tooth from a skillfully killed wolf and a tooth from one that died of disease don't look all that different unless the ailment affects the teeth, after all. ;)

The latter has given rise to the name of one of the minor villages of Hesse-Engelburg...the village of Zahndieb (tooth thief - subject to change if I find out I'm wrong on the German). Some of the local old gabbers like to maintain that the Tooth Fairy (Zahnfee?) is actually a variation of the story of the Zahndieb, made up to teach children to keep their currency under their pillows, where a burglar couldn't easily remove it. In the Hesse-Engelburg version, the Tooth Fairy leaves a candy under your pillow, while the Zahndieb leaves nothing at all.

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I'm also presently working on a coat of arms, and national/regimental flags. It's mostly in my head right now, though I've done the central Wolf Rampant Gaurdant that will be the house symbol of the Blauerwolf family.

Letters and Embassies

Stollen

By order of Their Graces Guntram and Sieglinde Blauerwolf, the bearer of this message, Major Rudel, has been directed to deliver unto His Grace the Grand Duke and Her Grace the Grand Duchess a wagonload of warm goat's hair quilts for this present winter season as thanks for His Grace's kind words.

Ludwig Strasser
Social Secretary for Thursdays

Electorate of Vulgaria

An emissary in fine gray attire, marked by a deep blue sash bearing the coat of arms of Hesse-Engelburg and edged in silver, has crossed the borders of Vulgaria bearing the following letter.

By order of Their Graces, it is the priveledge of the bearer of this message, Colonel Freidrich von Heiner, to represent Their Graces in good faith talks regarding the establishment of embassies in our dominions. Their Graces do send to the Elector seven wedges of goat cheese in the hopes that his table will be made more pleasant by the addition of these delicacies.

Principality of Saxe-Bearstein

The Principality of Hesse-Engelburg doth extend its warm greetings unto the Principality of Saxe-Bearstein, and an invitation to discuss the possible hiring of a small company of the well-respected army of Saxe-Bearstein for the purpose of providing training unto the newly forming army of Their Graces. The bearer of this message, Colonel von Platzen, is empowered to undertake discussion of the same. In token of friendship, Colonel von Platzen bears with him a supply of fine quality Hesse-Engelburg goats milk, for the provision of those who by reason of age or soft stomach are unable to imbibe the well-reputed beverages of Saxe-Bearstein.

Kingdom of Wittenberg

Their Graces Guntram and Sieglinde Blauerwolf, rightful rulers of Hesse-Engelburg, do extend to His Majesty Leopold IV, King of Wittenberg, their grateful thanks for his offer of friendship and assurances. It is hoped that His Majesty will find the accompanying cheeses and wine to his liking.

Ludwig Strasser
Social Secretary for Thursdays

France

Unto His Royal Majesty the King of France, greetings.

Their Graces Guntram and Sieglinde Blauerwolf, rightful rulers of Hesse-Engelburg, have desired me to convey unto Your Majesty their concern regarding a force of three French gendarmes captured while illegally crossing the border of this Principality a fortnight hence. It is the wish of Their Graces that I should enquire whether this force was attempting an invasion of our peaceful Principality, or are in fact deserters fleeing their Sovereign. Should it be indeed the latter case, Their Graces extend their offer to arrange the execution of the miscreants by public hanging as a token of their peaceful intent.

Helga Freitag
Under-Secretary for Minor Matters on Even Numbered Months

Comments on Uniforms

Jeff asks:

Have you given any thought yet to regimental flags? How will each unit's colors be connected to their flags (or wiil they be)? This is something to think about now. Also, are you using any sort of "theme" for your units? You certainly don't have to . . . but if you do, some thoughts on the theme (whatever it might be) can inspire your choices for both uniforms and flags.

Only very vague consideration, regarding the unit flags. I'm thinking of toying with some coats of arms involving a blue wolf (the translation of Blauerwolf, the family name of the rulers), but beyond that I've not yet considered.

The colors being connected to the flags is a very good question. I like this idea. I'll have to play with some possibilities.

There's not presently any theme for the units. The green with orange combination was inspired by one of the French Dragoon uniforms I intend to include among my Napoleonic regiments. I thought it'd be fitting for a Jager unit, as looking through the 7YW plates on the Wargames etc site seems to suggest that it was popular to dress Jagers in a nice camoflaguing green combined with such incredibly bright facing colors a blind man couldn't miss. ;) So the green with orange seemed like a good combo that would be somewhat distinctive.

I also admit that the Guards uniform started because I was looking at my bottles of paint and there's this Andrea Blue that was in the Napoleonics set from Vallejo, but is not in any of my presently intended Napoleonic units. Seemed a shame to let it go to waste, so I tried the color on the templates and rather liked it. I'm not sure if I'm sticking with the white facings or not. They do provide an interesting icy sort of look with that blue, if it paints like it renders on the template.

Possible Hesse-Engelburg uniforms, draft 1

Thanks are most certainly due again to Jeff of Saxe-Bearstein for his excellent blank uniform templates. Below are a few proposed uniforms for Hesse-Engelburg troops.

Edit 02/16/2007: Sadly, the uniform image has had to be removed, as Jeff found that there was a prior copyright holder for the template. If anyone knows of a public domain replacement (or wants to make one), let me know! So here are the descriptions:

1. Pink uniform coat, violet facings (collars, cuffs, facings, and turnbacks). Gray trousers and waistcoat. Violet tape on the tricorn edging.


2. Gray uniform coat, blue facings. Gray trousers and waistcoat. White tape on tricorn edging.


3. Black uniform coat, red facings. Red trousers, gray waistcoat. Red tape on tricorn ediging.


4. Green uniform coat, orange facings. Green trousers, green waistcoat. Green tape on tricorn edging.


5. Gray uniform coat, yellow facings. Gray trousers and waistcoat. White tape on tricorn edging.


6. Andrea (light) blue uniform coat, white facings. Gray trousers and waistcoat. Andrea blue tape on tricorn edging.

From left to right, we have the following uniforms:

1. Princess Gertrude's Own - I'm pondering making this a regiment of dismounted Hussars. As noted elsewhere, the Princess' regiment simply must be pink. I think the violet facings make a nice compliment.
2. A unit of Hesse-Engelburg regulars. I may change my mind, but I'm presently planning to outfit the musketeers in gray uniforms with various colorful facings. Possibly the Grauerhimmel Musketeers.
3. Von Platzen Grenadiers - Naturally, also known as the Schwarze Grenadiere, the Black Grenadiers. Because people are just logical that way.
4. Jager Regiment von Behler - Sporting a proper Jager green, with distinctively orange facings.
5. Another unit of Hesse-Engelburg regulars. Possibly von Lintzer's regiment.
6. Guard Regiment - Probably a specific guards regiment, though it might end up being the uniform color for all guards units. I may change the facing colors...though I sort of like the icy look of the azure and white combination.

We'll see if I stick with these, but I think they're a nice initial set. Gray trousers and vests are the norm, though the Jagers go for green and the Von Platzen Grenadiers wear very notable red trousers.

Thoughts?

Hesse-Engelburg Recruitment Announcement

By command of Their Graces Guntram and Sieglinde, the principality of Hesse-Engelburg has issued a recruitment for able-bodied men to rally to the colors, to provide a standing army under the Blauerwolf banner. While declaring their intent to maintain the customary neutrality of Hesse-Engelburg in relation to the recent incidents of conflict surrounding such states as Stollen and Alzheim, Their Graces have determined it to be in the best interest of the honor and protection of Their people that They should raise an army to defend the principality.All individuals wishing to serve Their Graces within the new army are encouraged to present themselves at the newly established Induction Center in the great city of Grauerhimmel for qualifying and posting.Their Graces extend their warmest thanks to the volunteers of the Borderers who have so faithfully watched the perimeter of the principality for all threats, and request that those who do not feel called to join the colors will continue in this honorable service. Additionally, Their Graces express their expectation that their esteemed neighbors will express their honor and sportsmanship byoffering no threat of invasion during this time.

About Hesse-Engelburg

This site will, if I get around to doing what I plan to, be the progress record and idea storage for a fictional German state of the Seven Years' War period, created for wargaming purposes.

The state is named Hesse-Engelburg, which places it in the Hessen region, with Engelburg meaning roughly "Castle of the Angels"

The present working plan for the motto of the small principality is "alis volat propris" - She flies with her own wings.

One of the major principal cities will be Grauerhimmel.