Europa Universalis 3

I've mostly worked myself out of the video-games. At this age, I've created civilizations, taken over the world, colonized the Americas, fought as James Bond, raced tiny cars with Mario characters, etc. etc. Pretty much, I've done it all :) Having spent the better part of two year working in front of a computer, I try to keep away from them as much as possible in my free time. I don't see that changing in the future, really.

However, there is one game that I do find incredibly fascinating and educational: Europa Universalis 3. You basically take control of one of the kingdoms/duchies/city-states/republics that existed in the world on May 30, 1453 and guide them through an alternate history until 1822. The start date is significant in that it is the date that the Ottoman Turks won the seige of Constantinople, effectively ending the last remnant of the Roman Empire, the Byzantines. The end date roughly corresponds to the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

In the second expansion, the game start date is pushed back to 1399, starting at the coronation of Henry IV of England; however, I like the original start date because it truly represents a sea-change in European history.

Through this game, I've learned so much about the geography of Germany, Italy, and France; and discovered nations that I'd never even heard of, like Burgundy. I late read about people, places, and events from game on Wikipedia, later. It's really fascinating.

If you'll humor me, oh interwebs: Burgundy was at one time as large as France and controlled the southeast part of modern day France and all of Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg. It was one of the largest territories in all of Europe at it's time. So, how come I'd never heard of it before finding this game?

You'll have to read about it yourself, I'm afraid; it's such a complicated story that I couldn't hope to do it justice. If your lazy, though, the simplistic story is that the Duke of Burgundy petitioned the Holy Roman Emporer to be made a King, thus creating the Kingdom of Burgundy. His petition was denied, and some deal was made between the King of France and the Holy Roman Emperor that, upon the Duke's death, with him not having an heir, the Duchy of Burgundy would be divided between the France and Holy Roman Empire.

This is the reason that Holland and Belguim fell under Spanish control when Charles V of Austria/Carlos I of Spain ruled over Spain and Austria and was also elected as the Holy Roman Emporer.

European history is so complicated and fascinating, but this game has been a sort of catalyst for me to slowly work my way from the fall of Rome, to the Rise of Charlemagne, to the dividing of his Empire at his death (essentially along the present day borders of France and Germany!), through the time of the Crusades, the Renaissance, the colonial period, the consolodation and rise of Russia, the infiltration and absorbotion of the Holy Roman Empire by Prussia, and ultimately ending in the Napoleonic Wars. It's really quite a story, even in broad brush strokes, and I still have huge gaps in my knowledge.

Anyway, it's an addicting game regardless; but I also learn a lot.