Nations

Portugal
Portugal is a mercantile nation that prospers by trade from profits of the land facing the Atlantic Ocean. They quickly rode the advances of navigation, and were the first to round the Cape of Good Hope. Recently, after returning from the discovery of the Indian route, and fiercely compete with their neighbor, Spain.

Spain
Spain is a powerful authoritarian kingdom dominated by the royal house of Habsburg. The Habsburgs' rise to the royal throne came because of the premature death of the late king's son. Spain came into possession of the Netherlands which is the territory of the current royal family.

In order to support the country's finances the Netherlands have been taxed heavily, and as a consequences has raised support for their independence movement in recent years.

England
England is a small island country to the north for whom wool is the key industry. However, the wool market became unstable because of the Spanish political meddling in the Netherlands, which is England's biggest trading partner. The wool trade decreased, and a heavy recession ensued. The Queen wishes to repair the situation, but there is no method to compete with powerful Spain.

The Netherlands
The Netherlands is a rising maritime courier nation facing the North Sea. They are a producer of wool fabric. The main Habsburg territory of the Netherlands became Spanish territory by inheritance of the Spanish king. The Spanish political meddling awoke the independence movement, but the military strength of the House of Alba prevents the movement.

France
France is an agrarian kingdom holding territory from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. France is surrounded by strong ocean-faring countries, and its seafaring business was delayed because of a long line of monarchs who were obsessed with themselves. The half-century delayed Renaissance starts from the Italian peninsula, and there are many nobles who collect rare treasures and artifacts.

Venice
Venice is a small city-state floating on the sea. It is called the "City of Water". Venice's maritime industry had long been prosperous, and Venice had long held a monopoly on the profits of the Mediterranean trade on pepper from Alexandria. However, recently the Ottoman empire appeared in the East and Portugal discovered a sea route to the Indies.