Vinland and The Alliance of Catholic Nations in Trade (1426)

The Alliance of Catholic Nations in Trade was a treaty of 1426 between the Kingdoms of England, Holy Roman Empire and the Kalmar Union, to protect the inherent benefit of Whitmount on the trade of all three nations.

Eric of Pomerania, whose Catholic ties had recently become stronger due to his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, was wary of his southern neighbours, the Counts of Schauenburg and Holstein. In 1424, a verdict of the Holy Roman Empire by Sigismund, King of Germany, recognising Eric as the legal ruler of South Jutland, was ignored by the Holsteiners. The long war was a strain on the Danish economy as well as on the unity of the north.

In response to this, and on the recommendation of his wife Philippa of England, he called a council in Roskilde between himself, Henry VI (represented at the council by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester), and Sigismund (represented at the council by Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg).

Although the original document drawn up between the three powers is now lost to time, contemporary historians commented greatly on the Alliance of Catholic Nations in Trade as it was called. Most notably among these was Joktan Vandale, whose Historee of the Northern Empires, who gives us the main points of the treaty as thus;

• The islands of Whitmount, now wholly owned by the Kalmar Union, is to remain a natural entity in all war after this date. It shall not be named in any war declaration. If named, it shall only be named as part of a treaty between the Kalmar Union and another state, provided that this mention be supported by the other parties in this treaty.
• The Kingdom of England, in all its holy glory, shall be allowed safe passage though and around Whitmount in order to seek land in the New World. It shall be proved with land to the south of Bjargstrond.
• The Kingdom of Holy Roman Empire, all its holy glory, shall be allowed safe passage though and around Whitmount in order to seek land in the New World. It shall be proved with land to the south of Bjargstrond.
• The amount of land that each kingdom shall have within the New World shall be decided, unanimously, by all parties.

As such, in 1427, the Kingdom of England claimed New Plymouth and the Holy Roman Empire claimed Neuausbau for their glorious empires. The upshot of this was a booming trade of furs flowing through Whitmount, increasing the Kalmar Union’s economic income 30% in 5 years.

In order to keep peace on the island, the powerful Luuk family, headed by Ragnvald Luuk, was put in place as the Resident Governors of the Islands.

Above is a map, demonstrating the political geography of Vinland in the year 1430.