1636: The Saxon Uprising

1636: The Saxon Uprising is a novel by Eric Flint in the 1632 series. It is a direct continuation of 1635: The Eastern Front.

Plot summary

After Gustav Adolphus suffers a head trauma in battle he becomes unable to continue to rule. The Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna uses this opportunity to try to reestablish the power of the nobility in the United States of Europe. He keeps the USE army occupied fighting against Poland and reinforcing Bohemia leaving only Swedish forces and the Provincial forces as the only professional soldiers in the country. He uses this advantage to 'bully' Prime Minister Wilhelm Wettin into co-operating with him. The province of Hesse-Kassel, who has the strongest provincial force, decides to stay neutral in the conflict only intending to use its soldiers to keep peace within its own borders. Bavaria invades the Upper Palatinate and the only soldiers able to meet them are the Thuringia-Franconia National Guard and one battalion of USE forces. After the Prime Minister discovers that Bavaria invaded after promises were made by the Swedish Chancellor, he confronts Oxenstierna and is arrested and removed from office.

Meanwhile General Johan Banér has taken his army and laid siege to Dresden the capital of Saxony. Ernst Wettin is the official Imperial Administrator however the city is under the control of Gretchen Richter and the Committees of Correspondence. They enter into an informal alliance with the rebel forces in Vogtland in order to protect as many people as possible from the butchery caused by Banér's men in Saxony.

Rebecca Stearns and the Fourth of July Party keep control of the CoC and act in a restrained manner. This undermines the legitimacy of Axel Oxenstierna and the Crown Loyalist gathered in Berlin. Furthermore, Princess Christina and Prince Ulric travel to Magdeburg arriving in an airplane to a big fanfare which further undermining the Swedish Chancellor.

Mike Stearns takes this opportunity to lead his Third Division from Bohemia into Saxony to break the siege of Dresden. He meets General Banér in battle during a snow storm in which his troops are more prepared to battle in. He defeats the Swedish general, Baner is killed in the battle, and breaks the siege of Dresden. Gustav Adolphus regains his wits soon after that and bring an end to Axel Oxenstierna's uprising. Wilhelm Wettin is released from custody and reinstated as Prime Minister.