Although I'm a fan of topographic maps, I think putting it into this map hinders the readability. If you're aiming to mainly convey information about the political situation at that time, you might want to consider leaving out the forests at least. The terrain is not too distracting.

If you will need to put in a lot more labels too, my advice would be to leave out the topography, unless it adds significantly to the political situation (like strategic influences).