Saxony-Bavaria: The treaty of Dresden in 1760 that ended the Four Years War saw Austria greatly enlarge and empower Saxony in order to act as a counter against defeated Prussia. Gradually, over the latter half of the 18th century, Saxony found itself rising as Germanys third power, a situation which led to several conflicts with Prussia. Saxony also built closer ties to neighboring Bavaria, first through marriage, then ultimately through alliance, to counter Austria and Prussia doing the same. Saxony during the Age of Revolutions was the leader of the counter-reform alliance. When Maximillian III of Bavaria died in 1794, the throne passed to Frederick Augustus of Saxony, and the two crowns came into dynastic union, much to the chagrin of Austria and Prussia, neither of whom particularly cared to see further ties between two already powerful nations. Frederick Augustus himself declared the two countries united under his rule in 1797. United Saxony-Bavaria managed to hold fast, and the Treaty of Rome in 1799 granted the union international recognition. The country over the next several decades managed to grow, both economically and in unity. Saxony-Bavarias participation in the Fourth Silesian War, on the side of the French, resulted in mixed outcomes. On the one hand, the petty state of Swabia to the west was absorbed into Saxony-Bavaria; on the other, Saxony-Bavaria was, after some initial advances, defeated by the Austro-Hungarians and Prussians in the east. Recently, Saxony-Bavaria, largely thanks to its continued steadfast opposition to both Berlin and Vienna, has become a hotbed of German nationalism; indeed, many believe that it could be Dresden from where a true pan-German state is ruled in the future.
-Kings: Frederick Christian (1763-1779), Frederick Augustus III/I (1779-1797 Saxony; 1797-1836 Saxony-Bavaria), Frederick Augustus II (1836-)
Serbia: The modern Serbian state emerged from a massive sequence of rebellions in the region against Ottoman control in 1795, amidst the backdrop of the greater Age of Revolutions. The Serbians were able to hold their own against Ottoman attempts to retake control of the region, and after both Austrian and Russian interventions. Initially only in control of a modest territory along the Austro-Hungarian and Danubian borders, and a state aligned with the Russians, Serbias next opportunity for expansion came in the form of the ultimate collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the 1840s. Alongside Greece and the Danube, Serbian armies crossed the border, making rapid progress. The ultimate division of the Empire in 1843 virtually tripled Serbias size. In the aftermath of the war, Serbia is now the largest power in the Balkans, and renamed herself the Kingdom of Greater Serbia to reflect her newfound size. But Serbia has not had the easiest time ensuring her gains stay loyal to Budapest; unrest from minority groups is mounting, their own nationalism growing in opposition to the monolithic Serbian domination of the Balkans. In addition, Serbias former allies, the Danube and Greece, have begun drifting further and further away. Much like the rest of the Balkans, the Industrial Revolution has yet to truly catch on in Serbia, leaving her somewhat behind the rest of Europe.
Spain: The outbreak of the Age of Revolutions would take a major toll on Spains fortunes in the 1790s. Her colonies were rebelling one by one, and her forces were defeated in battle elsewhere in Europe. Attempts at reform were quashed by the heavy hand of King Charles IV. Ultimately, the spark would come in 1798, when a protest in Madrid boiled over into full-scale revolt, the Kings forces unable to contain the rebels. But it was only when French forces attempted to intervene that full-scale civil war broke out, the British and Portuguese providing support to the rebels. The republican rebels initially made significant progress, the King fleeing to Barcelona, but the republicans were unable to definitively bring eastern Spain under their control, and by 1802 a stalemate had resulted. In the meantime, a new government, the Spanish Republic, had been formed. The Treaty of Paris in 1805 split Spain in two, the west a republic, the east a kingdom. The Spanish Republic also retained control over Peru. Although the monarchy had been abolished, Spain would have difficulty asserting her relevance in the early 19th century. After having lost the Philippines to France during the Age of Revolutions, Spain attempted to expand her colonial empire abroad, once more trying to expand Spanish influence into states such as Siam, but this eventually led to war with Portugal, the Iberian War (1842-1845), after an escalation of tensions caused by a naval skirmish in the Straits of Malacca, which the Spanish lost, leading to a major hit in prestige and the loss of some overseas possessions. Thanks to the toll the war had in South America, Peru declared independence, and Spain was unable to retake it. Even so, the Spanish people remain hopeful for the future.
Sweden: In the late 18th and early 19th century, Sweden appeared to be in the midst of a resurgence of sorts. In 1771, during the Third War of Polish Succession, the Swedes invaded and conquered Karelia from the Russians, and as Russia fell into civil war shortly after, it was the Swedes to keep. Sweden also spent the next several decades building up its influence in Germany. For several decades, it looked as if Sweden may become one of the 19th centurys new European powers. But in 1826, everything began to unravel for Sweden. Prussia invaded and annexed Mecklenburg and Swedish Pomerania. Just years later, Sweden was defeated by Denmark and Russia during the Fourth Silesian War, leading to the loss of Gotland, Skaneland, Karelia, and Finland, as well as a major hit to Swedish international prestige. Increasingly politically isolated and economically backwards, and increasingly overshadowed by neighboring Denmark, the Swedes sulk quietly, waiting for the right opportunity to strike again.
Switzerland: Like the Netherlands, but less conspicuously, the Swiss Confederation has remained neutral and almost completely isolated from the affairs of the rest of Europe, without much in the way of internal problems. The Swiss are content to sit in their homeland and watch the world turn and burn outside, and facilitate international bankrolling.
Trier: Trier entered the 19th century as one of the states enlarged by the Treaty of Rome in 1799. Eventually, wary of French expansionism into its corner of western Germany, Trier was allowed into the League of the Rhine in 1829. But shortly after, Trier was overrun by the French during the Fourth Silesian War. After wars end in 1834, Trier was broken off the League, and like the neighboring Palatinate, came under French protection, something the vast majority of the locals resent. With the upsurge of German nationalist sentiment in recent years, an uprising in Trier may not be far off.
Wurzburg: After being the site of protracted conflicts between pro- and counter-reformists during the Age of Revolutions, an enlarged state of Wurzburg was created by the Treaty of Rome in 1799. Increasingly alarmed by Saxobavarian and French expansionism, Wurzburg entered into alliance with neighboring Hessia in 1829, which has continued to this day. Wurzburg in the 19th century so far has been largely peaceful, with the exception of fighting alongside the Austrians and Prussians during the Fourth Silesian War. But in 1850, German (pan-)nationalism is growing in Wurzburg, just like in many of the other German states, and under the surface, instability is growing.
Wurttemberg: Post-Treaty of Rome Wurttemberg was one of the numerous states to emerge in the new order in Germany. But even in this supposed peaceful solution, things in Wurttemberg have always been far from entirely peaceful. Although Wurttemberg fought on the side of the French in the Fourth Silesian War, with the absorbing of Ansbach and Swabia into Saxony-Bavaria, and the annexation of Baden by France Wurttemberg, leaves Wurttemberg sandwiched on three sides between France and Saxony-Bavaria. Additionally, the flames of German nationalism are rising under the surface, and something big could be about to happen.
Zagora: The Principality of Zagora, one of Europes smallest states, was carved out of the Ottoman Empires Balkan holdings by the Treaty of Vienna in 1843, and given to Turkey as a protectorate in a compromise. Zagoras existence was the result of a compromise between powers over what to do with the Empires sizable Bulgarian populace. Some radicals in Zagora are calling for the expansion of the state to all Bulgars, and the overthrow of Turkish dominance, but so far it has amounted to little except further Serbian militarization of the frontier. Zagora in 1850 remains a relatively agrarian and insignificant backwater of Europe.
Middle East and Africa
Algiers: A sovereign sultanate was established in Algiers, like in neighboring Tunis, in 1842 as Ottoman rule in the region crumbled. However, Ottoman loyalists refused to comply with the new order, and what resulted was widespread civil disturbance. Enter Aragon-Sicily, who provided support in solidifying the new sultans rule, and the dissent was crushed in a short period of time. In turn however, the Aragonese began eating away at Algierss autonomy. By 1850, Algiers has become a protectorate of Aragon-Sicily in all but name.
Ethiopia: The country of Ethiopia has remained largely isolated from world affairs in the late 18th and early 19th century. Neither the Ottoman Empire nor the Whaheydi Caliphate made any real moves against the country, and despite regular contact with Europe thanks to a shared religion, no European nation has so far made any moves against the country either. Ethiopia remains agrarian and pre-industrial, under the same systems of state it has been under for centuries now. However, another wave of unrest has begun to build amongst Ethiopias Muslim population. And on the outside, European interest in Africa is building, and a European power or, for that matter, Mysore could very well see Ethiopia as ripe pickings.
Morocco: The sultanate of Morocco has remained proudly independent, if weak, poor, and relatively insignificant throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. Once the only truly independent state in North Africa, thanks to the recession of Ottoman authority from North Africa and the ultimate collapse of the Empire by the 1840s, an event that was celebrated by the Moroccan leadership, but any dreams of a resurgence of Moroccan authority to the days when the Almoravids and Almohads and Marinids ruled were dashed when Aragon-Sicily became the dominant force in the new neighboring state of Algiers. Some fear that Morocco could be the next state to fall victim to European expansionism.
Oman: The fledgling maritime empire the Omanis had built since is no more, thanks to the British, who swept in to take Zanzibar from the Omanis in the early 19th century, and the Mysoreans, who rapidly and shamelessly displaced the Omanis as a dominant force in Indian Ocean trade and conquered the city of Mogadishu from them. Despite those losses, Oman proper remains independent from both the existing Middle Eastern states and the Europeans, although Omans future remains extremely uncertain.
Persia: Although it lost much of its northern frontier to Russia during the time the Europeans called the Age of Revolutions, Persia since the early 19th century was still a state relevant in the greater scheme of Middle Eastern politics, if not beyond that. In the 1820s, several indecisive border wars were fought with the late Ottoman Empire, as well as the Ottomans nominal allies in Delhi. Delhis rapid expansion into Afghanistan and Baluchistan had greatly concerned Persia, but no conflict beyond the aforementioned border wars has yet erupted between the two countries. Following that, Persia failed to capitalize on the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the 1840s, but a far weakened Turkish state now sits on Persias doorstep, rather than the far more threatening state that preceded it. Although it remains relatively far behind its neighbors, it is still independent of any European colonial power. Nevertheless, Persia could very well be primed for resurgence, at any moment now.
Tunis: The bey of Tunis asserted his countrys independence in 1842, alongside Algiers, as the Ottoman Empire imploded thanks to a secession of rebellions and foreign invasions. Although the beyelik has so far maintained its independence from both the neighboring Whaheydis and, unlike neighboring Algiers, the Europeans, Tunis sits uncomfortably next to the Whaheydi Caliphate, which would have few qualms with expanding their radical Islamist empire over the border and into Tunis.
Turkey: The Sultanate of Turkey is the more or less official successor to the Ottoman Empire, which mere centuries ago held sway from the Maghreb to the Persian frontier and from Hungary to the Sudan. The Empire had been deeply weakened by numerous rebellions in the Balkans during what the Europeans called the Age of Revolutions, which led to the creation of independent Greek, Serbian, and Danubian states, and a drastic reduction in Turkish power in the Balkans in favor of the Austrians and Russians. While the Empire had attempted to make serious efforts at reform in the early 19th century, and it saw economic growth thanks to increased trade with Delhi, it would ultimately all be in vain. The reactionary elements of the nobility eventually managed to take power at the expense of the Sultans, while Whaheydism proliferated from Egypt. Ultimately, in 1840, another war broke out with Serbia and Greece, and this war would spell the death knell for the Sublime Porte. By 1842, Austria-Hungary, France, Great Britain, Russia and the upstart Whaheydi state had all entered the fray. After years of conflict, a reformist coup in 1843 elevated respected military leader Ismet Turkan to the crown. This coup is usually seen as the official end of the Ottoman Empire; peace was made soon after, which saw the Turks almost entirely kicked out of the Balkans, with the exception of Zagora, and the Turkish state reduced to Anatolia and Mesopotamia. But now, it is time for Turkey to rebuild.
Whaheydi Caliphate: The Whaheydi movement, a fusion of radical Islam and Arab nationalism, has its roots in 1830s Egypt, in the last days of the Ottoman Empire. Whaheydism spread through Egypt faster than the plague, and by 1840 the entire country was a tinderbox. The spark was lit in 1842, when Omar Ali, the wali of Egypt, declared the country completely independent, with the overwhelming support of the Whaheydi movement and its leadership, promising to liberate their Arab brothers from the crumbling empire. As Ottoman authority in the surrounding locales crumbled, the Whaheydi movement picked up. A Whaheydi army secured Tripoli, while another marched eastward, into the Levant, simultaneously bringing the Islamic holy cities in the Hedjaz under Whahyedi control. Although the Whahyedi advance was ultimately stalled in Syria, when the Ottoman Empire was dissolved in 1843, the newly forged Whaheydi Caliphate, under the newly elevated caliph Omar Ali, stood strong, stretching from Damascus to Khartoum, centered upon Cairo. But, even as the Whaheydi dream of a true pan-Arab Islamic state has been realized, the caliphate faces internal problems of its own, from political intrigue and resistance to the Whaheydist radical Islam, not only from non-Muslims, but also from moderate Islamic leaders. It may be the case that the Caliphate has expanded itself a little too far too quickly.
Yemen: The collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1840s allowed for the recreation of a unified, sovereign state in Yemen. By the mid-1840s, most of the region had been brought under the nominal control of a central authority in Sanaa, ruled over by a sultan. But Yemens tribal element still holds significant authority of its own, and therefore, Yemen remains far weaker than most other Islamic states. And there are always the Europeans and Mysore to be concerned about.
Asia and the Pacific
Baroda: Baroda carved a large section of the western Maratha Confederacy for herself in the 1800s after that state fell apart. Over the next several decades, threats from both Delhi and Nagpur pushed Baroda further into the outstretched arms of the British, who provided Baroda with ample amounts of military aid and even some economic investment. However, this came at the price of having to accept a de facto loss of sovereignty to the British, a problem exacerbated by the British playing off internal disputes to increase their own influence. Despite being a British protectorate in all but name, Baroda is still relatively wealthy, and could very well have desires of her own.
Bhutan: Here be dragons. (And a few British folk, but, honestly, who cares about them?)
China: The White Lotus Rebellion in 1794 was a harbinger of what was to come for China. What started as a minor discontent dismissed as harmless talk had by 1795 become a mass peasant revolt that encompassed a quarter of the country, and would take until 1806 to completely put down. European powers, seeing Chinas weakness, moved in and began to exploit the situation. Disagreement between the Emperor and various court factions, some of which favored one European power or another, resulted in unpopular measures. One faction, the virulently anti-European Golds, grew rapidly in power. A Gold-sympathetic Emperor came to power in 1795, but in 1810, what was widely suspected to be a European plot led to that Emperors assassination, and replacement by a pro-Dutch emperor. The Golds were infuriated, placing a second Emperor in Nanjing, and the resulting conflict, the Jin War (1811-1818) utterly devastated an already weary China. Although the Golds, like the White Lotus Rebellion, were ultimately put down, almost ten million died from war and famine. The various internal conflicts had left the Chinese economy in ruins, leaving a perfect vacuum for the Dutch and British to enter, which they did, and competition between the two began spiraling out of control, at great detriment to China, especially after the British introduced opium from Bengal. When China attempted to do something about this, at the behest of the Dutch, the Opium War (1840-1842) erupted with Great Britain, resulting in one of the worst defeats in Chinas history, and the British gaining Hong Kong and the island of Hainan. The Emperor, distraught, became a recluse until the day of his death in 1849, and control of the country is de facto in the hands of his advisors, most of whom have been bankrolled by the Dutch. The Chinese government has become virtually bankrupt, and took the opportunity some would say by coercion to sell northern Manchuria to Russia in 1848 and Formosa to the Netherlands in 1849. China is in dire straits; her economy has been trashed, her government and bureaucracy are increasingly weak and ineffective, her military has been humiliated, and in the far reaches of the country, authority has begun to outright break down.
-Emperors: Qianlong (1735-1795), Jiaqing (1795-1810), Daoguang (1810-1849), Qixiang (1849-)
Delhi: Like a phoenix, Delhi has risen dramatically from the degenerate remnants of the Mughal and Maratha states, ever since a reconstituted Delhi Sultanate under the devout Muhammad Ajit was established in 1800. Delhi quickly consolidated control over the bulk of northern India. Ajit the Great, as he was named, quickly modernized Delhis army into what was widely considered Asias best land fighting force, and in a series of campaigns between 1807 and 1811, solidified control over the Indus Valley by conquering the regions petty states. Delhi then proceeded to invade and conquer wholesale the Afghan Durrani state, with the bulk of Afghanistan firmly under Delhian control by the 1820s. After a long and illustrious reign, Ajit the Great passed away in 1839, succeeded by his son, the equally devout Muhammad Ajit II. However, Delhi is fast approaching the limit of its militaristic expansion if that limit has not already been passed and unrest within her borders is slowly but steadily mounting, as the states favoritism towards its Muslim populace has begun to anger Hindus, Sikhs, and others.
-Sultans: Muhammad Ajit I (1800-1839), Muhammad Ajit II (1839-)
Japan: The isolation from the outside world that began in Japan several centuries prior has been faithfully preserved, even this far into the 19th century. There are few Europeans to be found on these isles, and certainly the Japanese establishment likes it that way. No European power has attempted to mess with Japan, for reasons unknown. In fact, Japan has been referred to by many foreigners as the hermit country, backwards and largely isolated from the world, a far cry from nearby, blossoming Korea. But all that may be changing as Korea grows in strength, and as news reaches Japan about various European powers seizing territories throughout East Asia, Japan may be forced to or even willingly end its isolation, and embrace the world stage. Japans future is uncertain at best, but if she can emerge modernized Japan could very well be a force to be reckoned with.
Korea: The story of the Joseon state since the 18th century has been one of Asias greatest success stories. Under the long reign of the reformist king Jeongjo, Korea seized the opportunity provided by Chinese internal chaos to begin to free Korea of Chinese domineering. This was only the first step; further progress would be made thanks to cooperation with and investment by France in the early 19th century. Jeongjo gradually began acting as if Korea was entirely independent, and began eagerly modernizing the countrys administration and military along European lines and, in the case of the latter, with European equipment. Although this was not without opposition there was significant turmoil caused by various court factions against European influences Jeongjo was able to persevere and reform nevertheless until the day he died in 1832, and his reforms have been continued by his successor, Sanggye, who has continued building up ties with France, even going so far as to establish a formal alliance. In 1850, Korea is a budding industrial power, much like Mysore, and has designs on expanding beyond its humble peninsula, especially as Korea proper is not especially rich in resources.
-Kings: Jeongjo (1776-1832), Sanggye (1832-)
Mysore: The Treaty of Rotterdam, signed in 1760, de facto divided India into British and French spheres of influence. The state of Mysore straddled the division between the two, a situation that would prove beneficial for her in the long run. When France allied with neighboring Hyderabad in 1767, Mysore under Haider Ali attempted to prevent this from furthering itself by invading, launching the First Franco-Mysore War. That ended in 1770 with Mysore being forced to accept French influence over Hyderabad. In 1800, as France was distracted fighting revolutionaries in Europe, Mysore struck again, launching the successful Second Franco-Mysore War, ending with the cession of some French territory to Mysore. Seeing an opportunity to check French expansion in India, the British dramatically increased their support to and economic involvement in Mysore. The state quickly grew extremely wealthy from British and Indian Ocean trade, enabling Haider Ali and his successors to rapidly modernize the countrys internal structure, transforming Mysore into an advanced Indian state that has significantly industrialized, although a significant part of the economy is still controlled by foreigners, especially British investors. Additionally, in the last several decades, Mysore has blossomed into a veritable international power as well, acquiring colonial possessions of her own in Aceh and East Africa, possessing a navy that can stand up to the British and French on its own terms, and displacing the Europeans for dominance over the Indian Ocean.
Nagpur: Aside from Delhi, Nagpur was the largest of Indias post-Maratha states to emerge from the ruins of the Martha Confederacy in the early 1800s, as a local noble family established power in the city of Nagpur as the Mahesha dynasty, before solidifying control over most of Central India. Originally a British-affiliated state, Nagpur eventually drifted away from the British sphere, in an attempt to assert its independence and emulate neighboring Mysore. In fact, Nagpur went to war with the British satellites of Baroda in the 1820s and Orissa in the 1830s, neither of which saw any success, except in gaining the ire of the British, thanks to plentiful British support. The wars also helped lessen the Maheshas support from both the military and the people, and ever since then, opposition to the Maheshas has been growing. Nagpur now lies in a precarious situation. Although her army can hold its own, it is no match for the military powerhouse ruled from Delhi to the north, and in addition to the internal problems, Nagpurs economy is being increasingly overshadowed and even dominated by the emerging industrial powerhouse of Mysore to the south. Nagpur may have to do something, fast, if she wishes to not have to count down her days.
Nepal: The quaint and mountainous country of Nepal may look harmless on the surface, and to the British that have been visiting Nepal, it very much is. In reality, Nepals people are all privy to a secret: it is only a matter of time before the Nepalese Death Star is unveiled and the Nepalese Steampunk Intergalactic Empire is born, ruled from the summit of Everest itself. Soon the world shall tremble before the might of Nepal
Orissa: When the dust from the fall of the Marathas settled in the early 1800s, Orissa was the state that emerged controlling a significant chunk of eastern India. However, she was still surrounded by more powerful neighbors. To rectify this threat, Orissa gradually aligned herself with the British, procuring extensive military and limited economic support. However, the British then began playing with Orissan internal politics, exploiting disagreements between the monarch and the local nobility in order to increase their own power. Ultimately, Orissa became an effective British protectorate. Nevertheless, it is still relatively wealthy for its small size.
Siam: Siams history in the 19th century thus far has been a rocky one. Long a power in Southeast Asia, Thanks to the decline of Chinese influence, Siam found itself in conflict with the neighboring rising power of Vietnam twice (1814-1816 and 1829-1832) both times ending in Siamese defeat and the loss of territory. After the second defeat, the King of Siam decided that outside support would be necessary to preserving Siamese power, and it would primarily be the Spanish that Siam emerged in a working relationship with. Unfortunately for Siam, in 1842-1845, Spain went to war with Portugal after several incidents in the Straits of Malacca. Portugal fought Siam as well, and although the Siamese fought admirably, they still lost to the superior Portuguese military, and was forced to grant several territorial cessions to the Portuguese. Later in the 1840s, Siam went to war with Burma, gaining some territory to its north, but it may not be enough to stave off the Europeans.
Sikkim: Welcome to Sikkim, a small and insignificant state wedged between the equally insignificant mountain realms of Bhutan and Nepal, as well as Tibet and British Bengal. At least the cross-Himalayan trade routes keep Sikkims economy healthy.
Tibet: Although Tibet is de jure part of China proper, the de facto situation is somewhat more complicated. Ever since the late 18th century, Tibet has effectively been running its own affairs, with little to no interference from the Emperor. While, officially, it is merely autonomous, like Mongolia and Xinjiang, virtually everyone has realized that, unlike Mongolia and Xinjiang, Tibet is an independent state. Tibet has been quiet, having escaped the turmoil to the east in the remainder of China. The British have also made overtures to Tibet in order to build their influence in Asia, at the expense of the Chinese.
Vietnam: From the time the Nguyen dynasty took power in 1802, Vietnam has been Southeast Asias rising power, aided by the decline of the Chinese states influence over the region. In 1814-1816, and again in 1829-1832, Vietnam went to war with Siam over territorial disputes, emerging victorious both times. Since the major European powers were focused in expanding their Asian possessions elsewhere, largely ignoring or choosing to avoid prodding Vietnam, Vietnam was able to build up at home, and prosper from foreign trade, both of which have given great boons to the country. Although Vietnam has not not yet, anyway borne the fruits of industrialization like Korea or Mysore have, it is still relatively powerful in its own right, and Hue is the go-to city for foreigners in the region. But will it be enough to keep Vietnam strong?
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