EUROPE:
The Imperial Aarut Republic sets its sights on naval supremacy in the Atlantic. The age of piracy in the Atlantic basically comes to an end, except for those privateers sanctioned by Aarut itself.
But the rapid advance of technology threatens to upset everything - powerful shell-firing guns begin to appear which can rip wooden hulls to shreds. There are long-running arguments about whether or not metal-hulled and steam-powered ships can be used reliably on the open seas. While Aarut maintains a huge fleet of older vessels, both it and its 'enlightened' rivals in Europe (Amestria and Furotoca) begin to build an assortment of new experimental warships. The empire continues to nurture industry of all kinds, and becomes more dependent on Rosk for raw materials.
The Argine Empire is becoming another backwater of Europe, and can put up little competition for naval power. Former Taretaran [Spanish/Portuguese] merchants and seafarers become restless, especially as Aarut influence steadily works its way into their overseas colonies. The accidental circumnavigation of the globe by the Argine theosopher/navigator, Tanil Haruky, in 1831 is one of the few rays of hope - although not the first circling of the globe, it soon becomes the most well publicised, thanks to Haruky's ideas about religion and history which are unusual even by Targarotan standards. Haruky documents abandoned cities and monuments in the [Carribean], Central America, India and [Indonesia] in his search for ancient relics (hoping to collaborate his theories of an impending invasion of demonic beings from the underworld).
The expected Great War between the Argine and central powers never arrives. Argine rulers put their resources into a network of expensive modern forts along their eastern border, while the ambitious Rosk Kingdom occupies the attentions of the Amerstrian sphere. From trade with Aarut, Rosk gains the latest cannons and rifles (influenced by wars with the native North Americans).
Rosk's gains in mainland Europe reach a peak in the campaigns of 1849, when they are poised to redraw the map of eastern Europe in alliance with the Keyzads, and the Rosk Empire is declared. But the besieged Amestrians rally behind the charismatic figure of Varik Taraskalic, grandson of the famous Nadzavoskian general Dezov Taraskalic. Despite being a Northern Kalik by birth, of Nadzavoskian descent, Varik gains popular support after leading an allied army of Amestrian armies to stunning victories over their better-armed opponents. Amestrian military theory also plays a role in this - a theory of the 'people in arms', a militarised version of Furotocan philosophy, where the people can be mobilized in mass, and trusted to overwhelm enemies with numbers and superior morale (although they cannot be trusted to elect suitable leaders by themselves). Varik's campaigns take him from the [Baltic] to the [Black Sea] and the borders of Argine territory, before his death in 1866 at the fifth battle of [Danzig]. His successors are forced to give up almost half of Varik's gains, but that still leaves a sizeable Amestrian Empire on the map (similar in size to the old Aestian Empire).
The fighting leaves large parts of central and eastern Europe war-torn and pillaged. Famine, disease and financial collapses follow. The Leav kingdom is eventually annexed into the greater Aarut empire, and the remains of Varik's ally, Sturmault, becomes the neutral Thessen Union. Meanwhile the peaceful Kingdom of Ustri [Switzerland] is growing in wealth and benefits from an influx of refugees.
The Furotoca of Curias endures frequent regime-change, until 1852 and the election of Sheven Grisslow, who becomes famous for his great speeches. He ends up serving seven terms as head of state, with frequent accusations of gathering illegal powers and seeking to be dictator. Nonetheless the Furotoca becomes more established, and shows off its steamships and slowly-expanding network of railways. Alongside the Orimudans, the Furotocans also experiment with hydrogen-filled airships. Most of the remaining Kalik states are persuaded to join the union. The endless promotion of democratic ideals hurts relations with the Furotoca's conservative neighbours. The Furotoca also seems to threaten the Mediterranean with its powerful squadron of ironclads. The island of [Sicily] is finally seceded by Tezan after uprising of liberalists and reformist Wainists.
The sometimes-competing ideas of nationalism and democracy cause unrest throughout central and eastern Europe. Partly become of this, the Keyzad of Serezyl-Urgury enters civil war and breaks apart around 1853. Small new states appear in the east from what used to be Serezyl-Urgury, the Arad kingdoms, and parts of the Orimudan Alliance and some of the Kalik states. Furotocan ideas spread here, as seen in the 'Thuratica' of Zevon [Romania]. Other states are more influenced towards the Keyzads, the Varakan sphere or the Amestrians.
The Orimudans [Greece] draw closer to the Furotoca and there are even discussions on a future union of the two peoples.
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE-EAST:
The millennia-old Yansalan Empire has one last charismatic leader, Hulomein IV, whose early work at restoring Yansalan prestige is undone by a long slide into senile madness.
The mighty Varakan Empire expands into Garakal [southern Arabia], a war that gains little for them in the long term. The desert raiders, the Nayir tribes, are harsh conservative Wainists loyal to the old Garakal leaders. They take insult to the Varakans and are a constant drain on resources. Many traders move south to the Manzuru and Hom empires.
Nonetheless, Yansala is now trapped between expanding powers of Tezan and Varaka. Sarih tribes begin to raid across the border from Varakan territory. A treaty in 1869 makes Yansala a puppet state, with real power shared by Tezan and Varaka. Tezan's king claims the title of Holy Emperor of Africa, while Varaka gains access to Yansala's ports and the [Nile]. There is even talk of building a great canal to allow Varakan steamships to pass between the [Mediterranean] and the [Red Sea].
The Nalkut Kingdom, claiming descent from the ancient Pargian Kingdom, takes advantage of confusion to advance north along the Nile. Yansala's forces are bolstered by the better-armed troops of Tezan and even a few Varakan expedition forces. The Nalkut army is pushed back, as are Manzuru garrisons on the [Red Sea] coast.
Most of Africa remains fractured in small states, some of which are becoming surprisingly wealthy and well-armed. Tezan and its allies nonetheless manage to make large gains in western Africa, aided by messy break-up of the Hawaladu Empire. Tezan also plots against the declining Argine colonies.
The Manzuru Empire makes some gains in the east. Its leaders do their best to modernize and unite the empire, and entertain envoys and traders from across Asia, who all compete for influence there.
Two factions of the former Takaraji Union, Saikara and Tekoda, remain interested in Africa. The Saikarans ally with one of the Hom factions and help to rebuild the Hom Empire, in return for generous trade concessions. The south of Africa, with its old mix of European and various African colonies, becomes another co-dominion shared by Saikara and Hom. Many of the Saikaran operations are actually run by ethnic-Zhul peoples of western India and Ceyloni [Sri Lanka].
Some Hom factions refuse to accept the new order, and continue to rule their own independent kingdoms in mainland Africa.
INDIA AND CENTRAL ASIA:
For decades there are three-way tensions between Poneb, Nadzavosk-Savisia and the Marzhung.
'Emperor' Marzohung II attempts to reunite the Marzhung factions. Marzohung II claims partial descent from Nadzavosk nobility, and attempts to forge a great alliance of the steppe peoples with Nadzavosk-Savisia. He even adds 'Nadzavosk' to his own title, and forces through the adoption of western Keyzad customs, against the wishes of the traditional Marzhung factions. But in reality, all sides are attempting to modernize. The leaders of Nadzavosk-Savisia ultimately see more to gain from a secret alliance with Poneb than any romantic notions of upholding the old traditions and lifestyles of the steppe.
During a period of relative calm, Marzohung II sends most of his loyalist forces eastwards, to campaign against the Vonoth and Tuizen. At this point Poneb and Nadzavosk-Savisia suddenly strike in the west. The whole Marzhung sphere seems close to collapse in the crisis of 1849, but the Marzhung factions eventually unite behind Marzohung II. The earlier diplomatic effort with Nadzavosk also bears some fruit in the form of some minor factions who choose to switch sides. The final treaty sees the Marzhung lose a fairly small amount of territory in the west, while the northern Sezat lands are split with Poneb.
Poneb spreads its influence eastwards, far beyond the [Urals] and gives aid to the Vonoth in their ongoing struggles with eastern Marzhung. They also begin trading with the emerging Asalyat kingdom of the far north-east.
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The Varakan Empire goes through a series of reforms designed to modernize the poorer parts of the empire, inevitably resulting in some unrest. With so many different cultures and religions, it is hard to avoid upsetting some of them. Imperial glory doesn't always help. Ethnic Yeshegi and Sarvonians of the [Caucasus] cause more trouble than most, and Varaka eventually gives some land there to Nadzavosk-Savisia.
The Varakans pioneer the use of railways on a large scale, with the main goal of quickly transporting army garrisons and literally binding the empire together, although cargo and passenger routes naturally follow. Huge effort is put into their construction, especially in the mountains of [Iran]. Already by 1875 most of the main cities are connected. Steam boats of ever-increasing size begin to venture across the Indian Ocean.
The Empire's toughest battles are in India, as it seeks to expand its Tanyuran vassal states. War against the empires of Guraj and Kaj is costly - some battles leave more than thirty thousand dead overall. Even with superior firepower on the battlefield, the Varakan losses are evened out by disease and attrition during their long campaigns. The remnants of the Indian empires, both sharing similar culture and religion, unite as the Grajaj Alliance and continue to resist Varakan power by any means in the following decades. Faced with the urgent necessities of survival, the Grajaj make rapid progress in both technology and their political methods.
These wars result in more useful gains for Varaka than its other campaigns - roughly eighty million new citizens and large volumes of treasure plundered from the Kaj and Guraj aristocracy. But with the greater demands of warfare and maintaining their rule, the Varakan leaders are forced to cut back on investment in industry and technology, and the initiative seems to pass to the Far East.
With a larger proportion of ethnic-Zhul people, the southern Zhulhara Alliance is a reluctant ally of Grajaj. But as the Takaraji [Japanese] split into competing factions, Zhulhara finds itself aided by the new power of Saikara, which is seeking to expand its own influence in India from its base in Ceyloni [Sri Lanka].
EAST ASIA:
As it searches for allies, the Grajaj Alliance gains influence across south-east Asia, especially in the Siyaga Kingdom [Thailand] which re-emerges as a significant power.
Wei Lau Maug, son of Tiandulong immigrants, rises to power in the Tiandishi army, and leads his forces to great victories over the Zhihui, Zhuko and Takaraji. Alongside constant political scheming by the Tiandishi leaders, this results in large new gains of territory, at least for a few decades.
Shynist and Yuerenist followers resist the northward spread of militant Mingdebuism from the Tiandishi Empire, sometimes with harsh reprisals.
Mingdebuist fanatics finally succeed in overthrowing one of the Dagon kingdoms of [Indonesia]. The theocratic state of Dai Gedeba is declared.
Shyinist influence spreads eastwards. The Shyin Empire takes over the remnants of Zhihui power by mostly peaceful means, and spreads Shynist theocratic rule. It seems the imperial tradition founded by the ancient Tuizen is no more.
One of the last achievements of the Zhihui kings is the assassination of Karag-Mul, leader of the northern 'barbarian' Akuden Empire. The resulting civil wars stall the progress of the Akuden for decades to come.
The Yueren peoples begin to lose faith in the Zhuko. More cities and factions rally behind the Yanshi [Korean] cause. With new types of firearms and artillery, the Yanshi lead a fight-back against the Akuden and Tiandishi.
After enduring for three centuries, the Takaraji Union begins to break apart. Certain trading houses, nobles and overseas allies have gained too much power. After a brief civil war, the Takaraji homeland and is overseas empire is split into three factions - Saikara in the Indian Ocean and Africa, Tekoda in [Indonesia], and Suraji in the Pacific and the west coast of the Americas. All are officially vassals of the symbolic King of Takaraji, but in reality are independent states that fight unofficial wars with each other. The expected reunification fails to materialize, and as decades pass the factions become more established.
Other eastern powers now gain an opening into the Pacific and beyond. The Yanshi revive their colonial efforts and establish outposts in eastern [Indonesia]. They also discover southern [Australia] and [New Zealand] (where they find signs of recent explorers from Tezan [Morocco] who sailed the other way around the world).
There is a period of fierce competition between the Takarji factions, Yanshi and Tiandishi. Eastern technology, particularly land and sea warfare (a great variety of experimental ships, ironclads, enclosed armoured paddleships and primitive submarines), is driven forward at a faster rate and soon surpasses the rest of the world, even the Varakans - although no eastern power can match the manpower and resources of Varaka when it comes to great building projects. Railroads are still in early stages in Yanshi and Takaraij lands.
The Takaraji factions manage to keep other colonizers out of [Indonesia] and the Indian Ocean for now. With superior firepower, they take more direct control of [Indonesia] from the Dagon kings who are virtually crippled by civil unrest and the disunity of the different states.
The natives of Mazouri [New Caledonia] establish their own, surprisingly strong kingdom with influences from the Yanshi and Takarajii.
