Europe
Bosnia: The nation of Bosnia was created in the tumultuous wake of the Hungarian Civil War in 1914, and was established from territory occupied by the Serbians during the most headed fighting. The Serbians established Bosnia as a new state to protect their newfound frontiers with the similarly new nation of Croatia. The Duke of Bosnia was closely tied to the Serbian monarchy and nation. When appeals for reform nearly led to the establishment of a Serbian republic, Russian soldiers invaded and suppressed the Balkan nation. The Bosnians were then left to manage their own position, and with a Russian guarantee of independence the Croats were stopped from pressing their own claims. The former Duke of Bosnia was able to proclaim himself king and has since managed his nation well. A slow arms buildup has so far kept Croatia at bay, but the Bosnians continue to be well aware of their vulnerability to foreign invasion.
Brittany: Brittany gained a growing reputation throughout the nineteenth century as one of the two great neutral states along the English Channel. The Bretons developed a distinct Celtic identity far separate from the predominant status of the French states of Western Europe's interior. Though they had signed the Treaty of Poitiers, they argued that it did not apply when the Second Orleans War broke out in 1854. They refused to take part against either side, maintaining limited commerce with each warring faction. This helped improve Brittany's prosperity in the area, particularly as vicious raiding and warfare left agricultural regions of Western Europe devastated. Throughout the first twenty years of the twentieth century, Brittany has been high ground for the turbulent floods of war throughout the European continent. While the rest of the continent descended into the Great War, Brittany has remained neutral and prosperous for its size right up to the current year, yet some dissidents have begun to show some cracks in the seeming peaceful society.
Bulgaria: The Constantinople Event in 1903 through the Roman Empire into chaos by effectively destroying the entire chain of succession for the Imperator's family. The destruction of the old Imperator's line and the whole of the Roman bureaucracy led to the rapid failure of the nation's whole apparatus. Bulgaria was the first province to break away and secured their position in the first early battles against the disorganized attempts of the legions to restore order. For several years an uneasy truce reigned as the new imperator in Athens attempted to create a compromise state. The talks ultimately broke down and the fighting resumed until Bulgarian victories in the field once more led to Roman concession of their independence. Though people have called for a republic since the establishment of a free Bulgaria, the monarchy has persevered, attempting to build new ties with both Russia and newly rebuilt Constantinople.
Cechy-Morava: The Czechs were one of the most unruly factions under Austrian rule at the peak of their independent empire and position. In 1910, they finally achieved their goal of self autonomy underneath the umbrella of the German Economic League, the precursor to the unified German nation. The Austrians granted them effectively an independent republic which still was integrated politically and economically into the German system. The Czechs have since retained their independence and further developed their republic over the following years and have grown in wealth from their connection to unified Germany. What began as simmering hostility with the German people has since turned into benign cooperation and prosperity for both societies and Cechy-Morava has continued to be a strong ally and trading partner of unified Germany.
Corsica: Corsica was established before the Italian Crusade by revolting nobles, and they quickly began attempting to compare with their southern neighbors in Sardinia. Sardinia had greatly profited from the wars on the Italian Peninsula, and later in France, but Corsica always remained a step behind. Sardinia has continued to excel over Corsica in leaps and bounds, and the Corsicans spent much of the nineteenth century working over Sardinia's economic scraps. This rivalry never ceded through the beginning of the twentieth century but has since turned into a lucrative partnership. After Sardinia's somewhat troubled involvement in the Great War, the defeat of Spain caused a lack of allies for the southern island. The result was a creation of a defensive alliance and economic partnership with Corsica, and since then, Corsica has faced internal unrest and a continued stagnation of the local economy.
Croatia: The disaster of the Great War led to renewed instability and unrest among the proletarists of Hungary, sparking a new civil war starting in 1910. Budapest fell quickly to the revolution, as the monarchy fled into the countryside, building up its strength among the rural peoples. Taking advantage of the unrest, the Slovaks and Croats rose up against central government, and rallying their own forces. The Slovaks were crushed by the proletarists, but the Croats struck a deal with the Hungarian monarchy, gaining recognition of their independence. This was ultimately recognized by Russia as well, which offered a unilateral guarantee of independence. The Croats played an essential part of the war, helping to preserve the monarchy and crush the proletarist uprising, but they soon clashed with the Serbians playing the same role. The Serbs sponsored the independence of Bosnia, and this was a sore point with Croatia and tensions mounted, threatening war if not for Russian political intervention. The Croats have managed to preserve their position, inheriting the Hungarian navy and trade ties, as they continue to build up their wealth and prosperity over the years since gaining freedom.
Denmark: After the Democratic revolution of 1843, Denmark experienced a renaissance of growth which took it to new heights. The Danish settler colony of Oranjien in southern Africa was prosperous, and the nation's participation in the wars in China and Korea secured it valuable Korean concessions and a large and greatly profitable chunk of China. With the turn of the 20th Century, Denmark joined the Triple Alliance with the Franco-Burgundian Confederation and the Netherlands, and many in Denmark believed its position as a middle-power in Europe with a modest but profitable colonial empire would be assured. This was not to be. Denmark joined the Great War in 1904 to assist its allies in the Confederation and the Netherlands, and suffered greatly. It was the only Continental Power to have its mainland territory occupied during the war. The war initially went poorly for Denmark, with the country falling into chaos in the 1906 elections due to demonstrations over the war and the country's role in it. To preserve the military's control in the nation, government fell to a military coup in 1906, with General Lars Jensen locking away the King and taking power during the war. However, his efforts were for nought, and southern Denmark remained occupied. Denmark suffered the brunt of the peace treaty between the Triple Alliance (and Scandinavia) and the Allies in 1907, losing China, Oranjien, Korea, and even Schleswig-Holstein and Nordhannover. Comparetively, the other Triple Alliance members lost very little - merely China and the West Indies for the Netherlands. Denmark was put out to dry for its allies, who betrayed it and left it to suffer at the rapacious hands of the Allies. This was known as the the Dolkestød, or the 'Stab in the Back' in Denmark. General Jensen (by this point a hated figure in Denmark) was forced to step down and restore power to the King, who recalled the Folketing and called for new elections. The devastating loss of the Great was followed by the nation immediately withdrawing from the Triple Alliance and a general withdrawal from international politics completely. The people of Denmark, under the government of the liberal Socialdemokraterne, the 'Social Democrats' and the liberal King Leopold II, have disdained international conflicts. With a new approach of "solve your own problems." in international politics, Denmark has withdrawn from the arena of nations, preferring to focus on itself and rebuilding the country. The liberals and the King have both disavowed revanchism and attempts to regain Denmark's colonies, saying that it is better to live in the present than to hunger after former glory. The Danish people have become distrusting of foreigners, as, to be frank, basically every nation but Russia did screw them over during the Great War, foreign attempts at gaining dominance in Denmark are viciously resisted, and the nation has avoided becoming part of the new power structures in the international arena. With a new outlook and a new course of neutrality, Denmark looks forward to a bright future, even while Europe inches closer to disaster.
Franco-Burgundian Confederation: The Kingdoms of Paris-Burgundy proved themselves one of the rising political and military powers of Europe in the Third Venetian War, and then later in the Italian Crusade. Only a year later in 1854, war broke out when the Languedoc province of Orleans rose in rebellion at the behest of Paris-Burgundy. King Philippe pledged his support for the rebels, provoking war with Languedoc and their Spanish allies. The entry of Spain was used however to bring a number of other states, such as Dauphine, Piedmont, Poitou, and Normandy into the war. The Dutch also entered into the fight, providing naval backup to the French. In series of pitched battles, the French defeated the Spanish in a number of major battles, and ultimately invaded Languedoc and conquered Orleans. Unfortunately, the arrival of Spanish reinforcements and the entry of Sardinia into the war prevented a total victory. With no real hope remaining for total conquest of France, a deal was struck with the Spanish Empire. Spain agreed to recognize the victory of Paris-Burgundy, and allowed the annexation of Orleans to the kingdoms. In 1858, the old Treaty of Poitiers was transformed into the creation of a larger confederation. The new Franco-Burgundian Confederation consisted of the former nations of Piedmont, Paris, Burgundy, Dauphine, Normandy, Orleans, and Poitou. It was allowed by Spain, due to their exhaustion from the war, and the new predominantly French state entered a period of unprecedented prosperity. Reforms were continued by the liberal government, resulting in the elimination of the old secret police force in 1862. Furthermore, colonial positions were expanded, as the Confederations hold over China grew, and a colonial war broke out with Poland in 1871. This war took longer than expected, as the Poles put up a good fight, plus Japanese involvement nearly brought an additional player into the war against the French and Dutch. The Japanese managed to seize the Confederation's hold over Seoul, and then forced the Confederate navy to stand down with an overwhelming display of naval force. The war ended in 1873, giving the Confederation a massive slice of the former Polish colonial empire, and a fresh start on imperialism. These gains would be confirmed in the Amsterdam Conference in 1874, securing the Confederation's sphere of African influence. In 1890, the strong relationship between the Confederation and Netherlands would be secured with a defensive alliance signed between the two. The new century saw the formation of the Triple Alliance, for the defence of China during a time of increasing tensions with the Japanese, and for the containment of the nationalistic attitudes of Brandenburg. Several crises struck Europe, and in 1903 Confederate troops moved to garrison Denmark, although they were removed the following year, when the Pomeranian crisis receded. However, in 1905 war unexpectedly broke out with the Allies. In the great war, the Confederation's troops - the best trained in Europe - had general success, bleeding the Japanese dry and fending off vastly superior forces in China. However, with the repeated defeat of successive (albeit non-Confederate) Continental fleets by inferior allied navies, the Triple Alliance signed the Treaty of the Tuileries, and ceded its control of China to Japan in 1907. The Triple Alliance collapsed as a result of the war, as the Danes blamed the Confederation and the Dutch for the destruction of their empire while the Dutch receded into neutrality and moved towards unification with Flanders. The Septembrist Party was brought into power, ousting the Party of Order in the elections after the war, and began liberal reforms in Switzerland as well as reform to increase the elected representation of the more populous and liberally minded cities, while gently suppressing rebellious tendencies in Burgundy. Rioting in Burgundy flared up particularly over the Prussian crisis, resulting in the fall of the Clemenceau government, but the problem died down when the Millerand government cancelled the alliance with Russia. Meanwhile, the post-war period also saw the creation of the League of Continental Nations, in which the Confederation was instrumental. The Cherbourg Accords reduced tensions with Britain as the Confederation sent, in 1915, troops to suppress the American Proletarists in support of the Federal Government, but the troops were removed upon the formation, in 1916, of the Second Union, which was unwilling to sign the expected alliance with the Confederation. Following the unification of the Netherlands and Flanders shortly following the renewal of the Dutch alliance with the Confederation, the Rhine-Rhone Pact was created between those two nations and Occitania, and upon the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1918, the support for the Republicans by the Rhine-Rhone Pact brought about a year's war with Germany. The Rhine-Rhone Pact was generally victorious, decisively crushing the Spanish Monarchists and bringing Spain, along with Sardinia, into the Pact, while, although the Germans overran Piedmont, Confederate troops had much success in pushing deep into the industrial heartland of Lower Saxony. Following the signing of the Toledo Accords in 1919, the Confederation remains one of the greatest powers of Europe, with a strong economy, a moderately stable state, and one of the best armies in the world.
Germany: In the wake of the Great War, the German people were unified in horror by the atrocities of the Russian government against the German Prussians. The Russians executed hundreds of thousands of German people, and the rest soon fled to wherever they could reach. Many fled into the kingdoms of Pomerania, Brandenburg, and Austria, where their plight fueled the growth of revitalized German nationalism. The monarchs of Austria and Brandenburg quickly steered their own nations to unification, though Pomerania remained recalcitrant towards the prospect. In 1912, a referendum was held, leading to a major display of Pomeranian support for the cause of German unity, and a new consolidated German nation was formed. The Austrian king was proclaimed emperor of a unified Germany, which managed to soar economically until the Spanish Civil War turned into a war against the Franco-Burgundian Confederation in 1918. The war went disastrously, but fortunately ended before the cost became too high. Regardless, it has left a legacy of shame upon the German Imperial Army, and questions still remain about the nation's future and role in Europe.
Hungary: Hungary's history in the nineteenth century proved to be an extremely troubled one. After a failed republican revolution in the 1840s, the monarchy in Budapest struggled to maintain control over the disparate nationalities of the European empire. Throughout the remainder of the century, a number of new revolts and uprisings emerged in the larger cities of the empire, and authority had to crack down. The death of King Vladislaus III in 1866 led to a series of other revolts and riots, once again the new King Louis V had to once more call in Polish support to preserve order. The new king has been barely maintaining his throne, and faced the greatest challenge in 1893, when proletarists rose in open revolt. This was the first revolt of its kind in the world, as the proletarists successfully secured control of Budapest and the surrounding region. The Hungarian military's first attempts to restore order were repulsed in several brutal battles. Ultimately, the Hungarians were aided by the Polish army, which marched in to crush the uprising. The peace was barely maintained until the Great War broke out in 1905. The Hungarians fared well against the Russian hordes, maintaining the border almost indefinitely against overwhelming Russian armies. The fall of Poland exposed the northern border, and with this, the Hungarian lines collapsed. The peace was harsh, losing control of Romania, and this was to be only the first of numerous losses for the Hungarian people. In 1910 a new proletarist uprising tore the nation asunder and the result was the succession of Croatia and other territories to neighboring Serbia for help. After a bloody struggle, Hungary preserved the monarchy and the proletarists were crushed, and disgraced beyond repair. Since the end of the war, the King has been obsessed with rebuilding the nation's shell of an army and nation, looking to once more establish Hungarian relevance on the European scene.
Italy: Italy was united under King Ferdinand II in the year 1909 after a bloody Italian war was fought between Naples, the Papal States, the (formerly known) Italian Republic along with the Austrians. The war was started due to the Pope trying to make Naples shut down the newly reopened Italian National Press allowing any Italian to publish anything they wished freely with free speech. When Naples refused Austria backed up the Pope and tried to force Naples to shut it down, again they refused even when Sardinia and other Italian states joined on the side of the Pope. Naples stared threats directly in the face and refused to back down, even when their one ally had abandoned them within Italy, and stood strong. They endured assaults from the Austrians and the Papal States as well as a naval assault that was utterly pushed back from the Sardinia's, thanks to the Sicilians who had recently joined Naples after breaking away from Spain. The war erupted into a three front war when the Italian Republic joined in claiming they were the rightful leaders of a united Italy which came after Sardinia and Naples had already made a cease fire. The emergence of the Republic drew the attention of the Pope and Austria away from Naples who utilized this great opportunity and eventually made the push resulting into an elected Naples ruling and creating The Kingdom of Italy. Soon thereafter Italy joined into an alliance with, then, Austria, Brandenburg, Spain and Japan which quickly changed into a united Austria and Brandenburg forming Germany. Italy has made a stance against the threat that is known as Proletarianism and sent troops to help stop the spread in Hungary which lasted a couple years. The Hungarian Civil War ended with the royal family retaking control and pushing the Proletarians out, this brought Italy and Hungary closer together and eventually led to Italy adopting the Hungary Army Doctrine. Italy did what they could to support their allies in Spain during the Spanish Civil war, and acquired Libya with a deal between Italy and Monarchist Spain which the Republicans recognized and respected after they won their war.
Netherlands: The Republic of The Netherlands underwent much change in the last 20 years of the 20th Century, it emerged in the year 1900 as a much diminished European Power, despite this the Dutch Republican Navy remained one of the best navies in Europe, if not in the world. In 1904 the peaceful Republic was thrusted into the deadliest war that the world has yet seen, The Great War. Along with its Danish, and French-Burgundian Allies the Netherlands battled its British, Brandenburger, and Brazilian enemies, until 1906 when a peace was signed, The peace was a complete disaster for the Netherlands and the nation was forced to turn over its longtime West Indies Islands, along with its Chinese Colonies. The following year the Dutch people elected The Socialist Party, the second nation in the world to do so. The nation withdrew in isolation, and severed all its alliances while it did that it continued to grow closer and closer to Flanders, its Southern Neighbor, and Dutch Brethren. After the Great War came to an official close with Russia's annexation of Poland, The Republic of The Netherlands was one of the Founders of The League of Continental Nations, the brainchild of The Franco-Burgundian Confederation. The League vowed to assure that another European war would never occur. In its first assembly the League voted Flanders as its Chairman, and the Dutch city of Antwerpen as The Headquarters of the League. The next decade passed by relatively quietly for the Dutch Republic until 1916, when a unification referendum, set up and monitored by Dutch, and Flemish officials was approved by The Flemish and Dutch citizens. The following year the United Republic of The Netherlands was announced and in 1918 the newly unified country held its first elections. The newly unified country began to be tested almost immediately, when the Spanish Civil War broke out the Dutch Republic, along with its French-Burgundian Allies recognized The Republican Faction as legitimate, and pledged to protect Spanish Liberty. The German Empire, an ally of The Empire of Spain did not approve such an action, and war between The Netherlands, The Franco-Burgundian Confederation, The Kingdom of Occitania and Germany broke out. The Dutch army, with French helped broke through the German lines, while The Spanish Republicans secured an overwhelming victory. A year later a white peace was signed and a new election planned, which the Spanish Republicans won.
Occitania: The nation of Languedoc was one of the greatest contenders for French unification in the middle of the nineteenth century. They had begun a major military buildup in the hopes of challenging the rising star of Paris in this effort, and they were unfortunate that the Second Orleans War did not emerge upon their terms. The Second Orleans War began in 1854, as Orleans' liberals rose in revolt sponsored by the Kingdoms of Paris-Burgundy. Languedoc started with clear victories in the field, evening threatening both Dijon and Paris. Unfortunately, as more and more French states piled upon Languedoc, even the support of Spain and Sardinia proved to be insufficient. Orleans was lost and Toulouse was besieged, but Languedoc fought on despite the odds. The Spanish were able to relieve Toulouse, but were unable to reclaim the lands of Orleans. A treaty was signed without the approval of Languedoc's King Louis II, and Spain essentially blackmailed him into accepting it. King Louis II preserved his claims to France for years until his death in 1862, when Spanish pressure caused the heir to proclaim the new Kingdom of Occitania. The new King Charles would rule the newly forged nation, with Spanish support for the monarchy until his death in 1892. Since then, the new King Louis has continued to strive to restore Occitania's position that it had under the rule of Languedoc. Entering into alliance with Britain, Occitania joined the Great War against Spain and Franco-Burgundy, in the name of acquiring Aquitaine. The war was unsuccessful for Occitania, and Britain distanced itself from continental affairs, leaving Occitania to search for new allies. The search concluded with Franco-Burgundy, and the creation of the Rhine-Rhone Pact. Shortly after the alliances inception, the Spanish Civil War broke out, and to the aid of the Republican cause, the Rhine-Rhone Pact send soldiers, which became a major military success. The terms of the Republican victory guaranteed the transfer of Aquitaine to Occitania, and as the political landscape changes, the venerable kingdom considers the future decades.