Update 2 - Year 1742
Non-Military Events:
Don Belizan's fortunes take a turn for the worse. Despite succesful expansion into nearby territories (see military events), the Columbians only barely get enough immigrants that wish to settle there, and some of the old-timer Columbians deserted as well when the Fugger banking family begun pressing for him to pay back the loans (the ongoing poverty and danger might have played a part in this as well) (-1 Valourous Vaquero division).
The general upsurge in America continues, with French and Spanish government and private investments alike strenghthening it (+Charleville, Acapulco economic centers).
Spaniards crack down hard on the republican-separatist underground in Mexico, apparently rooting it out altogether, although rumours say that actually they failed to catch any leaders or indeed weaken the republicans to a serious extent, only forcing them to lie low for now.
The rise of tariffs, efficiency-aimed revisions of work regulations (+1 Economy) and the new buerocratic reworking (+1 Civilian Leadership) have caused the Spanish government's popularity to sink further amongst the masses that only suffer from this and are tired of all those changes (-1 Confidence). There is talk of a coup d'etat...
With the Papal investment and encouragement, the city of Florence becomes an industrial center of note (+Florence economic center).
Kanzler Iosef von Dunkelheit of the Krakow Union initiated major centralization-aimed reforms, upsetting the largely-conservative population (-1 Confidence, +3 Centralization).
A coup attempt in Sennar was barely defeated, but the very fact of a conspiracy getting this far seems ominous (-1 Confidence). The coup was, apparently, caused by the general dissatisfaction after the ruler of Sennar has failed to retaliate against Abyssinia and instead even tried to send an expedition into the desert, although the abolition of noble tax priveleges might be the real reason, the core of the conspiracy being formed by the noblemen. The conspriators still await their fates...
The Ottoman Empire signs the Treaty of Asmara, ceding the small port town of Asmara and some nearby lands to Portugal. The town, with Portuguese government subsidies, and the influx of Portuguese, Abyssinian and Egyptian commerce, has become a significant center of Red Sea trade (+Asmara economic center).
Qwabe Zulu has united the Mthethwa tribes under his banner, but not for long, it seems (see military events)...
Stimulated by the rise of commercial interaction between Siberia and European Russia, and not without government investment, Novosibirsk becomes one of the newest key cities in the mainland trade network between Europe and Asia (+Novosibirsk economic center).
In China, Fuzhou rises in importance as trade with the Europeans intensifies, what's with all the new trade agreements and all (+Fuzhou economic center). Meanwhile, Qianlong's West-copying reform spree continues, much to the dissent of the people (-1 Confidence).
Military Events:
A northern Spanish expedition into Alaska had failed due to bad weather, rotten climate and hostile natives, plus the near-mutiny of the "conquistadores".
(-3 Spanish divisions, -3 Spanish squadrons)
Don Belizan's men continue fighting the fierce Nez Perce tribes, claiming more and more land in the name of civilization, too much land in fact for parts of it to be exploited with any measure of success.
(-1 Columbian Valourous Vaquero division)
The Spanish make some gains in California.
The remaining Basque guerrilas keep fighting in the mountains, but their ranks are being grinded away by the Franco-Spanish counter-insurgency operations.
The Portuguese, including the (in)famous de Sousa, continue to expand across Africa, effectively consolidating their hold on the southern half of the continent's coastline. They suffer casualties, but, for the most part, to attrition rather than to the natives. The most notable exception where the natives actually put up a serious fight that in a way still goes on was in the lands of the Mthethwa, or the Zulu as they now called themselves. The coastline was secured without much of a fight, most of the tribes living further inland, but the Portuguese commanders have decided to dispose of this threat to their new conquests, and fast. The Zulus, newly-united, were simply unready to face a Portuguese invasion, and were defeated badly before their forces could group together. At first it seemed as if that was the end of the Zulu Empire and that the Portuguese could now consolidate their gains, or, as some advised, withdraw back to the coastline in peace. But apparently, Qwabe Zulu, the Zulu leader, has survived the invasion and soon begun a guerrila campaign, just as the Portuguese let their guard down. That campaign continues to this day...
(-2 Portuguese divisions, -3 Zulu irregular divisions)
Spaniards also advance in North and West Africa, but the hostility of the natives and the harshness of the terrain, plus the still rather insufficient funding prevents them from making too many gains.
The French try to expand on their gains, but their efforts had barely any funding, and the awfully-undersupplied expansion forces had many losses to disease; naturally, not many gains were made, the French even had to abandon many of last year's gains that they were unable to maintain.
(-1 French Foreign Legion division)
The Ottoman Empire practically ceases to exist.
(see spotlight)
(1 Ottoman economy level to the Caliphal Rebels, 1 Ottoman economy level to Russia-Lithuania, -1 Ottoman Confidence, +1 Ottoman Culture, +10 Ottoman irregular divisions, +5 Russian irregular divisions, +5 Caliphal irregular divisions, +5 Afghan irregular divisions)
(-1 Venetian division, -2 Greek divisions, -1 Greek irregular division, -27 Ottoman divisions, -6 Ottoman irregular divisions, -3 Ottoman squadrons, -12 Russo-Lithuanian divisions, -1 Russo-Lithuanian irregular division, -2 Russo-Lithuanian squadrons, -3 Caliphal divisions, -4 Caliphal irregular divisions, -loads of would-be rebel factions)
With the help of some Mughal noble emigres/refugees (most of whom, however, almost immediately quit when they learned just WHAT wealthy province was to be entrusted to them by the Portuguese king), the Portuguese forces take over southern Arabia.
The death of the increasingly senile Badshah Bahadur Shah I on his 99th year has emboldened the Mughal nobility to try another rebellion against his son Ahmad Shah Bahadur, this one with even more support in the army ranks (-8 divisions). However, the attempts to murder Ahmad Shah and his closest advisors have failed, and the rebel army (amassed in the Bengal region at first) was slowed down and bloodied by the Imperial Guard at Patna. The Imperials were eventually pushed back, but regroupped and met up with their reinforcements, and on the next month routed the rebel forces of Mahmud al-Khandi, killing this influential Muslim prince in the last of the skirmishes of the Battle at Mau. The rebellion was over, and the public passions begun to calm down; besides, Ahmad Shah seems to be a less harsh ruler than his father (+1 Confidence).
(-8 rebel divisions, -1 Mughal division, -3 Mughal Imperial Guard divisions)
Random Events:
Enthusiasm for the Portuguese colonial expeditions grows, as volunteers join the colonial expedition forces (+5 divisions).
A large-scale Greek revolt begins in the Ottoman territory, with volunteers joining the rebels in large amounts (+5 divisions, +5 irregular divisions).
Despite defeats, Basques continue to fight the French and the Spanish alike.
Nationalism grows in Japan, as the society cries for war with China (+1 Culture).
Turkish nationalist volunteers join the Ottoman army (+5 divisions). The extra vigour of engineers speeds up the Ottoman railroad-building endeavour (+1 project progress). Parts of the Islamic clergy agree to support Selim IV and his reforms, as do the Turkish nationalists (+2 Culture).
The new Danish training programs for their navy more than pay off (+1 Naval Training), as do the various development programs for the infrastructure (+1 Infrastructure). Nationalism rises, mostly aimed against Sweden (+1 Culture).
King Julien-Francois's public relations campaign - the royal visits, the interviews and the speeches, and so forth - continues, and brings much fruit (+2 Confidence).
"Prussian" cultural renaissance took place in the Union of Krakow (+1 Culture). A major administrative overhaul with the new Dunkelheitian reforms took place (+1 Civilian Leadership).
With the help of exchange programs and European advisors, the Chinese government speeds up the scientific progress within the Empire (+2 Education).
The Islamic fundamentalists rise up in the Caliphate's support (+5 irregular divisions).
Qwabe Zulu rallies the nearby tribes to join him (+5 irregular divisions).
Adriano Durante stages an effective coup d'etat in Venice, bringing law and order (+1 Civilian Leadership).
Ashraf Shah's charisma inspires the Afghans (+1 Confidence).
Aping Julien-Francois, Alberto I of Spain starts a public relations campaign of his own in the colonies (+1 Culture).
The Pope's popularity declines due to the dealings with non-Catholic powers, both in Italy (-1 Confidence) and in the greater Catholic world, where a schism seems pretty likely with the rise of the "Colonial Catholic Church" (CCC) in the Americas.
As the Ottoman Empire continues to unravel, separatism grows all over the region (-1 Culture).
Education levels in Denmark-Norway are sinking (-1 Education).
Don Belizan's popularity among the settlers decreases somewhat (-1 Confidence).
General quality of Swedish roads and ports detiriorates (-1 Infrastructure).
Spotlight:
The Turkish Collapse.
"The Empire fell, the life... went on."
- Selim Kemal, Turkish writer. Historical novel "Three Weeks in February." Year 1852.
As of 1739, when Osman IV ascended the throne, the Ottoman Empire was already shaky. Already, it was weakened and unstable. And perhaps, it was already doomed, but for a genial leader that could lead it to greatness, and, even more importantly... to survival.
Osman IV was a competent, charismatic leader. But he was not a genius. Or, at least, not a genius enough to save the Ottoman Empire. Indeed he was perhaps the one who had started the quick collapse of the Sublime Porte's power, exactly because, ironically enough, he had realized the troubled state of the Empire and seeked to save it. At that time, there was only one false step that needed to be made before the outlying provinces of the Empire would be overtaken by revolts, and foreign powers would begin to carve it up. And that false step Osman had provided by trying to dismiss the Janissaries, back in 1741. Their coup attempt has failed, but it caused enough of a panic to begin the end of the Empire, as rebellions commenced in several Christian territories and as the Janissaries retreated elsewhere to fight on.
Next came the foreign powers. This was the opportunity Russia-Lithuania was waiting for, and its French allies were only too glad to assist it in putting some diplomatic pressure on the Ottoman Empire. That was Osman IV's next false step - fearful of a war with two great powers in such a moment, he agreed to withdraw from the vaguely-defined "Christian regions". This caused quite an uproar at home, and abroad, it has been interpreted, quite correctly, as a sign of weakness.
Osman IV was competent enough a ruler, that is true. But... he picked a task for which he was unprepared. The weight of governing the Ottoman Empire in its darkest hour was simply too much for him. In 1742, after these false steps, he slipped completely, falling ill in the wrong time, as if there could ever be a right time for an Ottoman sultan to fall ill in these days. The Empire was shocked and paralyzed, just for long enough for the pull-out from the Balkans to turn into a panicked rout, while the Ottoman army was harassed by guerrilas and pursued by invading armies. Starting with the February of 1742, pretty much all of the Empire was trampled by the hooves of a mighty red steed. The horse of the rider called "War".
First, in the Western Balkans, the Janissaries, releived by the deus ex machina of the Ottoman withdrawal, set up a de facto state of their own in Bosnia. Yet by the end of the February, the Venetians, under the cover of restoring the peace in the rather chaotic post-Ottoman space, have not only crushed the Janissaries, but secured the Ottoman part of Illyria, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro (despite the protests of the semi-formed Serbian government - see below) and Albania, claiming these lands to be Venetian now and at the same time guaranteeing religious tolerance, which however didn't give them too much popularity in the region.
To the south, the Greek rebel leader known only as "Eleutherios Venizelos" has led an armed revolt, secured the city of Athens... and rejected the crown of Greece, instead offering it to the last Palaeologus (or so the Greeks claimed), who subsequently took power as Constantine XII. And in the meantime, the Turks were retreating in panic towards Salonika, where they finally stopped to delay the Greek offensive.
In the Aegean Sea, not much happened - the Spaniards bought Crete and Cyprus, and secured them, and also brutally put down the Greek rebels there.
From the north, came perhaps the direst of Ottoman Empire's enemies. Armies of Russo-Lithuania, a traditional enemy of the Sublime Porte, have used the general panic to cross the Dniester and the Danube, and advance across the Caucasian passes led by Georgian guides. Turks were retreating, and Russians were pursuing, finally forcing the Ottoman commanders to give battle rather than lose their armies without one to the attrition and the panic spreading in the ranks. In two battles, at Vidin and at Sliven, the Ottomans were routed. But even had they held there, as in Armenia (where they steadily retreated, preventing the Russians from overruning the entirety of Armenia until several months later), they were already doomed. That was because the Russo-Lithuanian fleet, having forced the Turks out of the Black Sea, has landed troops just outside of Constantinople. Emboldened - and incited - by the advancing Russians, the Greeks and the Armenians in that city rebelled, and let the Russian forces in. The Ottoman garrison held bravely, led personally by Osman IV despite his illness, but in the end Osman IV and his men had to flee across the Sea of Marmara, to Izmit. Some other Ottoman forces also succesfully retreated to Anatolia. But most of them, overstretched, undersupplied and attacked from all directions, were simply annihilated. The Russian Steamroller had rolled over the Ottoman military might and territorial integrity.
The final attacks came from fellow Muslims. As the Ottoman Empire begun to crumble, the police chief of Cairo, Ibrahim Agra, had effectively hijacked a rebellion in Cairo and led it to victory against the rather weak Ottoman garrisons, declaring a Caliphate (but not openly taking the title of Caliph yet). His forces soon begun exporting the revolution, taking hold of the Cyrenian coastline and the undergarrisoned Hejaz; Palestine was harder, but by then other things begun as the inner regions of Arabia fell to chaos and tribal warfare, while Afghan hordes charged through western Persia, despite many casualties to the prepared Ottoman defenders, and overran Iraq. And the Russians had finally taken the city of Trebzond, advancing across Greater Armenia and opening the fourth Middle Eastern front. Eventually, the Ottomans collapsed here as well, holding on to only minor parts of Syria.
All that was holding out by the end of the year, was the peninsula of Anatolia, where, centuries ago, the Ottoman Empire had begun. Where, even before the February 1742, back in January, the other Janissaries were crushed and where since then a state of comparative peace reigned. And there, evidently, it shall fight its last battles, in the year of 1743.
NPC Diplo:
OOC:
Hot air balloons have already entered use, though rather recently to be honest.
Care to provide any more details on that project you want, Silver?
Panda, in this world the royal court never was at Versailles (no Fronde).
Kal'thzar, sorry, didn't see your orders soon enough, and when I did see them it was too late.
Harleqin, can you give me some more stuff on your UU? You seem to have forgotten to actually say what it is.
Sorry about the rushed state of the update. Will post the stats tommorow, its too late here.
Back to sleep it is...
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