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Anyway- looking forward to it.
JK
Anyway- looking forward to it.
SKNES III: Bullets with Butterfly Wings
- Thread starter SouthernKing
- Start date
Milarqui
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SouthernKing
crickety cricket
1230-1231 AH, 1908-1909 VS, 4548 (Yin Metal Pig) 4549 (Yang Water Rat)
London, Great Britain
In what is still undoubtedly the most powerful country around the world, even if that designation is being challenged from all sides, elections were held. The incumbent Liberals had spent much of 1852 before the elections proper working to improve education at home, particularly amongst the countrys unlanded and poor; nevertheless, there were cries from the working classes that the Liberals had not done enough to open up the still aristocratic-dominated government to the masses. The Conservatives spun this charge for their own purposes; that the Liberals had been so focused abroad, neglecting the needs of the British people. The Liberals were still expected by most to retain their mandate, but in a rather surprising result, it was the Conservative Party that gained the majority and the government, albeit with a razor-thin margin; a shift of only a few MPs would be enough to allow the Conservatives to lose power.
As a side note to the year, the British established a Grand Naval Academy in London, with satellite campuses in Glasgow and Southampton, to provide for an even more improved next generation of naval officer cadets. The Academys establishment is in many eyes the symbolic reinforcement of Britains role as the premier naval power on Earth.
(Great Britain: +1 Navy Development)
Madrid, Spain
The Partido Demócrata-led government in Spain continued its moves towards a more federal and devolved power structure in the country. 1852s major law to this end was the Ley de Autonomía de Provincias de Ultramar, which defined the requirements for a region of Spain to gain devolved powers and autonomy. These requirements include the existence of adequate local government structures and a local population; only Cuba and Puerto Rico presently meet those standards. The current law thusly facilitates for devolution of powers, and this year Cuba and Puerto Rico gained authority over an array of items, including local education, public health, and economic matters; however, the law does specify that a law passed by the National Assembly in Madrid can supersede whatever is decided in Havana or San Juan. The pro-independence factions there have lost influence, as most of the population is pleased with devolution for the time being, but a highly strengthened local cultural identity remains.
An addendum to last years citizenship law, the Ley de Ciudadanía, was passed, defining the status of natives in the Spanish African and Asian possessions with regards to citizenship. Natives of said possessions are ineligible for Spanish citizenship, unless their people agree to ally with and take oaths of loyalty to the Spanish government. This promise, and the potential benefits to be gained, has helped quell local anti-Spanish sentiment to some degree especially in Africa, as they realize Spanish rule may not be so bad after all. But, at home, the move has been somewhat more controversial, as firebrands in opposition use it as evidence that the government is weak and under the influence of inferior races.
The government also funded further improvements to the domestic educational system. These improvements, and others over the past several years, have had a visible impact.
(Spain: +1 Academia Development)
Paris, France
The French crown in 1852 issued a series of so-called Ecclesiastical Mandates, pertaining to the state of affairs of the Catholic Church. The mandates stipulated that all Catholic organizations and establishments in France recognize foremost the French monarchy as ruling by divine right, recognizing the rule of Queen Anne and the parliamentary government, and that all Catholic organizations are prohibited from dissenting against the viewpoints of the French government in any way. The mandates also guaranteed freedom of the Christian religion throughout France, while recognizing the Catholic Church as the one true Church and the only one sanctioned by the government. The Mandates served to further polarize an already tense situation within the Church structure; many Catholic hardliners, including the new Pope Julius IV, have denounced them and the French government as deviationism from Gods true path by placing the State above the Church, although Julius has not gone so far as to excommunicate anyone, but reaction seems more ambivalent amongst more moderate Catholics.
In the French National Parliament, the issuing of the Mandates caused the wing of the Conservative Party that sympathized with the hardliners to break away from the ruling Conservative government, with their leader stating that we could not in good faith support a government that allows this. Their defection was enough to collapse the government and force national elections. Taking advantage of the split within the Conservatives, the Liberal Party won the election espousing a French-nationalist platform, which struck a chord amongst the French middle class in particular.
Trier, Trier and Mannheim, Palatinate
Inspired in part by recent events in Hanover, students in Trier and the Palatinate staged a coordinated series of protests and walkouts, waving pan-German flags and calling for the French to leave Germany. They were soon joined by locals of all classes and walks of life, united in their opposition to French domination. Local law enforcement has attempted to contain the protests, but many of those simply defected and joined the protests, and others caused violence to erupt and deaths to ensue, further escalating tensions. Rumors have spread that a shadowy underground society, but espousing German republican nationalism, is behind the current wave of protests. The mysterious K.M. and F.E. have continued publishing rabidly anti-French pamphlets in Trier and the Palatinate, throwing their support behind the protestors; it is rumored that they are part of this society.
Copenhagen, Denmark
1852 was a big year forwards in the growth of the nascent pan-Scandinavian movement, which, previously constrained to intellectual circles, burst into real politics. When King Frederick of Denmark read about the movement and its goals, namely the creation of a unified Scandinavian state, he immediately found the idea to his liking, and wholeheartedly endorsed it. Many members of the currently-ruling Liberal Party have also endorsed the idea, and the party is reputed to be considering adding it to their platform, although a Danish nationalist bloc of the Liberals in the Riksdag has now completely broken off and left the Liberal majority in the Riksdag hanging in the balance. The ideal has helped bring progress in negotiations between the Danish government and Norwegians seeking an increased role of Norway in the Danish state, looking to Austria-Hungary or the recent developments in Spain for examples.
Stockholm, Sweden
Pamphlets, likely printed somewhere in Denmark or Norway, espousing pan-Scandinavianism, have found their way across the border into Sweden, where they have continued to circulate despite the Swedish King Johans ham-handed attempts to quash sentiment of the ideals. This had the potential to make King Johan into perhaps the largest and most powerful perceived enemy of the pan-Scandinavianist movement. Fortunately or unfortunately for them, King Johan suffered from a stroke in June 1852, and after several months in a coma, passed away in September. He has been succeeded by his son, who has been crowned King Johan V, but the new king is a twelve-year-old child; one of the late Johans closest advisors has appointed himself regent, and wields true power.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
As Dutch colonial forces abroad were busy expanding Dutch control and influence around the globe, 1852 was a year of internal improvements at home. The Dutch government announced a number of major expenditures for the Dutch homeland. The first of these was the initiation of construction on a pan-Dutch railroad network, with every one of the Netherlands provinces connected, and checkpoints to ensure that all trade between provinces goes untaxed. The goal of this is to encourage inter-provincial trade, and bolster economic expansion and connectivity in the home provinces. The second was the establishment of the Dutch Naval Academy in the city of Amsterdam. This program is to centralize the education of the Dutch naval officer corps, and greatly improve the quality of the future Dutch naval leadership Following that was the announcement of a widespread educational program, promising to give every child in the Dutch home provinces at least a basic education. This has been somewhat more controversial, as many are opposed to the central government having so much control over the educational system, but has been pushed forward nonetheless.
(Netherlands: +1 Navy Development)
Dresden, Saxony-Bavaria
The Saxo-Bavarian governments major expenditure in 1852 was the initiation of a large-scale economic project, with the aim of expanding the countrys heavy industry sector. Mining operations, in the Saxon part of the country in particular, are a critical component of the project, as are related manufacturing operations.
Cagliari, Sardinia
In order to strengthen the historical and diplomatic ties between France and Sardinia, the Sardinian government began funding a program to bring French-language education to the schools on the island of Sardinia, in order to ensure that the next generation of bureaucrats, diplomats, and officers is learned in French. The majority of the Kings supporters have enthusiastically backed the efforts, but Italian nationalists have firmly denounced them, and there have been others who claim that this action is placing the Sardinian state closer to French subjugation.
In other news, King Victor Amadeus of Sardinia presided over the launch of the Sardinian navys new flagship, the Charles Emmanuel. Additionally, both of the previously ongoing government programs, to construct a series of fortifications and to expand the capacity of the countrys armaments production sector, reached a state of completion in 1852. Perhaps the most important long-term impact of the last few years spending programs will be the leaps in industrialization in the country.
(Sardinia: +1 Economy Development)
Bern, Switzerland
In Switzerland, the government subsidized the opening of the University of Dead Cultures, intended to archive and study cultures of nations past; one of the largest studies of the new institution is that of the recently conquered nation of far-away Japan. The establishment has been popular amongst Europes intellectual community, but some Swiss are questioning why precisely the Swiss government is involving itself in this matter.
Warsaw, Poland
The Polish people went to the polls in 1852. The incumbent Conservatives entered the elections still relatively popular, but the Liberals in opposition were able to pose a significant threat by seizing on nationalistic sentiments, claiming that the Conservatives had sold Polands soul to the whims of the Russians. The Conservatives countered by demonstrating that their efforts to construct railroads and a modern port at Palanga (a project which was completed in 1852 amidst the elections) had helped bring employment and revitalize the economy, and several speeches by King Louis, in which he assumed a pro-military and pro-Russian stance in the intentions of countering the German threat, stances which incidentally happened to correlate with the Conservatives, were enough for a reluctant public to give the Conservatives a renewed mandate, albeit with a narrower majority.
Budapest, Serbia
Little of note occurred this year, in Serbia, aside from the Serbian government announcing and beginning an initiative to expand its state mining operations, and the industry that corresponds with it. The Council of Peoples made no further progress, and many wonder if the whole attempt at reforming the state will in fact go anywhere, or if it has just fizzled out.
Turkish War
Without warning, the Sultanate of Turkey fell under intense attack from a diverse coalition of nations, on all sides.
From the east, in March 1852, came the Persians, who invaded under pretenses of aiding regionalists in Mesopotamia. The Turks were caught by surprise, and retreated until reinforcements arrived, whence they repulsed the Persians in some battles; nevertheless, the invasion from the north forced the Turks to retreat again, and Kuwait, Baghdad, and Mosul had all fallen by July. The united Persian and Whaheydi navies were able to smash the Turkish fleet off Kuwait, with few casualties. From the south, beginning shortly after, came the armies of the Whaheydi Caliphate, who initially secured the cities of Lakatia and Aleppo, before advancing further inland, meeting relatively little resistance as the bulk of the Turkish army was either scattered or defending the north; the Whaheydi reached as far as Adana, although they did not go any further. The Whaheydi were greeted by Arab loyalists within these regions, who saw them as liberators of a sort, although there has been a migration of Turks northwards and away from the Whaheydi armies.
In May 1852, forces of the United Kingdom of the Danube crossed the border into the Principality of Zagora, a Turkish protectorate. In less than two weeks, the far superior and larger Danubian forces, bolstered with Russian artillery, had completely overrun the tiny country with ease, with the bulk of the Zagoran army, and the countrys Prince Constantine chose to surrender rather than face a hopeless battle. The Danubian forces mobility was greatly enhanced by the novel use of bicycles during movement. Following the easy overrunning of Zagora, the Danubians moved on into Thrace, where they laid siege to Constantinople beginning in June, but the city was well-defended, and able to hold out for extended periods of time. Danubian and Russian navies that had moved into the Black Sea in preparation for the attack struck then, blockading the coast and smashing the Turkish navy, forcing the remnants back into the coast.
From the east came the Russians, who marched through eastern Turkey, overwhelming the outnumbered Turkish defenders. The Russians were aided by violence from Armenians, Assyrians, and other minorities in advance of the Russian armies. The Sultan eventually received word that the Russians were coming from the east. Realizing that the situation looked grim, he reluctantly evacuated Constantinople before the Russians reached it, and he has reestablished a base with some of his supporters at Antalya in the south. Constantinople, demoralized, ultimately surrendered in September 1852, and now rests under joint Danubian-Russian control; one noble has crowned himself Sultan there, and signed a Russian-penned treaty ceding large portions of land to Russia, Danube, Persia, and the Whaheydi, ceding Zagora to the Danube in its entirety, as well as creating two Russian protectorate states of Armenia and Trebizond in the east, but his rule and the treaty are recognized by few, Sultan Ismet not amongst them. The last few months of 1852 few major battles, even as the Russians made further advances against the Turkish remnants.
Multiple nations and uncounted numbers of people around the world have reacted in great alarm to what has been perceived as an unannounced and wanton act of aggression on the hands of the Russians and their allies. In Greece, the military has reacted with alarm to Greek non-involvement in the conflict, pushing the Greek Kings already unstable reign further towards the edge. The British and French establishment are outraged that the Russians would do such a thing, and are calling on their respective governments to take action, while the German nations already living under perceived threat of Russian attack are also particularly alarmed.
(Russia: -3 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -1 Artillery Brigade, -2 Frigates)
(Danube: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade, -2 Frigates; +1 Army Development)
(Whaheydi Caliphate: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Frigate)
(Persia: -3 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade; +1 Army Development)
(Turkey: -8 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -3 Artillery Brigades, -15 Frigates, -2 Ships of the Line; +1 Army Development)
(Zagora: -4 Infantry Brigades; -Existence)
St. Petersburg, Russia
The much-publicized rail link to Kemerovo was completed this year, to much fanfare. It is clear that Kemerovo is only the first step is a series of projects expanding the rail network into the vast east, for the Russians were then able to embark upon the further stage of their rail expansion, by initiating construction on a rail link between Kemerovo and Irkutsk. Costs for the construction of the railroad will be equally shared between the Russian government and private firms in exchange for private ownership of three-quarters of the railroads shares. In other news of significance, the constant flow of knowledge of naval tactics, coupled with the widespread use of the new iron vessels in the Pacific and in the Turkish War, has meant significant advances in naval expertise recently, although not by any means to the same level as the British.
Workers posing by the last completed section of the Kemerovo rail
(Russia: +1 Navy Development; +1 Economy Development)
Events in Europe
London, Great Britain
In what is still undoubtedly the most powerful country around the world, even if that designation is being challenged from all sides, elections were held. The incumbent Liberals had spent much of 1852 before the elections proper working to improve education at home, particularly amongst the countrys unlanded and poor; nevertheless, there were cries from the working classes that the Liberals had not done enough to open up the still aristocratic-dominated government to the masses. The Conservatives spun this charge for their own purposes; that the Liberals had been so focused abroad, neglecting the needs of the British people. The Liberals were still expected by most to retain their mandate, but in a rather surprising result, it was the Conservative Party that gained the majority and the government, albeit with a razor-thin margin; a shift of only a few MPs would be enough to allow the Conservatives to lose power.
As a side note to the year, the British established a Grand Naval Academy in London, with satellite campuses in Glasgow and Southampton, to provide for an even more improved next generation of naval officer cadets. The Academys establishment is in many eyes the symbolic reinforcement of Britains role as the premier naval power on Earth.
(Great Britain: +1 Navy Development)
Madrid, Spain
The Partido Demócrata-led government in Spain continued its moves towards a more federal and devolved power structure in the country. 1852s major law to this end was the Ley de Autonomía de Provincias de Ultramar, which defined the requirements for a region of Spain to gain devolved powers and autonomy. These requirements include the existence of adequate local government structures and a local population; only Cuba and Puerto Rico presently meet those standards. The current law thusly facilitates for devolution of powers, and this year Cuba and Puerto Rico gained authority over an array of items, including local education, public health, and economic matters; however, the law does specify that a law passed by the National Assembly in Madrid can supersede whatever is decided in Havana or San Juan. The pro-independence factions there have lost influence, as most of the population is pleased with devolution for the time being, but a highly strengthened local cultural identity remains.
An addendum to last years citizenship law, the Ley de Ciudadanía, was passed, defining the status of natives in the Spanish African and Asian possessions with regards to citizenship. Natives of said possessions are ineligible for Spanish citizenship, unless their people agree to ally with and take oaths of loyalty to the Spanish government. This promise, and the potential benefits to be gained, has helped quell local anti-Spanish sentiment to some degree especially in Africa, as they realize Spanish rule may not be so bad after all. But, at home, the move has been somewhat more controversial, as firebrands in opposition use it as evidence that the government is weak and under the influence of inferior races.
The government also funded further improvements to the domestic educational system. These improvements, and others over the past several years, have had a visible impact.
(Spain: +1 Academia Development)
Paris, France
The French crown in 1852 issued a series of so-called Ecclesiastical Mandates, pertaining to the state of affairs of the Catholic Church. The mandates stipulated that all Catholic organizations and establishments in France recognize foremost the French monarchy as ruling by divine right, recognizing the rule of Queen Anne and the parliamentary government, and that all Catholic organizations are prohibited from dissenting against the viewpoints of the French government in any way. The mandates also guaranteed freedom of the Christian religion throughout France, while recognizing the Catholic Church as the one true Church and the only one sanctioned by the government. The Mandates served to further polarize an already tense situation within the Church structure; many Catholic hardliners, including the new Pope Julius IV, have denounced them and the French government as deviationism from Gods true path by placing the State above the Church, although Julius has not gone so far as to excommunicate anyone, but reaction seems more ambivalent amongst more moderate Catholics.
In the French National Parliament, the issuing of the Mandates caused the wing of the Conservative Party that sympathized with the hardliners to break away from the ruling Conservative government, with their leader stating that we could not in good faith support a government that allows this. Their defection was enough to collapse the government and force national elections. Taking advantage of the split within the Conservatives, the Liberal Party won the election espousing a French-nationalist platform, which struck a chord amongst the French middle class in particular.
Trier, Trier and Mannheim, Palatinate
Inspired in part by recent events in Hanover, students in Trier and the Palatinate staged a coordinated series of protests and walkouts, waving pan-German flags and calling for the French to leave Germany. They were soon joined by locals of all classes and walks of life, united in their opposition to French domination. Local law enforcement has attempted to contain the protests, but many of those simply defected and joined the protests, and others caused violence to erupt and deaths to ensue, further escalating tensions. Rumors have spread that a shadowy underground society, but espousing German republican nationalism, is behind the current wave of protests. The mysterious K.M. and F.E. have continued publishing rabidly anti-French pamphlets in Trier and the Palatinate, throwing their support behind the protestors; it is rumored that they are part of this society.
Copenhagen, Denmark
1852 was a big year forwards in the growth of the nascent pan-Scandinavian movement, which, previously constrained to intellectual circles, burst into real politics. When King Frederick of Denmark read about the movement and its goals, namely the creation of a unified Scandinavian state, he immediately found the idea to his liking, and wholeheartedly endorsed it. Many members of the currently-ruling Liberal Party have also endorsed the idea, and the party is reputed to be considering adding it to their platform, although a Danish nationalist bloc of the Liberals in the Riksdag has now completely broken off and left the Liberal majority in the Riksdag hanging in the balance. The ideal has helped bring progress in negotiations between the Danish government and Norwegians seeking an increased role of Norway in the Danish state, looking to Austria-Hungary or the recent developments in Spain for examples.
Stockholm, Sweden
Pamphlets, likely printed somewhere in Denmark or Norway, espousing pan-Scandinavianism, have found their way across the border into Sweden, where they have continued to circulate despite the Swedish King Johans ham-handed attempts to quash sentiment of the ideals. This had the potential to make King Johan into perhaps the largest and most powerful perceived enemy of the pan-Scandinavianist movement. Fortunately or unfortunately for them, King Johan suffered from a stroke in June 1852, and after several months in a coma, passed away in September. He has been succeeded by his son, who has been crowned King Johan V, but the new king is a twelve-year-old child; one of the late Johans closest advisors has appointed himself regent, and wields true power.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
As Dutch colonial forces abroad were busy expanding Dutch control and influence around the globe, 1852 was a year of internal improvements at home. The Dutch government announced a number of major expenditures for the Dutch homeland. The first of these was the initiation of construction on a pan-Dutch railroad network, with every one of the Netherlands provinces connected, and checkpoints to ensure that all trade between provinces goes untaxed. The goal of this is to encourage inter-provincial trade, and bolster economic expansion and connectivity in the home provinces. The second was the establishment of the Dutch Naval Academy in the city of Amsterdam. This program is to centralize the education of the Dutch naval officer corps, and greatly improve the quality of the future Dutch naval leadership Following that was the announcement of a widespread educational program, promising to give every child in the Dutch home provinces at least a basic education. This has been somewhat more controversial, as many are opposed to the central government having so much control over the educational system, but has been pushed forward nonetheless.
(Netherlands: +1 Navy Development)
Dresden, Saxony-Bavaria
The Saxo-Bavarian governments major expenditure in 1852 was the initiation of a large-scale economic project, with the aim of expanding the countrys heavy industry sector. Mining operations, in the Saxon part of the country in particular, are a critical component of the project, as are related manufacturing operations.
Cagliari, Sardinia
In order to strengthen the historical and diplomatic ties between France and Sardinia, the Sardinian government began funding a program to bring French-language education to the schools on the island of Sardinia, in order to ensure that the next generation of bureaucrats, diplomats, and officers is learned in French. The majority of the Kings supporters have enthusiastically backed the efforts, but Italian nationalists have firmly denounced them, and there have been others who claim that this action is placing the Sardinian state closer to French subjugation.
In other news, King Victor Amadeus of Sardinia presided over the launch of the Sardinian navys new flagship, the Charles Emmanuel. Additionally, both of the previously ongoing government programs, to construct a series of fortifications and to expand the capacity of the countrys armaments production sector, reached a state of completion in 1852. Perhaps the most important long-term impact of the last few years spending programs will be the leaps in industrialization in the country.
(Sardinia: +1 Economy Development)
Bern, Switzerland
In Switzerland, the government subsidized the opening of the University of Dead Cultures, intended to archive and study cultures of nations past; one of the largest studies of the new institution is that of the recently conquered nation of far-away Japan. The establishment has been popular amongst Europes intellectual community, but some Swiss are questioning why precisely the Swiss government is involving itself in this matter.
Warsaw, Poland
The Polish people went to the polls in 1852. The incumbent Conservatives entered the elections still relatively popular, but the Liberals in opposition were able to pose a significant threat by seizing on nationalistic sentiments, claiming that the Conservatives had sold Polands soul to the whims of the Russians. The Conservatives countered by demonstrating that their efforts to construct railroads and a modern port at Palanga (a project which was completed in 1852 amidst the elections) had helped bring employment and revitalize the economy, and several speeches by King Louis, in which he assumed a pro-military and pro-Russian stance in the intentions of countering the German threat, stances which incidentally happened to correlate with the Conservatives, were enough for a reluctant public to give the Conservatives a renewed mandate, albeit with a narrower majority.
Budapest, Serbia
Little of note occurred this year, in Serbia, aside from the Serbian government announcing and beginning an initiative to expand its state mining operations, and the industry that corresponds with it. The Council of Peoples made no further progress, and many wonder if the whole attempt at reforming the state will in fact go anywhere, or if it has just fizzled out.
Turkish War
Without warning, the Sultanate of Turkey fell under intense attack from a diverse coalition of nations, on all sides.
From the east, in March 1852, came the Persians, who invaded under pretenses of aiding regionalists in Mesopotamia. The Turks were caught by surprise, and retreated until reinforcements arrived, whence they repulsed the Persians in some battles; nevertheless, the invasion from the north forced the Turks to retreat again, and Kuwait, Baghdad, and Mosul had all fallen by July. The united Persian and Whaheydi navies were able to smash the Turkish fleet off Kuwait, with few casualties. From the south, beginning shortly after, came the armies of the Whaheydi Caliphate, who initially secured the cities of Lakatia and Aleppo, before advancing further inland, meeting relatively little resistance as the bulk of the Turkish army was either scattered or defending the north; the Whaheydi reached as far as Adana, although they did not go any further. The Whaheydi were greeted by Arab loyalists within these regions, who saw them as liberators of a sort, although there has been a migration of Turks northwards and away from the Whaheydi armies.
In May 1852, forces of the United Kingdom of the Danube crossed the border into the Principality of Zagora, a Turkish protectorate. In less than two weeks, the far superior and larger Danubian forces, bolstered with Russian artillery, had completely overrun the tiny country with ease, with the bulk of the Zagoran army, and the countrys Prince Constantine chose to surrender rather than face a hopeless battle. The Danubian forces mobility was greatly enhanced by the novel use of bicycles during movement. Following the easy overrunning of Zagora, the Danubians moved on into Thrace, where they laid siege to Constantinople beginning in June, but the city was well-defended, and able to hold out for extended periods of time. Danubian and Russian navies that had moved into the Black Sea in preparation for the attack struck then, blockading the coast and smashing the Turkish navy, forcing the remnants back into the coast.
From the east came the Russians, who marched through eastern Turkey, overwhelming the outnumbered Turkish defenders. The Russians were aided by violence from Armenians, Assyrians, and other minorities in advance of the Russian armies. The Sultan eventually received word that the Russians were coming from the east. Realizing that the situation looked grim, he reluctantly evacuated Constantinople before the Russians reached it, and he has reestablished a base with some of his supporters at Antalya in the south. Constantinople, demoralized, ultimately surrendered in September 1852, and now rests under joint Danubian-Russian control; one noble has crowned himself Sultan there, and signed a Russian-penned treaty ceding large portions of land to Russia, Danube, Persia, and the Whaheydi, ceding Zagora to the Danube in its entirety, as well as creating two Russian protectorate states of Armenia and Trebizond in the east, but his rule and the treaty are recognized by few, Sultan Ismet not amongst them. The last few months of 1852 few major battles, even as the Russians made further advances against the Turkish remnants.
Multiple nations and uncounted numbers of people around the world have reacted in great alarm to what has been perceived as an unannounced and wanton act of aggression on the hands of the Russians and their allies. In Greece, the military has reacted with alarm to Greek non-involvement in the conflict, pushing the Greek Kings already unstable reign further towards the edge. The British and French establishment are outraged that the Russians would do such a thing, and are calling on their respective governments to take action, while the German nations already living under perceived threat of Russian attack are also particularly alarmed.
(Russia: -3 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -1 Artillery Brigade, -2 Frigates)
(Danube: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade, -2 Frigates; +1 Army Development)
(Whaheydi Caliphate: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Frigate)
(Persia: -3 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade; +1 Army Development)
(Turkey: -8 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -3 Artillery Brigades, -15 Frigates, -2 Ships of the Line; +1 Army Development)
(Zagora: -4 Infantry Brigades; -Existence)
St. Petersburg, Russia
The much-publicized rail link to Kemerovo was completed this year, to much fanfare. It is clear that Kemerovo is only the first step is a series of projects expanding the rail network into the vast east, for the Russians were then able to embark upon the further stage of their rail expansion, by initiating construction on a rail link between Kemerovo and Irkutsk. Costs for the construction of the railroad will be equally shared between the Russian government and private firms in exchange for private ownership of three-quarters of the railroads shares. In other news of significance, the constant flow of knowledge of naval tactics, coupled with the widespread use of the new iron vessels in the Pacific and in the Turkish War, has meant significant advances in naval expertise recently, although not by any means to the same level as the British.
Workers posing by the last completed section of the Kemerovo rail
(Russia: +1 Navy Development; +1 Economy Development)
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Events in the Americas
Quebec, France
The French government in 1852 announced a series of economic initiatives pertaining to New France, with the intention of bringing industrialization and infrastructural improvements to the province. In order to accomplish this, the local and provincial authorities have been instructed to contract out to private firms in order to accomplish specific tasks, rather than allow uncontrolled and unorganized development. Port facilities along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes will be expanded, and the New French railroad network will be greatly expanded. There will also be a focus on expanding industry. The initiatives have been popular amongst the local populace, for the jobs they are providing, as well as a demonstration that New France has not been neglected by Paris.
Tanka Wicoti, Indiana
High Chief Wapello was pleased to hear news of the completion of the current phase of Indianas economic reform and modernization efforts. A fledgling industrial sector has begun to grow in the country, centered in Tanka Wicoti, although it is still largely owned by New English or British foreigners, who have established a presence in the country to take advantage of the newly available relative abundance of natural resources. Perhaps the most immediately visible fruits of the effort are the infrastructural improvements; for one, the country now boasts a modern port, if a rather small one when compared to a European port. The newly constructed road from Tanka Wicoti across the border with New England has been effectively integrated into the greater New English road network with New Englands own infrastructural improvements, providing New Englanders easy access to Indiana and vice versa.
(Indiana: +1 Economy Development)
Boston, New England
New Englands Federalist government, led by First Minister Ashland, passed a controversial and far-reaching law, addressing working conditions in the country. The law abolished child labor, set a minimum age of employment at thirteen, and set a standardized ten-hour-long workday. These measures constitute one of the first efforts to improve working conditions and eliminate some of the worst offenses to labor, not merely in New England but across the globe. Business owners and their allied elements in the Conservative opposition and in dissenting factions of the Federalists are up in arms over the measures, claiming that they will be detrimental to the economy as a whole, but the Federalist government has survived, gaining significant support amongst the working class wherever it has the franchise, and the governments subsidizing of industry has softened any expected blow to the economy.
With assistance from their British counterparts aboard the new ironclad vessels, New English naval specialists returned home with a great amount of new knowledge on the operation and tactics of the new ships. Naval staff has recommended to the government that the New English navy be outfitted with the new vessels post haste. The state-of-the-art vessels created great public attention when they arrived in Boston, with large crowds turning up to view them.
(New England: +1 Navy Development)
Richmond, Virginia
The Conservative Party President of Virginia, Christopher Walker, was slain by an assassins bullet in June 1852 during. The assassin, an elderly man by the name of Robert, was revealed to be a delusional ex-soldier who had fought for the Confederacy in the wars with Louisiana three decades earlier, lived as an unemployed vagabond for most of the time since then, and written in his diary that he had been divinely appointed to kill President Walker for purposes he himself claimed to not know. After being subdued by the crowd, Robert was tried and hanged with great expediency. Walkers deputy, Joseph Earle, has succeeded him, promising to continue the late President Walkers legacy and that of the Conservative Party, and will serve at least until next years presidential elections. President Earle is also a noted friend of New English interests in Virginia, even more so than Walker. But thanks to Roberts bizarre story, and other perceived discrepancies, rumors and unfounded theories have spread that President Earle in fact ordered the assassination to gain the presidency.
Concurrently with President Walkers assassination were a number of demonstrations of Black freedmen in the country calling for increased rights and protections from the Virginian government, including the right to vote. While the majority of the country, including President Earle, is opposed to this, the freedmen have gained sympathy in certain elements of the populace, including the leadership of the Virginia Liberal Party.
Charleston, Confederacy of American States
In the city of Wilmington, North Carolina, the Confederate government established the countrys largest naval academy. The naval schools establishment has been interpreted as a sign that Thomas Leighs government is turning its attention to controlling the seas off its coasts, evidenced by expansions in the Confederate navys size, and its placement in North Carolina has been taken by locals as a statement of Charlestons continued interest in developing the region, where sentiment against the central government is high. The newly appointed staff at the school has quickly set to work training a new generation of cadets.
(CAS: +1 Navy Development)
Liberty, Costa Lina
The Creole Commission, established by President Cousineaus government last year to create a standardized, unified language from the existing commonly used creole for official use in the Freedmens Republic of Costa Lina, was in 1852 given the task of publishing a complete dictionary of the newly standardized language, as well as writing textbooks, in both English and French, for use by the countrys educational system. Reports released by the commission show that progress is being made quickly, and that their assigned battery of tasks should be complete by early 1854.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Louisianan government, in addition to continuing its program of encouraging industrialization, began funding a widespread educational program in which the Bible would be taught to school children across the country as a means of encouraging literacy. This program has proven itself popular, particularly in the frontier north where quality education is not as readily available.
Seville, Tejas
The American presence, following last years intervention to depose the despotic President Dubois, had completely withdrawn from Tejas by mid-1852 as the interim government took upon itself the task of administering the country and restoring peace and order. The most far-reaching acts of the interim government during its term were the ratifications of a series of constitutional amendments. The primary change was the removal of most of the Tejan Presidents powers, such as to effectively transform the country into a parliamentary republic; after the experience with Dubois, it was decreed that Tejas would never again have a powerful executive in a position to dominate the country. Other amendments added to the constitution a permanent guarantee of protections for all three of English-, French-, and Spanish-speakers in Tejas, protections which did not include Indians.
As elections came in the summer of 1852, the interim government, despite successfully ratifying the series of amendments, lost support from much of its conservative wing, the majority of which pulled out of the governing coalition to contest the election separately, but the conservatives, divided between nationalities, could not unite into a single. The Liberal Party, consisting of the majority of the interim governments remnants, managed to avoid these problems, taking advantage of their opponents disunity to fuse together a broad coalition of supporters, and sailed to an easy and significant majority in the National Assembly.
A treaty stipulating a friendship agreement and a defensive alliance with the American Republic had been signed and ratified by the interim government before elections. This was followed up by the removal of customs barriers between Tejas and the American Republic.
Mexico City, American Republic
The most significant event of the year, barring the return of American soldiers from their foreign adventure in Tejas, was the establishment of a public national university in Mexico City, for the stated purpose of bringing the countrys brightest young students in one place. Following the Tejan intervention, increasing investment in education as a whole, especially in the northern frontier provinces, continued to be perhaps the top priority for President Campos and his Federalist government. Also in the frontier provinces, several battles occurred between American cavalry and local Indian tribes threatening settlements, particularly the Comanche and the Ute peoples. Both have been defeated in battle, and the latter have largely dispersed across the border into the western parts of neighboring Indiana.
A band of Ute Indios fleeing the American military, searching for safe havens in Indiana
Kingston, British Jamaica
Thousands of protestors filled the streets of the city of Kingston on the island of Jamaica, calling for the islands independence from Great Britain. Inspired by a similar movement over the past several years in the nearby Spanish colonies, even as efforts towards devolution have quelled the movements in Puerto Rico and Cuba, the protests in the British West Indies reflect a deeper pro-independence sentiment that has recently struck a chord amongst the people of the region. Similar protests sprung up in other British towns throughout the region, such as St. Dominic and Nassau.
La Paz, Peru
Presidential elections were scheduled to be held in the Republic of Peru this year, amidst a year of increasing unrest and discontent with President Santiagos incumbent government over long-term economic troubles and increasing resentment against the largely urban political and economic elite, all catalyzed by widespread rumors that the military was threatening to intervene and overthrow the democracy, meant that the Liberals faced a difficult re-elected challenge. President Santiago chose to retire rather than attempt re-election; without the steady hand of his leadership, the Liberal Party fell apart, and multiple candidates ran each under an ostensibly Liberal banner. The Conservative Party, under their new leader Bautista Narvaez, were able to strike a populist chord amongst the populace much like in neighboring Ecuador, additionally helped by the countrys Catholic element and (surprisingly) a number of intellectuals who felt that the Liberals had betrayed their principles, and easily won. Ultimately, no coup occurred, and despite some reports of violence, the elections proceeded more or less peacefully.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Brazilian legislative elections were held in 1852. The elections were relatively low-key and calm compared to the norm, with the ruling Liberal government relatively popular from its ongoing economic reforms and development programs, which have brought continued prosperity to the already fast-growing Brazilian domestic economy; it would be an uphill battle for any opposition, no matter how united, to dethrone them. Adding more support to the Liberal cause, Prince Miguel made several public statements interpreted as tacitly supporting the Liberals. This, however, has incensed some of the military establishment; rumors of potential future action abound. Promising further reforms, the Liberals easily gained another sizable majority. A coalition of nationalist parties, calling for full separation from Portugal, did gain a significant amount of support by striking a nativist nerve amongst some of the Brazilian lower classes.
The other landmark event of 1852, for the Brazilian government at least, was the completion of the countrys military reform efforts. The governments incessant efforts at reform, while fruitful in improving the quality of the military as a whole, have only worsened the already tense relationship between the government and the former military elite. Nevertheless, the government does have one great advantage if a feared coup does come; it has the support of the populace, while the military does not, meaning that any coup is likely to be a failure in the long term.
(Brazil: +1 Navy Development)
Second Patagonian War
The war between La Plata and Cordoba dragged on into 1852. Despite fears that Brazil would attempt some form of intervention, none came; the Brazilian government eventually stated that they would not intervene in an internal matter between La Plata and Cordoba, unless Brazil was directly threatened, and in any case potential intervention was unpopular amongst the Brazilian public.
Cordobas situation was already dire when the year began, with its capital under siege by the La Platans and its coasts blockaded. That dire situation never truly improved; the Cordobans had too few men left to mount any reasonable counterattack, and instead fortified their capital, the city of Cordoba, in hopes of foreign or divine intervention to distract the La Platans. None came; after several months of siege, in April 1852, La Platan soldiers breached the Cordoban defenses and captured the city. King Carlos attempted to flee the city in disguise, but was apprehended by La Platan soldiers and forced to sign a document of surrender.
La Platan soldiers overrun Cordoban defenses outside the city of Cordoba
But in the south, in the sparsely populated lands of Patagonia that had previously been nominally under Cordoban control but hardly settled before the outbreak of renewed conflict, a collection of native Mapuche tribes saw an opportunity. Uniting under a single leader, Chief Leviantu, the new confederation of Araucania, as foreigners are calling it, has established a degree of control over the tip of the South American continent; the Araucanians have also solidified control over Cape Horn, which has been cause for some concern abroad.
(La Plata: -1 Infantry Brigade, -1 Artillery Brigade; +1 captured Frigate; +1 Army Development)
(Cordoba: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Artillery Brigade, -2 Conscript Brigades; -Existence)
Events in Africa and the Middle East
Constantinople, Turkey
In the early months of 1852, before Turkey fell victim to the multinational Russian-led invasion, Sultan Ismet had announced a battery of government reforms. Primarily amongst them was the institution of a bicameral legislature, a Parliament modelled loosely after that in Westminster. The lower house of his legislature consisted of 120 popularly elected Deputies, elected every four years, with the voting franchise restricted to landowners but not restricted on basis of religion; its upper house counterpart consists of 40 Senators, appointed by the Sultan from the military or the bureaucracy. Bills must be passed by the upper house; they can be passed by the lower house, but those passed by the lower house must also be passed by the upper house. Additionally, there is no prime minister; the Sultan holds supreme executive power. Any reaction against the Parliaments establishment was preempted by the invasion and the need for national unity in war, as thanks to the invasion, the Parliament never actually met.
Additionally, completed just before the invasion, was a road linking the port of Kuwait to the capital.
Cairo, Whaheydi Caliphate and Tehran, Persia
Largely ignored amongst the diversions of the Turkish War, the Suez rail development efforts that had been ongoing in the Whaheydi Caliphate for several years were completed this year. Similarly, the cotton industry development program in Persia was completed this year.
(Whaheydi Caliphate: +1 Economy Development)
Omani War
Last years establishment of a pirate state in Oman has not gone unnoticed by neighboring countries. Most concerned has been the neighboring nation of Yemen, fearing that the existence of a rogue state to its east could pose a heavily destabilizing factor. From afar came the Dutch; above all the other European powers with interests in the region, and numerous others who sent naval vessels to blockade the Omani coast, the Dutch took the most proactive role in countering Oman. A controversial treaty signed between Yemen and the Netherlands ceded the port of Aden to the Dutch, in exchange for military support. The treaty has lost the Zaydi Imam of Yemen a great amount of support amongst the already tenuous tribal leadership, but focus on the military campaign that followed was able to silence critics for now.
The war in Oman proper was in fact relatively short. From their new base at Aden, the Dutch entered with their far more modern and superior navy, shattering the pirate sultan Zayids nascent fleet at the cost of a single frigate, proceeding to establish a blockade over Muscat. Witnessing the rapid decimation of their fleet, and knowing it would soon come to them, a significant number of Zayids supporters elected to desert and fend for themselves; loyalists and deserters began clashing amongst themselves. This disorder opened the perfect opportunity for the Yemenis, who followed the Dutch, invading by sea, and were able to secure all of the former Oman as it shattered into what would have been a patchwork of petty sheikdoms. Zayid himself was captured by the Yemenis, and publicly beheaded in Muscat. Yemen has yet to decide what is to be done with the territory, although the mounting tribal unrest across the entirety of Yemen may influence matters.
In the aftermath of the brief conflict, piracy in the Indian Ocean has begun to wane, as the Yemenis have ruthlessly cracked down on the pirate activity that was formerly using Oman as home base. The end of Oman may mark a turning point in Indian Ocean piracy.
(Yemen: -3 Infantry Brigades, -5 Conscript Brigades; +1 Army Development)
(Netherlands: -1 Frigate)
(Oman: -2 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -6 Frigates, -1 Ship of the Line; -Existence)
Tunis, Tunis
The Tunisian bey this year enacted new tariffs, favoring Islamic traders and goods. There will now be only a miniscule tariff placed on goods from Islamic countries, but a much higher one placed on goods from non-Islamic countries. Some advisers have pointed out that this may deter trade from the developed economies of Europe and potentially hinder Tunisian economic development, but the bey and his allies remain steadfast in continuing their progress, claiming that this would make Tunis an ideal point for Islamic trade to converge and flow to Europe.
The small Tunisian navy has benefited from the countrys recent focus on trade and the sea, although it still remains far behind its European counterparts.
(Tunis: +1 Navy Development)
Algiers, Aragonese Algiers
In 1852, about a decade after Aragon-Sicily had been one of the first European countries to recognize the Algerian Sultan al-Hassans countrys full independence from the decaying Ottoman Empire, the Sultanate of Algiers was a de facto Aragonese protectorate, with the Sultan only maintaining his position thanks to Aragonese support. In the spring of 1852, the Aragonese government decided it was time to extend its control over the territory and fully incorporate Algiers as a colony. The bolstered Aragonese garrison in Algiers marched up to the Sultans palace and forced him to sign a treaty ceding all remaining sovereignty to an Aragonese colonial authority. The Algerian military leadership attempted to stage a rebellion in response, only to be met with Aragonese gunfire and a quick defeat. The nascent Algerian fleets ships were captured by the Aragonese in port and incorporated into their own navy. The Sultan has been left on his throne, but it is no secret that the throne is an empty one, and that he is all but a figurehead.
Even though it was a badly kept secret at best that Algiers was a protectorate before the attack, the action and the blatant aggression of Aragon-Sicily has sent shockwaves throughout the neighboring North African states. In Morocco, the burgeoning anti-French court faction has been greatly bolstered in size and influence (detailed below), and in Tunis, there has been a similar spike in fears of a Whahyedi incursion, especially after news of the events in Turkey reached Tunisian ears.
(Aragon-Sicily: -2 Infantry Brigades)
(Algiers: -2 Infantry Brigades, -2 Cavalry Brigades, -1 Artillery Brigade; -Existence)
Marrakesh, Morocco
The Moroccan sultan, in cooperation with French advisors, began incorporating reforms into the national education system, attempting to modernize it. However, perhaps intentionally, any reforms were conducted slowly and to limited spread, much to the annoyance of the French advisors, as the Sultan was reluctant to introduce Catholicism and French-language education to his nation.
However, the unprecedented Aragonese annexation of its protectorate in neighboring Algiers has sent shockwaves through Morocco. In its wake, an ever-more-influential, anti-French, political coalition of courtiers, elites, and military leaders has begun to crystalize, calling on the Sultan to reverse his moves towards France, to ensure that what happened in Algiers does not occur in Morocco. The Sultan has shown indications, much to the chagrin of the French liaison to Morocco, that he may in fact heed to this growing factions demands; he, too, has been shocked by the Aragonese actions, it seems.
Gondar, Ethiopia
The Ethiopian central governments major effort this year was to begin the construction of a modern port on the countrys northeast coast, at the already existing port city of Zeila, which dates back to antiquity. This effort is being undertaken with technical assistance from the British. The hope is that, with the establishment of relatively modern port infrastructure, Zeila can act as an inlet for wealth-generating foreign trade into Ethiopia. The country has taken large steps towards opening up to the greater region and bringing itself into the modern world, and it seems that Zeila is the next step. Work on the port was threatened by unrest amongst the local Muslim population, but the military was able to maintain adequate order, and estimates are that it should be finished sometime after the midpoint of the decade.
(Ethiopia: +1 Economy Development)
Italian West Africa
In a surprise entrance to the West African geopolitical scene, the Italian Republic carved for itself a possession on the West African coast. The colony was established by enterprising traders on an island along the coast southeast of the British settlement of Freetown, and northwest of Danish Ny Skane. However, the complete absence of an Italian naval presence in the Atlantic Ocean, coupled with the relative lack of trading activity in the new colony due to better-established British, French the French in fact put effort in expanding their regional ivory trading operations this year and even Danish trade links, has ensured that there can only be limited support for the operation, and Italian West Africa has failed to make a profit thus far. Many opponents of the ruling Liberal Party have called it a failed venture, but the government remains confident that the colony can make a presence known for itself.
Danish Ny Reykjavik
Danish and Norwegian traders in 1852 founded with the blessing of the Danish government a new settlement on the western coast of Central Africa, located on the coast between the two Spanish possessions and east of the Portuguese-held islands. Although built on a coastal island, the newly founded town of Ny Reykjavik has nonetheless been able to secure control over the immediate area inland. The town has, like many of the other recent settlements in Africa, become a base for missionaries active amongst the local native populace, and a base for traders, although little headway has been made thanks to the established Spanish dominance over the local market.
One of Ny Reykjaviks additional first uses was a base for an anthropological expedition of Rhenish explorers, who used it as a base for an expedition mapping the area inland. Another Rhenish expedition trekked up the Congo River starting from the Spanish colony in Central Africa, and mapped out a significant portion of the Congo basin, making contact with several of the native states and their leaders in the process.
Mswatis War
The nascent state of Eswatini came under heavy assault by the Dutch army, renewing its expansion eastwards from the Cape with fury. The Swati had the numerical advantage in battle, but the Dutch had the tactical and technological edge, with the Dutch artillery coming into heavy use in Eswatini. After several small, early battles won by the Dutch, who brutally burned villages and killed Swati indiscriminately in their advance, the stage was set for an ultimate showdown at Mbabane itself. After several days of fighting, the Dutch were able to encircle the Swati, and Mbabane became a bloodbath. Mswati took his own life rather than face capture by the white man. The lands of the former Eswatini lost their independence, and were brought under Dutch control by the end of the year.
With the fall of Mbabane, the Swati army dispersed. Many of the Swati only continued migrating northwards and away from the wrath of the feared Dutchmen, either into the southern parts of Portuguese-controlled Mozambique, where they have been a destabilizing influence locally, or into the wild savannas of Zimbabwe, where fighting has ensued between the Swati and the existing Mutapa peoples in the area.
Utilized in the war by the Dutch was a new type of gun that had been initially created by a military engineer from Kaapstad several years earlier. This gun consists of multiple barrels arrayed around a central shaft, and is powered by a hand crank, thus capable of firing rounds continuously. Named the Barnard Gun after its inventor, it has been used to great effect against masses of Swati forces, and Dutch military staff at home has taken notice, as have other foreigners.
Dutch soldiers posing with a Barnard gun
(Netherlands: -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade; +1 Army Development)
(Eswatini: -6 Infantry Brigades, -2 Conscript Brigades; -Existence)
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Events in Asia and the Pacific
Fort Krasnokidze, Russia
From Fort Krasnokidze on the Caspian coast, a significant contingent of the Russian army marched eastwards on the rough path of the old Silk Road, forcibly incorporating much of the region by force, encountering only minimal resistance from collections of tribes. Expansion was relatively quick and easy. By the end of the year, even without full territorial control over the Central Asia region, Russia had clearly established dominance over the area, with uncontested dominance over the regions trade.
Delhi
Aside from several economic programs, with the intensions of expanding the countrys agricultural and industrial sectors, the Delhian government made sure to communicate the Islamic community that, amongst their plans for potential reform for minorities, Delhian Muslims needs have not been forgotten. The government has constructed numerous mosques in towns big and small around the country. This program has alienated some minority religious groups, and has not been successful in bringing some of the more radical clerics back into line, but amongst the target audience it has been popular.
Concerns quelled when the government hosted discussions with religious leaders to discern their concerns mainly, that government actions towards reform would lead to conflict and civil disorder incited by radical religious leaders. The discussions led to few concrete results, but assurances were made that peace would remain at all costs. Any revolts were prevented with the spreading of soldiers throughout the realm, mostly on public works construction duties, but also to discourage potential revolt, a task that was apparently successful.
Nagpur
Late in 1852, the Maharaja of Nagpur, Balaji Rao II, passed away from an illness. His first son, who would be crowned as Balaji Rao III, was his named official successor. However, the new Balaji had always been a noted moderate open to modernization and reform, including accepting British culture he had spent some years at Cambridge and he was unpopular amongst elements in the military, who feared that they would lose their influence or be forced to accept foreign methods. So some elements of the military took action. When a coup against Balaji failed, several influential officers approached Balajis far more palatable brother, Vishwanth Rao, and crowned him in the western city of Aurangabad, intending to claim the entire realm for him. Thus began a civil war, as Vishwanths faction consolidated its hold over the western and coastal areas of the kingdom. 1853 is shaping up to be a bloody and decisive year in the history of Nagpur, even as her neighbors look in.
(Nagpur (Balaji Rao): -2 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade)
(Nagpur (Vishwanth Rao): -3 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade)
Mysore
Mysores government mainly focused its attention on education this year, investing in establishing several public universities and helping them get off the ground. In addition, the Mysorean army as a whole undertook an extensive series of training exercises, especially in the jungle, which proved fruitful as they gained valuable experience in tropical warfare conducted with modern weaponry.
Simultaneously, in Mysores cities, there started growing a movement calling for government reform, perhaps influenced by the past several decades intellectual exchange with Europe, only adapted for Indian contexts. Amongst these include perhaps going so far as to introduce some popular democratic element to Mysores governmental structure, although there are few concrete proposals as to how this could be done. Some radicals are even calling for steps to be taken to negate or even outright abolish the caste system; these are few and far between, as few are willing to so drastically change Mysorean society. This has not stopped opponents of reform from mixing the two groups; one Brahmin intellectual has formulated a defense for the caste system, incorporating elements of the recently published theory of natural selection, claiming, among other things, that the untouchable Dalits constitute a separate, lower species of human.
(Mysore: +1 Army Development)
Tu Ducs War
With assistance from a newly arrived contingent of the Korean army, and in conjunction with allied Khmer (and, to a lesser extent, Lao) landowners and warlords, the French were able to strike with increasingly deadly force against a Vietnamese resistance that was fast-collapsing. By mid-1852, food shortages throughout much of the region had resulted in a mild famine, which impacted the Vietnamese far more than it did the French or their allies. Numerous Vietnamese landowners, seeing their movement beginning to collapse and intrigued by offers of amnesty in exchange for surrender, actively defected from the ranks of Duc Ducs supporters. Inland, Khmer collaborating with the French were able to advance northwards rapidly, wreaking havoc on supply lines in the process, and the Siamese army had captured Luang Prabang in March. Weakened by French naval bombardment, the remainder of the northern coast had fallen by April. With that foothold established, Duc Ducs days were numbered; his organized resistance collapsed under its own weight over the next several months, even without any major battles to decimate its army, and the French assumed control over most of the country in Tu Ducs stead, with the Siamese in control over most of the Lao peoples lands. The whereabouts of Duc Duc and his most loyal and continued followers are unknown, but it is assumed he managed to escape across the border into southern China; the relative lawlessness in southern China has stymied any attempt to find him.
Khmer soldiers fighting for the French
The experiences from the war in Vietnam have provided numerous benefits to the quality of the armies involved. For the French and the Koreans, the conflict has provided valuable experience in waging modern warfare in a tropical environment. For the Siamese, it has proven an opportunity to test their armys strength in combat in a war involving far more modern equipment than wars before, and the Siamese have begun incorporating limited amounts of newfound European-made weaponry into their armys ranks, albeit at a slow pace and without any major structural reforms.
(France: -3 Infantry Brigades, -1 Artillery Brigade; +1 Army Development)
(Siam: -5 Infantry Brigades; +1 Army Development)
(Korea: -1 Infantry Brigade; +1 Army Development)
(Vietnam: -7 Infantry Brigades, -7 Conscript Brigades, -12 Frigates; -Existence)
British Hong Kong
In the last several years, British-leased Hong Kong is now becoming a bustling urban center and cosmopolitan port city, being the primary connection and convenient middle ground for traders and travelers of all nationalities from around the world to access the rest of China. Not only that, but Hong Kong has become nothing short of the centerpiece of British imperial power in East Asia. To further the latter end, Hong Kong became the site of port development, specifically improvements to the citys naval base.
Beijing, China
To great fanfare, Beijing played host to the extravagant wedding of the Joseon King Sanggyes daughters, Deokhye, to the Qixiang Emperor. The wedding festivities went off all but perfectly, and so far both the Emperor and his Consort have reportedly been very happy in marriage. The Consort also was able to act in a mediating role, settling a heated dispute between the Emperor and a Korean ambassador late in the year. Much to the chagrin of some of his advisors, the Emperor has insisted that the Consort be privy to many of the day-to-day operations of the imperial government.
The Qixiang Emperors anti-corruption drives continued and were expanded with incessant zeal this year, which the Emperor labeled a Cleansing the bureaucracy and military across the country. The drives have also reportedly been used to suppress open anti-Korean sentiment within the Chinese bureaucracy, or for that matter; there has been no shortage of anger over this point. There has been an atomizing effect, as provinces far from the capital, such as Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Guangdong, became havens for those attempting to escape the cleansing. To counter this, the Emperor sent the army to the south restore order and help contribute to the cleansing, at the cost of a good deal of blood. Officially, the events were labelled a minor provincial revolt, with the provincial leaders executed, but it is no secret that they are one facet of something else entirely. In any case, despite the cleansing, dissent is building.
In Manchuria, the Koreans continued their building up of infrastructure and exploitation of resources. The Chinese state has funded expansion of some of infrastructure outside of Manchuria, specifically connected to the capital at Beijing, contracting Korean private companies to help. Ethnic Han have been appointed to some lower-level managerial positions, which has incensed some of the hardliners in the imperial government, but any dissent were silenced for fear of being cleansed.
(China: -5 Infantry Brigades, -1 Cavalry Brigade; +1 Economy Development)
Hanseong, Korea
Even as Koreas eye was firmly focused on the east, there were several internal developments. A Korean company was given a contract and funding to begin privately developing a national railroad network in Korea, which will become the countrys first. Low-cost Japanese labor has been heavily employed by the Koreans in constructing these railroads, which has sped up Japanese migration from newly acquired Ezochi and the protectorate of Tohoku to the Korean mainland. The Koreans also were able to gain a not invaluable wealth of knowledge of naval technology from studying their newly acquired ironclads, and are by some accounts close to leapfrogging Mysore as Asias premier navy.
(Korea: +1 Navy Development)
Nagasaki, Dutch Japan
As the dust began to settle in Japan in the wake of the Dejima War, the victorious foreign powers began carving up the archipelago between themselves, with the signing of the Treaty of Nagasaki. The bulk of the Dutch-occupied zone was transformed into the so-called Mikadate of Kanto, Kansai, Shikoku and Kyushu. Most westerners have casually referred to the country as Kanto, despite the inaccuracy of the name. The treaty stipulated that the Mikado was to be the rightful heir to the pre-war Japanese Imperial throne; actually finding a valid holder of this throne proved to be a trying task. Although it was hoped that a member would show himself to the Dutch, none in fact did so. Rumors floating into Kyoto and Edo hold that several candidates did try to make contact, only to have been killed or stopped. With every passing day, it is becoming apparently less and less likely that an heir will appear. The Office of the Advisory Board to the Mikado, an organization that had ostensibly been established to represent Dutch interests in the Mikados court, has taken up executive and administrative responsibilities for an indefinite time until the situation is resolved.
In other territorial changes resulting from the treaty, the port cities of Nagasaki and Kobe were leased to the Netherlands for a total of 150 years, a term which will end in the year 2002. The Russians also left the treaty negotiations with several minor territorial acquisitions, gaining the island of Tsushima in the Sea of Japan, and the Yaeyema Islands archipelago in the Pacific, both for 150 years (until 2002), and gaining the Bonin Islands archipelago in the Pacific in perpetuity. The Treaty also stipulated that Russian and Chinese merchants were to be allowed unimpeded access into Japan.
In the north, the Koreans established a Northern Alliance of Tōhoku, with its capital located in the city of Niigata. The new government, a Korean protectorate, consists of a council of local daimyos. The entire government is to be presided over by a Warden of the Alliance, who is a prince from the Korean ruling family. The island of Ezochi, directly to the north of the new Tohoku state, however, was directly annexed by Korea, and settlement of the island by Koreans has begun, if slowly. The local population, Japanese and Ainu both, has proven highly fearsome and resistive to Korean settlement, although a small number of locals have taken the opportunity to emigrate to Korea proper or Manchuria for factory work.
In the meantime, the situation in both new countries remains chaotic, with warlordism rampant in the countryside and nativist sentiment high in the cities.
(Korea: -1 Infantry Brigade)
Edo, Kanto
With the Chrysanthemum Throne vacant, a noted Dutch-friendly daimyo, Ii Naosuke, was elevated to the position of regent, as it was stated, until the rightful heir could be found and made Mikado. All daimyos have been made to take oaths of loyalty to the Dutch, and are now required to reaffirm their loyalties annually; those who have refused have been driven away from power, joining the chaos in the countryside. Aside from the fact that they are now being overseen by Dutchmen, many of the old Shogunates regulations have in fact been continued into the Mikadate. Daimyos and samurai are now forbidden from turning their personal forces on each other and making civil war, and they are forbidden from stockpiling personal weapons, with Dutch inspectors now ensuring compliance to the law. Taxes are now being collected by a new office, consisting of Dutch and Japanese specialized bureaucrats, rather than samurai. There have been several attacks on Dutch, responded with heavy and fierce retribution, and the Dutch have been able to restore order to parts of Kanto, particularly Kyushu and Shikoku, but overall the countryside remains chaotic, with inklings of an organized rebellion forming. Small numbers of Japanese have begun leaving for the West Indies, Africa, or the East Indies as indentured servants.
(Netherlands: -2 Infantry Brigades)
Carlisle, British Australia
Noting the increase in immigration and the economic boom in relatively remote Australia following the momentous gold rush of 1850, the British government has decided to bring modern infrastructure to the colony. This year, the British initiated a two-sided effort towards this end. The first involved the construction of Australias first railroad line, connecting the coastal cities to the interior and the gold fields there. The second was the construction of modernized port infrastructure in the aforementioned coastal cities themselves. The Australians have reacted extremely positively to the British-funded projects, thanks to the potential economic benefits and the fact that Australia has been perceived to have moved some degrees higher on the British overseas priority list.
The Pacific Ocean
In 1852, multiple foreign powers entered the Pacific Ocean, grabbing up the regions scattered islands with unprecedented speed and ferocity.
The Russians, after having gained several islands near Japan via the Treaty of Nagasaki, moved into the greater Pacific Ocean. With a combination of naval and land forces, they largely effortlessly seized control of the Marianas archipelago, and the islands of Palau not far away. Russian soldiers landed on individual islands, overthrew local tribal governments, and placed one of their own in a position of authority; the Russians have nevertheless been careful to respect the rights and traditions of the locals, including religions, preventing too much unrest. Outposts and rudimentary ports have been constructed on many of the islands. On the isle of Guam, the Russians have constructed a permanent, with a colonial governor for the entire Russian Pacific in charge there. The far-flung nature of the colony has nevertheless made governance a trying task.
The Russians were closely followed by the British, who found that a number of the islands they found already had Russian flags flying from them and Russians garrisoning them; nevertheless, they were still able to gain control over several islands off the coast of New Guinea, far outside of the Russian zone of control. In nearby Fiji, the Dutch were able to secure control over the entirety of the archipelago, subduing the numerous independence-seeking chieftains that had emerged after the Dutch entrance last year and placing the entirety of the island under its control; the islands economy and population has begun growing quickly thanks to the establishment of a relatively lucrative plantation economy with labor provided increasingly heavily by African and Japanese indentured servants.
From the east, the American Republic was the other power to contest for island territory in the Pacific. In Hawaii, where an American presence had already been established in 1851, American soldiers landed and quickly secured the remainder of the archipelago, through a combination of military force and treaties with local chiefs, the latter of which were often made with threat of force anyways. Since then, American private firms have begun to establish. Following that, numerous American naval vessels sailed westwards to secure a number of the islands in the central Pacific. Outposts and rudimentary coaling stations were established on a number of these islands. Further west, however, American frigates found they had already been beaten to their destinations by the British or Russians; they were nevertheless able to place under loose American control several islands east of New Guinea that had not yet been claimed by the British.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Diplomacy
To: Great Britain
From: Baroda
His Majesty is interested in initiating construction of a railroad network within our country; he would like to request assistance from the British to do so. His Majesty is willing to provide our British friends great benefits from the completed railroad.
To: Great Britain, Mysore
From: Balaji Rao, Maharaja of Nagpur
Greetings, esteemed friends. I humbly request assistance in restoring order upon the rebels and traitors occupying parts of my kingdom. Anything you could possibly provide would be returned with gratitude or perhaps even something more material.
To: Delhi
From: Bukhara Khanate
We fear that the Russians may be coming to subjugate us, for they have already done the same to our northern neighbors. If you could assist us in any way, we would be eternally in your debt.
OOC
Apologies for the lateness of the update. It was an eventful one, in any case.
As always, please point out any stats errors or discrepancies to me. I have a bad feeling there might be more than usual this turn because of the nature of how I worked on the update.
Adrogans has joined as La Plata.
Milarqui is correct as to how Aragon-Sicily formed. ITTL that particular state actually wasn’t even referred to as Aragon until the 1830s when its king agreed to drop the title of King of Spain in exchange for keeping Sicily.
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JoanK and carmen510: Sorry to see you guys go
Aragon-Sicily and Brazil are now both open. Spain is also open because of Milarqui’s unfortunate departure from NESing. All three are relatively significant, so if anyone playing a smaller nation wishes to switch I would encourage that.
Adrogans: La Plata has abolished slavery (as has pretty much everybody), but the economy is still largely agrarian and dominated by an elite landowning class. Really, both infrastructure and reform are needed, but right now reform is probably more urgent. Also, infantry are 2 EP each, not 1.
Grandkhan: Doing the education thing would really just be a project for now, the actual costs of education are generally filed under administration, unless you wanted them listed separately.
Immacuate: I lowered the army numbers you were sending to the Pacific, since the numbers you were actually sending were far, far too high for what you were trying to do.
Amesjay: there was a typo in your upkeep stats which I caught, so if you’re wondering why some of the numbers drastically changed, that is why. The current numbers are the correct ones.
cpm4001: I know that as an mod I shouldn’t be saying this, but I legitimately feel bad for you right now.
Blaze Injun: I suppose it works, although that’s certainly…not what Dusty Harem Army made me think of
Whoever made the plans for the Turkish war: I wouldn’t normally do this, but I feel like I must point out that the year is not even close to 1502
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Stats are posted. Rest of the front page is actually some time out of date and will get updated probably tomorrow.
To: Great Britain
From: Baroda
His Majesty is interested in initiating construction of a railroad network within our country; he would like to request assistance from the British to do so. His Majesty is willing to provide our British friends great benefits from the completed railroad.
To: Great Britain, Mysore
From: Balaji Rao, Maharaja of Nagpur
Greetings, esteemed friends. I humbly request assistance in restoring order upon the rebels and traitors occupying parts of my kingdom. Anything you could possibly provide would be returned with gratitude or perhaps even something more material.
To: Delhi
From: Bukhara Khanate
We fear that the Russians may be coming to subjugate us, for they have already done the same to our northern neighbors. If you could assist us in any way, we would be eternally in your debt.
OOC
Apologies for the lateness of the update. It was an eventful one, in any case.
As always, please point out any stats errors or discrepancies to me. I have a bad feeling there might be more than usual this turn because of the nature of how I worked on the update.
Adrogans has joined as La Plata.
Milarqui is correct as to how Aragon-Sicily formed. ITTL that particular state actually wasn’t even referred to as Aragon until the 1830s when its king agreed to drop the title of King of Spain in exchange for keeping Sicily.
---
JoanK and carmen510: Sorry to see you guys go
Aragon-Sicily and Brazil are now both open. Spain is also open because of Milarqui’s unfortunate departure from NESing. All three are relatively significant, so if anyone playing a smaller nation wishes to switch I would encourage that.Adrogans: La Plata has abolished slavery (as has pretty much everybody), but the economy is still largely agrarian and dominated by an elite landowning class. Really, both infrastructure and reform are needed, but right now reform is probably more urgent. Also, infantry are 2 EP each, not 1.
Grandkhan: Doing the education thing would really just be a project for now, the actual costs of education are generally filed under administration, unless you wanted them listed separately.
Immacuate: I lowered the army numbers you were sending to the Pacific, since the numbers you were actually sending were far, far too high for what you were trying to do.
Amesjay: there was a typo in your upkeep stats which I caught, so if you’re wondering why some of the numbers drastically changed, that is why. The current numbers are the correct ones.
cpm4001: I know that as an mod I shouldn’t be saying this, but I legitimately feel bad for you right now.
Blaze Injun: I suppose it works, although that’s certainly…not what Dusty Harem Army made me think of
Whoever made the plans for the Turkish war: I wouldn’t normally do this, but I feel like I must point out that the year is not even close to 1502
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Stats are posted. Rest of the front page is actually some time out of date and will get updated probably tomorrow.
Spoiler Map :
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
I think I missed the part where Aragon took over China
Other than that, great update
apparently Algiers and China had the exact same color. I'm in the process of fixing it.Oh, and the tentative new deadline is next wednesday, April 9
Arrow Gamer
America's Dictator
Louisiana hereby denounces the actions made by the Russians and others against the Turkish people.
talonschild
Drive-By NESer
I, Muhammad of Tunis, hereby denounce the actions of the invaders of Algiers. I offer a hand of friendship and cooperation to my friend and peer Abdullah of Morocco in these turbulent times.
Immaculate
unerring
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2003
- Messages
- 7,623
The Tsarina of Russia would like to calm the nerves of those across the globe reacting to affairs in Turkey.
Freeing the Serbians, Danubians (OOC: is that a thing?), Greeks, and others from the Ottoman domination has been a historic goal of the Russian people. We saw the Turkish sultanate weak; its powers beset by internal rivalry and indecision and sought to act quickly, with the opportunity provided, to further our historic goals.
What Russia and her allies have done, both historically in Serbian, Greece and elsewhere, and in more recent history in Anatolia is free the Christian people under Turkish yoke. The Christian Anatolian population of northern Anatolia and the Armenian Christian population of eastern Anatolia had suffered, as the Greeks and Serbians and others had, long enough. The people of Anatolia have welcomed us as liberators.
Should you denounce our most recent actions, would you also denounce the Serbian or Greek states? Or that of the United Danube Kingdom?
We hope that international tempers will soon cool. There is no threat to German nations or any other; we hope that our explanations have made that clear. Should any of the world's nations wish to continue to discuss the issue, we would ask that provide us the courtesy of sending a private missive (PM) that we may address your concerns candidly and quickly as possible.
Sergei Obruchev,
foreign minister to Her Imperial Majesty, Tsarina Alexandra, of Russia
Freeing the Serbians, Danubians (OOC: is that a thing?), Greeks, and others from the Ottoman domination has been a historic goal of the Russian people. We saw the Turkish sultanate weak; its powers beset by internal rivalry and indecision and sought to act quickly, with the opportunity provided, to further our historic goals.
What Russia and her allies have done, both historically in Serbian, Greece and elsewhere, and in more recent history in Anatolia is free the Christian people under Turkish yoke. The Christian Anatolian population of northern Anatolia and the Armenian Christian population of eastern Anatolia had suffered, as the Greeks and Serbians and others had, long enough. The people of Anatolia have welcomed us as liberators.
Should you denounce our most recent actions, would you also denounce the Serbian or Greek states? Or that of the United Danube Kingdom?
We hope that international tempers will soon cool. There is no threat to German nations or any other; we hope that our explanations have made that clear. Should any of the world's nations wish to continue to discuss the issue, we would ask that provide us the courtesy of sending a private missive (PM) that we may address your concerns candidly and quickly as possible.
Sergei Obruchev,
foreign minister to Her Imperial Majesty, Tsarina Alexandra, of Russia
Terran Empress
Hornet
The Wahadi Caliphate denounces the actions by Aragon, and their annexation of al-Jazā’er
Also The Caliphate commends, Yemen for getting rid of the pirate sultan. I hope our friendship continues.
Also The Caliphate commends, Yemen for getting rid of the pirate sultan. I hope our friendship continues.
DC123456789
Deity
OOC: Umm... Oman just got destroyed by Yemen and the Dutch.
Terran Empress
Hornet
Blaze Injun
Night Radio KYSE
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2005
- Messages
- 4,918
Hey,
To: World
From: United Kingdoms of the Danube
For the record. The mass killings of Christians & Slavs in Zagora & European Turkey forced the United Kingdom of the Danube to join the war.
OOC
That information should have been in the update. I spent good EP on that point.
Dusty Harem Army
Been using Danubian in PMs I think.
To: World
From: United Kingdoms of the Danube
For the record. The mass killings of Christians & Slavs in Zagora & European Turkey forced the United Kingdom of the Danube to join the war.
OOC
That information should have been in the update. I spent good EP on that point.
Dusty Harem Army
Been using Danubian in PMs I think.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Crap. I thought I had mentioned it.
Consider this part of the update:
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Turkish War Addendum
The Russians claimed their initial attack was due to repression and war crimes conducted against Christian ethnic minorities in Eastern Anatolia, especially after a bout of internal violence in January and February 1852 between militant minority groups, seeking to establish an independent Armenian state, and elements of the Turkish army. Nevertheless, many foreigners could discern little evidence of these crimes from what information did make it out of Turkey in the early months of the war, although Russian soldiers did show some evidence of mass graves.
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Consider this part of the update:
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Turkish War Addendum
The Russians claimed their initial attack was due to repression and war crimes conducted against Christian ethnic minorities in Eastern Anatolia, especially after a bout of internal violence in January and February 1852 between militant minority groups, seeking to establish an independent Armenian state, and elements of the Turkish army. Nevertheless, many foreigners could discern little evidence of these crimes from what information did make it out of Turkey in the early months of the war, although Russian soldiers did show some evidence of mass graves.
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Shadowbound
Incorrugible
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2007
- Messages
- 4,062
The American Republic finds it surprising that the Russian Empire, and its myriad allies, were able to respond so quickly to reports of ethnic conflict. Such a state of constant mobilization and military preparedness must be taxing to the Russian people.
Grandkhan
Telvanni Master Wizard
Excellent update SK! Which of the lighter and darker Nagpurs is Balaji and which one is Vishwanth?
Also;
"It doesn't matter,
for we have got,
The Barnard Gun,
and they have not."
Also;
"It doesn't matter,
for we have got,
The Barnard Gun,
and they have not."
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
Vishwanth is the darker (western) one, Balaji is the lighter (eastern) one
