The Greatest Game

Ahigin · Mar 11, 2017

From Egypt
To the world
As a benevolent protector of the Holy Land and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Empress Helena of Egypt declares her intention to protect African and Middle Eastern holy sites of Western and Eastern Christianity, as well as holy sites of the Sunni and Hebrew faiths, from warfare, forceful conversion, and persecution of the faithful. We will also embark on the effort of protecting various pilgrimage routes and, where possible, improving infrastructure for safe travel of the faithful. We will stand against any major power that attempts to subjugate the minor states holding such holy sites in the Caucasus, Arabia, and Abyssinia, as we firmly believe that such moves would cause great disruptions in pilgrimage and free pursuit of various faiths of The Book.

From Egypt
To the world
On a separate note, Egyptian authorities announce their intention to build a major railway connecting the port of Alessandria to the Red Sea port of Sochna with the intention of letting the riches of India and China flow into Europe and vice versa. While the project will be heavily financed from the imperial coffers, we leave it open for foreign investments. With the railroad and the ports it connects fully functioning, we could start a new chapter in global trade, truly connecting the East to the West.

Ahigin · Mar 14, 2017

Just reminding all major participants of Indian colonization that I sent a PM which requires at least some sort of response from all three countries before I can draft a final treaty.

Masada · Mar 14, 2017

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

All Praises is due to Allah, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him), is His servant, and His messenger. May Allah’s peace and blessing upon you O’ the messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him).

The guidance of Allah in the holy Qur’an, the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) guides us in this matter. We are issuing this Fatwa based upon the responsibility that Allah has prescribed in the holy Qur’an and in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in a Hadith:

When people see a wrongdoer and do nothing to stop him, God may well visit them with a punishment.

The holy Qur’an and several of the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) clearly warn Muslims that the Franks would harm do us harm.

You who have attained the faith! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for you allies: they are but allies of one another and whoever of you allies with them becomes, one of them: behold, God does not guide people who are unjust.

And persecute us:

And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers.

So is established the danger of the Franks to Muslims.

The Quran and Hadith stress the importance of the Hajj for all Muslims.

And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding. They will come from the farthest locations.

And

The most important shrine established for the people is the one in Mecca; a blessed beacon for all the people. In it are clear signs: the station of Abraham. Anyone who enters it shall be granted safe passage. The people owe it to God that they shall observe Hajj to this shrine, when they can afford it. As for those who disbelieve, God does not need anyone.

So is established the duty of all Muslims to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage.

It is well known the numerious evils of the Franks towards Muslims:

The Franks persecute our brothers in their own country and allow the Copts to do violence upon us.

That the Franks have taken Al Quds, and that they murdered all the Muslims within the city when it was taken, and that they have taken the Qubbat As-Sakhrah for a Frankish Church and profane other mosques using them as stables and barracks.

That the Franks interfere with the Hajjis travelling on land and by sea.

That the Franks put to the sword those Muslims who would trade without their warrant and in seeking it become their slaves.

Thus are the Franks known. Indeed such their mischief towards Muslims that it scarcely be described.

Therefore Franks protestations of friendship and good will towards Muslims are naught but lies and falsities intended to do harm to Muslims.

We must therefore as Muslims reject all such entreaties and pleas from the Franks.

Thus must the Frankish promise to protect the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina be viewed.

Thus must the promise to protect the Hajis be viewed.

Thus and therefore the Frank promise to defend the Holy Cities is a promise not of peace but of war against the Hajj and against the Holy Cities for such is what the Crusaders do and have always done. Peace is viewed by them as but a ruse to prepare for more war.

Therefore we resolve and demand that all Muslims defend the Hajj and the Holy Cities against the Franks who would murder all the Muslims here and profane the Holy Cities with their presence.

Muhammad bin Hashim, Sharif of Mecca and Protector of the Holy Cities

Ahigin · Mar 14, 2017

Just when I planned to build a railroad for them...

Oh well, they chose their side.

Nuka-sama · Mar 15, 2017

We are coming right up to the 24 hours deadline. Please be sure to get your orders in

christos200 · Mar 15, 2017

Imperial Decree

Magistrate Ching has proved himself to be an able and loyal subject of His Imperial Majesty. His violation of the Imperial Laws, while regrettable, is forgiven considering the circumstances that he faced and which pressured him to take immediate action. His Imperial Majesty values successful officials who are loyal to the Crown and take the initiative to protect His interests. As such, Magistrate Ching is named 'Marshall Pacifying the South' and is given command of military forces in Shaanxi. He should be seen by other Han Chinese as a role model and an example to follow; His Imperial Majesty values meritorious people regardless of their ethnicity and Han Chinese who prove themselves to be as successful and loyal as Magistrate Ching can expect His Majesty's gratitude.

Seon · Mar 16, 2017

Imperial Decree Regarding Status of Slavery in New France

Acknowledging that there are significant political will in the colony of New France for emancipation of African slaves,

Taking into account the recommendation of the viceroy in New France,

the Holy Roman Emperor now declares that a process of emancipation for African slaves, limited to the colony of New France under the viceroy's administration, shall now begin, with exact details of the arrangement along with compensation provided for the owners to be discussed in further detail by the viceroy, representatives of the colonies, as well as a member of the Imperial dynasty.

Nuka-sama · Mar 16, 2017

Today's the big day

I have about 6/12 orders in. As a note Masada and I agree that if orders are not sent we will likely drop those players who missed. Obviously that'd be disappointing since we chose all of you for good reason answer would hate to see any of you drop. If you have any questions or need assistance drop me a PM

Shadowbound · Mar 16, 2017

I'm traveling for a funeral but will present something tomorrow morning.

Nuka-sama · Mar 17, 2017

Sorry to hear Shadow but I appreciate the orders. I have begun work on the update.

Decamper · Mar 17, 2017

Looking forward to it.

Nuka-sama · Mar 21, 2017

11/12 orders have come in, almost all of them before the weekend which significantly jump-started the update. Thank you for your cooperation on that matter.

All in all, I was impressed about the quality of orders I received. Most of you submitted quality orders that were thoughtful and though of course not all were successful, in character.

The most successful orders were those who acknowledged each situation their nation faced. Acknowledged of course does not mean a major action, but sometimes a simple response can accomplish good things.

The orders that I think had less success were those that seemed rushed or those that ignored parts of the update. I think the first can be mitigated by sending earlier orders; the latter I intend to tag each country's articles so that one can find them for easier reference going forward.

Rome is available for new players. Rome stayed mostly quiet this year so I will accept applications now, with an ammendment that you can add to it following the update. I encourage both new players and those who had not been accepted to apply.

To apply and be accepted, please PM myself and Masada what you think three of the most urgent issues facing Rome are and how you would act (or ignore) said situations. Also outline goals that you hope to achieve as Rome

In regards to the update, we will be hoping to have it published by the end of this month. An earlier publishing should be regarded as heroic. A later publishing should be regarded with appreciation of the labors that go into the game and a soft applause

Nuka-sama · Apr 27, 2017

WIENER ZEITUNG
1830 Edition

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Japan’s adventure in Vietnam!
Hue, Vietnam

When Bao Dai sent his pleas to the courts of Asia, he did not have to wait long to receive a response. And he would almost instantly regret it; Bao Dai received word that the Song Emperor would intervene in his favour in exchange for a port of his choice with horror. Knowing full-well that Song assistance would mean the end of an independent Vietnam, Bao Dai that very night went to meet Count Shiji. Shiji, figuring that a Dukedom and an Imperial bride, Bao Dai’s much loved sister, was better than winning the Vietnamese throne - an uncertain prospect still - and then having to fight the Song - impossible - bent knee to Bao Dai that night.

However, Duke Shiji was aware of another invasion - a Japanese one - and while he did not tell Bao Dai that night, he elected after some thought to tell the King the following morning. Bao Dai was surprised and asked Shiji what he meant by telling him this. Shiji said that he considered himself now a Vietnamese and in any case his former-government had not had the courtesy to inform him, a former Japanese with some legal troubles, of the invasion.

With a small entourage, Bao Dai went north (leaving his own army to watch Duke Shiji’s force) and used the Song threat as ammunition to bring the northern gentry into line. This shored up the King’s finances and within a few months he had under his control another army putting him at a decided numerical advantage over his brother-in-law. To the surprise of everyone, including himself, Bao Dai also proved to have an instinctive grasp of military affairs, cornering and defeating a number of raiding parties from the highlands.

The small Japanese landing in Cam Rahn were in complete ignorance of the changed situation. General Nagata was given a much smaller force than was promised, the disaster in the Philippines having seen his invasion force stripped of men and ships to keep them in supply. Left with inadequate men and short of critical supplies, General Nagata sent a column south to secure the south and north up the coast in the hopes of appropriating additional supplies.

With no resistance encountered in Cam Rahn, and Vietnamese forces locked in, General Nagata was confident of being able to advance up the coast at his leisure for some time even with his much reduced force. Duke Shiji shattered this illusion with his forces engaging and putting to rout the advanced guard of General Nagata just short of Tuy Hoa. General Nagata held his forces together but was forced to retreat on Nha Trang. With half his army laid low by disease, missing promised reinforcements and still short of supply, General Nagata dug in and prepared his defenses.

Duke Shiji, well aware that he lacked the artillery needed to dig the Japanese out of Nha Trang, opted for a risky course of action. Leaving a large screening force, Duke Shiji took a crack force and advanced down the coast retaking Cam Rahn by ruse. The Japanese column sent south was soon also located and also bailed up in Phan Thiet. Leaving his crack force at Phan Thiet, Duke Shiji returned at speed to Cam Rahn to prosecute the siege there.

General Nagata, who had hoped his small southern column might return and break the siege, was now left with little hope. Knowing that reinforcements would not be forthcoming because of the Philippines, General Nagata attempted to break the siege twice and restore himself freedom of movement. The first and second attacks were successes, punching through the Vietnamese lines, but efforts to capitalise on this by forcing the Vietnamese to open battle proved impossible. Shiji declined to give battle, which might have caused problems in other armies, but his ragtag army of mercenaries and conscripts were only too happy to conserve their strength.

With the Japanese situation deteriorating rapidly, Shiji played his trump card and made it known that his brother-in-law Bao Dai was about to also descend on the Japanese and that together the two would driven them all into the ocean to drown. General Nagata, having pieced together something of the story and without intelligence of his own to contradict the story, took the bait and in a hasty conference came to an agreement with Shiji to retreat unmolested with his army by sea. The troops in Cam Rahn were also included. The Japanese left with their tail between their legs, to the humiliation of the Army establishment in Kamakura.

Shiji’s bluff had worked. While it was true that his brother-in-law was in the vicinity, Bao Dai had made no effort to march on the Japanese. Both Shiji and Bao Dai feared, quite rightly, that should they attempt to force Cam Rahn the other would betray them. Left without a common enemy, one would have thought the two would have returned to warfare. But as it turned out Bao Dai’s sister was quite taken with Shiji, and the Duke with her. Bao Dai was quite willing to accept reconciliation: his own throne was still unstable and a win against Shiji in the field even with his strengthened forces was not a sure thing.

Moro War Rages On!
Sho-Tokyo, Japan

Datu Uto with a huge host began his push on Sho-Tokyo within weeks of the New Year. Marquess Sago, having arrived with fresh forces, attacked Datu Uto en-route in a desperate bid to scatter Uto’s forces and purchase more time for additional reinforcements to arrive. The desperate Japanese soon found themselves pushed back but managed to retreat in good order to Sho-Tokyo.

However, the supply situation in the city soon became dire. Marquess Sago had hoped to have most of the refugees shipped out before Datu Uto arrived but the Japanese merchant marine found itself unable to cope with the logistical demands of a two front war. Consequently, most of the refugees found themselves besieged alongside the troops. Marquess Sago faced with little choice ordered his troops to put the old and infirm among the refugees to the sword.

This would have bought the soldiers more time if promised ships had arrived. The pirate lord Zhengfei had other ideas and soon found himself reinforced with new vessels from Makassar and Sulu keen to have a piece of the pie. With these new vessels, he was able to impose a blockade over Sho-Tokyo which dissuaded all but the heavily escorted merchant vessels. These were few and far between because the Imperial Navy was under the same pressure as the merchant marine.

Marquess Sago short of supplies and with escape impossible and with surrender out of the question decided to make good his supply situation by eating the refugees. His men long conditioned to obeying went along with it. With his supply situation temporary fixed, Marquess Sago has held Sho-Tokyo. The Emperor in gratitude for his courage and martial success has raised Sago to the rank of Duke.

The success comes at horrible cost. About half of the trickle of reinforcements to Sho-Tokyo were dead within weeks because of disease. Tropical ague has lost all its terror in the face of cholera, typhus and dysentery, which thrive in the crowded confines of the city. Those who survive are reduced to walking skeletons. Nevertheless, Duke Sago has husbanded his resources and is now confident he can break the siege, but only if his logistical troubles are addressed. The withdrawal from Vietnam has freed up ships, but even this is no guarantee of success.

Crisis in Japan
Kamakura, Japan

A sharp increase in the price of rice has caused considerable hardship in urban areas across Japan. Riots have broken out in major cities across the Home Islands with tens of thousands taking to the streets to protest the spiraling prices. The unprecedented situation has seen the government stop the departure of tens of thousands of soldiers meant for service in the Philippines and Vietnam to put down the rioters for fear of revolution. While these fears have proved overblown, Kamakura has proved incapable of dealing with the rice crisis.

The cause of the rice crisis are twofold. Rice imports from China and Korea which had long supplemented the domestic rice market have dried up as most of the merchant marine has been pulled into the war effort. Meanwhile the domestic rice market has been weighed down by poor harvests and a legally mandated ceiling price for rice which is meant to ensure low prices to the cities but has seen farmers not used to these high prices refuse to sell. In turn, the Yakuza have taken the opportunity to set up a lucrative black market for the rice, exacerbating the crisis. The Shinsengumi would normally be more than up to the task, but their ranks have been spread thin due to dealing with not only the riots, but also the enforcing of the new Christian laws in Korea.

The difficulties at home have had serious consequences for Japanese arms abroad. General Nagata has blamed the failure of his Vietnam campaign on a lack of promised reinforcements and supplies. While General Nagata’s arguments are self-serving, Duke Sago has echoed them blaming poor planning in Kamakura for his troubles in the Philippines. The Imperial Navy, seeing in this an attack on its competence has mounted its own defence led by Admiral Amagi, blaming the army for launching two adventures. The navy has argued that it could not do all that had been asked of it without comprising its abilities to keep the sea lanes to Korea and China open. The argument has done real harm to already frayed inter-service relations.

Nuka-sama · Apr 27, 2017

Europe

Count Reckenfeld sentenced in Munster
Munster, The Dominion of Munster

With the political winds changing, Prince-Bishop Ruprecht moved with haste to have Count Reckenfeld tried before the German Reform Bill passed. The people of Munster had other ideas though, and took to the streets to block the soldiers moving the Count from prison to the palace courts. Similar efforts to frustrate the hanging of student rioters had been met with sabres drawn. But the soldiers, seeing the anger of the crowd, retreated back to the stout walls of the prison and refused all of the Prince-Bishop’s entreaties.

Prince-Bishop Ruprecht called on the 3rd Battalion of the Scottish Highlanders under Lt. Colonel David MacTavish to arrest the officers in charge of the troops in the prison, escort Count Reckenfeld to his palace and disperse the revolutionaries. MacTavish, a bold man dressed in mufti, reconnoitered the situation, decided the crowd was murderous and declined the Prince-Bishop’s request. The standoff ended when Lord Arundel, a favourite of the King, appeared and speaking to the crowd in German promised that he would see to a fair trial of Count Reckenfeld on his honour.

With a representative of the King watching, the Prince Bishop was no longer able to rubber stamp the proceedings. The trial which was meant to last no more than a few hours took weeks as Count Reckenfeld began to mount a spirited defence. Ruprecht, with his reputation being torn to shreds, made a desperate bid to save face by sentencing Count Reckenfeld to three months of house arrest. The Count accepted and the affair was closed.

Tags: DMN

German Reform Bill passes
London, The Dominions

The Greene government soon found itself on the ropes over the German Question. Opposition to reform within Greene’s government had diminished when fuller accounts of the mass protests in the Princedoms were published; Reckenfeld and Light became cause celebres for the reform minded and Clemens was soon seen as a blackguard.

But support for reform was not the same as supporting Greene’s reforms, which called for the creation of councils of indeterminate powers and kept mum on suffrage. The reason for this was simple enough to understand; the issue was complicated, and Greene, with a free hand, would be all the better placed to navigate the issue. Both the pro and anti-side read the worst into this for much the same reason: Greene had flip-flopped and that was that.

Greene had only just managed with some care to smooth over the waters when Mister Albert Van Ruyter, the Flemish Estates General’s representative to Westminster, attacked. The Estates General, he said, supports the reforms but opposed Greene’s efforts to use the issue as an excuse to strengthen Westminster over the other Dominions, citing as evidence the interference with the Scots, Irish and Princedoms. This, Van Ruyter, said was unacceptable to the Estates General.

The Flemish intervention saw a wholesale flight from Greene’s camp. The Flemish interest was strong, and their purses fat. Greene staggered on with a minority government in the house (the opposition being too divided to bring down the government). Rather than resign, Greene decided to fight one last battle and pass the German Reform Bill. Waiting till the last day of sittings, when many members had already left for home, Greene pushed through a compromise bill and resigned.

The German Reform Bill had no end of problems. The Princes were obliged to appoint advisory councils, but the Act had nothing to say about how they should be appointed or the powers they should have. It extended the right to trial by jury but declined to say who would be able to sit. It stripped the Princes of their feudal rights to justice, but ignored the fact that an absolute majority of cases had been presided over by judges and not Princes.

The apparent weakness of the Act might have been made to work had Greene not fallen. The new caretaker government of Lord Clark which inherited the Act was lukewarm about it. Clark needed pro-reform votes to shore up his weak government so he encouraged the Princes to obey the Act, but he had little inclination to push and consequently left interpretation to the Princes themselves.

Tags: DMN

Col. Light acquitted, runs for Parliament

The acquittal of Colonel Light took about an hour with three quarters of that involving an exchange of pleasantries and the reading of the charges. Five minutes was all it took for the officers to deliberate and vote to acquit. The other ten minutes saw the judge mock Prince Clemens for wasting his time. Colonel Light, now with a national profile, accepted an offer by the Duke of Norfolk to sit in Parliament as the honorable Lord Light, where he has become a harsh antagonist of the anti-reform Princes.

Tags: DMN

German Reform Act sees push-back in German Princedoms
Hanover, The Dominions

The new Clark government inherited a German Reform Act it was lukewarm about. However two factors conspired to save the Act. The first was the withdrawal of Dutch opposition following the fall of Greene. The second was that the unpopular Clark needed pro-reform votes. Clark for his own part did not want to rock the boat, and was convinced that if the Act was just shelved it would resolve itself.

The German people had other ideas. The crown’s support for Count Reckenfeld and the acquittal of Colonel Light and his elevation to Parliament were interpreted in the Princedoms as a license to force the Prince’s to accept the reforms. The first domino to fall was Munster. Prince-Bishop Ruprecht with few friends left was forced to flee when the crowd took to the streets. Count Reckenfeld soon found himself one more named Prime Minister of Munster. Rather than depose the Prince-Bishop, Count Reckenfeld invited the Prince-Bishop back on condition he agree to negotiate with the interim government on how to implement the German Reform Bill. With little choice and no support from the military, the Prince-Bishop was forced to accept the terms.

The flight of the Prince-Bishop was not repeated elsewhere in the Princedoms, but it did set the tone for those Princes vulnerable after the aborted revolution. Most of these, about a fifth of all the Princes, agreed to negotiate with hastily formed interim governments. The demands varied, but most followed Munster’s lead in demanding the creation of an elected council with the power to advise. The reformers in Oldenburg managed to give the council power to veto budgets but that was considered extreme. Perhaps the same number of Princes, mostly those sympathetic to the crowd, decided to pass reforms themselves and also followed Munsters lead.

Prince Clemens seemed vulnerable, as the Dominion Army had no love for the man, but Clemens had killed or exiled most of his opposition and he had made concerted efforts to build up a repressive apparatus to keep his subjects in line. When the crowds took to the streets in an attempt to depose them, Clemens, drawing on own troops, dispersed the crowd with force killing perhaps a hundred. The violence and mass arrests that followed saw thousands flee Hamburg while the Clark Government remained quiet.

Perhaps half of the Princes took the hint and put the crowds down, often with the support of their neighbours. Clemens in particular proved helpful to those around him. The Princes who opposed reform soon formed the Deutsche Fürstenbund to present a united front. The reform-orientated Princedoms formed their own group in response to the Deutscher Bund.

The two groups were soon at each other's throats. The Fürstenbunders demands for the muzzling of the free press and the forced repatriation of their subjects from princedoms in the Deutscher Bund being the two main points of contention. Violence is yet to break out but there is no guarantee but that is not guaranteed to last. Feelings are running high and some of those pressed into reform have sought to defect to the Fürstenbunders side.

Portuguese prisoners return from China, Brazanga rises
Lisbon, Hispania

The return of the Hispanian merchants and sailors imprisoned in the Song Empire have occasioned celebrations in Portugal. Duke Luis Brazanga, who led the peace camp, has seen his star rise in the Imperial estimation and it is said that Empress Leanor regards Brazanga as a confident; reportedly the Empress has looked into bringing him into Imperial service. But Brazanga’s support at home is at low ebb, with the still dismissed Cortes furious at Brazanga’s growing imperial ties and the fact that he has still not called the Cortes back to session.

Count Vidigueria has seen his domestic star rise as Brazanga’s fall with supporters, new and old, rallying to his demands for a public accounting of the still secret terms under which the prisoners were released and for a recall of the Cortes. Vidigueria has also found fertile ground in attacking the imperial government for doing nothing to secure the rights of Hispanian merchants to trade in Japan.

Complicating matters in Portugal are whispers of an imperial coup. Brazanga’s refusal to recall the Cortes and the Imperial army’s parading itself in Lisbon have given cause for alarm. In Catalonia, the Cortes ejected most of the imperial garrison from Barcelona citing a law which limited the number of imperial troops permitted in the city.

In Portugal, Vidigueria has managed to have the São João, capital ship of the Atlantic fleet, stationed in full view of the royal palace, Portuguese ensign flying. What good that might have come from the resolution of the prisoner issue has been undone in the face of this latest issue. The gutter press have also stepped up their attacks on the Empress.

Tags: HSP

Talks of marriage for Hispania’s Crown Prince
Lisbon, Hispania

Speculating on the future bride of Crown Prince Manuel has been called the greatest race to never have involved horses. While traditionally a means of binding the kingdoms together, the power Empress Leanor has wielded in recent years has made Manuel’s betrothal nothing short of a headache for those involved.

At the beginning of the year, the favourite was the Catalonian Donna Maria Luisa close kinswoman to the Empress Luisa. However, the case for a Catalan bride has stumbled because the notion of having another Catalonian near the throne is toxic for the other kingdoms. The Catalonians also have little leverage now as the risk of war with the Song has declined.

Empress Luisa, left frustrated, soon turned her eyes to Donna Isabella de Brazanga the daughter of Luis Brazanga. While not as good a match Maria Luisa, the Empress does trust Brazanga and the marriage might have helped patch up the Crown’s problems in Portugal. But Brazanga’s lack of popularity at home has undermined that.

A second Portuguese candidate, Donna Luisa, has been put forward by her father, Diego, the fabulously wealthy Duke of Algarve. Diego, a partisan of Vidigueria, would be able to restore trust in Portugal and the dowry that Luisa is sure to bring would help the Crown’s finances to no end. Diego's support however would have to be bought with support for Portugal's position in Cuba and the end of the crown’s relationship with Brazanga.

Meanwhile, Dona Juana, Duchess of Sevilla, has had Luis Oteza and Rodrigo Blasco paint her. The paintings said to show her ‘maid’ in various states of undress have excited controversy although the effect is said to be nothing short of stunning. The famous poet, Rowan Cato’s poem in her honour is no less scandalous but Donna Juana is wealthy and has the support of the Castile. To sweeten the deal the Castilians have already voted Donna Juana a sizeable Brazilian dowry. The Castilians for their part just want their views on Brazil heard, ideally by the future Castilian Empress.

Tags: HSP

The Dominion King sues Hispanian Emperor for using Cross of Burgundy
Lisbon, Hispania

The Dominion King has retained M. Sebastiaan Kluwen for his lawsuit against the House of Avis, the current holders of the Hispanian throne, for using the Cross of Burgundy. The Heraldic Court, where the matter is being heard, has not sat for two hundred years. The sixteen year old Duke of Guimaraes had feudal right to sit. As did the second judge the twenty-five year old newly widowed, Countess of Viseu. The third judge was supposed to be selected from the Portuguese Cortes but as the Cortes is not sitting, no judge was able to be nominated. Just being able to find the first two judges, let alone the legislation that empowers the court took most of the year. The first decision by the judges about the precise power of the court is expected sometime new year. The appointment of the third judge so that the trial can even begin cannot be initiated until the Portuguese Cortes is restored.

Tags: HSP DMN

Downturn in Lyons
Lyons, France

Louis-Henri, Prince Montpensier, and Philippe, Cardinal of Toulouse, the two most powerful men in the south, had come to Paris to secure a ban on the import of Egyptian cloth into Northern port. The two men were to be sorely disappointed by the Paris Parlement which voted against the measure and by a King-Emperor who decided to stay silent in face of the southerners pleading.

The loss of Lyon’s northern markets has forced the Clothmakers guild to slash wages and jobs. In a region suffering from a poor harvest this has not gone down well. Church funds for the indigent have held out so far and private collections have been well subscribed but the scale of the disaster is such that the burghers have already begun to flee ahead of violence. The gutter press has taken to the perfidious northerners and lionising Louis-Henri.

Having been humiliated in Paris, Louis-Henri and Philippe decided to get even with Paris. Lyons, Toulouse and Marseilles have all begun to enforce the law to its fullest against northern merchants - taxes, duties and laws which had hitherto been forgotten have been dug up and restored to use. This has proven extremely popular across the south with the mob in Lyons taking a certain amount of glee in forcing all visitors to submit to having their accent checked.

Tags: HRE

Roman Army of Italy removes disobedient and underperforming officers
Venice, Roman Empire

General Iohannes Halkias, under the recommendation of Prince Ludwig of Hanover, has removed several officers. Five officers who had sold weapons intended for their unit were removed and imprisoned; a further six were removed from refusing to have their men practice the new drill regulations; while twelve were removed for incompetence having failed in field exercises outside of Treviso.

Their replacements drawn from the first class of the new military academy have proven much more able following maneuvers at Gemona. The Daily Courant reported Prince Ludwig as saying “The Emperor at the head of this army could enter the Eternal City with this army and march through Paris itself should all his armies fight like this”. To this, Ernest Augustus of Hanover is said to have remarked that “Our brother is no more able to watch his tongue than when he left”.

Legate Nicolae Lupu having seen the maneuvers in Gemona is a convert and has praised General Helkias and Prince Ludwig in the council although he has made no move to implement reforms in his own army. General Andrei Ursu, on the other hand, has recruited Prince Albert of Hanover, Ludwig’s younger brother, to reform the Army of Carpathia. However, not all attention has been positive. The officers removed by General Helkias have been lionised in anti-reform circles while efforts to free the five still imprisoned have attracted widespread support in the army.

Tags: RME, DMN

Bavarian King fallen ill
Munich, Bavaria

Old King Ludwig, much beloved ruler of Bavaria, has long been sick suffering from fever, insomnia and dizziness. However, as time has gone one, his condition has deteriorated to the point where the King has begun to refuse all but his Ministers. In a last ditch attempt to restore his health King Ludwig has travelled to Bad Abbach to take the waters. However, most do not think that King will see out the year.

His legal successor is the childless Prince Albert. Albert, to the shock of those around him, appears to have inherited his father’s condition. The rapid onset of the condition, in marked contrast to his father's long slow demise, has caused alarm all over Europe who see in it the seeds of future disaster. With Albert’s death now expected, the court has begun to search around for a candidate to replace Albert. Some have even suggested that Albert should be skipped over to maintain stability, although this remains a fringe view.

The strongest candidate is Albert’s maternal cousin, Ernest who is healthy, fertile and of good character. But Ernest has two factors against him: Salic law which bars inheritance on the female side and his marriage to Princess Alice of Hesse. Princess Alice is not subtle about her politicking on behalf of her homeland or quiet about her hatred of Catholics, Bavaria or Bavarians.

King Francis of Austria is another cousin on the maternal side. Francis’ bid for the throne has been hindered because of his rule of Austria and Salic law. The Bavarians have expressed time and time again that they are not keen on being ruled from Vienna. His brother Rudolf is the more popular candidate but his campaign has struggled because Francis has declined to support him. Albert is close to Rudolf and is said to have remarked that would prefer Rudolf to be his heir should he die on the throne. Rudolf opposes skipping over Albert.

Under Bavarian law, as it stands, the legitimate successor of Albert is Louis-Henri, Prince Montpensier. Louis-Henri’s claim is through his grandfather who was the brother of King Ludwig’s father. The Bavarians have not rushed to embrace Louis-Henri fearing that he would bring them under French domination. Louis-Henri has been distracted with other business, but the Prince is deep pocketed and well connected; with his affairs in France coming to order, he is said to be keen to advance his cause.

Tags: DMN, HRE

Polish King, Magnates at loggerheads
Krakow, Poland

The successful coup of the Polish magnates has not been without its detractors but few expected the King Władysław to involve himself. The King declared himself the protector of the Sejm and as a first act towards this demanded that the Sejm meet in the royal capital Krakow and only there. The magnates refused and convened their session at Bydgoszcz. The King gained some support among the minor nobility and began efforts to reach out to the regions.

Hoping to isolate further still the magnates, King Władysław went on the attack in Lithuania. He rejected the Lithuanian demands for their own Sejm but did guarantee them funds and ministries in his government if they would come to Krakow. Duke Augustinas of Kaunas and his faction agreed on the condition that the King give full consideration to all of the Lithuanian demands, especially increased representation in the Sejm. Duke Jaunutis of Samogitia and his supporters declined the King’s request and insisted that the King agree to the terms set out in the tennis court oath. Thus the King gained the support of perhaps a third of Lithuania.

The Lithuanians might have rolled over, at least in part, but the Bohemians were in a far stronger position and rejected the King’s threats of dire repercussions. The Bohemians ceased negotiations with the King, needing only to look at how the magnates were ignoring the King to know who really ran things in Poland. The magnates for their part were keen to talk but preferred not to commit themselves. The violence against Polish priests (see below) has complicated matters.

The Sejm session when it opened in Bydgoszcz, was a small affair. The King declined to attend and the session was opened by the refugee Archbishop of Prague. The Lithuanians and Bohemians were also absent. The magnates, with no effective opposition, control of the levers of government, and with royal authority at low ebb, took stock of their situation and voted themselves a tax cut and then suspended business.

The minor nobles might have lost hope in the King, but they have not reconciled themselves to magnate rule. All across Poland fights have begun to break out between those who support the magnates and those who do not. Almost a hundred newspapers have sprung up attacking the magnates. The magnates for their part have cracked down on the press and have restricted the sale of presses, ink and paper. The army has managed to maintain a semblance of order but even that is starting to break down because of a rumoured magnate-led purge in the works. By contrast, the militia which is comprised almost wholly of the minor nobility was not called up this year for fear it might rebel.

Tags: PLD

Bohemian Catholics revolt against Polish priests
Prague, Polish Bohemia

The clergy in Bohemia were, by and large, Polish. This state of affairs was a legacy of a time when the crown was much stronger and had survived mostly out of indifference. The collapse in royal prestige and the perception that the Polish priests were agents of the crown strained the relationship between clergy and faithful to breaking point. The main cause of the troubles was the refusal of the Archbishop of Prague to consecrate Bohemians as priests.

The actual violence began when a popular (Bohemian) deacon was struck by a (Polish) priest for speaking against the policy. The attack was seen and a crowd formed. In an attempt to defuse the situation, a (Polish) priest tried to address the crowd (in Polish). The crowd now enraged attacked what priests it could find and burned the clergy house. Similar violence was soon repeated all over Bohemia.

Into this combustible situation Cardinal Lipski arrived. Lipski knowing that the Church was the last reliable bastion of royal power in Bohemia worked to shore up its position. Lipski visited the hardline Archbishop of Prague and managed to convince him to consecrate some Bohemians as a gesture of goodwill. This halted the violence and saved what remained of Polish influence in the Church, but perhaps a third of all the churches in Bohemia are now being run by Bohemian deacons and friars.

Lipski began to court the Bohemian magnates attempting to discern where their political and religious loyalties lay. This revealed that the crown had precious few allies while the church had rather a lot. The Cardinal found that most Bohemian magnates desired only to have their own clergy and that for most this was not negotiable. As to the political, the Bohemians desired increased representation in Sejm and equal treatment and would fall back into line the moment those were granted.

Tags: PLD

Bandits sack Janiszki, refugees descend upon Szawle
Szawle, Polish Lithuania

Bandits have long been a problem on the Polish frontiers. But the collapse of central authority and the split in the Lithuanian camp has allowed the bandit king know as Vilkas to become a serious threat to northern Lithuania. After forcing the bandits in the area under his rule, Vilkas has begun to strike against noble estates and towns.

The first town to be attacked was Janiszki. A small market town with perhaps a thousand men the militia was overwhelmed, the town sacked and its inhabitants forced to flee. The larger walled town of Szawle has stood firm for the moment, but Count Giedraitis, the lord of Szawle, is short of supplies and in desperate need of support.

Tags: PLD

Radmonovich slips through the cracks yet again!
Tver, Russia

The Swedish Government alarmed at the success of Ilya “The Bear” Radmonovich has greatly strengthened its forces in Swedish Russia and supplied Prince Mikhail of Tver and Prince Yakov of Yaroslav with arms in a bid to have the fight taken to Radmonovich. The measures appear to have worked; Radmonovich has spent most of the year campaigning against Prince Mikhail whose augmented forces have proved a hard nut for The Bear to crack, and he was forced to retreat when their forces clashed. Governor-General Olofsson has been pleased with the results, and has looked for other princes that might be willing to confront Radmonovich on the Bear’s ground.

Tags: SWD

Swedish companies and universities make minor minority commitments
Copenhagen, Kingdom of Sweden

A number of large Swedish businesses have hired Danes and Norwegians for the first time under pressure from Queen Caja. Similar pressure on the universities and the promise of new funding has seen non-Swedish students admitted in limited numbers to law and medical faculties. The measure has been unpopular in Sweden with the students being widely derided as illiterates.

The Norwegians and Danes have also been skeptical. The underground newspaper Dagbladet Information ran an editorial which quipped that the "The Egyptian Foreign Legion has in a single year has done more for Danish and Norwegian career prospects than the Swedish crown ever has.

Tags: SWD

Egyptian troops battle Sicilian brigands
Syracuse, Egyptian Sicily

Friar Maniscalco hesitated to march on Palermu and this cost him his life. The governor, Lord Salesio Balsamo, used the time to organise a force drawn from the nobility, the better sort among the townsman and students from the University of Palermu. When the Friar finally did march he found the walls defended and made a desultory attempt to breach them. Forced back the Friar contented himself with a siege.

That lasted until Easter when the 3rd Corpo d’Armata and with its arrival the friar’s hope of ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven ended. The troops, under command of General Angelo Gonzaga, caught up to the fleeing Friar at Rocca Rossa and in a short engagement put the Friar’s army to rout and the Friar to his grave.

Following the clash at Rocca Rossa, a few took the Empress’ amnesty but news of retribution by the nobility against those who had soon got back to the bandits put an end to that. With little choice left, most remained as bandits. However, with the Sicanians now picked clean, a significant number began to move east into the Madonie, which was soon also in rebellion. The plains of Catania also erupted. But neither of these had a figure like the Friar to coordinate the violence, which meant that the nobles have been able to hold their own.

For his part, General Gonzaga has won praise for his cold efficiency in restoring government control of the major towns in the Sicilians. The bandits have taken however to hiding in the hills and attacking patrols and supply trains. Gonzaga has reacted with violence and has used new imperial laws to deport dissidents to hard labour in Egypt. Governor Balsamo, leading troops on the plains of Catania, has assured the government that the matter is now in good hands and that order will soon be restored.

Tags: EGT

Egyptian Princess makes appearance in Naples; Neapolitan dresses make appearances in Egypt
Naples, Egypt

The city of Naples has been graced by the visit of Princess Isabella, the first imperial visit in twenty years. Governor-General Nitti has pulled out all stops to welcome the princess to Naples. The Princess has attended a number of balls in Neapolitan made dresses which is a marked departure from her usual French or Song made gowns. The move has been watched with interest and emulated across the Empire.

As to the weavers, the slight increase in work has done little to arrest the slump. With almost half the weavers out of work and with the other half on reduced hours, Naples has become violent and unsettled. The soldiers and militia now refuse to patrol the poorer quarters out of fear of violence. The smaller weaving centres of Bari and Taranto are now also experiencing their own problems. Governor-General Nitti has once again pleaded for relief.

Tags: EGT

Nuka-sama · Apr 27, 2017

Middle East

Bektesh rewarded, peace in Anatolia holds
Melitene, Roman Anatolia, Roman Empire

Comes Cinca did not have time to enjoy his victory over Muhammad Bektesh; not but two months later, Bektesh arrived with a host twice the size of what he had brought last year and Comes Cinca retreated as his forces failed to stave off the assault. The Roman Emperor has accepted Muhammad Bektesh’s defeat of Comes Nicusor Cinca with good grace and has awarded Bektesh with most of the territories he seized, while Bektesh has returned to Roman patronage. Cinca has been cashiered and was briefly imprisoned before being released. His replacement is a protegee of Legate Lupu and has so far kept the peace between the Turks and Romans.

Tags: RME

Egyptian Foreign Legion established
Alexandria, Empire of Egypt

The newly formed Legione Straniera has paraded in front of the imperial court. Led by Italian officers, the two new regiments consist of brigades from Denmark, Norway, Austria, and Bavaria. The splendid uniforms and the sight of the soldiers marching in formation has made a good impression on women of the court, but have thus far had no chance to prove themselves on the battlefield.

Tags: EGT

Holy Land Raided
Ascalon, Egypt

Empress Helena’s attempts to strengthen her position in the Hedjaz by claiming the traditional rights of the Hashim clan to protect Mecca and Medina and the Hajj pilgrims has backfired. The current Hashim head, Muhammad bin Hashim, reacted with a fury and called on all who would hear him to defend the Holy Cities and the Hajj against the Franks.

The call has been a stunning success with the tribes rallying to the Sharifs standard in unprecedented numbers. The mobilisation is such that raids into Iraq have stopped for the first time in a decade. The raiders have struck deep into the Holy Land. The towns and villages in the vicinity of Hebron were sacked and the people taken as slaves. Jerusalem saw its suburbs burned though the city itself passed unscatched.

Some of the raiders pushed as far as Ascalon, on the coast, but these were defeated by the Egyptian army as the raiders were returning laden with goods and slaves. The garrisons which were supposed to keep the Holy Land safe had to lock their gates in the face of such numerous a foe. The arrival of large numbers of fresh troops means the Egyptians will be able to take the fight to the Arabs. With the raiders now wintering in the hills around Hebron, the fighting is likely to soon begin.

Tags: EGT

Empress Helena opens bureaucracy to Muslims and Copts
Alexandria, Empire of Egypt

In a move seemingly designed to inoculate loyalty to the regime, Empress Helena has opened the bureaucracy to Coptic and Muslim candidates. For the most part this has had no effect. The few literate Arabs are ulema, but there are some Copts who are qualified for such exalted posts as errand runners and tea makers. A handful have been admitted as junior clerks but most have written them off.

Tags: EGT

Copts celebrate range of concessions from Empress
Alexandria, Empire of Egypt

The Empress in a bid to win over Coptic support to the government has offered them a range of concessions in exchange for their support. The Empress has lifted all restrictions on the construction of Coptic Church and has given Yohannis XIV freehand to appoint priests, bishops and deacons. Yohannis XIV has in exchange walked backed his pastoral letter of the last year and has issued a series of letters talking up the government's new concessions and the promise of increased protection of the Coptic faithful. Yohannis XIV has also lent on the faithful in Kahire to cease their attacks on the Muslims which has been mostly successful.

Tags: EGT

Persia-Indian War

The Shah did not take lightly the insults of Raja Srichandra, seeing his disrespect as a threat not only to Persian power in India, but to the basic decency of diplomacy. After careful consideration, the Shah’s most powerful rival, Prince Tahmasp, was sent east to weaken the Raja. Tahmasp moved into position on the banks of the Parbati river, where the Raja had encamped his own army. Three days of light skirmishing followed, with Tahmasp testing Srichandra’s flanks. Srichandra’s army was surprisingly disciplined, and Tahmasp had little desire to commit his full forces to a battle when his orders were only to weaken the Raja. The Raja himself knew that while he had been lucky the past few days, he would most likely be defeated in a pitched battle. Instead, both sides retired from the battle and worked to bolster their own power bases. Prince Tahmasp forced several princes to swear fealty to Persia and himself, while Srichandra has established himself as the most powerful Hindu prince in the region. For now, a peace between the two men reigns as they look to build their own power bases; how long it lasts few can say.

Tags: QAD

Prince Mohammad tours Arabia, leaves early
Abu Dhabi, Persia

Arriving to save a brother from a life of discomfort, Prince Mohammed arrived in the sleepy province of Arabia to little fanfare and general disappointment. Aided by his maternal clan, Prince Mohammed boosted the garrison, saw defenses bolstered and officials replaced with what he declared “competent, loyal, imperial servants”, though likely to be more loyal to him than the Shah. After a few months though, Prince Mohammed departed and left his uncle as Viceroy in his stead. It seems that the Prince, disappointed from the loss of India to his half brother Tahmasp, has looked west to the Ghaznavid Sultanate for an adventure and has begun amassing resources and men for a campaign.

Tags: QAD

Asia

Song Army sees desertions, claims general
Sichuan, Song Empire

General Li Donyu famous for his role in the payroll crisis has again made headlines by protesting to the Emperor about his soldiers being left without pay. The General attacked the treasury officials who were late in making payments and claimed, with some justification, that the army would not have been able to invade Vietnam had the Emperor not paid his soldiers.

The man entrusted by General Li to take the message to the Emperor, Du Biao, proved a poor choice. Biao presented the letter to a number of leading merchant clans to supposedly fine tune the Generals blunt words of criticism. The contents of the letter soon leaked to the scholars hostile to the general who poisoned the ear of the Emperor against the General.

The message when it finally made its way to the Emperor in official form did calm the Emperor’s wrath. But the damage was done, General Li’s reputation had taken a hit and he was soon replaced by the newly promoted General Biao. The removal of the popular General Li has alienated the Fanzhen (Border Generals) who have become increasingly incensed at the politicisation of the army by know nothing scholars.

Tags: SNG

Rajasimha III overruns Colombo
Colombo, Sri Lanka

Rajasimha III fresh from defeating the rebellion in his rear has returned to the coast in strength. With the Marquis de Alorna, hero of the previous year, wracked with malaria, the defence fell to lesser men who choose to place all their faith on the stout walls of Colombo. This proved a fatal decision as Rajasimha III battered the walls mercilessly with foreign cannon.

The Marquis de Alorna was shipped out ahead of the fall of the city. The local Christians who made up most of the population of the city were put to the sword. The citadel which is surrounded on all sides by water and with stout walls still resists and ships have managed to resupply it, but the garrison is said to be dispirited by the constant shelling and the worsening conditions inside the wall. Only the fear of execution if they surrender has kept them fighting.

The fall of Colombo has proven a disaster for Hispanian prestige in Asia. A number of Rajas on the mainland have defected to Raja Srichandra. Meanwhile efforts to blockade Sri Lanka have seen a number of Egyptian and Song ships seized for trading with Rajasimha III. The Governor-General of Egyptian India has barred Hispanian vessels from Egyptian ports and has threatened to sail out to deal with the Hispanian pirates himself if the attacks do not stop.

The Hispanians are not without hope though. The Marquis de Alorna has returned to good health. The arrival of a large infusion of fresh troops and cannon from the homeland has more than doubled the number of men available for a counter-attack. The logistical side however is yet to catch up. The Marquis is short of food, grossly short of ships to transport the men and has inadequate powder and shot for a campaign. Additional new arrivals are also not yet ready for campaign with half still sick or recovering from tropical agues or malnutrition from the long trip around the Cape.

Nevertheless, the Marquis de Alorna however managed to pull together a force and is preparing to mount a campaign to end the siege of Colombo and restore some measure of stability to the island. It is said that the Marquis de Alorna has made contact with the younger brother of Rajasimha III and has promised him the throne if he helps the Portuguese. There are also substantiated rumours that rebellious local Christians have ejected some of Rajasimha III’s garrisons following news of the Colombo massacre.

Tags: HSP

Houji Murder Japanese Consul
Shenyang, Houji Empire

The blockade of the Japanese consulate by the Houji peasants continued on into the New Year with no relief or word from either Kamakura or Shuntian. The garrison kept a close eye on the protests and cleared them from time to time which allowed those in the consulate to stretch their legs under guard. With the arrival of New Years, the garrison reduced the guard on the consulate and allowed a small number of protesters to gather. The garrison keen to avoid an incident left them alone.

Confident the situation was under control, the Tatar governor went away on business and left the Han Magistrate Jiang in charge. With the New Year festivities winding down, a group of drunken young men approached consulate and began banging pots and pans to harass the Japanese consulate. Magistrate Jiang loathe to give orders to the garrison out of fear left the protestors alone.

But with the harvest now over and the distraction of New Year's ended, the crowds began to swell. The arrival of the widow of the man Consul Saitō had shot from his carriage who told the crowd how she had been left destitute by the death of her husband bought the crowd to anger. Saitō seeing the situation was now dangerous and noting the lack of guards, wrote to the Magistrate pleading for the crowds to be dispersed and additional guards posted.

Magistrate Jiang was unsure of what to do. Perhaps, if the Emperor’s decree regarding his friend, Magistrate Ching, had reached Shenyang sooner, the magistrate may have taken a different path, but unsure of whether his peer was to be executed for his previous actions, Magistrate Jiang took no chances and gave no orders. When the crowd did get a mind to attack the consul's residence, the few guards melted away out of fear. Saitō and the Korean Japanese were dragged along the streets, beaten to death and their bodies hung from the city gates.

Tags: HJI, JPN

Han converting to Christianity
Shenyang, Houji Empire

The Houji Emperor has begun a program to entice some of his heathen subjects to the Christian Church via relief from corvee labour. The program has been a significant success, with vagrants and poor peasants converting in large to avoid the corvee. Attempts to ensure these new Christians are being sincere by taxing those converts who do not attend church have proven more difficult than first imagined. There are too few churches and most of those are for Tatars, who are not keen on having to spend their time with the dregs of society. The damage to the exchequer has consequently been rather large.

Tags: HJI

Song attempts expansion in Sumatra, Indian Ocean
Sumatra, Song Empire

The Song Empire, hoping to further solidify its hold in the Indian Ocean and the Straits of Malacca, has laid claim to some new islands. Grandiose claims that the new islands might soon be full of spice plantations have foundered for want of good soil, labour and need for product. The new islands have so far cost the government more than they might ever make in taxes.

Tags: SNG

Magistrate Ching given pardon
Xi’an, Houji Empire

In a surprising move, Houji Emperor Yadegar ordered not the execution, but rather the promotion of Magistrate Ching. Declaring that his servant had shown great competence in a moment of crisis, the Houji Emperor has bestowed considerable favor on Ching. This has been interpreted as a sign that Han Magistrations that ambition, long a punishable offense, may now be rewarded if it benefit the Emperor. While no Tatar noble would ever disagree with the Emperor, the move has alienated the Tartar elite who view the Han as a whole as a threat. Han Magistrates in their view are necessary, but dangerous, animals who might at any time rebel.

Tags: HJI

Japanese doctors reportedly make progress on malaria treatment
Taihoku, Japan

Japanese forces in Vietnam and the Philippines have taken more casualties from tropical ague than from fighting something which the Shogun has found unsustainable. Two major discoveries were made this year by Doctor Sugihara Hirotsugu. The first was the confirmation that the bark of the Peruvian cinchona bush can cure the disease. However, the expense of the bark means that the treatment is too expensive to see widespread use. The second was that sufferers who were given full rations and were not starved to cleanse the fevers seemed to have better survival odds. This observation, the more consequential of the two, flies in the face of modern medicine and has seen Hirotsugu subjected to withering attacks from his peers.

Tags: JPN

Nuka-sama · Apr 27, 2017

Jiangzhou/The Americas

Revolt in Jiālì put down
Jiùjīnshān [San Francisco], Jin Empire

While immigration from China to Jiali has helped transform wasteland to productive farmland, cultural and political clashes were inevitable. Upon the death of the major Song landowner Lin Zheng, his son, Lin Bao inherited the familial holdings. Rather than enjoy life as his father had, Lin Bao decided to raise and army and win Jiali for the Song Empire. With a small army of followers, mostly his own labourers, he attacked a local arsenal and seized obsolete muskets and a cannon.

The rebels heartened by the success, seized a few small villages and towns and coerced through threats other Song immigrants to join the rebellion. The governor, Hong Ban, a powerful landowner and with the support other landlords, Song and Jin, Hang Ban raised a large force. Moving swiftly, the governor used his superior numbers to overwhelm the rebels most of whom he took prisoner.

Hong Ban burned Lin Bao alive and had his lieutenants (real and imagined) drowned, stampeded and quartered in public spectacles all over Jiali. The assets of those who had rebelled or supported the rebellion were seized. Though he has the right to seize assets from rebels he must have to approval of the Emperor to distribute them. Governor Hong had hoped to distribute the land to those who had fought alongside him, though the Wu and Yin clans have argued that the estates should instead be given over to the nobility to strengthen imperial control.

Tags: JCH

Harem crisis resolved with decree
Jīnchéng, Jin Empire

The murder of Madam Gao Wei, which rocked the Jin court, has ended with compromise. The Jin Emperor against the objections of the Empress has raised Gao Chen to the rank of Madam while at the same time ruling that no further Song woman would ever be elevated to such an exalted rank again. The Gao have accepted the new rule with good humour seemingly mollified by the elevation of their kinswoman. The Wu and Yin clans accepted the new rule with delight and have kept quiet about the elevation of Gao Chen.

Meanwhile, He Jian, the commander of the Imperial Guard, has finished his investigation in the death of Gao Wei ruling that the death was accidental. Gao Wei had tripped and had stabbed herself. The chief witness was a serving girl who had stayed quiet because she had been engaged in a tryst when the accident occurred. The Emperor has declared the matter closed and has begun construction of a temple to honour Gao Wei. The Gao have remained quiet on the matter but not idle: Gao Biyun, who bears an almost exact likeness to her elder sister Gao Wei, has married the Emperor who it is said is besotted with her.

Tags: JCH, SNG

John Roberts freed from the Jin
St. Mary, The Dominions

The story of John Roberts, former gambler now slave, has had a happy ending. The Swedes who were lukewarm about the case to begin after six months of negotiations with the Jin Court gave up and sailed home. The Dominion diplomats with about as much luck but with strict orders to sort the issue found in the aspiring political career of prominent New Englander John Albany a solution. Albany lacking the funds to purchase a seat found that he needed to build his profile. The Jenkins case was big news, so Albany naturally enough offered his assistance to the hapless diplomats.

The diplomats desperate for some progress took the bait and Albany managed to arrange meetings with Governor Lin and Jenkin’s owner. The meeting saw Albany in conversational Jinese hammer out an agreement to purchase Jenkins which cost him a slave and three fowling pieces. Mr. Roberts and his English wife Ms. Hannah Roberts soon found themselves on a ship bound for England, ostensibly to testify to Parliament, but in reality to serve as a campaign prop for Albany, who would go on to win his election.

Following his election, Albany had little use for Roberts and arranged for him and his wife to return to New England. Ms. Ingrid Roberts, the other and first wife, tracked down Mr Roberts to the sinful and lecherous dive of St Thomas in southern New England. The three set up an inn together with the money voted to them by parliament. But Mr Roberts soon separated himself from his wives and married again. The wives took the inn for themselves and are reported to being doing quite well. Mr Roberts however soon found himself in debt and facing the prospect of debtors jail fled to Cuba leaving all three of his wives in New England.

Tags: DMN, SWD, JCH

Port Royal raided
Port Royal, The Dominions

Rear Admiral Alkemade had made Port Royal, the centre of Dominion commerce in the Caribbean his base of operations because of its close proximity to Turner’s traditional hunting grounds of Hispaniola and Cuba. Alkemade received word from the Alkemade that Turner had ravaged shipping and raided a few towns on the southern coast and was en route to Tortuga with a string of prizes.

Determined to intercept him, Alkemade set sail with the Mars and the Alkemade leaving the Bellerophon to defend Port Royal. The intelligence however turned out to be fake. With the Dominion fleet mostly out of the way, Turner descended on the town in the dead of night. The Bellerophon was boarded in stealth but the watch officer managed to set off an alarm before the the pirates could take the entire deck. A fight to the death soon began on the deck.

The garrison of St George was also caught unawares but the gates on the barracks held against sustained attacks. Attempts to fire the building failed but with the garrison occupied, the pirates had a free hand to loot the town. By the time the pirates departed on the morning much of the town was burning and in their wake were numerous bodies. Rumours of the atrocities committed in the Church of St. George caused more alarm that the raid itself. It is said that the body of a young girl was found on the altar without a heart and with diabolical signs carved into her flesh.

Alkemade’s reputation was wounded, but was soon rehabilitated when Alkemade’s squadron captured the Black Bird, a Turner aligned ship. The hanging of Robert Jones, the Black Bird’s captain, along with his entire crew in Port Charlotte proved a crowd pleaser. Robert’s final words called on his brother to avenge him. The concerned authorities however found no evidence in the parish records of Roberts ever having a brother. Alkemade has not been idle and the arrival of four more first rates, including the 130 gun Victory, has led some to wonder if Alkemade might not be considering a descent on Tortuga.

Tags: DMN, HSP

Jade Queen spotted in Jamaïque
Francisville, The Holy Roman Empire of France

The port of Francisville has boomed on the back of trade with the Jin Empire. It is said that the Jade Queen has cut a deal with the Frenchman Jean Baptiste de Tours which allows him to smuggle goods into the Jin Empire. Business must be good because the price of rum in Port d’Arc has spiked. This might have been allowed to slide if the Jade Queen had not been reported taking on supplies in Francisville. The Governor of Jamaïque has denied the news but the report has been big news in the Dominions and has given credence to reports that Turner is a French agent.

Tags: HRE, DMN

Slavery banned in New France
Port d’Arc, New France

Vicomente de Mouzay ordered the full text of the Emperor’s decree abolishing slavery was distributed all over New France. The inevitable court challenges failed and left with little choice the slave owners took the King’s coin. The exact number of slaves freed is difficult to establish but most put it at a couple of a hundred. A number of slaves have returned to the Caribbean and Notre Seigneur to search for loved ones with emancipation papers in hand.

The decision was celebrated in fashionable salons in New France and Europe, but the abolitionists far from being mollified have changed their target to Notre Seigneur. Notre Seigneur however has powerful friends in the nobles who own plantations in the colonies. This has reached across the north-south divide with fierce political enemies uniting in defense of their God given rights to own others.

The arrival of the freed slaves in the Caribbean and Notre Seigneur has caused serious alarm. The Governor of Notre Seigneur has been forced to invoke the Code Noir to arrest all the freed slaves for fear of them inciting a slave rebellion. The official response in the Caribbean has been to force the freed slaves on ships back to New France at the tip of a sword. The unofficial response has been to string the freed slaves up as a warning to those still enslaved.

The response in New England has been hysterical. The militia has swelled in size and slave patrols have been stepped up. This was all perhaps a good thing given that the mass outbreak of Drapetomania among the slaves. Escapes which had been a small nuisance have become a torrent as slaves all across the upper New England have made a bid for freedom.

Tags: HRE, DMN

Fifteen African slaves escape from New England to New France
New Orleans, New France

FIfteen slaves, owned by Mr. John Gates, member of Parliament, escaped on the Feast of St. Nicholas. The slaves evaded the slave patrols and soon reached Harper’s Ferry. With only the river between them and freedom, the slaves were seen by Dominion soldiers in the moonlight. Two were soon taken prisoner unwilling to risk drowning in the Potomac. But the remaining thirteen none of whom could still made the attempt by holding fast to branches and logs.

The Dominion soldiers picked up four of the struggling slaves in boats of their own. But the other nine were met by two boats of French who hearing the struggle and cries of the slaves had come from the other side. The Dominion soldiers pursued as far as they could stopped short of the shore without catching the Frenchman who slipped away into the darkness slaves in hand.

Mr. Gates having received news of the flight crossed the border into the New France and laid suit in Port d’Arc for the return of his slaves. The judge, after seeking the guidance of the Vicomente de Mouzay, ruled against Mr. Gates noting that there was no provision under New French law to recognise the ownership of humans and that consequently Mr. Gates had no standing to sue.

The Englishman was not to be dissuaded however and conducted his own investigation. This paid handsome dividends because in the opinion of the Dominion soldiers, the Frenchman had crossed over to the English side of the Potomac. With this in hand, Mr. Gates approached the Sir Edward Percival, Lord Prosecutor of New England, to go after the thieving Frenchman. Sir Percival, a major slave owner in his own rights, agreed and began proceedings.

The Frenchman declining to attend the trials were nevertheless tried and sentenced to death in absentia. This has not been well received in France where illustrated pictures of the slaves whip marked backs have provoked outrage. Even the pro-slave newspapers in France have even gotten into the act, contrasting their humane conditions with the vicious barbarism practiced in New England.

Mr. Gates has for his part attacked the French in Parliament calling for war to defend the institution. Some backbenchers have begun to echo Gates’ clamour for war. However, the government, rudderless and fractious under Clarke, has put off making a response. The Archbishop of Canterbury has accused the French of an attack on the natural order. Timothy 6:1–2 and Ephesians 6:5 have also become popular sermon choices all across the Dominions

Tags: HRE, DMN

Cuban dissidents remain in jail; no reprieve from Lisbon
Havana, Hispania

The Cuban dissidents have had their execution delayed by order of the Emperor. While the delay likely headed off a violent showdown, it has scarcely done anything to reassure the increasing number of Cubans who are demanding change and are entertaining the use of violence to bring it about. Governor Ramos has shrugged off these calls but has called for more troops to be sent just in case.

Tags: HSP

Hispanian troops arrive in Brazil
Nueva Galicia, Hispania

A contingent of Imperial troops have arrived in Brazil to the alarm of all the other parties. Ostensibly there to keep order, the nobles in both Portugal and Castile have called the move an unreasonable overstep of imperial authority unto local matters. The commander of the operation, General Atarrabi Andiquiain, a Basque, had little appetite for political bickering and has wisely left the non-military issues to Governor Alberte. In his report to the Emperor, General Andqiuiain has noted that there is little for his troops to do; the colony is calm and its issues are likely better left to the lawyers. He has recommended the troops be withdrawn back to Lisbon or perhaps sent to reinforce Cuba, and that his troops be replaced by an army of lawyers.

Tags: HSP

Irish and Scottish vagrants arrive in New England
St. Mary’s, The Dominions

With the capping of the number of vagrants allowed to be sent to New Brunswick, the great landowners of Scotland and Ireland have taken to deporting their unwashed masses to New England. The first of the ships arriving in St Mary’s caught the authorities flat footed. Earl Robert MacMillan, governor of the New England arranged for relief for the new arrivals, although with the arrival of more ships this support would soon end.

The prettiest of the new arrivals were soon sold as bonded labour but the remainder found themselves unable to compete against black labour. Most settled into slums in the St Mary’s and soon resorted to theft to keep themselves fed. It did not take long for the local whites to begin attacking the vagrants. The governor seeing in this the seeds of disaster decided that sending the vagrants straight to the frontier or the wilds with the promise of as much land as they could work was a wise idea. The vagrants seeing no other option soon began to stream west.

Tags: DMN

New Brunswick calming down
St. George, New Brunswick

The restriction of Scottish and Irish forced migration to New Brunswick has been seen as a major triumph for Governor Lane and has calmed the waves of discontent that were rolling across New Brunswick not so long ago. In a curious change, large numbers of German settlers have meanwhile been met with outpourings of support. New Brunswick, for all its love of Governor Lane, is still hostile to Kings and Princes.

The mass exile university staff and student body from the German Princedoms has had unintended consequences. The exiles have opened the Free German University in New Thuringia. The institution housed in disused stables have attracted a large number of students. However, the radical nature of the lectures has occasioned horror from the Motherland. Discussion, however academic, of regicide is an unusual topic for a law lecture.

Tags: DMN

Art, Fashion, & Literature

Donna Juana
By Rowan Cato

Excerpted Stanzas XLVII and XLVIII

But Juana was a bachelorette—of arts,
And parts, and hearts: she danc'd and sung, and had
An air as sentimental as Leizart's
Softest of melodies; and could be sad
Or cheerful, without any "flaws or starts,"

Just at the proper time; and though a lad,
Had seen the world—which is a curious sight,
And very much unlike what people write.

Fair virgins blush'd upon her; wedded dames
Bloom'd also in less transitory hues;
For both commodities dwell by the Thames
The painting and the painted; Youth, Ceruse,
Against her heart preferr'd their usual claims,
Such as no lady can quite refuse;
Sons admir'd her dress, and pious mothers
Inquir'd her income, and if she had brothers.

Donna Juana, named for the Duchess of Sevilla, gives a unique portrayal of a woman; while many in polite society can and should be scandalized, one must give Cato credit for his literary prowess. Cato, a native of England, notes with strange fashion as the eponymous character living as some would call a scoundrel, others a gentleman. Cato nods to his homeland with his reference to the Thames and the English composer Leizart, but throughout the poem his fascination for life in Castille shines clearly. The poem is written in both English and in Castilian Spanish.

Donna Juana explores life for a dramatized version of the Duchess in Castile. Upon the death of her father, the poem’s Donna Juana is a rich woman in a poor country. Almost immediately, her uncle attempts to send her overseas and she was shipwrecked, captured by Dutch pirates, and tricks them into coming with her to Seville where she takes her inheritance back and sends him with the Dutch to be sold as a slave in Marakah. Upon her resumption of her proper place, Donn Juana is immediately set upon by several men “of great birth and poor fortune”. Knowing she gains little from these matches, Donna Juana toys with them and allows her heart to be won and lost by her suitors, and at the end leaving them rejected declaring her intention to “not be constrained by small minds, small thoughts”

For a foreigner, the poem is to shock; the depiction of Donna Juana’s “harem” and the whipping of her servants and even one of her suitors is designed to shock. Her humiliation of her suitors seems cruel and crude, especially to woman of high birth in more sophisticated realms. But a part of the appeal to a foreign audience is how liberated not just Donna Juana is, but how “lazy” Castilian society is as a whole. For Hispanians, and Castilians in particular, Dona Juana is a satire, a long joke shared between the Kingdoms. In a Kingdom where women are able to inherit property often times ahead of younger brothers, many can empathize with a rich woman determined to stay free from greedy suitors. A particularly unsympathetic character is Lambro, who is determined to marry for money as well as status, allowing the woman who loves him, Haidée, to go unrequited. His death is seen symbolically as the decline of many of Hispania’s, particularly Castile’s, “great” noble families.

In all, the poem has been immensely popular in the Dominions, France, and Poland, as well as in its native Hispania. Cato’s contemporaries have lavished praise upon it, and while one might be tempted to denounce the scandalous way it depicts a woman, one cannot argue with its flawless prose.

Letter to the Editors

From M. Van Geelt
Ghent, The Dominion of Flanders

While your work has always been excellent, I must protest your portrayal of slavery as an “evil”; slavery is in fact a gift to the enslaved. Are we to leave the African in mud huts, worshiping mud covered pig totems? Nay! Nay I say! I myself own sixteen African slaves overseas, and I give my overseers strict instructions to chant bible verses as they strike the flesh of my unrepentant slaves. These actions will help the slave become closer to God, and one day, allow the slave to come home to the Kingdom of God.

So if the French and the Swedish decide to say they will not bring slavery and salvation to the African, then I say we will only double our efforts! On my desk is a bill authorizing the purchase of twenty freshly captured Africans. To me, that is not purchasing twenty slaves for labor on my plantation; that is purchasing places for twenty souls to arrive in Heaven!

We will not be stopped from saving souls. And if the French want to try and stop our mission, well I’ve rallied to the colors before, and I’m more than willing to do so again to protect those innocent souls!

God Save King Charles!

Nuka-sama · Apr 27, 2017

Map

Spoiler :

Reasons for stat changes

*The "Tax Cuts", and the Lithuanian and Bohemians refusing to pay taxes all falls under Poland's stats, sorry for the confusion

Whew that was a 32 page update but both Masada and I are immensely pleased with the result and we hope you are as well.

Stats are updated

Crezth will be taking on the role of the Roman Empire!

Shadowbound · Apr 27, 2017

Excellent work.

Nuka-sama said:
The Dominion King sues Hispanian Emperor for using Cross of Burgundy
Lisbon, Hispania

Tags: HSP DMN

We'll see you in court!

Nuka-sama · Apr 28, 2017

Map is up, stats will be up on Monday

Crezth · Apr 30, 2017

In the year of our Lord Eighteen-Hundred and Thirty-One, we of this Emergency Session of the Council of Legates declare the establishment of a General State of Emergency. It came to pass in the shrinking hours of last evening, which was Saturday, March 12*, during a gala held in honor of the victorious Bektesh, that the aforementioned blackguard, unsatisfied with his unscrupulous victory over the faithful, made attempt on the Emperor Mihai's life with poison. Although the conspiracy could not be uncovered before the Emperor succumbed to madness, Bektesh has been identified as the evil spirit behind this assassination - a clear declaration of war on his behalf, and on the behalf of all Mussulmen, to obliterate this bastion of God's Will that has stood for nearly two millenia under His loving watchful eye. The work of the devil, which hath plagued us with division and strife, and now cursed us with a fallen emperor, is writ everywhere in the wicked doings of the Mussulmen, who under his protection have been liberated to indulge all sorts of unbecoming resistances to the righteous authority of Rome which God hath bestowed upon us.

Bektesh's bloody frontier duchy is now reckoned by the State of the Roman Empire to be forfeit, and its properties shall be transmitted to the Imperial Crown. Bektesh has been arrested and will be made to stand trial before the Council of Legates, and bounties have been issued on all of his co-conspirators and allies.

In light of this devolution, chaos, and disaster, and recognizing furthermore the deteriorating situation on the frontier and throughout the organization of this nation's very governmental heart, over years of being challenged from the depths of our own soul on the sacred practices and traditions we have held dear for millenia, we of the Council of Legates have been asked by the Emperor's daughter, the Crown-Princess, to rule in-stead of her disabled father pending her rightful succession. We have unanimously elected the Duke of Thessaly, Hieronymus Ischyros, to rule interim as Lord Regent of the Empire, and in addition to his previously held post of Magister Militari, Stategos Hypatos of the Roman Imperial Legions.

We shall prevail and Rome shall stand for another millenium yet.

Signed with God as our witness,

Hieronymus Ischyros - Duke of Thessaly and Lord Regent of the Roman Empire (Dux Thessalonica, Eforos Kollegiou Romanum Imperium)
Morin Genophagia - Dux of the Roman Army & Duke of Aegea
Flavian Petras - Dux of the Roman Army & Praetor of Pelopponese
Lysander Tolniarkus - Dominus of the Bulgaria Dominia
Artour Babaev - Honorary Aedilium of Bulgaria Dominia
Proteus Geros - Dux of the Roman Army & Praetor of Attica
Isaura Papadaki - Imperial Lictor and Spymaster
Aspasia Valla - Duchess of Epirus & Ionia
Xanthus Golias - Count of Kozani
Voleta Kritikou - Dux of the Roman Army & Praetor of Macedonia

*February 28 in the Julian calendar.

The council authorizes the creation of the (2.a) Commissary-General for the Organization, Maintenance, Direction, Affiliation, and Creation of militia and military Units for the Defence of the Roman State and Her Territories and Constitutents.

Artour Babaev - Commissar of Logistics & Maintenance (2.b) (Christianized Turk)
Morin Genophagia - Commissar of Uncooperative Citizenry (2.c) (somewhat... un-Orthodox Greek)
Flavian Petras - Commissar of Foreign Relations (2.d) (Orthodox Greek)
Xanthus Golias - Commissar of Labor (2.e) (Orthodox Greek)
Proteus Geros - Commissar of Commerce (2.f) (Orthodox Greek)
Isaura Papadaki - Commissar of Orthodoxy (2.g) (Orthodox Greek)
Penelope Mola - Commissar of the Ippiko (2.h) (Orthodox Greek)

To: Pro-Reform Factions

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The Greatest Game

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..!

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Incorrugible

See ya! It has been a fun decade!

第六天魔王

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