Age of Steam and Steel: Gameplay Thread

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

조선 정부의 선포
Proclamations of the Military of Joseon

(Source: self-made)

Regulation of Army Uniforms and Equipment
1. Cloth for general service uniforms, tents, and other general purposes shall be dyed a color similar to that obtained by using walnut shells or bark as the colorant.
2. Winter dress uniforms shall be of a black color.
3. Summer dress uniforms shall be of a white color.
4. Trim on uniforms shall be of a color depending upon the branch of the service they are in as follows:

• infantry - blue
• dragoons - green
• cavalry - yellow
• field artillery - light red
• heavy artillery - dark red
• medical or veterinary - white (with service cloth edge piping on summer dress uniforms)
• staff - black (with service cloth edge piping on winter dress uniforms)
• generals - five thin stripes ordered yellow, black, red, white, blue, with yellow to be the color that is outermost in trim that encloses an area, and top leftmost in other usages.

[Spamage]

1840 News of the World

The Dutch Affair: Fate of Amsterdam and Willemstad

(Source: Wikimedia)

Korea, Japan Strike South: OAKF Assaulted from All Sides!

  The OAKF found itself in a precarious position throughout 1840, beset by enemies on all sides. Their proud response to Korean demands spurred that realm to join the Japanese in a separate, but coordinated, strike on Dutch colonial holdings in the region. This alone would have been more than the Dutch could deal with, but a simultaneous French assault, coupled with internal indigenous rebellions, has brought the OAKF to its knees, only a few areas of the East Indies remaining in solid colonial control.
   Queen Regent Sunwon, in the name of her grandson, was judicious in cultivating alliances with some of the indigenous leaders throughout the East Indies. Although efforts were made to form an understanding with most potentates, the Sultans of Gowa and Tidore proved to be the strongest allies, calling their people to rebel against Dutch overlordship. Local leadership all throughout the islands believed there would be much more autonomy under the oversight of Joseon than the OAKF. Indeed, the push in Willemstad to further centralize authority over the past few years was evidence enough that the colonizers intended to depose local authorities. The Koreans had little difficulty sweeping Dutch shipping from the South China Sea, especially given Japanese cooperation and a new experimental ship design seeking to employ metal in a defensive capacity.
   There would be two Korean landings, one in western Borneo and a second at Sulawesi. Although the Sultan of Pontianak had been deposed shortly after the OAKF had formed, some of his family remained in the area. A young nephew was found, named as regent, swore suzerainty to Joseon, and aided the Koreans in expelling the Dutch from Borneo. Local Dutch officials, seeing just as much discontent on their eastern holdings on the island, elected to withdraw to Java. By the end of the year former Dutch Borneo now stood securely in Korean hands. The second Korean landing at Sulawesi proved quite uneventful, the Dutch garrisons having withdrawn from the island when news of the impending Japanese push south had arrived. As such, there proved little obstacles for the Sultan of Gowa to reclaim control over the entirety of the island. With the revolt in Tidore commencing shortly after news of the Korean arrival, most of the northern East Indies islands sit firmly in Korean control, the Dutch electing to defend New Holland, Java, and Sumatra over more distant territories.
   The Japanese continued their drive into the Philippines, capturing the remaining islands by midyear. From there the Shogunate elected to continue military operations further south, launching preliminary raids on Papua New Guinea and some outlying islands. Unlike the Koreans, the Japanese have been far less willing to cooperate with existing local officials, who have been dubbed “collaborators” and often imprisoned or executed. Instead, the government in Edo has focused on cultivating new elites, often working with peasants or tribal leaders rather than indigenous officials that have cooperated with the OAKF in the past. This move south into the East Indies has been coupled by a secondary push further east into the Pacific, the Japanese occupying many small islands to their southwest, along the lines of what their Korean allies did the year prior.
   The third strike against the Dutch, who had by now clearly seen they were outmatched, came from Siam and Johore. The King of Siam had been granted an alliance and an ample supply of weapons by Marie Fernandina in far-off Paris. Confident in his skills, especially given the chaos throughout the island chain, he launched an aggressive strike south into Dutch Malaya. As was expected, the few Dutch on the island quickly fled rather than face capture, but the locals seemed surprisingly noncommittal, having no great love for the Siamese. It was at this juncture the Sultan of Johore, seeing potential encirclement by a larger power as a real possibility, struck at the dying colonial empire as well, determined to get his share. He managed to seize much of western Malaya, while the Siamese occupy the east. All of this turmoil has meant massive waves of refugees have flooded Ottoman Singapore, creating extreme tension in the city as the overwhelmed and overworked Ottoman colonial officials find themselves without enough provisions to house everyone.
   The final blow to the Dutch colonial empire came from French India. In mid-July Willemstad was alerted to reports that the French had landed on Ceylon, shelled Colombo, and shocked the OAKF officials into surrender in mere weeks, small resistance in the inland continuing for a month at most. A second, more ambitious French effort was launched against Sumatra, the landing spreading the unrest that already existed elsewhere. The Sultan of Aceh, having been provided with weapons by the Koreans in order to defend his independence, elected to use his military in an offensive capacity as well, rushing south. There were several clashes with the French, who remained between Aceh and the remaining Dutch forts on the island, ensuring that the Sultan of Aceh maintained broad control over northern Sumatra by year’s end. The French occupy the middle portion of the island, while the Dutch retain their holdings in the south at Palembang.
   The OAKF faces enemies on all sides, now even the benign British coming under suspicion based on their participation in the invasion of the Netherlands. Yet, it has lost no battles on the field, withdrawing in order to consolidate manpower and be better prepared for follow-up offensives in 1841. Still, the government in Willemstad has indicated it is willing to negotiate with any other power willing to listen, desperation emerging as the Korean fleet has made communications and supply between some Dutch positions quite a nightmare.

Brutal Destruction of the Netherlands

  Marie Fernandina had had enough. No longer willing to tolerate the continued resistance of the Netherlands, more than 350k French soldiers were funneled north, aiming to put an end to that small realm’s illusions of grandeur once and for all. The Dutch, who remained determined to resist, could simply not match the sheer numerical strength of the French, though that did not mean they surrendered. The brutal fighting continued, ravaging the Dutch countryside even worse than the events in Flanders just a few years ago. Marie Fernandina was condemned as a butcher in Amsterdam, being burned in effigy, but her determination yielded gains. Arnhem fell on June 5th, Apeldoorn on July 2nd. To the north, the British landed their men as had been ordered the previous year, aiding the Prussians in Groningen. The northern regions of the realm were taken with ease, Zwolle, Assen, and Leeuwarden falling to the British occupation.
   The true prizes: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and the Hague remained elusive throughout the early summer. As the war in the inundated farmlands began to turn south for the Dutch, the situation in the cities grew more desperate. Barricades were erected, the royal family moved into hiding, and all hands mobilizing for a desperate defense. The French soldiers smashed into Rotterdam on August 30th, decimating the city to ruins but becoming controllers of the wreckage. They moved west, seizing the Hague on September 17th. Finally, at long last, they moved towards Amsterdam. The capitol was captured after weeks of brutal building-to-building fighting. The Dutch ships at bay were set aflame by the infuriated Netherlanders, rather then letting them fall into the hands of the enemy. Unfortunately, or perhaps deliberately, in the mayhem these flames seem to have spread, lighting much of the city aflame as the battle continued to rage, leaving the once-proud metropolis a burnt-out ruin. The result was clear enough by November. On November 9th, 1840 the last remnants of the military junta surrendered in Amsterdam. King William III, his father King William II, and the remnants of the government were arrested at Hoorn. The Dutch have been defeated in Europe once more, now awaiting judgement at the hands of the victors. There is no question now that the realm has been set back decades by the events of 1840. Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands have died in the direct fighting and the ensuing famine caused by the breaking of the dikes. The nascent Dutch industrial capacity is in ruins. The Dutch monarchy has only been tarnished by the events of the previous few years, bitter factionalism continuing between William II and William III. Yet, even with the collapse of the military junta at home, that did not mean that Willemstad, on the other side of the world, would give up the struggle for its view of a Dutch future.

Continued Fighting in North America, Quebec & New England Join the Fray!
Charles III is Dead!

(Source: Wikimedia)

Death of Charles III

  London was aghast at reports in April 1840 that a group of Irish partisans had tried to assassinate King Charles III, a bomb being thrown at his carriage as he traversed London. Two horses were killed, the porter gravely wounded, but miraculously the 80-year-old monarch appeared unharmed, issuing a tirade at the would-be assassins as local police and soldiers rushed to apprehend the small cabal of idealists. For the next few days, the King seemed flustered, if nothing else. Issuing a statement praising the status quo in Ireland and lauding the heroism of those who had come to the aid, it seemed little more would come of the situation. After all, during the last 19 years of his reign, there had been other attempts at the life of the King, though none had come quite so close before.
   Yet, clearly the incident was one of great stress for the King. On the morning of May 11th, 1840, his servants entered his chamber after he did not rise at his usual time. They found the King conscious, but unresponsive on his bed. He had suffered a stroke. Unable to articulate himself, Charles III appeared in a state of great distress. His physicians rushed to Buckingham Palace, quickly concluding that the incident would likely be fatal. Henry, the Prince of Wales was named Regent by Parliament, though he would not keep this position for long. On May 17th, 1840, Charles III of Hanover, King of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Americas passed away. Henry was quickly named Henry IX of Britain, his coronation scheduled for early 1841.
   The death of the King could not have come at a worse moment. The war in North America remains inconclusive, the prospect of it expanding yet further now seeming increasingly likely. As had happened in Spain, there are some in Britain who are growing tired of the war, including Henry IX, potentially opening the way to a compromise peace. Elections had been scheduled for late 1840 in line with Charles III’s promise the previous year, but all of the major political parties agreed to postpone them until 1841.
   In Ireland the reaction was one of confusion and unease. All mainstream political leaders came out against the act of the Irish radicals, who claimed to have been in the pocket of a foreign power, though they were executed once it was clear that no further evidence could be obtained. Charles III was legitimately mourned, having been a crucial actor in getting his father to embrace Catholic Emancipation in the 1780s. Yet, that did not mean there was not any scattered celebrations. Catholic Republican pamphlets were confiscated in Limerick and Cork, condemning the “apostate King Charles” to “eternal damnation at the hands of Lucifer.” Some paranoid British newspapermen have speculated Catholic Republicans connected to risings elsewhere in Europe and further afield, perhaps even the same terrorist cells that assassinated Frederick III of Prussia, could have been the foreign interferer, though this has been deemed unlikely by investigators.

War in the North

  New England had long had a substantial nativist faction in regional politics, the high rate of immigration to that Confederation in its early years having undermined the social cohesion and driven many of the established families away from the Confederation’s early policies. Although many suspected the British had played a major role in supporting this group financially, it definitely took on a life of its own. In particular, many nativist leaders feared that the Confederation was losing its “English and Protestant” identity, in the wake of influxes of Catholics from Ireland, Italy, and Germany. The failure to push through his constitutional reforms had led to the ousting of Chairman John Quincy Adams in 1839, who was replaced by Daniel Webster of Massachusetts.
   It was in this fraught political environment local leaders looked on with terror at the Catholic Francophone successes all across the continent. A thwarted terror attack by Louisianans in Boston had alienated any sympathy for them in their fight against the British. Quebec had seized thousands of square kilometers to the north with impunity. Louisiana had forced the southerners to bend the knee to King Louis-Philippe. This was bad enough, let alone the fact that the Louisianans and Southerners were fighting to preserve slavery, an institution reviled in the Confederation. Thus, when word began to spread among the hawks that Quebec was growing in both population and territory at an alarming rate, and would pass New England in the coming decades unless something was done, Boston was spurred to action. In a mood of fury and jingoism a declaration of war was issued against Quebec, New Englander strike forces crossing through the forests north.
   Quebec was not caught entirely off-guard. Montreal had long influenced their much larger neighbor to the south, largely being the reason New England had secured independence in the first place. The nativist, jingoistic turn of that realm was seen as lamentable by many at the court of King Louis-Henry, but that did not eliminate the desire of the Quebecois to defend themselves. They too moved south, aiming to block the advance into their realm before too much land was lost.
   Although the battles in this theater were smaller than those of Europe or in the American South, they are no less consequential, perhaps determining which power will emerge as the demographic powerhouse in the region. The Battle of Saint-Alexandre, at the head of the New Englander drive towards Montreal, was a decisive victory for Quebec, the assault being repulsed and the outnumbered New Englanders forced back in a hurried and disorganized retreat, harried all the way to the border. It was here that two major factors in the conflict became evident: Quebec’s superior experience from engagements on their frontiers and advisory expeditions abroad and the numerical advantage of the northern Kingdom, despite their smaller population. The very nativist sentiments that had spurred the call to war in Boston also undermined the early war effort, many immigrants having a hard time justifying fighting for a power that rejected their basic nationality or religion. As a result, recruitment has suffered. The second New Englander strike towards New Brunswick did make modest gains, but that was more as the result of a lack of Quebecois soldiers than from any innate capability. As 1841 approaches, there are some who fear that New England could become the battlefield unless British and Scandinavian promised aid materializes.
   Despite the attack by New England Quebec determined that it could maintain multiple operations at once, sending a small force northeast and quickly knocking out the almost-nonexistent Scandinavian defenses at Greenland. The vast island with its miniscule population has become yet another far northern territory that has changed hands in the early day of this northern fight. It is hoped in Montreal that the possession of Greenland will allow the Quebecois navy to head off any attempt by the European powers to cross the Atlantic via a northern route.
   Well-aware of the British sympathies for New England, this has, as a consequence, drifted Quebec’s sympathies towards Louisiana. When requests from New Orleans arrived, asking for raids into the British colonies across their long border, the infuriated government of King Louis-Henry was eager to answer the call. British frontier towns have been raided either by the Quebecois themselves of their native allies. A rapid strike along Lake Superior has also led to the occupation of some British frontier forts in the region. Though both London and Montreal maintain that their two realms remain at peace, hostility has been increasingly daily. It is feared by some that the war in North America will turn into a direct fight between the French and English speakers on the continent, though this conflict holds the promise of being far deadlier than earlier colonial struggles of a similar sort in the 1700s.

War in the South

  On the ground the war in the American South continued to rage throughout the entire year of 1840. An attempt to move the 9,000-man Louisianan Army of the North towards Nashville was repulsed by a vigorous defense from the 39,000 strong British Army of Tennessee. King Louis-Philippe was more successful further to the east. A lightning strike by the Army of Florida repulsed the British from Charleston, the initial southern capitol changing hands yet again as the conflict see-saws in the region. What followed, in the wake of the retreat of the British armies in the region, was the recapture of much of South Carolina, a tremendous morale-booster for the Louisianans and their southern allies.  
   As the British retreated from South Carolina, they continued to be pursued in a second Louisianan drive north, aiming at North Carolina. It was a bloody slog, the British standing firm for several weeks in mid-June, only forced back when news arrived that southern civilian cavalry raiders threatened their supply lines. Withdrawing towards the coast, where the British navy provided ample protection, there were modest Louisianan gains here as well, though not so dramatic as in South Carolina.
   Further to the west, the British Armies of Cumberland and Missouri coordinated their efforts, deciding to launch an offensive south down the Mississippi River. Memphis and Forest City have been seized, potentially opening the door to further gains downriver, though local Louisianan soldiers have prepared a vigorous defense should the situation come to that.
   Following Quebecois coordination with the Louisianans, their combined forces were able to make short work of the surviving Sioux state in the far north, the last indigenous soldiers surrendering late in the year, in a major humiliation for London. With their collapse, there are many who fear that the British colonies in the Old Northwest may be vulnerable in the coming year and as a result London has been forced to divert some men to the region, not an exciting prospect given the demand for them further to the south.

[Spamage]

Blood on the Water: Brazil’s Brutal Executions of Counter-Revolutionaries!

(Source: Wikimedia)

End of the Civil Conflict and Catholic Republican Expansion

   The prospects for the Recife rebellion were grim at the start of 1840 and they did not improve over the course of the year. The numerical advantage of the Catholic Republicans was coupled with a greater degree of zealousness and improved supplies. The shattered remnants of the rebel cause were wiped up all throughout the beginning of the year, the last pockets in isolated jungle giving up the fight and surrendering in May. Peace, at last, had come to Brazil.
   Alongside the conclusion of the Brazilian Civil War, the treaty with Prussia ended that realm’s colonial presence to the north. At the same time, Brazil’s ally Paraguay undertook a brutal path of conquest south, beating back the indigenous inhabitants of Patagonia and securing the Catholic Republican claim to the region. Though Spain holds nearby Cape Horn, which was seized from Quebec in order to better facilitate trade between Peru, Brazil, and Iberia, there has been little objection to the pacification of Patagonia from Madrid. Now, what followed? That would be a different matter…

Execution of Justice

   Brazil would never be the same. This was demonstrated in a brutal but dramatic fashion on the coast of Lake Nicaragua. A group of foreign dignitaries, Brazilian officials, clergy, and journalists had been ordered to visit the remote region by the Archbishop-President himself, who remained in far-off Sao Paulo. The purpose was not immediately clear.
   General de Rosas, the onetime leader of La Plata and the symbol of resistance to Catholic Republicanism was brought out from a tent. The man was emaciated and dressed in rags, the year or so of captivity having not been kind to him. Tied to him, in a row, were the most prominent leaders of the Recife faction in the recently concluded Brazilian Civil War. It was immediately apparent that this was to be an execution, though no gallows were in sight.
   Instead the men were led to the shore, pushed down the dock by Brazilian soldiers armed with bayonets. There was widespread confusion among the dignitaries, who were still not certain what was happening. Did they mean to drown them? The men themselves did not seem to understand what was exactly happening. A priest approached, beseeching them to embrace God and renounce the twin evils of monarchism and liberalism, to which de Rosas responded by spitting in his face. “Your God is not real, father. And if he is I’d much rather face him then your lot,” he is alleged to have said.
   The method was demonstrated just seconds later. De Rosas was pushed into the water, swimming and thrashing about. Was he going to escape? What followed was a brutal scream from the general as he was dragged underwater, surfaced again screaming in agony, and then was silent. Bits of de Rosas floated to the surface, blood spreading. Sharks. One by one the other men were pushed to their death; the sharks having been starved for this very moment. Those who tried to swim ashore were shot in their arms or legs, the fresh blood drawing in more of the predators. The observers were aghast as the Brazilian officials looked on stone-faced, until the screams fell silent and a tense silence emerged. Many, including some of the soldiers, averted their eyes as the brutal execution was enacted.
   Perhaps there was no better way of terrifying compliance into the citizens of the People’s Republic, the journalists present reporting on the incident both within Brazil and abroad. A new order has been cemented, triumphant in the civil war and confident of itself at home. With the domestic issues settled, this sort of cruel justice may not remain confined to Brazil, as worried foreign ambassadors have reported to their capitols. Reactions abroad have been of universal disgust, though it’s widely understood that nothing can be done for the Brazilian people with so many fights elsewhere. They will have to be stoic in their fate.

A World Aflame: The Great Eastern War Expands Yet Further

(Source: Wikimedia)

The Unholy Truce

   There was astonishment in Cologne early in the year when Emperor Francis privately approached envoys of King William of Württemberg with a surprise offer. In exchange for a truce, perhaps as means of negotiating a long-term settlement in western Germany, the Austrians would withdraw from all land claimed by the Kingdom of the Rhine. Without shedding yet another drop of blood, Württemberg and the other occupied lands of the Holy Roman Empire such as Baden would be returned to his control. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Though he had been loosely cooperating with Prussia, the King of the Rhine truly held no affinity for the Hohenzollerns. He agreed quickly to the offer.
   In Vienna the news was met with shock, particularly among the exiled nobles. The Emperor’s nephew-in-law, the Duke of Baden, felt quite abandoned and he was not alone, the clergy of the Empire somewhat disappointed. Yet, what could they do? Among the Habsburg subjects in general, the agreement was accepted with a certain sort of pragmatism. Was it not better to make a truce or peace in the west if it led to the Prussians receiving their just desserts? With that in mind, the people watched as fighting turned to a theater it had thus far avoided: Brandenburg.

Clash of the Five Kings: Warfare Comes to Brandenburg

   The Habsburgs combined the armies of Württemberg and Italy, smashing north, led by Marshall Radetzky. The traitorous Saxon Princes, who had seceded from the Empire to join the German League after the Rhineland rose, were forced to flee terror in the face of the substantial Austrian army. With the capture of their lands the German League largely ceased to exist as an actual entity, all the members save for Prussia, Brunswick, and Hesse-Kassel occupied by the Rhenish, Scandinavians, or Habsburgs. The advance did not stop there. The deposed King of Saxony in tow, the Habsburgs crossed into his realm, retaking Dresden and placing Leipzig under siege. A mood of surprise spreading through the land, King Anthony of Saxony (also uncle to the Czarina Regent of Russia) was met with cheers as several thousand joined the Habsburg columns, now turning north towards Berlin. The success in the region was only slightly delayed when a crazed Italian soldier in the Austrian ranks sought to kill Radetsky, being shot down as he ran at the general with a knife and loaded pistol. He died before any further information could be garnered.
   Yet, the Habsburgs were not the only power interested in intervening in the region. Queen Regent Augusta and Czarina Regent Maria Augusta signed the Treaty of Konigsberg in January, committing the two realms to a coordinated war effort and united stand against their enemies. 50,000 Russians marched west under the command of Prince Menshikov, hoping to aid the Prussians in annihilating the Scandinavians. Marching via East Prussia, in an attempt to prevent the Scandinavians from reinforcing their men in Pomerania via the Baltic States (which proved to be a moot point given operations in Northern Russia), the Russians united with their Prussian allies at Schwedt. It was here news of the Austrian strike north first reached the two armies, who now had to decide what to do, with the Scandinavians outnumbered to the north, but the Austrians advancing on the lightly-defended Berlin to the south. They risked being caught in between if action was not taken, something the Scandinavians were clearly aware of, as their army started to move for the first time in months after the fall of Dresden.
   What followed was a week or so of frenetic military activity. The Scandinavians made a mad dash south, bypassing Berlin from the east in their haste to reach the Austrians. The Russo-Prussian Army that had been aiming to surround the Swedes in Pomerania, was alarmed by their sudden change of plans. Using the Prussian railways, this force sped west as well, forced to disembark at Potsdam due to sabotage of the railway further west. Embarking on foot, they arrived at Brandenburg just hours before the Scandinavians emerged from the north, unaware that the Prussians were already present. The combined Russo-Prussian force consisted of roughly 122,000 men (72k Prussians, 50k Russians). The Scandinavians had 88,000 soldiers, tired from their push south.
   The Battle of Brandenburg proved to be the climax of the year’s operations, occupying a similarly prominent role as the Battle of Sopron did for 1839. It too was a multi-day affair. On June 15th the Russo-Prussian Army battered the Swedes, who were determined to hold at all costs. The result was bloodshed, especially on the part of the Scandinavians. Over 20k Scandinavians lay killed or wounded at the end of the first day, but the line held. Cavalry held back repeated attempts by the allied Prussians and Russians to flank them.
   The second day continued much as the first, but the Prussians were actually forcing the invaders back out of their defensive positions. Here the fighting was more equally bloody between the two sides. Yet, this window of good fortune would come slamming shut, the Habsburg army from Saxony appearing to the south, having aimed to meet up with their allies at Brandenburg, but the Prussians had arrived first. The Austrian entrance into fighting threw the combat into chaos, proving particularly disastrous for the inexperienced Russians, who panicked and broke into a chaotic and messy retreat, their Prussian allies looking on in horror as they were decimated by cannon fire and ambushed from the Habsburgs. The combined weigh of the Austro-Saxon-Scandinavian forces was nearly double that of the Russo-Prussian forces. Recognizing this, the Prussians were forced to flee in humiliating fashion east, leaving thousands of men dead on the field.
   The Prussians fled west, bypassing Berlin and Potsdam. As they did so, a mood of terror descended on the city. The Queen regent and the young King were nowhere to be found (little did the people know that they had quietly relocated to a more secure location elsewhere in the realm). Thousands fled in the disorder, moving south into the Spreewald or east further towards Neumark. Die-hard royalists set up barricades and snipers patrolled the roof. It appeared the city would only come after a fight.
   And that is exactly what happened. From June 27th through July 2nd fighting occurred all throughout Berlin. While the level of resistance was by no means comparable to the Dutch in Amsterdam, it was a slow-going affair and the capitol of Prussia was only won block by block. The last soldiers and civilians surrendered in Charlottenburg Palace on July 4th. On July 7th, 1840, after great preparations, the Austrians and Scandinavians marched into Berlin for a victory parade. Crowds lined the streets of the capitol, women openly weeping as they watched the columns of soldiers move through their proud city. Never before had it been thought that the city of Frederick the Great and the Great Elector before him would sit in the hands of the two realms (Sweden and Austria) that had done so much to ravage the realm in the 30 Years War.
   This mournful, somber mood would turn, quickly, into resolute hatred. This was symbolized during the Victory Parade of Berlin when several officers were gunned down by Prussian civilians operating on the city’s rooftops. The Austrians would be mocked for the degree to which they sped up their parade once the first officer had fallen, practically dashing into the city center. News would follow in the coming weeks of small villages serving as havens for an impassioned resistance, partisans ravaging Austrian supply lines and killing Scandinavian stragglers. Bridges have been burned, messengers slaughtered, and the new telegraph lines toppled. Though they cannot triumph on the field, it seems the Prussian smallholders are determined to make the occupation of Brandenburg a miserable experience. This was hostile country, no doubt about that, resistance far stronger than anything observed in either Saxony or southern Germany.
   Still, the fall of Berlin is a major occurrence. Though the Prussians retain their armies in the field, albeit battered armies, the number of Russian dead in all of their many theaters combined is becoming a major cause of concern. Some have urged the Queen Regent in Breslau to make some sort of compromise peace. Others, seeing the fall of the Netherlands as fortuitous, would continue the struggle, perhaps as a means of drawing France in to maintain the old order.

Jelačić Affair and the Battle of Eckartsau

   General Jelačić, the Austro-Croatian commander who had preserved the situation in 1839, preventing the fall of Vienna, found himself embroiled in scandal early on in 1840. Rumor mills in his own army spoke of his fervent Croatian nationalism and his desire to see his homeland granted independent, constituent realm status alongside Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, and Ruthenia. This did not sit well, in particular, with the numerous Magyars under his command. When word spread the general was planning on using them as cannon fodder in a daring offensive against the Prussians, insubordination began to occur. Though the Emperor maintained his full confidence in General Jelačić, many of the lesser officers joined the men in deliberate acts of defiance, accusing the General of being a butcher, using the Battle of Sopron as evidence.
   When evidence arrived in Vienna that the general was plotting with the Prussians, in return for the promise of an independent Croatia, this pushed the general to his breaking-point. Going to Emperor Francis in person and issuing a vigorous and heated defense of himself and his motives, the “Hero of the Empire” Jelačić resigned his command claiming he had been framed in entirety and demanding an apology. Humiliated and jeered by some Hungarians as he packed up his things, he departed Vienna, determined to return to Zagreb. In the Austrian Army however, the Croatians defended their leader vigorously, there being several incidents of fist-fighting between Magyars and Croats.
   In his absence Alfred, the Prince of Windisch-Grätz was named as interim commander, not exactly possessing the same level of capability as his predecessor. Following the Emperor’s orders to a tee, when a contingent of the Prussian army seemed to be marching to Berlin, some 40,000 men were sent in order to shadow them. The aim of the Austrians in this theater was merely to hold the line while they made their play in the north. The bulk of the army was inactive, ensuring Vienna would be well-protected.
   These Habsburg soldiers (mostly Hungarian), led by the Prince of Windisch-Grätz, were marching into a trap unwittingly. The Prussians, deploying their superior firepower and reinforced numbers, launched a massive ambush on the 40k Austrians at the Battle of Eckartsau. The Habsburgs were confined to the banks of the Danube, gunfire seeming to be coming from all directions. It was a bloody rout, the smaller Habsburg force surrounded on all sides and brutally slaughtered, it was said that the water ran red that day as far down river as Prussian-held Pressburg. From their commander on down, this force was almost entirely annihilated, Windisch-Gratz falling from a bullet to the head late in the day. Victory in hand, but seeing the rest of the Habsburg forces still had not stirred themselves from Vienna, the Prussians moved north into Bohemia, determined to maintain their control over that constituent realm.
   This victory (coupled with reinforcements from Poland) has increased the Prussian numerical advantage in this region, though their size is by no means as decisive as the Scandinavian-Habsburg numbers in Berlin. Though the Battle of Eckartsau has given the Prussians a propaganda victory, and unnerved the Habsburgs who saw fighting just on the outskirts of the capital, their men slaughtered, Vienna still stands defiant. Even worse was the news that General Jelačić, upon hearing news of the defeat and a personal heartfelt message from Emperor Francis II, agreed to resume his post. Here he was welcomed as the savior of the cause, many of the men who had been defiant mere months ago chastened by the defeat of their comrades. It helped too that most of the men who had been slaughtered by the Prussians were the very defiant Hungarian corps who had opposed the general in the first place. Reassuming his command in November, he sits well-prepared to oppose any further Prussian offensive.

Siege and Struggle Hamburg

   The Prussian Army of East Frisia, upon hearing news that the British would in fact be fulfilling their obligations in the Netherlands, departed eastwards at great haste. Seeking to undo the reverses of the past year and eliminate their isolation, they conducted an aggressive push back towards Oldenburg and Hamburg. Oldenburg fell in quick fashion, the locals in the city rebelling and overwhelming the small Scandinavian garrison, allowing the Prussians to continue their advance. They made it to the gates of Hamburg by early July, just in time to hear news that Berlin had fallen and, despite their break out of the Netherlands, they were again isolated from the central government by foreign occupation. Though this was highly demoralizing, and some commanders feared the army would disintegrate, a siege was established outside of Hamburg. The sizeable Prussian force has continued to advance slowly into the region, having retaken Harburg, but has found the Elbe to be a formidable obstacle, the beefed-up Scandinavian garrisons in Schleswig-Holstein sending some moderate reinforcements to their comrades in the city and training their guns on the river to prevent any Prussian crossing. By December the siege of Hamburg continues, the proud port city hanging in the balance.

[Spamage]

Defeat of the Greeks and Balkan Happenings

   There was a window of hope in Greece early on in 1840. The Prussians had come to their aid the previous year, providing valuable military and expertise. They were followed by the arrival of 5,000 Spanish “volunteers” in February. Out of pure elation and thankfulness, the government in Athens elected to name Prince Jorge of Spain as King Georgios of Greece, though the would-be King remained in Madrid, eyeing the situation carefully from the safety of his nephew Philip VI’s court. This mood of joy only soared higher when word arrived that the Ottoman Crown Prince had fallen in during his campaigning in northern Greece, bedridden and on the verge of death for several months. Many in the Ottoman camp suspect dysentery from the lack of sanitary conditions. This is probably true, as several close retainers to the Prince fell ill as well, perhaps exposed to the same poor water. Regardless, with the Crown Prince immobilized, it was hoped in the Greek camp that great gains would be made, perhaps even the recapture of Thessalonica.
   What had not been counted on was the arrival of foreign forces to support the Ottomans. Both the Habsburg Monarchy and the Kingdom of Scandinavia withdrew men from their colonial territories or holdings on the Suez as the Prussians had, sending them to put down the rebels. Scandinavian aid in particular was quite substantial, numbering over 20k men. With the arrival of reinforcements, the tide in Greece turned against the rebels once more. On April 15th, 1840 a crushing defeat was inflicted on the Greek rebels at the Battle of Larissa. This was followed up with two more defeats in the coming weeks. The Battle of Lamia saw the retreating Greeks turn to face their pursuers in a desperate defense, hoping that friendly territory would allow for a victory. This was not to be, their forces pushed back towards Athens on April 30th. The Battle of Thiva on May 11th was a second attempt to prevent a siege of Athens. By now the numerical disparity had become so substantial there was little hope. After yet another defeat, the shattered Greek-Prussian force was made to flee to Athens, the rest of the countryside falling back into Ottoman hands.
   It did not help matters that the Greeks were divided from within. A deliberate strategy of cultivating support among the Orthodox clergy by the Ottomans clashed with Prussian attempts to get the clerics to recognize the Greeks as the legitimate Christian leaders. This resulted in the Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicating all those priests and monks aiding the Greek rebels, who in turn elected their own Patriarch of Athens, denouncing the authority of the Ottoman-backed bishop in Constantinople. This schism played out in the Greek countryside, factions forming in villages in support of one side or the other, local priests being forced to choose. Most, especially after the defeat at Larissa, have backed Constantinople.
   The Austro-Scandinavian reinforcements demonstrated the Ottomans and their allies held naval superiority in the region. As a result, island by island has been brought back into the Ottoman orbit, the end of the year seeing sizeable chunks of the Peloponnese itself reclaimed, the exhausted and starving locals having given up hope that the Greek Rebellion will succeed. As of December, the embattled Greek commanders saw no other option than to surrender in exchange for Athens not being sacked. Any aid was too distant to materialize, even the Prussians and Spanish volunteers seeing no other option. Thus, 1840 has ended with the return of Greek lands to Ottoman control, three years after the start of the uprising. 
   There were fears throughout the early half of 1840 that the Orthodox and Slavic subjects of the Balkans would rise against the much-hated Ottomans. Indeed, there is ample evidence that organizing was taking place behind-the-scenes, the dissidents perhaps relying on the help of a foreign power. What proved to prevent these risings from materializing was the twin defeats of the Greek rebels at Larissa and the Russians in Ukraine. With those two forces, potential allies for any rising, now in tatters, it was unlikely too many people would be willing to sacrifice their lives, especially given the presence of a recently victorious three nation army.

Fight for the Mother and Motherland: Russian War Effort of 1840

   The Russian Empire found itself beset by foes in every direction at the start of the year. The Turkish tribes were in revolt to the south, the Ottomans sat in Astrakhan, their army in Transylvania had been annihilated, and the false government continued to sit in St. Petersburg tarnishing the House of Romanov through its radical proclamations. Czarina Regent Maria Augusta was determined to get ahold of the situation and stabilize the realm at all costs, fearing the possibility of total collapse should all efforts go south.
   The first order of business was the return of Grand Duke Peter, the Crown Prince, from Prussia. After a rapid and harrowing journey in disguise from Berlin to Warsaw, Warsaw to Minsk, and Minsk to Moscow, the heir to the throne arrived to cheering crowds and a rousing reception in Moscow. Though separated from his wife (Princess Charlotte of Prussia) and son (Grand Duke Ivan), Grand Duke Peter quickly assumed a leadership role in the government. By March, though Maria Augusta would retain broad influence, she had largely yielded most day-to-day operations to her son, who officially assumed the title of regent on behalf of his father. The “fake Alexander” again was denounced, the legitimacy of the government in St. Petersburg seen as next to nonexistent.
    The Army of Astrakhan was ordered south first and foremost, against the Turkish tribal rebels. This was done for two reasons: first, the new regent feared the prospect of extended warfare in the region should the rebels be allowed to establish themselves and second, the need for a land route to Persia was more pressing than ever, given their reentry into the war. A joint Kazakh-Uzbek army was crushed at the Battle of Urgench. The soldiers of Xinjiang meanwhile, aided with the recapture of land further to the east. By the end of the campaigning season in central Asia, Russia had largely quieted the Turks once more, the only remaining rebel faction being the Tajiks at Tashkent. Most of that land was held by the Durranis prior to the war, so there is little urgency in retaking it. The success against the Turks was widely praised throughout Russia, effectively shutting down one potential front in this massive struggle in its infancy.
   As a result of the push southwards, the Ottomans in Astrakhan were largely left to their own devices. Still wary of the Russian numerical advantage in the region, they took no offensive action. It was noted by foreign observers that they were particularly focused on fortifying their position, potentially indicating a future struggle for this important city in the coming year.
   The bulk of the Russo-Ottoman struggle would take place in Ukraine. The year opened with the Russians smashing into Crimea, seizing Kerch once and for all this time and putting an end, for now, to the Ottoman presence on the Crimean Peninsula. The Sultan was not going to take this defeat easily however, assembling roughly 200k men in the Balkans and pushing north into Moldavia towards Ukraine. The Russian commanders in the south desperately pleaded with Moscow to provide reinforcements, but the remainder of the raised 103k men had been either sent to Prussia (50k) or moved to bolster the Northern Army in the wake of a Scandinavian assault to the north, potentially threatening the capital. This meant the Southern Army was on its own. Ceding Ruthenia to the Poles for the time being, the Army of Poland joined with the Army of the South as the region readied itself for a fight. 200k Ottomans faced 150k Russians.
   The Ottomans had an easy time in Moldavia, capturing Chisinau in midsummer and continuing northeast into the vast steppe of Russia, hoping to seize Kiev and cripple the legitimacy of the Romanovs by doing so. The Russians were waiting. Leaving the Crimea almost immediately after the fall of Kerch, they positioned themselves at Pervomais’k. These two great foes, each claimant to the heir of Byzantium, engaged in a great battle on September 8th, 1840. Aided by the Cossacks and local support the Russians put up a valiant defense. Yet, the numbers were clearly not in their favor and the quality of their soldiers was somewhat low, especially compared to the Ottomans (who had seen action already in the Balkans, Transylvania, and Egypt). Little by little the Russian defense gave way, turning into a rout by midday. The Turks, victorious, have been presented with a dilemma. Though they have entered winter quarters for the time being, in 1841 they can march south and try to retake Crimea yet again, or potentially push north and take Kiev, which is where the Russians have sought to recover and regroup. Regardless, news of the defeat in the south raised significant alarm in Moscow, especially coming on the heels as it did of news of the fall of Berlin.
   The third major theater of Russian operations in 1840 was the north, where the Scandinavians sought to break the stalemate and march south towards Moscow. That Stockholm had not been counting on when assembling its battleplans was the fact that Grand Duke Peter had ordered most of his reinforcements to this area, determined to destroy the puppet government in St. Petersburg.
   The Scandinavian Army of Finland launched an attack on the Russian Army of the North in April. They had been expecting a force of roughly 119k. What they encountered was an army of 172k. What was supposed to be a feigned retreat by the 108k Scandinavians (including Russian rebel auxiliaries) turned into a genuine one, the Army of Finland seeking to escape the clutches of the Russians. A series of skirmishes resulted in high casualties on either side, but the real bloodletting came at Nevskaya. The other two Scandinavian armies in the region attempted to encircle the Russians. This seemed successful at first, the Russians being surrounded on three sides. Yet, the Russian commanders simply ordered aggressive charges into the Army of Lagoda which was overwhelmed and shattered. Then, the turned on the Army of the Baltic. Here, the Scandinavians held, but took substantial losses in their defense. Finally, the Russians pushed north against their original foes, the Army of Finland. The Scandinavian leaders, led by General Christian de Meza, determined that they were losing too many men and would soon be unable to successfully withdraw from the region. After the battle, some evidence has emerged that portions of the Russian auxiliary army had deserted, some noting with dread that the force may have been infiltrated with pro-Muscovite Russians.
   With their defeat in mind, Scandinavian forces began an organized retreat back towards St. Petersburg, where they prepared a defense and reassessed their position. Following up on their victory, the Russians have retaken both Pskov and Novgorod, eliminating, for the time being at least, any direct threats to Moscow from the north. Though the Scandinavians have retained control over the Baltic, it is feared that without any sort of new strategy, the Baltic provinces could be shorn from their rule in the coming year.
   The victories in Turkestan and Northern Russia may have been much-needed, but some fear it may not be enough. The loss of a good portion of Ukraine is particularly threatening for the regency. Kiev stands vulnerable, as a sizable portion of the Russian breadbasket sits under Ottoman occupation. Some fear that a determined Turkish drive north could even threaten Moscow, a prospect believed to be unthinkable mere years ago. Though the Russian Empire retains a sizeable land force, the growing losses have been a cause for concern, given their enemies have whittled away their numerical superiority. As the Xing have continued to make further gains in the Far East, there is also growing panic in the Russian General’s staff about the prospect of that dynasty striking north into Mongolia, which they still claim. Some wonder is Grand Duke Peter will be able to turn the tide of this wretched conflict, the outlook seeming quite bleak.

The Persian Campaigns

   The Qajars, flush with victory after 1839 were determined to expand their gains in the region, continuing with dramatic offensives aimed at destroying Ottoman hegemony in the Near East. At the same time, the outraged Durrani rebuffed efforts by the Shah to create peace between their two realms, determined to finish the war that the Persians had started.
   The first major Persian offensive was a strike northeast, the Army located at Lake Van aiming to capture Trabzon and cut the Ottoman territories in half. The Persians faced the Tunisian-Arab Army, sent to slow their advance, at very least, the Persians outnumbering them 45k to 34k. The Armenians proved to be particularly uninterested in the conflict as it spread through their homeland, indifferent to either side and more focused on protecting their local cities and villages. Though transgressions by either side were punished by local guerrilla fighters, they would remain on the sidelines as the two armies did battle at Erzurum. The Ottoman forces were defeated, but it came at a heavy cost for both sides. Furthermore, it cost the Persians one of their most valuable resources in their dash towards Trabzon: time. At year’s end they sit close to the Black Sea, but have been unable to reach it. Even so, much of Armenia now sits in Qajar hands, the region seeming to pass from one power to another as it has done numerous times throughout its history. What remains of the Ottoman Arab-Tunisian Army has fled west.
   The Ottomans sent other reinforcements to protect northern Mesopotamia, where the Persians aimed to seize Mosul. Here, they held the numerical advantage, 60k to 49k. Yet, the demands of rapidly relocating so many soldiers had tired the men. At the Battle of Samarra, the Ottomans were unable to seize what they hoped would be a decisive victory, the stalemate sending the Qajars back to Baghdad, but only nominal amounts of territory changing hands over the course of the year.
   Turning the conflict into a sectarian war may have mobilized Shi’ite’s throughout the Ottoman territories, but any increase in zealous support was undermined by the Sunni nature of the vast majority of Ottoman Muslims, both the Turks and the Arabs. Fighting would occur on the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian allies driving south towards Qatar and capturing the region, enough of a success to spur the Sultan of Oman to launch a small strike into Yemen. Though they have no great love for the Shi’ites in Persia or the Sunnis in Turkey, the Ibadi Omani have seen the potential gains allowed by the lightening of Ottoman garrisons and the fighting elsewhere. Unfortunately, though he made gains, the Sultan of Oman found that the Shi’ites in Yemen were just as zealous as their Arabian brother to the north. His gains have been undercut by pro-Persian risings in the region, meaning three factions (Omani, Ottoman, Yemeni-Persian) vie for control of this potentially vital outpost. Some wonder if the Ottomans will be forced to employ their European allies to staunch the territorial losses here. The Sharif of Mecca, eager to undercut a potential rival for Shi’ite authority in Persia, has already appealed for aid, noting his troops are not sufficient to maintain the situation.
   Further to the east, the Durrani fight has become a debacle for the Persians. Though no offensive operation was undertaken by either side, the hostility of the government in Kabul has forced the Persians to keep men in the region at the time when some in the military would have them moved to the Mesopotamian front.

Polish Debacle & Warsaw Insurrection

   News of the fall of Berlin sent a ripple throughout the Polish Republic. Their benefactress Queen Regent Augusta looked weakened and, while Radziwill and the military remained loyal in their totality to Augusta in Breslau, there were new subversive elements emerging in Warsaw, aided and abetted by foreign spies and military supplies. Matters came to a head on October 12th in Warsaw, an organized Catholic Republican attempt at a coup launching inside the nascent republic. Jan Zygmunt Skrzynecki, a Polish general and rival of Radziwill, seized the role of leader in the Warsaw Insurrection. It became almost immediately apparent that Brazil had provided funds for this movement. Defecting from their loyalty to Radziwill, several fanatic battalions of soldiers (veterans of Plater’s movement absorbed into the larger Polish nationalist cause) proclaimed a rebirth of the Catholic Republic of Poland.
   The Warsaw insurrection was coupled with a simultaneous attempt to assassinate Radziwill, one which failed but has been blamed on Brazil. This threat on his life, coupled with treachery at the moment when Poland was the most secure it had been in decades, enraged the commander. Leading his 30,000 men back to Warsaw, the Polish capitol was placed under siege before the rebels could extend their tendrils into the countryside. Radziwill has demanded the head of Skrzynecki as a precondition to pardoning the defenders, who have naturally demurred. It is expected that 1841 will either bring famine and starvation or bloody revolutionary fighting to the streets of Warsaw.

Naples Looks South

   King Francis of Naples had long established his reputation as a pragmatist. His strike at the Papal States, and then further into Habsburg Austria, was a bold move. Though he failed in uniting Italy, making a convenient peace with Vienna had allowed him to secure recognition of his territorial gains and establish friendly buffer states to the north. That region was now secure, and the King demonstrated little inclination for reopening hostilities, despite the demands from the militarists in Naples.
   No, instead Francis looked south, and was pleased with what he saw. The Ottomans, in order to bolster their war effort against the Persians and Arab Shi’ite rebels had called on the armies of their satellite states in Tunis and Arabia. What the King of Naples saw was a lightly defended, remote, Tunis to his south, one the Ottomans would be unlikely to defend given their extended engagements against the Russians and Persians. Steadfastly proclaiming his continued adherence to peace with Vienna, the Neapolitan Navy and Army launched coordinated strikes against the isolated Beylik of Tunis.
   Tunis awoke on the morning of September 7th, 1840 to shellfire raining down on the city. Hours later the walls were breached, the lightened garrison unable to repel the advance of the seasoned Neapolitan soldiers. In mere hours the palace was breached and the Bey of Tunis arrested, being shipped to Taranto. A simultaneous strike was launched at Djerba, which likewise surrendered in quick fashion. With the realm undermanned, the leadership in Neapolitan custody, and Ottoman soldiers thousands of miles away, the people had little will to fight. By mid-December the last feeble pockets of resistance in the desert surrendered, Naples establishing the “Principality of Carthage” in Tunis. The Muslims have been granted freedom of worship and initial tax relief while the new colonial administration is being established. The seizure of Tunis has overshadowed a simultaneous “assertion of sovereignty” over the Knight’s of St. John on Malta, who saw no choice but to surrender their independence to Naples in return for retaining localized control of the island.
   The gains of Tunis and Malta have truly expanded the Neapolitan power in the Mediterranean Sea, their possession of the straights around Sicily essentially ensuring that they can cut the eastern from the western half should they so desire. Francis contends that he has no hostile intentions to either the Austrians or the Ottomans, pointing out the numerous instances of Tunisian piracy over the past few centuries as justification enough for his actions. Many in Istanbul see the loss as lamentable, but feel as though little can be done. Tunis was a peripheral holding, at best, and the heartland of the Empire is already under threat from other foes. With Naples already offering economic aid to Istanbul in return for recognition of the seizure of Tunisia, some at the Sultan’s court would accept, though no official word has been issued by the Turkish leadership.

[Spamage]

War on the Seas

   1840 would see the Great Eastern War descend upon the sea as well as the land. All across the globe decisive naval engagements would occur, each faction seeking to prevent the other from maintaining supply and communication via the sea. The various innovations put on display have demonstrated clearly that the old style of naval warfare in increasingly archaic, new ship designs and naval tactics being required for a changing age.
   The Ottomans focused their naval efforts on two regions. As was previously discussed, their presence in the Mediterranean successfully blockaded the Greek Rebellion and forced the hopelessly exposed islands, and then Athens itself, to surrender. Most of their ships were elsewhere though, the primary focus of the Turks being naval operations in the Persian Gulf. Joined by the Durrani, the small Persian fleet was quickly swatted aside, utterly obliterated in the face of overwhelming Ottoman numbers and superior equipment. What has followed is a substantial blockade of Persia. Though that realm has had limited international trade since the start of the Persian Civil War seven years ago, in such dire circumstances every development can prove dire.
   The Scandinavians undertook offensive naval operations in the Baltic Sea, hoping total control over the waters would eliminate the Prussian will to fight on. The Battle of Danzig occurred on May 7th, 1840. The Scandinavian fleet, which possessed slight numerical strength over the combined Prussian and Russian fleets aggressively engaged those two adversaries. The Scandinavians deliberately pushed themselves into a risky position, between the Prussian and Russian fleets. Though this meant they were taking fire from both sides, it also ensured the allies found themselves unable to coordinate. As the hours wore on, ships sinking on both sides, it became clear that the Russians were unable to hold their fleet together, some ships even falling into Scandinavian hands. Recognizing their allies had lost, but determined to not follow, the Prussians deployed their trump card. In what was made to look like a retreat, the Prussian ships turned back towards Danzig, seeking the safety of the harbor. The Swedes, flush with victory and their blood running high gave a brief pursuit. Then it started. Explosions emerged from the water, damaging the hulls of one Swedish vessel after another. Roughly a dozen Scandinavian ships were severely damaged before the mining of the water became evident, command ordering a sudden turn and flight back north. As water flooded, the Scandinavians eventually lost 7 ships, putting a dent in their naval strength on the Baltic. Still, with the destruction of the Russian Baltic Fleet, which was doomed in the eyes of many from the moment St. Petersburg fell, the Scandinavians retain a slight naval advantage on the Baltic Sea.
   The Austrians conducted a daring relocation of their fleet throughout 1840, anticipating that the Prussian navy would return to Europe following the conclusion of the Brazilian blockade. Although there were initial plans to base in the Netherlands and surprise any returning vessels, these were shelved once it became clear that Britain would, in fact, be intervening in Dutch affairs. Thus, the Austrians moved towards Scandinavian Jutland, docking at friendly ports. Unfortunately for them, the Prussian navy had not been recalled to Europe, relocating to the newly-purchased Prussian territories in the Caribbean or South Africa instead. The Austrian fleet sat idle for most of the year, even if its presence at Jutland has added an extra layer of security to the straights and ensured the Austro-Scandinavian alliance possesses total control over passage in and out of the Baltic Sea.

Attempted Coup in Istanbul

   Without any concrete effort to crack down on misinformation and espionage in Istanbul, 1840 would see similar paranoia spread throughout the city as during the previous year. With news of the Crown’s Prince’s illness in Greece, the matter of the succession was particularly awkward. As stories emerged from the palace alleging that Prince Mahmud, the younger brother of the sultan, would be executed in order to protect the claim of the Sultan’s younger children, paranoia gripped the royal family. Following a bizarre visit by Mahmud, where the prince begged his brother to spare his life, Sultan Mustafa explicitly promised him that the whispers were all hearsay and utterly untrue. Yet, as Mahmud departed the palace, moving through the streets of Istanbul, he was set upon by what appeared to be a group of soldiers. Denouncing him as disloyal to his brother and a stain on the House of Osman, Prince Mahmud was gunned down in full-view of the public. Dying slowly, he spent his last words cursing his brother and blaming the scheming of the city for his death. There was a series of explosions throughout the city in the following hours, throwing the civilians into chaos as it was unclear what was happening, though some suspected a palace coup was afoot. An angry mob, mourning the death of Mahmud, formed in the city center and aimed to storm the palace, but a combination of the increased Ottoman garrison in the city and local police forces were able to successfully divert them. The murder of the Sultan’s brother has come as a major blow to Mustafa IV’s popularity, Mahmud having cultivated a cosmopolitan and tolerant image in the city. Though the palace has condemned his death as a cold-blooded murder, perhaps by zealous Turkish nationalists acting extra-judiciously, that has not been enough to sponge the popular perception of the Sultan’s guilt. The idea of soldiers acting outside of the chain-of-command is also a concerning development, and could very well backfire unless proper discipline is brought to the men.

[Spamage]

Age of Steam And Steel

Turn 7: 1841

(Source: Self-Made)

Nations, Leaders, and Players

Kingdom of France: Queen Regent Marie Fernandina d'Berry Bourbon (Windjammer)
United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Americas: King Henry IX of Hanover
Ottoman Empire: Sultan Mustafa IV Osmanoğlu (Kingpoleon)
Kingdom of Scandinavia: King Frederick VI Oldenburg & Queen Catherine of Holstein-Gottorp (Ypestis)
Russian Empire: Crown Prince Regent Peter Petrovich Romanov
Kingdom of Prussia: Queen Regent Augusta Wittelsbach (Lumine)
Divine Republic of Brazil: Bishop-President Joaquim Gonçalves de Andrade (X)
Habsburg Monarchy: Emperor Francis II Habsburg-Lorraine (Dereich)
Kingdom of Louisiana: King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon (DKrol)
Joseon Korea: Queen Regent Sunwon (True Federalist)

Economic Standing:

Joseon Korea: Strong
Kingdom of Scandinavia: Moderate
United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Americas: Moderate
Russian Empire: Moderate
Divine Republic of Brazil: Moderate
Kingdom of France: Moderate
Ottoman Empire: Weak
Qajar Persia: Weak
Xing Dynasty: Weak
Kingdom of Louisiana: Weak
Kingdom of Prussia: Very Weak
Habsburg Monarchy: Very Weak

Popularity:

King Frederick VI & Queen Catherine of Scandinavia: High
Queen Regent Sunwon: High
Queen Regent Marie Fernandina Bourbon: High
Emperor Francis II Habsburg: Moderate
King Francis I Bourbon: Moderate
Queen Regent Augusta of Prussia: Moderate
Crown Prince Regent Peter Petrovich Romanov: Moderate
Mohammad Shah Qajar: Moderate
King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon: Moderate
King Henry IX of Britain: Moderate
Bishop-President Joaquim Gonçalves de Andrade: Moderate
Youfú Emperor: Moderate
Sultan Mustafa IV Osmanoğlu: Low

Current Global Conflicts:

War of Reunion: Qing Dynasty, Tibet vs. Hui Clique, Miao Clique (1839-)
American War of Secession: United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Americas vs. Kingdom of Louisiana, American League (1837-)
War of the Northeast: Confederation of New England vs. Kingdom of Quebec (1840-)
Japanese-Dutch War: Tokugawa Shogunate, Joseon Korea, Xing Dynasty, Kingdom of Spain vs. East Asian Colonial Federation (1836-)
Great Eastern War: Russian Empire, Kingdom of Prussia, Qajar Persia, Polish Rebels, Sultanate of Oman, Arab Rebels vs. Ottoman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, Kingdom of Scandinavia, Durrani Empire, Catholic Republican Poland (1838-)

(Source: Self-Made)

Kingdom of France:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-Queen Marie Fernandina won public approval early in 1840 when she agreed to call an election. This was undercut, to some degree, by the simultaneous announcement that both republican and separatist parties would be excluded from the vote. While the majority of the voters accepted and, often, supported the move, it ensured turnout would be abysmal in Flanders and several major urban areas. Still, many socialists publicly praised the Crown for allowing them participate, perhaps moderating them for the time being. In the aftermath of years governing together under the Sacred Union, many of the established French political parties found that there was almost as much division within themselves as there was between the separate parties themselves. This splintered the French political movements into many diverse groups, a development leading to political realignment in France. Adolphe Thiers led the New Liberal Party, where the mainstream of his support in that group went. More left-wing liberals, advocating for decreased royal power, continuation of the Silent Revolution, and anti-colonialism were led by Odilon Barrot in the Party of Freedom. General Bugeaud, recovering from his wounds sustained in the Netherlands, nonetheless became the natural leader of the French National Party, backing nationalism and the Crown, in addition to some economic reforms. The Party of the Crown and Cross was a new Integralist faction in France, skirting the bans on the other left-wing radical parties. They cooperated closely with the Party of the Sword, the noble-backed reactionaries. Finally, the conservatives backed Auguste Casimir-Perier. The results were as follows: 81 New Liberal Party, 80 Conservative Party, 38 Party of Freedom, 38 Socialist Party of France, 36 French National Party, 21 Party of the Crown and Cross, 7 Party of the Sword. The outcome was seen as a victory for Thiers, who has established a government consisting of 155 representatives (New Liberals, Party of Freedom, French Nationalist Party). The Conservatives were still tainted by the scandals later in the reign of Louis XVIII. Does the Crown accept these results, and what will be the initiatives for the new government? Furthermore, what is to be done about the diverging political views of the Padanian Assembly (center-right) and the French assembly (center-left)?

-The Padanian government has been assembled under the leadership of Cesare Balbo of the Conservative Party, who was officially proclaimed the Royal Chancellor of Padania. In line with tacit royal approval, a center-right government has formed, this being possible in particular due to the widespread support for the Crown from the independents. Indeed, the current governing coalition consists of: 90 conservatives, 19 independents, 12 separatists, and 11 regionalists, for a majority of 132. Gabrio Casati leads the opposition from the Liberal Party with its 63 seats. Yet, having a coalition of so many parties does mean that there are demands being made, however infeasible they may seem. The separatists are already pushing for a constitutional decree pledging to separate France and Padania once a King has two male heirs. The regionalists, meanwhile, have moved to limit any expansion to central power. Regardless of these internal issues, the situation seems well. Coupled with the right-wing tilt of the Senate, it is expected that both houses will be able to work together somewhat harmoniously and throughout the latter half of 1840 the administration set to work with little issues. Still, the seat of President of the Senate remains vacant and you will have to choose a candidate to act in that role, which is largely expected to be symbolic for the time being. Despite the conflict-of-interest, Grand Duke Xavier has expressed interest in taking the role, though many worry about the precedent that would set. Alberto della Marmora, a notable general, is another candidate, considered to be a mainstream conservative, even if he had some questionable nationalism in the past. Agostino Codazzi has been suggested by the liberals. What will you do about the new Padanian issues?

-The Netherlands has been subdued at long last. Though fighting continues in far-off Asia, the defeat of the Dutch in Europe proper has brought popularity to your regency, even if it has come at a tremendous cost in manpower and money. Although the reports of the bloodshed have again been condemned by some French subjects, their objections were drowned out partially as a result of driving the republicans and other opposition groups underground. Now you must decide what is to be done with the Dutch state. Three times in the last century French intervention has been required in the Netherlands. Perhaps something should be done to ensure a fourth invasion is not necessary. What will you do, in concert with the Prussians and British, to ensure that the Dutch are not a headache anymore?

Kingdom of Scandinavia:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-Your men may have been mauled in the process, but Berlin has been seized from the Prussians, uniting your realm with the Habsburg Monarchy and cleaving Prussia in two. The Germans have not been idle though. Prussia has now threatened Hamburg and the movements of their armies to the east are an open question. On the Baltic you manage to inflict grievous wounds on the Russian fleet, but the Prussian mines did their job and have meant many of your ships will be sidelined for repairs this year as well. The war seems not yet to be over, even with thousands of brave young men dead. What is to be done about the situation in the south, both on land and sea?

-The developments in Northern Russia turned from disappointing to alarming over the course of the previous year. Of particular concern is the vulnerable position the loss of Pskov and Novgorod puts your Baltic territories in. There is also the prospect of the Russians marching towards St. Petersburg, seeking to root out the “False Alexander” once and for all. Yet, with the Russians distracted by the Ottomans to the south, perhaps not all hope is lost. What is your strategy for the Russian war in 1841?

-The war in North America has been nothing short of a disaster. Not only have you lost your holdings in the far north of the mainland, but Quebec has occupied Greenland as well, taking advantage of your distractions. The question now is what you will do to respond. A blockade is not entirely out of the question, New England willing to cooperate on such an adventure and provide safe harbor, but most of the public would rather see the navy defend the home waters. There is also the prospect of providing financial and material aid to both New England and Great Britain, who are each hostile in some capacity towards Montreal. Still, this is a fight over territory thousands of miles away. Perhaps it is better to leave it be for the time being until there is peace in Europe? How will you respond to Quebecois aggression?

Habsburg Monarchy:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-Emperor Francis, Berlin has fallen. The German League is crippled as your soldiers march through the heartland of Prussia. This should be a moment of triumph, but it has come at tremendous cost. Even now, the Prussians control your core territory in Bohemia and Slovakia, perhaps providing a bitter aftertaste to your victory in the north. Still, with the Russians falling back to defend their homeland, the Greeks defeated, and a trace with the Rhenish, there is hope that you will have more resources to bring to bear in the continued struggle. What will your armies do in 1841?

-The economic situation of the realm is poor. Armies are expensive and it’s tough to collect taxes in land controlled by your bitter rival. Prussian occupation has interrupted supply chains and the government is running a significant deficit. While this is understandable given the circumstances, there is a question about whether or not certain policies could help alleviate the process. Some in Vienna have called for an outright pillaging of Brandenburg, stripping the region of whatever movable wealth is at hand, crops and materials included. Yet, there are many who worry such a harsh action could only serve to strengthen local resistance. Others would have you cooperate with your Ottoman and Scandinavian allies on financial issues, perhaps through mutual lending of providing material aid to one another (such as Ukrainian wheat). Alternatively, you could use the crisis as a way to centralize the finances of your disparate realms, uniting them under a central banking and credit system. Still, there are those who would have you borrow blindly, believing the profits of victory will outweigh the cost of any short-term loan. What will you do about the finances of the Habsburg Monarchy?

-The Neapolitan strike south at Tunis is technically not prohibited by the recent treaty with that realm, though some in Vienna believe it is bad taste. Regardless, what’s done is done. King Francis of Naples is now pressuring you to follow through on the second key point of the treaty, demanding that 19-year-old Grand Duchess Maria Sophia or Tuscany wed the 15-year-old Prince Alfonso. Unions at such a young age, especially among the nobility, are not uncommon, but some would have you hold off the match. Still, by doing so could mean further tension in Italy and threaten the peace. As father of the bride, your consent is required before the union can occur. What say you?

Kingdom of Prussia:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-The loss of Berlin was not ideal, to put it lightly, Queen Augusta. Even so, your foresight in getting the royal family outside of the city early in the year was rewarded. Prussia has been battered, but all hope is not yet lost. Though you have lost thousands, the enemies have been worn down as well. Prussia still has many armies in the field and some of the Habsburg heartland remains in your hands. Russia, with the issues in Central Asia largely resolved, now intends to send men west, perhaps relieving some of the pressure. There is time to recover, but it must be done wisely. How will you avenge the loss of Berlin?

-Navally, your fleet is divided. With the mauling of the Russian fleet off the coast of Danzig and your simultaneous success in mining several Scandinavian vessels, the Baltic remains a frustrating parity of naval strength. Yet, the Scandinavians hold the way towards the open sea and their Habsburg allies sail north of Jutland, potentially shifting the balance in the Baltic. Further afield, the bulk of the Prussian colonial fleet, larger than whatever sits in the Baltic, is at port in your numerous holdings, including South Africa and the Caribbean Islands, perhaps able to cause mischief if employed properly. What are your orders to the admiralty at this crucial juncture?

-Economically, Prussia is in dire straits, just like the Habsburgs. The costs of raising so many men have been coupled with the lost tax revenue and the continued blockade of Prussia as a result of Scandinavian closing of the straights. Russia and Poland have picked up some of the slack, providing raw materials, food, and loans to get you through the past few years, but their sources have been placed under threat by the Ottoman advance. If the war is to be won, your men need to be paid and fed. Some would have you raid the Bohemian harvest this year, stealing their food and wealth to provide for your grandson’s own subjects at this crucial point. Others believe that rationing and perhaps the issuing of bonds to foreign creditors in Switzerland, the Rhineland, France, and Naples could be another way of keeping the ship of state afloat. You can continue to borrow as well, but there are those who fear that will make you too reliant on foreign creditors without any other recourse. What will be done about the economic situation?

Ottoman Empire:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-The Persian advance continues, threatening to divide your empire and cut the Caucuses off from the rest of your holdings. In addition, the Persians have brought force to bear in Mesopotamia. While you have repelled their advance on Mosul, and they failed to reach Trabzon in 1840, the threat remains very real. Arabia continues to tumble into conflict, Oman joining the war against you out of pure opportunism. What is to be done about the military situation in the Near East, Sultan Mustafa?

-Your victory against the Russians in Ukraine has been a blessing, forcing them back and giving you a wide variety of options to pursue in 1841. There’s always the possibility of marching back into Crimea and reasserting control, but there are those in your general’s staff who believer bolder operations are necessary. They would have you march on Kiev or, if providence should be so kind, Moscow. Alternatively, you could split your forces, though that could give the Russians the window they have been desperately searching for in order to launch a counter-offensive. Furthermore, with the defeat of the Turkish tribes, your army at Astrakhan looks increasingly vulnerable, another factor to keep in mind. How will the Russian war be prosecuted?

-The death of your brother is lamentable, both for the public furor it has caused and for the loss of a potential male heir. The Crown Prince remains incapacitated in Greece, the cause of his illness increasingly looking less like disease. Istanbul remains rife with rumors and paranoia, especially in the aftermath of the supposed coup. Many at Court advise you to conduct a thorough investigation and tamp down on dissent. Others fear aggravating dissidents at such a dire moment would be political suicide. Sultan Mustafa, what will you do about the recent chaos that has rocked the capitol for the past two years?

[Spamage]

Divine Republic of Brazil:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-Though many were aghast at your treatment of de Rosas and other rebel leaders at Nicaragua, the move seems to have served its purpose. Both within and outside of Brazil, many are terrified of your regime. The civil war has been ended, domestic peace restored, and reform continued apace. As the economy recovers, thanks in part to your agreement with Portugal, it is perhaps time for your realm to look outwards once more. With the world aflame, expansion in any direction seems feasible. Some would have you continue your African ventures from the previous year, perhaps now working to gain control over Mozambique and Angola, which were once Portuguese colonies but have long since been shorn from that realm. Others believe northern ventures, given your newfound friendship with Haiti, could be fortuitous. Either in the Caribbean against the British or along the Atlantic coast against the Francophone monarchies, slight Brazilian intervention (or the threat of it) could yield substantial returns. What will be your foreign policy goals for 1841?

-Brazil is the clear leader of the Catholic Republican cause in South America. Though the revolution in Colombia predates your own, it is indisputable that peace with Spain would not have occurred had you not committed your men to the war effort. There are now calls to make your role as leader a bit more formal. Some in Sao Paulo have suggested forming some sort of international arrangement with Colombia, Ecuador, Lower Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay, creating an official united front. Inspired loosely by both the German League, though rejecting the degree of centralization in that body, there is broad willingness to further cooperation in both Bogota and Asuncion.  Will you formalize the ties between within the Catholic Republican movement in South America, or perhaps among Catholic Republican groups throughout the world? If so, what would this look like?

-Pope Alexander IX has long been silent about the Catholic Republican movement in South America, perhaps secretly wishing they would all fall in on themselves and allow the problem to be solved without his involvement. As your victory in the Brazilian Civil War demonstrates, this clearly will not be the case. As such, the Vatican has made several tentative moves behind-the-scenes, hoping to open a dialogue with you and regain some authority in the South American Church. Matters under discussion include restoring Rome’s control over appointment to bishoprics, reining in the Holy Orders, and agreeing to cease ordinations unless they are approved by Rome beforehand. Although it hasn’t yet been said openly, it has also been intimated that refusal could mean sanction by the Pope and College of Cardinals. Hardliners in Sao Paulo see this as the corrupt establishment trying to profit off of your success and urge refusal. Support for the Papacy among the civilians should not be underestimated though (you are still Catholic, after all), no matter how politically neutered the Vatican has become. How will you respond to those opening salvos of negotiations from Rome?

Kingdom of Louisiana:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-At long last the slow British advance has seen some reversals, King Louis-Philippe, many crediting your uniting of the two realms as key in eliminating disorganized command. Charleston and much of South Carolina have been retaken, though numerical parity with the British continues. Further to the north, the Sioux have been defeated, ending that British satellite state for the time being, and the path seems open for further operations in the west. Mexico has continued to provide nominal naval aid and serve as a safe-harbor for trade vessels seeking to do business with your realm. The war rages on, what will you to do recover your position further?

-It is no secret there is growing exhaustion in London over the continued fighting in the Americas. Many in Parliament question whether or not it is even worth it to have such disagreeable people as those in the south in the extended British Empire, given their continued stubbornness and disrespect. The death of Charles III may have provided a window where a compromise peace would be acceptable, though that is contingent on substantial concessions on your end. Will you approach the British, perhaps even through a foreign mediator (as you did with Spain about Mexico several years ago), or should peace not be offered until your men are in a position to extract more concessions and make it more equitable?

-The eruption of war between New England and Quebec has already entangled both you and the British. New England has demonstrated clear Francophobic preference for London, while Quebec has turned to you as a potential ally in the struggle. The marriage between your eldest son and Princess Marie of Quebec has only further cemented the bonds of your alliance. Quebec is calling on you to formally declare war on New England and unite your separate struggles, though that could pose complications towards your plans in Europe, given the hostilities towards Quebec and Scandinavia. Still, perhaps you would be able to serve as a bridge between the two? To what extent will you align yourself with the Quebecois?

Qajar Persia:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-The Ottomans have been pushed back. Armenia is Persian once more, as it was often during antiquity, and your men are on the cusp of reaching the Black Sea. In Mesopotamia the Ottomans have assembled a formidable force aiming to prevent your seizure of Mosul and take back Baghdad. The war in the Near East continues to rage and could still go either way. To your east, the Durrani remain defiant, succored by Ottoman promises of financial and military aid and eager to avenge your attack on their empire. As the war continues, what are your aims in the coming year?

-The Ottomans are allied with both Scandinavia and Austria in their European struggle against the Prussians and the Russians. This meant little to your people initially, but as the war has continued, and your subjects have come to sympathize with Berlin and Moscow more and more, there is growing hostility towards the Scandinavian and Austrian trade concessions at Bandar Abbas, Queshm, Bai Saidu, and Kish. These holdings have been the site of tension in the last decade, in particular during the Persian Civil War that saw your dynasty established, but the intervening few years were peaceful. Now there are debates, yet again, about what ought to be done with the foreign presence in the region. Any act against these concessions would undoubtedly be considered an act of war against Austria and Scandinavia but, as many note, these realms are quite distant and extremely distracted with assaults everywhere from North America to Poland. Given the Ottoman naval superiority, it is unlikely that you could besiege the settlements, so if they are to be taken it will have to be through direct assault.

-The increasing sectarian nature of the rebellion against the Ottomans in Arabia has produced some unforeseen consequences. Oman, spurred on by foreign pleas and blind opportunism, has struck at Ottoman Yemen. The Ibadi Omani have found themselves at odds with not just the Turkish officials in the region, but the Shi’ites as well, who profess loyalty to your regime and see you as their liberator. This has obviously complicated relations between yourself the Omani, who have demanded you condemn the Yemeni rebels and publicly affirm the Ibadi claim to the region. Yet, betraying the Shi’ites in Arabia could undercut their support for rebelling against the Ottomans in the first place. As is evident, the situation is complicated. What will you do in regards to this situation?

Joseon:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

-The Dutch have been pushed back with ease, opening the way for potential further offensives in the East Indies. Although there may have once been some skepticism over your regency’s policy of great engagement with the international world, these fears have been put to rest by recent events. The stories coming from the south, of Korean vessels going toe to toe with the Dutch and emerging victorious have been particularly popular, given the Dutch historic reputation for seafaring. A nationalist frenzy sweeps the realm, pride in beating back the colonizers on the rise. With that in mind, what are your plans for 1841? Will you continue to push or should some sort of terms be reached? It’s not quite clear who you ought to negotiate with, given the state of the Netherlands and the rudeness the OAKF has shown in the past…

-How the news of victory changes foreign perceptions! Far from shunning your proposals as they once did, several of the leaders you courted have changed their tune. Both Johore and Brunei have accepted your offer for greater control over their realm in return for protection and broad local autonomy, certainly an enticing offer given the circumstances. Still, given Johore’s growing hostility towards Siam and, indirectly, France, there are others that worry any acceptance would have to be done so with great care. What is to be done about these leaders, so rude in 1840, but now willing to deal in 1841?

-Your grandson, now 14-years-old, seems more than willing to begin his reign and has subtly indicated in many circles he views it as time for you to step aside. Perhaps fueled by whispers from your rivals, or even the words of his own mother, he is demonstrating a growing desire for independence and autonomy. No longer merely content to be a cosigner or student, he would assume total control of the realm. Yet, there are many who fear young Heonjong is not yet ready for such a heavy burden. With your realm engaged in a great war to the south, navigating a warm but shallow friendship with Japan, and undergoing tremendous economic changes, your closest friends urge you to maintain your control over the state. This is not to mention the broad network of support you have cultivated from your clean, something the untried King could mess up. You have worked so hard to build up the Joseon realm, why risk it all in the hands of an inexperienced youth? Perhaps some sort of official deadline to your regency could be set as a means of placating the King? Whatever the case, the King is not getting any younger and this problem will probably be persistent. What is to be done?


Armies and Locations
Russian Empire
149,600 Army of the North
119,500 Army of the South
89,500 Army of Astrakhan
63,000 Army of Mongolia
23,000 Army of Prussia
23,000 Xinjiang Volunteers
5,000 Army of Alaska
30,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 4,000 more)

Kingdom of France
297,300 Army of Flanders
63,400 Army of Northern France
44,100 Army of Southern France
60,000 Army of Bengal
30,000 Army of Gujarat
27,900 Army of Sumatra
19,100 Army of the Sacred Heart (Ceylon)
40,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 6,000 more)
*- Numbers for Padania Coming Soon

Habsburg Monarchy
105,000 Army of Berlin
231,700 Army of Vienna
80,300 Army of Carpathia
6,500 Army of Greece
36,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 4,000 more)

Kingdom of Prussia
58,900 Army of Posen
47,500 Army of Hamburg
262,000 Royal Army
25,000 Army of Poland
8,300 Army of the Cape
6,000 Army of Angola
5,000 Army of the Congo
30,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 2,000 more)

United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Americas
50,000 Army of Britain
44,500 Army of Leeuwarden
23,000 Army of Virginia
36,400 Army of Tennessee
22,000 Army of North Carolina
9,200 Army of Georgia
28,000 Army of Missouri
26,700 Army of Cumberland
10,000 Army of Australia
1,700 Army of Ghana
1,500 Army of Nigeria
9,800 Army of the Suez
30,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 109,000 more)

Ottoman Empire
182,700 Army of Ukraine
40,000 Army of the Caucuses
18,700 Army of Greece
55,300 Army of Mesopotamia
27,900 Army of Armenia (Arabian & Tunisian Allies)
(Can raise 2,000 more)

Xing Dynasty
77,000 Army of Chengdu
70,000 Army of the West
51,000 Army of Wuhan
33,000 Army of Hainan
30,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 92,000 more)

Kingdom of Spain
84,000 Army of Spain
32,000 Army of Yucatan
75,000 Army of Peru
22,000 Army of Chile
20,000 Army of Cuba
10,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 20,000 more)

Kingdom of Scandinavia
48,000 Army of Berlin
149,200 Army of St. Petersburg
16,500 Russian Auxiliaries
5,000 Army of Liberia
16,000 Army of Greece
2,000 Army of Gabon
35,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 6,000 more)

Kingdom of Naples
45,000 Army of Naples
36,000 Army of Tunis
10,000 Army of Sicily
20,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 68,000 more)

East Asian Colonial Federation (OAKF)
35,000 Army of the East Indies
17,000 Army of New Holland
10,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 25,000 more)

Republic of Brazil
83,000 Army of La Plata
50,000 Army of Northern Brazil
49,000 Army of Recife
10,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 33,000 more)

Joseon Korea
36,000 Army of the North
36,000 Army of the South
19,500 Army of the Indies
12,000 Cheollima Corps
12,000 Gumiho Corps
9,000 Marine Corps
15,000 Manchurian Flying Corps
47,000 men garrisoned in Korea, 3,000 Ningguta Division garrisoned in Manchuria
(Can raise 6,000 more: 2,000 Koreans, 4,000 Manchurians)

Kingdom of Louisiana/America
37,000 Army of Florida
41,500 Army of the South
40,000 Army of the Mississippi
24,000 Army of Colorado
16,000 National Gendarmerie
3,000 Army of the North
10,000 men garrisoned
(Can raise 52,000 more)

Qajar Persia
43,500 Northern Army
42,000 Army of Mesopotamia
16,000 Army of the South
8,500 Army of Sistan and Baluchistan
(Can raise 4,000 more)


Navies of the World
United Kingdom of Britain, Ireland, and the Americas (First-Rate, Dominant)
Kingdom of France (First-Rate, Dominant)
Kingdom of Prussia (Innovative, Sizable)
Kingdom of Scandinavia (Innovative, Sizable)
Kingdom of Naples (Advanced, Standard)
Kingdom of Spain (Modernized, Sizable)
Kingdom of Quebec (Modernized, Standard)
Ottoman Empire (Modernized, Standard)
Republic of Brazil (Modernized, Standard)
Joseon Korea (Modernized, Standard)
Habsburg Monarchy (Modernized, Limited)
Kingdom of Louisiana (Modernized, Limited)
Tokugawa Japan (Reformed, Standard)
Russian Empire (Reformed, Limited)
Xing Dynasty (Traditional, Standard)
Qajar Persia (Traditional, Nonexistant)

[Kingpoleon]

On the Death of the Brother of the Sultan:

My heart weeps for my dead brother. As most men know, it was an ancient tradition of my forefathers that on assuming the throne, he must kill his brothers. I did not obey this tradition, nor did my father before me. My brother was my most faithful ally, and his advice will surely be missed. Let every man know: his children I hereby take as my own. They are under my protection, and anyone who harms them will be treated as if he harmed my son.

I hereby order a thorough investigation. Was this the action of subversive elements in the Army? Or were foreign powers behind this? Was this the last blow of the recently defeated rebels? I shall seek the answer unflinchingly. All my ministries are hereby ordered to comply with any request of this investigation. A special committee is hereby formed, including myself, my son who is a prince, two of Mahmud’s sons, my minister of justice, the Imam of the Sultan, the Patriarch of Constantinople, a police spokesman, a high judge, and a military general. The City Guard, the local police, and the justice ministry shall launch a joint investigation under the immediate control of the Justice Minister and the City Guard’s Captain.

[DKrol]

A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon, King of Louisana and the Americans

On the First Minister: The first elections for the Parliament of the Americas were a rousing success, with great turnout and a smooth, fair process. Having received the results of the election, I do certify the following results:

Party of the Crown: 43.31%, 46 seats
Union Party of Louisiana: 28.67%, 27 seats
Reform Party: 24.99%, 26 seats
Liberty Party: 3.03%, 1 seat

Having held discussions with the leaders of the four seated parties, I extend a mandate to Pierre Soulé and the Party of the Crown to form a Government in my name in coalition with the Union Party and Alexandre Mouton. With a thorough majority of 73 seats, I expect this to be a fruitful and successful first Parliament. I task this first Parliament with drafting plans for railroads, agriculture, and exports.

By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

[PSOL]

Edict on the Autonomy of Armenia

By Allah’s will, I have decided to give a high degree of autonomy to the Armenians around Yerevan. As people of the book, they have rights and privileges given to justly by the grace of Allah. Under the Turkish Yoke, they have become poor and stagnant, but I am willing to treat them with the respect they deserve.

Let it be known that with The Sublime State of Persia, such policies against the People of the Book—whether Jewish, Christian, or Sabian—will be respected and no molestation will occur. I have also allowed them to pick up arms momentarily to defend their land against bandits from the West. For the good of the religious minorities in the Ottoman domain, I suggest they think over whose allegiance will be best for their community.

[PSOL]

Line of Succession

My Crown Prince Apparent shall be Nasser Al-Din Shah

[Spamage]

Concordat of Sao Paulo

1. The Holy See officially recognizes the governments of the Divine Republic of Brazil, Holy People's Republic of Colombia, Republic of Lower Peru, Sacred Union of Paraguay, Republic of Uruguay, Republic of Ecuador, and Kingdom of Portugal. Apostolic nuncios will be sent to the respective capitals forthwith.

2. The Church in the aforementioned South American states shall retain autonomy over the ordination of new priests.

3. The Papacy has the right to appoint bishops to vacancies in the South American Church, albeit from a pool of potential candidates nominated by the respective government.

4. This treaty reaffirms the historic and unbreakable bonds of the Universal Church in Rome and South America.

X- Pope Alexander IX

Treaty of Santiago de Compostella

1. Recognizing the historic nature and universal benefits of their historic peace, the representatives of the Kingdom of Spain and the Divine Republic of Brazil, Holy People's Republic of Colombia, Republic of Lower Peru, Sacred Union of Paraguay, Republic of Ecuador, and Kingdom of Portugal (hereafter referred to as the "Catholic League") reiterate their peaceful relations.

2. In the event the Kingdom of Spain and the Catholic League should find themselves on opposite sides of a global conflict, the neutrality of the powers towards one another is reaffirmed throughout the world.

3. The Kingdom of Spain and Catholic League reaffirm the blossoming trade and commercial ties between their many territories and pledge to work to expand this relationship moving forward.

4. The existing borders in South and Central America are reaffirmed.

X- King Philip VI of Spain

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Concordat of Sao Paulo

1. The Holy See officially recognizes the governments of the Divine Republic of Brazil, Holy People's Republic of Colombia, Republic of Lower Peru, Sacred Union of Paraguay, Republic of Uruguay, Republic of Ecuador, and Kingdom of Portugal. Apostolic nuncios will be sent to the respective capitals forthwith.

2. The Church in the aforementioned South American states shall retain autonomy over the ordination of new priests.

3. The Papacy has the right to appoint bishops to vacancies in the South American Church, albeit from a pool of potential candidates nominated by the respective government.

4. This treaty reaffirms the historic and unbreakable bonds of the Universal Church in Rome and South America.

X- Pope Alexander IX

Bishop-President Joaquim Gonçalves de Andrade

Treaty of Santiago de Compostella

1. Recognizing the historic nature and universal benefits of their historic peace, the representatives of the Kingdom of Spain and the Divine Republic of Brazil, Holy People's Republic of Colombia, Republic of Lower Peru, Sacred Union of Paraguay, Republic of Ecuador, and Kingdom of Portugal (hereafter referred to as the "Catholic League") reiterate their peaceful relations.

2. In the event the Kingdom of Spain and the Catholic League should find themselves on opposite sides of a global conflict, the neutrality of the powers towards one another is reaffirmed throughout the world.

3. The Kingdom of Spain and Catholic League reaffirm the blossoming trade and commercial ties between their many territories and pledge to work to expand this relationship moving forward.

4. The existing borders in South and Central America are reaffirmed.

X- King Philip VI of Spain

Bishop-President Joaquim Gonçalves de Andrade

[PSOL]

On the Abolishment of the International Slave Trade in the Sublime Stateand Tax on the purchase and sale of Slaves

Purchase of Slaves from outside of the Sublime State is hereby illegal. Anyone violating this rule will be fined 1,000 Qiran (2,000 Touman) and the acquisition of the slaves if possible. Interstate trade is hereby imposed a tax of 70% of the value of the sale or purchase.

Penal Colony Authorization Decree

For every criminal act done by the subjects of Persia lasting more than 1 year but less than 15, they have a way to get clemency for half of their sentence in authorized penal colonies. These colonies shall aide in the construction of infrastructure, public works, and other wishes of the Crown. For captured Enemy Soldiers, they will spend 20 years working up their way to freedom, living in far worse living quarters in the remote desert locations.

Such penal colonies shall be run by the Directory of Prisons reporting to the local bureaucracy of the local provinces.

Local Industry Promotement and Subsidization decree

The various industries shall be promoted and subsidized by 15% for ten years under royal charter.

The industry of Silk production shall be established or expanded in Isfahan, Tabriz, Yazd, Urmia, Tehran, and Isfahan. Under royal charter; the Jewish merchants in Isfahan and Tehran shall have a local monopoly on production, distribution, and sale—Assyrian Merchants in Urmia and Tabriz shall have a local monopoly on production, distribution, and sale—Zoroastrians in Yazd.

Pearl cultivation and distribution in Qatif, Mahram, and the Delta valley in (now Kuwait and Iranian Khuzestan) shall have a royal charter by Shia Arab Shaikhs who first rebelled against the Turks and local Sunni Shaikhs respectively.

Alcohol in Gilan, Rasht, Yerevan, and Tabriz shall be run by royal charter by Armenians

Caviar shall be run by the royal princes in charge of the Caspian Sea

Small Farm plots shall have have their taxes reduced by 3% instead of a subsidy

Manufacturing of weaponry, processes industrial goods, and machinery shall receive a 20% subsidy. So shall sugar and tobacco production.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

조선 정부의 선포
Proclamations of the Government of Joseon

(Source: self-made)

The Bureau of Railways announces that in this year of 8 Heonjong, in addition to maintaining the current railways, there shall be constructed the following railways:

• Gongju to Daejong
• Wonju to Donghae
• Sariwon to Haeju
• Anju to Kanggye
• Musan to Hyesan
• Raeson to Hwanhang

With the aforementioned constructions, the list of operating and planned railways of the Bureau of Railways will be:
Line 1: Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Incheon
Line 2: Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Suwon to Gongju to Daejong to Gimcheong to Daegu to Busan
Line 21: Daejong to Jeonju to Gunsan

Line 3:Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Wonju to Donghae

Line 4: Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Kaesong to Sariwon to Pyeongyang to Anju to Kanggye to Manpo to Chunggang to Junggyeong to Ningguta, Outer Manchuria
Line 41: Kaesong to Haeju to Sariwon
Line 42: Line 42W & (Manpo to Chunggang of Line 4) & Line 42E
Line 42W: Sinuiji to Manpo
Line 42E: Chunggang to Hyesan to Musan to Hoeryeong to Raeson

Line 50: Nampo to Pyeongyang to Kangdong & Line 57
Line 57: Kangdong to Gowon

Line 60: Donghae to Gangneung to Sokcho to Wonsan to Gowon to Hamheung to Seongjin to Cheongjin to Raeson to Hwanhang

Line 70: Sinuiji to Anju to Kangdong & Line 57

(Italics indicate railways that should be in operation by the end of the year. The above is not an exhaustive list of railway stations.)


Regulation Concerning Favored Joseon Industries
For the purposes of the Industrial Promotion Act, 5 Heonjong the following industries are henceforth eligible for loan subsidies:
1. Production of machine tools
2. Production of powered woodworking tools
3. Production of steam engines
4. Production of powered carding, spinning, or weaving equipment
5. Production of iron, steel, bronze, or other alloys
6. Production of railway engines, railway carriages, railway equipment, and rails
7. Shipbuilding
8. Operation of regularly scheduled commercial steamships either on the rivers of the Joseon realm or between a Joseon port and a foreign port on a trip of less than ten days round trip
9. Whaling for whale oil, ambergris, and other whale products other than whale meat
10. Production of porcelain and celadon
11. Production of cement

[PSOL]

The crown shall devise a holding company to have a complete monopoly on Tobacco as well. There will be a 50% VAT on it.

Flag of Persia

The Flag of Persia shall be a golden, Masculine Lion with its Right paw holding an issued Saber to our officers and a crown Atop its head. There shall be a Feminine Sun arising from its back in the what appears to be in the back.

The background shall be three equal sized horizontal bars going from the colors top to bottom as Red, White, and Green

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Concordat of Pontianak

1. the OAKF recognizes that the Joseon Realm shall have suzerainty over the Sultanates of Johor, Brunei, Pontianak, Banjar, Gowa, and Tidore, as well as the Raj of Larantuka and cedes all claims to the Malay Peninsula and the Riau Islands (Johor), Borneo (Brunei, Pontianak, and Banjar), Sulawesi (Gowa), the Molucca and the Barat Daya Islands (Tidore), Flores and neighboring islands east of Sape Strait (Larantuka). In return the Joseon Realm abjures all interests in Sumatra, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands west of Sape Strait, Sumba, Sawu, Timor, and New Guinea. This paragraph only asserts spheres of interest between the Joseon Realm and the OAKF in the East Indies and does not bind either party to support the other in asserting or retaining control of their respective spheres, nor does it preclude the parties from recognizing the claims of third parties or from transferring areas to third parties within their respective spheres of interest.

2. The OAKF shall transfer control of the port of Diego-Suarez at the northern tip of Madagascar to the Joseon Realm, in return for which the Joseon realm shall remit to the OAKF 100,000 silver won.

3. Hostilities shall end and normal trade relations shall resume between the OAKF and the Joseon Realm.  Furthermore, the two parties shall agree to grant each other most favored trading partner status in the East Indies. Moreover, the Joseon Realm agrees to not permit trade between other European nations and the Joseon East Indies, as defined by paragraph 1 above, save upon Dutch, Joseon, or OAKF ships unless the OAKF or the Netherlands (once the OAKF and the Netherlands are reconciled) shall by its own agreements extend trading privileges to the East Indies to a third party European government.

4. There shall be no monetary reparations for damages incurred by either party in the recent conflict. Prisoners of war held by either party shall be repatriated no later than the end of the current year. The Sultan of Pontianak shall be repatriated from Willhemstad to his sultanate with all deliberate haste.

5. The Joseon realm shall return to the OAKF all arms of Dutch manufacture captured during the recent hostilities that are still in their possession at the end of hostilities.

Kim Nam-gi
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Joseon Realm
on behalf of and by the order of King Heonjong and Queen Regent Sunwon

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

조선 법원 선포
Proclamations of the Court of Joseon

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

King Heonjong in accordance with the advice of Queen Regent Sunwon and his advisors, announces on this Dano of the eighth year of his reign (1841) the following:

Joseon Indies Act, 8 Heonjong

1. This act supplements the Overseas Duchies, 6 Heonjong. Unless otherwise specified existing laws applying to grand duchies shall also apply to the sovereignties recognized under this act.

2. Within the Indies there shall be recognized certain sovereignties (주권 jugwon) which shall have autonomy in local matters, but military, navigation, and trade matters shall be subject to Joseon law and regulation. The Joseon realm shall provide assistance to the sovereignties to help them develop their culture, commerce, and defense against both private and state aggressors.

3. The ruler of each sovereignity shall be referred to in the Joseon language as a Jugwonja (주권자 Sovereign), and by such term as is deemed most appropriate in the Malay language by the Jugwonja thereof. In court functions, a Jugwonja shall have precedence over a Daegong (대공 Grand Duke).

4. This act applies to the Sultanate of Johor (조 호르의 술탄국 Kesultanan Johor), the
 Sultanate of Brunei (브루나이 술탄국 Kesultanan Brunei), the Sultanate of Pontianak (폰티 아낙 술탄국 Kesultanan Pontianak), the Sultanate of Banjar (반 자르의 술탄국 Kesultanan Banjar), the Sultanate of Gowa (고와 술탄국 Kesultanan Gowa), the Sultanate of Tidore (티 도르의 술탄국 Kesultanan Tidore), and the Raj of Larantuka (라란 투카 라지 Raj dari Larantuka) mentioned in the Concordat of Pontianak, as well as such other sovereignties as may be established or recognized in the future.

5.  The Bureau of Ducal Relations within the Ministry of State shall be renamed the Bureau of Vassal Relations and deal with Sultans, Rajas, and Grand Dukes.

6. For use within the Joseon Indies, silver ⅛, ¼, ½, and 1 won coins may be minted, which shall be marked on the obverse with the mugunghwa flower, the value of the coin in the eonmun script and the regnal year and regnal name of the year in which the coin was minted , while the reverse shall bear the name of the sovereignty for which it was minted, a value of 1, 2, 4, or 8 rupiah (1 won = 8 rupiah) in the Malay language using the Latin script and an image chosen by the sovereign thereof, save that no such coin shall bear the image of an actual person. Moreover, the sovereigns may issue brass cash coins of such value, weight, and design as they desire for use within their sovereignty.

[PSOL]

A reminder to All European powers

I have no interest in alienating any of you and I wish to expand trade and diplomacy in the near future. My objectives don’t go past Central Asia, the Caucasus, Arabia, and the Levant for purely security reasons. I highly urge for the concert of nations to look past any deals made with the Sick Man of Europe , and the bluffs of such a character.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

A General Statement concerning Intellectual Property Law in the Joseon Realm

I might or might not get done a fully fleshed out copyright law before the game ends, but I certainly won't have time for patent or trademark law.  Therefore, I decided to lay out the bare bones of my intentions here.

Copyright: 28 year term, renewable for additional 28 year terms during the lifetime of the author(s), with the heirs able to secure a final 28 year term following the death of the author. Works for hire are able to be renewed only once (maximum of 56 years).

Patents: 7 year initial term, renewable for a single additional 28 year term if the holder, a licensee, or an infringer of the patent has made use of the patent in a commercial product during the initial 7 year term. There will be provisions for compulsory licensing in the case of national security or medical emergency.

Trademarks: 7 year initial term, renewable for additional 28 year terms so long as the trademark is in use.

Foreign copyrights, patents, and trademarks to be generally respected on the same basis as Joseon copyrights, patents, and trademarks.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

조선 정부의 선포
Proclamations of the Government of Joseon

(Source: self-made)

The Bureau of Railways announces the following four-year construction plan for the years 9 Heonjong (1842) to 12 Heonjong (1845) to complete the primary routes of the Joseon Railways:

9 Heonjong:

• Kanggye to Manpo
• Cheongjin to Raeson
• Kaesong to Haeju
• Anju to Kangdong
• Donghae to Gangneung
• Daejong to Jeonju

10 Heonjong:

• Gangneung to Sokcho
• Seongjin to Cheongjin
• Manpo to Chunggang
• Sinuiji to Anju
• Kangdong to Gowon

11 Heonjong:

• Sokcho to Wonsan
• Hamheung to Seongjin
• Jeonju to Gunsan
• Sinuiji to Manpo
• Chunggang to Junggyeong

12 Heonjong:

• Wonsan to Gowon
• Gowon to Hamheung
• Junggyeong to Ningguta
• Chunggang to Hyesan

With the aforementioned constructions, the list of operating railways of the Bureau of Railways will be:
Line 1: Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Incheon

Line 2: Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Suwon to Gongju to Daejong to Gimcheong to Daegu to Busan
Line 21: Daejong to Jeonju to Gunsan

Line 3:Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Wonju to Donghae

Line 4: Hanseong (aka Seoul) to Kaesong to Sariwon to Pyeongyang to Anju to Kanggye to Manpo to Chunggang to Junggyeong to Ningguta, Outer Manchuria
Line 41: Kaesong to Haeju to Sariwon
Line 42: Line 42W & (Manpo to Chunggang of Line 4) & Line 42E
Line 42W: Sinuiji to Manpo
Line 42E: Chunggang to Hyesan to Musan to Hoeryeong to Raeson

Line 50: Nampo to Pyeongyang to Kangdong & Line 57
Line 57: Kangdong to Gowon

Line 60: Donghae to Gangneung to Sokcho to Wonsan to Gowon to Hamheung to Seongjin to Cheongjin to Raeson to Hwanhang

Line 70: Sinuiji to Anju to Kangdong & Line 57

(The above is not an exhaustive list of railway stations.)


The Bureau shall also enter into negotiations for the construction of a railway bridge across the Amnok (Yalu) River between Sinuiju, Joseon and Dandong, China.

The Bureau shall also offer assistance to China in constructing railways within Liaoning Province, within Inner Manchuria, and between Dandong and Beijing.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

조선 법원 선포
Proclamations of the Court of Joseon

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

King Heonjong, in accordance with the advice of his advisors and his grandmother Queen Regent Sunwon announces the following measures, modeled on the Township Councils Act, 7 Heonjong, that are intended to be passed in the next few years so as to improve the response of his government to the needs of his subjects:

District Councils Act, 9 Heonjong (1842)
1. To obtain input from the people of each district, it is ordained that each subject who has his principal household within that district and who owns taxable property located in that district worth at least 20 gwan of coin silver (200 nyang of coin silver) and has reached at least his thirty-fifth year of life (age 34 or greater by Western reckoning) shall be deemed an elector of the district council.

2. Each district shall establish a council consisting of eleven councilors elected by the electors  of that district on an biannual basis from among the electors of that district. In addition, each township council within that district shall select one district councilor from among the township electors of that township, to serve at the pleasure of the township council.

3. The district council shall at its first meeting of each year choose from among its members a district mayor (구장 gujang) to serve as the leader of the council and be the member of the council who regularly interacts with the district governor (구지사 gujisa) of that district.

4. The district council shall advise the district governor of the concerns and suggestions that the people of that district have concerning the good governance of the district.  They shall not be punished in any manner for bringing such concerns or suggestions to the attention of the district governor.

5. Subject to such regulations as the Minister of State may promulgate, a district governor may delegate the supervision of certain government functions and policies for that district to the district council, with the understanding that such delegation may not be for a term of greater than two years.

6.  To compensate them for their service, councilors shall receive a stipend of three don of silver coin per month, but neither they nor any members of their households shall be eligible for any other remuneration from the government during their service as councilors.

Provincial Councils Act, 11 Heonjong (1844)
1. To obtain input from the people of each province, it is ordained that each subject who has his principal household within that province and who owns taxable property located in that province worth at least 50 gwan of coin silver (500 nyang of coin silver) and has reached at least his fourtieth year of life (age 39 or greater by Western reckoning) shall be deemed an elector of the provincial council.

2. Each province shall establish a council consisting of thirteen councilors elected by the electors  of that province on an quadrennial basis from among the electors of that province. In addition, each district council within that province shall select one provincial councilor from among the district electors of that district, to serve at the pleasure of the district council.

3. The provincial council shall at its first meeting of each year choose from among its members a provincial mayor (도장 dojang) to serve as the leader of the council and be the member of the council who regularly interacts with the provincial governor (도지사 dojisa)  of that province.

4. The provincial council shall advise the provincial governor of the concerns and suggestions that the people of that province have concerning the good governance of the province.  They shall not be punished in any manner for bringing such concerns or suggestions to the attention of the provincial governor.

5. Subject to such regulations as the Minister of State may promulgate, a provincial governor may delegate the supervision of certain government functions and policies for that province to the provincial council, with the understanding that such delegation may not be for a term of greater than four years.

6.  To compensate them for their service, councilors shall receive a stipend of nine don of silver coin per month, but neither they nor any members of their households shall be eligible for any other remuneration from the government during their service as councilors.


While a national council may eventually be established, it is felt prudent that experience with the township, district, and provincial councils be first gained so as to determine what reforms to local are needed, and if the experiment with councils has improved the government of the realm before making any plans for a national council.

(OOC: Other players will likely note that all of these councils are purely advisory and have no independent authority.  They are intended more as a way for the king to have a check upon ambitious, greedy, and/or inept local officials than anything else.)

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

조선 법원 선포
Proclamations of the Court of Joseon

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

King Heonjong in accordance with the advice of has advisors and of Queen Regent Sunwon announces in this eighth year of his reign (1841) the following:

Independent Districts Act, 8 Heonjong

1. For purposes of governance, there shall be established certain independent districts consisting of overseas territories held directly by the Joseon Kingdom that are too small to be governed as a province of their own and too distant to be incorporated within a province.  The governors of those districts shall report directly to the Minister of State or such deputy official as he may establish to act in lieu pf a provincial governor. The district minister of each ministry shall report directly to the minister in charge of that ministry or such deputy official as he may establish to act in lieu of a provincial minister. These districts shall be independent only in the sense of not being part of a province, but shall otherwise be treated as fully incorporated parts of the Joseon Kingdom.

2. The territory obtained from the OAKF now known as "Diego-Sanchez" under the Concordat of Pontianak is hereby established as the District of Jacobport (제이콥항 Jeikobhang).

3. The territory leased from the Sultanate of Brunei now known as "Pulau Labuan" under the Concordat of Brunei is hereby established as the District of Labuan (라부안 Labuan).

4. The territory obtained in the Moluccas from the former Sultanate of Ternate that was not turned over to the Sultanate of Tidore under the Concordat of Tidore, namely the islands of Ternate and Hiri, is hereby established as the District of Ternate (테르나테 Teleunate).

5. This act does not apply to the District of Ulleng established by the Edict Concerning Joseon-held Islands, 2 Heonjong, which remains part of Gyeongsang Province, nor does it apply to any of islands comprising Jeju Province.

(OOC: I first approached the Sultan of Ternate with the prospect of autonomous rule over the whole of the Moluccas save the island of Tidore, when the Sultan of Ternate failed to respond, I approached his rival, the Sultan of Tidore.)

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Annals of the Joseon Dynasty
Veritable Records of Heonjong
Volume 1: The Regency of Sunwon
Introduction: Summary of the Regency Period
    The twelve years of the Regency (1834-1845 CE) proved to be an era of much change within the Joseon Realm. While in the later years of the regency King Heonjong chafed at what he perceived as her reluctance to end her regency, both her public comments and her private diaries indicate that she saw her principal task as preparing her grandson to rule by shaping both his experiences and character. Moreover despite the whisperings of some, especially among the Andong Kim clan of her father, that she continue the regency longer or transfer it to someone else of her paternal clan, when Heonjong began his twentieth year of life (1846 CE), she ended the regency, though she continued to advise him privately, even when he would rather not be advised. However, true to her perceived mandate, once the regency ended, she never overruled the king once he made a decision, or contradicted him in public.
    The Regency began at almost the same time as the Chinese Civil War that would eventually see the Mandate of Heaven for the Middle Kingdom transfer from the Qing Dynasty to the Xing Dynasty. Queen Sunwon was troubled by the events in the Middle Kingdom and her policies were largely shaped by a desire to ride the current of events unleashed upon the civilized peoples of East Asia by the intrusion of the European barbarians upon them rather than be overwhelmed by them as China had been.
    Characteristic of her approach was her decision early in her regency to found the Church of Joseon upon a Lutheran model. Rather than attempt to fruitlessly keep out foreign beliefs, such as Christianity, she sought to find ways they could be tamed and made less dangerous to the continued independence of the Joseon people or its continued rule by her husband's Yi clan.  As such it can easily be seen as inaccurate those who would propose she be made a saint of the Church. At most, she might be viewed as a Joseon Cyrus in her relationship to the Christians. Viewing her as a Christian saint is as inaccurate as viewing her as a promoter of democracy for establishing the various advisory councils elected by propertied commoners, as she clearly saw the councils solely as way of ensuring the government received advice on the desires of the king's subjects, not as a way for them to potentially impose unwise policies upon the government.  If she was a secret anything, it was a secret Daoist, though even that can only be inferred by her actions, and not by anything she said or wrote, even privately. In her speech and writings, she was always a firm adherent to Neo-Confucian doctrine, and certainly not either Christianity or Republicanism.
    Still, it cannot be denied that her regency brought many changes to Joseon and a transition from looking inward to looking outward. The steamboats, railways, postal system, and telegraph knit all Joseon together, while the Navy she encouraged secured Joseon commerce and helped ensure that rather than being colonized, Joseon would have colonies of its own in the Pacific, in the Indies, and in Madagascar. Indeed, perhaps the most fitting tribute to her was King Heonjong's decision to posthumously name her as the Great Admiral of the Joseon Navy, and establish Navy Day as being celebrated annually on her birthday.
    However, as remarkable and important as her championing and reform of the Royal Joseon Navy was, even more so was her decision, despite her Neo-Confucian ethos, to adapt the commercial, financial, and intellectual property laws of European realms to the service of Joseon society.  The Bank of Joseon and the Library of Joseon can both justly claim her as their founding muse.

[Spamage]

THE END

Reflections on the State of the World: 1840-1860

Europe in 1860 (Made by Me)

The World in 1860 (Made by Me)

Demographic Catastrophe (Europe: 1835-1855)

   In the early 1830s there had been great optimism about the future of Europe. A long peace had endured for almost four whole decades, population was growing at a rapid pace, and workshops throughout the continent were pouring out new inventions and innovations. The nationalist revolutions and the Great Eastern War disabused many of this notion. The spurt of growth was followed by two decades of stagnation, unrest, and growing uncertainty over the direction of the continent. The 1840s, with the height of the crisis, has in particular been dubbed the “Lost Decade.” By the 1850s many wondered where it had all gone wrong? How had such potential been squandered?
   The Great Eastern War left hundreds of thousands of young men dead on the battlefield. From 1838—1844 Russia lost 460k men, the Habsburgs 370k men, Prussia 320k men, the Ottomans 220k men, and Scandinavia 140k men. The fact this conflict coincided with nationalist rebellions, one of which had probably ignited the conflagration, also meant that France, the Rhineland, and the Netherlands also saw significant casualties in war. From Brandenburg to Tuscany, Flanders to Ruthenia, devastation had been inflicted. Soldiers who very well could have been the leaders of tomorrow instead were killed in the battles of today. Hundreds of thousands more perished from famine and disease caused by the wartime hardship. Countless young women found themselves condemned to lives of singlehood, their betrothed killed in some distant place. Yet, this would not be the end of the misery. Changing climate conditions coupled with a severe potato blight, spread throughout much of the continent in 1846 and 1847. Food supplies dwindled at the very moment societies were seeking to get back on their feet after a decade of disorder. Western and Central Europe were particularly hard hit. Russia, the only power with the potential stockpile to alleviate the suffering, instead chose to punish its neighbors for their destruction of the Empire. Governments fell as disgruntled people continued to choose whether they would be subjects or citizens. Although Europe’s population was still higher in 1855 than it had been two decades earlier, it was far lower than what had been projected.
   With this carnage, it was unsurprising that the rates of emigration were quite significant. Reasons varied quite substantially, influencing the destination as much as the point of departure. France, which saw slow, but steady growth throughout this whole period, was crowded and land expensive. It was unsurprising when thousands of King Louis XIX’s subjects decided to cross the Atlantic to the Francophone realms of Quebec and Louisiana, both offering free land for those willing to come and settle it. Catholic Republicanism, a potent force in some regions, saw its strength in Europe sapped to some extent, thousands of ideologues moving to South America so they could exist in their supported society. Iberia, Ireland, Italy, and the Rhineland were the general source of these migrants. The Irish, affected quite severely by the Potato Famine, moved across the Atlantic to the American colonies, bolstering the population of that realm to the extent it rivals England itself for number of inhabitants. New Holland likewise gained a fair share of nationalists upset with the fate of the Netherlands in Europe. In addition to these clear trends, there were numerous untold stories of individuals packing up and setting out, leaving behind the dreary prospects of the motherland for chances elsewhere. 

End of the War in East Asia: 1841-1843

   1840 demonstrated quite clearly to the Dutch in East Asia that they were outnumbered and substantial concessions would be required in order to preserve any sort of presence in the region. The government in Willemstad, off-balance since news had arrived of the fall of the homeland, elected to accept a proposed Korean peace deal, extricating themselves from hostilities with Japan just weeks later. The concessions on paper were substantial, though the Dutch mostly ceded islands and regions that had already been lost. Korea gained vast tracts of land, including Johor, Brunei, Pontianak, Banjar, Gowa, and Tidore, and the Raj of Larantuka. In addition, the OAKF ceded all claims to the Malay Peninsula and the Riau Islands (Johor), Borneo (Brunei, Pontianak, and Banjar), Sulawesi (Gowa), the Molucca and the Barat Daya Islands (Tidore), Flores and neighboring islands east of Sape Strait (Larantuka). In short, the OAKF lost much of the East Indies, the government electing to preserve New Holland proper over the islands to the north. To Japan went Papua New Guinea and many minor islands in the outlying region. The OAKF, however, elected to continue its struggle with the French.
   The next few years would see inconclusive fighting throughout the area. The French were able to eliminate the Dutch presence in Sumatra, but found Java and New Holland themselves quite elusive. With Brazilian involvement in the Great Eastern War unnerving the government in Paris, which realized it may need to be on the defensive, Queen Regent Marie Fernandina demonstrated herself willing to accept a compromise peace deal. The Dutch ceded Sumatra, but were allowed to keep Java, largely the result most had been expecting.
   The OAKF saw the writing on the wall. With no loyalty to the weak, reestablished Netherlands in Europe, and the House of Orange-Nassau seriously sidelined, most colonists decided it was time for them to take charge of their own affairs. In 1842 the OAKF formally declared itself the United Provinces of New Holland, electing a Stadtholder to govern as executive and a General Estate in Willemstad to legislate. Naturally, given their heritage, most systems were based off of the long-defunct model employed in the former Dutch United Provinces. The colony would grow quite rapidly moving forward, many hopeful that they would be able to have a strong voice in Oceania, given their status as the sole independent realm for thousands of miles.

Richmond Settlement: Peace in North America

   The long war in North America had taken a toll on the British public. The conflict had been a headache from the beginning, only getting worse once Louisiana had joined the fray. With the prospect of the fight expanding yet further, incorporating New England and Quebec, Henry IX elected to seek a compromise peace deal in 1841, albeit one that would maintain the strong British presence on the continent. Louisiana proved receptive and, after several rounds of negotiations, the Richmond Settlement was announced in Virginia, aiming to settle both the British-Louisianan War as well as the New Englander-Quebecois conflict in the north.
   The terms left no one excited, but everyone satisfied. The first primary issue settled would be the fate of the American South. King Louis-Philippe emphasized his obligations to the people who had made him their King in the brutal American struggle, arguing that the full region ought to be annexed to his realm. Britain, obviously, disagreed. Having retaken a substantial portion of the territory, with all the redistribution and legal headaches that entailed, London was not keen on the prospect of restoring the old slave system to some territories. Thus, in a compromise move, the region was partitioned. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tunica, and Henrysland went to the Kingdom of Louisiana. Britain, meanwhile, reassumed sovereignty over Virginia, Cumberland, and Transylvania.
   In order to assuage Louisianan concerns over the frontier, and satisfy Quebec, further British concessions were made in the west. Britain renounced its claims to all lands west of the Mississippi, handing control over to either Louisiana or Quebec. This, in effect, sealed the fate of the Sioux League, which was not even represented is Richmond as it was sliced between New Orleans and Montreal. Given there was little to no British settlement this far out, it was not too difficult for London to agree to abandon it. Further territorial transfers included a joint withdrawal of any British or Louisianans from the Pacific Northwest, the surrender of Michigan to Quebec (increasing their power over the Great Lakes) and a Quebecois sale of Nova Scotia to New England, which wanted room to grow. At long last, after centuries of disagreement, it seems there are now finally fixed borders planned in the American West.
   The Richmond Settlement was met with widespread acclaim in the Americas. King Louis-Philippe has been celebrated as a bold visionary for getting involved in the conflict, while many in London view the preservation of British authority as a major achievement. Cynical observers noted that the partition of the South benefitted both Louisiana and Britain. Although French-speakers were still outnumbered by the new English subjects of Louis-Philippe, not gaining some of the larger colonies has insured that the English majority was not as large as it could have been. Meanwhile, London pushed back the issue of the American colonies outnumbering the British Isles in population for at least a couple of decades, preventing awkward discussions over the future of Parliament and power-sharing in a Trans-Atlantic monarchy.
   Although Britain has ostensibly exited the conflicts in the Americas, that had not eliminated London’s latent hostility towards some of their former adversaries, most notably Quebec. The British public was shocked when in early June it was announced that Princess Elizabeth of Britain would be marrying her double first cousin, Crown Prince Karl of Scandinavia. Given Scandinavia remained at war with Quebec, this indicated to some that the Richmond Settlement did not necessarily entail friendly relations. Britain would prove to be a distant, but cordial ally to the Scandinavians as they continued to struggle against Quebec.

The Conclusion of the Great Eastern War: 1841—1844

1841

   Despite the fall of Berlin in 1840, the Prussian government elected to fight on. Both Prussia and Russia were under tremendous strain, but their alliance placed their hope in the similar malaise plaguing the Habsburg Monarchy. This is as the fighting, raging from Central Germany to Eastern Persia, demonstrated no signs of stopping. If anything, the war was expanding.
   To the shock of almost the entire continent the Triple Alliance formed an agreement with the Catholic Republicans in Brazil, promising general colonial compensation as well as a voice at the peace conference in return for providing direct military aid to the beleaguered forces in Europe. This was truly the most unholy alliance, both Stockholm and Vienna resounding with loud objections to the move. Yet, desperate times called for decisive action. The Brazilians agreed, sending thousands of men across the Atlantic to join the fray.
   The Brazilian entrance into the European theater started with a bang. Landing in Jutland, the Catholic Republicans marched on Hamburg and lifted the Prussian siege in August 1841. The Prussians, not expecting this arrival, were caught off-guard. Isolated, and with very little areas to retreat, the army melted away, the bulk of it having surrendered by the end of the year. The Brazilian forces then joined their allies in Berlin, marching south towards Bohemia and towards the Prussian Royal Army.
   Yet, the Allied commanders were unaware of the Prussian response. Rather than waiting in Bohemia to be encircled and smashed by forces coming from Vienna and Berlin, Prussian commanders elected to become mobile. In an aggressive and unanticipated act of pure spite, they rushed south towards Hungary, utterly sacking and decimating the countryside in order to further destabilize the Austrian war effort. The damage to this region would prove consequential with the onset of the famine following the conclusion of the war. The small Habsburg garrison at Budapest was easily outmatched and forced to surrender, the city being sacked and razed by the infuriated Germans.
   The Army of Vienna shadowed the Prussians, hoping to cut them off from supply lines and engage them in a decisive battle. Yet, the Austrians were outnumbered and the Prussians could count on goods being sent from Poland, or so they thought. By December 1841 the Prussians held much of Hungary, Prague was under siege by the Brazilians, Scandinavians, and Habsburgs, and Central Europe remained in a state of utter disarray.
   Beyond the Carpathians, the rebellion in Warsaw and the Ottoman invasion of Ukraine had driven off most of the Austrian’s opponents in Galicia. The Austrians crossed into Ruthenia, where they were greeted as liberators and widely celebrated, making a desperate strike north towards Warsaw. That city, however, had already fallen to the Republicans under Radziwill. The Austrians thus had to face the Poles at the Battle of Lublin, where the determined rebel defense halted their advance northwards.
   With the Scandinavians withdrawing to St. Petersburg and setting up defensive positions, the Russian Empire chose to strike at its vulnerable territory, launching an invasion of the lightly-manned Baltic States in concert with several small Prussian battalions. The region was overrun and overwhelmed, the Swedes in Riga placed under siege yet again as disorder overtook the countryside. Many wondered if authority would ever be restored to the region.
   Further east, the Russo-Turkish War continued. The Ottomans continued to hammer the Russian Army of the South, inflicting a series of defeats on the exhausted men, who had no choice but to flee to Moscow. Kiev, the holy city and so important to Russian national pride, fell into Turkish hands. Further Turkish raids established some degree of control over eastern Ukraine as the bulk of the army turned north and prepared for an invasion of Russia proper.
   Yet, the success in southern Russia would be the only bright spot for the Turks in an otherwise disastrous year. The Ottoman Army of the Caucuses at Astrakhan found itself outnumbered and outmatched by the returning Russians. At the Battle of Astrakhan in August 1841, they were forced back, fleeing towards the Caucuses as the Russians sought to reestablish control over the steppe south of the Volga. They were fleeing into further chaos however, with the Persians having achieved great gains over the previous months.
   The reasons for Persian success were twofold. First, Russian soldiers had been poured in following their victories in Central Asia, further bolstering the strength in numbers and experience. Second, the Shah’s decision to declare an independent Armenia, albeit under Persian protection, forced the hand of the locals, many who rose up against their Turkish oppressors. The Ottomans, who had relocated men for a naval assault on the Persian coast, saw much of their heartland lay vulnerable to attack. An attempt by the Arab-Tunisian force to smash into Upper Persia was halted at the inconclusive Battle of Tabriz by a Russo-Persian force. With the bulk of the Turkish forces tied up in the north, Baghdad fell to the Persians.
   One bright spot for the Ottomans was Arabia. The Omani unceremoniously switched sides after an offer of Ottoman compensation in Yemen, abandoning the Arab Shi’ites to their fate. Given most of the peninsula remained Sunni, and the rebels were seen as religious traitors, the tide turned rapidly. By the end of 1841 the pro-Persian forces would be concentrated in the immediate are south of Iraq. The naval offensive against the Persians also initially went well, relieving the treaty ports of the Austrians and Scandinavians, though attempts to push further inland were undermined by poor supply and determined local resistance.
   In the meantime, the Persian advance northwest continued almost unopposed, the Ottomans having emptied their garrisons due to the manpower costs of the war. This left both Trabzon and Kars vulnerable, the two cities following to minor Persian assaults, local leaders fleeing onto ships on the Black Sea.
   By December 1841, Russia was appearing shaky. Peasant bands were emerging in pockets of the countryside, openly defiant of the regency in Moscow and demanding an immediate peace. While the victories in the Baltic and alongside the Persians prevented the situation from getting too far out of hand, it was clear to most that the realm was unwell.
   In Africa, meanwhile, the true reasons for Brazilian involvement in the Great Eastern War became clear. Portuguese soldiers landed at Angola and easily pushed down the west coast of Africa, knocking out the small Prussian outposts one after another. A second, albeit less successful, Portuguese landing occurred in Mozambique, the two former colonies being forcibly restored to direct rule from Lisbon after decades.
   40,000 Catholic Republican soldiers landed at the Cape Colony, but found a population wholly opposed to compromise or surrender. Attempts to appeal to the Boers were a bit anachronistic, most having been resettled away from the colony under the orders of Frederick II almost a century ago. Instead, all able-bodied Prussian men were enlisted, being joined by native soldiers, who were opposed to the clearly-illustrated brutality of the Catholic Republicans. In their view, it was better to stick with the devil they knew than risk their position with a bunch of cruel fanatics who would wreck their way of life.
   The War in South Africa would become somewhat of a unifying cause among the German settlers and the indigenous Africans, the struggle being a guerilla fight without any direct engagements as the Catholic Republicans had been expecting. When repression grew fierce, the Prussians fled inland. When the occupiers became lax, they smashed back south. Coupled with raids on the Brazilian shipping and resupply by the substantial Prussian fleet that had been based on the Cape, in some sense, the situation reversed itself. The Brazilians found themselves undersupplied and underequipped to deal with the type of warfare they were facing.
   Prussia did not take kindly to the Brazilian aggression. The other major portion of the Prussian fleet in the Caribbean smashed southwards, shelling Catholic Republican coastal cities. There were heavy casualties in Caracas, Cartagena, and Maracaibo, the Colombian people bearing the brunt of a decision made in Brazil.