--- Croatian National Herald, March 26th 1849 ---
Heir Born!
An heir to the throne of Croatia has been born. In the early hours of this morning Jossip Doria entered the world. The royal family has said that newly born Duke of Zagreb weighed 3.5 kilograms at birth and is perfectly healthy.
It is a sign of a long, prosperous future for the nation. The current King has already raised Croatia out of debt, built port facilities and Croatia’s first factory, and multiplied Croatia’s military strength tenfold, among other reforms passed by the Genoan ‘King of the Croats’.
The choice of a Croatian name for the heir is also taken by many as a sign that the King now sees Croatia as his new homeland.
--- Private journals of Andrea Doria XXI, King of the Croats and Prince of Melfi ---
Journal Entry 38, March 31st 1849
Earlier this month I was given the gift of holding my newborn son in my arms, only minutes after he was born. At my age, nearing 40, I never thought I’d get an heir but in a miracle, I have received an heir.
Esma and myself are so happy, and I finally feel I can begin to release my grief over the loss of my homeland.
Journal Entry 39, April 30th 1849
I set my engineers to work on another clipper fleet earlier this month. What we had couldn’t carry our entire army if invasion of a foreign and was ever to happen, so expansion was needed.
We are losing 11 Kuna a day on the project, but we have 100 thousand Kuna in the treasury, so it is little
Journal Entry 40, July 31st 1849
I set to work maintaining relations with Austria this month. I also sent a fleet to scout out Morocco. Not much interesting taking place.
Journal Entry 41, September 30th 1849
The fleet arrived in Morocco; according to the courier it is ripe for the taking, and I’m launching a conquest of Morocco very soon. The population is minimal, and the natural resources are useless, but it would make a good base in Africa, possibly to use for colonial dealings. The fleet shall arrive in around four months; the fleet has to make it back first.
Journal Entry 42, November 30th 1849
The fleet arrived home, the new clipper has been built and I’m sending the entire army to conquer Morocco. God speed to the fleet!
Journal Entry 43, December 31st 1849
The Hellenic Kingdom, Greece, sent an ambassador to use only three days ago. They requested a military alliance, and despite the fact that Greece is a coveted location that may get us into trouble with any number of Great Powers, they are the only nation to offer us an alliance that has access to the sea, besides the Ottomans. Krakow and Serbia are isolated and unable to assist should trouble hit Croatia.
Eventually, after two days of debate, I accepted.
Journal Entry 44, January 31st 1850
To my dismay, when the fleet arrived in Morocco’s waters they found that Portugal had already gotten the same idea as us and was in the middle of invading. However, we have continued ahead with my plan in the hope we can beat them to it.
The troops exited our fleet and invaded Tarfaya province without resistance and they are in the middle of sieging the local militia and subjugating the locals as I speak.
Journal Entry 45, April 30th 1850
I received news that our fleet won a battle with Morocco’s ships in the Strait of Gibraltar only three days ago and is now blockading all Moroccan ports. In addition, the siege of Tarfaya is going ahead like clockwork.
Journal Entry 46, August 31st 1850
I received news earlier this month that we hold Tarfaya and that we have begun a siege of Rabat, with no resistance so far. Croatia’s expansion looks set to go ahead.
Also, my think tanks have finally decided on an implementation scheme for the tactics I told them to research. They also came up with the blueprints for ‘Forts’, defensive structures of a modern form. It is better than I expected.
I sent them away again to build some steam engines for Croatia to implement.
Journal Entry 47, March 31st 1850
We have lost. Portugal agreed to a treaty with Morocco that gave them the lands we wanted, meaning a forced white peace was placed on us. It is a horrible end for what looked to be shaping up to be a glorious war.
I now fear for my life and I am going to set to work selecting a Regent in case I leave this world before Jossip can grow up. I will look for some trustworthy, who cares for the people and who I believe will be happy to give up power when he is required to.
--- Croatian National Herald, January 1st 1851 ---
The King is Dead!
The King stood upon the steps of the Palace, addressing the people of Zagreb in a rousing speech to the public. Suddenly, the crack of a gunshot broke through the cheering, and a bullet plummeted into his heart. The King was dead instantly.
It is this scene that has shocked the nation.
The Yugoslavian Pan-Nationalists claim it as their work, claiming that the ‘foreigner scum had no right to rule’ and many in the Croatian government are expressing fears for the nations continued existence. More than eight thousand have publically joined up to the cause of these rebels at last check. The very foundation of Croatia’s recent growth is in danger of breaking down, starting with the death of the man who revolutionised our nation.
As the heir to the throne is just under 3 years old, a Regent will have to be appointed, but who it will be is up to speculation.
--- Private journals of Andrea Doria XX, King of the Croats and Prince of Melfi (RIP. 1851) &Vhalo Nazor, Regent of Croatia---
Journal Entry 48, January 31st 1851
I was shocked when I discovered that King Andrea Doria XXI had placed in his will that I was to be regent should anything happen to him before Jossip was old enough to assume the throne. I was even more surprised when he left me his personal journals. We had been friendly to each other but he lived in a different social circle, obviously. It was a shock.
However, when I arrived home and received the leadership of the nation, I took firm control.
Journal Entry 49, March 31st 1851
Obviously, as a military man the defensive and offensive capabilities of the nation are important, so I did two things this month; I choose my successor to lead the army and I set the Croatian engineers to work on a project; building a fort just outside Zagreb.
A Zlatan Gundulic is my chosen General.
Journal Entry 50, October 31st 1851
These Yugoslavian Pan-Nationalists are a continuing problem. Since the King’s death they have grown swiftly; they could now raise nearly double the forces that Croatia can if they choose to rebel, and according to the Minister of Internal Affairs they are even more likely to rebel than ever before. And just as the King before me, I have no idea how to supress them.
Journal Entry 51, March 31st 1853
Literacy has reached a new milestone, 19%. It is still low, but it is climbing.
Journal Entry 52, July 4th 1853
The rebels rose up today. We aren’t in any serious trouble though; they may outnumber Croatia’s military, but they are divided.
Journal Entry 53, August 13th 1853
We managed to beat the rebels with only minor losses. The movement is broken, for the moment. It was surprising so few of their number actually ended up rebelling. However, they are still present and may be a problem in the future.
Winning the second battle.