Chapter 2, 1841-1846
In January of 1841, Krakow played host to a begging Prussian envoy, who was trying to get them to agree to a peace. Krakow promptly expelled him from the country, their actions an answer in themself.
By March, two more envoys had been expelled and Krakow had completed the recruitment of its first (and only) brigade. The army was promptly told to invade Prussia, something it joyfully did. By April the army had arrived in the Prussian province of Bomberg, and set to work besieging it.
In June the war finished, a treaty signed between Prussia and Austria. Following on from this, in September Polish Pan-Nationalists rebelled, and were swiftly put down.
It wasn’t until November that anything else of note happened, when a swift increase of liberal propaganda caused even more of the population to turn to the liberal side where voting was concerned.
In the March of the year following, as a resulting of increasing population decline the tax rate and government budgets were revamped. Administration and education spending was raised, tariffs were lowered and tax on the rich was lowered. This followed increasing pressure by liberals, now a powerful force in parliament, on the other two parties, who preferred lowered spending and higher tax.
By September it had become obvious Austria was not happy to help Krakow in anything, and so an envoy was secretly sent to Russia, his mission to increase friendly relations.
Liberals continued to gain traction, despite stout attempts to stop them; in December it was demonstrated when radical youth began protesting for ‘ancient liberties of Krakow’, a strange request considering Krakow was not ancient by any stretch of the imagination and was already one of the most free nations on the continent. The government turned a blind eye to it and continued doing what it wanted.
In January of the next year, 1843, population decline stopped again and reversed.
February came, and Krakow openly built an embassy in Moscow, as it worked towards increasing relations with the great power neighbour. In April, relations reached an all-time high, and Krakow began thinking of an alliance, although it was not yet sure Russia would agree to one.
In the same month, the practical steam engine was completed and basic chemistry was to be the next science that would sweep the nation’s intellectuals.
By June, the wave of liberalisation vanished abruptly, the propaganda spreading agents of whoever was behind the movement unable to safely continue spreading the filth of their movement with the presence of Krakow’s new military hanging over their heads. The Senate partied long into the night after this news reached them.
In August the Polish Pan-Nationalists rebelled yet again … and by September they hjaddefeated Krakow’s military.
A brigade of irregulars is called up in response, but it isn’t to be ready for more than a month. And Austria happens to be in no mood to assist Krakow.
In November the irregulars are ready and attack to rebels, but are crushed in the span of two days.
By January of 1843 two things happen; Prussia arrests a Krakowian citizen that is actually still within Krakow’s territory, sparkling fierce debate in the Senate-in-Exile, and giving them a good excuse to go to war if they actually had an army, and the rebels finish their conquest of Krakow city.
In May the Senate-in-Exile managed to wrangle an alliance out of Russia, and the great Kremlin instantly sends in a massively oversized amount of troops to smash the Pan-Nationalists in Krakow; the battle is 28,000 (Russian) vs 500 (Rebel), and is won straight away. They then stay for a week to de-siege the city and route out the remains of the rebel support.
The Senate returned home from hiding in the Krakowian country side that month, celebrating giddily and holding feasts in the Mayor’s Palace and the Senate Building for the entire cities population.
By July the elections had started again, Liberals still the most popular group among the populace, as the inaugural national census of 1843 is to show.
In August push comes to shove and Krakow tests Russia’s mettle when it declares war on Persia for the state of Kangan and requests Russia assist. They benevolently say yes for some unfathomable reason, and march into Persia’s depth. However, the advisors warn the Senate not to request Austrian assistance and so they quietly slip the matter past Austria’s oversight.
In September Krakow begins raising a new military, the last one having been smashed by rebels. It is completed in December and marched towards Persia.
In the election finishes in January of 1845 the Liberal party winning again by a landslide victory; 100% of the votes go to them.
A month later in February basic chemistry is completed and weapons technology is turned to; Muzzle Loaded Rifles are the latest craze in the international warfare scene and Krakow rushes to catch up.
By May the Krakowian military has arrived in Persia and sets to invading its defenceless lands that border Russia. However, that leaves the homeland defenceless and in July rebellion breaks out and Pan-Nationalists rise up again.
The Senate is forced to flee, but before doing so sends an envoy to the Ottoman Empire.
In August it is a time of great celebrations; Russia declares peace with Persia, and Persia hands over the Kangan state to Krakow. Four new provinces enter the rising Krakowian Empire.
In response a rally on September 1st begins to demand voting privileges for more of the population. The President promises to do something, and then places that matter at the back of the queue of bills that need Senate attention. It should come up in around a decade.
By November the rebels have crushed Krakow with no bloodshed and move into Austria, where they are promptly terminated by Austrian forces. However, Krakow is still technically under their control and the Senate is hiding out in Krakowian Persia, so they are left at a loss about what to do.
Luckily in December the Austrians kindly march into Krakow and free it from the tyranny of rebels, and reinstall the tyranny of the sovereign government of Krakow.
In March of 1846, the Krakowian’s send another envoy to the Ottoman Empire to display how great a possible future alliance with Krakow would be; the Ottomans are impressed and relations quickly become friendlier in the space of a week. The Ottomans continued from there to in April requesting access for their armies to march through Krakow’s colonies. Krakow agreed readily, hoping to widen its circle of allies.
In June, a bill was proposed to the Senate and after much debate Krakow established its first penal colony, to be placed in Dezgul province, in the Kaggan region.
Near the end of that month, the liberal cause suddenly caught hold once again and most of the population turned to their side where voting was concerned. 51% of the population were now professed liberals.
At the beginning of December, Krakow was forced to break the alliance with Russia when they requested assistance in a war with the Ottomans; a day later they restored that alliance with Russia, and were thankfully not asked again to assist.
Little else happened that year, although the Krakowian Senate did begin considering further conquest, before discarding the idea when they were informed Russia was reluctant to help, tied up in other events, and Austria was being its normal self; unhelpful and stubborn.