El Imperio Muerto: A PDM IAAR

[Sneakyflaps]

Name: Manuel de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo (Semi Historical)
Date of Birth: November 27, 1822
Titles: 14th Duque of the Infantado, 10th Duque of Pastrana, 10th Duque of Estremera, 11th Duque of Francavilla, 11th Duque of Peñaranda de Duero, 9th Marqués of Távara, Marqués de Santillana, Marqués del Cenete, Marqués de Almenara, Marqués de Cea, Marqués de Campoo, Marqués de Algecilla, Marqués de Argüeso, Marqués de Valderrábano, Marqués de Villanueva del Fresno y Barcarrota, Marqués de la Algaba, Marqués de la Bañeza, Marqués de Mirallo, Marqués de Valdunquillo, Conde de Saldaña, Conde de Villada, Conde del Real de Manzanares, Conde del Cid, Conde de Montijo, Conde de Miranda del Castañar, Conde de Fuentidueña, Conde de Casarrubios del Monte, Conde de San Esteban de Gormaz y Vizconde de Palacios de la Valduerna.

Background and Personality: Intelligent and uncommonly young

Bio:

Manuel was born in 1822 to his father, Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, he was the result of love between his father and his mother, Jane Beaufort, a minor unimportant noble in England. This resulted in Manuel being born a bastard, a shameful thing despite being his father’s only son. As a child he lacked for nothing, living with his father, mother and sisters in the family palace, being taught by private tutors and his father while he was still a young boy, his father valuing education above most other things.

He grew up learning Spanish, French, English and German. He would have a close relationship with both his mother and father, both of them helping to develop him in terms of education, faith and morals. When he was 12 he was sent to England for his education as well as to ensure he wasn’t hurt during the civil war, here he studied science, mathematics, biology, philosophy, estate management and history as the main subjects, while dabbling in other areas.

After five years in England, at the insistence of his father Don Pedro, Manuel took a military education in Prussia at the Allgemeine Kriegsschule, after which he returned to Spain and to his father’s failing health. Upon his return his father partitioned the king to legitimize Manuel, which was granted in 1841, where he was ennobled and made his father’s official heir. Shortly thereafter he met the head of his house, the Duke of Alba and foreign minister. Who offered Manuel a position as first secretary on a diplomatic mission to Paris, before he left he was also able to arrange a marriage with María Francisca de Sales Portocarrero y Kirkpatrick Duchess of Peñaranda de Duero, among many other titles, lands and estates which passed to Manuel upon their marriage in mid-1842. Don Pedro, Manuel’s father died in late 1841 where upon all his lands, estates and titles passed to Manuel, making the young Duke one of, if not the leading noble within Spain, with vast wealth, estates beyond compare and grand connections.

Manuel during his two years as first secretary to the embassy in France, was able to return to Spain several times. The negotiations with the French, like what often happens with the French, the progress was slow and not very worthwhile for the vast majority of the time. Manuel eventully spoke up in front of the French king and his ambassadors, his speech convincing the King to accept the Spanish offer, whereupon he now writes to his cousin.

Spoiler: Adressed to Don Esteban, Duke of Alba

Dear cousin, I finally write of good news after what can be described as a near two years of diplomatic hell in the French court. I have started to suspect the ambassador you sent to lead this expedition to be a secret supporter of Isabella. At every turn that we proposed ideas or compromises with the French, he always brushed them aside, furthermore he spoke with great sympathy towards the French cause, as well as that of Isabella.

Within the recent week, I was finally privy to the talks between the King of France, his ministers and our ambassador. While I spoke out of place to His Majesty, the King of France, and his ministers, then I was able to speak to them all, only shortly before being sent away by our ambassador. However, the King of France summoned me two mornings after, informing me that I am to pass on that His Majesty, the king of France is willing to accept the marriage between His Majesty’s youngest son Infante Fernando de Borbón y Braganza. I was further able to negotiate with His Majesty the King of France and his advisers that if this match is accepted, then the Crown of France will officially recognize Carlos V as King of Spain, and his government as the only true legitimate one. Thus being the true successor to the late King Ferdinand.

His Majesty, the King of France has however request that King Carlos in return affirms, gurantees and upholds the treaty of Utrecht.

While I am aware that when we last spoke, you wished for a gurantee of our claim to Morocco, but in light of the actions our ambassador took, the length of negotiations, and this new agreement, I feel that it is the best we can hope for form the French Court. We receive the stability our kingdom needs, while giving little in return and as such I consider my mission here in Paris to have been a success.


Don Manuel de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 14th Duque of the Infantado, 10th Duque of Pastrana, 10th Duque of Estremera, 11th Duque of Francavilla, 11th Duque of Peñaranda de Duero, 9th Marqués of Távara, Marqués de Santillana, Marqués del Cenete, Marqués de Almenara, Marqués de Cea, Marqués de Campoo, Marqués de Algecilla, Marqués de Argüeso, Marqués de Valderrábano, Marqués de Villanueva del Fresno y Barcarrota, Marqués de la Algaba, Marqués de la Bañeza, Marqués de Mirallo, Marqués de Valdunquillo, Conde de Saldaña, Conde de Villada, Conde del Real de Manzanares, Conde del Cid, Conde de Montijo, Conde de Miranda del Castañar, Conde de Fuentidueña, Conde de Casarrubios del Monte, Conde de San Esteban de Gormaz y Vizconde de Palacios de la Valduerna.

 

[Marschalk]

The Duke of Alba felt quite pleased with himself these days. His strategy came to fruit. The partnership between Spain, Russia and Austria and the successful operation in Portugal was a proof of the diligent work of the Foreign Office that the King recognized by his latest reward. While busy with constant travels to Wienna and Lissabon , he, nevertheless, managed to write a short article for "Español el Mundo", a state-owned subsidiary journal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ideas of the Concert of Europe and the Holy Alliance are ones that, without doubt, are appealing both to a mind of any truly cultured man and a soul of any practicing Christian. Justice and rule of good moral principles are universal values set for us by God himself and ones that should be applied in both foreign and internal policy - and the ignorance of such for the sake of relativism and some temporary winnings is but dangerous opportunism unworthy of a great country.

Europe has already suffered from such a period of time ago, when countries and rulers, under the influence of either fear or greed, shook hands with the usurper Napoleon and the puppet administrations he set in various Realms that he stole from the rightful Monarchs. Lack of common European sense, lack of unity in actions and major principles, caused that threat to grow and grow, until a war that took thousands and thousands of human lives had to happen to put a stop to it and move Europe towards the reassertion of its ancient values.

When we talk about the Concert of Europe, we must clearly understand that we should talk common responsibility, common duties and mutual support. There cannot be mutinious voices within the Concert, or it would turn into a mere cacophony under the guise of an essemble. One сannot claim a place within the Concert when his voice is hoarse and drunken, his speech is vile and rude and when he has no musical sense, as to say. One needs to have valid reasons regarding why he should speak for the said nation said country. And here we come to the Holy League. What should be the test each government claiming to possess power should pass in order to be fully invited into the European family?

The recognition of the sacred right of the Monarchs to rule, adherence to the Christian principles, valid sources of authority and civilized governance. Respect towards other governments and countries. Ability to both preserve international peace and defend it by all means.

The recent events in Portugal, where the rightful King, His Majesty Don Miguel, has been restored through the will of God, his people and support of Spain and Austria, is a good example of an act of European responsibility. Removal of an illegitimate liberal clique that terrorized Gods institution on Earth, the Catholic Church, has proved that Europe would not put force above law, human and Divine.

What Europe would be stable and what it should thrive to be? It is simple. A brotherhood of Sovereigns ruling by Divine right and brotherhood of nations living by Divine law. A unity where everybody is watching each others back, where a brother is always ready to extend a hand of friendship to a brother, a unity based on legitimacy, civilization and cooperation. Then eternal peace would reign and a new Bonaparte or Robespierre would never arise.

​

From the DUKE of ALBA to CARLOS V, by the Grace of God, King of Castile, Leon, Aragon, of the Two Sicilies, of Jerusalem, of Navarre, of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of Majorca, of Seville, of Sardinia, of Córdoba, of Corsica, of Murcia, of Menorca, of Jaén, the Algarves, Algeciras, Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, of the East and West Indies, Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea; Archduke of Austria; Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Milan and Aspurg; Count of Flanders, Tirol and Barcelona; Lord of Biscay and Molina ((Revan - Private)) +((Copy to the Government, upon the approval of Revan))

Your Catholic Majesty, my august Sovereign,

First of all, I wish to congratulate You on the great victory of Your armies and Your diplomacy in Portugal. The restoration of the legitimate King in this land would greatly benefit the authority of Your Majesty and the influence of the Spanish Realm in Iberia and the world. I also thank You for the high honor you bestowed upon me and ensure You, Sire, of my eternal loyalty.

As to the matters of my office, I want to inform Your Catholic Majesty of the following. The war between the United Kingdom and France is truly an act of God - for disunity between
these who might oppose us is of value. Divide and conquer, as the ancients said - and dealing with each of these countries separately would be easier. However, for the sake of the Concert of Europe, balance and the understanding that only while enjoying decent relationships with all our neighbors, we can have free hands in Africa and, perhaps, the Indies. I suggest that the Foreign Office would now concentrate on continuing to recovering ties with both of these countries, as well as seeking for wider cooperation with the Kingdom of Prussia. I would be happy to explain these suggestions in detail during my next audience with Your Catholic Majesty.

I also would like to mention that I have received dispatches from our Parisian embassy. The first secretary, Duke of the Infantado, who had had most actively participated in the negotiations with the French government, reports that Louis Phillipe consents to a marriage between Your Catholic Majesty’s youngest son, Infante Fernando de Borbón y Braganza. If this matrimony happens, the Citizen King would be ready to recognize Your Catholic Majesty as King of Spain, and Your government as the only true and legitimate one, seizing all support towards the Pretender. However, he is not ready to affirm our right to Morocco and wants Your Catholic Majesty to guarantee that You would uphold the Treaty of Utrecht.

I would summon the Duke of Infantado to Madrid and hope that he would be able to report to Yourself in person, providing the Government with more detail.

I remain Your most devoted servant,
Esteban Alonso Fitz-James y Silva,
Duke of Alba
((MoFA plan - increase relationships with UK, Prussia, France))

​

From the DUKE of ALBA to the DUKE of INFANTADO ((Private-Sneakyflaps))

Dear cousin,

Your input regarding the ambassador is most disheartening, for it does not correspond with what he has been reporting to Madrid. The matter would be dealt with through an internal investigation and I thank you for alerting me.

However, if we are to move to more optimistic subject, I must congratulate you on your work in France. The government you were to negotiate with was among the least sympathetic towards our state and our cause - and your mission was, therefore, truly a challenge.

I would like you to come to Madrid, where I would accompany you on a visit to His Catholic Majesty, where you would have the possibility to personally report to our King, I believe that the Crown should learn firsthand about these developments - and it would be good if you were acquainted with the ways of the Court and our Sovereign got to know you.

I would like to hear more about the state of affairs in France in person. For example, it is of great interest to me what is said in the political circles about the recent war with the United Kingdom and the development of the relationships of the French and Britannic governments.

How do you find Paris and its pleasures? Is it more or less to your liking than London? It is often said that women there are as wild as guepards... and as fast as them.

I respectfully remain,
ALBA

 

[Firehound15]

((Private))
*After having made a final, massive publishing campaign throughout Northern Spain, San Martin mounts a recently-acquired horse and heads for Andalusia*​

 

[Revan529]

A VE, el Duque de Alba, etc.,

Our success in Portugal was phenomenl and thoroughly indicative of the rightness of our policies and the love the Almighty has for our Kingdom; let us hope for continued success. Indeed his driving a wedge between the two liberals powers, as you have noted, is a great boon for us and our cause, and your suggestions in regards on how to treat this chance to recover ourselves further shall be considered carefully. Furthermore, I approve of your proposed diplomatic focusses for the next few years - further normalising relations with Britain and establishing stronger ties with Prussia are simple pragmatisms.

I remain,
Carlos V

 

[Keinwyn]

The Duke of Valencia, pleased by His Majesty’s endorsement of the Temperance League, pens a short piece on the subject.

On Temperance​

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.​

As I look about this nation I cannot but find percipience in this piece of scripture; The Lord warns us to be temperate for he must know the perils attached to its antithesis. Alcohol is perhaps the gravest intemperance for it itself begets intemperance. Daily it gnaws at the moral - even spiritual - fabric of this nation, degrading otherwise honest men to the state of infants incapable of the meanest task.

It cannot be in the nature of a man - at least not one of steadfast faith - to poison himself such that he would idle away his God-given hours only to leave his family destitute and starving, or to become so callous as to wilfully desecrate another’s property, or to become so violent of spirit that he would cause grievous harm to an innocent. Only liquor will drive a man to such an abject state.

It is imperative, then, for us to join together in defence of morality, virtue and for the betterment of ourselves by definitively expelling the insidious influence of the bottle. Consumption of alcohol must decline if we are to see a resurgence of Spain as a power; only with Godliness and purity of spirit will our nation triumph.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.​

 

[Nax24]

Tragedy and Victory: 1843-1845​

1843 started off strong with high hopes for the future. In March, Prince Carlos and his wife Olga announced the birth of a daughter, Carlos V's first grandchild. The girl's name was Maria Carlotta. Doctors though fear for her life. Modern doctors say that the girl was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that causes mucus to clog the lungs and leads to chronic lung infections. While in modern society, the average life expectancy of a person with this disease is about 42-50 years, in the Victorian Era, the result could be deadly much early on. Regardless of the condition of the young girl, Carlos V was ecstatic, and ordered grand celebrations all over the country for the birth of his first grandchild. But as the celebrations began to wind down, problems began to emerge all over Spain that need the King's attention immediately.

Portugal was not happy with the restoration of the Miguelists on the throne of Portugal, and were furious at Miguel I's "selling out" of Portugal to the Spanish. Many movements began to arise calling for the removal of Miguel I and the removal of all Spanish influence in Portugal. These Independence Rebels rose up in mid-1843. They numbered almost 42,000 strong, and were easily stronger then the disorganized Miguelist army assembled in Portugal. Spain would not have these rebels take over Lisbon. It was the up-most interest for the Spanish to keep Portugal under their influence, and so Carlos V deployed over 40,000 men across the border into Portugal and ruthlessly crushed the rebellion with his superior numbers. Rebels were strung up on lamp-posts in Porto, and villages sympathetic to the rebel's cause were burned. Carlos V did not want to just crush a rebellion, he wanted to set an example. With the independence movement crushed, they posed no further threat to Miguel's throne. When they did rise up again, the Portuguese army was better prepared to handle them, and Miguel was much more ruthless in dealing with these rebels than the Spanish were. All of sundering knew that Portugal and Spain were not separating, and anyone who tried to split them up would be crushed.

(Spanish forces storming a rebel holding)​

As the Portuguese rebels were dying, events were beginning to transpire across the Atlantic in the Spanish colony of Cuba. Slavery was still legal in Cuba, as many slaves were used to farm sugar plantations across the colony. Slaves were a great asset to many plantation owners, but were treated as property, not people. Slaves were routinely beaten and overworked to meet quotas and demands. Slave rebellion was crushed ruthlessly. In 1844, rumors of a slave revolt caught the attention of many plantation owners. This revolt would lead to what blacks in Cuba now call the Año del Cuero, the Year of the Lash. Thousands of slaves were tortured, executed, and beaten severely based on presumptions of the plantation owners. One such method employed for torture was when a slave owner would take his slave, tie him to a ladder, and whip him until he either confessed to being a rebel, or died. The "Ladder Conspiracy", as it was called in Europe, reached the ears of abolitionists in Spain, who wanted to end slavery across the remains of the Spanish Empire. They brought these grievances directly to the King, and demanded he end slavery in Cuba based on the attrocities committed there. Carlos V agreed to decree an end to the brutal methods used in Cuba against slavery and the violence, but he refused to release a single slave in Cuba. Abolitionists were outraged by this, and free blacks in the Spanish Empire were furious. Many feared slave revolts in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Equatorial Guinea, and the southern Philippines based on this. Carlos V though did not want to touch the issue of slavery at this time, as the issue was too divisive for him to make a proper choice.

(A slave driver beating a slave for plotting)​

What Carlos V did do was green-light a proposal by his Chief of General Staff to invade the Nigerian tribe of Warri on the Niger Delta. The Warri were a small tribe, with very few interactions with its neighbors and the outside world. The plan was to draw a small expedition force from Spain, unite them with an expedition force from the Philippines, and have them converge and destroy the Warri. This would take months to accomplish, as the Philippine force took almost a year to reach Fernando Po, the naval base off of the coast of the Niger Delta that would be used to invade Warri. At this time, Portuguese forces were being sent in to establish a beach head, but the Warri tribesmen pushed them back with greater numbers. Eventually, when the Philippine force and the Spanish force united, they pushed into Warri and destroyed any armed resistance against them in one swoop. Thousands of Africans were chained and sent to Equatorial Guinea and Cuba to act as slave labor. This was the first colonial expedition by the Spanish in almost a hundred years. Perhaps with this, the Spanish Empire could be revived, but not as an American Empire, as an African Empire?

(Spanish forces in Nigeria)​

Sadly, this was the only good news the royal family got that year. In the summer of 1844, Prince Carlos and his wife Olga had another child. Olga though did not survive the birth of the child, and died after labor. Olga would be buried in Spain leaving behind a grieving husband, and a young daughter. Worse yet, the child she gave birth to was already dead. She had given birth to a stillborn child. Two deaths in a short amount of time in the royal family devastated Carlos V. Nicholas I mourned the loss of his daughter, and blamed the Spanish for her death. The Tsar would immediately retract all alliances and deals made with Spain upon the death of his young daughter and grandchild. While this is what it looked like to the Spanish, many historians agree that Nicholas I had no time to handle foreign alliances. Russia had gone bankrupt, and was facing economic troubles with its Spanish lenders. Many believe Russia left the alliance to avoid severely damaging its credit among Spanish lenders. Regardless, Russia and Spain were no longer allies. Carlos V now had a dead alliance, a dead daughter in-law, and a dead grandchild, all put before him in a matter of days. Worse yet, the lingering presence of death struck Leon, where the province was quarantined due to an outbreak of Typhus Fever in the area. Death seemed to stalk Carlos V. An ominous sign, or terrible coincidence?

(The funeral of Olga)​

--------------------------
Player Actions Needed: Going to give you four days to IC and do whatever you need to do before going forward again.

 

[Nax24]

((Also, I would like for players to start openly responding to decisions Riccardo has/will make.))

 

[G.K.]

Fernando has pledged his loyalty to Carlos right after his victory, and even though he remained a loyal subject ever since, the wave of repressions against Carlos's enemies made him spend significantly more time in the family estates in the West Indies. Cuba was a crown jewel in the admittedly small Spanish Empire, supplying the mainland with tobacco and sugar and at the same time serving as the last important stronghold of the Spanish influence in the Americas. Fernando was well aware of not only that, but also of the fact that most of his centuries old family heritage can be found here, since Florida is long lost. To the east of Cuba is the island of Hispaniola, a former Spanish and French colony, now taken over by black slaves.

So when the time of the unrest came, Fernando was one of the most active opponents of any slave reform, seeing slavery as an essential part of colonial economy. In Cuba, Fernando and other plantation owners organized small militia corps to defend their estates, and Fernando himself wrote a letter to King Carlos, signed by many other landowners from Cuba, pleading him to assist the colony and not to abolish slavery as some suggested. Otherwise, Cuba will certainly follow the fate of Haiti into anarchy and violence.

Fernando was also pleased by the new gains in Africa. He has visited the lands himself, and invested a yuuge sum of money into the first Spanish coffee plantations and sawmills on the coast, and has publicly declared support for further cononial conquests, encouraging other Spanish gentlemen to invest in the oversea territories..

 

[Firehound15]

*The above political cartoon is disseminated in the vicinities of Cadiz and Sevilla*​

 

[zenphoenix]

((So what's the status of Portugal? Did we annex/puppet it or something?))

 

[Revan529]

On the Mistreatment and Abuse of the Those Enslaved​

We, His Most Catholic Majesty, Carlos V by the Grace of God, King of Castile, Leon, Aragon, of the Two Sicilies, of Jerusalem, of Navarre, of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of Majorca, of Seville, of Sardinia, of Córdoba, of Corsica, of Murcia, of Menorca, of Jaén, the Algarves, Algeciras, Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, of the East and West Indies, Islands and Mainland of the Ocean Sea; Archduke of Austria; Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Milan and Aspurg; Count of Flanders, Tirol and Barcelona; Lord of Biscay and Molina, having noted the extreme abuses committed against the enslaved serving in His Majesty’s colonies, and desirous of humane, Christian treatment thereof, resolves to abolish the most extreme and wanton violence committed against them. This remains the policy outlined and endorsed by the Crown at the start of this issue some two years previously, and shall be more stringently articulated within the coming weeks. Suffice it to say that the Crown opposes the current actions taken against the slaves of Cuba, and elsewhere, and shall endeavour to correct this aberration of the Royal Will.

 

[Otto of england]

His Majesty, Carlos V

It has come to my attention, as a proud man of Aragonese decent, that the tongue of my people is in decline. Owning to past policies and unfortunate negligence among the Aragonese people, the language is dying and slowly being overwhelmed by the Castilian tongue. I see this as an unfortunate and preventable travesty, but in order to salvage the situation something must be done to help the region retain its traditional identity and culture in the face of assimilation into Castilian. With this I implore your Majesty to allow the region of Aragon to acquire special privileges, akin to that of the Basquelands, though perhaps not as extensive, in order to allow the regional culture and tongue of the Aragonese people to not dissipate into oblivion.

Your Loyal Subject,
Lieutenant General, Isandro Durante, Duque de Zaragoza, de la Torre y Marquis de Santa Maria de Silvela, Order of Montesa, Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand

 

[LoggingOut]

His Majesty Carlos V

After the fall of the Empire, we should implement relationship with those countries that were our colonies such as Mexico and the caribbean islands. We shoul make growth our influences like we did in Portugal even overseas.

Your Loyal Subject,
Moises Hernando Porras y Marota

 

[Luftwafer]

((Private, to the Pope))

To His Holiness, it is an hour to serve under you as the Sheperds of Christ. However there has been distributing reports that have been coming from my diocese, of republican sentiment among men of God!

I know as you read this, you must be as shocked as I am, about how wayward these Hypocritical Blasphemers are from the path of God.

So I request that you issue a Papal Edict, stating that republicanism is evil, in league with blaspheming against Christ Himself. I also request that you issue an edict stating that any Priest caught supporting Republicanism, will be harshly punished.

I hope these actions can steer these Heathens back onto the Path Jesus set out for us.

From

Spoiler

The Primate of Spain
The Archbishop Of Toledo
Andrés Cardinal Porcelli

 

[Luftwafer]

((Private to secret Policeman))

To Juan,
I have heard disturbing reports of Pamphelts being distributed in the southern provinces, I believe that this is the writer of Voz Librez at work once again.

I must presume that they are from the southern Provinces, as transportation from anyother regions would be impossible.

There are few men with the Sentiment, skill and wealth to be able to produce a large printing operation such as the one we have seen.

I suggest you start there on your hunt for the Republicans, your mission is imperative, if we can't capture them, they may grow and be able to transport Pamphelts around the country, using effective methods.

We must smother this devil in its Cot.

God speed

Spoiler

The Primate of Spain
The Archbishop of Toledo
Andrés Cardinal Porcelli

 

[Firehound15]

 

[G.K.]

Bah. I wonder if any of those pesky Republicans ever met a native, a Filipino or an African in person. Or if they saw any part of the world other than a Madrid coffeehouse.

- Fernando commenting on the latest pamphlet

 

[Nax24]

((Private ML8991))

​

It is with the utmost displeasure that I must reject your initiative to placate a British recognition of Carlos V as King of Spain as well as marrying a member of my family off to a future child of one of the King's sons. While the strength of peace is alluring to the British crown, I cannot support a nation that has upset the Concert of Europe and the Balance of Power put in place by the Treaty of Vienna by forcing its ideology by military actions against the state of Portugal and deposing its queen for the sake of ideology. Britain will not involve herself with a power that seeks to destroy the fabric of peace established after the fall of Napoleon. We apologize for this, but it is against the beliefs and ideals of the British Empire to support this new Spanish Regime.

-Her Majesty Queen Victoria

((Private Luft))

​

Honestissimi atque optimi servus est Christi

The rise of a revolutionary democratic movement in Spain is troubling. The Spanish crown has been supportive of the church, and the dethronement of a pious man like Carlos V will shake the church to its core. This must be a cause for the clergy in Spain to take heed. Your piety as been shown to be exemplary young Archbishop. I thus give you authorization to spread the word to all good Christians in Spain that these Republican movements act against the church and all-mighty God.

Deus Vult!

-Eius Sancti Pope Gregory XVI

 

[Dadarian]

In the Cortz.
​

Lord Etxeto worked diligently but uneasily. It wasn't Catholic to let your opinions and feelings be known, but he chafed under the direct control of a lesser. Trumpo was a respectable Catholic, but as a boss he was one that many could bite ones thumb at. The Amarillos were completely left to dry following Carlos' examination of the Court. It was embarressing. Worse, his brother wasn't here to share his burden.

"O Lord Brother, prithee bless me with a less menial task, less bothersome superior, and less embarrassing place."

 

[Keinwyn]

The Trials of “Pere”, a humble servant of his betters.​

((Private))

Pere, secretary to the Duke of Valencia, was concerned. The Duke was showing increasing signs of stress. It was not helped, Pere suspected, by Don Alejo’s newfound teetotalism. Whilst previously never a heavy drinker, the Duke had enjoyed a glass of wine now and again, and no doubt it had helped him unwind. Now, however, as though compelled to lead by example in the campaign for temperance, he had stopped drinking altogether.

On top of that, the workload of the First Secretary seemed to be ever increasing. Whilst Pere did not wish to think ill of His Majesty’s appointees, how a confidence trickster such as Don Aldo had persuaded the king to grant him high office, Pere would never fathom. He was dubious the man had even set foot in the treasury, let alone done any work. Only the previous night, as the coach took them to the Duke’s seat at Viver, Pere had had to sit through his master grinding his teeth as he read through a draft budget.

Nor, it seemed, were things convivial in the Duke’s domestic life. Never in twenty five years of service had Pere seen such a frosty demeanour between Don Alejo and his lady wife. Not that it was Pere’s place to pry into such matters in the first place, but he had no inclination of the source of the problem. If it had been an affair, Pere expected he would have noticed, at least if it had been on the Dukes side...

An affair...

Whilst the Duke had never shown any inclination for extramarital adventures... he was a sucker for a pretty face, that was for sure; a lovely smile had always been able to melt his otherwise austere façade. Perhaps in the current situation… Perhaps an outlet for his master’s stress could be found. A “breather” as it were.

Certainly, Pere concluded, something had to be done to relieve his master’s stress.

***​

Pere felt thoroughly guilty as he threaded the streets of Elche. Of course, he should probably have been worried as well; if this turned out badly he could well be out of a job. Before long he found himself at the door of a certain Emerald; his destination.

((Well someone had to , hiring @Michaelangelo ))