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((I'm planning on getting back into this iAAR sometime soon, so anybody want to make an offer to my future character (Juan Felipe de Alvear y Ponce de Leon) to entice him to a side? He'll especially listen if one side promises to restore his family's reputation and honor.))

((Those who side with socialists have no honour to begin with. ;)))
 
Regime
 
((Here's my new character, I've retconned him to the grandson of my previous character because I just realized how old Carlos Maria was. Let's hope he doesn't screw up again this time...))
Name: Juan Felipe de Alvear y Ponce de Leon
Year of birth: 1868
Occupation: Army officer / Interim Viceroy-Governor of the Spanish Niger ((Is this position already handed out to someone/an NPC?))
Background: Aristocrat
Religion: Catholic
Personality: Intelligent/Intuitive
Bio: Juan Felipe was only a child when his grandfather was disgraced and exiled to the Spanish Niger after fleeing the revolution of 1873. He thus grew up in the colony for most of his life. The harsh conditions of the colony helped to shape him into a talented and experienced soldier with extensive knowledge of local terrain and society. After completing his military training he studied at Oxford and traveled around the world, observing how other nations' armies functioned and integrating their tactics and strategies into his own. As a result, he managed to suppress the Sokoto rebellion which killed his grandfather and father. Following his grandfather's death, he now seeks to restore the reputation of his family and return to his birthplace, Spain. Seeing the homeland mired in a second revolution he found an opportunity to show his loyalty to the Crown and fix his grandfather's mistakes...

A message arrives from the Spanish Niger. Interim Viceroy-Governor Juan Felipe de Alvear y Ponce de Leon, on behalf of the people of the colony, has declared his support for the Spanish government against the socialists.

Support: Regime
 
Pedro scoffed at the individuals who were voting against their king. It would be unwise to take such a position, and Pedro couldn't say such words, his family- at least his foster father- owed a great debt to the crown, and so he upheld his families promise of loyalty to the crown by voting IN SUPPORT OF THE REGIME, Long may Felipe VI reign.
 
((I am going to be away for a little while longer, sorry that I wasn't here for the Revolution, but I am currently stuck in the UK after my flight got cancelled.))
 
((Hey guys, sorry for the delay in the update. A combination of college, putting myself in positions to need certain people on, and general laziness has delayed the update a bit. It does beg the question though if I have free time to manage a game now a days. Anyway, the update should be out tomorrow for the revolution))
 
The Revolution of 1893

Socialism was never really a big deal in Spain. Compare that to Socialism in Belgium where the local Socialist Party managed to get a Prime Minister into power, or in Germany where a majority of the workers identify as socialists, or Britain where the emerging Labour Party is making strides onto the Political Scene. Socialism in Spain wasnt as strong as it was in Central Europe. This was in part due to two major reasons. The first was the monarchist approach taken by the Socialist Party in Spain. While many socialists parties only tolerate the idea of monarchies in general, the Socialist Party was very pro-monarchy in Spain. It did speak out against institutions of the crown like the government or the Royalists, but it never went beyond that, compared to the Liberals that is. It was almost a mix between Socialism and Carlism. The second reason why socialism never got as strong was due to the fact that the Royalists had been taking a socialist side in social affairs for decades. Say what you want about these policies angering and isolating the rich from the Royalists, their social reforms and social institutions were pretty popular among the poor. Most poor citizens in Spain recognized themselves as Royalists due to this (which is also a reason why Los Amarillos kind of detests them). The most prominent socialist place in Spain was Granada, where the bulk of socialist activity takes place and where they have the most representation thanks to the poor being able to vote there. With all of this in mind, the Socialist Party was not really seen as a violent or hostile force, rather a weird yet docile institution. Pontevedra himself never bothered trying to censor or actively antagonize socialism due to their docile nature, and even put trust behind its leader, Salbatore Verdejo. He would soon realize what a grievous mistake that was.

Labour-Group-1906-570947b-007.jpg

(These men will found what is today known as the Labour Party in the UK)

Following the arrest of de Valle, widespread violence erupted in southern Spain. Seville and Granada were plagued with riots and protests, demanding that de Valle be released. Verdejo believed that the liberal cause was also a socialist cause, and sympathized with the People's Party in many situations. In 1893, Verdejo decided that the time was right to force change in the governmental system. He declared a revolution aimed at calling a constitutional convention for writing a constitution for the realm. Naturally, King Felipe did not like this and immediately declared that the Socialist Party was a criminal organization, had all Audience members of the Socialist Party arrested, and ordered the party disbanded. In retaliation, Socialist forces seized the city of Granada from the government. Following this opening move, King Felipe did something most political spectators would regard as idiotic, he replaced his Head of Government. After calling on many concerns with Pontevedra, one of them being trusting to Verdejo, a secret revolutionary, King Felipe removed Pontevedra from First Minister. His replacement though would be the Marquis Etexto. While many regard this option as odd, Felipe knew what he was doing. Pontevedra was a saint in his treatment of liberals in comparison to Etexto in his treatment of socialists. Etexto was rumored to even have had socialists in the Basquelands killed and their heads put on spikes. Etexto's first act as First Minister was to issue a simple order, "If they are revolting, they are socialist, and if they are socialist, kill them" (of course he said this while smoking a cigar in his chair looking over Madrid yearning for home). With that order, the government dispatched Captain General Zumalacárregui to engage with the revolutionaries. His first act was to break up the protest in front of Madrid and find any socialist revolutionaries. This act alone would result in over 100 socialist deaths, with many more being captured. This was the start of a full blown war.

Zumalacárregui made great haste to the two cities plagued by violence, Granada and Seville. He and 50,000 soldiers marched on Seville, where they were greeted by rag-tag groups of dissatisfied locals and angry liberals. Zumalacárregui, not wanting to fight his own people, asked for them to come and meet with him, promising them no harm. The People's Party leader of the city, one Eugenio Montero Ríos, agreed to talk with Zumalacárregui against his better judgement. Surprisingly, Zumalacárregui kept his word, and the two met to discuss terms. Rios wished to see a list of demands reach the King, and for the time they were waiting, Rios would try to calm the city down. Zumalacárregui agreed, and sent an envoy with the demands to Madrid. The demands were simple, to release de Valle, un-suspend the People's Party, ensure that no party is scrutinized outside the Audience, and to have censorship be enforced only by the King. With that problem out of the way for the moment, Zumalacárregui turned his attention to Granada, the heart of the revolution.

Granada had been preparing for the Spanish assault for days. It was well equipped to handle the siege. They did have one weakness however, they were outnumbered almost 3:1. Zumalacárregui realized this, and decided that the best way to deal with this revolt was to simply assault the city. For a whole day, the Spanish army assaulted the walls of the city. After both sides took casualties, the socialists retreated off the walls into the heart of the city, setting up barricades surrounding the center of town. Zumalacárregui chased them in, and decided not to expend his soldiers lives fighting a defensive position by calling up mortars. For almost two days, mortar shells were fired into the center of town, crippling the already weakened socialist force. At dawn on the second day, the socialists surrendered. Verdejo was found among the wounded, a hand missing from the shells. Zumalacárregui ordered that he be medically cared for, treated well, and sent back to Madrid. Zumalacárregui though did not have enough time to celebrate as he wheeled back and had to march to Seville again. The demands that the Seville population had where all rejected by the government. King Felipe refused to even consider releasing de Valle. Seville would once again erupt into violence. Zumalacárregui marched his forces back to Seville and put the city under siege, demanding the violence end. For almost two months, the citizens of Seville were locked in their own city. Finally, the city broke and surrendered. Zumalacárregui entered the city unopposed to find the citizens starving to death.

"The people had been reportedly eating rats and horse meat once the bread ran out. By God, if anything walking into that city threatened my morality, it was the smell..."

We shall return to the mainland in a moment. For now, we shall look overseas to the Philippines, where the revolution spread to the native Filipino population. Simon Mercando, a notable Filipino nationalist, was leading the campaign to encourage independence from Spain and to establish a Philippine state. His actions spurred native protests in the region, and led to a full-scale revolt in Manila. What was worse for the mainland was that the Spanish had no official military presence in Asia. General Manuel Lolo was reportedly in a drug coma in a Shanghai hospital, leaving his 15,000 men stranded. Only 6,000 colonial forces were on the island chain. This led to quick maneuvers by the nationalists to seize many key areas of the island chains. King Felipe knew that he could not lose one of the last major colonies of the old Spanish Empire, and sent an armed force of 40,000 men led by his younger brother, the Infante Pelayo, Colonel Mariano Enrique de Soutomaior e Andrade, Duke of Galiza, and Colonel Juan Felipe de Alvear y Ponce de Leon, the son of a dishonored colonial officer, to the Philippines to restore order. When they arrived, they were met with a large scale Filipino riot. After refusing to disperse, the troops began to push back with force. After a day's worth of fighting, the city was back under royal administration. Pelayo began using his status as brother to the King in order to influence anyone with Spanish blood to his side. The Spanish population, whether pure blooded Spanish or mixed, sided with Pelayo over fears of the Filipinos exacting revenge on them. Pelayo also began to make the conflict a sectarian one. Many of Mercando's followers were Muslims from the southern islands. Pelayo claimed that Mercando was trying to institute Sharia law on the islands, and have all the Christians killed like how the old Sulu Sultanate did to a missionary years ago. The army pushed south, but were increasingly hampered by Filipino guerrillas, harassing them at every turn. Infante Pelayo himself would be shot in the foot, leaving the Ponce de Leon boy to lead the mission. Spanish militias and Catholic sympathizers joined the government in their quest, and pushed deeper and deeper into the islands. Eventually though, resistance evaporated. The militias simply went home and quit. No amount of interrogation determined why. Mercando disappeared, some say blending in back with his people. Regardless, Ponce de Leon managed to secure the islands easily afterwords.

philippine.jpg

(A poster from the revolution)

Back in Seville, the government was facing a large scale humanitarian crisis. Thousands of starved citizens of the city were in need of care. The Red Cross even sent a relief effort to the city. All in all, this was a solom victory for the regime. Yes, they won the revolution, captured the Socialists, and secured stability, but at what cost? It was known that General Zumalacárregui was dishearted when he knew he had to take the city back by force, but what of the other government ministers? Now that the revolution was over, it was time for the government to take an active role in making sure that a situation like this ever happened again. The flames of revolution have died down, but the flames of anger towards the government still burn bright in many. Would stability ever return to Spain after what happened?
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Player Actions Needed: You got a few days to figure out what to do.
 
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The Philippines

Colonel Juan Felipe de Alvear y Ponce de Leon raised his rifle and shot again. A nother rebel went down. Around him his men charged the enemy, mortar shells screaming overhead. It was his first military deployment since the Sokoto rebellion, and he didn't want to mess it up.

"Viva Espana!" shouted Infante Pelayo, brandishing his sword.

"Long live the King!" shouted Juan Felipe, firing again.

More Filipino rebels charged out from the trees to his right, shouting war cries and firing their guns. Some of Juan Felipe's men were shot, but the rest quickly adapted and counterattacked, with devastating efficiency.

Juan Felipe heard a shout from behind him, and Infante Pelayo toppled from his horse, blood spurting from his foot. Four nearby Filipino soldiers nearby noticed the prince on the ground and ran straight for him, with their daggers drawn and wicked grins on their faces.

"No!" shouted Juan Felipe. He spun around and shot as fast as he could, killing three of them as he charged towards the fourth. Before the last rebel could reach the prince, Juan Felipe had also shot him in the head.

Another rebel charged at him and swung a sword at him, catching it in his rifle. Juan Felipe dropped the rifle and grappled with him. The enemy was strong, but he was no match for a civilized man. Juan Felipe tossed him to the ground, drew his own sword, and stabbed him.

"Your Highness, are you okay?" he said.

The prince nodded.

"I'm going to get you out of here." Juan Felipe rolled up his sleeves and pulled Infante Pelayo away from the battlefield with with arm, his other arm firing away with his pistol.

Seville

Juan Felipe stepped off the steamer and breathed in the fresh European air. It was the first time he had set foot in Spain in many long years. He hoped it wouldn't be the last time he was in Spain, his home.

As he bought a train ticket for his estate in Leon, which he hadn't seen since his father was exiled, he noticed the dreary condition the city was in. Buildings everywhere showed signs of artillery bombardment or fire. Many civilians lay on the streets, begging for mercy. The men and women who were still on their feet glared at him as they passed by, as if his uniform singled him out as an oppressor, not a liberator. Did they not know who he was? Did they not know what he did for them? Something was wrong in the country. Something was very, very wrong. If things continued as they were, he realized that a second revolution might occur. He made up his mind to go to Madrid, once he got his estates in order, and go help fix Spain's problems.
 
500px-coat_of_arms_of_spain-svg1.png



The Kingdom of Spain has once again suffered from an attempt by different malignant forces to destroy its foundations and unity– but proved its ability to defend itself, proved that, unlike the old times, radicals would never subdue our beloved country. We thank Our Government, Army and all Our good subjects for their loyalty to the Throne and Country.

Sadly enough, each conflict with the use of armed forces, be it internal and external, causes harm not only to belligerents, but also to property and bystanders – and therefore now the sword has to be put aside and be replaced by an aisle. It is time to rebuild the damaged infrastructure in the regions which have been touched by the warfare and remedy these that have been innocently harmed by the consequences of this insurrection.

For this reason we name the Duke of Infantado, as the Acting Viceroy of Granada and Our brother, Infante Pelayo, as the Acting Viceroy of Andalusia. These gentlemen, as well as the Military Governor-General of Phillipines, should investigate the situation in these regions and bring to Our Government proposals regarding the allocation of funds needed for causes named above, especially to end diseases in Seville – of course, under the guidance of Our First Secretary and Cabinet.

We also need to remind these that have participated in the shameful rebellion: these who have dared to disrupt the tranquility of their fatherland would be severely punished. However these participants of disorders that are still at large have the opportunity to come to the Secretariat of Grace and Justice and honestly confess about their misdeeds. Honesty and repentance leads to mercy – as Our Savior wills.

FELIPE

((To the First Secretary + Secretary of Grace and Justice and the Secretary of Interior))

Gentlemen,

Such vicious crimes as treason, armed rebellion and ignorance of the most fundamental laws of the state must be punished most strictly. We believe that the people identified as the leaders of the rebellious activities, as well as these who have killed or caused severe bodily harm to Our servants, should be deprived of all civic, military or other honors and executed through hanging.

It may be reasonable that, as it was done during the War of Restoration, waged by Our August Grandfather, the land, property and businesses of these most grievous traitors, is confiscated and retributed between these that have proved loyalty to Us, as well as these that have innocently suffered during the insurrectionary activities. However We would wait for expertize of Our Government on this decision.

All lesser participants of the rebellion are left in disposal of the Secretariat of Grace and Justice and should bear responsibility in accordance with the rulings of Our courts.

We also believe it may be make sense to look for informers amidst the ranks of imprisoned rebels – ones that could either lead us to these criminal leaders that still have not been caught or potentially be used to keep the socialist and radical movements under watch. The current situation demonstrates to us that the ring of informants and undercover agents has been underdeveloped.

FELIPE

1893 Honors List​

For his most zealous management of the restoration of order in the Spanish Kingdom and the Basque Country in particular, Our First Secretary of State, Don Luys Blas Ximon Hortun y Llorente Etxeto, Marquess of Riojo, would be created the first Duque Etxeto, named Grandee of Spain, First Class and Knight Grand Cross (with Collar) of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III. Since the Duke of Etxeto has also taken, during this rebellion, the role of a military leader in certain senses, he would, from now, bear the honorary rank of the Lieutenant General of the Reserve. A regiment of his choice consisting of Basques would be also renamed to «Etxeto Regiment» and he would be its honorary colonel.

For leading Our armies that have ended the insurrection in the mainland provinces of Granada and Andalusia Our Lieutenant General and Secretary for War, Don Antonio Carlos de Zumalacárregui e Imaz, Duque de Vittoria, would be further ennobled as Principe de La Guerra (Prince of War), would be named Grandee of Spain, First Class and and Knight Grand Cross (with Collar) of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III. He would also be promoted to the rank of Captain General, the highest in Our forces, and bear the marshals baton. The regiment of his choice within cavalry or line infantry, excluding the Royal Guard, the Regiment del Rey, the Regiment del Reina and the Regiment of Military Orders, would be renamed to «Zumalacárregui Regiment», of which he would be honorary colonel.

Our August Brother, Infante Pelayo, who has fearlessly lead the victorious expedition to Phillipines, would be immediately promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, would receive the title of the Duke of Segovia, become Knight Grand Cross of the of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III and be inducted into the Order of Santiago. Since he has been wounded into leg during the expedition, all his direct ancestors would also receive a unique privilege – to sit before their Sovereign without asking for permission.

For his loyal service during the insurrection and many preceding years and the fact that, as interim leader of the War Council. Our Interior Minister, Sr. de Correia y de Medinaceli, Marquess of Pontevedra, has in many ways assisted to rebuild Our armed forces, We make him Grandee of Spain, Second Class and give him the honorary rank of the Major General of the Reserve and honorary colonel of the Pontevedra Regiment.

For their valorous service during the expedition to Phillipines We promote Colonel Mariano Enrique de Soutomaior e Andrade, Duke of Galiza, and Colonel Juan Felipe de Alvear y Ponce de Leon to the ranks of Brigadier Generals and make them Commanders with Star within the Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild. The War Secretariat is to consider them as first candidates for the most favorable military commands.

We ennoble Our Secretary for Grace and Justice, Senor Fernando Armando Hernando Rolando Fernández, as the Conde de Móstoles and name him Commander within the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III.

For exceptional execution of his duties as Our chief press officer during the rebellion Don Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo de Soneta di Belmonte a Infantado,Principe de Belmonte,15th Duque de la Infantado, would become a Knight of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III

For his zealous service during the rebellion and before it Don Francesco Roma, Duke of Menorca would become a Commander within the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic.

We ask Our civil and military authorities, Viceroys, ministers and generals, also to conduct lists of junior officials, commanders, et cetera, which have demonstrated loyalty and valor during these events. They would be commended.

 
205px-Eduard_Anseele.jpg

Fellow Ministers of the Federal Parliament. Today, a great tragedy has befallen the Socialist movement in Europe. Spanish socialists, attempting to remove the last monument of the old order in this world, were ruthlessly gunned down in the street, their party banned, and their leader arrested. These barbaric acts against fellow members of the world wide socialist movement have troubled Belgium, a nation which has embraced the very movement that Spain seeks to eradicate in its own borders. King and government have ruthlessly sought to destroy socialism in Spain. Hypocritically, the King endorses social reform in his nation like a socialist, but calls socialists "traitors and enemies of the state". The party of their King has pushed for numerous social reforms, yet led the charge against those who share a similar opinion.

However, we, the Belgian Government, do not want to act hasty in this situation. We should not allow our anger to lead to rash action. We must approach this diplomatically. Spain has been an ally of Belgium for years, and perhaps we can change her mind about socialism. It will be hard, an absolutist King who had his power threatened is one who may not be inclined to listen to socialists, the very group of people who, according to the government, tried to overthrow the King. I ask though that Spain consider its place in this modern world, and accept the offer of a diplomatic meeting between us and them to discuss the possibility of sparing our fellow socialist comrades.

-Prime Minister Edward Anseele in a speech to the Belgian Federal Parliament
 
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The Emerald of Elche: Part II

The interior of the carriage was warmer than out in the open air, something Esmeralda was grateful for. She sat down on a cushioned seat across from the noble, whose gaze never left her. She was usually used to such stares, but this one disarmed her a bit. Most men’s gaze would drift to her legs or her breasts, or perhaps an even more intimate place, but this man’s gaze never left her face. She kept the smile plastered on her face, trying to appear as charming as possible.

The nobleman suddenly shook his head and slapped his legs, startling Esmeralda a bit. Blushing again, he said, “I must apologize, for I forgot to introduce myself. I am Vicente Pío Osorio, although Vicente will do.”

“You must be a very influential man,” Esmeralda said as she twirled a finger through her hair, trying her best to flatter the man.

“Well my father is, but I suppose that makes me too. I try not to think about it.”

The casual attitude of this man towards his station was sharp barb in Esmeralda’s side. She had had to work hard for everything she wanted, but here was a man who probably had everything he wanted handed to him. On the other hand, he certainly could afford her fee and more. If she played things right, she’d make a fortune this night.

The carriage made its way through Elche and into the richer district of the city. Esmeralda had never been in this part of the city, for it was not the place of a commoner to go there. She was certain that if she tried to work a street corner here she’d find herself in the city jail. Soon the carriage wound its way to the outskirts, to the large estates of the more prestigious nobility. It soon turned into the path to the largest manor Esmeralda had ever seen. It was easily three stories, dwarfing everything around it. The vineyard surrounding the mansion seemed to go on as far as the eye could see, which perhaps wasn’t that far in the middle of the night.

As the carriage stopped near the front door, Vicente noticed her awed expression and said, “My father is the marquis of Elche, one of his many titles.”

It was like a dream come true. The richest man in town had taken interest in her. If she pulled this off, she’d be set for life. Suddenly her blouse was a little bit lower and her skirt hitched up a few more inches, not that Vicente seemed to notice. He merely opened the carriage door and offered his hand to escort her out. She took his hand with a smile and let him guide her into his home.

The inside of the house was even more spectacular. The vaulted ceiling of the entrance hall had a mural of Christ that reminded Esmeralda a bit too much of her time in the convent. Her delicate feet walked across plush rugs and up the curved staircase, following Vicente upstairs. She ran one hand along the ivory balustrade, the material cold and hard against her skin. A maid marched down the stairs next to them, giving Esmeralda the most scathing side-eye she’d ever seen. She was an interloper, a commoner intruding in this place of nobility. She didn’t deserve to be here, yet here she was.

Soon Vicente guided her into the master bedroom. A giant four-poster bed dominated the room, complete with silk sheets and feather pillows. Compared to the usual lice-ridden hay beds she serviced men in, this was a step up. Vicente sat down on the end of the bed and beckoned for her to sit next to him. She sashayed over, letting her hips sway and pulling her skirt back to reveal her legs. Vicente took a look for once, but seemed embarrassed to have witnessed the display. Esmeralda couldn’t help but smirk at his prude nature.

Just as she sat herself down next to him, ensuring she was close enough for him to feel the warmth of her body, he bolted upright and scurried over to the fireplace. She tried not to let her irritation showed. Vicente’s face was red again as he said, “Let me just get a fire going to stave off the night chill.”

Esmeralda lounged back on the bed, running her fingers along the silk sheets and posing her body seductively. She smiled at Vicente as he finally got the fire lit. Then her expression dropped as soon as she saw the painting above the fireplace. A portrait of a young woman hung there, obviously a noblewoman judging by her exquisite gown and jewelry painted in excruciating detail. What caught Esmeralda’s attention though was the woman’s face. Although the woman in the painting had her hair done up and appeared in her later twenties, she was a spitting image of Esmeralda. The young woman bolted upright in the bed, staring at the painting in shock.

“The resemblance is uncanny, isn’t it,” Vicente said. He held his hands behind his back and stared down at the floor, even more shy than before.

Esmeralda blinked rapidly and asked the obvious, “Who is that?”

Vicente cleared his throat and said, “That would be my wife, Maria, or rather was. She passed away last month.”

Realization hit Esmeralda like a brick to the face. The strange looks, the odd behaviour, everything that had thrown her off by this man could be explained by this one fact. Vicente was treating her differently not because he was some prude noble but because when he looked at her, he saw his dead wife. She felt more uncomfortable than ever. It was one thing to let a man have his way with her, for that was a simple exchange or service, a moment of pleasure for both participants. Once it was done, that was it. This, however, would be something different. It was not lust or passion driving this man, but affection and devotion for his late wife. Emotional attachment was not something Esmeralda knew how to handle.

Vicente slowly approached her and sat down next to her, keeping enough distance to show he wasn’t looking for something intimate yet. He blushed again, the redness a seemingly permanent fixture on his cheeks, and said, “I know this may all seem strange to you, but when I saw you on the street and how much you resembled my sweet Maria, I knew I had to speak with you.”

Esmeralda struggled for words, forcing a smile on her face in the meantime. Dear god, what had she gotten herself into. She relaxed her posture a bit to make Vicente feel more comfortable and said the only thing she could think of. “Well, I’m flattered.”

Vicente licked his dry lips, avoiding eye contact with Esmeralda. Clearly flustered, he tried to speak and ended up rambling instead. “I don’t know how to phrase this, but… uh… I was… well… I was wondering--”

The nobleman’s rambling was cute, but if he continued on like this she’d be stuck there all night. Perhaps that wasn’t the worst thing, but she needed to assert herself a bit or else she might not get paid this night. Even though this man was having difficulty expressing what he wanted, Esmeralda had a good idea. Here was a loving husband, a man missing his wife, and perhaps also missing their love-making. She leaned forward and placed a finger over Vicente’s lips to silence him. He was a little startled by the gesture, but shut up immediately. “Say no more. I can fulfill your every desire. Tonight, you and your dear Maria shall be reacquainted.”

After sliding slowly off the bed and back to her feet, Esmeralda ran her hands up her body and watched as Vicente sputtered at the sight. He was a bit overwhelmed, but that would only make the next part all that more exciting for him. She slid one arm of her blouse down, revealing more of her tanned skin and the side of her breast. She watched him from the corner of her eye as she slid the sleeve a bit further.

Vicente suddenly jumped to his feet and rested a hand on her arm, stopping her from disrobing. “You don’t have to do that for me.”

Esmeralda scrunched up her face in confusion. What did this man want then? “I thought you required my services?”

“Services?” Vicente was genuinely puzzled by her question before his eyes went wide and he held his hands out as thought he’d been caught in the middle of committing a crime. “Oh dear god, you’re a-a-a…” He didn’t finish his sentence though, gulping loudly and slumping down on the edge of the bed. “I’m so sorry. When I saw how much you looked like my wife, I did not think of why you might be out that night. I’ll pay you for your time, but I just wanted to talk. I just want to be with my wife one more time.”

Well this was not what Esmeralda had expected at all. Vicente hadn’t even known she was a prostitute. The naivety shocked her, almost as much as the fact that he had taken her all the way to his manor just to speak to her. She had been ready to sleep with him and he’d turned her down. Did this man not want to be with his wife again? The decision baffled her. It went against everything she knew of men. Not sure what to do, she just sat back down on the bed and asked, “So what would you like me to do?”

“Just listen,” Vicente said. “There are so many things I wanted to tell my wife that I never got the chance to say. It would unburden my heart if I could tell these things to you. It might feel as though I am telling her these things instead, seeing as you look so much like her.”

Esmeralda could do nothing but nod her head, so bewildered by the situation she had gotten herself into. Thus she spent the rest of the night just sitting there and listening to what Vicente had to say to his deceased wife. She listened as he spilled out his heart to a woman he hardly knew, removing a burden that he had held since his wife’s passing. Esmeralda had slept with many men, experiencing so many moments of passion and pleasure, but nothing proved as intimate as this. She was witnessing this man’s very soul, his undying love for his wife that continued to defy death. Even though Vicente spoke the words to her, she felt like merely a receptacle, like a priest listening to a man’s confession. The whole experience left her feeling empty inside, for here she was seeing true love and knowing that she’d never feel anything like that in her profession. The best she could do was try not to focus on Vicente’s words, but that proved near impossible. By the time morning came and Vicente had her sent back to town, with a sizeable purse of gold at least, both of them were in tears, although Esmeralda made sure not to let hers show until she had left the manor far behind.
........well written my friend .....almost had a man tear
 
An Appeal to the reparations towards the peoples of Granada and it's environs
I, Princpe-Duque Pedro de Soneta di Belmonte e Infantado, Acting Viceroy of Granada, suggests that the crown offers to the people of Granada these reparations to their lands.
  1. A funded reconstruction of the city of Granada, to repair any and all damage created in the artillery bombings
  2. The immediate establishment of field hospitals, so that the people may seek aid to assist in any medical capacity produced by the events of the last year
  3. A stipend to be granted to the families who's lands or property has been damaged in such a way as to lose an income
Any other reparations or ideas to be added to this are welcome to be suggested, should the crown or the cabinet see it fit to add to retract ideas in this idea.
 
The Great Trial: 1893-1895

Spain had emerged from a tribulation that rocked its cities to its core. The revolution was finally over. Now was not the time to fight or to shed blood, now was the time to rebuild. Plans were already in motion to mop up the remaining militants in Spain. Prince Pedro of Belmonte, Viceroy of Granada, would have the honor or rebuilding the city from the ashes of violence. Marquis Etexto would lead Spain into a new future as Head of Government, right hand man of the King. Grand Duke Roma would rebuild the industry lost in the revolution under his own eye, and the nations of the world marched forward with their own selfish interests in mind. It seemed that for once in decades, peace would finally settle upon the weary Iberian Peninsular. Yet, as the saying goes, whenever a nation on earth settles, God throws a stone at it...

...and believe me, he was winding up.

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(Granada, 1893)

Peace though was, at the moment, leading to economic prosperity. The Duke Etexto would begin exercising his powers as Head of Government by eliminating taxes on the rich and making it easier for capitalists to make a living. However, he was opposed in this measure by the Secretary of Commerce, the Duke Roma. Roma felt that capitalism was not the way to go for workers. While he was not a socialist, he adopted many aspects of the Royalist opinion towards the worker. His position of power, and his stance as a mutualist would have him keep many of the labor laws and subsidies that he had been keeping for almost twenty years, things that Los Amarillos would have dropped in a heart beat. The industrial sector of Spain would recover in many areas, with capitalists springing up in the war-torn regions of Spain to rebuild the industrial sector of these regions. While this was happening, new resources were being discovered across the Spanish colonial frontier. Oil was found in the Moroccan city of Fez, and rubber plantations grew in number across Nigeria. These new resources would be used to power stronger and better industrial machinations. Etexto's party members shared many feelings about political reform with the Royalists however. A political reform club was formed in Spain to help increase support for a voting system in which the voting was done proportionally. The Minister of Grace and Justice ordered the club shut down. He may not have been as assertive on this stance as the Marquis of Pontevedra, but his message was clear.


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(Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, one of the philosophical founders of mutualism)

As Spain began to simmer down from its period of revolution and revolt, the wheels of politics in other areas of the world were turning. Old wounds would be reopened by European nations, and the powerhouses of the continent would be at arms soon enough. The road to conflict would begin in 1894. On September 8th, 1894, King Louis-Philippe II of France passed away. Succeeding him would be his son, Philippe VIII. Philippe VIII was a more active monarch than his father, using his royal powers whenever he could. He heavily influenced the proceedings of the French government, and caused a stir of nationalism among the population. He made allies with the Russians in order to have Germany be corned on two fronts, something the Germans did not want happening. The Russians and the French would embark on a massive military build-up in the wake of Philippe VIII calling on France to reclaim the lost lands of Alsace and Lorraine from the German thieves who stole it from them years ago. Russia had much in common with the French and their cause. They also received a new Head of State in the form of Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia. Both Philippe VIII and Nicholas II were brash monarchs bent on curbing German power in Europe. Russia wanted to secure its Prussian border with the Germans in the event that the Germans tried to take larger swaths of Poland. German Kaiser Wilhelm II was advised to calm the situation down, since many believed a two front war with Russia and France without at least Austrian support was not a good position to be in. Wilhelm II, bold as he was, ordered that the military be built up and ready for a fight. Finally, in early 1895, King Philippe VIII of France addressed the French National Assembly, asking it to declare war on the Germans and reclaim lost land in Alsace-Lorraine. The French government passed this resolution, and joined by Russia, marched its forces into German territory. The Great European War that many had feared for so long was upon Europe as the forces of three great monarchs began a bloody affair over spots of land in Europe.

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(A patriotic poster of French troops marching off to war)

Spain was neutral in this war. It was allied with the Russians, yes, but it also had strong diplomatic ties to the Germans and French. Spain never wanted to take a side in this affair, and no one knew how Felipe VI would respond to such a crisis. He did not have anytime to answer though, for war from another Great Power would reach Spain before they could enter the European fray. You see, during the revolution, Cuban militants had tried to wage a war against the Spanish government in Cuba, but were beaten badly and imprisoned. Jose Marti, the man whose manifesto would lead to this act of rebellion, would flee Cuba. The situation in Cuba was under-control, but one nation was watching the whole thing from only 100 miles away, the United States of America. The United States of America had no interest in Cuba. After the Carlist Regime kicked US businesses out of Cuba following reports of Americans backing early attempts at Cuban freedom, America had no financial interest in the islands. However, that did not stop the two large newspaper titans of America, Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World and William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal from utilizing yellow journalism to rouse up hatred of Spain in its treatment of the Cubans. The idea of Cuba Libre caused many Americans to draw similarities between what they did a hundred years ago to what Cuba was trying to do now. This led to increasing pressure on US President Benjamin Harrison to do something. While many issued to see the US intervene on behalf of the Cubans, some wished for peace to be negotiated with Spain. The United States tried to contact Spain, but Spain had cut diplomatic ties with the US decades ago, even refusing to accept an American diplomat on their shores. Due to the complete lack of diplomatic negotiations with the Spanish, the American people continued to press for war, and the United States could not ignore them forever. In an address to Congress, President Harrison stated:

"In view of these facts and of these considerations, I ask the Congress to authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of hostilities between the government of Spain and the people of Cuba, and to secure in the island the establishment of a stable government, capable of maintaining order and observing its international obligations, insuring peace and tranquillity and the security of its citizens as well as our own, and to use the military and naval forces of the United States as may be necessary for these purposes."

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(Spanish propaganda about the US)

A few weeks later, the United States congress declared war on Spain. Backing its call were Mexico and the Central American Powers. As the Marquis of Pontevedra put it, "Satan has finally arisen to challenge us..." Belgium, Russia, and Portugal all joined Spain's cause, and mobilized for war. However, with German troops in Poland, Russia's military was expended, and in Belgium, a large scale revolt against the government had emerged, one that required the full attention of the Belgian forces. The United States though was not just some pushover power. Its military was almost tripled that of the Spanish military, and its army alone trumped the armed forces of Portugal and Spain combined. Spain was in for a tough battle with one of the strongest industrial and militaristic power in the world, fighting across an ocean. The Spanish-American War had begun...

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(American Propaganda)

------------------------------
Player Actions Needed: War plans, nuf said.
 
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((Private))

Fernando Armando Hernando Rolando Fernández reclined in armchair in his estate he'd purchased to go with his new title of nobility. He took a puff of a Cuban cigar, blowing out smoke and tapping the ash off into an ashtray. It was nice to relax every once and awhile, although the need to manage and control his massive financial empire always lingered in the back of his mind. It was probably time to get back to work soon, but maybe after he finished this cigar.

"Senor," Fernando's assistant said as he rushed into the study. "Have you seen the papers?"

Fernando casually placed the cigar on a nearby tray. "The only paper I read is my own. The rest are all Royalist propaganda or illegal."

"Then you know about the Americans?"

Fernando leaned back in his chair. "Not at all. Did they finally attack the British to claim Canada?"

Fernando's assistant vigorously shook his head. "Much worse. They've declared war on us in an attempt to free Cuba."

That made Fernando sit up straight in his seat. "How dare they interfere in our affairs. Arrogant Americans. They think the entire Western hemisphere is theirs to control."

"So what should we do about it?"

Fernando pondered that for a moment. "Send word as quickly as you can to our American partners. Sell everything. I expect any Spanish business in the United States is likely to tank with this recent declaration of war."

"That's not what I meant, senor," the assistant said. "What are you going to do for the war effort? You're a government minister, after all."

Fernando snorted, rising slowly from his seat. "War does not fall under my prerogative, and nor should it. I'm a capitalist, not a soldier. The best I can do is ensure the Cubans stay in line and that all my factories are aiding the war effort."

The capitalist went to leave the room, but immediately turned back around to retrieve his cigar. No point in letting a fine cigar go to waste, especially when it was likely to be difficult to acquire Cuban cigars in the near future. As he left with his assistant, he said, "While we're on the topic, I want you to take the money from the liquidation of our American assets and shift in to our companies in the UK. I expect their market will be the most stable, and thus most profitable, in the coming years, what with every other major power drawn into war."
 
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Name:
Pedro de Alcántara Téllez-Girón y Beaufort:
11. Duque de Osuna,
16. Conde y 13. Duque de Benavente,
14. Duque de Béjar y Plasencia,
15. Duque de Gandía, Duque de Mandas y Villanueva,
13. duque de Arcos,
14. Duque del Infantado,
11. Duque de Lerma, Estremera y Francavilla,
13. Duque de Medina de Río Seco
Date of Birth: 16th September 1856
Background:
The Téllez-Giron family is one of the most important Noblehouses in Spain. Their land holdings
are spread al over Spain, their income great, the Palace in Béjar is one of the most beautifull
in Spain. Their rising began when Phillip II granted them the Duchy of Osuna. In the past years
they improved their economic base but ignored the politics. But with their new Familyhead it
could change


Pedro de Alcántara Téllez-Girón y Beaufort, born at the 16th of September 1856, grew
up in a safe ambience. With seven years teachers from Madrid, Paris and London, gave him
advice for his future life as the duque of Osuna. Realy early his teachers recognized how
intelligent he was and how fast he could learn: if he would want to. With seventeen he went to
Madrid to study at the Universidad de Complutense de Madrid Medicine.

His study time was an interresting and pulsating time. He thought about the current politics, his
title waiting for him, his land and what he would do if he would be the Duque of Osuna.
In Madrid he had his first contacts with socialists and liberals, appeared at the most famoust
Salon in Madrid, founded 100 years before, the Salon of Angela María del Pilar Teresa
Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo.
This meetings gave him a different view on the politics.
He looked over the different parties, their plans, their promises and made an analysis who he
would support. Not just a third point of view on the political situation but also a... deeper
relation between Senorita Angela del Pilar was a result of this meetings. The affair turned into
marriage between these two and after one year Angela was pregnant. A little boy, named
Mariano Téllez-Girón y Beaufort, was giving birth.

The following years passed quiet and Pedro spend his life with hunting, drawing and
reading. Especialy books about the History of Spain and Great Britain. He was fascinated how
these two states rized and how they managed it to administrate such great Empires. He lived
in the family palace in Gudalajar, the Palacio del Infantado

On the 9th September 1895 his uncle, the current duque de Osuna died and Pedro inherited
the titles. How will the families fate will be in the new era?



Duque de Osuna,
Conde y Duque de Benavente,
Duque de Béjar y Plasencia,
Duque de Gandía,
Duque de Mandas y Villanueva,
Duque de Arcos,
Duque del Infantado,
Duque de Lerma, Estremera y Francavilla,
Duque de Medina de Río Seco

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Coat of Arms of Tellez-Giron
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Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Gandia
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Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Benavente
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Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Lerma, Estramara y Francavilla
 

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