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Michaelangelo

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Feb 3, 2011
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Welcome to Empire of the Mediterranean: An Interactive Hispania AAR. Empire of the Mediterranean, or EotM for short, is an interactive AAR continued from my EUIV iAAR of the same name. In that iAAR, we started out as Aragon and expanded all across the globe, forming the nation of Hispania being used for this iAAR. It should be noted that Hispania is just the name chosen when we formed Spain, so if you prefer you can think of this as a custom Spain iAAR. I’d highly recommend checking out the first half to get a better grasp of how the world was shaped for this one or reading the update below detailing what happened in the first half. The first half of the campaign can be found here.

We will start in 1836 as Hispania, or Spain if you prefer vanilla terms. I shall be roleplaying as your beloved emperor, although I intend to take a much less involved approach to that role for this half. All settings should be normal, other than changes made necessary for the conversion from EUIV, and all expansions are being used. No mods are used other than those necessary for conversion or my own personal one, and I will likely avoid any heavy modding like I did with EUIV. I will note here that I’m a bit rusty when it comes to Victoria II, so bear with me if my knowledge of the game seems lacklustre. Make sure to read all the rules before posting or making a character.

I shall be using the same IRC channel from the EUIV portion of the iAAR for this one. If you want to discuss anything out-of-character or simply want to chat with your fellow players, the IRC channel is the place to go. Due to changes made to Coldfront, the old way of accessing the IRC channel is no longer available. You can use any IRC client, but I’ve been using Mibbit, which is found at http://www.mibbit.com. Select the web client, pick a nickname, choose "The Airlock" as your server, and type “#EotM_Main” (without the quotation marks obviously) in the channel box to join this iAAR’s main chat. You can also go to the chatroom directly by using this link. You just need to pick a nickname to use and then click go. I’ll try to get on there as often as I can.

No longer open for new players.

5W1lKXZ.png


Full interactivity approved by Mr. Capiatlist.
 
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Table of Contents

Character List
Character Creation
Rules
Parties, Reforms, Technology, Factories & Railroads, & AP
Laws


1860 Save File
EotM Conversion Mod (1 October 2017)
Royal Families of Europe
Hispania's Eligible Bachelors & Bachelorettes


Parties
Partido Reformista Monárquica
Gran Coalicion (Roman, Cristiana, Moderate, Conservador, & Cruzada)
Coalición Fraternidad (Reconquista, Marina, & Adelante)
Partido Popular
Partido Fénix

Partido Conservador-Cristiano
L'Alianza Cristiana
Unió dels Conservadors Romans
Hispania's Moderates
Coalició Caballeresca (Roman, Cristiana, & Moderate)
Partido Reconquista
Parta Marina
Adelante
Partido Cruzada Social
La Coalicion Social Moderada (Conservador & Cruzada)
Facción de los Campos
Partido Anti-Revolucionario
Partito Indipendente
Facción Realista
La Coalizon por la Orden e Tradiccion
Facción Imperial
Unión de Agrarios y Burgueses
Unión de Justicia y Orden (Imperial & Unionist)
Partido Moderado-Cristiano (Conservador & Cristiana)



Updates
1444-1836 - The Abridged History of Hispania
1821-1836 - The Rest of the World
1836 Election
1836-1838 - The Age of Liberalism
1838-1839 - Shifting Allegiances
1839-1840 - The Election of 1840
1840-1842 - Moderation
1842-1843 - Liberal Agitation
1843-1844 - The Election of 1844
1844-1846 - Springtime of Nations
1846-1847 - War & Revolution
1847-1848 - The Election of 1848
1848-1850 - The Bengali Crisis
1850-1851 - The Economy, Fools!
1851-1852 - The Election of 1852 (Part I)
1851-1852 - The Election of 1852 (Part II)
1852-1853 - Outbreak
1853-1854 - Preparations
1854-1855 - Breakdown
1855-1856 - The Election of 1856
1856-1858 - Subterfuge & Sabotage
1858-1859 - Renewal
1859-1860 - The Election of 1860

Epilogue
1860-1864 - Part I
1864-1868 - Part II
1868-1872 - Part III
1872-1876 - Part IV
1876-1880 - Part V
1880-1884 - Part VI
1884-1888 - Part VII
1888-1892 - Part VIII
1892-1896 - Part IX
1896-1900 - Part X
1900-1904 - Part XI
1904-1908 - Part XII
1908-1910+ - Part XIII
Britain Path
Germany Path
 
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Character List

All current characters will be listed here. I will include your character’s name, username, date of birth, class, religion, party, and any other pertinent information.

(Sample) Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen - Number1 - b.1800 - Capitalist – Catholic

Upper Class
Aristocrats

Alejandro Manuel Maximillian Regidor - Vals - 4 July 1799 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Alexander de Alvaro - Robban204 - 18 April 1808 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia - 21 August 1806 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Antione Villanova - DragonOfAtlantis - 10 July 1821 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Antonio Philippe Guy Michael Garíca Juan Luis Mariá de Ambrése - ML8991 - 17 October 1799 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Attillio Spoleto - texasjoshua - 17 August 1823 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Aureliano Dioniso Juan Carlos de Salcedo - Firehound15 - 19 April 1811 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Bernardo de Alicante - Macke11 - 18 April 1802 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Juan Felipe de León - zenphoenix - 1821 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Felipe Gastão de Borgonha-Braganza - antonioneto232 - 9 April 1823 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Fernando Esteban Carlos de Montcada - Marschalk - 7 July 1803 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Manuel Alejandro D'Garcia - ManuelD'Garkia - 22 August 1811 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Marcos de Túnez - wzhang29 - 22 March 1829 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Stefano von Politz - Duke Dan "the Man" - 1791 - Aristocrat - Protestant
Tomas Santiago Hortun Etxeto - Dadarian - 9 August 1785 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Umberto de Parma-Zaragoza - gandalfium553 - 7 July 1825 - Aristocrat - Catholic
Victor Thenikos - Kingpoleon - 29 February 1808 - Aristocrat - Catholic

Capitalists
Cyprien Luc de Saint-Pierre - 05060403 - 31 August 1800 - Capitalist - Protestant
Daniel Sanchez Jimenéz - BelisariustheGreat - 29 April 1816 - Capitalist - Catholic
Emiliano Felipe Faixòn - alscon - 3 January 1826 - Capitalist - Protestant
Enrique Alejandro de Castellar y Villares - Sithlent - 18 October 1795 - Capitalist - Catholic
Lorenzo Giordano - LostPatriot - 1825 - Capitalist - Catholic
Manuel Medrano - Bioiron - 26 April 1814 - Capitalist - Protestant
Sebastien Mateo - manofcharacter - 1826 - Capitalist - Catholic
Takawira Mwenemutapa - Sancronis - 14 July 1793 - Capitalist - Shona

Middle Class
Alfons Carlos Enrique dos Santos de Guadalupe - Jack118 - 14 October 1798 - Clergy - Catholic
Andrés Diaz Alvarez - Penmin - 2 November 1821 - Journalist - Catholic
Arnau de Villahermosa - Mach Twelve - 5 May 1818 - Bureaucrat - Catholic
Bastien Moreau - Miratia - 12 June 1830 - Artisan - Catholic
Bartolomeo Angelo Visconti - Korona - 12 December 1779 - Clergy - Catholic
Benito Ferlinghetti - Plank of Wood - 1793 - Lawyer - Catholic
Gregory Diego - hirahammad - 1799 - Clergy - Catholic
Jean-Claude Bouthillier - naxhi24 - 5 May 1814 - Officer - Catholic
Pedro Manuel Falcone - TJDS - 15 May 1798 - Bureaucrat - Reformed
Rafael Alvarez del Toro y Cevallos - liefwarrior - 24 February 1812 - Officer - Catholic

Lower Class
Sergio d'Ambrosio - Qwerty7 - 1798 - Bard - Catholic - Independent



Titles

Dadarian - Etxeto - Grand Duke of Etxeto & Navarra
DragonOfAtlantis - Villanova - Grand Duke of Provence
Robban204 - de Alvaro - Grand Duke of Sardinia, Corsica, & Albenga
texasjoshua - Spoleta - Grand Duke of Cremona
zenphoenix - de Leon - Grand Duke of Leon, Asturias, Salamanca, y Cáceres
05060403 - de Saint-Pierre - Duke of Barcelona-Roussillon
Duke Dan "the Man" - von Politz - Duke of Tuscany
Mach Twelve - Dias - Duke of Porto & Lisboa
ManuelD'Garkia - D'Garcia - Duke of Granada & Jaén
ML8991 - de Soneta di Belmonte - Duke of the Pyrenees
TylerCraigofPrussia - de Alejandría - Duke of Lower Egypt
antonioneto232 - de Garcia e Silva - Count of Galicia
gandalfium553 - de Parma-Zaragoza - Count of Zaragoza
Kingpoleon - Thenikos - Count of Venice
Macke11 - de Alicante - Count of Seville
Marschalk - de Montcada - Count of Toreno
Vals - Regidor - Count of Calabria
wzhang29 - de Túnez - Count of Tunis


Trastámaras (Titles held by various members of the family)
Duke of Salento & Bari
Duke of La Mancha & Castilla La Vieja
Count of Madrid
Count of Toledo

Emperor (Titles held by the reigning monarch)
His Imperial Highness, Emperor of Hispania, Romanus Imperator Caesar Occidentia, & Protector of the Greeks; King of Aragon, Navarre, Castile, Leon, Granada, Valencia, Galicia, Toledo, Majorca, Sevilla, Cordoba, Murcia, Jaén, Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, Portugal, the Algarves, & Silves; King of Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Tuscany, Lombardy, Venice, Malta, & Lower Burgundy; Duke of Valencia & Murcia; Count of Valencia, Tarragona, Teruel, Cuenca, Soria, Alicante, Murcia, & Malta; Emperor of Sanchonia, Nueva Granada, Nuevas Baleares, Nova Hispania, Nuevo Leon, Cusco, Nueva Sicilia, & Nuevos Valencia; Emperor of Africa; Emperor of Arabia; King of Jerusalem; Kaisar-i-Hind of India; King of the Indian Sea; King of Korea; Duke of Canton; Count of Hong Kong & Macao; King of the East Indies & the Great Sea, & of His other Realms and Territories Emperor

Crown Prince (Titles held by the heir apparent)
His Royal Highness, Crown Prince of Hispania, Duke of Roma



Council of Churches

Catholic

Cardinal Alfons Carlos Enrique dos Santos de Guadalupe - Jack118 - Toledo
Cardinal Gregory Diego - hirahammad - Granada



Royal Order of the Light

Lux tenebris vincet - "The light will overcome darkness"

For a pre-1836 list of members of the Royal Order of the Light, refer here.

Francisco de Garcia e Silva - antonioneto232
Takawira Mwenemutapa - Sancronis
Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León - zenphoenix



Emperors/Heads of State

For a pre-1836 list of Heads of State, refer here.

Regent Joan de Trastámara - b. 1779, d.1839, r.1826-1839 - Catholic
Emperor Ferran VI de Trastámara - b.1791, d.1859, r.1839-1858 - Catholic
Prince-Regent Alfons de Trastámara - b.1822, r.1858-1859 - Catholic
Emperor Alfons X de Trastámara - b.1822, r.1859-? - Catholic



Prime Ministers

For a pre-1836 list of Prime Ministers, refer here.

Prince Joan de Trastámara - 1816-1839
Emperor Ferran VI de Trastámara - 1839-1840
Duke Maximiliao Dias - Mach Twelve - 1840-1840 (Few days)
Pedro Manuel Falcone - TJDS - 1840-1844
Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León - zenphoenix - 1844-1852
Count Bernardo de Alicante - Macke11 - 1852-1856
Count Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia - 1856-?



Cabinet

Prime Minister - Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia
Deputy Prime Minister - Attillio Spoleto - texasjoshua
Chamberlain - Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia
Speaker - Emiliano Felipe Faixòn - alscon

Minister of Foreign Affairs -
Minister of War - Antoine Villanova - DragonOfAtlantis
Minister of the Interior - Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia
Minister of Finance - Rafael Alvarez del Toro y Cevallos - liefwarrior

Minister of Education - Attillio Spoleto - texasjoshua
Minister of Colonial Affairs - Marcos de Túnez - wzhang29
Minister of the Navy - Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia
Minister of Justice - Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia
Minister of Religious Affairs - Gregory Diego - hirahammad
Minister of Trade - Felipe Gastão de Borgonha-Braganza - antonioneto232



Members of the Cortz

Grand Duke Alexander de Alvaro - Robban204 - Reconquista
Grand Duke Antione Villanova - DragonOfAtlantis - Moderate
Grand Duke Attillio Spoleto - texasjoshua - Moderate
Grand Duke Juan Felipe de León - zenphoenix - Reconquista
Grand Duke Tomas Santiago Hortun Etxeto - Dadarian - Unionist
Duke Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia - Roman
Duke Stefano von Politz - Duke Dan "the Man" - Imperial
Count Alejandro Manuel Maximillian Regidor - Vals - Imperial
Count Bernardo de Alicante - Macke11 - Reconquista
Count Felipe Gastão de Borgonha-Braganza - antonioneto232 - Conservador
Count Fernando Esteban Carlos de Montcada - Marschalk - Imperial
Count Marcos de Túnez - wzhang29 - Roman
Count Umberto de Parma-Zaragoza - gandalfium553 - Unionist
Count Victor Thenikos - Kingpoleon - Reconquista



Members of the Assembly

Arnau de Villahermosa - Mach Twelve - Popular
Aureliano Dioniso Juan Carlos de Salcedo - Firehound15 - Reformist
Bastien Moreau - Miratia - Moderate
Benito Ferlinghetti - Plank of Wood - Independence
Cyprien Luc de Saint-Pierre - 05060403 - Marina
Daniel Sanchez Jimenéz - BelisariustheGreat - Reconquista
Emiliano Felipe Faixòn - alscon - Phoenix
Enrique Alejandro de Castellar y Villares - Sithlent - Reconquista
Gregory Diego - hirahammad - Cristiana
Lorenzo Giordano - LostPatriot - Popular
Manuel Alejandro D'Garcia - ManuelD'Garkia - Cruzada
Manuel Medrano - Bioiron - Adelante
Pedro Manuel Falcone - TJDS - Unionist
Rafael Alvarez del Toro y Cevallos - liefwarrior - Reformist
Sebastien Mateo - manofcharacter - Roman



Leaders

Generals

Field Marshals - 2 Positions (Reserved for Minister of War & appointed assistant)
Antione Villanova - DragonOfAtlantis - School of Firepower/Ballsy
Bernardo de Alicante - Macke11 - Cavalry School/Bold

Captain Generals
Stefano von Politz - Duke Dan "the Man" - School of the Bayonet/Audacious

Lieutenant Generals
Felipe Gastão de Borgonha-Braganza - antonioneto232 - School of Bayonet/Cautious
Fernando Esteban Carlos de Montcada - Marschalk - Cavalry School/Efficient
Guillermo Faixòn - alscon (Non-Active) - Eccentric Genius/Arrogant
Rafael Alvarez del Toro y Cevallos - liefwarrior - War College/Unflinching​

Admirals
Grand Admirals - 2 Positions
Elías de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia (Non-Active) - School of Defense/Cautious
Pere Sor - NPC - Cursed Luck/Hellbent

Fleet Admirals - 2 Positions (Reserved for Minister of the Navy & appointed assistant)
Alfonso de Alejandría - TylerCraigofPrussia - Cartographer/Audacious

Admirals
Enric Mira - NPC - Professor/Active
Juan Oller - NPC - Professor/Active
Valentin Moret - NPC - Professor/Efficient

Vice Admirals
Andreu Verdaguer - NPC - Corrupt/Efficient
Valentin Moret Jr - NPC - Professor/Efficient​
 
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Character Creation

Name:
Date of birth:
Class:
Religion:
House:
Party:
Bio:


Name is pretty straightforward since it's what we call your character.

Date of birth will determine your age and, ultimately, your death. To simplify everything, your character will live until 100 at the most, at which point I’ll be forced to kill them off, and I will give a warning when a character reaches 80. Of course, there might be rare cases where a character will die prematurely and you’re free to kill your character off whenever you please, although it is recommended you don't do this frequently.

Class is mostly to determine your position in society and how much influence you’d have in politics based on current laws. It is divided into upper, middle, and lower class. Your character can have pretty much any occupation they want, but they must be assigned to one of these three classes. Use the in-game POPs as a good guideline, and it is preferred that your character fit one of these POPs, although not necessarily. Keep in mind that certain classes may not be able to vote based on current franchise laws, although for this iAAR this just means your vote will be less influential. If you choose to be a noble, you must start out as a count or lower unless inheriting titles from another character.

Religion is the faith that your character follows. By this era religion plays less of a role than it used to. Only players who follow an accepted religion may serve in government, while those following a different faith may be discriminated against but cannot be persecuted to the extend that occurred in earlier centuries. Due to the state of religion at the game start that includes all Christian faiths, if you are Christian please state the specific sect.

House is the body of Parliament that your character sits in (not noble house), if they do at all. If you are a landed noble, you may sit on the Cortz, although all dukes and above are required to. Anyone else may choose to be an elected member of the Assembly, or appointed if they feel that would be more appropriate (ex. clergy and generals would probably fit here). Players may choose to not be a member of either house, in which case they should state "None" as their house, although they will vote through whichever house is most appropriate for their class.

Party is what political party your character is associated with. Voting in this iAAR represents that which occurs in government, so for someone to vote they should be associated with a party. Note that this does not mean your character has to be an official member of that party or a politician. If a character is not serving in government, it is assumed some AI party members represent their views for them. Players may choose not to join a party and remain as an independent, although their vote shall be almost negligible until they do. All current parties should be listed in the Table of Contents.

Bio is a simple past to give your character more life. Chances are that this bit won't affect the character, but it’s fun to know. You can also include the specific title you’d like to have if you are a noble.

Please do not post anything other than your character info until I have okayed your character (I'll agree with your post in most instances to show approval). If you have any questions or concerns, direct them to me through a PM. All new players, to show that they have at least read this post and ideally the rules as well, should include the name Lucrezia at least once in their post, even if in brackets or small print at the end.
 
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Rules

1. Be respectful to the GM and your fellow players. The goal here is to have fun and being disrespectful to others ruins that.

2. Follow the forum rules. This is self-explanatory and should be followed without question.

3. Everyone is allowed only one active character at a time. You may make use of alternate or inactive characters if you wish, but they shall not be permitted to vote.

4. No playing God. This means you cannot control other people’s characters or go against the decisions of the GM. You also cannot have your character do or be anything too unreasonable. For example, you can have dynastic ties to a foreign count, but you can't make yourself heir to the French throne. You could be a wealthy merchant with a luxurious home, but not one with 10,000 ships at your command and with more ducats than in all the treasuries in Western Europe. Try to be reasonable with your character's background and actions.

5. All non-character chatter should be in parentheses like so: ((Random chatter here)). This is to avoid mixing up OOC comments with in-character ones.

6. If you wish to post anything that only pertains to certain characters or is to be withheld from the others, put ((private)) or ((secret)) before your post. To further keep it private, I recommend placing all private posts in spoilers.

7. To make the GM’s jobs easier, please include your character’s name and class in either your post or signature. This helps me keep track of who everyone is and how to take their comments into consideration.

8. Please bold all votes for clarity.

9. If you wish to change your vote, make a new post that clearly says you’ve changed your vote, otherwise your vote may be declared void. Quoting your old post or explicitly stating what is being changed to what usually works best.

10. Post your votes only in this thread. Voting through PMs or in chatrooms only makes things more complicated for me.

11. The GM’s word is law and I reserve the right to veto anything. If you do have concerns or questions about something though, feel free to voice them.

12. Have fun!

Turn Sequence

For those unfamiliar with an iAAR, this is how the average turn will progress:

1. I will play for roughly 1-2 years at a time to allow for updates to line up with the election cycle. The time may change depending on what occurs in-game or if a war is going on. I will do my best to carry out any minister’s plans. The six-month election period will receive its own update.

2. If any event occurs that requires immediate player consultation, I will stop the game and post about the event. This will usually involve a vote of some sort or the action of a minister.

3. Once the gameplay is done, I will post an update of that time period.

4. If we reached the start of the next election, players will vote for their parties in an in-thread election. I will then do an update for the in-game election period and determine the composition of both houses. A new government will then form after the election update is complete.

5. All ministers will post any changes to the plans for their ministry. Ministers are encouraged to post their entire plan each time rather than just posting separate additions. If nothing is posted, it is assumed that the plan has not changed, although that minister's party will be penalized for their inaction. Players whose characters are in Parliament may also present laws or proposals. These must be presented before the vote for such things to be considered. Feel free to roleplay to your heart’s content here.

6. A vote will be held for any issues that have arisen that require player consultation. Players should not propose any laws at this time.

7. Once all votes and plans are finished and all issues presented have been dealt with, I will recommence playing.

Classes

There are three classes in this iAAR: upper, middle, and lower. These correspond to the various POPs in Victoria II. In this iAAR, class mostly impacts voting power, what house a player may serve in, and the actions they can take. I’ll give a better description, as well as include sub-classes for each one. It should be noted that players are free to make characters of any class and try them all out with new characters.

Upper Class – The aristocracy and capitalists of Hispania. All nobles start out as small landholders, counts or below, or unlanded nobles, but may be granted a title to more land later. This restriction is in place so that noble families from the EUIV portion are naturally more powerful than new ones. Landed nobles receive the distinction of being able to serve on the Cortz d’Hispania, while unlanded nobles must participate in government by other means. Capitalists are the richest of businessmen. They may more easily build factories than others and generally serve as the successors of those who ran trading companies in the EUIV era.
Sub-classes: Aristocrat, Capitalist, etc.

Middle Class – This is a broad category consisting of white collar workers and mostly those with money or property that separates them from the lower classes. Artisans are independent craftsmen, businessmen, or merchants. Bureaucrats are government employees. Clergy are men of the cloth, serving one faith or another. Clergy may become cardinals if Catholic, or even the Pope. Players of other Christian faiths follow a similar method of promotion within their own churches. If a player becomes the Pope, they are granted the power to excommunicate other Catholic players. Clerks are pretty much bureaucrats working for someone other than the government and are typical white collar workers. Officers are generals and other professionals within the army or navy. Officers may serve as generals or admirals in-game. If in doubt, any person with money or property who are not the elite of society fit in this category.
Sub-classes: Artisan, Bureaucrat, Clergy, Clerk, Officer, etc.

Lower Class – Essentially everyone else not already mentioned. Craftsmen or workers serve in factories. Farmers work the land and may own their own plots. Labourers do the manual labour for jobs outside factories. Slaves are those rare few without rights and treated as property. Soldiers are men serving within the common ranks of the army or navy. For those categories not mentioned, any person generally seen as a blue collar worker and who has little to no property or money falls in this class.
Sub-classes: Craftsmen, Farmers, Labourers, Slaves, Soldiers, etc.

Leaders

Leaders are members of the military, either army or navy, who have risen up in the ranks high enough to be placed in charge of an army or fleet. Only characters with military experience (ex. soldiers or officers) can become leaders, so a character must have graduated from the military academy to be considered. Players may choose to make non-active characters that can serve in the military, but only one can exist per person. Leaders are hired and promoted by the appropriate member of Cabinet. They also receive a bonus +2VP.

When a character becomes a general or admiral, they must choose a background and personality that fits their character. While you may choose any you want, I highly recommend you picks ones that seem logical for your character. If I feel that a player has picked a background or personality unbefitting for their character just because it gives good stats, I will pick new ones. You can find a list of possible choices here.

Here are the current ranks that will be represented in-game for the army and navy:

Field Marshal - The Minister of War (if he is a leader) and his chosen assistant
Captain General
Lieutenant General

Grand Admiral – Only appointed during major conflicts to command entire theatres
Fleet Admiral - The Minister of the Navy (if he is a leader) and his chosen assistant
Admiral
Vice Admiral

Inactive Characters

At any given time, all players shall be limited to only one active character at any times. Active characters may vote and perform any action permitted by the mechanics of this iAAR. Players are also free to make use of inactive characters. These characters may be family, friends, or associates of your current character. They are purely for IC purposes and may not make use of any mechanics used by players. This means that no inactive character controlled by a player may vote, present laws in Parliament, commit crimes, or serve on the Cabinet. They may not perform any action that would require a roll, target or greatly influence another player, or require a level of accountability on the character's part. If players wish for an inactive character to perform any action fitting these requirements, they must make that character their active character to do so. Players are discouraged from changing their characters frequently, and those doing so to abuse mechanics will not be permitted to swap characters again until a sufficient amount of time has passed.

Voting Power

One of the key features of any iAAR is the ability to vote on issues and decisions affecting the nation. This iAAR is no exception. Every player is permitted to vote, but each player will have different voting power or VP, a value used to determine how much influence that player has when voting. This means that certain players will have their votes count for more based on certain factors that usually depend on class, position, and other factors. Each class has a base voting power that can be modified by franchise laws, positions, and party allegiance. Voting power for elections and during normal voting sessions are calculated differently.

During elections for the lower house, base voting power is determined by a player’s class and the current franchise laws. The lower class receives a base 2VP, the middle class 4VP, and the upper class 6VP. These values are further adjusted by the franchise. If the franchise is weighted, the base VP for each class will remain as previously mentioned. If there is no weighting, every class will have a base VP equal to whatever the lowest class with the franchise has for VP. For example, under weighted wealth both the middle and upper class would have 4VP, while everyone would have 2VP under universal. Any class that does not have the franchise has its base VP halved. If your character is impacted by other factors that keep them from voting (ex. unaccepted religion, woman before suffrage, criminal, etc), they will also have their VP halved, although these are applied after any bonuses and may stack. Most bonuses will not be applied during elections, although there may be exceptions.

During normal voting sessions, the franchise laws are also used to determine a player’s base VP, along with the same penalties. However, all players actively sitting in the house also have their base VP doubled, regardless of class, while those participating through intermediaries don’t receive the bonus.

Landholding nobles receive special treatment. Any landholding noble may serve on the Cortz and will vote through that body. All counts or lower receive base 2VP, while dukes receive 4VP, and grand dukes receive 6VP. This base VP will also be used for elections, but only to determine the composition of the Cortz. The bonus for being a member of the house rather than voting through an intermediary also applies here. This VP is only used for votes in the Cortz and to decide its composition. If at any time the houses are changed so that upper house is elected or the appointments are not restricted to nobles, their base voting power is determined like everyone else’s. If the upper house to restricted to ruling party only, those who normally would be members now vote through the lower house until their party comes to power.

If at any time the lower house ceases to exist due to a rollback of reforms, all players will vote through the upper house. Under these conditions, any character that normally would vote through the lower house will have their base VP halved, although that value is still subjected to the usual penalties. If the upper house is also ruling party only, players vote through that party even if not a member, but will also have their base VP halved.

Under a dictatorship, the lower house does not exist and the upper house must be ruling party only. In this instance, all members of the ruling party have a base 2VP, which can be doubled if active in government as well, while everyone else receives a base 1VP, regardless of class. Franchise bonuses and penalties are not applied, but those penalties such as for following an unaccepted religion still are.

If any character is appointed to Cabinet, they will receive extra VP based on their position. Minor cabinet positions grant +1VP, major cabinet positions grant +2VP, and being Prime Minister/Head of Government grants +4VP. If the Head of State is a player, they receive +4VP, although one player who controls a combined Head of Government and State position receives +6VP. Cabinet position VP bonuses do not stack, and players holding multiple positions will receive the VP bonus for their highest position only. If a character is a leader, they also receive an extra +2VP.

All players who are in prison instantly have their voting power halved, but can still participate in votes through non-active characters or intermediaries. Players who are criminals on the run are given incredibly low VP and can’t have it raised. All characters following a non-accepted religion have their voting power halved. If a character is a woman before women’s suffrage, regardless if they have a position in Parliament (ex. duchess), their VP is also halved. All of these penalties can stack.

It should be noted how the penalties and bonuses to voting power are applied, and how that differs from base voting. Base voting power is defined by your class and franchise laws. This is the voting power you have before adding in any bonuses or penalties from positions or religious penalties. Bonuses and penalties affecting base voting power are applied before those affecting total voting power. In regards to penalties, most are applied after bonuses are applied.

Action Points (AP)

Action Points (AP) represent a currency of sorts, used to perform actions. Players will be granted a set amount over time that they can then put towards various actions or rolls. Some mechanics will make use of AP to be utilized. What actions may be taken or the cost of those actions may be dependent on a player’s class or subclass.

For every six months that pass in-game, players are granted 1AP. To receive this AP though, a player must have voted in any vote conducted just prior to the update. This ensures that only active players receive AP and prevents hording by those who disappear for a time. All new characters will start with 4AP.

Players may be given one-time or continuous bonuses to AP based on their activity. A player who posts frequently and writes high quality posts will be more likely to be given a bonus. These bonuses will last until either the character dies, changes class, or the bonus is revoked or replaced by me.

Any time any sort of roll is requested, that roll will cost 1AP to perform unless stated otherwise. Extra AP can be spent to improve the chances of that roll, but it is entirely up to me how much will be accepted and how much it will impact the roll.

Certain classes have the option to spend AP to boost their VP for a single voting session. A voting session is defined as either a parliamentary vote, election, or coup vote. VP purchased with AP will only be applied to one of these, although you can buy more VP for each one if there are two different votes occurring at once. For the price of 4AP, a capitalist will be given an extra 1VP, capped at a maximum of 3VP per vote. For the same price of 4AP, nobles may also receive an extra 1VP, also capped at 3VP per vote. Bonus VP for capitalists will be applied to Assembly votes or elections, while bonus VP for nobles will be applied to Cortz votes or seat adjustments; both can be applied to coup votes. Nobles in the Assembly can only purchase VP for coup votes. If there are multiple voting sessions occurring at once, it must be clearly stated which one the bonus VP is being applied to.

Any player may spend AP to add bonus VP to their party for the next election. For every 1AP spent, an extra 0.25VP is applied to their party, capped at a maximum of 8AP or 2VP per election cycle. The cap will decrease the closer to the election it gets, with it equalling 1AP or 0.25VP multiplied by the number of six month’ periods until the election. So, if the election is in 2 years, the cap will be set at 4AP or 1VP. It should be noted that this may only be done once per election cycle, so doing it early will provide a better benefit than doing it later when the cap is lowered. The bonus VP is tied to your character, so if you swap parties or create a new one, that VP will go with you.

All players without a title have the ability to spend AP to get one, with the price dependent on your current class. Capitalists can spend 30AP to receive a title, middle-class characters can spend 60AP, and lower-class characters can spend 90AP. The highest title you can get through this method is baron, with all titles higher only being handed out directly by the Emperor. It should be noted that receiving a title this way does not grant a seat on the Cortz, and the only way to receive a seat is to change your class to noble.

All players have the option to build and expand factories and railroads, with the cost in AP of each one dependent on the player’s class and the ruling party’s current economic policy. The base price for building a factory is 8AP under state capitalism, 6AP under interventionism, and 4AP under laissez-faire. The base price for expanding a factory or building a single level of railroad is 4AP under state capitalism, 3AP under interventionism, and 2AP under laissez-faire. None of these options can be performed under planned economy. Capitalists pay the base price, nobles pay four times that amount, the middle class eight times that amount, and the lower class twelve times that amount.

Coups also make use of AP. It costs AP to trigger a coup, with the price equalling one-tenth the base percentage needed for it to pass. So, a Remove Ruling Party coup costs 5AP, a Force Reform coup costs 6AP, an Abdication/Remove Head of State coup costs 7AP (5AP for democracy), and a Revolution/Topple the Government/Independence Movement costs 8AP. This cost can be shared by multiple conspirators if one person cannot afford it. A coup vote cannot be conducted until this price is paid. AP is also used to build support for a coup, with it costing 1AP for every year you want to spend building up support.

Players may spend AP to change their class, provided they have met the minimum requirement. The price will also be dependent on the character’s current class. To change to a subclass within your current class costs 4AP, to change to a class one level away costs 8AP, and to change to a class two levels away costs 16AP. To become a noble, the character must possess a title. To become a capitalist, the character must own at least one factory or railroad. Dukes and Grand Dukes, due to their hereditary seat on the Cortz, cannot change class unless they abdicate, but then they cannot rejoin the Cortz if they choose to change back. A player may only change their class once every 4 years.

Players also have a chance of earning bonus AP every six months. For every six months that pass during a turn, a roll is conducted for each player to determine if they receive a bonus point of VP, with the chance of success based on various factors. Players who own factories receive +1% to the chance of gaining bonus VP for every level of factory they own and +0.5% for every level of railroad they own. Closed factories will not give any bonus. Noble titles grant a flat chance of gaining bonus VP each turn, with grand dukes given 10%, dukes 7.5%, counts 5%, and everyone below that 2.5%. It should be noted that bonuses for titles are not tied to a player’s position in the Cortz, and factory and railroad bonuses are not dependent on being a capitalist. Officers and soldiers receive a guaranteed extra 1AP if Hispania is at war during any part of the six month period. If at any point the value goes over 100%, that player will receive a guaranteed extra 1AP every six months and every percent above 100% will be put towards the chance of gaining a second bonus AP. It should be noted that rolls for bonus AP will only be conducted for players who voted during the previous turn.

If a player’s character dies and their new character is an heir or descendant of their old character, they will inherit one-half of that character’s AP, rounded up to the nearest whole number, or start with 4AP, whichever is higher.

Voting in Parliament

Players who are a member of Parliament vote through whichever house they are a member of, be that the Cortz or Assembly. For those who are not members of Parliament, it is assumed they vote through AI members of the appropriate house. The house they vote through is decided by their class, with landed nobles voting through the Cortz and everyone else through the Assembly. For any act to be written into law, it must pass through both houses. It should be noted that while every player will have someone to vote through, it does not mean that representative will act in the character's stead, so these proxies may vote but cannot propose laws or reforms.

When voting through Parliament, VP influences how many of the AI members of the player's respective house in their party they control. Basically, the composition of both houses will be determined during an election or over time, based on player membership in parties and in-game elections. Once the percentage of each house each party controls has been determined, VP will then be used to influence it.

If a player is a member of a party, they may influence the votes of their fellow AI members. Only party members may influence those votes, so a member of another party or an independent has no way of influencing another party's votes. The amount of votes a player influences in their own party is determined by the percent of VP they possess amongst the total of all VP of all party members. It should be noted that only players who vote are counted towards the total VP. So let's say we have three people in Party A with 1, 2, and 3 VP each, and their party controls 30% of the Assembly. The total VP of the party would be 6. Using that, the 3VP player would control 50% of the party, and thus 15% of the Assembly, the 2VP would control 33% and 10%, while the 1VP player would control 17% and 5%.

Independents are treated differently. Since they are not part of a party, they cannot influence anyone else’s vote. Seeing as they are only one person, they can only vote as one seat. Players outside Parliament cannot vote as independents.

If for whatever reason a party ever ends up with no players representing it in a specific house, perhaps due to recent character deaths, party members focusing on a single house, inactive players, or reforms affecting seats, the NPC members still present will follow the example of the other house. If any parties are merged into a formal coalition, that being a coalition represented as a single party in-game, the vote of any coalition members in the same house will be used, even if they are a member of a different party within that coalition.

If at any time the lower house ceases to exist, either due to a rollback of reforms or government type, all players will vote through the upper house. If the upper house is ruling party only, players vote through that party even if not a member.

Parliament

The Parliament is an advisory body created in 1755. It consists of an upper and lower house, the Cortz d'Hispania and the Assembly respectively. The Cortz is for landed nobles, while the Assembly is for everyone else. It is assumed that all players are either members of one of the two houses or vote through members of Parliament. All laws are presented before Parliament and voted on by that body.

Players who are Members of Parliament receive bonus VP that those voting through intermediaries do not receive. They are also the only ones who may present laws or reforms for a vote.

Each house has specific requirements for membership, so not all characters can serve in Parliament. At the game start, only titled nobles are able to serve in the Cortz. For the Assembly, only characters that meet the franchise requirements and can vote in elections can serve as elected members, while technically anyone can receive an appointed position if the Emperor grants them one. Until women’s suffrage, the only female characters likely to serve in Parliament are duchesses. Any character that is a leader may not be elected to the Assembly, but they can be appointed to that body or sit in the Cortz if a titled noble.

At the game start, most laws are voted on by both houses, but minor laws only affecting a single house may be voted on solely by that house if that house’s representative permits it, while major laws also require the Crown’s permission.

Upper House/Cortz d’Hispania

The Cortz is a body consisting of nobles that represent the interests of the nobility. Any noble with a title can potentially sit on the Cortz. Members serve for life, and those with a title of duke or higher are guaranteed seats and have their seats pass on to their heir, unless they choose to relinquish that right.

The Chamberlain serves as the head of the Cortz, is appointed by all members of the Cortz, and serves as the Cortz's direct representative to the Crown. They receive an additional +1VP.

Seeing as the Cortz in EUIV was tied to the provinces, it has experienced a facelift going into Victoria II. The number of seats in the Cortz is now fixed at a specific number, 100 at the game start. All dukes are guaranteed a seat, unless they shoose to relinquish that right, while the remaining members are appointed by the Crown from amongst the landed nobility at the recommendation of the members of the Cortz. If a player chooses to be a baron, count, marquis, or other landed noble, it is assumed they have been appointed to the Cortz unless they choose to run for the Assembly or remain outside Parliament.

Seeing as Victoria II does not differentiate between parties in the upper house if there is more than one party of any ideology, the percentage in the lower house will be used. That percentage will be divided amongst the parties of the same ideology that have players in the upper house. For example, if conservative party A controls 60% of all seats held by all conservative parties in the lower house and has a player sitting in the upper house, they will also control 60% of the conservative seats in the upper house. However, if the remaining conservative parties don't have any players in the upper house, conservative party A will control 100% of all seats held by conservative parties. If there is no lower house, I will distribute the seats based on various modifiers determined by player membership and IC. I may make adjustments to the seats of any party to make it fit in more with the narrative.

If the upper house becomes ruling party only, all those voting in that house will vote through the ruling party regardless of party loyalty. If the government ever becomes any form of dictatorship, the Cortz shall be replaced by an upper house consisting of the dictator’s party and other associates. All players will vote through the ruling party, but members will have higher VP than those outside the party. Under a democracy, the upper house may take on another form as dictated by the players.

Lower House/Assembly

The Assembly is a semi-elected body consisting of representatives from the various provinces of the Empire and appointed representatives. Elections occur every four years, although the Emperor or Prime Minister may call an early election.
At the game start, nine-tenths of all seats are elected by Christian males over 21, with the electorates determined based on population. The remaining one-tenth of seats are appointed directly by the Crown.

The Assembly elects a Speaker to represent them on the Cabinet. They receive +1VP.

At the game start, the Assembly has 500 seats and will likely continue to do so unless changed later. Some of those seats may be appointed by the Crown based on current laws. There may be other specifications for seats dictated by Hispania’s laws. The composition of the Assembly is calculated based on the values given in-game and modifiers applied based on player support and other factors.

If the government ever gets rid of elections, either through revoking reforms or the establishment of a dictatorship, the lower house will cease to exist. All characters who normally would have voted through the lower house will now vote through an intermediary in the upper house.

Parties

Parties are groups of individuals with shared interests in Parliament. Players may create their own parties and allow other players to join their ranks. A list of existing parties will be included in the Table of Contents. Parties may operate in one or both houses of Parliament, and it is recommended that members coordinate votes. Members of a party are the only ones that can influence how AI members of their party vote. Players are not required to join a party and may remain an independent instead, provided they are an official Member of Parliament, but that means their vote will only equate to one seat in their house of Parliament.

Each party should have its own post listing its core values, but they are all required to provide a list of their in-game party issues and pick a specific ideology represented in-game. The ideologies to choose from are reactionary, conservative, liberal, anarcho-liberal, socialist, communist, and fascist, although an ideology can only be adopted once unlocked in-game. Details on the various ideologies can be found on this wiki page. A party may change its ideology at a later date if a previously locked ideology is more fitting. I also highly recommend that there only be one party per ideology, with the exception of conservatives, liberals, and possibly socialists. As for party issues, each party must choose a trade, economic, religious, citizenship, and war policy, which can all be viewed on this wiki page. It is recommended that the policies fit the ideology in most cases (ex. planned economy for communists), and no party should have the exact same policies as another. Players will not be restricted by their party’s ideology when it comes to forming coalitions or backing reforms.

If a party is formed as a splinter group from another party, a small part of the existing party will join the new one, based on the players who move over to the splinter party. This is to represent that players would likely draw some AI party members along with them, although the number will be likely be lower than the number of AI party members they usually controlled during votes. It is entirely up to me as the GM as to how many AI party members will swap parties.

Players may garner extra support for their party through IC. Debating bills in Parliament or giving speeches are easy ways of winning more support for your party, provided you're not talking about something no one would agree with. The quality of the campaign IC will influence how much it impacts your party's support. Players may also attempt to weaken another party's support by speaking out against them. These campaigns increase or decrease the amount of VP a party receives as a bonus during elections. If these traditional methods of campaigning aren't enough, players may attempt more underhanded methods like harassing voters at the polls or stuffing ballot boxes, although these can backfire and actually lose support if discovered. It's a choice of whether the greater risk is worth the greater reward.

If at any time reforms restrict the ability of parties to participate in Parliament or the government is a dictatorship, the non-ruling parties may continue underground. They may vote through an existing party, but with reduced VP.

Elections

Elections in this iAAR will be using a hybrid system balancing both what the game gives us for the composition of each house and player membership in each party. This system is designed to balance representation of the voting of the in-game POPs and that of the players. When an election occurs in-game, one shall be held in the iAAR. All players vote for a party, with their VP for the election determined by the voting franchise. Once the election is over, I tally up the VP for each party and calculate the percentage of total VP each party received. From there, I calculate the average percentage and either add or subtract the difference in percentage from the percent each party controls of the house. If we end up with a situation where this mechanic forces any party into a negative number of seats, that party will either receive no seats if it has no player members or the number of seats will be equal to the number of player members, although I may grant a few extra seats if I choose to. This means I will be using the values the game gives me for the initial seats each party has, but the number of players voting for each party will impact how many seats it actually has. I’ll include an example to better explain.

Let’s say the conservatives have 70% of the seats, split evenly between two parties called X and Y (35% each), the liberals have 20%, and the reactionaries have 10%. The players then vote for each party. In the end, the X conservatives receive 1VP, the Y conservatives receive 2VP, the liberals 3VP, and the reactionaries 4VP. In total, there was 10VP involved. Percentages are then calculated, with the X conservatives having 10%, the Y conservatives 20%, the liberals 30%, and the reactionaries 40%. The average is calculated to be roughly 25%. Based on the average and percentages for each party, the X conservatives lose 15% of the seats, the Y conservatives lose 5%, the liberals gain 5%, and the reactionaries gain 15%. Adjusting the seat totals then leads to the X conservatives having 20% of the seats, the Y conservatives having 30%, the liberals having 25%, and the reactionaries having 25%. As you can see, both the liberals and reactionaries made more gains since they had greater player support, but the game having more conservatives kept their numbers high despite less player support.

IC during elections may influence the outcome of the election. If a party posts enough convincing IC in support of their party, extra VP will be added to their party during the election. Doing something bad or foolhardy can have the opposite effect and lose VP. If a minister fails to post a plan or state that their plan is still in effect, their party will be penalized during the election. The amount of VP added or lost as well as who receives any is completely up to me as the GM.

It should be noted that landed nobles are unique in that they are voting for both the Cortz and the Assembly. This means that everyone’s vote will be counted when determining the composition of the Assembly, but only the landed nobles’ votes will be counted when determining the composition of the Cortz. The process for calculating the composition is the same for both house, even though those who can vote for the Cortz is restricted, except the VP for the upper house is calculated using a different list of values based on rank. Keep in mind that although landed nobles can vote in the Assembly’s elections, they cannot vote in the Assembly during parliamentary votes. It should also be pointed out that the Cortz technically does not have elections, but for simplicity’s sake all changes to composition are done at the same time as the Assembly. If the upper house ever becomes elected, it will be treated similarly to the lower house.

Cabinet

The Cabinet is a government body consisting of members appointed by the Head of Government to manage specific affairs of state. At the game start, the Emperor appoints a new Prime Minister who he believes can garner the confidence of Parliament, who then appoints all other ministers. The Prime Minister may claim any cabinet positions for themselves. The Prime Minister may appoint whoever they want to any positions, barring some restrictions, and is free to dismiss and appoint most ministers. The exceptions are the Chamberlain, who is appointed by the Cortz, and the Speaker, who is appointed by the Assembly. There is no limit to how many positions one person may hold.

Optional cabinet positions are those that are not necessary to fill, usually because they are created from an existing ministry or as a temporary position, such as a Deputy Prime Minister. These positions can only be created by the Prime Minister or by specific ministers with the Prime Minister's permission if they are delegating their own responsibilities. The Prime Minister has the freedom to appoint and fire whomever they chose to the position, while the specific minister delegating their responsibilities can only do that with the permission of the Prime Minister. Players may choose to add new positions at any time, either through laws or granting part of their portfolio to another. It will be entirely up to the GM whether these new ministers will receive extra VP.

All ministers receive bonus VP to represent their position of power, based on which positions they hold. If a player holds a major cabinet position or is Deputy Prime Minister, they receive an extra +2VP, while minor cabinet positions grant only +1VP. The position of Prime Minister or equivalent Head of Government grants +4VP, as well as the Head of State if it is a player, although if they are combined they grant +6VP. Players only receive the bonus once, even if they hold multiple offices, but will receive the bonus of their highest office.

The Prime Minister may fire any minister, but the Emperor may hire or fire a Prime Minister whenever he pleases. The Emperor will fill any positions left vacant, although an NPC, but not a player's non-active character, may be appointed or selected for any position. If any ministers do not perform their duties by not producing a plan, their party will be penalized going into the next election. If a minister simply wants to keep the same plan, it should be explicitly stated each turn or the minister may state how long their plan will be in effect, although it must be renewed every electoral term. Players may not vote on plans unless the Emperor explicitly puts them up to a vote, although they may speak out against them.

Whenever a new Emperor takes over, the current Cabinet and Prime Minister must be legitimized by the Emperor, although the Emperor can choose to replace them instead.

Major Cabinet Positions

Prime Minister - The Prime Minister serves as the Head of Government and is appointed directly by the Emperor. They are usually the leader of the largest party or someone who can garner the confidence of a majority of both or one house. They appoint all other ministers, with the exception of the Chamberlain and Speaker, although major ministers may also appoint optional ones with their approval. They also may object to any minister's plan and put it up to a vote. They may take any ministry as their own. This position may be merged with the Head of State under a different type of government.

Minister of Foreign Affairs – This minister handles matters pertaining to foreign affairs. They propose potential alliances and can call for a declaration of war. They recommend nations to improve relations with and who to sphere. They can also fabricate CBs, add war goals, and set a stance on how to react to call-to-arms. They can make use of all diplomatic interactions such as military access, war subsidies, and sphere actions (discredit, expel advisors, ban embassy, etc). They may also choose to intervene in a crisis or back one side, with the permission of the Prime Minister.

Minister of War – This minister's domain is that of war. They create a generalized war plan in the result of war. They can order the recruitment of regiments, as well as arrange the composition of all armies. During times of war, they may give the order to implement mobilization. They serve as a field marshal if a member of the army and appoint an assistant from the army as the second field marshal. They also promote players up through ranks in the army and appoint the various levels of generals.

Minister of the Interior – This minister is in charge of domestic affairs. They can construct buildings (forts, naval base, etc) and set national focuses. If the ruling party’s economic policies allow it, they may also build or expand factories and railroads.

Minister of Finance – This minister, as the name implies, is in charge of the nation's finances. They determine the position of the budget sliders, although army and navy stockpile may be maxed at war. They determine the level of taxes each class pays and the level of spending for the various categories. They may also choose to take out or repay loans. They may deny funds for any specific project (factories, forts/naval bases, troops/ships, etc) and may reject raising of maintenance even during war.

Minor Cabinet Positions

Chamberlain - The Chamberlain serves as the head of the Cortz and is appointed by its members to represent the nobility. They do not form plans, but merely represents the will of the nobility directly to the Emperor. They conduct votes of reprimand and censure in the Cortz. They may also approve legislation concerning the Cortz presented by the Assembly for a vote, as well as decide whether a law only affects the Cortz. Only a member of the Cortz can fill this position.

Speaker - The Speaker serves as the head of the Assembly and is elected by its members. Much like the Chamberlain, the Speaker serves as the representative of his respective house on the Cabinet and to the Crown. They conduct votes of reprimand and censure in the Assembly. They may also approve legislation concerning the Assembly presented by the Cortz for a vote, as well as decide whether a law only affects the Assembly. The speaker must be a member of the Assembly.

Minister of Education - This minister is placed in charge of the education program provided at public schools and universities in Hispania. They choose what techs to research and may recommend a new tech school if available.

Minister of Colonial Affairs - This minister is appointed to oversee all colonies. They may designate provinces or regions to colonize, as well as choose whether to withdraw if competing with another nation.

Minister of the Navy - This minister is similar to the Minister of War, except their domain is the navy. They can order the construction of ships, as well as arrange the composition of all navies. They serve as a fleet admiral if a member of the navy and appoint an assistant from the navy as the second fleet admiral. They also promote players up through ranks in the navy and appoint the various levels of admirals. During times of war, they may appoint a temporary grand admiral to take charge of a specific theatre.

Minister of Justice - This minister is in charge of the judicial system, including the courts, police force, and detectives. This minister conducts their duties in full view of Parliament, although the more secretive duties may only be known by the Head of State or Head of Government. They set a stance for how to handle revolts and can suppress potential revolts or movements. This minister is charged with investigating and apprehending criminals, or rather leading those who do it, with more details on their involvement included in the Crime & Punishment section. They may send orders by PM if they prefer their affairs be kept private.

Minister of Religion Affairs – This minister handles the religious affairs of Hispania and is usually a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. The responsibilities of this position are mostly roleplaying in nature at this point.

Minister of Trade – This minister deals with matters of trade, both internal and external. They can implement tariffs or negative tariffs. If the ruling party’s economic policies allow it, they may also choose to fund capitalists’ projects, subsidize factories, and recommend the construction of factories or railroads in foreign nations with the approval of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Emperor/Head of State

The Emperor at the game start is the Head of State. He has the power to veto any decision of his ministers or any vote at his discretion, unless certain restrictions have been placed on his power. He may also appoint and fire the Prime Minister at will. If a minister's plans are vague or there simply isn't one, the Emperor will attempt to carry out the duties of the position as best as he can. The Emperor may also choose to act unilaterally in certain matters.

One of the Emperor's greatest powers, and one that cannot be taken away from him, is the ability to hand out titles. Unlike with EUIV, these are no longer tied to specific provinces. Players will merely be given a specific rank and can choose an appropriate title, provided it does not conflict with someone else’s titles. The Emperor may only revoke a title if the player holding it is convicted of a crime. If a character's family dies out, their title is returned to the Crown or inherited by another player with ties to the family.

If the monarch is ever underage or determined to be incapable of ruling due to health or similar concerns, a regent will be appointed. At the game start, the law dictates that the Emperor may designate his preferred regent either publicly or in a signed document. If this was not done, those considered for the regency are as follows in this specific order: the Prime Minister, the Chamberlain, and then the closest blood relative of appropriate age.

If the monarchy is ever overthrown, the Head of State will become a new position appropriate for the current government type. It can either be separate or combined with the Head of Government. If separate, it will receive a VP bonus equivalent to the Head of Government. If combined, it will receive 6VP instead. If a democracy, the Head of State shall be elected by the players. If a dictatorship of some kind, the Head of State shall be whomever has assumed power and they are free to pick their own successor.

Government

The government of Hispania can take many forms in this iAAR, ranging from various forms of monarchy to democracy to dictatorships of one form or another. These are based on those available in Victoria II, and many of the transitions between governments will resemble those conditions needed in-game, modified to fit changes implemented by the iAAR. All the government types available will be listed, alongside with any restrictions that they have and the conditions for changing to that government type.

Absolute Monarchy – A type of monarchy where the monarch has absolute power. Can be peacefully formed by removing elections under another monarchy. All parties are permitted to be in power.

Prussian Constitutionalism/Hispanian Parliamentarianism – A type of monarchy where the monarch retains most of their powers but includes an elected government, and one renamed from the original due to the non-existence of Prussia. Can be peacefully formed by permitting elections under an absolute monarchy. All parties are permitted to be in power.

HM’s Government – A type of monarchy where the monarchy is mostly ceremonial or relies heavily on an elected government. Can be peacefully formed by changing the upper house to two per state or based on population (changed from vanilla to better differentiate it from Hispanian Parliamentarianism). All parties are permitted to be in power.

Democracy – A type of government where the government is elected and the Head of State is chosen by the people in some form. Can be peacefully formed by permitting elections, not having only underground parties, and the upper house is not ruling party only under any type of dictatorship. All parties are permitted to be in power.

Presidential Dictatorship – A type of dictatorship where the country is ruled by a single individual. Can be peacefully formed by removing elections under a democracy while reactionaries or conservatives are in power, or by removing elections, having underground parties, and ruling party only in the upper house under a non-absolute monarchy while reactionaries are in power. Reactionary parties only in power.

Proletariat Dictatorship – A type of dictatorship where the country is ruled by a communist government or the working class. Can be peacefully formed by removing elections under a democracy while communists or socialists are in power, or by removing elections, having underground parties, and ruling party only in the upper house under a non-absolute monarchy while communists are in power. Communists parties only in power.

Bourgeois Dictatorship – A type of dictatorship where the country is ruled by a wealthy elite or anarchists. Can be peacefully formed by removing elections under a democracy while liberals or anarcho-liberals are in power, or by removing elections, having underground parties, and ruling party only in the upper house under a non-absolute monarchy while anarcho-liberals are in power. Anarcho-liberal parties only in power.

Fascist Dictatorship – A type of dictatorship where the country is ruled by a fascist government or party. Can be peacefully formed by removing elections under a democracy while fascists are in power, or by removing elections, having underground parties, and ruling party only in the upper house under a non-absolute monarchy while fascists are in power. Fascist parties only in power.

Reforms

While players may post almost any law or bill within reason, there are certain reforms represented in-game that must be passed or revoked in a specific order. These include political and social reforms that are listed on the provided wiki pages. Any law affecting any of the in-game reforms can only implement changes matching the level of reform immediately below or above the current reform in-game. For example, if we have weighted wealth franchise, a law can implement wealth or landed only franchise, but not implement no voting or universal franchise. To reach a level of reform two or more away requires passing laws for each level of reform over multiple turns. There is no limit to how many different types of reforms can be implemented in one turn, so for example the voting franchise can be changed at the same time as press rights or minimum wage.

It should be noted that I will be ignoring Victoria II’s restriction on which parties will pass certain reforms, so if the players want to pass the reforms even when the game doesn’t allow it, they can still be changed. Players also are free to favour reforms their in-game party would not, for example a liberal voting for social reforms. However, it a party that drifts too far from their ideology may be penalized during elections, such as reactionaries passing several reforms or liberals revoking several political reforms. Also, a party that proposes and passes a reform that less than roughly 5% of the population wants or doesn't have a movement associated it will be penalized in the next election. This penalty is not applied if a party proposes a reform their in-game ideology would support, so liberals proposing political reforms or socialists proposing social reforms will never be penalized.

If any one party manages to gain majority control of both houses, they may pass any reform that is two levels away instead of only one. The reason this is restricted to two instead of removing the limit entirely is to prevent the implementation of the highest or lowest level of every reform all in one turn.

Religion

As stated earlier, a player can choose any faith they please. A player’s faith will have little effect on them if it aligns with the state religion. Players also have the option to keep their true faith secret and act as though they follow another faith. To do this, players must include their false faith in their character profile and PM me their true faith.

If a Catholic clergy player becomes Pope, that player may excommunicate other Catholic players. Excommunicated players are viewed with disdain by their fellow Catholics. They have their base voting power halved.

The matter is different for heathens. An open heathen will face discrimination in the form of having their total voting power halved or even face persecution. Secret heathens are treated like anyone else, but if they are discovered they can be persecuted.

At any time, anyone may attempt to pass laws granting greater rights and freedoms for a specific faith. If a religion becomes accepted, or at the bare minimum tolerated, the VP penalty for characters of that faith is removed.

Council of Churches

The Council of Churches is an inter-faith body that serves as a means of communication between the various Christian faiths that make up the Church of Jesus Christ, Hispania’s state church. The body consists of the top three members of each Christian faith. They help guide the religious fate of the nation. They also have the power to decide whether any new faith is considered Christian or not and thus be admitted to their ranks.

If any player creates a priest of any Christian faith that is of the appropriate rank (ex. cardinal for Catholics) and there is an opening on the Council of Churches for their faith, they may claim the open spot. Each Christian faith receives only three seats. If a member of the Council of Churches passes away or otherwise leaves the body, the remaining two members of their faith may pick a replacement. If neither can agree on one candidate, the remaining members of the Council of Churches may vote on their preferred choice of the two candidates.

The head of any of the Christian sects may not sit on the Council of Churches. This includes such figures as the Pope for Catholics or the Emperor for any sects without an official religious head.

Titles

Titles represent the titles of nobility that a noble character may possess. Unlike with EUIV, titles are no longer tied to specific provinces. Players will merely be given a specific rank and can choose an appropriate title, provided it does not conflict with someone else’s titles. Players are free to claim a title of the rank of count or lower when making a new character, but can only receive a higher title by being granted it by the Crown. Non-nobles can attempt to purchases titles of the rank baron or lower, but cannot receive anything higher or sit on the Cortz unless they officially become a noble. If a character's family dies out, their titles are returned to the Crown or inherited by another player with ties to the family.

Players may not make characters that hold titles in foreign countries, nor may they have claims to the titles of reigning monarchs. However, players may make claimants to titles that no longer exist, meaning that the lands of that title have been annexed by another nation, provided they are outside Europe and other Western countries and are relatively smaller in scale. This is due to the fact I'm mostly keeping track of many of the European dynasties at this point and I'd prefer to avoid unnecessary title hoarding by preventing players giving themselves claims to whatever title they can imagine.

Foreign Heads of States & Royal Families

Seeing as Victoria II does not display the heads of states or reigning monarchs of countries as it did in EUIV, I will officially be taking control of all royal families in Europe and other western states, as well as all heads of states. For any heads of states, I will make up names if necessary or simply use the appropriate title to refer to them. Using the Trastámara family tree I've created, I have included the royal lines of every surviving European monarchy. All births, deaths, and marriages of any members of those families will be entirely determined by me. I will only be roleplaying as these people if we interact with them. If anyone wants their character to be related to one of the reigning families of Europe or marry into them, they will need to seek my permission first. This also includes former royal families that have lost power during the course of the iAAR or who are closely intertwined with the Hispanian royal family (ex. Austrian Habsburgs). I have included a link to the massive family tree I've created for the Trastámaras in the Table of Contents.

Factories & Railroads

All players have the option to build and expand factories and railroads, with the cost in AP of each one dependent on the player’s class and the ruling party’s current economic policy. Each new capitalist will be given a free factory to start, provided they are not inheriting factories from a previous character. The base price of each new factory is determined by the ruling party's economic policy, with factories costing 8AP under state capitalism, 6AP under interventionism, and 4AP under laissez-faire. Every single level of expansion costs half the factory base cost, so 4AP under state capitalism, 3AP under interventionism, and 2AP under laissez-faire. Players may also build railroads. Each level of railroad costs 4AP per province under state capitalism, 3AP per province under interventionism, and 2AP per province under laissez-faire. None of these options can be performed under planned economy. Capitalists pay the base price, nobles pay four times that amount, the middle class eight times that amount, and the lower class twelve times that amount.

If at any point a player no longer wants to keep a factory, the player can choose to either shut the factory down or attempt to sell it to the state, AI, or another player. To sell it to the state, the player must get the Minister of the Interior to agree to purchase it, and then the two parties must work out a suitable price. The state cannot pay more than half of the base cost of the factories and levels under it’s current economic policy. The AI will purchase factories from players at the price of 2AP for the base factory and an additional +1AP for every level of expansion. Players may also sell railroads to the state for 1AP per level of railroad, provided the Minister of the Interior agrees, or to the AI for 0.5AP per level. It should be noted that factories and railroads cannot be sold to the state if the ruling party has the laissez-faire economic policy. The AI will only purchase factories if they are open and making a profit at the end of the last turn. If selling to another player, the price of the factory or railroad is completely up to the two players involved in the trade, although all factories sold to a non-capitalist must be at least the minimum dictated by the current ruling party’s economic policy.

If a player's factory ever shuts down on its own due to a lack of profits or supplies, the player can choose to either shut it down or reopen it by paying 1AP.

Players have the option to purchase factories from the state or AI capitalists. To purchase from the state, they must approach the minister responsible for factories (Minister of the Interior) and negotiate a deal. It is up to the minister to decide the AP price to sell the factory at, if they decide to sell it at all. To purchase from an AI capitalist, the player must approach the GM as if they were the owner of the factory. The GM will negotiate a deal as the owner of the factory, taking into account the size and profitability of the factory when deciding an AP price. There is no guarantee that these factories will be for sale.

If a party with the planned economy economic policy comes to power, all player factories and railroads are seized by the state. Once a party with a different economic policy comes to power, all factories and railroads will be returned to their previous owner and things will resume as normal. If any player factories were closed during that period, they will have to accept that loss, although they will also reap the benefit of any expanded factories.

If a player with a capitalist character changes to a non-capitalist character, they must pay the costs of their new class for all purchases involving factories and railroads.

Crime

Crime in this iAAR revolves around a system involving a RNG to determine a player’s chance of discovery and success. Whenever a player commits a crime, a RNG roll is performed to determine if they are discovered by the Minister of Justice or publicly known, whether they were discovered before or after the crime was committed, and then again to determine if they are successful. Extra rolls may be added to account for the specifics of each crime and those will be added at my discretion. It costs at least 1AP to commit any crime, with some such as coups costing more depending on the circumstances.

The chances of discovery and success will vary based on the crime, with the smaller and less severe crimes usually having a greater chance of success with less chance of discovery while the more serious crimes are more likely to fail and lead to discovery. A player’s voting power may also impact the crime, in which case it will use the base VP for each class without taking into consideration the franchise, but will take into account any position bonuses and most penalties. A player with more VP is considered to be more powerful and influential, and thus better able to carry out a crime, but in turn they are more noticeable and likely to be caught. A player with low VP may not have the resources to carry out most crimes, but can sneak around unseen.

Players may also attempt to frame someone else for the crime. If the criminal decided to frame someone else for their crime, the chance of discovery will be increased with a greater chance of evidence against the framed person being found. There is always a slight chance that someone innocent may be implicated as the guilty party, regardless of whether or not someone is framed.

If someone wishes to commit a crime, they must request a roll for it, either by PM or a private OOC post. I will then decide upon a chance of discovery and success based on the specific crime or person. The rolls will then be performed. First the discovery roll will be done, followed by a roll to determine if discovery was made before or after the crime was committed, with a 30% chance for before and a 70% for after. If the Minister of Justice discovered the crime beforehand, they will be informed privately and be given 24 hours to act before the crime can be carried out, either choosing to expose the crime, keep it to themselves, or assist the criminal. It is possible though that the Emperor may become aware of their actions. If publicly discovered beforehand, the Crown or legal authorities have 24 hours to act before the crime is carried out, either by pre-emptively arresting the person or putting measures in place to prevent the crime, and the guilty party may choose to call off the crime. I will then do the roll for success chance, after which I will announce in-thread whether the crime was successful or not, as well as anyone implicated in the crime who was made public afterwards. If the Minister of Justice discovered the crime afterwards, they will be informed after its completion of the identify of the guilty party, upon which they can make use of that information however they please.

Punishment

If anyone is implicated in a crime, they can be imprisoned and placed on trial. The accused will plead their case before a jury of their peers, consisting of roughly five players randomly chosen by me. The accused will get a chance to plead their case before the jury and the Minister of Justice may speak against them. If the accused dies during the trial, they shall be tried in absentia, or the character's estate will be put on trial. The jury will then decide whether the accused is guilty or not.

If someone is found guilty, they will then be punished. The jury then decides upon a punishment fitting the crime. In most instances, the criminal will be imprisoned until their fate is decided. Players may still vote while imprisoned, preferably OOC, but their VP is halved. Also, while I encourage creativity with roleplay, players cannot get out of punishments simply by roleplaying that they have done so. Doing so would go against the no god-modding rule. While the jury can decide upon an appropriate punishment, some recommended punishments that can be decided upon for the accused are as follows:

Mercy – The accused is forgiven of all crimes.
Fine – The accused is forced to pay a fine, which amounts to -1VP for one vote.
Loss of titles – The accused has their titles revoked.
Imprisonment – The accused is imprisoned for set amount of time. They may still participate in votes, but their voting power is halved.
Execution – The accused is put to death. The affected player must make a new character. Requires a clear majority to pass.

Escape

Players may attempt to break out of jail or avoid arrest all together, with the odds improving if they have outside help. It should be noted that all escapees will be placed on trial again if caught and face further punishment other than their imprisonment. Those who attempt to avoid arrest will merely be imprisoned if caught until they can be placed on trial. All escapees have their VP reduced to the lowest amount possible. A player’s chance of escape is determined by a RNG, with modifiers included in. Here are the results for each roll and modifiers:

1-25 – The escapee is killed attempting to escape.
26-75 – The escapee is caught attempting to escape and put back in prison.
76-100 – The escapee gets away.

Each collaborator adds +10 to the roll. There is a 20% chance that each collaborator will be discovered. If revealed, the collaborator has the option to turn themselves in, otherwise they must attempt to escape arrest as well, thus having their VP reduced and becoming wanted until caught and imprisoned. Their bonus to the escape roll is also removed. If a player was caught escaping jail before and is attempting to again, he has a -15 penalty to his roll. All collaborators have 24 hours after a player declares his intent to escape from jail or arrest to offer to serve as a collaborator.

Investigating Crimes/Criminals

If a crime has been committed and players are unaware IC of who committed the act or the suspect has not yet been charged with the crime, players may attempt to find the one responsible or search for evidence implicating the guilty party. Also, if there are any players who have escaped punishment and exist as criminals or have committed a criminal act, players may attempt to locate them and bring them to justice. All investigations cost 1AP to start, but all rolls done after that to progress the investigation won't cost any AP.

Once every 24 hours, any player may attempt their own personal investigation to find a criminal. Once an investigation is called, a 24-hour period is given for other players to offer to join or conduct their own investigation. Once a player declares their intention to join, they automatically join any investigation involving the criminal or the crime committed. There is a base 5% chance that the criminal will be discovered, or 10% if the Minister of Justice and/or Prime Minister conducts the investigation. If the crime was committed more than two turns ago and no further evidence has been found since then, the chance of discovery is halved, rounded up. Chance of discovery is also halved, rounded up, if the criminal has fled to another country. Every player who joins increases the chance of success by 1%, ministers raise it by 2%, and the Minister of Justice and/or Prime Minister raises it by 5%. Once an investigation has been called for, the investigated criminal may not change locations or flee the country until it is completed, since this would be considered god-modding.

After the 24-period is up, a roll will be done to determine if any evidence was found. The chance of success will be doubled when the roll is done, with the first half representing critical evidence linking the crime to the one responsible, or revealing the location of the criminal, and the second half representing circumstantial evidence that just moves the case along. When investigating a crime, if at any point the evidence seems damning enough, someone who is part of the investigation may call for a trial against the suspect. The accused may choose to stand trial or resist arrest. When searching for a criminal, the players involved may choose to either turn the criminal in or keep their location secret if the criminal is found. The criminal may perform another escape roll if there is an attempt to capture them, otherwise they will be imprisoned again. If an investigation fails, any player may choose to conduct another investigation to attempt to reveal more about the criminal's location.

If an investigation reveals that a criminal is currently in another country, that criminal will not be immediately arrested. Satellites and dominions will always hand over criminals as long as their relations are positive, and allies and spherelings will almost always hand over criminals as long as relations are above 100 and that criminal doesn’t have strong ties to the country. All countries that don’t fit that definition may choose not to extradite criminals, depending on current relations, relative power, and threat possibility. I will decide upon RNG values to determine whether or not they are willing to extradite the criminal. If they accept, the criminal will be returned and locked up. If they refuse, we must wait until next turn to make another attempt. If at any time we are at war with a nation where a criminal is known to be hiding, there is a 90% chance they will be apprehended if we win. If their location is unknown and we happen to win a war against the nation hiding them, there is a 50% they will be discovered and apprehended if we win.

Assassination

At any point any player may attempt an assassination of another player, with it costing 1AP per target. The base chance of success is 10%, although it can drop below this in certain circumstances to as low as 5%. This success rate is then modified both by the assassin’s and intended victim’s VP. Each point of VP the assassin has is added to their chance of success. Each point of VP the intended victim has is subtracted from the chance of success. It should be noted that I will use the base VP for each class without taking into consideration the franchise, but will take into account any position bonuses and most penalties. The chance of success is capped at 50%. The chance of getting caught is 50%. Of that 50% chance of discovery, 10% is someone innocent being implicated, 20% is getting discovered by the Minister of Justice, and 20% is becoming publicly known as the assassin. The roll for discovery is done first, and if publicly caught then the VP bonus of the assassin is removed, although the assassination attempt proceeds as planned. It should be noted that if only the Minister of Justice learns of the crime, the VP bonus remains and only the Minister of Justice will be informed by PM that they know of the crime. If the player kills themselves off before the assassination attempt is completed, their VP bonus to chance of success is removed. Players may only commit one assassination attempt once per turn, although this may include multiple targets. Players must also perform a roll of having an NPC assassinate their own character.

For each failed attempt made against a specific target, the chance of discovery increases by 5% for getting discovered by the Minister of Justice and 10% for becoming publicly known as the assassin for that specific target, for a total increase of 15% per failed attempt. If a previous attempt was discovered by the Minster of Justice, there is a 10% chance added of them discovering another attempt by that person, regardless of the target. If a criminal orders an assassination and the Minister of Justice discovers the attempt, they also learn of the criminal’s location and may have them locked up. Criminals may not order assassinations from outside the country.

If multiple assassinations are ordered at once, they will be done all at once. The discovery rolls will be conducted first. If at any time the player is publicly caught, the VP bonus for that attempt is removed and all other attempts receive -1 to chance of success. Then the rolls for the actual assassination attempts occur. If any attempts were discovered, a roll is done for each undiscovered attempt with a 25% chance that it will be revealed that that person was also targeted by the same person, but only after the assassinations are carried out. If the Minister of Justice finds out, the attempts continue without penalty but the Minister of Justice now knows the culprit and can make use of that information any way they wish.

Assassins may also involve conspirators. Each conspirator adds their VP to the chance of success. It should be noted that each conspirator receives their own separate roll for the chance of being discovered. The chances are the same as for one person, except the percent for being publicly known is split 2/3rds for just the one conspirator being known and 1/3rd for all conspirators being known. This means that one conspirator may accidentally reveal everyone, or that they may be the only one caught and then may choose to rat out the others. Choose your conspirators wisely.

Players may attempt to convince notable royals to join their conspiracy, in which case each would have VP equivalent to nobles, although the Emperor receives 15 VP and all immediate heirs receive 10VP.

Duelling

Players may challenge any other player to a duel at any time. If the person being challenged accepts, they then choose the weapon used. The two must then agree on whether the duel is to first blood or to the death, that is if a melee weapon was chosen. Both players must choose a second for the duel, who can be either another player or an NPC. Once that is all decided, the duel can proceed. A simple roll is conducted to determine who won if the duel is with melee weapons, with the loser dying if the duel is to the death. Before the duel is conducted, each player must choose their character’s level of skill with the chosen weapon, ranging from none to master as listed below. Please be reasonable when choosing skill levels. A bonus is given to any generals, although most of their skill is likely accounted for under skill level, while a penalty is applied to characters in certain age ranges. For first blood, a second roll will then be conducted to determine the severity of the wound. A player may choose to attempt to kill the other player even in a first blood duel to increase the chances of victory (+10%) and causing a nasty wound (+20), but at the risk of taking a serious hit to their reputation (-1VP). If a wound is inflicted, the severity of the wound differs based on the roll. Another roll will be conducted if the wound is severe enough to possibly lead to death.

Here are the skill levels:

None: 0%
Little/below-average: 5%
Average/some/decent: 10%
Good/above-average: 15%
Excellent/great: 20%
Master: 25%

Here are the modifiers:

Generals: +5%
Under 20: -10%
Over 50: -5%
Over 60: -10%
Over 70: -15%
Over 80: -20

Note: Age modifiers do not stack. Modifiers are halved for ranged duelling.

Here are the possible rolls for melee duelling:

1-30 – Minor scratch or light wound
31-60 – Medium wound, at worst resulting in a scar
61-75 – Deep wound to extremities with 10% chance of dying from wounds
76-90 – Deep wound to torso with 20% chance of dying from wounds
91-95 – Crippled or maimed with 50% chance of dying from wounds
96-100 – Dead

Firearms/ranged weapons are treated differently. Unlike with melee weapons, a duel involving firearms is usually just each participant firing one shot at each other rather than a continual fight until someone wins. In this case one, both, or neither participant may achieve a hit. A roll will be done for both players to determine how they fare in the duel. The modifiers from earlier are used here, but are halved with any decimals rounded up. Here are the possible outcomes for each participant:

1-5 – Weapon jammed
6-10 – Blank bullet
11-15 – Embarrassing miss
16-20 – Accidentally shot the opponent’s second
21-25 – Hit object nowhere near opponent
26-30 – Hit object near opponent
31-35 – Hit opponent’s clothing but not them
36-50 – Glancing blow but no wound
51-60 – Inflicted light wound
61-70 – Inflicted medium wound, at worst resulting in a scar
71-80 – Inflicted deep wound to extremities with 10% chance of dying from wounds
81-90 – Inflicted deep wound to torso with 20% chance of dying from wounds
91-95 – Crippled or maimed opponent with 50% chance of dying from wounds.
96-100 – Killed opponent

Coups

A coup in this iAAR is defined as the manipulation or overthrow of a government through means of dubious legality or outright treason. These may vary in scope from simply trying to force a party from power to outright revolution. Any player may call for a coup at any time, provided they can afford the AP cost, or may choose to build up support first and trigger the coup at a later date. Only one coup may be attempted per turn. Players may attempt to convince notable royals to join their cause, in which case each would have VP equivalent to nobles, although the Emperor and heir receive 10VP.

When a coup is attempted, the percent of total player VP needed to succeed is determined by the type of coup, further modified by militancy and any movements associated with it. A bonus may be applied if the coup was prepared beforehand. For every point of militancy, 2% is subtracted, for a max of 20% at 10 militancy. If there is a movement or rebel group associated with the coup, such as supporting the passing of a specific reform or a certain ideology, a further 1% is subtracted for every 250k members, although this is capped at 20%.

When calculating VP for any coup other than overthrowing the government or an independence movement, the normal voting VP is used as if during a vote occurring in Parliament. That means that base VP is determined by franchise laws, players in Parliament have their base VP doubled, position VP is counted, and all other bonuses and penalties still apply. While this is biased towards those currently in power, this is meant to represent that forcefully going against a government is more difficult than through peaceful means. The impact of militancy on the total VP needed for a successful coup is meant to show that a government without popular support can find themselves forced from power, while support for reforms through movements can help force through a desired reform.

VP for a coup aimed at overthrowing the government or achieving independence is calculated differently from other coups. Most of the other coups mostly involve forces in Parliament targeting each other and are centred around politicians, hence why position bonuses and such matter. Overthrowing a government or independence movements, especially in Victoria II, usually come from some outside force, whether that is the people, military, or those excluded from power. For those in power or government, their VP is calculated as with any other coup, using the franchise laws for base VP and adding the usual bonuses and penalties. However, those without the franchise receive special treatment. Every character who currently does not have the franchise under a democracy or monarchy does not have the franchise penalty applied to their coup vote, but instead has their base VP doubled. So, for example, if the lower class does not have the franchise, instead of having their base 2VP lowered to 1VP due to not having the franchise, they would have it raised to 4VP for the coup vote. This is to represent that those classes excluded from power are more likely to turn against their government. Seeing as dictatorships do not use franchise bonuses and penalties, instead everyone’s is granted base 2VP for the coup vote, the equivalent of everyone being a member of the ruling party. Bonuses for positions and being in government still apply. It should be also noted that generals receive a bonus +5VP for this coup only.

When a player wishes to start a coup, they simply state in the thread that they’re starting the coup and what the goal is, provided they can pay the AP cost. All players then must choose whether they side with the coup or not. Players may change their vote, but their VP is halved to represent their shifting loyalties. If any player involved in the coup kills themselves off before the coup is completed, their vote is no longer counted. It should also be noted that the Minister of Justice has a 30% chance of learning of the coup beforehand once triggered, upon which their VP is doubled for the coup vote. All leaders receive bonus VP for coup votes if the goal is to overthrow the government. The highest ranks receive 4VP, second highest 3VP, third highest 2VP, and anything lower or a player with the soldier subclass receives 1VP. These values are doubled for players with the officer subclass. All those serving in the navy instead of the army have this VP halved. If successful, the resulting changes are immediately carried out. If the coup is of a violent nature, loyalists may be apprehended or killed. If a violent coup fails, a vote will be held where the loyalists decide the fate of the participants of the coup. It should be noted that militancy may be altered if a coup is successful or other penalties may be applied, although this is at the discretion of the GM.

If players want to improve their chances of success, they may choose to gather support over time. Any player may, in a private post, state their intention to gather support for a potential coup to be carried out in the future, at the cost of 1AP for every year. For every year that passes that they do this, they will lower the percent of player VP needed for the coup to be successful by 1%. If there are multiple players involved, they may also perform the same action to give a greater boost. However, there is a drawback to doing this. Every year that this extra support is gathered, there is a chance of discovery. The chance of discovery for each year is equal to double the percentage collected so far. Half of that chance will be for the Minister of Justice discovering the coup and the other half for it becoming public knowledge. A separate roll will be conducted for each member of the coup who is not the leader to determine if their involvement was discovered as well, but only if the coup itself was discovered. A conspirator that is caught may choose to reveal the other conspirators if they so choose. Choose your conspirators wisely. If a coup is revealed, all support garnered so far will be lost, along with any AP invested into it.

It should be noted that coups are not necessarily tied to rebel groups. While their existence will improve the chances of a successful coup, if the rebel group rises up of their own accord, it will not be counted as the associated player’s coup being attempted. For example, if rebels rise up and lose, players need not fear having their work undone by the AI. However, if someone believes that rebels have a decent chance of success, they may choose to associate with the rebel group, binding their fate to them. If the group rebels and succeeds, whoever associated with them will succeed alongside them. Those who chose not to, even if they were managing a future coup with similar goals, will not benefit from this success. This also means that if the rebels lose, those who associated with them go down with them too. Think of this as an alternate way of achieving a coup, relying instead on the people, or rather the rebel AI, instead of the players to achieve your goal.

The following are the types of coups that can be attempted:

Remove Ruling Party – 50% of player VP needed – 5AP – If players are not pleased with the current government under a monarchy or democracy and want to see someone else in power, they may attempt to remove the current government from power. If successful, the current government loses the support it needs to remain in power. The opportunity is then given for another party to form a new ruling coalition, otherwise an election is called. Loyalists are not punished upon success, other than potentially losing positions. If the coup fails, those who participated lose 1VP for the next vote, but otherwise face no punishment for their disruption.

Force Reform – 60% of player VP needed – 6AP – If players wish to force through or revoke a certain reform that has failed to pass, they can attempt to force the decision by garnering popular support to encourage cross-party support. This can only be done with in-game reforms that are one away from the existing reform. If successful, the reform is passed or revoked. Major reforms require an additional 5% and fundamental ones 10%, for a total of 65% VP and 70% VP. Loyalists are not punished upon success. If the coup fails, those who participated lose 1VP for the next vote, but otherwise face no punishment for their disruption.

Abdication/Remove Head of State – 70% of player VP needed for monarchy or dictatorship/50% of player VP needed for democracy – 7AP/5AP – If players are not pleased with the current Head of State, they may attempt to force them to give up their position. If successful under a monarchy, the current ruler abdicates and their heir or a suitable replacement with a legitimate claim from their family takes their place. If successful under a democracy, a new Head of State is elected. If successful under a dictatorship, whoever led the coup takes over as Head of State. Loyalists are not automatically punished upon success, although the new Head of State may choose to punish them if they wish. If the coup fails, those who participated lose 1VP for the next vote and may be punished by the Head of State if under a monarchy or dictatorship.

Revolution/Topple the Government/Independence Movement – 80% of player VP needed – 8AP – If players wish for another form of government or free a nation within Hispania, they may attempt to topple the current regime and institute a new order or win their freedom. The government to be formed must match that of one represented in-game. If successful, the current government is violently overthrown and a new one installed under the declared form or a new nation is created with an appropriate government. Loyalists are punished upon success if it is not an independence movement, although players or factories within the new nation may be seized. If the coup fails, those who participated will be imprisoned and put on trial.
 
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Parties, Reforms, Technology, Factories & Railroads, & AP

Current Parties

*Up-to-date as of January 1860
**Links to all the parties' platforms are provided in the Table of Contents




Current Reforms

*Up-to-date as of January 1860
**Press & Meetings laws cannot be changed while the Guarantee of Guarantee of Freedoms Act is in effect




Current Technology

*Up-to-date as of January 1860












Current Factories & Railroads

*Up-to-date as of January 1860
**Factories & Railroads last edited 29 November 2017
***All factories and railroads not in capitalist list are owned by AI capitalists


State
  • Valencia - Explosives
  • Valencia - Ammunition
  • Valencia - Small Arms
  • Railroads
    • Alessandria - 1
    • Ancona - 1
    • Aquila - 1
    • Barcelona - 1
    • Bari - 1
    • Bologna - 1
    • Brescia - 1
    • Brindisi - 1
    • Castellon - 1
    • Ferrara - 1
    • Florence - 1
    • Foggia - 1
    • Gaeta - 1
    • Grosetto - 1
    • Leghorn - 1
    • Lucca - 1
    • Massa - 1
    • Modena - 1
    • Naples - 1
    • Padua - 1
    • Parma - 1
    • Ravenna - 1
    • Rome - 1
    • Salerno - 1
    • Sassari - 1
    • Tarragona - 1
    • Valencia - 1
    • Venice - 1
    • Verona - 1
  • Foreign Railroads
    • Aganja - 1
    • Anatuya - 1
    • Angostura - 1
    • Antigua - 1
    • Asuncion - 1
    • Balboa - 1
    • Barinas - 1
    • Barranquilla - 1
    • Bluefields - 1
    • Buenaventura - 1
    • Calabozo - 1
    • Camaguey - 1
    • Caracas - 1
    • Cartagena de Indias - 1
    • Catamarca - 1
    • Cayman Islands - 1
    • Colon - 1
    • Concepcion - 1
    • Copiapo - 1
    • Cordoba de Argentina - 1
    • Coro - 1
    • Corrientes - 1
    • Crato - 1
    • Cumana - 1
    • Curaco - 1
    • Curiapo - 1
    • Curuzu Cuatia - 1
    • David - 1
    • Dominica - 1
    • El Jobal - 1
    • Esmereldas - 1
    • Essequibo - 1
    • Formosa - 1
    • Gaudeloupe - 1
    • Georgetown - 1
    • Guanare - 1
    • Guiria - 1
    • Havana - 1
    • Iguatemi - 1
    • Jagua - 1
    • Januaria - 1
    • Lajes - 1
    • Leon - 1
    • Liberia - 1
    • Limon - 1
    • Los Angeles - 1
    • Mailin - 1
    • Maracaibo - 1
    • Mercedes - 1
    • Montserrat - 1
    • Panama City - 1
    • Paramaribo - 1
    • Parana - 1
    • Pelotas - 1
    • Penonome - 1
    • Pilar - 1
    • Piura - 1
    • Porto Alegre - 1
    • Puerto Guarani - 1
    • Puerto Rico - 1
    • Quayaquil - 1
    • Rawson - 1
    • Reconquista - 1
    • Renance - 1
    • Resistencia - 1
    • Rio Cuarto - 1
    • Rio Gallegos - 1
    • Rio Grande - 1
    • Rivas - 1
    • Rosario - 1
    • Sabara - 1
    • Saint Kitts - 1
    • San Felipe - 1
    • San Jose - 1
    • San Luis - 1
    • Sancti Spiritu - 1
    • Santa Domingo - 1
    • Santa Rita - 1
    • Santiago del Estero - 1
    • Santo Tomas - 1
    • Telen - 1
    • Tobago - 1
    • Trinidad - 1
    • Tucuman - 1
    • Turks & Caicos - 1
    • Victoria da Conquista - 1
    • Viedma - 1
    • Vila do Barra - 1
    • Villa Angelo - 1
    • Villa Nueva - 1
    • Xolotas - 1
    • Yaviza - 1

05060403 - 9.5 Base Factories
  • Campania - Glass
  • Campania - Winery
  • Catalonia - Liquor - Joint Factory with alscon
  • Emilia - Machine Parts
  • Lower Egypt - Fabric
  • Puglia - Fabric
  • Puglia – Regular Clothes
  • Puglia - Canned Food - Closed
  • Sicily - Small Arms
  • Venetia - Canned Food
  • Railroads
    • Eureka (Nuevos Valencia) - 1
    • Monterey (Nuevos Valencia) - 1
    • San Diego (Nuevos Valencia) - 1
    • San Francisco (Nuevos Valencia) - 1

alscon - 16.5 Base Factories
  • Alentejo - Steel
  • Andalucia - Liquor Distillery
  • Castilla la Nueva - Steel
  • Catalonia - Liquor Distillery - Joint factory with 05060403
  • Catalonia - Luxury Clothes
  • Constantine - Steel
  • Douro - Luxury Furniture
  • Estremadura - Regular Clothes
  • Estremadura - Luxury Clothes
  • Estremadura - Winery
  • Galicia - Luxury Clothes
  • Granada - Steel
  • Hispanian Provence - Luxury Clothes
  • Lower Egypt - Luxury Clothes
  • Sicily - Winery
  • Sinai - Luxury Furniture
  • Toscana - Liquor Distillery

BelisariustheGreat - 6 Base Factories
  • Castilla la Nueva - Ammunition
  • Extremadura - Regular Clothes
  • Extremadura - Luxury Clothes
  • Galicia - Steel
  • Galicia - Artillery
  • Galicia - Small Arms - Closed

Bioiron - 5 Base Factories
  • Granada - Glass
  • Guangdong - Cement
  • Guangdong - Glass
  • Sicily - Cement
  • Venetia - Cement
  • Railroads
    • Caceres - 1
    • Jaen - 1
    • Lisbon - 1
    • Oviedo - 1
    • Sevilla - 1
    • Alegrete (Sanchonia) - 1
    • Castro (Sanchonia) - 1
    • Curitiba (Sanchonia) - 1
    • Desterro (Sanchonia) - 1
    • Guarapuava (Sanchonia) - 1
    • Passo Fundo (Sanchonia) - 1

LostPatriot - 6 Base Factories
  • Hispanian Piemonte - Cement
  • Hispanian Piemonte - Lumber Mill
  • Hispanian Piemonte - Furniture
  • Hispanian Piemonte - Luxury Furniture
  • Hispanian Piemonte - Steel
  • Lazio - Winery

manofcharacter - 2 Base Factories
  • Tripoli - Steel
  • Tripoli - Artillery

Sancronis - 20 Base Factories
  • Campania - Regular Clothes
  • Catalonia - Canned Food
  • Emilia - Clipper Shipyard
  • Emilia - Steel
  • Emilia - Small Arms
  • Emilia - Lumber Mill
  • Emilia - Furniture
  • Estremadura - Liquor Distillery
  • Granada – Steamer Shipyard
  • Guangdong - Lumber Mill
  • Hispanian Lombardia - Luxury Clothes
  • Leon-Castilla - Machine Parts
  • Romagna - Paper Mill
  • Romagna - Furniture
  • Sicily - Fertilizer - Closed
  • Sicily - Ammunition
  • Sicily - Explosives
  • Sinai - Fabric - Closed
  • Toscana - Canned Food - Closed
  • Venetia - Luxury Clothes

Sithlent - 1 Base Factory
  • Leon-Castilla - Cement Factory



Action Points

*Up-to-date as of January 1860
**Action Points last edited 29 November 2017

05060403 - 2
alscon - 0
antonioneto232 - 12
BelisariustheGreat - 2
Bioiron - 6
DragonOfAtlantis - 15
Firehound15 - 5
gandalfium553 - 2
hirahammad - 9
liefwarrior - 15
LostPatriot - 4
Mach Twelve - 9
Macke11 - 16
manofcharacter - 10
ManuelD'Garkia - 8
Miratia - 3
Robban204 - 13
Sancronis - 17
texasjoshua - 13
TylerCraigofPrussia - 5
wzhang29 - 5
zenphoenix - 4
 
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Laws

Pre-1836 Laws

For a full pre-1836 list of laws, refer here. I shall be including all laws from the first part still relevant to this iAAR in this post. Those not included are considered mostly irrelevant, outdated, or revoked, although if a player believes one not listed below applies in a specific instance they can bring that to my attention.

1444
Count Felipé de Alvaro ((Robban204)) said:
La Guàrdia Real

Creating a Royal Guard will keep the king and his family safe, and could also be used as an elite force during times of war.


1566
King Alfons VII de Trastámara said:
Royal Succession Laws
((Royal Decree))​

The Trastámara family as the royal family of Hispania shall hereby adopt a limited male preference of agnatic-cognatic primogeniture succession. Upon the death of a member of the royal family, all their titles shall be passed down along the following line of succession:

I. The eldest son shall inherit all titles of either parent. If deceased, the eldest male grandchild fathered by the eldest son shall inherit instead.

II. If the eldest son and all his male heirs are deceased, all titles shall pass on to the second oldest son. If deceased, succession will act in the same manner as described for the eldest son.

III. In the event that there are no living direct male heirs lower in succession, be they children, grandchildren, and onwards, then all titles shall be inherited by the eldest brother. If said brother is deceased, succession will act in the same manner as described in earlier clauses. If the eldest brother's line has no direct male heirs, then succession shall pass to the next oldest brother and be treated in the same manner.

IV. If there are no brothers or there are no living direct male heirs within their line, the eldest daughter will inherit all titles. If deceased, the eldest grandchild born from the eldest daughter, with all males given preference first, shall inherit all titles instead. If the eldest daughter and all her heirs are deceased, all titles shall pass on to the second oldest daughter. If deceased, succession will act in the same manner as described for the eldest daughter.

V. In the event that there are no living direct heirs lower in succession, be they male or female, and the lines of any brothers holds no living direct male heirs, then all titles shall be inherited by the eldest sister. If said sister is deceased, succession will act in the same manner as described in earlier clauses, with direct male heirs only given consideration.

VI. In the event that there are no living direct heirs lower in succession, be they male or female, and the lines of any brothers or sisters holds no living direct male heirs, then the eldest daughter of the eldest brother shall inherit all titles. If said niece is deceased, succession will act in the same manner described in earlier clauses, with preference given to male heirs over females.

VII. In the event that there are no living direct heirs lower in succession, be they male or female, and the lines of any brothers are extinct, then the eldest daughter of the eldest sister shall inherit all titles. If said niece is deceased, succession will act in the same manner described in earlier clauses, with preference given to male heirs over females.

VIII. In the event there are no living direct heirs lower in succession, be they male or female, and the lines of any brothers or sisters are extinct, then all titles shall pass on to the closest direct male heir through the father's line.

IX. In the event there are no living direct male heirs within the entire family, all titles shall pass on to the closest direct female heir through any male line.

X. In the event there are no living direct male or female heirs within the entire family, and thus no one left with the family name, all titles shall pass on to the closest blood relative, regardless of their current dynasty name.

XI. In the tragic event that the entire family has been eradicated and there are no blood relatives, all titles shall pass on to the closest relative through marriage.

Amendment to Royal Succession Laws
The order of succession as dictated under the previous succession laws shall remain, but with males given preference over females in succession. Female heirs shall not be considered until all direct male heirs have been exhausted. Whenever an heir is sought through a female line, all direct male heirs of that female shall be given preference.


1572
King Ferran IV de Trastámara said:
Royal Decree on the Restriction of the Inquisition

His Majesty, Ferran IV de Trastámara, King of Hispania & Galicia, and Protector of the Greeks & the Knights, hereby announces that the Inquisition, tasked with eradicating heresy from the kingdom, shall from hereon require the permission of the Crown to conduct an investigation on any member of the nobility.


1592
King Ferran IV de Trastámara said:
Royal Decree on the Tolerance of Heretics

His Majesty, Ferran IV de Trastámara, King of Hispania and Protector of the Greeks & the Knights, hereby proclaims the following:

I. The Protestant and Reformed faiths, and all their derivatives, shall be officially recognized by the Crown. The Orthodox faith shall not be granted recognition by the Crown, for it is considered formally disbanded as a result of the end of the Greek Schism.
II. All those who follow the above faiths (Protestant, Reformed, & Orthodox) shall be free to practice their religion free of persecution.
III. The Inquisition shall remain unchanged, although it may no longer persecute the above faiths. The Inquisition may continue as it were in regards to heathens, and may attempt to convert heretics back to the true faith through peaceful means.
IV. Those who called for the excommunication of those within this court shall not be tried by the Crown, for excommunication is the purview of His Holiness and outside the powers of the Crown.
V. The Knights of Rhodes shall remain as they are in Rhodes, although the possibility of placing them under the administration of Hispania, as are those on Malta, is not out of the question.

King Ferran IV de Trastámara said:
Statute in Restraint of Appeals
((Royal Decree))​

His Majesty, Ferran IV de Trastámara, King of Hispania and Protector of the Greeks & the Knights, hereby proclaims the following:

I. The Crown shall be the final legal authority in all matters of religion.
II. The Inquisition shall no longer answer to the Church or any authority outside of Hispania. The Inquisition shall only be responsible to the Crown.
III. The Inquisition may not investigate or try any individual or group without the authorization of the Crown.


1630
Duke Louis François de Montségur ((alscon)) said:
The Reglementation of Duels Act

Duels are fought to preserve one's honour or to settle a vehement dispute, a feud, between men of equal standing. A commoner can therefore not challenge nobility to such a duel as long as the noble hasn't committed a crime against him.


1651
Almaden Hashem ((hirahammad)) said:
Confirmation of Requests to Investigate

All requests for an Inquisition must have at least two advocates.


1657
Ecumenical Council of 1651 said:
Declaration of the Rights of Christians and Establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ
((Fundamental))
Clause I – All Christian faiths are hereby recognized as legitimate and equal. All those following a Christian faith may not be persecuted for their religion and are protected by the law.

Clause II – The Church of Jesus Christ shall be created within Hispania as a joining of all Christian faiths and all Christians within Hispania will be considered members of said church.
a) Each Christian faith shall be considered a sect within the Church of Jesus Christ.
b) Each Christian faith shall maintain autonomy in regard to practices, customs, and doctrine with control over its own affairs and adherents.
c) The Church of Jesus Christ will not be considered its own faith and will not have its own unique customs and practices, but rather serve as a representative of all Christians.
d) People may be ordained as Christian under the Church of Jesus Christ, but will need to follow one of the sects within the Church of Jesus Christ.​

Clause III
– The Church of Jesus Christ, as the representative of Christianity as a whole, shall be considered the state religion of Hispania.

Clause IV – The Emperor of Hispania shall serve as the head of the Church of Jesus Christ.
a) All sects within the Church of Jesus Christ which do not currently have a head shall have the Emperor fill such a role.
b) The Emperor’s position shall be mostly ceremonial in regard to the administration and spiritual affairs of each sect. The extent of his powers shall be defined by Crown laws.
c) All sects must recognize Crown authority over them to be considered part of the Church of Jesus Christ and to receive the appropriate legal protection.
d) The Emperor will be officially ordained as Christian, but may practice any sect within the Church of Jesus Christ.​

Clause V
– A Council of Churches shall be created to handle all inter-faith affairs and serve as a means of communication between sects.
a) Each sect will appoint three clergy members from their highest ranks to serve on the Council of Churches.
b) The Council of Churches shall be responsible for determining whether any new faith is considered Christian and admitting them into the Church of Jesus Christ.​

Clause VI – The Inquisition shall now permit all Christians to serve within its ranks and shall fall under the purview of the Council of Churches and the Crown.
a) The Inquisition shall be tasked with promoting unity and cooperation amongst all Christians and ensuring their rights are protected as dictated.
b) The Inquisition shall take whatever methods necessary to convert heathens to any Christian faith, although violent methods should be avoided unless necessary.​

Clause VII – The holy orders existing on Malta and Rhodes shall hereby surrender their autonomy to the Crown. They shall continue to exist under full control of the Crown and only participate in conflicts against heathens.


1667
Emperor Alfons VIII de Trastámara said:
Establishment of Archbishoprics of the Church of Jesus Christ
((Major))​

To create a more united religious community and encourage the cooperation of all Christian faiths within the Church of Jesus Christ, the following reforms shall be proposed:

I. All imperial provinces within Europe shall be designated as archbishoprics of the Church of Jesus Christ. These shall supersede all existing archbishoprics or equivalent dioceses of each sect.
II. The archbishop of each province must be a member of any Christian faith recognized by the Church of Jesus Christ and be of appropriate rank within their own sect.
III. The archbishop shall be chosen by all Christian clergy of their province.
IV. The archbishop of each province will handle the administration of the Church of Jesus Christ and direct its religious affairs within that province.
V. The archbishop will serve as their province's representative to the Council of Churches and the Crown.
VI. Only those who have served as an archbishop within the Church of Jesus Christ shall be considered for membership within the Council of Churches, and only if they've reached the appropriate rank within their own sect.
VII. The archbishop of each province shall serve for life, but may be removed if a majority of clergy within the province and the Crown feel they are not properly supporting the tenets of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Almaden Hashem ((hirahammad)) said:
Now that the Papal State has been subjugated, its position in the Empire must be confirmed.

1.The Pope is divorced from governance, and is replaced in that position by the Vassal of Rome.

2. The Pope will reside in the Apostolic Palace, inside an enclave that includes St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, known as the Vatican City.

3. The Citizens of Rome will be subordinate to the Vassal of Rome, while inside the Vatican City will reside the Pope and his personal servants, subordinate to no one, so long as they do not harbor fugitives, harm Hispanians or Romans, or militarily aid other states.

4. The Papal State has thus been abolished, and replaced by the Vatican City, and the Vassal State of Rome.

5. Hispania will have no control over the interior of the Vatican City, so long as they follow the terms laid out in Section 3. To showcase Hispania's lack of influence, the Vatican City is allowed to build fortifications, and maintain an armed force not exceeding 500 infantry, 500 cavalry, and 500 cannons, but not totaling more than 1,000.

The Chancellor of Hispania, along with the Imperial Diplomats, hope this will clarify the situation of Rome.

Almaden Hashem, Chancellor and Imperial Diplomat
Andrés de Alvaro, Duke of Sassari and Imperial Diplomat
Gaston Jacques de Saint-Pierre, Count of Roussillon, General of Hispania


1706 The Integration of Rome Act

The vassal state in Rome is abolished and the city formally made part of the empire as crown province.


1678
Duke Louis François de Montségur ((alscon)) said:
Military Reforms of 1678

The formal chain of command and military organization will be updated to the current model:
The biggest formation is a field army, led by Captain Generals and Lieutenant Generals, and supervised and coordinated by two Field Marshals: One being the current Marshal of Hispania, the second one being his assistant. A field army counts about 30,000 men, both armed, the commanding staff, supply units and communication corps.
The second biggest formation is a division, counting roughly 10,000 men and led by a Sergeant Major General.
Then we have a brigade, counting about 5000 men, commanded by a Brigadier.
Lower in chain there are regiments, counting 900 armed men and 100 support and command units. The officer leading a regiment is a Colonel.
Going even lower in the organization we have a battalion, about 450 soldiers under the command of a Major.
Next there is the Company, 150 soldiers taking orders from a Captain.
Then comes the platoon, counting 50 soldiers, led by a Lieutenant.
The final formation is the squad, 10 men commanded by a Sergeant.
The last part of this chain is the single soldier, or Private.

Military academies shall be instituted within the empire, where the citizens receive a proper education to fulfil the roles of soldiers and petty officers, their basic equipment provided by the academy, while nobles and promising recruits are prepared to fill in the ranks of commanding officers. Leaders have to prove themselves in combat to attain a higher rank than Colonel.

Count Gaston Jacques de Saint-Pierre ((05060403)) said:
Equipment Standardization Act

All the infantry weapons of armed forces of Hispania shall be standardized to facilitate usage of firearms training of soldiers, making sure that no matter what they will be able to use the weapon they are provided with. Trials shall be ran to determine the firearm on which the Hispanian army shall standardize.

All infantry, cavalry and artillery units shall follow a strict dress code. All uniforms for a certain branch shall be the same, making the recognition of our units easier.

Hispanian armed forces will decide upon a certain artillery type, making it easier to train future gunners in the usage of said guns. The majority of Hispanian artillery corps shall consist of a certain gun type, but not removing the rest. The decision to standardize on a certain artillery type shall be made after appropriate trials are run to see what are the benefits and disadvantages of the different types of guns are.


1684
Emperor Henri II de Valois of France said:
The French-Hispanian New World Concordant

I. The entire Caribbean shall be declared open to colonization by both France and Hispania. Both nations will agree to joint control of the region and all claims on each other's current territory shall be revoked.
II. Hispania shall recognize France's legitimate claim to Louisiana, including all land currently not occupied by France within the designated region.
III. France shall recognize Hispania's legitimate claim to Peru (Cusco), including all land currently not occupied by Hispania within the designated region.
IV. Due to the large British presence in North America, if Britain interferes in any of the above regions, both France and Hispania shall agree to defend their claims to the regions mentioned in the previous clauses. France and Hispania will coordinate efforts to remove any British threat to these claims and will consult on possible military ventures, and will carry through with such ventures only with the consent of both parties.


1700
Crown Prince Pere de Trastámara said:
The Civil Service Act
((Major))
I. The Civil Service shall hereby be formally created within Hispania. The Civil Service shall operate in the capital of Valencia, with smaller divisions established in major cities of all provinces of the empire.
II. The Civil Service shall consist of various branches called ministries, represented by each position on the Council, which shall hereby be known as ministers.
III. Civil servants within the Civil Service shall be assigned to the various ministries, with each ministry receiving the appropriate number of civil servants needed for carrying out the duties of the ministry.
IV. All civil servants within the Civil Service shall be accountable to the emperor, if he deems to intervene, and the civil servants in each ministry shall answer to the appropriate minister.
V. All civil servants will be required to have graduated from a recognized university within Hispania, have taken a special training course offered by a recognized Hispanian university, or have formally been trained by a qualified civil servant and have taken a civil service exam administered by a recognized Hispanian university.
VI. To provide for the above clause, all Hispanian universities will be required to offer a course designed to train civil servants. The curriculum shall be determined by the various ministers and shall be reviewed every ten years.
VII. Recognizing that the current universities in Valencia and Firenze are insufficient to provide the proper training to such a large Civil Service, universities shall be founded in Navarra, Madrid, Leon, Granada, Lisboa, Provence, Napoli, Palermo, and Athens.


1719
William Augustus Von Pölitz ((Duke Dan "the Man")) said:
The Recognition and Acknowledgement of the Obvious Lack of Transparency and Openness within His Imperial Majesties' Small Council and the Attempt to Exterminate it in Order to Stop and Eliminate Possible Fraudulent and Corrupt Behaviors Act

1. The Recognition of the Need of Transparency within the Council to the Court by the Small Council

2. All Proposals and Plans made within the Small Council shall be made public knowledge to the Court, in recognition in the role it may play in limiting possible fraudulent by members of the council.

3. There shall be no power given or transferred to the Court by the Small Council, it is only to supervise the behavior of the council. But it is within the right of the Court to ask and petition the Monarch, in the same manner as in the Court does when passing laws such as this.


1753
The Representatives of the Colonial Governments said:
Colonial Reform
((Major))
I. The Hispanian colonial governments of the Americas and Australia shall be granted full control of and independence in all domestic affairs. Hispania shall retain control of foreign affairs.
II. The Hispanian colonial governments of the Americas and Australia shall form a legislative assembly within each of their own nations, with members elected by male citizens over 21 with property.
III. A governor shall be selected from the legislative assembly to govern the nation. He may only be appointed and removed by the legislative assembly, without interference from Hispania.
IV. A supranational committee, called the Colonial Congress, shall be created with all the Hispanian colonial governments of the Americas and Australia, as well as Hispania, serving as members. This committee will have no legislative power but shall serve as a means to settle disputes and submit grievances.
V. The Hispanian colonial governments of the Americas and Australia shall be free to choose their own state religion.
VI. All tariffs imposed by Hispania on the Hispanian colonial governments of the Americas and Australia shall be removed or lowered to a maximum of 10%.
VII. The Hispanian colonial governments of the Americas and Australia shall be free to trade with each other, with all inter-colonial trade no longer taxed by Hispania.
VIII. The Hispanian colonial government of the Americas and Australia shall be free to trade with foreign nations, excluding nations actively at war with Hispania, while Hispania shall retain the right to impose tariffs on this trade.


1755
Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Parliament Act of 1755
((Major))​

I. A bicameral advisory body, hereby known as the Parliament, shall be created within Hispania.
II. The Cortz shall serve as the upper house of the Parliament. It shall be tasked with debating legislation and presenting bills to the Crown for consideration.
III. A semi-elected body shall be created as the lower house, hereby know as the Assembly. It shall be tasked with debating legislation and presenting bills to the Crown for consideration.
a) One-third of seats within the Assembly shall be appointed directly by the Crown.
b) Two-thirds of seats within the Assembly shall be elected by the provinces of Hispania.

i. Any man over 21 with sufficient property is permitted to run for an elected position in the Assembly or vote in the elections.
ii. The number of seats shall be determined based on population, with each electoral district representing an equivalent number of citizens.​
c) Elections shall be held every four years. The Crown or the Prime Minister may call for early elections.
d) The Assembly is required to meet at least twice a year.​
IV. Legislation must be passed by a majority vote in both houses before being presented to the Crown. All legislation presented by the Parliament must receive the Crown's approval before being signed into law.
a) The Prime Minister or Chamberlain may present legislation directly to the Crown for consideration.
b) The Crown may choose to consider for approval any legislation not passed by one or both houses.​
V. The Prime Minister shall serve as the head of the Assembly and is appointed solely by the Crown. If not a member of the Parliament, they shall receive an honorary seat in the Assembly.
a) If the Prime Minister is a member of the Cortz, they must temporarily relinquish their right to vote in the Cortz and shall serve as a member of the Assembly for the duration of their time as Prime Minister.
VI. The Chamberlain shall serve as the head of the Cortz and be elected from amongst its ranks.
a) If the Chamberlain is appointed Prime Minister, they may either appoint a Second Minister to serve as head of the Assembly or allow a new Chamberlain to be chosen by the Cortz.
VII. The Council shall be renamed to the Cabinet.
VIII. The titles for the head of each ministry shall be renamed as follows: Chancellor to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Steward to Minister of the Interior, Treasurer to Minister of Finance, Grandmaster to Minister of Trade, Marshal to Minister of War, Grand Admiral to Minister of the Navy, Court Chaplain to Minister of Religious Affairs, and Viceroy Superior to Minister of Colonial Affairs.
IX. All ministers, excluding the Chamberlain, shall be appointed by the Prime Minister at the discretion of the Crown. If the ministers are not members of the Parliament, they shall receive an honorary seat in the Assembly.
a) The Minister of Religious Affairs shall now be appointed by the Prime Minister at the discretion of the Crown instead of by the Council of Churches. This minister must be an ordained clergy of any of the recognized sects of the Church of Jesus Christ.
b) The Minister of Colonial Affairs shall be granted the ability to designate land for colonization by the Crown and to appoint Crown colonists.
c) There shall be no limit to how many minister positions an individual may hold, provided they have the permission of the Crown.​

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
Reform of the Cortz Act
((Major))​

I. Membership in the Cortz shall be extended to all members of the nobility possessing a rank higher than baron.
II. All nobles of sufficient rank shall be granted a hereditary seat and the ability to debate and vote on legislation, to be passed down with their title.

III. In exchange for representation on the Cortz, all members must relinquish their feudal rights, including the permission to raise levies and the ability to collect taxation on behalf of the Crown.
IV. The Crown may choose to grant the right to sit in the Cortz instead of land grants when granting a title of nobility.
V. All members of the Cortz with a titular title must attend at least one session of the Cortz per year and reside in the Capital for a minimum of six months out of the year.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Trans-Atlantic Trading Company Restraint Act

I. Due to its participation in the Hispanian Civil War on the side of the Phoenixes, the Trans-Atlantic Trading Company forfeits its right to operate as an independent trading company.
II. The TATC shall hereby fall under Crown supervision. The TATC may no longer act without Crown permission and the Crown shall acquire majority control of the company.
III. In recognition of their dedication to the Loyalists, the Saint-Pierre family shall serve as hereditary executives of the TATC. A member of the Saint-Pierre family shall be appointed by the Crown to manage all affairs of the TATC.
IV. All members of the TATC who fought alongside the Phoenixes or openly supported them shall be removed from the company, to be replaced with members of the Free Merchants League or known Loyalists.
V. Due to the changing relations with the colonies in the Americas, the TATC monopolies on Nueva Granada and Sanchonia shall be revoked.
VI. The Crown shall formally take over administration of all lands in Africa. The TATC shall maintain its monopoly on all trade in the continent.

Emperor Dowager Sophia de Trastámara née Mandromenos ((Mach Twelve)) said:
The Imperial Governance Act


I. The Empire of Hispania is to be divided into Administrative Areas, to which Imperial Governors will be assigned by the Prime Minister, with approval of the Emperor, to ensure the policies of Emperor and Empire are effectively enforced.

II. The Imperial Governors are to be present in their Area at all times unless under official business elsewhere. Both Emperor and Governor are encouraged to minimize the need for such business. As such, no member of Parliament, the Cortz, any Minister, or Emperor is to hold the position of Governor or otherwise participate in the Area's governance except for the Imperial Area of Valencia. Should a Governor be selected to serve as one of the above, he must reject the selection or surrender his Governorship.

III. No man may be an Imperial Governor should his father be a Governor, nor Governor of an Area that his grandfather served as Governor, to prevent his family from acquiring the place the feudal lords once held.

IV. Appointing close relatives of any current Governor, member of Parliament, the Cortz, or any Minister is discouraged. Unattached able men involved with their community are to be excepted to be appointed, although the Prime Minister is free to choose anyone not bound by the second or third clause.

Local Autonomy Amendment to the Imperial Governance Act
I. All areas are permitted to form their own regional assemblies.

II. This body will be allowed to institute their own local laws, make local legal determinations and raise local taxes.

III. The authority vested in these provinces shall be secondary to the authority vested in Parliament, and they shall be restricted from any attempts to create their own currency or raise troops without Imperial permission.

IV. These ordinances are not permitted to interfere with the activities of the Imperial Government in any form, direct or indirect.

V. These ordinances are not allowed to conflict with the Hispanian Code of Laws at any time. Should such conflict occur, the ordinance in question is to be nullified.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Security of the Capital Act
((Royal Decree))​

I. Any army stationed outside of or near the capital may only receive orders from the Crown or a designated representative.
II. A general may only command or give orders to an army stationed outside of or near the capital with the permission of the Crown.
III. No army may enter the capital without the permission of the Crown.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Regency Act
((Royal Decree))​

I. The Emperor, when of sound mind and of appropriate age, may designate a chosen regent for instances when a regency is necessary either through public proclamation or written in a private document. Both must be witnessed or signed by three qualified individuals.
II. If the Emperor is not of sound mind or is underage, the designated regent shall take over his duties until such a time as the Emperor is capable of ruling.
III. If the designated regent is unavailable or one was not named, then the Prime Minister shall be appointed regent.
IV. If the Prime Minister is unavailable, then the Chamberlain shall be appointed regent.
V. If the Chamberlain is unavailable, then the Emperor's closest blood relative of appropriate age shall be appointed regent.


1773
Emperor Dowager Sophia de Trastámara née Mandromenos ((Mach Twelve)) said:
The Great Reform of 1773
((Major))​

A. Political Reforms

I. The proportion of appointed members to the Assembly is to be one-fourth of the total

II. The remaining three-fourths is to be elected from the provinces in the following manner.

III. Each province in Europe and Anatolia is to be granted a number of seats in the Assembly at a set rate based on number of eligible voters. Any Christian male subject residing in these provinces over the age of 21 and owns property is to be an eligible voter.

IV. Each province is to be divided into municipalities small enough to ensure that each voter can attend meetings without disrupting his way of life. Each province should keep records of the number of voters in each municipality and an ordered list, from highest paying to lowest paying, of the amount of taxes yield from each voter.

V. Each municipality shall be divided into three groups. The first group shall consist of the highest taxpaying voters until their cumulative taxes is one-third of the municipality's tax yield. The second group will be the next third. The third group the final third. Each group shall nominate the same number of electors each. The total number of electors for the municipality shall be based on the population of voters of the municipality compared to the province.

VI. Each province shall host a meeting of the electors, providing aid where needed to ensure participation, to select the members of the Assembly from that province

VII. The Crown has the right to establish an agency to review the actions of the provinces and municipalities to ensure fairness and equity in these procedures.



B. Slavery Reforms.
((Fundamental for Section B))

I. The practices of slavery and serfdom are to be abolished immediately.

II. Any Christian freed in this manner is to be considered a subject of the Crown. Heathens to be freed are to be granted one final opportunity before freedom to accept Christ.

III. The subject nations of Hispania are encouraged to enact similar reforms.

IV. All those participating in the now obsolete Freedom for Service Act are to be allowed to count time served in appropriate policies in section D

V. The Crown shall compensate slave owners with an appropriate amount for each slave freed.


C. Reform of Taxation

I. Taxation is to be reformed to be primarily assessed on property. Tax rates are to be at 2 parts in 1000 of the assessed value of the land, buildings, and other items considered property like animals.

II. The Assessed Value of an item or a building or parcel of land is to be determined by the Treasury, and total property values of each household is to be recorded by the Regional Administration.

III. The Treasury still maintains the right to tax the production of commodities of interest, trade, and income from vassal nations as defined elsewhere.

IV. Taxes are to be paid in Coins minted by the Treasury.

V. The Church and the Nobility are allowed to pay their taxes by transfer of land to the Crown. Such actions must be approved by the Crown beforehand and if allowed, the land will be assessed at double its value.


D. Military Reforms

I. Children of two non-subjects of the Crown, upon completion of twenty-five consecutive years of exemplary service in the Army or Navy, are to be made Subjects of the Crown.

II. Children of one Subject of the Crown shall be considered Subjects of the Crown after only ten years of service as stated in I.

III. Children of two Subjects require no military service to be made Subjects of the Crown but are made Subjects when they either born or their parents are granted such status after their birth.

IV. Should a Subject of the Crown serve twenty-five years as detailed in I, that Subject is to receive a parcel of land from the Crown Estates in a province in Europe. This land is to be considered the Subject's property.


E. Government Reforms

I. Ministers are no longer granted an honorary seat in the Assembly

II. Ministers are allowed to participate in the Cortz or the Assembly if they gain membership as any other person would

III. The Second Minister is abolished

IV. The Assembly shall, by popular vote, elect one of their own as Speaker of the Assembly

V. The Assembly, by popular vote, can remove a Speaker from office

VI. The Speaker is to be the Assembly's voice on the Cabinet, and the Chamberlain the Cortz's

VII. Neither the Cabinet nor the Prime Minister are subservient or accountable to either the Assembly or the Cortz except for the Speaker and Chamberlain respectively, but to the Emperor alone.

VIII. Members of Parliament are not subservient or accountable to the Cabinet or the Prime Minister, but to those who selected them, be it the Emperor or the County they represent.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Justice Act of 1773
((Major))​

I. The position of Spymaster shall be abolished.
II. The position of Minister of Justice shall be created as a replacement for the Spymaster.
a) The Minister of Justice shall be placed in charge of a new Ministry of Justice.
b) The Minister of Justice shall be a normal Cabinet minister and publicly known.
c) The Minister of Justice will be fully accountable to the Crown and may not use Crown or ministry resources for personal use.​
III. The Ministry of Justice shall be charged with investigating crimes, managing the court system, apprehending criminals, and carrying out criminal sentences.
a) The Hispanian Detective Force shall be created as a department within the Ministry of Justice to investigate criminal activity.
b) The Hispanian Police Force shall be established as a department within the Ministry of Justice to apprehend criminals and dispense justice.
c) The Minister of Justice shall appoint the head of both the detective and police force, although the Crown may overturn appointments.​
IV. The Cabinet shall no longer serve as the final court of appeal within Hispania.
V. The Supreme Court of Hispania National Court shall be established in Valencia as the final court of appeal.
a) Seven Nine judges shall sit on the Supreme Court, to be appointed by the Crown at the recommendation of the Minister of Justice.
b) All judges appointed to the Supreme Court must have at least five years' experience in a lower court in Hispania.
VI. Provincial Courts shall be established in all provinces of Hispania.
a) All provincial judges shall be appointed by the Minister of Justice, although the Crown may overturn any appointments.
b) All judges must have at least five years' worth of legal experience and have completed a legitimate legal program at a Hispanian university.


Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Inquisition Reformation Act

I. The Inquisition shall no longer be permitted to investigate or harass individuals believed to be heathens or anyone whose faith defines them as criminal.
II. A new investigative body independent of the Inquisition shall be created under full Crown authority to investigate religious crimes and accusations of heathenism, as well as carry out the appropriate legal actions.
a) Such responsibility will fall to the Hispanian Detective Force & Hispanian Police Force.​
III. The Inquisition shall be placed under the authority of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
IV. The Inquisition may continue to encourage conversion to a sect of the Church of Jesus Christ, but only through peaceful means and missionary efforts.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Cortz Reform Act of 1773
((Major))​

I. A seat shall be created in the Cortz for every count title or title of higher rank within Hispania.
a) If a title higher than count originates from a lower title, such as a duchy containing one county or more, only the lower titles will grant seats.
b) A seat can only be claimed if the title holder relinquishes all feudal rights associated with all titles they hold.
II. If a noble possesses more than one title, they shall be granted a seat for every eligible title they possess.
a) A noble may claim multiple seats if they have multiple eligible titles.
b) A noble with multiple seats may freely grant any of their seats, excluding the seat associated with their primary title, to chosen representatives.

i. Any chosen representative must be a Hispanian subject and may not hold a seat of their own in either the Cortz or Assembly.
ii. Representatives serve at the behest of the original title holder and may be removed or replaced at any time by the title holder.
iii. Representatives may not hold more than one seat.
c) A noble may not allow anyone other than themselves to claim the seat associated with their primary title.
III. If the hereditary holder of a seat is underage or is not of sound mind or body, their primary seat may be occupied by their designated regent, otherwise it is left vacant.
IV. The Emperor may not sit in the Cortz or personally claim any seats associated with titles he possesses. This restriction does not apply to other members of the royal family.
V. The Emperor may appoint representatives to any seats associated with Crown titles, following the same restrictions as Clause II, Sub-clause B.
a) If the Emperor does not appoint a representative, the seat is left vacant.
b) The heir to the throne automatically receives the seat associated with the Emperor's primary title.

i. If the heir to the throne is not of age, the seat remains vacant until they are of age.
ii. If the heir to the throne has a seat in the Assembly, they must relinquish it immediately before claiming the seat in the Cortz.
iii. If the heir to the throne holds another seat in the Cortz, they may retain that seat as well.
iv. The heir to the throne relinquishes the seat upon ascension to the throne and then passes it on to the new heir.

1835 Amendment to the Cortz Reform Act

I. The Crown shall appoint all members of the Cortz, with only members of the nobility with titles being eligible for membership on the Cortz. All members serve for life.
II. All nobles of the rank duke or higher shall be granted a hereditary seat, to be passed down with their title.
III. The Cortz shall be fixed at 100 seats. If a new hereditary seat is created, an appointed seat shall be removed to make room for it.
IV. Seats are no longer tied to specific titles. A noble may only hold one seat at a time and only if appointed by the Crown.
V. Seats shall no longer be reserved for representatives of the Crown.
VI. The heir to the throne shall no longer automatically receive a seat, although if they hold a title of their own they may be granted a seat.

1856 Amendment to the Cortz Reform Act
I. All members of the Cortz with a hereditary seat may choose at any time to relinquish their seat and leave the Cortz.
II. When a member of the Cortz with a hereditary seat chooses to relinquish their seat, they may pass their seat in the Cortz on to their heir, otherwise it shall become an appointed seat as long as the original owner of the seat lives.
III. Once a member of the Cortz with a hereditary seat relinquishes their seat, they are not permitted to sit in the Cortz again.
IV. If the original owner of a hereditary seat who relinquished it dies and that seat is not currently occupied by that person's heir, that seat shall be given to their heir.
V. A member of the Cortz with a hereditary seat may permanently relinquish their hereditary seat with the consent of their heir. The seat may not be permanently relinquished if one or both parties are underage or incapable of giving consent. Any member of the Cortz who permanently relinquishes their hereditary seat shall be permitted to remain in their seat as an appointed member of the Cortz.
VI. Regents may not relinquish a hereditary seat on behalf of the seat's owner.


1778
Emperor Dowager Sophia de Trastámara née Mandromenos ((Mach Twelve)) said:
Operational Security Act of 1778

I. Matters concerning the recruitment of additional regiments and ships, movement of troops and fleets, declaration of war, and ongoing negotiations with foreign powers are to be held in confidence of the Cabinet unless otherwise allowed by the Emperor due to the sensitivity of such information.

II. The Emperor is free to declare any other policy of his Cabinet as sensitive as well.

III. Those found to have violated this confidence are to be held guilty of treason against both Crown and Empire.

What constitutes an appropriate level of sensitivity for information listed in Clause I of the Act so as to be considered a treasonable offence as listed under Clause III if not properly held in confidence?

In the case of recruitment the following is allowed to be stated:
a. That recruitment is open.
b. The quantity of recruits required.
c. The theatre or region where recruitment has opened.
d. The locations where recruitment shall occur.

Any other information pertaining to recruitment is to be considered sensitive. This includes, but is not limited to:
a. The location recruits will be posted to.
b. The quantity of recruits each exercit or fleet requires.
c. The formations recruits will be placed in.

The following would be considered legal: "The Ministry of War requests that 15 thousand men of good nature from the provinces of Italy be recruited to serve in the Artillery and the Hussars.
The following would be considered a breach of state security: "The Ministry of War requests that 12 thousand men of good nature from the provinces of Italy be recruited to serve in the Artillery, a further 3 thousand in the Hussars to form a single Exercit which shall be placed along the border with France."


In case of the locations, and relocation, of military formations the following is allowed to be stated:
a. If an Exercit, or any other military formation, is going to relocate.
b. The theatre to which an Exercit, or any other military formation, is relocating.

Any other information pertaining to the locations, and relocation, of military formations is to be considered sensitive. This includes, but is not limited to:
a. The strength of forces in a certain theatre.
b. The strength of a military formation of any kind.
c. The structure of a military formation of any kind.
d. The specific, provincial, location of a military formation of any kind.
e. The intended route of a military formation of any kind.

The following would be considered legal: "The Exercit Valencia is going to relocate to the Italian Theatre."
The following would be considered a breach of state security: "The thirty thousand men of the Exercit Valencia, formed of ten regiments shall travel across the Mediterranean to Milan via Corsica."


In the case of negotiations the following is only allowed to be stated when negotiations referred to have concluded:
a. That negotiations occurred.
b. If the outcome can be considered positive or negative.
c. If Hispania has entered a formal alliance with another state.
d. The results of any peace treaty signed by Hispania.

All other information regarding events during negotiations, the result of negotiations, and the initiation of negotiations is to be considered sensitive.


All information regarding military strategy or intent except that already mentioned is to be considered extremely sensitive.

The Emperor has the right to declare any of the suggestions above void and to institute his own censorship. The Cabinet should be given prior warning of any such censorship so as not to have acts of treason be committed by incompetence as opposed to malicious intent.



Can a declaration by the Emperor that designates information shared by a Cabinet minister as not sensitive made after such information is shared absolves the minister of any wrongdoing and does not invoke Clause III.

The order of events is critical. When a cabinet member publishes sensitive information without the consent of the sovereign, they have, in that moment, broken the law. The offence isn't so much about releasing sensitive information, as it is about disrespecting the sovereignty of the Crown. Note that the act makes reference to allowing an embargo of any Cabinet information with the punishment of treason, even if it isn't a national security related. What makes breaking this act treason is not necessarily that it risks the Empire, but that it disrespects the power of the sovereign. Seeing as the accusations of treason are in regard to disobedience and presumption of the Will of His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor may issue a pardon for the actions of the offender as well as retrospective permission for the revelation of the offending information.


1783
Charles Gustave de Saint-Pierre ((05060403)) said:
Elementary Education Act of 1783

I. With the enactment of this Act public schools shall be established.
1. At least a single institution is required to exist per Administrative Area, determined by the The Imperial Governance Act, thus establishing a School District.
A. Each District will be administered by a School Board who shall answer before the Ministry of Education.
B. Schools are to be funded from taxes paid by Hispanian citizens to make education as affordable as possible.
C. School is to be defined as an institution tasked with the education of children in reading, writing and basic mathematics, staffed by teacher and/or tutors, funded by the Government.
a. While it is required to educate students in reading and writing in Hispanian as well as basic mathematics, it shall be noted that School Boards are free to expand on the education program and choose additional subjects to teach.​
2. It is to be noted that students at the new Public Elementary Schools shall not abstain from attending Sunday School, or any other such place of religious worship or education.
3. Local Parishes will be able to fulfil the role of a School, if the norms to be classified as a School shall be fulfilled.
4. Any child between the age of 5 and 11 shall be suitable to receive education at Public Elementary Schools.
5. If needed Schools shall provide accommodation for students coming from further parts of the School District, either by allowing students to live in the School building or live with the local Citizens
A. It is to be noted that students may live with the local Citizens only after they have agreed to take the children in. In other cases School shall provide accommodation on the Institution’s grounds.
B. It is also to be noted that the accommodation is to be payed by the parents of students and that if it will not be affordable said student shall be expelled from School.​
II. With the enactment of this Act the Ministry of Education will be founded.
1.The Ministry of Education shall be responsible for administration of School Districts as well as determining if School Boards are fulfilling their roles and upholding to the set standard.
A. For this task the role of Royal Inspector of Education shall be created. There must be at least one Inspector per District.​
2. The role of the Minister of Education shall be created with this act in order to lead the Ministry. He is to be elected each election cycle, and can serve for up to 3 terms in the office.
A. The Minister will be tasked with setting the standard and determining is everything is working as it should
B. If the norm will not be upheld by at least 60% by the end of his cadency the Minister shall resign without being able to run for the next term.
C. The Minister shall be elected by the Assembly and the Cortz.
a. First of two candidates will be chosen by the lower house. Then, from those two nominees, the upper house will elect the Minister.
b. Only members of the Parliament are allowed to be candidates for the position of the Minister of Education.



1788
Duke Alejandro de Leon ((zenphoenix)) said:
Additions to the Elementary Education Act

1. Education shall be conducted primarily in Hispanian, as the original Act intended. In regions with non-Hispanian minorities, citizens can opt to have their children educated in their native language(s) as well as Hispanian. For example, citizens who identify as Italian and speak Italian may chose to have their children educated in Italian in addition to Hispanian. In regions with non-Hispanian majorities, education shall be conducted as follows. In the beginning, a student's education shall be conducted mostly or completely in said student's native language. As the student matures, there will be a gradual introduction of the Hispanian language into the curriculum, until by the conclusion of said student's education the curriculum is conducted mostly in Hispanian.

2. Citizens shall elect their own representatives to the board of the school district they live in so that they can air their grievances and concerns more efficiently. Such elected board representatives, whose terms last for one year, will be responsible for collectively determining educational policy within the district.

3. Families who cannot afford to pay for their children to board with citizens closer to schools can instead apply to the school board to send their children to board at state-run residences at a substantially lower fee. The school board shall decide to approve the application and how much the fee shall be based on the family's financial circumstances. To prevent citizens' personal opinions of each other from interfering in this process, a member of the school board not elected by the local citizens and instead appointed by the Ministry of Education shall oversee the processing of each application.

Amendment to the Additions to the Elementary Education Act

In regions with Hispanian minorities, these can request to have their children taught solely in Hispanian. The majorities are to be taught in their local languages, with the addition of Hispanian, in the aim of providing a fluid knowledge of the language, that each citizen of Hispania can communicate with another.

Charles Gustave de Saint-Pierre ((05060403)) said:
Elementary Education Act of 1788
((Overrides previous education laws where conflict exists))
I. Concerning the Curriculum
1. Students shall be taught in the local language. This applies to the mandatory classes*, as well as all those decided upon the school boards.
A. Hispanian minorities in areas populated by majorities of different culture shall be educated in Hispanian, however, they may choose to learn the local language.
B. The students, if they think their local traditions and culture are not being respected, boycott attending school, thus forcing the current school board of the region to be disbanded and new one formed.
* This does not apply to classes of the Hispanian language, or classes of a different language in a Hispanian-dominant areas.​
2. Students outside of Iberia are required to attend Hispanian classes in order to learn the language in order to learn how to use it fluently.
3. If the School boards decided upon teaching the students religion, it shall be noted that the teaching must follow the teachings of the CJC and should respect the student’s individual beliefs.​
II. Concerning the matter of boarding
1. Cost of accommodation in the school building shall be equal to the average cost of a loaf of bread in the region per one week of accommodation. (( 1 week spent in school = 1 loaf of bread ))
A. If the school building does not have a proper facility in which the students will be allowed to board, such facility shall be constructed with the use of government funds.​
2. Families accepting boarding students should not demand a price exceeding the price of two loafs of bread per week.
A. The families, if they so wish, may allow the student to work in the household in order to pay for the cost of living with them.​
III. Concerning the School Boards
1. School Boards, before choosing a curriculum for their school, are required to send a rough draft of the planned educational program in order to be evaluated by the Ministry of Education. If the Ministry will consider it inappropriate, for example violating the local culture, it shall be discarded and the Board will be required to begin anew.
2. The School Boards shall consist of locally elected officials, with two Ministry appointed members who will be responsible for keeping a watchful eye and who will be required to send regular reports to the Ministry.​

Duke Alejandro de Leon ((zenphoenix)) said:
Improvement of Quality of Life Act

1. At least one hospital, staffed by university-trained doctors and nurses, shall be established in every village and town in ever hospital district for the well-being of all Hispanian citizens. Hospitals may not charge any citizen for use of any of their facilities; they shall be funded through a small tax levied on all Hispanian citizens equally. Cities will have at least one hospital per every district within said city for ease of access for every citizen.

2. The government will organize volunteer task forces to clean up and improve on the sanitary conditions of every city; local civilian governments will be allowed to form their own volunteer task forces. Local laws and ordinances shall be established and enforced to make sure that sanitary conditions remain satisfactory.

3. The government will attempt to relocate citizens in overpopulated areas, with their consent, to state-funded affordable housing units. Should not enough citizens consent to relocation, the government will send architects, engineers, and sanitation workers to clean up the overpopulated neighborhood and bring its housing units in line with safety regulations.

4. Appropriate safety and sanitation regulations will be established at the national level as a baseline for local civilian governments to set their own regulations, to ensure that all citizens enjoy the best possible quality of life and have the ability to decide what levels of regulation are appropriate for them.

Amendment to the Improvement of Quality of Life Act

Hospital districts shall be created, to have one hospital in acceptable reach of every citizen. Both the size of the districts and hospitals vary depending on the geography and population density.

Emiliano Faixòn ((alscon)) said:
Reversal of War Taxes Act

After a war ends in which war taxes have been levied, the tax shall be reduced by the same amount and time it has been raised.

Archbishop Justinian Lagos ((hirahammad)) said:
The Papal Act

The Pope is excluded from ministerial offices, save for the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Charles Gustave de Saint-Pierre ((05060403)) said:
Recuperation of Losses Act

I. If a region of Hispania shall be sacked during a war, government shall use the available funds in order to help the people rebuild their homes, as well as providing the populace with wheat and fresh water until the people of the region will be able to sustain themselves.
II. If a region of Hispania shall suffer from a natural disaster the Crown will cover some of the costs of reparation, as well as provide the people with food and water until they will be able to afford it on their own.
III. If a region shall be devastated by a plague the Crown will cover some of the costs of reparation, as well as provide the people with food and water until they will be able to afford it on their own.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Inter-Parliamentary Relations Act
((Major))​

I. The Cortz and the Assembly shall be recognized as distinctly separate houses of Parliament.
II. The Chamberlain and Speaker shall be formally recognized as the official representatives of their respective houses, the Cortz and the Assembly.
a) The Chamberlain and Speaker shall be charged with organizing and managing all proceedings within their house.
b) The Chamberlain and Speaker shall conduct all votes on reprimands or censure within their own house.
i. Reprimands require a majority vote and serve as a warning for bad behaviour.
ii. Censure blocks the offending member from speaking in Parliament for one electoral term, requiring at least two reprimands and a two-thirds majority vote in favour.
iii. Reprimands and censure votes may only be called for against someone within the same house as the offending member and may only be voted on by members of that house.​
c) The election of a new Chamberlain and Speaker shall be decided by a plurality vote within their respective houses.
i. Any member of a house may call for an election of a new representative of their house.
ii. An election for a new Chamberlain or Speaker while a current one exists may only be called once per electoral term.​
III. No member of the Assembly or Cortz may present legislation for a vote that affects or alters the other house without the permission of the other house's chosen representative, the Chamberlain or the Speaker.
IV. Legislation that affects or alters only a single house on a minimal scale will only be voted on by that house.

a) Any changes to procedures, protocol, and basic functions will only be voted on by the house affected.
b) Any changes to fundamental elements of a house, such as changes to electoral districts, membership requirements, or powers and responsibilities, require the approval of both houses.
c) Any legislation that affects only a single house but also impacts either the Crown or any other body, group, or individual outside Parliament requires the approval of both houses.
V. The Chamberlain and Speaker are given the responsibility of deciding whether a law is considered as only affecting their house.
VI. The Crown may grant permission for members of either house to propose changes to the other house or decide whether legislation only affects a single house.


Amendment to the Inter-Parliamentary Relations Act

I. Sections III-VI shall be removed from the Inter-Parliamentary Relations Act.
II. Any member of Parliament may propose legislation affecting only a single house. The house affected may vote on that law exclusively, but only with the permission of both the Speaker and the Chamberlain.
III. The Speaker and the Chamberlain are given the responsibility of deciding whether a law is considered as only affecting their house. If they do not make use of this power before a vote is conducted, proposed laws must be voted on by both houses.
IV. Any legislation that affects only a single house but also impacts either the Crown or any other body, group, or individual outside Parliament requires the approval of both houses.
V. Any legislation proposing changes to fundamental elements of a house, such as changes to electoral districts, membership, or powers and responsibilities, requires the approval of the Crown to be voted on by a single house.

1793
Duke Alejandro de Leon ((zenphoenix)) said:
Judicial System Reform Act
((Major))


All Hispanian citizens are now entitled to a trial by a jury of their peers.

Courts and justice systems will be set up at the following levels: municipal, provincial, and national.

Municipal courts will be established in every major town or city (where "major" is defined as having a population exceeding five thousand citizens) to address legal matters of local significance.

Provincial courts will be established in every administrative district of the Empire and handle legal matters of provincial significance.

A National Court will be established in Hispania and handle legal cases of national significance. This National Court will be staffed by nine justices, appointed by the Emperor himself, whose job is to deal with legal cases affecting the entire country.

Citizens may seek legal action first in municipal courts. Should they not be satisfied with the court's decisions, they can then appeal to their provincial court, and should they not be satisfied with the provincial court's decisions, they can appeal to the National Court or to the Emperor himself; the decisions of both the National Court and the Emperor are final. All appeals are not guaranteed to be heard and may be rejected.

Judges at municipal and provincial courts will be selected from individuals with the proper educational requirements, that is, those who have university training and experience in legal matters.

Emiliano Faixòn ((alscon)) said:
Independence of Jurisdiction Act


The jurisdiction is independent of the administration. The verdict of the judge(s) cannot be influenced nor overturned.

Amendment of the Independence of Jurisdiction Act
If new solid evidence is found on an already solved case that can show that the verdict of the judge was wrong the verdict can be overturned and a new trial could be made taking in account the new evidence.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Ministry of Religious Affairs Representation Act

I. To ensure proper representation of all Christian faiths, the Council of Churches shall be formally merged into the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
a) The Council of Churches within the Ministry of Religious Affairs shall retain its current form, with three members of each sect chosen to serve as a member by their respective faith.
b) All bureaucrats and administrators within the Ministry of Religious Affairs shall be subservient to the Council of Churches, which in turn shall be subservient to the Minister of Religious Affairs.​
II. The Minister of Religious Affairs shall still be appointed by the Prime Minister.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Parliamentary Quorum Act

Any act presented in Parliament that at least half of all members of either house abstain on cannot pass, regardless if more people voted for an act than against it. If the vote is conducted in only one house, then it must meet that requirement for only that house.

Amendment to the Parliamentary Quorum Act

If the more than 50%* of either the Cortz or Assembly vote to pass a law, quorum is ignored in the other house.
*or whatever the required threshold of yes is

If No plus abstentions surpass 50%* in both houses, the law is considered to have not passed.
*or what ever the maximum threshold of No would be

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
The Embassy Act

I. Embassies shall be permanently established in the capitals of all nations in Europe, to be staffed by members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or officials approved by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to coordinate with existing ambassadors. These embassies shall be charged with conducting diplomacy between Hispania and the host nation.
II. The Minister of Foreign Affairs may choose to open an embassy in the capital of any nation outside Europe and may choose to close any of these embassies at any time.
III. Negotiations shall be conducted with all nations to arrange diplomatic immunity for all Hispanian diplomats and ambassadors, in which case said diplomats and ambassadors may not be harmed or prosecuted by the host country. Those nations that accept shall be granted diplomatic immunity for all their diplomats and ambassadors within Hispania.
IV. Negotiations shall be conducted with all nations hosting Hispanian embassies to arrange extraterritoriality status for all embassies, in which case Hispanian law shall override all local laws within the territory granted for the embassy. Those nations that accept shall be granted extraterritoriality status for all their embassies established within Hispania.
V. If at any time a nation rescinds diplomatic immunity for Hispanian diplomats and ambassadors or extraterritoriality status for the Hispanian embassy within their nation, a year shall be granted for the offending nation to reconsider their decision before the equivalent status is rescinded for the offending nation within Hispania.
VI. During times of war, all diplomats and ambassadors of hostile powers shall be confined to their respective embassies or appropriate quarters unless called upon by the Crown or a member of the Cabinet, or recalled by their home country.
VII. Anyone granted diplomatic immunity within Hispania who breaks Hispanian law shall be confined to their respective embassy or appropriate quarters until such a time as they are recalled by their home country. They shall not be prosecuted under Hispanian law.
VIII. Any Hispanian official granted diplomatic immunity within another country who breaks a law of the host country shall be recalled back to Hispania. They may be tried under Hispanian law, if applicable, at the behest of the Crown, Minister of Foreign Affairs, or Minister of Justice.

Grand Duke Martí de Alvaro ((Robban204)) said:
The Protection of Embassies Act Act

I. The Embassies set up in other nations will be accompanied by a security detail consisting of a platoon of Hispanian Imperial Marines.
II. The Marines will answer to the Imperial High Command as usual, but also to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the respective Ambassador in which country they are stationed.
III. The Marines will not intervene in the host nations affairs. Their only mission is to protect the embassy, embassy grounds and the embassy staff, as well as diplomats or dignitaries which are visiting the embassy.

Grand Duke Martí de Alvaro ((Robban204)) said:
The Special Operations Forces Act

I. A new special operations forces command will be set up within the Imperial High Command, the Imperial Special Operations Command, ImSpecOpCom.
II. The Special Operations Command will be headed by a Colonel with suffient background, and answer to the Imperial High Command, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Emperor and the Minister of Justice.
III. The Special Forces outfit will be recruited from all branches of the Hispanian Military and given special training and equipment.

Amendment and Additions to the Special Operations Forces Act

IV. The forces may be used in time of war or peace in cases where discretion and swiftness are necessary as judged by the Emperor.
V. The Emperor will require the approval of both the Chamberlain and Minister of Foreign Affairs for use of the special forces during times of peace.
VI. Due to the need for secrecy within special forces, the only individuals that are required by law to be apprised of special forces operations are the ministers and the heads of both houses of parliament.

Grand Duke Martí de Alvaro ((Robban204)) said:
The Marine Corps Act

I. Establish a Marine Corps comprised of capable sailors and soldiers who will serve as a shipbound spearhead.
II. This Marine Corps will be a branch under the Navy.
III. These Marines can be used as embassy protection personel in regards to their training, experience and capability to be transported quickly to where they are needed by ship.

Emperor Dowager Sophia de Trastámara née Mandromenos ((Mach Twelve)) said:
The Specialized Services Act

In recognition of the need for specialized infantry units for certain tasks, the Army is to create two types of formations, and the Navy one.

A. The Cazadores
I. The Cazadores are to be a scouting, reconnaissance, skirmishing, and sharpshooting force with specialized selection, equipment, and training for their role. They are to add on any logical duty that is justified as the need arises.
II. Cazadores are to be grouped into their own regiments attached to the Exercits. The exact size and organization of these regiments are to be adjusted to fit their duty.

B. The Grenadiers.
I. The Grenadiers are to be troops tasked with heavy assaults and charges at the front lines to best turn the tide of battle. They are also to have specialized selection, equipment, and training for their role with the ability to adapt their duties as needed.
II. Grenadiers are to be grouped into Companies of 100, with a Company attached to each regular infantry regiment.

C. The Marines.
I. The Marines are to be part of the Navy, as a fighting infantry force aboard Hispanian Ships as well as a amphibious invasion force and security of ports. Their selection, training, and equipment and duties are also allowed to be modified as needed.
II. The Navy is hereby required to decide the needed Marine detachment size on each Naval vessel and port, and is to ensure such requirements are met.
III. The Marines are to be organized as a separate unit in the Navy answering to the Commandant of the Marines who serves directly under the Grand Admiral. Localized detachments are to obey the orders of the commanding Naval Officer of the ship or port they are assigned should they not be in violation of the Hispanian Naval Code, Imperial Code, or Local Code if applicable.

Emperor Alfons IX de Trastámara said:
Naval Reform of 1793

I. Military academies within the Empire shall be expanded to include naval programs, where Hispanians will be trained as sailors and petty naval officers. Any basic equipment shall be provided by the academy.
II. Anyone wishing to join the navy must graduate from an official naval academy or have served for five years at sea with a recognized Hispanian naval organization (trading companies, etc.)
III. The formal chain of command for the navy shall be updated to mirror the army as follows:
a) The highest ranking officer in the navy shall be the Fleet Admiral. There shall only ever be two: the Minister of the Navy and his chosen assistant.
b) Beneath the Fleet Admiral shall be the Admirals and Vice Admirals. Only they, along with the Fleet Admirals, may command Hispania's armadas and fleets.
c) Rear Admirals shall be placed in command of up to 20 ships within any fleet.
d) Commodores shall be placed in command of up to 5 ships within any fleet.
e) Ship-of-the-line Captains shall be the highest ranking officers in command of a single ship and shall be placed in command of heavy ships.
f) Frigate Captains shall be placed in command of light ships.
g) Corvette Captains shall be placed in command of galleys or transports.
h) Ship-of-the-line Lieutenants shall serve under Captains on heavy ships.
i) Frigate Lieutenants shall serve under Frigate Captains on light ships.
j) Corvette Lieutenants shall serve under Corvette Captains on galleys and transports.
k) All non-officer members of the navy shall be considered sailors.​
IV. All officers must prove themselves in combat or have served in the Hispanian navy for a minimum of five years to obtain the rank of Corvette Captain or higher.
V. If the Minister of the Navy is not an official officer of the Hispanian navy, the rank of Fleet Admiral shall be honorary and only retained as long as they retain the position.

Amendment to the Naval Reform of 1793

I. The highest ranks in the navy shall be: The Grand Admiral of Atlantic and Grand Admiral of the Orient.
1. The Grand Admirals shall be appointed by the Minister of the Navy, only if the candidate has shown exceptional skill in command and valor in combat.
2. The admirals shall operate separately from each other, each one being responsible for their respective region.
3. In special cases it is possible for one man to hold both ranks, in which case he shall be titled as The Grand Admiral of Hispania.​
II. The Naval Academy will be split into two: The Lower Academy for regular sailors and petty officers, as well as The Upper Academy for officers.
1. The Upper Academy will be restricted to those who showed exceptional skill during service, or those who have achieved extraordinary academic results in the Lower Academy.
2. Anyone above Frigate Captains will be required to finish education at the Upper Academy.
3. A specially formed committee of admirals and government officials will determine if a candidate is suitable for education at the Upper Academy.​


1798
Countess Alexandra von Politz ((Duke Dan 'the Man')) said:
The Reformation of the Administration of the Empire Act

1.The basic unit of administration within the Empire shall be the Municipality, and shall be governed by appointed bureaucrats from the Civil Service by the Minister of the Interior. All of land within the Empire shall be divided within Municipalities.

1.1 In order properly divide the whole of the Empire, a commission of 100 men within the Civil Service, as appointed by the Minister of the Interior, in order to smoothly survey the lands of the realm


2. The Second Unit of Administration is the prefecture

2.1. There shall be two kinds of Prefecture: a Metropolitan Prefecture, and a Agrarian Prefecture.

2.2. Both shall be governed by a Prefect, whom shall be elected by popular election every 2 years.

2.3. The Metropolitan Prefecture shall consist of one town over 10,000 people, as well as their surrounding countryside extending for 3 kilometers

2.4. An Agrarian Prefecture will consist of a part of the land within a District.

2.5. Each Agrarian Prefecture shall be divided evenly between the size of the land within a district.

2.6. There shall always be 3 times as many Agrarian Prefectures as there is Metropolitan Prefectures within a district.

2.7. Valencia shall be a special prefecture, being governed by the Imperial Parliament itself.

2.7.1. The Prime Minister shall appoint a Special Prefect to serve as the nominal governor of the city.

2.7.2. This Prefect must not hold any position within the cabinet and be a member of Parliament

2.8. In the event that a Prefect dies within his term, the Prime Minister is empowered to appoint a new Acting Prefect to take the former's place.


3. There will be 4 Districts within each province of the Empire

3.1. A District shall be governed by a local congress of delegates from each of the Prefectures, selected by the Prefect of the province.


4. A Province is defined as the traditional boundaries of the various lands of the nobility.

4.1. A province is governed by a Deputy Governor, and is elected through popular vote every 6 years.

4.2. The Deputy Governor shall be empowered to collect taxes, keep his people happy, and keep law and order within his province.


5. The fifth unit of administration will be the State, which has already been defined in previous acts.

Emperor Dowager Sophia de Trastámara née Mandromenos ((Mach Twelve)) said:
Military Support Act

I. All nations whose affairs are managed by the Minister of Colonial Affairs shall be entitled to military support in the face of rebellion as they would a foreign army.

II. The Emperor is permitted to deny this support, as is the joint decision of the Minister of Colonial Affairs and the Minister of the Army.


1804
Countess Alexandra von Politz ((Duke Dan 'the Man')) said:
National Census Act

1. In order to verify the number of citizens within the Empire, the Minister of the Interior receive the duty to carry out a census every 5 10 years.

Countess Alexandra von Politz ((Duke Dan 'the Man')) said:
Higher Education Act

1. From the ages of 12 to 16, a child, with the consent of his parents, will attend middle school, being an intermediate period between Elementary School, and Higher Education establishments.
2. The curriculum shall be decided by the local school board, although certain subjects may be considered mandatory by the Minister of Education
3. University will be an option for anyone over 16 years of age. In order to persuade more people to pursue higher education, the government shall agree to give discounts in taxes paid to people whom are studying at university not exceeding 2% of the total tax levied on a student.
4. The gov. shall also establish technical schools in order to help educate prepare who wish to go into certain fields of work
5. In order to heighten the efficiency of the agricultural practices of our farmers, those who go to technical schools with the hope to go into, or learn more efficient techniques farming shall receive training for free.

Countess Alexandra von Politz ((Duke Dan 'the Man')) said:
Election of Governors of the Provinces


1. Governors shall be elected by their people every 4 years, during the election of seats in the Parliament


1816
Duke Fernando de Leon ((zenphoenix)) said:
Defense of the Monarchy Act
((Fundamental))​

The monarchy of Hispania is an inviolable institution. Suggesting its overthrow shall be considered treason. Following from this, any individual or organization advocating for the establishment of a Hispanian republic shall be charged with treason.

Duke Fernando de Leon ((zenphoenix)) said:
Guarantee of Freedoms Act
((Fundamental))
All citizens of Hispania and its subjects shall be entitled to the following freedoms. Some are already current practice, but this act aims to formalize and protect them.

The freedom of speech and press, to say and publish what they want in public as long as they don't agitate for overthrow of the government or other treasonous activities.

The freedom to practice any Christian denomination in public.

The freedom of movement throughout Hispania.

The freedom to organize in private and public groups.

The freedom to peacefully petition the government to make known their grievances.

The freedom to run for any public office, ie a seat in a regional or national Parliament.

The freedom to pursue a legal profession of any kind.

Baron Juan Augusto Adrián de Salcedo ((Firehound15)) said:
Citizenship Act, 1816
((Fundamental))​

I. Henceforth, all native-born subjects of the Hispanian Empire who, themselves, belong to a one-half parentage born of Italy, Iberia, Lusitania, Provence, Sardinia, Corsica, or the Colonies shall be known as Hispanian Citizens, and shall be granted all the rights, duties, and powers upon therein.

II. All Hispanian Citizens will be entitled to a certain set of rights, which shall not be infringed, and instead shall be upheld above all local decisions of the Empire-proper which are to the contrary. Such rights shall include, but shall never be limited to:

a. Right of Non-Violent Assembly
b. Right of Political Discourse
c. Right of a Fair Trial
d. Right to Operate a Press
e. Right of Free Travel
f. Right of Free Personhood
III. All Hispanian Citizens will be granted the authority to vote in elections for the retention of those judges and justices who hold a jurisdiction to which those Citizens are privy, regardless of their capacity to vote in elections to determine the membership of the Assembly.

IV. Only Hispanian Citizens will be given the right to sit in either the Assembly or the Cortz.

V. Subject to His Majesty's decision, any individual who is resident within the Empire may be granted full Citizenship.

VI. Subject to the decision of His Majesty and Parliament, any Citizen may have their specific rights suspended due to treasonous activity, and may also be stripped of their Citizenship. Such punishments, however, will not come upon their blood.

VII. All Hispanian Citizens shall have the right to vote on local elections, however, voting for members of the Assembly shall be restricted to those Citizens who can provide evidence that they hold in their own name a value equal to or greater than 12 Escudos.

Amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1816

I. Henceforth, all native-born taxpaying subjects over the age of 15 of the Hispanian Empire who, themselves, belong to a one-half parentage born of Italy, Iberia, Lusitania, Provence, Sardinia, Corsica, or the Colonies shall be known as Hispanian Citizens, and shall be granted all the rights, duties, and powers upon therein.


Second Amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1816
I. Henceforth, all native-born taxpaying subjects over the age of 15 of the Hispanian Empire who, themselves, belong to a one-half parentage born of any of Hispania's European provinces or the Colonies shall be known as Hispanian Citizens, and shall be granted all the rights, duties, and powers upon therein.
VII. All Christian male Hispanian citizens of at least 21 years of age shall have the right to vote in elections or sit in the Assembly, provided those Citizens meet the property requirements as dictated by the Crown and Parliament and reside within an established electoral district. The votes of all eligible voters shall be weighted to favour those with greater wealth and property.

Third Amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1816

I. All those born in the Hispanian Empire who belong to at least a one-half parentage born of any of Hispania's States or Territories shall be known as Hispanian Citizens, and shall be granted all the rights, duties, and powers upon therein.
a) The previous paragraph shall only apply to those born prior to 1850.
b) As of 1850, all those born in the Hispanian Empire who have at least one parent recognized as a Hispanian Citizen shall be known as Hispanian Citizens, and shall be granted all the rights, duties, and powers upon therein.​
VIII. Anyone over the age of 15 whose primary residence is within Hispania who is not a Hispanian Citizen may apply for citizenship at an established government building after residing within Hispania for a set period of time.
a) All recognized citizens or subjects of any of Hispania's colonial nations who have resided within Hispania for at least 5 years and have not been convicted of a crime in that period may apply to become a Hispanian Citizen.
b) Anyone who is not a citizen of Hispania or one of its colonial nations who has at least one parent recognized as a Hispanian Citizen and has resided within Hispania for at least 5 years and has not been convicted of a crime in that period may apply to become a Hispanian Citizen.
c) Anyone who is not a citizen of Hispania or one of its colonial nations whose parents are not Hispanian citizens and has resided within Hispania for at least 25 years and has not been convicted of a crime in that period may apply to become a Hispanian Citizen.​
IX. Any child under or of the age of 15 whose primary residence is within Hispania who is not a Hispanian Citizen and has at least one parent who is a Hispanian Citizen, either through birth or by application, shall become a Hispanian Citizen.
X. All citizens or subjects of any of Hispania's colonial nations shall be granted honorary citizenship, conferring on them all the protections granted to Hispanian Citizens, including but not limited to the rights conferred by this act. They shall not be permitted to participate in elections, serve on a jury, or any other privileges granted to Hispanian Citizens who are residents of Hispania.
a) All those born in Hispania to at least one Hispanian honorary citizen shall be granted honorary citizenship at birth if not otherwise granted full citizenship.​
XI. Anyone whose primary residence is in Hispania can be granted citizenship through service in the Hispanian Army or Navy for at least five years in peacetime or one year in wartime, with the recommendation of a commanding officer.
XII. All those born in Hispania whose parents are foreign diplomats or are recognized as citizens of Hispania's enemies in wartime shall not be granted citizenship.
XIII. Anyone within Hispania, regardless of citizenship or residency, including but not limited to orphans, those with dubious parentage or unknown citizenship, and legal non-citizen residents, shall be granted basic protections to ensure their well-being.

Baron Juan Augusto Adrián de Salcedo ((Firehound15)) said:
Parliament Act, 1816

I. Henceforth, the Assembly of the Hispanian Empire shall be reorganized into a body containing within itself 500 seats, which will be apportioned in the following manner:
a. Fifty seats shall be granted to those individuals appointed by the Crown to aid in the making of specialized decisions, and who shall be drawn from backgrounds of jurisprudence, history, foreign policy, the military, and all others deemed to be of value. These seats will be appointed at the discretion of the Emperor, and shall hold office until they are dismissed in the same means as their appointment.
b. Ninety-two seats shall be apportioned equally between all provinces of the Empire, and shall be filled by those individuals elected to hold such offices.
c. Eight seats shall be apportioned to the eight most populous cities within the Empire, and shall be filled by those individuals elected to hold such offices.
d. Three-hundred and fifty seats will be apportioned by population between all provinces within the Empire, and shall be filled by those individuals elected to hold such offices.​
II. Funds shall be allocated for the purposes of constructing a new Parliamentary Building in Valencia, which will be designed and built so that it will have the capacity to house all functions of Parliament, including not only both the Cortz and Assembly Chambers, but also offices for the members of both Chambers.

III. Parliamentary boundaries and allocations shall be reassessed every ten years, at which time a Census will be taken throughout the Hispanian Provinces. In the absence of firm precedence for such a count, the first such Census shall be conducted in 1820, under the supervision of joint committee of the Cortz and Assembly comprised of five individuals from each Chamber. Until that time, allocations will continue to be made based upon local records.


1829
Regent Joan de Trastámara & Parliament said:
The North Africa Act

I. All colonies within North Africa, constituting the regions of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and the Levant, shall be elevated to the rank of province within the Empire, granting them the privileges and status accorded to all other provinces of Hispania.
II. Electoral districts shall be established within these new provinces, to be determined based on population and in accordance with the latest Imperial Census.
III. All citizens residing within these new provinces shall be extended the franchise provided they meet the requirements as designated by Hispania's electoral laws.

Regent Joan de Trastámara & Parliament said:
The Bavarian Sovereignty Act

I. The Kingdom of Bavaria shall be granted full autonomy from the Empire of Hispania.
II. The Crown hereby renounces all claims to the Bavarian throne and recognizes Duke Benedict von Sparneck as the successor to the throne of Bavaria.
III. The Hispanian Parliament shall have no authority over Bavaria, with its government determined in accordance to the Bavarian Constitution.


1831
Regent Joan de Trastámara & Parliament said:
The Transdacian Sovereignty Act

I. The Kingdom of Transdacia shall be granted full autonomy from the Empire of Hispania.
II. The Crown hereby renounces all claims to the Transdacian throne and recognizes Duke Gabriel Kosovic as the successor to the throne of Transdacia.
III. The Hispanian Parliament shall have no authority over Transdacia, with a new government formed that will be modelled on the Hispanian government.


1833
Regent Joan de Trastámara & Regent Pierre de Villars of France said:
The French-Hispanian Colonial Accord

I. France hereby agrees to cede French La Plata and all its provinces to Hispania, relinquishing all claims to its land.
II. Hispanian hereby agrees to cede Nueva Sicilia and all its provinces to France, relinquishing all claims to its lands.
III. Both nations pledge not to discriminate against any subjects or citizens residing within the exchanged lands and permit those nationals living there the freedom to seek residence within their former native country and free travel between the two nations..

Regent Joan de Trastámara & Basileus Ioannes XI Palaiologos of Byzantium said:
The Greek Unification Agreement

I. Hispania hereby cedes all its provinces within Greece and Anatolia to Byzantium and relinquishes all claims to the land.
II. Byzantium shall waive all existing loans granted to Hispania and provide further payment as determined by both parties.
III. Byzantium pledges not to discriminate against any Hispanian subjects or citizens residing within the exchanged lands and permits those nationals living there the freedom to seek residence within Hispania and free travel between the two nations.


1835
Regent Joan de Trastámara & King Albert I de Trastámara of the UKA said:
The Nueva Lusitania Purchase

I. Hispania hereby cedes all its colony of Nueva Lusitania, also known as Labrador, to the United Kingdom of America and relinquishes all claims to the land.
II. The United Kingdom of America shall provide payment for said land as determined by both parties.
III. The United Kingdom of America pledges not to discriminate against any Hispanian subjects or citizens residing within the exchanged lands and permits those nationals living there the freedom to seek residence within Hispania and free travel between the two nations.

Regent Joan de Trastámara & Crown Prince Ferran de Trastámara said:
The Clarification of Elected Positions Act
((Royal Decree))​

I. All elected officials within Hispania, both inside and outside of Parliament, are considered representatives of the people within their jurisdiction, granted their position by the authority of the Crown.
II. All elected officials within Hispania, both inside and outside of Parliament, are expected to fairly represent the interests of their constituents to the Crown, and are expected to carry out their duties on behalf of both their constituents and the Crown.
III. It is the responsibility of the Crown to ensure that all elected officials will properly represent the interests of their constituents by ensuring their loyalty is only to their constituents and the Crown.
a) Any group or individual with known ties to criminal organizations or a criminal record of violent or severe crimes will be ineligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.
b) Any group or individual that expresses or publicizes anti-monarchy or pro-republican sentiment shall be ineligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.
c) Any group or individual deemed by the Crown to present a threat to public order or the Hispanian people shall be ineligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.
d) If there is any doubt as to whether any group or individual fits in any of these categories, it is up to the discretion of the Crown to determine whether said group or individual is eligible to run for any elected position within Hispania.​
IV. If any constituents believe that their elected official is not representing their interests or the interests of the Crown, they have the right to petition the Crown to request that a by-election be held to select a new elected official.
a) It is at the discretion of the Crown whether said by-election will be held and whether the current candidate is deemed ineligible to run for any further elected positions.
b) If over 50% of constituents petition the Crown to request a by-election, then one must be held for the contested elected position. It is still at the discretion of the Crown whether the current candidate is deemed ineligible to run for any further elected positions, including the contested elected position.​

Post-1836 Laws

Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Child Labor Regulation Act

Children aged 11–18 should work a maximum of 12 hours per day, children aged 9–11 a maximum of eight hours, and children under the age of nine are no longer permitted to work. Parents must provide written consent in order to allow their children to work.

Children may not be assigned to highly dangerous tasks, to be decided by safety inspectors upon inspection.

Children may not be employed if they are already enrolled in a school.

Should an inspector find that a child has been employed in a way that violates any of the above clauses, the offending company shall be fined accordingly.

Isabella’s Law

Recognizing that the death of Isabella Fernandez is a senseless and preventable tragedy, the Hispanian Government promulgates the following amendments to the Child Labor Regulation Act of 1836. In cases where a newer clause conflicts with an older clause, the older clause shall be overridden.

4. Safety inspectors shall be chosen in such a way as to prevent any ties, whether familial or financial, to the workplace(s) they are inspecting. They shall be regularly reviewed to ensure that they can reliably determine if a workplace is highly dangerous or not, and if they cannot, they shall be retrained.

5. Children under the age of fourteen may not work. Children over the age of fourteen may work a maximum of eight hours per day. Employers shall be required to provide at least one one-hour break for every four hours of work.

6. Should a parent withdraw a child from school to put them to work, this shall count as a waiving of the written consent, and both the parent(s) and the workplace owner will be considered as having committed a crime. Safety inspectors will regularly inspect workplaces and check school records to enforce this clause.

((Safety regulations to the next level, only if the Regulation of the Safety of Labor Act does not pass. It should not conflict with the Regulation of the Safety of Labor Act if both pass, since this law only deals with child labor.))

Duke Stefano von Politz ((Duke Dan 'the Man')) said:
Religious Purification Act


1. This act shall override any other acts that may conlfict with this act
2. Those of religions not recognized by Church of Jesus Christ will not be allowed to:

Freely speak of their false beliefs and gods
Hold office in the Parliament or any local government
Teach Imperial subjects in any educational facilities, knowing that they may taint our good Christian students.
Be appointed to the Council.


Duke Altair Spoleto ((texasjoshua)) said:
Avoidance of Debt Act


I. Hispania's Budget shall be such that all other options are considered before resorting to a deficit.
II. A deficit shall be otherwise permitted under the following conditions:

A. A time of War with a severe enough strain upon the economy as declared by the Minister of War
B. A Majority Vote within both the Cortz and Assembly can allow a deficit for certain spending as proposed by the Minister Finance.


Duke Maximiliao Dias ((Mach Twelve)) said:
The Return to Normalcy Act

The Assembly shall be expanded by 100 seats, all of which will be designated as appointed seats to ensure a return to the original one-fourth under the majority of the Alfonsian Era.

Pedro Manuel Falcone ((TJDS)) said:
The Act of Establishment of the Royal Burgher Bank

The Act of Establishment of the Royal Burgher Bank.

1. The Royal Burgher Bank (hereafter - the Burgher Bank) is established to facilitate the burghers in all kinds of ways to purchase equipment and other goods or services needed in business in cases where the other entitites wish to sell, and burghers to purchase them.

2. The Burgher Bank is a government institution formed under the Ministry of Finance

3. The Burgher Bank's actions spread gradually to those areas of the Kingdom (with the exception of the colonies), in which a Bank Branch was established by agreement of the Treasury and Secretariat of Internal Affairs.

4.The management of the Bank rests with the Board, consisting of the Governor of the Bank and three members appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
[...]
9. Loans from the Burgher Bank made in cash received by the Bank through the issuance of interest-bearing securities, which are referred to as public bonds of the Burgher Bank and, if necessary, additional money grants.
[...]
12. Public bonds of the Burgher Bank bring at least 3,25% of annual income
[...]
16. Loans to assist burghers in the purchase of land shall be given to: a) the whole of a guild b) partnerships, including at least three burghers buying goods or services in common ownership by all members of such partnership or in private, each participant's ownership, but with mutual guarantee for each other regarding the annual payments on the issued loan, and c) to individual burghers.

17. The limits of the size of the loans and their calculation methods are set by the Treasury.

Pedro Manuel Falcone ((TJDS)) said:
The Act of Establishment of the Royal Agrarian Land Bank

1. The Royal Agrarian Land Bank (hereafter - the Agrarian Land Bank) is established to facilitate the farmers in all kinds of ways to purchase land in cases where the other entitites wish to sell, and farmers to purchase them.

2. The Agrarian Land Bank is a government institution formed under the Ministry of Finance

3. The Agrarian Land Bank's actions spread gradually to those areas of the Kingdom (with the exception of the colonies), in which a Bank Branch was established by agreement of the Treasury and Secretariat of Internal Affairs.

4.The management of the Bank rests with the Board, consisting of the Governor of the Bank and three members appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury.
[...]
9. Loans from the Agrarian Land Bank made in cash received by the Bank through the issuance of interest-bearing securities, which are referred to as public bonds of the Agrarian Land Bank and, if necessary, additional money grants.
[...]
12. Public bonds of the Agrarian Land Bank bring at least 3,25% of annual income
[...]
16. Loans to assist farmers in the purchase of land shall be given to: a) the whole of rural community (whether it consists several villages or vice versa, is part of one big village); b) partnerships, including at least three farmers buying land in common ownership by all members of such partnership or in private, each participant's ownership, but with mutual guarantee for each other regarding the annual payments on the issued loan, and c) to individual farmers.

17. The limits of the size of the loans and their calculation methods are set by the Treasury.

Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Ensuring of Quality Education Act

It shall now be mandatory for all students to attend elementary and middle school. Should parents not be able to afford the resulting tuition fees, the government will try to subsidize the student's (or students') education and boarding fees. Parents may opt out of this if they choose, but they must justify their case before the school board and, if appropriate, a local court.

((School reform increased to next level.))

Giovanni Giordano ((LostPatriot)) said:
The Safety of the Empire Act


Given recent developments concerning hostile, violent anti-government actions outside the Imperial Palace and Lisboa, it should be in the interests that all assemblies of five men or greater should be deemed ILLEGAL by law without approval from the necessary authorities .

((Public Meetings Allowed --> Outlawed))

Duke Altair Spoleto ((texasjoshua)) said:
Institutionalization of Parliament


The Institutions of Hispania must be able to remain even in the face of small changes in popularity, critical institutional elements of Hispania should require greater than a majority to be changed.
I. Any law pertaining to the composition* of Parliament requires 60 percent approval rather than a simple majority.
II. Any law pertaining to the composition* of the judiciary requires 60 percent approval rather than a simple majority.
III. Any restructuring of Hispanian regions shall require a 60 percent approval rather than a simple majority.

*Composition constitutes any major changes made to the institution in question.

Duke Stefano von Politz ((Duke Dan 'the Man')) said:
Public Force Act

1. The Public Force shall be established in order to root out secretive societies destructive and threatening to the state and the overall stability of the Nation.
2. The Public Force will consist of one, independent branch of the Ministry of Justice, personally overseen by the Minister himself.
3. Owing to the secretive and sensitive nature of the duties and information of the Public Force, it shall only its information will only be known by the Minister of Justice and the Emperor or an established representative.
4. Its members will be empowered to use any what ever force necessary in order to protect the state.
5. Its members will also be immune from prosecution for any actions in defense of the Crown.
6. The Public Force will be given the task of obtaining information on enemies of the Crown, as well as infiltrating and destroying groups deemed dangerous to the public order.

Emperor Ferran VI de Trastámara said:
The Royal Commissions Act
((Royal Decree))​

I. The Crown at any time may form a Royal Commission to examine the interpretation of laws that may be in question or to look into matters of great importance.
a) Members of Parliament may present possible topics of concern that they believe should be addressed by a Royal Commission, but it is entirely the Crown’s prerogative as to whether a Royal Commission will be held on the issue or not.
b) The Crown may choose to impose a set deadline on how long the Commission has to discuss the issue.
c) A Royal Commission may only be disbanded if they complete their accomplished task, a set deadline is reached, or they act outside the designated parameters of their task.​
II. A Royal Commission shall be presented with terms of reference, goals, or questions that they are tasked with addressing focused around a central issue. They shall only focus on matters related to the subject of the Commission.
III. A Royal Commission shall be limited in scope by their terms of reference or goals and may not act outside of them. Any Royal Commission that is deemed as acting outside of its terms of reference or goals by the Crown may be disbanded at any time.
IV. A Royal Commission shall consist of Hispanian citizens appointed by the Crown to discuss the subject of the Commission. The total number of commissioners of a Royal Commission shall be determined by the Crown.
a) Candidates for a Royal Commission are not obligated to accept their appointment if they do not feel qualified.
b) Commissioners shall swear an oath not to reveal any information shared within the Royal Commission other than with the Crown until the completion or disbandment of the Commission.
c) Any commissioner acting outside the bounds of the Royal Commission may be removed by the Crown.​
V. The Emperor shall choose one commissioner to serve as the Head of the Royal Commission.
a) The Head of the Commission shall be charged with organizing any investigative efforts and directing the course of discussion.
b) The Head of the Commission will be tasked with presenting all evidence found by the Commission once their task is complete.​
V. A Royal Commission shall be granted special powers by the Crown to aid in the process of investigating the subject of the Commission and reaching a suitable solution.
a) A Royal Commission may call upon any Hispanian citizen or subject to provide a testimony on the subject of the Commission.
b) A Royal Commission shall have access to any government documents related to the subject of the Commission, and may be granted access to confidential documents with the permission of the Crown.
c) A Royal Commission may issue warrants to private individuals permitting them to temporarily seize documents or property deemed relevant to the subject of the Commission.
d) Commissioners are granted immunity from prosecution for any actions or statements they make within the bounds of the Royal Commission, provided they are not made against the Crown.
e) Any Royal Commission that abuses these powers by investigating outside the bounds of their terms of reference or goals will be disbanded.​
VI. The proceedings and findings of the Royal Commission shall be kept private, only shared with Commissioners and the Crown, until the Commission either completes its task or is disbanded. Any findings deemed of a confidential nature will remain private even after the Commission is completed.
a) Any commissioner that reveals any information of a Royal Commission prior to its conclusion or disbandment shall be fined and removed from the Commission. Further revealing of confidential information shall result in a jail sentence of no more than five years.
b) Commissioners may recommend information to be made confidential, but the Crown shall decide what will be deemed confidential.​
VII. The Head of a Royal Commission, once the Commission has discussed the subject of the Commission until a consensus is reached, must present a statement on how the Commission recommends best responding to subject of the Commission.
a) Any such statement must be agreed upon by two-thirds of the Commission.
b) If there is a set deadline and a consensus is not reached by that deadline, the Crown may choose to either extend the deadline, disband the Commission, or recommend that the Head of the Commission present their preferred statement.​
VIII. The Crown will take a Royal Commission’s recommendation into consideration and decide upon an official response to the issue discussed by that Royal Commission.
a) The Crown is not obligated to implement the Royal Commission’s recommendation or to commit to any response if deemed unnecessary.
b) The decision reached by the Crown at the recommendation of a Royal Commission shall be legally binding and be put into effect immediately.
c) Any law impacted by the decision of the Crown will be adjusted accordingly, either through a redefined interpretation, the implementation of an amendment, or by being overridden where necessary.
d) The decision of the Crown shall have no bearing on any past decisions made by the court nor overrule any past convictions that were made before the conclusion of the Royal Commission.​
IX. This Act, presented as a royal decree, may not be amended by Parliament without the permission of the Crown, due to its purpose as a definition of a certain aspect of the Crown’s power.

Count Manuel Alejandro D'Garcia ((ManuelD'Garkia)) said:
Voting Safety Act
By the present the Minister of Justice will have the duty of providing police forces in every polling center on our Empire with the objetive of assuring the protection and safety of the voters from any gang, group or indivual that intent on harassing them. The police forces may arrest the harassers without importance of what party, faction, coalition or ideology they are harassing for.

((Political Parties: Harassment --> Gerrymandering))

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Assembly Restoration Act of 1840

Reestablishes the right of Hispanians to Peaceful Public Assembly.

((Public Meetings Outlawed --> Allowed))

Count Manuel Alejandro D'Garcia ((ManuelD'Garkia)) said:
Press Autonomy and Rights Act
Under this every newspaper, existant or new, will be granted full autonomy in the content of their publications and will be protected by law from any kind of attack, censure and prohibition.

(( Press Rights: Censored --> Free Press))

Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Health Care Improvement Act

In order to ensure that Hispania's citizens are given medical treatment deserving of their Hispanian citizenship, the following clauses shall be enacted:

1. Hospitals may not refuse services to any Hispanian citizen, within reason. Citizens with more serious health concerns will get priority service.

2. Industrial employers are mandated to provide injury and illness insurance for their low-wage workers, and the system shall be funded and administered by employees and employers through "sick funds", which shall be drawn from deductions in workers' wages. In other words, workers will pay for their health care through small deductions from their salaries.

3. Health care services shall only be available for Hispanian citizens.

4. It is expedient that persons requiring medical aid should be enabled to distinguish qualified from unqualified practitioners. Therefore, this Act shall also establish the position of the Registrar of the General Medical Council, whose duty is to keep up-to-date records of those registered to practice medicine and to make them publicly available. The General Medical Council will be established as an organization to regulate and ensure the quality of medical care in Hispania.

5. Penalties will be established for individuals and organizations who falsely pretend to be a registered practitioner, using false information to obtain registration, or falsifying the register.

6. All medical practitioners must be licensed by the General Medical Council to show that they are qualified to be practitioners, or else they will be first fined and then banned from the practice for a period ranging from several weeks to forever, based on the number of repeat offenses.

7. Current medical practitioners at the enacting of this law and medical practitioners who previously had licenses may apply for a license by taking a test given by the General Medical Council if they are not barred from applying due to clause 6.

8. Medical licenses must be renewed every five years through the process specified in clause 7.

9. If an individual never received a medical license before and wishes to apply for one, the individual must first receive instruction from an accredited institution in anatomy, botany, chemistry, materia medica and "physic", in addition to six months' practical hospital experience. They must also earn a degree in medicine from said institution, which must be presented to the General Medical Council upon request. Finally, the individual will take a test given by the General Medical Council as in clause 7, the passing of which will lead to the granting of a license.

((Health care reform increased to next level))

Pedro Manuel Falcone ((TJDS)) said:
The Parliamentary Principles Act

The Parliament of Hispania resolves:
I. That, all qualified members of the assembly or peers of Hispania are required by oath to hold loyalty to the Empire, and to "swear loyally to observe the the laws of the State and to exercise their functions with the sole goal of the inseparable good of the Emperor and of Hispania."
II. That as logically follows, the advocacy of republicanism violates the principle of loyalty to His Imperial Majesty, and the exercise of their functions towards the good of His Imperial Majesty.
III. That as logically follows, the advocacy of radical social change, the likes of which has been propagated by such disreputable persons as Charles Fourier and Robert Owen and other persons thereof, namely that which alters the fundamental monarchial nature of the state, and the establishment thereof violates the principle of loyalty to the Empire and the Laws of the State.
IV. That therefore, advocates of republicanism, radical social and anarchistical principles, and Freemasonry are ineligible to stand for election or service, or continuing service, for or within the Parliament of the Empire of Hispania unless they renounce their beliefs through swearing an oath to His Imperial Majesty and the Empire.
V. That therefore, advocates of the division of Hispania or those denying the inseparability of its lands are ineligible to stand for election or service, or contuinuing service, for or within the Parliament of the Empire of Hispania, unless they renounce their beliefs through swearing an oath to His Imperial Majesty and the Empire.

Amendment to The Parliamentary Principles Act

Due to the vaguity of the term "radical social change" and the fact that prohibitions against dangerous idelogies are already codified in banning republicanism, all references to prohibition against "radical social change" are to be removed.

Pedro Manuel Falcone ((TJDS)) said:
Imperial Order of the Seraphim
To be awarded in five (5) grades for long and dedicate service to the Empire of Hispania, her Monarch. and her people. The grades are to be as follows,listed in descending order of precedence:

Knight Grand Cross (KGCS)
Grand Commander (GCS)
Officer (OS)
Knight (KS)
Brother (BS)

Members inducted in recognition of acts carried out during active military service shall receive an award "With Swords", distinguished with the extra post-nominal "S". Those inducted at "Knight" level or above shall be entitled to the use of the prefix "Sir" and the use of the honorific "The Rt. Hon.". Those inducted at "Brother" level shall be entitled to the use of the honorific "The Hon."

The Rank of Knight Grand Cross shall be reserved to Members of the Imperial Family.

Its motto shall be Iesus Hominum Salvator

Pedro Manuel Falcone ((TJDS)) said:
Naval Cross

To be awarded to members of His Imperial Majesty's Navy in recognition of acts of exceptional valour or courage during wartime or in the face of extreme adversity, or in recognition of long, dedicated service to the Navy in peacetime.

Pedro Manuel Falcone ((TJDS)) said:
Distinguished Service Order

To be awarded to any member of His Imperial Majesty's Armed Forces in recognition of distinguished and loyal service over a long period of time during peace, or for acts of exceptional courage under duress during active duty.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Electoral Equalization Act of 1840

Ensures that the wealth does not effect the value of one's vote.

((Voting Franchise: Weighted Wealth --> Wealth))

Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Guarantee of Guarantee of Freedoms Act
((Fundamental Law))​

All rights and privileges afforded to Hispanian citizens in the Guarantee of Freedoms Act and the Citizenship Act are now considered inviolable parts of their citizenship and thus protected from being revoked by a regular piece of Parliamentary legislation unless in extraordinary circumstances (ie, a war, natural disaster, or other event so destabilizing so as to prompt a state of emergency and/or martial law) or if the individual or organization in question is determined to be a threat to national security. In such circumstances, the Emperor may revoke the individual's citizenship or organization's members' citizenship.

((Prevent any future changes in press and meeting reforms))

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Sanctity of Royal Marriages Act
((Royal Decree))​

I. Recognizing the great personal importance of the act of marriage for any individual and the Crown’s prerogative in the approval of any marriages involving the members of the royal family, any marriage approved by the Crown between a member of the royal family and an individual of appropriate status will be considered legitimate, provided it does not violate Clause II. To denounce such a marriage or consider it illegitimate is deemed a treasonable offence.

II. The Crown, recognizing the important role of all members of the royal family within the direct line of succession (first three in line for the throne) and their significant influence on domestic politics and foreign affairs, hereby pledges to only approve the marriage of members of the royal family within the direct line of succession to individuals who are of noble birth, are practising a faith recognized by the Church of Jesus Christ or the Hispanian government, and have not previously been issued a divorce.

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Imperial Administration Act
((Major))​

Section A – Introduction

I. In an attempt to reduce the number of inconsistencies, redundancies, and contradictions existing between the various levels of government and administration, an impartial committee known as the Administrative Reorganization Committee (ARC) shall be established to reassess the boundaries of each level of administration within the Empire of Hispania.
II. The Imperial Governance Act, Local Autonomy Amendment to the Imperial Governance Act, the Reformation of the Administration of the Empire Act, and Election of Governors of the Provinces Act shall all be revoked. All relevant clauses from those acts that may still be applicable shall be rewritten to be included within this act.
III. All land within the Empire of Hispania shall be designated as either core lands or colonial lands.
a) Core lands are considered integral regions of the Empire and are granted the full privileges and responsibilities accorded as such. Electoral districts may only be established within these lands and representation is granted to those citizens within them who are eligible to vote according to imperial laws.
b) Colonial lands are considered distant regions of the Empire and are governed directly by the Imperial Government and its representatives. Electoral districts may not be established within colonial land.​

Section B – Core Lands

I. All core lands shall be divided into the following levels of administration, from highest to lowest: State, Province, Prefecture, and Municipality.
a) The Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament are placed above all levels of administration mentioned and may overrule any lower level of administration whenever there is a conflict of jurisdiction.​
II. States shall be the largest zone of administration below the Imperial Government for Hispania’s core lands, the borders of which are to be determined by the ARC.
a) Each State shall be governed by an elected body known as the State Assembly. The State Assembly is responsible for the everyday governance of the State it is elected from.
b) Each State Assembly will elect a Speaker of the State Assembly by a plurality vote. The Speaker guides all proceedings of the State Assembly and is granted similar powers as the Speaker in Parliament.
c) The Crown or Prime Minister shall appoint a Governor-General for each State. These Governors-General serve as representatives of the Crown for their State.
d) The Governor-General shall appoint a Consul from amongst the members of the State Assembly to serve as head of the State Assembly, with preference given to those who can gain the confidence of the State Assembly. The Consul is tasked with forming a cabinet of ministers to govern the State.​
III. Provinces shall be the zone of administration below and within States for Hispania’s core lands, the borders of which are to be determined by the ARC.
a) Provinces shall not have their own elected government. The State Assembly for the State that the Province is in will be responsible for the everyday governance of the Province.
b) Provinces serve as a division of States with no specific administration of their own. The borders of Provinces shall be used in the determination of electoral zones for Parliament, with no parliamentary electoral district extending across multiple Provinces.
c) The Governor-General assigned to the State that a Province is in will serve as the representative of the Crown for that Province.​
IV. Prefectures shall be the zone of administration below and within Provinces for Hispania’s core lands, the borders of which are to be determined by the ARC.
a) Prefectures shall be divided into Metropolitan Prefectures and Agrarian Prefectures.
i) Metropolitan Prefectures shall be established for each town over 10,000 people and include all surrounding countryside within 3 kilometres of the town’s borders.
ii) Agrarian Prefectures shall consist of all remaining land not considered part of a Metropolitan Prefecture, and said land within each Province shall be evenly divided amongst each Agrarian Prefecture.
iii) Three Agrarian Prefectures shall be established for every Metropolitan Prefecture.​
b) Each Prefecture shall be governed by an elected body known as the Prefectural Assembly. The Prefectural Assembly is responsible for the everyday governance of the Prefecture it is elected from.
c) Each Prefectural Assembly will elect a Speaker of the Prefectural Assembly by a plurality vote. The Speaker guides all proceedings of the Prefectural Assembly and is granted similar powers as the Speaker in the Parliament.
d) The Crown or Prime Minister shall appoint a Lieutenant-Governor for each Prefecture. These Lieutenant-Governors serve as representatives of the Crown for their Prefecture and all Municipalities within it.
e) The Lieutenant-Governor shall appoint a Prefect from amongst the members of the Prefectural Assembly to serve as head of the Prefectural Assembly, with preference given to those who can gain the confidence of the Prefectural Assembly. The Prefect is tasked with forming a cabinet of ministers to govern the Prefecture.
f) The Capital of Valencia shall be established as a Special Prefecture. It shall be directly governed by Parliament instead of by a Prefectural Assembly and the Emperor shall serve as his own representative instead of a Lieutenant-Governor.​
V. Municipalities, the smallest of the administrative zones, shall be the zone of administration below and within Prefectures for Hispania’s core lands, the borders of which are to be determined by the ARC.
a) Each Municipality shall be governed by an elected body known as the Municipal Council. The Municipal Council is responsible for the everyday governance of the Municipality it is elected from.
b) Each Municipality will have a Mayor who will be independently elected by the constituents of the Municipality. The Mayor guides all proceedings of the Municipal Council as its head and is tasked with coordinating with all Councillors in governing the Municipality.
c) The Lieutenant-Governor of the Prefecture for which the Municipality resides in shall serve as the Crown’s representative for that Municipality.​

Section C – Colonial Lands

I. All colonial lands shall be divided into the following levels of administration, from highest to lowest: Territory and Colonial Province.
a) The Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament are placed above all levels of administration mentioned and may overrule any lower level of administration whenever there is a conflict of jurisdiction.​
II. Territories shall be the largest form of administration below the Imperial Government within Hispania’s colonial lands. It is equivalent to States within Hispania’s core lands.
a) The Crown or Prime Minister shall appoint a Governor-General for each Territory. These Governors-General serve as representatives of the Crown and are responsible for governing the Territory on behalf of the Imperial Government.
b) The Governor-General is responsible for carrying out Imperial law within the Territory and is only accountable to the Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament.
c) Territories may be elevated to the status of State and granted the privileges and responsibilities accorded as such with the support of 60% of the Cortz and Assembly.​
III. Colonial Provinces shall be the smallest form of administration within Hispania’s colonial lands, falling within a Territory. It is equivalent to Provinces within Hispania’s core lands.
a) The Crown or Prime Minister shall appoint a Lieutenant-Governor for each Colonial Province. These Lieutenant-Governors serve as representatives of the Crown and are responsible for governing the Colonial Province on behalf of the Imperial Government.
b) Lieutenant-Governors are responsible for carrying out Imperial law within the Colonial Province and are only accountable to the Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament.
c) Lieutenant-Governors shall be subordinate to the Governor of the Territory for which their Colonial Province is a part of.​

Section D – Elected Bodies & Governors

I. All elected bodies established for administrative zones as mentioned in Section B shall be set up along the following guidelines:
a) Electoral districts shall be established separate from the imperial electoral districts for each administrative zone.
i) Electoral districts for States and Prefectures shall be established in a similar manner to those for Parliament, with the size and borders of these districts determined based on population and with one seat assigned to each district.
ii) Electoral districts for States and Prefectures shall adopt the voting system used for Parliament. If Parliament adopts a different voting system, all States and Prefectures will adopt the same system.
iii) Municipalities, due to their small size, shall consist of a single electoral district. Constituents shall vote for multiple candidates using a plurality-at-large voting system. This voting system will not change if Parliament changes its own system.
iv) The election of Mayors shall use a first-past-the-post voting system and shall occur every four years, half way between or two years after each parliamentary election.​
b) All elected bodies shall have their number of seats determined by the population within the borders of its administrative zone, with consideration given to the number of lower levels of administration existing within its administrative zone. State Assemblies should have a minimum of 50 seats, Prefectural Assemblies a minimum of 10, and Municipal Councils a minimum of 3.
c) All seats in every Prefectural Assembly shall be up for election every four years at the time of the parliamentary election. All seats in every State Assembly and Municipal Council shall be up for election every four years, half way between or two years after each parliamentary election.
d) Only citizens who are eligible to run for membership in Parliament or vote in the national elections may vote for members of any elected bodies.
e) All elected bodies are subject to the will of the Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament, and may only make use of any powers granted to them by these bodies. Any officials that are elected, cabinets that are formed, or ministers that are appointed shall only make use of powers permitted or bestowed upon them by the Crown, Imperial Government, or Parliament.
f) All elected bodies may institute their own local laws, make local legal determinations, and raise local taxes within their administrative zone, provided these do not conflict or interfere with the decisions or actions of the Imperial Government or Imperial laws in any form. Any decisions or actions by one of these elected bodies that violate this clause will be nullified.
g) No elected body may create their own currency or raise troops without permission of the Crown, Imperial Government, or Parliament.
h) In the event of a conflict of jurisdiction between elected bodies where one is assigned to an administrative zone within the higher administrative zone of another, the elected body assigned to the higher administrative zone will be given preference.​
II. All members of elected bodies for any administrative zone must meet the following requirements to retain their position. Any breach of these requirements will result in immediate dismissal.
a) All members of elected bodies for any administrative zone must be present within their administrative zone for at least 9 months out of the year, unless they must leave their administrative zone for official business purposes. Exceptions may be given by the Crown on an individual basis.
b) All members of elected bodies for any administrative zone must not serve as a Minister in the Imperial Cabinet, hold a seat within Parliament or any other elected body, or serve as a governor of any administrative zone. This shall not apply for the Special Prefecture of Valencia, which is governed directly by Parliament.
c) Only citizens who are eligible to run for membership in Parliament or vote in the national elections may run for a seat in any elected body.
d) The Emperor may not hold a position in any elected body for any administrative zone.​
III. All administrative zones fall under the jurisdiction of a governor for that level of administration or of one above as dictated in Sections B and C. The powers and responsibilities of these governors are designated as follows:
a) Governors are responsible for ensuring that Imperial law is properly carried out within their assigned administrative zone and are only accountable to the Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament.
b) Governors shall be tasked with expressing the will of the Crown, Imperial Government, and Parliament to their respective elected body for their administrative zone.
c) If a governor believes that the elected body for their administrative zone is not acting in the interest of the Crown, Imperial Government, or Parliament, they may veto any of that elected body’s decisions or actions. The use of this veto may be overturned by the Crown, Imperial Government, or Parliament if deemed an abuse of power.
d) In the event of a conflict of jurisdiction between governors where one is assigned to an administrative zone within the higher administrative zone of another governor, the governor assigned to the higher administrative zone will be given preference.​
IV. All governors must meet the following requirements to retain their position. Any breach of these requirements will result in immediate dismissal.
a) All governors must be present within their administrative zone for at least 9 months out of the years, unless they must leave their administrative zone for official business purposes. Exceptions may be given by the Crown on an individual basis.
b) All governors must not serve as a Minister in the Imperial Cabinet, hold a seat within Parliament or any other elected body, serve as a governor for another administrative zone, or be an ordained member of the Church of Jesus Christ.
c) Anyone who has a close relative who has served as a governor may not claim the position of governor within the same administrative zone that relative served in until 20 years has passed since that relative was last in office.
d) The Emperor may not hold a position as a governor. This shall not apply for the Special Prefecture of Valencia, where the Emperor shall serve as his own representative.​

Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Establishment of the Hispanian Electoral Commission
((Major))​

A Hispanian Electoral Commission shall be established as a non-partisan body. The HEC will have the following responsibilities:

1. The HEC's main responsibility is to conduct and manage elections, both general and local, as well as referendums.

2. The HEC is also responsible for seat boundaries and redistributions, and the maintenance of an up-to-date electoral roll.

3. The HEC maintains the electoral roll for the whole of Hispania, which is used by provincial and district-level Electoral Commissions (to be established with similar responsibilities as the HEC) to conduct their elections.

4. The HEC publishes detailed election results and follows up electors who fail to vote.

5. The HEC also plays an electoral education role, aiming to educate citizens about the electoral process by which their representatives are elected.

6. The HEC is independent of the Hispanian government (here designated as the senior ministers currently comprising the cabinet) and is answerable to Parliament.

((Political party reform increased to non-secret ballots))

Cardinal Gregory Diego ((hirahammad)) said:
Church of Jesus Christ Funding Act

The CJC may, by popular vote of the ordained, forfeit any and all funding received by the Imperial government to become fiscally self-sufficient, in order to aid financial recovery efforts after economic downturns or policy failures.

Grand Duke Alexander de Alvaro ((Robban204)) said:
The Anti-Terrorist Act

Institute a special branch of the Hispanian Police Forces especially trained and equipped to deal with terrorists, violent riots and other unlawful activity deemed too risky and/or too dangerous for regular police to stop. This branch will be stationed in every major city and will be able to quickly suppress violent unlawful activity.

Lluis Faixòn ((alscon)) said:
Seat Distribution Act

A committee shall be formed tasked with devising a new method of attributing seats based on the proportional result of the election. ((voting system officially Jefferson method - or whatever it is to be called in this timeline.))

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Electoral System Act
((Major))​

I. Section A of the Great Reform of 1773 shall be revoked.
II. The proportion of appointed members in the Assembly shall be determined based on other laws, currently designated as one-fourth of the total by the Return to Normalcy Act.
III. The remaining seats of the Assembly are elected from the Provinces, with electoral districts established within each Province based on population.
IV. Any Christian male citizen over the age of 21 who meets the property requirement as dictated under Hispanian law may vote in the parliamentary election for the elected seats or run for election.
V. Electoral districts shall be based on the boundaries of Municipalities, with all electoral districts consisting of an appropriate number of Municipalities contained within a single Province.
VI. All Municipalities shall have their boundaries adjusted so that every voter can attend political meetings and vote at their local polling station without disrupting their way of life.
VII. Each Province shall keep records of the number of voters in each Municipality and maintain an ordered list, from highest to lowest, of the amount of taxes paid by each citizen to monitor who meets the property requirement. If the electoral system uses a weighted model, these values shall be used to determine the weight of each individual’s vote.
VIII. Each electoral district shall be represented by a single seat in Parliament, with voters directly selecting their Member of Parliament from a list of candidates including representatives from established political parties and verified independents using the voting system as dictated under Hispanian law. The previous system involving electors shall be abolished.
IX. The Hispanian Electoral Commission, as established under a previous law, shall ensure fairness and the proper following of procedure during each election.

Lluis Faixòn ((alscon)) said:
Appointment Removal Act of 1847

Starting with the next election, there shall be no more appointed seats in the Assembly.

Grand Duke Fernando Luis Alejandro de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Act for Voter Privacy
((Major))​

To ensure that the privacy of voters' choice(s) in an election or other referendum and prevent an inaccurate result due to intimidation, blackmailing, and/or vote buying, a voter's choices shall be made anonymous. This shall be achieved as follows:

-A voter shall record their choice(s) on a blank sheet of paper in a booth where nobody can see them.

-Without revealing their choice(s) to anybody, the voter will fold and place their ballot in a sealed box, which will remain sealed until all votes at the location are collected. The Hispanian Electoral Commission will ensure that no boxes are opened ahead of schedule.

-Once all votes in the area are collected, they are to be counted. The count will be overseen by the Hispanian Electoral Commission.

The Hispanian Electoral Commission will oversee the voting process. It will make provisions to ensure that voters record their choices in secret.

Ballots will be standardized to eliminate bias and prevent anybody from linking voter to ballot.

Each Hispanian citizen must show proof of their citizenship and record their name with the Hispanian Electoral Commission before each vote. This will ensure that no citizen votes twice and that those who are not qualified to vote (non-citizens, the dead, etc.) do not vote.

The punishments for any voter or voting overseer who breaks any of these provisions shall be decided by the Ministry of Justice.

((Secret ballots reform.))

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Proportional Representation Act
((Major))
Establishes an electoral system by which party seat distribution matches the voter share received by said parties as closely as possible.

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Expansion of the Assembly Act

I. The number of seats in the Assembly shall be expanded from 450 to 500, with all existing electoral districts adjusted to add additional districts for the extra 50 seats.

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Establishment of Levels of Legislation Act
((Fundamental))​

I. Recognizing that certain laws are considered of greater importance than others, and that said laws thus must require greater support to enact, amend, or revoke, four separate levels of legislation shall be introduced.

II. The first level shall be known as minor laws. These type of laws shall have no special privileges and be treated as normal laws.

III. The second level shall be known as major laws. These type of laws shall be considered of greater importance than minor laws and thus require 60% approval from Parliament to enact, amend, or revoke.

IV. The third level shall be known as fundamental laws. These type of laws shall be considered of the greatest importance and thus require 75% approval from Parliament to enact, amend, or revoke.

V. The fourth and final level shall be known as royal decrees. These type of laws shall consist of any law passed unilaterally by the Crown and may only be amended or revoked with the approval of the Crown.

VI. All laws must clearly state either in a specific clause or the preface what level of law they are considered to be, otherwise the law in question shall be considered a minor law. All laws passed unilaterally by the Crown are considered royal decrees, and only the Crown may designate laws as royal decrees.

VII. This act shall be applied retroactively in part to all existing laws. Any act that requires Crown approval to amend or revoke shall be elevated to the level of fundamental law if passed by Parliament or elevated to the level of royal decree if enacted unilaterally by the Crown.

VIII. Any existing law may have its level altered by vote, with the number of votes required to change its level based on its current level or level to be adopted, whichever requires higher approval. Royal decrees may only have their level altered with Crown approval and shall require 75% approval from Parliament to amend or revoke unless otherwise decided by the Crown.

IX. Due to the importance of this act in establishing a set level of laws and to avoid abuse by revoking this law to lower the number of votes required to amend or revoke other laws, this act shall be considered a fundamental law and may only be enacted, amended, or revoked with 75% approval of Parliament.

Count Manuel Alejandro D'Garcia ((ManuelD'Garkia)) said:
Colonial Integration Act of 1850

- Seeing the almost absolute amount of European settlers on the following colonial provinces they shall be considered for integration as formal imperial states, abandoning the colonial government and giving them complete rights as a regular provinces, including franchise and parliamentary representation:

- South Madagascar – 84.5% European settlers.
- Hispanian Liberia – 75.0% European settlers.
- Hispanian Sierra Leone – 95.1% European settlers.
- Cape Colony – 96.2% European settlers.
- Indian Ocean Territory – 99.2% European settlers.
- Hispanian Guinea – 86.9% European settlers.

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Preservation of Institutions Act
((Major))​

I. Recognizing that the Institutionalization of Parliament is too vague to properly enforce, the act in question shall be revoked.
II. Due to the importance of Parliament and the need to ensure that critical elements of the institution are only altered after careful deliberation, any law that for either house alters membership requirements, the number of seats, the composition of seats, voting system, voting requirements, vote weighting, electoral districts, major powers and responsibilities, the relationship between Parliament and the Crown, the relationship between the two houses, or any other major or significant change shall require 60 percent approval to enact.
III. Due to the importance of the judiciary and the need to ensure that critical elements of the institution are only altered after careful deliberation, any law that alters the composition of the judiciary, the requirements to serve as a judge for any court, the number of judges on the National Court, the appeal process, the major powers and responsibilities of judges, the major powers and responsibilities of juries, the major powers and responsibilities of the courts, the relationship between the judiciary and the Crown, the relationship between the judiciary and the administration, the relationship between each level of court, or any other major or significant change shall require 60 percent approval to enact.
IV. Due to the importance of the administration and the need to ensure that critical elements of the institution are only altered after careful deliberation, any law that alters the structure of Hispania's regions, the borders of Hispania's regions, the size and number of Hispania's regions, the designation of land as either core or colonial land, the major powers and responsibilities of each level of administration, the major powers and responsibilities of local governments, the major powers and responsibilities of governors, the relationship between the administration and the Crown, the relationship between the administration and Parliament, the relationship between the various levels of administration, or any other major or significant change shall require 60 percent approval to enact.
V. Seeing as this law imposes a 60 percent requirement on other legislation, this law shall require 60 percent approval to enact, amend, or revoke.

Arnau de Villahermosa ((Mach Twelve)) said:
The Franchise Expansion Act of 1851

I. All Christian men of lawful age residing in the states of the Empire shall be allowed to vote in elections.

II. The vote shall once again be weighted towards the wealth of the voter.

Arnau de Villahermosa ((Mach Twelve)) said:
The Creation of Collectivized Labor Act

I. The Empire of Hispania shall organize the factory workers of the Empire into Trade Unions for the purposes of collectivized negotiation.
II. The Leadership and Governance of these Unions shall be the purview of the Ministry of the Interior
III. Each Industry shall have a single Trade Union throughout the Empire and its factories.

((Trade Unions Illegal --> State Controlled))

Count Alfonso de Alejandría ((TylerCraigofPrussia)) said:
Cabinet Line of Succession Act

· This act hereby formally creates the position of Deputy Prime Minister, appointed by the Prime Minister

· Should the Prime Minister be rendered incapable of fulfilling their duties, the Deputy Prime Minister will assume the office until the Prime Minister can reassume their duties.

· Should the Deputy Prime Minister not be available to fulfill this role, the Minister of the Interior will assume the role of Prime Minister.

· Should the Minister of the Interior not be available to fulfill this role, the Minister of Finance will assume the role of Prime Minister.

· Should the Minister of Finance not be available to fulfill this role, the Minister of War will assume the role of Prime Minister.

· Should the Minister of War not be available to fulfill this role, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will assume the role of Prime Minister.

· In the case that a Minister takes temporary power, but a Minister further up the line arrives, the higher minister will assume the authority of the Prime Minister.

· Failing to recognize the authority of an interim Prime Minister who legitimately assumed office is to be considered treason.

· Should the emperor be present to appoint a new Prime Minister, they will take precedence over an interim Prime Minister.

· If the Minister of Foreign Affairs is unavailable to fill the role of prime minister, if possible, parliament will hold an emergency meeting of whoever can be quickly assembled, and they will elect from among them an interim Prime Minister.

· Every Minister has the option of appointing an official deputy, that will assume their duties if the minister is rendered incapable of fulfilling them.

Count Alfonso de Alejandría ((TylerCraigofPrussia)) said:
Riot and Fire Mitigation Act

· In all settlements with a population exceeding 5000 men will organize a fire brigades for the purpose of extinguishing fires. They will be paid for by municipal taxes

· In all cities with a population exceeding 50,000, a fire academy will be established to develop firefighting and lifesaving techniques, and train people in their use to serve as fire fighters.

· In all cities with a population exceeding 100,000, an academy will be established to train specialized police with the intention of keeping riots under control.

· These academies will send representatives to annual conferences to share innovations in their respective fields.

· In cities where fire academies are present, stockpiles of firefighting equipment and mining tools are to be established.

· All private firefighting companies are to be nationalized, with owners being compensated and member allowed to go the academies.

· Houses must be placed far enough to hinder the spread of fire.

· All public schools must educate their students on fire safety.

· It is a crime punishable by 5 years in jail to knowingly impede a fire brigade from stopping a fire.

Count Alfonso de Alejandría ((TylerCraigofPrussia)) said:
Protection of the Capital from Explosives Act

· No explosives other than those used to create fire breaks or brought into military stockpiles shall be stored or manufactured in the capital

· The Explosives factory shall be rebuilt outside the city limits.

· The Fertilizer Factory shall be disassembled and rebuilt outside the city limits.

Grand Duke Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Public Relief Act

The government shall take measures to help those who lost their homes or businesses in the recent Valencia riots as follows.

· A Ministry of Housing Development shall be established to help rebuild destroyed or severely damaged neighborhoods (government inspectors shall determine the amount of funds that should be allocated to each affected neighborhood based on need). After a duration of five years, this Ministry’s purpose will be to determine building codes and oversee the further development of Hispanian metropolitan areas, especially the development of residential areas.

· Limited aid relief and tax cuts ((small enough to have no effect on budget)) will be provided to civilians who lost their businesses in the riots for the duration of one year. Substantial aid relief and tax cuts will be provided to civilians who were rendered homeless in the riots for the duration of eighteen months.

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Status of Religion Act
((Fundamental))​

I. All non-violent religions shall be permitted to be practised in private in Hispania.
II. All Hispanian Citizens who worship a non-violent religion shall be free from religious persecution, provided they practice it in private, and no one may force their faith on a Hispanian Citizen.
III. Non-Christian religious groups may build churches or religious establishments with the permission of the Lieutenant-Governor in a Prefecture or Colonial Province, provided their faith is practised by at least 10% of the population of that Prefecture or Colonial Province.
IV. Anyone practising, proselytizing, or preaching a non-Christian faith in public and outside a recognized religious establishment of their faith shall be fined and receive up to five years jail time. The Inquisition shall be tasked with investigating and preventing any public display of non-Christian faiths.
V. The Inquisition may no longer use force to convert heathens. The Inquisition shall focus on encouraging good Christian values and instituting educational programs for conversion efforts.

Duke Attillio Spoleto ((texasjoshua)) said:
Unique Circumstances Act
((Major))​

1. It is acknowledged that circumstances may arise which prevent members of the Cortz from arriving at Parliament to be present for a vote. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to: Fire, Flooding, Riots, War, acts of God and other such scenarios.
2. As a general rule, it is the responsibility of the Cortz members to be present within the Parliment at the time of a vote; however, if circumstances like those listed in point 1. effect multiple members of the Cortz this has the possibility of changing outcome of a vote while still allowing for a Quorum to be present. Therefore, should five or more Cortz members file a report to the Chamberlain within three days of a vote describing an event which prevented them from arriving at Parliament the vote should be considered illegitimate.
3. An event as described by a member of the Cortz must stem from a cause consistent across at least five petitioners and represent a legitimate threat to the Cortz members or their immediate family.
4. The Chamberlain is responsible for reading and reporting all such complaints, and determining the filing Cortz member was not present on the voting rolls the day of the alleged circumstance. Should five individuals file a report stemming from the same event the Chamberlain must declare any votes taken the day of the event invalid and the Cortz must vote at the next opportunity on the bills voided. The Chamberlain has the right to declare a special session if the situation is deemed necessary or if the laws have significant import.
5. A false filling by a Cortz member, or the failure of the Chamberlain to fulfill the responsibilities entailed within this law is to be met with punishment as decided by the Cortz or the Emperor - with the choice decided by the wronged party( Eg. The Chamberlain or the Cortz members).
6. The Emperor always has the right to intercede in such circumstances regardless of the choice of the wronged party.
7. This bill is to be considered a Major law.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Healthcare Expansion Act of 1853

This law is intended to expand the resources and access that Hispanians have to health care in order to combat ongoing/future health crisis and promote general health.

1. Establishes a Hispanian Health Services Board, which is made up of appointees from hospital branches both private and publicly owned

2. The Hispanian Health Services Board is to regulated the minimum standards and practices for medical procedures

3. The Hispanian Health Services Board is tasked with developing means by which health issues may be responded to most effectively including outside of hospitals.

4. It is to share and information to determine the most effective way to handle health crisis

5. It is to work alongside the government to determine the cost for procedures and health care coverage.

6. The government is to pay for health procedures as single payer for all Hispanian citizens as default, with the option for citizens to buy additional procedures

7. Replaces the system of forcing industrial employers to pay for health care with system by which companies are taxed based on the cost of injuries from their firm and provided credit for exceptional minimization of injuries.

((Move Healthcare to acceptable))

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Creation of Free Trade Unions

1. All unions under government control have the can exit said control if their members support doing so, if given approval by the Ministry of Interior.

2. These Free unions must select their policies and leadership on a democratic basis.

3. All Hispanians have to right to apply for the creation of new unions to the Ministry of Interior, but they must accepted for their union to be legal.

((State Controlled-->Non-Socialist))

Amendment to Creation of Free Trade Unions
All reasonable applications for trade union formation are to be automatically approved unless otherwise prohibited due to advocacy for republicanism or anarchism.

((Non-Socialist-->All Allowed))

Count Francisco de Garcia e Silva ((antonioneto232)) said:
Act for the Creation of the Hispanian Central Bank

1. This act hereby established a Central Bank of Hispania.
2. This bank shall be subservient to the Ministry of Finances.
3. The Ministry will create a council of no more or less than 30 bureaucrats, capitalists, aristocrats and economists to administer the bank.
4. These men will be appointed, 20 by the Secretary of Finance, 5 by the Prime Minister, and five by the Emperor
5. The responsibility of this bank is to regulate the amount of currency minted each year to prevent inflation
6. Other banks may not mint more currency than the amount decided by the council.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Creation of Civic Participation Board

1. Is headed by the Minister of Education

2. Helps form local meetings instead to inform Hispanians about the political process.

3. Get citizens to be productively involved in the political process at all levels.

3. Instill ideas and values of civic democracy to citizens to make people of all classes to informed voters.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Act Of Judicial Regulation of Police Forces

All police forces within Hispania are to be considered as under joint control of the Ministry of Justice unless otherwise stated.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Establishment of the Hispanian Industrial Development Bank.
1. Is headed by the Minister of Finance

2. Has two main loan programs, Secure Varied Rate (DVR) Loan and Specific Circumstance (SC) Loan.

3. A Secure Varied Rate Loan is gurenteed to all citizens

4.A Secure Varied Rate Loan works by taking the minimum value of the assets of the citizen ((the default value that the government would buy your factories and/or railroads for)) and providing a loan cap of up to that size.

5. SVRs have an interest rate attached to them, which is flexible and determined at the discretion of the HIDB and applies to everyone with an SVR.

6. It does not have a term, however in the interest isn't maintained on it, assets are taken to pay for the cost.

7. An SC loan is directly negotiated with the applicants and approved or denied. It can have any variety of terms, limits, intrest, etc.

8. The HIDB must always offer the above programs, but can create new ones on their own discretion.

Count Francisco de Garcia e Silva ((antonioneto232)) said:
The Act of the Abolition of Child Labour

1. Any kind of activity that demands a great labour by the part of a children shall be utterly banned.

1a. Is to be considered a children, any human living being under the age of 15.​

2. It is only allowed to work in the condition of apprentice at the 15 years of age.

3. Children must not go to dangerous working places like industries and mines.

4. If this act is broken, the owner of the establishment in question will be forced to shut down and either be arrested for 5 years or pay a fine depending on the amount of time the child was working.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Telegraphic Governmental Proceedings Network (TGPN) Act

Taking into account the events of the last few years, it is clear that there is significant value in being able to quickly deseminate relevant governmental information to the population. This act establishes a means by which this can be acheived.

1. Establishes a continuously serviced network of telegraph lines from the capital to Civic Participation Board locations across Hispania, directly or indirectly, depending on feasibility.

2. This network will relay all public parliamentary proceedings CPB locations, where local records said proceedings will be kept and be publicly available with back up copies.

3. On the decision of the Minister of Education, public proceedings can be designated for "up to date" recital at CPB locations.

4. Ministry's may also use this network to announce and explain new policy in a ministerial memo system.

5. Citizen's petitions can be sent to capital via the telegraph network, but they must be approved by a majority at local CPB meetings. However the frequency and allowed size of such messages are to be regulated by the Ministry of Education.

6. The TGPN is to be headed by the Minister of Education.

Count Alfonso de Alejandría ((TylerCraigofPrussia)) said:
Colonial Integration Act of 1854

This act changes the status of the following colonial states in to full Imperial provinces, with the full rights and obligations of normal provinces.
  • Formosa (40% Aragonese) (80% Catholic)
  • Luzon (30% Aragonese)(1% Swedish) (77% Catholic)
  • Northern Madagasgar (64%Aragonese) (81% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Mouluccas (16%Aragonese) (83% Catholic)
  • Lourenco Marques (26% Aragonese) (80% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Borneo (30% Aragonese) (54% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Visayas (36% Aragonese) (83% Catholic)
  • Hispanian South Cameroon (44% Aragonese) (86% Catholic)
  • Natal-Zululand (42% Aragonese) (76% Catholic)
  • Mindanio (32% Aragonese) (75% Catholic)
  • Vyrstaat (23% Aragonese) (72% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Dahomy (33 Aragonese) (85% Catholic)
  • Eastern Cape (23% Aragonese) (82% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Northern Cape (51% Aragonese) (81% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Kenya (42% Aragonese) (91% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Togo (43% Aragonese) (87% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Ivory Coast (50% Aragonese) (86% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Western New Guinea (19% Aragonese) (74% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Gabon (60% Aragonese) (91% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Windward Coast (36% Aragonese) (70% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Hawaiian Island (53% Aragonese) (90% Catholic)
  • Hispanian Ghana (50% Aragonese) (85% Catholic)
  • Hipanian Malaya (63% Aragonese) (63% Catholic)

Count Alfonso de Alejandría ((TylerCraigofPrussia)) said:
Jury Protection Act
  • Members of a jury are entitled to police protection for the duration of a trial.
  • Should there be a proven threat to a former jury member, they are entitled to police protection until the threat is proven to be over.
  • A member of a jury may not be punished in any way for their decision in a trial.
  • A juror may request that their name remain undisclosed to the public record for their own safety.
  • Revealing the name of a juror who has requested their name remain private shall warrent a sentence of at most 5 years in prison,

Count Alfonso de Alejandría ((TylerCraigofPrussia)) said:
Transparency Reform Act
  • This act hereby revokes the The Recognition and Acknowledgement of the Obvious Lack of Transparency and Openness within His Imperial Majesties' Small Council and the Attempt to Exterminate it in Order to Stop and Eliminate Possible Fraudulent and Corrupt Behaviors Act of 1719.
  • All ministries must publish their plans publicly.
  • The Ministries of War and the Navy are exempt from this requirement.
  • The Ministries of War and the Navy are still required to file public budgets.
  • The Prime Minister may decide to classify or declassify plans as they see fit.
Additions to the Transparency Reform Act
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is exempt from having to publish any part of their plan publicly that includes anything to do with declarations of war, ongoing negotiations with foreign powers, or anything that would compromise Hispania's relations with a foreign power.
  • The Emperor may classify or declassify plans as he sees fit, and may override the Prime Minister's decision.

Grand Duke Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Government of India Act, 1855

RECOGNIZING that the Hispanian possessions in India are the jewel in the imperial crown and should be granted a status within the empire as befitting of such a rich and populous region, the following provisions shall be enacted.

I. THE Hispanian Indian Trading Company, and its monopoly on Indian commerce, is to be broken up and privatized to ensure the growth of a free market in India. The Hispanian Indian Trading Company's monopoly on Indian commerce is to be broken up to ensure the growth of a free market in India. (Edited by Emperor Ferran VI)

II. India shall be governed by and in the name of His Imperial Majesty.

III. Save as herein otherwise provided, the Colonial Minister shall have and perform all such or the like powers and duties over all officers appointed or continued under this Act either alone or by the direction or with the sanction or approbation of the Commissioners for the affairs of India in relation to such government or revenues.

VII. For the purposes of this Act a council shall be established; to consist of fifteen members, and to be styled the Council of India; and henceforth the Council in India now bearing that name shall be styled the Council of the Governor-General of India.

IX. Every vacancy happening from time to time among the members of the Council appointed by His Imperial Majesty, not being members so appointed by reason of the refusal or neglect of the Court of Directors or the refusal to accept office herein before mentioned, shall be filled up by His Imperial Majesty, by warrant under His Imperial Sign Manual, and every other vacancy shall be filled up by the Council by election made at a meeting to be held for that purpose.

X. The major part of the persons to be elected by the Court of Directors, and the major part of the persons to be first appointed by His Imperial Majesty after the passing of this Act, to be members of the Council, shall be persons who shall have served or resided in India for ten years at the least, and shall not have last left India more than ten years next preceding the date of their appointment: and no person other than a person so qualified shall be appointed or elected to fill any vacancy in the Council unless at the time of the appointment or election nine at the least of the continuing members of the Council be persons qualified as aforesaid.

XI. Every member of the Council appointed or elected under this Act shall hold his office during good behaviour: provided that it shall be lawful for His Imperial Majesty to remove any such member from his office upon an address of both Houses of Parliament.

XII. No member of the Council appointed or elected under this Act shall be capable of sitting or voting in Parliament. This clause shall not apply to the President of the Council.

XIII. There shall be paid to each member of the Council the yearly salary of one thousand two hundred peseta, out of the revenues of India.

XIX. The Council shall, under the direction of the Colonial Minister, and subject to the provisions of this Act, conduct the business transacted in Hispania in relation to the Government of India and the correspondence with India, but every order or communication sent to India shall be reviewed by the Colonial Minister; and, save as expressly provided by this Act, every order in Hispania in relation to the Government of India under this Act shall be signed by the Colonial Minister, including all dispatches from Governments and Presidencies in India, and other dispatches from India shall be addressed to the Colonial Minister.

XX. It shall be lawful for the Colonial Minister to divide the Council into committees for the more convenient transaction of business, and from time to time to rearrange such committees, and to direct what departments of the business in relation to the Government of India under this Act shall be under such committees respectively, and generally to direct the manner in which all such business shall be transacted.

XXI. The Colonial Minister shall be the President of the Council, with power to vote, and he may designate a council member of his choosing to be Vice-President, who will assume the duties and responsibilities of the Presidency in the Colonial Minister's absence.

XXIX. The appointments of Governor-General of India, fourth ordinary member of the Council of the Governor-General of India; and Governors of Presidencies in India, now made by the Court of Directors with the approbation of His Imperial Majesty, and the appointments of Advocate-General for the several Presidencies now made with the approbation of the Commissioners for the affairs of India, shall be made by His Imperial Majesty by warrant under His Imperial Sign Manual; the appointments of the ordinary members of the Council of the Governor-General of India; except the fourth ordinary member, and the appointments of the Members of Council of the several Presidencies, shall be made by the Colonial Minister in Council, with the concurrence of a majority of members present at a meeting; the appointments of the Lieutenant-Governors of provinces or territories shall be made by the Governor-General of India, subject to the approbation of His Imperial Majesty; and all such appointments shall be subject to the qualifications now by law affecting such offices respectively.

XXX. All appointments to offices, commands, and employments in India, and all promotions, which by law or under any regulations, usage, or custom, are now made by any authority in India, shall continue to be made in India by the like authority, and subject to the qualifications, conditions, and restrictions now affecting such appointments respectively; but the Colonial Minister in Council, with the concurrence of a majority of members present at a meeting, shall have the like power to make regulations for the division and distribution of patronage and power of nomination among the several authorities in India, and the like power of restoring to their stations, offices, or employments, officers and servants suspended or removed by any authority in India as might have been exercised by the said Court of Directors, with the approbation of the Commissioners for the affairs of India, if this Act had not been passed.

LVI. The security forces of the Hispanian Indian Trade Company shall be deemed to be the Indian military and naval forces of His Imperial Majesty, and shall be under the same obligations to serve His Imperial Majesty as they would have been under to serve in other parts of Hispania, and shall be liable to serve within the same territorial limits only, for the same terms only, and be entitled to the like pay, pensions, allowances, and privileges, and the like advantages as regards promotion and otherwise: such forces, and all persons hereafter enlisting in or entering the same, shall continue and be subject to all Acts of Parliament, laws of the Governor-General of India in Council, and articles of war, and all other laws, regulations, and provisions relating to the former security forces respectively; and the pay and expenses of and incident to His Imperial Majesty's Indian military and naval forces shall be defrayed out of the revenues of India.

LVII. Provided that it shall be lawful for His Imperial Majesty from time to time by order in Council to alter or regulate the terms and conditions of service under which persons hereafter entering His Imperial Majesty's Indian forces shall be commissioned, enlisted, or entered to serve, and the forms of attestation and of the oath or declaration to be used and taken or made respectively on attesting persons to serve in His Imperial Majesty's Indian forces shall be such as His Imperial Majesty with regard to the European forces, and the Governor-General of India in Council with regard to the native forces, shall from time to time direct: provided, that every such order in Council shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament within fourteen days after the making thereof, if Parliament be sitting, and, if Parliament be not sitting, then within fourteen days after the next meeting thereof.

LXXII. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Hispania shall be recognized as the Kaisar-i-Hind, the Emperor of India.

Manuel Medrano ((Bioiron)) said:
Imperial Commonwealth Association Act

Section A - Introduction

I. Intended to codifiy the levels of economic integration between various different governments with close economic ties and agreements wuth Hispania
II. Establishes one partial and three full levels of integration with Hispania
III. Describes the process by whch governments might move along this continum.

((Sphered nations))
Section B - Level 1

I. Level 1 Integration is the entry level of economic integration in the Imperial Commonwealth Association.
II. It represents a commitment to tariff free trade to all members of the ICA regardless of integration level.
III. Domestic policy is otherwise completely independent
IV. Foreign policy is independent, excepting going to war with other ICA members.
V. Acension into level 1 is achevied via preapproval of acension by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hispania and approval from acending government.

((Puppets))
Section C - Level 2

I. Level 2 Integration is Middle level of integration in the Imperial Commonwealth.
II. In addition to free trade within the ICA, Level 2 members must adopt and operate with ((whatever the designated Hispanian currency is)) as the sole legal tender.
III. Domestic policy is otherwise completely independent.
IV. Foreign policy is nearly entirely lead from Hispania, with the exception of minor agreements ((in game stuff like relations, military access etc.))
V. Ascension into level 2 from 1 is achieved via pre-approval of accession by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hispania and approval from the ascending government.

((Colonies))
Section D - Level 2.5

I. Level 2.5 Integration is a special level of integration in the Imperial Commonwealth.
II. In addition to free trade within the ICA, Level 2 members must adopt ((whatever the designated Hispanian currency is)) as the sole legal tender.
III. Domestic policy is directed from Hispania unless otherwise delegated.
IV. Ascension into level 2.5 occurs with approval of a colonial venture by the Minister of Colonial Affairs.

((States))
Section E - Level 3

I. Level 3 Integration is the final level of integration within the Imperial Commonwealth.
II. Involves the complete integration with Hispania, of foreign, domestic, fiscal, monetary and political policy.
III. Ascension into level 3 from 2 is achieved via approvals of accession by the Minister of Interior of Hispania and approval from the ascending government.
IV Ascension into level 3 from 2.5 is achieved via approvals of accession by the Minister of Colonial Affairs of Hispania.

Grand Duke Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Statehood of Guangdong and Shaozhou Act, 1855

The states of Guangdong and Shaozhou are to be admitted as full states of Hispania with all of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities granted to such states. Citizens of the two states shall have rights and representation equal to the citizens of other states of Hispania.

Grand Duke Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León ((zenphoenix)) said:
Universal Vote Equalization Act, 1856

The weighted vote is abolished. All male Christian Hispanian citizens the age of 21 or over whose primary residence has been in Hispania for at least one year will be granted universal unweighted suffrage.

Cardinal Gregory Diego ((hirahammad)) said:
Better Organization of Ministry Bureaucracy

Due to the growing needs of Hispanian bureaucracy and government, caused by increasing population and area, all Ministries currently without it will be given increased power to hold authority over and intervene with local actions when necessary in order to better facilitate efficient action. The Ministries are as follow:
  • Ministry of Education, to better educate a populace that is expanding, and of which a larger portion is unfamiliar with Hispanian thought.
  • Ministry of Colonial Affairs, to empower coordination between the expanding population across the world.
  • Ministry of Justice, to enforce a stable and ordered law upon all inhabitants, so that all may flourish in safety.
  • Ministry of Trade, to protect and regulate commerce between far-flung Hispanian population centers.
  • Ministry of Religious Affairs, to develop respect for and love of the CJC in both the youth and those unfamiliar with the Word of Our Lord.
  • Ministry of the Navy, to protect Hispanian seas and ports from piracy and disaster.

Crown Prince Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Hispanian Code of Law
((Fundamental))​

Preamble – This Code of Laws, henceforth known as the Code, shall provide procedures for the interpretation and implementation of criminal and civil law and recommended sentences for common crimes. The Code shall not infringe on the independence of the judiciary to decide the outcome of trials other than providing guidelines for their decisions and a means to conduct trials. Any crime not mentioned shall be tried as it was prior to the implementation of the Code.


Section A – Introduction

I. Sections V to VI shall be revoked from the Justice Act of 1773.

II. The Judicial System Reform Act shall be revoked in its entirety.

III. Section III of the Citizenship Act, 1816, shall be revoked.

IV. The Independence of Jurisdiction Act and its amendment shall be revoked.

V. Parliament may propose additional recommended sentences for Sections E and F. These additions, along with all recommended sentences in this act, shall be considered as major laws instead of fundamental.


Section B – Courts

I. The judicial system shall contain three levels from lowest to highest: prefectural, provincial, and national.

II. Prefectural courts shall replace the old municipal courts, with one created for each Prefecture. They shall handle any cases of a local nature and shall serve as the initial court to address grievances.

III. Provincial courts shall remain as they previously existed, with one for every province. They shall handle any cases of a provincial nature and serve as a court of appeal for the prefectural courts within its jurisdiction.

IV. The National Court of Hispania shall remain as it previously existed, consisting of nine judges and located in Valencia. It shall handle any cases of a national nature and serve as the final court of appeal. No case put before the National Court can be appealed without significant enough reason, such as a mistrial or overwhelming new evidence.


Section C – Judges

I. All judges must have at least five years’ worth of legal experience and have completed a recognized legal program at a Hispanian university.

II. A Judicial Advisory Committee shall be created for each state to present candidates to serve as judges for all prefectural and provincial courts within their state. Each Judicial Advisory Committee shall consist of representatives of the local State Assembly, Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the judiciary, the legal profession, and the public.

III. The Lieutenant-Governor of each prefecture shall appoint the judges for their local prefectural court from amongst a list of recommended candidates from their state’s Judicial Advisory Committee.

IV. The Governor-General of each state shall appoint the judges for each provincial court within their state from amongst a list of recommended candidates from their state’s Judicial Advisory Committee.

V. The Crown shall appoint all judges for the National Court of Hispania. All candidates for the National Court must have served as a judge for at least five years in a lower court. The various Judicial Advisory Committees may provide recommendations for potential judges for the National Court if they wish.


Section D – Legal Rights & Trials

I. No Hispanian Citizen may be arrested without a warrant or detained without probable cause. Any alleged violations against this may be brought before a court of law.

II. All Hispanian Citizens are entitled to a trial by a jury of their peers.

III. All Hispanian Citizens are entitled to an attorney. If a Hispanian Citizen is to be tried in a court of law and cannot afford to hire a defence lawyer, the state shall provide a court-appointed attorney.

IV. The press may not publish any information regarding ongoing trials that may greatly influence court proceedings or the outcome of the trial, reveal the identity of the prosecution, defence, or any witnesses before the conclusion of the trial without the state’s permission, reveal the identify of any jurors or anyone accused of a crime who is underage, or expose confidential evidence.

V. If significant evidence arises that a judge is biased or being influenced, including but not limited to accepting bribes, known associations to either the prosecution or defence, etc., then the trial will be considered a mistrial and be redone with a new judge.

VI. The judiciary is considered independent of the administration, meaning that the verdict of any judge cannot be influenced or overturned, although it can be appealed if conducted in a lower court. A verdict may only be reconsidered if new solid evidence is found that places doubt on the validity of the verdict or circumstances lead to a mistrial, in which case a new trial shall be held.

VII. The Crown may choose to pardon any individual convicted of a crime, although it is recommended this only be done in instances where a criminal act was committed with pure intentions or motive.

VIII. Any child (person 15 or younger) accused of a crime or serving as a witness must be accompanied by a legal guardian during court proceedings. Their names may not be made public at any point during or after the trial. In recognition of their age, the judge and any jury is recommended to consider a lesser sentence than those recommended below for any child convicted of a crime.


Section E – Criminal Law

I. In all the below clauses, the recommended sentences are based on the average case involving the crime in question. Due to the unique nature of each case and the varying circumstances of each crime, none of these sentences are binding and any judge or jury may use them as a guideline.

II. Anyone who hired or paid another to commit a crime or was involved in the planning of a crime shall receive the same sentence as if they had committed the crime themselves.

III. The crime of treason shall warrant a death sentence.

IV. The crime of murder, defined as the act of taking another’s life, shall warrant a sentence dependent on the degree of severity. Murder shall be divided into three separate degrees.
a) First degree murder shall include any form of murder considered premeditated with the intent to cause bodily harm resulting in death or as a result of a dangerous or violent crime believed to likely result in death. This crime shall warrant a death sentence or 25 or more years in prison.
b) Second degree murder shall include any form of murder with the intent to cause bodily harm resulting in death but that is not premeditated. This crime shall warrant 10 or more years in prison.
c) Third degree murder shall include any form of murder committed as a crime of passion, defined as any murder with no prior intent to kill as a result of circumstances considered to cause any reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed, or where death is the result of an accident. This crime shall warrant anywhere from a fine to up to 10 years in prison.​

V. The crime of assault, defined as the act of attempting to initiate harmful or offensive contact with another or threaten to do so, as well as battery, defined as the act of unlawful physical harm inflicted upon another, shall warrant a fine and/or up to 10 years in prison.

VI. The crime of theft, defined as the act of illegally taking another’s property without consent, shall warrant a fine equal to or more than the value of that which was stolen and/or up to 5 years in prison.

VII. The crime of robbery, defined as the act of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force or threat of force, shall warrant a fine equal to or more than the value of that which was stolen or to be stolen and/or up to 10 years in prison.

VIII. The crime of burglary, defined as unlawful entry into another’s property with the purpose of committing a crime, shall warrant a fine equal to or more than the value of any property damaged during the act and/or up to 5 years in prison.


Section F – Civil Law

I. In all the below clauses, the recommended sentences or verdicts are based on the average case involving the situation in question. Due to the unique nature of each case and the varying circumstances of each case, none of these sentences or verdicts are binding and any judge or jury may use them as a guideline.

Prince-Regent Alfons de Trastámara said:
The Redundancy Act

Recognizing that any act that has failed to pass through Parliament at least once before likely possesses noticeable flaws or issues that warrant adjustments to or removal of various sections or clauses of the act, no act shall be put before Parliament for a vote more than once per electoral term without significant revision.
 
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1444-1836 - The Abridged History of Hispania


((Note: This is a rough retelling of what happened during the EUIV part of this iAAR. If you participated in that part, you probably don't need to read this unless you want to refresh your memory. For those who aren't up for reading over 10k+ words on Hispanian history, I have included a "Too Long; Didn't Read" section at the bottom. You're welcome.))


Where does one start when trying to sum up the history of Hispania. Does Hispanian history begin with the adoption of the name Hispania? Or perhaps when Hispania was first proclaimed an empire? Or does one go as far back as the days of Rome, where the name originates from? Yet there is also a less recognized time, one where certain events put into motion changes that led to the Hispania we know today. For us to understand Hispania, we must go back to the days of Aragon, starting in the 1440s.

So why the 1440s? There are several major events that occurred during that decade that had ramifications for centuries to come. First was the subjugation of Naples, providing Aragon with a major stronghold within Italy. While it took many decades to properly integrate the kingdom, Naples has served as a bastion of imperial strength within Italy. More importantly, its position has ever since forced the more isolated Iberians to look eastward. Aragon’s lands in Naples meant that the kingdom, and then empire, had to maintain a presence in the Mediterranean, encouraging greater expansion into Italy and dominance of all lands bordering the sea. Without this influence, Hispania might well have focused more closely on colonial efforts and remained isolated to Iberia within Europe.

Second was the First Castilian War. A conflict that broke out in 1446 as King Alfons V sought a greater legacy for his kingdom, it was not a necessary one. It is quite possible that if the war had not been fought, Aragon and Castile may well have lived together in peace. With Trastámaras on the thrones of both kingdoms, it is conceivable that the two lines may have naturally merged at one point and united the two kingdoms peacefully, rather than through war and the coerced marriage that led to the final defeat of Castile. Instead the conflict forced the two to butt heads for decades to come as each fought for dominance of Iberia, as well as claimed the life of Alfons V himself. Not only that, but the constant warring between the two forced Aragon into conflict with its ally Portugal on several occasions, with the Portuguese almost always favouring the Castilians to their ultimate downfall. It could be said then that it put Aragon at odds with its fellow Iberian neighbours and started a chain of events that led to the formation of Hispania and its dominance of the entire peninsula.

Third was the alliance with France. Forged just prior to the First Castilian War, the alliance with France was conceived as a way of gaining the upper hand against Castile, even if it did not prove decisive enough at first. Regardless of the status quo that resulted at the end of the First Castilian War, the alliance’s legacy was much longer lasting. It has proven an alliance that has withstood the test of time, having lasted for nearly four centuries. That is not to say that there have not been rough times between the two. Quarrels over land have dotted the two nations’ histories, covering contested areas such as Provence, Northern Italy, the Caribbean, La Plata, Australia, and much more. Ultimately though, cooler heads prevailed each time and a solution was always found, one that benefited both sides. Indeed, the last four centuries have shown that despite the strength of both nations, each is much stronger with the other by its side. Hispania and France have become the undisputed two strongest nations in the world because of this alliance as they fought side by side over the years. Their borders have grown unimpeded because no one can stand against them both. It is a relationship that led to the creation of two great empires. Yet as expansion starts to falter, does the relationship as well?

These three accomplishments are the legacy of King Alfons V, but his brother Joan II left a legacy just as lasting. An alliance was forged with Venice, and they drew their ally into conflict in the east. Aragon found itself at war with the Ottomans, one conflict of many that were to come. Despite the distance, Aragon found itself drawn to Greece, first by establishing a presence in Epirus and then with the annexation of the city state of Athens. However, it was the war with Byzantium that set the stage for one of the greatest restorations in history. Aragon and the remnants of Byzantium ended up at war, and with that conflict came the opportunity not only to save the last bastion of the Eastern Roman Empire, but also bring an end to the encroachment of the Ottomans into Europe. For centuries to come, Aragon and later Hispania offered it protection to the Greeks, helping them to reclaim their lost lands in Greece and Anatolia from the Ottomans and other enemies. The price for such an outcome proved to be the Venetian alliance, but it was a small price to pay. If Aragon had not intervened that day, Byzantium may well have ceased to exist under further Ottoman expansion. Instead it lives on as one of the foremost powers of Eastern Europe, a true successor of Rome, a legacy shared with Hispania.

The salvation of Byzantium also brought with it the salvation of their souls. Due to Aragon’s intervention, the Catholic Church managed to finally overcome its Orthodox brethren. The Great Schism was all but mended as the greatest Orthodox nation embraced the Catholic faith. There would always be holdouts clinging to their old faith, but the Orthodox religion had started to slide into irrelevance. And in Iberia, Catholicism gained further ground as Granada was chipped away at by the efforts of Aragon, Castile, and others, leading to the final expulsion of the Muslim states from mainland Iberia. Catholicism had gained dominance all throughout Europe. It is these actions, in part, that later led to Joan II being proclaimed a saint by the Catholic Church, the only Aragonese monarch since to receive such an honour.

It was also during times such as this that Aragon made its first incursions into North Africa. Mostly a result of Portuguese wars in the region, Aragon soon came to own land in Morocco, the first piece of an ever-growing enclave that would extend all across the coast of the Mediterranean.

Aragon’s history during this era was not always so rosy. Joan II’s death brought a succession crisis that threatened to tear the kingdom apart. Alfons V’s bastard son Ferran attempted to start a rebellion against the rightful king, Alfons VI, but failed to find the necessary support. The bastard believed that the renowned cruelty of Alfons VI would be enough to gain the support of the court, but loyalty to the Crown won out. Aragon was subjected to a reign of suspicion and paranoia for nearly a decade and a half before an assassin stabbed King Alfons VI.

His successor, his half-brother Ferran, proved to be a much more capable monarch, and one who rumours have surrounded for centuries. There has been some speculation that Ferran II was secretly a homosexual or perhaps even dabbled in heresy, but most evidence has been circumstantial. Many, instead, judge him for his deeds.

It was under Ferran II’s reign that the first colonization efforts began, initially modest endeavours off the coast of Africa, followed by the first of several wars leading to the expansion of Aragon’s control over the African coastline. Many more colonies were taken from Portugal and Castile when war became unavoidable. When it came to the latter state, a second major war turned out much better than the first, seeing Castile nearly driven from Andalusia, more than making up for the white peace decades earlier.

As with his predecessors, Ferran continued to push the Ottomans out of Europe, leading to their expulsion from the Balkans and the dominance of the Greeks in the region, albeit subservient to Aragon. It was also under his reign that Naples was considered to have been fully integrated into the kingdom of Aragon. To further improve Aragon’s influence in Italy, an alliance with Tuscany was forged.

One of Ferran II’s decisions had lasting implications for centuries to come. After a debacle involving his grandson, who was later sent off to Bohemia and excluded from succession, the involvement of the merchant Saint-Pierre family saw the King grant a monopoly over Africa to that family’s trading company in gratitude. At the time, Africa was viewed as merely North Africa, for the rest was untouched and considered inconsequential, and even the part that was reached was not a desirable trading area. No one had even considered that one day Hispania would control most of the continent and dominate trade flowing from it. It was perhaps this one decision that led to the prominence of the Trans-Atlantic Trading Company for the next few centuries.

The early 16th Century saw the first major wave of colonization and exploration. Great explorers set sail in the name of Aragon to find new lands and conquistadors explored these places where no civilized human had set foot ever before. Figures such as Sancho and Lübecker, great explorers who sailed into the unknown discovering routes to India or even the waters around the New World, are fondly remembered even to this day, with Hispania’s first colonial nation even named after the former and a monument constructed in Hawaii in both of their honour after the wrecks of their two flagships were discovered decades after their disappearance. The conquistadors who bravely mapped the lands of the New World started to forge their legacies during this era, with such names as Leon and Montségur rising in fame, although the latter is often forgotten these days due to the family’s involvement in the Hispanian Civil War.

Under the reign of Ferran II’s son, Ferran III, Aragon saw further gains from Castile, as well as great expansion in the New World with the establishment of Sanchonia, partly thanks to colonies stolen from other Iberians.

Aragon also clashed with the Papal State after Tuscany started a war with them. Ties with Tuscany had improved as the heir was married to a daughter of the Medici family to improve relations with Tuscany and get a nice dowry in the process. Withdrawal from the war occurred after the election of an Aragonese Pope, restoring the rift that was growing with the Papacy during the war.

Aragon’s presence in Provence was first established at this time, a major move in establishing Aragon’s dominance of the Western Mediterranean. While on a diplomatic front, an alliance with Bohemia was forged, although this did not last long.

There was also great strife in Byzantium as the Aragonese court attempted to push for a more sympathetic figure for the Greek crown, and in the process causing an Orthodox backlash that was only defeated when its ringleader, Kantakouzenos, was caught and executed.

The Reformation broke out in the first half of the 1500s, but its reach proved limited, albeit concentrated. Many of the German states embraced the Protestant faith, while Reformed became popular in the British Isles. Despite this, the new religions failed to gain ground outside those regions, with only small areas of converts popping up in Catholic nations but few changing their state religion.

It was to be Alfons VII who presided over one of the greatest moments in Aragonese history. A final war with Castile saw the enemy nation brought to an end and the two crowns united. At the court’s recommendation, Alfons VII was crowned King of Hispania, a title taken from the old Roman name for the region, and an attempt to tie the kingdom to Rome. In the same war, Portugal found itself driven from Colombia, allowing for the creation of Nueva Granada.

Expansion in Africa continued, ending in the conquest of West Africa from Mali. France, on the other hand, launched a rapid stream of wars to secure the few remaining provinces in the French region still outside their control, while Sweden nearly drove Norway from the continent.

Ferran IV’s reign saw more controversy as religion came to the forefront. A French war against Alsace, and thus the Holy Roman Emperor, provided the opportunity for the Protestants of the HRE to strike against the Emperor while the strongest Catholic nations in Europe were already fighting their enemy. A Dutch rebellion in France kept those powers further occupied. Even with a Hispanian Pope in Rome once more, Hispania failed to intervene, allowing the Protestants to win the First League War.

As religious war raged across Europe, Hispania turned inwards to solve its own religious problems. While their numbers were not quite as high as in the HRE or the British Isles, the Protestants and Reformed followers made their presence known. Attempts to seek a permanent religious peace through a conference ended in failure as religious violence erupted. The first religious civil war erupted, one that saw much blood spilled, and ultimately ending in the recognition of the Protestant and Reformed faiths as a means of ending the conflict. The King had desired peace between both sides, a viewpoint not shared by the Pope, who proceeded to excommunicate Ferran IV, causing the King to declare himself above the Church within Hispania. The bonds between Church and State had been harmed, but the way had been set for religious peace within Hispania. It is perhaps this time of religious turmoil that can be viewed as the starting point leading towards the creation of the Church of Jesus Christ, the official Church of Hispania and protector of all Christians.

Ferran IV also managed to expand Hispania’s presence in the Mediterranean, finally claiming Corsica and helping Byzantium push into Anatolia at the expense of the Genoese who were being driven from Italy, as well as establish Nuevas Baleares in the Caribbean after seizing Portugal’s colonies there and help the French press into the HRE and crush the Dutch Rebellion. His loyalty to France saw the two grow closer as Hispania lost its other friends. Tuscany had been a strong ally for Hispania, but now they had been confined to the annals of history as they got drawn into a conflict against France, and thus Hispania as well.

It was also under Ferran IV that the first exchange in relations were taken towards Cusco, a native nation in South America that showed interest in Hispania, a potentially friendly trading partner that could be brought into the fold through peaceful means rather than violence. The relationship between Hispania and Cusco has had a lasting impact on the area, and is indeed the very reason the colonial nation in that region shares the name given to it by the natives. The people of Cusco continue to have a significant presence there and are considered the perfect example of how natives can become civilized and valuable members of society if treated properly.

It was during the reign Ferran IV’s successor, Pere V, that Hispania experienced one of its greatest transitions. With Hispania’s expansion, the kingdom had far surpassed any other in Europe. With colonies all over the globe, territory all over the Mediterranean, and Byzantium under its protection, Hispania had become an empire in all but name. In 1606, the decision was made to change that. Calling upon the legacy of Rome, Pere V was crowned Caesar by the Pope, turning Hispania into an empire and the true successor of Rome. The Emperor in Saxony and the electors of the Holy Roman Empire refused to acknowledge yet another successor to Rome, while Hispania and Byzantium stood together as the renewed Western and Eastern Roman Empires. This would set the two sides at odds for generations, for there could only be so many representing Rome’s legacy.

And with the formation of an empire came more great accomplishments. The Knights of Rhodes were brought under the protection of Hispania to ensure they would not fall to the heathens encroaching nearby in Anatolia. Hispania’s obligations to Byzantium did not end either as the Greeks saw their land expand further into the Balkans, eclipsing Venice’s control of the Dalmatian coast. A later crusade called against the Mamluks saw them pushed back from most of Anatolia after they had swallowed up the much weaker Ottomans.

Overseas, relations with Cusco were extended to full protection of the native nation, a commitment put to the test as Cusco’s aggressive neighbours attacked and were repelled by Hispanian might and then annexed into Cusco. Peace at last could be achieved for the region and the friends of Hispania.

The first circumnavigation of the globe by Lübecker, following in the footsteps of his explorer relative, was met with much fanfare at the time. No man ever before had circled the globe, and it would forever be known that a Hispanian was the first to accomplish this.

Portugal was driven from the continent, leading to the awkward situation where they were confined to a colony in Mexico and became subjugated by the natives of Tlapanec, that is until Hispania liberated them and conquered most of the Mexican region, leading to the creation of Nova Hispania. Certainly, the Portuguese do not like to be reminded of the fate of their exiled government and the fate they met at the hands of the Tlapanec, but it has served as a reminder of what happens to those that defy Hispania.

The Reconquista finally came to completion with Morocco handing over the last bit of Iberia, the Canary Islands, and the locals embracing the true faith. At last the heathens had been driven from Europe.

Even with such great success abroad, there was much trouble at home. Pere V failed to produce an heir, although he did sire two bastard children. It was these children that turned Pere into a tragic figure, for they were kidnapped during his reign, causing him to grow bitter and lash out. The Catalan people proved the ultimate victim of the Emperor’s anger, for they had threatened to rise in rebellion for greater autonomy while the army was out on campaign, something the Portuguese had attempted years ago. Having dared to threaten his reign during such a time of distress, they faced a period of forced assimilation that saw their culture wiped out and supplanted by Aragonese. As for the fate of Pere’s children, they were only found after his death, and after they were used to force the Emperor to alter succession to mostly exclude women. It was later revealed that Pere’s sister Francesca had been behind it all in an attempt to prevent her elder sister Clara from inheriting and instead see the throne pass to her husband Francesc, who became the next emperor.

Francesc I’s was forced to start his reign by ordering the execution of his own wife, for only with her death could he remove the taint of her treason from his reign. He found his focus shifted elsewhere, aiding France in their numerous campaigns against their eastern neighbours, as well as ramping up colonization efforts throughout the New World, leading to the creation of Nuevo Leon in La Plata. The first major forays into East Africa occurred later in his reign, with land taken from Ajuurran, as well as some of Hispania’s first colonies in Indonesia and a few provinces claimed from weak Africans in West Africa.

A breakdown of relations with Tuscany, something that had been in the works for a long time, finally led to Hispania pushing further into Italy, bringing an end to the times where Savoy, Tuscany, and Venice had free reign in the north. Now they were all to face Hispania in battle in time. The loss of Tuscany was not too great, for Hispania now had Austria as an ally to counter their former ally in Italy. This alliance would prove a great boon for years to come, and serve as a reminder of how even those you trust can stab you in the back.

Elsewhere in Europe, Sweden and Lithuania were rising above their neighbours, even as they continually clashed. Lithuania slowly eradicated the Russian nations, with Sweden pushing even further into the Baltics. The two were destined to fight over land, yet that did not prevent them from eclipsing their other neighbours. Only Poland seemed able to survived the struggle of the two, mostly due to friendly relations with Lithuania.

With Francesc’s death, his son Ferran V became Emperor, a foppish man whose reign lasted only a decade. Perhaps Hispania’s greatest crusades occurred while he sat on the throne. Pitted against all the heathens of North Africa and the Levant, Hispania came out triumphant, expanding their presence in Morocco, splintering Tunis, and driving the Mamluks from Anatolia once and for all, the latter giving Byzantium near undisputed control of the region. Meanwhile, France continued to rampage across Europe, this time encroaching into Italy, while Austria expanded wherever it could.

It is ironic that just after Hispania’s greatest religious crusade, they would then experience a religious crisis unseen in Europe. After the religious conflicts decades ago, attempts had been made to accommodate the heretics. Recognition was but the first stage, allowing them to live peacefully in Hispania even if not treated very well. However, as heathens increasingly became the enemy, there were those at Hispanian court that felt that Christians were better off united than driven apart by differences in practices. This led to the creation of the Church of Jesus Christ, Hispania’s new state church that united all Christian faiths under one roof. While this was an unbelievable attempt at tolerance, one that would see all Christians shown equal respect, it was expectedly met with resistance by other Catholics. The Pope predictably excommunicated both the Emperor and all of Hispania. Diehard Catholics rose up in revolt, but were driven back. It would take time, but Hispania would have religious peace at last, but only after it was earned with blood.

Ferran V’s successor, Alfons VIII, started off his reign strong, with Cusco being brought into the fold, accepting Hispanian rule after lengthy negotiations. Even to this day, the native people of Cusco have proven their willingness to work alongside Europeans and are respected members of Cuscoan society.

The natives of Central America had proven one of the more organized and resilient of the nations in the New World. Despite that, Nova Hispania was encouraged to expand into Central America against the Itza and other natives.

Venice had long been one of Italy’s foremost powers. However, as they lost land in Italy to Tuscany and were driven from the Balkans, they slipped into a period of decay. Venetian power was finally broken when Austria claimed their homeland and exiled them to Milan.

Perhaps most celebrated in Hispania, although maybe not by devout Catholics, was the war against the Papal State and Hungary. Not only was it used to nearly force Hungary out of the Balkans and bring Byzantium a step closer to controlling the entire region, but it was a way of getting back at the Pope for his excommunication. The Papal State was confined to Rome and the Pope forced to bend the knee. This greatly upset the Catholics of Europe, leading to the Council of Rome to decide the fate of the Papal State and other matters of faith. It was agreed that the Pope would lose all secular power and remain solely as the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. France agreed to this in exchange for Hispania giving up their claims on Savoy, the first of several negotiations that would lead to the division of Italy between France, Hispania, and Austria. Sweden went along with things once an alliance with Hispania and war with Poland was promised. Austria only agreed after Hispania agreed to aid them against the Protestants of the HRE, who had grown in numbers so much so that they had overwhelmed the Catholics and now dominated the HRE, with only Protestants rising to positions of power. Poland and Lithuania were not so happy with the state of affairs and formed a coalition.

This Council set the groundworks for the alliance bloc that would define European politics for the next century. Hispania, France, Austria, and Sweden were all allied with one another, forming what became the Quadruple Entente. With four of the world’s strongest powers joined together, the rest of the world could only quiver in fear if the Entente’s gaze shifted their way.

Poland and Lithuania’s actions spurred others to join the coalition, with most of Italy joining, although Hispania chose to focus on making its first footholds in India instead of antagonizing the rest of Europe. Austria provided a means around this coalition, starting a war with Tuscany that saw Italy further carved up by the allies.

In 1672, Europe was dragged into a great religious war as France started the War of the Catholic League on behalf of Austria, an attempt to force the Protestants from dominating the HRE and open the way for Catholics once more. The war saw almost all of the northern HRE, along with Great Britain and Lithuania, pitted against the rest of Europe. In a war that spanned half a decade and saw the deaths of hundreds of thousands of men, one that saw countless provinces change hands, the Protestant dominance of the HRE was finally broken. It also laid the groundwork for the current great powers of Europe to take their place in the world, giving Poland the opportunity to expand into Germany, setting Austria up as a dominant power in the HRE, letting France shape the western HRE as they pleased, and unintentionally strengthening Münster who benefited at their neighbours’ expense. As Hispania had pushed for, the states of the HRE were free to follow whatever faith they wanted. In reality, this still meant Protestants dominated, but Catholics at least could participate. This essentially led to a string of weak Protestant Emperors, all incapable of defending or representing the HRE’s interests. Alfons VIII never got to see this peace, passing away before the end of the war.

His son, Joan III, had a long successful reign. The last few holdouts in Italy were slowly taken care of, with Tuscany being annexed early on. North Africa was given attention against as the coastline of Tunis was seized. The attention to the various peoples within Hispania though was a more lasting legacy. With so many different cultural groups falling under Hispanian rule, it became a delicate balancing act keeping it all together. As with religion, many of the cultures of Hispania’s European subjects were respected and the people allowed relative autonomy when it came to their cultural practices and beliefs, something that greatly differed from Byzantium’s practice where they aggressive assimilated anyone other than Greeks and Turks.

India was also given great attention as the southern tip of the subcontinent was secured from Bahmanis. Most of the East African coastline was added to Hispania’s territory. Colonies in Australia also saw the formation of Nueva Sicilia, a colonial nation traded over a century later to the French for French La Plata. Nova Hispania was encouraged to seek aggressive expansion against the remaining nations in Central America before someone else preyed on them.

While Hispania increasingly looked overseas, its allies fed on the dying HRE. France was pushing more and more east, and Austria managed to swallow up Bohemia before Poland could, although the latter seemed intent on reaching the North Sea.

The first cracks in the Quadruple Entente appeared as the allies argued over Lucca, the last remaining Italian state. France was willing to go along with Hispania’s decision to evenly split Lucca, but Austria wanted most of the pie. The two quarrelled over Mantua and Cremona. While Hispania was willing to concede Mantua, they did not believe Austria should also get Cremona and thus get more than their equal share. In the end, France and Hispania had their way, with the final peace leaving Austria feeling a little bitter.

A great day for Christianity occurred in 1714 with the liberation of Jerusalem. Not only did Hispania liberate the holy city, but they also secured the entire Holy Land for Hispania and Byzantium while also expanding their territory in North Africa. This contrasted with religious decisions at home. The Papal State was officially annexed, with the Pope confined to Rome. While he had had his secular power taken away long ago, this decision was not met well by most Catholics elsewhere. Most of the cardinals defied the current reigning Pope, electing a new pope and setting up a new Papal State in Frankfurt. Thus there were two popes, one in Rome willing to work with Hispania and another in Frankfurt who defied Hispania. Hispania backed the former, hoping that the rest of the Catholic world would return to Rome soon enough. France was the first to back the Roman Pope, and the rest of Hispania’s allies followed in their footsteps over the following years.

In the New World, the British Colonies of Newfoundland and the Thirteen Colonies rose up against their overlord. Hispania granted recognition to the latter, hoping to gain a new ally in the New World, although the first independence war led nowhere in the end. While that was going on, Hispania turned its attention to securing what remained of Tunis’s coastline and grabbing its first colonies in China with the acquisition of Canton and the surrounding region.

Succession would take a turn as Joan III aged. He never managed to sire a son, although he had three lovely daughters. His younger brother Pere had remained his heir for many years, until the man succumbed to an illness. However, a few years later Pere’s eldest son, Alfons, died mysteriously in a hunting accident, leaving his younger brother Jaume as heir. Barely even 20 when Joan died, the young man took the crown at a young age. The first few months of his reign proved controversial as he ended up relying on his relatives to serve on the Cabinet, an unintentional case of nepotism. With an attempt made on the Emperor’s life, many suspected the new Prime Minister Bartomeu de Trastámara meant to force a regency to seize power, but the culprit was never found. It was discovered that the PM was stealing from the treasury though, effectively bringing an end to his time in office and forcing Jaume to take a more direct approach to ruling until he found ministers he could trust.

Jaume’s reign saw further expansion in Africa, including the conquest of what remained of Tunis’s coastline. It was war with Egypt though that led to another moment in Hispanian history that will be remembered for years to come. In 1730, the remainder of Egypt’s coastline was captured, securing the entire North African coastline for Hispania. Every coastal province in the Mediterranean was now controlled by either Hispania or an ally. Mare Nostrum had been achieved at last.

Hungary also was on the rise at this time. They had been surrounded by stronger nations, but good terms with Austria allowed them to strike when needed, such as with the conquest of most of Serbia. Far to the east, Persia was gaining momentum as they swept into Arabia and pushed up into the Caucuses as well as towards India. Then there was Poland, who astounded the rest of Europe by actually managing to secure a port in the North Sea after a war with Münster, followed by putting a damper on Hungary’s expansion by conquering several provinces from them.

It was also during the 1700s that the Valois family started its ascension to the foremost dynasty in Europe. In 1721, the Soop dynasty of Sweden died out, leaving the throne to a Valois, the first major power outside France to fall under their sway. They were not to be the last.

Byzantium was becoming quite unruly as Megas Domestikos Pausanias Mandromenos stirred up trouble, spurring on Byzantium to war and pressing the agreement between Hispania and the Greeks. While Hispania had supported most of Byzantium’s claims abroad, they were growing tired of this increasing warmongering on behalf of another. Yet they continued to humour the Greeks. A war with Genoa saw Trebizond captured. That was then followed by a campaign against Persia, securing the last of Anatolia for Byzantium. It was hoped that with this conquest, they would be satisfied, at least for a time.

Central America was finally brought fully under Hispanian rule during Jaume’s reign, seeing an end to the many colonial wars Hispania had waged in the New World over the centuries. With that done, it was time to look to the future of the continent. After failing to break free from British rule twice, Hispania agreed to support the Thirteen Colonies in pursuit of independence, a plan spurred forward when the French launched their own war against Great Britain and weakened the Thirteen Colonies’ overlord, claiming a large chunk of Southern England and restoring Tyrone and Scotland to prominence.

Events in Arabia took a turn as the TATC became more involved. During a previous campaign, a Hispanian general had sacked Mecca, earning the ire of the entire Muslim world. The TATC, in an attempt to improve trade, offered to assist rebuilding the region. The people there at the time were not aware of the merchants’ ulterior motives, ones that would see the people of Arabia become the primary clientele for the growing opium trade.

With more and more trade coming in from Asia, it became increasingly necessary for Hispania to have easy access to Asia and beyond. Hispania had many colonies it needed to protect, a much more pressing matter after Hispania annexed Bahmanis and secured most of Southern India. The concept of a canal running through Suez was first envisioned at this time, and after a massive effort to raise funds, became a reality as the Suez Canal began construction in 1739. A massive undertaking that took over a decade, Hispania showed their mastery of land and sea by carving a path between the Mediterranean and Red Sea.

The promised war against Poland started in 1740, perhaps one of the first times the entire Quadruple Entente declared war together. Sweden got its war, but Hispania intended to use it to weaken Poland in the south, remove their influence over Serbia, and drive them from Germany. The opportunity was also taken to break Hungary’s hold on their portion of the Balkans. With Poland’s defeat, they entered a period of decline. Serbia was annexed, and Poland was forced to hand over land and set free nations in Germany, ending their expansion westward. Austria was given Silesia to weaken Poland in the region, while Sweden was content to see their enemy weakened. As for Hungary, they were driven from the Balkans, securing the region for Byzantium at last.

Meanwhile, Scotland pounced on a weak Great Britain, reclaiming most of their lost land and pushing into England. The earlier French war had given them the chance to restore their nation, and ultimately allowed a nation once reduced to the Faroe Islands to supplant Great Britain as the dominant power in the British Isles. Likewise, Bavaria took advantage of the chaos in Germany to conquer land from Saxony and others, joining several other growing powers as the smaller powers were wiped from the map.

With Great Britain weakened, the Thirteen Colonies took their chance at freedom. Newfoundland had failed to achieve it for them twice now, but the assistance of Hispania would guarantee success. Indeed, thanks to Hispania, they achieved their freedom in under a year. The Thirteen Colonies thus formed the United Kingdom of America, while Newfoundland adopted the name Canada. Hispania now had a new ally in the New World, one who could only grow in their isolation.

A Swedish war against Pomerania saw Hispania dragged into the conflict, pitting them against Lithuania as well. Sweden used this opportunity to claim most of Denmark and gain their first footholds in Germany, as well as show up the Lithuanians yet again.

After ruling for over 30 years, Jaume IV passed away, and his death set the stage for Hispania’s greatest internal conflicts. Less than a year before his death, his son and heir Ferran had passed away, leaving his grandson Alfons as his heir. While his grandson was bright, he was only 12 at the time of Jaume’s death. A regency was necessary. Tradition dictated that the Prime Minister serve as Regent, and that was what was set to occur, only for Prime Minister Alexis Cyril de Saint-Pierre to be assassinated 10 minutes into his reign as Regent. With no laws in place dictating who would be regent, chaos ensued. Due to his advanced age, Saint-Pierre had been permitted to hire a co-PM, the Marshal Alexandre César de Montségur. The man argued that this put him as the natural successor for the prime minister position, and thus the regency. However, the underage Emperor and many members at court wanted the Emperor’s mother, Empress Dowager Sophia, to serve as regent. The situation was only worsened as Pausanias Mandromenos rose up against the Basileus in Byzantium and the colonies demanded greater autonomy. Strong leadership was needed. Montségur was the one to make the first big move. Using the army that was mostly loyal to him, he locked down the capital. Only the quick actions of the Empress Dowager allowed the Emperor to escape to Naples. The nation divided, with Montségur and most of his generals, called the Phoenixes, attempted to seize power and force a constitution. The Loyalists, led by the Empress Dowager and with the loyal General Leon ready to lead the army, attempted to regain control of Hispania in a bloody civil war.

With his control of the army and promise of reform, Montségur managed to win Northern Italy, Sicily, Galicia, and half of Portugal to his cause, while maintaining a hold on Southern Aragon. The TATC’s council supported the Marshal, seeing large parts of Africa defecting, mostly around Algiers, Tunis, and East Africa. Castile, Southern Portugal, Northern Aragon, Naples, Central Italy, Sardinia, and Greece all remained loyal, while Morocco, Egypt, West Africa, and South Africa remained under Loyalist control. The Phoenixes, with promises of land in Italy, managed to convince Austria to assist them, while the actions of the Austrians were enough to persuade France to assist the Loyalists. Byzantium, of course, was too busy with its own problems, while Sweden remained neutral.

The Hispanian Civil War raged for three years, with the Loyalists ultimately coming out victorious. While the Phoenixes successfully struck at Southern Italy, the Loyalists hid the Emperor safely in Sardinia and Corsica while they focused their entire might on Iberia. The Loyalist campaign proved the more successful, giving them the chance to shatter Field Marshal Fausto Villanova’s army in Granada. Meanwhile, the French and Austrians duked it out in French land, with the French eventually gaining the upper hand. Montségur attempted to make a run for the Suez Canal, only to be intercepted by Leon, crushing the former’s army and bringing an end to his coup. Montségur managed to flee to Germany, but the Empire was at peace once more. In the aftermath, Austria was forced to return the land it had taken, but the Quadruple Entente was gone for good.

The Civil War left a lasting impression on all those who survived. Alfons IX, who had come of age during the conflict, committed himself to seeking reform to prevent any such conflict from ever happening again. It was under the guidance of the young brilliant monarch that Hispania’s Parliament was created. For the first time, Hispanians were provided with a representative government. The Emperor, though, never forgot the threat Montségur had presented to his crown, and even as Hispania reformed over the years and became one of the most liberal states in Europe, he never once let the Crown’s power be weakened. Hispania reformed on his terms, but Alfons always did it in such a way as to allow everyone to have their say. His rule provided the perfect circumstances for both the liberalization of Hispania and the preservation of the Crown.

As Hispania started to recover, washing away the aftermath of the Civil War, what remained of the HRE faced its own inner turmoil. The Phoenixes had tried to push for the unification of the German states so as to have an ally against France, but it had never come to fruition. However, the idea lingered. The Protestant powers of Northern Germany rallied to the flag of either Münster or Saxony, the former being the strongest of the Protestant German states and the latter being the current Holy Roman Emperor. The two inevitably clashed, fighting for who would unite the German states. In the process, the anti-pope in Frankfurt became a victim of Münster, having foolishly backed Saxony, and in turn legitimizing the Pope in Rome. In the end, Münster won out, in part due to Austrian assistance, for with Saxony gone Austria could claim the title of Holy Roman Emperor. Thus the Protestant German states were united under Münster’s rule, forming the nation of Germany. The Catholics watched warily, knowing that conflict was inevitable. As for Austria, it got its crown, but border disputes with Germany put an end to that alliance before it even developed further, with Germany seeking friendship with France instead. The HRE had been reduced solely to Catholic Germany while Münster had united the Protestants and formed Germany.

Left to its own devices, Scotland finished off what remained of Great Britain, bringing an end to English dominance of the Isles and setting the way for Scotland to rise to prominence. What remained of Great Britain’s colonies in La Plata broke free, forming Argentine.

During the conflict that had plagued Hispania, Sweden had been going through changes of its own, although of a positive nature. With most of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland under their control, they could truly consider themselves a nation of Scandinavians. It was during this time that they declared their nation to officially be Scandinavia.

The Greek Civil War came to an end two years after Hispania’s, partly thanks to eventual Hispanian aid. The traitor Pausanias failed to march on Constantinople and found his armies routed one by one. The Basileus’s position was reaffirmed and ties with Hispania strengthened. With both wars over, Hispania could focus on expansion abroad, removing Egypt from the map. Also, to greater ensure the security of Byzantium and to prevent a Polish revival, Hispania offered to protect Wallachia, turning it into a Hispanian vassal state.

Germany had a very active start during the years following its formation. This is likely due to the influence of Montségur, the Hispanian traitor who had somehow won over the German king and obtained a position in government. In the 1760s, Germany forged an alliance with Scandinavia, something relatively easy to achieve due to shared interests and a past of good relations between Sweden and Münster. Germany offered them the rest of Denmark and recognition of their claims to the German land they held on the Baltic. In exchange, the two were to drive Poland out of Germany and cut them off from the sea. Together, they achieved just that, bringing Eastern Germany under German rule and giving Scandinavia undisputed control of the Baltic. After their successful war, Lüneburg agreed to vassalization, despite them being Catholic, partly due to the two nations being ruled by different branches of the same dynasty but mostly to avoid a potential war.

Hispania’s focus remained overseas when it could. A foothold in Korea was achieved, while relations with Hispania’s subjects and colonies was at an all-time high. At home, however, countless reforms and laws were passed, a bureaucratic flurry that outdid anything from before Alfons IX’s reign, a result of the new government structure. Over the decades, Hispania saw improvement in education and health, streamlining for the army and navy, and sweeping changes to the administration and justice system. Hispania was one of the few nations to abolish slavery in the 1700s, with only Scandinavia having done so decades earlier. Hispania was changing, and at a rapid pace.

The end of the Quadruple Entente brought new tensions to light. While relations between Hispania and Austria had been chilly, those between France and Austria had sparked into outright hatred. The French blamed the Austrians for ruining the alliance bloc that had dominated Europe for a century. More so, they had not taken the invasion of their lands by Austrian soldiers lightly. It was no surprise then when France launched its first war against Austria, one meant to break Austria. It was the first but certainly not the last of such conflicts. It ended predictably with a French victory. France annexed Alsace and seized Switzerland and parts of Western Austria. Germany, for their participation, was permitted to annex Mainz, one of the only independent German states left, leaving Bavaria as the only one left wedged between a growing Germany and isolated Austria.

This war also revealed a potential new alliance bloc, one focused on France. While Austria had been the first to ally all the powers of the Quadruple Entente, France now was the centre of another, one that replaced Germany with Austria. Only frosty relations between Hispania and Germany prevented the formation of another Quadruple Entente. This was further stressed when a coup in 1776 saw a Valois rise to the throne of Germany, placing the Valois line on three thrones. The Quadruple Entente had been replaced by the Valois Bloc.

In North America, the UKA was proving to be the dominant power on the continent. Relations broke down with Canada, causing the two to go to war on several occasions, eventually leading to Canada’s annexation decades later. In regard to Hispania though, their ties to the UKA only grew stronger when a Trastámara was chosen as heir. The Seymour dynasty that ruled over the UKA was new, and also small. When the current king was injured and made incapable of producing an heir, he opted to choose an heir from the only other royal family he was married into. A significant yet unlanded line of the Trastámaras was selected for this honour, forever tying the lines of the two nations together.

Hispania made its first headways into Romania, officially integrating Wallachia into the realm. This inevitably led to conflict with Poland, especially as a means to link Wallachia to the Black Sea. All of their Romanian and Moldavian lands were taken to ensure Poland would no longer be a threat, as well as forcing them to relinquish most of their claims on Germany to prevent a revival on that front.

Expansion could also be achieved diplomatically as well as militarily. An agreement was struck with Scotland where all their colonies in Central America and Brazil were purchased, with Hispania’s colonial nations even willing to chip in to pay the price. This action was one of many signs that relations between Hispania and its colonies had greatly improved over the years. Numerous reforms and greater autonomy had kept them quite content, and the formation of the Colonial Congress, a body designed to allow the colonial nations to coordinate and express any issues and concerns, provided them with greater unity with each other and the mother country.

In a great campaign against Malwa, Delhi, and Bengal, Hispania proved the superiority of European weapons and tactics against those of the backwards Asians. Despite the massive size of the enemy nations, they were crushed in battle after battle. Hispania claimed the rest of Southern India for itself and humbled all those involved in the process. This served as a lesson for those Asians that their very survival might well rest on learning from these Europeans.

Bavaria, the smallest of the three remaining German states, was destined for greatness. After the rapid expansion of Germany and the loss of Austria as an ally, Hispania sought to bolster Bavaria to ensure they did not get swallowed up in the chaos. Its position as a buffer state against Germany and a replacement for Austria was useful. However, what no one accounted for was the death of the Bavarian Duke and his lack of male heirs. The duchy of Bavaria suddenly passed into the hands of the Trastámara family, with Emperor Alfons IX crowned as the new ruler of Bavaria. This personal union set the stage for Hispania’s involvement in Germany, for it could no longer be avoided.

The timing of the Bavarian PU proved impeccable, as France started another of their wars against Austria. This time Austria had friends, Scotland and Lithuania, but Hispania also had a greater interest in the region. Bavaria’s key position had to be preserved. This time, Hispania made sure to negotiate with France beforehand to ensure a preferable peace would be achieved. When Austria succumbed once again, the spoils were divided amongst the victors. Hispania received the Italian coastline up to and including Venice, while Bavaria had all their cores returned to them. Germany received some land to link up to their isolated province in Bohemia in the hopes that would prevent conflict with Bavaria. Scandinavia even received a piece of Lithuania. France, of course, received the lion’s share, pushing well into Austrian territory. Austria had fallen far. In their frustration, Austria had the audacity to demand the return of Verona, Venezia, and Treviso as part of the HRE, but were expectedly rebuffed.

The growing opium trade in Arabia experienced setbacks in the 1780s as both Yemen and Persia, the dominant powers in Arabia, cut off trade with Hispania and confiscated any opium they could find. This insult could not be tolerated, seeing Hispania seeking to force open both their borders at once. Persia had the aid of Lithuania and Yemen had Malwa, turning this into a major conflict, one that necessitated Scandinavian intervention in at least the Persian war. Yemen was the first to fall, seeing their borders opened, as well as the capture of the key ports of Adan and Socotra. Persia proved much more difficult to defeat, mostly due to Byzantium facing internal turmoil at the time. Seeing as they were a greater threat than Yemen, and likely to prove more difficult to maintain forced open border, they instead were forced to return all their Arabian land to Najd. It was at this point that the beginning of relations between Hispania and Najd began. During this whole conflict, Hispania, as if to show how easily it can manage multiple conflicts, defeated and annexed all that remained of Morocco, removing the last significant North African nation.

Even as Hispania only grew stronger, Byzantium faced a period of inner strife, one spurred on by a backward government. Despite most of Europe either adopting constitutions or transitioning into states where the monarch reigned supreme, the feudal system still lived on in Byzantium. The nobles still ruled over their own fiefs, something the people were tired of. Despite their protests, the Basileus refused to changed things. A full-scale rebellion erupted across Byzantium, one that kept them occupied for years.

With Poland and Hungary reduced to insignificance, the need to maintain a presence in Romania was no longer pressing. The distance of such land from the capital kept the region isolated and was much harder to defend. Parliament decided in 1793 to grant greater autonomy to the region, allowing them the same level of freedom as Bavaria. Thus the state of Transdacia was born. It was here that the state first took form, a Romanian nation that would cement its position in the region thanks to Hispania.

The betrayal of Austria could not be forgotten, even after all these years. More importantly, the rapid expansion of France forced a sort of competition between the two powers to pry as much as possible away from Austria. Before the French could make the next move, Hispania declared war on Austria. This time they only had Hungary to back them up. Germany attempted to start their own war to seize even more land, forcing Hispania to act quickly. Austria was but a carcass at this point, with all its neighbours fighting over the remains. It was this war that finally reduced Austria to insignificance. Hungary, for its involvement, was punished with the loss of Transylvania to Transdacia. As for Austria, it was decided that Germany or France could not be allowed to expand any further into their land. Hispania claimed what was left of Austria’s Italian lands and Slovenia, while Byzantium received what was left of the Balkans. Bavaria benefited the most, receiving almost all of Austria’s remaining land, simply to ensure Germany or France did not get them. Reduced to only two provinces, Austria was then forced to bring an end to the HRE, which had been reduced to irrelevance anyway. The HRE was dead, and Austria was all but dead too.

The decision to grant the Romanians autonomy with the creation of Trandacia had severe consequences for the future when it came to the cultures of the Empire. First of all, the Romanians of Transdacia, freed from the direct oversight of Valencia, started to prey upon the Ruthenian minority, something that forced the direct intervention of Alfons IX to stop. The Greeks started to question their place in Hispania, pondering the possibility of unifying with Byzantium. Referendums were held multiple times over the years, with mixed results, the first just barely seeing the Greeks favour staying with Hispania. But it was the Italians that were most vocal. If Bavaria and Trandacia could rule themselves, why could the Italians not as well? It was an issue that plagued Hispania for decades, and one that never found an answer. The Italians themselves were divided over the best approach, with no two sides ever agreeing on a solution. Italy continued to cause problems as autonomy was not granted again and again.

Hispania’s troubles were mere trifles compared to Byzantium’s. The failed rebellions of 1789 had not been forgotten. The feudal system had to end and a representative government formed. This time, change had to be forced. Thus the Greek Revolution began. The Basileus fled the capital and went missing in the process. To avoid bloodshed, Hispania stepped in. The revolutionaries, despite their intentions, were willing to seek a compromise. Their quarrel was with the Basileus and the nobles, not Hispania. Their demands could be summed up as the end of the feudal government that existed in Byzantium and freedom for the Greek people. They did not necessarily want the monarchy abolished, just a constitution created. However, when it came to Hispania, they desired complete independence. While they respected Hispania, the Greeks needed to decide their own fate. After lengthy negotiations, Hispania managed to reach a consensus with the revolutionaries, seeing Byzantium set free and a constitution adopted. When the Basileus did finally turn up, he was not overly pleased by the constitution limiting his power, but could do little now that Hispania had backed it. The new government signed an alliance with Hispania, intent on keeping relations positive. Byzantium was able to go its own way, but for now it still meant standing beside Hispania when needed. As for the Revolution, it petered out now that its demands had been met, bringing a swift end to the violence.

The revolutionary sentiment reached Hispania shortly after, with a few thousand Italian separatists taking up its call. For a brief time, they managed to seize Rome before being driven from the holy city, bringing an end to the dream of an independent liberal Italy for now. The government, while dealing with these issues over time, attempted to keep everyone distracted with countless successes overseas. East Africa was claimed more and more for Hispania during this period, establishing Hispania’s dominance over the continent.

Trouble for Byzantium was not at an end. The Legislative Assembly that ruled over Byzantium had failed to satisfy everyone. The right, mostly the nobles, were still bitter about their loss of power and wanted the monarchy restored as before. The left, on the other hand, felt the Revolution hadn’t gone far enough, desiring both the abolition of the monarchy and the unification of the Greek people. Both groups rose up against the government, the nobles managing to use the dissent of the Turkish population to gain support and the revolutionaries rallying disgruntled Greeks to their cause. The latter group inevitably ended up at odds with Hispania, for their goals required Hispania’s land in Greece to be seized despite the results of the earlier referendum, and they also had no desire to be allies with Hispania. In the end, Hispania preferred a friendly power in Constantinople. The revolutionaries were far too anti-Hispanian and radical, while the nobles remained backwards in their views. Hispania assisted the Legislative Assembly in restoring order, keeping the still new Greek government in power.

Byzantium moved quickly to unify itself with a foreign war, turning against the traditional enemy of Persia. For the first time in centuries, they fought without Hispania at their side, and won on their own merits. They conquered most of Persia’s land in the Caucuses and pressed towards the Caspian. Persia had met its match. At home, a shift to the right occurred, seeing a revision of the constitution and greater powers granted to the Basileus, allowing him to serve in a more important role to reduce the squabbling occurring in the Legislative Assembly.

Even as Hispania intervened in Byzantium, it continued to expand its presence across the globe. A series of wars saw Hispania establish a greater presence in Indonesia, Africa, and elsewhere. Austria was finally polished off, with Bavaria now the face of Catholic Germany. Developments in Arabia forced an intervention. Kaffa, an East African power, had suddenly pushed into the peninsula, nearly crippling Najd and disrupting Hispanian trade. They learned to regret that as Hispania used their aggression as an excuse to seize what remained of the East African coastline, restore Najd, and claim the Arabian coastline along the Red Sea. In a later conflict, Yemen was annexed and Najd given most of their land, making them the sole Arabian nation left. Numerous other conflicts saw the border of Hispania smoothed.

Hispania’s golden age was bound to end at some point, and 1821 proved the year to end it. For decades, Emperor Alfons IX had proved a unifying figure, a monarch favouring reform and allowing the people a voice. Yet the government had been shaped by him and relied heavily on his influence. When he passed away in 1821, the system he had created crumbled around him. His son and heir, Pere VI, was not up to the task of ruling. Pere ended up leaning on his younger brother Joan, who Alfons had named as Prime Minister years before. Joan, who also served as the Minister of War and the foremost general in the army, was much more capable than his brother, possessing the skills necessary to run a government, yet he lacked the neutrality of his father or brother. His Cabinet drifted right over time as Pere withdrew more and more from politics.

As time went on, things only got worse and worse for Hispania. The Greeks were quite vocal again, outraged when they were excluded from the new Citizenship Act. They held their own referendum, seeing the majority supporting a union with Byzantium, but it lacked the legality of a government-sanctioned one. Only a hasty amendment kept the Greeks from carrying through with their demands. The Italians made countless demands, although Joan countered by centralizing the government, making it so the Italians could get what they wanted only by participating on a national level instead of isolating themselves. Despite the threat of rebellion, the separatist movement failed to gain ground. They ultimately doomed themselves when three Italian separatists made an attempt on Emperor Pere VI’s life, wounding him so gravely he fell into a coma, one he has since not awoken from as far as everyone is aware. Since this attack in 1826, Joan has reigned as Regent, seeing as Pere failed to designate a regent and the law dictated the Prime Minister take the position.

It did not help that the government was distracted by the disastrous eruption of Tambora in Indonesia, one that wrecked havoc on the entire world. Relief efforts kept things from getting worse, but just barely. Natural disasters struck again and again over the years. An earthquake off the coast of Portugal demanded immediate attention. A famine in India led to wide-spread revolt, thankfully a rebellion that was put down. All of this drained the government’s resources, devastating the treasury to such an extent that the nation went bankrupt. Only a reduction in administrative costs and a loan from Byzantium kept things from spiralling further downwards. As things recovered, the government made sure to look out for the merchants, bailing them out when they faced bankruptcy. Investment in the new industry appearing across Europe helped to revitalize the economy, seeing Hispania’s financial difficulties fade away.

An attack on the Suez Canal greatly hampered relief efforts and other actions taken in Asia. A group of Muslim extremists damaged the canal as a way at striking back at Hispania for taking the holy city of Mecca. When investigated further, it was revealed that Najd had actually backed them, hoping that the chaos would cause Hispania to abandon Arabia and allow Najd full control of the region. Betrayed by their Arabian friend, Hispania invaded in a bloody conflict that saw Najd subjugated once again. To make matters worse, pirates plagued the Red Sea, attacking Hispanian shipping. So intent was everyone on finding the ones responsible, the pirates were left to their own devices and the culprit never found. Eventually they were driven away, but only in recent years.

Despite all these problems afflicting Hispania, they also had to deal with a massive war that drew in nearly all of Europe. The French Emperor passed away with only a bastard son to inherit the throne. Both the kings of Germany and Scandinavia claimed the throne for their own, despite the fact their lines had forsaken such claims when they first came to power in their respective nations. Hispania, even with the claim of Pere’s wife Jeanne, decided to acknowledge the bastard son as Emperor of France. Thus the French Succession War began. As the three sides butted heads, the rest of Europe was pulled in. Byzantium aided France out of respect for Hispania, while France managed to win over Poland and Lithuania, both who hated Germany and Scandinavia. Tyrone, of course, stayed true to France, especially as Scotland announced their support for Germany hoping to claim the rest of the British Isles for themselves. Hungary, seeing an opportunity to expand, sided with Scandinavia. Only Genoa and Norway remained neutral in the end. The conflict went on for almost half a decade before the overwhelming forces of France’s side won out. Scandinavia lost several of its colonies to Hispania and some land to Lithuania. Hungary became a Byzantine protectorate of sorts. Scotland lost its lands in Ireland to Tyrone. Germany received the greatest lashing for the threat they presented to France during the war, losing land to Bavaria and seeing the Netherlands set free as a French puppet. The face of Europe had been reshaped and alliances redrawn. The Valois Bloc was broken.

Despite the problems that afflicted Hispania, there was still some change that could be considered good. The North Africans were at last granted the franchise, although this only occurred after Regent Joan managed to limit the franchise to those with wealth with parliamentary consent. Both Bavaria and Transdacia, who had seen some hardships of their own especially because of the French Succession War, sought independence from Hispania on similar terms as Byzantium before them. With both having risen to positions of power over their respective region, it seemed less likely Hispania could keep them under control without earning their ire. In an attempt to earn goodwill, both were granted independence, in turn earning a loyal friend in each.

There were also several exchanges of land. After denying another Greek referendum, the loan from Byzantium was soon to come due. In an attempt to prevent further conflict, Byzantium offered to waive the payment of the loan and pay a bit extra for Hispania’s land in Greece. While there were still those that wanted to hold on to Greece, it was eventually decided that it was best to end the point of contention with a valued ally of Hispania’s and hand over Greece. A similar discussion occurred over the fate of La Plata and Australia. The French wanted to expand their colonial nations, but Hispania’s stood in their way. They proposed an exchange in colonies, one that would see each nation dominate either of the regions. It was eventually agreed upon that France would receive all of Australia, leading to the annexation of Nueva Sicilia, in exchange for all of La Plata being given to Hispania, and thus causing the annexation of French La Plata. Another colonial exchange occurred when the UKA offered to purchase Hispania’s colony in Labrador, attempting to avoid future border disputes. Hispania agreed, seeing the colony handed over for a tidy sum.

Land was not always gained for Hispania. The army found its manpower drained over the years, forcing the army to introduce financial incentives and allow colonial subjects to join just to keep their numbers up. During this time of difficulty, Hispania found its position in East Asia disrupted. Ming stirred up revolts in Canton, leading to a rebellion that Hispania, due to various issues, was unable to counter. The army was forced to withdraw to Hong Kong and Macau, losing the territory Hispania held in mainland China in the process. Qing took this moment of weakness as an advantage, striking at Korea. With the army not in good shape and not positioned anywhere near Korea, the Qing managed to secure the peninsula, forcing Hispania from yet another part of Asia.

These failures abroad forced conflict at home. Dissent spread in Parliament and groups formed seeking either to force reform or even a constitution. Regent Joan, though, had his own supporters, ones who felt Hispania needed its strong figure to guide it and that the Crown must remain supreme. The sides ended up fighting as members of Parliament started a coup against the Regent. In the end, Joan’s hold on power was too tight, and his control of the army a great boon for him. The coup was discovered and its members caught in the act. Nearly a third of the Assembly was implicated and summarily arrested, with more in the Cortz caught as well. With such a threat to his reign as Regent, the Assembly was disbanded and the Cortz reshaped to make it more compliant.

Joan’s many decisions were not left unquestioned. Rumours that the Emperor was actually dead started to spread, only dispelled when Crown Prince Ferran personally intervened. Despite that, riots broke out in Valencia, forcing the implementation of martial law. An attempt was even made on the Crown Prince’s life when unknown assailants tried to burn down the royal wing of the palace, followed by an armed man holding him at gunpoint. Members of the former Assembly attempted to form a new Assembly in Lisboa, resorting to guerilla warfare when the army responded, but their efforts died down after Joan agreed to restore the Assembly, albeit with serious vetting measures in place. Another group of rebels seized a shipment of weapons bound for Valencia, but were hounded down by the army. At the moment, the Regent’s hold on power is tenuous, bolstered only by the army and the inclusion of the Crown Prince who is attempting to moderate Joan’s policies. The restoration of the Assembly promises a new start, with a Parliament representing the people. What happens next is yet to be seen.

Now elections have begun for the new Assembly, ready to fill the 450 elected seats, although most certainly the 50 appointed seats will be filled by Joan’s favourites. The changes to the Cortz, with members below the rank of duke needing to be appointed by the Crown, have greatly altered the composition of the upper house. The Hispanian politics parties gather support, with plans of restoring order or instilling change. The Imperials, the conservative bulwark of imperial politics, have seen their fortunes greatly improve with the Regent’s favour, and seem likely to make great gains going into 1836. Yet even so, their numbers are lowered as the more reactionary of their members have splintered away into a new party. There is another alternative in the Los Campos, another conservative party with a more rural focus and untainted with the Regent’s rule. The Reconquista, a centre-left liberal party, has maintained a strong showing, particularly in the Cortz over the years due to their favourability amongst the nobles and usual alliance with the Imperials. There is also the Marina, a merchant-based liberal party focused primarily on economic issues. Then there are the Phoenixes, aptly named after the rebels of the Civil War, proponents of reform on a drastic level and general opponents of those traditionally in power. All these parties gather to decide the fate of Hispania going into the future.


((TL;DR – For those of you who don’t want to read an over 10k word essay on nearly four centuries of Hispanian history, here is what you need to know:

· Hispania is the equivalent of our timeline’s Spain, but formed by Aragon and named after the Roman province of Hispania.

· Hispania, along with Byzantium, is considered a true successor of Rome by their inhabitants, the former being the Western Roman Empire and latter the Eastern Roman Empire, hence why the Hispanian Emperors bear the title of Caesar.

· Hispania is ruled by the Trastámara dynasty. There is technically no constitution limiting the monarch’s power, but tradition dictates that they abide by the nation’s laws.

· Hispania has a parliament consisting of the Assembly (lower house) and Cortz (upper house). The Assembly has 500 members, 450 that are elected and 50 that appointed by the Crown. The Cortz consists of 100 seats given solely to nobles, with all those of the rank of duke or above guaranteed a seat and those of lower rank appointed to the remaining seats.

· At the present moment, Emperor Pere VI is stated to have been in a coma for the past decade (supposedly), with his brother Joan serving as Regent. The Emperor ended up in the coma after a near successful attempt on his life by Italian separatists.

· Joan’s reign as Regent has met with controversy due to his blatant conservative views and his control of the army, which was obtained through decades of service in the army.

· Crown Prince Ferran has recently become involved in politics in an attempt to moderate Joan’s views and get the government functioning as before, despite his general distaste of such things. Two recent attempts were made on his life.

· The past 15 years have been incredibly difficult for Hispania, leading to periods of great unrest and other problems that have divided the country.

· In 1752, Emperor Jaume IV passed away with an underage heir, leading to a brutal civil war when Marshal Montségur attempted to seize power and force a constitution, his followers known as the Phoenixes. The Hispanian Civil War broke the Quadruple Entente, the alliance bloc that had existed for a century between Hispania, France, Austria, and Sweden, when Austria sided with the Phoenixes and France with the Loyalists. The Loyalists reigned victorious in the end, but the Phoenix legacy has left a lasting impression.

· From 1755 to 1821, Emperor Alfons IX ruled over Hispania, a period where Parliament was first created and numerous reforms were passed.

· Hispania has become fairly tolerant when it comes to religion, at least for Christians. A state church known as the Church of Jesus Christ was created that unified all Christian sects under one roof, allowing the free practice of all Christian faiths, despite how ridiculous that may sound to some. The Pope still resides in Rome in the specially designated Vatican, but no longer has any secular power.

· Cultural acceptance has been practiced by the administration for generations due to the vast cultural makeup of Hispania. In practice, this means that all of Hispania’s European cultures are considered accepted. Everyone outside Europe does not receive the same privilege and are generally frowned upon. Only recently was North Africa granted the franchise.

· Hispania controls all of Iberia, most of Italy and Africa, a large part of India and Indonesia, and possesses scattered colonies elsewhere in Asia. They have colonial nations throughout the Americas that have remained quite loyal, as well as Najd as a forced puppet.

· Hispania has just recently lost land in China (Canton) and Korea to Ming and Qing respectively, although it is still considered core land and can be reclaimed.

· France is Hispania’s longest ally, having been allied to them since 1444. The two have greatly helped each other expand over the years and always backed the other. There has been some tension from time to time as their borders pressed up against each other. They were a key member of the Quadruple Entente and Valois Bloc. Hispania recently backed them when the Valois kings of Germany and Scandinavia tried to claim the French throne from the late Emperor’s bastard son, leading to a French victory.

· Byzantium was once Hispania’s vassal, although they were never officially recognized as such. Hispania aided them in reclaiming all of Anatolia and the Balkans. A few decades ago, they experienced the Greek Revolution, one that was prevented from escalating further due to Hispanian intervention, although the government was drastically reformed in the process and Hispania agreed to end the vassalization. They have remained a faithful ally since, with Hispania recently having given Byzantium their lands in Greece after the rise of Greek nationalism to prevent further conflict in exchange for Byzantium waiving the loan they had granted Hispania.

· Transdacia was once a Hispanian vassal state, created several decades ago due to the isolated position. Originally Wallachia had been liberated from Poland to serve as a buffer state, but was annexed at a later date, and thus served as the groundwork for the creation of Transdacia. After the French Succession War, they requested independence of the nature that had been granted to Byzantium. They were thus granted independence, with the Duke of Wallachia elevated to the position of Transdacia’s king and an alliance forged with Hispania.

· Bavaria was a minor HRE power that received Hispania’s attention after the formation of Germany. Originally its independence was guaranteed to serve as a buffer state between Germany and Austria, but the death of the Bavarian duke and the passing of the crown to Hispania led to greater interest in the state. As Austria fell to its neighbours, Hispania ensured Bavaria received much of their land to prevent France of Germany expanding too much. After the French Succession War, they requested independence similar to that of Byzantium’s and Hispanian agreed. A prominent duke was given the title of king of Bavaria and an alliance was forged with Hispania.

· Scandinavia, formed by Sweden, was once an ally of Hispania’s and member of the Quadruple Entente and later Valois bloc. The alliance was broken when their Valois king attempted to seize the throne of France in the French Succession War. They have dominated the Scandinavian region for centuries, although they had had numerous border disputes with Lithuania.

· Germany was formed after the Hispanian Civil War by Münster, uniting the Protestant Germans. A coup led to a Valois on their throne, putting them in the Valois bloc once allied with France and Scandinavia. Their king attempted to claim the French throne in the French Succession War, leading to their downfall and loss of land to their neighbours, including the French vassal state of the Netherlands.

· Scotland only rose to prominence after a French war saw Great Britain absolutely crushed. They eventually annexed their English counterpart, taking their place as the dominant British power. Relations with Hispania have been minimal, having sold colonies to Hispania before and been dragged into war against each other by their allies.

· Tyrone, a small Irish state, survives solely due to their alliance with France. Their recent gains have allowed them to form Ireland.

· Poland was the whipping boy of Europe before the French Succession War, with Scandinavia taking their coast, Germany their western provinces, and Transdacia the south. They’ve recently started to make a comeback after backing France, and now have forged a hopefully lasting alliance with their old pal Lithuania.

· Hungary is a mere shell of what it once was, once dominating a large part of the Balkans and beyond. They have recently fallen under Byzantine influence, and they also have a grudge with Transdacia who holds their land.

· Lithuania has become one of the foremost powers of Europe, despite their exclusion from the major European alliances, simply by keeping their nose out of everyone’s business. Most of their time as of late has been spent focusing on eastward expansion. Only recently with the French Succession War have they turned back towards Europe, retaking land from Scandinavia. With the Valois Bloc broken, they may well keep their gaze focused westwards this time.

· Genoa is an oddity. At one point they had annexed Crimea, giving them land on the Black Sea. After taking land from the Ottomans in Anatolia, they found themselves at odds with Hispania and Byzantium. Inevitably they were forced from both Italy and Anatolia, becoming a solely Crimean power. They had since wallowed in isolation, their friendship with Lithuania being the only thing keeping them alive. They are the only republic in Europe at the moment.

· Norway is all that remains of the independent states that had existed beside Sweden. They are isolated in Iceland now and have not been involved in European politics for centuries. Most people probably don’t even notice them at first, they’re so obscure.

· The UKA, or Kingdom of America as Victoria II calls it, is the English state that rebelled from British rule thanks to Hispania. Why they became a kingdom is anybody’s guess, but republics are so out of style in this iAAR anyway. They have been content so far to just swallow up their native neighbours, as well as their comrade-in-arms Canada. A Trastámara sits on their throne after their young royal dynasty died out.

· A large number of the Asian states have westernized, with only a few such as Qing or Japan being left out.

· Up until recently, only Scandinavia and Hispania had abolished slavery.

I’m sure there are other points I’ve forgotten, so if anything is unclear, take a look at the longer version or feel free to ask me directly. I hope this post clears everything up for any new players and reminds old players of what we accomplished over the past year or two.))
 
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1821-1836 - The Rest of the World


((Note: This is literally a word-for-word copy of the world update I did in the EUIV portion of this iAAR. I am including it here to help explain what the rest of the world looks like going into 1836 and how it got there. For those of you who participated in the first half, you can just skip this update.))


The world saw much change in the 15 years between 1821 and 1836. As Hispania faced turbulent times, other nations faced their own hardships, some coming out of it better than before while others fell to pieces. When it came to Europe, though, it was the French Succession War that determined the makeup of the continent going into the future. Just as with the Hispanian Civil War before it, the French Succession War saw major alliances broken and the balance of power shift. While the former had broken up the Quadruple Alliance with Austria's betrayal, the latter shattered the Valois bloc that had existed since the Quadruple Alliance's dissolution. But unlike the Hispanian Civil War, the French Succession War saw land change hands all across Europe, instantly creating new friends and enemies, as well as the establishment of a new nation or two. The young Emperor of France could no longer trust his family in Scandinavia and Germany, and reconciliation seemed unlikely. The decision to punish the losers, and in turn reward those that had backed the true Emperor of France, left its mark on the continent.

Scandinavia found itself eaten away at by its neighbours as France trimmed the fat from the edges to feed its hungry allies, a fitting punishment for a long-time ally that tried to turn against its greatest friend. France, in its generosity, permitted Hispania to claim Scandinavia's colonies in Africa and the Philippines. For Lithuania, an unexpected entry into the war and perhaps the deciding factor in the eastern theatre, they were returned parts of the Baltics that one belonged to them. Not all their land was returned, for regardless of the punishment Scandinavia deserved, the French Emperor was not foolish enough to strengthen a potential rival too much. Poland also received a piece of the pie as a reward for their assistance, finally receiving a coastline on the Baltic that Scandinavia had taken years ago with German assistance. In the end though, the core Scandinavian territory was left untouched, for they could not be left too weak for greedy nations to take advantage of. Hungary, Scandinavia's sole ally, was handed over to Byzantium, who had led the entire war effort against them. Showing some mercy, or perhaps some shrewdness, they permitted Hungary to maintain its independence and territory, but now as an ally of Byzantium, a valuable buffer state and one to compete with Hispania's former puppet states in the region.

Germany, however, was another matter. The French had personally felt their steel as the Germans pushed for Paris. The French capital had avoided disaster in the end, in some part due to Hispania's assistance, but the French could not forget the threat the Germans had become. Likewise, Bavaria had been greatly harmed during the conflict, a key reason for their decision to seek independence from Hispania to strengthen their own. The French could not allow the Germans off easy, even if they did their ally Scotland, who had only lost a few province near London and the rest of Ireland. Poland received its land back, payback for the many times Germany had plundered their treasury. Bavaria, who perhaps had been damaged the most by Germany, received sizable chunks of land around Silesia and Saxony. As for France itself, it was not interested in claiming too much more land and risking a German threat in their own borders. They took a few provinces near Mainz, but decided to weaken Germany through other methods. A Dutch puppet state was established in the Netherlands, one loyal to France but ultimately autonomous in its own domestic affairs. The creation of this new state weakened Germany's power in the region and placed a potentially hostile nation right near its capital. The Dutch, however, were not enemies of Germany, and indeed still viewed them in a favourable light for now. Either way, German power had been broken.

With these two belligerent powers humbled, the alliances of Europe also shifted. With the Valois bloc destroyed, nations started to look elsewhere. France leaned on Hispania, although there was talk in France that it was time the French went their own way as the two became the biggest rivals for world dominance. Poland and Lithuania, who had grown distant over the past century, found their relations rekindled as they fought side by side once again, and the alliance once between them was revived. Bavaria and Transdacia, two nations later freed from Hispanian rule, naturally drifted towards each other, forging an alliance to ward off the potential threats they shared. Germany, who had been left a shell of its former self, could only rely on the one nation that had sided with it, its bond with Scotland gaining new strength as the two struggled to make their place in the world.

As for Scandinavia, for a time they remained alone, isolated from the rest of Europe. However, the growing threat of Lithuania brought back an old friend. While Byzantium had been forced to face them during the French Succession War, the two had not fought a single battle against each other. Before that war, Scandinavia had been the only ally beside Hispania that Byzantium could depend on. Germany had abandoned them, after all. More importantly, both had an interest in containing Lithuania. An alliance could ensure Lithuania kept its focus eastwards.

Tyrone did not see a shift in relations, but a change at home. The entire island of Ireland now fell under their control, thanks to France. In celebration of their accomplishment, they announced the establishment of a new nation, one representing all the Irish people. But while they celebrated, Scotland sought a way to bounce back. With France protecting the new Ireland, they needed to look elsewhere. Norway remained isolated, and more importantly held onto the Shetlands. In a short war against a nation that had not been to war in who knows how long, Scotland took the Shetlands for their own and isolated Norway to Iceland.



Further to the east, both Lithuania and Byzantium sought new lands to conquer. The nations of Central Asia were disorganized and technologically backwards, making them an easy target. In a short war, Lithuania managed to capture most of Bukhara, reducing a nation that had once had four separate enclaves into just one. Persia, though, was a special target. It was the Greeks who struck first, securing the Caucuses and reaching the Caspian at last. Lithuania just swept in to pick up the pieces, taking what land they could and ending Persia's control of the Caspian.



As the Europeans dealt with their own matters, the great battle for China continued mostly unnoticed. Both Ming and Qing claimed the Mandate of Heaven, relying on their tributaries to assist them. Yet even as they fought for the ultimate mastery of China, both Dai Viet and Delhi nibbled away at them. During one such war between Qing and Ming, both Delhi and Dai Viet attempted to take land from Ming. While Qing succeeded in conquering Ming's enclaves in the east, only due to Ming fighting multiple enemies, Delhi and Dai Viet found themselves fended off and lost small bits of land. Ming might have been surrounded by potential enemies, but they had the manpower of China behind them and had successfully adopted western technology. Yet Qing also demanded respect. They had refused so far to accept the strength of the West, yet that had not stopped them from conquering Korea from the strongest nation in Europe. Both would not stop until only one remained as the only true China, but they would have to be careful as they had stirred the Hispanian beast who now waited patiently in their enclaves bordering the region.



The borders of Southeast Asia remained mostly unchanged over the years as they recovered from the volcanic eruption in 1821. Hispania had gained colonies in the Philippines, as well as exchanged their land in Australia for land in La Plata. Indonesia had calmed for now, a stronghold of Hispania within Asia, second only to India.



Perhaps Hispania's strongest presence though remained in Africa. In that continent, their presence had only expanded. The addition of the small Scandinavian colonies had secured even more of the coastline. That was not to mention the greater rights those in North Africa were given as they were granted the right to vote. It stood in opposition to the great tragedy of slavery, something that continued despite Hispania's dominance of Africa. While Hispania had outlawed slavery, the trade continued on, either through the tiny French colonies or Kongo.



The New World had remained relatively unscathed by war over the years, experiencing mostly peaceful expansion. The UKA, who had dropped the United in their name for simplicity, had filled the lands up to the border of French Louisiana as colonists spread westwards, eventually settling in the cold northern prairies as the only possible path left. The French, likewise, pressed further north until they met the Scandinavians. A minor border clash had occurred at one point, leaving French Columbia cut off from the sea, although neither Hispania nor Scandinavia admitted to being the culprit. Hispania's colonies had grown slowly here as competition grew. And far to the northeast, Norway made its first bit of expansion in centuries, laying claim to the lands of Greenland that had been ignored by colonial powers up until now.



It was in South America, though, where the Hispanian colonies truly shined. With French La Plata gone, Hispanian dominance of the continent was nearly complete. Only Argentina and the tiny Scottish colony remained. Nuevo Leon during the past decade indulged in a massive colonization effort, one intent on claiming as much free land as possible to deny Scotland or Argentine the possibility of expansion. Only Argentina attempted to resist, but they managed only to grab a small portion of the land available. The remaining colonial nations were free to expand unimpeded. They all pressed into the interior, with Sanchonia committed the most to its colonization efforts as it nearly doubled its land.



The world had changed over the years as the balance of power righted itself. The old alliance blocs were gone for the most part, and with them the potential for renewed peace. Too many enemies had been made and not enough friends. Despite the troubles that Hispania had faced, it still stood at the top of the world. It's military was unmatched, and it had a head start when it came to industrialization. Only France could compete, as usual, but they always seemed destined to be second place. Lithuania, though, was proving a rising star. The decades spent focused on their eastern expansion had created a strong nation, one whose power base was far from the other capitals of Europe but nevertheless a major threat. Byzantium remained strong, having been bolstered over the centuries by Hispania. Scandinavia, despite its earlier loss, still remained strong and maintained a significant colonial empire. The UKA, despite its distance from Europe, could not be ignored as a growing power for long. Germany had fallen far, but had big dreams of its return to prominence. As for Poland, their victories had given them a big boost, but some would consider that hollow. Their successes had mostly been the result of Lithuanian might and hid the true weakness beneath. It was said that Bavaria, now freed of its Hispanian shackles, was set to rise up in the world and surpass even its German counterpart. Transdacia, likewise, waited in the wings for its 15 minutes of fame. Yet even farther away, the nations of Asia squabbled with each other, but perhaps one day they would look to Europe and dispute their dominance. The Chinese had already fought back once, but who could say that was the end of it.



The world was changing, power shifting from one nation to another. The old ways had fallen aside, relics of another era. Now a new age had begun, one that would truly test humanity. As to who would claim dominance of the world or fall into irrelevancy, that was yet to be seen. The future is wide open.

 
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((This iAAR is officially opened. Feel free to start posting characters. I will allow a week for players to create characters and for new players to join. This period will end on next Sunday at 12PM PST, upon which the next stage of this iAAR will begin. I shall explain what will occur once we near that time. I ask that all players refrain from posting IC until the character creation period is done. For those who created the political parties in the first half, please make official posts for them here so players can refer to them.))
 
Name: Victor Thenikos
Date of birth: February 29, 1808
Class: Upper Class
Religion: Catholic
House: Cortez
Party: Partido Reconquista

Bio: As the Count of Venice, Victor has both Aragonese ancestry and relatives in Byzantium. He is currently ninth in line to the Duchy of Athens, but has promised to refuse the Duchy should it somehow come to him. This is unlikely, as he has six cousins and a half-brother ahead of him. He has married a member of the current Byzantine royal house. Victor Thenikos showed strong potential in a short stunt in the military, but he had to leave after his father's early death left him the Count of Venice. Victor Thenikos carefully balances the democratic history of Venice with his strong devotion to the monarchy. Many suggested he join a party more democratic((read: anarcho-liberal)), but his support for pro-military policies and interventionism leave him in the Reconquista camp. His cousin-in-law currently serves as a rather young cardinal in the Catholic Church, being merely fifty-two((if this is acceptable)). Zoe Palaiologina, his wife, is considered a woman of remarkable capabilities. Her marriage to Victor Thenikos symbolized closer ties to the Byzantine Empire and a revival of fortune for the Thenikos family.
 
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Name: Victor Thenikos
Date of birth: February 29, 1808
Class: Upper Class
Religion: Catholic
House: Cortez
Party: Partido Reconquista

Bio: As the Count of Venice, Victor has both Aragonese ancestry and relatives in Byzantium. He is a great-great-great grandson of a Byzantine emperor, and has married a great-niece of the current Byzantine ruler. Victor De Thenikos showed strong potential in a short stunt in the military, but he had to leave after his father's early death left him the Count of Venice. Victor Thenikos carefully balances the democratic history of Venice with his strong devotion to the monarchy. Many suggested he join a party more democratic((read: anarcho-liberal)), but his support for pro-military policies and interventionism leave him in the Reconquista camp. His uncle-in-law currently serves as a rather young cardinal in the Catholic Church, being merely fifty-two((if this is acceptable)).

((Welcome to the iAAR. :) Having a relative as a cardinal in the Catholic Church is indeed acceptable, provided its not for a region with a cardinal already (so basically not Valencia). I might have to put a damper on the relations to the Byzantine Emperor though, mainly because I've been mapping the lineage of that family for this iAAR since the 16th Century, so everyone who should be related to them is already on that family tree. At least you've brought to light something I forgot to mention involving the royal families of Europe. I hope that issue doesn't ruin your character's background.))
 
((Okay, here are my characters. The first one is my primary character, and the other two are secondary characters that will be primarily used for IC purposes. I hope this is okay with you.))


387px-Ramon_Maria_Narvaez.jpg

Fernando Luis Alejandro de León, Gran Duque de Leon, Asturias, y Salamanca, Hon. Conde de Syracusa, Captain General in the Imperial Hispanian Army
Date of birth: 1762 (age 74)
Class: Aristocrat
Occupation: Captain General in the Imperial Hispanian Army
House: Cortz
Faction: Partido Reconquista (de factor party leader)
Religion: Church of Jesus Christ
Leader stats: Natural Born Leader / Au Fait
Bio: Fernando de Leon is the grandson of the decorated war hero and politician Alejandro de Leon. He graduated from the Imperial War Academy at the top of his class and rapidly rose through the ranks of the military. He became one of the youngest generals in the army as a young man. Besides his military training, Fernando is also highly educated, speaking all of the major European languages fluently. He is well versed in the latest Enlightenment topics in science and culture, though faith remains a large part of his life. He is also trained in political science and seeks to participate in the affairs of the government. Fernando is highly popular among the people of Leon for his down-to-earth and humble personality, which he hopes to use to unite the citizens of Hispania.

((Secondary Character for IC purposes only (will become primary if the above character dies)))
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Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León, Lieutenant General in the Imperial Hispanian Army
Date of birth: 25 October 1789 (age 47)
Class: Aristocrat
House: Cortz
Party: Partido Reconquista
Religion: Church of Jesus Christ
Leader Stats ((if primary)): Rising Star / Resolute
Bio: Carlos Maria was born on 25 October 1789 to his father, Fernando de Leon, and his beloved wife, Esperanza. He was born in the city of Leon, in his father's ancestral lands. When he was fifteen, he attended the University of Toledo, where he cultivated a love of political theory, theology, law, and the arts. As his father and grandfather before him, he learned how to speak many languages fluently, among them English, French, Italian, Greek, Latin, and German. As soon as he graduated, he was admitted to the Imperial War Academy, where he quickly distinguished himself as an expert soldier and was given a commission as an officer in the Hispanian Army, rising through the ranks and becoming a Lieutenant General.

Carlos Maria is a devout Christian, attending church as often as he can when not leading troops, writing mathematical and astronomical treatises, drawing maps, and writing his memoirs. He is an aspiring politician who seeks to serve Hispania in the best way that he can and is fiercely loyal to his superiors and the Throne, though the laws of Hispania and his duties to defend the nation come first.


((Secondary Character for IC purposes only (will become primary if the above two characters die)))
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Maria Luisa de Trastamara (nee León), Crown Princess of the Hispanian Empire

Date of Birth: 5 August 1792 (age 44)
Class: Aristocrat
House: N/A ((Cortz if primary character))
Party: N/A ((but is partial to the Reconquistadores due to her father and brother))
Religion: Church of Jesus Christ
Bio: Maria Luisa was born on 5 August 1792 to her father, Fernando de Leon, and his beloved wife, Esperanza. Like her older brother, she was born in Leon. From a young age she showed talent in many intellectual fields, and Fernando, unlike many other fathers of his time, encouraged her intellectual pursuits. By the time she was sixteen, she was an expert at the violin and the piano and could effectively debate with her father about the merits of Enlightenment ideas. She liked to paint and write and could speak in as many languages as her brother. In addition, she was also talented in horseback riding, firing guns, and using a sword, being able to defeat her brother in several (private) duels. From an early age she was betrothed to the heir to the Hispanian throne, Prince Ferran de Trastamara, and as such her father arranged for her to be educated in the ways of the imperial court. They were married as soon as she came of age, and although she gave birth to two children, she retained her independence and strong will, which Ferran appreciates.


((Reconquista platform moved to separate post.))
 
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Name: Félix Villanova
Date of birth: March 13, 1796
Class: Aristocrat
Religion: Reformed
House: Cortz
Party: Facción Imperial

Bio: Félix Villanova was the Count of Provence until recently, having been elevated to Duke by the Regent Joan. His family background is a very interesting one, on his father's side he is descended from the Villanova family. This family is known for starting from very humble origins, a group of farmers who were given the opportunity to colonize the new world. In 1740, Field Marshal Fausto Villanova, Félix's grandfather was elevated to Count of Provence when the Burgundy-Ivrea-Orange family was wiped out. Fausto is one of the most controversial men in Hispanian history((to learn more read the Hispanian Civil War era in the EU4 section)). On his mother's side, he is distantly related to the Emperor, but would never dare to push a barely valid claim decades after the fact. Félix is a rather scrawny man, with some cowardly tendencies, but is a very strong supporter of the Imperial Faction. Being born in Provence, Félix is fluent in both Hispanian and French, with French occasionally bleeding into his speech and mannerisms.

-------------------------------
((Not main character))
Name: Antione Villanova
Rank: Lieutenant General
Personality: Ballsy
Background: School of Firepower
Affiliation: Facción Imperial

Bio: Antione is the son of Duke Villanova and a rising star in the military. He desires to remove the stigma that the name of Villanova has within the military. Having been raised essentially through Field Marshal Fausto's writings and teachings, he is a very loyal man unlike his great-grandfather, and would never rise against his Emperor. He sees his ancestor as a tragic figure in history, one of the best generals ever, but at the same time a traitor who helped to nearly destroy Hispania.
 
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((Welcome to the iAAR. :) Having a relative as a cardinal in the Catholic Church is indeed acceptable, provided its not for a region with a cardinal already (so basically not Valencia). I might have to put a damper on the relations to the Byzantine Emperor though, mainly because I've been mapping the lineage of that family for this iAAR since the 16th Century, so everyone who should be related to them is already on that family tree. At least you've brought to light something I forgot to mention involving the royal families of Europe. I hope that issue doesn't ruin your character's background.))
((It doesn't ruin my character's background. Could he still marry a great-niece of the Byzantine Emperor? I wished only to include some amount of royal blood to make him worthy of such a marriage. Is it possible for him to be related to a ducal line, preferably in Naples, Sicily, or Athens? I will wait for a confirmation of the ducal line before updating it. His ducal line will obviously not make him an inheritor, just, say, ninth in line for it - close enough to marry a near-royal.))
 
((Okay, here are my characters. The first one is my primary character, and the other two are secondary characters that will be primarily used for IC purposes. I hope this is okay with you.))

387px-Ramon_Maria_Narvaez.jpg

Fernando Luis Alejandro de León, Gran Duque de Leon, Asturias, y Salamanca, Captain General in the Imperial Hispanian Army
Date of birth: 1762 (age 74)
Class: Aristocrat
Occupation: Captain General in the Imperial Hispanian Army
House: Cortz
Faction: Partido Reconquista (de factor party leader)
Religion: Church of Jesus Christ
Leader stats: Natural Born Leader / Au Fait
Bio: Fernando de Leon is the grandson of the decorated war hero and politician Alejandro de Leon. He graduated from the Imperial War Academy at the top of his class and rapidly rose through the ranks of the military. He is on track to becoming one of the youngest generals in the army. Besides his military training, Fernando is also highly educated, speaking all of the major European languages fluently. He is well versed in the latest Enlightenment topics in science and culture, though faith remains a large part of his life. He is also trained in political science and seeks to participate in the affairs of the government. Fernando is highly popular among the people of Leon for his down-to-earth and humble personality, which he hopes to use to unite the citizens of Hispania.

((Secondary Character for IC purposes only (will become primary if the above character dies)))
800px-CarlosAlvearcolor.jpg

Carlos Maria Emilio Agustín de León, Lieutenant General in the Imperial Hispanian Army
Date of birth: 25 October 1789 (age 47)
Class: Aristocrat
House: Cortz
Party: Partido Reconquista
Religion: Church of Jesus Christ
Leader Stats ((if primary)): Rising Star / Resolute
Bio: Carlos Maria was born on 25 October 1789 to his father, Fernando de Leon, and his beloved wife, Esperanza. He was born in the city of Leon, in his father's ancestral lands. When he was fifteen, he attended the University of Toledo, where he cultivated a love of political theory, theology, law, and the arts. As his father and grandfather before him, he learned how to speak many languages fluently, among them English, French, Italian, Greek, Latin, and German. As soon as he graduated, he was admitted to the Imperial War Academy, where he quickly distinguished himself as an expert soldier and was given a commission as an officer in the Hispanian Army, rising through the ranks and becoming a Lieutenant General.

Carlos Maria is a devout Christian, attending church as often as he can when not leading troops, writing mathematical and astronomical treatises, drawing maps, and writing his memoirs. He is an aspiring politician who seeks to serve Hispania in the best way that he can and is fiercely loyal to his superiors and the Throne, though the laws of Hispania and his duties to defend the nation come first.


((Secondary Character for IC purposes only (will become primary if the above two characters die)))
800px-Lefevre_Maria_Luigia.jpg


Maria Luisa de Trastamara (nee León), Crown Princess of the Hispanian Empire

Date of Birth: 5 August 1792 (age 44)
Class: Aristocrat
House: N/A ((Cortz if primary character))
Party: N/A ((but is partial to the Reconquistadores due to her father and brother))
Religion: Church of Jesus Christ
Bio: Maria Luisa was born on 5 August 1792 to her father, Fernando de Leon, and his beloved wife, Esperanza. Like her older brother, she was born in Leon. From a young age she showed talent in many intellectual fields, and Fernando, unlike many other fathers of his time, encouraged her intellectual pursuits. By the time she was sixteen, she was an expert at the violin and the piano and could effectively debate with her father about the merits of Enlightenment ideas. She liked to paint and write and could speak in as many languages as her brother. In addition, she was also talented in horseback riding, firing guns, and using a sword, being able to defeat her brother in several (private) duels. From an early age she was betrothed to the heir to the Hispanian throne, Prince Ferran de Trastamara, and as such her father arranged for her to be educated in the ways of the imperial court. They were married as soon as she came of age, and although she gave birth to two children, she retained her independence and strong will, which Ferran appreciates.


((Below is the platform for my political party, the Reconquista.))

PARTIDO RECONQUISTA (Reconquista Party)
___________________________​
Platform: Religious Pluralism/Tolerance, civilian interests, Enlightenment-inspired liberalism, royalism, pro-meritocracy, pro-military, pro-interventionism, etc.
((
In-game ideology: Liberal (will flip to socialist once enabled)

In-game issues: Free Trade / Interventionism / Pluralism / Full Citizenship / Pro-Military
))

Leader (de facto, as there has officially been no central leader since Alejandro de Leon's death, all executive power being shared among senior party officials): Fernando de Leon
Members:

The Reconquista was originally created by Duke Alejandro de Leon in response to the perceived corruption of the then-Prime Minister Bartomeu de Trastamara as a way to defend the common people against abuse by corrupted nobility. From the time of Bartomeu de Trastamara to the end of the Phoenix Wars the Reconquista existed in this form. Following the end of the Phoenix Wars and the victory of the Imperial side, which was aided by Reconquista agents who sabotaged Phoenix morale, Alejandro de Leon saw no further use in keeping the Reconquista as it was and increasingly began seeing is as a liability which could itself turn against him and the government. As a result, upon the reorganization of the Empire into a constitutional monarchy he officially ended the Reconquista as it had existed for the last several decades. The Reconquista's intelligence-gathering services and agents were placed under government oversight and made fully independent from the rest of the organization, which was reorganized into an early form of political party.

Over the years the Reconquista gained a strong following among left-leaning nobility. It frequently formed a coalition with the Imperial Faction, as their platforms and interests usually overlapped. However, in recent years, the Reconquista began expanding beyond its traditional base among the nobility and reaching out to the middle and lower classes while trying to retain its support among the nobility. Its goal is to foster common ground between the nobility and the common people for the benefit of all. While generally in support of Regent Joan, the Reconquista frequently urges the Regent to show moderation and common sense in his policies.

Its platform revolves around the following ideals: the upholding of the rights of the common people, the right to a comprehensive education for all citizens, citizenship to be extended to all free Christian men living in Hispania for a certain period of time, the establishment of a meritocratic civil service system within the government that allows the most talented Hispanians to advance in society regardless of birth, the promotion of religious tolerance, a strong support for the monarchy as an institution, the incorporation of Enlightenment concepts and ideas into the government, and an acceptance of all cultural minorities within the Empire as equal citizens under the Emperor. Any free Christian man living in the Empire is encouraged to become a Reconquistadore through an easy application process.

((It doesn't bother me if people provide bios for their non-active or secondary characters, just as long as it's clear they won't be voting with them. Thanks for including stats for your generals. I forgot to ask for both of them, and I see DragonOfAtlantis followed suit, so I'll go add them in to the game once I figure out how to do that. Also, if it's not too much to ask, can you post the Reconquista's platform separately? I think it'd be better for people trying to view it if they didn't have to scroll through three bios to see it. ;)))
 
((It doesn't ruin my character's background. Could he still marry a great-niece of the Byzantine Emperor? I wished only to include some amount of royal blood to make him worthy of such a marriage. Is it possible for him to be related to a ducal line, preferably in Naples, Sicily, or Athens? I will wait for a confirmation of the ducal line before updating it. His ducal line will obviously not make him an inheritor, just, say, ninth in line for it - close enough to marry a near-royal.))

((Well it's assumed that the only dukes in Hispania are players or Trastámaras. The only duke I know of in any of those three regions is our reigning Regent, Joan de Trastámara, who has lands in Naples. I know for a fact that Athens would have only just recently received a lord after being given to Byzantium, seeing as that was the Emperor's title before that. You could always arrange a marriage with a player's family, provided they agree to it. On the other hand I have no qualms with people marrying into foreign lines as long as they're not the reigning ones and it's clear they're not inheriting the title, so counts and dukes but no kings. You can just use a random Greek dynasty, say they're the dukes of some region of Byzantium, and then say you are married into the family. I have problem with that if you choose that as an option.

As for marrying a great-niece of the Basileus, he doesn't have any siblings and thus no great-nieces, and his granddaughters are far too young to marry yet. Are you just looking to marry a Palaiologoi? Seeing as I've been managing their family for centuries, I usually married off random members to players. If you want, I can check if I left any unmarried and you can have her as a bride? She wouldn't be from the main line, but she would be a member of the reigning dynasty. Either that or I stop being so lazy and make some new additions after ignoring it for 15 years. I make this sound like it's so official. A lot of us have been doing tons of maintenance on our own family trees. :p))
 
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St. James the Great, unofficial symbol of the Reconquista

PARTIDO RECONQUISTA (Reconquista Party)

___________________________​
Platform: Religious Pluralism/Tolerance, civilian interests, Enlightenment-inspired liberalism, royalism, pro-meritocracy, pro-military, free trade, pro-interventionism, etc.

Political position: Center-left

Leader (de facto, officially there has been no central leader since Alejandro de Leon's death, and all executive power is shared among senior party officials): Fernando de Leon

Relevant members: Fernando de Leon, Carlos Maria de Leon, Victor Thenikos, Alexander de Alvaro, Manuel Alejandro D'Garcia, Enrique Alejandro de Castellar y Villares, Bernardo de Alicante ((more to be added))

Party Newspaper: El Cid (unofficial)

Motto: Libertad, Igualdad, Fraternidad (unofficial)

Founded: 1760 (approximately; year actual political party formed)

Colors: Red and Yellow

((
In-game ideology: Liberal (will flip to socialist once enabled)

In-game issues: Free Trade / Interventionism / Pluralism / Full Citizenship / Pro-Military
))

The Reconquista was originally created by Duke Alejandro de Leon in response to the perceived corruption of the then-Prime Minister Bartomeu de Trastamara as a way to defend the common people against abuse by corrupted nobility. From the time of Bartomeu de Trastamara to the end of the Phoenix Wars the Reconquista existed in this form. Following the end of the Phoenix Wars and the victory of the Imperial side, which was aided by Reconquista agents who sabotaged Phoenix morale, Alejandro de Leon saw no further use in keeping the Reconquista as it was and increasingly began seeing is as a liability which could itself turn against him and the government. As a result, upon the reorganization of the Empire into a constitutional monarchy he officially ended the Reconquista as it had existed for the last several decades. The Reconquista's intelligence-gathering services and agents were placed under government oversight and made fully independent from the rest of the organization, which was reorganized into an early form of political party.

Over the years the Reconquista gained a strong following among left-leaning nobility. It frequently formed a coalition with the Imperial Faction, as their platforms and interests usually overlapped. However, in recent years, the Reconquista began expanding beyond its traditional base among the nobility and reaching out to the middle and lower classes while trying to retain its support among the nobility. Its goal is to foster common ground between the nobility and the common people for the benefit of all. While generally in support of Regent Joan, the Reconquista frequently urges the Regent to show moderation and common sense in his policies.

Its platform revolves around the following ideals: the upholding of the rights of the common people, the right to a comprehensive education for all citizens, citizenship to be extended to all free Christian men living in Hispania for a certain period of time, the establishment of a meritocratic civil service system within the government that allows the most talented Hispanians to advance in society regardless of birth, the promotion of religious tolerance, a strong support for the monarchy as an institution, the incorporation of Enlightenment concepts and ideas into the government, and an acceptance of all cultural minorities within the Empire as equal citizens under the Emperor. Any free Christian man living in the Empire is encouraged to become a Reconquistadore through an easy application process.
 
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((It doesn't bother me if people provide bios for their non-active or secondary characters, just as long as it's clear they won't be voting with them. Thanks for including stats for your generals. I forgot to ask for both of them, and I see DragonOfAtlantis followed suit, so I'll go add them in to the game once I figure out how to do that. Also, if it's not too much to ask, can you post the Reconquista's platform separately? I think it'd be better for people trying to view it if they didn't have to scroll through three bios to see it. ;)))
((Done.))