1858-1859 – Renewal
The Gran Coalicion government started the year off by ramping up its immigration campaign. Programs were instituted to encourage people to move to parts of Iberia and Egypt, where workers were needed in key industries. The arms industry was one of those industries, especially after the Ministry of Education helped created a new form of rifle, the breech-loaded ones, where the ammunition was loaded at the back. Other than this innovation though, the Ministry of Education seemed to be focusing on research projects and gathering sources for future ventures. The increased funding for education helped tremendously with this, with the amount given by the government nearly doubling after a year. Even with this raise in funding, money was still available to finish the final stages of the naval expansion.
On the topic of money, a bank in Tarfaya called the First Farmer’s Bank was gaining attention due to its connection to a Berber resistance movement. It was well known that the bank was using its funds to prevent non-Berber land purchases. Nevertheless, the government felt that shutting the bank down, especially since it had not supported any violent separatist groups, would garner unwanted attention. Nationalizing the bank was just as undesired, especially since it would be criticized as interfering in the economy. It was better to let them be and hope they saw the benefits of Hispanian rule.
Despite the incident of the First Farmer’s Bank, Hispania was quite quiet, enjoying a period of economic prosperity, growth, and intellectual enlightenment. ((AKA almost nothing happened and this update is going to be super boring… well, except for the very end.
))
While Hispania wallowed in domestic bliss, other parts of the world were wracked with war or financial ruin. After Louisiana succumbed to bankruptcy, Terre Australe was the next French colony to follow. The entire French colonial empire was struggling to remain solvent as the colonies went bankrupt and the French sank further into debt. An agreement in the works between Hispania and France promised to help the French escape this pit, but it seemed too late for their colonies.
Poland-Lithuania, as expected, declared war on Bukhara early in 1858. Despite being caught preparing the attack, the Commonwealth had no need to fear failure. In under three months, they crushed the tiny Central Asian state and secured Turkmenia from them.
Eastern Europe proved the source of many conflicts yet again. Transdacia at first sought Hispania’s aid to alleviate its troubles, willing to restore the old alliance to ensure peace. Hispania, however, was not interested. An alliance with Transdacia might bring it into conflict with Byzantium. That was not a risk worth taking. Thus Transdacia, still struggling after its last defeat and with no strong ally to protect it, was attacked by Hungary again with the help of Byzantium. Just like last time, Hungary carved a piece out of them and didn’t bother to reclaim all their cores, making it clear they would be coming back for more later. At this rate, Transdacia would be reduced to its Wallachian territory in a decade or two.
Hispania’s attempt to expand its sphere continued to be a struggle. France was unwilling to back down in Mali. When attempts to discredit Hispania in Mali’s eyes failed, they convinced Mali to throw out any Hispanian advisors. Yet this did not deter Hispania. It was not until Hispania’s ambassadors were banned entirely that they had to take a step back and accept that gaining Mali was an uphill battle that may never be won. At least Hispania finally managed to repair relations with Scotland, while France had been reduced to merely cordial terms.
Persia proved another tough spot. Poland-Lithuania was also interested in seducing them away from Byzantium, and they recognized the threat Hispania posed. A few well-placed lies ruined Hispania’s friendly relations with Persia, and it took months of hard work to repair what was broken. It did not help that the Commonwealth was now eyeing up Hispania’s interests in Sibir. At least in Genoa, Hispania managed to make gains, establishing cordial relations. Hungary was a more difficult area, for Germany attempted to discredit Hispania.
At least when it came to Hispania’s own sphere, things were looking quite pleasant. Great efforts were made by both Malwa and Zazzau to repair relations after the disastrous conflicts that had existed with Hispania, and Hispania was only too willing to smooth things over. While Zazzau was still struggling with its situation, all while being wooed by the French, Malwa was finally beginning to comprehend that accepting Hispanian hegemony meant peace and prosperity. While they certainly did not appreciate Hispania’s claim to India, they were willing to accept that it was better to be Hispania’s friend than its enemy.
Yet Hispania did not always treat its friends so kindly when its interests were at stake. Far in the frozen tundra of North America, Hispania and the United Kingdom of America competed over dominance of one of the few remaining unclaimed pieces of the continent. Each had established small settlements, but slowly a military buildup was occurring. It started with a guard post or two, but the numbers kept increasing every few months. What started as a dozen or two soldiers ended with over a hundred on each side. Neither was willing to back down or seek a compromise. To do so would be a sign of weakness for Hispania, while the UKA had no intention of surrendering its dominance of the North American continent to another. Hispania even delayed its plan to transfer Columbia to Nuevos Valencia to ensure it has all the resources available it needed to maintain a presence in the far north. Unless one power backed down and soon, it seemed a crisis would erupt, that is if Bengal didn’t steal the show yet again.
If there was to be a show, it would be missing a principal actor. Emperor Ferran VI’s health had been declining for some time, yet he always seemed to bounce back. In early 1858, the Emperor seemed in high spirits for once, as if a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders. His physical ailments still plagued him, but his gloomy demeaner had vanished. Despite this, he refused to end the regency, claiming that his physical health was still poor, and the difficulties of ruling would only harm his mental health as well. He spent most of the following year with his family, helping raise his many grandchildren.
For a time, all was well with the royal family, seemingly happy and healthy. Then one night in early 1859, the Emperor passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 68, and the nation went into mourning. The Prince-Regent, who had ruled the Empire on and off for several years during times of his father’s poor health or absences, was now to rule in his own right as Emperor Alfons X de Trastámara. The Emperor was dead, but the Empire went on. For now, that meant the prospects of another election. Hispania was set to go forth with a new emperor and potentially a new government.
((I would like to think I made it obvious that the Emperor was going to croak one day, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that he finally passed away. Now the reign of Alfons X begins. The Emperor is dead; long live the Emperor!
I’ve noticed that since about 1855, the game stopped giving us newspapers, so that’s why I haven’t been posting any. I’m not sure why it stopped making them, but we’ll have to do without until they start up again.
As for our usual business, ministers should submit their plans by
Saturday at 12PM PST. Players may also propose laws in that time period too. Keep in mind that you can no longer resubmit any laws presented in earlier sessions of this electoral term. Speaking of the election, the next one is starting up. Players may post campaign IC at any point to boost their chances during the election. Players should also figure out any parties or coalitions going into the election before the election vote starts.))
