Empire of the Mediterranean: An Interactive Hispania AAR

[Macke11]

Spoiler: The Plans of the Ministry of War 1848-50

1. To offer sufficient protection in the event of a French invasion or other aggressive military action on our mutual border, a corps shall be recruited and stationed in Barcelona.
(Raise a new corps of the usual composition in Barcelona.)

2. To increase the safety of Hispania’s Indian lands, but still keep the expansion at a modest level, one corps shall be recruited and stationed in Bombay.
(Raise a new corps of the usual composition in Bombay.)

Spoiler: To Cyprien Luc de Saint-Pierre

Fellow minister, I ask for your collaboration in my efforts to protect Hispania. I would like to ask you to use the powers that come with the Ministry of the Interior to expand the military fortifications of the Empire. It is primarily the border to our neighbours in France that I deem necessary to strengthen, due to their extensive military might. I whish not to complicate our coalition with the anti-military Fénix and thus refrain from a large expansion of our armed forces, but a line of forts can not be regarded a militaristic move, whilst it remains a valuable addition to our defences.

I also want to say that if you have any concerns regarding the cooperation between the Army and the Navy, I am certainly willing to listen.

~Sincerely, Bernardo de Alicante

((If there is a bad thing to being in a coalition with an anti-military party, it is that the Minister of War gets very little to do. @Michaelangelo, an assistant is mentioned in the duties of the Minister of War, but I assume that it is only relevant to appoint one at war since no one else has chosen one?))

 

[Michaelangelo]

((Can I ask to control an assembly member ?))

((I already did that for you when you created your new character. Seeing as I always want to ensure that all players can vote regardless of whether they are in Parliament or not, I ensure they always have at least one NPC representing them. Seeing as you weren't associated with any party, the single independent Assemblyman would be yours.))

Spoiler: The Plans of the Ministry of War 1848-50

1. To offer sufficient protection in the event of a French invasion or other aggressive military action on our mutual border, a corps shall be recruited and stationed in Barcelona.
(Raise a new corps of the usual composition in Barcelona.)

2. To increase the safety of Hispania’s Indian lands, but still keep the expansion at a modest level, one corps shall be recruited and stationed in Bombay.
(Raise a new corps of the usual composition in Bombay.)

Spoiler: To Cyprien Luc de Saint-Pierre

Fellow minister, I ask for your collaboration in my efforts to protect Hispania. I would like to ask you to use the powers that come with the Ministry of the Interior to expand the military fortifications of the Empire. It is primarily the border to our neighbours in France that I deem necessary to strengthen, due to their extensive military might. I whish not to complicate our coalition with the anti-military Fénix and thus refrain from a large expansion of our armed forces, but a line of forts can not be regarded a militaristic move, whilst it remains a valuable addition to our defences.

I also want to say that if you have any concerns regarding the cooperation between the Army and the Navy, I am certainly willing to listen.

~Sincerely, Bernardo de Alicante

((If there is a bad thing to being in a coalition with an anti-military party, it is that the Minister of War gets very little to do. @Michaelangelo, an assistant is mentioned in the duties of the Minister of War, but I assume that it is only relevant to appoint one at war since no one else has chosen one?))

((Oh, the assistant thing is basically a second-in-command. It's more for when the Minister of War may not be someone in the military. Leon was technically the other Field Marshal, so unless you plan on demoting him down to Captain General, I'll just keep him as one. Also, thank you for mentioning this, since it reminded me that you should have been promoted to Field Marshal the moment you became Minister of War. I've changed the list of generals to match that. I also see I missed adding alscon's non-active character to the list, although he is already in the game, so it's good I had to go edit that list.

I do have one question regarding your Minister of War plan. Last update I recruited a new army but never got around to assigning it anywhere. It is currently stationed in Rome. Would you prefer I keep it there, use it as one of the armies you want created, or station it somewhere else entirely?))

 

[Michaelangelo]

(I wish to start an investigation (A roll) to discover the members of the Novus Orbis members as well as to shoot it down))

((I apologize that I forgot this investigation. I'm almost a day late! I must be very scatter-brained lately, missing this and the 60% requirement for the appointed seat vote. If anyone notices that I missed anything like these again, feel free to point it out. There is always a lot that I have to account for and from time to time I miss something. I hope this doesn't ruin the image of infallibility as a GM and I get couped. ))

Despite how vocal the group can be, their numbers seem small for the moment or at least well-organized. Rooting them out has not proven easy, and likely won't be unless the government experiences a stroke of good luck. For now they remain elusive.

 

[Macke11]

((Oh, the assistant thing is basically a second-in-command. It's more for when the Minister of War may not be someone in the military. Leon was technically the other Field Marshal, so unless you plan on demoting him down to Captain General, I'll just keep him as one. Also, thank you for mentioning this, since it reminded me that you should have been promoted to Field Marshal the moment you became Minister of War. I've changed the list of generals to match that. I also see I missed adding alscon's non-active character to the list, although he is already in the game, so it's good I had to go edit that list.

I do have one question regarding your Minister of War plan. Last update I recruited a new army but never got around to assigning it anywhere. It is currently stationed in Rome. Would you prefer I keep it there, use it as one of the armies you want created, or station it somewhere else entirely?))

((I have no plans to replace Leon. And for that sake, I suspect it wouldn't be so wise to demote one's prime minister, particularly as one is part of his government.

I think it will be just fine to let the army stay in Rome for the time being and I still want the other two corps recruited and stationed at the locations I specified.))

 

[Lord Garmadon G Rulez]

A random assemblymen on the Cortz make the proposal

The act of Equality and Autonomy of Italians

1- Italian citizens on the Empire are to be considered equal to Hispanian citizens.

2- Italians will be protected from assimilation and "Hispanianization" with their cultural customs being protected.

3- The Italians will be protected from discrimination and will have their franchise protected.

4- A Representative of all Italia will be assigned to bring in problems and debate solutions about Italian problems.

5- Italians will be allowed to elect a local council of 100 members to administrate the region of Italy, they will be elected in a franchaise similar to Hispanian and only Italians can be elected. The task of the council is bring more autonomy to Italy by controlling Local resources and using of the economy of Italy itself to make improvements on the peninsula. The council can be dissolved at any moment by the Emperor of Hispania or the Representative of all Italia.

He also rises to speak in the assembly

"Dear assemblymen,

In a recent vote we abolished the appointment, but thanks for the institution of the parliament act, it was needed 60 per cent of the votes for it pass, since it didn't adquire the required votes I call for a restoration of the appointment or at least a re-vote of the abolition."

 

[Bioiron]

Spoiler: Letter to Bernardo de Alicante

I wanted you to know what I support your efforts to expand our military and that we are more than capable of affording to expand the military was quickly and to as large a size as you believe is reasonable.

((Also I continue to investigate the Italian separatists, with the investigation being lead by D'Garcia as soon as he joins in))

 

[ManuelD'Garkia]

((Continue the investigation))

 

[zenphoenix]

((Again, I will join this investigation.))

 

[hirahammad]

Four statements to the public from His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego in response to the Belvedere article, "A Hypocrite's opening statement"

On the Call for Violence Act

The Cardinal believed the act to be too vague and open to abuse, and he did not and does not trust the government with the powers which could be wrangled through misinterpretation of the act. After a Prime Minister was put in a position where he could be found dead, with a note on his body written by a young radical, by such an act, His Most Reverend Eminence has taken to decreasing his support of vague and powerful acts.

On Murderous Notes Pinned to Corpses

Calling for their murder is much worse than demonizing the left. Writings portraying political parties in negative lights are part of what we got when we removed press censorship. Saying someone is a very bad person, or ought not to be in power, is different from proclaiming, “I shall kill them all.” That is a major part of the theory of free speech. Criticism is legal; if that criticism comes in the form of metaphor, hyperbole, or satire, so be it. When Phoenix papers called the Fraternidad a Judas for compromising, they were not inciting murder. If, when you compare a political party with the man who betrayed Our Lord and Saviour, you are not doing something wrong, then, when you portray politicians as similar to demons, you are not doing something wrong.

There is a major difference, however, when, you prescribe death to a political party. Here, you add not a positive, metaphorical adjectives, but a normative statement advocating for murder. There aren’t laws specifically dealing with this, but Villahermosa is not being arrested for writing this note alone. What we must look at is context.

In and of itself, the note is not the point of the trial. It is corroboration proving illegal intent. Combine this illegal intent with the creation of means for this illegal action, we see the guilt of aiding the illegal action. This note in context goes against the spirit of laws prohibiting murder. And as we see in the Bible on the Pharisees, we ought to obey the spirit of the law over the letter.

On Forged Evidence

Doubting the evidence is without justification. We have seen no reason the handwriting is forged, nor the mason coerced. If you take this view, doubting everything, then why not doubt the Cardinal Diego is real? Maybe he is a puppet controlled by an evil man who lives under the sea? Maybe the Prime Minister Leon is actually a reincarnation of Dias? A reincarnation controlled by the Crown Prince of France? Maybe Bavaria is a large lake, no kingdom? Maybe there never was an Aragon?

Yet the rational people of Hispania know, Bavaria is a kingdom, though perhaps crippled by its constitution. Prime Minister Leon is his own man, as is His Most Reverend Eminence, and the Late Prime Minister Dias was murdered, his dead body found with a note written by the man who gave the murderer access to Dias, Villahermosa. There is an easy way to judge claims without descending into madness. Many philosophers and theologians have stated it over the years, including Scotus, Ockharman, Aristotle, and Saint Thomas Aquinas.To sum, it is that the simpler explanation is almost always correct.

Of course, the philosophical argument on pure reason is not the only one which shows the ignorance of doubting the evidence. As to the note, we have the matter of probability. Assume a random Carlos truly murdered Dias. To evade capture, he decides to place a note. After leaving no evidence at the crime scene, he decides to impersonate not a prominent Phoenix. Not a liberal. Not a common criminal. Rather, using months of practice, for that is what it would take, he impersonates an unknown student.

The mason is bought off; by who? Let’s suggest Carlos pays the mason to give his testimony. Not testimony such as, “I watched Villahermosa throw Dias’ body out the window, after which I gave him a hearty handshake and we went to the pub.” For surely, if you were paying, why not get the best? Instead, Carlos gets a testimony which warrants not a murder verdict. He only gets a testimony which would require corroboration, such as the note. Somehow, he knew, years earlier, that one radical student would become practically half the Faccion Fenix. Somehow he was prepared, years before Villahermosa ever ran for election, to frame him for the murder of Dias, a murder this Carlos would have been able to get away with even without this duplicity.

Is this more likely, or thus: A radical university student emboldened by his peers is part of a plan to kill the Prime Minister. They scrounge up their coins, and pay a mason to adjust a wall. Little does he know that meanwhile, the student has written a note to be placed on the body, “This will be the first of Many. Death to the Imperials and their allies!” Why write this? These are rash young men, driven to fury in their club meetings. They want to send a message. They wish to strike fear into Hispania. These were truly radical leftists; they believed Dias would be executed soon. The only reason for this attack, terror, would inspire this note. So the student writes this note. Someone, perhaps him, perhaps not, having been aided by the student, murders the Prime Minister. Simple. This scenario requires no years of premonition, no months of practice. No assumption of complexity in the face of simplicity. It only requires a small group of angry young men willing to kill, and only a day’s planning. Only what the evidence points to; only the facts.

On Political Motivations

The Cardinal does not dispute he was a political competitor to Villahermosa. He does not dispute he wishes to see a guilty man punished. He disputes any of this is important to justice and the truth. Whether Villahermosa aided and abetted the murder of the Late Prime Minister Dias is not being discussed solely on testimony from His Most Reverend Eminence. Logic and evidence; that is what the trial has. Already, others have agreed that a trial is necessary. The Cardinal will continue to hold he prosecutes out of a pious love of justice, and his opposition will continue to bleat he is politically motivated. Yet it is unimportant. Men cannot look into the hearts of men and find intentions; only God can do that. Verdicts are not set by prosecutors; only jurors do that.

Spoiler: Letter to Manuel d'Garcia

Dear Minister of Justice d'Garcia,

I believe that Faixon, a juror in Villahermosa's trial is unfairly biased. He has opposed me forever. Even now he proposes an eviction of the Church from government. Not only, but a long-running Phoenix newspaper has recently published a polemic against me. I am not absolutely certain Faixon is connected, but him being the head of the Phoenix party and the newspaper being the party paper, I am quite close to it. Thus, I ask that you please investigate links between La Belvedere and Faixon. Based on what you find, along with his political history, his long alliance with Villahermosa, his resentment towards Catholics, and his being the one who attempted to have Dias executed, I ask that, if you believe Faixon to be biased, you replace him. We both would not want a murderer to run free due to our hesitance to act.

Piously,
His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego
((Diego wants this ASAP, but I'm fine. ))

L'Alianza Cristiana

Est. 1848



Free Trade / Laissez Faire / Moralism / Limited Citizenship / Pro-Military

Big Tent Conservative

A Christian Hispania, A Powerful Monarchy, A Dynamic Industrial Class, An International Presence, A Fluid Trade System, A Paternal State​

His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego

and others

​

 

[Michaelangelo]

A random assemblymen on the Cortz make the proposal



He also rises to speak in the assembly

"Dear assemblymen,

In a recent vote we abolished the appointment, but thanks for the institution of the parliament act, it was needed 60 per cent of the votes for it pass, since it didn't adquire the required votes I call for a restoration of the appointment or at least a re-vote of the abolition."

((I probably should have made it more clear that the random Assemblyman would conveniently vote the way you want, not that you can control them directly. Mach did this before and proposed some radical law, which of course he couldn't be held accountable for since it technically wasn't his character. Now a player can only propose a law if they are a member of Parliament.))

L'Alianza Cristiana

Est. 1848



Free Trade / Laissez Faire / Moralism / Limited Citizenship / Pro-Military

Big Tent Conservative

A Christian Hispania, A Powerful Monarchy, A Dynamic Industrial Class, An International Presence, A Fluid Trade System, A Paternal State
His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego

and others
​

((I'll have to make a note to add this party in later. I just got my new computer and I'm going through the long process of installing everything. At the present I'm just trying to get Microsoft Office working so I can edit my spreadsheet. I'd get to the mod files after that to put in your party.))

 

[alscon]

A random assemblymen on the Cortz make the proposal



He also rises to speak in the assembly

"Dear assemblymen,

In a recent vote we abolished the appointment, but thanks for the institution of the parliament act, it was needed 60 per cent of the votes for it pass, since it didn't adquire the required votes I call for a restoration of the appointment or at least a re-vote of the abolition."

((I probably should have made it more clear that the random Assemblyman would conveniently vote the way you want, not that you can control them directly. Mach did this before and proposed some radical law, which of course he couldn't be held accountable for since it technically wasn't his character. Now a player can only propose a law if they are a member of Parliament.))

((While that means we can safely ignore the random assemblyman, I want to point out that the Italians are not oppressed slaves of the Hispanians, but already have the rights you wish to give them. As for the appointment, good riddance.


Also, as there has been no objection, Villahermosa has been excluded from the Partido Fénix.))

Once enough progress has been made in Scientific Methods, the Ministry of Education shall focus on further increasing quantity and quality of the fundamental goods of our industry: coal, iron, steel. ((Cheap Iron next)) Then research efforts shall be directed on improvements of the state. ((State & Government))

Should the new Minister of Trade ((@BelisariustheGreat )) feel overwhelmed by his new tasks, as former Minister of this ressort, I can only advise to keep the previous plan going. ((Just keep the plan if there's no new one.))

 

[Lord Garmadon G Rulez]

Four statements to the public from His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego in response to the Belvedere article, "A Hypocrite's opening statement"

Spoiler: Letter to Manuel d'Garcia

Dear Minister of Justice d'Garcia,

I believe that Faixon, a juror in Villahermosa's trial is unfairly biased. He has opposed me forever. Even now he proposes an eviction of the Church from government. Not only, but a long-running Phoenix newspaper has recently published a polemic against me. I am not absolutely certain Faixon is connected, but him being the head of the Phoenix party and the newspaper being the party paper, I am quite close to it. Thus, I ask that you please investigate links between La Belvedere and Faixon. Based on what you find, along with his political history, his long alliance with Villahermosa, his resentment towards Catholics, and his being the one who attempted to have Dias executed, I ask that, if you believe Faixon to be biased, you replace him. We both would not want a murderer to run free due to our hesitance to act.

Piously,
His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego
((Diego wants this ASAP, but I'm fine. ))

L'Alianza Cristiana

Est. 1848

View attachment 288427

Free Trade / Laissez Faire / Moralism / Limited Citizenship / Pro-Military

Big Tent Conservative

A Christian Hispania, A Powerful Monarchy, A Dynamic Industrial Class, An International Presence, A Fluid Trade System, A Paternal State​

His Most Reverend Eminence, Dominum Gregory Sanctae Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalem Diego

and others

​

((I was just about to Restore partido conservador Cristiano when you guys discover Cesare, well I will still do it since I oppose laissez faire. Can't you wait a little longer until I get a Cortz member ? We can't split conservative vote so much !))

 

[Lord Garmadon G Rulez]

((I probably should have made it more clear that the random Assemblyman would conveniently vote the way you want, not that you can control them directly. Mach did this before and proposed some radical law, which of course he couldn't be held accountable for since it technically wasn't his character. Now a player can only propose a law if they are a member of Parliament.))

((Was he still allowed to make the point on appointment ? Did the others hear ?))

 

[Bioiron]

Proportional Representation Act

Establishes an electoral system by which party seat distribution matches the voter share received by said parties as closely as possible.​

​

 

[Michaelangelo]

((While that means we can safely ignore the random assemblyman, I want to point out that the Italians are not oppressed slaves of the Hispanians, but already have the rights you wish to give them. As for the appointment, good riddance.


Also, as there has been no objection, Villahermosa has been excluded from the Partido Fénix.))

Once enough progress has been made in Scientific Methods, the Ministry of Education shall focus on further increasing quantity and quality of the fundamental goods of our industry: coal, iron, steel. ((Cheap Iron next)) Then research efforts shall be directed on improvements of the state. ((State & Government))

Should the new Minister of Trade ((@BelisariustheGreat )) feel overwhelmed by his new tasks, as former Minister of this ressort, I can only advise to keep the previous plan going. ((Just keep the plan if there's no new one.))

((I'm just leaving this as a note to add these in. For some reason, either my new computer or Windows 10 does not like my spreadsheet, and I have been unable to open it in Excel. Makes it quite frustrating since I can't adjust player stuff or keep track of any laws, plans, etc. ))

((I was just about to Restore partido conservador Cristiano when you guys discover Cesare, well I will still do it since I oppose laissez faire. Can't you wait a little longer until I get a Cortz member ? We can't split conservative vote so much !))

((Keep in mind the only way to get a member in the Cortz is for at least one player from that party to be in the Cortz. If there isn't any, that party will only ever exist in the Assembly.))

((Was he still allowed to make the point on appointment ? Did the others hear ?))

((You can only dictate the vote of the NPC voting for you. You can't control any of his actions. The point of that is if you want to participate in politics, you have to sit in Parliament yourself.))

 

[Bioiron]

((Paging @DragonOfAtlantis on getting the Act for a Fairer Parliament and the Act for Voter Privacy to go to the assembly only.))

 

[Macke11]

Spoiler: To Manuel Medrano

I am thankful of your support, but the economics is not my reason to limited actions. What I am more concerned about is our cooperation with the Fenix, which I find could be complicated by such efforts, due to their anti-military stance. Thus, unless you insist, I will keep my current plan the closest two years, so that I then can assess the situation and consider further expansion. I see this occur if for example tensions grow between us and another great power or if France's or Ming's militaries are built out.

~Sincerely, Bernardo de Alicante

 

[DragonOfAtlantis]

"I have decided that the Act of Voter Privacy and Expansion of the Assembly Act but not the Act for a Fairer Parliament are be voted on exclusively in the assembly."

 

[Lord Garmadon G Rulez]

((I'm curious, what is the difference of Jefferson method and propotional representation ?))

 

[zenphoenix]

"I have decided that the Act of Voter Privacy and Expansion of the Assembly Act but not the Act for a Fairer Parliament are be voted on exclusively in the assembly."

"I would like to understand your logic in having the Act for a Fairer Parliament voted on in both houses. I am not questioning your decision, but I would just like to understand why you arrived at it."