Chapter X
Following up on its success against Russia, the Albanian Army was expanded with a second corps-sized force raised in Eastern Africa, the ‘Army of Somalia’. Meanwhile, Persia (Tehran) was experiencing a fascist revolution. Since Albanian Persia now bordered Tehran Region, it was suggested that Albania intervene to reunite the country, under its management, but the eyes of the world watched on reproachfully, and the plan was never put to action.
Advances in warfare technology led the Albanian generals to propose the creation of an armoured unit, which could be used as a strategic reserve or an assault force to punch through enemy lines. The king’s imagination was captivated by that idea, and he authorized the creation of an entire specialized division in Asmara, the 7th Armoured Division ‘Armatus’, named after the ancient Dalmatian god of war.
The navy also petitioned for some modern ships, and the treasury begrudgingly allocated the funds for the purchase of two modern cruisers, to be delivered in 1926.
The 1920s saw a rapid industrialization of the Albanian Kingdom, with Asmara at its center. Although the kingdom had no hope of catching up with the big 8, its industrial score had shot up from 110 in 1917 to 300 in 1923 and to 533 in 1926. On May 31 of that year Somaliland was granted statehood.
But in July of that year, the world crawled to a halt. The UK declared war on the USA and its allies, claiming Alaska. The war lasted almost a full year, and the world’s attention was glued to it the whole time.
[Writer’s note: and every game day lasted 6-7 seconds because of the massive lag brought about by the UK’s 4408 active brigades, and the 600 or so of the allies…]
By September 1926, the political situation in Albania was reaching a boiling point. It had been hoped, by many elements of society, that the change of king would have brought about a turn to liberalism, but so far their hopes had been in vain. With the expansion of state rights to Albania’s African colonies, a necessity to appease the people for their many sacrifices during the last wars, the old ultra-conservative order of society was disintegrating and liberals were now in control of the upper house. Under these conditions, king Skanderbeg III decided to officiate what was already becoming standard practice, by agreeing to a proposal to legitimize public meetings. It was the first major political reform in the history of Albania, and would not be the last.
With the Albanian people (mostly the influential upper class) temporarily appeased, the king could afford to move against the Fascist government of Tehran, ordering all border divisions to overrun the undefended country. The Persian Legion was kept behind to guard Albanian Persia, but really out of fear that they might get any scary ideas into their heads by their compatriots.
That did not go down well with the Persian Legion. Regardless, the occupation proceeded smoothly, but in Asmara there was a significant Communist rebellion. As luck would have it, the experimental 7th Armoured Division was still undergoing training in that state, so it would now get a chance to complete its testing under real combat conditions. The results would prove most satisfactory.
In January 1927 the last remaining independent part of Persia was annexed by Albania, leaving the nation partitioned between the latter and Russia.
That move caused some international suspicion, and the king found his actions under greater scrutiny than ever. Western Europeans would scoff at the political backwardness of Albania, which remained one of the three last vestiges of absolute monarchy on the continent, along with the Russian and Ottoman Empires. Buckling under internal and external pressure, Skanderbeg agreed to instate an experimental voting system for the upper class, with the crown retaining a veto on any voting decisions.
After that, faced with pressure from the Persians, and especially the Persian Legion and its associated nobles, who had fought for Albania under promises of freedom, the king agreed to their demands, provided he remained as their head of state. Thus Persia was made a dominion, and the world’s opinion of Albania went up considerably.
The end result of all this political process was the transformation of Albania into a constitutional monarchy, albeit with the king retaining significant powers.
The first election was scheduled for August 1927 and the king hoped that the nobles and capitalists would show good judgment in their choice. In March, however, the political climate among them did not look promising.
On July 5, 1927 the war between the UK and the USA finally ended, with the former acquiring Alaska, and on August 12 of that same year Albania had its first elections.
And the Radical Faction won.
Disappointed at this immature outcome, the king ordered the Royal Faction to assume government. The Radical politicians were sent to visit the old Tirana Prison, with which their kind had become so acquainted. They knew the way and did not need to be given an escort, but the king insisted all the same.
Following that political experiment, Albanian industrial capacity experienced a new period of growth, while in 1928 the king decided to make a show of his power by ordering the army to invade Kalat, under a flimsy excuse. The invasion was short and completely effective, resulting in the expansion of the part of Albanian Persia under direct rule by May 30, 1928.
The voices of opposition remained silent for the rest of the year, and in December Albanian chemists managed to develop the country’s first chemical weapons. In another war technology project bearing fruit, the country’s first airplane squadrons became operational at that time, and the king authorized the creation of the Royal Albanian Air Force. Funds were allocated lavishly to equip two fighter/reconnaissance wings, one in Tirana and one in Kenya, which would also operate from bases in Persia. The first squadrons became operational in early 1929.
In late 1931 the country’s second elections were called, and the king kept close watch over the proceedings. This time the upper class behaved more reasonably (with some encouragement from the palace), and the correct party was elected.
The affairs of the state were conducted smoothly and in peace after that. In June 1933 Greece broke its anarchic seclusion by accepting an alliance with Albania, in July of that same year Albania began preparations for a world fair and in early August, just days before it was about to commence, a mysterious blue box was spotted in Janina, near the Albanian border.
There was no official consensus on what that was all about, but local sources mentioned a quirky man with a young female companion engaging in some highly implausible adventures. The case of the blue box was eventually filed away and forgotten.
In January 1935, Negele Region was granted statehood, while almost a year later Russia experienced a massive Communist revolution. After its defeat in the Russian-Albanian Wars it had secured the alliances of Austria and the UK, but the internal threat that it faced now could prove to be the old empire’s undoing.
At the end of the year 1935, Albania remains entrenched in its position as 10th most prominent nation in the world. Although never a great power, it managed to stand up to one and carve its own sphere of influence, consisting of allies and dominions.
It stands prominent in the Muslim World, with the king’s power only slightly limited and its people content. Influenced by no great power (after the relatively brief Italian period in the early century), it influences history.
Epilogue
Wars in which Albania participated, as an attacker (A) or defender (D):
Denmark (A)
30/3/1845 – 25/8/1846
Albanian West Indies gained
Russia (D) (With Ottoman Alliance)
1846 – 12/5/1848
Ottoman Empire cedes Kaf region to Russia
Makran (A)
8/6/1868 – 30/10/1868
Makran annexed (Kalat Region)
Sindh (A)
4/1871 – 13/12/1871
Sindh annexed (Karachi Region)
Egypt (A)
1875 – 26/7/1876
Asmara Region gained
Ethiopia (A)
13/9/1881 – 19/5/1882
Ethiopia annexed (Matamma Region)
Egypt (A)
26/7/1882 - 31/10/1883
Egyptian Negele and Werder Regions gained
Hedjaz (A)
8/1891 – 3/2/1892
Hedjaz annexed
Russia (D)
1/9/1901 – 8/10/1903
Abu Dhabi gained
Persia (A)
3/1/1904 – 13/11/1904
Lengeh and Kangan Regions gained
Russia (D) (With Italy)
9/10/1908 – 5/1/1910
White peace
Persia (A)
27/2/1911 – 23/9/1911
Shiraz Region gained
Russia (A)
28/2/1916 – 8/3/1917
Riyadh Region acquired
Russia (A)
24/3/1922 – 9/1/1924
Isfahan Region acquired, Kaf Region liberated
Persia (A)
11/10/1926 – 10/1/1927
Persia annexed (Tehran Region)
Kalat (A)
1/1928 – 30/5/1928
Kalat annexed
The World in 1936:
The Kingdom of Albania and its dominions in 1936: