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100% subbed!
This AAR is very well written, the graphics are awesome, and I can't wait for more!
One question: will you be driving into Austria as well, or just trying to swallow up Ottoman and former Ottoman provinces?
This AAR is very well written, the graphics are awesome, and I can't wait for more!
One question: will you be driving into Austria as well, or just trying to swallow up Ottoman and former Ottoman provinces?
This is a great idea, put yourself right in the thick of things. It'll be interesting to see what role Macedonia plays in the Austro-Turkish flashpoints
I really like this concept, and its execution! I hope there's a Chapter 2 on the way soon.
Subbed! And not only because of certain fondness I have for Divergences (who would guess? 
) but also because chapter one is a masterpiece. I hope to see a chapter 2. (and 3,4,5 when we are at it ).
) but also because chapter one is a masterpiece. I hope to see a chapter 2. (and 3,4,5 when we are at it ).
Seems like the author might have lost interest after that very good introduction he gave us, yes
It will be slow because of the requirements of being a final year Architecture student, but this AAR is not dead
Not dead? Thats nice because this looks like it could be very interesting, I will stay tuned.
Be sure to check the first page for updated Macedonian statistics in the infobox!
The gates of Topkapi Palace, residence of the Ottoman sultan.
The War of Independence was very close to its finish. The defeated Ottomans, realising the magnitude of Macedonia's triumph, invited a Macedonian delegation to Constantinople. To the Greeks, Constantinople was always known as The City, for she was the most magnificent city ever built. With the Macedonian army just a few kilometers away from the gates of Constantinople, the invitation for negotiations vis-a-vis the independence of Macedonia came as no surprise to the Macedonian general staff. What did surprise the delegation, however, was the degree of power that Rauf Pasha's revolutionaries had obtained during his revolt. The Macedonian delegation found itself negotiating not with the Sultan's representatives, but with those of Rauf Pasha.
The struggle for power between the powerless-but-popular sultan Abdülmecid I, who had succeeded to the throne just one year prior, and the powerful warlord Rauf Pasha, who was sultan in all but name, proved to be very helpful in the fulfilment of Macedonia's goals. The Macedonian delegation understood very well that as long as Macedonia remained at war with the Ottoman Empire, with troops stationed just outside its capital, and ready to invade at any moment, then neither Abdülmecid I nor Rauf Pasha's power was guaranteed. Peace must be signed as soon as possible, and Macedonia has the power to coerce the crumbling empire into submission.
The two most important signatures in the history of Macedonia.
Negotiations came to a close in April 1840, and 19 April was chosen as the official date on which the final document wherein the Ottoman Empire recognised Macedonia's independence would be signed. 19 April 1840 thus became Macedonia's Independence Day, and by royal decree is to be celebrated as a national holiday every year so long as Macedonia continues to exist. During negotiations, Macedonia managed to achieve all its major objectives; the new Macedonian kingdom was recognised as a sovereign nation with sovereignty not only over North, South and East Macedonia, but also Thessaly and Attica. This was a major negotiatory victory for Macedonia, as the possibility of a two-front war with the Ottoman Empire was thus eliminated.
Abdülmecid I was coerced into signing the document. Rauf Pasha's revolutionaries were enthusiastic about the peace. Macedonia was, to them, irrelevant. What mattered was salvaging what was left of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire. Moments after the signing ceremony was finished, Rauf Pasha made an official announcement; the Ottoman Empire was no more. The Sultan was deposed, and the Sublime Porte was born with Rauf Pasha as President. Revolution had gripped not only Macedonia, but even the Ottoman Empire itself.
The coronation ceremony of Constantine XII & III in Thessalonica.
Meanwhile, the news of the signing of peace and the diplomatic victories secured within the document spread quickly throughout the new nation. Greeks and Bulgars alike celebrated, as the Kingdom of Macedonia was officially recognised as a sovereign power by the nations of the world. Martin Fernando Alfonso, Príncep d'Aragó, was still nominally the King of Macedonia but he had not yet been coronated. Preparations were underway as early as 1838 for the coronation ceremony, and the most important hurdle that needed to be overcome was that of the venue for the coronation; three centuries of Ottoman control over Macedonia meant that Thessalonica lacked a cathedral fit for a European king.
A cathedral in the European stylings had to be designed specifically for the occasion. Finally, in early 1841, Martin Fernando Alfonso took the name Constantine XII & III (Constantine XII for the Greeks, and Constantine III for the Bulgars) and was crowned King of Romans, Tsar of Bulgars. Dignitaries from around Europe attended the ceremony. Spain, Hungary and Aragon in particular showed the most enthusiasm for good relations with Constantine XII & III's kingdom.
The Macedonian tricolour. Click to hear the anthem! (turn down your speakers!)
The coronation ceremony was followed by an official flag-raising ceremony outside of the cathedral. The Macedonian tricolour of three vertical stripes of blue, for the Greeks, white, for peace, and green, for the Bulgars, was hoisted to the sound of a traditional Macedonian bagpipe band playing the Macedonian national and royal anthem. The anthem, specifically composed for the occasion, was based on the traditional Macedonian bagpipe and was adopted, by royal decree, as the country's national anthem as well as the anthem of the house of Aragon-Macedonia.
Don't forget to turn down your speakers and listen to the Macedonian anthem by clicking the image above!
Click for larger.
The first six years of recognised independence were relatively unremarkable. The euphoria of the War of Independence was still in the air, but so where the promises of a liberalised state. The Army was reorganised to be professional, and was made up of 27 brigades divided among 3 armies. Meanwhile, the Navy -under direct orders from His Majesty- entered a re-organisation program. Recognising the importance of a Navy for the continued existence of Macedonia as a sovereign nation, large Men-o-War were ordered to form the backbone of the Royal Macedonian Navy.
The HMMS Nikolís Apostólis.
The first Man-o-War to enter service as His Macedonian Majesty's Ship (HMMS) was the HMMS Nikolís Apostólis. Named after the legendary Macedonian revolutionary admiral, who carried out a number of daring raids against the Ottoman Navy using smaller vessels in his revolutionary squadron, the Nikolís Apostólis was one of the most heavily-armed vessels in the Mediterranean. Macedonia, having ordered no less than 26 of these vessels, made it very clear that the Navy was to be more than a mere defence squadron, as it was in the War of Independence. Macedonia was aiming to become a major naval power.
Click for larger.
Statistics for Macedonia's largest cities in 1846.
The census carried out between 1844 and 1846 revealed some interesting statistics. Greeks were the undisputed majority in Macedonia, comprising 60.9% of the total population or approximately 2.2 million individuals out of a total population of 3,732,040. Bulgarians, although one of the two major nationalities in Macedonia, were found to be ranked third after the Turks, with 16.6% and 17.4% respectively. The census also revealed the presence of 156,746 (4.2%) Albanians and 37,320 (1%) individuals or "other" nationalities. In the major urban centers, Greeks were found to be a majority in half of them (50%) and a plurality in a further 30%, while Bulgars were a majority in the other 20%. In terms of actual population numbers, individuals living in the top 10 urban centers of Macedonia were found to be 57% Greek, 17% Bulgarian, 15% Turkish and 11% "other". The Greek element appears to be dominating Macedonia as early as 1846.
Of particular distress to His Majesty's Government is the drop in literacy, largely a result of the annexation of new territories. Literacy in 1836 is estimated to have been approximately 21%, whereas the census of 1844-1846 showed a nation-wide literacy of 15.8%; a major drop. The government is already attempting to correct this by placing emphasis on education as a priority on the national budget, and after the bureaucracy was reformed in the early years of independence, the government started to promote education. In the capital region of Thessalonica, literacy is estimated at around 24%, significantly higher than the rest of the country.
Click for larger.
While education remained a top priority in the first years of independence, industrialisation and the modernisation of the economy in general were also high on the government agenda. With help from His Majesty's Government, ambitious Macedonian industrialists were already beginning to found factories throughout the national domains, making use of Macedonia's abundance of timber and cotton. While Macedonia is certainly not a major industrial economy, the government's efforts have surely helped in bringing it one step closer to that goal. The government believes that Macedonia's large tobacco industry will also help significantly with providing a tobacco-hungry Europe with this commodity. Heavy industry is not, as of yet, on the national agenda, for Macedonia lacks the infrastructure, money and indeed technology for such an endeavour. By capitalising on the country's natural resources, the government hopes to aid Macedonia's industrialists in creating a solid industrial base on which heavy industry will later flourish.
Click for larger.
The foreign office was also kept busy during Macedonia's first years of independence. From across Europe, diplomats were welcomed to Macedonia. Hungary, a strong potential ally to the north, was particularly enthusiastic with Macedonia's independence and relations soon became excellent. An agreement for mutual defence was signed, and the Macedonian-Hungarian Alliance was born. Spain and Aragon were also friendly with Macedonia, and both opened up embassies in Thessalonica, as did Bohemia, Muscovy and the Safavid Empire. Macedonia's immediate neighbours were unimpressed with the rise of Macedonia as a sovereign nation with domains considerably larger than Macedonia proper, and the Sublime Porte in particular seemed to be openly hostile towards Macedonia.
Click for larger.
The War of Independence and the success of the negotiations in Constantinople brought great hopes to Macedonia, but also great expectations from its young monarch, Constantine XII & III. At the Conference of Nàpols, Aragon had promised Macedonia a constitutional monarch; not a tyrant. What different was it if Macedonia was ruled by a Turkish sultan or by an Aragonese absolute monarch? Six years had passed since undisputed independence, and in that timeframe no constitution had been adopted, no elections held and no parliament convened. The thought of revolution was fresh in Macedonia's mind, and the future of the absolute monarchy is unknown. Constantine XII & III was supposed to become Orthodox, but he remains Catholic over a majority-Orthodox nation.
Macedonia is free and independent, but do its people enjoy the freedom they were promised? With rumours of a new war with the Ottoman Empire, to settle the issue of the Aegean, the people of Macedonia rightly wonder if Constantine XII & III might have a new revolution in his hands unless his promises are kept...
@Belgiumruler - Thanks
I try@Derahan (no. 1) - Thanks a lot for the support! Maybe someday this can be in the AARlander, he he he
o@videonfan - Macedonia depends a lot on luck. I was lucky that the Ottoman rebellion killed more brigades than it normally does, and I was able to conquer Thessaly and Attica as well as the original wargoal of East Macedonia. I'm aiming at a Balkan empire more than going all the way to India, but there is no 'plan' really apart from unifying Greece under the Macedonian banner! You'll see as we go!
@Warlord Skorr - Well as you can see from this update, the people are already demanding change! Silly Macedonians, chut up and love your absolute monarch! :glare: I'm playing on A House Divided (on my mac), so there are no crises unfortunately!
@MondoPotato - Thanks a lot Mondo!
Your support means a lot to me, coming from the creator of an epic AAR! @hoi2geek - Well it is a shame you can't join
@Razgriz 2K9 - Thanks! :happy:
@King50000 - Thanks, I shall try! My university workload is very demanding, so this AAR will likely be a slow one! (letting all the awesomeness sink in
)@Remitonov - Go Team Macedonia! The Coat of Arms and flag were both designed by me for use in this AAR, based on other Coat of Arms from wikimedia commons (I am a bit of a pretty flag/coa design freak)
@Jape - Thanks :happy: I have been keeping track of your AAR as well on my limited free time!
@TJDS - Thank you! And thanks a lot for subbing :happy:
@The Colonel - Austria is very small in Divergences, so I will probably not be going all the way there. Gobbling up all of the OE's provinces in the Balkans sounds good :happy: Wouldn't say no to that! And thanks for subscribing!
@Estonianzulu - As above, Austria is relatively insignificant in Divergences, but it will surely create tension with other nations in the future! (cough Hungary cough)
@Selzro - Yay, a fellow Greek! :happy: Hope you enjoyed chapter 2!
@Athalcor - Thank you!
Divergences is indeed an epic mod. Hope you enjoyed chapter 2 as much as chapter 1!@blos10 - Thanks for being patient! Hope I have not let you down!
@Derahan (no. 2) - This AAR is back, baby!
@Viden - Thanks!
A new chapter - wunderbar! Three cheers for the free Kingdom of Makedonia!
Well, the new King does not seem to be very enlightened, since he left the Restorationists in charge.
I wanted to ask which version of V2 you are employing but you've already answered it - AHD. I am not surprised, though, since that's where I have left it...it's a shame I haven't managed to make it to HOD but 100% overhaul mods, especially when one does it on its own, are always pretty demanding. I have seen in the mod subforum that there is some version still living, though it seems that the group there keeps altering the setup more and more (which is exactly what I did not want). OTOH, it is good that the mod is being continued...who knows, maybe I will one day return to it with V3...
Anyway, back to your AAR - great stuff as in vol.1. I see that you have chosen the Greek path for Macedonia. AFAIK I have coded some core giving decisions in it - so GL with more expansion! (and down with the Turkish oppressors!)
Well, the new King does not seem to be very enlightened, since he left the Restorationists in charge
.I wanted to ask which version of V2 you are employing but you've already answered it - AHD. I am not surprised, though, since that's where I have left it...it's a shame I haven't managed to make it to HOD but 100% overhaul mods, especially when one does it on its own, are always pretty demanding. I have seen in the mod subforum that there is some version still living, though it seems that the group there keeps altering the setup more and more (which is exactly what I did not want). OTOH, it is good that the mod is being continued...who knows, maybe I will one day return to it with V3...
Anyway, back to your AAR - great stuff as in vol.1. I see that you have chosen the Greek path for Macedonia. AFAIK I have coded some core giving decisions in it - so GL with more expansion! (and down with the Turkish oppressors
!)
Oh how glad I am to see this back in action! I was afraid you were not going to resume this artfully crafted AAR.
Now that is something interesting I hadn't considered; the absolute monarchy might have been an attempt by the House of Aragon to cobble together a semblance of control over the Mediterranean Sea. So Macedonia's government is stuck between appeasing Aragon by not limiting the power of its monarch and the demands of it's people for the freedoms they fought to win from the Ottomans.
I am not too familiar with the geopolitical situation in Divergence. What nation are you hoping will be the one to sphere you?
I am not too familiar with the geopolitical situation in Divergence. What nation are you hoping will be the one to sphere you?
The Macedonian tricolour. Click to hear the anthem! (turn down your speakers!)
The coronation ceremony was followed by an official flag-raising ceremony outside of the cathedral. The Macedonian tricolour of three vertical stripes of blue, for the Greeks, white, for peace, and green, for the Bulgars, was hoisted to the sound of a traditional Macedonian bagpipe band playing the Macedonian national and royal anthem. The anthem, specifically composed for the occasion, was based on the traditional Macedonian bagpipe and was adopted, by royal decree, as the country's national anthem as well as the anthem of the house of Aragon-Macedonia.
((Don't forget to turn down your speakers and listen to the Macedonian anthem by clicking the image above!))
I think the music you used for the Macedonian anthem is the "Marcha del Antiguo de Reino de Galicia" (the old anthem of Galicia before "Os Pinos" was chosen)
[video=youtube;RlpSeNzsMCQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlpSeNzsMCQ[/video]
Nice update, though.
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Hurrah for the new kingdom! Expand to the rest of the Roman lands, then liberate our oppressed Bulgar brethren in the north, and march to The City and claim it!
I think the music you used for the Macedonian anthem is the "Marcha del Antiguo de Reino de Galicia" (the old anthem of Galicia before "Os Pinos" was chosen)
[video=youtube;RlpSeNzsMCQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlpSeNzsMCQ[/video]
Nice update, though.
Hah, well spotted
I expected no less from an SCJUer
I just got around to read the chapter and it was really amazing, really liked it. Can't complain on anything and I do like that you give us the option to click and enlarge the pictures, that is a very valuable feature! I would hope that you one day make it to the AARlander, but it is not for me to decide what the guys are writing about.
Keep up the good work! Cheers!
Keep up the good work! Cheers!