Song of a Century- (Pt 3.Khitan Image-Heavy Megacampaign)

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Prelude Part 1: Guns, Drums and Steel

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The Greek Revolution, An unprecedented affair has rocked the foundations of Europe to its core. The Greek Monarchy having survived the revolution has fled into exile in faraway Brazil, but in Europe there has been negotiations, Wars and unrest. The once Proud Empire of Scandinavia has fallen to Liberal Revolt, In Britain the Military has seized power, executing the Monarchy and declaring a Lord Protectorship over the Island, with Monarchists retreating to Wales to mount a final last stand.

In what was once Francia stands the Khitan Empire, Both strengthened and eroded by the passage of time and the dawning of new ages. Its own Revolution has recently been crushed, and now it finds itself aligned with the Central European Empires of Italy and Bohemia against a Revolution that looks to be surrounding the Monarchies of Europe on all sides. House Caetye, the descendents of the great conqueror Xiao resides on the Throne of all Three Empires, but a Storm is Coming.

In the East, mighty Persia ruled by radicalism has also taken with fever of revolution and the Greeks now have a potential ally that would give any force on earth Pause.

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Europe was divided into two Great Alliances, the Hellenic League(In White names) and the Absolutists.(In Black names). With the Persian and Khitan Empires both technically neutral following recent events. Though all of the Great Powers in Europe are rivals, the threat of the Revolution has given the Italian and Bohemian Empires common cause. The Khitan Empire traditionally has been allowed to play the opportunist and side with the Greeks up until now for gains in Germany.

(Emperor Arthur of the Khitan Empire, 1821)
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The Khitan Empire, after a 13 Long Regency is led by the newly Coronated Emperor Arthur the first, Son of late Alexander III who died mysteriously on campaign against Revolutionary forces within the Empire itself. With almost a decade of preparation for the Throne Arthur is widely considered a Capable, yet medicore Emperor in most respects, especially considering the history of his bloodline. Still, a Young perspective is what many Generals expect may be needed to properly fight revolutionary sentiment in Europe.

Despite his inexperience Arthur's first moves were both landmarks in Khitan history. The First was the abolition of Slavery throughout the Empire, effectively diffusing the threat of Slave revolts in the Khitan held parts of the caribbean. The Second was the construction of the Kiel Canal, which would enable naval access into the Baltic so long as the Principality of Holstein was defended.

With the dangerous years of his regency now past, Arthur has made moves to once again enter talks with the Bohemian and Italian Empires on an alliance to reclaim Britain for the Absolutist Cause, and Defang the Greek Revolution before it grows out of hand.

(Emperor Wenceslaus II of Bohemia 1818)​

In Nearby Bohemia, Emperor Wenceslaus II, A distant Cousin and Kinsman of Arthur was the leader and organizer of the Absolutist Coalition against the Hellenic Republic. Known outside of Bohemia as Emperor Wilhelm of Bohemia, the Man was considered to be a capable military commander and had spent years on the field fighting the Greeks in the first continental war, finding only the Empire's lack of manpower and supplies to be his major obstacles on the field.

Since the first Defeat Bohemia under Willhelm has spent the last decade rebuilding and borrowing vast sums of Gold from the nearby neutral nation of Lithuania as well as the more friendly Khitan Empire to the West. In an effort to prevent revolutionary activity south of the Carpathians from breaking out, Nominal independence to the now Kingdom of Avaria was given in exchange for military and financial support. Now Bohemia stands prepared for a rematch with the Greek Republic, though none expect it to be easy, and all assets within the alliance will need to be up to par, including the Italians who have been a constant disappointment to the Empire.
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(King Fernando II)
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The Kingdom of Italy was in an odd place in Europe. In many senses the Revolution should have been an opportunity for the Empire, Its greatest Rival, Greece which has been sat on the Southern half of the Italian Peninsula for centuries was weakened and a diplomatic pariah and yet nothing turned up in its favour. The Greek Military only grew stronger and the Far more powerful Khitan Empire to the west had used the opportunity to seize several key territories in the alps and Southern Germany away from Italy.

Revolutionary sentiment then spread to America, losing Italy her invaluable colonies of La Plata and Columbia, both of which were essential to the Italian colonial based economy. All the While her armies continued to underperform in Europe and her influence while strong continued to lag further and further behind that of her supposed equal, the Bohemian Empire.

Urbanized and Wealthy Italy by all intensive purposes remained a relevant strategic target for her enemies due to her potential to field vast amounts of well equipped troops and for every inch of Italian Soil taken in the past wars, there has been a heavy amount of Italian Blood spilled. King Fernando, the eldest and most established monarch in Europe cannot however claim a single victory to his name, and continued years of a failure to produce even an heir have begun to show cracks in what was once considered a firm Absolutist Cornerstone. The Next few years would see Italy return to Grace, or Fall to the Greeks just as the Ostrogoths did to Justinian in centuries past.

(Consul Constantine Petrovic, Circa 1790)
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In Greece however the Attitude was optimistic. Victory after Victory had fallen into the Republic's Lap after centuries of being the equivalent to Europe's Lapdog. Bohemia, Italy Persia all had bent to knee thanks to the Genius of General turned Consul Constantine Petrovic. The bulk of these successes however came from the lessons learned against Tunisia and Persia during Petrovic's famous Egyptian Campaign

(Battle of Egypt, 1790)
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The Art of Modern Warfare, as many were calling it had been honed under the watch of some of the oldest buildings on Earth, Where the Combined Armies of Persia and Tunisia had arrayed themselves to fight the Greeks and Petrovic's modern artillery, cavalry and line infantry tactics held the line long enough for a secondary force to defeat the Lesser Persian Armies at Cairo and Damietta in Detail. The Result was the Persian and Arabic forces found themselves surrounded, thier supply lines cut and slowly but surely advantage fell to the well supplied Greek army.

The Veterans of that Campaign had put such tactics to use at Prague, Outside Rome, In Carpathia and later against the persians against at Bagdad. Petrovik's signature defeat in Detail stratagem allowed his less numerous and better equipped and trained armies to face off against traditional armies of Eurasia who expected large dramatic field battles well prepared in advance.

Consul Petrovic however was growing old and could not be everywhere. Using his own tactics Georgian rebels had declared independence in Caucasia, laying claim to the entire region, with local garrisons being unable to stop the rebels. In Egypt to prevent growing unrest a Client Republic of Alexandria was created to serve as a bulwark against Tunisia while Petrovic fought in Europe. For the Revolution to last the Republic needed to make good on its promises to ensure stable and effective leadership once the Great General had stepped down but as time was wearing on a replacement was looking less and less possible.

(Battle of Kars 1821)​

It would ultimately be the Greeks that would trigger the Second Great Continental War due to the Georgian Revolt. At Kars the Georgian Army would be encircled and annihilated by General Isaurios Alexios and his Army of the Pontic. Victorious General Alexios would march north into the Georgian Capital at Tbsili, forcing a Response from Emperor Wenceslaus II of Bohemia, who declared war under the premise of preserving the King of Georgia's independence. A similar declaration Followed from Italy, while the remainder of Europe including the Khitan Empire watched and waited.
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The Second Continental War was on.​

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Prelude Part 2: Shifting Sands

The Opening stage of the Second Continental War much as most would expect. A Greek attack on Georgia prompted a Response in the Balkans, Italy and In North Africa. The largest and most important Thrust would be the Avarian and Bohemian army south through Bulgaria towards Constantinople.

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The Heart of the Revolution and the Greek Capital was Athens, but Constantinople despite its effective status as a ruin between two revolutions and countless wars for control over the city in the past remained a strategic victory point for control over greece and the Balkans. Control of Constantinople and the area surrounding the city would allow any army the ability to sever the Black and Mediterranean seas, as well as hinder the ability for Greek Anatolia based forces to cross into Europe and instead force them into the Ukraine, a several month detour.

The Absolutist Coalition for sake of speed needed to find a crossing point in the Bulgarian, at Bilka there was a low lying road that allowed such a maneuver while allowing a bypass of the Greek Fortress at Varna. After Several days of forced march the Bohemians did manage a crossing into southern Bulgaria but the Greek army was not slow to respond, having taken positions on hills at Zachar. Rather than attack the well prepared Greek positions General Vladislav Brabec commander of the unified Avarian-Bohemian army marched hard eastwards towards the Greek city of Burgos. The Greeks rather than wait to be bypassed mobilized and gave chase eventually engaging the Bohemian army a days walk from the city.

Bohemian Artillery, having been deployed at the rear of the army was especially vulnerable to cavalry, However this did play into one of Bohemia's advantages on the field, her own Hussar divisions which as predicted intercepted greek outriders and cavalry divisions alike and defeated them as the army moved further east. When the Greek infantry itself arrived however the Bohemians were forced to stop and turn to meet the oncoming army.

For three Days fighting lasted in the Burgos suburbs. The Bohemians having kept their army together found themselves safe to being segmented bit by bit but such a strategy also meant further vulnerability to artillery which the greeks continued to use day and night to hound the invaders. At the end of the Third day the Greeks began an assault in earnest, taking heavy losses but managing to pierce the artillery battered bohemian center, routing the Army back through bulgaria where smaller greek divisions constantly harassed them back to the border.​

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In Southern Italy the Italians ironically found more success. The more traditional and religious greeks within the Peninsula believed far less in the republic and more in the old monarchy of sicily. A monarchy that had been desposed in favor of a serbian general turned emperor and then that had been deposed again into a chaotic anti religious mob. Being closer to a Zunist Holy city in Rome and isolated by the Adriatic once the Italians had defeated the Government garrisons at Napoli the Local populace made little effort to resist the Italians, until the Invasion of Sicily itself.

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At the straights of Messina the Greek and Italian Navies met. The Greeks who for the first time to claim to have the advantage in numbers used them to great effect, blocking the Italian crossing on three different occasions. The Italians however knew that Scandinavia and Great Britain's possible entry into the war would turn a Greek advantage into complete dominance returned a third time with several Granadan privateers.

Losses were heavy, With the Italians losing almost 30% of its Navy, mostly lighter ships but also several ships of the line. The Greeks who had focused less around heavy gunships and more on fast vessels for enforcing its mediterranean ambitions quickly found Italians and Granadan heavy ships to be too powerful to match properly and were forced to convert older and lighter ships into fireships. The end result would be a dramatic and unexpected draw as the Greeks fought tooth and nail to stop the landing and the Italian admiralty eventually disgusted with how many losses were being taken withdrew.

The Hellenic Republic having lost the majority of its navy as Messina quickly entered talks with the British and Scandinavian Republics for entry into the War. While the Italians had not won, they held a distinct advantage on the high seas, able to engage on their terms with their more powerful warships and force the Hellenic Navy into port. There was a problem though, Spain, and thus Gibraltar.

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Granada was the Dominant Power in Iberia and while not a great power by any stretch still controlled the majority of the peninsula. Formed from revolution during the Spanish Renaissance, Granada had displaced the once dominance Andalusian Sultanate for control over Southern Spain, and had seized control of Catalonia and at one point controlled everything but Galicia. In recent years however Granada had become somewhat of a backwater, behind technologically and in sharp decline economically in comparison to the colonial powers around it.

Gibraltar itself had been seized by the Mali Empire as austerity for Granada's third bankruptcy and the Kingdoms support towards the absolutist cause was only through Granada's economic dependence on the Kingdom of Italy. Thus making the Kingdom as a whole more subject to the whims of other powers than an independent State.

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In Contrast the Kingdom of Portugal was a power swiftly on the Rise. Enabled by access to the Atlantic and beneficial trade agreements with Great Britain, Scandinavia and the Khitan Empire the Kingdom of Portugal had something unique in Europe that enabled it to do things other nations simply were unable to do. The Kingdom of Portugal was Christian.

Founded by Christian Rebels after the dissolution of the Knights of Santiago the Kingdom of Portugal's formation was in a sense a continuation of the Old Holy Order. Despite the Catholic Church's collapse the Post Reformation Christians of Iberia and to some extent europe as a whole flocked to Portugal enabling a powerful refugee state with expertise from across Europe combined with the military might and discipline of the old Knights of Santiago. This had colored the Portuguese Attitude of Government and the Future in a Unique way unseen in Europe before.

Portugal and its government was secular, with a bill of rights and liberties ensuring freedom to its citizens despite cultural or religious affiliations. To maintain the States independences all citizens within however were expected to serve in the military or navy or otherwise contribute to the state. The King Himself was less of a King and more of a first among equals, elected for life among high level portuguese officials.

Through Portugal's Christian Technicality it also bypassed many merchanalism laws that forbid the sale of goods to other Zunist countries but exempt Non-Zunists to allow for Trade with China and India as well as natives. Portugal comfortably found itself as an economic middleman being not technically Zunist but still technically European, able to buy Colonial goods at advantage and use such advantage to fuel its early industrial economy.

The effect was a small but Modern state capable of sitting at the same table as even the mighty Hellenic Republic and Khitan Empire, so long as Portugal remained independent and safe of course.

Between portugal and Granada Iberia had a duality to it. Portugal naturally sided with the more progressive Hellenic Republic while Granada bound to italy was absolutist. Neither controlled The straight of Gibraltar however, that control lied in the hands of the Mali Empire.

Under pressure from the Italians to act before the Greeks, Granada invaded Gibraltar in combination with the Italian Navy. Doing so brought the Mali Empire in but secured the Strait of Gibraltar for the Absolutists. The Empire of Mali responded with a declaration of war on Granada and Italy but soon found the Bohemian Fleet had rebased to Algarve.

The next response most expected was a declaration on Granada from Portugal but that did not occur. Instead what happened was Luca II of Portugal instead entered talks with the Granadans in Navarra, presided by the Khitan Empire.

At the Congress at Bilbao Portugal officially left the Hellenic Alliance and instead aligned itself with the Khitan Empire. In exchange for Khitan military support, the Portuguese would be given the assured economic access they had exploited for so long within the Economic sphere of the Empire. The response from Athens was expectantly furious. Isolated in the Mediterranean, Consul Petrovik would once again have to rely on the strength of his own armies and unproven diplomacy with Scandinavia, Britain and a secret partner to prove itself worthy of the effort.
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Scandinavia, the Great Lion of the North had remained quiet for the last century. Having undergone its own revolution the Scandinavian Republic had mostly been concerned with the preservation of its own territory and an American Agenda. While Prussia and Viborg was lost to the Bohemians, America had been a massive success giving the Republic access to new American markets but at the cost of her alliances with Britain and Cathay.

Scandinavia however was still limited by her population and her climate and this had given the old Kingdom some pause after witnessing the devastation of Southern China at Khitan hands personally. Scandinavia simply did not have the manpower to waste and so the republic adopted this mentality from the old army mentality of quality over quantity. With news of the Defeat of the Bohemians in the South however the Republic had been stirred into a frenzy. Prussia and the lost territories called to Scandinavia to return and the Greek demands for Scandinavian entry into the war had only served to further force the Scandinavian Legislature to issue a declaration of war.

Scandinavian troops however could not reach bohemia directly, and so instead had to choose between marching through lithuania and thus bringing the lithuanians into the war, or attacking Bohemia by sea. For the moment however Scandinavia would wait and ready its armies at the lithuanian border while recalling her fleets. The Great Northern Republic was mobilizing but it would not be ready to fight just yet.

The British Commonwealth had issues all its own. Following its Military coup the once Empire of Great Britain had collapsed into Civil War between the Monarchists and the Republicans. The military having backed the Republican cause had managed to secure most of the Island but Wales still remained as a major Monarchist Holdout as well as several major fortresses and cities in scotland. What had prevented complete capitulation of the Monarchists was the divisions that had come into full effect within the Republican side of the war.

An Alliance with the Military was effectively a deal with the devil, The Republicans who wanted, as the name implies a republic soon found those wishes falling on deaf ears when the Military set up a Lord Protectorate instead in the interest of returning the Island to stability. While the civil war had not expanded, fighting in London had broken out between factions while the Monarchists in Wales started their own talks with the Irish and Khitan for support. Needless to say when the Greeks called for aid the British responded with a firm but polite, No.

But there was still another partner Consul Petrovic was prepared to call to battle. Revolutionary ideas had managed to spread out of Greece into Europe but they had also reached places as far away as America, and of course India, But what of Persia.

Persia in the aftermath of a failed war against Greece and the Indian Revolution found itself in crisis. The Shah had failed the people and economic collapse over the loss of India and a Khitan blockade of her colonies had cause unrest across the country. The Response of the Church however fearing what had occured in Greece was to denounce the Shah and place itself at the head of a new revolutionary front. In a Silent coup Church officials had seized the reigns of power throughout the Empire, and the Shah and his family were imprisoned and later, executed.​

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The New Radical Government of Iran was now more a theocracy than a Republic but by aligning itself with Republicans it had earned the denouncement of Bohemia and Italy. Bohemia however was weak and through Bohemia lied the True enemy, The Great Khitan Empire who held the Temple hostage in its capital, and whose actions had led to the collapse of Persia's golden age. There was only one true path.

The Mighty Lion of Iran had roared a new roar, Not one of Revolution, but one of Fanaticism, and Revenge.​

 

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Prelude Part 3: Fire and Blood

The Entry of Persia into the Second Continental War had swung the Balance of Power Dramatically. Persia was a power capable of rivaling Greece or the Khitan Empire by itself and had aligned itself with a Bloc that controlled half of Europe.

The Absolutist Response however came dangerously slow. The Army of Bohemia had been humiliated in Bulgaria and had been forced to retreat into Avaria, meanwhile The Adriatic Campaign had seized much of Slovenia but had still failed to push south into Illyria and Serbia. Worse still the Situation in North Africa was dramatically turning against the Lone Tunisians who found themselves alone against Alexandrian forces while the Mali consolidated war gains against the Granadans in Tangiers.

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The Mali Empire for much of its history had been one of the wealthiest and mysterious Kingdoms in the Western World. Isolated from Europe by the treacherous sahara and protected by Africa's hostile climate the Mali remained an ever present middleman of Colonialism by its dominant position in Africa. However in recent years the inherent advantage of the Mali had become a liability in the face of increasing technology and cultural advancements in Europe.

The Mali, wealthy and safe felt little need to modernize their military or even build a fleet thanks to favorable trade deals with Sweden, Great Britain and of course Mali's closest ally, the Kingdom of Ireland. Through the Sale of Slaves and other african commodities to Europeans the Mali had amassed great wealth, something that would be spent rarely on adventures north into morocco against the native maghreb peoples and Iberian colonies. With the decline of the Triangle Trade and the recent independence movements in America however the great African Empire had fallen into steep decline.

First came the Kong rebellion to the south followed by several disastrous wars with Tunisia. A respite had come however with Granada to the north's own decline allowing Mansa Kemo Say to seize gibraltar from the Spaniards, giving the Mali Empire once again crucial control over European Tradelines except this time in and out of the Mediterranean. With the reclamation of Gibraltar came opportunity, mainly from the Hellenic Republic. Consul Petrovik while an ideological enemy to one of the longest standing monarchies in the history of the world was a pragmatist first, Securing the West African Colonies of the Absolutists in addition to access to Mali's great gold reserves was simply too perfect to let slip away.

Mansa Buwa II would accept the Greek offer of an alliance and invade Western Tunisia with intent to seize much of the country wholesale. Though the Mali still found themselves economically and technologically backwards and were forced to ask for Greek military advisors to rapidly modernize, but progress was slow, and in the meantime African Generals were forced into using large numbers of foreign mercenaries or irregular infantry to swarm over Tunisian positions in Algers rather than the more modern Pretrovian tactics that had won the greeks such success in the North.

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Speaking of the North, The Entry of Persia had been ultimately the best incentive for the Scandinavians to invade south into Neutral Lithuania. This would be an act many neutral governments would not only find as unjust and unnecessary but also in clear violation to centuries of friendly relations between Scandinavia and the Baltic State in the years preceding the revolution.

Lithuania was, to put it simply, a Backwater, but a crucial one in Europe. Mostly Rural Lithuania served an important purpose for the Swedish Monarchy, a Buffer State against both Bohemia and Persia. Vast expanses of Russian Marshes and Baltic wilderness had ensured the safety of Sweden's largest city in Finland, the Great Port city of Nyen. Without Lithuania Persia would not be forced into the Finnish wilderness and prepared Scandinavian fortifications along the Vyg river and Bohemia could simply ignore the Scandinavian navy entirely and march straight up through the city into Finland. Thus Lithuania and Sweden had enjoyed a near permanent alliance and friendship, with the Later assisting in the Baltic conquest of the Western Rus and the Former providing Sweden an effective monopoly along the baltic coast.

The revolution in Scandinavia however had changed the dynamic and had forced the Kingdom of Lithuania into effective neutrality, as it was now surrounded by three Great Powers with no true friends. Isolated and alone King Dagas III of Lithuania had opened talks with the Khitan Empire for an alliance against Bohemia, the greatest threat to the Kingdom, even donating a meager contribution to the ongoing construction of the Kiel Canal. An Alliance however remained illusive, and with the Scandinavian invasion, a declaration of war was forced, putting the Armies of Lithuania against a former friends in brutal warfare along Lake Pskov as the Scandinavians continued to march south for Bohemia.

(Battle of the Riga Wilderness 1822)
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The Lithuanians however did not roll over to the Invading Scandinavian and Later Persian Armies. In the Wilderness just North of Riga the Army of Livonia made a stand against a force six times its number. For Thirty days the Scandinavians remained bogged down by horrible weather, and gruelling combat, Losses were high for the Scandinavians and victory came after a long campaign of encirclement and annihilation of the Lithuanian defenders to a man.

By the end, The Invasion of Lithuania which was planned to take little over six months and thus allow the entire summer campaign season for the Scandinavians to fight in Poland had been indefinitely delayed. Rather than a quick war Scandinavian armies were forced to fight for every major settlement and geographic landmark, and a long campaign meant costly occupations.

(Battle of Odessa 1822)
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Consul Petrovik's Pontic campaign however had little of the same setbacks. Over long and predictable flatlands the Joint action of the Greek and Persian armies had been quick, brutal and clean. Defeating the Bohemians at Odessa and later Kiev. By 1823 the Entire Eastern half of Bohemia had been effectively severed and Persian troops had begun to funnel north to assist the Scandinavians subdue lithuania.

Persian Numbers and Greek Tactics were winning the day against the Bohemian Empire, and quickly, and so long as the victories continued pressure on Illyria would remain light as more Czech troops would be recalled to defend the critical cities of Krakow and Warsaw.

The Greeks experienced such success in fact that the planned Campaign of the 1823 Fall and Winter of 1824 was effectively canceled in favor of recalling more troops to contain the Italians. Meanwhile further Persian reinforcements arrived at Consul Petrovik's staging area outside Kiev with plans for a great spring offensive in 1824 that would capture Krakow and thus bring an end to the war.

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The Pause however would be a Crucial Mistake. Emperor Arthur Caetye had been building support for Khitan Involvement in the Continental War for sometime and the invasion of Neutral Lithuania had convinced the Young Emperor that such an act was not only advisable but necessary. Not long past the New Year the Khitan Empire declared its intent to contain the Greco-Persian alliance and restore the European Balance of Power.

Consul Petrovik's Response was a declaration of war, and as the Spring snows broke, a rushed advance on Krakow to knock Bohemia out of the War as fast as possible.

(Battle of Krakow 1824)​

At Krakow, the Mistake had showed in full Force. Khitan Reinforcements had arrived enmass in Bohemia giving the Greeks thier first major defeat of the War, allowing the Absolutist Coalition to Match the Persians in Number, and Bring enough cannon to field to disrupt the Greek Tactics long enough for General Petrovik to lose his nerve, fearing a second Khitan or Bohemia army's arrival to spell the loss of his army.

Rather than retreat however Consul Petrovik instead chose to March south into Avaria to encircle the Italians. Meanwhile Emperor Arthur and Emperor Wenceslaus II fell into a disagreement over how to proceed with victory. The Rivalry that had dominated Europe was not one easily reversed and as quickly as the Khitan had come to save the Bohemian Monarchy, it had just as quickly marched its army North to save Lithuania from the Scandinavians.

Over a Year would pass, with predictable results, Cathay's move north forced a Scandinavian retreat from the Rural Kingdom of Lithuania, but an Invasion of Holstein from Scandinavia in hopes of destroying Khitan efforts at constructing the Kiel Canal. Meanwhile Persia had remobilized at Kiev and the Hellenic Republic had marched south to Meet the Italians in Bosnia.​

(Battle of Vrilo 1825)​

At Vrilo the Greek and Italian armies met in the largest engagement of the War yet and the Italians were unsurprisingly crushed, caught between a Local lake and the advancing Greek Army. The following months would see Italy's gains in the Adriatic evaporate overnight. Meanwhile Persia now had spent three years rebuilding and training a military capable of fighting the Khitan army in Poland, and Tunisia had all but surrendered freeing up further troops and generalship for use in the North. Despite some setbacks the Revolution was now slowed and the final conflict of the war was soon coming to a head.

The Question of course was where would Consul Petrovik focus his efforts next, The experts at the time were expecting Italy, and on the absolutist side preparations were being made to fortify the Pyrenees and make a Stand outside Venetia. This however was not the Great Consul's plan, there was something far bolder in mind.

Within the Heart of Bohemia laid the last surviving Great Medieval City. Ventralis(Antwerp) and Paris had been scarred by revolt, Constantinople was loyal to the revolution and Vienna, Rome and Milan had been sacked several times over. There still remained one city, still independent and a Symbol of the absolutist cause the world over.
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Petrovic would go to Prague.​

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Prelude Part 4: One Thousand Towers

While Consul Petrovic's Campaign was waged in the Adriatic the North African Front was reaching its Final Chapter. The City of Tunis, capital of the Kingdom of North Africa and Tunisia had been taken by General Lorenzo Stephanopoulos forcing the remaining Tunisian army to Lake Sciott Gerid while peace talks were begun.

In the North the Persians and Scandinavians unwilling to call it quits prepared to renew attacks Upon Riga to force the Khitan armies in Eastern Europe North and away from Prague. Meanwhile a campaign by Khitan reserve forces and some of the Bohemian Army was being undertaken to seize Jutland from Scandinavia and secure the Kiel Canal.

(Petrovik's March into Bohemia 1825)
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Petroviks plan was simple with layers of complexity, as was common for the Consul. Two Armies, would advance North through the Alpine foothills and North into Bohemia. The Westernmost army would attack in force at Vienna forcing Italian and Bohemian armies within the vicinity to believe that Petrovik's push was going to be for the Southern Danube crossings before an Italian Campaign. Meanwhile Petrovik's eastern army would cross the Danube in friendly territory and then march into Bohemia through Slovakia.

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At Vienna Petrovik's trusted second in Command, General Stelios Tassos laid siege to Vienna's powerful fortifications and intentionally undermanned his outriders so word would escape the city of his Arrival. Extra Tents, Campfires and Horses were provided to the army to make it appear far larger than it was.

The Response from Italy was to March North to Relieve Vienna, and for the Bohemian Army of Germany to march south into Bavaria with intent to march alongside the Northern Danube and relieve the city.

(Battle of Prague 1825)
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By the time the Bohemian Army command had received words of a far larger army crossing over the Slovakian Provincial Border it was too late, The Italians and the Army of Germany were both out to field and would be unable to relieve in time. Instead Reinforcements needed to arrive from Poland and Fast.

To prevent the city from being at risk the Bohemian Imperial Guard Regiments as well as several army divisions met Petrovik in Moravia in a fighting retreat to slow the Consul down. This tactic found some success even buying enough time for a Fully army from Poland to return though ultimately when Petrovik reached Prague and forced the Bohemians to choose between a siege and a field battle there was little option but to engage outside the city walls and attempt to save the capital.

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Victorious outside Prague, Consul Petrovik set the city aflame. The News of the Defeat and Destruction of Prague had devastated the Entire Absolutist Coalition and had Fractured it. Emperor Wenceslaus II prepared to sue for Peace with Petrovik while other members of the alliance quickly hurried troops out of Bohemia for fear of Encirclement, namely Khitan troops in Lithuania who left a winning series of battles in Riga.
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(Treaty of Pest 1826)
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The Hellenic Demands to Bohemia were Harsh but reasonable beyond many expectations. Bohemia itself would lose only the Crimea, Viborg and its control over Holstien and Avaria. The Crimean demands would be reconstructed as Client States of Greece and Persia. The True demands however were those of Bohemia's allies.

The Italians for a Start would be required to return Southern Greece to the Republic. The King of Italy would be forced to abdicate much of his power to an Elected Office based in Rome and several islands and other reparations would be paid to the Republic.

Tunisia Meanwhile would be completly split into spheres of Hellenic and Mali Influence, with the Southern side of the Pillars of Hercules ceded to Mali wholesale. Gibraltar would be given instead to the Hellenic Republic. Granada would also be forced to pay reparations.

Again Cathay, the Demands would be mostly Colonial in Nature. To pay the Scandinavians and Persians off Cathay's holdings in India, and Africa were demanded as part of the peace treaty. The Khitan Ambassador responded to the Demands by simply walking out of the Peace conference.

Bohemia, however with its capital taken and feeling alone against the Might of Persia and the Hellenic Republic agreed, forcing an Italian and Tunisian Surrender as well. The Granadan and Portuguese Delegations however also refused to sign anything and walked out.

While Consul Petrovik was happy with the demands gained, Effectively several Client states, Defacto Control over Italy and Eastern Europe the Persians and Scandinavians who received little gains of their own with the Khitan refusal placed Pressure for a continuation war against Cathay. Regardless the Second Continental War was over, The Hellenic Republic had found itself victorious again to the sounds of Cheering and celebration in Athens and Constantinople that would continue for almost a month.

Petrovik would stall for over a year on the promised continuation war claiming that the Army needed time to rebuild, resupply and reposition in Italy for a continuation war though ultimately Threats from the Persian Embassy of Persia's imminent departure from the Alliance would force the Consul's hand.

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Petrovik would Declare war on the Khitan Empire and cross the Alps in the winter of 1829. Moral was high throughout the Hellenic Republic and the Entire Republican League in General. The Hasty declaration would bring problems however.

The Kingdom of Granada and Portugal declared their own intent to side with the Khitan, as well as Occitania and Ireland. But the Greeks now had the armies of an effective puppet government in Italy alongside them, and Bohemia's neutrality.

But Arthur II had his own cards to play. The Khitan army was numerous, Well trained and Legendary the world over. It has the largest economic in the world and of course a vast colonial empire from which to pull additional manpower and treasure to fight off invasion. Further greek Troops had never before set food on Khitan Soil, and the Greatest Empire in the world was not about to go down without a fight.

Just as Quickly as the Second Continental War had ended, The Third one was about to Begin.


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Prelude Part 5: Man Moment Machine

The Third Continental War was a war that had to be won swiftly or simply not fought by most accounts. With Italy effectively a Greek Puppet the Recovery of Bohemia and the Tenous Hellenic-Persian Alliance time was of the essence. Either the Khitan Empire could be beaten now, while the time was perfect or they needed to be negotiated with. In an effort to Keep the Persians and Scandinavians loyal Petrovik had to re-enact his successes in Egypt, Iraq, Avaria and Bohemia.

The Crossing through the alps was bold and unexpected as Cathay expected any major attack to come from the Rhineland its most vulnerable border. Using the most advanced artillery the poorly manned garrisons on the alpine border fell one by one and soon the entirety of Helvetica was seized while orders were sent back to Italy for the Persians to attack over the Rhine and distract the Khitan army.

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The Khitan Empire however was not at peace nor did it expect peace in this time. Feeling the Front in Europe would simmer and stagnate Emperor Arthur had ordered the Army of Singapore and Army of Hong Kong to be redeployed to West Africa. They had finally arrived and through local alliances with the oppressed lesser African states, advanced North into the Mali Heartland. The Mali with much of its military still stuck in North Africa was caught completly off guard by the sudden attack. Similar efforts across Africa resulted in Scandinavia and Italy losing much of their colonies as well.

Such Success in Africa was of course little comfort once the invasion of Southern France was realized but it did give the Khitan Empire something it desperately needed in a world quickly turning against it, Leverage. There was one last major factor in Europe still up for Grabs and that Power had an abundant Colonial Empire that now was effectively going to be held Hostage by the Khitan.

(The Battle of Madurai)
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Consul Petrovik while affield could not truly react to such a situation and instead his allies took it upon themselves to try and correct this. The Persians and Scandinavians went for what was perceived to be the Artery of the Remaining Khitan Empire overseas, Ceylon. A Combined force would sail for Ceylon and put it to seige. Poor Weather however would delay the fleet, eventually word of its departure would prompt a response from the East Empire Company to mobilize its assets and the Imperial fleets in Southeast Asia to sail for Ceylon in a hasty defense. The Resulting Race ended when the Combined Persian and Scandinavian Fleet arrived first but found Ceylon fortified and prepared to resist Invasion.

Though some ground battles on the Island itself did occur and much to the Persian's favor the arrival of the East Asian Fleets and the Persian Defeats at Madurai and the Maldives had effectively left the Persian 4th Army stranded on Ceylon without supply while the Khitan were free to reinforce and attack at will.

(Victory at Burgundy, 1830)​

In Europe Consul Petrovik however was still finding victory after victory. Allied forces had successfully invaded and defeated the Iberians and Occitan near Toulouse and had thus taken the entire principality by storm while the majority of the Khitan army fought the Persians on the Rhine.

Petrovik himself won yet another key victory north of Burgoyne named 'The Battle at Burgundy' in which the Hellenic Troops defeated two Khitan armies through superior cavalry tactics and artillery positioning. The Battle however would be a warning of what was the come, as the Khitan armies on home soil refused to quit the field, and inflicted heavy losses on Petrovics own forces.

(General Kenzai Zheng, 1830)
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Following the Battle Emperor Arthur perhaps overreacting Fired the majority of the Generalship and handed off control of the Remaining Two Full strength Armies, the Army of Flanders and the Army of Paris to General Kenzai Zheng, whos career as a lesser officer and status as a Chinese citizen of the Empire had allowed him to evade much of the humiliation of his superiors while still earning success and renown in the American and Lithuanian campaigns.

Zheng's Stratagem however was not one that many would expect and would be deeply unpopular in the immediate. Zheng suggested to the Emperor to institute a law of conscription to refill the tanks of the Army of the Rhine and Army of Hanover. Further Zheng ordered the Dismantlement of the aging Channel Navy and the repurposing of its naval artillery to be used in fortifications in France and the Lowland fortresses.

The Emperor, reluctantly agreed and put forward the necessary orders despite the immediate uproar at both conscription and the destruction of one of the Empire's greatest defense assets. Zheng meanwhile took his two remaining armies and marched south to block Petrovic at Troyes.

(Battle of Troyes 1830)
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At Troyes General Zheng met consul Petrovik himself on the field for the first time, but rather than engage in a field battle instead had his troops dig into fortifications. Petrovik expecting a siege prepared for once accordingly and was utterly disappointed when Zheng instead quit the field and refused to do battle. Petrovik then expected a trap and instead of giving chase, took the city.

Zheng would continue to arrive in front of Petrovic's army for several times for well over a month preparing for battle and then dispersing into the northern Countryside unwilling to engage the Greek General on his terms and instead attacking his supply lines and outriders whenever possible. Soon Petrovik found himself slowly being blinded and forced to forage in Cathay for supplies. All the While of course Paris was being fortified.

The Great Chosen Savior of Cathay riding to meet him on the field, was what Petrovik expected and instead and instead he met Zheng, who continually stalled for time and superior knowledge of the field to inflict small cuts to the Greek army despite numerical superiority.

Battle however did come, As Petrovik's outriders thinned much of Zheng's actual army had marched from Paris south and west to Troyes and after nearly two months of stalling, Petrovik awoke to Find a Khitan army surrounding him on three sides.

There was little civility given, once battle had started, Petrovik trapped in a concave found his army being besieged by artillery on three sides and forced to either retreat or advance at what was likely to be an undermanned frontline in hopes of breaking it and scattering the entire Khitan army.

Petrovik chose the later, attacking down a lowland area towards Zheng's frontline, taking heavy losses from pre aimed artillery and entrenched troops. By the time the center line combat had begun Zheng had his cavalry break the remaining logistical core of the Greek army and retreat. What Petrovick ultimately assaulted was the Veteran core of Zheng's army who held while Zheng slowly peeled off layers of his army to safer ground behind the river at Troyes. By the time the battle had been over Petrovik had won a victory but had failed to engage enough of the Khitan army for it to matter at all. However his supplies were spent, losses were once again high and now he was trapped in foreign territory with little supply.

Meanwhile in the Rhine, the Persians continued to disappoint and in Hanover the Replenished army had managed to hold the Scandinavians at Strade, losing the Canal but managing to stop any advance south. What remained was the Iberian campaign which was bogged down in Navarra and Gascony against the Militaries of Ireland, Portugal and Granada.

With little options left Petrovik retreated back south and then east to reinforce with the Persians and Italians at Lorraine, When he arrived however he received terrible news, first of sweeping defeats in West Africa, and in the Indian Ocean but of the entry of the final great Power.

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Rather than Threaten Britain over his Colonies Emperor Arthur had approached the new Government of Britain with an offer, First and foremost would be the recognition of Legitimacy for the Commonwealth Government, A Colonial alliance in Southeast Asia and Africa and promises of support in the invasion of a foreign invasion of the British Isles. The British, enticed by the offer agreed and in the following weeks landed in Jutland and Holstein and with co-operation from the Khitan army of Hanover managed to encircle the Scandinavians outside Hamburg. With the Defeat of Scandinavia Bohemia revoked its promises of military access from the Treaty of Pest, effectively kicking Scandinavia out of the war as a fighting member.

Meanwhile in the East, the Georgians once again revolted and declared independence and the Indian Confederacy had invaded the Persians, drawing the attention of Greece's foremost ally swiftly away from Europe. In little over half a year the board had been shaken and now was tilting backwards. But the situation was still recoverable, A good Campaign in Cathay could still result in the capture of Antwerp and a Khitan surrender.

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Consul Petrovik falling ill and falling from his horse however was something that couldn't be planned around. The Illness of the Consul soon left authority in the hands of Co Consul Hector Illemas, a puppet in place until the War could be completed. Petrovik's worse fear his age catching up to him had become a reality, and the Country quickly began to struggle to find a replacement. In that Struggle General Zheng ruthless as ever put his new assets to the field running down the Greco-Persian Armies back across the Rhine while the Italians feeling the tide turning evacuated Iberia.

Bohemia's Entry Back into the War in the spring of 1831 would be the Final straw. As Consul Petrovic's health worsened, Hector Illemas had tried and failed to stop an imminent collapse of the Republican coalition. The Mali were sueing for Peace, the Persians had effectively put all attention on their Indian border and the Bohemians were back, and Angry. There was little choice for Illemas but to sue for peace and hope for the best before a Stalemate quickly became a losing war.

What would come would be an event that would Define a Century of Politics, The Council of London.​

 

[dragoon9105]

The World of 1836

The World of 1836 Looks much like the one left behind in 1821. Europe is Dominated by an assortment of Powers both great and small while America and Asia are colored with various powers and colonial territories. For those just joining us, likely the largest Eye catchers is the Massive Persian Empire, The Hellenic Republic and of course the Extent of the Khitan Empire's Colonies in Asia.

Starting in Northern Asia, Japan is the Major Power here and is in fact a Great Power. Due a strong Connection with the Europeans through diplomacy and Trade Japan and by proxy the rest of Europe have remained competitive. The Empire of Japan herself enjoys Control over the Korean Peninsula as well as parts of Manchuria and Northern China, having Colonies in Kamchatka and Alaska as well other regions in the Pacific.​

Culturally the largest Development has been the fall and continual push back against the Manchu Peoples in the North. Japan itself is facing a considerably demographic crisis between its significant minorities, Korean being the largest and its Japanese Majority still trapped on the Home Islands. Also Pictured is the Chinese Cultural Situation with Northern and Central Chinese cultures being relatively united while the Far more European Influences southern China is a bit of a mess.​

Southern Asia is dominated not by a single power but Three major contenders. In the East the Indian Confederation Stands independent from the Persian Empire once more and serves as a bulwark against the Powerful state and the rest of Asia. Between India and China is the Pegu Empire which has expanded to control almost half of the subcontinent as well as Southeast Asia. Tibet which serves as a valuable buffer state is a client state of the Pegu. The Last major power in Southern Asia if of course the Khitan Empire which holds control over Vietnam, Sri Lanka, The Malay Peninsula and Southern China. With Powerful and Rich Colonies surrounding the South China Sea the Khitan Empire has had a valuable ace to play in its economic development, something lacking for the other European Powers. Japan being an Ally of the Khitan Empire also controls the Philippines thus making the South China sea a Sino-Khitan lake.

Also Pictured are the Various Chinese successor states, the most significant of which are the Yan and Shun dynasties who both lay claim the Mandate of Heaven. The More successful of the Two, the Shun enjoys an alliance from Japan and Neutrality in most matters from the Khitan Empire while the Yan have been an enemy of Nippon for several decades over conflicting claims to the Liaodong and Qingdao Penninsulas​

Further south in the East Indies are the playground of the various other powers. Italy, Persia, and Britain all maintain outposts or extensive colonies in the Region as well as the Japanese and Khitan Empires. Some Native States as well still exist, primarily Ligor, Sunda and Kutai.​

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Moving across the Pacific to America we find a far more orderly setup than that of Asia with only a handful of powers existing with no clear order or balance of Power. Japan herself controls Alaska(not Pictured) but three native powers control the majority of territory here. The Kingdom of California and Kingdom of America are both constitutional Monarchies but are very different. California is primarily Japanese and Chinese Descended, Louisiana is a Republic and is primarily English while the Kingdom of American is primarily Khitan.

All three of these Powers practice Slavery, a hot political issue in the Americas due to its prevalence in the agrarian economies of the region. California having the least use for Slavery due to a healthy amount of immigration coming from Asia is likely to abolish it soon, while in the United States the Issue may be far more divisive due to Tobacco, Cotton and other Cash crop production.

The Final Power in North America and the Odd one out so to speak is the Scandinavian founded Republic of Canada. Weak and set far to the North Canada doesn't really serve much a role in the Balance of Power and for the most part owns fairly worthless territories. For the Expansionist United States or even Louisiana though the existence of a Power to the North is a liability that may not be abided for long.​

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To understand the Demographics of America however means to understand the Zunist Religion. In a Nutshell Zunism is a Forth Derivation of the Abrahamic Faiths, founded by the Khitan during thier march Westwards, it has aspects of Christianity, Judaism and Islam but also incorporates Nomadic Syncretism and thus with it includes Eastern Faiths such as Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Hinduism.

Over time the Religion, especially the European Version adapted to Include a broad tolerance of Paganism into itself. This makes the religion, frankly a complete mess, and it is, This has a double sided effect of making the religion very tolerant but also very disorganized and thus not nearly as influential as something like Catholicism.

How this relates to Demographics in America is simple, Zunism preaches tolerance and so Native Faiths are syncreticised into the great Whole rather than wiped out, and its peoples and customs are preserves. In America, The Iroquois, Navajo and Cherokee while having lost their independence have survived as well as hundreds of other faiths and peoples throughout the Americas. European Immigration however still threatens to bury the Native American legacy through demographics alone but the prospect of there being a far worse fate for the native peoples is not something lost on intellectuals who wonder, What if the Christians had dominated Europe instead of the Giver of Justice's Chosen religion.

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From that Aside we come to Central America which is divided into two states, the Empire of Mexico, primarily founded by Scandinavian and English settlers and the United States of Central America, a Khitan Successor with an interesting problem. An Invasion by Columbia has led to the loss of the Southern half of the Republic making it a primarily Maya and Navajo state with an almost insignificant Khitan minority in its urban regions. However the Khitan people are responsible for much of the Republics laws traditions and foreign policy, making the future of the Republic itself quite precarious indeed.

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The Caribbean not to be forgotten is where the last Bastion of the Khitan Colonial Empire remains, in the Cuban Puppet government as well as Trinidad. Otherwise the Republic of Haiti controls all of the Caribbean with a surprisingly numerous fleet, In fact Haiti's fleet is so great that is in fact the largest in the world, outnumbering the Khitan and British in sheer numbers, though much of these ships are light trading craft and not deticiated weapons of war.

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Moving Further South we Find the Republic of Columbia and the Colony of Venezuela. Columbia was originally an Italian Colony that over centuries had been grown and strengthened to preserve the Kingdom of Italy's Colonial American Empire. As Such Columbia is one of America's premier Empires but it is surrounded by Enemies on All sides. The Khitan Empire Holds the Valuable South American Coastline to its North, Brazil is a Monarchy and has conflicting claims over the Amazon Rainforest and of course the USCA will never negotiate with a power that stolen away its richest territories.

To the South, an Entirely different enemy waits in the Form of the Tahuantinsuyu or Incan Empire. The Most powerful Nation in South America the Inca dominate the Western Half of the Continent and have used the Gold Mines of their heartland to ensure their newly gained Independence. For the Moment the Irish Principality of La Plata and the Inca are enemies but when that conflict resolves it will likely do so to the detriment of Columbia.

Brazil, the last remaining nation of note in South America is Greek, and holds the rightful claim to the former Kingdom of Greece. Despite sitting the continental Wars out the Brazilian Monarchy retains its claims even with prospects of a return to the Throne growing ever more slim. Though the potential for a Second Empire in South America is still quite a possibility.

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Moving on we have Africa. In Africa more than anywhere else there is a plethora of Colonial and Native Powers still existing in Present. America was diverse in its colonial heritage but for the most part is self Governed. Africa however is in a completly different Situation.

For a Start we have the Various native african Nations. Mainly the Mali Empire, The Kongo, Mogadishu, Mutapa, Kong and Kano Empires. Most of these nations are far behind the Curve in terms of Europe with the Mali and Mogadishu having remained competitive.

Then we come to the Europeans, and its quite a spread as well with Bohemian, Scandinavian, Granadan, Irish and Italian Colonies all being Present with a healthy dose of Greek presence in the North via Puppets in Nubia and Alexandria. Persia also Maintains colonies on the Horn of Africa Proper making the entire Continent quite competitive, though Technology limitations and Africa's hostile Climate has left the lands for the most part undivided and unsettled by civilization. The Dark Continent as it is has remained dark but that could change in the future should sufficient reason to push inwards arise.

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The Middle east is about what you would expect it to be from the World Map. Persia, Mighty, and Strong. Persia straddles The Coasts of Eurasia like a Horse stretching from the Northern Urals to the Deserts of Arabia. The Persian Republic is Mighty, It is Large and it is a force to be reckoned with having turned much of the steppes into fertile grounds for settlement. However Persia is in a bad place Geographically. To Trade with Persia one must go around the Cape or use overland routes through one of her enemies.

The Khotan Empire, India, Greece, Georgia, Bohemia and now Lithuania all are enemies of the Persian Republic and have left her isolated and reliant on her own colonies and connections to survive. This dependence on the Sea was a Flaw exploited by the Khitan Empire in the past and remains a critical failing point of what otherwise would be a superpower.

What further serves to isolate Persia is its strange Fantatical Brand of Zunism. Following the Adapted Shia sect of Zunism, Persia is a fundamentalist State, rejecting many of the Syncretic Reforms that made the spread of the religion necessary in Europe. Though this was for good reason at least in Persia proper as the Hindu had continued to raid and attempt to conquer Zunist holy sites in Afghanistan for centuries and Nomads raiding her northern territories for centuries more. Zunism, pressured on both sides had to adapt in to survive and become a unifying force for the Empire. Now in a more connected and diplomatically inclined world however it has become a Liability and Persia looks set to suffer for it in the new age.​

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Demographically Persia while unified in Faith is divided in Culture. Arab Peoples still rule through most of the Middle East while significant Punjabi Populations exist along the Gulf Coastline. The Native Iranians for the most part are still with ancient Persian Borders with much of the increase settlement having been halted due to the settlement of the many steppe Peoples in the Northern Frontier.

With Elements of Liberalism and Nationalism starting to find thier way East Persia will soon find itself in a conflict of legacy. The Arab peoples once having a State of their own will seek independence, but the Persians as well were once part of that same State. To Embrace Pan Arabianism would be to abandon that which made the Empire Great however and of course anger the Punjabi as well as Afghans and steppe peoples that previously had been assimilated into the administration. On assault economically, diplomatically and culturally, something will come to a head for the Persian Republic eventually, if it can resolve its problems however, it could become the worlds first true superpower in the new age.​

Speaking of Superpowers, The Hellenic Republic is the result of a Successful revolution, but ultimately one that had outspent its fuel. Having Unified the Balkans and Levant under its Banner the Hellenic Republic in a short period of time had effectively rekindled the Phoenix that once was the Byzantine Empire under the power of Nationalism, Revolution and Republicanism. Such power however had come at a cost, The Hellenic Republic found itself alone and reliant on fairweather allies and many enemies.

However the Republic Stands, and She Stands tall and proud, a testament and example of the legitimacy of the Revolution and its ideals. Though Greece Still has challenges to overcome. The Lands of Greece proper are mountainous and not conducive to industrial Growth, and Anatolia is not much better. Further still a sharp divide between the Arabs of the Eastern half of the country and the Greeks and Slavs of the Western Half could threaten to rip the Republic in Two.

The Republic of Alexandria, a Hellenic puppet also remains a major source of contention as the Republican Senate is divided on the issue of integration. Integrating the Egyptians would only worsen the Demographic Situation for minimal economic and military gain, but would prevent the region from gaining independence in the future. It is also of course a Historical greek territory and the prestige of its final integration into the republic would be immense.

In this region as well is of course the Kingdom of Georgia, a shell of its former self but still alive and well. Georgia, representative of much of the Caucasian Peoples has been a source of major problems for the Hellenic Republic in the past, agitating rebellion and hindering efforts for the Republic to defend its crimean and Pontic holdings.

Though the Greeks remain optimistic, They have faced down much of the world and won, So long as the mistakes of the past are learned from and the Republic can continue to claim victory, it cant possibly lose, could it?.​

In Central Europe we find the Third Bohemian Empire and premier land Power of Europe. Bohemia has a long and storied history filled with success and failure, though has managed to survive it all and found itself stronger for it. Bohemia having formed a Dynastic Union with the Kingdom of Poland had managed to rise to power as the only true Eastern European power north of the Carpathians while the Russians and Lithuanians struggled with Steppe hordes and Greek interference.

Though Bohemia for much of their period was poor, that fortune is now about to Change. In the Crimea, Poland and Germany Bohemia sits atop immense mineral wealth of coal and Iron with desire to use it and a population capable of industrializing. While Greece and Persia may be the powers of the East Today, Bohemia is swiftly becoming the power of tomorrow, All she needs is time, stability and good leadership, though that could be said for all nations.

On the Same note, Lithuania and Avaria both exist in Eastern Europe as well, though with varying degrees of security. Avaria sits atop ancient Bohemian claims to the Northern Carpathians and only has limited use as a buffer between the Greek and Bohemian Empires. Lithuania Meanwhile is the opposite sitting between Three powerful Empires all unwilling to remove a Neutral Power that guarantees security from at least one direction. Lithuania, however has far different dreams.

With the Persian Empire's Demographic issues soon to come to a head the various East Slavic peoples of the Empire look to find a Leader, and Lithuania had asserted Claims to what could become a new State, A Russian State. Though Such claims are pure fantasy, the thought remains, If Lithuania could find just a moment, perhaps it could find its own greatness.​

Moving to the British Isles we Find Great Britain, Another Great Power, Great Britain is a Nation of many cultures but unified in cause. A Particularly messy revolution has left the British with a unique government in the world, an Autocracy serving as a defacto marriage between Republicanism and Monarchy in which a single appointed Ruler holds absolute power until resignation and the appointment of a new one.

While unproven in terms of Governance the reformation of the British Fleet and Military as well as industrial technologies coming across the channel into southern England from Cathay, the Future is bright for the Island. Though some are not content with simple success, The British Isles as they are called are not entirely, British, The Irish still have their own prosperous maritime state and the Monarchists cling to Wales like a shipwrecked sailor clings to driftwood. If the Isles could be Unified Britain could be more than just a secondary Power, she could once again sit at the table as one of the greatest powers in the world.

Though Scandinavia isnt really featured in this Shot, I figured it best the mention it Here since I'm apparently lacking a Picture. The Scandinavian Republic remains the premier and only power of Northern Europe. While once an Empire, Scandinavia is the only revolutionary power to retain a major hold on her Colonial holdings the world over. In this Scandinavia's place in Europe and the world is unique in that despite its liberal leanings there remains fervent support for the empire abroad to not only be maintained but strengthened for the success of the home country.

Scandinavia or course is rich in Iron and other valuable resources and so could find great success should she be able to properly industrialize, perhaps even taking the Torch of Democracy from the Greeks in the South and Spreading it through the north not through musket fire, but through the singing of her steel mills.​

Coming to spain we have a Tale of Two Nations. Portugal and Granada. One Liberal one Reactionary, one Rich and one Poor. As Mentioned earlier Portugal despite being smaller is the superior of the two Spanish nations in everything but name, despite the Granadans being stronger on paper. With the recent weakening of the Mali and Italian Empires however the Dynamic in Spain has changed. Radical ideas are spreading and perhaps rather than continuing to fight, Spain could be unified.

There of course is an obstacle to such a radical concept, The Kingdom of Navarra, supported and controlled by the Khitan Empire, Meaning that if either nation truly wishes to Form an Iberian Empire the Khitan must be dealt with eventually or reasoned with, and as the saying goes, You cannot Reason with a Tiger without something to offer it.​

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Which brings us to the Khitan Empire, the Kingdom of Aquitaine and the Duchy of Hanover and Duchy of the Rhineland as well as the Kingdom of Italy.

The Khitan Empire once upon a time owned all the lands pictured here under her medieval height but lost through through decades of civil war. Now after centuries of Reclamation the Khitan Empire has consolidated its old core territories along Northern France, the Rhine and Lowlands. While on a map the Empire would appear weak she is populous and Urban and rich. Italy is much the same story, being rich and urban despite a small size.

Recently however the Independence of the Kingdom of Aquitaine and the Invasion by the famous Petrovik has rendered the Khitan Empire cautious with its place as the Greatest Power in the World. Despite all its wealth and power, a few bad misplays on the diplomatic field of play could end the Empire within a campaigning season, and so work needs to be undertaken yet again to strengthen the Empire, and weaker her foes.

A Second Collapse is simply unacceptable if the Khitan People will expect to survive the coming century. Though the Industrial Revolution may just given them the fuel they need. The Rhineland holds many keys to power in the coming world, and the Khitan Emperors currently hold all the right ingredients to build a Superpower.

Here is the Cultural Map of Europe. As you can see, The Khitan People proper stretch from the English Channel along the Rhineland down into the Swiss alps. But The Empire is shared with the Dutch and Germans in the Eastern regions. Spain is divided in four by Castilian, Basque, Catalonian and Andalusian Peoples with small Minorities existing of Portuguese and Visigoths.

The Germans exist, without a True state to call their own in Central Europe having been divided between Italy, Bohemia and Cathay. In Eastern Europe however the Variety of cultures makes the region a tinderbox. There are many minorities hoping to seek independence or acceptance from Serbs and Croatians in the Balkans to Russians and Steppe peoples in Russia.

Though a major issue of contention is the massive Czech population in the Western Ukraine along the Carpathian mountains, bisected by Russians in the North and Avar peoples in the South. While Bohemia may be mineral rich she is a cultural time bomb if the Empire falls under the dangerous sway of Nationalism. Though much of Europe one could claim the very same thing, and One nations uppity minority may just be another nation's key to power in the form of Pan Nationalists, Only time will tell.​

The Balance of Power of Europe is set. The Concert of Europe is playing and the Victorian Era was, Finally, Ready to begin.​

 

[dragoon9105]

Chapter 1: Loose Foundations

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Coming out of the Continental Wars Europe for the first time had a properly defined Balance of Power. The Khitan and Persian Empires remained the most powerful nations and this was broadly recognized by all powers. Following the Persians was the Hegemonic Hellenic Republic which dominated the Mediterranean. The Kingdom of Italy however due to its vast wealth and central position in Europe had quickly reconstructed itself where the Bohemian Empire had begun to run into serious national issues regarding its ethnic minorities and military. Though these issues were not unique to Bohemia, the Bohemian Empire simply had a worst case scenario underneath the hood.

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The Khitan Empire was the Most Powerful Nation in the world and had strengths and issues all its own. When one speaks of ancient empires of antiquity the reference is often Rome, Persia, The Eastern Roman Empire, Golden Age Cathay and Ancient China, large Empires dominating an entire geographic Region in sheer size. This however was not Modern Cathay whos land borders in Europe stopped in Central France, The Alps and the Elbe River. In terms of Landmass Cathay was a mere shadow of itself, Demographically however a far different story was to be told.

The Core Region of Cathay held within it the highest population density in Europe, greater than even that of Northern Italy or Great Britain with almost 40 Million in the Capital Region alone, with competitive numbers in old Avalon, Northern France and along the Rhine River. With such high population density along the Major Rivers and Channel Coastline Cathay had been in an ideal position to rebuild its empire but rather than doing so in Europe did so Abroad pulling in vast amounts of resources from the Americas, Africa and Asia.

With the Recent Independence of what was now the Empire of North America and United States of Central America the Empire lost its largest captive trading partners and was wholly dependent on its Asian colonies for wealth. Demographically the Empire had a seperate but also equally pressing issue in that over the entire Empire as a whole, Native Born Khitan of the Core region were in fact a minority even with the Dutch peoples of the Lowlands being factored in as Khitan, meaning that any attempt to grant the Overseas colonies any degree of self rule or representation was simply not on the table. Similarly there was a substantial minority of Germans living on the fringes of the Empire even after the creation of the Principalities of Hanover and Frankfurt.

Geopolitically the Situation had become more Complex, The Continental Wars had resulted in the loss of Aquitaine as a buffer state and puppet with the Iberians in the South but also the loss of territories in the Alps to the Italians. With the revolution effectively given legitimacy through continued draws and successes against the Absolutists in Europe and the resulting Council of London the signs had become clear to Emperor Arthur and much of his inner circle that Ideology simply was not going to keep the Empire out of the sights of Foreign Powers anymore. The Italians and Bohemians had jumped at the opportunity to turn against Cathay at the peace table as they had done so, so many times before in the past. The Khitan Empire once again needed Reliable friends and allies it could actually count on to see it succeed rather than simply do all the work for none of the gains.

(Consul Theodosis Nepos 1836)
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In Greece there was a similar sentiment, Consul Hector Illemenas had stepped down following backlash from the treaty of London and an election had been called in 1835 for a new Regime. In the time since Petrovic's illness and his own resignation Hellenic Politics had rematerialized into two major Camps. The more Hawkish and military focused leaning National Republicans who for the most part believed in the style of leadership of the Petrovik era, a Steady hand and limited and pragmatic reforms. The Opposition party, the New Democracy Party had a far more liberal stance and campaigned more around economic and social freedoms.

When the Results came in the entrenched Republicans had won thanks to revanchist feelings regarding the treaty of london and the emergence of a Charismatic new Leader, General turned Senator Theodosis Nepos. With control over the Senate and a majority in the Lower house Nepos was appointed Consul alongside a more experienced politician, Markos Spartenos. Theodosis having a mind for foreign policy immediatly implemented what he had called "Olive Branch and Rapier" that could be summarized that the Republic would move forward with either Peaceful and thus friendly relations with her partners in the world, or it would actively remain hostile.

Consul Markos meanwhile set about reforming the Government system so that the Lower House, which the Republicans had significantly less influence no longer could veto the Senates choice in Consul a somewhat controversial reformation that many intellectuals would expect would bite the Republicans back in the Long Term when the Senate inevitably turned more liberal.​

Theodosis however had his own controversial acts, Being given effective free reign over foreign policy the Younger Consul signed the Treaty of Capua with Emperor Arthur of Cathay, affirming that the Khitan and Greek Empires would once again re-ignite their alliance against the Italian and Bohemian States. The Reaction from Europe fearing what was to come was swift.​

In almost a Repeat of the Continental Wars the Italians in coordination with the Persian Empire invaded Croatia. The Hellenic Republic responded to this violation of the Treaty of London by invading Georgia with intent to re-annex the small Kingdom. With the Ink on the Treaty of Capua still fresh, Emperor Arthur declared war on the Kingdom of Italy with intent to defend the Hellenic Empire.

Rather than Escalate further however the British, Scandinavian and Bohemian governments all declared neutrality in the conflict. Emperor Wenceslas of Bohemia rather than put his nation at risk with the greeks again chose to invade Avaria rather than the Greek Republic Directly, as well as to assert claims to African territories seized by Granada in the treaty of London.​

With the Sides set, The Khitan Armies suddenly found the expected plan of attacking Germany and marching into Bohemia an impossibility, as Bohemia was not actually in the war or being belligerent beyond denying the Khitan army military access. Instead Bavaria and the Alpine territories had become the only front the Khitan army would be capable of waging war on while the Greek Republic stood alone against Italy and Mighty Persia.​

The problem was not lost on Emperor Arthur who realized that the Alps needed to be breached before the Persians and Italians simply overran the Hellenic Republic which while formidable had won against the persians previously thanks to the genius of its revolutionary era leadership. To ask for Lightning to strike twice was simple foolishness at best.​

Meanwhile the Bohemian Empire's claims over territories in Africa went unanswered by Granada. In response the Bohemian Empire declared a state of war to reclaim her rightful territories from the Spanish.

The August issue of New of the World also for the first time in the history of the Empire provided relatively accurate war correspondence. Its first Major story would be that of the battle of Freiburg where the Italians had initially held off an assault from Khitan armies before finally being broken in Late July.​

Elsewhere in the Empire the Region of Transvaal rumored to be rich in precious metals and diamonds had been settled by Dutch Migrants to Cape Colony. These Settlers, called Boers initially claimed independence from the Empire but were swiftly put under the Thumb of the Local colonial garrisons to protect them from Mutapa raids from the North as well as Tribal confederations in the region that had an interest in restricting European settlement.
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Back in Europe a series of disastrous attempts to breach the Alpine defenses and costly battles in Germany had effectively humiliated the Khitan Military. After its great showings in the Continental Wars funding had been cut to an all time low due to the treaty of London. When it had become apparent that Italy had ignored such terms of the treaty however an outgunned and outnumbered army had little choice but to enact conscription for the second time to shore up troop numbers and prevent an italian break out into the North.​

Emperor Arthur was expectantly furious and to prevent the situation from worsening had to abide a Granadan invasion of Navarra, a protected client state on the other side of Aquitaine. The Republic of Scandinavia, eager to use this opportunity to get favorable terms for an alliance with the Khitan approached Arthur for a defensive alliance. The Consequences of Denial of course could mean war in the Colonies, especially Asia and Africa where the Scandinavians held considerable interest. The resulting treaty of Hamburg was signed among the harshest stipulations were that work on the Kiel Canal be put on indefinite hold.​

In the Middle East the Republic of Iran had what many of the Military leadership in Cathay had feared, success. Without the Shocking new tactics of Petrovik's generation the Greeks simply found themselves outnumbered by the Persians and slowly but surely lost ground to the Persians across the entire middle East, eventually stabilizing in the Mountainous Armenian Line. Though the Greeks were finding far greater success in Croatia, and used such success to quickly negotiate terms out of the war following the Khitan Mobilization.​

The Hellenics rather than fighting a far more damaging war agreed to the Treaty of Khiva which ceded Territories in Slovenia back to Italian Hands as well as granted transportation rights from the red sea into the Mediterranean via the Sinai peninsula to the Persian Republic. For the first time the Hellenic Republic had been beaten but the war was not over. Out of either pride or foolishness the Persians had demanded terms of the Khitan Empire as well expecting the italians to be able to push enough past the Alps to enact them. At the time this seemed possible but Emperor Arthur was about to play his trump card.​

In the Following Months the Italians expecting an easy war soon found themselves outnumbered nearly six to one on the Front in France due to the massive influx of reserves called up to defend the country. While the Reserves mostly civilians with military surplus equipment held the Line the proper army had reformed and trained. By the late 1836 The Khitan army returned to Burgundy in full force, and by the Spring of 1837 the Khitan army was breached the Alps and reached the gates of Milan.​

With the tides turned it was now Cathay's turn to make demands. The Alpine territories taken from the Empire during the Council of London were demanded returned as well as several Italian Colony. The Persians of course remained belligerent, the Italians upon repeated failed attempts to bring Bohemia into the war found no choice but to surrender and sign a peace lest the Khitan army reach Rome itself.​

The Return of the Western Alps had to some extent helped the Empire recover its prestige, It had been caught unprepared and had nearly paid the price. The Italians and Persians had learned this lesson however, if there would be a next time the invasion of Cathay would need to be swift and devastating, else they were at risk of being turned by by a wall of bodies yet again.​

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The Greco-Persian War would be remembered ultimately as the Second continuation War due to its effective place as the final conflict in the Continental wars. The effect of the second continuation war for the most part wasn't the specific terms that had been enacted in the various peace treaties but the undoing of much of the Council of London's stipulations. Avaria had been reduced to a rump state, the Territorial gains in the Alps had been reversed, The Khitan and Greek Empires had reaffirmed their alliance and as a result the German, Iberian Princes as well as Aquitaine would once again begin a slow irreversible drift back into the Khitan Sphere.

The Italians however had proved themselves more competent than expected, having won territory in Croatia and forcing emergency measures by the Khitan Empire to stop an assault. The next Major war in Europe would come with hesitation not out of the treaty of london but for the fear of what a war of populations could bring when neither nation refused to simply sign quick terms and instead fight until the bitter end.

(Borders of Europe 1838)


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Chapter 2: Warm Sands

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With Peace treaties signed once again and the world proceeding as schedules the Fallout for what was ultimately a disastrous war for the Khitan was being felt. The Empire had retaken territory, but the continental wars as a whole had weakened the Empire, and the Forced mobilization and conscription of reserves had revealed much of the rot and complacency that had come to dominate every facet of the Empire. A Shakeup was needed but it would have to wait as Geopolitical concerned needed to be addressed first. Namely the Issues regarding the Principality of Navarra, in Spain.

Having been attacked by the Granadans for their territory the Navarrans had fought tooth and nail but had seen large swathes of their territory lost in the campaign. Now the Khitan Empire was free of its entanglements in Central Europe and could return to Spain but the damage had been done. The Navarran economy had entered freefall and debts taken to defend the country had resulted in the Administration forced into bankruptcy. This had brought the issue to Emperor Arthur's Desk as Khitan Economy after two decades of alternating cycles of warfare and reconstruction would now need to effectively put the Navarran Economy on life support. Furthermore the Khitan Empire would need to militarily intervene in spain through use of its navy or by negotiations with the now Independent Kingdom of Aquitaine.​

Granada however was experiencing several of its own issues, mainly an attack from the Bohemian Empire on her colonies in Africa. Scandinavia and Britain were similarly looking at the Granadan colonial Empire, vulnerable and weakly defended. Portugal of course also still loomed as a domestic threat. There ultimately was room to maneuver and Arthur and King Santiago signed a deal. The Khitan Empire would step in on behalf of the Granadans on the world stage and negotiate settlements with the British, Scandinavians and Czechs, The Khitan Empire would also allow the Annexation of Navarra into the Granadan Kingdom. In exchange however Granada would become for all intensive purposes completly economically and politically dependent on the Khitan Empire.​

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Negotiations would swing back and forwards. The Italians also interested in a Grandan Sphere in the Iberian Peninsula had far steeper demands, mainly the cession of the Balearic Isles and Fortress at Gibraltar which was a simple nonstarter. The Greeks were primarily interested in keeping the Mediterranean Open at all costs and so sided with the Khitan on this matter promising to levy military and naval support should Bohemia not come to a Khitan led Negotiating table.

Ultimately the Grandans accepted, Integrating Navarra while ceding much of its influence on the world stage to the Khitan Empire. Economically several unequal treaties would grant free access to the Mediterranean to Khitan, Italian and Greek Shipping as well as give Khitan merchants a tariff exemption in the Ports of Sevilla, Barcelona and Valencia, as well as the allowance of the Khitan Navy to use Granadan colonies for Naval basing. All in all a Massive win for the Empire at a critical time.​

With Khitan Backing the British turned up at Antwerp within Months to negotiate terms. The Demands had been lightened, significantly. Rather than the Whole of Granadan Africa only the Lindi Naval base was demanded. In exchange Emperor Arthur demanded economic compensation be paid to the Spanish, compensation to which the British Agreed to. The Bohemians and Scandinavians settled to peace when Arthur turned around the British payment as compensation to their respective governments as well as promises for a congress for the establishment of proper borders in the Indian Ocean.​

The British now freed from a costly war of their own began to re-establish themselves as a world Power. New Technologies and the final defeat of the Monarchists in Wales had managed to finally bring peace to the Empire. Capitalists who had sided with the military now had ample opportunity to tap into Britain's vast coal reserves as well as her rivers to expand the States industrial capacity. Shipping was the first industry to be rebuilt from the ground up but soon the mutually beneficial partnership between industrialists and the Military Junta had become integral to the British economy and her place in the world as Britain rose from the ashes of revolution to become the worlds first truly industrial power.​

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In the East the other powers of the world were moping up thier own loose Ends. In Northern Asia, Mighty Japan had once again taken a bite out of the Former Chinese Empire acquiring further territories in the Yellow Sea to feed her growing population and colonial Empire. Between Korea and the Chinese Territories however Japan was soon to face a major conflict within her leadership upon a new way Forward.

The Demographics of the Mainland Asian holdings demanded Japan continue her push into Manchuria and Northern China but in doing so would divorce Japan from her national identity and Culture. At Sea Japan's colonies remained her primary source of income and international prestige, but further expansions in such a realm would bring the wrath of Powers that were Japan's Equal or Greater such as Britain or Cathay. For the Moment however a Successful Campaign was a Success nonetheless. A Crisis of Success was not the worst possible that could occur.​

In the Caucasian Mountains the Short Lived second Kingdom of Georgia had been finally put to an end by the Greek Army. The middle east was once again dominated by only two powers, something that had not occured in centuries. Furthermore it was a rivalry as old as recorded history itself, Greece and Persia once again battling for the Fertile Crescent. The Greeks had won in ages past, but of course with Consul Petrovik gone, was there any hope of a New Alexander or would both empires be locked into an Endless Struggle until a third power rose to challenge them both as had happened during the Rise of Islam.​

Meanwhile in Europe the Stockholm conference had been briefly held to satisfy the Scandinavian and Bohemian Governments. Republican or Monarchist the desire of colonies to match those of the Khitan, Japanese or British had provided an ample carrot to offer to the weaker Great powers in Europe. To this End East Africa was carved up into spheres of Influence as the native peoples there were still tribalistic and loosely organized. Scandinavia and Bohemia both already held colonies in the region and so were promised territory to expand their hold. The Khitan Colony of Zanzibar similarly was set to be expanded into the Great Lakes region of the Continent.​

The Congress was a staggering success, as what tends to happen when the Nations being partitioned are not present to argue their own cases. With such success the Scandinavians and Bohemians began preparations while the Khitan Empire initiated its own.​

In The Empire Proper the major advancement were a series of breakthroughs from Antwerp University. Advanced Medicine and theories had been developed that looked primed to completly change the medical landscape. The Study of Genetics, in particular gained widespread popularity not just for its medical potential but societal implications. The Widespread confirmation on Bacterium Theory as well had meant that now Doctors could finally do away with medieval thinking of how Disease traveled and behave and work towards the sterilization of hospitals across the country.​

In Bohemia the reformation of the Imperial Bureaucracy and Administration had concluded with the 1938 Congress of Prague and the Famous 'Iron and Blood' Speech given by Chancellor Andreas Havel. The Speech mainly served as not a critique of Republican and Liberal values across Europe but the first widespread acknowledgement that Industry would be the primary concern on the minds of Europe's leadership following Britain's Industrial Revolution. This thinking would dominate the mindset of the Khitan leadership where the expansion of coal and iron mines was done with little regard to safety in an effort to catch the Burgeoning British and Bohemian Industrial economies.​

In Britain the reconquest of Wales and the return to a strong and stable goverment meant that inevitably the British Commonwealth would need to look outwards. Tinged with new revolutionary influence the British government opted to revisit an old stomping Ground. Ireland.

Ireland had been independent for centuries but had been part of both the crowns of England, Scotland and Wales in the past. While for much of its early history the Island was considered mostly worthless marshland trade ties with the Khitan as well as Colonial Empire had urbanized the Emerald Island.

Ireland for its small size had nearly ten times its own land area in colonial territory in america at one point and had been built from the ground up by South American silver. It was also far closer to Britain than mainland Europe and yet culturally distinct. The British government never renounced claims to the Island and thanks to increased stability had reaffirmed claims that the Irish were in fact a British People and the Kingdom of Ireland belonged under a Unified British Empire.​

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Rather than simply invading the Islands however the British instead chose to wage economic war to drift the Island further into the British Sphere of Influence. Through the abolishment of Tariffs and pressures from across the Irish sea the British Junta hoped that the Irish would see the writing on the wall so to speak and Join under economic and ultimately federal union peacefully. If this would come to pass however would be entirely up to the Irish Monarchy, which had recently taken in Monarchist refugees from across the Sea.​

Across the Channel the Empire of Cathay had recently passed the Malaria laws which promised to fund and distribute Malaria treatments to its troops and government employees across the Empire. Considered a miracle by some and a major development by many more the colonization of regions once thought uninhabitable by Europeans was now possible.​

The major testing ground of the New Malaria treatments and colonial efforts would of course be Australia, becuase ultimately if it worked in Australia it could work anywhere was the thinking. It was here that ultimately expectations were exceeded across the board. The Australian Colony Quadrupled in Size within a Year and ultimately would come to dominate most of the Continent.

Actually exploiting the land was an entirely different matter, but in terms of international prestige as well as for important resource operations on the coast the growth of the Australian colony would prove invaluable for future endeavours in the region.​

Speaking of Australia the expansion of the colony had caused a bit of a stir in realms of law enforcement and corrections. Australia desperate for new Colonists had remained a Penal colony for the Khitan and Persian Empires but shipping convicts to the Continent was mostly reserved for Federal crimes. Provincial crimes and Local jails following the urbanization of the Channel Regions needed to find different uses for criminal elements put into Jail.

Borrowed from the Americas, the Trustee System enabled high labor farming and mining work to be turned to profit for the prison system and thus benefit the growing industrial regions with cheap raw materials produced locally.

The Main news of the time however would once again be politics. With Britain, Cathay, Italy and Scandinavia focusing on Empire building and Industrialization, Iran who did not quite have the same cultural or economic movement pushing its own Economy needed to come up with a new Solution.​

And Iran would settle on a solution it knew well, Invading the West. Because when all you have is a massive army, everything looks like land for conquest.​

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Chapter 3: Buffalo Horns

With the resolution of the Lindi Conflict and the outbreak of War in Ukraine much of the eyes of the world looked to Eastern Europe where Bohemia was preparing to fight off the Second Greatest Power in the World, Persia. In the Meantime for the nations of Scandinavia and the Khitan Empire the Distraction of the Bohemian Empire had re-opened the door towards colonial expansion yet again. For the most part the more isolated and technologically backwards tribes of East Africa could not conduct diplomacy on an international stage and moreover were sitting on land rife with Gold and Ivory and potentially other valuable commodities.​

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The Karagwe People had been the first to be properly humbled by the Khitan Colonial forces based out of Zanzibar. The resulting Treaty with the Karagawe people would see the entire southern Half of the now Renamed Lake Arthur as well as territory extending up to the Kongo peoples. The Deal would effectively give the Khitan Empire control over what was now being called Bunganda, where Gold and Diamonds was expected to be found among other valuable resources. The True gains of the treaty however were in that now the British and Bohemians had been cut off by Khitan Zanzibar from expansions further North unless the more Civilized Mogadishu or Kongo peoples came under assault, effectively leaving the Karagwe to fully be integrated at a later occasion at the Empire's Leisure.

In Europe things took a rather important Turn for the Bohemian Empire. In respect to their mutual Friendship, and Shared threat of Cathay-Greece the new of Italy, Queen Fransica refused to involve herself in the Persian Empire's war of aggression, denouncing her formal ally and promising Financial and Diplomatic support to Bohemia. The Persians however were still seen as the favored participant between outnumbering the Bohemian Army three to one and as well as having a far more stable position with her neighbors.​

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In Africa however the Saga of Colonialism was continuing in full force. The Scandinavian Republic Eager to tap Mutapa's gold reserves for itself had inadvertently found itself humiliated at the hands of the native Mutapa people. After Several botches assaults into the Mutapa heartland the Scandinavian colonies in Mozambique were overrun by Native Armies and the Scandinavian Government was now being Emperor Arthur to intervene and send the Army of South Africa to liberate Scandinavian Territory. Arthur, reluctantly Agreed though at a steep price.

The Success of the Mutapa however continued in full force. Outnumbered and Surprised by the sheer strength and organization of the Mutapa people the Local South African army under Command of General Henry Laroche was humiliated on several occasions before being forced to withdraw after losing almost 80% of their number. Upon news of such failures requests for proper troops armed with top of the line equipment were sent to Antwerp, it however would take months for proper organization and response from Europe and so Instead the Australian Brigades were shipped immediately to reinforce Laroche.​

In America Strange news had become the Normal as well. After news of several major wars and conflicts in Southern South America, Brazil who had attempted to dominate both the Inca and Irish Peoples in the South had been resoundingly defeated by the Republic of Uruguay-Argentina and had been fully overrun by Irish-American forces. With the defeat of the Brazilian Empire the Greek Royalty that had tried to rebuild in the New World had either once more gone into exile or were executed by the Republican Guard of Uruguay, In either respect the Tale of Sicily's Royal Family one Several Centuries in the making had encountered Catastrophe for the Final Time and thus had finally ended.​

In Europe new mining techniques imported from Bohemia had resulted in the unprecedented discovery of coal across much of the Imperial Heartlands. Coal while not initially valuable was quickly becoming a vital strategic resource in the race to industrialization or at least in Theory. Despite continued efforts for investment and growing resources the Khitan Economy still lacked Capitalists willing to invest in proper modern industries and those who did were still lacking in technologies to truly enable widescape industry mainly the design of machines and machine parts capable of being used en-masse as opposed to artisans tools which required long periods of training and skilled labour to use properly.​

To the Bohemians who had made such discoveries however Industrialization was in full swing and the results were immediately plain to See. After Several major battles on the Ukrainian Fields the Persians had been resoundingly defeated and were pushed back to the Volga River. The ease of new Musket and Artillery production combined with Modern Tactics and strict military tradition had enabled the Bohemians roll across the Black Sea to unprecedented success. The Republic of Iran sensing that such defeats would result in Invasions from India, Greece or Both signed a hasty peace deal ceding several important territories in the Ukraine to Bohemia.

The Defeat of Persia would send shockwaves across Europe. The Second Greatest Power in the world had not only been beaten but had been done so Handily. A healthy and growing Military Industrial Complex had enabled the Bohemians to Implement new tactics based on Maneuver Warfare descended from Medieval and Renaissance Polish cavalry traditions. Rather than focus on line warfare with infantry the Focus would be placed on Artillery and Cavalry working in coordination with Infantry to break through and disrupt enemy tactics rather than simply grind them away. A Revolutionary Doctrine for its time that would ultimately be the Way forward for Bohemia for remainder of its history.​

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Another event however would squelch Bohemia making use of its time in the sun. Increased levels of Nationalism and liberalism across Europe formed from a result of Petrovik's invasions had been boiling for some time. The Persian defeat had finally brought these issues to the forefront, as the Various Ethnic Minorities, primarily in Germany and Eastern Europe began to petition for greater rights, just as Liberal movements within the Great Powers had re-ignited following the birth of industrialization and greater distribution of enlightenment era ideas.

In Bohemia the Various Ethnic minorities one by one petitioning for recognition by the goverment had effectively cripples the Empire geopolitically, unable to operate outside of its own borders for fear of internal rebellion as Avar, Russian, Ukrainians, Balts, Scandinavians, Germans, Pomeranian and more all were begining to challenge the Poles and Czechs what was dejure Bohemian Land. Where the movement as a whole was dubbed the Springtime of Nations as the National identities of peoples that had been conquered integrated or otherwise ignored in an era of Dynasties, Kings and Empires had begun to one again poke at the surface and reach for the light.

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In Cathay the Liberal revolution had taken an entirely different form. While German Nationalist existed in the Eastern fringes of the European territories the major Minorities within Cathay proper, the Dutch and French Peoples were far more ethnically bound into the Empire than Germans or other minorities. The Danger lied in the creation of the Liberal Democrats, and their Liberal Democratic Front which organized with an intent to bring real change to the Empire not through violent revolution but through demanding political reforms at a local and federal level for the betterment of personal freedom and economic growth. While the Movement would be restricted to Extremists and intellectuals, factions did emerge within the establish military, aristocratic and mercantile classes of society.

With Revolution brewing at home the Australian Guard had arrived in South Africa to put down what was being called the Mutapa Rebellions, despite the fact that the Mutapa were an independent people. After a Year of Hard Campaigning the Mutapa continued to valiant resist Khitan advancement on native territory until finally losing the resources and will to continue to fight against a technologically and economically superior enemy.​

Large portions of Mutapa lands were ultimately secured by the Scandinavians as per the Terms of the Nordic-Khitan Alliance. The Remaining Mutapa People however soon fell under effective control by the Khitan People, A puppet state in all but name. It would only be the first such war in Africa but ultimately would become one of the most famous in its history after being Popularized far later by the Film, 'Mutapa' which romanticised the struggle of Both Khitan and Mutapa troops fighting in the Mutapan rebellion, Where a Humble people from Africa nearly turned the tide against two Great Powers.​

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Victory in Africa of course had inspired much of the Khitan intellectuals and politicians to double down on Africa as a source of prestige and advancement for the Empire. Discussions mainly at the highest levels would speak of Africa as a Second New World that had escaped the exploitation of an earlier era through poor technology and native resistance. With America having declared independence outside of European colonies in the Caribbean Africa stood as the new frontier. With this in Mind Expeditions ranging from exploration to scientific were green lit across the board and funding was provided to try and tap the potentially limitless potential of a second great colonization.

In Europe, Emperor Arthur finally decided to remove government controls on the press that had been in effect since the Continental Wars. While originally done to suppress revolutionary activity underground Newspapers had become increasingly common and worked to undermine government authority across the Empire as well as discourage literacy in the populace. Most of the Major Press organizations were re-privatized by wealthy individuals with ties to government though a working relationship was maintained with the Goverment itself for many. Only Emperor Arthur's favorite organization, the Antwerp News was completly freed of government ties, though the relationship between the ruling family and the organization had meant while there was no official agreement or control, there remained a quid pro quo between the Royal Family and the AN.​

In the Intellectual Realm, the Universities, previously considered hotbeds for Liberal and revolutionary activity were once again free to operate on unregulated curriculums with only what was considered the essential academia standardization law applying to provide credibility for such institutions. The effect of course was the return and acceptance of late Enlightenment Ideals, including to but not limited to Khitan Idealism, The belief that any 'thing' can inevitably be known by thinking feeling beings.​

In little over a Year Arthur's reforms to education and the media would serve to effectively decapitate the growing militarism and radicalism of liberal groups within a country, though at the cost of providing a platform for such ideas to spread. Of course there was little open criticism of such a path, as some degree of media censorship remained and in academia africa had become the new favorite toy of conservatives and the more military minded while the rising liberal demographic of course would have nothing but praise.

Elsewhere in Europe similar sentiments would not burn out quite so easily, Bohemia would continue to struggle with her minorities of course but the true consequences would be in Britain and Spain where the Liberal movement would come into conflict with Pan Nationalist thought as the Ideals of nationalism and personal freedoms were soon developing into a conflicting set of Ideals, one emphasising the state and brotherhood such a state bestowed while the other valued the individual and his freedoms as well as the freedoms of his brothers and sisters, something more powerful and unified countries worked in contrary to.
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A conflict was coming to a head, and the battle would be fought in in Cathay or Bohemia but for the soul of both Iberia, Britain and of course America.

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Chapter 4: The Irish Question

With the 'Springtime' of Nations over in the Khitan Empire having reduced itself to a mild simmer, Emperor Arthur and his inner circle could only watch and see how the oncoming tide of liberalism and revolution would dictate Europe as a whole.

Bohemia, a Great Power was expected to retain order much as the Khitan Empire had. Scandinavia and Italy were unified ethnically and would only need to deal with liberal agitation. The Hellenic Republic had broad swathes of its territory owned by Croats and Arabs that were unrecognized by the Government but also held a powerful military in which to keep such populations in Line.

Britain and Spain however were hotbeds. The British Military Government by in large was considered unstable and simply unsustainable by intellectuals aligned with both monarchist and republican ideals. To Hold a Government that claimed to protect the people without the backing of Divine Right and formal law was simply unprecedented and yet Britain stood quiet, its empire stood strong and the Welsh Revolutionaries had even been put down.

England to outsiders was a unified entity but a look within the country told a far different story. Scots and Picts in the North divided dejure Scotland between each other. The Native Anglo Saxons in England shared the Southern lands with the Khitanized Saxon culture known as English while the Welsh Retained firm holdouts within the Western parts of Scotland and Wales respectively. Four Cultures within one Nation. There was of course a culture Missing, just across the straights of Ulster, the Irish who had ethnic ties to the Scottish and Welsh and had been part of the crown of England in the past.

To Maintain unity after the fall of the monarchy the military government of the Isles had put a primary focus on the encouragement not of an English Identity but of a British one, A Unified National Identity that could span the Entire British isles and provide unity for the Military government. This Idea of a unified British Identity would catch on rather quickly until even levels of Government had been caught up in Nationalistic Fervour unseen since the Greek Revolution.

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It would be this Nationalism that would inspire the British Government to offer the Irish Monarchy several million sterling to sign what would come to be known as the Anglo-Irish Union Proposal. When the Irish Monarchy refused the British took an opportunity to seize Half the city of Ulster under the premise of suppressing a local riot. When British Troops refused to depart the Irish Military responded in Kind, giving the British Military Government enough Premise for a declaration of war.

Attacking Ireland however was in clear breach of the Treaty of London for a start. Secondarily the Kingdom of Ireland was a trusted and important ally of the Khitan Empire. Emperor Arthur's Response was swift, the deployment of the Khitan Fleet to the Irish Sea and the mobilization of several army divisions at Calais and Dunkirk. The British rather than try and fight the Khitan chose instead to effectively buy off the Empire.

With Hostilities effectively stalled the British proceeded with their Invasion of Ulster and offered several terms. First of which would be the Re-backing of English capital into the Kiel Canal as well as promises of Full Khitan Ownership of Such an Endeavour. Secondary the British would effectively promise to replace Ireland as a Trade and MIlitary Partner in the Atlantic and Western Europe, in Exchange for Khitan support of the Commonwealth Government. Further the Kingdom of Ireland would be annexed but merely placed under military occupation for
an indefinite period of time.​

While the Irish had been close allies for centuries Emperor Arthur deferred to his advisors who saw potential in regaining the British to the Khitan Fold. The Treaty Normandy was signed and the Irish were left to defend themselves.​

For the Remainder of the Conflict the Irish would attempt repeatedly to throw British armies back into the sea to little avail. However Irish numbers and poor terrain would ultimately keep British forces confined to their coastal gains unable to strike at the interior. Eventually the Irish would concede to British occupation in Ulster and Munster, Regions the British had managed to properly maintain control, while the Core Region of the Kingdom remained under Local Rule.​

The resulting Treaty of Powys had in terms of foreign observation had given the British Control over two thirds of Ireland, both legitimizing the British Government and its Pan Nationalist Claims over the entirety of the British Isles in one swoop. If the British could maintain control over the Emerald Isle though was anyones Guess and there were many across Both Europe and America who would feel sympathy for the Irish People who had been left to die by the Khitan Government.

The Local effects however would be even more surprising. The Kingdom of Ireland had been effectively tossed away in favor of Britain and Newspapers and Media both above and below ground widely publicised the Anglo-Irish War and Called for Khitan Intervention and enforcement of the Treaty of London.​

When word of Violent Riots were organizing against in the Capital Emperor Arthur called an emergency council and fired several of his key advisors associated with the affair, appointing a new, Liberal cabinet of advisors and making promises of a new path forward for the Country.
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What had helped Arthur's decision was news of Unrest in America and in Europe as a Whole. In Imperial Mexico, Revolutionaries had stormed the Palace and couped the Local Monarchy placing a Pan-American relative to the Throne who promised to begin efforts of unification with Central, America, California and Louisiana. For the Empire of Mexico however such ideals were a pipe dream.​

In Louisiana a similar event had occurred, with the Local Democratic Government also being overthrown by Pan-American Radicals. With the Country thrown into Chaos the door had been opened for further invasions of the state by California and the United States, Invasions that ultimately were not contested by the Lunatics who believed the Ideal America would be a Unified Superstate rather than a series of bickering Petty Empires.​

As the Consequences for Ireland Continued to be reaped the worst arrived not long after. a Rampant Potato Famine originating in Ireland had spread across the British Isles and Much of Northern Europe. The Worst Famine in History sent food prices skyrocketing throughout Europe. The new Liberal leaning cabinet would do very little to aid the situation in favor of Liberal economic ideals of Laisse Faire,Stating that such an event was 'The First Great Challenge' on a new economic future. Emperor Arthur however quickly overrode his council on this matter and allocated millions in Khitan reserve currency to buy up Food from the Americas and Asia to prevent a complete disaster earning him the Ire of his Council but ultimately a returned love of his people.​

The Chinese Colonies as it had seemed had saved the Empire thanks to to their tremendous growing capacity. In fact, Khitan South China had ultimately become the primary source of agricultural products in the Empire thanks to favorable climate and unprecedented advancements in naval technology. Cotton, Rice, Dyes and Silk had continued to ensure the Empire kept a steady flow of essential resources even as Europe and America shuddered and shook around it.​

Elsewhere in Europe, the Hellenic Republic had experiences its first true loss against the Persian and Italian Armies. Having taken the initiative against Persia the Greeks, locked in a two front war with two great powers the Greeks capitulated quickly rather than risk the loss of Egypt or the Caucasus again losing mainly adriatic territories to Italy.​

In the Following years, the lack of direct support in Industry, or the Military as well as an adversarial relationship between Emperor Arthur and his new Cabinet would come to a Head when Emperor Wenceslaus II announced the Opening of a Brand new Textile factory outside Berlin. Unprecedented in Size, and Powered by the latest in Water and Steam Engine technology the factory had proved to the world that Bohemia was in fact the greatest Industrial Power in the world, capable of production on a level unheard of in the rest of Europe.​

Worse still, the Empire's international prestige was faltering as a whole. Having proved unable to protect the Greeks or Irish against aggression and unable to compete with Bohemia Industrially minor nations such as the Canadian Republic had begun to drift away with the Khitan Sphere. The Implications of such setbacks would mean even further disaster waiting down the road. It would take yet another intervention on behalf of the Monarch to save decline from turning into disaster.

Emperor Arthur's Reaction would come and it would ultimately be the best the Empire could hope for in the coming days. The Cabinet was Axed again, and New Advisors were appointed, loyal to the Emperor and the Emperor Alone. If the Conservatives and Liberals had both failed to Modernize the Empire there was of course only one option left.​

To Drag his Empire into the future, Himself.​

 

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Chapter 5: 'Som I Serem'

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With the upper levels of Khitan government in Turmoil, War between Greece and Persia once again approaching quickly and Bohemian and to a lesser extent Italian and British Industry establishing themselves as economic bedrock in europe the remaining corner of Europe, Iberia had been somewhat overlooked.

In Granada and Portugal unrest had continued to simmer for years since the continental wars. Like Britain the Region was both culturally isolated and diverse within itself. The Pyrenee Mountains served as an effective divider between Iberian Peoples and the French descended peoples to the North while the Atlantic and Mediterranean had kept Italian, British and North African influences at bay for centuries.

In Portugal proper the divide was mainly religious, as Portuguese people overwhelmingly christian and Leonese and Castilian Peoples were overwhelmingly Zunist. In Granada however there was a steep ethnic divide between the Dominant Castilian Core population and the various other minorities of the country. The Basques in Northern Iberia were older, isolated and poorly integrated into a sense of Iberian identity, The Catalonians along the Eastern coast of Hispania had a different issue, having cultural ties to the Romance speaking peoples to the North. The Remaining Andalusian population in Southern Spain was the closest integrated of the three minorities but held a deep set resentment over the failure of the Kingdom of Andalusia and its recreation as the Castilian-Andalusian Kingdom of Granada.

Economic Hard Times, Competition with Italy and Portugal and the failure of her colonial Empire looming Granada had looked increasingly weaker to many of these peoples who had previously claimed states of thier own in the recent past, Primarily Catalonia and Navarre whos peoples still considered themselves unfairly subjugated and abandoned by the Powers that be.

In 1848 these Tensions came to a head with Riots and Later armed revolts taking place across Barcelona and Valencia. After several failures to quell such uprisings by the Granadan Military the rebels had organized and spread influence across the region, inspiring copycat revolutions in catalonia and Andalucia. In little over a Year the Country that was Granada was breaking apart dramatically and an intervention was sorely needed.

Unfortunately for the Spanish, intervention from the Italians and Greeks soon became an impossibility as War had once again broken out in the Adriatic and Middle East this time over Bagdad and Mosul, two important cities within the Fertile Crescent. The Khitan Empire which was under restructuring under Emperor Arthur at the time did not involve itself in the war directly, sending economic aid and volunteers to Scandinavia to fight on the Northern Front until the Government could properly be organized.

With little help expected to come from the Great Powers, Granada needed to ask the Kingdom of Portugal to Intervene and crush a potentially dangerous Basque and Andalucian Uprising, the Kingdom of Portugal obliged but ultimately would do nothing to stop the Catalan Revolt as the rebels had become well entrenched and were now gaining legitimacy in the form of backing from the Kingdom of Occitania to the North.

Back in the North, Emperor Arthur's restructuring of Government had ultimately resulted in the collapse of the Liberal Ideal at least on an organizational level within the country. With Many of its leadership in Jail, exiled or discredited the bulk of the Liberal Front had been surgically removed leaving only the Economic Wing of the party, backed primarily by wealthy capitalists and aristocrats while the more radical elements ultimately would reform as a new, underground movement.

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The Failure of Liberal Ideology across Europe had ultimately split the Revolutionary Ideal in two along similar lines that had happened in Greece. On the Moderate Side were the so called 'Coffee House' Liberals who believed in the virtues of recognized and legally protected rights, suffrage and economic freedoms.

On the more Radical end were the Anarchists who believed a total collapse the Established Order in Europe was ultimately necessary for true freedom to be established for the people. Only from a violent revolution could a true government for and by the people be established, molded by the ash of the old systems consumed in the flame.

For the moderates that had ultimately been a good thing in terms of seeing their interests considered as they were now divorced from radical concepts such as the abolition of monarchy and the liquidation of church land. Though it would mean that without the radical wing of the party the ideology and its ultimately representatives would be rich proto-oligarchs who were mainly interested in the potential profits greater economic freedom bestowed, and less interested in the social freedoms that came with such a line of thought.

In terms of Actual economic progress, Emperor Arthur's first steps would be the Establishment of the RRICC, Or Royal Rail, Investment and Construction Company. A Government body dedicated to the subsidizing, advancement and construction of the new breathtaking railway technology that was linking American and Bohemian cities together and significantly shortening travel times. The Expense was utterly massive though Arthur justified, citing the Historical use of Roads in the Khitan and Roman Empires of old as an economic and military force multiplier.

What was unpopular was that the RRICC would have full authority to seize lands needed for construction without consent of the property owner or compensation. Similarly, the RRICC and its heads would abuse such powers to ensure all possible viable railway lines would be claimed by the Company giving itself a monopoly on railway construction throughout much of Khitan Europe, potentially stifling private railroad growth within the country. Private interests would ultimately need to try and tap foreign markets or colonial endeavors.

The Next step in pulling the Economy into the Modern Era would be the solution to what was being called the Labor bottleneck. Much of the Khitan Population ultimately was still restricted to rural locations while even in more urban areas artisan and merchant work was still very profitable in contrast to factory labor which was considered tedious, poorly rewarding and ultimately pointless when better options existed. For the well to do merchant and intellectual classes in the cities factories did exist but there was very little reason to ultimately downgrade and so labour primarily came from excess population growth across the Empire and immigration, of which the Khitan empire received very little.

In hopes of attracting Further factory positions, Arthur announces government incentives for key Military and economic industries mainly in the form of subsidies so that existing factories could afford to hire and employ workers at a loss and still profit due to government incentives. Again the issue had been seen my many as open for corruption and incentivized favoritism based on government opinion rather than that of the market.

In the Realm of Technology the Danzig Precision Milling Device, famous for enabling the construction of more advanced factories in Bohemia had been reverse engineered by several Khitan and French companies at long last, enabling modern factory machines to be built in country rather than from Bohemian manufacturers, A Massive improvement over the current status quo.

Amidst this growth of course the Scandinavian Empire remained at war with the Empire of Persia ultimately overcommitted on its campaigns into Siberia and Russia. As a Result the Government made preparations to declare bankruptcy at war's end due to the expected interest of Loans predominantly from her allies to fight the Persians. As a Result the Scandinavian Republic tried to first claim the default would ultimately result in no further payments from the government, Emperor Arthur simply found this unacceptable and demanded the Scandinavian shares in the Holstein Canal as well as granting access to Khitan investment in the Scandinavian economy giving access to the vast Iron and Tungsten reserves within the country to Khitan capitalists.

Meanwhile in Spain the Catalan revolution had finally won their independence with the Treaty of Sevilla. Recognized by both Portugal and Granada the new State of Catalonia had become the third free state on the peninsula since the dissolution of the principality of Navarra. With the Basque and Andalucian rebels put down by the Joint Granadan-Portuguese forces things had once again returned to a semblance of peace. The Khitan Empire however was unwilling to allow another Great power a foothold into Iberia and so was the first to recognize the new Republic of Catalonia as a state and send military and economic backing to the new Minor power in order to keep Nations such as the Hellenic Republic and the Kingdom of Italy from gaining an ally on a crucial geographic region of europe.

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While Emperor Arthur focused on reforming the Economy along his guidelines and modernizing the country the military had been freed to rebuild with greater funding and backing. As the Enforcement arm of the Khitan Empire the military was more essential than ever to ensure the Colonies and various partners of the Empire were well protected as well as the Home Country against other great powers. The Widespread adoption of new muzzle loading rifles over muskets were the first major reforms since the continental war to ultimately stick and would set the course that much of Khitan military advancement would be done through technology first and on a doctrine level second.

With a new Focus on the Military and economic reforms sweeping the country the hemorrhaging of international prestige suddenly stopped. While still Behind the Bohemians in Industrial Might the reformed Khitan military ultimately allowed for many nations the world over the recognize the Khitan Empire as the premier world power yet again.​

The Emperor Intervention had Saved the Khitan Empire but still relied heavily upon her military and international Prestige. In the Coming decades ultimately the Fate of Europe would be decided not through the size of ones military or international recognition but through sheer economic power.​

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The Realization had occurred to many across Europe. A War was about to be fought not on the fields of battle but in the Mills, Assembly Yards and manufactories across the world.

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Chapter 6: Abhorrent Vacuum.

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While the Industries and Economies of Europe were gearing into the new age, over Pond in America the Newborn States of America were involved in an entirely different revolution of sorts. The Rival Powers of the United States, California, Mexico, Louisiana and Canada had all claimed pieces of the vast American Frontier but said frontier was for all intensive purposes empty or inhabited by Native peoples without much representation in Government.

With other issues dominating the politics of such countries, namely immigration, slavery and provincial rights the frontier had become a battleground for these issues and it was fairly common for these issues to spill over across national borders due to various incentives. Over the course of several Decades the Weaker states in this proving ground found themselves continually lacking as thier territories were dice apart by those more powerful.

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Such was the Case with the Republic of Louisiana, Lightly Populated and weak even at its height the Republic found itself trapped between the Ambitious Californian and American Empires, both of whom had incentives to march into the frontier and claim as much territory as possible.

The United Kingdom of America, or American Empire had a rich and prosperous core region along the atlantic coast, with a thriving slavery backed cotton industry in the south and a densely populated and urban North. Lack of Control of the Mississippi however had stifled the growth of both regions of the country and so Louisiana and her territory had become a massive liability. However the Political capital could simply not be garnered to seize the Urban Capital region of Lousianna at the Mouth of the Mississipi River until the Frontier to the North has been subdued, and so progress was slow.

In California the Discovery of further gold and silver reserves as well as immigration in unprecedented numbers for China, Korea and Japan had resulted in the fast urbanization of Californian Valleys with further demographic pressures pushing further settlement North into Haida territory and Eastward into the Great Salt Lake territory. As a Result, Asian settlers from across the pacific had often clashed with Mexican, Native American and Louisiana Peoples on the frontier, resulting in the involvement of California' Royal army, which rather than negotiate would take hundreds of miles of territory without a treaty ever having been signed.

Only when the American and Californian Frontiers met in the Nebraska territory was an official border established between the two counties, without the Consent of Louisiana or any of the native peoples of the region.

In the South, Mexico had an entirely different issue, having continually lost land to the United Centro-American States as its own instabilities left it completly helpless to stop what was effectively being called a Native Reconquest of Aztec, Pueblo and Apache Territory.

Nation that had already been defeated such as Canada instead looked outwards for additional protection, namely in Europe. Due to rampant Continental Powers Canada in Particular had been restricted to Newfoundland and the Labrador Coast. The Canadian government hoped close ties with the Scandinavian Republic and Khitan Empire would incentivise the construction of Naval and Military bases on the Island to make any invasion from the United States a dangerous proposition.

The Khitan Empire, which still retained her colony of Bermuda ultimately would be the one willing to go this extra step and Guarantee Canadian independence in the face of a growing American Empire, as Bases in Canada, Bermuda and Cuba would give the Khitan Empire complete coverage of the East American Coastline should the need for a blockade ever be necessary.​

In Africa the European Empires, unable to safely expand in the face of powerful Empires like Persia, Cathay and Bohemia found easy territory for their own colonial and military expeditions. After Moderate success in East Africa, Scandinavia, fully willing to lean on her Khitan allies as much as possible invaded the Kano-Benin peoples confederation in the Niger Region of Africa.

Thought to hold great mineral wealth the Scandinavian Republic hoped the acquisition of further tropical goods and raw materials would help embolden her iron saturated industry back at home. Emperor Arthur however was not about to join yet another foreign colonial adventure without his own incentives and claimed a slice of the pie for the Khitan Empire as a term for military aid.​

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Elsewhere in Africa the growing European interests in the continent had resulted in a widespread backlash across many native countries. For many Modernization was no better than conquest by a foreign power as many modernization movements played favorites with native traditions often replacing them with western ideals and culture. Such was the Case in the Kingdom of the Kong which had its modernization leaning government overthrown by a local warlord. In other regions such as the Kongo and Mali similar movements were gaining traction quickly unaware of what was to come if africa continued to look like an uncivilized land ripe for conquest and empire building.

After a Brief Conflict the Kano would surrender to a Combined Nordic-Khitan expeditionary force, ceding some of its valuable western lands as well as the relatively lawless frontier between the Kano provinces and the nation of the Kongo. All in all, a win for Both Empires, Though the Khitan receive far more actual territory it was unusably by any and all estimates due to the recurring issues with Africa's demographics, terrain and climate.​

Back at home, Emperor Arthurs authoritarian handling of the economy while successful was beginning to receive significant levels of pushback from Liberal elements in government. As what tended to happen in matters of the economy was that both sides claimed success was from completly different and unrelated sources and that the other sides believes simply were hindering their prefered means of growth.

Emperor Arthur himself remained undeterred, such resistance and pushback to his reforms could spell problems in the future, especially if the fledgling industry of the Empire ground to a halt just as it was beginning.​

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On a different front the successes in Africa and the growing prevalence of Nationalism, creeping in from Spain and Italy had a profound effect on the outlook of the Khitan people, on society and on the world as a whole. Nationalism was a Drug on a national level and it wormed it way into the Empire as easily as it had countless nations beforehand. Imperialism on the other hand, specifically the type that had been pushing the Empire into expanding its sphere of influence and taking large effectively prestige projects overseas as conquests was growing more and more profitable.

It did not matter if war with America was never coming, The naval bases ensured power could be projected and the Empire looked strong. It did not matter that Australia was an unprofitable hellscape of a colony, The Khitan Empire owned it. This sort of thinking would become commonplace over the course of several short years and several justifications for exactly why the Empire needed to expand as it did and behave as it did would be made up after the fact ranging from manifest destiny, To the white man's burden.

On that Note however, the Khitan Empire wasn't the only player in the Great Game of World Domination. There were in fact others, and when interests conflicted there had only been one prior source of resolution. Sulu however was a special case.​

The Philippines had been under Japanese rule for now an entire century and yet and continued to be the problem child of Japan's Empire. Culturally distinct from Mainland Asian territories the Philippines had retained a sense of independence since their colonization having actively fought Japanese encroachment into native territory even as continued settlement and intermarriage blurred the line between native Philippine Local and Japanese settler.

The issue was and had remained that while the Islands were being treated no different than Hokkaido, effectively a place for Japanese immigrants to live and settle outside of the Home Islands, it was treated as a Colony and not as a respected colony such as those in Korea or China but as Japan treated Alaska. After years of being ignored by the Shogunate the conflict finally had come to a head, with Greek backed revolutionaries storming Manilla and declaring a Republic of Sulu.

The Japanese Response in this matter was swift and brutal, using both her Imperial Navy and army to violently crack down on the Islands and force the rebels into the Jungle, hopeless to resist without foreign intervention. When the Greeks accepted to Intervene, Japan a great power herself once more sought allies lest she lose one of her most valuable territories.​

Japan found fast friends in the matter in The Khitan and Bohemian Empires who both felt that it best that Greece stay out of Pacific and Indian Ocean Politics. With the Italian Empire and United States disinterested the only remaining Great Power that could side with the Greeks was the Persian Republic, which wasn't going to happen on the best of days.​

The Resulting Treaty of Macau a year later would settle the Matter, with Greek agreement to stop meddling in Japanese territories in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Conflict had been avoided, though the Sulu would continue to fight on in spite of the Greek Betrayal, claiming that the Japanese Emperor had lost the right to claim dominion over the Philippines after decades of misrule and neglect.

With peace in the Philippines, business continued as Usual, and the Khitan Empire hungry for conquest continuing to pick off the low hanging fruit in Africa, Asia and elsewhere.
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This Karagwe people, having lost territory to the Empire already were simply next on the chopping block.​

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Chapter 8: Boom and Bust

The Entry into the Second half of the 19th Century would be a time of major change for the Khitan Empire and the Wider World. Growing Colonial Empires, Tensions in America and the accelerating pace of Industrial growth and urbanization had become the issues and talking points of the day. Though in each and every county they would materialize in varying forms.​

In America the Issue of Slavery had Risen into utmost importance as westward expansion slowed. California, which while having an agrarian heartland did not rely upon slavery like that of her Atlantic Opposite and had Abolished the practice in the mid 1840's. The Event ultimately was uncontroversial as rising numbers of immigrants from Wartorn China had already begun to eclipse the small enslaved black population at the time.

In the American Empire it was very much the opposite, Slavery was an essential part of how the Landowning Southern Khitan run economy worked, and while the practice was being phased out of tobacco and minor agricultural due to rising costs, cotton remained the central industry of slavery and it was widely profitable as American cotton's only main competition was Indian Cotton which was more expensive and monopolized by Anglo-Khitan merchant shipping in the Indian ocean. Though even that was not quite so simple, as the Kingdom America itself was also divided on the Issue as an Urban and populous north was swiftly turning against slavery in all of its forms and aligning closer with Europe than with the Agrarian south.

In Mexico and the Disputed Louisiana Territories the Issue was being fought over, literally with Powder and shot as settlers from California were being moved into territories in order to Claim them for the House of Norton and thus California's growing Empire. Settlers from the Northern United States sought to increase the Senatorial and Electoral representation of Northern Ideals in the same exact territories, and Naturally Southern settlers sought the very opposite, Simply pit it was a three way tinderbox and across much of Texas, Mexico and the Western Frontiers blood was being spilt.

Mexico herself, never truly stable to start with was being ripped in twain between competing American and Californian Influences with various rebel factions with foreign backing taking the reigns of power only to lose them again, Though that quickly came to a halt with the rise of a True Third Faction in America Politics. The Natives.​

In a brief moment of Stability, Monarchists loyal to the Kingdom of America had declared a Mexican empire aligned with the Pro Slavery faction in the United States. After a series of controversial reforms that would allow the capture if escaped slaves as well as the re-enslavement of protected native groups the Native Maya people of Veracruz declared independence. In order to end the issue as soon as possible, Emperor Robert I of the United States announced a US intervention to be headed by General William Walker to aid the Mexicans in putting down the revolt. The Hope would be that the by ending the incident quickly it would not spill over into Parliament at home and risk further unrest.

This didn't happen as the United States of Central America responded to the American intervention with its own Declaration of War on Mexico after a new invention, the Photograph found itself into Newspapers depicted the Brutal Mexican-American repression of Maya in the unrecognized Totomac Republic. The Centro-American declaration would be followed by a Californian one three months Later and in an instant a small revolt had turned into a Full blown American Wildfire.​

As expected in Short Order Anti Slavery factions within Mexico itself resulted in complete collapse as foreign troops marched into Mexico city proper. Meanwhile abolitionist resistance in the American Parliament blocked a Formal declaration of War against the Centroamericans and soon Robert I found himself forced to both fire his prime minister and withdraw Walker's expeditionary force. Two years later what remained of the Mexican state had completly fallen under Centro-American military occupation with the Legal government of mexico retreating to the Texan territories in the North.

Victorious, California and the United States of Central America (Otherwise known as the Republic of Centro-America) signed the Treaty of Arizona, recognizing the USCA's new Borders as well as its claims to all Land in the Central American Isthmus up to Panama city.

For the Local English and Scandinavian descended Mexican settlers they for the most part would be displaced over the border into the United States with much of their Lands being returned to the depopulated Aztec, Apache, Navajo and other Native peoples. Those that stayed often found ways to bypass Centro-American reforms by passing themselves off as or otherwise integrating into the Khitan Minority of the Country, as the Khitan Peoples were afforded equal protections under law as Natives under the Republic.​

Meanwhile in Africa, the Khitan annexation of the Karagwe people went as expected. With little resistance to show from the Natives further territories in the African great lakes region was acquired by the Empire. Notably the success has come with the discovery of further natural resources in the region though the cape continued to be an ever present obstacle as East Africa was still on the wrong side of africa for Shipping costs and the like. Several Radical proposals to continue expansion into Africa into the Kongo, so Niger to Zanzibar Rail Line could be constructed were proposed but ultimately shelfed for the moment by Emperor Arthur.​

Another Potential option was of course the construction of a Canal between the Red Sea and Mediterranean, The Problem there however lied in Greece's utter refusal to harbour any sort of Peace. For the Fifth Time since the Congress of London the Greek and Persian Empires had once again declared war upon one another and while the Greeks had continued to lose territory time and again to the Persians they had done better and better each time. This time the Greeks, well prepared and organized with modern Technology were hoping to finally retake the City of Bagdad and break the Persian Republic's back once and for all.​

The Bohemians had quickly become rivals of the Persians themselves over the Russian Question, namely the Kingdom of Lithuania's continued insistence that its Russians claims were legitimate, to which the Republic of Scandinavia and Empire of Bohemia would both need to Recognize if they hoped to retain access to Lithuania's frontier in the event of war with Persia. This Rivalry ultimately would poison the Italo-Persian alliance and result in Italy's departure from further wars against the Greeks despite growing desire to finally remove the remaining greek territory of Napoli from Continental Italy itself.​

Domestically a new Crisis was rising to the Surface of the Khitan Empire. With the Government backing efforts to industrialize the country the bureaucracy had ballooned out of control as a result. As had been predicted by many of Arthur's Skeptics the Hands on Policy of Government in the Economy was having very drastic effects on the working poor and middle class who simply could not find work as census numbers continued to grow and private entrepreneurship could not get through red tape fast enough to meet demand.​

After a particularly heated Budget meeting where Emperor Arthur has discovered that the Empire's peacetime income Surplus from taxation had turned into a deficit for the first time in Decades, mainly due to the growing costs of further government personal as well as defense and government backed economic initiatives something had to give.​

Advisors to the Emperor many of whom were more nationalist in political bent and fiscally conservative saw the massive hemorrhage of money being spent on foreign economic aid, mainly the subsidies being spent to import raw material from Asia and America in order to starve the industries of Great Britain, Italy and Bohemia as the main issue, though Emperor Arthur found himself more convinced that he was reaching his own limits as he had been born and raised in an environment very much focused around Absolutist Era thinking in what was now being referred to as the Industrial Age. He was not Young and war aware of this fact, and in hope of preventing his own inadequacies from harming the Empire, he would do something controversial.​

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The Imperial Council was once again restructured and a series of acts were passed to establish the first Free Elections within the Empire. Weighted Heavily towards those with means and power, an Imperial Senate consisting of Representatives from each established Province of the Empire would meet at the Capital to discuss Legislative Issues of the day.

While the new Senate could propose law, it could not enact it, such a power remained firmly in the hands of the Emperor, who could still reorganize his advisors however he wished as well as legislate and pass laws within the Summer or Capital Palace without consent of the Senate.

In doing so Emperor Arthur had adopted what was being called Bohemian Constitutionalism. As System where an elected legislature could in theory govern the country with minimal oversight from the Monarch, but the tools remained well within reach for the Monarch to quickly abolish the seated Government and Rule as a Despot with the proper formalities. For those with Liberal ideology it had been a long awaited miracle of a reform, for those who supported the Emperor through the last few decades it was seen as a betrayal not seen since the end of the Julian Renaissance.

The 1855 Elections would be held on September 1st, Arthur's Birthday. The First Legal nationwide elections of the Khitan Government. When the Results came in the following day aligned in a stiff 57/43 Split between Conservative and Liberal aligned Parties. The Resulting Coalitions of Senate members would formalize the first two parties of the Khitan Republic, the Conservative Leaning Khitan National Party, (KNP) who would often simply be referred to as the Conservatives and the Liberal Party of Cathay (LPC) or otherwise known as the Liberals. Within both Major parties there were extremist wings, Stiff Absolutists within the Conservative Tend and Anarchists within the Liberal tentpope but both contained few enough members to be unwilling to challenge the emerging Two party status quo.

For Arthur the Split was exactly what he was hoping for, With a Conservative Ruling party kept in check by a Liberal Opposition. Happy with the Results, Arthur would appoint Conservative Senator Randolph Germaine as the First Elected Chancellor of the Country, setting the precedent and rules of procedure for the formation of Governments within the Senate and powers of the Chancellor. Germaine's only real purpose would be the establishment of such formalities however as the Man was elderly and did little in terms of actually governing.

As many would state rather bluntly, Germaine's only purpose would be to controversially fill the seat until someone of sufficient talent had proved themselves worthy of the position.

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Outside Cathay, Arthur's reforms had been taken with staggering levels of approval. Bohemia and the United States sensing a shift in Khitan foreign policy to follow a shifted domestic stance both made intimate gestures to get in on the ground floor with a revitalized Khitan Empire. A Partnership with the Khitan Empire's most powerful Rival in Europe and America ultimately would be to tempting to dismiss off hand.​

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Meanwhile the Empire's adventures elsewhere could continue relatively unabatted. With Friends being made everywhere the liberation of USCA territories had become an uncontroversial first move for the new elected legislature, allowing Nationalism to feed the public unifying free victory for Arthur's new reforms. The Resulting intervention in the Columbian-Centro American Conflict would ultimately be minor but be significant as a victory would soon materialize in the treaty of Veracruz.

The Resulting Treaty would push back the Columbian border several hundred kilometers and result in the liberation of vast quantities of not native land but Khitan land that had been settled and been part of the Initial republic of Centro-America. However the Continued success of the Anti Slavery Central American Republic would have consequences elsewhere in the continent.​

The Slavery Issue was about to come to a head in America, and The point of no return was fast approaching.​

 

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Chapter 9: A Civil War

The Collapse of the Mexican Empire into a glorified satellite state had been just one major event in a series as the issue of slavery continued to grow more pervasive in american politics. A Landmark Court Case in the American midwest would turn out to be yet another rope holding the United States together. Under Commerce law of the United States, Travel to a Free State did not invalidate the property status of slaves, effectively meaning it was legal to own slaves throughout the Entire Union so long as they were considered property before being moved into said states.

The Consequences of course meant that now freed slaves needed to be moved to California or Canada, where the terrain made such journeys several times more difficult as either the Gulf of St Lawrence or Great Plains needed to be crossed to bring Freed Slaves to Freedom. Or otherwise would need to Cross into the United States of Central America or hide out in the Wilderness of Labrador where while the territory was officially owned by Canada, it was effectively policed and closely watched by United States Authorities.

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The Abolitionist response in the United States would come in violence as Radial elements who had felt continually sidelined in favor the Slaveholding South, Militarized and took to fighting the war on the frontier. The Hope of these radical groups being if enough territories could be granted Statehood as Free States the balance in the American Senate would sway against slavery and force real action in government. Fire and Brimstone preachers such as John Brown used this new War in the West as an opportunity to gather more followers and as a result, quickly polarized the issue across the country. In the eyes of the slaveholding south the narrative had been constructed that any anti slavery effort was fundamentally connected to John Brown and other Radicals who sought violence not only as a last resort but a perfectly legitimate option.

The Response by California to this resurgence of violence in her frontier was to March on the Remains of the Mexican Government. At Gunpoint the Mexican Parliament was given a choice between occupation or Annexation. The Government Chose the Latter after help from her allies never materializes as the American Government was still crippled over another wave of unrest and was unable to mobilize a declaration of war.​

(Emperor James I of The Kingdom of America and American Empire)​

With the Senate unable to Function and new Elections causing much the same response in Congress, Emperor James I declared a State of Emergency, suspending the powers of both legislative bodies. The Army and National Guard was mobilized in order to keep the peace in the Territories and border states between North and South. For at least a time for home that the Issue could cool enough for the Emperor to settle the dispute due to Emperor Jame's Swift and decisive action.

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This did not Happen, unfortunately as Federal Troops ran John Brown's radicals out of the west they reappeared in the Southern Heartland. After a Series of Daring Raids local militias had been organized, arrested and Executed Brown and more than a Hundred Freed Slaves that had been armed by Brown and his comrades. With the Federal Government's slow reaction to John's last series of Raids the local governments of Georgia and the Carolinas had begun meetings with prominent Generals and Southern Leadership looking towards their own Path forwards convinced that the Northern States and Northern Backed Government ultimately was unwilling or unable to defend the Southern Half of the Country.
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After two Years, Emperor James would attempt several times to negotiate with an infuriated Southern Leadership, eventually finding a Declaration of Independence on his desk all too similar to the one his Great Uncle had Sent to the Khitan Emperor a Century ago. The Confederated States of America had formally declared independence from the Kingdom of America, citing infringements upon their constitutional rights, Threats to the economic health and prosperity to the Region and representation in the Senate and Congress.

The Confederate Cause however was divided, Northern Confederate States, namely New Avalon and Pennsylvania had joined the movement not out of Loyalty to Slavery but in hopes of Overthrowing the Monarchy and establishing a Unified American Republic. Isolated and Alone such revolts were swiftly put down by Emperor James I, but their revolt would have large consequences, giving time to the poorer southern States to reorganize a proper military and prepare to fend off the Union's attempts to push south.

As the First Shots echo'd out over the fields of Gettysburg Pennsylvania and later at the Battle of Rhode Island, the United States Civil War had Begun in Earnest as Brother fought Brother and the American Experiment had come crashing down towards the ground.​

In News Elsewhere the Indian Confederation had finally included several Persian territories after successful revolts in the Tibetan Plateau. Success in Persia had given the Indians enough say to finally include the Southern Princes into the Confederation much to the Chagrin of European Powers who had prefered working with a divided and weakened Indian Confederation. Between the Indian Unification and the American Civil War Cotton Prices skyrocketed, to such an extent that European intervention in America was soon being seriously considered.​

In Australia, Persia and Cathay signed the Melbourne Agreement, assigning Austria's proper borders, granting Much of the Interior to the Khitan Empire, Kakadu to the Ligor Republic and the Remaining Eastern Coastal territories to Persia Proper as well as the Island of Tasmania. The Ligor Republic due to its low population and far more tolerate practices soon found itself as the primary hub of aboriginal refugees from the Colonial administrations of Cathay and Persia. Though Cathay had prefered a 'hands off' approach in its governing of the Island the local residents still would clash with the Natives quite often. The Persian Policy was far more harsh, evicting any locals away off of livable land and forcing them into the Interior territories.​

The News at Hand in Europe was the continued Decline of Persia, While still formidable the growing industries and colonial Empires of Europe had left the Empire technologically and Economically Backwards. Without a modern navy to defend her colonies or a Modern army to leverage her vast size and population and constant wars with the Greek Republic, Persia had fallen into increasing amounts of debt and her religious fundamentalism only served to isolated the country even further. While not a minor power by any means, Persia's place in the European led world Order was replaced by the Technologically advanced Portuguese Republic.​

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This changing of the Guard had come during a time of great unrest in Portugal's contemporaries. Portugal's continued leadership of the Iberian Nations had reflected in growing Pan Nationalist Movements on the Penninsula who increasingly looked to Portugal's stable and prosperous government as the way going forward. Eventually an Anti Goverment revolt would success and offer the Portugese leadership just that, the Spanish Crown and unification with Granada with some liberal concessions, though King Alfonse of Portugal remained hesitant on the matter and refused any offer of Union unless said Union also included Catalonia.

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With that Portugal managed to stabilize its legitimacy as a Great Power and push itself out of the Khitan Sphere of Influence. Its path would lead it towards an inevitable conflict with Cathay over the Future of Catalonia while Portugal's opposite on the Other wise of Europe continued to weaken and fall under Greek and Bohemian Influence.

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In Cathay things had remained relatively quiet as building blocks for a new Governmental system had been slowly assembled carefully by the Conservative party. Restrictions of the Press were relaxed while systems dealing with Minorities and Native peoples were officiated and put into place, replacing many of the ad Hoc rulings of long dead Emperors.

For a Start many protections given to Khitan colonies in Asia and Africa in regards to cultural artifacts and place of religious or historical significance were removed resulting in a veritable archaeology gold rush as Museums in the Homeland paid top dollar to display curiosities and treasures from the East, Thus inspiring similar efforts in Egypt, Greece and Central America where long dead civilizations sat just beneath the surface.​

​

Similarly education standards had been a soft reform at home just to give the appearance of the Government doing something. Colonially the Implications were more significant as native African and Asian languages were no longer supported in Government backed schools and only, the Cosmopolitan formal Khitan of the Lowlands and Northern France was approved to teaching. The Change would come with some resistance depending on the Area, especially as Newer Generations raised on European Languages and culture found themselves in conflict with their past, pre colonial history.

The Real show however was the American Civil War, and modern technology had brought the ability to bring the aftermath to the world, not through prose, text or narrative, but through an Industrial Era invention now being employed in full scale for the first time.​

The Photograph.​

 

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Chapter 10: Death and Taxes

While North America escalated into war Tensions in the South China Sea were rising rather quickly as well. The Native Sulu People had managed to win another series of key Battles against the Japanese helped by war profiteers and 'independent' investors who saw an independent philippines as advantageous to their interests. The Previous resolutions regarding the sulu forbad investment on a national level and still the Governments of Italy and Britain continued to turn a blind eye to such acts, now of course the issue was back on the world stage.

Between the Sulu revolution and Japan's vast colonial Empire failing to bear significant fruit in comparison to Europe the Japanese had fallen to that of a second rate power. A Powerful Navy had ensured Japan's presence at the world table but it was still at the kids table due to a lack of economic gravity or international prestige. Knowing this the Japanese Emperor looked to Cathay, her oldest partner in the region for support. The Newly appointed Cathayan Chancellor, a Conservative by the name of George Koelers eagerly accepted an Alliance with Japan knowing that indebting the Chrysanthemum Throne to the Khitan would bring greater Influence in the Pacific and of course, China.​

With the United States Embroiled in a civil war and the United States of Central America, Japan's replacement as a Great Power both unwilling to get involved in Asian Affairs Negotiations fell to Cathay, Britain, Italy, Bohemia and the Newcomer of Portugal. Italy and Britain both wishing to crack open the proverbial Filipino Oyster yet again sided with the Sulu people stating openly that regardless of Khitan intervention they planned to get involved more actively against Japan in the Region.​

The Surprise would come in Portugal taking the side of the Italians and British feeling that the Sino-Khitan domination of East Asia simply needed to stop. The British unable to establish colonies in China had been effectively ejected from the Region, the Scandinavians had experienced much of the same and Portugal now looking for her own Empire to construct saw vast expanses of potential locked off by centuries old agreements by Long Dead Japanese and Khitan Emperors being the only thing in the way. Sulu could be the stone to bring such old agreements down on top of eachother.​

​

Unfortunately for the Portuguese Khitan diplomats refused to budge and as the Congress of Monaco drew to a Close inconclusively Chancellor Koelers gave the order to deploy a second fleet into East Asia to blockade Sulu territory. A Concession simply couldn't be allowed as it would hurt Khitan international prestige and dominance of the Pacific.

The Next Step of course was to find new allies and call in Favors. Bohemia remained neutral, hoping to survey both sides of the dispute in hopes of promises of land and the like. The Eastern Roman Empire however had recently seen the Persians grind themselves to dust against their Eastern Borders and were now eager to see something similar occur to Italy. It would take weeks of convincing but the Greeks would sign on to Defend Japan.​

Tensions would ultimately rise, to a point where armies were put on notice across Europe on both sides as the Final meeting in Vienna took place. At Vienna the Italian and Khitan ambassadors both refused to give any ground stating that Japan should leave the South Chinese Islands to a Native government and that Japan was the rightful owner of her territories in the Philippines Respectively.

While outnumbered at the Table, Japanese faction held a massive superiority both in Population and numbers of warships. The Combined Fleets of Japan, Greece and the Khitan Empire was considerable, On land however Bohemia was ultimately the Kingmaker as the Khitan Empire could find itself surrounded on all Four Sides. However the Bohemians continued to hold Cold feet as it held an Alliance with the Khitan Empire at least officially but also had a vested interest in seeing a Portuguese led opening of China becoming a Reality.​

As the Fateful hour approached over the Italians conceded. Bohemia ultimately chose no Side and without Bohemia the Small nations of Italy and Portugal could not hope to match the Khitan Army in a shooting match while the British attempted to stick a landing. Termed were signed and the Czech-Khitan Alliance that Arthur had signed now well over a decade ago had paid its due.​

The Portuguese however had other Plans. Unwilling to take a defeat lying down they used the opportunity of a mobilized and prepared army to Invade Catalonia in conjunction with the Federal Kingdom of Granada. With Tensions already High war looked to be imminent but then, disaster struck, Emperor Arthur who had been touring the Country following news of a successful congress in Vienna had a massive stroke, In the days following he had died leaving No direct heir and several young Grandchildren as contenders to the Throne.​

Weakness was something that was perceived by the Italians and Portuguese immediately. With no Monarch the Khitan Empire was officially governed by a Regency council, though in practice it was now Governed by Chancellor Koelers. This disunity meant the Empire would need to react swiftly to establish a new order else lose influence or worse, be attacked by her enemies while Chaos ensued in the capital.

From the Contestants to the Throne there were three major Camps that had ultimately aligned upon political leaning rather than suitability of the Candidate. The more Liberal leaning members of court favored the Duke of Anjou, a Cousin to Emperor Arthur, of the Same dynasty but younger and fairly progressive. The small reactionary element at course wished to crown Prince Willem Caetye of Bohemia, Distantly related to the Royal family through the Bohemian line but a stern monarchist and widow'd Husband of the late Princess Margaret, Arthur's eldest daughter, the Logic being that Margaret's Children would ultimately inherit the Throne once they were properly of age and in the meantime a strong Monarch could lead the Empire.

The Conservatives however instead cited the exact law of Succession which stated that in light of No living Children, the Emperor's eldest Grandchild would succeed to the Throne, which would be Duchess Julianna of Valois, a Child of the Age of 6, with two younger brothers. Julianna's mother the Late Princess Elise had died in Childbirth just a year prior and the Empire had just recently finished a period of Mourning. That detail gave the Conservatives the Popular support they needed to quickly establish the inheritance and end the Regency council as fast as possible.
​

​

With Public opinion behind the young Duchess, Julianna was made Monarch, Being given the Name Julianna II. Though Julianna's age was a major issue as unable to rule herself she required a regent. Julianna's Father, Prince William of Aquitaine would rule in her stead at least until the Empress came of Age. The Liberals and Reactionary both were gravely upset but unable to do nothing as the letter of law had given Julianna enough legitimacy that the decision could not be challenged without resorting to more treasonous alternatives.

In the Meantine the Kingdom of Portugal now had all it needed to Call a meeting of Governments in Lisbon. Since the Fall of Al Andalus the Iberian Peninsula had been divided. Now she would become Whole again under a new State and a New Emperor. After years of warfare, division and foreign meddling Iberia had succeeded and the Federal Kingdom of Granada, Kingdom of Portugal and Republic of Catalonia would unify under the crown of Spain.

But of course not everything was right in Europe, A new Movement was gaining ground in the workhouses and sweatshops of Europe. As the Industrial Era continued to Grind up Men in the name of efficiency, productivity and profit, some would fight back. For These people the Ideals of Monarchism and Liberalism had abandoned them.

For them True Equality could only be achieved through Socialism.​

 

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Chapter 11: Wars of Rights

With matters handled in Imperial Cathay the world instead looked to the ongoing show in America. The American Civil war had become a visceral sideshow for the Imperial Powers of Europe where the new gruesome technologies and tactics that had come with the industrial revolution had been put on display. Despite this however there was a very clear advantage in favour of the loyalist north whos industrial base and population far outnumbered the southern rural states. Once the States of Pennsylvania and the greater Massachusetts region had been subdued the Union could focus its full power on the south.

​

King-Emperor James had focused all of his assets on what was being called a West-First strategy with a mindset on defeating Texas and the Frontier States on the field over and over again in order to siphon the will out of the confederacy. Combined with a Strict Naval Blockade the hope was to get a Confederate Peace offer on the table without spreading the destruction seen in Pennsylvania and the Northeast into the Southern Heartland of Virginia and the Carolinas.

The Confederates found themselves outnumbered and outgunned in the Open Texas Frontier leading several sweeping Union victories, Emperor James' reluctance to push further however had slowed things to a crawl. The Policy would come under fire for not seeking to end the war quick enough and thus leaving open the chance for Californian, Central American or even European Aid to the confederacy. On the other side of the Aisle the criticisms came that Emperor James was simply stalling the war in order to use the rebellious southern states to skew the wartime elections such that Northern Liberals and Anti Slavery Parties gathered enough support to abolish slavery and strengthen his personal power which otherwise would have been blocked by the predominantly oppositional south were it not in revolt.

In South America the Republic of Paraguay had been the triumphant power having conquered all countries on the Continent except Columbia and the Incan Empire. Though such vast conquest was a frail and temporary affair as the rough terrain of south America had made it virtually impossible to truly govern any conquest. While the Paraguayan Army could be successful over and over again, including against the Inca on mountainous andes terrain thanks to greater access to technology, the whole empire was widely expected to collapse by the world at large eventually.

​

In the Khitan Empire elections had been held with the Conservative and Reactionary elements of Government Retaining their Coalition against growing Liberal and Anarchist support. Under Prince Regent William the Government would remain stable just as things in Europe were kicking off again.

The Oriental Trainline, named such for its Run from Antwerp to Prague to Constantinople had become the primary linkage within Europe between Cathay, Bohemia and The Hellenic Republic. As Such the Railway had become a symbol of the Joint Railway companies that owned it and the Industrial revolution as a whole. With growing anarchist discontent and now the growing seed of Marxism in the world it was only natural for it to come under attack.

Due to Travel Time and cost constraints the Rail Line had to run through the Neutral Buffer State of Avaria rather than around the Carpathians entirely. Avaria being far poorer than either of its Neighbors had become rife with corruption and exploitation as primarily Greek and Bohemian Political and Economic interests had quietly partitioned the country unofficially. When a Local Anarchist Club turned violent and attacked the Oriental Line the so called Carpathian Train Bombing and Robbery had become world news overnight, Prompting a Response from all the Great Powers not long after.​

​

The Empire of Bohemia, who owned a majority stake in the railway demanded recompense from the Avarian Government, including the right to station troops along the Railway up to where the Greek owned portion of the Railway began. Since the Oriental Line ran through several significant Avarian cities a Bohemian 'Guard' would effectively turn into an Occupation. The Avarian Response was Thus a flat no and a mobilization in preparation for the Bohemian Response.

This ultimately would be Prince-Regent William's first test, as Defacto Leader of Europe he would be viewed as responsible if the Issue ultimately escalated into war between Bohemia a Khitan ally and Greece a Former Khitan ally and close trading partner. Further Still, the British, Scandinavians and Italians were all watching the Issue closely, fully away that the Khitan-Bohemian partnership in Europe could easily break over the train debacle.

Rather than escalate things into war William sided with the Bohemians expressing Khitan support while the Senate still debating on the issue. Troops were orders into Bohemian territory and preparations for possible war with Greece and Italy were made.

With the Khitan stance established, The Prince Regent then took the Chance to call for a Conference in Bohemian Odessa to fairly compensate the Greeks for whatever awaited Avaria.

The resulting Treaty of Odessa was signed in 1861, officially absorbing the remains of Avaria into Bohemia Compensating the Greeks for their economic investment as a high premium.​

​

Ultimately however William had to give ground to keep the Italians and Greeks happy as the dissolution of Avaria would mean opening the door for removing what remained of the Defunct Treaty of London. The States of Hanover and Rhineland never truly found any sort of independence since their inception and the facade was done away with as they too were partitioned between Bohemia and the Khitan Empire.

​

As a Concession The Khitan Empire would give up their defacto control over Aquitaine and Holstein, with Holstein and its new Canal effectively being traded to England and Aquitaine being fought over between italy and Spain. While the loss of Aquitaine was a massive Liability Prince Regent William was still closely related to the Royal Family in the state and giving the Spanish and Italians finally something to fight over each other with was worth it, the Military would simply need to pick up the lost slack.

​

In Asia, Japan had taken this opportunity to Invade Manchuria in hopes of Obtaining its vast reserves of coal and other resources for her growing industry. The Korchin Manchu People had once managed to be the premier power in Northern Asia back under the time of the Ming Dynasty. With Japan ascendent however those days had now become but a distant memory.​

The British Commonwealth Meanwhile made plans to finish their integration of Ireland removing a tactical weakness from the British Isles and furthering their cultural ideal of a Celtic-British state. With recent treaties preventing the intervention of Khitan or Bohemian troops on the Island of Ireland proper the Irish goverment would receive little support.​

​

In America so Called Western Strategy of Emperor James found success as the Confederates surrendered their Northern territories and submit to Union Military occupation. Emperor James however was reluctant to re-integrate both countries immediately as a Revanchist Government had made their intentions on wanting to Punish the south rather clear. With the Western Half of the Confederate states devastated through extended warfare and the economic heartland ravaged by years of blockade the Confederates were instead made semi-autonomous to be integrated while a union military backed provisional government rewrote state constitutions and laws while removing the legacy of the Old Southern Aristocracy.

​

For the Khitan Empire the 1860's had opened the door for a turnaround. The Khitan Empire despite the death of its Emperor had stood above much of Europe, retaining its leading position while setting the nations around it against each other.

All the While along the Rhine the Industrial sector continued to grow and in the Universities new inventions and scientific and cultural landmarks were being achieved at record pace. Newspapers in the westernizing Shun Dynasty would name the Khitan Empire the 'Paragon of the World' stating that all nations would be best to look towards the Khitan Empire for a basis upon which to move into the modern world.

Such Developments of course were a blade without a hilt. A Greater reliance of military and industry and a lack of a strong Monarchical center would ultimately beget more reliance on military and industry. It would take time but slowly but surely the Khitan Empire was falling into slope the British and Bohemian Empires had embraced earlier in the century, Industrial and Military Power for Industrial and MIlitary development's sake with Social concerns being left by the wayside in favour of retaining a dominant position on the world stage at any cost.​

​

Such developments of course werent without their merits. The Khitan industrial position had become one of absolute envy with a GDP nearly twice that of the nearest competitor, Italy. Italy and the Greek Republic had recently experienced a similar economic renaissance thanks to large domestic populations without the accompanied unrest of a nation like Bohemia. Still both nations lacked something that the Empire of Cathay had, Colonies which had proved to be the magic bullet for Economic Growth at least at first glance.

That Assumption would be the new thought process moving forward for the great powers of the World. Italy had parts of Indonesia as did the British but no nation had a 'Crown Jewel' like the Khitan Empire had China. To address this and catch up to their Italian and Greek rivals, the Bohemians implemented an African Strategy, hoping to rely on her allies to grant her control over East Africa.

The British of course stood in the way of this, as did the Spanish at least directly. The Italians meanwhile were in direct opposition to any attempt for a Land Power such as Bohemia to start acquiring colonies of its own.

When Bohemian troops in Sofala moved north to Seize the 'British Band' blocking them access to the Khitan Colonies further north, the British denounced Bohemia and deployed troops to Africa. What follows as an immediate escalation of war in Europe by Bohemia, followed by a Declaration of War on Bohemia by Italy.

The Prince-Regent staring at an Anti Bohemian coalition forming had no choice but to Join it and lose Bohemia as an ally or side with the Bohemians and prepare for things to escalate further. Ultimately he would choose the latter.​

​

With the War being fought, primarily over British colonies in Africa the Khitan Empire already held the advantage, able to encircle British Lindi from two sides and use its vast navy to force the british to commit to cat and mouse in the atlantic or risk reinforcements being intercepted.

In the opening Phase of the War however the Channel Fleet moved to intercept the British Blockade of Dublin, hoping to catch the British in the dead of night with thier new top of the line steam ships.​

(Artist Depiction of the IMS Lancer on Patrol in the Irish Sea)
​

The Resulting Battle was a Slaughter, Rather than risk the fleet the British retreated to port in Glascow and prepare to retake the sea. Meanwhile fighting at started in earnest along the Italian, Bohemian and Khitan Border in Germany and along the Alps.

​

Hoping to Catch the Bohemians off Guard the Italians poured the vast majority of their forces into Germany. Meanwhile the Khitan Empire had vastly overcommitted its own forces in the Alps, expecting an Italian breakthrough in the region before it could be properly garrisoned just as they had done in the past. Effectively meaning the two major armies had missed each other completly and the following weeks were a series of repositionings on both ends as the Khitan moved back north to protect the Rhineland while the Italians retreated much of their forces back to protect the Industrial center of Milan.

​

In the Channel, Naval Superiority had bought the Khitan a chance to try and take London as they had done in the past. Crossing at the Narrowest point in the Channel the hope was the march on London and take the city and sign a quick and easy peace. The Swift British response to the invasion however would mean ultimately the British campaign would not be swift, and quickly found itself bogged down just south of London.

After a brief series of battles in the Italian Alps the Southern front descended into Chaos as many smaller armies found holes in the Khitan battle line, laying siege to the various alpine fortresses, all the while the same was occuring except on the Italian side of the border the Advantage however remained in the hands of Cathay who still retained full and well supplied armies in Provence and Zurich able to move into the Italian heartland in short order.​

​

In the North the Italians were stopped outside the Gates of Prague and along the Weimar line in Germany. Without enough manpower to continue the war further advancement would be dependent on the success of a second campaign for Prague and Greek or Scandinavian intervention so long as the British remained tied up in southern England.

​

Southern England ultimately would be the deciding battle of the war where rainstorms had caused long delays in british reinforcement allowing for General Wallace Grenfell to push off the British Counterattack and march up to London Proper. Supported by the Guns of the Khitan Fleet and the fact that the British colony of Lindi was already long lost as this point, peace negotiations began in earnest.

​

While some heavy fighting did occur in Germany and the Alpine Regions the East Africa Crisis would be remembers as ultimately a bloodless and Short war. A Gentlemen's war where only a brief period of fighting over the course of months had been fought and a deciding victory appeared rather quickly.

The Long belated fighting of the American civil war did not appear and a Lesson had been learned. As the future would tell, the Wrong lesson.

The Lesson that Wars could be quick, relatively bloodless and be fought for reasons as simply as glory and prestige.​

 

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Chapter 12: Moving Mountains

With peace restored and armies returned back it had become clear that Britain, the only Blue Water Naval Power in the atlantic besides Cathay had been found wanting. The Government in Antwerp was fully aware of this, as while the War had given the Khitan supremacy in Africa and Asia again it had also re-opened the possibility of economic and political expansion in South America.

The Americans fresh off their victory against the Confederate States of America shifted their troops west with one goal, pushing the Californians back behind the Sierra Nevada mountain range, winning themselves Silver in the contested regions.​

The Spanish, ever present in Affairs in Western Europe once again pushed their influence into Aquitaine. Sitting on Aquitaine's southern border, Aquitaine's continued loyalty to the Khitan Empire was a massive liability for the Spanish. Under Khitan control Aquitaine was not a buffer state nor would contribute economically to any empire but Cathay. So long as Aquitaine could be kept from falling too deep into the Khitan or Italian orbits, Spain would have her buffer north of the Pyrenees and thus be free to focus on cultural, economic and colonial pursuits.

On the British Isles, despite thier defeat in southern England the British Commonwealth finished the annexation of Ireland. For the first time in centuries the entirety of the British Isles was under one Union. As a result the Junta once again found legitimacy just as recent events may have given it reason to grow unstable. Continued Isolation from the rest of Europe of course had led to the British Squandering her abundance resources but the Commonwealth was stable if nothing else, and Ultimately for the Khitan Government, a Stable and relatively Minor Dictatorship to the north was preferable to a dangerous unstable republic or ambitious monarchy.​

That isnt to say that the British Commonwealth was not an Empire in truth. The British controlled Borneo making the Country an effective equal to the Italians within the region. For the Prince Regent the British and other Europeans in Indonesia were a welcome neighbor as the alternative, Native or Japanese rule. So long as Europeans held land within the Region the Japanese could not threaten Khitan Indochina or Malaya easily while staying economically beholden to those very same colonies. The British isolated from Europe by Water could focus on the defense of her colonies far more easily than Italy and due to this remained a natural ally despite recent bad blood.​

In China proper a clear victor had begun to merge out of the centuries long Chinese Interregnum. With the mandate of Heaven up for grabs the Shun Dynasty now had the greatest claim to the title as lands loyal to the dynasty stretched from Siberia in the North down to the Khitan colonies hugging the Southern Coast. The only other Native Chinese state that could Rival the Shun's claim would have been Yan but thanks to the Japanese and their own ambitions the Yan Dynasty was split in two and no more powerful than the other minor warlords that made up the buffer region of central China.

With this in Mind, Prince Regent William put efforts into negotiations between The Shun, Japan and the Khitan Empire to work out a favorable partition of China. While the Shun would be unhappy with any deal that did not cede them ancestral Chinese Lands it would effectively force the Japanese to take the side of the Khitan in the negotiations and thus threaten the Shun to also come to the table, lest they fight two great powers at the same time before China itself was close to re-unification.​

​

America meanwhile was quickly becoming an important place of interest due to those developing matters in Asia and the continued growth of Paraguay whos dominance of South America would threaten the traditional alternate means of sailing to the Pacific through Cape Horn. Africa being populated by many powers meant that in the event of war, a Fleet moving to Malaya would have to pass by Colonial territories held by every major power at least once save Japan and this was simply unacceptable.

The Khitan Empire however had friends within the region, namely the United States of Central America who continued to busy itself with the reconquest of her lost territories against Columbia. The Khitan Goverment would put its backing behind the USCA in order to weaken Columbia

Columbia being primarily an Italian colony remained outside Khitan orbit and tended to drift closer to other powers. The British and Americans were the traditional favorites in Columbia and so it was difficult to even try. The United States of Central America had a large Khitan population and European immigrants rather than assimilate into the ruling native cultures opted to assimilate into the more familiar Khitan thus making Influencing the more powerful Republic far more viable.

Similarly the possibility of a shortcut through the Red Sea was something on the mind of the Prince Regent. However the Continued presence of Persia and their control over the Arabian Peninsula meant that any projects undertaken in Egypt would ultimately have to two masters. With the Khitan economy booming it was only natural to begin extending foreign aid packages to the Cathay's allies as well as other interests as a successful greece would mean a powerful ally in the Indian ocean as well as the mediterranean.​

​

Back in Europe affairs of Government were put to a stop during the December Riot of 1863. The Growing Socialist Movement and its respective political party, 'The Party for the Redistribution of Labour and Wealth' Otherwise known as Labour. Had been barred from the elections and thus representation in the senate by the Bicolor act, organizing representatives into the Government Faction and the Opposition Faction. While the stated reasons for greater comprehension and effectiveness of government it had quietly been passed by the Prince Regent to stop the Shattering of the Liberal and Conservative parties as both Social-Liberal and Social-Conservative movements grew.

The Riots and protests were held in the snow throughout the month of december until finally the Government Caved, with the so called 'Emergency Solstice Act' being passed, revising the Bicolor act to allow for a Single Socialist Party.

The so called Tricolour Revision ultimately was overshadowed worldwide by the signing of the Treaty of Peking between Japan, Cathay, the Shun Dynasty, Scandinavia and Great Britain.

The Main focus of which would be official Japanese and Khitan support of the Shun Dynasty in exchange for the Shun ceding all rights and claims to the Japanese and Khitan colonies within China.​

The Treaty of Peking would expand the Japanese and Khitan stakes in the Middle Kingdom slightly and bound the Shun to a treaty to both recognize and protect the colonies of both Empires as well as the Independent 'Heavenly Kingdom' a Neutral trading region officially claimed by Scandinavia and Great Britain with direct control over several major cities within the Heavenly Kingdom being given to Scandinavia to directly administer.

The Shun of course only signed the treaty due to being held at diplomatic gunpoint, Had the Shun refused the Colonial powers would simply find a warlord who would accept and then work to break the Shun Dynasty while it still remained weak.

Newspapers, specifically those in Europe and Japan would hail the treaty as Civilization finally reaching the Middle Kingdom, with the Empire reunified under a new, European Treaty and praising the peace that would last. More pragmatic heads however would acknowledge that no party was ultimately happy with the deal besides the Khitan Empire, as Japan wanted several territories of the so called 'Heavenly Kingdom' for itself and the Shun ultimately would never accept anything but complete control over her ancestral claims.

For the Local Chinese however things had slowly but surely become Split. Shino and Zunism had seeped into the respective colonial regions and had quietly begun to erode what was the Chinese national identity. To foreign to their mother countries to assimilate but becoming too western to effectively be considered the same people as those under the Shun. Jiang Zetian of the Chinese Unification and Independence Movement would state in a rally "There is a growing fissure within our people, should we not act, the Mandate of Heaven will not be but one Divine Will but will drift into many Islands of difference and darkness"​

In America the Intense Jungle Fighting of Central America had given to the great Siege of Upper Columbia. With Khitan weapons and naval support the USCA had managed to break through the narrow well defended regions across Panama and Nicaragua effectively winning the war. The major question now would be what demands the columbians would be willing to concede.​

Back in Antwerp the Election results had been collected and counted. The new Order of the Day was "The Narrow Avoidance of Madness" coined by the Antwerp Times headline. a Slim majority of the Conservative Party, the slimmest in History as defections to the new Labour party had nearly created a senate with no majority, something not considered in the original legislature.

The official numbers however concealed something as the Bicolor Act's emergency amendments had ultimately done little to change the candidates running for election and thier party affiliation. The Conservative majority was not a true majority and the party quickly found itself divided as Social-Conservatives knowing their presence within the party was the only thing prevent a liberal takeover of the senate deadlocked the Government for the first time in history.

With no Chancellor chosen from the Conservatives for half a year the Prince Regent stepped in and named Alfonse Rin a Moderate conservative to serve as chancellor, though Chancellor Rin ultimately was a puppet for the Prince Regent and did very little to aid the ailing senate.​

The Intervention of the Monarch of course saved the Empire from a potentially far worse fate as headlines about what had happened in the State of Cong turned from a curiosity to frontline news as Radical traditionalists seized the capital, demanding among other things the burning of European Literature, the Execution or exile of the Academia and expulsion of foreign merchants. The Dark continent as it were had grown darker as the Congo had turned from notable trading port for african resources into an insular and unavailable spot upon the map while Anarchists, Reactionaries and Monarchist Forces battled for control of the country.​

​

In America the Treaty of Balbo, presided upon by the Khitan Diplomat to the Americas, Daishi Wilfordson had been signed, ceding the majority Khitan lands in Upper Central America to the USCA. The Demilitarization of Lower Columbia enforced by the Khitan Empire was also agreed upon as well as agreements for substantial investment in a 'Diplomatic Zone' administered by the Khitan and British Empires through Panama.

​

Within the decade the British interests in the region were completly bought out, allowing for the construction of one of the first great building projects since the medieval era. The Linking of Two Oceans, the Panama Canal.

With the modern equivalent of Billions sunk into the endeavour as well as Thousands of Human Lives. Though the project continued and ultimately found success. Travel Times would be reduced substantially and of course, the Khitan Empire was now in full control over yet another one of the most geopolitically important areas of the world with the Canal joining the Cape of Good Hope and Straights of Malaya as a jewel in the Khitan crown.​

​

The World had crossed a precipice. For much of History Geography had forced humans and late nations to behave according to a bias. With the Completion of the Panama Canal however humanity had reached a point where enough determination and ingenuity would seek to circumvent and even defeat the Earth itself.

If the American Wall could be breached perhaps the Mediterranean could be drained, the mountained ground to dust or perhaps humans could one day touch the stars. All Fantasies and all now possible given enough time, effort and power.​

​

 

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Chapter 13: From Darkness

With peace in Europe and Asia and work progressing in America on the Panama Canal the growth of Khitan Industry resumed at its booming pace. In Europe the great Urban regions of the Channel Coastline continued to grow and attract migrants for factory work while countless others left for the colonies or for other nations entirely seeking fortune and opportunity in the less tamed lands such as Africa.

​

It was during this lapse that major discoveries were being made in Khitan South Africa, namely the discovery of large quantities of gold and diamonds. Coal similarly was discovered in the Khitan controlled band between the Kano and Congo Peoples. Though such resources within africa were not a secret, the Empire of Mali had been known for its gold and wealth for centuries and the Ethiopian Highlands were also suspected of holding diamonds and other great mineral wealth. The Challenge for a Colonial power was to safely be able to tap into such resources on a continent notorious for its danger, disease and difficult terrain.

All the same the discovery of Diamonds and Gold in South Africa had resulted in a renewed interest in the Dark continent. Railroad companies in Europe laid plans to invest in Lines into the Interior of the colony, promising to link the relatively backwater colony to the more trafficked Cape Coast all the while other nations such as Scandinavia and Bohemia who held territory along the West African coastline planned similar ventures in hopes thier own colonial possessions could be more than glorified ports and prestige pieces.

Rising interest in Africa in more wealthy circles came at the expense of a focus on politics. As divisions within both the Liberal and Conservative Parties in the senate grew, Labour the third option continued to gather seats and support. With the 1870 Elections a minor constitutional crisis broke out, as the Conservatives for the first time no longer held a clear majority in the senate, and thus under the rules set out by Emperor Arthur a Ruling Coalition could not legally form without a majority.

Further Complicating Matters, Empress Jullianna III was officially of age and able to claim the regency from her Lord Father and the Imperial Regency Council. As a result the Government was crippled on to how to rule the election results, as Regent William's decision ultimately had no legal binding now that Empress Julianna was 17 years of age and was for all intensive legal purposes the actual monarch. A Decision Made by the Empress however would have a different destabilizing effect as after almost a decade of effective self rule the Senate would now bow not to an experienced politician and war veteran but to a Teenage Girl.

Meanwhile War once again broke out in the East between the Greeks and Persians over another yet another land dispute. With the respected result to be more of the same, a Few Thousand dead and borders shifted a few miles one way or the other, Geography dooming both sides ultimately to fight a fruitless war in deserts and mountain passes unable to gain a clear advantage over the other.

​

The Political Environment of the Khitan Empire was rapidly changing though years of a conservative administration has ultimately meant very few reforms had been undertaken. Only Males from the Aristocratic class held any actual sway in the Senate still and representation still was made on an appointment basis based on a mix of polling numbers, preference of the Prince Regent and Part affiliation.

Politically Free press and Free Assembly was guaranteed having been grandfathered in by Emperor Arthur's reforms. Socialists were a fast growing minority in the senate, a tentpole party that sought to curb the growing power of the wealthy and capitalists within the country. The Very same capitalists that had who themselves often had to pay exorbitant amounts of money to the government to gain representation themselves.

Needless to say this led to a stern and somewhat hostile divide between the three main ideologies of court. Old School Aristocratic Conservatism that still struggled to maintain hold of the Government. The Liberal Ideology which sought primarily to the needs of the business elite as well as the protection of Freedom of Speech and Assembly and the Insurgent Socialist leaning Senators who believed the Government should enable policies of social welfare and control either to speed the way to a socialist utopia or simply to ensure that the government empower itself through seeing to the needs of its people lest they revolt if and when they go hungry.

​

In such an environment the Young Julianna, Third of Her name announced her ascendency to the Throne. The Young Empress herself had been as torn as her country in regards to the way forward. Her father the Prince Regent had sought compromise and power both for himself and for the Nation and as a result made enemies at court. Primarily those that had been offended by Prince William's steady and relatively 'do nothing' policy had been the reactionaries who had little sense for the Value of the Empire's expansion overseas, instead seeing large swathes of land sold or otherwise lost to other powers in the name of diplomacy.

Germany had been sold to the Bohemians, Aquitaine to the Insurgent Spanish and the Italians and British despite defeats on the battlefield stuffed very little in terms of demands. All the While William grew closer with upjumped Colonials in America and Foreigners like the Japanese and Chinese Emperors.

These enemies led by the Reactionary Duke Harold of Valois had ultimately used the first opportunity to disempower Prince-Regent William, Convincing and backing the Empress to claim the Throne and pushing the Fair Young Empress towards their own agenda.

Within the first Year of Julianna's Reign the Prince Regent saw most of his powers dissolve. The Senate was the next casualty as it still required Monarchical approval for any action to take, and such approval simply dissolved at the Imperial Council never reaching the Empress herself. The Deadlock in the Senate was not 'solved' and more ignored by Royal faction, allowing the Conservatives and Liberals to squabble as if such a struggle would ultimately mean anything.

Empress Julianna Caetye III,1871 Colorized.
​

Meanwhile the Situation in Africa continued to grow more interesting. Reactionary elements within Kongo had declared independence taking with them the southern half the country. The Tensions of modernization that had caused Conflict across africa were ultimately becoming too much to bear for the old and relatively relaxed monarchies of the continent.

With the Collapse of the Kongo the expectation was ultimately that such conflicts would continue to break out across the dark continent, and with Europeans growing more interested in what wealth might lie underneath the shroud such signs of weakness did not do much for the more reactionary elements in African society.

In the East the Greco-Persian war had once again found a stalemate and for the First time the Greeks had managed to convince the Italians to come into the War as an ally. The Italians, having fought fruitlessly against the Greeks now half a dozen times saw profit in colonies in the Indian Ocean. If the Persian Colonies in the Horn of Africa or even Persian territory in Arabia could be taken then Italian shipping from the Spice Islands no longer needed to use foreign ports up until the Atlantic, cutting shipping costs down dramatically and allowing the Italians a valuable port for her navy outside of the Mediterranean.​

​

Meanwhile the Khitan Military announced the Adoption of self reloading firearmings otherwise known as Machine-Guns. An upgrade over the heavy and clumsy gatling weapons currently seeing fringe service in the Middle East Machine guns in their more recent iteration featured a single barrel and mechanisms allowing the weapon to self-reload allowing a handful of men in a prepared position to have fire equivalent to twice or even three times their number.

Early Concept of the LNA Produced and Designed R-1877, one of the First Imperial Machine Guns.​

The Advent of the Machine Gun had serious implications for the future namely in its enabling of smaller units to fight far numerically superior but technologically inferior forces. Gatling guns used to hold tactical positions in the American Civil War and the Euro-Lindi Crisis had already proven this doctrine true. A more mass producible and mobile version of the gatling gun thus could be deployed where they were most effective, against the technologically backwards peoples in Africa.

​

With the incentives existing and the means now being produced it did not take long for the Khitan Empire and other countries to delve into the unclaimed african interior. Considered to hostile even for Local nations such as the Kongo or Mali these lands were ultimately the first to be explored and staked by intrepid adventurers, prospectors and politicians.

For the Khitan Empire a plain reality on the map and strategic priority was being refered to in military and investment circles as the 'Central African Bridge'. A Linkage of Khitan territory across the Jungles and mountains of Central Africa running from Cameroon to East Africa.

​

With War still raging on in the Middle East an Uprising in Egypt soon had become the dominant headline in terms of political news. The Native Arab-Egyptian people had been an unwilling member of the Hellenic Republic since its conquest in the late 1700's. With the Greek Military engaged in Iraq a popular uprising in the Alexandria republic had real chances of success. Though the chance of success was the support Alexandria was receiving primarily from the British, Scandinavians and Bohemians.

The North Sea Powers all had reason to be backing the Egyptians, With the Panama Canal nearing completion a Canal at Suez had become a major tactical and political opportunity, whoever could control such a canal would dominate modern trade into Asia. Control of a hypothetical suez canal would also open a second entry into the Mediterranean Lake, weakening the Greeks, Italians and Spanish all in their own way while cutting travel times to pacific colonies dramatically, especially in the case of a War with the Khitan Empire who could cut off travel to Asia by utilizing her control of the Panama Canal and the Cape of Good Hope.

With this fact plain to Empress Julianna's advisors the Empire chose not to side with the Egyptians and instead back the Greeks, sending a colonial garrison from Zanzibar up the East African coast to help with peacekeeping operations.​

​

By the time the Alexandrian Revolt had crushed the Situation in Africa had developed. In West Africa the so called Uninhabited Zone between the Coastline and the Mali had been claimed by Khitan, British and Bohemian officials. News of this Landgrap did not go over well with the Mali just over the border though there was notable divide within the country on how best to handle the encroaching Europeans.

In Central Africa the 'Bridge' had been completed Linking Khitan Cameroon and Khitan Uganda. With Mogadishu Serving as an effective buffer state from the Greeks in the North the new Linkage had given both colonies more military and economic security in times of war and of course leverage for future claims on the continent.

​

In South Africa the Bohemians were undertaking a similar strategy but had arrived late to the party. Competing Claims to the South African Interior had result in both Nations setting up fortifications and settlements in the region. Proxy wars were undertaken with native tribes being backed against each other in exchange for land purchases and treaties and relations had begun to sour back at home as a result.

​

In America the Republic of Columbia coming off its defeat from the Central Americans had completly collapsed into civil war. With Pan-American movements in the south rising up and seizing entire provinces and Central American backed revolutionaries in the North a rebel clique dating back to the original revolution named Europa-Royale had taken the Capital of Bogota and dissolved the Colombian Government asking for readmission and forgiveness with the Italian Monarchy.

With the Nation of columbia effectively having committed suicide the United States of Central America took the initiative seizing the entirety of Panama up to the South American Mainland and partitioning off swathes of Columbia to Paraguay and offering to recognize an Italian annexation of the Columbian Remains.

At the following Congress of Mexico, The Italians, and Khitan diplomats ultimately had to accept the reality of the USCA taking a position at the high table of world powers. The USCA over the last several decades had received millions in immigrants and had grown into an economic powerhouse all the while being protected by her Natural borders in the north and now south.

​

The Return of Italy to the American continent was a major event but ultimately through a treaty with the USCA, an event that would stick. The Italians had been given a gift but ultimately a poison one. Columbia was backwards and rural but ultimately would be expected to be defended and managed by the Italian Government. The Effective management of Columbia meant relying on the Nations horrible natural terrain for land travel or making use of the panama canal. Though Khitan control over the canal was quickly turning to being control in name only, control was shifting to the Central Americans and an American Master was no better than one closer to home.

Meanwhile in Africa, the proxy approach while having some success with the Bohemians was slow going and risked relations continuing to sour. As a result the Imperial council opted to act boldly, violating a colonial treaty and moving on the Mutapa people in East Africa. The Thought Process being, if the Mutapa was seized than Bohemia's claims in Botswanna would become a bulge rather than a bridge. The Empire would thus have less legitimacy claiming lands the Khitan Empire already effectively surrounded and thus be forced to focus efforts north on the Karanje people.

​

In Politics deadlock not only continued but grew worse much to the agreement of the Imperial Council. Deadlock meant that three fundamentally opposed ideologies now all could only hope to form a minority government without reaching across the Chamber. All the While power rested with the default, the Monarch who continued to leave the affairs of state in the hands of her advisors only intervening on matters a monarch's hand was demanded for.

​

With power returning to the Absolute, the Feeding of the military industrial complex through Government contracts in hopes of economic growth and profit had ended. The Imperial Council had quickly realized within Industry had slowly but surely spread into the Military. All all levels officers had developed private loyalties to corporations and liberal ideologies despite oaths to protect and defend the monarchy.

The Contract system as a result was purged and several high ranking officers lost positions, were forced to retire or simply were accused and given trials citing some crimes either fabriciated or otherwise. Effectively a purge though without the corpses or nearly as much controversy.

Though with the Senate having not passed a law with any real teeth in now half a decade unrest was begining to grow in all camps. Radical liberal camps were once again growing, anarchist circles had become bolder and had resorted to acts of sabotage and terror to further their own aims. All the While Children toiled away in unsafe conditions, The Poor were worked to death in low paying shifts and companies continued to consolidate, integrate and get away with anything the law specifically did not prohibit.Then there was the socialists, whos radical wing spun off into a different path. One that advocated not for simply seizing the means of production but for the violent revolution and overthrow of the entire rotten system.

A philosophy of Brotherhood, Freedom and Equality, by any means necessary.​

 

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Chapter 14: Drawing Lines

(Group Photograph of the Colonial Locomotive Guard, 6th Regiment, 1874)​

As the 1870's continued It had become clear that the world was once again shifting into a new age. The Balance of Power in both Europe and Asia was established and ultimately solidified. The United States of Central America, The United Kingdoms of America and the Republic of Paraguay meanwhile still dueled for dominance in the Americas.

Where the balance had not been found yet was Africa. known for being wild, untamed and deadly it had escaped the First and Secondary waves of Colonialism and Imperialism. With the advent of anti Malaria and other medicines as well as the widespread adoption of the machine gun, Africa's great barriers to colonization were now gone and the Khitan and Bohemian Empires were already grabbing what could be easily taken.

Lands that were only claimed by weak tribes were swallowed up rather quickly and the map changed more rapidly. However the True Lands worth seizing were where there was already some pre-established infrastructure. The Settled Nations of West and Central Africa were technologically backwards but ultimately weak in comparison to the Great Powers.

Further still such Nations often strode across multiple different ethnic groups many of which now able to be armed and properly resist in the modern era could make their opinions on so called 'westernization known' as had been the case in the Kongo and other countries. Though the Clock was ticking, as eventually Native Africans would be able to resist just as easily as other European countries and technology was moving faster by the day.

​

The Crucial moment would come with the Crisis of Benin where Anti European Rebels had attacked several railways, mines and other important business ventures in the Kingdom of Kano. The Kano were nominally independent but ultimately economically dependent on Scandinavia and the Khitan Empire. The Kingdom had ultimately spiraled into the state through repeated Bankruptcies.

With Tensions in the Kingdom at an Alltime high, President Victor Kiesling of Scandinavia called for a Congress in Copenhagen. The Scandinavian hosted Africa Congress spawned out of this venture, with meetings occuring at Copenhagen, Prague and Antwerp. The intent was simple, to establish the order of the day for Africa, doing so would avoid war between the Bohemians and Khitan in South Africa, guarantee Scandinavia a Slice of the continent and serve to sate potential rivals with land outside of Europe.

​

The Congress of Prague ultimately dealt with the matter of the Kano. The Country was split into Three spheres of Influence with the King of the Kano having control in name only of his old territory. Other Countries in West Africa did not fare as lucky, many of which being invaded and dissolved and then ruled through local princes backed by European Guns and Law.

Though the Africans did resist, the Europeans were willing to pay for every mile in blood and with Superior technology and experience in such matters eventually the continent was diced apart.

The British Meanwhile expanded their Irish colonies on the African coast inwards towards the Sahara. This land was primarily unsettled and for the most part, useless save some minor amount of resources. What such territory really gave however was a soft british sphere of Influence across most of Western Mali. With influence over the Mali's major ports the Oldest of the African Powers while still independent was now at the mercy of a Foreign Power. What had made it all sweeter for the Europeans was that they had allowed Mali to make itself complicate in the Conquest of Africa by giving Kano and Kong land to the Empire in exchange for their neutrality in such matters, thus enabling the Europeans to operate freely.

Tunisia was partitioned three ways, between Bohemia, Italy and Spain all of which had considerable interest in the region. Spanish had used the opportunity to strengthen their hold on the pillars of hercules, The Italians to reclaim Tunisia while the Bohemians ultimately took a buffer between the two nations so as not to make a unitary block between two countries in the north.

​

The Congress of Prague ended the Negotiations in regards to South Africa. Scandinavia and Bohemia would receive significant chunks of East Africa and Khitan Promises to stay out of the Karanje State, thus allowing a Bohemian 'Bridge' through the native state. Ultimately this would be a win for the Bohemians as their continued presence in the Southern Half of the continent now ruined any Imperial plans of a Rail Line running from Cape to Zanzibar to Cameroon.

On the Bright side Troops that were once committed to enforcing Khitan claims over African territory could safely be moved to the still contested area of the Kongo as well as the Southeastern Sahara.

At Home in the Empire the Imperial Council started what would be known as the Silent Year. Nonessential Legislation simply, stopped. What little passed in the Senate was never enacted and Austerity measures were taken on levels of the Colonial Bureaucracy to ensure the Khitan crusade into africa would ultimately turn a profit when audited.

Without constant revisions and reinforcement from the Upper Government, Local governments now could freely violate several freedoms at will including Freedom of Assembly and Press as Local Courts without declarations or direct contradictions from the Government could rule as they liked. Though conservatives in the Senate had laid out hope that the Imperial Council and Empress were working on the first true constitution for the Empire months soon turned to years and the silence was deafening.​

​

In this time the Greco-Persian war ended with a defeat for the Persians. Though Demands were relatively minor from the Greece side on account of Alexandria still being in revolt, the Italians had managed to secure the Province of Yemen, giving the Kingdom control over Red Sea Trade. The Island of Socotra was a particularly important victory as it had given the Italians a Port in the Indian Ocean just like what was desired.

Now of course the next step in Italian foreign affairs would be backing the construction of a Suez Canal, thus ridding the Italians of their dependence on Spain for her Economic well being.

In America the City of Havana, the Capital of Khitan Cuba had claimed to have grown to become the largest city in the world. With over 6 Million Inhabitants registered within the Provincial borders it had been a landmark announcement and once that had served as a stern reminder to the developing situation in America.

Immigrants of all sorts had been flooding to the New World since its discovery but with the advent of the Steam Engine and the growth of Democracies such as the USCA their numbers had grown exponentially. Minorities in Germany and other oppressed regions of both Europe and Asia had been moving to the continent in droves in hopes of a better life and opportunity.​

​

On an Average day the United States of Central America took in 60,000 People and the USCA was just one country. Through a combination of better medicine and Immigration all the American countries had been growing rapidly. As such Havanna's claim was valid only for the better part of a year before it was Surpassed by New Antwerp and Veracruz and then taken by Sacramento.

Though not all of the American residents were happy about this state of affairs. In the USCA the Native peoples as well as many older immigrants had rallied around anti immigrant parties, fearful of low paying labour intensive work being taken by hopefuls from Europe. With Modern industry being as it was such work had high rates of injury and turnover and many who were unwilling to work an immigrant level salary found themselves unemployed and angry. Similar movements had occured in the United States and California as well and gained just as much ground despite the lack of a significant native population.

Eventually legislation would be passed to limit immigration into only particular cities but the damage had been done. American culture had been forever changed by the 19th century, in California the once unique divisions between Asian peoples had merged into a unified Californian culture with much of the old Asian identity and customs having been appropriated or changed more to fit a consumerist American life.

The Tragedy was greatest in the USCA where the Native Nahua and Maya peoples found themselves overwhelmed by the tide of Europeans. Despite having survived the first wave of Colonization, Demographic pressure had swiftly become a slow creeping death as European culture and tradition eroded away the Native American Identity like rushing water through a canyon.

In the Khitan Empire another Election had finished. Almost a full cycle without any major reforms had kneecapped the conservative movement within the country. The restriction of civil liberties at lower levels of government would serve to embolden where such disgruntled nobles and elite went with their votes. Though the so called liberal coup in the senate ultimately could not achieve a majority resulting in the same squabbling senate.​

​

With the Government doing nothing the fringe parties had continued to grow more radical. Anarchists and Socialists alike had taken to forming anti Government Clubs in secret, Clubs ultimately would turn into terrorist cells as activism gave way to plans of bombings, assassinations and sabotage in hopes of breaking the Government Deadlock.

​

It was during this time the Liberals signed a Deal with the Devil or at least how the conservatives saw it. With more than 50% of the Senate Socialist or Liberal, Reforms could in theory be proposed and passed. A Puppet of the Imperial Council presided over the senate and so often such reforms had to be planned, voted and brought to the senate floor in secret as the conservative and reactionary camp could not suffer the negative publicity from striking down a perceived popular notion before even being voted on.

The 'Shadow Government' as it were slowly had begun to form as a result comprised of liberal and socialist leaning senators as well as Conservative defectors growing fed up with the inaction of the Reactionary led Council. Though the Shadow Laws ultimately failed, few did stick particularly where the Socialist and Liberal camps had firm agreement. One such Area was on Union laws where there was a gradual increase in public outcry. With almost 70% of the House in favour of Government Labour Bill #6 before even being voted on, the Council ultimately could not block the bill and expect there to be no consequences.

​

Consequences would come regardless however. Unwilling to reinforce the Imperial Labour Act with additional legislation, The Rhineland Province's provincial government, where a large portion of the Khitan Steel Mills were located, barred Germans from serving in a Union. With Steel work as bad as it was there was an immediate strike in response.

Things only grew worse from there as private detective and security agencies were hired to break up the strikers but were attacked by Nationalist and Communist Terrorist cells armed with second grade military weaponry. When word of the attempted attack on the strikes spread the entire province rioted.

The Imperial army reacted swiftly to break up the Riot. A Nationalist uprising in Germany was dangerous and could threaten to spread north and rip almost a third of the country away. However with large percentages of the Khitan military overseas or on the Southern Border the response was slowed namely due to Anarchist sabotage of the rail lines going north.

All the same the Riot was quelled as Government troops arrived and fought to the major city centers, deploying machine guns when necessary against the rioters. The Rhineland thus was pacified, though the photographs of Government troops firing on unarmed crowds in Frankfurt had a disastrous effect elsewhere.​

​

Riots broke out across the Urban centers of the country, Communists, Anarchists and Liberal militias. Troops defected enmass in some regions while stood firm in others. In a few Weeks however the riots turned organized as some members of the Shadow Government abandoned the Capital taking their opportunities not to legislate, but to lead.

The Khitan Civil War had Begun.​

 

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Chapter 15: Revolution and Counter Revolution

(Artistic depiction of Revolutionaries Storm the Government Building in Valois)​

The Khitan Empire had fallen swiftly into the crucible of a Three Way war between Monarchist, Socialist and Jacobin forces, Though the Ring Leaders had defined goals on every side the organization and strength varied widely across the Country.

The Monarchists were led primarily by Military and Government personal. The primary regions of support for the Monarchists were rural regions though areas with high military concentrations also quickly fell back into government hands. The Border Territories on the Italian and Bohemian Border fell in line quickly followed by Anjou and the Channel Coastline leading up to the Core Regions.

In Terms of numbers, the loyalists were swiftly outnumbered but held defacto control over the government and control over the Monarch, Empress Julianna II. So long as Rebel forces could be kept from gaining control over the Capital, the Monarchists would hold legitimacy as the True Government of the Khitan Empire and would be able to negotiate down or suppress the rebellion over time.

​

The Republican Forces were led by the remnants of the so called 'Shadow Government' Traitors to their Monarch and country the Democratic aligned faction and its followers had grown continually militant as the government had remained frozen. With the use of military weaponry on Imperial citizens in the Rhineland the final straw had been placed upon the camels back. 43% of The Senate had resigned following the riots, reforming a new Government down the Street at a Hotel.

The Strength of the Republican faction came primarily from Urban and Middle Classes and the largest concentration of support lied in the Northern Rhineland near the Capital though these regions the Republicans fought over with the Socialists who also also had large amounts of support, especially with the poor and working classes.

The Republican Strategy was focused around one primary goal, control of the Core territory and the defection of as many military and government officials as possible for Legitimacy. Opinions were split on the fate of the Monarchy and other institutions as the revolution was in grave peril of failure. Winning the Civil War as quickly as possible was of utmost concern, any cost necessary so long as the Empire could be free.

The Socialists had originally conspired with the Republican faction for a Mutual overthrow of the Government and her functions, a Silent coup that would have brought power to the People and removed the Reactionary Government from Cathay. However Socialist Revolutionaries within the Faction quickly understood that under such a move the Socialists would simply take the place of the Liberals as the Underparty, not popular enough in the electorate to Usurp rule in an election and hated enough by the Conservative and Reactionaries to be unable to Countercoup the Republican Guard.

When the Order had come to trigger the Riots and Anarchist Cells the Socialists marched on Republican and Military Strong Points alike hoping to weaken both factions as much as possible. Fighting with Numbers and untrained mobs the Socialists lacked the Trained military personnel of the Government forces or the defectors of the Republican Guard and so acted swiftly and brutally, setting fires, exploding bombs and seizing places of symbolic and practical importance.

The Socialists' greatest flaw however was organization, with Underground Unions and Anarchist cells serving as the centerpieces of proper support the Movement had many voices and all of them pulled in different directions. The Anarchists wanted to dissolve Government entirely while the Socialists themselves were split on the philosophies of Syndicalism, Socialism and Communism. The Movement quickly grew more disorganized as leaders were assassinated and Government forces focused on the Reds first hoping that the more reasonable Republican faction could be brought to terms.​

While battles raged across the Country, All Three Factions had set their focus on control of the capital at all costs. Ventralis held the seat of the Monarch and Antwerp the reigns of power, if both could be reunified again then Victory was all but achieved.

Government Forces had managed to arrive in Antwerp Proper delaying Republican and Socialist Control over the city, but were heavily outnumbered by a growing Mob of Defectors and Armed Civilians. With the Rebels outnumber Military personel 4 to 1 Requests by Telegraph were sent for Relief from Paris where another 33 Army Regiments had just finished restoring order. However there remained a Problem, the Socialists had seized control over much of Brussels and had sabotaged the Railways, forcing a March through Rebel held territory. Worst still Word had leaked to Republican forces in Antwerp proper that 70 additional army divisions were south of Brussels and engaging Socialist forces.​

Then Disaster Struck, Regions that had previously been subdued had once again revolted. The Goverment effort to retake the Capital was halted as the battle of the Outer territories as well as colonial territories reignited, halting further shipments of supplies and trained men to the front. The Military running short on manpower and ammunition had begun to field conscript loyalist civilians. All the While the Factories of the Rhineland remained either silent or working to produce arms for Socialist or Republican forces.​

With the Empire Aflame the Opportunists quickly took their opportunity to Strike. The Kingdom of Italy retained a claim on the Crown of Cathay through its Monarch, and with Empress Victoria currently Childless and held hostage by even her own Monarchist forces the Italians had all the reasons they needed for an intervention.

The Italian Declaration and intervention was seen across the world for what it was, a thin excuse to attack the Khitan Empire in hopes of regaining lost Territory. Though still, the possibility of the Khitan Empire falling under the control of Italy and thus disrupting the Entire status quo was a distinct possibility and thus the Nations of Great Britain, Scandinavia, The Hellenic Republic and Bohemia had begun preparing their own armies for an intervention if required as well as sending arms and Funding to favoured candidates within the Civil War.​

(Battle of Burgundy, 1878: The Depiction shows Italians and Republican Forces battling for control of the surrounding territory)
​

With the Italians advancing up the poorly defended sound the pressure was now own to end the civil war as fast as possible and rally the remnants south to defeat the foreign invader. With Military and Socialist forces occupied across the country the Republicans had found a unique opportunity to seize the Imperial Palace.

Republican forces pushed out of Antwerp intercepting the main Military force still tied up in brussels. With the Monarchists still attempting to push through there was a moment a brief moment to move north and seize ventralis and the Imperial Palace. Over next few days the Republican Guard mobilized and marched on the Palace, overrunning the the defenders and arresting the Monarch and her Family.​

​

With Control over the Imperial Palace and the Capital the Republicans announced victory in the Civil war after nearly three years of continuous fighting. The Socialists had in this time been utterly crippled by both forces and still held out in some areas though such areas were growing smaller by the day. The Monarchists and Government forces however now needed to make a choice between Joining with the Republicans against the Italians or continuing the war and crowning a Relative of Empress Julianna. Ultimately the Military chose country over Monarch and defected enmasse to the Republican Government in Antwerp, while Monarchist forces slowly either stood down, went into exile or defected.

The New Government now had a Host of problems ahead of it, a foreign invasion and a devastated country as well as the enforcement of promised reforms. Chief among the Reforms were free and fair elections allowed to all citizens, and a constitution, the first in Khitan history.​

Luckily the Italians were now severely outnumbered by the Khitan army and had marked itself as a Pariah. The Khitan now had some amount of time to remobilize and stop the Italians before they marched further north into the core territories and once that had happened the War would be over.

​

The Italian army not blind to this possibility put every effort in the invasion of the Rhineland. If the Khitan military industrial complex could be seized then the ragtag republican guard and diminished military forces could no longer properly replenish and would starve themselves of ammo and supplies over a long campaign.

Unsurprisingly the Empire's old natural ally the Hellenic Republic quickly came calling with a renewed alliance. The Revolution it seems had found its way to the Khitan Empire eventually and now the Italians were quickly finding themselves surrounded. The Bohemian Empire and British Commonwealth however declared neutrality in the conflict and used the opportunity to advance their goals in Africa, using the distraction in Europe to seize lands that would otherwise be Contested.​

As the Khitan-Italian war entered its Fourth Year the Line had finally stabilized. Italian forces were driven out of the Northern Rhineland and the Khitan military had begun to reassemble into a fighting force worthy of the name. The Italians had found themselves growing increasingly outnumbered which would not have been a problem has the Italian strategy to take Khitan land included machine guns. The Italians however lacked the weapon across the front while the Khitan made full use of it. Soon the Italian Lines collapses and a general retreat back to the Alps was ordered as Occitan and Khitan troops broke through in the West.​

​

Meanwhile in the World the United States had encountered its own uprising in the form of the Manhattan Commune, a Group of united Terrorists, Socialists and Communists that Seized the entirety of Long Island and New Antwerp and declaring the worlds first Communist State only to late be put down by Federal forces in that same year.​

In Lithuania Ethnic Russians and Balts had both risen up over conflicts in regards to the Government's Priorities. Riots quickly turned to Civil War as the Government was split in two between its Baltic and Russian Halves with Scandinavia and Bohemia both choosing a favored side and sending supplies and support.
​

Back in Europe the Italians had sued for Peace as Greek troops encircled the City of Firenze. The Italians outnumbered and surrounded on all sides had been left to fend for themselves and ultimately signed away their gains of the last century in the Adriatic and on the Italian Peninsula. The Italians had been humbled but lessons had been learned, the Khitan had held the line through the use of Superior technology and hordes of armed conscripts, the Future of Warfare would be far different to anything the Italian Generalship had expected.​

In Africa instability had not only continued but grown worse. The Kingdom of Kongo once again split in two between a Reformist Government and a reactionary Faction within it. Meanwhile foreign nations continued to encroach on the natives growing hungrier for land and prestige as 'unoccupied' territory grew more and more scarce.

All the While a new situation was developing in Europe. The Mightiest Empire in the World had fallen to Rebellion and was now being remade this time not by a divine emperor or a council of nobles.
​

But by the very People its power would be drawn from.​