Rebirth of an Empire "O Renascimento de um Império"

[Archangel]

Good to see the TL back, Lusitania.

[Lusitania]

Note from Author:

Recap: The timeline covered by the reign of D Henriques II reign was covered in book 1 of "Empire In Crisis - Opulence". For those keeping track this is the fourth book since the divergence; covering the years of 1825 -1847 which coincided with the length of D Henrique's II reign. The first three books were titled Rebirth of Empire I to III covered the reigns of D Jose I and D Jose II from 1755 to 1825.

With the world tour finished, I am now concentrating on a new story "The value of an education. It is a story that not only spans many of the topics we have covered in the last four books but also tries to deal with the interaction of the different ethnic groups within the empire. The primary focus will be on the Hotta Silva family who are a mixture of two very different ethnic groups.

The Value of an Education

Chapter VI (cont)

*****

At the very moment that his only surviving son drifted off to sleep several thousand miles to the south Luciano Silva or as he once more called himself Kateb Yacine surveyed the fort of Médine[1] the westernmost holding of the Fuuta Tooro kingdom.


He took note of the coming and going in the fort. The fort was a beehive of activity as Fuuto Tooro soldiers, officials and civilians constantly moved in and out of the fort with little or no attention from the guards. He stayed in his perched overhang overlooking the southern entrance to the fort for most of the day. Only when nighttime approached did he leave his concealed spot and tag along the last group of peasants and merchants making their way to the fort. He used his natural abilities to slowly move his way in the center of the group and as everyone else was either absorbed in their own problems or busy he took several baskets from a wagon and acted like he was a merchant. As he got closer to the fort he noticed that there had been many recent improvements. The walls had been re-enforced by earth embankments and there was a large hollow area surrounding the fort on three sides while the Senegalese River ran along its western wall. The huge hollow area several feet lower than the surrounding fields was full of obstacles and the group was forced to zigzag back and forth as they made their way to the southern gate. The rise was over three meters in length of ten feet in the old measurement. As they passed through the gate they were watched by guards on both sides. There was an inner and outer gate with all people having to turn right as they reached the inner gate.

Kateb took notice of not only the guards but also the soldiers behind them. These seemed much more attentive to the people walking in. As they passed the inner gate they were forced to step around a large group of soldiers standing on and around a large wagon. Standing in the middle were several officers who scanned the crowd. At some unseen gesture people were pulled to the side by soldiers. In almost all cases it was younger men who from the heated discussions were being pressed into the Fuuta Tooro growing army. A fact he did not have to worry about, his present disguise now resembled a late middle age men with a slight limp, not someone who would either be a worthwhile candidate for the army or be seen as a threat. He was about to follow the other people attempting to flee the presence of the soldiers but something caught his attention. Standing to the side were several officers, the officers sat around several tables not paying any heed to the coming and goings of the people. What stood these officers apart was the fact that about half of them were not Muslim or African and were dressed in French uniforms.

Kateb continued along the street until he felt it safe to discard his props and slip into an alley. He waited until darkness then slowly made his way back in the direction he had spotted the officers. Keeping to the shadows he avoided civilians and soldiers. Harder was several individuals who like him were keeping to the shadows, but it seemed that in their case it was not for patriotic duty. He was able to bypass several of the less skilled ones but on two occasions he was forced to dispatch the thief/assassin. Taking care to hide the bodies although he knew that over time the smell would lead people to the bodies but he planned on being far away by then. Finally he reached the general vicinity where he had seen the officers. Not seeing them made his way slowly around the area paying attention to the conversations coming from the various open windows. It took a little while but eventually he found what he searched for, several voices speaking French.

“I tell you these savages are not capable of standing up against any modern army, the first time they encounter a real army they will scatter to the four corners of Africa” said voice one

“Since they will only be facing half savages dressed as a real army they might stand a chance” replied voice two sarcastically

“Oh and you seem to forget that it was the same half savages who defeated us during the Revolutionary Wars.” Said a third voice haughtily

“Listen I don’t care what your personal opinion of the Fuuta Tooro, the Fu… Portuguese or for that matter any other African savage.” Yelled an commanding voice from what he interpreted to be a French Officer. “We are here to do a job and if Governor Barthélémy Durand Valantin[2] tells us we are allied with Buubakar Ibrahima[3] and his troops that is exactly what we are going to do.”

He then spoke even harsher tone “Corporal Ernest Roume, one more outburst from you about blasphemous talk in regards to the conduct of the French Army and you will be written up” barked the French officer “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Sir” replied the third voice very subdued[4]

“Now, I want the remainder of the fort’s walls reinforcements hurried up. Remember we only have three months till the canons arrive from Dakar. We need those walls capable of supporting them.” explained the officer

“Sir is it wise to place such weapons in the hands of these… I mean allies” asked the second voice

The officer hesitated for a little before responding in a more hushed tone “I know that Governor Barthélémy Durand Valantin has ordered over 1000 French soldiers to personally escort the canons and other weapons. They will be here to provide training and protection to our allies”

There was a slight chuckle from several voices at this news. Kateb stayed in his concealed position for another half an hour but he did not hear any more worthwhile information and finally left when he started hearing snoring.

For the next several days he surveyed the fort and the composition of theFuuta Tooro troops and their allies. He also noted the short supplies of both foodstuff and supplies. With the larger than normal army numbers there was less than two weeks of food stored in the fort. Five days after his arrival at the fort of Médine; Kateb departed the same way he entered. He joined a group of departing farmers and merchants leaving in the morning. That evening after evening prayers he left the group and retrieved his hidden supplies and weapons. He then made his way south towards the Portuguese fortified town of Atalaia[5].

Kateb remained vigilant until he judged he was within the Portuguese patrolled lands where he made of point of standing out and not being seen as either a spy or threat. Still the first Portuguese patrol he encountered was very leery of him. Even after he provided them with the correct password they were still suspicious. He was kept under complete guard and required to surrender his weapons. He was escorted to the town of Atalaia under heavy guard.

The fortified town of Atalaia was more of an outpost than really a town. Its purpose was to push Portuguese claims to the area between the Gambian and Senegal Rivers. But due to constant border skirmishes in the last two decades with the Fuuta Tooro the majority of the people along the border had either moved south or north depending on their religion and political affiliation. There were two or three businesses in the town that mainly catered to the soldiers.

The commander of the town, Colonel Guilherme Lisboa, did not believe Kateb.Colonel Guilherme Lisboanot only thwarted his attempts to send message to the Northern Military command headquarters in Penétra at the junctions of the Gambia and Vimeiro Rivers.[6] But also had him imprisoned as a spy where he was locked up and taken out only for interrogations. After one week of this, Kateb began making plans for his escape and making a run to Penétra. But on the day he planned escaping he woke up to a loud commotion in and around the colonel’s quarters and outside the prison.

A little while later the prison doors opened and the guards escorted several new officers and military police. They stopped in front of his cell waited, an elderly man dressed in civilian clothing slowly walked into the prison followed timidly by Colonel Guilherme Lisboa, who was visibly shaken. The man approached Kateb’s cell and peered at him through spectacled eyes. A smile slowly formed on his face and he said in Japanese “The shogun era was one of suffering”

Kateb got up and approached the visitors and said in Arabic “But now is the time of Allah”

The old man turned his head towards one of the accompanying military police officers and nodded before turning around and walking out of the prison. The officer saluted the departing man before he barked out his orders at the top of his voice “Sergeant get this man out of this cell and over the hospital and put in his place this sniveling excuse for a soldier.”

The guards and regular soldiers watched in horror as several military police immediately grabbed the keys, open the cell door and helped the prisoner out while at the same time other police grabbed the colonel and stripped him of all rank insignia as well as weapons and threw him head first into the cell. The guards and the colonel’s assistants hurriedly left the prison afraid they also suffer a similar fate.

Kateb was taken to the hospital which was no more than a one room building with a couple of cots. At least the army doctor and his assistant were competent and they made sure his injuries were non life threatening. They wrap-up his stomach and side due to the bruising from the interrogations. While he was getting dressed the old man entered the room flanked by two military police officers as well as several military police soldiers who stayed by the door.

Kateb looked up and said “Took you long enough to get here, I was thinking I was going to have to bust out of this joint.” Then added “Sir”

“Do you know how much of a hassle and inconvenience you have caused the PRDE[7]? We have been dealing with five separate Guarda Real da Polícia[8] offices as well as both the provincial as well as the national Intendência Geral da Polícia[9] headquarters. You cannot simply go about the country and maim and kill people indiscriminately.” Replied the old man “At least you could of followed convention and not maim or execute people where there were witnesses.” He added in an off hand way

“Those people were either indirectly or directly responsible for death of my wife and sons as well as many other innocent bystanders. They received the punishment they deserved and their punishment or death provided an object lesson to people of what happens when they deal with the enemies of the state.” Answered Kateb bitterly

‘Did their deaths and punishment provide you with any relief of your pain, Luciano?” asked the old man placing a hand on his shoulder.

Kateb remained quiet for while then finally shook his head slightly.

The old man gripped his shoulder for a second before letting go “We received word of your arrival from one of our agents in the town but it took several days to get your mess resolved with the IGP and get the cooperation of the military police.” He took a breath and continued “I would like to introduce you to Brigadier General Raul Oeiras Pereira who will be able to act on your information”

Kateb saluted the Brigadier General and started getting up but the Brigadier General motioned for him to stay sitting. Kateb then proceeded to provide Brigadier General Oeiras Pereira with a detailed explanation of the fort of Médine, its armament as well as composition of troops.

“Thank you agent Silva for your excellent work, we must capture that fort and block Fuuta Tooro and their French master from linking up with French vassals of Mossi and Jaman. Those two basicly control most of the land from south of the Niger River. The survival of our ally the Bambara Empire as well as the access to the Niger River and the interior of West Africa is dependent on us capturing that fort and cutting off the Fuuta Tooro from the lower Senegal River.” Replied the Brigadier General.

“You said the French are expecting their canons to arrive in just over two months?” asked Brigadier General Oieras Pereira. At Kateb’s nod he continued “I will request King Ngolo Diarra[10] to order his troops to attack the fort from Nara in the east, which they recently captured town with our assistance. We have several officers acting as advisors in their army who will make sure the attack is convincing enough to occupy the Fuuta Tooro’s attention. While they are occupied I will lead our forces on an attack from the south. We will bring both our artillery units and lay siege to fort forcing it capitulate.”

After several minutes Brigadier General Oieras Pereira and his men withdrew to plan the upcoming campaign leaving Kateb and his superior alone, the doctor and his assistant having left the building when the Brigadier General had entered. “So what are your plans now Luciano?” asked the old man taking a seat near the cot Kateb was sitting on.

[2] The Fort of Medine is located near Kayes Mali IOTL. In iOTL is was a real fort built to protect against Umar Tall. In this TL is was build by the Fuuta Tooro after the death of Umar Tall to protect their eastern flank from attacks.

[2] In 1844 Barthélémy Durand Valantin replaced Pierre Paul Marie Capest as governor of the Dakar French Colonial office. Its primary mission was to extend French control along all West African Coast as well as inland. The French claimed all land between the Portuguese North African territories of Ifni and Vila Bens and the Province of Cabo Verde e Guiné to the south. In addition he and governor Bouët-Willaumez of Côte d'Ivoire French Colonial office were charged with containing Portuguese in West Africa.

[3] Buubakar Ibrahima had finally emerged as the leader of the Fuuta Tooro approximately one year after the death of Umar Tall.

[4] French military and political revisionism of the Napoleonic Wars began during the Second French Republic.

[5] Near Goudiry. Senegal iOTL.

[6] Close to the junction of the Niéri Ko Rivers and Gambia iOTL

[7] Polícia Real de Defesa do Estado, or Portuguese Secret Police which deal with both internal as well as internal threats to the kingdom.

[8] Guarda Real da Polícia had evolved to become a national police force and by mid-19th century has expanded throughout the empire. Their responsibility was also to protect the citizens and country.

[9] Overseeing the Guarda Real da Policia (GRP) was the Intendência Geral da Polícia (IGP). There were many jurisdictional clashes between the PRDE and IGP.

[10] The Portuguese had “installed” King Ngolo Diarra as king of Bambara two years after the Fuuta Tooro defeat.

[Russian Sailor]

Oh my I did not see this status. Actually I didn't know you made another update :P. I am just giving this a hopeful bump for the future

[Thrudgelmir2333]

I'd love to see a game mod for a paradox or total war game based on this timeline. We usually get the short end of the stick in those.