British Intervention in the Corsican Crisis 1768-1806
- Thread starter William_Dellinger
- Start date
Thanks WienerBlut, I appreciate it. Glad to know someone else is enjoying Nappy as a redcoat...
I love the who idea of Napoleon being British and the Brits expanding their empire in America and Asia and the French being humiliated, as I love the British in all timelines but hate the French but I just doubt could the British ever gather the numbers necessary for an invasion of Russia
Well, it wasn't just the British, as they had Austrian troops and Prussian troops as well. And "Invasion of Russia" is really a misnomer as they fight the Battle of Riga which cripples the Russian army, take St. Petersburg without a fight, and then there's the Six Days Campaign after Napoleon's attempted assault on Moscow, then the Battle of St. Petersburg with the "Dream Team" of Wellington, Napoleon, von Blücher, and von Clausewitz commanding Allied forces. So yeah, it may be a stretch, and I agree that taking and occupying Russia is impossible, but a decisive strike to end the war is at least relatively plausible.
Emperor-of-New-Zealand
Kicked
I thought you pulled it off quite nicely. Still, I miss the parts about Central Asia, I think it was good that you focussed a little on colonialism.
Criticism is only of your writing style. I wish you'd paragraph it to make it easier to read.
Criticism is only of your writing style. I wish you'd paragraph it to make it easier to read.
An error I will rectify in the next update. Stay tuned...
New Update! Emperor-of-New-Zealand, I hope this is easier to read. As always, criticism is welcome.
British Intervention in the Corsican Crisis, 1816-1822
1816-1822
When First Consul Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès finished consolidating his power in 1808, every major Royalist faction had been exterminated. Thus, Louis XVIII came to the throne without popular support in any large number. This did not stop him from attempting to return France to the absolute monarchy it had been under the Ancien Régime. After an initial outpouring of public support, Louis XVIII saw his popularity wane within a year. His first acts after returning the Bourbon dynasty to the throne angered virtually every French citizen, outside of the aristocracy. These were mostly symbolic acts, such as the replacement of the Revolutionary tricolore with the Bourbon white flag, the titling of Louis as the 'XVIII' (as successor to Louis XVII, who never ruled, implying the Revolution never happened) and as 'King of France' rather than 'King of the French', and the monarchy's recognition of the anniversaries of the deaths of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were significant.
A more tangible source of antagonism was the pressure applied to possessors of biens nationaux (national property) by the Catholic Church and returning émigrés to give back their lands. (In the Revolution, the property of the Church, the Crown, and the aristocrats who left France were declared ‘national property’ and sold to pay for the Revolution. When they returned to power, they wanted the lands back.) Coupled with the burning of the French Constitution of 1811 (La Charte) in the royalist stronghold of Bordeaux in March 1816, Louis XVIII infuriated those grown accustomed to a more liberal atmosphere. He also outlawed any writings, assemblies, or lectures proselytizing the socialist movement.
France’s socialist minority, now confined mostly to the salons and the intellectual fringe, began talk of revolution. During the period of the Consulate, socialism had prospered in the upper echelons of government. Henri de Saint-Simon, called the Father of Socialism, had gained national acclaim in higher circles for his pamphlets promoting the fight of the common people against the monarchist oppressor. The more prominent members of the socialist movement had, for the most part, left France in the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo, leaving the movement largely leaderless. The uncertainty and chaos of the French Revolution was still fresh in the minds of the people, so talk of revolution remained just talk. But the people of France could only take so much before revolution was the only option left.
On March 12, 1817, the liberal majority in the Chamber of Deputies voted in favor of a motion of no confidence in the king and his government. In response, Louis XVIII dissolved parliament and delayed elections for over two months. Faced with public criticism from the liberal and radical newspapers, Louis XVIII issued the June Ordinances, decrees that abolished the freedom of the press entirely and severely curtailed the authority of the Chamber of Deputies. This would prove to be the breaking point for the French people. On June 19, 1817, they revolted.
When the smoke cleared after what was called the Four Glorious Days, Louis-Philippe, duc d'Orléans, sat upon the throne as Louis-Philippe I, King of the French. Laws enforcing Catholicism and censorship were repealed and the revolutionary tricolor flag re-established. The British ambassador to the French court, Field Marshal His Grace Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, was the first of the ambassadors to recognize the new King and so-called June Monarchy. Great Britain, while officially neutral in the uprising, silently backed the duc d'Orléans, seeing in Louis XVIII a delusional monarch who would keep France in disorder for the rest of his reign. A more liberal monarchy, while not ideal to the British throne, was infinitely more acceptable than a true revolutionary France. Being in the middle of such political intrigues would have an impact on the Duke of Wellington, future Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
In 1819, the Duke of Wellington returns to Great Britain and becomes Master-General of the Ordnance in the Tory government of Lord Liverpool. It is a good posting for the Duke, who is now in charge of all British artillery, engineers, fortifications, military supplies, transport, and field hospitals, among other things. Napoleon Buonaparte, Duke of Exeter, becomes more interested in politics after the appointment of his brother-in-law, regularly discussing government with his fellow peers.
It is under the government of Lord Liverpool that the Anglo-Alaskan Company is formed in 1820 to supervise the fur trade in the new colony acquired from Imperial Russia. Company bases are built in the Sandwich Islands to facilitate easier travel. This leads to British involvement in the Hawaiian coup on November 18, 1820. King Kamehameha II, with the help of British soldiers, overthrew his mother, Queen Kaʻahumanu, for full control of the Kingdom of the Hawaii. The coup succeeded and the Treaty of Kailua-Kona in 1821 gave the British full access to the resources of the kingdom.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, an economic downturn after the War of the Third Coalition ended brought increasing unrest. Artisan workers, particularly weavers, sought action to reform an uncaring government. This unrest culminated in the Scottish Insurrection of 1820. This insurrection consisted of a week of strikes aimed at forming a Provisional Government of Scotland. James Wilson of Strathaven was found to be the leader and organizer of the rebellion and, upon searching his home, was found to be in possession of numerous tracts written by Henri de Saint-Simon, called the Father of Socialism. These tracts proclaimed an upcoming proletarian revolution against the oppressors and the socialist utopia that would follow. These tracts worried the British government greatly, fearing that socialism would give the fractured masses a common voice. They decided to make an example of the leaders and, after a short trial, James Wilson and two other leaders of the insurrection were hung, then decapitated in Edinburgh for high treason. The rest that were arrested were sentenced to penal transportation. Privately, the Duke of Wellington hopes that this tactic will not backfire and give the socialist movement a martyr.
In 1820, Francis II, as King of Hungary, brings that nation into the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire now stretches for over 1.3 million square kilometers.
Sweden consolidates Finland, Norway, and Denmark into its borders under a new Treaty of Kalmar (1820).
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is rocked when, on March 3, 1822, Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool is assassinated as he left his home. The assassin, Arthur Thistlewood, was part of the Cato Street Conspiracy, a plan to decapitate the British government. They had planned to install a “Committee of Public Safety” a la Robespierre and start a British Revolution, a plan which, apparently, had been in the works for years. The other members of the Cabinet had also been the objects of assassination attempts on the same day, but for various reasons, none were completely successful. Sir Robert Peel, William Wellesley-Pole, Lord Maryborough , and The Hon. Frederick John Robinson were all wounded, but survived.
In the wake of the Cato Street Affair, the remaining Cabinet members appoint Field Marshal His Grace Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington as Prime Minister on March 9, 1822 and he is confirmed by the House of Commons almost unanimously.
British Intervention in the Corsican Crisis, 1816-1822
1816-1822
When First Consul Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès finished consolidating his power in 1808, every major Royalist faction had been exterminated. Thus, Louis XVIII came to the throne without popular support in any large number. This did not stop him from attempting to return France to the absolute monarchy it had been under the Ancien Régime. After an initial outpouring of public support, Louis XVIII saw his popularity wane within a year. His first acts after returning the Bourbon dynasty to the throne angered virtually every French citizen, outside of the aristocracy. These were mostly symbolic acts, such as the replacement of the Revolutionary tricolore with the Bourbon white flag, the titling of Louis as the 'XVIII' (as successor to Louis XVII, who never ruled, implying the Revolution never happened) and as 'King of France' rather than 'King of the French', and the monarchy's recognition of the anniversaries of the deaths of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were significant.
A more tangible source of antagonism was the pressure applied to possessors of biens nationaux (national property) by the Catholic Church and returning émigrés to give back their lands. (In the Revolution, the property of the Church, the Crown, and the aristocrats who left France were declared ‘national property’ and sold to pay for the Revolution. When they returned to power, they wanted the lands back.) Coupled with the burning of the French Constitution of 1811 (La Charte) in the royalist stronghold of Bordeaux in March 1816, Louis XVIII infuriated those grown accustomed to a more liberal atmosphere. He also outlawed any writings, assemblies, or lectures proselytizing the socialist movement.
France’s socialist minority, now confined mostly to the salons and the intellectual fringe, began talk of revolution. During the period of the Consulate, socialism had prospered in the upper echelons of government. Henri de Saint-Simon, called the Father of Socialism, had gained national acclaim in higher circles for his pamphlets promoting the fight of the common people against the monarchist oppressor. The more prominent members of the socialist movement had, for the most part, left France in the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo, leaving the movement largely leaderless. The uncertainty and chaos of the French Revolution was still fresh in the minds of the people, so talk of revolution remained just talk. But the people of France could only take so much before revolution was the only option left.
On March 12, 1817, the liberal majority in the Chamber of Deputies voted in favor of a motion of no confidence in the king and his government. In response, Louis XVIII dissolved parliament and delayed elections for over two months. Faced with public criticism from the liberal and radical newspapers, Louis XVIII issued the June Ordinances, decrees that abolished the freedom of the press entirely and severely curtailed the authority of the Chamber of Deputies. This would prove to be the breaking point for the French people. On June 19, 1817, they revolted.
When the smoke cleared after what was called the Four Glorious Days, Louis-Philippe, duc d'Orléans, sat upon the throne as Louis-Philippe I, King of the French. Laws enforcing Catholicism and censorship were repealed and the revolutionary tricolor flag re-established. The British ambassador to the French court, Field Marshal His Grace Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, was the first of the ambassadors to recognize the new King and so-called June Monarchy. Great Britain, while officially neutral in the uprising, silently backed the duc d'Orléans, seeing in Louis XVIII a delusional monarch who would keep France in disorder for the rest of his reign. A more liberal monarchy, while not ideal to the British throne, was infinitely more acceptable than a true revolutionary France. Being in the middle of such political intrigues would have an impact on the Duke of Wellington, future Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
In 1819, the Duke of Wellington returns to Great Britain and becomes Master-General of the Ordnance in the Tory government of Lord Liverpool. It is a good posting for the Duke, who is now in charge of all British artillery, engineers, fortifications, military supplies, transport, and field hospitals, among other things. Napoleon Buonaparte, Duke of Exeter, becomes more interested in politics after the appointment of his brother-in-law, regularly discussing government with his fellow peers.
It is under the government of Lord Liverpool that the Anglo-Alaskan Company is formed in 1820 to supervise the fur trade in the new colony acquired from Imperial Russia. Company bases are built in the Sandwich Islands to facilitate easier travel. This leads to British involvement in the Hawaiian coup on November 18, 1820. King Kamehameha II, with the help of British soldiers, overthrew his mother, Queen Kaʻahumanu, for full control of the Kingdom of the Hawaii. The coup succeeded and the Treaty of Kailua-Kona in 1821 gave the British full access to the resources of the kingdom.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, an economic downturn after the War of the Third Coalition ended brought increasing unrest. Artisan workers, particularly weavers, sought action to reform an uncaring government. This unrest culminated in the Scottish Insurrection of 1820. This insurrection consisted of a week of strikes aimed at forming a Provisional Government of Scotland. James Wilson of Strathaven was found to be the leader and organizer of the rebellion and, upon searching his home, was found to be in possession of numerous tracts written by Henri de Saint-Simon, called the Father of Socialism. These tracts proclaimed an upcoming proletarian revolution against the oppressors and the socialist utopia that would follow. These tracts worried the British government greatly, fearing that socialism would give the fractured masses a common voice. They decided to make an example of the leaders and, after a short trial, James Wilson and two other leaders of the insurrection were hung, then decapitated in Edinburgh for high treason. The rest that were arrested were sentenced to penal transportation. Privately, the Duke of Wellington hopes that this tactic will not backfire and give the socialist movement a martyr.
In 1820, Francis II, as King of Hungary, brings that nation into the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire now stretches for over 1.3 million square kilometers.
Sweden consolidates Finland, Norway, and Denmark into its borders under a new Treaty of Kalmar (1820).
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is rocked when, on March 3, 1822, Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool is assassinated as he left his home. The assassin, Arthur Thistlewood, was part of the Cato Street Conspiracy, a plan to decapitate the British government. They had planned to install a “Committee of Public Safety” a la Robespierre and start a British Revolution, a plan which, apparently, had been in the works for years. The other members of the Cabinet had also been the objects of assassination attempts on the same day, but for various reasons, none were completely successful. Sir Robert Peel, William Wellesley-Pole, Lord Maryborough , and The Hon. Frederick John Robinson were all wounded, but survived.
In the wake of the Cato Street Affair, the remaining Cabinet members appoint Field Marshal His Grace Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington as Prime Minister on March 9, 1822 and he is confirmed by the House of Commons almost unanimously.
Hmm. I can't really see Louis XVIII being that blundering. He wasn't perfect, but he was certainly more moderate than his brother, Charles X. Of course he is going to restore the Bourbon flag and make certain cosmetic changes but I can certainly see him moderating himself; even without Talleyrand like figure to guide him to guide him, certainly he'd be able to navigate post-revolutionary politics. He feared the far right as much as he feared the far left and tried to moderate things as much as possible. While certainly no constitutionalist or democrat, he knew that changes had occured in France that he couldn't change. Even in this time line I imagine he would realize that. And certainly so soon after the Restoration. If the Royalists was so weakened by Sieyes and a revolt broke out, why would they want to put Orléans on the throne? Certainly they'd angle to restore the republic?
The Restoration certainly can't last in the long run unless it makes some changes (and once Louis XVIII dies that'd be quite difficult), but I don't see it collapsing in under a year.
The Restoration certainly can't last in the long run unless it makes some changes (and once Louis XVIII dies that'd be quite difficult), but I don't see it collapsing in under a year.
From the time Louis XVIII takes the throne in 1811 to the (ITTL) Four Glorious Days is six years. And OTL, Louis had the Hundred Days to actually show him how much support the Revolution still had. You can have all the advisors in the world tell you how many revolutionaries are in your country, but seeing it puts it in a whole new perspective. And with no Napoleon consolidating the military leadership and the government leadership into one office, no Hundred Days.
And you could always figure Louis XVIII is more anti-left with the rise of socialism.
Alright, guys, I've hit a snag. I just don't have much idea on how to handle the next decade or so (1822-1835). I mean, I have this vague notion of what happens, but just not many specifics. So I'm asking for help. I'm at the stage in a TL where you can't rely on OTL because, well, it's all changed. So if anyone knows has an idea on how to extrapolate from these facts, I'd appreciate it.
The facts are:
Great Britain - GB is progressing close to OTL, the Duke of Wellington is PM after the previous one is assassinated. Since this is the second straight PM to be assassinated, I foresee creating Scotland Yard a few years earlier if not some intrusive proto-Gestapo police squad. I actually thought about Wellington placing such a squad under the command of his brother-in-law, Napoleon Buonaparte, the Duke of Exeter, but I'm not sure he would be eligible, since he was born on Corsica. I plan on Wellington being more of a politician ITTL, backroom deals and such, and passing the Catholic Emancipation Act and possibly the Reform Act of 1832 during his premiership. And would the fact that a former Catholic (Nappy) helped them bitch slap Russia a few years back lead to better Catholic relations, i.e. Ireland? Frederick I (OTL's Duke of York) will die on schedule, as well as his brother, William IV, which will lead to Victoria in 1837.
France - Is under the House of Orleans. Slightly more liberal than OTL, due to Louis-Philippe I trying to keep those angry revolutionaries appeased. Nothing really happens until 1848, haven't decided if the historical revolutions happen, with no Napoleon III to take control, no Second French Republic, which means no Second French Empire. In fact, there was no First French Empire.
HRE - Francis II has consolidated Austria, Hungary, and Poland into the HRE. But the problem will be his successor. His only other living son (ITTL- Franz Karl died in 1812) is the mentally retarded Ferdinand. Which means his most capable successor is Prussian Frederick William IV (married to his eldest daughter in 1811). Will Austrians accept a Prussian HRE when Francis II dies in 1835? Remember, ITTL Prussian von Clausewitz led Austrian troops in Nappy's Six Days Campaign in Russia in 1812 and did fairly well. Could the returning Austrian troops have an impact on bettering Prussian-Austrian relations? Remember, FW4 dies without issue, which leads to Wilhelm I, Frederick III, Wilhelm II and Bismarch thrown in there in some position.
Spain - Did not ally with France, no Trafalgar, no destroying of Spanish fleet, so Spain can control her colonies ITTL. Which, if Spain still controls New Spain in the 1830s, what does this mean for the USA when Manifest Destiny pops up and the OTL the Texas Revolution, the Annexation of Texas, and the Mexican-American War? Would Spain sell the northern half of New Spain to the USA for some reason?
USA - pretty much OTL. No War of 1812, no burning of White House. They just kind of sit back and watch Europe.
Russia - recovering from aforementioned bitch slap.
Socialism - Is growing steadily. With no Napoleon to highjack the French Revolution, its really more about the proletariat. With the economic recession post-war, socialism is finding willing listeners. And Karl Marx was born in 1818 in HRE, so he might be causing some trouble soon. OTL his publications started around the same time Francis II dies ITTL.
Oh- Would the Reform Act of 1832 allow Nappy to sit in the House of Lords? Just a question.
Thanks for any and all help, guys, I really appreciate it.
The facts are:
Great Britain - GB is progressing close to OTL, the Duke of Wellington is PM after the previous one is assassinated. Since this is the second straight PM to be assassinated, I foresee creating Scotland Yard a few years earlier if not some intrusive proto-Gestapo police squad. I actually thought about Wellington placing such a squad under the command of his brother-in-law, Napoleon Buonaparte, the Duke of Exeter, but I'm not sure he would be eligible, since he was born on Corsica. I plan on Wellington being more of a politician ITTL, backroom deals and such, and passing the Catholic Emancipation Act and possibly the Reform Act of 1832 during his premiership. And would the fact that a former Catholic (Nappy) helped them bitch slap Russia a few years back lead to better Catholic relations, i.e. Ireland? Frederick I (OTL's Duke of York) will die on schedule, as well as his brother, William IV, which will lead to Victoria in 1837.
France - Is under the House of Orleans. Slightly more liberal than OTL, due to Louis-Philippe I trying to keep those angry revolutionaries appeased. Nothing really happens until 1848, haven't decided if the historical revolutions happen, with no Napoleon III to take control, no Second French Republic, which means no Second French Empire. In fact, there was no First French Empire.
HRE - Francis II has consolidated Austria, Hungary, and Poland into the HRE. But the problem will be his successor. His only other living son (ITTL- Franz Karl died in 1812) is the mentally retarded Ferdinand. Which means his most capable successor is Prussian Frederick William IV (married to his eldest daughter in 1811). Will Austrians accept a Prussian HRE when Francis II dies in 1835? Remember, ITTL Prussian von Clausewitz led Austrian troops in Nappy's Six Days Campaign in Russia in 1812 and did fairly well. Could the returning Austrian troops have an impact on bettering Prussian-Austrian relations? Remember, FW4 dies without issue, which leads to Wilhelm I, Frederick III, Wilhelm II and Bismarch thrown in there in some position.
Spain - Did not ally with France, no Trafalgar, no destroying of Spanish fleet, so Spain can control her colonies ITTL. Which, if Spain still controls New Spain in the 1830s, what does this mean for the USA when Manifest Destiny pops up and the OTL the Texas Revolution, the Annexation of Texas, and the Mexican-American War? Would Spain sell the northern half of New Spain to the USA for some reason?
USA - pretty much OTL. No War of 1812, no burning of White House. They just kind of sit back and watch Europe.
Russia - recovering from aforementioned bitch slap.
Socialism - Is growing steadily. With no Napoleon to highjack the French Revolution, its really more about the proletariat. With the economic recession post-war, socialism is finding willing listeners. And Karl Marx was born in 1818 in HRE, so he might be causing some trouble soon. OTL his publications started around the same time Francis II dies ITTL.
Oh- Would the Reform Act of 1832 allow Nappy to sit in the House of Lords? Just a question.
Thanks for any and all help, guys, I really appreciate it.
I will have a go at a couple of them.
Re spain: I don't see spain selling anything without the pressure of defeat. It isn't in character. Even after getting completely wrecked by the OTL napoleonic wars they tried to hold it all. The nationalist attitudes in the new world will be simmering though, so filibusters by the US into OTl Louisiana, and sundry revolts are quite possible. The Spanish are in a much stronger position to put them down though.
Re: Austria
Ferdinand will be Archduke of Austria, and King of Bohemia and Hungary, there are no provisions in the Habsburg succession laws to set him aside. Likely he will be HR Emperor too. And he may not have been retarded in any event, just heavily subject to epilepsy. The crunch will come when he dies in 1875 if as OTL there is no issue. In the meantime likely Metternich and his uncle Louis will run the show. There are a ton of male Habsburgs from the cadet lines about, so depending upon how reluctant the Habsburgs are to take a Prussian Prince as sovereign, you could see war of the Austrian succession part deux.
The Senior male habsburg at that point would be Ferdninand IV, the erstwhile, at least in our timeline , Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Re spain: I don't see spain selling anything without the pressure of defeat. It isn't in character. Even after getting completely wrecked by the OTL napoleonic wars they tried to hold it all. The nationalist attitudes in the new world will be simmering though, so filibusters by the US into OTl Louisiana, and sundry revolts are quite possible. The Spanish are in a much stronger position to put them down though.
Re: Austria
Ferdinand will be Archduke of Austria, and King of Bohemia and Hungary, there are no provisions in the Habsburg succession laws to set him aside. Likely he will be HR Emperor too. And he may not have been retarded in any event, just heavily subject to epilepsy. The crunch will come when he dies in 1875 if as OTL there is no issue. In the meantime likely Metternich and his uncle Louis will run the show. There are a ton of male Habsburgs from the cadet lines about, so depending upon how reluctant the Habsburgs are to take a Prussian Prince as sovereign, you could see war of the Austrian succession part deux.
The Senior male habsburg at that point would be Ferdninand IV, the erstwhile, at least in our timeline , Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Thanks, Deckhand. It's always nice to get another viewpoint, especially when I'm stuck.
Do you think Manifest Destiny will lead the US to take on Spain over New Spain?
To be honest I don't know if Ferdinand was retarded or not, I forget where I read that at. But he did have epilepsy, up to 20 seizures a day. I'd like to see the Prussians either assume the throne by succession or by force, I really think they had the ability to do it (by force). If they do go with force, I see Poland revolting while the Prussians and Austrians are preoccupied. And if they go with force, they could revamp the HR government and rename it, allowing von Bismarck to take a position sometime in the future. Because I really don't think there was a position comparable to Chancellor in the HRE.
But my biggest question is: Would the Reform Act of 1832 allow Napoleon Buonaparte, (ITTL the Duke of Exeter) to sit in the House of Lords, being that he was Corsican-born? ITTL he's a British general, an Anglican, and married to a prominent British family with roots back to the Norman Conquest. The only problem is his birthplace. Would they make an exception?
Sorry I took so long with an update (not sure how many people are still interested) but here it is, finally. Hope y'all enjoy it.
1822-1832
Riding on the wave of pro-Tory sympathy cresting in Britain, Prime Minister the Duke of Wellington has an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons. Considering that the late Robert Jenkinson is the second Prime Minister in ten years to be assassinated, the new Prime Minister’s first act is to introduce a bill into Parliament, detailing the creation of the Metropolitan Police. Scotland Yard, as it came to be called, was put under the authority of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Rowan, a former officer under the Duke of Wellington.
Aware that the revolutionary nature of socialism would find ready listeners in Ireland, the Duke of Wellington chooses to introduce a bill, by proxy, in the House of Commons detailing the emancipation of Ireland’s many Catholics. In doing this, he hopes to head off a potential Irish Rebellion. The first Catholic to sit in the House of Commons is Daniel O’Connell, elected from County Clare in 1826. A small scandal erupts when MP O’Connell refuses to take the Oath of Supremacy, stating that it is incompatible with a Catholic’s recognition of the Papacy as God’s earthly authority. After explaining the uproar that would follow should O’ Connell not be allowed to take his elected seat, the Duke of Wellington convinces King Frederick I of the right of all Christian faiths to sit in Parliament. This would prove to have many lasting implications for Anglo-Irish relations.
Meanwhile, in the United States, multiple wars and battles against the American government have left the Indian Nations little more than shadows of their former selves. Tecumseh still leads the First Nation tribes, but his authority has waned in passing years. Further south, in Florida, the Seminole tribes are still recovering from the 1818 invasion by Major General Andrew Jackson, which decimated the native population. Things come to a head in 1822 when Tecumseh leads the First Nation tribes in a last-ditch effort to create an Indian State. This failed miserably when Tecumseh’s Confederation met the local militia under the command of William Henry Harrison.
The 1824 U.S. presidential election proves to be a closely contested one, as there are four leading candidates; Major General Andrew Jackson, former military governor of Florida; John Q. Adams, former Secretary of State; William H. Crawford, former Secretary of the Treasury; and Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Rumors of Crawford’s ill health following a stroke allows the relatively unknown Jackson to take several key southern states, including the Carolinas and Virginia, as well as his home state of Tennessee. John Q. Adams is by far the most experienced of the candidates, having served as a Senator, Secretary of State, and Minister to Russia, as well as being the son of a former President. Due to the number of candidates, none of them can gain the 131 electoral votes required for the majority (Adams-121, Jackson-46, Crawford-42, Clay-42). Thus, the 1824 Presidential election goes to the House of Representative as per the 12th Amendment.
According to the 12th Amendment, in the lack of a majority, the top three candidates are voted on directly by the House, with each representative casting one vote. Henry Clay, tied for third with William Crawford and seeing a potential opportunity, withdraws from the election. The charismatic Jackson, with his folksy humor and biting sarcasm, swings a surprising number of votes his way, splitting the House between himself and Adams. Crawford, with his questionable health, is almost a nonentity. Speaker Clay uses his considerable influence to elect Adams (whose politics are much closer to his own than Jackson’s) as the country’s next President. Clay reportedly said of Jackson, “I cannot believe that killing 5,000 red Indians in Florida qualifies for the various, difficult, and complicated duties of the Chief Magistracy.” Another quote by Henry Clay speaking of Andrew Jackson included the phrase “brained jackass”. This would sow the seeds of a great rivalry between Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. John C. Calhoun was elected to the Vice Presidency in a landslide victory. Adams would go on to win reelection in 1828 as well.
Benjamin Wright completes the Erie Canal in 1825, opening the way for immigrants to the West, as well as establishing New York City as the premier port of the United States of America.
The rumblings of independence are felt all over the Spanish colonies in the New World. Several leaders, including Simon Bolivar, the Marqués de San Luis, had led minor rebellions in various areas of Central and South America, beginning in 1816. These rebellions are put down with extreme prejudice as the newly crowned Ferdinand VII of Spain wishes to maintain complete control of his colonies. Ferdinand is without a talented Prime Minister, such as his father’s PM, Manuel de Godoy, and is prone to rash and impulsive decisions. This would soon prove to be his downfall.
Learning from the failed rebellions of other Latin American movements, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his compatriots have planned their insurrection for many years. The final spark came in 1826 when, after a series of ridiculous and asinine acts decreed by King Ferdinand VII, the Mexican revolutionaries take control of several key cities in New Spain. Following initial victories, the rebels soon fall under the massive weight of the Bourbons. By 1829, they are reduced to guerilla actions, harassing the (as they saw it) occupying army. The heavy hand of Ferdinand VII is seen by the new laws against even speaking of Mexico as a sovereign nation. But it was this heavy hand that forced many into the rebel camp.
A liberal uprising in Spain in 1830, coupled with the rise of Vicente Guerrero as the new leader of the rebel forces, led to a resurgence in support for the revolutionaries. Faced with the aftermath of his signing the Pragmatic Solution of 1830, effectively removing his brother from the line of succession, Ferdinand cannot bring the full force of Spain against the revolutionaries. The Carlist faction, who dispute the validity of the Pragmatic Solution of 1830, succeed in removing Ferdinand and place his brother, Carlos (now Charles V) on the throne. Ironically, Charles V had been adamant in his refusal to fight his brother over the crown, but did not turn it down when it was offered.
When Spanish armies move into the province of Tejas, home to many American settlers who favor independence, they brutally and savagely bring the region to submission. President John Q. Adams, a firm believer in Manifest Destiny, sees an opportunity to expand the borders of the United States. He sends the United States Army into Tejas under the command of Brigadier General Winfield Scott. Scott, a veteran of the numerous Indian Wars, had studied extensively the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Exeter, even incorporating them into his battle plans. The American army moves into Tejas, driving the “invaders” across the Rio Grande. In retaliation, Charles V lands troops in Florida, hoping to draw American attention away from New Spain. William Pope Duval, territorial governor of Florida, asks for, and receives, an army to repel the Spaniards. Colonel Zachary Taylor leads the 1st Infantry Regiment into Florida and decisively defeats the Spanish. Among the officers under Taylor’s command are Second Lieutenant Jefferson Davis and Second Lieutenant Robert E. Lee.
The Mexican revolutionaries soon win their independence in 1832 with the help of the American army, after Charles V decides to cut his losses in New Spain. Fortunately, he still controls most of South America. He increases the number of Spanish troops in the other Spanish viceroyalties to dissuade the indigenous populations from revolting. The Treaty of Veracruz ended the war with full recognition of the Mexican government by Charles V.
Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott are both promoted to Major General and return to the U.S. as national heroes. The world is shocked that the fledgling United States has defeated a major European power in war.
The American army holds just north of the Rio Grande, President Adams refusing to give up what he and Secretary of State Clay consider to be spoils of war. As the former comrades in arms finally have time to discover their differing ideologies, the new Mexican state is in a period of turmoil. Mexican President Agustín de Iturbide agrees to sell the land north of the Rio Grande, as well as the administrative units of Las Californias (present-day California, Nevada, Baja California, and Baja California Sur), Nueva Extremadura (including the present-day states of Coahuila and Texas), and Santa Fe de Nuevo México (parts of Texas and New Mexico) for 22 million dollars (in order to pay his army), as well as 3 million in forgiven debts. Several generals under President Iturbide, one of whom is Antonio López de Santa Anna, secretly plots to overthrow the President and reclaim the land.
The United States of America now stretches to the Pacific. Riding on the crest of popularity, Secretary of State Henry Clay is elected President in 1832. Andrew Jackson is now thrice stymied in his presidential aspirations.
In 1832, historian Isaac D’Israeli receives permission to write a history of the War of the Third Coalition, specifically the campaigns of Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Buonaparte, the Duke of Exeter. Accompanying D’Israeli to assist in notation is his son, Benjamin. Wellington and Exeter would prove to have a lasting impact on the young D’Israeli’s later career. Incidentally, Isaac D’Israeli’s History of the Third Coalition would prove to be the principle reference book for many years to come.
1822-1832
Riding on the wave of pro-Tory sympathy cresting in Britain, Prime Minister the Duke of Wellington has an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons. Considering that the late Robert Jenkinson is the second Prime Minister in ten years to be assassinated, the new Prime Minister’s first act is to introduce a bill into Parliament, detailing the creation of the Metropolitan Police. Scotland Yard, as it came to be called, was put under the authority of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Rowan, a former officer under the Duke of Wellington.
Aware that the revolutionary nature of socialism would find ready listeners in Ireland, the Duke of Wellington chooses to introduce a bill, by proxy, in the House of Commons detailing the emancipation of Ireland’s many Catholics. In doing this, he hopes to head off a potential Irish Rebellion. The first Catholic to sit in the House of Commons is Daniel O’Connell, elected from County Clare in 1826. A small scandal erupts when MP O’Connell refuses to take the Oath of Supremacy, stating that it is incompatible with a Catholic’s recognition of the Papacy as God’s earthly authority. After explaining the uproar that would follow should O’ Connell not be allowed to take his elected seat, the Duke of Wellington convinces King Frederick I of the right of all Christian faiths to sit in Parliament. This would prove to have many lasting implications for Anglo-Irish relations.
Meanwhile, in the United States, multiple wars and battles against the American government have left the Indian Nations little more than shadows of their former selves. Tecumseh still leads the First Nation tribes, but his authority has waned in passing years. Further south, in Florida, the Seminole tribes are still recovering from the 1818 invasion by Major General Andrew Jackson, which decimated the native population. Things come to a head in 1822 when Tecumseh leads the First Nation tribes in a last-ditch effort to create an Indian State. This failed miserably when Tecumseh’s Confederation met the local militia under the command of William Henry Harrison.
The 1824 U.S. presidential election proves to be a closely contested one, as there are four leading candidates; Major General Andrew Jackson, former military governor of Florida; John Q. Adams, former Secretary of State; William H. Crawford, former Secretary of the Treasury; and Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Rumors of Crawford’s ill health following a stroke allows the relatively unknown Jackson to take several key southern states, including the Carolinas and Virginia, as well as his home state of Tennessee. John Q. Adams is by far the most experienced of the candidates, having served as a Senator, Secretary of State, and Minister to Russia, as well as being the son of a former President. Due to the number of candidates, none of them can gain the 131 electoral votes required for the majority (Adams-121, Jackson-46, Crawford-42, Clay-42). Thus, the 1824 Presidential election goes to the House of Representative as per the 12th Amendment.
According to the 12th Amendment, in the lack of a majority, the top three candidates are voted on directly by the House, with each representative casting one vote. Henry Clay, tied for third with William Crawford and seeing a potential opportunity, withdraws from the election. The charismatic Jackson, with his folksy humor and biting sarcasm, swings a surprising number of votes his way, splitting the House between himself and Adams. Crawford, with his questionable health, is almost a nonentity. Speaker Clay uses his considerable influence to elect Adams (whose politics are much closer to his own than Jackson’s) as the country’s next President. Clay reportedly said of Jackson, “I cannot believe that killing 5,000 red Indians in Florida qualifies for the various, difficult, and complicated duties of the Chief Magistracy.” Another quote by Henry Clay speaking of Andrew Jackson included the phrase “brained jackass”. This would sow the seeds of a great rivalry between Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay. John C. Calhoun was elected to the Vice Presidency in a landslide victory. Adams would go on to win reelection in 1828 as well.
Benjamin Wright completes the Erie Canal in 1825, opening the way for immigrants to the West, as well as establishing New York City as the premier port of the United States of America.
The rumblings of independence are felt all over the Spanish colonies in the New World. Several leaders, including Simon Bolivar, the Marqués de San Luis, had led minor rebellions in various areas of Central and South America, beginning in 1816. These rebellions are put down with extreme prejudice as the newly crowned Ferdinand VII of Spain wishes to maintain complete control of his colonies. Ferdinand is without a talented Prime Minister, such as his father’s PM, Manuel de Godoy, and is prone to rash and impulsive decisions. This would soon prove to be his downfall.
Learning from the failed rebellions of other Latin American movements, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and his compatriots have planned their insurrection for many years. The final spark came in 1826 when, after a series of ridiculous and asinine acts decreed by King Ferdinand VII, the Mexican revolutionaries take control of several key cities in New Spain. Following initial victories, the rebels soon fall under the massive weight of the Bourbons. By 1829, they are reduced to guerilla actions, harassing the (as they saw it) occupying army. The heavy hand of Ferdinand VII is seen by the new laws against even speaking of Mexico as a sovereign nation. But it was this heavy hand that forced many into the rebel camp.
A liberal uprising in Spain in 1830, coupled with the rise of Vicente Guerrero as the new leader of the rebel forces, led to a resurgence in support for the revolutionaries. Faced with the aftermath of his signing the Pragmatic Solution of 1830, effectively removing his brother from the line of succession, Ferdinand cannot bring the full force of Spain against the revolutionaries. The Carlist faction, who dispute the validity of the Pragmatic Solution of 1830, succeed in removing Ferdinand and place his brother, Carlos (now Charles V) on the throne. Ironically, Charles V had been adamant in his refusal to fight his brother over the crown, but did not turn it down when it was offered.
When Spanish armies move into the province of Tejas, home to many American settlers who favor independence, they brutally and savagely bring the region to submission. President John Q. Adams, a firm believer in Manifest Destiny, sees an opportunity to expand the borders of the United States. He sends the United States Army into Tejas under the command of Brigadier General Winfield Scott. Scott, a veteran of the numerous Indian Wars, had studied extensively the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Exeter, even incorporating them into his battle plans. The American army moves into Tejas, driving the “invaders” across the Rio Grande. In retaliation, Charles V lands troops in Florida, hoping to draw American attention away from New Spain. William Pope Duval, territorial governor of Florida, asks for, and receives, an army to repel the Spaniards. Colonel Zachary Taylor leads the 1st Infantry Regiment into Florida and decisively defeats the Spanish. Among the officers under Taylor’s command are Second Lieutenant Jefferson Davis and Second Lieutenant Robert E. Lee.
The Mexican revolutionaries soon win their independence in 1832 with the help of the American army, after Charles V decides to cut his losses in New Spain. Fortunately, he still controls most of South America. He increases the number of Spanish troops in the other Spanish viceroyalties to dissuade the indigenous populations from revolting. The Treaty of Veracruz ended the war with full recognition of the Mexican government by Charles V.
Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott are both promoted to Major General and return to the U.S. as national heroes. The world is shocked that the fledgling United States has defeated a major European power in war.
The American army holds just north of the Rio Grande, President Adams refusing to give up what he and Secretary of State Clay consider to be spoils of war. As the former comrades in arms finally have time to discover their differing ideologies, the new Mexican state is in a period of turmoil. Mexican President Agustín de Iturbide agrees to sell the land north of the Rio Grande, as well as the administrative units of Las Californias (present-day California, Nevada, Baja California, and Baja California Sur), Nueva Extremadura (including the present-day states of Coahuila and Texas), and Santa Fe de Nuevo México (parts of Texas and New Mexico) for 22 million dollars (in order to pay his army), as well as 3 million in forgiven debts. Several generals under President Iturbide, one of whom is Antonio López de Santa Anna, secretly plots to overthrow the President and reclaim the land.
The United States of America now stretches to the Pacific. Riding on the crest of popularity, Secretary of State Henry Clay is elected President in 1832. Andrew Jackson is now thrice stymied in his presidential aspirations.
In 1832, historian Isaac D’Israeli receives permission to write a history of the War of the Third Coalition, specifically the campaigns of Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, and Napoleon Buonaparte, the Duke of Exeter. Accompanying D’Israeli to assist in notation is his son, Benjamin. Wellington and Exeter would prove to have a lasting impact on the young D’Israeli’s later career. Incidentally, Isaac D’Israeli’s History of the Third Coalition would prove to be the principle reference book for many years to come.
Last edited:
New update. Enjoy.
1833-1841
The celebrations of the New Year are dampened when King Frederick I dies of cardiovascular disease on January 5, 1833. Being that he died childless, his brother William assumes the throne as William IV. It is during his reign that the Whig party regains control of Parliament. William chooses Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington to be his Prime Minister in spite of the Whig majority, infuriating Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who had expected to be named to the position. After passage of the Reform Bill of 1833, the legislation that reorganized the so-called “rotten boroughs”, the Duke of Wellington offers his resignation. Charles Grey becomes the Prime Minister, bringing the eleven year premiership of the Tories to an end. Disgusted with the infighting of the Tory party, Wellington, along with Robert Peel, leads other disillusioned Tories into the new Conservative Party. The Tamworth Manifesto, a political treatise outlining the platform of the Conservative Party, was published in 1833. It was written cooperatively by the Duke of Wellington and Robert Peel. An unforeseen consequence of the Reform Bill of 1833 allowed any noble to sit in the House of Lords, regardless of birthplace. Napoleon Buonaparte, Duke of Exeter, takes his seat as a Conservative in 1833.
The aftermath of the 1832 U.S. presidential election is one of many issues. One, President Henry Clay’s American economic system faces stiff opposition from the Democratic party, of which Senator Andrew Jackson is one of the leading members. The 65-year-old Jackson, having lost three successive presidential elections to the Whigs, vows to fight President Clay on every issue. “If Henry Clay proposes a law stating the color of the sky is blue, I will argue ‘til my dying breath that it is not!” The second issue of the Clay Presidency is the question of slavery in the West following the annexation of 750,000 square miles of territory from Mexico. President Clay opposed the annexation of the territory during his tenure as Secretary of State, but was overruled by then-President Adams. Senator John C. Calhoun is the leading voice for the expansion of slavery, calling it a “positive good”, rather than the usual “necessary evil”. The third issue is the removal of freed slaves to the American colony of Liberia, a move that many in the U.S. approve of. Henry Clay was one of the founding members of the American Colonization Society and, as such, approves the use of taxpayer money to transport the freedmen and their families to the colony.
The American economic system is made into law in 1834, barely passing even in the Whig-controlled Congress. The price of European goods skyrockets due to the high tariffs. These high prices enable American industries to fill in the void. A small economic boom soon followed, apparently legitimizing the American economic system in the eyes of the Whigs. Soon, many cities in the North and South alike became industrialized. The southern Democrats see this as an intrusion into their primarily agrarian lifestyle, yet cities such as Atlanta, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola, Richmond and Charleston soon rivaled their northern counterparts in industrial might.
The issue of slavery in the new West is less cut and dried. The Democratic Party is split on the issue; the southern Democrats, led by Senator Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, see the newly acquired land as prime territory for the expansion of slavery, while the northern Democrats, dominated by Senator Martin Van Buren of New York, seek to keep the West free. This controversial and polarizing issue is ended when Senator Winfield Scott of Virginia introduces the Compromise of 1835. It proposes that all lands north of the 36th parallel will be free states and all lands south will be slave. This compromise is far from satisfactory for either party, but it is something they can agree on. Rumors abound in Washington that it was actually President Clay who had thought of the bill, not Senator Scott. Nevertheless, Senator Scott receives the nickname the “Great Compromiser”, which he prefers immensely over “Old Fuss and Feathers”.
By the end of Clay’s two terms as President, more than 300,000 free blacks are living in the nine American colonies in Africa, with many more on the way. Liberia, as a colony of the U.S., is very expensive and is quickly becoming a target of Democratic propaganda. One of the last acts of President Clay is to recognize the independence of Liberia in 1841 under the Presidency of Frederick Douglass, a prominent black leader who is becoming renowned for his oratorical skills. President Douglass is instrumental in the Liberians’ better treatment of the native Africans.
When Nicholas I ascended the throne of Russia in the aftermath of the War of the Third Coalition, he realized that Russia would need to become a fully industrialized society to compete with the rest of the world. Nicholas completely lacked his brothers' spiritual and intellectual breadth; he saw his role simply as one paternal autocrat ruling his people by whatever means were necessary. To this end, instead of the Russian aristocracy having the serfs work in their fields, the aristocrats were given control of a few factories and put their serfs to work there. What eventually arose was a form of industrialized servitude, with factories replacing land ownership as the primary means of gaining power. Those in the American South used the Russian model as their own industry was growing and they had a readily accessible population of workers: slaves.
The succession crisis in the Holy Roman Empire comes to a head when Francis II finally dies in 1835. Next in line is the epileptic son, Ferdinand, although few believe he would be capable as Emperor. Frederick William IV, King of Prussia, is married to Marie-Louise, and has the second best claim to the throne. The Austrians, hereditary enemies of the Prussians, block the ascension of Frederick in favor of Charles, the younger brother of Francis II. The War of the Holy Roman Succession begins in early 1836, with the Prussians against the Austrians. The civil war lasts for five long years, ultimately ending with the Treaty of Berlin (1841). In the treaty, the Austrians agreed to Frederick William IV as Holy Roman Emperor, as long as the position of Chancellor and an English Parliament-type legislative body (the Landtag) is created to protect the interests of the Austrians. Frederick William assumes the throne as Frederick IV in 1841.
During the War of the Holy Roman Succession, a graduate of the University of Bonn publishes a paper proselytizing the cause of socialism (1839), hoping to incite the peasants of the Empire into revolution against the rich, aristocratic oppressors. Despite the civil war that is raging around them, both sides seek the arrest of the twenty-one year old Karl Marx. Marx flees to Paris where he hopes to continue his work.
King William IV dies in 1837, leaving his eighteen-year-old niece Victoria to be crowned as Queen. The Parliamentary election of that year also resulted in the first majority of the new Conservative Party. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington gladly takes the post of Prime Minister once again. Robert Peel is named Home Secretary in the new Conservative government, while George Hamilton-Gordon, the 4th Earl of Aberdeen becomes Foreign Secretary again. The Duke of Wellington is accused of favoritism when he nominates Napoleone Bonaparte, Duke of Exeter, as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Queen Victoria, who has grown up hearing tales of the exploits of the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Exeter in the War of the Third Coalition, eagerly accepts the Duke of Wellington’s judgment.
Also in 1837, a young man named Benjamin Disraeli won a seat in the House of Commons from the constituency of Maidstone as a Conservative. Remembering when the young man accompanied his father to his estate five years previous, Chancellor of the Exchequer Napoleone Bonaparte, Duke of Exeter takes the young MP under his wing.
The death of Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté in 1840 results in the largest state funeral for a nonmember of the Royal Family in the history of the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria breaks protocol to attend the service. Also in attendance are several U.S. Presidents, Emperor Frederick IV of the Holy Roman Empire, Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz (who is still recovering from a bout with cholera), and the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Exeter.
The issue of slavery would prove to be the catalyst for the split of the Democratic Party of the United States in 1838. Senator Van Buren leads the northern Democrats into the fledgling Republican Party. The Whigs can only clap their hands in glee as their main rival virtually assures the Whig Party’s dominance in the coming elections. But with no pressing threat, divisions within the Whigs are coming to the forefront just in time for the election of 1840.
This is a list of leaders of this world in 1841.
England - Queen Victoria, Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
France - King Louis Philippe I
Spain - Charles V
U.S. - President Henry Clay, Vice-President Daniel Webster
Mexico - Agustín de Iturbide
Holy Roman Empire - Emperor Frederick IV, Chancellor Klemens Wenzel von Metternich
Papal States - Pope Pius IX
1833-1841
The celebrations of the New Year are dampened when King Frederick I dies of cardiovascular disease on January 5, 1833. Being that he died childless, his brother William assumes the throne as William IV. It is during his reign that the Whig party regains control of Parliament. William chooses Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington to be his Prime Minister in spite of the Whig majority, infuriating Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who had expected to be named to the position. After passage of the Reform Bill of 1833, the legislation that reorganized the so-called “rotten boroughs”, the Duke of Wellington offers his resignation. Charles Grey becomes the Prime Minister, bringing the eleven year premiership of the Tories to an end. Disgusted with the infighting of the Tory party, Wellington, along with Robert Peel, leads other disillusioned Tories into the new Conservative Party. The Tamworth Manifesto, a political treatise outlining the platform of the Conservative Party, was published in 1833. It was written cooperatively by the Duke of Wellington and Robert Peel. An unforeseen consequence of the Reform Bill of 1833 allowed any noble to sit in the House of Lords, regardless of birthplace. Napoleon Buonaparte, Duke of Exeter, takes his seat as a Conservative in 1833.
The aftermath of the 1832 U.S. presidential election is one of many issues. One, President Henry Clay’s American economic system faces stiff opposition from the Democratic party, of which Senator Andrew Jackson is one of the leading members. The 65-year-old Jackson, having lost three successive presidential elections to the Whigs, vows to fight President Clay on every issue. “If Henry Clay proposes a law stating the color of the sky is blue, I will argue ‘til my dying breath that it is not!” The second issue of the Clay Presidency is the question of slavery in the West following the annexation of 750,000 square miles of territory from Mexico. President Clay opposed the annexation of the territory during his tenure as Secretary of State, but was overruled by then-President Adams. Senator John C. Calhoun is the leading voice for the expansion of slavery, calling it a “positive good”, rather than the usual “necessary evil”. The third issue is the removal of freed slaves to the American colony of Liberia, a move that many in the U.S. approve of. Henry Clay was one of the founding members of the American Colonization Society and, as such, approves the use of taxpayer money to transport the freedmen and their families to the colony.
The American economic system is made into law in 1834, barely passing even in the Whig-controlled Congress. The price of European goods skyrockets due to the high tariffs. These high prices enable American industries to fill in the void. A small economic boom soon followed, apparently legitimizing the American economic system in the eyes of the Whigs. Soon, many cities in the North and South alike became industrialized. The southern Democrats see this as an intrusion into their primarily agrarian lifestyle, yet cities such as Atlanta, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola, Richmond and Charleston soon rivaled their northern counterparts in industrial might.
The issue of slavery in the new West is less cut and dried. The Democratic Party is split on the issue; the southern Democrats, led by Senator Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, see the newly acquired land as prime territory for the expansion of slavery, while the northern Democrats, dominated by Senator Martin Van Buren of New York, seek to keep the West free. This controversial and polarizing issue is ended when Senator Winfield Scott of Virginia introduces the Compromise of 1835. It proposes that all lands north of the 36th parallel will be free states and all lands south will be slave. This compromise is far from satisfactory for either party, but it is something they can agree on. Rumors abound in Washington that it was actually President Clay who had thought of the bill, not Senator Scott. Nevertheless, Senator Scott receives the nickname the “Great Compromiser”, which he prefers immensely over “Old Fuss and Feathers”.
By the end of Clay’s two terms as President, more than 300,000 free blacks are living in the nine American colonies in Africa, with many more on the way. Liberia, as a colony of the U.S., is very expensive and is quickly becoming a target of Democratic propaganda. One of the last acts of President Clay is to recognize the independence of Liberia in 1841 under the Presidency of Frederick Douglass, a prominent black leader who is becoming renowned for his oratorical skills. President Douglass is instrumental in the Liberians’ better treatment of the native Africans.
When Nicholas I ascended the throne of Russia in the aftermath of the War of the Third Coalition, he realized that Russia would need to become a fully industrialized society to compete with the rest of the world. Nicholas completely lacked his brothers' spiritual and intellectual breadth; he saw his role simply as one paternal autocrat ruling his people by whatever means were necessary. To this end, instead of the Russian aristocracy having the serfs work in their fields, the aristocrats were given control of a few factories and put their serfs to work there. What eventually arose was a form of industrialized servitude, with factories replacing land ownership as the primary means of gaining power. Those in the American South used the Russian model as their own industry was growing and they had a readily accessible population of workers: slaves.
The succession crisis in the Holy Roman Empire comes to a head when Francis II finally dies in 1835. Next in line is the epileptic son, Ferdinand, although few believe he would be capable as Emperor. Frederick William IV, King of Prussia, is married to Marie-Louise, and has the second best claim to the throne. The Austrians, hereditary enemies of the Prussians, block the ascension of Frederick in favor of Charles, the younger brother of Francis II. The War of the Holy Roman Succession begins in early 1836, with the Prussians against the Austrians. The civil war lasts for five long years, ultimately ending with the Treaty of Berlin (1841). In the treaty, the Austrians agreed to Frederick William IV as Holy Roman Emperor, as long as the position of Chancellor and an English Parliament-type legislative body (the Landtag) is created to protect the interests of the Austrians. Frederick William assumes the throne as Frederick IV in 1841.
During the War of the Holy Roman Succession, a graduate of the University of Bonn publishes a paper proselytizing the cause of socialism (1839), hoping to incite the peasants of the Empire into revolution against the rich, aristocratic oppressors. Despite the civil war that is raging around them, both sides seek the arrest of the twenty-one year old Karl Marx. Marx flees to Paris where he hopes to continue his work.
King William IV dies in 1837, leaving his eighteen-year-old niece Victoria to be crowned as Queen. The Parliamentary election of that year also resulted in the first majority of the new Conservative Party. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington gladly takes the post of Prime Minister once again. Robert Peel is named Home Secretary in the new Conservative government, while George Hamilton-Gordon, the 4th Earl of Aberdeen becomes Foreign Secretary again. The Duke of Wellington is accused of favoritism when he nominates Napoleone Bonaparte, Duke of Exeter, as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Queen Victoria, who has grown up hearing tales of the exploits of the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Exeter in the War of the Third Coalition, eagerly accepts the Duke of Wellington’s judgment.
Also in 1837, a young man named Benjamin Disraeli won a seat in the House of Commons from the constituency of Maidstone as a Conservative. Remembering when the young man accompanied his father to his estate five years previous, Chancellor of the Exchequer Napoleone Bonaparte, Duke of Exeter takes the young MP under his wing.
The death of Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté in 1840 results in the largest state funeral for a nonmember of the Royal Family in the history of the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria breaks protocol to attend the service. Also in attendance are several U.S. Presidents, Emperor Frederick IV of the Holy Roman Empire, Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz (who is still recovering from a bout with cholera), and the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Exeter.
The issue of slavery would prove to be the catalyst for the split of the Democratic Party of the United States in 1838. Senator Van Buren leads the northern Democrats into the fledgling Republican Party. The Whigs can only clap their hands in glee as their main rival virtually assures the Whig Party’s dominance in the coming elections. But with no pressing threat, divisions within the Whigs are coming to the forefront just in time for the election of 1840.
This is a list of leaders of this world in 1841.
England - Queen Victoria, Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
France - King Louis Philippe I
Spain - Charles V
U.S. - President Henry Clay, Vice-President Daniel Webster
Mexico - Agustín de Iturbide
Holy Roman Empire - Emperor Frederick IV, Chancellor Klemens Wenzel von Metternich
Papal States - Pope Pius IX
Sorry, I didn't see the update when it was posted.
I actually really liked that update, although I'm surprised about the HRE succession war thing. Did you modify the HRE in an earlier update? I can't quite recall. If you didn't, though, the HREmperorship was elective, so there shouldn't really be "claims" or a succession war. It was entirely down to whomever received the most votes from the Electors inside the Empire, though in practice by this point they tended to vote Hapsburg regardless of how ill-suited the Hapsburg ruler might be to the job.
Honestly I forgot that the HRE still existed for a while - it's so common of TLs to have it gotten rid of with the Napoleonic Wars that I tend to read any reference to Germany in this era as "Confederation of the Rhine". However, I have a huge love of the HRE and I dearly hope that you decide to keep it into the modern day. There's something incredibly alluring about having the ridiculously anachronistic and chronologically out-of-place HRE survive into the modern era which excites me in a way few alt-history ideas can, and of course the complete absence of Napoleon as a French Revolutionary leader and French Emperor means that the HRE isn't even in it's "just about acceptable" 39-state, "bundle all the small territories together into regional Westphalian states" form as the Confederation of the Rhine had it, which is brilliant and means there will be some delightfully tiny and feeble states still in existence which will make Liechtenstein look like the Siberia in size comparison
Anyway, interesting to see Nappy has entered politics too - incidentally I'm not sure Wellington could pick Napoleon - as a member of the House of Lords - to serve on the Commons' Cabinet, but I'll roll with it. Interesting to see Russia industrialise, if surprisingly quick, but it does give me the fear - Russia, even as a completely backwards power in the 19th century, was one of the strongest states in Europe (and by extension, the world) so with an industrial backbone so early on, it could become unstoppable in its ability to fund its own wars. At least we shouldn't have to experience the Soviet Union in 80 years' time though, which can only be a good thing...
Also, I'm frankly amazed that Iturbide has survived this long in Mexico as Emperor, though maybe you addressed that earlier too (I read so many TLs it actually becomes hard to recall individual events, sorry. I'll re-read this tomorrow to refresh my memory).
I actually really liked that update, although I'm surprised about the HRE succession war thing. Did you modify the HRE in an earlier update? I can't quite recall. If you didn't, though, the HREmperorship was elective, so there shouldn't really be "claims" or a succession war. It was entirely down to whomever received the most votes from the Electors inside the Empire, though in practice by this point they tended to vote Hapsburg regardless of how ill-suited the Hapsburg ruler might be to the job.
Honestly I forgot that the HRE still existed for a while - it's so common of TLs to have it gotten rid of with the Napoleonic Wars that I tend to read any reference to Germany in this era as "Confederation of the Rhine". However, I have a huge love of the HRE and I dearly hope that you decide to keep it into the modern day. There's something incredibly alluring about having the ridiculously anachronistic and chronologically out-of-place HRE survive into the modern era which excites me in a way few alt-history ideas can, and of course the complete absence of Napoleon as a French Revolutionary leader and French Emperor means that the HRE isn't even in it's "just about acceptable" 39-state, "bundle all the small territories together into regional Westphalian states" form as the Confederation of the Rhine had it, which is brilliant and means there will be some delightfully tiny and feeble states still in existence which will make Liechtenstein look like the Siberia in size comparison
Anyway, interesting to see Nappy has entered politics too - incidentally I'm not sure Wellington could pick Napoleon - as a member of the House of Lords - to serve on the Commons' Cabinet, but I'll roll with it. Interesting to see Russia industrialise, if surprisingly quick, but it does give me the fear - Russia, even as a completely backwards power in the 19th century, was one of the strongest states in Europe (and by extension, the world) so with an industrial backbone so early on, it could become unstoppable in its ability to fund its own wars. At least we shouldn't have to experience the Soviet Union in 80 years' time though, which can only be a good thing...
Also, I'm frankly amazed that Iturbide has survived this long in Mexico as Emperor, though maybe you addressed that earlier too (I read so many TLs it actually becomes hard to recall individual events, sorry. I'll re-read this tomorrow to refresh my memory).
Sorry, I didn't see the update when it was posted.
I actually really liked that update, although I'm surprised about the HRE succession war thing. Did you modify the HRE in an earlier update? I can't quite recall. If you didn't, though, the HREmperorship was elective, so there shouldn't really be "claims" or a succession war. It was entirely down to whomever received the most votes from the Electors inside the Empire, though in practice by this point they tended to vote Hapsburg regardless of how ill-suited the Hapsburg ruler might be to the job.
Honestly I forgot that the HRE still existed for a while - it's so common of TLs to have it gotten rid of with the Napoleonic Wars that I tend to read any reference to Germany in this era as "Confederation of the Rhine". However, I have a huge love of the HRE and I dearly hope that you decide to keep it into the modern day. There's something incredibly alluring about having the ridiculously anachronistic and chronologically out-of-place HRE survive into the modern era which excites me in a way few alt-history ideas can, and of course the complete absence of Napoleon as a French Revolutionary leader and French Emperor means that the HRE isn't even in it's "just about acceptable" 39-state, "bundle all the small territories together into regional Westphalian states" form as the Confederation of the Rhine had it, which is brilliant and means there will be some delightfully tiny and feeble states still in existence which will make Liechtenstein look like the Siberia in size comparison
Anyway, interesting to see Nappy has entered politics too - incidentally I'm not sure Wellington could pick Napoleon - as a member of the House of Lords - to serve on the Commons' Cabinet, but I'll roll with it. Interesting to see Russia industrialise, if surprisingly quick, but it does give me the fear - Russia, even as a completely backwards power in the 19th century, was one of the strongest states in Europe (and by extension, the world) so with an industrial backbone so early on, it could become unstoppable in its ability to fund its own wars. At least we shouldn't have to experience the Soviet Union in 80 years' time though, which can only be a good thing...
Also, I'm frankly amazed that Iturbide has survived this long in Mexico as Emperor, though maybe you addressed that earlier too (I read so many TLs it actually becomes hard to recall individual events, sorry. I'll re-read this tomorrow to refresh my memory).
Falastur- I'll try to clarify these points for you. It's just that I have it thought out in my head and I occasionally forget to put it on paper, you know?
Francis II consolidated Austria, Hungary, Poland and other little nearby areas into the HRE in the 1810s. The UK-HRE alliance that defeated Russia and France in the War of the Third Coalition is still strong and the HRE is beginning to seek overseas colonies. As far as the succession thing, ITTL it really came down into a "if you don't elect me, I'll conquer the whole thing" which was coming from both sides.
The HRE will probably survive for a while, but with the ITTL Treaty of Berlin, there were marked changes in the leadership of it, i.e. the Chancellor, the revamped "Parliament", etc. So I figure whenever Bismarck comes onto the scene, he'll institute some reforms that consolidates the tiny states into... something. He had some pretty amazing foresight, and having a province you can walk across in an hour is pretty much useless. But I don't know yet.
As far as Wellington picking Napoleon.... I just really wanted Napoleon in a high British office. And I figured that either Wellington could appoint Nappy or he could get an MP in the HoC to do it, end result being the same.
Russia industrializes only after they get the crap kicked out of them and "seeing the light" so to speak. The Crimean War should prove to be a hell of a lot different. But that's about two updates away.
In OTL, Iturbide lost a lot of power when he couldn't pay his army. ITTL, he sold half of Mexico to America to pay his soldiers. But he won't be around much longer. Santa Anna is licking his chops, waiting for him to do something stupid. Which he will.
Hope this helps. Thanks for the questions. Makes me feel all special.