The Dandy Italian: A Murat Timeline

Gurroruo

The Dandy Italian
Chapter 7: Putting the rubble back

Legioni+Provinciali+4%25C2%25B0Div.+Milit..jpg


Neapolitan Soldiers

"To the new age!"
-Captain Fiamma​

It was in the years that followed Toulon and the Congress that Joachiam Murat would truly rule the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. Taking the reigns form his wife he continued her programs, but with less vigor. Joachim saw their point but to her extent. Though with Reggio Joachim paid much attention. It was from Reggio that his companions crossed the Strait and seized Messina. He decided to put his army to use in rebuilding the city with some new additions. Those additions would include a naval dockyard, a the Gioacchino Fortress, and others. Then there was Sicily proper.

Though the French were able to take Sicily during the War of the Third Coalition without too many casualties it would take from elsewhere. Following the island's fall Britain was never in a serious position to take it instead they tortured it. As if it was a hobby young captains from Malta would often venture to Sicily jump off and go to town. And there they would rape and murder. The more experienced and disciplined ones however would stick to pounding their guns at the farmhouses and lighthouses. Not to mention how causally a British commodore and his ships would cut the island from the mainland. This caused some starvation and more poverty. All in all Sicily was raped by the British in Malta. These assaults would have a long lasting effect on the culture of the islanders.

Part of the aftermath was the demand for coastal batteries. They didn't care that the war was over they wanted to be protected from though crooked tooth wretches based in Malta. Joachim a military man understood their cries and answered them. He built stouts towers across the coastline but the more interesting things occurred in Messina. In Messina he built the defenses so strong that many claimed he could close the Strait with a snap of this fingers.

Though these were all ideas of others, while he ideas of his own. His near defeat on the road to Toulon was ashaming. It should never occurred. For one his scouts should have seen it coming, for two his infantry should never broken, and for three what sort of shitty equipment had his men been using. So he went to work. He first reorganized the army into more mobile structure. Then he took up retraining the soldiers. This task would be one of the hardest he ever encountered. Day and night he drilled the men and day and night they didn't please him. However following months of work they had a breakthrough and Joachim jumped with joy. Yet it didn't stop there. Joachim kept redrilling them for far longer while he also began to upgrade, well everything. His reforms would end up creating one of the greatest killing machines in the world.
 

Gurroruo

The Dandy Italian
Chapter 8: A Changing World

pepe.jpg


Guglielmo Pepe

"So they demand freedom?"
-King Joachim Murat​

Joachim had been king for twelve years now. The people loved him, the nobles tolerated him, and the Church hated him. Yet in 1820 the people demanded a constitution. They wanted a nation in which they had some say. They demanded a constitutional monarchy. Before it got violent Joachim listened. He walked into the streets and listened his people. And then and there he decided yes, yes he would a constitution. And he held true to his promise.

This sparked similar protests in Piedmont. The king there was so unsure, should he follow Joachim or listen to Francis. In the end he just threw his hands in the air and abdicated leaving the problem to his brother. Right away his brother, Charles Felix, asked for Austria's help in putting the rabble. Which was something they accomplished easily. To everyone's surprise though Joachim refused the Holy Alliance's offer of help. That decisions caused a rift between Church and State. All of which would become far more important with Joachim's son.
 
Last edited:

Gurroruo

Iberian Downfall Series

This will be a series of updates dedicated to the Iberian revolutions and such.

Fall of Portugal

Ferdinand's Mistake (not chrono)

Latin Chaos

These will be chronological order and will be a bitch cause South American history. FYI some of these updates will date back to the Ferdinands's Mistake.

------

The reason I'm not doing it chrono until the Latin Chaos is because of capral tunneling and high suicide possibility if I did that.

Due to the fact that US history bores me I'll give updates on them but they will short and summarized.

And sometime after this I have to fit in the rest of the world:D
 
Last edited:

Gurroruo

The Dandy Italian: Iberian Downfall
Chapter 1: The Liberal Revolutions

Cortes_of_the_Trienio_Liberal.jpg


Spanish Cortes

"I sick of shit pay, shit food, and shit quarters!"
-Private Antonio Ramirez​

Ferdinand's biggest mistake will forever being revoking the Constitution of 1812. That action changed the revolts from anti-Napoleon revolts to anti-Spain revolts. Brushing aside the highly popular constitution without a second thought changed history. And for the rest of his life he would ever endeavor to reconquer the new Lost Provinces. And so in starts our story.

In the dawn of 1820, an army preparing to depart from Cadiz for the new world decided that they were done. Their pay was infrequent, if at all, their food was terrible, and their quarters were just sickening. It no wonder that they mutinied. Soon enough they were on the move to the capital. Strangely this was enough to scare Ferdinand to bow to their demands [1]. Thus begins el Trienio Liberal or the Liberal Triennium. The rebels however didn't think this was enough. No no the liberal rebels had to storm into the palace and capture Ferdinand. And to add insult to injury they imprisoned him in a royal estate. In reponse the conservatives took to arms and set up an absolutionist regency in Urgell [2]. Soon enough the abolutionists and the Royal Guard tried to overthrow the government in Madrid [3]. This attempt failed, but civil war did break out across Spain [4].

Liberals in Portugal caught word of the success of their Spanish cousins soon after Ferdinand bowed down. This encouraged them to rise up as well. Starting in Porto the revolution easily spread to other towns. This all climaxed in Lisbon. Where after being victorious the rebels demanded that first the royal family and court return to Lisbon under a new constitutional monarchy, while Brazil would return to being a colony, and lastly that mercantilism was reinvoked between Portugal and Brazil. In 1821 John VI returned to Portugal leaving his son in charge of Brazil. And then in 1822 hell broke loose. First, the Portuguese national assembly formulated a liberal constitution based off the Spanish Constitution of 1812. Second, John VI trusted son decided to revolt and declare Brazil independent [5]. Third and fourth, Pedro proclaimed himself an Emperor and was subsequently crowned as such.

[1] Yes its OTL that the conservative monster of Spain was scared to kingdom come and back by a minor revolt in his army.
[2] Sometimes Spain makes you wonder could it possibly get worse?
[3] And the answer is yes
[4] Far worse
[5] Did I forget to mention that Portugal was in on it?
 
Last edited:

Gurroruo

The Dandy Italian: Iberian Downfall
Chapter 2: A New Empire

800px-Independence_of_Brazil_1888.jpg


Pedro I of Brazil proclaims independence

"Friends, the Portuguese Cortes want to enslave and pursue us. From today on our relations are broken. No ties unite us anymore. Armbands off, soldiers. Hail to the independence, to freedom and to the separation of Brazil. For my blood, my honor, my God, I swear to give Brazil freedom. Independence or death!"
-Emperor Pedro I of Brazil​

Prince Pedro had found himself regent of Brazil following his father’s return to Portugal. Yet he didn’t have all the power. The leader of the Portuguese officers, General Jorge Avilez, was sympathetic to the liberals cause. And thus began to force Pedro to dismiss and banish some of his allies who Avilez didn’t consider friends of the new Lisbon government. Then came the decrees. These decrees were focused on diminishing the power of Brazil. The first one made Brazil’s government subordinate to Lisbon, the second ordered Pedro to return to Lisbon, and the third destroyed the Brazilian courts that John VI had set up. While this pleased Avilez, they only angered the Brazilians.

Soon enough two factions had formed against the Portuguese Cortes, the Liberals and the Bonifacians. The Liberals found themselves supported by the Freemasons. And Joaquim Gonçalves Ledo found himself leading the Liberals. Their counterparts, the Bonifacians. had the support of the upper class and many others, while their leader was Jose Bonifacio de Andrada. Both factions were highly different, maybe even polar opposites except for one thing. And that one thing was their love for Brazil which is why both of them fought for Brazil to remain a sovereign monarchy.with Portugal.

The Cortes only aided the factions. Especially by alienating Pedro. By doing that they caused power to shift when Pedro turned his loyalties from the Cortes to the Brazilian cause. Even more reason for him was his wife, Princess Leopoldina of Habsburg, also favored the Brazilian side [1]. With these two factions and one wife supporting him Pedro decided that he would defy the Cortes. So when they demanded that he return to Portugal he issued his famous statement, “Tell the people that I will stay!”

However Avilez had other plans. Taking 2,000 men he revolted against Pedro and took up position at Mount Castelo. Yet the Brazilians quickly assembled 10,000 men and surrounded the position. Then Pedro dismissed Avilez, like Avilez had forced Pedro to, and demanded him to extract himself to Niteroi, there he could wait for the Cortes to transport him back to Lisbon.

Bonifacio now found himself in a position of power. He quickly established a good relationship with Pedro and was rewarded with the Ministry of Kingdom and Foreign Affairs. The Liberals also got boons like Consituent Assembly for Brazil, much to the ire of the Boniacians. However the attempts to weaken Pedro’s relationship to Bonifacio with things like the title Perpetual Defender of Brazil failed. Meanwhile Pedro rode south to see where the loyalties of Sao Paulo fell.

After staying there for two weeks and making sure of loyalty he left to return to Rio de Janeiro. Yet during his ride he received news that the Cortes had annulled his government and everything they had done. Turning to his companions he made an epic decision that would alter the world. Telling his companions, “Friends, the Portuguese Cortes want to enslave and pursue us. From today on our relations are broken. No ties unite us anymore,” and then pulled off his blue-white armband that symbolized Portugal he started a war. He further commanded his guard to remove their arm bands and issued the statement, “Independence or Death!”

Following his cry of independence Pedro rode back to Sao Paulo and spread the news of Brazil’s new independence. In jubilation he was called King of Brazil and Emperor of Brazil. But he wasn’t able to stay too long and instead had to put his house in order. Returning to Rio de Janeiro on September 14 he got to work. The liberals spread the word that Pedro should be made Constitutional Emperor. The President of Rio’s Municipal Chamber set the date for Pedro’s birthday (the same day the flag would be created). Official separation happened on September 22 with a letter to King John VI. And on October 12 he was made Dom Pedro I, Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil. Yet he stated should his father return he would pass the throne to him. Later on December 1, Pedro was coronated.

The actual war started on February 1822 with militia skirmishes. Skirmishes continued to occur in many cities. In some cities the Portuguese Army was successful in putting down the militias, but in most cities and in the countryside the Portuguese failed to do so. And as the war went on the Portuguese found themselves low on supplies and manpower. On the other side the Brazilians found themselves well supplied and constantly replacing their losses.

In the ocean the Brazilians were led by Thomas Cochrane. In the beginning the Brazilians were troubled due to sabotage. Then in 1823 the navy faced reform. After this it was able to clear the coasts of Portuguese and then isolate the last of the Portuguese. In fact the Brazilian Navy chased the colonial naval forces across the Atlantic.

With the last Portuguese soldier leaving in 1824 and Portugal recognizing Brazil's independence in 1825 South America found itself a new power.

[1] All good Emperor’s fear their wives
 

Gurroruo

The Dandy Italian: Iberian Downfall
Chapter 3: Irony at its Finest

Battle_of_Salta.jpg


Battle of Salta

"The King has returned to his throne, so where do you stand?"
-President of Tucumán Congress​

In 1810 a series of events would shake the foundations of the Spanish Empire. When the French swung at Seville, the Junta fell and a new one was organized in Cadiz. This caused much confusion in Buenos Aires as people thought that the Cisneros, the Viceroy appointed by the Junta of Seville, no longer held any authority. Thus an emergency meeting (cabildo) was arranged so that the destiny of the viceroyalty could be determined. But they were divided, the army wanted to do away with Cisneros while the cabildo wanted to put him in power of a new government. At first Cisneros was placed upon said new government though protests soon forced him and the entire government out of office. What replaced them was the Primera Junta.

The Primera Junta demanded the rest of the viceroyalty to accept them as the new regime and send deputies. Many of the many cities refused and instead organized a counter attack. In Cordoba, Santiago de Liniers, a war hero, came out of retirement and assembled an army. While to the north Peru began to plan the conquest of Upper Peru. And to easy the Montevideo stood with naval superiority over the Primera Junta. Farther to the east in Spain the Council of Regency made Monetevideo the new capital of the viceroyalty and made Francisco Javier de Ello its new viceroy. Now comes the blood.

Liniers campaign fell apart almost as soon as it started with his army deserting him. In an attempt to met up with the Peruvians he found himself captured. And following a brief bit of Buenos Aires internal problems Linier found himself executed. Now the armies of Buenos Aires struck back. Following an initial draw the Junta’s troops were able to beat the royalists and secure Upper Peru. And during this process they found the time to execute even more royalists generals. But it was not to last for another royalist army would defeat the rebel soldiers at Huaqui. Yet when they began to advance on Buenos Aires they were forced to halt by rebels in Cochabamba.

In Paraguy the Argentines were able to win a close battle. That is right before they were utterly crushed in two battles. However God must have blessed the rebels, because within months Paraguay cut its ties with Spain and joined the rebellion. Nonetheless the failure still broke the Primera Junta which was replaced by the First Triumvirate.

One of the new government's first acts was to organize another campaign for Upper Peru. It didn’t start off well. The royalists held many advantages and meeting them in battle was sheer insanity. But nothing is to be said of playing the logistical game which is what the Argentines did. Using the scorched earth tactic and then expelling the entire population of a San Salvador de Jujuy. It proved not to be in vain for in the next to battles, Tucuman and Salta, the rebels were able to break the royalists and capture many of them. Actually maybe it was in vain because during the next two battles the rebels lost.
At home the Triumvirate assigned José de San Martín the task of making a professional unit. Which he did so and then using that unit he overthrew the Triumvirate and set up a triumvirate. That new triumvirate soon ordered San Martin to crush a royalist army on the Parana. Which he easily destroyed. Yet fearing an attack the Triumvirate was dissolved and following an assembly a new antipersonal office was formed. Said new office built a tiny fleet that beat the Spanish one off the coast of Montevideo.

Meanwhile following several general changes a third Upper Peru campaign was organized. And in the reminiscence of Liniers the army dissolved ever more as it marched. And then what was left of the rebel army was crushed in two battles. Yet the royalists found themselves halted from once again advancing on Buenos Aires by guerillas. And just like the French they didn’t know what to do with them.

Then in 1815, what had started as a civil war and/or revolt officially became a war of independence when the King of Spain, the Desired, Ferdinand VII finally returned to the throne. The new United Provinces of Rio de la Plata planned the fourth invasion of Upper Peru. Yet someone had the intelligence to say no, that someone was San Martin. Instead San Martin quoting an Englishman decided that the better option would be to invade Chile. There not in Upper Peru would Upper Peru's independence be found.
 
Last edited:

Gurroruo

tubendo said:
I do not know much about this time period, but this looks like a very great TL. Keep up the great work! :D
Click to expand...

I knew a lot about the Napoleonic Wars and of the Brazilian Independence, but of the Spanish American Wars of Independence I knew nothing except the Mexican part. It's sort of why I find the Argentine WOI ironic, because that's just what it is.:p
 

Gurroruo

The Dandy Italian: Iberian Downfall
Chapter 4 Hidalgo's Grito

640px-Ej%C3%A9rcito_Trigarante.jpg


The Army of Three Guarantees

"Death to bad government, and death to the Gachupines!"
-People of Dolares​

With Ferdinand and Carlos imprisoned in France and with Joseph Bonaparte being a bloody usurping Frenchman, viceroy José de Iturrigaray decided that without a legitimate king he was the sovereign of New Spain. But a priest in Dolores and his friends thought otherwise. Following several meetings they began to turn towards the idea of rebellion, then on September 15th word reached them that the viceroy had found out about them. Panicking the priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, decided to run around, stir rebellion, and gather a puny army. Over the course of the next two weeks this priest and his army would march into other towns massacre the foreign Spanish and somehow while massacring them he was able to gather 30,000 more men. Finally at Guanajuato the rebels met their first true resistance, but they pushed through and killed many more. With that victory in their pocket the rebels headed for Mexico City, yet the viceroy had a defense organized at Monte de las Cruces. That defense consisted of over 1,000 men and 2 cannon. The rebels again won while their foe ran to Mexico City. They were followed by the rebels, then for god knows what reason Hidalgo said nah and retreated. This mistake cost Hidalgo everything, because as soon as the Spanish has organized themselves they attacked the rebel army 16 times their size and won due to a ammunition explosion. The rebels of course ran only to be intercepted and executed [1].

However this time cutting off the head of the snake didn't work. Another man assumed command of the rebels. He was able to occupy a few cities before losing thousands of men in the Siege Cuautla. Later delegates would meet at Chilpancingo to officially declare independence in the Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America. In 1815 the successor to Hidalgo would follow in Hidalgo's footsteps by getting captured and executed. Over the course of the next five years the revolution would fall apart.

Then in 1820 while on the verge of victory while in the simplest of words shit happened. Due to the absolute idiocy of Ferdinand "the Desired" a small revolt managed to bring the government to a complete turn around [2]. That means that the conservativeness of Ferdinand was replaced with ultra-liberalness. A Colonel Agustín de Iturbide, the personification of conservationism, who was leading the army that was meant to destroy the last remnants of rebellion decided to instead ally with the rebels. And under the Plan of Iguala he and Guerrero united together for the march on Mexico City. This scaring the bejeezers out of the officials in Mexico City caused said officials to surrender to Iturbide in the Treaty of Cordoba. The treaty set up New Spain as a empire separate from the Spanish one, but ruled by a member of House Bourbon. With the parties in Mexico in agreement the treaty was sent to Spain where it was rejected by the liberal Cortes. And since Ferdinand was too obsessed with the Spanish throne, Carlos of Molina the heir of that throne, Francisco too liberal, and Charles of Teschen disinterested the Mexican diplomats began to return home with word of their failure when something happened. Maria Isabelle of House Bourbon of Sicily long forgotten by this world had Bourbon blood aswell, but she didn't have a throne to go with it. The women decided offer up her son , Lodovico Carlos, to be emperor. The diplomats returned to Mexico City and informed the Cortes, who accepted, under the influence of iturbide, Lodovico Carlos as Emperor of Mexico [3]. What would follow was pain [4].

[1] WHAT IN THOR'S NAME? THIS IS REAL HISTORY?
In other words this sounds like complete ASB, complete ASB, yet somehow it manages to be true.
[2] A mutiny among soldiers that were going to help put down the rebellion in the colonies causes the revolution to flare, WHAT IS THIS?
[3] OK he's like anything from 6-12. Which means a regent, which of course is initially Iturbide (the reason he pushed for the Lodovico). I'll have to figure out a Spanish name for Ludovico.
[4] Santa Anna + butterflies = more work for me:D
 
Last edited:

Gurroruo

I sorta don't feel liek playing video games much like the last couple days and probably for the next couple days, so expect updates. I'm going to work on the Ecuadorian WoI today
 

Gurroruo

Gurroruo said:
I sorta don't feel liek playing video games much like the last couple days and probably for the next couple days, so expect updates. I'm going to work on the Ecuadorian WoI today
Click to expand...

Looks liek I screwed up so expect the update on Friday, it will be huge, the Bolivar Storm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top