The Faraway Kingdom

[Iserlohn]

Oh wait, do you think I'm saying that Russia needs a new capital?

What I'm trying to say is: Russia needs a prime port for trade, not a new capital city. and thus they should either build up a good capacity port for either Rostov, otl st petersburg, or both if they can conquer them. There isn't really a reason to center power not a Moscow, it's a perfectly good city.

Again: Rostov wouldn't work as the primary port because it's on a lake. And it's deep inland I got something mixed up.

I actually remembered Pskov having been in consideration for capital and it could work as a major port.... If the Narva River remains open for Russian ships.

 

[MorningDew]

Again: Rostov wouldn't work as the primary port because it's on a lake. And it's deep inland I got something mixed up.

I actually remembered Pskov having been in consideration for capital and it could work as a major port.... If the Narva River remains open for Russian ships.

Wait, Rostov is on a lake?

In that case I mean the city on the mouth of the don river. I thought that city was Rostov, but it seems I am mistaken. I'm pretty sure the Russians tried a good while to get the place otl before they succeeded, so I'm assuming ttl they might do something similar.

 

[SuperFrog]

You meant Rostov on the Don. In the Rostov oblast. Understandable mistake, thanks Russia for the weird name scheme.

 

[MorningDew]

You meant Rostov on the Don. In the Rostov oblast. Understandable mistake, thanks Russia for the weird name scheme.

THAT is what I meant.

Thank you good sir.

 

[SuperFrog]

Yea well, I was also very confused when I looked up Rostov on the map. Then may have looked up the possibility of connecting the lake to a river via canal...

(In the future, I'd rather not be called sir.)

 

[Upvoteanthology]

Here's a little map of the Provinces of the UP. Cromwell really liked traditional names:

http://i.imgur.com/qyk0YJv.png

 

[Upvoteanthology]

Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Age of Opulence
1745-1775​

The Age of Opulence, while described by some historians as an experiment of peace, was more of an interwar period. Taking place in-between the Carolinian Centennial and the Great Canadian War, the short-lived era was categorized by its boisterous use of treaties and its many refugee-founded nations.

Exploration Beyond the Seas​

With Carolina having established a peace with much of Europe, the world focused their attention to scientific advancement. In the late-1740’s, electricity became a common subject of talk around the world, with a man named Warble Pink discovering that lightning used electrical current. The concept of latent heat was discovered in 1748, followed by multiple scientists attempting to use it throughout the 1750’s. In addition to electrical and biological discovery, the concept of industrialism was growing…

Tide of the Rebellion​

For centuries, republicanism was one of the taboo subjects of Europe, with only three nations practicing it; the Dutch Republic, a slightly corrupt democracy, the Republic of Venice, an aristocratic oligarchy, and the United Protectorate, a semi-dictatorial republic. The elections for both nations were commonly rigged in one direction or another, but 1760 was arguably the first year that they became truly democratic. There was technically one party in the entirety of England for nearly a century, but in the decade leading up to the election, the new “Demo Party” came into power. Fighting the Protectorate Party’s conservative tactics, the Demo Party (short for True Democratic Party) stood for more peace and rights for all people. By 1760, they held 21 of the 110 seats of the English Branch of Parliament. The leader of the Demo Party, Johannson Wilkes, was great with words and knew how to secure districts for himself. Ridwan Booth, the new Protectorate Party leader, wasn’t used to having anyone to compete against, and was extremely flustered at the first true campaign.

The subject of the first debate, held in London on July 15th, 1760, was mostly centered around foreign policy. Carolina was brought up by the people multiple times, the main question being whether or not it still deserved to be a part of England. The PP (Protectorate Party) claimed that it was rightfully part of the UP, and wished to create a colony out of it once more. The Demos claimed that it was rightfully independent, and saying such blasphemy nearly 120 years after its independence was insane. While most people tended to lean towards the Demo Party, the more complicated question was whether or not to make them an ally. The PP wasn’t allowed to make a true argument, due to them claiming Carolina to be a colony. However, the Demo Party still didn’t believe it was time, but wanted to stay weary of them in the future. Another topic was the expansion of the English colonies, and how they would expand and interact with others. The PP wished to bring British influence to the corners of the earth, claiming that they’d expand as far as the universe was wide. The Demos expressed similar concern, but they were a bit more nationalist, claiming that they’d assure every colony became ethnically English.

After the first debate, the polls wildly fluctuated. The Demos became extremely popular in Strathclyde, Northumbria, and Lincoln, while the PP held ground in the south, hovering with the most support around Wessex and London. Wales and Scotland were both divided, with the more populous areas supporting the Protectorate and the farmers supporting their challenger. By November, the election for Lord Protector was one of the most talked-about things in Europe. With the election coming on December 1st, both parties had to concede some of their arguments in order to gain the middle ground (as well as support from the more pensive voters). Booth proclaimed that he’d change up the terribly created English provinces, while Wilkes took back his stance on giving up non-English land. The competition reigned fierce, with the few pre-voting polls still claiming a slight victory for the PP. By the time the people placed their votes, the results were as follows:

Each province was given ten seats in the English Parliament.
Anglia - 7 Protectorate, 3 True Democrat
Cantia - 9 Protectorate, 1 True Democrat
Dorset - 8 Protectorate, 2 True Democrat
Gloucester - 5 True Democrat, 5 Protectorate
Hampshire - 10 Protectorate, 0 True Democrat
Lincoln - 6 True Democrat, 4 Protectorate
London - 6 Protectorate, 4 True Democrat
Mercia - 6 True Democrat, 4 Protectorate
Middle England - 5 True Democrat, 5 Protectorate
Oxford - 6 Protectorate, 4 True Democrat
Sussex - 7 Protectorate, 3 True Democrat

71 Protectorate, 39 True Democrat​

In the end, people became much too optimistic about the outcome of the election.Just because there was a new party didn’t make the UP an automatic democracy. It was still corrupt, and the Protectorate Party would do everything they could to stay in power. After the election, there would be many witnesses who saw Protectorate officials stuff the poll boxes. Booth himself got angry at this, as he believed he could win by the true nature of the UP. The vote probably would have been harder for the PP if the Irish were allowed to place ballots, but the heavily religious tendencies of Cromwell left their mark. The Demo Party was depressed by the large defeat, but continued to use their 39 seats in Parliament to bring greater change than they did with their former nine.

Leaders of the Commonwealth/United Protectorate
Oliver Cromwell (Cromwellian) - 1649-1652
Thomas Fairfax (Anti-Cromwellian) - 1652-1689
John Churchill (Cromwellian) - 1689-1720
Robert Trask (Unaffiliated) - 1720-1759
Parliamentary Rule - 1759-1760
Ridwan Booth (Protectorate) - 1760-1765

The Booth Reforms​

After Booth gained the Protectorship of England, he had to become a mediator between the two parties. While his inherent beliefs were to expand and conquer, the plurality who supported the Demos wanted to fix the issues at home. Things put in place by Cromwell and Churchill in their daze needed to be fixed, and domestic issues were the principal focus. The first act Booth did was change up the ten “traditional” provinces of England. Cromwell put them in place earlier, and the strange divisions were begging to be fixed. It quickly turned into a system based on population, where ten provinces quickly multiplied. Booth, while arguably being extremely conservative, was greatly pushed into action by the Democrats. The 1760 election was arguably one of the most influential of all time.

 

[guinazacity]

Great update, happy to see it back!

 

[FiendslayerPrime1976]

Lovely update!

Just one note - you've listed it as chapter 30, but it's really chapter 28.

 

[Zek Sora]

Awww yeah, it's back!

 

[MorningDew]

aw yas.gwfareegwefrqrtwrqfrgdfaa

 

[pieman97405]

The Great Canadian War, that sounds interesting.

 

[DocBrown]

This dead, or what?

 

[altwere]

I have noticed that many threads seem to dwindle off in December and late April only to spring back in January and June. I am going to guess that many of our members are students who need to focus on the end of term school work.

 

[Upvoteanthology]

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Sound of Beautiful Music
1600's-1700's​

The 1600s to mid-1700s were a time of great musical progression, with many of history’s greatest composers and musicians writing their pieces for much larger audiences to hear. No longer were musicians performing for only the elite and the nobility. Now, they could perform in front of common folk as well. The music of the time that defined this era of musical brilliance was Baroque. The style used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in everything from sculpture to music. The style began around 1600 in Rome, and soon spread to most of Europe.

Baroque was by far the most popular in Germany when it first began to spread, with the first usage of Baroque music in German operas. German Baroque composers wrote for small ensembles including strings, brass, and woodwinds, as well as choirs, pipe organ, harpsichord, and clavichord. During this period several major music forms were defined that lasted into later periods when they were expanded and evolved further, including the fugue, the invention, the sonata, and the concerto.

Many composer rose up to fame in Germany, but their influence spread throughout Western Europe. Aloysius Teun Van Beuren was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad. Van Beuren's compositions include the Oude-Kerk Concertos, the Vanrullen Variations, the Mass in B minor, Two Passions, and over three hundred cantatas. He first rose to fame in France and the UP, eventually playing for the Prime Minister of England himself. His music was and is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth. Van Beuren’s abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Gerhold Günther Wahner was a German, later British Baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London, becoming well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Born in a family indifferent to music, Wahner received critical training in Halle, Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712; he became a naturalised British subject in 1727. He was strongly influenced both by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition. Within fifteen years, Wahner had started three commercial opera companies to supply the English nobility with Italian opera. Musicologist Winton Dean writes: "Wahner was not only a great composer; he was a dramatic genius of the first order." As The Great Festivity (1736) was well received, Wahner made a transition to English choral works. He had great success with Prophet (1742), but never performed an Italian opera after that. Almost blind, and having lived in England for nearly fifty years, he died in 1759, a respected and rich man. His funeral was given full state honours, and he was buried in Westminster Abbey in London.

Though Baroque was also able to reach the nations and colonies of the New World, the style of music was changed quite drastically to that of Europe. As the New World hadn’t the same infrastructure as the Old World (especially in the Appalachian regions), it forcefully changed the rhythm and sound of Baroque music. Baroque in the New World was no longer as grand and lengthy as it was. In the Americas it was changed to something fast paced and quick, easily accessible and fine-tuned to the common colonist. If this music was introduced to OTL, it would be called something quite similar to Ragtime. The cultural center for this new style of Baroque, of course, was none other than the Kingdom of Carolina.

Schnelle-Barock (commonly shortened to Nelle) as it was dubbed, was much focused more on string and brass instruments than the grand orchestras in Europe. The viola was the most common instrument used in the Americas. Small and portable, easy for someone to play a quick tune on. Even Nelle had its own subsections. In the western territories it was given the name “Ceolfiáin” (a portmanteau of Wild Music in Irish). With the fast paced reaches of Nelle and Ceolfiáin (commonly shortened to Ceol), even new instruments were invented. The Keyed Zither, also known as a Caster (after its inventor, William Caster), was one of the most popular new instruments to come out of this wave. It looked like the ATL equivalent of a piano, with open strings and less keys. Most of the European nobility saw Nelle and Ceol as ‘barbaric’ and ‘unsophisticated”, mostly due to its fast paced tempo and rhythm. This insult merely encouraged the people of the Americas and Carolina to make this music truly their own. If not to anger the Europeans, but also to take claim to something and make it theirs’.

The Caster, one of the most important instruments of the developing Appalachian culture.

 

[SuperFrog]

Great update! Music is an often untapped goldmine of alternate histories.

 

[Upvoteanthology]

Great update! Music is an often untapped goldmine of alternate histories.

Thank you!

"The Fisherman's Jig was a commonly played Nelle song in the late-1700's, written by Neil Jacobson soon after the advent of the Caster. In 1789, Jacobson himself brought two violins and a Caster to play for the King of Carolina. This performance was recreated by the prestigious Nelle Society in 2012 (as seen in the video)."

 

[Upvoteanthology]

Okay okay, one more little vignette:

"After the advent of Ceol in Appalachia, such genres spread into French Canada and Spanish New Spain. This song, written by Jules Hadham on a voyage to Orihuela, was originally entitled "Experimental Piece #1". However, the Jesuits took up this fast-paced music to describe their pain and despair in the desert, and quickly added lyrics to the instrumental song. It goes as such:

Jesuit Song
Fui a la estación el jueves,
No había nadie.
Intento hablar con el jefe de,
su tribu Christiano.
Cuando llegué fueron todos masa-
crados y en la tierra. (t'yera)
Lloré por mis amigos que falta,
pero sin lágrimas.

Lyrics in English (adjusted to match beat)
So I went down to the station Thursday,
But there was nobody there.
I tried to talk to the head of,
the local Christian tribe.
But when I arrived they were all dead,
and buried six feet in the ground.
I tried to cry for my old friends,
but no tears would come out."
​

 

[Upvoteanthology]

Chapter Thirty - The Great Canadian War
1761-1766

“When I saw the red uniforms of Protectorate soldiers, I had not the single clue as to what they were going to do with the fair city we’ve built. Up and down the streets, I saw them storm in and out of our houses. I watched as they shot down soldiers in the streets, slowly taking the city. As I write this now, I do not know what my fate will be, or the fate of my country.” - Jeannot Thibault, Mayor of Montreal (1756-1762)​

With Ridwan Booth taking charge as leader of the United Protectorate, one of his main issues was dealing with the economic problems plaguing the English colonies. The colony of Hudson Bay had seen a drastic downturn in trade, as furs became harder and harder to get. The western expeditions to find new resources were proving to be too expensive. The construction of building new outposts and having to deal with the constant threat of Indian and French raids on new settlements and trade routes became too much to bear. The obtaining of these furs was becoming more and more difficult each day, and the trade of wood and fish in New England was not covering the costs needed to maintain the Hudson Bay colony.

British traders and spies later discovered, through maps and various businessmen, that in French Canada trade was going great, and the vast river networks in the north allowed them trade with the Cree and the Huron. The Mississippi River itself had helped the French move valuable trade and supplies through North America faster than the Protectorate could. With the already simmering tensions between France and the Protectorate over France’s alliance with the Kingdom of Carolina, the Protectorate had more than one cause to make a move against France. In the Spring of 1761, the regiments that had been secretly building in the colonies of New England and Hudson Bay made a dash into French Canada in the attempts to take control of their vital land. After this, they had plans to move into Louisiana, and possibly even into the unexplored lands to the west. The main areas for contention for the early parts of the war took place around New England and French Canada. For the Protectorate it was an uphill struggle to get to the colonial capital of Montreal. Numerous offensive advances and retreats were made, but it was not until the diversion at the Battle of Lac-Saint-Pierre did the Protectorate make it to to the city.

The diversion saw a sizeable portion of the New England 1st Regiment lead the French Canadian soldiers away from Montreal, after tricking them into believing that there troops than in reality. By the time the French Canadian soldiers discovered this and re-routed the diversion force, it was too late. The main attack force that marched onto Montreal were aided by many Indian tribes, including the Iroquois, Nippising, and Petun. The Iroquois tribes allied with the Protectorate in return for unlimited travel in the Protectorate colonies (along with free vassalization of the Abenaki tribe). It was a small price to pay for Ridwan Booth and the Protectorate. Their campaign into Montreal was very successful, leading their armies to take Montreal after only a few days. When the city was captured, the natives were freely allowed to raid supplies and valuables in exchange for continued assistance in the war.

With the city of Montreal falling under full control of the Protectorate in the summer of 1762, the capital of French Canada was forced to move up river to Quebec City. The French ally of Carolina was had no direct way to help their losing allies; the only way they could give support was by defending the weak Louisiana colony. In Louisiana, the French and Carolinians were able to stave off and push back against the and initial blitz and offensive from Protectorate regiments and Ioway tribes. Later on, the French would indifferently support the Erie and Potawatomi tribes against their Iroquois invaders. The Kingdom of Spain was called into combat by the end of 1764, to help assist in the fighting against the Protectorate. The added aid on the seas (as the Spanish had the second largest navy on the planet) helped turn the tide in the naval battles. But, they too were not able to help the French from losing ground. In the autumn of 1765, three Protectorate regiments and a battalion of Iroquois warriors were able to make a successful push against French Canadian defense forces near Quebec City, and eventually began to lay siege on the new capital of the French colony. After two months of sieges and raids, the city was forced to surrender by early January of 1766.

With the fall of Quebec City, French and Carolinians knew they had very little time before the regiments in Canada began marching into northern Louisiana. French and Carolinian forces made a mad dash into the Michigan region to take back the vital fort of Detroit. With the fort under their control once again they would be able to stave off any major Protectorate of Iroquois offensives. The Carolinians were led by native born Brigadier General Barra MacDermott, and the French led by Colonel Hercule Traviére. The two had been effective for many years in pushing back offensives past the Michigan region. MacDermott was known in the middle of the war for leading a company of men into Iroquois territory, along raiding many encampments and destroying vital outposts in the Hudson Bay. It led to the legend of the “Irish Hunter,” a supposed ghostly spirit who would kill any new fur traders in their sleep.

MacDermott and Traviére were able to defeat the Protectorate soundly at the Battle of Fort Detroit. MacDermott had placed his cannons out in plain sight of the Protectorate forces, forcing them out of the fort to charge him and his regiment. Meanwhile, Traviére led a regiment of his own to a vulnerable wall in the British fort, and quickly led his forces inside. By the time the Protectorate soldiers made it to the cannons they were all but abandoned and were ambushed by MacDermott’s oddly clothed regiment. MacDermott’s regiment had worn clothes of brown, leather, greens, and furs to blend in with the forests, to lure enemy soldiers into easily flank-able areas. With the fort captured MacDermott and Traviére, the French had successfully regained control of the Michigan region. By the time the Protectorate and Iroquois forces had arrived in Michigan they were quickly routed and chased quite deeply back into Canada, before the peace papers in Lombardy were signed. The war ended with the Protectorate gaining all of French Canada due to their total control and defense of the region, but their egos suffered greatly after being beaten by the Ragtag Ruffians. Historians place this moment as the end of the Age of Opulence, as the seemingly peaceful European alliances collapsed into war and suffering once more.

A map of North America in 1770, soon after the Peace of Lombardy was signed.

Full Map Here​

 

[Upvoteanthology]

So, any comments? I'm open to questions and feedback, especially suggestions on where to take this next.