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Chapter 7: Agustín Jerónimo’s Bizarre Adventure – Diplomatic Tendency
So... I should never again make promises that I'm not going to fulfill. Bugger me...
Depression, lack of computer (which is going to almost permanent if things keep going this way, unless I grab a disgustingly cheap and slow machine), getting distracted on a side project from this TL (for NANOWRIMO I ended up writing a sci-fi novella in the far future of this ATL), several unpleasantries in my daily life, and a general lack of inspiration on what to write about this TL surely did a number on me. And I do apologize for not updating in a very, very, very long time.
So, let me present you with this chapter. I'll be honest, it feels a bit... rough, unifinished, and unpolished. But I'll distract you not with my breakdown. Next chapters will be better.
====================================
When Agustín Jerónimo left the country with the intention to reach Europe, establish formal consular relations with Spain, and with the side goal to get himself a wife, as any normal heir to the throne would do. Accompanied by his father's most trusted bodyguard, a Polish captain going by the name Karol Bieniewski, [1] and a cadre of officers and diplomats, he left Mexico on
The first stop in his European tour was Spain, where he met there with the newly crowned Francisco I. For all intents and purposes, this was a ground-breaking event in the history of Mexico and Spain. For the former, it meant the recognition of the Empire by the Mother Country and the road of the Hispano-Mexican alliance began, which would culminate into the current geopolitical order, but that’s a story for another day. This eventually gave the idea to Francisco I to send envoys to the other South American countries to achieve reconciliation and avoid a repeat of the previous wars, and to possibly negotiate navigation and preferential trading rights with the former colonies. And with Mexico, the negotiations included that Mexico would let go off their claims to the Caribbean realms of New Spain (which at this point no one cared about) and the Philippines (way too far away to control effectively), avoid the forceful eviction of Spanish citizens from Mexico (and in case that they had to leave, arrange for how much of their wealth they would have to fork over) and trading directly with Cuba and Spain all over again.
The good thing was that Francisco I was in power. Had his older brothers been in power, probably they would have shot the crown prince, and Mexico would not have lasted one more generation. Or worse, it would have become a republic. Mexico as a Republic, that’s a thought that goes beyond horrible and disgusting.
Agustín Jerónimo also left to France, landing on Calais, and working his way up to Paris, where he met with Charles X. The mission to ensure diplomatic recognition to the Empire of Mexico was successful. Talks for allowing immigration into Mexico began, to allow French settlers to establish settlements in the northern parts of the Empire. These settlers would be placed in Sonora and Chihuahua, in accordance to immigration laws preventing them from settling in port cities or close to the borders of the Empire.
Third stop was the United Kingdom, the premier power of the world at the time. This was the first country that -aside from the other Latin American republics and Haiti- recognized the independence of the fledging Empire.
Lastly, there was Prussia, a nascent world power with a mighty military tradition. Mexico needed military advisors to modernize its armies, and Prussia needed a dumping ground to throw restive Poles. Thus, representatives for both countries struck a deal, in which the Mexican Empire will receive Prussian military advisors to whip the Imperial Army into shape, and Polish exiles that would be pouring into the country. Many of these Poles that went to Mexico ended up in the Imperial Army, and served with distinction for His Majesty during the Republican Uprising [2] and the First Mexican-American War. Some others brought in a lot of development to the country in the middle part of the 19th century, and some other more were of no relevance other than settling the northern parts of the Empire.
Further establishment of diplomatic ties followed in the years after the first visit from Agustín Jerónimo, but not with the prince, but with other individuals. This allowed the establishment of further relations with the other European powers, and later with the Latin American countries by the end of the 1820’s, after the country stabilized.
As for the secondary goal, he failed. Agustín Jerónimo was an unrepentant workaholic, and spent most of his time in Europe doing paperwork, signing documents, and he just flat-out forgot about getting a wife. Much to the dismay of his father, he did leave a lot of bastard children that he never bothered on recognize. But it became a blessing in disguise, had he had any recognized successor, his youngest brother, Damián, born in 1828, would have never succeeded to the throne [3]. That will be a huge source of what-ifs of history, had he taken more seriously his duty of finding an European princess as a wife, leaving thousands of historians puzzled on what would happen if Agustín Jerónimo had a child.
Next Chapter: How California was settled.
===================
[1] He was one of Agustín de Iturbide's most trusted lieutenants, and one of the most competent commanders that the Mexican Army had OTL until his suicide after the defeat of Santa Anna in the Texan War.
[2] Mild spoilers for Chapter 9.
[3] A new character that I will be introducing for this TL. And spoilers.
Depression, lack of computer (which is going to almost permanent if things keep going this way, unless I grab a disgustingly cheap and slow machine), getting distracted on a side project from this TL (for NANOWRIMO I ended up writing a sci-fi novella in the far future of this ATL), several unpleasantries in my daily life, and a general lack of inspiration on what to write about this TL surely did a number on me. And I do apologize for not updating in a very, very, very long time.
So, let me present you with this chapter. I'll be honest, it feels a bit... rough, unifinished, and unpolished. But I'll distract you not with my breakdown. Next chapters will be better.
====================================
Chapter 7: Agustín Jerónimo’s Bizarre Adventure – Diplomatic Tendency
When Agustín Jerónimo left the country with the intention to reach Europe, establish formal consular relations with Spain, and with the side goal to get himself a wife, as any normal heir to the throne would do. Accompanied by his father's most trusted bodyguard, a Polish captain going by the name Karol Bieniewski, [1] and a cadre of officers and diplomats, he left Mexico on
The first stop in his European tour was Spain, where he met there with the newly crowned Francisco I. For all intents and purposes, this was a ground-breaking event in the history of Mexico and Spain. For the former, it meant the recognition of the Empire by the Mother Country and the road of the Hispano-Mexican alliance began, which would culminate into the current geopolitical order, but that’s a story for another day. This eventually gave the idea to Francisco I to send envoys to the other South American countries to achieve reconciliation and avoid a repeat of the previous wars, and to possibly negotiate navigation and preferential trading rights with the former colonies. And with Mexico, the negotiations included that Mexico would let go off their claims to the Caribbean realms of New Spain (which at this point no one cared about) and the Philippines (way too far away to control effectively), avoid the forceful eviction of Spanish citizens from Mexico (and in case that they had to leave, arrange for how much of their wealth they would have to fork over) and trading directly with Cuba and Spain all over again.
The good thing was that Francisco I was in power. Had his older brothers been in power, probably they would have shot the crown prince, and Mexico would not have lasted one more generation. Or worse, it would have become a republic. Mexico as a Republic, that’s a thought that goes beyond horrible and disgusting.
Agustín Jerónimo also left to France, landing on Calais, and working his way up to Paris, where he met with Charles X. The mission to ensure diplomatic recognition to the Empire of Mexico was successful. Talks for allowing immigration into Mexico began, to allow French settlers to establish settlements in the northern parts of the Empire. These settlers would be placed in Sonora and Chihuahua, in accordance to immigration laws preventing them from settling in port cities or close to the borders of the Empire.
Third stop was the United Kingdom, the premier power of the world at the time. This was the first country that -aside from the other Latin American republics and Haiti- recognized the independence of the fledging Empire.
Lastly, there was Prussia, a nascent world power with a mighty military tradition. Mexico needed military advisors to modernize its armies, and Prussia needed a dumping ground to throw restive Poles. Thus, representatives for both countries struck a deal, in which the Mexican Empire will receive Prussian military advisors to whip the Imperial Army into shape, and Polish exiles that would be pouring into the country. Many of these Poles that went to Mexico ended up in the Imperial Army, and served with distinction for His Majesty during the Republican Uprising [2] and the First Mexican-American War. Some others brought in a lot of development to the country in the middle part of the 19th century, and some other more were of no relevance other than settling the northern parts of the Empire.
Further establishment of diplomatic ties followed in the years after the first visit from Agustín Jerónimo, but not with the prince, but with other individuals. This allowed the establishment of further relations with the other European powers, and later with the Latin American countries by the end of the 1820’s, after the country stabilized.
As for the secondary goal, he failed. Agustín Jerónimo was an unrepentant workaholic, and spent most of his time in Europe doing paperwork, signing documents, and he just flat-out forgot about getting a wife. Much to the dismay of his father, he did leave a lot of bastard children that he never bothered on recognize. But it became a blessing in disguise, had he had any recognized successor, his youngest brother, Damián, born in 1828, would have never succeeded to the throne [3]. That will be a huge source of what-ifs of history, had he taken more seriously his duty of finding an European princess as a wife, leaving thousands of historians puzzled on what would happen if Agustín Jerónimo had a child.
Next Chapter: How California was settled.
===================
[1] He was one of Agustín de Iturbide's most trusted lieutenants, and one of the most competent commanders that the Mexican Army had OTL until his suicide after the defeat of Santa Anna in the Texan War.
[2] Mild spoilers for Chapter 9.
[3] A new character that I will be introducing for this TL. And spoilers.
- Vault boy
- Word Count: 960