alternatehistory.com

@Mikey: Yes, why aren't the European powers more active in Africa? Until the Triple Monarchy of England-Castille-Portugal fell apart, it was their turf (to be specific: Portugal's turf); and until the anti-French War, it was still respected as Portugal's property. Since three major slaveholding powers (Spain, France, Italy) also had the possibility to enslave Arabs, they saw no need to conquer bigger parts of Africa alone for slaves. And why aren't they now more active? Let's see:

Russia: One of the strongest powers world-wide, but suffers under the fact that they don't have access to the Atlantic - the Swedes control the Sund, the Seljuks the Bosphorus. They're stronger in the Pacific, but given their adherence / admiration for China, this is where their main interest lies.

Germany: Until recently, split into weak states and under French domination. Had no time yet to engage in Africa.

France: Still a strong power on the continent, but lost its navy (marine officers were mostly noblemen - the old problem) during the revolution.

Spain: Under French domination; navy lost or fled to Morocco / Atlantis.

Britain: Got their ass whupped by the Imperial Roman navy during anti-British war. Now Britain is a republic too, and the royalist ships have fled to the Pacific.

New Rome: The third strong power in Europe, but they have other interests: Atlantis (traditionally), North Africa, and for trade, South Asia.

Sweden: Too weak. Happy to have Australia (that'S OTL South Africa).

German Atlantis and Argentinien, and Canada: Young powers, mostly continental.

And yes, the railroad is invented - but even Britain started building them in the 1830s only, so you can't expect them in 1840's Africa already.

The World, 1840-60:

Rest of the World:
Retcon:
1839: After king George I arrived in New Albion, his admiral Carleton swears to retake Britain for the monarchy. The admiral collects the British navy in the Pacific, goes to the North Sea, prepares for a strike against London.

1842: Temne conquer Macenta (OTL Guinea).

1847: Jukun have to pay tribute to Igbira.

1849: Potato crisis in Ireland. Many of them emigrate to Antipodia (OTL Australia), which population more than doubles in short time. Until then, the Irish already had the clear population majority in Antipodia's thinly settled North, South and West, and a smaller majority (60%) in the South-East, but now they clearly outnumber the English everywhere.

1850: Irish rebel in Antipodia, kick out the English, who only keep control of OTL Tasmania. The continent is renamed Tir Tairngire (non-Irish people prefer to speak of Tirland, however).

1851: Douala conquers Bertoua (both OTL Cameroon).

1854: Ashanti conquer Wa, Loba become shortly independent again.

1856: First Irish pope (named Patricius I, like all of them) elected in Antipodia. He announces that "a Time of Humbleness has come for the Holy Roman Catholic Church... now we will live and meditate in the desert, like the old patriarchs and eremits once did, until the day when God decides to smile upon us again". This marks the beginning of the Irish-Catholic church.

1858: Loba conquered by Baoule.

1859: Canadian president Jacob Andrews gives the remains of the British Pacific fleet a new home in Canada, thus gaining the core of a professional navy, which can even rival those of New Rome and Russia.

Western Europe:
1840: After having sailed to Swedish Helgoland, admiral Carleton strikes when the "divine wind" blows the right way. The completely surprised republican government has the workers of London armed to defend them.

1841: Second English revolution. After the defeat of the admiral, Socialist leader and former bartender Charles Pounder takes power in London, declares the "People's State of England".

1841-44: Second English Civil War. With the help of the rail workers, the Socialists gain the upper hand against monarchists and moderated republicans; many of the latter flee to Canada, of the former to New Albion (including the highest clerics, who soon decide to move with the pope to bigger Antipodia, however).
The land of the crown and the nobles is divided between the small peasants and land workers; in the cities, the workers take control of the factories. The Bank of England and other government offices are taken over by the Socialist leadership.

1846: Socialists overwhelm last resistors in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, adding them to their sphere of influence.

1847: Emperor Alessandro dies, having appointed the governor of Milan successor, who becomes emperor Benedetto.

1848: Charles Pounder sits over the first "all-British Round", the quasi-parliament. All the factions of Socialist Britain are represented here: The peasants, the workers, the artisans, the soldiers and sailors, the government workers, the pro-Socialist priests, and the teachers and doctors, the only intellectual professions.
During the next years, they give Socialist Britain a new constitution, introduce conscription as a part of the new "People's Army" and start government work.

1853: Emperor Benedetto dies. Some suspect the Russians behind it. Before his death, he appointed the governor of Turin new emperor Ludovico, who'll prove to be exceptionally competent.
After the end of the war, British factories can't sell arms anymore. Socialists triple the prices for many industrial products, to "let the monetarists bleed dry" (and live a better life). For short time, this works out, since Britain was the highest industrialized country of the world; but then, the other countries have learned enough to take up the British advance, built their own factories, and British exports plummet.

1857: Young Tom Liverpool (an orphan) invents a primitive telephone in Socialist Britain. He has to find out that he doesn't get very much for his invention, although the Socialist government uses it.

Eastern Europe:

1846: Bohemian crisis when Russia stations troops there. Germany, Sweden ally with New Rome against Russia.

1848-52: Allied Germanies, Sweden, Canada, Seljuks and New Rome fight Anti-Russian War. Although the population of the two Russias is higher than all its opponents combined, they soon face themselves in trouble: After their standing armies are defeated by their opponents armed with the modern needle guns, it takes a long time to arm, train and transport new soldiers to the front. Being cut off from imports, their soldiers are badly equipped. One century ago the Telegraph made Russia the most progressed nation on Earth, now the Chunkvophiles in the government who only think about stability can't handle a war against industrialized nations. Unrests among the peasants and the occupied nations (Poland, Choresm) finally tip the balance against Russia.
Socialist Britain sells arms to the allies, making a lot of money.

1852: In the peace of Constantinople, Prussia becomes German. Poland, Greater Bohemia and Hungary leave the Russian sphere of influence. Seljuks take Pontus and Thrace back. The thinly settled hinterland of Russian Atlantis goes to Canada (which gains access to the Pacific) and German Atlantis, the Great Desert (the lands between Snake river, Colorado river, Sierra Nevada and Rockies - about OTL Utah and Nevada) to New Rome. Finland and Estonia become Swedish again. In the following decades however, Poland, Bohemia and even Hungary will become German satellites, which is anything New Rome had planned...

1850s: After the humiliating defeat, Russia decides to modernize, building railroads and factories.

Atlantis:

1840: Gold Rush in Northern California. People from all parts of Northern and Central Atlantis try their luck - Spaniards, Russians, Germans, Italians, even English- and French-speaking Canadians, Mexica, other native Atlanteans, and run-away Arab and African slaves. The population of the area explodes from 50,000 (mostly Russians) to more than a quarter of a million. In fact, many Russian-settled lands in Atlantis are depopulated by the rush.

1841: Formerly Spanish California added to New Rome.

1843: Isthmus of Central Atlantis occupied by New Rome.

1845/46: Mexico conquered by New Rome, which now governs all of Atlantis except for Canada and the lands of the Germans and Russians.

1852: North California with its mixed population becomes independent, forming a buffer between Germany, Russia and New Rome.

1854: Canada founds Vancouver (same place as OTL), starts building a Pacific fleet.

Middle East:

Retcon:
1827: After committing a scandalous act, sultan Kay Khusrau XI is deposed by the Wali (prime minister) and beheaded. This act strengthens the Jumhuriya movement (which proposes an Islamic republic, and connects political Islam with Seljuk nationalism).

1840/41: Uprising of Orthodox Greeks in Pontus. South Russia interferes, takes the province. Nationalist-religious movement comes to power in Seljuk lands, ends the sultanate, makes life harder for minorities.

1840s: Many Jews of the Seljuk republic leave for the Sinai, where they can live under New Roman protection.

1847: Emperor Benedetto has the new state of Judea proclaimed, giving the Jews officially independence.

1851: Great uprising in Russian-occupied Choresm. The Southern army loses control over the biggest part of the country.

1853-58: Russians return to Choresm, defeat Muslim rebels. Their commander Pyotr "the Terrible" Nesterov has their irrigation structures destroyed, crippling Choresmian economy for indefinite time.

East Asia:

Retcon:
1792: Brits take Swedish Ceylon, as a revenge for Sweden fighting along France's side.

1841: China conquers Tungning (OTL Taiwan) back.

1842: The Himalaya states (Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Kashmir) accept China's authority again, after Tibet did so in 1829 already.

1850s: Uprisings in China (influenced by ideas brought in by Christian missionaries) get out of control. Fifth Ming emperor toppled.

1858: Pegu becomes a New Roman protectorate.

Stories:
I didn't forget it... [post=875197]here's an article about France[/post]!
For the Antipodians: About [post=915399]a little kingdom[/post]
[post=924762]Musings about (Russian) Atlantis[/post]