A Britain of Panthers and Lions: House of Oldenburg Britain

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 352: Parlez Vous?

September, 1770

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“Remind us again of what the Spanish proposal is?” Louis asked.

“In exchange for recognition of French Florida, the Spanish King proposes a defensive alliance against Britannia, and the granting of the Asiento to us.” Choiseul said.

“So, we are gaining more than they are.” Louis said.

“It would appear so, Sire.” Choiseul said.

“Are they so desperate as to do this to themselves?” Louis asked.

“I believe so, yes.” Choiseul said. “They are making a loss from being in an alliance with the British, for whilst the British fought hard during the war, they did not put in as much effort as they could to help keep Florida. Furthermore, the Spanish are desperate to reform, something that would directly put them at odds with the British.”

“So, in short they are coming to us with their hat in their hands, and asking us to help them.” Louis said, already feeling more uncomfortable about this.

“It would appear so.” Choiseul concurred.

“Then surely that is a reason to reject this offer.” Louis said. “If we go along with it, we will be carrying them through this alliance, and we are not willing to do that.” If there was a Bourbon on the Spanish throne maybe he would consider things differently, but there was not.

His uncle, the Duc d’Anjou spoke then. “I am not so sure, Sire.” Louis gestured for him to continue and the man did. “I think that Spain has the potential to be of great use to us. They have colonies in South America which produce a significant amount of items that are consumed everywhere, if we become their main trading partner we can influence the direction of these items and how they can be consumed. If we influence that we can shape societal trends and ensure that other people are within our grasp.”

Louis looked at his uncle in surprise. Sometimes he forgot that beneath all the whoring his uncle did, the man was still quite devious. “You mean use Spanish goods to bribe people into aligning with our interests.”

“Precisely, Sire.” His uncle said. “Why use our own money when we can use Spanish resources.”

“Would such a strategy be effective?” Louis asked.

“I think so.” His uncle said. “We would need the figures, but it does stand to reason that these items could be used to buy influence without raising questions.”

“I agree, with His Royal Highness, Sire.” Choiseul said. “This is the right time to take advantage of Spain’s offerings and Britannia’s complacency.”

Louis took a moment to consider this and then said. “See what else the Spanish are willing to offer and then we shall see.” He wanted to be careful, any wrong move and another war was at risk of starting and that was something they could not afford.

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 353: Once More

March, 1771

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“The British are using their money to try and buy off the customs officials who have been sent to increase their duties.” Shivaji’s eldest son and namesake said.

“How much have they been offered?” Shivaji asked.

“Roughly five percent less than they are actually getting paid, Sire.” His son said.

Shivaji laughed. “Even when they try and bribe our officials they do not do it properly. What of the French?”

“They have done nothing, Sire.” His son said.

“Truly?” Shivaji asked.

“Truly. It seems they are not interested.” His son replied.

“That cannot be right. The French must know what we are trying to do.” Shivaji said. “They must have some plan.”

“I think I know what that plan is, Sire.” Prakash Ange, his spymaster said.

“And what might that be?” Shivaji asked.

“They are going to try and ally with the new Vizier of Mysore. Providing them with funds and arms to stage a rebellion.” Ange said.

“Against us?” Shivaji asked, wondering why that would happen, they had given the King of Mysore no reason to feel threatened.

“No, against the King himself. It seems the Vizier wants to claim the throne.” Ange said.

Shivaji did not know whether to be outraged or to laugh, the thought of the Vizier claiming the throne when his origins were so lowly, was ridiculous. “You are serious?”

“Yes, Sire. Very much so. I have been able to intercept letters and other such tools that highlight this.” Ange said.

“Then we must act quickly and ensure that the King of Mysore is aware of what is happening under his nose.” Shivaji said. “How has he not learned of this himself?”

“It seems the King has been more content to drink and smoke the Chinese devil than actually rule.” Ange said.

Shivaji sighed. Perhaps it would be better to let the King deal with the issue himself. But then doing so may only make other rulers get ideas. Bengal had only been pacified a few decades ago after all. “Very well. Send a letter to him, and to him alone, and inform the garrisons in the south to prepare.” Ange nodded, and Shivaji found himself thinking about whether he should lead the host that would handle this matter.

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 354: An Ailing Tsar



September, 1771

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“What did the doctors say?” His wife Sophia asked.

“They said that it seems as though it is the same type of illness that killed my father.” Michael replied, looking at his wife’s hand. He didn’t want to look at her, for if he did, he knew his composure would break.

“Are they sure?” Sophia asked.

“Yes.” Michael said. “They said the pressure and everything is the same as it was with him.” That had been terrifying. Knowing there was something inside of him that was killing him.

“So, what now?” Sophia asked.

Michael didn’t look at her then as he said. “We continue as before. There is nothing more to be done.”

“So, you’re just going to keep going on as if nothing has changed?” Sophia asked.

“Yes.” Michael said.

“Do you think that’s healthy?” His wife asked.

Michael looked at her and had to fight back tears as he did so. “I don’t know, but it’s the only thing I know that can keep me sane. I do not want to spend the remainder of my life scared and afraid. I want to keep doing the things that will keep my mind off of it.”

“Okay.” Sophia said. “Then I will support you.”

Michael smiled weakly, he took her hands in his and kissed them and then whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” His wife asked.

“For not giving you the life you wanted. You could hardly have thought this would be the right life for you, when you were told you were marrying me.” Michael said, remembering how he had fallen for his wife from the moment he’d first met her.

“My life with you has been perfect.” Sophia said. “It is I who should be apologising to you.”

“Why?” Michael asked, though he knew why.

“I have not given you a son.” Sophia said.

“Sophia, that doesn’t bother me. We may not have any children but we have one another, and that is more than enough for me.” Michael replied, he meant it as well, especially given how he had grown up.

“You are sure?” Sophia asked.

“I am.” Michael replied, leaning forward to kiss her then.

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 355: A Warning Of Time



March, 1772

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“So, the colonial governors have rejected the proposals that Cambridge put before them because they still believe that Parliament is the dominant body?” James asked, wanting to make sure he had gotten this right.

“Yes, Sire. On everything else they are happy to oblige, but they have not seen the change in fortunes that Parliament has experienced.” His cousin, the Duke of Gloucester said.

“And why has our uncle of Cambridge not explained this to them?” James asked, for that seemed like the simplest of solutions.

“I do not know, Sire.” Gloucester said.

“How viable is their demand?” James asked.

“It would have its complications, Sire.” Gloucester replied.

“Go on.” James commanded.

“First and foremost is how many representatives would they send, some of the colonies have bigger land masses then most of the constituencies in the Kingdom, and as such do they send only one or two, and if they send two, will such a thing be right, how do we decide what their constituencies are? Is it per colony or per district within a colony. And what of the House of Burgesses in the colonies themselves, do they become irrelevant?” Gloucester replied.

“Secondly, there is the concern that I know many in Parliament have which is that if they are allowed to settle here, then they will with time come to dominate Parliament, given their size and economic potential and the interests of the constituencies within the Kingdom will themselves disappear.” Gloucester said.

James nodded, he understood those complications, he had voiced them himself when the initial discussions had occurred, and yet they remained. “Then there is only one solution that I can think of as being viable for this problem.”

“Sire?” Gloucester asked.

“We must either invite the governors to come to London to see how Parliament operates, or we must tell them directly that this is what the situation is.” James said. “Otherwise, everything will remain in this light for a long time.”

“If I may, Sire?” Pitt asked.

“Go ahead.” James commanded.

“Why not pursue a dual strategy? Invite the governors to view a sitting of Parliament and then whilst they are here, invite them to the Palace and inform them of the way of things.” Pitt said. “Most of them will never have seen the Palace or London, aweing them with its grandeur would be a surefire way to ensure their compliance.”

James considered this, Pitt was speaking sense, that much was true, but a part of him still felt unsure about allowing such people into Whitehall, it felt like breaching some sort of security. Still, if it ended this protracted dispute, he would be more than happy to go ahead with it.

He wanted this issue resolved as promptly as possible, already his uncle had been away for a year and a half, such a thing could not stand for much longer. Therefore, he took a breath and then said. “Send the letters out, let us see if they will comply.”

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 356: Soiree

September, 1772

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“The King’s proposal is a sensible one.” James, Duke of Cambridge said as he read the letter that had come from Whitehall.

“It has certainly caused a stir amongst the governors, Your Royal Highness.” Benjamin Franklin said.

“In a good manner?” James asked, fully aware of how tense things had been before.

“Yes, they are very flattered to have been invited to London.” Franklin replied.

“Will it work?” James asked. He wanted an end to this deadlock as quickly as possible, he wanted to return home. He missed his wife and his children and his home. Being here for two years already was long enough.

“I think it will.” Franklin said. “The Governors are simple folk really, when all is boiled down. They want to feel important and they want to feel valued. I think by taking them to Whitehall and to Parliament, the King has made the right choice.”

“Agreed.” James said. “I just know that some of the governors will cause a fuss though.”

“Oh undoubtedly. Some of them are very strange fellows.” Franklin replied.

“But they cannot complain about the cost, after all, I am paying for it.” James said.

Franklin smiled. “A wise choice, Sire. They will view that as having earned some Royal favour.”

“Too right they should.” James groused. Being stuck in a room for hours on end with some of these men was enough to make any man go mad. But for James, he didn’t like so much of their formality and their prudishness. He wanted them to laugh and to lighten up. It seemed they did not understand such words here. Perhaps a visit to London would change that.

James was about to say something else, when there was a knock on the door. He called for whoever it was to enter. A servant entered, bowed and then said. “Your Royal Highness, a letter has come for you, from the Governors.”

“Hand it over.” James said, wondering what it could be.

The man walked over and placed the document into his hands, bowed and then left.

James opened the letter and laughed. He looked at Franklin and said. “They’ve agreed to it. The bastards finally agreed.”

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 357: Russia Today



March, 1773

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Peter, Duke of Courland watched as the gates to the city opened. He spurred his horse on once they were, and as he did so, he looked around. He saw people lining the streets, singing and shouting his name. He waved to them and they roared. It was an odd feeling this. His uncle Tsar Michael had died a few days’ ago, as Peter had been on the way to meet with him, and in that time there had been an attempted uprising by members of the army stationed within the capital, supposedly they had tried to stage a coup to put his cousin also named Peter on the throne, but that had failed.

The journey to the Palace was a long one, people came up to him and cheered, some sought his blessings and all stood and watched. There could be no confusing this for anything other than a welcoming party. He was flattered, and also curious about what would happen now. Once he took to the throne and was crowned, would this continue? He’d only been Duke of Courland for a few months as well, his father having died during a riding accident.

Uniting Russia and Courland was certainly going to cause some interesting changes to occur, of that he had no doubt. He looked to his right and saw his steward Gregory looking ahead. Gregory looked like a bear, he was huge, and muscled, and well, Peter wouldn’t be surprised if some Russian noble woman tried to seek his bed later tonight.

They turned a corner, and Peter gasped. The Imperial Palace was before them. It shone in the spring sun, glistening and sparkling for all to see. Peter wanted to gallop toward it, but managed to restrain himself. His horse moved slowly, regally, toward the palace, eventually getting there within good time. A servant came to take the reins of his horse, and once they were stable, he jumped down. He landed, straightened out his coat and then walked forward.

A man came forward then, he was balding but muscular. The man bowed. “Your Imperial Majesty.”

“You are Panin?” Peter asked, he had heard about his uncle’s chief minister, the man had also served Peter’s grandfather.

“I am, Your Imperial Majesty.” Panin said.

“Good, rise.” Peter commanded. He walked forwards, through the open doorway and into the Palace, he looked around and then asked. “What has happened to those who rebelled?”

“They have been arrested, their ring leaders are awaiting justice, Sire.” Panin commented.

“And our cousin?” Peter asked.

“He has remained in his estate, Sire. He has made no move to leave.” Panin said.

Peter continued walking, digesting in everything he saw. It was certainly impressive this place. A step up from Courland and the rather ramshackle state of the palaces there. His father and grandfather had both been rather frivolous as it was, and he didn’t want to take anything from here for there. “Very good.”

He heard footsteps then and turned to see a woman, perhaps no older than his brother step forward. She curtseyed. “Your Imperial Majesty.”

It took him a moment to place her, then it came to him. She was his aunt by marriage, the Dowager Tsarina. “Your Imperial Majesty.” Peter said, inclining his head and taking her hand and kissing it.

“I trust your journey was comfortable?” His aunt said.

“Yes, I am sorry for your loss, Madam, our uncle was a great man.” Peter said.

The woman nodded and then said. “Yes, thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.” A pause and then she said. “Come with me, there is something I wish to show you, Sire.”

Curious Peter followed the woman up a flight of stairs, then turned right as she did, then saw that they were walking out onto a balcony. He stepped onto it and gasped. There were so many people gathered outside the palace gates. They were all looking at them, shouting, calling, and singing.

“They are all here for you, Sire.” His aunt said.

Peter swallowed, he was not good with big moments, but he stepped forward, right to the edge so that they could see him more clearly, and raised his hand and waved. He heard a roar, and he thought he could distinctly hear them shout. “Long Live the Tsar!” As he heard more people take up that shout, something warm rushed over him. He liked that feeling.

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 358: Grand Chance



September, 1773

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James took a breath; in a few moments, the governors would be entering the room to discuss what they had thought of everything they had seen. He hoped it would go well, he didn’t think he could stomach another year of back and forth. They’d been here for a few months now and had seen Parliament’s proceedings, they’d seen him at work with the council. He hoped they’d see the sense in what he had proposed.

The doors opened, and his equerry announced. “Their Excellencies The Governors Of The Colonies.” James straightened a little as the men walked in.

They all advanced into the room, stopping short of the throne, they bowed before him and then straightened.

James took a moment and then said. “Welcome, gentlemen. You have been here for a few months now; we wish to hear your thoughts on what you have seen.”

There was a pause and then William Franklin, Governor of New Jersey spoke. “It has been an exciting experience, Sire. Truly. To see how the motherland operates and how it keeps working has been fascinating. I now have a much firmer appreciation for everything.”

“Excellent, and has anything stood out to you?” James asked of the collection in general.

Franklin spoke once more. “Yes, it was quite surprising to me to see that Parliament rather than being the dominating body to which we have been led to believe it is, is in fact more suppliant to Your Majesty’s will.”

“I see.” James said, wondering how and why they had thought this to begin with.

“I think the arrangement that is present now is the right one.” William Bull, Colonial Governor of South Carolina said. “The system would not work otherwise.”

That intrigued James and so he found himself asking. “And why do you think so?”

Bull was frank in his response. “Because the world is not perfect, Parliament is filled with fighting factions who all want something. They would never get anything meaningful done if they had true power. Your Majesty has the interests of the state had heart and therefore works harder to get things done.”

There was a moment of silence as James allowed the compliment to wash over him. He did not sile, but he liked what the man had said. Then, the silence was broken by Norman Berkeley, the Governor of Virginia. “We have reached a decision, Sire.”

“Go on.” James said, his heart quickening.

“After much discussion and having observed what has happened here, we feel that it would be right to bow to Your Majesty’s will. On all points.” Berkeley said.

“On all points?” James asked, wanting to double check.

“Yes, Sire. We think that they are all reasonable.” Berkeley said.

“We are happy to hear that.” James said smiling. “You are entering into a new era now, one that is sure to be beneficial for us all.”

The men bowed their heads, and then someone said. “Long Live the King!” The call was echoed by others, James allowed himself to smile, happy that the issue had now been resolved.

 

[VVD0D95]

Well, there you have it. After two years and 266 thousand words, A Britain of Panthers and Lions comes to an end. It's been a hell of a journey, and I'd like to think I've learned alot about the period in which this is set.

I'd like to thank you all for reading this, for commenting and for making suggestions etc. Your feedback has meant the world.

I've greatly enjoyed writing this beauty, and feel I've definitely improved as time has gone on.

Thank you all.

And on a cheeky note, if you're interested in the Stuarts/the late 17th/early 18th Century please feel free to get yourself a copy of my book Chosen King, which is available on Amazon.

Cheers!