AH Challenge: The British Civil War.

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Banned
A 4 years long civil war, from 1861 to 1865.

One side have initially the advantage but in time is beaten and faces military defeat, the other completely controls the british isles after the war.

Total casualties 600 000- 900 000, with at least one major city burned down.

No major foreign intervention.


How would that happen? What would be the consequences be for The Empire ??
 
A 4 years long civil war, from 1861 to 1865.

One side have initially the advantage but in time is beaten and faces military defeat, the other completely controls the british isles after the war.

Total casualties 600 000- 900 000, with at least one major city burned down.

No major foreign intervention.


How would that happen? What would be the consequences be for The Empire ??

Who the heck would be the sides? A massive worker's uprising wouldn't look like that, and I can't think of anyone else that would revolt.

...Well, maybe Ireland. An Irish revolt that initially taks most of the island, but gets eventually crushed might work. Although it's not really on Great Britain.
 
Only thing I can come up with is some absurd spinoff on the Chartist movements which results in a polarization between the conservatives in the country and the working classes and liberals. If it gets played right around 1860 you can have strife in the cities which explodes into open warfare. Lets call it royalists and republicans. Royalists have the support of the institutions, the backing of the armed forces (although mutinies erode this superiority), and control the countryside; the Republicans have numbers and control most of the major cities and southern england. ireland sides with whoever offers it the best deal (my bet is the republicans, but maybe not). The first year is spent with both sides (mainly the revolutionaries) consolidating their power bases, and the monarchists trying to supress the rebellion. They hold the upper hand until around 1862, when their offensives basically run out of steam, and the larger republican armies can match them in quality. We then see a gradual push up Britain, with the Monarchists failing in the end to repulse the invasion. There is bloody fighting in Northern england, with Liverpool perhaps being the largest city devastated.

No intervention because the navy stays roughly neutral (or splits evenly) and makes it clear that it's first priority is defending the UK from foreign interference. Since nobody can really challenge them, this declaration sticks.
 
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