Challenge: Uncommon countries involved in the Scramble for Africa

Deleted member 97083

With a POD no earlier than 1820, how can you get 1 or more of the following countries to acquire (by conquest, treaty, or purchase) new territories during the Scramble for Africa (or an alternate scramble occurring some time in the 1870s-1910s)?

Colonial empires or potential colonial empires:
  • Netherlands
  • Brazil
  • Sweden-Norway
  • Argentina
  • Mexico
  • Austria-Hungary
  • Montenegro
  • Greece
  • Empire of Japan
  • Boer states (after they are already surrounded by Britain)
  • Liberia or United States
  • Ottoman Empire
  • Hannover
  • Bremen
  • Lübeck
  • Denmark
  • Papal States
  • Two Sicilies
Africa-based empires
  • Sultanate of Zanzibar
  • A new empire founded by the Mahdist movement
  • A new empire founded by Tippu Tip
  • Kingdom of Kaffa
  • Merina Kingdom
  • Morocco
  • Muhammad Ali Dynasty Egypt
  • Sokoto Caliphate
  • Tripolitania
  • Dahomey
 
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If Belgium never forms, but somehow history proceeds as normal until 1880, then maybe someone like Sweden could get the Congo.
 
An African country being involved frankly sounds more interesting. the Sokoto Caliphate becoming a Colonial Power or Muhammed Ali securing colonies in teh Sudan or Horn of Africa would be fun. Or the Madhist movement becoming an imperial power and the power balance between it, Oman/Zanzibar(somehow) and Ali's egypt.
 
If Belgium never forms, but somehow history proceeds as normal until 1880, then maybe someone like Sweden could get the Congo.
Personaly I think that if Belgium (or actualy Leo II) is not interested in the Congo, it is far more likely that either the Congo is devided among several countries or that Portugal would gain all/most of it. I do not believe that the idea that the Congo could go to random other nation is realistic. It is a borderline alternate history cliche.
 
In 1892, Behanzin the young King of Dahomey, was searching for a way to kick the French of the country's only port, while the NDL shipping company of Bremen, makers of the first German steamship, were looking for a location to diversify their investments, having been smartly hurt in the trans-atlantic shipping business by larger competitors. A chance meeting resulted, after months of surprisingly friendly negotiation, in the independent state of Bremen being employed as the sole representative to the European powers of the Kingdom of Dahomey, now well supplied with armaments and provided with European bank accounts and lawyers. And in 1893 the French government is offered 50% of the docking rights in the port of Cotanou for 20 years for a reasonable annual sum, as well as the right to purchase land in Dahomey for market price, without other European competitors, excepting Bremen, or (if instead of these other options) a quitclaim of the port for 300,000 livres. Instead of fighting the Second Colonial Dahomey War, or getting into legal and financial bed with Bremen, the French take their money and leave. Dahomey is then free to be friends with the independent city-state of Bremen.
 
Wasn't there athing that it was feared when Brasil declared independence that it would take at least Angola with it? Simply have that fear become a reality for whatever reason and Angola's under Brasilian rather Portuguese rule.

As to the Boer Republics - thats gonna be a bit harder. OTL they weren't interested in conquest (although they made inroads into Natal during one of the Boer Wars, however they interpreted one of their people being struck by lightning as a sign of Divine wrath at them being greedy). Interestingly, the Afrikaners hoped for some of the German colonies (not just Namibia) to be apportioned to them at Versailles. This didn't happen and is probably too late to fit the bill but I'm just throwing it in to give an idea that they were interested in a little colonialism.
 
This is not a subject Iam at all familiar with but the kingdom of Dahomey was definitely expansionist in its political outlook. At the height of its powers in the 1890s Dahomey attempted to prize the kingdom of Porto Novo away from the French. The resulting war ended badly for Dahomey but certainly the ferocity of its warriors caused some concern for the French. The French won victory possibly due to its use of artillery and its professional army. What if Dahomey had avoided conflict with the European powers due to a POD before 1890. Could they have forged a West Coast empire? Maybe? Although the fact even at this late date they supported the slave trade would probably have led to conflict with a European power possibly Britain.
 

Deleted member 97083

Personaly I think that if Belgium (or actualy Leo II) is not interested in the Congo, it is far more likely that either the Congo is devided among several countries or that Portugal would gain all/most of it. I do not believe that the idea that the Congo could go to random other nation is realistic. It is a borderline alternate history cliche.
Well, could Tippu Tip have attempted to conquer the Congo? IIRC, he controlled half of it IOTL.
 
An African country being involved frankly sounds more interesting. the Sokoto Caliphate becoming a Colonial Power or Muhammed Ali securing colonies in teh Sudan or Horn of Africa would be fun. Or the Madhist movement becoming an imperial power and the power balance between it, Oman/Zanzibar(somehow) and Ali's egypt.

You need to completely gut and restructure the Sokoto Caliphate to get them to even survive, let alone become a colonial power. They were constantly riven with internal strife and the leadership of the country was constantly at ods with its constituent parts.
 
From my understanding, Spain tried to sell West Sahara to Austria-Hungary, but the Hungarians vetoed it. If it can get through instead, you can have A-H with an African colony.
 
You need to completely gut and restructure the Sokoto Caliphate to get them to even survive, let alone become a colonial power. They were constantly riven with internal strife and the leadership of the country was constantly at ods with its constituent parts.
Could Rabih az-Zubayr possibly take it over and impose reform the same way he did with the Borno Empire?
 
Hmm, thinking it a bit further, I think for most countries it's plausible so long the Berlin Conference, or equivalent, still happens. Looking it up, it seems the US were invited to OTL's conference, but they opted out of the scramble itself. So long you have some other country become strong and/or relevant enough for it, even if they're not in Europe, they could get an invitation as well. Afterwards it's just a matter of thinking it worthwhile to get involved in the Scramble.
 
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