Decembrist Victory Graphic TL

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My secotn attempt to do a Decembricst Victory TL.

Main PODs for TTL are:

1. Decembrict Rebellion of 1825 in Russia sucessed, lead to the Russian Revolution and proclamation of the Russian Republic. Republic could fight the Holy Alliance intervention off and survived.
2. Sucess of the Russian Revolution lead to a more radical European revolutions in 1830-s-1840-s, whith France became republic in 1831, Belgium in 1832 and Germany in 1847.
3. Mexican-American War started early, in 1828 and goes less sucessfuly for the US. This lead to Andrew Jackson loose 1832 election, and American party sistem changed.

 

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The First Russian Republic is the name of the regime that existed in Russia after the December Revolution of 1825. On December 14 (26), 1825, liberal-minded guards overthrew the Romanov dynasty. A republic was proclaimed and serfdom abolished. All power passed to the Provisional Government, consisting of members of the secret "Northern Society". Poland and Finland immediately seceded from Russia, and in 1826 there was an uprising in Georgia and an independent Georgian Republic was proclaimed. In 1826, the generals loyal to the monarchy revolted in the south of Russia. The Civil War began. The monarchists (the so-called "Whites") were supported by the Holy Alliance. Austria, Prussia and Sweden began direct intervention in Russia. But to 1828, the Republic was able to repulse an attempt by the Whites and Austrians to take Moscow and regain control of Kiev and other cities of Ukraine.
In 1829 a peace treaty in Riga was signed between the Republic and the Holy Alliance. Austria and Prussia recognized the new government of Russia. In response, Russia ceded Bessarabia to Austria, and the Aland Islands to Sweden. Russia recognized the independence of Poland, Livonia and Finland (all three countries became monarchies). The Jewish Republic was created in Volyn. Georgia gained independence, but as a "sister republic" of Russia.
A few months after the end of the war, General Mikhail Orlov staged a coup. The first republic was replaced by the Russian State - a military dictatorship headed by Orlov.

 

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Mikhail Orlov was a controversial figure. Many contemporaries and historians. Some seen Russian State regime the brutal Military dictatorship, when all power was concentrated in the hands of the Orlov Family, Censorship and police control was not less hard, that in the Imperial times and the new Political Police – Komissia Gosudarstvennogo Blagochinia, (Commission of the State Order), known as KGB [it was OTL name for projected Political Police in the Pestel Documents], fight dissent much more effective, than the Secret Chancery of the Tsar Alexander, and even many heroes of the December Revolution ended in Siberia or at the gallows.

Others name Orlov Father of the New Russia and compared him with Peter the Great. Orlov became a face of the so-called “Preobrazhenye” (“Trasformation”) period of the Russian history, when the young Republic, born from ruins of the Russian Empire and in flame of the Civil War and Intervention, not only survived – the first successful revolutionary regime in XIX century – but developed into a strong Nation and return the status of the Great Power after the Liberation War.

In fact, Orlov regime give Russia one great thing – stability. Orlov’s Dictature effectively ended the permanent political crisis of the First Republic, and concentration of powe in one hands allow to make reform more quickly and more radical. But Orlov Russian State mostly reaped the fruits of what was sown during the First Republic period.
First was a peasant soil question. Orlov do what Provisional government could not dare. Most part of the landowner’s lads were confiscated (lands of that who was convinced to be an “White Counter-Revolutionary” were confiscated without compensation) and given to a peasants – and not to communities, but to families. That starts the new volume in the Agrarian History of Russia – era of “Yedinolichniki”, individual peasants-farmers . That ended the peasent’s unrest.

And that finished off the era of Russuan Manors. Many Manors were destroyed during Civil war, and now, when State did not subsided Nobles more, they did not have money to rebuild their county houses. Since 1830’s, a lot of Nobles go to cities and goes business or civil service.

It was the second element of “Preobrazhenye”. Revolution abolished estates privileges. Now every son of every father can get an education he wanted, can do business he wanted – if he had a money for that.
Anciet regime, when all high posts was occupied by the Nobility, ends. Now a lot of so-called “raznochintsy” (“commoners”) – mostly sons of the country priests, who had basic education, and who now could not necessarily make only a Church career, goes to universities (Russian State era was also era of the 10 new universities was open in Russia), and later became: journalists, scientists, clerks, advocates, officials and.. politicians. Russia would elect the first raznochinets – Ivan Bulgakov, son of the priest from Orel – to President in 1876.

 

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Third element of Preobrazhenye was Capitalism and Industrialization. Orlov’s Minister of Finances, Nicolay Turgenev, managed to made the maintain the stability of the Russian economic system. Society transformation lead to creation of the new Hight class – Businessmans, growth prom the Anchient Regime merchants. The wealthiest man of the Russian State was textile magnate Vasily Vargin, son of serf form Serpukhov, who became the key supplier of the uniform to the Army during the Civil war. After war, Vargin, personal friend of the President Orlov, became the first Russian Railroad Magnate, take the share in the first Russian railroad Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod, build in 1840.

 

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Alexander Nikolaevich, son of the Usurper, Grand Duke Nicolay Pavlovich of Russia, sucessfuly escape to Britain, married Queen Victoria in 1838, and became the Prince-Consort of the UK.
He and Victoria founded the Holstein-Gottorp dinasty ["Romanov" was dropped away] in Britain.

 

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One of the main elements of the Treaty of Riga between the new Russian Republic and the Holy Alliance was the creation of the three new monarchies on the former Russian Empire Western territories.
Frist was restored Kingdome of Poland-Lithuania. New Russian republican government agree to dive the Independence to Poland and ever give up to Warsaw some territories of the so-called Russian-Polish Governorates of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, with strong dominance of Polonized and Catholic nobility. Russian leaders see future Poland as a sister republic of Russia, strong, but loyal. But Holy Alliace intervention change all. Russia could not help Poland, Polish Republican forces were smashed by Austrian and Prussian Armies, and new conservative Polish Government, headed by former Russian Imperial Foreign Minister Count Adam Czartoryski, was forced to change their orientation. Poland survived (and even was allowed to annex back Free City of Krakow), but as Kingdom, with Saxon House of Wettin was restored at the Polish throne – personally, it means, that Saxonian price Friedrich Augustus became new king August V (he was to give back his climes to the Saxon throne to his brother John).

Second was Grand Duchy of Finland. Landtag of Finland declares independence soon after abolishing the monarchy in Russia, but, unlike Poland, Russian Republic did not recognized in, and send to the Finland an army, lead to a famous General Denis Davydov, hero of the wars against Napoleon. Davydov took Helsinki and Turku, but Russians can do little with mass guerilla war, started in Finland with the Swedish and Prussian support. Finally, Russians was forced to leave Finland. And treaty of Riga formalized creation of the independent Grand Duchy of Finland (but without Vyborg Governorate, which goes to Russia and Aland Islads, does to Sweden). Throne of Finland goes to 18-years old Russian-born Duke Constantine Frederick Peter of Oldenburg, nephew of the last Russian Emperor Alexander.

Finally, it was Kingdome of Livonia. This state was product of the anti-German ideology of the Russian Revolution. Decembrist leaders hate Germans and accused them in attempt to take control over Russia during the times of the last Romanov Emperors. After the Revolution, there were mass dismissal of the ethnic Germans from military and state service. Afraid that, German-dominate Ostzee Nobility of the Baltic Governorates prefer to rebel. During 1826, Assemblies of the Nobility of Courland, Livland and Eastland all declares independency of their governorates and asked Prussia and Austria to protection. Republican armies could not beat Prussians out the Baltic lands, and Republican leaders prefer to recognize their independence. Peace of Riga formalized creation of the new state – Kingdome of Livonia, with Prussian-born Russian Empire and White Army General, Duke Friedrich Eugen Carl Paul Ludwig von Württemberg, became the first King.

 

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[NB: due to French Intervention into the Russian Civil War, OTL July Revolution was shifted to a year]

Second French Republic was product of the May Revolution of 1831 - second of the Great European Revolutions of 1820-1830s. Revolution ended the rule of the ultra-conservative King Charles X, and the Bourbon dynasty rule in France at all [as would been seen later, finally]. There was an ideas between the Conservative wing of the revolutionaries to allow the Monarchy to survive, and give the throne to Louise-Philippe, Duke of Orleans. But Republicans won, and France was proclaimed the Presidental republic, with Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, hero of the American ad the First French Revolutions, became the first President.

Second republic was a very hard and turbulent period of the French history. Yes, it was moderate successful war in Algeria, and French help to the Belgian Revolution, ended with proclamation of the Federal Republic of Belgium in 1833. Also, slavery was abolished in French colonies in 1833 [OTL, in 1848] But in the internal affairs all was not so good. Socialist revolts of the southern cities such Marseille and Toulon, second Civil war with royalists in Vendee and Normandy until 1834, Paris protests of 1833, 1834, and 1837, Panic of 1835 –life of the new republic looks like this. End was more or less natural – in 1837 President Casimir Perrier made the coupe, dissolved the National Assembly and restored the Bonaparte dynasty rule in France. At first, there was an idea to give the throne to the Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Emperor Napoleon I, but Joseph gave way to his nephew – son of Louise Bonaparte, Louise-Napoleon. 2 December 1838 Louise-Napoleon was crowned as Emperor Napoleon III. Second Empire starts.

 

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Liberation War, also called Italian War of 1843 (though the main battles was fight outside Italy) or the Great War – until the really Great Communard War started – was the successful attempt of Russian Dictator Mikhail Orlov and French Emperor Napoleon III to broke out the Holy Alliance Europe. It was the greatest conflict in Europe since the times of Napoleonic Wars and stayed these until the Communard War.
War started August 1843, when the so-called Milan Revolution started in the Austrian lands in Northern Italy. Lombardian rebels were supported by other Italians, which led to Carl Albert of Sardinia declaration of war against Austrian Empire in August 16, followed by other Italian states, include even Habsburgs of Tuscany. It seems, that Italy would crush the I talian armies easy, but Emperor of the French Napoleon III took part in the party, and French army invade Lombardy.
But in was not all. After Milan fall to the French and Sardinians in February 1844, Poland-Lithuania, officially member of the Holy Alliance, and secret ally of France and Russia, invade Austrian Galicia. Prussia goes to a help to Austria and Prussian army invade Poland. Then, Russian State Army (according to a pre-agreed with France and Poland plan of the campaign) goes to Poland to fight Austrians and Prussians. Russo-Polish army, lead by Alexey Orlov (brother of the Russian Dictator Mikhail Orlov) and Józef Chłopicki, could stop Prussians in the epic Battle of Plock (which Russian and Polish Propaganda compared with Tannenberg Battle of XV century). From that time, it was not only war in Italy, but a Global Conflict. UK soon support Prussia and Austria in the war, and even Ottoman Empire declares war to Russia, in attempt to took a revanche for the previous defeats.
It was the last Revolutionary War in Europe and the first war of the new Industrial Era. There was not only millions of soldiers, fight each other over the Europe, but new Rifles, new Cannons, mitrailleuses [invented TTL early than OTL]. Also in was Railways, sea mines, first invented in Prussia and the French fleet new sea super-weapon – the ironclads [10 years early than OTL], that horrors British. All it leads to the enormous number of death and wounded – arts of war did not keep pace with the development of technology, and officers often did not now what to do to keep the lives of their soldiers.

Finally, war ends with the Holy Alliance defeat. Therritorian changes was not so great, mostly because Napoleon III did not support the Orlov’s Idea to dismember the Austria and create independent Ungary and Czehia. Austria lose Lombardo-Venetia to Sardinia (which give Nice and Savoy to France as pay for the support in the war), Bessarabia da the Danube Estuary to Russia, Galicia to Poland (western part – in Lviv, Ruthenian [OTL Western Ukrainian, TTL they would developed into a separate nation] nationalists from the Golovna Ruthenian Rada had time to took power and declare an independent Republic of Ruthenia. Russia officially supported Ruthenia, and after a long negotiations, Poland agree to waive claims to Lviv in exchange to a Prussuan port of Memel in the Baltic). Danubian principarties, which was under Austrian protection since 1829, was divided – Moldova was annexed by Russia, and Wallachia became a member state In the Danubian Union – new constitutional and federative version of the Habsburgs empire. Prussia lose Duchy of Poznan and Memel to Poland and Neuchâtel in Switzerland to France. Ottoman Empire lose Kars region where the new independent Armenia was proclaimed, Christian Mount Lebanon, which gain independence under the French Protectorate, and was forced to secede all Syria to Ibrahim, son of the Mohammed Ali of Egypt, which can came to a play in time.
An Era was ended in Europe – Era of Revolutions and Reaction. New Era starts.

 

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Cause of the Spanish revolution was seemingly insignificant. Scandal marriage of the Spanish Queen Isabel II with General Francisco Serrano caused outrage between Spanish nobility, and lead to a coup of 1848, when group of the radical Spanish Officers Killed Queen Isabel and her husband. Spain was proclaimed the republic – but in style of Orlov’s Russia or Napoleon III’s France, means very centralized Presidential republic, almost Dictatorship, with all powers are concentrated in handa of a military. Next years were full of blood: revolts in Catalonia and Baskonia, First Carlist War of 1849-1850, Rebellion in Cuba, which lead to the US intervention, Spanish-American War and fail of Cuba to the United States, Second Carlist War of 1852-1853.. But with help of the France and Danubian Union Spanish Republic could hold, as the south border of the Napoleon III – build Catholic Alliance.
But it is all ended at the middle of 1860-s. After fall of the Bonaparte Empire in France, and Habsburgs Danubia was destroyed by the German armies in 1866, Spanish military regime stays alone. This lead to a crisis and a Socialist coup of 1867, lead to a Carlist Coup in next 1868. Republican Spain Died and Carlist Spain raised.

 

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Mikhail Orlov died 31 December 1847 in his country residence in Kolomenskoye. His brother, general Alexey Orlov, who was corpus commander during the Liberation War, became new President of the Derzhavnaya Duma of Russia, without any election. First it was a stopgap measure, but Alexey Orlov’s “Acting Presidency” tightened to the long 4 years. The main problem of Alexey Orlov was that he was not his brother. Mikhail Orlov had an areola of the Savior of a Nation and man, who create Republican Russia. His brother was a common European dictator – with corruption, the Orlov’s clan dominance, and opposition oppression. So, even with oppressions, opposition in Russia growth. In 1850, the Union of New Generation – first Secret Society since 1830 – was founded, with many Army and Presidential Guard officers took part in it.
In 1852, Orlov declares, that he would go to the full term in Derzhavnaya Duma. It lead to a rumors, that he want to restore the Russian Empire with Orlov dynasty on the throne. Conspiracy arose quickly. 17 May 1852, group of the Officers, lead by Commander of the Presidential Guard Ivan Annenkov, killed Alexey Orlov in Kremlin.
After the Coup, Yakov Rostovtsev, member of the New Generation society, became new president of the Derzhavnaya Duma. But for not long now. New Constitution in 1 was adopted and since 1853 the Second Russian Republic was proclaimed.

 

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Andrew Jackson term as President of the United States was mostly defined by the conflict with Mexico over California. It started in 1827, when Provisional Government of Russia sell Russian American colonies – Alaska and Fort Ross – to the USA (Ryleyev never see Russian America as part of the Russian Republic, and Russian Civil War troubles gave additional arguments in favor of Alaska Purchase). Mexican Government did not recognize purchase of Fort Ross to America and sent troops to occupy that settlement. The end was predictable – in 1829 new USA President Jackson declares war to Mexico.

But war goes much more difficult, than Jackson expect. Yes, US Army could beat Mexico out of Fort Ross (later renamed Kearny after the general, who took the city). American settlers in the eastern part of the Mexican Province of Tejas rebelled and create the Fredonia Republic. But American attempts to took Mexico City and finally crash Mexico failed, and the war end by not so great victory as planned. USA annex Fredonia (OTL Eastern Texas), New Albion (OTL Northern California) and northern parts of so-called New Mexico. But it was to little for many Americans.

 

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Andrew Jackson faced with the great opposition during the next Election in 1832. His main opponent was William Clark, former Governor of Missouri and Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Clark opposed war and Jackson methods of war, and fail of the attempt to took Mexico growth his rating a lot. Clark became the Republican party candidate in 1832 election, and could won the elections and change Jackson at the POTUS post.

 

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William Clark did not go to the second term in 1836, and Daniel Webser of the Republican Party became president, successfully balloted against different candidates of the collapsing Jacksoian Democratic Party.
But Webster’s presidency was spoiled by the Panic of 1837. Economic Crisis destroyed Republican Ratings, which allows renewed Democrats to return to the White House.

 

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