The Littlest Empire
Sometimes referred to as Wachate Confederation, sometimes as the Kingdom Of Two Cities, though officially it has come to be known as The Roanoke Commonwealth.
It is said that failure can sometimes lead to great discoveries. So it can be said for England’s first attempt at the colonization of the New World. The colony of Roanoke, a failure by any other name, but also a blessing for the Crown’s continued efforts.
In 1584 Sir Walter Raleigh was given a commission by Elizabeth I to establish a colony in the New World within 10 years or lose his claim to those lands there in. Raleigh dispatched a colony under Richard Greenville and Ralph Lane which made landfall in the New World in August of 1585. After scouting the islands off the coast they settled on one and journeyed ashore. Though initial steps proved positive contact with the natives, trade, exploration, establishment of Citie of Ralegh all too soon things began to go horribly wrong. A drought set in, trade dropped off, supplies ran low, clashes with the natives all lead to the eventual withdraw from Roanoke hardly a year later.
In 1587 a second attempt was made this time under the guidance of John White. 91 men, 17 women, and 9 children set out with the intention on picking up where the 1585 expedition had failed. Their first course of action was to locate the 15 soldiers who were left behind to maintain an outpost and Sir Walter Raleigh’s claim. Perhaps the colonists should have taken it as a sign to return home that when they landed in early July all that was found of the 15 men were the bleached bones of a single individual (not to mention the loss of one of their supply ships to a storm during the crossing). Later forays to rekindle trade and communication with the local tribes filled in the mysterious demise of the 15 soldiers – it seemed that the bad blood caused by the Greenville/Lane endeavor continued after the evacuation of the first colony. White would not be deterred and it is through his efforts that friendly contact was reestablished with several Algonquian tribes. By late August the goodwill John White had been able to foster among the natives was all but used up; trade began to dwindle and exploration of the mainland was halted due to threats made by the local chiefs. With provisions running low and tensions running high there was talk of abandonment. John White and the proximity of the small arsenal of weapons that was brought with the colonists kept panic from sweeping over the Island. White convinced the colony to stay, including his daughter and new born grand daughter, Elyoner and Virginia Dare, while he returned for support and provisions. Not long after White departed in early September did the first of many raids strike the colony although few deaths on either side were registered in these early attacks. Though the Croatan tribe as well as the Lumbee tribe remained friendly with the colony their efforts to make peace with the other locals and Roanoke where unsuccessful (before the end of September the Lumbee had broken off contact with the colony under threat of attack from their neighbors). In October an armed hunting party of 20 men was sent to the mainland they returned with 5 dead and little to show for their efforts. Not long after the return of the failed hunting expedition did the first fissures in the colony open up.
On October the 10th 1587 during a debate on whether or not to move the colony a fight broke out between John Tydway and Thomas Warner, this was followed by a duel where Warner was killed. On the 12th of October there was another fight over food distribution. On the night of the 13th of October Tydway was murdered in his sleep. By morning angry accusations were being shouted at Edward Powell, John Wright, and Robert Little friends of Tydway. The mob eventually decided against a trial and hung Edward Powell the man chiefly suspected, it was only the last minute intervention of Henry Payne that stayed the hands of the mob from murdering Wright and little. By the 20th of October the Island had become pocketed by armed camps each leery of the next and unashamed to violently protect the supplies they withheld from the others. By January of 1588 contact between the camps, as well as supply sharing (what little there was) had stopped. On March the 3rd some semblance of sanity remained for when a scouting party sent by Chief Wachate arrived it was welcomed as friends. On the evening of the 4th Henry Payne called a meeting of the camps, one representative from each was sent to his cabin. It was at this meeting that the colony bartered with the only things they had left to sell – their skills and knowledge. Perhaps more out of pity than anything else at the time but when the offer of knowledge in exchange for protection was offered to Chief Wachate it was accepted. Though some of the colony refused to live with the natives and remained on the Island (where food and supplies were sent to them) most relocated south to Croatan.
Their numbers had dwindled to less than half before Wachate accepted them but as winter turned to spring things were looking up for the colonists (though life for those who remained on Roanoke was still difficult). Two new children were born and, although initially causing tension to both sides, several new marriages were conducted between colonist and Croatan (such couplings became more accepted as time went on and the Croatan population began to accept Christianity – an easier than expected outcome if we are to believe the words of the journals). Even though the lives of the colonists had been saved by Wachate the Chief faired much better in the exchange. He and his people would reap the benefits of the knowledge brought to them (farming, metallurgy, ship building, etc.) it was the use of “fire clubs” that would shape the new chapter in this tribe’s existence.
May 12th 1588 brought a raid to the Island of Roanoke, the war party was large and sent by Saponi Tribe with the intent on finishing what was started at the end of last year. The surviving colonist made their way to the Croatans. Those already intermingled with the tribe demanded Wachate hold up his side of the bargain. A war party was dispatched with 6 riflemen – the skirmish was a victory (in no small part do to the matchlock and wheellock rifles) which were used as hidden sharpshooters rather than in full engagement. By June friendly contact had been remade with the Lumbee tribe, winter had been hard on their people and an early raid by the Occaneechi and Saponi had them needing an ally. The colonists and Croatans welcomed them. Throughout the summer of 1588 with the help of the sharpshooters, the Lumbee, and Hatteras warriors there were many victories against the Occaneechi and the Saponi and their allies. As the seasons began to change once more a cease-fire was agreed upon and both sides went about preparing for winter (between 1589 and 1592 there was peace and exploration). The cease-fire with the Saponi and Occaneechi still held and by spring 1589 the Croatan were even trading with them. By the winter of 1591 the Croatan trading partners, with the help of the Roanoke colonists – their sharpshooters to be specific - were formed into a loose coalition. By the end of 1592 however the munitions supplies were nearly depleted and efforts to manufacture gun powder had yet to meet with success (though oil filled jars with wicks were becoming useful gap fillers to the lack of shot).
In March of 1593 the peace was broken by the Saponi, they managed to coax and bribe two other tribes into joining them and for the next year and half, with the matchlock and wheellock being used in an ever more reserved strategy, there was war. By May of 1594 the tribes were tired and hungry – there was a food shortage due to the prolonged conflict and loss of life. Though raids would continue through 1594 and 1595 there were no major attacks and little was gained. With the factions exhausted time was right for a new and stronger peace. This led to the peace treaty of 1596, negotiated by Henry Payne (his last official act in the service of Croatan and Roanoke – he died the following winter). The union that was created with this treaty was dubbed the Wachate Confederation, though he did die hardly a month before the signing, his son Nashweem championed his father’s interests and saw the treaty through to the end. Though named after Wachate the confederation will more familiarly be referred to as the Roanoke Commonwealth (the term used frequently in Payne’s journals). There was peace again for 4 long years and it was during this time that the Island of Roanoke was reoccupied by members of Croatan alliance.
By 1600 however the peace was again drawing to a close as old feuds both within the Commonwealth and without began to reemerge. On the 1st of August 1602 a major rival to the Commonwealth attacked (1602-1608). Powhatan (the leader and name given to his tribe) struck from the north, his initial raid burned but one village, capturing many of the women and killing most of the men. Powhatan had his own confederation and demanded that the Commonwealth join him or perish. By now the rifles that had turned the tide of many battles were all but used up – the few that still had munitions were being used only in villages defense – battles, raids, ambushes, were all now far more bloody and drawn out than they had been in recent years.
In 1607 news came down the coast to Roanoke via trade lines and fishing skiffs about a large boat landing not too far to the north – on it were people of pale skin. It had been 20 years since the colony had had contact with England and only a handful of the original settlers were still alive, including John White’s daughter and grand daughter (a mother herself now). There was tension in the Commonwealth about what to do about this, few had any interest in having what they built without help from the homeland taken away but others felt that contact must be made. Eventually a scouting party was sent north only to find that Powhatan had also heard about the new comers. The small poorly defended village had already been attacked twice by Powhatan who thought it was a new Commonwealth village. Reinforcements from Chief Nashweem arrive a few days later just in time to turn the tide of battle. Many of the leaders of Jamestown had been killed, including Capt. John Smith, those that remained quickly accepted the Commonwealth’s help (a few months later word reached England about events in the New World). There was talk within Parliament about forcing the Roanoke Colony back into the fold but the representatives from the Commonwealth and cooler heads of state in London were able to make others understand it was better to have a willing ally than a riotous colony. When the ships returned from England (with the sad news for Elyoner and Virginia Dare that their father/grandfather had died in 1606 just after finally getting the crown to send another colony) happy news welcomed them – Powhatan’s Confederation had been broken and Powhatan himself was dead. Jamestown remained an English colony though it was protected by Roanoke.
By 1610 there was peace again and the Chesapeake Tribes, who had suffered greatly from Powhatan and who had been loosely associated with the Commonwealth since 1607, were now welcomed as official members. The Commonwealth of Roanoke now stretched from the James River in the north (formally the Wahunsuncock River), to the Neuse River to the west, and the Siouan River to the south (OTL Cape Fear River). In 1611 the Council of the Wise was appointed by Chief Nashweem to help administer the Commonwealth and assist England’s settlements. This proved very profitable to both parties but only in the area where the Commonwealth was known – as England spread north and west of the coastal territories there were a number of bloody incidents. However, contact and dealing with the Commonwealth for the most part proved an invaluable experience for all segments of English society and helped with relations even in the distant lands.
The Commonwealth also helped the spread and acceptance of Christianity in the New World, as in Roanoke the Great Spirits and even the ancestors became intertwined with Christian icons – the first stone church was built in 1625 and in 1630 the Commonwealth had appointed its first bishop. The more inclusive and loosely Christian practices (as well as the allowance of tribal beliefs to continue) within the Commonwealth would eventually bring the New World Church into conflict with stricter European Christians causing a schism in 1750 – ultimately hurting the Commonwealth’s relationship not only with England but with its neighbors.
Through the 17th century England’s presence in the New World continued to grow (so to did the Commonwealth’s though by 1660 it had acquired most of the territory it was going to). Roanoke became synonymous with trading and in fact in most cases throughout the 17th century if a Commonwealth trader hadn’t been there first then he was certainly with the group (be it French, Spanish, or English) that did make first contact. Trade slumped however in the latter portion of the 17th century when the Roanoke Commonwealth would not bow to pressure from Rome to “Finish God’s work” and disallow the pagan practices still existing within Commonwealth borders. In 1762 the Spanish Scare, a period of posturing and saber rattling in a prelude to war, subsided when Spain suffered a major religious upheaval. Other overseas displeasure (from England and France primarily) was conducted mainly via diplomat and missionary – and threat of boycott.
As the 17th century turned into the 18th century Roanoke became indirectly responsible for the next phase in New World history. This period is collectively known as the Era of the Private Armies. The ground work for this period was laid in the 17th century as England gave less and less direct attention to their colonies as the problems closer to home become more important. London granted more and more authority to the local governors and they in turn allowed for a great deal of latitude to their military officers. By 1680 there were private armadas who actively sought out pirates and ran their own little war with Spain, the Dutch, and France. Soon after there were small personal armies (or pirate armies) being sent out to quell problems with the locals and other European powers in the area (an issue that was overlooked by governor and crown because sending out legitimate soldiers would have provoked a war – and England was already involved in enough of those at this time). So, in 1705 the first reported kingdom in the New World was established; Sutherland, near Lake Huron. Following the “model” Roanoke provided several other “kingdoms” would spring up between 1705 and 1850.
The Commonwealth had little to do with this period; for Roanoke it was a time of social changes within its borders. In 1710 the Council of the Wise was reconstituted. Over the last hundred years members on the Council were appointed by the Chief and only those from Roanoke or Croatan were eligible. Wealthy trade routes had made for a new middle class in the Commonwealth and demands were being made (and had been made over the last 20 years) by this small yet influential aspect of Commonwealth society for a change to the ruling class. In 1710 Chief Wahchintonk expanded the Council from 9 to 12 and appointed members from across the Commonwealth. In 1750 the Council was again expanded this time to 20, though still all members were appointed by the Chief – ten years later a motion for direct elections was carried through the Council and brought to the Chief for approval (the proposal stated that though the Chiefdom would remain hereditary the Council of the Wise would be an elected position). Chief Wakiza would not sign the act and dismissed the Council on grounds of sedition. Chief Wakiza ruled for two years before civil war broke out in the small Commonwealth (1762-1767). Wakiza was murdered by his son Machk in November of 1765, he called an end to the war. It was clear though after a month that Machk wasn’t any more interested in giving up some his inherited rights than his father was and so the civil war reopened. In 1767 Machk abdicated in favor of his nephew Aedon, who was supported by the Council. On October 1st 1768 the first elections were held for the Council of the Wise (the position of Chief would remain hereditary).
While the Commonwealth faced its problems England was having issue with her colonies. In 1765 petitions were made to London for the right of the Colonies to form their own parliament – not waiting for a response several governors and pirate generals formed the Philadelphian Congress (an informal government members of which were the most notorious, respected, and wealthy of the Colonial governors and military leaders). Through the 1780’s England’s attention was brought back to the colonies in the New World as Act after Act was passed in parliament in an attempt to curb the authority of the governors and pirate armies without losing complete control. In 1785 the first of a series of taxes was enacted to ostensibly help pay for England’s wars but in reality were there to dwindle the wealth of those with private armies. In July of 1790 the Crown and Parliament officially ordered the Congress of Philadelphia to disband – an armada was dispatched to assure cooperation. The Colonial War for Independence began on August 15 1790 (1790-1804).
The Commonwealth pledges its neutrality during the conflict – mainly to keep its own population from falling into civil war (the nation was divided on remaining loyal to the trade interests and heritage with those they shared a continent with and those who wanted to remain loyalty to the trade interests and heritage they shared with the mother country). The event proved very profitable for the Commonwealth although an incident towards the end of the war would come back to haunt them in the future. On December the 23rd 1799, almost a year to the day of the glorious colonial victory of Boston Harbor, two British trade vessels docked at Dare (a Commonwealth port), which was nothing unusual (no military vessels from either side were allowed within Commonwealth territory but trade ships were permitted). In the still of the night these trade ships unloaded their precious cargo – 1000 British red coats. The “Trojan” army managed to destroy several towns, supply depots, and won two decisive victories before finally being routed in 1801. Though the Roanoke Commonwealth suffered nothing from this sneak attack the dishonor of allowing the English army behind the Colonial lines was unforgivable. The two merchant ships were immediately confiscated and the crews arrested. Trade was soon cut off with England and if not for a flurry of diplomatic interventions the Commonwealth would have certainly joined the war on the side of the Colonials. As it was no further trade was conducted with England for the remainder of the war. In 1804 the Philadelphian Congress won independence and began the arduous task of uniting colonies, private territories, native lands, and pirate armies into one nation. The Commonwealth offered help but as events began heating up between the native population and the colonials so too did tensions between the Commonwealth and the Colonies – culminating in the Relocation Act of 1818 (effectively ending the native alcoves the Commonwealth had help establish during England’s rapid colonization of the east coast).
In what became known as the War of 1818 the Commonwealth declared War on March 3, 1818 fearing, as with so many other kingdoms and native lands, that their lands were next to be annexed (1818-1821). Though the Commonwealth didn’t have the military numbers of the Colonials nothing could match the devastating affects of the Commonwealth’s ambushing war parties. The war for the most part was a draw (all major action having taken place in the latter months of 1818) – though some territory was occupied after the defeat of the Colonial general Charles Gage in 1820, territory that was not relinquished after the war. By 1821 the Colonial armies had suffered enough bee stings that they called for a truce. The Treaty of Jamestown was signed on April 24, 1821 – a provision of which was the reinstatement of the native lands and guide lines for future dealings with native populations. A long peace settled in over the Commonwealth though this was not shared by our neighbors. For the Colonials there was only conflict which eventually brought about the First Colonial Civil War, 1850-1856.
For the Commonwealth the Colonial Civil War was another period of prosperity as trade boomed, though the subject of intervention did come up several times within the Council of the Wise; each time the matter was turned down by Chief Warner. Again, as with the Colonial War for Independence, there was a split in the Commonwealth population: most understood the various factions desire to remain independent of the Federated government but other recognized what the Philadelphian Congress was trying to do in disbanding the factions and uniting the country. In August of 1852 the Congress was made ineffectual by the withdraw of several members, by October it had completely dissolved. In February of 1854 the Colonial Civil War was making little progress and some of the factions felt the reason for this was obvious, the Roanoke Commonwealth. For many of the colonies and pirate armies there was reason to hate the Commonwealth: it was heathen; despite the majority of Christian believers, the war of 1818, having allowed red coats to slip through their nation during the War for Independence, and the unfettered trade the Commonwealth did with all sides. With little provocation Roanoke was invaded; a temporary coalition was formed and a joint assault was mounted. In response to this the Commonwealth declared war on those generals that undertook this invasion. Chief Warner appealed to several Colonial generals to end the war or at the very least help against the Colonials who had violated Commonwealth borders. Only three generals responded Edmond Lee, William Howe, and Devon Frost; in April of 1854 each was independently allowed right of passage through the Commonwealth. With the help of the Commonwealth war parties and generals Lee, Howe, and Frost by the end of May the invading armies had been pushed back across the border. In June talks began between Lee, Howe, and Frost and by July 4th they were working together against the other Colonials. Through their combined efforts, and their allies that soon flocked to their sides, they turned the tide of the war. In 1856 Chief Warner was present at the military coronation of the First Triumvirate (Lee, Howe, and Frost). The Triumvirate dealt generously with the Commonwealth, offering them trade and land (the land of the Triumvirate’s enemies). The peace and trade allowed for a major growth in the ship building industry of the Commonwealth – by 1870’s there were few ports in the world that didn’t have Commonwealth ships coming and going (corn, wheat, cotton, wood, tobacco, and luxury items flooded foreign markets).
The peace would not be completely blemish free this time. The Greensboro Rebellion of 1865 – land granted to the Commonwealth by the Triumvirate in 1858 no longer wishing to be part of the Commonwealth. Then there was the Whisky Rebellion of 1860 and the Shipping Guild War between 1877 and 1878. The Commonwealth fought its first overseas war during this period as well, known as The Indonesian Affair (1882).
Once again in 1889 the Roanoke Commonwealth was drawn into conflicts between the colonies. In September of 1889 two territories; New Frankfurt, and New Brunswick, and one colony; Charleston, refused to send the quarterly tribute and soldier allotment. By October three more territories; The Kingdom of Greater Mississippi, New Ithaca, and Dale’s Land as well as the colony of Southern Appalachia joined in the rebellion. On October 30th the Triumvirate sent an army to reign in the territories and colonies, now referring to themselves as the independent nations of the North American Union. In January of 1892 the war was brought to the Commonwealth, known within Roanoke as the War of Aggression. At the same time Philadelphia was being shelled in early January of 1892 the Commonwealth was being invaded (they were being held responsible for bringing the Triumvirate to power, as well as a host of other personal and social reasons). Though the Commonwealth suffered during the invasion they were eventually able to fight the NAU to a standstill – the war was concluded in April and the Commonwealth was able to negotiate the withdraw of the NAU. Land ruined, trade disrupted, towns in ashes, and families in mourning – the royal family sharing in this tragedy. Croatan was shelled during the invasion, killing most of the royal family. The surviving member was 17 year old Alana Macawi. Though there had never been a female chief of the Commonwealth her coronation went unopposed. Alana is cheered as one of the single most loved and respected rulers of the Commonwealth. She led the nation through the Rebuilding after the War of Aggression and into the next century.
In 1900 Chief Alana began proposing radical changes to the establishment, measures meant for gender equality. The Great War in 1902 however would stall those motions. Though it would take a year by the summer of 1903 the Commonwealth had joined the Atlantic Alliance; the primary powers being England, Spain, and France. By the thousands soldiers were sent to the front lines in Europe only to be missed at home when the North American Union attacked (siding not with the Prussians per se but fighting a war of expansion all the same). Despite help from their allies the Commonwealth would fight a losing battle (though costly for the opposition) and by the spring of 1904 the nation was occupied. From hiding Chief Alana would again hold the hearts and respect of her people but leading an underground movement against the NAU. Sabotage, ambushes, and assassinations would make the occupation very difficult for the NAU – although by 1906 the sheer number of enemy soldiers mobilized within the Roanoke Commonwealth would make sneak attacks rare.
It was this bolstering of troops that eventually drew the other colonies into action (they had sat out the war though watched warily as the NAU annexed neighbors and fought in Cuba, Texas, Mexico, and Roanoke). Aggressive maneuvers along and sometimes across the border into Virginia eventually sparked a response. In February of 1906 Virginia became the first of the colonies to sides with the Atlantic Alliance (followed over the next six months by Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Sutherland, Kingdom of Saratoga, and Ohio). In September a major breakthrough in the lines was made but a harsh winter made progress slow however by March of 1907 the NAU had been pushed from the Commonwealth. On June 21st 1907 the armistice was signed.
Chief Alana would again lead the nation through a period of rebuilding and this time also a period of modernization. The “Electrical Grid” was expanded, phone lines replaced telegraph lines, rail lines were repaired and expanded, new buildings erected, highways laid out – and to facilitate this massive buildings project she pushed through her Egalitarian Acts (made all the more easier by the fact The Great War had leveled many social concepts of gender placement). Her reign even saw the enlistment of female cadets into the military, though this was after World War II (1930-1935) against the Russian Hegemony when our navy needed recruits in the wake of the devastating naval battles of that conflict. Alana Macawi died in 1960, her son Askuwheteau ruled over 3 decades of peace before passing the crown to his daughter Alana in 1992. Chief Alana II, walking in the same light as her namesake, successfully held her ground during the NAU stand off of 1993 and led the Commonwealth to victory during the Panama War of 2000-01. Domestically she has been leading the Roanoke Commonwealth through another era of rebuilding in her stalwart promotions of new technology and research into new fields of study.
