God Save These American States

[Virginia Liberal]

Russia between 1800 and 1820 centered around the whims of one man; Pavel Petrovich Romanov know to the rest of the world as Tsar Paul I. Paul I was a man who was always trying to climb out of his mother’s shadow, and escape his children’s claws. This one statement can sum up the entire reign of Paul and the fate of Russia under his reign.

Tsar Paul I of Russia (Paul the Mad)

Paul’s reign began on October 12, 1794. One of his first acts as Tsar was to pass the Pauline Laws making it so that the throne could henceforth pass to a female and through the female (cognatic) line of the dynasty, upon the extinction of all legitimately-born, male dynasts. Paul would spend the next decade reorganizing the empire so that it fit into the world of knightly orders that he lived in inside his head. This finally got to be too much and on May 12, 1808 a group of military officers and nobles led by the Tsarevich Alexander attempted to kill the Tsar in his bed. However, the paranoid Paul was able escape the coup. Enraged at the betrayal of his own blood and frightened by memories of the mother’s overthrow of his father Peter III Paul had all of the conspirators executed in the middle of St. Petersburg. Paul then went on to purge the royal court of all “dissident elements" including his second son the Grand Duke Nicholas. Making his fourth son Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich the new Tsarevich. However Paul’s mental health would continue to decline over the next two years he would launch a series of purges of the Russian military, and population. The Low point came on May 7, 1810 when Paul ordered the exile of close to 150,000 people to Russian America for thoughts of treason to the crown. Even for the loyal Russian people this was too much and riots broke out across the empire. Faced with possible revolution the Tsar’s half-brother General-Major, Count Aleksey Grigorievich Bobrinsky (Catherine's bastard son) gathered loyal officers and soldiers to him on April 17, 1810. He and about 5,000 guards marched on the St. Michael’s Castle and arrested Paul declaring him no longer mentally fit to carry out his duties as Tsar. In chains and under guard Paul abdicated in favor of his young son Michael, and Paul’s half-brother Count Aleksey Grigorievich Bobrinsky who would act as regent until his young Nephew came of age. Young Michael was Crowned Tsar Michael II on April 28, 1810, at just 12 years old. His uncle and Regent Bobrinsky made sure the boy was fully engrossed in the working of the government, from day one. He also brought in tutors form France, England, Prussia, Italy and even the Federal Republic of America in addition to his Russian tutors.

The deposed Paul would be sent to a monastery deep in the wilderness of Russian America, he would continue to slid into a deepening madness, before finally dying on May 7, 1835.

As Regent Bobrinsky had to walk a tight rope as to how he ran the country if he stepped too far in any direction then he would be accused of trying steal his nephews crown. But still within the tight constraints that he was place in Bobrinsky was able to accomplish some minor changes in Russia. The first of was when he pardoned the people that Paul had exiled to Russian America giving every family that he had sent across the sea the right to claim 15 acers of land as their own and freedom from serfdom. He also pardoned all the officers that his brother had had imprisoned in Siberia restored their rank, titles and lands. He also reorganized the Army and saw the adoption of the Army’s first Rifled Musket as its primary fire arm. Then lastly just before Michael came of age Bobrinsky ended serfdom in the Russian Far East and Russian America; he took the risk at this small step when one day after his lessons with the American tutor Michael asked him why so many of his people were slaves to the land.

Count Regent Aleksey Grigorievich Bobrinsky beloved uncle of Michael II

Michael spent the time of his Regency in when not in the class room with his tutors touring the country, as much as his uncle and the advisors would allow. He also spent many days in the company of the Imperial Russian Army and became a marksman with the new Rifled Musket his uncle had started issuing to the military. All of this lead to Michael being seen as the people’s Tsar. It was during this part of his life that Michael would develop a hatred for the system of Serfdom. He would write to his uncle in 1813 .

“Never has system ever been so backward as to keep the bulk of a country’s people in poor and dumb. How much greater could our country be if the bulk of our population was not deprived of the most basic of education and allowed a chance to advance beyond the role of ignorant farmer. I swear to you before god that this shall be one thing that I correct upon my coming of Age. “

On February 16, 1815 eight days after his 17th birthday Michael would give the Russian political world the first of a long reign of shocks, by marrying Anastasia Andreyevna Gorchakov the 15 year old daughter of Andrei Ivanovich Gorchakov who were decedents of the ancient Rurik dynasty. When asked about his choice in brides the young Tsar said “I feel that we need to breed the Russian back into the Russian Imperial Family.” His dedication to this domestic principle would be shown on November 21, 1815 when the Empress gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom they named Ivan Mikhailovich Romanov.

Anastasia Andreyevna Gorchakov

Tsar Michael II

February 8, 1816 In the Cathedral of the Dormition in Moscow on his eighteenth birthday, Michael Pavlovich Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov was crowned Tsar Michael II, and Anastasia was crowned Queen Consort. Upon the completion the ceremony Michael now the most powerful man in Russia, would issue his Coronation Edict in which he officially ended the policy of Serfdom in the Russian Empire, Land owners could only charge the peasants rent for the land that they works and Serfs could work crown owned lands for free, or seek work in the cities. Michael II would move the capital of the Empire back to Moscow as part of his reRussiafaction reforms he was planning on set in place. As work of the Edict spread it angered the land owners however Michael was the Tsar and had the support and admiration of the majority of the Russian people. This was the start of the reign of the man who would be recorded in history as Michael the Great.

Coronation of Michael II

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Merry christmas to all

 

[isabella]

Russia between 1800 and 1820 centered around the whims of one man; Pavel Petrovich Romanov know to the rest of the world as Tsar Paul I. Paul I was a man who was always trying to climb out of his mother’s shadow, and escape his children’s claws. This one statement can sum up the entire reign of Paul and the fate of Russia under his reign.

Tsar Paul I of Russia (Paul the Mad)

Paul’s reign began on October 12, 1794. One of his first acts as Tsar was to pass the Pauline Laws making it so that the throne could henceforth pass to a female and through the female (cognatic) line of the dynasty, upon the extinction of all legitimately-born, male dynasts. Paul would spend the next decade reorganizing the empire so that it fit into the world of knightly orders that he lived in inside his head. This finally got to be too much and on May 12, 1808 a group of military officers and nobles led by the Tsarevich Alexander attempted to kill the Tsar in his bed. However, the paranoid Paul was able escape the coup. Enraged at the betrayal of his own blood and frightened by memories of the mother’s overthrow of his father Peter III Paul had all of the comparatist executed in the middle of St. Petersburg. Paul then went on to purge the royal court of all “dissident elements including his second son the Grand Duke Nicholas. Making his third son Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich the new Tsarevich. However Paul’s mental health would continue to decline over the next two years he would launch a series of purges of the Russian military, and population. The Low point came on May 7, 1810 when Paul ordered the exile of close to 150,000 people to Russian America for thoughts of treason to the crown. Even for the loyal Russian people this was too much and riots broke out across the empire. Faced with possible revolution the Tsar’s half-brother General-Major, Count Aleksey Grigorievich Bobrinsky gathered loyal officers and soldiers to him on April 17, 1810. He and about 5,000 guards marched on the St. Michael’s Castle and arrested Paul declaring him no longer mentally fit to carry out his duties as Tsar. In chains and under guard Paul abdicated in favor of his young son Michael, and Paul’s half-brother Count Aleksey Grigorievich Bobrinsky who would act as regent until his young Nephew came of age. Young Michael was Crowned Tsar Michael II on April 28, 1810, at just 12 years old. His uncle and Regent Bobrinsky made sure the boy was fully engrossed in the working of the government, from day one. He also brought in tutors form France, England, Prussia, Italy and even the Federal Republic of America in addition to his Russian tutors.

The deposed Paul would be sent to a monastery deep in the wilderness of Russian America, he would continue to slid into a deepening madness, before finally dying on May 7, 1835.

As Regent Bobrinsky had to walk a tight rope as to how he ran the country if he stepped too far in any direction then he would be accused of trying steal his nephews crown. But still within the tight constraints that he was place in Bobrinsky was able to accomplish some minor changes in Russia. The first of was when he pardoned the people that Paul had exiled to Russian America giving every family that he had sent across the sea the right to claim 15 acers of land as their own and freedom from serfdom. He also pardoned all the officers that his brother had had imprisoned in Siberia restored their rank, titles and lands. He also reorganized the Army and saw the adoption of the Army’s first Rifled Musket as its primary fire arm. Then lastly just before Michael came of age Bobrinsky ended serfdom in the Russian Far East and Russian America; he took the risk at this small step when one day after his lessons with the American tutor Michael asked him why so many of his people were slaves to the land.

Count Regent Aleksey Grigorievich Bobrinsky beloved uncle of Michael II

Michael spent the time of his Regency in when not in the class room with his tutors touring the country, as much as his uncle and the advisors would allow. He also spent many days in the company of the Imperial Russian Army and became a marksman with the new Rifled Musket his uncle had started issuing to the military. All of this lead to Michael being seen as the people’s Tsar. It was during this part of his life that Michael would develop a hatred for the system of Serfdom. He would write to his uncle in 1813 .

“Never has system ever been so backward as to keep the bulk of a country’s people in poor and dumb. How much greater could our country be if the bulk of our population was not deprived of the most basic of education and allowed a chance to advance beyond the role of ignorant farmer. I swear to you before god that this shall be one thing that I correct upon my coming of Age. “

On February 16, 1815 eight days after his 17th birthday Michael would give the Russian political world the first of a long reign of shocks, by marrying Anastasia (Nastya) Konstantinovna Gorchakov the 15 year old daughter of Andrei Ivanovich Gorchakov who were decedents of the ancient Rurik dynasty. When asked about his choice in brides the young Tsar said “I feel that we need to breed the Russian back into the Russian Imperial Family.” His dedication to this domestic principle would be shown on November 21, 1815 when the Empress gave birth to a healthy baby boy whom they named Ivan Vladimir Dmitrievich Romanov.

Anastasia (Nastya) Konstantinovna Gorchakov

Tsar Michael II

February 8, 1816 In the Cathedral of the Dormition in Moscow on his eighteenth birthday, Michael Pavlovich Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov was crowned Tsar Michael II, and Anastasia (Nastya) Konstantinovna Gorchakov was crowned Queen Consort. Upon the completion the ceremony Michael now the most powerful man in Russia, would issue his Coronation Edict in which he officially ended the policy of Serfdom in the Russian Empire, Land owners could only charge the peasants rent for the land that they works and Serfs could work crown owned lands for free, or seek work in the cities. Michael II would move the capital of the Empire back to Moscow as part of his reRussiafaction reforms he was planning on set in place. As work of the Edict spread it angered the land owners however Michael was the Tsar and had the support and admiration of the majority of the Russian people. This was the start of the reign of the man who would be recorded in history as Michael the Great.

Coronation of Michael II

Careful with patronimics... Yours are all wrong... They need to be derivated from the father name (unless we are talking about foreign who changed name after a conversion)

 

[Virginia Liberal]

@isabella copy past from wikipedia and a random name generator pm me and I'll try to get it fixed. I am not a linguist by any means

 

[Virginia Liberal]

last Russia chapter is edited thanks for the help @isabella

 

[Virginia Liberal]

League of German Christian Republics

The LGCR had emerged from the Troubles as the only functional Franciscan State in Central Europe. At least that was how it appeared to the outside world. Inside the League the various republics fought political wars with each other over who had the most power within the Confederation. By 1812 just six years following their victory in the Troubles; the League was on the verge of breaking up as each of the for republics threatened to go their own way. That was until the general who had won the war for the league was elected Chancellor on September 18, 1813. Gerhard von Scharnhorst had never bought into the religious doctrine that the Franciscans had brought with them. Instead Scharnhorst wanted to create a state were all nobles and commoners alike were on an equal plain. With his two-year term as Chancellor Scharnhorst would pull of what was a centrist revolution with in the league. On December 21, 1813 military units loyal to Scharnhorst would size enter the city of Kassel capital city of the League as well as the capitals of the four republics Bremen, Hanover, Frankfurt, and Erfurt. As the Franciscans bishops were rounded up Scharnhorst enacted martial law. Hanover’s Army was loyal to Scharnhorst the hero of the Revolution, and it was the strongest and best trained in the League, actually having a small professional force where the rest of the republics relied on militia. The Coup went off without a hitch and by dawn on December 22nd Chancellor Scharnhorst had complete control of the League of German Christian Republics. He now summoned representatives of the three other republics to Kassel, for a convention.

This would take place on December 25th; the Christmas Convention would be where Scharnhorst presented his new Constitution to the representatives. In this constitution church and state were separated, all Christians faiths were allowed to exist without harassment by the government. The Republics would surrender all but local administrative authority to the Federal Government and be rebranded as states with in the new United Republic of Germany. That government would now be split into two branches the Executive Branch made up of the Chancellor’s and his advisers. The Chancellor would now have an eight-year term; and the ability to issued executive orders that were binding until countermanded by the chancellor’s office, the power to veto any bill passed by the Volkskammer. The other branch of the government would be a legislative assembly called the Volkskammer (peoples chamber); this assembly had 400 seats 100 for each state each Chamberman would serve a 4-year term. The Volkskammer would pass legislation for the chancellor to enact into law.

The new Republic allowed the political parties that the League had stifled to emerge and thrive. The Frist Volkskammer would be elected on February 7, 1814 of the 400 seats the German People Party of which Scharnhorst was a member would take 225 seats. The German Republican Party would take 100 seats, the People’s Army Party took 50 seats; the German Franciscan Party 25 seats. The election vindicated Scharnhorst’s actions and gave him a mandate to govern it also stated to create a national identity for the new UGR.

United Republic of Germany Government Castle built on the hills above Kassel between 1818 and 1820

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Prussian Empire 1800-1820

For Prussia the first two decades were a peaceful time under Kaiser Ludwig. The Kaiser would start to reform the Army reversing the deterioration that his father had allowed to take place during his reign. Ludwig would also begin a small buildup of the Prussian Navy in response to the Swedish Empire’s beginning a major naval construction program. While not on the same scale as the Swedish program it was large enough to ensure that the Prussian coast could not be easily raided in the event of a war in the Baltic. Ludwig also increased the coastal defenses in Jutland and the Prussian and Polish Baltic coast. However Ludwig was never a heathy man and finally his body gave out on him on June 1, 1817 he suffered a heart attack and died. His Eldest son Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig would become the new Kaiser of the Prussian empire.

On August 18, 1817 Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig would be crowned Kaiser Friedrich III in honor of Grandfather Frederick (II) the Great. Frederick III believed that it was his job to restore the Prussian Army to the greatest army in Europe that his grandfather had created. Frederick unlike his father was not continent to rule a midsized land in central Europe he had his eyes on a Greater Prussian Empire that included all of the old Holy Roman Empire as well as Scandinavia and the Baltic States. He was however did have his father patience and was not planning to rush into a war Prussia could not win but he was young an unlike his father he was healthy time was very much on his side.

Kaiser Frederick III (if someone can find a better Picture of him please let me know.)

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Kingdom of Hungary-Croatia

The decade of the 1810’s would prove to be a quiet decade for the Kingdom of Hungary-Croatia. The new Constitution would continue to work smoothly with House of Representatives Elections being held in 1809, 1812, 1815, and 1818. In each of these elections control of the house would peacefully change hands form one party to the other. From 1806-1812 the Constitutional Monarchy Party and its Constitutionalist Coalition would be the dominant coalition member in the house however it would lose seats to the Imperial Monarchy Party following the 1812 election. The Imperialist coalition would hold power until the election of 1818 when the Constitutionalist Coalition would once more retake control of the house. 1816 would see the House of Magnates 300 seats reshuffled as well.

It was during the years that Imperial Monarchist Party and it Imperial Coalition were in control of the house that the Royal Hungarian and Royal Croatian Armies were reorganized into a more efficient organizational structure they would also be the first army to adopt the new cap lock mechanism developed by the Bohemian inventor Adolf Adamček(1).

The Hungarian Model 1817 the worlds first cap lock musket in mass production

These years would also see the Royal Hungarian-Croat Navy enlarged to 19 ships of the line 22 frigates and 40 sloops and smaller vessels. This was done after the Admiralty informed the King and Parliament that it was in no shape to challenge the Ottoman Imperial Navy when the Italian-Turkish War broke out in the fall of 1814. After this Hungary-Croatia vowed that it never again be put in a position where it was not able to project its power.

(1) fictional character

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Bohemia 1810-1820

In Bohemia Emperor Francis II stews in his powerlessness position, he has taken to calling himself the Ornamental Emperor. Yet, he is planning on changing his role in the Government of the Bohemian Empire. He and Colonel-General Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld plan to change this. The General wanted to see the Bohemian Empire annex the Slovenian Republic and regain access to the sea. To do this he allied himself with the Bohemian Action Party, who would win enough seats to be a part of the Government following the 1819 election setting the Stage for the Bohemian Slovak war of 1821, a war in which everything that could go wrong will go wrong for Bohemia.

The Envisioned Bohemian Empire by Colloredo-Mansfeld and Francis II

Colonel-General Hieronymus Karl Graf von Colloredo-Mansfeld

 

[Virginia Liberal]

yes I know that last chapter was more pics than actual text but I cant make mountains out of every mole hill lol Next up is Italy and finally get the the main event of Europe 1810-1820 the Italian-Turkish War, aka Napoleon marches again

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Imperial Family

On May 8, 1807 after years of marriage and two miscarriages Empress Maria Amalia delivers a healthy baby boy to her husband Emperor Napoleon I. The Boy is named Charles Napoleon Bonaparte and is name, Prince Imperial and the Count of Tunis; Heir to the Throne of the Italian Empire Two years later on June 17, 1809 Maria Amalia will give birth to a second son, sadly the birth of the child is a hard one on Maria who passes away just hours after the child is born. The boy is named Marius Napoleon Bonaparte, in honor of his mother; his father proclaims him the Duke of Naples. Napoleon’s youngest sister Caroline Bonaparte will become the beloved aunt and mother figure to the two young princes.

Empress Maria the First Wife of Emperor Napoleon

Grand Duchess Caroline Bonaparte

In the fall of 1809 Napoleon’s ambassador to Britain began a conversation with King George IV. Napoleon wanted to Mary his youngest sister the 26 year old Princess Amelia of the United Kingdom. George and the British Government were not opposed to the union but George had one condition, he would not simply pawn off his baby sister like a prized horse, so he arranged for her to take a state visit to Naples in the Spring of 1810, and after that visit if she wished to marry they Italian Emperor then it was ok with him. Amelia’s visit to Naples was a huge success Napoleon pulled out all of his charms and the Princess fell in love with the charming Italian Emperor and his two young sons. Before she left to return to England she agreed to marry Napoleon. The two would be married seven months later on December 12, 1810.

Empress Amelia, the second wife of Napoleon

On November 18, 1811, Amelia gave birth to a baby girl named Carlotta Maria Bonaparte the First Imperial Princess of Italy. Carlotta would be followed by another son Prince Giorgio (George) Victor Napoleon Bonaparte born on the eve of war, on September 1, 1814

The state of the Italian Empire on the Eve of War

By the summer of 1814 collection of independent states that Napoleon had sown together to create his empire were actually starting to act like a unified nation however to call it a single national culture would be a stretch. Key to this was the creation of the Imperial Army by Napoleon in 1808. This broke up the old localized state armies creating a new National army with a centralized officer corps. The Navy is also treated equally as the old independent navies of the Italian states are melted into a single service. Napoleon also begins construction on new ships expanding the Imperial Navy into a force he hopes will one day turn the Mediterranean Sea into an Italian Lake. During this period the Italian Economy as the Italian textile industry focused on turning out high quality cloth, and foundries were expanded to meet the increasing needs of Napoleon’s growing and modernizing Military.

The Start of the Italian-Turkish War

On September 23, 1814 the Italian merchant ship Stella Rossa (Red Star) was captured by Libyan pirates, This came at a high point of Libyan Piracy and offered Napoleon a golden opportunity, to expand Italian control into Libya. On September 28, 1814 he sent a message to the Ottoman Sultan Mustafa IV demanding full retribution for all the lost Italian ships going back to 1807, Napoleon gave Mustafa till October 28, 1814. There was no way that Mustafa could meet Napoleon’s demands as Libya was only nominally under his control. On October 28, 1814 Mustafa sent Napoleon a response stating that there was no way in which the Ottoman Empire could comply with the Demands of the Italian Empire. However he would be willing to work with Napoleon on a “reasonable settlement.” Two days later a force of Libyan soldiers crossed the border into Tunis and raided an Italian settlement killing 28 people and wounding over 100 more. This was enough and on December 1, 1814 he asked the Italian Parliament for a declaration of War on the Ottoman Empire. Both the National Assembly and the Senate would pass this call for war. At midnight on December 2, 1814 the Italian Empire declared war on the Ottoman Empire.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Ottoman Empire

The Treaty of Berlin that ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1791 left the Ottoman Empire in total disarray, they had lost all of their European Territory as well as the Tunisia. The cost of the war had also left their economy in a deep recession. It was in the face of this that Sultan Selim III chose to move the Capital of the Empire from the Southern half of Constantinople that the Turks remained Istanbul, to the ancient capital of Konya. Selim III proclaimed that the Turkish people need to reconnect with their roots in the wake of their greatest defeat.

Sultan Selim III

By 1800 the economy had recovered enough for Selim III to begin his reforms. In these reforms Selim abolished the military tenure of fiefs; he introduced salutary reforms into the administration, especially in the fiscal department, sought by well-considered plans to extend the spread of education, and engaged foreign officers as instructors, by whom a small corps of new troops called nizam-i-jedid were collected and drilled in 1797. This unit was composed of Turkish peasant youths from Anatolia and supplied with modern weaponry.

By 1806 the new army numbered around 23,000 troops, including a modern artillery corps, and its units performed effectively in minor actions. But Selim III's inability to integrate the force with the regular army and his reluctance to deploy it against his domestic opponents limited its role in defending the state it was created to preserve.

From the start of Selim's reign, the Janissaries had viewed this entire program of military reform as a threat to their independence, and they refused to serve alongside the new army in the field. The powerful derebeys were alarmed by the way in which the sultan financed his new forces—he confiscated timars and directed the other revenue toward the nizam-i jedid. Further opposition came from the ulama and other members of the ruling elite who objected to the European models on which Selim based his military reforms. In 1806 the Janissaries and their backers in the Ruling Elite attamped a coup against Selim III however when faced with this threat from within Selim finally turned his new army on the Janissaries and crushed the coup attempt. The Janissaries and their backers were decimated those who survived were stripped of all their wealth and privileges and exiled from the empire.

Sultan Mustafa IV

Then in the fall of 1810 Selim fell ill. It was a sudden illness and swift illness that saw the sultan go from a healthy 49 year old man to an invalid within three weeks; and a dead man just over a month. Following Selim’s death his cousin Mustafa was crowned Mustafa IV. Unlike Selim Mustafa was easily controlled by the ruling elites that Selim had forced from power. Under Mustafa IV’s reign many of the reforms that Selim III started were abandoned and his new modern army was no abolished but left to wither on the vine. The reactionary policies of Mustafa IV would be the source of many of the Empires woes in the Italian-Turkish War of 1814.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Constantine(Konstantin) XII comes of Age

May 27, 1795 under the great dome of the Hagia Sophia, in the City of Byzantium (the northern half of Constantinople controlled by the Restored Byzantine Empire) Konstantin Pavlovich Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov otherwise known as Constantine XII of the Byzantine Empire celebrates his 16th birthday by officially being crowned Emperor in his own right, officially ending the Regency. Constantine now takes up all the functions of the office of Emperor however he keeps Georgios Papanikolis on one of his key advisers. On September 21, 1796 after more than three years of secrete courtship Konstantin and Princess Marie Thérèse of France were married in the new completed Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation (1) in Athens, the day after Marie officially converts to the from the Catholic to the Orthodox faith.

The Emperor and Empress waist no time in consummating their marriage and Georgios Papanikolis notes in this journals that the Emperor is quite distracted by martial affairs for the next few months. Not surprisingly as a result of all of this dedication Empress Marie gives birth to a healthy baby boy on August 4, 1797, the child is named Paul Louis after his grandfathers. Paul will be followed by five more siblings between 1797 and 1813. Justinian Eugene born on October 1, 1798, Natasha Maria born on July 17, 1801, Constantine Emanuel born on January 7, 1803, Tabatha Sophia born on June 24, 1806, and Kristen Layna born on May 1, 1810, Nicholas Kristo born on December 19, 1812.

Outside of his family life Konstantin’s Reign continued on the nation building polices that had dominated the regency. Konstantin and the Byzantine Senate and Assembly devoted ample funds to develop the Armed forces both the Army and the Navy. This was done easily as all were fearful of the return of the Ottomans. However in the end it would be the Byzantines that brought war to the Aegean Sea and Anatolia in 1816 as they sought to capitalize on the Ottomans misfortunes in the Italian-Turkish war.

Emperor Constantine XII

Empress Marie Therese

(1) it is completed much earlier because of Independence from Ottomans sooner.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

 

[Virginia Liberal]

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Italian, Tunisia

Marshal Giuseppe di Buonaparte was encamped with Army of Tunisia just to the east of the town of Bengardane, he had moved the bulk of this forces toward the border with Libya as soon as he had learned of the ultimatum his brother had sent to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. December 5, 1814 Giuseppe receives word from Napoleon that war has been declared on the Ottoman Empire. Giuseppe orders the 52,000 men (45,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry) supported by 36 field guns. strong Army of Tunisia to march at dawn on December 6, 1814.

Marshal Giuseppe di Buonaparte

The Italians advanced eastwards along the coast. They cross the border at the town of Ras Ajdir. The town is fortified but they Ottoman Defenders hadn’t received word that that war was declared and the Italians are able to take the fortification without a fight; however, some do escape and flee east. Regardless the Giuseppe leaves a small detachment to hold the captured forts and then had his army marching once more, at dawn on December 7, 1814.

On December 8th, The ottoman governor and military commander Yusuf Karamanli lead the bulk of the Ottoman forces out of Tripol to meet the Italians west of the city. Karamanli’s army was 48,500 men (40,000 Infantry 8,500 cavalry) supported by 18 field guns

The two armies would meet the next day December 9, 1814 at the city of Sabratha. There in the shadows of the ancient Roman Ruins the two armies clashed. The battle began around 11:30am when the first elements of both armies ran into each other. While the battle was far from one sided however Giuseppe Bonaparte was a much better commander than Karamanli, It was close to 3:00 Pm when the Italians turned the Turk’s right flank. This resulted in the Turkish position unwinding. Karamanli was able to use his cavalry to halt the Italian advance long enough for him to reform his line. However, he knew that the day was going against him and began to slowly with draw though a series of skillful wheeling movements. The battle left the Italians too exhausted to peruse and Bonaparte allowed the Turks to with draw and started to tend to his wounded. The battle bloodied both sides, the Italians lost 1,100 men killed and 1,800 men wounded; while the Turks lost 2,000 men killed, 1,900 wounded, and 3,000 missing, and had lost 10 of their 18 field guns. Karamanli will pull his forces back to the city of Tripoli uniting his battered force with the 15,000-man garrison inside the city. This would set the stage for the battle of Tripoli.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Battle of Tripoli

The Battle of Sabratha had left the Italian Army completely exhausted and unorganized, Giuseppe Bonaparte had no choice but to allow his men a some down He would rest and reorganize his army over the next three days. It was during this rest period that a reinforcement column commanded by Brigadier General Jean Lannes. This column consisted of 8,000 infantry, and 2,000 cavalry supported by 18 field guns in three batteries. In Tripoli Yusuf Karamanli’s force was in worse than the Italians and he now had to make a hard choice his army was smaller than the Italians and had proven incapable of defeating them in open battle. So he had two options he could a hold up in Tripoli behind the cities defenses and bleed the Italians before his force was over whelmed or he could abandon the city and march east in the hope of reaching Reinforcements from eastern Libya or Egypt. Looking back the second one would have been the better option but Karamanli was honor bound to try and hold the capital of his province, So he had his men entrench and rest around the city.

The Italian Army would arrive in front of Tripoli at 1 pm on December 13, 1814 there they found the Turks entrenched with in the city’s defenses Giuseppe deployed his 52,000 men in a Giant C around the city of Tunis, he was also forced to break up his artillery to support this entire line, this lack of concentration would make the battle drag out days longer than need be. He held his 8,000 cavalry back hoping to be able to exploit any break though that may happen. Inside the defenses 50,000 infantry and 6,600 dismounted cavalry manned the fortresses and the earth works supporting each fort.

Giuseppe would begin his bombardment at dawn on December 14, 1814 His field artillery would be joined by the guns for the 3rd Fleet consisting of 3 ships of the line 10 frigates and 14 sloops and 11 brigs. The arrival of the navy inspired Giuseppe to change his plan of battle he dismounted his cavalry and placed them in the center of this line moving his infantry brigades toward the Coastal fort on the western flank of the Turkish lines. On January 14, 1815 after a month of bombardment Giuseppe would launch a full assault on the two forts that anchored the Turkish lines on the east and western flanks. The assault would begin at dawn on the 14th and would last until dark on the 18th. This four day long running battle would two flanking forts fall by noon on the 15th, then the Turkish launch a counter attack on the Italian forces now holding the ruins of the two coastal fortresses; this would be unsuccessful after which the Turkish forces not inside their remaining three forts fall back into the city. The 16th and 17th would see the Italians reduce and take the now isolated fortresses on the out skirts of the city. As January 18, 1815 dawned the exhausted Italian troops prepared to begin the final phase of the battle the assault on the Turkish forces held up in the city of Tripoli itself. However this final assault would not be needed. At 6:45am on January 18, 1815 Karamanli sent a messenger under white flag to ask for terms of surrender. January 19, 1815 Karamanli and his men begin marching under guard back to a prisoner of war camp in Tunisia. The battle of Tripoli was over in an Italian victory.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Casualties of the battle of Tripoli
Italian: 1900 killed 3500 wounded 1800 missing

Turkish: 1600 killed, 2700 wounded, 5000 missing 31500 captured

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Following the capture of Tripoli Giuseppe Bonaparte would spend the rest of January and February securing the rest of Tripolitania, and the southwestern province of Libya Fezzan by capturing the Fortress of Murzuk on February 7, 1815. However it was not until March when the Italians were ready to march out of Tripoli.

This would happen at Dawn on March 8, 1815 when Giuseppe Bonaparte and his reinforced Army of 58,000 men heading east along the coastal road. They left behind them a 10,000 man garrison under the command of Girolamo Buonaparte the youngest Bonaparte brother.This march would take 14 days with Giuseppe’s Army not arriving at the outskirts of Benghazi until late on March 15, 1815. They would find the city heavily fortified; still Giuseppe believed that he could pull off a repeat of this victory at Tripoli.. During the night he organized his army so that the bulk of this forces were arranged on the flanks of the Benghazi. The Dawn on March 16, 1815 brought with it a thunderous artillery bombardment. This would last till 10 o'clock when it would be followed two simultaneous infantry attacks. The attack would last for five hours before the Italians were beaten back The First battle of Benghazi cost the Italians 2,000 men killed, 5,000 men wounded and 1,500 men missing in action. The Turkish Garrison would lose 1,000 men killed 2,000 men wounded and 1,800 men missing in action. Defeated Giuseppe decided to begin a siege of the city.The Italians would be further disheartened on March 18, 1815 when the Turkish Fleet sailed into Benghazi and landed an additional 35,000 Turkish troops inside the city. Bringing the number of Turkish troops inside the city up to 75,000 men. At the same time in Sicily another 38,000 man army is being assembled under the command of General Remo Carnaghi. This force would arrive in the Benghazi area reinforcing Giuseppe’s Army bringing it up to just under 80,000 men. With both sides numbers too close for an assault to be effective the Italians settled down in their ever increasing earth works for a siege of the city.

The Turkish Navy may have managed to avoid the Imperial Italian Navy as it sailed from Tartus to Benghazi, however it would not be as lucky as they passed by the Island of Gavdos. This small Byzantine Island would lend its name to the biggest naval battle of the War. At 10 am on March 20, 1815 The Turkish fleet consisting of 5 first rate ships of the line 10 Frigates and 20 sloops was attacked by and Italian Fleet of 6 first rate ships of the line, 10 second rate ships of the line 18 frigates, and 35 sloops. After 8 hours of combat the Turkish ships were either sunk, on fire or captured. March 20th would go down as the day that the Ottoman Imperial Navy died.

Battle of Gavdos March 20, 1815

The Battle of Gavdos opened the door for Napoleon's true plan to begin.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Napoleon's Invasion of the Holy Land

On December 15,1815 The Italian Navy appears off of the port of Acer in Palestine. Napoleon landed his army of 96,000 men to the south of the city at the mouth of the Belus (Na'aman) River. Napoleon took the port city easily its small 1,000 man garrison choosing to surrender to the much larger Italian Army. Napoleon moved quickly Leaving 10,000 men in Acer to secure his port of supply. On December 16, 1815 he attacked and conquered the City of Haifa. Napoleon now split his force in half he would take 50,000 men and march south where he would take City of Jaffa and the march on Jerusalem. Meanwhile General Achille Fontanelli would take the remaining 30,000 men to secure and hold the Jezreel Valley, from an expected Turkish attack from the North.


Napoleon, marched South and on December 20,1815 engaged the Ottoman garrion in the city of Jaffa. The 5,000 man garrison was easily defeated. The next morning he was greeted by the sight of ships entering the Harbor flying the Italian flags. This fleet landed the Papal Army a force of 25,000 men assembled from the city of Rome or collected from across Europe mercenaries who thought a modern crusade would be fun. The Papal army was commanded by General Joaquín Blake an spanish exile who had fled to Rome following the collapse of the Kingdom of Spain. This force is part of the secret clause of the Treaty of Rome between Napoleon and the Papal states. On December 22, 1815 both armies set off marching east by southeast toward Jerusalem.


The Two armies would arrive outside the city walls of Jerusalem On December 24, 1816. Ther waiting for them was the an Ottoman Garrison of 15,000 infantry, 6,800 cavalry and 28 cannon of varying quality. The Battle of Jerusalem would begin at 11pm that day. The Turkish forces fought desperately to hold off Napoleon’s superior forces but by 3 pm that evening the Turkish were broken The bulk of the infantry and artillery would surrender while the cavalry routed retreating to the South. At 5pm on Christmas Eve Napoleon led his triumphant army into the city of Jerusalem. For the first time since 1187 the Holy City was under Christian control. Napoleon along will his commanders took Christmas mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The battle of Jerusalem

The Ottoman Response


The Ottomans had not taken the the news of Napoleon’s Invasion of the Holy land laying down. The Turkish Governor of Damascus Laz Aziz Ahmed Pasha learned about the fall of Acer on December 18th. He had Ordered the troops under his command to begin to to concentrate at Damascus. By December 31, 1816 he had gathered together a force of 75,000 men supported by 36 field guns. On that day he received word that Napoleon had defeated the garrison in Jerusalem and captured the city. His scouts informed him that the Italians had split into two columns one remained in the Acer area while the other was with Napoleon in Jerusalem. The next morning Ahmed Pasha would have his army on the march. He aimed to isolate the northern Italian force and destroy it then move on Napoleon’s main force, destroying the Italian forces in detail.


January 4, 1816 General General Achille Fontanelli and his Northern Wing of the Italian Army met the Turkish Army of Damascus on the field of battle in the Shadow of Mount Tur’an. The Battle of Tur’an would see 30,000 Italians (26,000 Inf 4,000 cavalry ) supported by 28 field guns try and defend the Tur’an valley against 75,000 Turkish troops (60,000 Infantry and 15,000 cavalry) supported by 36 field guns. The Italians were out numbered more than 2 to 1 in every thing but artillery, and in this area they had the advantage as Italian artillery was modern artillery pieces opposed to the Turkish mixed matched artillery pieces. Fontanelli knew that his job was to delay and keep his force from being destroyed. The Battle of Tur’an lasted from 9 am to 6 pm when dusk fell the Italians fell back towards the South. They would make it to Nazareth before they found out that they’re path was blocked by 15,000 Turkish cavalry occupying The Italians form a defensive formation and waited for Napoleon to come to their rescue. The battle of Tur’an cost the Italians 1,000 killed, 1,500 wounded; and the Turkish 2,000 killed 2,900 wounded.

General Achille Fontanelli