How a bunch of fat guys falling off horses wrecked the British Empire

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 89

March, 1804

London

King George III read through his personal correspondence and grudgingly opened the one from his son in Hanover. The light of the spring day was strong and the King's fading eyesight still managed to parse the words. On a cloudy day, the King suffered the humiliation of having one of his adjutants read his dispatches.

The Prince of Wales reported that all three of his daughters had survived another winter, much to everyone's shock. The elder two of the triplets were apparently identical, the only differing mark being a small splotch along Charlotte's ear. This was fortunate as it kept any succession crisis away as it had been gazette that the "blue-eyed one without the mark" was the first born, the marked one the second and the tiny dark-eyed one was third. The King hoped that a son would be born that would eliminate even that ambiguity but word had it that the Prince had determined not to lay with his wife again "for her health".

Both elder two were fat and happy, with lively blue eyes. The smallest remained frail and doctors worried for her health. The Prince had wisely ordered that no person with any form of illness shall enter the Royal Household no matter the circumstances in hopes of avoiding any disease. The children were separated into different quarters at the first sniffle.

Still, the King felt it was time to summon the Princesses and heirs to the British throne back to Britain herself. With atypical careful wording, the King "inquired" if the Prince was amenable to sending his children back to "Court" in Britain, naturally under the care of their mother. As Prince George desired to return to his hedonistic ways, this proved less of a problem. He hardly spoke to his wife or saw his children more than once a week anyway. He was proud of his large litter but held no interest in raising them directly and saw the wisdom of sending them to Britain. After all, Salic Law prevented them from inheriting Hanover anyway. Unless the Prince sired a male heir, the Electorate would fall to the line of his next brother, Frederick, newly crowned King of Norway-Iceland-Faroe Islands and heir apparent to Sweden-Finland-Swedish Pomerania.

In the meantime, a short bout (only a few days) of illness the previous winter had renewed the King's concern for a regency. George III did not want his eldest son returning to Britain until he was in the damn ground. As such, he ordered his Ministers to draw up a Regency bill should he fall ill for more than a few weeks. His third son, William, and Queen Charlotte would lead a Regency council and rule the Kingdom for up to six months. If the King did not recover, then, and only then, would the Prince of Wales be recalled from Hanover to assume the Regency. George III assumed that if his illness lasted that long, he was probably permanently an invalid and supposed his loathed eldest son may as way take up the throne.

Passing the bill through Parliament was the last service of his First Lord, Addington. The man had led a weak government after Pitt's retirement and his popularity over the winter was sapped by two poor harvests, the ensuing recession and Britain's inability to influence the great powers' division of northern Italy. George III would not miss him but knew that few good alternatives remained beyond trying to entice Pitt back from retirement.

Oslo

The first order of business was the renaming of Christiania to Oslo. It had been renamed years ago by a former King Christian of Denmark and the Kingdom of Norway didn't want their capital named after a Dane. Ironically, the new King's four year old heir, Prince Christian of Norway, had been named after the deposed (and mad) King Christian VII. In an effort to improve relations years ago between Denmark and Britain, then Prince Frederick, Duke of York, had agreed to make King Christian VII godfather to the his first son. Princess Louise liked the name and the couple decided to honor the King of Denmark by naming their own son as such. If George III was disappointed that there would be no George V someday, he didn't complain though Queen Charlotte issued a carefully worded protest. But Frederick was her favorite son and her anger did not last long.

Frederick's first few months on the Norwegian throne were quite positive and he proved popular with the masses. However, this was threatened when the Kingdom of Sweden named Frederick the heir to their own throne. Having been overshadowed by Denmark for centuries, the threat that they would once again be ruled by an absentee monarch sent up a ripple of discontent. Some actively advocated selecting a new King, perhaps one of Frederick's younger brothers. But the fact that King Karl of Sweden would reign for the rest of his days left the people of Norway with the knowledge they did not have to make a snap decision. King Frederick had acceded to every request of Parliament and who knew what another monarch may do. They decided to wait and see.

Copenhagen

Queen Amelia proved quite popular in Denmark, though she was vilified in some quarters over the fact that her brother had "stolen" Norway, most Danes were quick to forget. The economy had been shattered by the civil war and the nation needed to heal. Naturally, many Danes thought Norway was a drag on the country anyway.

Now five months pregnant, the frail Queen had gone into virtual seclusion upon advice of her doctors. Perhaps more importantly, the King had suffered significant health problems related to his time in prison. His younger brother had perished of the jailhouse fever and many feared that the King may eventually succumb as well.

Both monarchs proved willing to reform...at least at the pace that Parliament would allow. The nobles of Denmark were not, by nature, reformers. An odd political situation existed. Technically, the Danish King was a virtual autocrat with few checks on his powers. However, powerful noble factions existed that the King had to placate even if that was not technically embodied by Parliament. The common people desired reform and an elected Parliament.

Christian VIII of Denmark would, in the early months of his rein, place a priority on reforming the draconian legal system and add more routes of due process. The harsh penalties for hundreds of offenses were lightened. Freedom of the press was gradually reestablished. Knowing he could not move too quickly, the teenaged King moved quietly but steadily towards the modernization of his country.

Moscow

The Czar had not been overly cross with his eldest son after his liberation and return to Russia. If anything, the Czar spent the winter of 1803-1804 in melancholy solitude. His subjects breathed a sigh of relief when he did not order the recruiting sergeants out into the countryside in early spring as many expected.

Russia seemed to drift, no one knew which direction.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 90

June, 1804

Moscow

The erratic Czar was uncertain what direction to take with his massive nation. Depressed and humiliated by his capture at the hands of the Polish cavalry, the Czar retreated into the Kremlin and issued a series of edicts, most without any particular organization. The eclectic mix of orders included: the abolition of the Prussia-style uniforms his soldiers hated (he had seen men freeze to death in them), the approval of a trade treaty with the new King of Norway, the fortification of the Persian border, approval for his explorers to march ever further east and, finally, the approval given to experiment with a new form of inoculation for the dreaded disease smallpox.

The last would prove to be of great importance. The previous inoculations included thrusting powdered smallpox scabs up the nose, as developed in China many centuries before. This was largely not available to the masses and still was not entirely effective. However, the new method of utilizing infected cowpox patients (much discussed but still not fully accepted) by a British doctor named Jenner would significantly affect the mortality rate, especially among children, the disease often felling 10% death of infants under the age of 1. With the Habsburg-Wettin Empire now exceeding his own in population, the Czar approved the experimentation on several million of his subjects. When it became apparent that the vaccine was infinitely superior (which was obvious with a few years as the smallpox cased plummeted by over 90% in those areas), then the Czar and his heirs would command total inoculation of his subjects. This would spread to the rest of Europe short, helping to initiate a population boom.

Vienna

The Empress was getting increasingly irritated. The defeat of Russia and the crushing of the Italian rebellions (and subsequent seizure of Venice) had not solved her problems. Unrest continued in Poland, the Romanian Principalities, Bosnia, Saxony...really just about everywhere. Given that the Empress and Emperor had been going out of their way to avoid offending local sentiments of their diverse mutual Empire cast a dark shadow upon their plans to centralize the state.

Oh, Maria Theresa II would not make the error of her father, Joseph II. She would not attempt to "Germanify" the Habsburg (and Wettin) lands. She would give equal rights to her various subjects and was even more than willing to live with Protestantism (Saxony), Orthodox religions and Islam in order to keep the peace.

However, the varied governments of her realms were often chaotic and inefficient. An Empress should not have to negotiate with twelve Diets in order to get anything done. One unified government, one unified educational system, one path to the authority of the monarchy made more sense. The Empress knew that this would be the work of a lifetime but was frustrated by resistance to even the most obvious and logical improvements to the system.

It didn't help that selfish nobles were resistant to even the abolition of serfdom throughout her realms, much less sharing power with the people.

Maria Theresa did not seem to be enjoying the fruits of her victory at all as her sprawling domains (and those of her husband) continued to convulse in tension.

London

The entire city turned out for the triumphant procession from the London Docks. The Princess of Wales, Frederica, and her maids held up the little Princesses to the British public. Each princess had their own carriage (the mother bearing the heiress to Great Britain in the first). Deemed healthy enough to travel, the princesses were received with joy and all of Britain wanted to see them.

By now, only three of King George III fourteen children had sired legitimate issue. Prince Frederick was now King of Norway anyway. Someday, these little girls would represent the new nation.

New Orleans

Napoleon Bonaparte was getting mighty sick of teaching mathematics to Americans. Fortunately, there was a significant French population in New Orleans. Some were held over from decades past, others had migrated down from New France after too many hard winters and some had actually recently arrived. Indeed, New Orleans was an entrepot, a mix of many nationalities where Irish, French, German and other languages were as common as English.

Evidently, several high-ranking German and French nobles had sponsored a few large settlements from their tenants in Europe to this remote corner and these initial migrants encouraged others to follow, including into the lands that the Spanish call "Tejas" to the west but had barely bothered to settle in three hundred years. The Americans took that as an invitation and marched west in superior numbers.

After having fled from northern Italy (the short-lived "Republic of Italy"), the Corsican fled to one of a handful of safe havens for Republicans. He thought briefly about the Dutch Republic, which was looking for soldiers to serve in the East Indies, but elected against that pestilential hell. Not that New Orleans was much better.

When the American colonists from the west started to besiege New Orleans with requests for aid against the savage Indian tribes riled up by Spanish clergy in San Antonio de Bexar, the Corsican told his students they were hopeless at mathematics and accepted a post as a Captain of Cavalry and rode west.

 

[SavoyTruffle]

The future lionesses of London?

Napoleonic Tejas?

Find out next time on this TL!

 

[Pempelune]

At one particular dinner party after the funeral, President Jay offered a few words in honor of the late President Washington. Several other dignitaries offered their own winding and rambling over-the-top honorifics. When eyes turned to the Duke, Edward belatedly realized that he was expected to speak as well. Somehow the Duke managed to stammer something out that seemed to fit the mood and was grateful not to receive any angry glares afterword, public speaking not being his forte.

Little did the Duke know that the entire three minute speech had been recorded word for word and would make the nation's papers. Indeed, his words would be read by eighty percent of the literate American population within a month. His words that "despite the severing of ties", the "familial bonds remained and his nation felt honored that George Washington had, indeed, been born an Englishman."

President Jay would dispatch a latter to King George III thanking the King for his son's kind words. George III would be mystified as to what the hell his son was even DOING in America, much less giving speeches before the President and senior officials but would nevertheless assure the American Ambassador that the Duke's words were echoed by all of Great Britain.

In his home country, the Duke of Kent would be largely forgotten, the most anonymous of a vast family. But the Duke would soon be immortalized when the large park in New York in which he introduced cricket was renamed "Kent Greens" (later to be perhaps the most famous park on earth) and a recently laid new street in Philadelphia would be titled "Edward Avenue" and famously become known throughout America when a new Presidential Mansion was built upon the northern face as were several other important government buildings when the cluttered downtown of Philadelphia prove inadequate to housing the expanding American bureaucracy.

I see no one commented on that, so although I'm late.... This is excellent writing
I'm also happy to see France stable again, and under Phillippe Egalité no less! I hope France will avoid the "French demographic exception" ITTL.

 

[Alt History Buff]

I see no one commented on that, so although I'm late.... This is excellent writing
I'm also happy to see France stable again, and under Phillippe Egalité no less! I hope France will avoid the "French demographic exception" ITTL.

Thanks for the comment and kind words.

As for the baffling French demographic stagnation of the 19th century, I did include a few blurbs about 50 chapters ago about the laws of primogeniture not being altered. That had been theorized as the/a main reason for the French loss of fertility in that century, though hardly the only theory, of course. Many other countries passed similar laws and did not share this reduced fertility.

I'll comment on that in future chapters as well as the greater than OTL French emigration. I'm of the belief that this lack of desire for emigration was not due to some inherent French sociological reason but for economic reasons (poor French governance in the colonies in terms of economic development and political freedom) and, well, to put it in the simplest terms, that France never got into the habit. After a few generations of even modest emigration, then I think the idea may simply become more accepted. Others simply state that French people loved their homeland so much that they hated the idea of leaving, that their perceived cultural superiority prevented them from departing. This seems a gross simplification and overstatement. If the French had good options and knew that French-speaking people were waiting for them in prosperous lands were Catholics were accepted with equality, then I think more emigration may be possible along the lines of British or German emigration of the 19th century.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 91

October, 1804

Vienna

Empress Maria Theresa had hoped that the return of peace with Russia and in Italy would herald a new day. However, her husband's patrimonies of Saxony and Poland proved continuously restive, if not in open revolt. The Romanians, Croats, Bosnians and now the Venicians caused no end of trouble despite several reforms intended to reduce bureaucracy and improve services.

The Habsburg and Wettin armies were called out again and again in order to put down riots and disturbances. With each repression, the Empress' popularity waned, and more unrest followed.

The Poles feared German hegemony. The Germans feared Poland would soon uproot their status as First Among Equals and the Hungarians subordinated from their role as Second Among Equals. The Orthodox and Muslims joined other smaller peoples - the Bohemians, Croats and etc, in fearing that their own rights would be trampled upon even more by the German-centric and Catholic-centric court in Vienna.

With a dozen nationalities and half as many religions, the Empress' duty would never quite end.

Berlin

The King of Prussia, having finally summoned a backbone, arrived at a decision. It was time to rebuild the once-great Prussian army and set about forming a coalition against the newly ascendant Austrian power. With France and Russia, even parts of the Empire, anxious at the Habsburg-Wettin hegemony building in Europe, diplomats whispered throughout the corridors of Europe.

Moscow

Czar Paul seemed oddly aged for his years. Perhaps it was the crushing defeat to the ascendant Austrian army but the Czar's confidence was shaken and he delegated increasing numbers of tasks to his son. Alexander was not a reformer but even the Prince could see that the nation was falling behind.

The Serfs had been liberated throughout the Habsburg-Wettin lands, even backwards Poland, Moldavia and Wallachia. The new King of Denmark similarly brought full emancipation to his nation and the weak King Karl of Sweden did the same in Swedish Pomerania. Suddenly, Russia seemed backwards where serfs could handed over like cattle to court favorites.

Alexander continued his father's reforms, though at a slower and more deliberate pace. He banned any form of feudalism in newly acquired lands as well as the satellite Kingdoms of Georgia, Armenia, Assyria, Pontus and Greece. Each year a minor reform was enacted that eased the life of serfs: removing barriers to marriage, eliminating a lord's right to move serfs from their lands, lightening the burden in myriad ways. By 1810, there seemed to be a deliberate and slow progression towards reform, though on a daily basis it was not easy to see.

London

With his eldest son in Hanover, his second son in Norway, his youngest daughter in Denmark and various other sons following their brothers to their new realms, the King's family gatherings were a Spartan affair. Well, he never really gathered his family. Once his sons were old enough, they were put in the hands of tutors and given their own establishments. Still, the old King was feeling nostalgic. His eyesight and hearing were getting bad and the Queen even mentioned "retirement" once, which he assumed meant abdication.

Surely, his wife knew better than that. There was no way in hell he'd allow George on the throne a minute earlier than necessary. What did the people of Britain do to deserve that?

Still, he supposed George hadn't done too badly in Hanover, beyond his pathetic grasp of personal finance and inability to show restraint. Maybe the future George IV may not turn out to be that bad of a King, after all.

The King was in good spirits. William Pitt was back in command of the government, though the man looked frail. His three granddaughters had been welcomed by British society and the Princess of Wales, Frederica of Prussia, seemed in good health. George liked the odd little woman well enough and felt bad she was married to his son.

Caddo Territory (American claim to Tejas)

Captain Napoleon Bonaparte had taken a liking to the Caddo peoples, the Indian tribes of the western plains. By most opinions, the people further west, the Comanche and Apache, were not quite so companionable. Having been hired to serve as a cavalry captain the rapidly sprawling western settlements of the Caddo Territory, Bonaparte surprised himself by enjoying the wastes of western America.

The former French and Italian Republican General had never had a high opinion of Spaniards but the fact that Spain had not accomplished a damn thing in hundreds of years in this lush territory reinforced his opinions.

The General (Now reduced to a mere Captain in his backwater) nevertheless took his duties seriously and the plains gave him plenty of time to think about an eventual return to Europe. His last exile to America was in New York. More interesting to be sure but it held nothing for a soldier. The problem that Bonaparte saw more clearly was that the Revolution in Italy cannot be won without allies. Austria and Spain had too much power. He'd hoped that the French republicans would eventually assist but the return to monarchy stymied this desire. Instead the French partook in the repression.

Bonaparte led his twenty man patrol further west along the Colorado, or Red, River. Apparently there was more than one. Evidently Spaniards are no more imaginative in naming conventions as they were in war. He hadn't faced the Spanish in the last war and, as that idiot Moreau had little problem defeating them, realized it would have wasted his talents.

The main American settlement was to the south, at Jefferson City, east of the Spanish mission town of San Antonio de Bexar. The Spanish had demanded that the Americans return east of the Mississippi but were utterly ignored. As best anyone can tell, the Americans (and French and Germans and other migrants) to Caddo Territory probably outnumbered the Spanish more than five to one by now. Indeed, even Spaniards from San Antonio de Bexar were slowly filtering towards the far more economically developed American settlements after only five or six years of existence.

Bonaparte led his troop south, towards the Nueces, for now considered the border by Americans. By sheer happenstance, they stumbled into host of Spaniards moving east on a direct course to Jefferson City.

 

[Shiva]

And so begins the Spanish-American War, whether it is desired or not.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 92

December, 1804

Copenhagen

King Christian VIII raised his son to his court, the nobles cheering. After the death of Christian's father, Prince Frederick, and his brother, Prince Ferdinand, the succession became a bit more perilous. No one wanted a succession crisis and the continuity promised by the birth of an heir brought a sigh of relief to the people of Denmark.

For the most part, the King was popular. He was not too reformist to threaten the nobles nor to hidebound to dissatisfy the commoners. Many Danes desired a return of Norway, as the loss of revenues from that Kingdom was starting to tell on the economy. Just as important, the nations of Britain, Norway, Sweden and Russia had refused to pay the King's Sound Tolls, once a major source of revenue independent of Denmark's Parliament. Some nobles secretly approved of the loss as it made the King utterly dependent upon the nation for funds and, by nature, would weaken his power.

Queen Amelia was in poor health, as was the King. As a result of British assistance in bringing order to Denmark, and the British-born Queen's heritage, two of the Queen's brothers were given commissions in the Danish Army to replace those Christian VII/Struensee loyalists whom had been deprived of their livelihoods (and, in some cases, their lives) after the new regime ascended to power. The foreign-born Generals were dismissed, the Norwegians in service sent home and the Struensee appointees executed or exiled. As a result, the Duke of Cumberland and Duke of Cambridge, both in their relative youths, were granted high ranking positions in the Danish Army and at court in Copenhagen.

Norway

King Frederick of Norway would pursue a similar path of bringing in family to help run his realms. His two youngest brothers, Alfred and Octavious, were given command of Regiments despite their youth and were ordered by their elder brother to learn the native languages of Norway and Sweden. The reasoning was plain: King Frederick knew that foreigners were resented in Norway and it was a good political ploy to curry favor.

Indeed, the King and Queen remained popular despite the news that someday they would ascend to the thrones of Sweden-Finland-Pomerania as well. Tutors schooled them in the mystifying language and the Royal Couple would soon establish themselves at the forefront of the drive to reassert Norwegian culture. The King commissioned a formal study of the Norwegian language to codify it as the national language in the form of a dictionary, ordered his most learned scholars to write a history of the nation, enticed several of the greatest of British artists to create a "Norwegian Epic" which would one day grace the halls of a new Norwegian Parliament building, determined the "national dress" for social occasions, encouraged local artists through the formation of a pseudo-University, donated several dozen of his own best pieces of art (and some gifted by his father and brother) to a "public gallery", paid to translate several plays and operas to Norwegian, commissioned the construction of an opera house to play those new works to the nation, built a charitable orphanage, commissioned a new University, commissioned a new Army and Navy cadet training program that would eventually become a school....the list went on.

Within five years, the resentment of Norwegians that King Frederick would someday accept the throne of Sweden was dampened. Indeed, some realized that the presence of King Frederick on the throne also inoculated the nation from attack from Britain, Denmark and Sweden, ensuring peace for the future. Lower taxes than the Danish King had imposed also helped.

Queen Louise would also increase the popularity of her husband through her good manners and charitable works. The Queen encouraged her husband and Parliament to fund the inoculation of all subjects to smallpox via that new method involving cowpox. The death rate plummeted as smallpox epidemics could devastate a nation's polity. Like much of Europe, particularly northern Europe and, surprisingly, Russia, Norway would soon see a population boom in the 19th century partially due to the severe reduction of this dreaded disease.

London

King George III would suffer a mild "fit" over New Years of 1804-05. However, he would recover adequately enough. Still, the repeated burst of incoherence and even violence were proving ever more difficult for the Queen to deal with. She would concede ever more control to her son, the Duke of Clarence, when the King was "indisposed". Elderly and increasingly frail, the Queen simply was not strong enough to control her husband's moods swings.

Instead, the Queen retreated to the company of her daughters, many of whom resented her and their father for keeping them in seclusion for so many years and preventing them from marriages the Royal Couple deemed "inappropriate". Only the Princess Royal, Charlotte, and the youngest, Amelia, married. The others did not receive appropriate Royal Suitors and therefore were refused any requests to marry subjects. Two would never marry, three would marry too late to have children.

However, the King and Queen never seemed to understand that their daughters did not want to be permanent couriers serving their parents for their entire lives. They wanted freedom and families of their own. Only Amelia would get both, though her freedom would be short-lived.

Paris

King Philippe of Orleans did not want to start out his reign by forging alliances. France was hardly popular these days anyway. But the fifty-year expansion of the Habsburg (now Habsburg-Wettin) domains had worried all of Europe. The seemingly easy defeat of Russia had left the whole continent feeling uneasy. Even Prussia was emerging from the doldrums.

Perhaps this new Empress was too arrogant. But the negotiators quietly bid for alliances behind the scenes.

Jefferson City, Caddo Territory

The Americans (well, the migrants of diverse background living in the American claim to the western territories) had been slow to accept the danger of the Spanish. Even when Captain Bonaparte galloped into Jefferson City (a town of 500 and the largest in Caddo) proclaiming an immanent attack by the Spanish, few believed him.

Two weeks later, 800 Spaniards (200 regulars and 600 militia) attacked and burned the town to the ground. Belatedly, the territorial militia under Andrew Jackson formed in the outskirts of the town. The Spanish, having no apparent plan beyond burning the town, neither advanced nor retreated. This gave Jackson and his 480 hastily gathered militia time to train a bit and gather supplies. Eventually, the Spanish started marching north, towards another minor settlement.

Jackson ordered Captain Bonaparte forward with the cavalry even as he laid in wait with the infantry. The Spanish panicked and fled directly into the infantry ambush. In confusion, the Spanish column fell apart.

Philadelphia

President Jay would celebrate New Years with a reelection victory. Though by a narrow margin, his Centralist Party held on to power in both houses. Jay's policies of systematic improvements to ports, canals, etc, would continue, though never at the level he desired. The army and navy would continue to build up, though, again, the forces remained puny compared even to second rate European powers like Denmark, the Dutch Republic and Portugal. Jay would make the summary pronouncement that the nation would give up the tribute payments to the Barbary states (again) of Algiers and Tunis. He felt comfortable that the pirates could be defeated with his nation's collection of stout frigates painstakingly assembled over the past decade.

His latest offer to buy Florida from Spain had been rejected with the haughtiness expected of Spaniards despite the increased value. Jay would try again.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 93

January, 1805

Philadelphia

President John Jay berated himself for his jingoism regarding the Barbary pirate Kings. His Secretary of the Navy cautioned him to wait until the Navy bore a few more cruisers before dispatching them to North Africa. Jay quashed this and pointed out the savings of not having to pay the extortion to the pirates would pay for the ships several times over. Besides, he needed the funds for some new improvements to the eastern harbors, fortifying New Orleans and the new proposed canal along Lake Erie. One couldn't continue to pay such a large portion of a modern nation's budget to pirates.

Jay was confident in his sailors' ability to crush Algiers and, if it came to it, Tunis. But the recent arrival of the dismaying news of the Spanish invasion of Caddo territory could not come at a worse time. The American fleet had just departed a week earlier, bearing with it over half the effective forces of the nation. This not only left America's coast almost completely bare of defenses but put them right in the firing line of Spain. The American sailors would have no warning.

The President immediately summoned the Spanish Ambassador, whom blithely stated that he had no knowledge of the events but was not surprised as the King had repeatedly warned America regarding their incursions into Florida and "Tejas Territory". Realizing that the powerful nation of Spain was not to be trifled with, the President swiftly attempted diplomacy.

While the initial results from Caddo were position, speaking of a victory, the Spanish maintained a greater army in their colony of New Spain than the United States did in the entire country. Jay did not want a war.

He summoned General Wesley, the Irish-born soldier to consult.

"The Spanish are not known for their efficiency," Arthur intoned. "However, the nation bears great financial muscle and can overcome errors and omissions in their martial forces. The Spanish fleet, though not the equal to Britain's, is nevertheless far more powerful than America's. Should the King seek to send his forces to New York or even Philadelphia, there is little that could be done to stop them."

"But surely, the defenses, the fortifications..."

"Are utterly inadequate, sir, and poorly placed to repel a direct attack on a city, or at least large swathes of our cities would be vulnerable," Wesley interrupted. "If the Spanish choose to direct all of their forces upon America, then I fear for the damage to our nation."

Jay swallowed in frustration. He was old enough to recall the devastation wreaked upon the eastern seaboard of America when the nation sought independence. He wisely left this to the diplomats but vowed to remember this humiliation.

London

George III's foreign secretary reported to the Cabinet (under recently reestablished First Lord William Pitt) of the Secretary of State of the United States, John Laurens, and his proposal to ban the trans-Atlantic slave trade of those still in practice, even by force, if necessary. While Pitt certainly would be happy to see the miserable trade end, there was little Britain could do about the matter. Most nations had already banned it for their own colonies, as did New France and the United States. Only Spain and Portugal continued the trade.

Pitt was receiving pressure from William Wilburforce and the other adversaries of the trade to force the matter as well. However, the First Lord was not willing to risk a war with Spain or Portugal regarding an issue that was, by nature, internal. British relations with both countries had been strained lately and the Empire benefited greatly from trade with the Iberians and their colonies.

Some pointed out that the Spanish and Portuguese trade allowed their own colonies to produce sugar cheaper than in the British colonies of Jamaica and Barbados which were facing a labor shortage without slavery. The population of slaves had moderately stabilized after years of decline, largely because the population of field hands were predominantly male and died in great enough numbers to even out the man to woman ratio. This naturally brought up the birth rate relative to the days when male slaves outnumbered female by over three to one (most transported slaves were male).

Pitt regretfully had his Foreign Secretary reject Laurens' request to coordinate the ban of the slave trade. Perhaps someday, but not today.

Stockholm

King Karl collapsed at his dinner table. Never healthy to begin with, the doctors feared a stroke. Weak and dissolute, the childless King would recover but become even less important in the coming years than before. The nobles of Parliament controlled the nation and would continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Moscow

The Czar barely skimmed through the report prepared by his eldest son and his ministers. The doctors proved that, over the past year or two, that those peoples whom had been inoculated with the new cowpox vaccine had suffered but a fraction of the deaths normally associated with that dreaded pox. They recommended that every Russian citizen be inoculated.

The Czar approved without a word. In truth, the program would be haphazardly carried out as it depended upon local landowners to arrange the inoculations. Some didn't care, others were suspicious. It would take years for it to become apparent that the inoculations were highly effective and no landowner wanted to lose profit-making serfs or tenants due to lack of a single prick of a needle.

China

The Emperor was livid. The Europeans continued to find ways to smuggle in opium to his country. It was reaching the point that the Emperor was willing to consider ejecting all foreigners from his nation.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 94

March, 1805

Lisbon

The Queen's shrieks echoed throughout her palace. Maria I of Portugal had been quietly referred to over the years as "Maria the Mad", especially after three of her six children died in childhood. However, Prince Jose, her pride and joy, survived (as did Joau, a younger son whom died childless in 1795) and effectively held co-dominion over Portugal and her Empire. Sadly, Jose and his wife (his aunt) had no children that survived infancy. Many blamed incest as the Portuguese were infamous for this. Indeed, the Queen married her uncle. When the Prince's wife died, he married one of the many Habsburg princesses available (most of the males had died but the daughters of Maria Theresa I proved quite durable) and most assumed that the nubile young Infanta would provide an heir.

In 1805, when her Prince Jose died of smallpox after she refused to follow the new trend in inoculation with cowpox, the Queen collapsed in a fit.

Her only surviving child was Maria Victoria. The Infanta had been engaged to a son of Charles III many years ago but war between Portugal and Spain had put a stop to this. Eventually, relations warmed and the Queen agreed, for the sake of peace, to produce a marriage between the Infante of Spain, Prince Carlo, and the seven years older Infanta of Portugal.

The marriage proved happy as the Infanta took to the Spanish court. Her brothers(s) were expected to produce children for Portugal's throne so there was no real fear of a unification of the Iberian Kingdoms. Then both Jose and Joau died without issue, the Queen of Portugal went mad and the Infanta was hastily recalled to Lisbon.

Her son, Pedro, was the heir to both Spain-Naples-Tuscany and Portugal, as well as their Empires.

The reception was mixed to this new development. Spain and Portugal had been united centuries ago and Portugal's elites grew so tired of this that they pronounced the Braganzas as the new rulers. However, here the succession was clearer and the legal disputes would be limited. No, this would be pure politics.

Perhaps more importantly, this would create grave concerns among the other powers of the new world: Britain (more of a trading power than a colonial power these days), France (Orleanist with nominal control over the French West Indies), New France and the United States. The idea of one nation controlling all of the Americas from California down to Chile was utterly unacceptable. Britain, in particular, feared that the poor relations with Spain would carryover to the Portuguese throne and eventually see British merchants evicted from Brazil. Already, the Spanish were eying Gibraltar again, the gateway to the Mediterranean. Britain's economy could not possible take two such devastating losses.


Algiers

The Dey's navy was crushed in a violent and ferocious attack by the American fleet. It would go down as the greatest victory of the embryonic navy in American history.

The Americans would exact a treaty from the Dey demanding that American ships be inviolate upon the seas. In triumph, the American fleet sailed for home. However, three ships, the USS United States and two frigates captured from the Dey, sailed into Cadiz for supplies and in search of a few additional crewmembers to sail the prizes. They were astounded when the Spanish garrison seized their ships in the night.

Word of the American-Spanish skirmish had reached Spain but not the American ships which had battled the Dey. The American envoys dispatched to negotiate a peace treaty with Spain would be startled at this new development.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 95

June 1805

Philadelphia

Only a few months into John Jay's second term, the president was facing war, potentially on two fronts if one counted the Dey of Algiers. No doubt the Pirate Lord would renounce his concessions to America the moment he realized hat Spain's vast navy may be pointed across the Atlantic.

The snail's pace of communication had allowed the United States months to celebrate their victory against the Barbary state but that elation turned to ash when news of the King's seizure of American ships taking port in Cadiz.

Jay did not want a war, his advisors were quite adamant on that matter as well. The nation had plenty of land to the interior and those lands in Caddo and Florida were less than ideal anyway. Why fight, at least before the nation was ready?

Still, the jingoists were celebrating their "victory" over Spain's forces in Caddo, for whatever a frontier scrap was worth in the long run. Jay was more than willing to make a deal. He'd increase his offer for Florida and Caddo, even be willing to negotiate a favorable border regarding the latter (the Colorado River rather than the Nueces? That would be acceptable.). However, the haughty Spanish Ambassador did not seem to feel overly concerned about war with America as "Spain's reach just increased", presumably a reference to the potential union of thrones with Portugal.

For the time being, Jay ordered his forces to be put on alert. The regiments were to be expanded (via an emergency vote in Congress) to 15,000 men by the end of summer with a minimum of 3 year contracts. 15,000 was a much higher number than the normal peacetime forces. The Navy was authorized to purchase additional ships to augment the several heavy frigates under construction. Unfortunately, ships often took years to construct and America didn't have the time to build their own.

Oddly, the British Ambassador would soon approach the President with an offer to sell several Ships-of-the-line to the United States. This was somewhat surprising but the President quickly referred the matter to the Secretary of War. He would take any help he could get to put the nation in a better bargaining positions. Jay imagined this would all blow over. There was nothing worth fighting for in Caddo or Florida so why would two civilized nations put forward such ruinous expense in a conflict neither side could win, nor had much to gain if they did?

Yes, this would all blow over.

Lisbon

Infanta Maria Victoria of Portugal and her consort, Infante Carlo of Spain, arrived with pomp in Lisbon. The Queen's madness did not appear to be abating and the court decided that a regent must be named while Maria I was quietly put away somewhere. There simply was no alternative to the Infanta. She was the only surviving heir to the Queen and only a rebellion would unseat her. Most likely, Spain would send an army to force the matter, anyway and Portugal had been whipped a generation prior by Spain. They did not desire a rematch.

The Portuguese nobility desired a separation of Portugal and Spain in the future, perhaps providing Portugal to one of the Royal Couple's daughters while the sole son, Pedro, would assume the Spanish throne. The nation had dealt with a reigning queen for thirty years and could survive another one.

However, Portuguese hopes were soon dashed when the Royal Couple pronounced themselves the new Ferdinand and Isabella, each a (future) monarch in their own right and that their son would inherit both Kingdoms. As the Royal Couple was young, it was possible that much would change in the future, perhaps a falling out and the two would enjoy separation when Prince Carlo eventually ascended to Spain's throne. But, for the moment, the Infanta and Infante appeared determined to unite their patrimonies, much to the dismay of the people of Portugal, whom appreciated their hard-fought independence.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 96

September, 1805

Lisbon

Infanta Regent Maria Victoria was aghast as the riots sprung up through the capital city. Against every expectation, the people of Portugal steadfastly refused to accept the idea that their nation would someday be merged with Spain. They demanded that Maria I be reinstated as Queen (in spite of the obvious problem that the woman was mad as a hatter). The backlash struck the Infanta as odd, though she had departed Portugal many years ago to marry her Spanish husband.

The Infante, furious, would lead loyal elements of the army through the streets of Lisbon, clearing out the protesters. The overall scope of the riots was relatively mild but enough to concern the Royal Couple. Indeed, the Infante of Spain would speculate that the riots were more economic in nature as the proposal to grant Spain "preferred" rights in trade with both Portugal and Brazil, eliminating the historical British "special relationship" may have caused much of the concern. Infante Carlo doubted the overall trade would change much. In the end, to his shame, Spain lacked a broad manufacturing base and many goods could only be procured from Britain anyway.

Indeed, Carlo's reforms had as much to do about making Portugal's trade independent as preferring Spain. France was also given additional trading rights, despite the complaints of his mother, Maria Antonia, that the "usurper" House of Orleans should not be granted any favors. But the Queen of Spain's husband no longer did her bidding and nor would her son.

The Infante considered the entire protests to be idiotic and ill-informed. Maria "the Mad", as she was called, had run Portugal into the ground with her erratic and archaic approach to monarchy, one more fitting the 16th century than the 19th. The Royal Couple would make several reforms in the legal code, intended to lighten the grip of the state on the people. A few minor taxes were eliminated in an effort to curry popularity. Several plainly counterproductive economic policies were withdrawn.

Still, the people of Portugal deeply resented even the prospect of union with a nation that must, by nature, eclipse them and relegate Portugal to a mere province.

London

King George III had no idea what Lord Hawkesbury was complaining about. The Portuguese had not necessarily cut back Britain's access to Brazil, nor had the Spanish. These alternations in the Portuguese policy actually seemed to open up the market. Patiently, the Foreign Secretary pointed out (the King being unable to read the fine print of the report) that the Spanish tariffs had been virtually dropped to nothing and several commodities, which Britain had supplied the Luso-Brazilian Empire for decades, if not centuries, were limited in volume to minor quantities.

This was, in fact, a massive blow to British trade. The Spanish had similarly begun reforming their own Empire as well. Several attempts at forming manufacturing industries in Spain had started to take hold and the Spanish wanted to retain that revenue. Overall, the Spanish Empire opened up a bit, particularly with more ports open to trade and internal trade between colonies legalized from the past mercantilism that stifled the growth of New Spain. However, this also meant that certain barriers were being raised against British trade.

Perhaps more importantly, the French and Austrian traders were reentering the market and creating new competition after years of exclusion from New Spain.

This could not have come at a worse time for Britain as several other factors had resulted in damaged British trade including the increased resistance to the opium trade with China, the Maratha Empire restricting the Royal East India Company's ability to hire native soldiers to man their garrisons and fleets and the political pressure exerted by Russia against the semi-independent Levant (governed by an odd mix of Russia, Ottoman and Egyptian authorities) to protect Christians which resulted in chaos in the Near East. This latter had been a consistently profitable market for the British. Similarly, the decline of the sugar production in Jamaica and Barbados (due to reduction in workforce after banning of trans-Atlantic) slave trade) threatened to throw off the British economic recovery that was decades in the making.

Plus, while the 1805 harvest had been reasonably successful, the poor 1803 and 1804 harvests had led to hunger among the lower classes and bankruptcies among the landed gentry. Addington had been run out of office after these troubles, returning the worn-out Pitt. The last thing the nation needed was more people disinterested in trading with them.

However, perhaps the most jarring act of 1805 would prove to be centered around a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean.

 

[Knightmare]

However, perhaps the most jarring act of 1805 would prove to be centered around a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean.

What did the Knights of Malta do THIS time?

 

[DracoLazarus]

What did the Knights of Malta do THIS time?

It doesn't have to be Malta, it could just as well be Lampedusa or the Etna.

 

[SavoyTruffle]

What did the Knights of Malta do THIS time?

But they rarely do anything in ATLs.

Also just when things are looking up for Britain things start going south quickly too.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 97

December, 1805

Philadelphia

President John Jay was taken aback by the perfunctory response from the Spanish King's Minister of State. He had assumed that, at worst, a quiet compromise should be reached between the two parties, preferably with America's offer for Florida accepted. But the blunt refusal bearing rather transparent threats had been sent not only to the President, whom could keep the response private, but to Congress as well. The harsh and humiliating language of the retort was now public knowledge.

Knowing that he could not back down without appearing weak ,the President (still carefully worded) protested the Spanish actions, demanded the return of the USS United States (the crew had been released at least via intermediaries) and reinforced America's claims on the Caddo territory based upon more than century old French claims (later taken up by the British, then America). Jay simply couldn't believe with all the problems of the world, especially those involving Spain, that THIS, a mere territorial dispute in a land the Spanish had ignored for three centuries, would be worth picking a fight over. Then again, Spain's war against Portugal in 1770 was over a similarly backwater land (the Uruguay River region).

Lisbon

The Portuguese nobles gathered in secret for fear of attracting attention from the new co-Regents. Many years before, in 1640, John and the House of Braganza was proclaimed by the people the new ruling House after two generations of Spanish rule. If the Liberator King were to find a successor two centuries later, then the people must choose wisely.

The nobles looked back through the genealogies of the nation and did not like what they saw. indeed ,they were astounded. The Infanta was the only survivor of Maria the Mad's children. Ok, they looked back another generation. Again, many princes and princesses but most died unmarried or childless or in childhood themselves. Then another generation. Than another.

The House of Braganza had the oddest habit of producing but one or two members per Royal Litter that managed to breed and having only one or two in the following, etc, etc, etc.

It took an astonishing EIGHT Generations, back to the GRANDFATHER of John the liberator to find another extant and legitimate branch of the House of Braganza!

By this time, many of the nobles had all but given up on the House of Braganza. They offered other noble houses as alternatives but each one had rivals that did not wish them to the throne. Others mentioned perhaps accepting some bastard Braganza, there were a few of those around.

But the nobles did not wish for their new regime to be founded upon bastards. The closest legitimate relative to the Infanta, beyond her mad mother or her children (the Infanta steadfastly REFUSED to contemplate putting one of her daughters on the throne of the Kingdom of Portugal while her son Pedro assumed Spain), was the Ambassador to France, the Duke of Escalona. The man was a modernizer and patriot and ardently opposed to the Spanish "alliance". Indeed it was a wonder than the man hadn't been recalled as of yet from Paris, where the man favored British and French contacts to Spanish.

It helped that the Duke had issue already and potentially possessed a reliable line.

The conspirators realized that this may be the best they could do if they could not convince the Infanta to put one of her daughters on the throne.


Jerusalem and Malta

Prince Constantine of Russia gazed on in astonishment at the Wailing Wall, supposed to be part of the ancient Jewish temple mount. He shook his head at the sheer...antiquity...of the city.

When a handful of Orthodox residents of the Holy Land complained of ill-treatment, the Czar dispatched 20,000 troops through the Syrian Desert and another 5000 Greek troops via water to the Levant. This had once been part of the Ottoman Empire, then the Egyptian Kingdom, then under local Syrian lords.

As the "Protector of the Orthodox peoples", the Czar felt it was his right to interfere in the Holy Lands. His mother had liberated Constantinople and ejected the Turks from the Balkans. Perhaps this was how the Czar could redeem his failure in Poland. Under young General Suvorov (son of the esteemed General), the Arabs were easily enough defeated.

Similarly, the Czar dispatched another force to Malta. The Knights of Malta had controlled the island for centuries. Enamored with Knightly virtues, the Czar had been astonished when the people of Malta proved less than enamored and cast out the Order's garrison. The Czar offered them sanctuary years before as he negotiated their return. The rude response by the Maltese and indifference from the other European powers enticed him to act. The Czar was elected, in an unprecedented manner for an Orthodox monarch, the new leader of the order and he dispatched thousands of soldiers and dozens of ships to reinstall the Knights to their patrimony.

Situated directly in the middle of the Mediterranean, few places were more strategically vital. Only the fact that Malta had been neutral under the Knights had kept half the nations of Europe from trying to conquer it.

Upon taking Valleta, the grateful Knights naturally offered their harbor as a naval base to their benefactor. Suddenly, the rest of Europe started caring.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 98

March, 1806

Paris

The Duke of Escalona, Portugal's Ambassador to France, was baffled as to his recall. He knew his politics were not popular with Queen Maria but she'd have been silenced by the Infanta and her consort. Maria Victoria and Carlo didn't seem to be overly repressive. Why now, if not before?

Confused, the Duke rode south through southern France and then into Spain. He was shocked when the King of Spain had him arrested.

Lisbon

The Infanta's spies alerted her of the plot by Portugal's nobles to put the Duke of Escalona on the Portuguese throne. She immediately ordered him recalled, specifically ordering him to consult with her father in Madrid, where King Ferdinand had him imprisoned.

The plan worked, however, the Infanta did not expect the uproar in the capital at the news. Most of Lisbon rose up in revolt, outraged by the act. It proved to the people's satisfaction that the "Spanish Party" was going to control Portugal.

London

Lord Hawkesbury, Britain's Foreign Secretary, received the secret emissaries from Portugal. The people wanted separation from Spain, permanent separation. The uniting of Iberia had been tried two centuries before. It had not been welcomed then. It would not now.

The Portuguese called upon Britain to aid them in preserving their independence. Hawkesbury may not care overly much about the Portuguese people or their past friendship with Britain. What was important was the fact that Britain would soon face a nation that controlled most of North and South America, dominated the gates to the Mediterranean and a history of antipathy to Britain, one which may be resurging into the modern age.

A declaration of war was premature but Britain was forced to take a side and the government, with William Pitt ailing, would soon pronounce its opposition to the unification of thrones.

For the most part, the Spanish would ignore this. Britain had done nothing as France waged a civil war, the Ottoman Empire was crushed, and the Russians and Austrians battled for domination of Poland. Britain could not even hold onto her North American colonies or Ireland.

Why should Madrid care?

Hyderabad

The Nizam had long been a French puppet. Unlike Britain's factories in India, which were mainly small towns under nominal British control, the French dominated a large swath of the central eastern coast. Inland was Hyderabad, a largely Hindu state governed by a Muslim ruler.

One by one, the old Muslim states left over from the Mughal Empire were falling. Only Hyderabad was left of the larger ones in the south (Mysore and the Carnatic having fallen and replaced with Hindu rulers). The Nizam, a foolish fellow, allowed his treasury to be bankrupted (with French assistance) and provoked the Marathas. The response was blindingly fast as the Marathas had been armed by every European power in India hoping to find influence. The Nizam's domain fell swiftly. The French of the Sarkars could not provide much aid as the colonies received little from France itself and were forced to stand by and watch as the Nizam fell.

The Nizam fled to the French territories but the French were forced to reject his entreaties for sanctuary. To do so would only bring Maratha attention upon them.

By the end of the decade, the only powerful Muslim rulers left in the subcontinent was Bengal and Oadh.

Philadelphia

President Jay hesitated before ordered reinforcements to the Florida border and to New Orleans, the gateway to the Caddo territory. He wanted a peaceful solution to the Spanish problem, not let it spiral out of control.

He dispatched General Wesley to the Florida border with 2000 regulars and command of all local militia. The man was prudent and would keep things in hand...he hoped.

 

[Shiva]

I think Spain will ultimately discover that Great Pride comes before a Great Fall.

Even if they 'win' these wars against Portugal and America, they will still lose since, whatever their new resurgence, the Spanish Empire has been poorly managed and allowed to decay, and their various colonial holdings have had CENTURIES of even worse management, and are filled with native, mestizo, and African slave populations that HATE them.

Then there's the implied European dogpile of Spain once these wars get going, watching Spain struggle against the likes of a weaken UK, Portugal, and the USA, the last of which has only existed for a few decades...

Yeah, the likes of Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, and whatnot are going to see mass revolts, and even if Spain puts all those down, it will just be the first of many.

Especially if they try to absorb Brazil, which RL had recently been turned into a Kingdom in it's own right due to the Braganza Dynasty fleeing there during the Napoleonic Wars, in RL they were just in a personal union with Portugal. I don't think that's true here, but Brazil already has people there aspiring to be more than just a Portuguese colony.

Then there's the Italian holdings... Their history of revolt is a long one, it's practically a tradition in Naples/Sicily to have a rebellion against Spain every generation or so.

Spain will ultimately die the death of a thousand cuts, even if they win, they will lose due to the sheer amount of blood and treasure spent to keep everything going the way it is without change.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 99

June 1806

San Dominigue (Haiti)

The colonial gentry of the nominal French possession were uncertain what to do. Many of the gentry remained loyal to the Bourbonist exile in New France. Others preferred the safety of their relatives in France itself (now under the House of Orleans). Both parties had actively courted the profitable French West Indies back to their orbit.

Most simply assumed they would return to France's care, no matter who ran the motherland. After all, there were only so many French people who lived in the island hells. They wanted to return home someday and explaining why they rebelled would have been awkward. For the past years, the ambiguity of the French West Indies had been tolerated but that day was coming to an end. Besides, the Islands wanted a mother country with adequate naval power to defend them from abroad (i.e. from Britain, Spain or even the United States) and martial forces to help put down slave revolts. Their refusal to commit to the House of Orleans was more of a negotiating ploy for the inevitable taxation than anything else. God knew that New France possessed no fleet and could offer little beyond letting the Islands do what they want in return for nominal fealty.

However, the gentry were astounded to find both France and New France were opposed to the continued slave trade. The slave populations had fallen for years as the flow of warm bodies from Africa had dried to a trickle. Indeed both Houses of French Royalty had formally pronounced an end to the slave trade. While this did not halt the flow of slaves entirely (there was some smuggling from Africa and a dribble from the United States as the individual states approached full manumission), the high death toll in the brutally efficient French West Indies had left the islands starved for labor. With more slaves dying than being born or imported, the value of the holdings fell.

Some French colonists even started to advocate formal independence, though this was a radical idea as most of the French wanted to go home someday. Others advocated putting themselves under the "protection" of another power whom would allow them to proceed as they always had. The only real option here was Spain, not that this was terribly attractive a prospect given the Spanish mercantile system was "inadequate" at best in providing for the needs of their own colonies.

The colonies continued to drift as their labor pool shrank ever further.

Moscow

The British envoy to Russia couldn't even get an audience with the Czar. Going to the Foreign minister and Prince Alexander, he was no more encouraged.

King George III had dispatched his messenger to express Britain's dismay at Russia's provocative actions in the Levant and Malta. The response was blunt and slightly condescending. They pointed out that it appeared that the way of the world was conquering what you could (meaning if no one could stop you). This worked fairly well for the French, Spanish and Austrians in Italy a few years ago and Britain could or would do nothing then.

However, this was not fighting over some landlocked Italian Duchies. Britain had long feared Russian hegemony at sea. Granted, Russia was not a historical sea power but the huge population with a potentially aggressive foreign policy would allow Russia to build up a vast Navy in a comparative handful of years. Already Russia possessed the third most powerful in Europe (after Britain and Spain with France, the Dutch Republic, Sweden, Denmark and Portugal all in permanent or temporary decline) and the Russian navy remained a backwater to other concerns.

Just what may happen if the Czar made his navy a priority terrified Britain's establishment. With Britain being relegated to an "Empire of Islands" (Britain, the Channel Islands, Ile Royal, Barbados, Jamaica, the Bombay islands, Singapura, etc), the merchant nation could not afford to give up the trading wealth that remained to Britain via their domination of the seas. In a way, the emerging powers of Russia and even America lent greater danger to Britain than France or Spain.

After thirty years of being on the sidelines after the crippling loss of America and Ireland, Great Britain was inclined to start flexing her muscles once again.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 100

October 1806

Caddo Territory

General Andrew Jackson of the Caddo militia was livid.

First of all, his mission to San Antonio had failed. Dispatched to wipe out that "nest of vipers", the moribund settlement proved to be nothing more than a few hundred priests, tame Indians and starving farmers. When the American column approached the Spanish mission town, a delegation of "town fathers" and priests approached to ensure them that no armed force awaited the Americans. Reaching the depressing town, they were invited into the Alamo, the mission of the Spanish priests, and given more than adequate evidence that the Spanish forces had retreated south of the Rio Grande to lick their wounds.

Jackson desired to burn the town anyway but his subordinates virtually mutinied at the idea as being beneath men whom considered themselves soldiers. The priests were made to swear that they did not support the raid into "American Territory", one they uncomfortably complied with by pronouncing that, as priests, by definition they abhorred all violence. In the end, the Americans accepted this though they had their doubts. A handful of weapons were collected and carried off but no more than a warning was issued to the town of San Antonio.

Having expected the town to be a garrison, the whole affair turned into a fiasco, blowing up in the face of Andrew Jackson, whom demanded the expensive campaign. Making things worse was Jackson's ill-advised attempt coerce the Territorial Legislature to approve a referendum calling for the implementation of slavery in the territory. Technically, the institution was banned in all American territories but Jackson reasoned that, what the central government could not enforce, the frontiersmen need not obey.

The North Carolinian turned Alabaman had badly misjudged the electorate of the loosely governed territory. The legislature voted down even considering the idea by over five to one. Given that these relatively wealthy men would likely be the first to gain from slavery, that stood of the issue's support. Indeed, Jackson's detractors, tired of his arrogance and condescension, used the failed ballot proposal and his pointless foray towards the Spanish mission as justification to withdraw his commission as commanding General of the territorial militia.

Humiliated, Jackson arranged for friends to sell his land and prepared to return home to Alabama. However, the soldier had made one more error. Though negroes made up only about 6% of the territorial population (all free), they made up 20% of the militia which had marched with him upon San Antonio. Few appreciated his attempt to instate slavery in the colony, no matter how unlikely to succeed. After packing up his saddle, the soldier departed camp late at night.

In the darkness, a half-dozen shots rang out as he passed a copse of trees. Both Jackson and his horse were struck. Footsteps fled into the night. Minutes later, some cavalry found the bleeding former officer pinned beneath his horse. The bullet had grazed off his ribs, breaking one and cracking another. This was not the problem. More importantly, the weight of the horse had broken his leg in three places. The Alabaman was carried back into camp, where he was forced to remain (ironically) under the care of a Catholic priest for the next three months.

Jackson accused the incident upon negroes whom resented his support of slavery. Some agreed, others (his enemies) pointed it out it must have been Spanish or Indians. Most didn't care what he thought as Jackson no longer mattered in Caddo territory. This last group included the new commander of the Caddo militia, General Napoleon Bonaparte.