Considering how popular the idea is for an Itrubide Emperor of Mexico...as well as the way you write it (which makes it sound like something from outta Cracked.com meets the Daily Show.) Plus the aforementioned increase of Mexico TL's (to the point where I'm seriously considering jumping on the bandwagon), I'm not surprised for the recent views and likes to this story at all.
Mexicanos, ¡Valientes Seguid! (reboot - A TL about the Mexican Empire)
- Thread starter Vault boy
- Start date
Also, for easier reading, now I have implemented threadmarks on this thread.
And you should jump on the bandwagon. There aren't too many successful Mexican Empire timelines out there, most deal with Mexico being a republic. And seeing how democracy has worked out in this country, that would explain why a constitutional monarchy for this country really appeals to me (and to a bunch of conservatives too)
Alas, it is. And I hope it continues!
Hey, thanks! You prompted me to actually watch The Daily Show, and actually this does seem true (albeit with a dose of Drunk History).
And you should jump on the bandwagon. There aren't too many successful Mexican Empire timelines out there, most deal with Mexico being a republic. And seeing how democracy has worked out in this country, that would explain why a constitutional monarchy for this country really appeals to me (and to a bunch of conservatives too)
Sort of.
The good thing is that I do back up my stuff online since last year. I learned from my past experience.
Also why I nearly do anything and everything on Google Docs...(I only have Word for...just in case situations.)
Chapter 6: Agustín Jerónimo’s Bizarre Adventure – Imperial Blood
And here be a new chapter, after being too busy with personal things. The good thing is that the other chapters may be ready in less time than usual. Though, I'm a bit exhausted, and I think a few typos escaped my eagle-vision. I hope you enjoy it.
Portrait of Crown Prince Agustín Jerónimo. Do notice that he looks like a carbon copy of his father.
Soon after signing the Treaty of Friendship between the Republic of Gran Colombia and the Mexican Empire in 1824, HIH Agustín I decided that it was necessary to send his son in a goodwill tour to Europe, to secure international recognition to the Imperial regime. However, those plans had to be momentarily derailed. The rebellious provinces of Central America were to blame.
Central America. The southern end of the Empire.
Central America had joined the Empire right off the end of the Independence War and the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba, but the local elites refused to go along with the status quo, and they revolted against the Empire by declaring unilaterally the independence of the Provinces of Central America in September 16, 1825, echoing the Grito de Dolores done by Miguel Hidalgo fifteen years ago. But this time, it was done in San Salvador, in the province of El Salvador. The main purpose of this was to split away from the Empire… and that’s about it. Nobody had any idea what they were going to do afterwards, or what kind of government would they have.
A scene of the battle of Comayagua. Obvious rebel defeat.
On the side of this self-proclaimed “United Provinces of Central America” was Manuel José de Arce y Fagoaga, a politician from the province of El Salvador, who attempted to rally the rest of the provinces of Central America under his command, to achieve independence from the Mexican Empire, as he had rejected the union with the Empire and wanted more power to the local Criollo elites. And we also have Francisco Morazán, a liberal who formed a faction dedicated to achieve independence from the Mexican Empire and establish a "Liberal Republic of Central America" (Though, to be fair to this one, he aimed to improve the living standard of the Central American peasantry). These two were always at odds, and fought amongst themselves more than they fought the Empire, which was the main reason for their failure to stop the Imperial onslaught. There were plenty of other commanders on the rebel side, but none of them were of actual relevance within the bigger picture of the Central American uprisings. And no palpable ideological differences between all factions. You can facepalm now.
On the side of the Empire, we had Vicente Filísola, an Italian-born officer that fought in the Indepencence Wars alongside His Imperial Majesty, and often called “The Father of the Imperial Army”. We also had Crown Prince Agustín Jerónimo, who served as representative of His Imperial Higness, and lastly, we had Guadalupe Victoria, a military commander that would later become governor of California.
The campaign was short lived. As said above, the enemies of the Empire were vanquished due to their incompetence and infighting. Even at one point, during a skirmish against the Imperial Army, a force from El Salvador and another from Honduras kept on throwing pot-shots at each other, while they were under fire from the Imperials. To be fair to them, their movement was fractured due to their lack of having a goal aside from gaining independence for Central America, with some of the rebels wanting a republic, some others wanted to import a king from Europe, some others wanted to split their own province off from the republic and even some of them came forth with the horrifying idea (and in hindsight, fractally wrong and jaw-droppingly stupid) of joining the United States.
The disunion between the Centro American forces meant that the Imperial Army just waltzed into any area to shoot at anyone shooting at them, sustaining minimal casualties, and heaps of dead rebels. Soon, after a nine-month campaign that ended in June of 1826, everyone considered the job done, and left a few garrison to keep these rebels under a lid. Over the years, nationalist and separatist feelings began to die out, and the people of the Central American provinces began to view themselves as Mexican. It took some time and effort to achieve this, which was possible when the Empire established its first constitution in 1830. [2]
As for Arce y Fagoaga, he fled to the United States, with whatever enemy of the Empire he could get, and attempted to secure support for a filibuster expedition, which eventually came true when the Republican Uprising took place, arriving in Veracruz just a few days before Agustín Jerónimo came back from his European tour, with results that will be viewable after the next chapter. [2] As a punitive measure, the province of El Salvador was renamed to Cuzcatlán.
His rival, Morazán, was thrown into jail, after negotiating with the Imperial forces for parlaying his men and prison time for him. In the long term, it served him well, as he had plenty of time to sort out his ideas. And after being released, he was elected as governor of Honduras in 1835, and later on would get more involved in local politics, becoming one of the main exponents of liberalism within the Empire. It's a long story how did this came to happen, so I won't bother with the details right now.
While the military campaigns were successful, General Guadalupe Victoria got the top prize of… getting sent to Alta California, at the time seen as the ass-end of the Empire and the farthest one could go in Mexico without leaving the country. And what once was thought as a Mexican’s grave, only inhabited by rough-necked ranchers, conscripted tax dodgers that were used as settlers, and Chinese settlers [1] was to become one of the wealthiest provinces of the Empire, and a key theater in the war against the United States that came by more than a decade later, [2] including a key battle between his forces and an American incursion force in Río Porcíncula [3].
Vicente Filísola kept on looking for more Centro American rebels to dispatch, and kept his forces in Central America in order to discourage any further attempts at rebellion. His experience was useful many years later, when the Anglo settlers in Texas revolted a few years later. [2]
Crown Prince Agustín Jerónimo then was sent on his new adventure to Europe in September 29, 1826. Accompanied by his father’s loyal bodyguard and companion, Karol Bieniewski, [4] who would serve as an aide and interpreter for the young prince. It was a risky assignment, especially with the political instability that we had been speaking of in the previous chapter, just to arrive in time to see that there was a new king in Spain, and many things were beginning to change in the Old World.
Next Chapter: The Prince goes to Europe. Stuff happens.
=================================
[1] The original plans of OTL Mexican Republic involved settling California with lots of Chinese settlers and debtors.
[2] Spoilers.
[3] Kern River, near OTL Bakersfield, CA.
[4] A Polish officer that was once aide to Agustín I, and OTL ended up serving Mexico during the Texan Revolution. TTL, he’ll have a larger role. Some people write his name as "Carlos Beneski".
Chapter 6: Agustín Jerónimo’s Bizarre Adventure – Rebel Blood
And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Portrait of Crown Prince Agustín Jerónimo. Do notice that he looks like a carbon copy of his father.
Soon after signing the Treaty of Friendship between the Republic of Gran Colombia and the Mexican Empire in 1824, HIH Agustín I decided that it was necessary to send his son in a goodwill tour to Europe, to secure international recognition to the Imperial regime. However, those plans had to be momentarily derailed. The rebellious provinces of Central America were to blame.
Central America. The southern end of the Empire.
Central America had joined the Empire right off the end of the Independence War and the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba, but the local elites refused to go along with the status quo, and they revolted against the Empire by declaring unilaterally the independence of the Provinces of Central America in September 16, 1825, echoing the Grito de Dolores done by Miguel Hidalgo fifteen years ago. But this time, it was done in San Salvador, in the province of El Salvador. The main purpose of this was to split away from the Empire… and that’s about it. Nobody had any idea what they were going to do afterwards, or what kind of government would they have.
A scene of the battle of Comayagua. Obvious rebel defeat.
On the side of this self-proclaimed “United Provinces of Central America” was Manuel José de Arce y Fagoaga, a politician from the province of El Salvador, who attempted to rally the rest of the provinces of Central America under his command, to achieve independence from the Mexican Empire, as he had rejected the union with the Empire and wanted more power to the local Criollo elites. And we also have Francisco Morazán, a liberal who formed a faction dedicated to achieve independence from the Mexican Empire and establish a "Liberal Republic of Central America" (Though, to be fair to this one, he aimed to improve the living standard of the Central American peasantry). These two were always at odds, and fought amongst themselves more than they fought the Empire, which was the main reason for their failure to stop the Imperial onslaught. There were plenty of other commanders on the rebel side, but none of them were of actual relevance within the bigger picture of the Central American uprisings. And no palpable ideological differences between all factions. You can facepalm now.
On the side of the Empire, we had Vicente Filísola, an Italian-born officer that fought in the Indepencence Wars alongside His Imperial Majesty, and often called “The Father of the Imperial Army”. We also had Crown Prince Agustín Jerónimo, who served as representative of His Imperial Higness, and lastly, we had Guadalupe Victoria, a military commander that would later become governor of California.
The campaign was short lived. As said above, the enemies of the Empire were vanquished due to their incompetence and infighting. Even at one point, during a skirmish against the Imperial Army, a force from El Salvador and another from Honduras kept on throwing pot-shots at each other, while they were under fire from the Imperials. To be fair to them, their movement was fractured due to their lack of having a goal aside from gaining independence for Central America, with some of the rebels wanting a republic, some others wanted to import a king from Europe, some others wanted to split their own province off from the republic and even some of them came forth with the horrifying idea (and in hindsight, fractally wrong and jaw-droppingly stupid) of joining the United States.
The disunion between the Centro American forces meant that the Imperial Army just waltzed into any area to shoot at anyone shooting at them, sustaining minimal casualties, and heaps of dead rebels. Soon, after a nine-month campaign that ended in June of 1826, everyone considered the job done, and left a few garrison to keep these rebels under a lid. Over the years, nationalist and separatist feelings began to die out, and the people of the Central American provinces began to view themselves as Mexican. It took some time and effort to achieve this, which was possible when the Empire established its first constitution in 1830. [2]
As for Arce y Fagoaga, he fled to the United States, with whatever enemy of the Empire he could get, and attempted to secure support for a filibuster expedition, which eventually came true when the Republican Uprising took place, arriving in Veracruz just a few days before Agustín Jerónimo came back from his European tour, with results that will be viewable after the next chapter. [2] As a punitive measure, the province of El Salvador was renamed to Cuzcatlán.
His rival, Morazán, was thrown into jail, after negotiating with the Imperial forces for parlaying his men and prison time for him. In the long term, it served him well, as he had plenty of time to sort out his ideas. And after being released, he was elected as governor of Honduras in 1835, and later on would get more involved in local politics, becoming one of the main exponents of liberalism within the Empire. It's a long story how did this came to happen, so I won't bother with the details right now.
While the military campaigns were successful, General Guadalupe Victoria got the top prize of… getting sent to Alta California, at the time seen as the ass-end of the Empire and the farthest one could go in Mexico without leaving the country. And what once was thought as a Mexican’s grave, only inhabited by rough-necked ranchers, conscripted tax dodgers that were used as settlers, and Chinese settlers [1] was to become one of the wealthiest provinces of the Empire, and a key theater in the war against the United States that came by more than a decade later, [2] including a key battle between his forces and an American incursion force in Río Porcíncula [3].
Vicente Filísola kept on looking for more Centro American rebels to dispatch, and kept his forces in Central America in order to discourage any further attempts at rebellion. His experience was useful many years later, when the Anglo settlers in Texas revolted a few years later. [2]
Crown Prince Agustín Jerónimo then was sent on his new adventure to Europe in September 29, 1826. Accompanied by his father’s loyal bodyguard and companion, Karol Bieniewski, [4] who would serve as an aide and interpreter for the young prince. It was a risky assignment, especially with the political instability that we had been speaking of in the previous chapter, just to arrive in time to see that there was a new king in Spain, and many things were beginning to change in the Old World.
Next Chapter: The Prince goes to Europe. Stuff happens.
=================================
[1] The original plans of OTL Mexican Republic involved settling California with lots of Chinese settlers and debtors.
[2] Spoilers.
[3] Kern River, near OTL Bakersfield, CA.
[4] A Polish officer that was once aide to Agustín I, and OTL ended up serving Mexico during the Texan Revolution. TTL, he’ll have a larger role. Some people write his name as "Carlos Beneski".
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Well...things got weird for our Imperial Hero...Must've went to the weird side of Mexico.
Wait.... That sound awfully like a country I know....
That sound like Mexico! Oh God how much I love my country
To be fair, as we all know, a lot of Latin America was in the same boat - even Francisco de Miranda suggested making a descendant of the Incas (?!?!) as King of Colombia.Wait.... That sound awfully like a country I know....
That sound like Mexico! Oh God how much I love my country
Most of Perú's independence movements were pretty much about restoring the Incan Empire, too.
Chapter 7: Agustín Jerónimo’s Bizarre Adventure – Diplomatic Tendency
So... I should never again make promises that I'm not going to fulfill. Bugger me...
Depression, lack of computer (which is going to almost permanent if things keep going this way, unless I grab a disgustingly cheap and slow machine), getting distracted on a side project from this TL (for NANOWRIMO I ended up writing a sci-fi novella in the far future of this ATL), several unpleasantries in my daily life, and a general lack of inspiration on what to write about this TL surely did a number on me. And I do apologize for not updating in a very, very, very long time.
So, let me present you with this chapter. I'll be honest, it feels a bit... rough, unifinished, and unpolished. But I'll distract you not with my breakdown. Next chapters will be better.
====================================
When Agustín Jerónimo left the country with the intention to reach Europe, establish formal consular relations with Spain, and with the side goal to get himself a wife, as any normal heir to the throne would do. Accompanied by his father's most trusted bodyguard, a Polish captain going by the name Karol Bieniewski, [1] and a cadre of officers and diplomats, he left Mexico on
The first stop in his European tour was Spain, where he met there with the newly crowned Francisco I. For all intents and purposes, this was a ground-breaking event in the history of Mexico and Spain. For the former, it meant the recognition of the Empire by the Mother Country and the road of the Hispano-Mexican alliance began, which would culminate into the current geopolitical order, but that’s a story for another day. This eventually gave the idea to Francisco I to send envoys to the other South American countries to achieve reconciliation and avoid a repeat of the previous wars, and to possibly negotiate navigation and preferential trading rights with the former colonies. And with Mexico, the negotiations included that Mexico would let go off their claims to the Caribbean realms of New Spain (which at this point no one cared about) and the Philippines (way too far away to control effectively), avoid the forceful eviction of Spanish citizens from Mexico (and in case that they had to leave, arrange for how much of their wealth they would have to fork over) and trading directly with Cuba and Spain all over again.
The good thing was that Francisco I was in power. Had his older brothers been in power, probably they would have shot the crown prince, and Mexico would not have lasted one more generation. Or worse, it would have become a republic. Mexico as a Republic, that’s a thought that goes beyond horrible and disgusting.
Agustín Jerónimo also left to France, landing on Calais, and working his way up to Paris, where he met with Charles X. The mission to ensure diplomatic recognition to the Empire of Mexico was successful. Talks for allowing immigration into Mexico began, to allow French settlers to establish settlements in the northern parts of the Empire. These settlers would be placed in Sonora and Chihuahua, in accordance to immigration laws preventing them from settling in port cities or close to the borders of the Empire.
Third stop was the United Kingdom, the premier power of the world at the time. This was the first country that -aside from the other Latin American republics and Haiti- recognized the independence of the fledging Empire.
Lastly, there was Prussia, a nascent world power with a mighty military tradition. Mexico needed military advisors to modernize its armies, and Prussia needed a dumping ground to throw restive Poles. Thus, representatives for both countries struck a deal, in which the Mexican Empire will receive Prussian military advisors to whip the Imperial Army into shape, and Polish exiles that would be pouring into the country. Many of these Poles that went to Mexico ended up in the Imperial Army, and served with distinction for His Majesty during the Republican Uprising [2] and the First Mexican-American War. Some others brought in a lot of development to the country in the middle part of the 19th century, and some other more were of no relevance other than settling the northern parts of the Empire.
Further establishment of diplomatic ties followed in the years after the first visit from Agustín Jerónimo, but not with the prince, but with other individuals. This allowed the establishment of further relations with the other European powers, and later with the Latin American countries by the end of the 1820’s, after the country stabilized.
As for the secondary goal, he failed. Agustín Jerónimo was an unrepentant workaholic, and spent most of his time in Europe doing paperwork, signing documents, and he just flat-out forgot about getting a wife. Much to the dismay of his father, he did leave a lot of bastard children that he never bothered on recognize. But it became a blessing in disguise, had he had any recognized successor, his youngest brother, Damián, born in 1828, would have never succeeded to the throne [3]. That will be a huge source of what-ifs of history, had he taken more seriously his duty of finding an European princess as a wife, leaving thousands of historians puzzled on what would happen if Agustín Jerónimo had a child.
Next Chapter: How California was settled.
===================
[1] He was one of Agustín de Iturbide's most trusted lieutenants, and one of the most competent commanders that the Mexican Army had OTL until his suicide after the defeat of Santa Anna in the Texan War.
[2] Mild spoilers for Chapter 9.
[3] A new character that I will be introducing for this TL. And spoilers.
Depression, lack of computer (which is going to almost permanent if things keep going this way, unless I grab a disgustingly cheap and slow machine), getting distracted on a side project from this TL (for NANOWRIMO I ended up writing a sci-fi novella in the far future of this ATL), several unpleasantries in my daily life, and a general lack of inspiration on what to write about this TL surely did a number on me. And I do apologize for not updating in a very, very, very long time.
So, let me present you with this chapter. I'll be honest, it feels a bit... rough, unifinished, and unpolished. But I'll distract you not with my breakdown. Next chapters will be better.
====================================
Chapter 7: Agustín Jerónimo’s Bizarre Adventure – Diplomatic Tendency
When Agustín Jerónimo left the country with the intention to reach Europe, establish formal consular relations with Spain, and with the side goal to get himself a wife, as any normal heir to the throne would do. Accompanied by his father's most trusted bodyguard, a Polish captain going by the name Karol Bieniewski, [1] and a cadre of officers and diplomats, he left Mexico on
The first stop in his European tour was Spain, where he met there with the newly crowned Francisco I. For all intents and purposes, this was a ground-breaking event in the history of Mexico and Spain. For the former, it meant the recognition of the Empire by the Mother Country and the road of the Hispano-Mexican alliance began, which would culminate into the current geopolitical order, but that’s a story for another day. This eventually gave the idea to Francisco I to send envoys to the other South American countries to achieve reconciliation and avoid a repeat of the previous wars, and to possibly negotiate navigation and preferential trading rights with the former colonies. And with Mexico, the negotiations included that Mexico would let go off their claims to the Caribbean realms of New Spain (which at this point no one cared about) and the Philippines (way too far away to control effectively), avoid the forceful eviction of Spanish citizens from Mexico (and in case that they had to leave, arrange for how much of their wealth they would have to fork over) and trading directly with Cuba and Spain all over again.
The good thing was that Francisco I was in power. Had his older brothers been in power, probably they would have shot the crown prince, and Mexico would not have lasted one more generation. Or worse, it would have become a republic. Mexico as a Republic, that’s a thought that goes beyond horrible and disgusting.
Agustín Jerónimo also left to France, landing on Calais, and working his way up to Paris, where he met with Charles X. The mission to ensure diplomatic recognition to the Empire of Mexico was successful. Talks for allowing immigration into Mexico began, to allow French settlers to establish settlements in the northern parts of the Empire. These settlers would be placed in Sonora and Chihuahua, in accordance to immigration laws preventing them from settling in port cities or close to the borders of the Empire.
Third stop was the United Kingdom, the premier power of the world at the time. This was the first country that -aside from the other Latin American republics and Haiti- recognized the independence of the fledging Empire.
Lastly, there was Prussia, a nascent world power with a mighty military tradition. Mexico needed military advisors to modernize its armies, and Prussia needed a dumping ground to throw restive Poles. Thus, representatives for both countries struck a deal, in which the Mexican Empire will receive Prussian military advisors to whip the Imperial Army into shape, and Polish exiles that would be pouring into the country. Many of these Poles that went to Mexico ended up in the Imperial Army, and served with distinction for His Majesty during the Republican Uprising [2] and the First Mexican-American War. Some others brought in a lot of development to the country in the middle part of the 19th century, and some other more were of no relevance other than settling the northern parts of the Empire.
Further establishment of diplomatic ties followed in the years after the first visit from Agustín Jerónimo, but not with the prince, but with other individuals. This allowed the establishment of further relations with the other European powers, and later with the Latin American countries by the end of the 1820’s, after the country stabilized.
As for the secondary goal, he failed. Agustín Jerónimo was an unrepentant workaholic, and spent most of his time in Europe doing paperwork, signing documents, and he just flat-out forgot about getting a wife. Much to the dismay of his father, he did leave a lot of bastard children that he never bothered on recognize. But it became a blessing in disguise, had he had any recognized successor, his youngest brother, Damián, born in 1828, would have never succeeded to the throne [3]. That will be a huge source of what-ifs of history, had he taken more seriously his duty of finding an European princess as a wife, leaving thousands of historians puzzled on what would happen if Agustín Jerónimo had a child.
Next Chapter: How California was settled.
===================
[1] He was one of Agustín de Iturbide's most trusted lieutenants, and one of the most competent commanders that the Mexican Army had OTL until his suicide after the defeat of Santa Anna in the Texan War.
[2] Mild spoilers for Chapter 9.
[3] A new character that I will be introducing for this TL. And spoilers.
Seems strange for a Catholic crown prince im the 1820s visiting Europe and not stopping in Austria, but stopping in Prussia...
Don't be so hard on yourself. Even though many people, myself included, love this TL, this is not your life. Your daily life is much, much more important than writting for people you don't know. I wish you the best of luck in the future.
