Arch-Regent Philip Acosta Carroll
Battle Flag of the Empire of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Knights of Columbus do battle in the streets of Baltimore
Members of the Knights of Columbus watch over a group of former Klan members in Alabama
Flag of the Kingdom of America
King Jacobo I Fitz-James Stuart. King of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Emperor of America and the Northern Territories, Protector of the Mexicans, Overseer of the Central American Protectorate, Arch-Duke of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru-Bolivia, and Patagonia, High Admiral of the Caribbean and the Atlantic Isles and Protector of the Pacific
As the second US Civil War broke out in 1937 Longist forces were at a distinct disadvantage. While ostensibly controlling a lot of America their lands were in the Great Planes and therefore both not heavily populated and not industrial. Looking desperately for allies Huey Long received telegram from popular radio figure Father Coughlin with a message from Pope Julius IV. The Pope offered to help organize a Catholic regiment of international volunteers led by Philip Acosta Carroll, a descendent of the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. Long, desperate for any aid he could get, agreed to the proposal and so Carroll set about organizing the Knights of Columbus. After much help from the Pope Carroll set out on a gaggle of ships for America from his exile in North Italy with little more than a dream and a gaggle of poorly equipped volunteers. When they arrived at Baltimore a few weeks later they found the city mostly empty of garrisoning troops. Federal forces secured the city on the outbreak of the War and moved onwards to the Front leaving it undefended for an attack from behind. Within minuets the city was under Knight control and Carroll issued a decree from Federal Hill declaring the beginning of a new, Catholic America. This was met by an outcry of both anger and confusion by the largely protestant city and by extension nation, but Carroll didn't have long to deal with it. Within a week Federal troops were entering the cities suburbs from their base in DC and fierce fighting broke out. The Knights were outgunned and undersupplied but Carroll urged his men to fight on saying that God would save them, and it seemed as if he was right. After a few more weeks of savage fighting as the Knights fell back deeper and deeper into the city, a severe storm suddenly hit the area (now thought to be a hurricane) and tornadoes touched down in the city. The Federal troops were thrown into disarray as the storm ran its course through the city and the Knights took shelter, waiting for a break in the storm to resume the offensive. When it finally did come two days later, the Knights moved fast and hard, smashing the Federal offensive and forcing them from the city. Carroll declared this a miracle from God and many Baltimorans began to consider his words more seriously. Despite this grace of god Carroll also knew their position was untenable. They were to far from friendly lines and to exposed. So, he told the city and his unit that to survive they must head West and link up with advancing Longist forces out of the Midwest. It would be an arduous march but it must be done if the Knights were to survive. As the Knights began what would be known as the Long March on August 2nd, 1937 they were followed by a non-insignificant number of newly converted Catholics fervently devoted to Carroll.
After 11 days of fighting, marching and scavenging Carroll, 1,523 Knights and 5,987 Catholics arrived at Longist lines only barely avoiding getting attacked by rapidly advancing Longist troops. When they told their story, they initially weren't believed but as more refugees arrived and confirmed the story of the March, its legend spread like wildfire throughout the American Union State. Carroll was celebrated as a hero, the Knights were put on a pedestal for their commitment and Huey Long himself even met with Carroll to congratulate him. With this newfound fame came a growing Catholic revival in the American Union State. The State was already particularly popular with evangelicals to begin with however, when news of Carroll's march and good fortune during the Battle of Baltimore reached them Carrolls claims of being Gods Instrument on Earth seemed more credible than ever. Catholicism, once isolated largely to the North-East and Deep South, exploded through the prairies as Columbian Evangelicals crisscrossed the new nation spreading the word of the Catholic Bible and Carrolls grace by god. Huey Long, who had by now more or less won the War and had begun looking to the future of America, became worried at this new religious revival and particularly Carroll's growing confidence. He began planning to institute a new bill to limit the spread of Catholicism, but also put it in a drawer until the end of the War. Despite his growing danger Long knew Carroll was more useful to him now alive than dead. So, he bided his time as Carroll grew and grew in power. Eventually, after the last Pacific soldiers surrendered in the ruins of San Diego Carroll wasted no time in establishing the Holy American League, a uniform political entity to further Catholicism in the American Union State. However, with the war over Long saw his chance to make his move so he called a special meeting of Congress where he, along with Fox Conner, General Staff of the American Military and Gerald L. K. Smith, chief ideologue of the America First movement. Halfway through Long's two hour speech on the dangers of Catholics an explosion tore through the building and killed all inside. With the Government dead Carroll marched on New Orleans and declared the Holy American League to be in charge. When Henry Ford tried to gather a militia in Detroit to oppose him the Knights of Columbus, now acting as Carroll's internal security service, stormed his mansion in the dead of night and dragged him off to prison.
When America awoke on the day of June 4th, 1939 they had no idea they had awoken to a new America, radically changed from the one they went to bed in. The Knights of Columbus, having already established chapters in every state capitol/major city suddenly fanned out to secure Carrolls new regime, however found thankfully little to do. When Americans went to church that day they found that their local priests singing Carrolls praises, claiming he was ordained to rule by the will of God and to go against him would be to fight for the Devil. Due to the Third Great Awakening which had made America a fiercely religious and increasingly Catholic country, the people took these words to heart. Carroll did not waste a moment in securing his rule. His first target was the dual evils of liberalism and the Klan. His first major move, after cementing his rule, was to ban liberalism. The Law for the Preservation of American Morality banned any form of liberalism including any liberal political parties as godless athiests seeking to drag America into darkness. The liberal parties, already sidelined by the AFP, were suddenly destroyed by targeted raids on their headquarters across the nation. Their leaders were jailed, their records seized and propaganda burned in the streets by jubilant crowds. Ancient institutions like the GOP and Democratic parties were then assigned to the dustbin of history. Carroll's next target was the Klu Klux Klan. Fierce supporters of the far right Old Democrat Party they had begun a campaign of terror and racial violence across the Occupied South led by their leader D. C. Stephenson. Not only that they were a staunchly Protestant organization which could not survive in this new, Catholic America. To finish them off once and for all the Army of God on Earth, formally the US Army, was sent into the South to hunt them down to the man. While in actuality they only made a few dozen raids and only arrested around 150 Klan members total the fear they brought with them was enough to break the Klan in two. While Stephenson wanted to continue to fight with the 'Old' or Black Klan the 'Young' or New Klan under Hiram Evans wants to make peace and go underground. The infighting tore the Klan to pieces and while the Klan reportedly still survives, even to this day, they only have a few dozen members. After that was done and the main outside threats to his rule were finished Carroll then set about restructuring the US economy under the so called McCabee Plan. Under the Plan US Reconstruction Aid was targeted to Catholic areas first and filtered down to Protestant areas. This encouraged conversion as it would allow for more aid to be sent to their area. By mid 1940 the US economy was at pre-Civil War levels and growing by the day, conversions were growing at a similar rate and the Holy American League was the unquestioned ruler of the United States. With the homefront secured Carroll was given an interesting proposition by a fringe group of Catholics in the League. While Carroll seemingly initially intended to name Jesus Christ King of the new Empire of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a fringe group of League politicians came to him with a different idea. The ancient House Stuart of Scotland was still around in the name of Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, the senior male descendent of James II and he lived in Canada. They suggested that he be crowned as a pretender to the British throne and give them an excuse to strike the godless syndicalists! Carroll was quickly brought over to their views and soon after that King Jacobo I of America was crowned in the new capital of St Guadalupe (fmr St Louis).
With their figurehead established (Carroll was graciously retained as Arch-Regent) the new Jacobite Kingdom of America went to war. Over the next two years the Jacobite Armies marched from Yukon to Patagonia defeating all in their wakes. The American war machine awoke and none could tame the beast. When the time for invading Brazil came forward King Jacobo put his foot down. Brazil had already been subordinated under Integralist Portugal and Jacobo, while not a fanatical Catholic like Carroll, saw no point in fighting an 'Englightened nation' like his. After Jacobo went to the press with his objections, Carrolls hands were tied and before the week was out he had signed the Pact of Lisboa with the King of Portugal Nuno I and created the Holy League. While merely an alliance of convenience Carroll did use Portugese ports to supply Operation Homecoming, or the Invasion of the British isles in 1944. [...]
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