1795-1804 - India and the Compagnie
Napoleone Buonaparte, now with near total control over French and French-allied forces in India, including the ships stationed in the area. These he uses initially to secure the route to India, 'relieving' the VOC of the Cape Colony. This has the effect of pushing the Afrikaners, many of whom are of French Protestant descent and virulently anti-Catholic, out of their homes and farms, on the Great Trek to the African interior, where they come into conflict with many tribes, including the Zulu clans. Next, he forces the Dutch from their ports and coast in Ceylon, making it French. Finally, in order to fully secure the Straights, Buonaparte founds Singapore.
With the shipping routes safe and Dutch power in the area greatly lessened, Governor-General Buonaparte has a free hand in India, to mold it to his will. To begin with, he relocates the capital of French India from Chandernagore to Agra in the Doab (Two Rivers, Ganges and Jamuna) region. Next, he campaigns in successive years against the Assamese and Nepali hill tribes, Gujarat and the Rajput states, either making princely states of them, appointing Councillors (Equivalent to British Residents), or annexing them outright, which is more typical of less organized areas.
Napoleone Buonaparte, the son of a minor Corsican noble, was now effectively Warlord of India. He raised a massive army, some say half a million men, against his next target. Ranjit Singh, Maharaj of Punjab, (Who in OTL was about the only Indian the British really respected when it came to war, indeed, even during the Sind and Afghan Wars, they were careful not to anger him. He was often compared to Napoleon.) had much to fear, but he also had a powerful and disciplined army. Soon enough, Buonaparte invades, but is repelled in the first defeat of his career. He reconsolidates his army, increasing the number and power of his artillery, and recruiting more among the Marathi and Rajput states, and the Nepali Gurkhas, and invades again, this time defeating Ranjit in a series of battles. Napoleone gained great respect for Ranjit during this campaign and when the Sikhs suffered their final defeat, Napoleone made sure that his former opponent was brought before them. Out of admiration, Buonaparte allows Ranjit to retain his kingdom with a Councillor in Lahore. They are soon campaigning together, against Sind, Kashmir and Ladakh (In OTL, the Sikh Empire conquered the latter two, and even made in incursion into Tibet(!).) The Baluchs of Kalat enter into a vassal relationship with the COI.
Buonaparte, now entering his last year as Governor-General and with Ranjit at his side, invades Afghanistan. Unfortunately for him, the Afghans prove to be perhaps the finest guerrila (Although that term does not exist in TTL, perhaps something like Pathan or the name of one specific sept could gain that meaning) fighters on Earth. His army is massacred, losing almost half of his force from constant skirmishes and harassments. Afghanistan is regarded, even by a man as stubborn as Buonaparte, as unconquerable, and he soon withdraws from the highlands, annexing Peshawar and other parts of the lowlands (Approximately the OTL border between India and Afganistan, but about forty years earlier, in large part because Napoleone is just awesome, and he's not even done yet.).
His Governorship now ending, Napoleone declines a permanent position, preferring to sail back to Corsica, in the company of two Italian (A Venetian and a Roman) soldiers formerly in the employ of the Company, with whom he relearns Italian. He also brings home a rather impressive personal fortune, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond (In OTL captured by Ranjit Singh, in TTL was one of the few successes of the Afghan campaign), which he makes a personal gift to Louis XVI. He has also made several other friends highly placed in French society, merchants and nobles and others with great political influence.
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Extra large, to make up for the delay. Enjoy and please comment.
Napoleone Buonaparte, now with near total control over French and French-allied forces in India, including the ships stationed in the area. These he uses initially to secure the route to India, 'relieving' the VOC of the Cape Colony. This has the effect of pushing the Afrikaners, many of whom are of French Protestant descent and virulently anti-Catholic, out of their homes and farms, on the Great Trek to the African interior, where they come into conflict with many tribes, including the Zulu clans. Next, he forces the Dutch from their ports and coast in Ceylon, making it French. Finally, in order to fully secure the Straights, Buonaparte founds Singapore.
With the shipping routes safe and Dutch power in the area greatly lessened, Governor-General Buonaparte has a free hand in India, to mold it to his will. To begin with, he relocates the capital of French India from Chandernagore to Agra in the Doab (Two Rivers, Ganges and Jamuna) region. Next, he campaigns in successive years against the Assamese and Nepali hill tribes, Gujarat and the Rajput states, either making princely states of them, appointing Councillors (Equivalent to British Residents), or annexing them outright, which is more typical of less organized areas.
Napoleone Buonaparte, the son of a minor Corsican noble, was now effectively Warlord of India. He raised a massive army, some say half a million men, against his next target. Ranjit Singh, Maharaj of Punjab, (Who in OTL was about the only Indian the British really respected when it came to war, indeed, even during the Sind and Afghan Wars, they were careful not to anger him. He was often compared to Napoleon.) had much to fear, but he also had a powerful and disciplined army. Soon enough, Buonaparte invades, but is repelled in the first defeat of his career. He reconsolidates his army, increasing the number and power of his artillery, and recruiting more among the Marathi and Rajput states, and the Nepali Gurkhas, and invades again, this time defeating Ranjit in a series of battles. Napoleone gained great respect for Ranjit during this campaign and when the Sikhs suffered their final defeat, Napoleone made sure that his former opponent was brought before them. Out of admiration, Buonaparte allows Ranjit to retain his kingdom with a Councillor in Lahore. They are soon campaigning together, against Sind, Kashmir and Ladakh (In OTL, the Sikh Empire conquered the latter two, and even made in incursion into Tibet(!).) The Baluchs of Kalat enter into a vassal relationship with the COI.
Buonaparte, now entering his last year as Governor-General and with Ranjit at his side, invades Afghanistan. Unfortunately for him, the Afghans prove to be perhaps the finest guerrila (Although that term does not exist in TTL, perhaps something like Pathan or the name of one specific sept could gain that meaning) fighters on Earth. His army is massacred, losing almost half of his force from constant skirmishes and harassments. Afghanistan is regarded, even by a man as stubborn as Buonaparte, as unconquerable, and he soon withdraws from the highlands, annexing Peshawar and other parts of the lowlands (Approximately the OTL border between India and Afganistan, but about forty years earlier, in large part because Napoleone is just awesome, and he's not even done yet.).
His Governorship now ending, Napoleone declines a permanent position, preferring to sail back to Corsica, in the company of two Italian (A Venetian and a Roman) soldiers formerly in the employ of the Company, with whom he relearns Italian. He also brings home a rather impressive personal fortune, including the Koh-i-Noor diamond (In OTL captured by Ranjit Singh, in TTL was one of the few successes of the Afghan campaign), which he makes a personal gift to Louis XVI. He has also made several other friends highly placed in French society, merchants and nobles and others with great political influence.
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Extra large, to make up for the delay. Enjoy and please comment.