The Farangi Raj, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love India

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.
 
Depending on how inclusive the revolutionaries want to be, the right to vote would be based on property worth at least 10-40 shillings, and the right to hold office reserved for those holding property worth at least £5-10.

Hm... How much would that actually be, as an example?

First off, sorry for not responding sooner. Second, what I should have said was that the franchise would be extended to those owning property that is taxed at at least 10s. per annum. For a rural voter, you'd probably have to own 5 acres of land and the buildings upon it. For a city dweller, owning either your home or your workshop/store would suffice. This is the system that was common in many of the original American states after Independence. Not the most inclusive of suffrage schemes, allowing no more than 20% of adult males in any location the vote, but a great improvement nevertheless.
 
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.

Since I didn't say so in my first reply, I'm glad this is back :)

With the Brits out of the picture in the East Indies, I don't really see a need for the founding of Singapore at this point. To get that far, the French would have to first take Penang and Malacca. OTL, the Brits got them in 1786 and 95 respectively. They didn't found Singapore until 1819 (IIRC), and even then its main purpose was as a trading post, not a military installation. More likely, Nappy will take Penang and Malacca, and then try and assert control over at least some parts of coastal Aceh. Perhaps Singapore gets founded in the end, maybe even approximately per OTL, but I think control of Sumatra would be more fitting of his style, especially given that the Dutch at the turn of the 19th century could only claim effective control over the Sunda Straits region in the south...

Just a thought :D
 
First off, sorry for not responding sooner. Second, what I should have said was that the franchise would be extended to those owning property that is taxed at at least 10s. per annum. For a rural voter, you'd probably have to own 5 acres of land and the buildings upon it. For a city dweller, owning either your home or your workshop/store would suffice. This is the system that was common in many of the original American states after Independence. Not the most inclusive of suffrage schemes, allowing no more than 20% of adult males in any location the vote, but a great improvement nevertheless.

Ah, yes, that sounds very good, small farmers and independent craftsmen.
Interesting timeline NoSpace.

Thank you, 47.
Since I didn't say so in my first reply, I'm glad this is back :)

With the Brits out of the picture in the East Indies, I don't really see a need for the founding of Singapore at this point. To get that far, the French would have to first take Penang and Malacca. OTL, the Brits got them in 1786 and 95 respectively. They didn't found Singapore until 1819 (IIRC), and even then its main purpose was as a trading post, not a military installation. More likely, Nappy will take Penang and Malacca, and then try and assert control over at least some parts of coastal Aceh. Perhaps Singapore gets founded in the end, maybe even approximately per OTL, but I think control of Sumatra would be more fitting of his style, especially given that the Dutch at the turn of the 19th century could only claim effective control over the Sunda Straits region in the south...

Just a thought :D

Well, my thought was that the Dutch are gonna be pissed after losing Ceylon and the Cape, and that Singapore as a first line of defense made more sense than having Dutch ships attacking the Indian coast. It is also a good spot to protect the China trade, at least for now. Also, let's just say that the French approximately paralleled the Brits in taking other bits of Malaya, even if I didn't specifically mention it.
Buonaparte is really awesome.
Nice developments!

Yes, he is, and gracias.
 
1795-1804 - Non COI-controlled areas
Hanover gains control of Bremen, requested to 'protect the Continent from Jacobitism.' Marriage links between Denmark-Norway and Sweden(-Finland) result in a personal union, the strength of which is soon tested. Despite the traditional links between the Oldenburgs and the Romanovs, Russian desire for Finland proves the greater, overrunning the area and holding it against Dano-Swedish descents. Eventually, a peace treaty is signed, with Russia gaining Finland (as OTL, apart from Aland). One of the larger reasons for the Russian victory is the separate Dano-Norwegian and Swedish armies, and the great lack of communication between the two, making coordination impossible. In the aftermath of the war, motions are put through the Dano-Norwegian Rigsdag and the Swedish Riksdag to create a full union, the Kingdom of Scandinavia. The Scandinavian capital is placed in Gotheborg (Swedish, but close enough to historical Danish and Norwegian territory to be considered neutral, also quite central) and a new central parliament, the Scandinavian Riksdag (As Sweden was the only one to have a parliament at this point), is set up, creating a centralized government. Many Swedes and Finns emigrate from Russian-held territory, mostly to either Nye Sjaeland (Greatly booming the European population) or North America (Where they, as good Protestants, are typically quickly accepted and assimilated).

Canadian French begin emigrating from North America, where ideas of Commonwealth liberty have become largely restricted to English-speaking Protestants, leaving those who would prefer to retain their heritage with few options, emigration being a very appealing one to most. Namerican incursions into Louisiana cause many French Creoles to flee, often taking their chattels with them. These two groups mostly went to French colonies, St. Domingue, Cape and Australie recieving the largest numbers. Slave revolts break out in St. Domingue, but are crushed by French troops and irregulars. France buys Santo Domingo from Spain, in order to lower the population density, with many planters buying new lands in the east, easing pressure and making rebellion more difficult, at least for the time being. The Dutch take the Guiana settlements from France, in response to reversals in the East.

Voiron and other French settlements in Australie continue to grow, attracting French and French-descended immigrants. The first shipload of Tamil coolies (manual laborers) offloads in Nouveu Dauphine, followed relatively soon after by other Indians, as well as Chinese. Nua Cobh (OTL Perth) is founded by Irish immigrants, attracted by the freedom to practice their religion and retain their language and culture under French protection. A steady trickle, eventually becoming a flood, largely from Munster and Connacht provinces will bolster the Irish population. Thiar Astrail (Western Australia) will become very Irish influenced as a result of this, with Gaelic being the standard language, and French merely widely understood. Scandinavian and Finnish migration to Nye Sjaeland increases (As mentioned above), and begins conflicts with Maori tribes.
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New update, folks.
 
There seems to be some interesting times ahead for Oceania, heck the entire world. I can't comment much on the developments in Europe and America, as I have little knowledge of that part of the world.

I do assume that with this heavy influx of Chinese and Indians, that hopefully there will be no Blanc Australie immigration and demographic policy enacted by French rule. I like the sound of this very multicultural Australie, but early on I think you might see some communal tensions. I do find this idea of the preservation of Gaelic rather interesting, it adds a rather unique cultural nuance to the TL. Unfortunately your favourite language may be polluted with influences of French, Tamil, Hokkien, Hindi and Cantonese :eek::p

I also am intrigued to find out the welfare of the Aborigines, will they suffer similarly as they did under British colonisation?

On the plus side, if the Aborigines don't die out and make a rebound as in OTL, their languages could be preserved and spread, all be it in French romanisation.

On another note, I found an interesting little anecdote in a Hindi learner's guide I'd like to share, I was hoping to get ES and other guys opinions on it.

pg 48 said:
Legend has it that in the days of the Raj the Britsh memsahibs indifferent to real Hindi, would learn simple Hindi commands by assimilating them to English phrases: 'There once was a banker' was to be interpreted by servants as representing दरवाज़ा बंद कर darvāzā band kar 'Close the door', and 'There was a cold day' meant दरवाजा खोल दे darvāzā khol de 'Open the door'. Thankfully, those days are long gone.

I wonder how the French memsahibs will tackle Hindi :rolleyes:
 
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There seems to be some interesting times ahead for Oceania, heck the entire world. I can't comment much on the developments in Europe and America, as I have little knowledge of that part of the world.

I do assume that with this heavy influx of Chinese and Indians, that hopefully there will be no Blanc Australie immigration and demographic policy enacted by French rule.

You hope wisely, the French aren't really particular about who settles Oz, provided they won't try to rebel.

I like the sound of this very multicultural Australie, but early on I think you might see some communal tensions. I do find this idea of the preservation of Gaelic rather interesting, it adds a rather unique cultural nuance to the TL. Unfortunately your favourite language may be polluted with influences of French, Tamil, Hokkien, Hindi and Cantonese :eek::p

Pretty much any language spoken by Australian colonists is going to be heavily changed by daily exposure to speakers of other languages. Australian dialects will become quite different from their Eurasian counterparts.

I also am intrigued to find out the welfare of the Aborigines, will they suffer similarly as they did under British colonisation?
On the plus side, if the Aborigines don't die out and make a rebound as in OTL, their languages could be preserved and spread, all be it in French romanisation.

Probably, but with a greater colonial population, faster, they'll probably succumb quicker. Which means they may make a comeback earlier. Honestly, famines, plagues and skirmishes will make a huge dent in the Aboriginal populations, even without concerted genocide, which may or may not happen.

On another note, I found an interesting little anecdote in a Hindi learner's guide I'd like to share, I was hoping to get ES and other guys opinions on it.

I wonder how the French memsahibs will tackle Hindi :rolleyes:

Seeing as a lot of the memsahibs will be themselves Indian or half-Indian, there will probably be a greater effort on the part of European women to learn about India's cultures and languages, if only to ease communications with other wives.
 
BUMP!!! I NEED TO SEE AN ANGLO-HANOVERIAN EMPIRE!!!

Ah, gee, now this is rather embarassing. I hadn't actually planned on continuing this. I should probably remove it from my sig, eh? :eek:

As I recall, however, there wouldn't've been an Anglo-Hanoverian Empire. France would roughly have assumed OTL UK's role, becoming the predominant power. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth, an amalgamated UK-US would have played second fiddle, mostly focusing on 'civilising' North America, along with picking up a few protectorates elsewhere. Hanover was to become the nucleus for a German Kingdom, with a few colonies. There are some other bits as well. Here, lemme post a map, showing the Pax Francia (Would that be the correct Latin for it?) at its height, including France proper, a pair of Empires and assorted Viceroyalties and Protectorates. See if you can guess which is which.

Looking back, that map leaves much to be desired, re the name of the Chinese dynasty, and the alliances. Also, I numbered the various pieces of the French Empire as they fit into the imperial system, which makes it rather clunky looking. Also, the borders are just too neat, too OTL. Meh, enjoy anyway.

Also, I suppose if anyone would desire to continue this, I could turn over control to someone with a bit more... commitment. Drop me a PM if you're interested.

Pax Francia.png
 
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