The Golden Eagle, A Napoleonic France after the Peace of Vienna

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The end of an Era, 1845: V
The dust was settling over Europe, in most of the countries Absolutism was over, Constitutions were enacted in several Nations. Old Empires fell, and new Nations were born, but there was still one thing to settle in Germany.

With the collapse of the Austrian Empire and the Frankfurt Assembly, the dream of the Prussian King Wilhelm I became true. The "Preussen Reich" used the chaos of the revolution to solidify their rule over Northern Germany, from Saxony to Schleswig, from the east bank of the Rhine to East Prussia, Wilhelm used that to call for conference in Erfurt on the 18th of March of 1846 between the several princes under the control of Prussia, the Chancellor Frederick von Bismarck presided the historical session. The Conference created a Federation of German States centered on Prussia and Berlin, with a Parliament with Representatives of the states elected by the Prussian suffrage, the King of Prussia would be the President of the Federation and his son Heinrich as successor, the North German States agreed and left the German Confederation, first step for German Unification was taken.

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((Flag of the Northern German Federation))
When the news reached Vienna, Franz almost fell from his chair, but he was expecting such a move from Prussia. The loss of the Slavic Territories brought an new mentality to Vienna, the only way for the Austrian Empire to regain prominence was to follow the Prussian way. Franz backstabbed the Liberals after the army returned from Italy and Hungary, rolling back from Constitutionalism and crushing the Liberals, appointing the harsh and efficient Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg as Minister-President of the Empire. He quickly restored the order and stabilized the rest of the Empire, he also shared the pragmatism of Franz: The only way to the Austrian Empire to rise back as a Great power, was using Pan-Germanism.

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((Minister-President Felix von Schwarzenberg, called as the Austrian Bismarck))
With the North German States leaving the Confederation, the Conference of Munich was called by the Austrian Empire a month after the Erfurt Conference. The Austrian Empire was the dominant state of the meeting, but as opposed to Prussia they had a rival, the Kingdom of Bavaria refused to enter into an Austrian-Dominated Union as they would become der facto puppets, but Felix used the Austrian Military, Industrial, and Political superiority to outmaneuver the Bavarian delegation and get the support from Baden and Wurttenberg, resulting in a reluctant approval from the Bavarian Kingdom and the Creation of the Southern German Federation.

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((Flag of the South German Federation))​
 
The end of an Era, 1845: VI
As things settled in the Continent, the Revolution left the Continent with an new order: The most powerful Central European nation collapsed and several duchies and counties were absorbed into 3 new nations formed based on the idea of Nation-State that united several peopled based on a single culture, language, and customs. The German Confederation was split in two new rival powers that looked for the unification of the Germanic peoples. Italy was an new Nation led by the son of Joachim I Murat, while the city of Rome and Northern Italy were still under foreign control, the new kingdom reorganized itself under a Moderate constitution and waited for their chance to complete the Risorgimento.

The French Empire survived revolution and became stronger, the rebellions were crushed and the old duchy of Milan was put under Vassalage of Paris. The rebellions provinces were put under military control and the constitution was suspended over Piedmont and Catalonia, with the military cracking down heavily on Nationalism and intensifying the Frankification policies, prohibiting the teaching and use of the Italian and Catalan by official institutions. The national identity of the locals would be crushed for at least a Generation. The Germans of the Rhineland and Flandres weren't punished as harshly, but Soult's Hardline policies also affected those regions. The Partí Federalisté was hunted down and much of the leadership, including Matthias Wegner, would be arrested with rushed and unfair trials, where their lawyers were not allowed to intervene. Wegner famously said "History shall remember this moment, when the French silenced their own citizens."

But in Britain, the Assembly was called for an new Constutution. Sadly they suffered the same as the Frankfurt Assembly: Partisanship and endless debates prevented anything from getting done. Pelletists and radical Whigs wanted a Republic while the Moderates (a wide range from Moderate Whigs and followers of the ideas of PM Robert Peel and his moderate Conservatism) wanted just an new King. The inefficiency allowed the Irish armies to take the entirety of the Emerald island and forced the hand of the Army. Led by the ex-Prime Minister Arthur Wellesley, the Army units of London entered during an session of the Assembly and Dissolved the provisional government, effectively seizing control of the Government.

With the Military leadership, Wellesley was decided to crush the Irish rebellion, ordering an blockade of the Island and preparations for an invasion. The Navy quickly crushed the Irish ships and worsened the situation of the Irish Famine by blockading food imports and strangling the Economy. The invasion force was sent and took the city of Belfast back, the Irish rebellion was about to fall...

But then a hope came from the south: The French Imperial Navy (using some of the most modern ships of the world), arrived at the coast of Munster, disembarking several thousand troops and vital supplies, led by the French Marshall and brother of Napoleon, Jerôme Bonaparte. The arrival of the French troops halted the British advance to Dublin and the Royal Navy refused to engage the French ships and cause a war with the most powerful Nation of the world while Britain was in crisis. Forcing Wellington into the negotiation table.

The Irish won their independence but now how the ILA wanted: The Duchy of Ulster would remain under British control, Ireland would become a Kingdom under Jerôme I Bonaparte, and they would not get reparations from the British and instead had to compensate the loss of British Companies. It wasn't a good deal but it was the best they could get.

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((The division of Ireland after the Treaty of Paris))
Wellesley didn't plan to be a Cromwell, he didn't wish to be an uncrowned King. After the Irish war, the Assembly was reopened in November and on the 7th of December of 1845, the Assembly invited Leopold George of Saxe-Colburg and Gotha, an fairly Liberal Prince, to take the old crown of Ernest Augustus. He accepted and converted to Anglicanism soon after, he arrived in London on the 23th of December and became King George V on the Christmas.

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((Portrait of George V at his younger years))​
 
Anyways, two people developing their variations on Pelletism:

Name: William "Billy" Hunter
Home: Edinburgh, Scotland
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Culture: Scottish British
Politics: Democratic Pelletism
Background: William "Billy" Hunter was born to a modest family of printers. While not exactly rich or well-off, he was not poor as well, being considered lower middle-class. While a young man working as an assistant to his father, who owned the small printing business which he operated, he read Justin Pelletier's book one night and quickly became a follower of his ideology. However, unlike others who adhered to Pelletism, he remained a believer that only democratic reform could result in a Pelletist society. After the British Revolution of 1845, he has published a book outlining how he believes in "democratic Pelletism", a form of Pelletism which argues that a Pelletist society would emerge through gradual change and democratic reforms leading to the rise of Pelletism.

Name: Márkó Lakatos
Home: Budapest, Hungary
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Culture: Hungarian
Politics: National Pelletism
Background: Marko Lakatos is a Hungarian nationalist thinker who has been influenced by Pelletism after reading about it in the early 1840s. His take on Pelletism combines nationalist thought with Justin Pelletier's economic and social philosophy. This "National Pelletism" would, in the manifesto that he wrote in late 1845 in the euphoria caused by Hungarian independence, be the basis of a "nation of the people" as it would combine a strong nationalism with an economy run by the people for the benefit of the people. This "nation of the people" would be stronger than a "traditional nation" in his works as all would be equal in such a nation unlike in the hierarchial society of a traditional nation. As for the government of the "nation of the people", he argued that in a "popular nation" that he envisioned, there would be a "true democracy" in that all people are part of the "nation of the people" and so are (in theory) equal participants in running such a "nation of the people". However, he believed that such a "nation of the people" needed to be protected from any attempt to restore the old order and so the people must be a "vigilant whole" in resisting such a reaction as well.
 
The Manifest Destiny: 1840-1850
America was finally in control of the Democratic Party, and President Harrison was quick to make use of that. He adopted the "American System", an set of economical ideas made by the Kentucky Senator Henry Clay that would guide the Democratic Party for a decade. The idea was to increase Tariffs to boost the industry, increasing Federal funding for infrastructure projects, and recreate the Bank of America. All but the latter was enacted by Harrison's government.

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((Henry Clay, the creator of the American System, based on the American Economic school of Alexander Hamilton))
The plan worked, the economy was rising again. But when foreign policy came, it was when the Whigs took back the White House due to the crisis over the Southwest.

The Mexican Empire admitted a great number of American settlers as part of the Emperor's effort to tame the North of the country. But these settlers came with their slaves and culture that came into shock with Mexican laws. For a time the government tolerated it as the Americans settled in Tejas, but in 1843 the Emperor changed his mind, planning to Abolish slavery over the eastern side of the Rio Grande. Knowing of those plans after a leak, the Settlers prepared a defense, buying artillery and weapons from the other side of the border. On the 2nd of October, a Mexican regiment marched to Gonzales to capture a Texan ammunition depot and a canon, when ordering the local militia to hand it over, the commander replied "Come and Take it !" The militia shot the Mexican forces and the first battle of the war started.

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((The Flag made by the locals and the first flag of the rebellion))
The Mexican forces were routed and the news spread over all Tejas, militias rose and overwhelmed the Mexican Garrisons. A convention started in Austin with delegates from the Tejas, and on the March of 1844 the Republic of Texas was declared.

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((Flag of the Texan Republic adopted after the War))
The Mexican Emperor Luíz II marched the Imperial Army to the north under his Personal leadership. The Emperor sadly was an incompetent General that wanted to copy his Uncle Napoleon I Bonaparte. He led the army north and met an small Texan force in the old fort Alamo, for 2 weeks the Texans fought until almost all of them died. "Remember the Alamo !" Became the War Cry of the Texans as they organized an army led by Sam Houston.

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((Sam Houston, General and First President of the Texan Republic))
The Texans met the French Emperor in San Jacinto, where Houston and the Texans made their stand against the Imperial Guard. Houston emerged triumphant and captured the Emperor while he tried to escape back to Mexico. Carlos Luíz Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of Mexico, had lost and signed the Treaty of Velazquez, giving the Independence of Tejas in exchange of his safe Return to Mexico City. He came back disgraced and Texas was independent.

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((Map of the Texan Republic))
Two factions fought for the destiny of Mexico: Nationalists wanted an Independent Texas and the expulsion of the Natives, while Sam Houston and the Unionists wanted to apply to join the USA as a State. The latter won and a letter was sent to President Harrison the application of the Texan Republic to join the USA. Harrison recognized the Texan Republic but the Democrats were opposed to annexation, claiming it would break the balance of slave and free states and put more fire into the slavery debate. In the 1844 elections, the Democrats led by Henry Clay were defeated due to their "defeatist atitude" as the now President James K. Polk claimed. The Whigs were back and the first act of Polk was his main campaign promise: Achieve the Manifest Destiny and bring America to the West.

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((James Knox Polk, one of the most successful US Presidents, his internal and external promises were all achieved in a single term))
Polk reduced the Trade Tariffs and created an Independent Treasury System, but his greatest success was military. Just after the inauguration, he signed his first decree by accepting the statehood of Texas, something that was protested by Mexico, Luíz Mobilized the Mexican forces and threatened war if an annexation happened. Still, Texas became a state in 1845 and the USA and Mexico were on the brink of war.

An last attempt was made to prevent the War, the USA proposed the "Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo", where the USA would buy about Half of Mexico.

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((The territory that would be given to the USA in the Original Treaty))
It was no surprise that the Emperor refused that, but instead of war he made another proposition, splitting the land over the Rio Grande in the East and in the 36* 30' parallel in the north, with everything north and east of it being given to the USA and the rest would be recognized as part of Mexico.

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((The Revised Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo))
Intense negotiations followed and the treaty was sent to the US Congress, it was approved as a Compromise: The land cession would be just large enough to satisfy the Whigs while not breaking the balance of Free and Slave States as radically as the Democrats expected. It was approved by a 2/3rds majority and overrided the Presidential Veto, expanding the USA further West and securing the borders with Mexico. Period.

Polk wasn't finished Yet, ever since the Canadian Independence, British Control over Columbia started to decline, and using the Revolution in 1845 he demanded the Oregon County from the British Military Government under the 54th Parallel. In no position to fight, the British gave up control of the entire Oregon County to the USA.

Polk didn't fully take his claims over Mexico, but he left the Presidency as a one-term president in 1849 and it was the time of the Democrat Zachary Taylor to be President.

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((Zachary Taylor, Ex-General of the US Army and the Second Democrat in the White House))​

After the Expansions, the balance of slavery was broken and Taylor entered the 1850s sitting on a Gunpowder Barrel about to explode.
 
Anyways, two people developing their variations on Pelletism:

Name: William "Billy" Hunter
Home: Edinburgh, Scotland
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Culture: Scottish British
Politics: Democratic Pelletism
Background: William "Billy" Hunter was born to a modest family of printers. While not exactly rich or well-off, he was not poor as well, being considered lower middle-class. While a young man working as an assistant to his father, who owned the small printing business which he operated, he read Justin Pelletier's book one night and quickly became a follower of his ideology. However, unlike others who adhered to Pelletism, he remained a believer that only democratic reform could result in a Pelletist society. After the British Revolution of 1845, he has published a book outlining how he believes in "democratic Pelletism", a form of Pelletism which argues that a Pelletist society would emerge through gradual change and democratic reforms leading to the rise of Pelletism.

Name: Márkó Lakatos
Home: Budapest, Hungary
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Culture: Hungarian
Politics: National Pelletism
Background: Marko Lakatos is a Hungarian nationalist thinker who has been influenced by Pelletism after reading about it in the early 1840s. His take on Pelletism combines nationalist thought with Justin Pelletier's economic and social philosophy. This "National Pelletism" would, in the manifesto that he wrote in late 1845 in the euphoria caused by Hungarian independence, be the basis of a "nation of the people" as it would combine a strong nationalism with an economy run by the people for the benefit of the people. This "nation of the people" would be stronger than a "traditional nation" in his works as all would be equal in such a nation unlike in the hierarchial society of a traditional nation. As for the government of the "nation of the people", he argued that in a "popular nation" that he envisioned, there would be a "true democracy" in that all people are part of the "nation of the people" and so are (in theory) equal participants in running such a "nation of the people". However, he believed that such a "nation of the people" needed to be protected from any attempt to restore the old order and so the people must be a "vigilant whole" in resisting such a reaction as well.
You are really investing in Pelletism now, aren't you ? I think I'm going to get overwhelmed almost exclusively by your characters !
 
The Bear Unleashed: 1845-1850
The end of the Revolution brought more devastation to the West, the Polish uprising was crushed with the Brute Force of Russian arms. The Tsar and Autocrat of All-Russias, Nicholas I, intensified the suppression of Polish Nationalism and the Russification policies over the Ruthenia and Ukraine, never again would the Poles rise in revolt, and if they did, they would be alone.

The Tsar turned his eyes South, the Collapse of the Austrian Empire created a Kingdom in Galicia, and the Tsar was quick to intervene. Russian forces crossed the border and destroyed all resistance of the newly independent nation, the Kingdom was forced to accept the Protectorate from St. Petersburg.

The Tsar had inaugurated an new policy for the Russian government: Slavophile or Pan-Slavism. The idea that Russia was destined to rule all the Slav peoples under the Tsar and Autocracy. Now that the poles were crushed and the only other nation that could challenge a Balkan offensive by Russia was gone, the bear just needed a reason.

He got one when the Revolution managed to spread southeast, the Nationalist powderkrieg in the Balkans exploded when the news of the Austrian collapse reached Konstantinnye. The Ottoman Censorship wasn't enough to prevent the news from spreading to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, where the people was inspired by the Hungarians, Italians, and Germans. The Wallachian Prince George Bibescu started a rebellion against Ottoman rule and was soon joined by the Moldavian Prince Milkhail Sturdza. The two Princes went to war but they knew that they would stand no chance against the newly reformed Ottoman Army, not without outside help at least.

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((The two princes of Moldavia and Wallachia respectively))
The Principalities still went to war and they achieved success during the beggining of the campaign in mid-1846. Encouraging Russia to intervene, sending weapons and volunteers to the rebels. When the Ottoman army captured and executed a Russian officer at the battle of Constanta, the Tsar used it as Casus belli for war and declared it on the 6th of February of 1847.

The Russian Black Sea fleet attacked the Ottoman navy by surprise in the battle of Sinop, the Turkish navy would burn and sink with minimal Russian casualties, bringing them control over the Black Sea coast.

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((Ottoman fleet at the battle of Sinop, burning on the background))
The Bear launched two offensives, one with the mission of taking Kars and advance in Trebizond, and the main one would push south into Bulgaria and advance along the coast to Konstantinnye. The Kars offensive was a resounding success with the Ottomans pushed out of the Caucasus, but in the West the Turks managed to create a strong defensive line over the Danube. But eventually the line was broken and the Russians reached Varna, the Ottoman collapse was about to happen.

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((Siege of Kars))
But the French thought otherwise, not wanting the Russian Control of the Balkans, the French threatened war if the Russians didn't seat down in a peace meeting in Paris. On the 19th of December of 1848 the Russians declared a ceasefire at the gates of Konstantinnye. The Paris conference agreed on a Peace Treaty: While Russia didn't achieve their dream of controlling Tsargrad or expelling the Turks from the Balkans, the two Principalities of Moldavia and Walachia would be independent and recieve Constanta and Drobudja, Cyprus would be annexed by the French as Naval Base, Bosnia would be under Hungarian occupation, Kars would be given to Russia, and Russia would be allowed free and unlimited access by the Strait of Bosphorus. The Tsar would need to wait another decade or two for his dream thanks to Napoleon III.
 
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Maybe you could do some "interlude" update detailing stuff like culture, technological development, the economy, and ideological developments?
 
1845-1850: New nations, New ideas
The end of the 1845 Revolutions created 5 nations and destroyed an Empire, while the New Nations stabilized themselves and the barricades were demolished, a great Congress was called in Manchester, several representatives from all the way to New York. Pelletist thinkers, from Philisophers to Union Leaders, all went to the same place to decide how the ideology would evolve.

Two new variants appeared from Mainstream Pelletism: National Pelletism made by the Hungarian Markos Lakatos argued for a Mix of Pelletism, Totalitarianism, and Nationalism, claiming that such a nation would be stronger than an average nation. On the opposite field was William "Billy" Hunter, the British representative, he instead said that Pelletism and Democracy could co-exist, in a form of a gradual change in society and allowing small private propriety.

Meanwhile an new movement gained proeminence in the Congress: Proudhonism or Anarchism, opposing the very idea of a State and a Authority, instead supporting Mutualism as a basis of Economy. He also supported that Anarchism and Pelletism should be united against a "common foe".

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((The First International Congress))
Over the Continent, another ideology was rising: Lustenbergism, made by Antonin Lustenberger, a wealthy middle-class man in Munich. An ambitious mix of Absolutism and Egalitarianism, with the ideal state being administered by a Meritocratic elite with the ending ideal of world unification, but even Lustenberger himself agreed that it was a impossible goal, and instead called for unification of ethnical and cultural groups. While the idea was still in early stages, one man saw potential on it: The son of the Tsar and Autocrat of all-Russias, Pyotr Romanov.

Meanwhile, Hungary was a Kingdom with no Crown. After the independence, representatives from all the Nation met in Buda to decide to who give a crown: The Hungarians wanted to crown one of their local Nobles, but the Romanians, Slovaks, and Croats blocked what they saw as an attempt to give supremacy to the Magyars, instead they supported a foreign Hapsburg, considering Prince Maximillian but he was still underage. A Russian Prince was considered by Transylvanian Romanians, but the Hungarians and Croats saw that as an attempt to turn Hungary into a puppet, citing the invasion of Galicia as an example. The stalemate paralyzed Hungary for 5 years until Maximillian turned 18 and was invited in desperation by an unanimous vote, he would become Maximillian II von Hapsburg-Lorraine.

In Italy, Murat II would call for a Italian Congress in Naples, when he was crowned King of Italy and a Liberal constitution was created: Freedom of Speech, of Press, equality under the law, universal male suffrage, and several other Liberal demands. But in 1847, Murat II died and his brother Lucien I Murat, was crowned as King of Italy.

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((King Lucien I))
Ireland was born during a starvation crisis, and now Jerôme I Bonaparte, King of Ireland, had to deal with it. He approved a Constitution similar to the North German one, keeping the Powers of the Monarch while creating a Parliament. The first Royal Decree was to ban exportation of food for 2 years, while importing tons of potato crops from all Europe. The granaries were opened to the people and food prices were frozen. By 1850 the starvation was over, at the cost of 190,000 dead, but modern Historians agreed that if wasn't for the actions of King Jerôme, it would be much worser for the Irish people.
 
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