Spanish Civil War - 1808
As soon as Napoleon invaded Spain, he ordered Carlos IV and Fernando VII to join him. Carlos IV was no longer king and abdicated in favor of his son Fernando. But Napoleon considered it as a great chance to replace the Bourbon Rulers with his brother Joseph. Fernando however, fled to Cadiz in hope to meet with the Royal Navy. Even if there was a small chance to repel the French Invaders, Fernando gave that up. Regardless of him fleeing Madrid, the people still considered Fernando VII as their King. Spain was thus divided and entered a Civil War. The people met with hostility to their new King but quickly turned neutral and started to like the new King. It was only the existence of the French Troops that was seen as an occupation. In Catalonia, King Joseph was favored. Fernando did not give up his rights for the throne however. His arrival to Cadiz was followed by a loyalty by the Spanish Navy, most likely to keep the Royal Navy from attacking. In Cadiz, Arthur Wellesley met with Fernando and plans were made to fight the French to drive them out. For that to happen, Fernando has to move to Lisbon as Cadiz was not safe from French Land Forces while Lisbon could easily be reached. Fernando demanded his Navy to set sail to Portugal as well and moved to Portugal with an Army of loyalists. Fernando’s Army was at best 60,000 men strong. The French had an Army of 200,000 men in Iberia. If the British do not bring enough men Fernando has no chance to regain the Spanish Throne. With his arrival in Portugal, it made the Portuguese uneasy with a large Spanish Army near Lisbon. With British Guarantees, the Portuguese were kept under control from getting suspicious. The problem became bigger as the French marched to Lisbon rather than Cadiz which forced Fernando VII to move to Porto in the North. The Portuguese Royal Family left Lisbon for Brazil. A same offer was made for Fernando by envoys from Cuba. Not willing to leave Iberia or in his opinion “being a hostage to his American Governors”, Fernando remained in Porto in hope for British arrival in Iberia. The risk of being captured by the French was still possible. As far as Napoleon considered, Joseph was King now and Fernando has no chance of regaining the throne. In London, the preparations were ready and the expedition had started to Iberia. Arthur Wellesley managed to get in contact with various governors and commanders to join Fernando. Suddenly, Fernando’s Support rose from 60,000 men to 250,000 men. The French Army of 200,000 men and Joseph’s Spanish loyalists of 110,000 men were still too big. Arthur Wellesley had a Force of 40,000 men and landed in Lisbon. From there, the Peninsular War officially started. With the Colonies officially proclaiming loyalty to Fernando VII, Fernando could still flee to a new home.
The Spanish in the Pacific - 1808
Since the days of Spanish Colonization of the Philippines, the Spanish created a route to the Americas with Asian Trade goods, the Manilla Galleons. The Ships were sailing from the brightest day to the most stormy weathers. In one of those stormy weathers in 1803, a Spanish escort to the Americas got of the route and ended up to nearby islands. Although the Spanish knew about the existence of the Hawaiian Islands, they did not do much with those Islands as it was not important. But the risk of Ships getting lost in storms and ending up to nearby islands with no supplies or nearby Spanish posts, the Hawaiian Islands gained interest of the governor of Manilla. Using Hawaii as a base for the Spanish Patrol Fleet. While the Escort to the Americas, the Santiago, returned to the Philippines again, the captain of the fleet informed the governor of the situation of Hawaii. With its King ruling there, the islands can easily be turned into a Spanish Vassal. With the British also settling in Australia and growing influence in the Pacific, a more aggressive Spanish activity in the Pacific between the Philippines and Spanish America is required. It would be a matter of time until the Russians meddle in the region as well. And thus started the Spanish Mission of three frigates from Manilla to Hawaii, supported with 120 soldiers, 15 cavalry units and 5 cannons aided by 12 missionaries. During the Arrival, the Spanish envoy wished to build a Naval Base in the Kingdom. Although the envoy was shown as peaceful, the Spanish Expedition did look for any information to use against the Hawaiians. When King Kamehameha kindly refused, the Spanish returned to their ships and started to bomb the islands. The expedition forces landed on the island and faced the Hawaiians. The differences in the battle came to light as the Hawaiian Forces had to deal with a more modern Spanish Forces. The Spanish had secured the beach, killing 239 Hawaiian soldiers while losing none. However, the situation became a bigger problem as more Hawaiian troops came to the beach. Around 4,000 soldiers were marching towards 135 men on the beach. The Captain of the expedition immediately called for a retreat back the fleet. The Spanish had gotten their information on the islands. The second time would be enough to make them accept Spanish Sovereignty. But the British presence is problematic. If the British do come in contact with the Hawaiians then the likeliness of taking over these islands become impossible. An island visited by British Missionaries is hardly impossible to meet the same people again. A second expedition with 1,300 infantry, 200 cavalry and 20 howitzers from Manilla would set sail with 8 frigates.
Literacy in the Muslim World - 1809
The Muslim world has problems with literacy among the populace. Printing press was introduced less than a century ago. In the Ottoman Empire, the most literate city would be Istanbul the capital. With less than a third of the population being able to read and write. The countryside is not any better for the Ottomans either with having less than a tenth of the populace to read or write. Selim III encountered the problem while he was in his tour in the Balkans. But the problem was bigger than he could deal with. With so many people living in the Empire, speaking different languages, what could he do to improve the literacy? In a Firman, Selim ordered the Sufi Orders and the Churches to improve the literacy of their religious base. Within the Empire, an average of 9% was literate. The opening of several universities like in Belgrade and Sarajevo it would not immediately help the population get literate but only keep the division between the elite and the poor class bigger. The remainder of the Muslim Nations were not much better off. Persia had a literacy of 12%, with Tabriz being its most literate city with less than a quarter of the population. The Shiite clergy in the countryside of Persia being the biggest factor why Persian Peasants were more literate than Ottoman peasants as well as not having too much ethnicities. The problem in Persia was different. The Turkmen and Persian Clergy were teaching in their own languages. Even if it was not intentionally, there was some kind of rivalry between the Persian and Turkmen Mullahs. Another better example was the Crimean Khanate. The Crimean Khanate had an average literacy of 29%, with Akhtiar having less than two fifths of the population being literate. The small population of around 8 million and more active government campaigns helped the small Khanate becoming the most literate Muslim State by 1809. As such, looking more to the West and their Ottoman Protector, Shahin I Giray desired to built a University having both Western and Turkic-Islamic influences. The influence from the West with regards to Liberalism and Nationalism would enter through the Crimean Khanate and Ottoman Empire and spread towards the rest of the Muslim World.
Average Literacy in the Islamic World by 1809:
- Ottoman Empire: 9%
- Persia: 12%
- Crimean Khanate: 29%
- Turkistan Khanate: 13%
- Durrani Afghanistan: 14%
- Morocco: 7%
- Mughal Empire: 16%
- Tripoli: 4%
- Tunis: 14%
- Algeria: 8%
- Mali: 7%
- Johore: 17%
- Aceh: 11%
- Brunei: 9%
- Mysore: 13%
- Hyderabad: 16%
- Zanzibar: 8%
- Bornu: 5%
Marriage of Prince Hyder Ali of Mysore and Fahriye Sultan - 1809
As the Indian Wars ended in an Persian-Company Victory, India was finally experiencing peace again. At request of Selim III, Mysore remained neutral in the war as much as possible only to face skirmishers with both the Marathas and EIC units. To Selim III there was more important matters to talk about. Tipu Sultans oldest son and heir, Hyder Ali (28) to be married to former Sultan Murad V daughter Fahriye Sultan (19). The marriage would be pure political. Selim had no possibility to aid Mysore if it ever was under threat by the EIC due to the rebellion. Much to his surprise, the Persians did better than he could expect. In a way to ensure Ottoman Influence in Southern India and to show that the Ottomans would not give up on their regional ally, a marriage was proposed. Apart from the marriage of Mohammed II who was the ruler of the Ottoman neighbour Persia and to ease the centuries long tension between the Sunni Ottomans and Shiite Safavids. The marriage with Hyder Ali was totally new as Mysore would still be an ally without such marriage. Selim III suggested it as to bring Islamic Rulers closer to each other. It would not be a surprise that Shahin I Giray would marry his youngest Sister Ayse Khatun to the heir of Ismail IV of Persia, Shahzada Ahmed. With many Females in the Ottoman Dynasty more marriages were considered. Regardless, the marriage between the heir of Tipu Sultan and the daughter of Murad V opened a new era for various Muslim States. It brought Muslim Powers closer to each other.
First Ottoman Joint stock Company - 1809
As soon as the Ottomans got rid of capitulations made to the French due to the revolution and to the British when the British were isolated, Ottoman Merchants could finally have a fair concurrence with European Merchants. Although opportunities were made, some merchants decided to strengthen themselves to concurrence by starting a company. Taking example of British, Dutch and French companies to trade, the first company was a trade company started by 23 Greek, 14 Armenian, 9 Jewish, 7 Turkish and 4 Egyptian merchants. Taking the EIC as an example in structure as much as Ottoman Law allowed them to. The Company would have its own trade fleet and stay stronger against European Concurrents. With Europe being warthorn, the alliance of Merchants had an opportunity. The Company started by offering their trade ships to carry cargo for merchants, in other words, to hire their ships to merchants going to foreign countries, becoming one of the first cargo companies. The problem was to find investors. To find people to sell their stocks to was another problem. As the problems became more serious, Sehzade Mahmud learned about the founding of the company and bought 12,5% of the stocks of the new company, even though he did not know much of stocks. With the creation of the Istanbul Trade League, a first stock exchange was opened as well, being supported by Dutch and French merchants living in Istanbul. And with Sehzade Mahmud buying the unknown stocks, some merchants as well as landowners got confidence as well. The Company started and the hardest part was over. A small yet first Ottoman Company was created. In decades of time it would grow. In a few years, it would start to trade with any nation that had ties with the Ottoman state, bringing Istanbul closer to their friends on the other side of the world.
