The Push Into Africa
Long known as the dark continent, a land which only small trade posts had survived, European powers began to look inward to expand their colonial might. These countries being Great Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Dutch, and some others too. Trade posts began expansion, and new trading companies sprouted in the overseas African territories. This also led to the final nail in the coffin of the Turkish Empire.
In 1896, the Kingdom of Italy seeked to expand it's power, and what better of a place was Ottoman Libya. The Italian fleet landed in Cyrenaica, and swept across the deserts, quickly occupying most of Libya. The Ottoman Empire had no way of regaining the territory, so they sued for peace, giving Libya to Italy with little blood. The Ottoman Empire grew unstable further, and a republican revolution, or even a communist one seemed imnent.
Next, The British Empire layed claim to the entirety of Omanese Kilwa, simply to expand their empire. The collapse of the slave trade led to the rapid decline of the Omanese Sultanate, as they profited off of their colony using slaves. And so, a large British fleet landed in Zanzibar, and then landed on the coastline, freeing slaves. These newly freed slaves flocked to the British banner, and a colonial government was established very quickly. Shortly after the capture of Kilwa, a British invasion force from India invaded the homeland of Oman. A deal was drafted in which Oman would become a protectorate under Britain. Kilwa would be handed over under a colonial government. With this, the British Arabian Company would be established, laying claim to vast swathes of territory, and angering a lot of nations. However, invasions and colonization would continue as new territories continued to bow down to Great Britain.
With the colonization and invasions, nations would often claim a lot of land. Fights would occur on the borders of colonial areas, and nations would insult one another. Finally, a solution was established in 1900, when a very long congress occured, which divided a lot of Africa among the powers. Huge adjustments came to the borders, and many fights occured which led to a lot of problems being solved via money. While Africa was still a huge mess of claim lines, sometimes crossing eachother, it at least was somewhat organized.
The Rush for Africa had begun.
Long known as the dark continent, a land which only small trade posts had survived, European powers began to look inward to expand their colonial might. These countries being Great Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Dutch, and some others too. Trade posts began expansion, and new trading companies sprouted in the overseas African territories. This also led to the final nail in the coffin of the Turkish Empire.
In 1896, the Kingdom of Italy seeked to expand it's power, and what better of a place was Ottoman Libya. The Italian fleet landed in Cyrenaica, and swept across the deserts, quickly occupying most of Libya. The Ottoman Empire had no way of regaining the territory, so they sued for peace, giving Libya to Italy with little blood. The Ottoman Empire grew unstable further, and a republican revolution, or even a communist one seemed imnent.
Next, The British Empire layed claim to the entirety of Omanese Kilwa, simply to expand their empire. The collapse of the slave trade led to the rapid decline of the Omanese Sultanate, as they profited off of their colony using slaves. And so, a large British fleet landed in Zanzibar, and then landed on the coastline, freeing slaves. These newly freed slaves flocked to the British banner, and a colonial government was established very quickly. Shortly after the capture of Kilwa, a British invasion force from India invaded the homeland of Oman. A deal was drafted in which Oman would become a protectorate under Britain. Kilwa would be handed over under a colonial government. With this, the British Arabian Company would be established, laying claim to vast swathes of territory, and angering a lot of nations. However, invasions and colonization would continue as new territories continued to bow down to Great Britain.
With the colonization and invasions, nations would often claim a lot of land. Fights would occur on the borders of colonial areas, and nations would insult one another. Finally, a solution was established in 1900, when a very long congress occured, which divided a lot of Africa among the powers. Huge adjustments came to the borders, and many fights occured which led to a lot of problems being solved via money. While Africa was still a huge mess of claim lines, sometimes crossing eachother, it at least was somewhat organized.
The Rush for Africa had begun.