Wider World Gazette
Edition 3, 1814 - 1900, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Italy
Russia/Eastern Europe - Russia, for the first half of the 19th century, was largely a symbol of stability and slow but noticeable reform, all under the stable hand of Czar Alexander I. Starting in 1830, Alexander held a special legislative assembly, called the Duma, every five years, comprising of nobles from across the Empire. In 1847, the Czar announced his intention to eventually liberate the serfs as part of a broader modernization program. Unfortunately, he would not live to see this happen. Czar Alexander’s death in 1849 sees his youngest brother (and only one of three brothers to produce a male heir) Michael take the throne.
Czar Michael II had spent much of his youth studying in Europe, and was very impressed with the modernization sweeping parts of the continent (especially railroads), and was a supporter of his late brother’s plans to end serfdom in the Empire, which he made happen in 1854. Michael II also kept up the tradition of holding a Duma every 5 years. In 1861, inspired by the American government-owned railway, the Czar establishes the Imperial Railway Service (IZS). In the last year of his reign, 1869, Michael II approves of a plan to establish a limited constitution for the Empire, but passes away before this plan is implemented. That task would fall to his son, Czar Michael III.
Michael III was not as enthralled by reform as his father had been. He agreed to still hold the constitutional convention as part of 1870 meeting of the Duma, but he negotiated a much more conservative document than the one his father likely would have agreed to. The 1870 Constitution of the Russian Empire allowed for a biennial meeting of the Duma, and gave it the power to initiate legislation. However, giving the franchise to non-nobles was vetoed, and the Emperor maintained the right to appoint his own government ministers and the right to dissolve the Duma. It is during this time that the alliance with Prussia is strengthened, since Michael III’s wife is the sister of the Prussian King Frederick William V. Thanks to Prussian support, Russia is able to expand into the Balkans as Ottoman control in that region continues to shrink. Michael III declares in 1880 that Russia is the protector of all Slavic peoples. This is met with mixed response in the Balkans. Territories traditionally under sway of the Ottomans welcome Russian protection, while former Austrian territories are very happy with their newfound independence, and do not want to trade one imperial ruler for another. The former Austrian territories, almost all of whom are now republics, reject Russian overtures for the most part.
When the war between France and Prussia breaks out in 1899, Michael happily promises support, declaring war on Bavaria and France and sending men to help support the Prussians.
Italy - The modern Italian Empire owes its existence to the radical revolts of 1839, which sparked first in the German states but quickly spread across Europe. The Italians had been grumbling about Italian unity and Austrian dominance ever since the 1815 Congress of Vienna. And it was far from just the radical liberals that wanted to change things. Plenty of moderates and even some of the nobility wanted to change. When demonstrators took to the streets in Italy, the leaders took notice. Leading the charge of those willing to work with the demonstrators was King Charles Albert of Sardinia, who granted a more liberal constitution to his people in late 1839. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies followed suit in 1840. Several smaller states followed suit in 1841. As the Austrians invaded the short-lived German Republic that year, the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia issued its own constitution and declared nominal independence from Austrian interference. To back this up, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies promised to defend Lombardy-Venetia. The following year, King Charles Albert hosted leaders from all the Italian States, including Pope Pius IX (different person that OTL). Charles Albert proposed the creation of a common defense and customs union to “protect all Italians.” This suggestion will give birth to the Italian Union in early 1843. The Union had a Parliament, which all members sent delegates to. Every year, a different member state would have its leader serve as “President of the Union,” and preside over the opening of the Parliament, which met in Naples. Over time, the Union government gained more and more authority, so that by the time the Austrian Empire collapsed in 1879, the Italian Union had a common currency, common military, and as of 1877 a common diplomatic service.
At the 1880 meeting of the Union Parliament in Naples, delegates from Sardinia, Venetia, and the Two Sicilies proposed converting the Union into a single Empire. The general idea was very popular, but the details took the entire year to work out. In the end, the 1881 Constitution of the United Empire of Italy was adopted. It established a unicameral Parliament, which had legislative power, and an elected monarch with the following conditions: the Emperor of Italy would be elected by the nobility and from the nobility of the Empire, and a newly elected Emperor could not be the son/descendant of the previous Emperor, nor could they be from the same state. Victor Emmanuel, King of Sardinia and son of Charles Albert, was elected first Emperor of Italy at the first meeting of the Council of Nobles (the body charged with electing the Emperor), on March 1, 1881. The Pope, Pius X, had objected to the new constitution, saying the Pope could not be under the temporal authority of another. A compromise was reached. The Vatican would remain nominally independent, with the Pope as its leader. The Papal states would be reorganized as the Kingdom of Rome. And the Pope would be granted special permission to approve of the election of the Italian Emperor, and the Emperor would be crowned in St. Peters. The Capital, however, would remain in Naples. Upon the coronation of Emperor Victor I, the Habsburg family, which had been taking refuge in Rome, relocated to Switzerland permanently.
As the twentieth century approached, the Italian Empire has tried to remain neutral in the growing rivalry between Prussia and France.
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Found I needed to flesh some of this information out before I continued with the main story, especially with the Great War. While Russia initially sends troops to help the Prussians fight the French, events in the Balkans and the former Austrian Empire are about to draw their attention closer to home. The Italian Empire *may* be able to stay neutral. Maybe.
I was looking for a way to involve the United States into this conflict, but I'm not sure I see it. Heck, I don't even think the UK will be getting involved, since they'll be trying to restore order at home, make peace in Ireland, figure out what the heck to do in Japan, and pray that India doesn't try to revolt as well.
(I'm kidding...though it would be cool...)
