I'd never heard of the material, is it native to the Corpus Christi or Houston region?
Odyssey of Fritz, the Turncoat Prince
- Thread starter Alt History Buff
- Start date
I'd never heard of the material, is it native to the Corpus Christi or Houston region?
As there is no direct mail route between New Spain and the American settlement, Napoleon would have to send a letter back to Manhattan and then have someone mail it back down to New Spain. A full year would not be out of the question for this process to take, that was assuming Napoleon was inclined to write often and that his family remained in the same place.
Communication could be a bitch in the 18th century. Often families spent years without word and that is if they were only a few miles away in the same country. The de Buonaparte family would have an even tougher time.
I don't know if Joseph's mother and siblings would have to flee or be arrested as this kind of thing happened all the time in the colonial era. They may not be important enough to hunt down.
Chapter 185
Chapter 185
April, 1794
Manhattan
President John Jay shook his head. After literally years of debate as to how the new western territories would be brought into the Union (much to their frustration), Congress came up with THIS demand?!
Apparently, someone in Congress (presumably John Adams who could get oddly fixated on these issues for some reason, even without any personal gain) decided that it was unseemly for western Provinces to have the same name as the Great Lakes. Thus, Huron, Erie and Michigan were no longer acceptable names for the western territories (nor would Ontario or Superior). As part of the agreement to bring several western territories into the union as full Provinces, those with names common to the Great Lakes would have to alter their names.
Seriously, that was the most important thing that Congress had on its plate. Not the impressments of US sailors by Britain, the madness in France, the antagonism of the Spanish, the Barbary pirate attacks, Indian insurrection or anything else. Renaming western territories so they didn't clash with the names of Great Lakes, THAT was VITAL!
Jay was getting glad that his term as President was nearly up. A new election in November would see off the Third President and a new one selected. Then Jay could join Washington in quiet retirement. God, how he was looking forward to it.
As it was, Huron Territory was to be named Wyandotte, Erie was to be renamed Seneca (despite the original Seneca nation living further to the east, only a small band would live in the future Province of Seneca), the far off Michigan territory split into Illinois and Ouisconsin (pronounced with a "W"). Again, politics prevented naming such major bodies of land after great men like Washington or Franklin. However, every Province by now had towns by those names.
Irritated, the Territorial settlers would accept these directives only because Congress had withheld their Provincehood for so long.
In November, the new Territories of Senaca, Wyandotte, Ohio and Tennessee (apparently Provinces sharing the same names as major RIVERS was considered acceptable to Congress) would belatedly be given full rights as Provinces, including Congressional seats. To avoid any ill will with the established Provinces, eight new Congressional seats would be added to Congress to account for these new provinces, thus no Province could say they had lost representation by voting in favor of accepting these western lands as equals.
But that did not mean that some Provinces did not lose. The new census had been completed and half a dozen Congressional seats would shift around. That wasn't much out of 128 seats. But the slave Provinces (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina) would each lose one seat to other "free" Provinces. Upon the Declaration of Separation, these Provinces would have 30% of the nation's population and 25% of the Congressional seats (the Constitution gave a slight weight to the smaller provinces so they would not be easily dominated by the larger provinces). However, the immigrant patterns benefitted disproportionately the northern or western Provinces, higher than average mortality rates in the slave provinces (especially among the slaves) and greater than average emigration from these central coastal lands would lead to a diminishment of influence in Congress.
These Provinces went from 30 Congressional seats out of 120 down to 26 out of 128. It was not a huge matter but unscored the gradual evaporation of their influence. For years, the rest of Congress would refuse to even debate the resumption of the slave trade (even after the immolation of the British navy which had destroyed the trade) or expanding the institution west (which, in of itself, was a problem as selling slaves west would have wiped out the population in the coastal Provinces). More out of irritation, the Slave Provinces had threatened to filibuster if their demands were not met. As they didn't have the votes, this was an empty threat and only served to irritate the western territories at a time when there was still a chance they may have desired the institution of slavery. The action to delay recognition as provinces simply alienated the westerners and drove an antipathy that would last a generation.
The census also revealed that America's population had expanded enormously from its inception in 1775, from 3.1 million souls to 4.6 million, about two thirds of this by native increase and the rest by immigration.
April, 1794
Manhattan
President John Jay shook his head. After literally years of debate as to how the new western territories would be brought into the Union (much to their frustration), Congress came up with THIS demand?!
Apparently, someone in Congress (presumably John Adams who could get oddly fixated on these issues for some reason, even without any personal gain) decided that it was unseemly for western Provinces to have the same name as the Great Lakes. Thus, Huron, Erie and Michigan were no longer acceptable names for the western territories (nor would Ontario or Superior). As part of the agreement to bring several western territories into the union as full Provinces, those with names common to the Great Lakes would have to alter their names.
Seriously, that was the most important thing that Congress had on its plate. Not the impressments of US sailors by Britain, the madness in France, the antagonism of the Spanish, the Barbary pirate attacks, Indian insurrection or anything else. Renaming western territories so they didn't clash with the names of Great Lakes, THAT was VITAL!
Jay was getting glad that his term as President was nearly up. A new election in November would see off the Third President and a new one selected. Then Jay could join Washington in quiet retirement. God, how he was looking forward to it.
As it was, Huron Territory was to be named Wyandotte, Erie was to be renamed Seneca (despite the original Seneca nation living further to the east, only a small band would live in the future Province of Seneca), the far off Michigan territory split into Illinois and Ouisconsin (pronounced with a "W"). Again, politics prevented naming such major bodies of land after great men like Washington or Franklin. However, every Province by now had towns by those names.
Irritated, the Territorial settlers would accept these directives only because Congress had withheld their Provincehood for so long.
In November, the new Territories of Senaca, Wyandotte, Ohio and Tennessee (apparently Provinces sharing the same names as major RIVERS was considered acceptable to Congress) would belatedly be given full rights as Provinces, including Congressional seats. To avoid any ill will with the established Provinces, eight new Congressional seats would be added to Congress to account for these new provinces, thus no Province could say they had lost representation by voting in favor of accepting these western lands as equals.
But that did not mean that some Provinces did not lose. The new census had been completed and half a dozen Congressional seats would shift around. That wasn't much out of 128 seats. But the slave Provinces (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina) would each lose one seat to other "free" Provinces. Upon the Declaration of Separation, these Provinces would have 30% of the nation's population and 25% of the Congressional seats (the Constitution gave a slight weight to the smaller provinces so they would not be easily dominated by the larger provinces). However, the immigrant patterns benefitted disproportionately the northern or western Provinces, higher than average mortality rates in the slave provinces (especially among the slaves) and greater than average emigration from these central coastal lands would lead to a diminishment of influence in Congress.
These Provinces went from 30 Congressional seats out of 120 down to 26 out of 128. It was not a huge matter but unscored the gradual evaporation of their influence. For years, the rest of Congress would refuse to even debate the resumption of the slave trade (even after the immolation of the British navy which had destroyed the trade) or expanding the institution west (which, in of itself, was a problem as selling slaves west would have wiped out the population in the coastal Provinces). More out of irritation, the Slave Provinces had threatened to filibuster if their demands were not met. As they didn't have the votes, this was an empty threat and only served to irritate the western territories at a time when there was still a chance they may have desired the institution of slavery. The action to delay recognition as provinces simply alienated the westerners and drove an antipathy that would last a generation.
The census also revealed that America's population had expanded enormously from its inception in 1775, from 3.1 million souls to 4.6 million, about two thirds of this by native increase and the rest by immigration.
Yes, they've had higher European immigration over the past half century but remember that the slave population was only about 50-60% at the time of the Revolutionary war as the slave trade had been cut off or severely reduced for the better part of half a century and banned for the past 30 years. In OTL, the slave trade continued until I believe 1807 and there may have been some illicit trading even after that.
In this scenario, the quantity of slaves in the United States has remained consistent from 1776 due to voluntary manumissions, escapees (far higher than OTL) and slaves sold to the West Indies.
So OTL in 1794 would be about 800,000 slaves and maybe 25,000-50,000 free blacks. In this one, it is closer to 100,000 free blacks and 200,000 slaves. Even much higher white immigration from a more diverse set of origins would have trouble making up that demographic and economic loss.
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Chapter 186
Chapter 186
June, 1794
Saxony
The spring campaign against the Saxons did not go any better for the Austrians than the previous year. Defended by Saxon and Prussian troops, the Austrians soon bogged down. Most of Emperor Charles' forces were utilized to the west, against the Brunswickers and Hessians.
Baden
Though the Austrian forces greatly outnumbered the German Confederation armies in the west, Emperor Charles' men were not able to press the Germans back from the Palatinate. With tens of thousands of his soldiers tied up putting down insurgencies of the Swiss Cantons, Baden and Wurttemberg, this left only 30,000 available to battle the Brunswickers, Burgundians and their local allies. Though the Austrians invaded three times into the Palatinate, they were unable to dislodge the Germans.
Silesia
The Polish Army had aided the Germans in the previous campaign in Saxony but remained closer to their own borders in 1794. The Austrians found it necessary to keep significant forces along their northern border should the Poles decide to actively engage again.
Paris
Having failed to seize Lyon in the past campaign, the Directory utilized a harsh levee en masse in order to gather up a substantive army from the north. Fortunately, the anti-revolutionary coalition collapsed under the weight of Austrian betrayal. Only Spain, Tuscany and the Papal States were still in the war against the Revolutionary forces and they all bordered the traitors to the south.
The Directory would initially plan on granting command to General Moreau. However, the man's continued urgings to negotiate with the Provincials would make him unpopular with the Radical press and arch-propagandist Herbert would soon commence assassinating Moreau's character in the press. Learning that Marat had been convinced to issue an arrest warrant, Moreau wisely fled Paris for Flanders, where he was still popular. Though the Flemish had a great deal of affection for Moreau for his victories in their own Revolution, they dared not offend France and merely turned a blind eye while Moreau boarded an American vessel bound for the New World.
In the meantime, the Directory struggled to find a replacement. Luckner and Kellerman (the elder) were deemed too old and were quietly given less critical garrison assignments. The talented Kleber, Jourdan and the young Marceau were granted the command of the northern forces of Revolutionary France.
Marat was not worried about the prospects of victory for the campaign. The southern secessionists, if that was what they were, did not have anything resembling a centralized government and would not likely cooperate to any degree. They could be cut up piecemeal.
Also, the Spanish and Tuscans would likely invade the south by summer. It was unfortunate and would prove a problem in the future but, for now, this was a welcome distraction for the Parisian forces against the provincials.
Marseille
The Spanish Admiral carried the response from Louis II of Spain to General Dumouriez and the Presider over the new southern Assembly, who nervously greeted the sailor and emissary from His Majesty, the King of Spain.
Yes, Louis II would withhold his forces for the season if the Southern Revolutionaries would return to monarchy and he wasn't particular as to WHO the French would pick. Given that his forces hadn't exactly performed well thus far in the war, the Spanish King was willing to sell out his distant cousin Louis XVII if it ended his own problems.
The Tuscans and Papal States were apparently of similar mind, perhaps more interested in what was going on in Germany now than France.
As such, General Dugommier now commanded the Provincial Army comprised for forces from the Army of the Alps and Army of the Pyrenees along with the local levees. Several of the provincial cities belatedly realized that, if the Revolutionary army defeated Lyon, they would be next.
Federal District of Manhattan
The election of 1794 would be contentious, perhaps more than any before. The initial favorite for the office of President was John Adams, the current Prime Minister, was well respected by all but hardly overly liked. Jokes were bandied about that Adams would get the votes of his colleagues in Congress only to get rid of him.
But, for the first time, there would be great interest in the election. Franklin and Washington had been virtually unopposed in their elections. Jay faced a few contenders but did not have any particular difficulty winning a majority.
This time, there seemed to be considerably more contenders. Besides Adams, James Jay (brother of President Jay) had thrown in his hat. Having spent seventeen years as the Governor of Manhattan (Franklin, Washington and his brother had all been quite satisfied with James' service in that role and happily renominated him for five four-year terms). However, James Jay was not a nationwide figure and there was a sense that selecting the brother of the sitting president sounded a little to "hereditary" for the tastes of America.
War heroes like Anthony Wayne (Commander of the Continental Army) and Secretary of the Navy Whipple were bandied about but neither expressed interest in the office. Alexander Hamilton was foreign born and not eligible and his scandals with a married woman had embarrassed him enough. Secretary of State Edmund Burke may have been a favorite had he not also been foreign born.
Younger and less national-famous men like Minister to France Thomas Jefferson, New York Senator Aaron Burr and South Carolina governor Charles Pinckney were mentioned but gained little support over the summer.
Instead, Hamilton began to scheme against his rival Adams. To Hamilton's mind, there was only one good candidate: his old friend John Laurens, the Secretary of War.
Hamilton would personally lead the campaign in Laurens' favor throughout the summer and fall.
Corpus Christi
On June 30th, newly minted "Captain" Napoleon de Buonaparte would continue commanding the construction of the inland fortification. The mud-brick interior was soon augmented by stone culled from the local quarry. It still would not stand up to a modern bombardment for five minutes but would at least give the defenders a chance against more modest invaders.
Fortunately, de Buonaparte had plenty of labor. The jabbering Coptic Egyptians (god, how he'd come to hate Arabic) had arrived without ability to sustain themselves and the soldier promptly put them to work for reasonable wages on the defenses. Eventually, he was even able to set up artillery bunkers on what passed as high ground upon the barrier islands of Galvezton. It would not repel a significant fleet but he could make a few privateering ships regret an intrusion.
Seeing one of his workers faint under the murderous sun, the Corsican-born officer would reluctantly order the work gang to halt and return home for mid-day. They would take up the labor again in the evening. Having been born in New Spain, the heat didn't bother him much except when he wore his full woolen uniform.
De Buonaparte returned to his mud-brick headquarters for lunch and to write up his latest report. General Hohenzollern had returned to Galvezton Bay to gather supplies. He intended to return in a few days by land driving hundreds of cattle and pigs south to help provide for the new colony. Much had been happening and the General would want a full report.
Over the past months, more and more of the local Indians had wandered into Corpus Christi, obviously ill. Both a measles and a smallpox epidemic had emerged. While dozens of colonists and soldiers had died (Hohenzollern had offered smallpox innoculations for all civilians in both Atacapa and Karankawa but some refused), the true horror was inflicted upon the Indians. Patrols spoke of whole villages being wiped out. While the Comanche in particular could be both dangerous and larcenous, they also served as important traders and expert breakers of horses. With perhaps hundreds of thousands, even millions of wild horses on the plains (introduced centuries ago by Spain), there seemed no limit to how could be accomplished. Every farmer could conceivable have large numbers of stock horses and draft horses to go with the large numbers of wild cattle. People in the eastern United American Provinces would scarcely believe it.
But the land was also universally hot, humid near the coast, dry in the interior. It was not a paradise, though the Egyptians didn't complain. Apparently, they REALLY didn't want to live under Muslim rule anymore.
While writing his report, his adjutant (he enjoyed now having an adjutant rather than BEING one) arrived and announced that the ship that had sailed into Galvezton that morning had dispatched a longboat. De Bounaparte had seen it immediately and determined it was not a threat despite sailing a Spanish flag. It was obviously not a military vessel. At best, it was merely investigating the American defenses. Let them look.
But the Lieutenant surprised de Buonaparte when he stated a man claiming to be the Captain's brother was leading the party.
"What?! Jose is here?!"
June, 1794
Saxony
The spring campaign against the Saxons did not go any better for the Austrians than the previous year. Defended by Saxon and Prussian troops, the Austrians soon bogged down. Most of Emperor Charles' forces were utilized to the west, against the Brunswickers and Hessians.
Baden
Though the Austrian forces greatly outnumbered the German Confederation armies in the west, Emperor Charles' men were not able to press the Germans back from the Palatinate. With tens of thousands of his soldiers tied up putting down insurgencies of the Swiss Cantons, Baden and Wurttemberg, this left only 30,000 available to battle the Brunswickers, Burgundians and their local allies. Though the Austrians invaded three times into the Palatinate, they were unable to dislodge the Germans.
Silesia
The Polish Army had aided the Germans in the previous campaign in Saxony but remained closer to their own borders in 1794. The Austrians found it necessary to keep significant forces along their northern border should the Poles decide to actively engage again.
Paris
Having failed to seize Lyon in the past campaign, the Directory utilized a harsh levee en masse in order to gather up a substantive army from the north. Fortunately, the anti-revolutionary coalition collapsed under the weight of Austrian betrayal. Only Spain, Tuscany and the Papal States were still in the war against the Revolutionary forces and they all bordered the traitors to the south.
The Directory would initially plan on granting command to General Moreau. However, the man's continued urgings to negotiate with the Provincials would make him unpopular with the Radical press and arch-propagandist Herbert would soon commence assassinating Moreau's character in the press. Learning that Marat had been convinced to issue an arrest warrant, Moreau wisely fled Paris for Flanders, where he was still popular. Though the Flemish had a great deal of affection for Moreau for his victories in their own Revolution, they dared not offend France and merely turned a blind eye while Moreau boarded an American vessel bound for the New World.
In the meantime, the Directory struggled to find a replacement. Luckner and Kellerman (the elder) were deemed too old and were quietly given less critical garrison assignments. The talented Kleber, Jourdan and the young Marceau were granted the command of the northern forces of Revolutionary France.
Marat was not worried about the prospects of victory for the campaign. The southern secessionists, if that was what they were, did not have anything resembling a centralized government and would not likely cooperate to any degree. They could be cut up piecemeal.
Also, the Spanish and Tuscans would likely invade the south by summer. It was unfortunate and would prove a problem in the future but, for now, this was a welcome distraction for the Parisian forces against the provincials.
Marseille
The Spanish Admiral carried the response from Louis II of Spain to General Dumouriez and the Presider over the new southern Assembly, who nervously greeted the sailor and emissary from His Majesty, the King of Spain.
Yes, Louis II would withhold his forces for the season if the Southern Revolutionaries would return to monarchy and he wasn't particular as to WHO the French would pick. Given that his forces hadn't exactly performed well thus far in the war, the Spanish King was willing to sell out his distant cousin Louis XVII if it ended his own problems.
The Tuscans and Papal States were apparently of similar mind, perhaps more interested in what was going on in Germany now than France.
As such, General Dugommier now commanded the Provincial Army comprised for forces from the Army of the Alps and Army of the Pyrenees along with the local levees. Several of the provincial cities belatedly realized that, if the Revolutionary army defeated Lyon, they would be next.
Federal District of Manhattan
The election of 1794 would be contentious, perhaps more than any before. The initial favorite for the office of President was John Adams, the current Prime Minister, was well respected by all but hardly overly liked. Jokes were bandied about that Adams would get the votes of his colleagues in Congress only to get rid of him.
But, for the first time, there would be great interest in the election. Franklin and Washington had been virtually unopposed in their elections. Jay faced a few contenders but did not have any particular difficulty winning a majority.
This time, there seemed to be considerably more contenders. Besides Adams, James Jay (brother of President Jay) had thrown in his hat. Having spent seventeen years as the Governor of Manhattan (Franklin, Washington and his brother had all been quite satisfied with James' service in that role and happily renominated him for five four-year terms). However, James Jay was not a nationwide figure and there was a sense that selecting the brother of the sitting president sounded a little to "hereditary" for the tastes of America.
War heroes like Anthony Wayne (Commander of the Continental Army) and Secretary of the Navy Whipple were bandied about but neither expressed interest in the office. Alexander Hamilton was foreign born and not eligible and his scandals with a married woman had embarrassed him enough. Secretary of State Edmund Burke may have been a favorite had he not also been foreign born.
Younger and less national-famous men like Minister to France Thomas Jefferson, New York Senator Aaron Burr and South Carolina governor Charles Pinckney were mentioned but gained little support over the summer.
Instead, Hamilton began to scheme against his rival Adams. To Hamilton's mind, there was only one good candidate: his old friend John Laurens, the Secretary of War.
Hamilton would personally lead the campaign in Laurens' favor throughout the summer and fall.
Corpus Christi
On June 30th, newly minted "Captain" Napoleon de Buonaparte would continue commanding the construction of the inland fortification. The mud-brick interior was soon augmented by stone culled from the local quarry. It still would not stand up to a modern bombardment for five minutes but would at least give the defenders a chance against more modest invaders.
Fortunately, de Buonaparte had plenty of labor. The jabbering Coptic Egyptians (god, how he'd come to hate Arabic) had arrived without ability to sustain themselves and the soldier promptly put them to work for reasonable wages on the defenses. Eventually, he was even able to set up artillery bunkers on what passed as high ground upon the barrier islands of Galvezton. It would not repel a significant fleet but he could make a few privateering ships regret an intrusion.
Seeing one of his workers faint under the murderous sun, the Corsican-born officer would reluctantly order the work gang to halt and return home for mid-day. They would take up the labor again in the evening. Having been born in New Spain, the heat didn't bother him much except when he wore his full woolen uniform.
De Buonaparte returned to his mud-brick headquarters for lunch and to write up his latest report. General Hohenzollern had returned to Galvezton Bay to gather supplies. He intended to return in a few days by land driving hundreds of cattle and pigs south to help provide for the new colony. Much had been happening and the General would want a full report.
Over the past months, more and more of the local Indians had wandered into Corpus Christi, obviously ill. Both a measles and a smallpox epidemic had emerged. While dozens of colonists and soldiers had died (Hohenzollern had offered smallpox innoculations for all civilians in both Atacapa and Karankawa but some refused), the true horror was inflicted upon the Indians. Patrols spoke of whole villages being wiped out. While the Comanche in particular could be both dangerous and larcenous, they also served as important traders and expert breakers of horses. With perhaps hundreds of thousands, even millions of wild horses on the plains (introduced centuries ago by Spain), there seemed no limit to how could be accomplished. Every farmer could conceivable have large numbers of stock horses and draft horses to go with the large numbers of wild cattle. People in the eastern United American Provinces would scarcely believe it.
But the land was also universally hot, humid near the coast, dry in the interior. It was not a paradise, though the Egyptians didn't complain. Apparently, they REALLY didn't want to live under Muslim rule anymore.
While writing his report, his adjutant (he enjoyed now having an adjutant rather than BEING one) arrived and announced that the ship that had sailed into Galvezton that morning had dispatched a longboat. De Bounaparte had seen it immediately and determined it was not a threat despite sailing a Spanish flag. It was obviously not a military vessel. At best, it was merely investigating the American defenses. Let them look.
But the Lieutenant surprised de Buonaparte when he stated a man claiming to be the Captain's brother was leading the party.
"What?! Jose is here?!"
How much did the African immigrants make contact with the Indians? Any chances of religious syncretism in the long run?
Chapter 187
Chapter 187
July, 1794
Corpus Christi
Brigadier Hohenzollern granted his subordinate a few days to grieve. Apparently, when Lieutenant de Buonaparte first received word that "his brother" had arrived, he assumed it was Jose, as his eldest brother was established and able to afford to travel. His younger brothers were in various forms of schooling, Louis in law and Lucien unhappily in seminary school.
But it was Louis who arrived at his door and spread the word of Jose's execution. Though the two brothers had not been close, the thought of Jose, whom had struggled to support the family after father's death, being hanged like a common horse-thief by the Spanish utterly enraged the Corsican-born soldier.
Louis had just been given a license to practice law and was now the head of the family in New Spain. His brother's execution would make him persona non grata in receiving a government position but there was still enough legal work to keep the family fed in Cuba, where no one would care about a relation having been executed on the mainland. The younger brother simply felt Napoleon had the right to know and quietly called in a favor with a friend whom was sailing to Havana anyway. Eventually, most or all of the rest of the Buonaparte clan would probably follow him when the younger brothers Lucien and Jerome finished schooling.
Napoleon asked Louis if his mother had a message for him.
"Yes," said Louis.
"She said....Make them PAY."
Alexandria
The Coptic exodus from the south was reaching epic proportions. While war raged among a dozen factions, the Nile itself remained oddly safe for travelers taking barges, even trade, up and down its length. Few bothered to attack people leaving the area. Indeed, even some Shia would join the Christians and, deemed not a threat by the Russian authorities in Cairo, be allowed to settle in the north or move to wherever they desired.
Eventually, many Shia began to depart Egypt altogether and their exodus was joined by the Copts. While the Copts scattered to the Levant, the conquered cities of the Maghreb and even to America, it was the Shia that blazed a new trail. They sailed to the mouth of the Nile, then travelled east through the ancient trade road across the Suez and boarded ships for Basra or Persia, where Shia were usually not the minority. The Copts would follow, just not as far. Many thousands would cross the Suez and disembark upon the coastal towns of the Horn of Africa, which was in the process of being conquered by a resurgent Ethiopian Empire. Copts like themselves, the Ethiopians were happy to have co-religionists settle where the Somalis or Eritreans had been driven out. Over the next twenty years, approximately equal numbers of Coptic Egyptians would sail for the east than for the west.
Anatolia
While the Russian armies were cutting apart the last of the Ottoman armies, they soon realized the enormity of their task in occupying the peninsula. Previously, the Russians had fought in places like Ruthenia or Poland, which had nice flat land. Anatolia was a mountainous hell and perfectly formed for insurgent activity.
Russia, already teetering under the financial burden of supporting 150,000 soldiers from so far from home, would realize that the peace would be little cheaper. Even squeezing the occupied territories for "contributions" to pay for the Russia army would not foot the bill. Throw in forces aiding the Zand Dynasty in Persia, those in Egypt and those attempting to push back the Arabs in the interior of the former Eyalet of Damascus, the virtual entirety of Russia's projectable military force would be exhausted in the south, making meaningful intervention in Europe effectively impossible.
As it was, Russian diplomats, administrators and Generals would swiftly come to the conclusion that they must have SOME level of local cooperation and promptly made deals with assorted disaffected minorities or political factions. The Alevis of Eastern Anatolia, the Alawites, the Maronite Christians, the Druze, the Arab Christians (called Arameans by the Russians though none of the Arabs referred to themselves as such), Armenians, Jews, Assyrian Orthodox, Chaldeans (Assyrian Catholics), Kurds, Shia, etc were all offered measures of autonomy they would never see under the Sultan. Unlike Egypt, there was less tolerance of minorities under the Ottoman.
There were some newcomers as well: Some Russians, Jews, Greeks, Copts and Shia from Egypt, traders from all of Europe seeking new opportunities now that the ports were reopening.
Religious taxes were abolished and powerful factions found their concerns heard if they proved quiet and obedient. Any Russian leader would see that this was necessary to keep the peace. Though the cost of supporting the army was high, it wasn't much higher than under the Ottoman and new opportunities were being raised.
Of course, the Ottoman Turks of Anatolia and the Sunni Arabs of the Levant, accustomed to ruling, would not make any such deal and would pay the price over the coming decades.
Persia
The Zand Dynasty received good news from their agents in Teheran, the stronghold of the rebel Qajar Dynasty. An assassin had murdered Muhammad Khan, the vicious and ruthless leader of the northern-based Qajars. From their southern bases, the Zand would start moving north augmented by Russian artillery, modern muskets and "trainers".
The Turkic tribesmen whom were the backbone of the Qajars would ride south to face the Zand in a classic example of old guard versus new, tribal warfare versus civilization.
Goa
From one of the regional centers of the United East India Company, the directors received the first reports of the trade emissaries to the Ethiopians. Apparently, they grew some good coffee in that region and there may be some opportunity. The diplomats were surprised to find that Egyptian Copts were settling along the coast. Well, better than the Somalis whom made as good pirates as traders.
In the meantime, the Directors formally approved a new settlement upon the western coast of the great southern Continent known as New Holland to the Dutch.
Presumably, the massive island or small continent would be renamed but the Directors were not quite certain what. Some called it the Terra Australia Incognito, the unknown southern land in Latin, but that seemed a bit much.
They would think upon it. But the settlement in the Cape of Africa was going well and this new project along the west of New Holland would open up the region's whaling industry.
But there never seemed to be enough time or money to do everything. The Company would approach the Peshwa and other powerful Marathas for boons and often received them...for a price. Occasionally, it would be more European advisors for the Maratha armies. Other times they wanted intelligence about the goings on throughout South Asia.
The Company always did their best to keep the Marathas happy and often served as intermediaries when the Princes feuded.
Little by little, the Company would expand holdings even as they integrated further into Asia. While the Company Directors would remain uniformly European to maintain their identity, they would soon form close alliances with various Indian (Muslim or Hindu, it didn't matter to them), Egyptian, Ethiopian, Yemanese, Viet, Siamese, Nipponese (in a limited way), Indonesian and Chinese concerns, both private and governmental.
The United East India Company both owned...and was owned by in many senses (including in time, financially) the most diverse assemblage of interests in history.
July, 1794
Corpus Christi
Brigadier Hohenzollern granted his subordinate a few days to grieve. Apparently, when Lieutenant de Buonaparte first received word that "his brother" had arrived, he assumed it was Jose, as his eldest brother was established and able to afford to travel. His younger brothers were in various forms of schooling, Louis in law and Lucien unhappily in seminary school.
But it was Louis who arrived at his door and spread the word of Jose's execution. Though the two brothers had not been close, the thought of Jose, whom had struggled to support the family after father's death, being hanged like a common horse-thief by the Spanish utterly enraged the Corsican-born soldier.
Louis had just been given a license to practice law and was now the head of the family in New Spain. His brother's execution would make him persona non grata in receiving a government position but there was still enough legal work to keep the family fed in Cuba, where no one would care about a relation having been executed on the mainland. The younger brother simply felt Napoleon had the right to know and quietly called in a favor with a friend whom was sailing to Havana anyway. Eventually, most or all of the rest of the Buonaparte clan would probably follow him when the younger brothers Lucien and Jerome finished schooling.
Napoleon asked Louis if his mother had a message for him.
"Yes," said Louis.
"She said....Make them PAY."
Alexandria
The Coptic exodus from the south was reaching epic proportions. While war raged among a dozen factions, the Nile itself remained oddly safe for travelers taking barges, even trade, up and down its length. Few bothered to attack people leaving the area. Indeed, even some Shia would join the Christians and, deemed not a threat by the Russian authorities in Cairo, be allowed to settle in the north or move to wherever they desired.
Eventually, many Shia began to depart Egypt altogether and their exodus was joined by the Copts. While the Copts scattered to the Levant, the conquered cities of the Maghreb and even to America, it was the Shia that blazed a new trail. They sailed to the mouth of the Nile, then travelled east through the ancient trade road across the Suez and boarded ships for Basra or Persia, where Shia were usually not the minority. The Copts would follow, just not as far. Many thousands would cross the Suez and disembark upon the coastal towns of the Horn of Africa, which was in the process of being conquered by a resurgent Ethiopian Empire. Copts like themselves, the Ethiopians were happy to have co-religionists settle where the Somalis or Eritreans had been driven out. Over the next twenty years, approximately equal numbers of Coptic Egyptians would sail for the east than for the west.
Anatolia
While the Russian armies were cutting apart the last of the Ottoman armies, they soon realized the enormity of their task in occupying the peninsula. Previously, the Russians had fought in places like Ruthenia or Poland, which had nice flat land. Anatolia was a mountainous hell and perfectly formed for insurgent activity.
Russia, already teetering under the financial burden of supporting 150,000 soldiers from so far from home, would realize that the peace would be little cheaper. Even squeezing the occupied territories for "contributions" to pay for the Russia army would not foot the bill. Throw in forces aiding the Zand Dynasty in Persia, those in Egypt and those attempting to push back the Arabs in the interior of the former Eyalet of Damascus, the virtual entirety of Russia's projectable military force would be exhausted in the south, making meaningful intervention in Europe effectively impossible.
As it was, Russian diplomats, administrators and Generals would swiftly come to the conclusion that they must have SOME level of local cooperation and promptly made deals with assorted disaffected minorities or political factions. The Alevis of Eastern Anatolia, the Alawites, the Maronite Christians, the Druze, the Arab Christians (called Arameans by the Russians though none of the Arabs referred to themselves as such), Armenians, Jews, Assyrian Orthodox, Chaldeans (Assyrian Catholics), Kurds, Shia, etc were all offered measures of autonomy they would never see under the Sultan. Unlike Egypt, there was less tolerance of minorities under the Ottoman.
There were some newcomers as well: Some Russians, Jews, Greeks, Copts and Shia from Egypt, traders from all of Europe seeking new opportunities now that the ports were reopening.
Religious taxes were abolished and powerful factions found their concerns heard if they proved quiet and obedient. Any Russian leader would see that this was necessary to keep the peace. Though the cost of supporting the army was high, it wasn't much higher than under the Ottoman and new opportunities were being raised.
Of course, the Ottoman Turks of Anatolia and the Sunni Arabs of the Levant, accustomed to ruling, would not make any such deal and would pay the price over the coming decades.
Persia
The Zand Dynasty received good news from their agents in Teheran, the stronghold of the rebel Qajar Dynasty. An assassin had murdered Muhammad Khan, the vicious and ruthless leader of the northern-based Qajars. From their southern bases, the Zand would start moving north augmented by Russian artillery, modern muskets and "trainers".
The Turkic tribesmen whom were the backbone of the Qajars would ride south to face the Zand in a classic example of old guard versus new, tribal warfare versus civilization.
Goa
From one of the regional centers of the United East India Company, the directors received the first reports of the trade emissaries to the Ethiopians. Apparently, they grew some good coffee in that region and there may be some opportunity. The diplomats were surprised to find that Egyptian Copts were settling along the coast. Well, better than the Somalis whom made as good pirates as traders.
In the meantime, the Directors formally approved a new settlement upon the western coast of the great southern Continent known as New Holland to the Dutch.
Presumably, the massive island or small continent would be renamed but the Directors were not quite certain what. Some called it the Terra Australia Incognito, the unknown southern land in Latin, but that seemed a bit much.
They would think upon it. But the settlement in the Cape of Africa was going well and this new project along the west of New Holland would open up the region's whaling industry.
But there never seemed to be enough time or money to do everything. The Company would approach the Peshwa and other powerful Marathas for boons and often received them...for a price. Occasionally, it would be more European advisors for the Maratha armies. Other times they wanted intelligence about the goings on throughout South Asia.
The Company always did their best to keep the Marathas happy and often served as intermediaries when the Princes feuded.
Little by little, the Company would expand holdings even as they integrated further into Asia. While the Company Directors would remain uniformly European to maintain their identity, they would soon form close alliances with various Indian (Muslim or Hindu, it didn't matter to them), Egyptian, Ethiopian, Yemanese, Viet, Siamese, Nipponese (in a limited way), Indonesian and Chinese concerns, both private and governmental.
The United East India Company both owned...and was owned by in many senses (including in time, financially) the most diverse assemblage of interests in history.
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I'm assuming that you are talking about the Copts in Texas rather than the Copts in Somalia, though my answer would probably be the same.
In Texas, there would probably not be much integration as the Egyptians speaking in Arabic probably would not have much time to learn to communicate with the natives who were dying en masse of disease. All of these events happened OTl when the real colonization of Texas began in 1820 to 1830 timeframe. The native Karankawa were virtually wiped out by smallpox, measles and cholera while the Comanche were decimated.
Plus, I doubt the natives would be any more interested in Coptic Christianity than Roman Catholicism to which they had intermittent contact over the years.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Given the events going on in France, are the East India Company directors encouraging some movements of French and other European aristocracy to move to their lands? Doubt that the directors would want to associate with any European riff-raff. They'd want people of their socio-economic class.
EIC is the weirdest sort of multiethnic state I have ever seen in any timeline. I am surprised why Maratha's still did not include within the upper hierarchy of the company?
I would think the opposite. The French aristocracy was not known for being overly useful and spent most of their time demanding favors and money from the King. These would be the last people the UEIC would want. They would seek out skilled tradesmen, bankers, accountants, etc, people who actually work.
I think that would be inevitable but perhaps the status would evolve over 20-50 years rather than in the years immediately after the foundation of the independent company. The Marathas would be the major group to force their way in, followed by Chinese, etc. Initially, though, I think that the demographically outnumbered Europeans would try to keep the management of the Company in European hands.