For Want of a Nail [OOC/AH/OPEN]

[The V O I D]

FOR WANT OF A NAIL

In Character Thread [Coming Soon] || WORLD MAP || Discord [Link is in Telegram upon Acceptance]

Staff: Tracian Empire (Co-OP / Discord Server Mod)

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In the world as we know it, the discovery of the Americas would come to shape the world. Wars, politics, nations, economies, colonies - all of these were irrevocably altered by the Americas and their interaction with the European powers.

But this world isn't like ours. Columbus sailed west and found nothing but an eternal expanse of ocean that seemed to go on forever. He and his men died at sea, a storm destroying their ships and leaving no survivors as they attempted to get to Asia. When the Spanish sent people to look for them, they, too, did not return. Spain's investment would cost them, and to save themselves from bankruptcy, they had to sell their Italian lands to the Venetians.

Venice, on the other hand, has no competition with no route west to Asia. It continues to dominate the Mediterranean sea trade, and thanks to the Spanish's sales, completely cuts Genoa out of it shortly thereafter. The Venetians would come to expand and increase their naval and economic power as time went on, eventually forming colonies along the African coasts and even assimilating Egypt after deposing the Mamluks from power and handing it over to wealth-minded rebels.

The Venetians, through their access to the Red Sea, came to dominate the sea trade with India and some parts of Southeast Asia; their only real competitor being the Ottomans...

But this isn't the only change to the world; indeed, the entire world has been reshaped and changed by the lacking of continents...

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Hello, and welcome to For Want of a Nail - an alternate history roleplay that explores a rather interesting concept. I will admit, I have been inspired by "A World Without America" and roleplays like it - but, in this RP, I decided to go for the far more literal route: what would a world look like without the American continents and the effect they had on the world with colonization and trade?

Anyways, players will take the role of one of many preset nations - and I'm sure you're wondering what's up with Africa and some other parts of the East Indies/Asia. Well, those are for colonies for the nations of the world to set up based on player applications. As for the time period of this RP, the start date is January 1, 1700.

Now, for the rules of the RP.

I. No Godmodding, Metagaming, etc.
II. Keep in mind the current time period when making apps.
III. Under no circumstances will insta-gibs be allowed. PvP Wars and Battles should be written out in a post-by-post format, or cooperated upon by the players involved taking turns posting with evidence of their agreement to do so in Discord.
IV. The OP and selected Staffmembers are to be treated as the final law of the land. Failure to comply will result in possible RP and Discord Bans.
V. Do not invoke the wrath of the NS Mod Gods. Doing so will result in immediate expulsion from this RP.
VI. Have fun.

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Code: Select all

[box][size=200][i]For Want of a Nail - Nation Application[/i][/size]

[b]Nation Name:[/b] (Formal and Informal)
[b]Flag/Symbols:[/b]
[b]Head of State/Head of Government:[/b]
[b]Government Type:[/b]
[b]Population:[/b]
[b]Military Population:[/b] (no more than 1% of Pop in Peace; no more than 3% during War)
[b]Territory:[/b] (Unless your nation has colonies, you should just assume it's the 'Same as Map')
[b]History:[/b] (Your nation's history until 1700, or the current date if you're joining in late)

[b]RP Sample:[/b] (at least one)
#FWOAN - Do Not Remove[/box]

For Want of a Nail - Nation Application

Nation Name: Formal: The Most Serene Republic of Venice || Informal: The Venetian Republic; Venice
Flag/Symbols: Flag || Coat of Arms
Head of State/Head of Government: Silvestro Valier is the current Doge of Venice and is the de-jure head of state/head of government; however, all true power rests within the Ten, and the Grand Council of Venice.
Government Type: The Most Serene Republic is a parliamentary oligarchic republic with the features of an elective monarchy.
Population: Approx. 15 million.
Military Population: Approx. 150,000 men (mostly in the navy).
Territory: See the Dark/Light Purple on the Map. Dark Purple is directly controlled or affiliated in some form; Light Purple is merely influenced/indirectly affected by political/economic association.
History: WIP, but mostly explained by the OP. Will add more details later.

[The V O I D]

Dramatis Personae

The Most Serene Republic of Venice - Played by OP

The Ottoman Empire - Reserved by Tracian Empire

The Kingdom of France - Played by Nouveau Quebecois

Qing Empire - Reserved by Grand Indochina

Swedish Empire - Reserved by The Great Swedish Empire

Songhai Empire - Played by Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States

English Commonwealth - Played by Reverend Norv

The Noble Republic of Samarta - Played by Finland SSR

The Holy Roman Empire - Reserved by Lunas Legion

Note for HRE-Player[s]: The Holy Roman Empire only directly controls that dark red area. Other countries which are member states but have different colors are only strongly affiliated with the HRE, and are most likely sovereign/independent from its direct rule. Keep that in mind.

[The V O I D]

-RESERVED FOR OTHER STUFF-

Now OPEN for BUSINESS!

[Nouveau Quebecois]

Is Iceland playable? If not, can I reserve France (if you accept reservations)?

[The V O I D]

Is Iceland playable? If not, can I reserve France (if you accept reservations)?

If you can explain an independent Iceland, I don't see why you couldn't play it. But, if you want my advice, I'd go for the French Empire.

I'll note down your reservation for France if you confirm that's what you want.

EDIT 2: Nevermind.

[Nouveau Quebecois]

Is Iceland playable? If not, can I reserve France (if you accept reservations)?

If you can explain an independent Iceland, I don't see why you couldn't play it. But, if you want my advice, I'd go for the French Empire.

I'll note down your reservation for France if you confirm that's what you want.

EDIT 2: Nevermind.

Yeah, on second-thought, I do want to be more in the thick of it for this RP. I'll make an application for France.

[The V O I D]

If you can explain an independent Iceland, I don't see why you couldn't play it. But, if you want my advice, I'd go for the French Empire.

I'll note down your reservation for France if you confirm that's what you want.

EDIT 2: Nevermind.

Yeah, on second-thought, I do want to be more in the thick of it for this RP. I'll make an application for France.

Reservation noted.

[Tracian Empire]

For Want of a Nail - Nation Application
Nation Name:

• The Sublime Ottoman State/Devlet-i Alîye-i Osmânîye/دولت عليه عثمانيه‎
• The Ottoman State/ʿOsmānlı Devleti
• The Exalted State/Devlet-i Âlîye
• The Eternal State/Devlet-i Ebed-Müddet
• The Well-Protected Domains/Memâlik-i Mahrûse
• The Well-Protected Domains of the Ottomans/Memâlik-i Mahrûse-i Osmanîye
• The Ottoman Empire
• Turkey
• The Sublime Porte/Bāb-ı Ālī/باب عالی‎

Flag/Symbols:

• Crescent Flag
• Crescent Flag Variant
• Zulfiqar flag
• Army banner
• Naval Banner
• Tugh War Banner
• Tughra of the Sultan

Head of State/Head of Government:

• Padishah Mustafa II/Muṣṭafā-yi sānī/مصطفى ثانى
  
  Sultan Mustafa Han, Sovereign of The Sublime House of Osman, Sultan es Selatin, Khakhan, Commander of the faithful and Successor of the Prophet of the lord of the Universe, Custodian of the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina and Kouds , Kayser-i Rum , Padishah of The Three Cities of Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa, and of the City of Châm and the City of Beç, of all Azerbaijan, of Alep, of the Arab and Persian Iraq, of Basra, of El Hasa strip, of Raqqa, of Mosul, of Parthia, of Diyâr-ı Bekr, of Cilicia, of the provinces of Erzurum, of Sivas, of Adana, of Karaman, of Van, of Barbaria, of Châm , of the province of Morea, of Bahr-i Sefid, of Bahr-i Siyah , of Anatolia, of Rumelia , of Bagdad, of Kurdistan, of Greece, of Turkestan, of Tartary, of Circassia, of the two regions of Kabarda, of Gorjestan, of the steppe of Kipchaks, of the whole country of the Tatars, of Kefa and of all the neighboring regions, of Bosnia, of the City and Fort of Belgrade, of the province of Sirbistan, with all the castles and cities, of all Arnaut, of all Eflak and Bogdania, as well as all the dependencies and borders, and many others countries and cities.
  
• Grand Vizier Amcazade Köprülü Hüseyin Pasha

Government Type: Absolute monarchy and Caliphate

The Ottoman Empire has a long and glorious history, sitting at the crossroads of continents and civilizations, which has to a system of government that is incredibly complex, confusing, complicated, and cumbersome at the same time. The Ottomans have developed a system of government that is seen as the embodiment of tyranny in most of Europe, but which actually has a vague separation of powers - a systematic administrative organization, with a central government and a provincial system, where the most important functions are carried by military authorities, and the basic administration is headed by civilian authorities, separating the various powers of the state which are united solely in one person.

The Padishah is the embodiment of the government, the greatest monarch in the world, the King of Kings, and he has the supreme power in political, military, religious and judicial matters, in theory responsible only to Allah and to the Islamic law of the şeriat /شریعت. The power of the Padishah can only be understood in combination with his position as Caliph. He is as such is the steward of Allah on Earth, the leader of all Muslim faithful, the Shadow of God on Earth/ẓıll Allāh fī'l-ʿalem/ظل الله في العالم‎, and the Caliph of the Face of the Earth/Ḫalife-i rū-yi zemīn/خلیفه روی زمین‎. The powers of all other offices in the empire are derived from his, and his word is law - issued through a firman/فرمان‎. The Padishah, his family and his servants are together known as the House of Osman - the entire Ottoman state is considered to be an extension of the ruling dynasty.

The court itself is a place of intrigue and secrets, and nowhere can this be seen better than in the Imperial Harem/Harem-i Hümâyûn/حرم همايون‎, the concubines of the Padishah. It is led by the mother of the Sultan, the Valide Sultan/والده سلطان, who holds supreme power of the harem and can wield a lot of political influence. The Harem itself is strictly organized, with its own school. Under the Valide Sultan lies the main consort of the ruling Padishah, the Haseki Sultan, while the four other official consorts are known as the Kadın. The Padishah can of course have other favorite concubines, eight of which are called the ikbâls or also sometiles the hâs odalıks, and since the Sultan's favor can know no bounds, the rest of his favorite concubines are known as the gözde.

In practice however, the authority of the Padishah is divided and challenged by several other groups. While the empire lacks a nobility in the European sense of the word, a ruling class of imperial administrators exists, the so called askeri/عسكري, and the religious class of the ulema/علماء‎ also have significant influence. The Ottoman Empire is somewhat unique compared to other monarchies in that its ruling class is built through meritocracy. Of course, there has been a certain increase in corruption and nepotism, but at least officially, entrance into the Sultan's administration is not limited by heredity or wealth. The core of the future administration is still represented by the palace schools - where future scholars and officials receive a proper Islamic education. There are two types of such schools, the Madrasa, for Muslims, and the Enderun, for converted Christians. Supported by waqf donations, and by the Padishah himself, the palace schools allow even poor families to send their children where they have a chance to gain a future for themselves. New students, known as the inner boys/iç oglanlar are educated for seven years before they can graduate, going through an apprenticeship in the Sultan's service, education in natural and Islamic sciences, and the schools even develop the fitness and artistic skills of their students. The schools are as such famous for transforming even infidels into proper administrations, and theoretically, those who graduate are supposed to be loyal only to the Sultan himself, with no personal interests. The burden of governing is as such given to such administrators.

This is why, while the Padishah's wisdom knows no limits, for he is the most exalted monarch, he has to recognize that advice has to be cherished. The Padishah is as such advised by the Imperial Divan/Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn, a gathering of ministers. The Divan is led by the Grand Vizier/Sadrazam/صدر اعظم, who holds the imperial seal and acts as the Sultan's deputy, with some Grand Viziers being even arguably more powerful than the Sultans they serve. The Divan is also formed by the other viziers which have military and political duties, two military judges known as the kadi'askers/قاضی عسكر, the financial administrators known as the defterdars, the leaders of the palace scribes known as the nişancı, the Grand Admiral/Kapudan Pasha/قپودان پاشا, the Beylerbey of Rumelia and the Agha of the Janissaries/Yeniçeri ağası.

The Divan generally acts as the main executive body of the Ottoman Empire. Its members meet four days each week, with sessions lasting from seven to eight hours, in the Council Chamber/Arz Odas of the Topkapi Palace. Shorter meetings are also held in the afternoon at the Grand Vizier's residence, known as the ikindi divani, sometimes, emergency meetings known as the ulufe divani are necessary, for the distributions of the salaries of the Slaves of the Porte and to meet foreign ambassadors.The yak divani meetings are exceedingly rare - standing sessions headed by the Sultan himself.

While in the past, the Divan was an informal affair, with the Sultans themselves attending its meetings, it evolved, firstly into ceremonial affairs where the Sultan would watch the meetings of the Divan behind a grilled covered window, the kasr-ı adil, the Sultans have eventually abandoned the idea of joining these meetings altogether. The role of the council itself has evolved, from an advisory body to the Sultan, to an executive body, to an advisory body to the Grand Vizier. All decisions are made in the name of the Sultan, on his name and authority, and in theory, the Sultan can make his wishes known to the council directly or through the servant known as the Kapi Agha, but this clashes with the concept that the Grand Vizier represents the Sultan in the Divan. As such, after each meeting, the Grand Vizier meets the Sultan and reports what happened to the Padishah.

The council is assisted by an extensive bureaucracy, formed by the Main Chancery/divan kalemi, which publishes the imperial decrees, the chancery that appoints the senior officers, the tahvil kalemi, the chancery in charge of all other officials, the ruus kalemi, and the reis ül-küttab, the department responsible of foreign affairs, led by the amedi.

The Ottoman Empire is loosely divided into provinces bearing the name of Eyalet/ایالت‎, although they are more commonly known as beylerbeyliks or pashaliks, each led by a Pasha of three tails nominated by the Sultan through his Grand Vizier. The Eyalets are futher divided into districts known as livas or sanjaks, led by a Pasha of one tail known as a Mira-lira, or a Sanjak-bey.

The Sultan also rules over several vassal states. The leaders of such states, such as Moldova, Wallachia, and the Crimean Khanate, recognize the Padishah as their overlord, pay tribute, and send troops into Ottoman military campaigns, and the Ottomans generally do not intervene in their internal affairs.

Population: 24 million
Military Population: The great Ottoman Army still operates under the structures established by the glorious Mehmed the Conqueror. Despite the great victory of Islam at the gates of Vienna and the humiliation of the Habsburgs, the military still desperately needs to be reformed, especially due to the Janissaries, the corrupt former elite soldiers of the Ottoman Sultan, who are perhaps the greatest threat to the stability of the Empire. In total, the Ottomans have around 150,000 men, although more could be called upon in case of war.

The backbone of the Ottoman military is formed by the professional, standing corps of the Sultan, the Slaves of the Porte/Kapıkulu Ocağı/قپوقولو اوجاغی, commonly known simply as the Kapıkulu, forming a force of 96,646.

In theory, these troops are supposed to be recruited through the Devshirme system (devşirme/دوشيرمه), the so called blood tax in which the Ottomans would take Christian boys to be trained as slaves to serve the state. The continuous decline and the increased corruption of the Janissaries and of the Kapıkulu as a whole has however brought to this practice to all but a formal end - with only a few hundred boys having been brought in ever since the beginning of the reign of Mustafa II. As such, the corps are now usually formed by free Muslims, their training marred by corruption and nepotism.

The Janissaries (yeñiçeri/يڭيچرى) are the center of the standing part of the army, elite infantry troops with a glorious history. The Janissaries can effectively dominate the government - they have a history of deposing Sultans, and they can force the government to obey them through the threat of mutiny. They can effectively blackmail the Sultan into giving them gifts or increasing their pay, and they also act as landowners and traders. Their loyalty has been shaken by their greed and indiscipline, as well as by their ability to marry and to have children. Sons of former Janissaries can now enlist in the corps without being selected for it, and without going through the training period known as the acemi oğlan. Despite the efforts of the Sultan to modernize the corps itself, the resistance of the Janissaries to any changes means that they are ineffective at best against modern European armies. The Janissaries currently have a paper strength of 67,729.

Another corps which is a part of the Kapıkulu is the Household Slave Cavalry/Kapıkulu Süvarileri, also known as the Six Divisions of Cavalry/Altı Bölük Halkı, even through there are actually four divisions - two of them are subdivisions. The divisions are the Sipāhiyān, the Silah-dārān, the Ulufeciyān/Ulufeciler, themselves divided into the Ulufecis of the Left and the Ulufecis of the Right, and the Garibān/Garipler, organized into the Garips of the Left/Garips of the Right. The strengths of the Household Slave Cavalry is of 13,447.

The Ottoman Artillery is maintained by several different groups. The main group is known as the Topçu Ocağı/Hearth of the Artillerymen/Artillery Corps, the ones responsible with actually using the artillery. Most of these men are subjects of the Sultan, but elite units maintained by gunners of European descent exist, such as the tayfa-i efreciye. The second group is known as the Cebeci Ocağı/ Hearth of Armourers/Armorer Corps, a small unit in charge of transporting and maintaining the artillery. The Top Arabacıları Ocağı/Hearth of Artillery Wagoners/Artillery Wagoners take specific care of the artillery wagons, while the Humbaracı Ocağı/Hearth of Bombardiers/Bombardier Corps are an elite unit, in charge of the best and largest Ottoman cannons. The Lağımcı Ocağı/Hearth of Miners/Miners are the elite unit responsible for the fall of the walls of Vienna - responsible for digging tunnels underneath enemy fortifications and bringing them down with mines. The Ottoman Artillery forces employ 13,447 men.

The Ottoman Empire also uses various conscripted forces. The greatest part of said forces is formed by the Timariots, generally Sipahi cavalrymen, which receive parcels of revenue known as timars in exchange for their service, in a semi-feudal system. Timariots are also expected to bring men-at-arms bearing the name of cebelu with them in a war, depending on their revenue. Now, in theory, the Ottomans could call upon around 200,000 such soldiers, but due to the financial burden of such a feat, the numbers of such forces generally fluctuate between 50,000 and 90,000.

The Ottoman vassals of Wallachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, and Crimea are obliged to send troops to assist the Padishah during military campaigns, but the exact numbers they send depend on both their internal politics and the situation of the campaign itself - since the vassals themselves are not completely loyal.

The New Order Army/Nizâm-ı Cedîd Ordusu, commonly known as the New Order/Niẓām-ı Cedīd/نظام جديد, or ceremonially as the Mansure Army (Victorious Soldiers of Muhammad/Asâkir-i Mansûre-i Muhammediye/عساكر منصورهٔ محمديه‎), are a new army corps being secretly trained in Anatolia under the command of Köprülüzade Numan Pasha as part of the secret conspiracy of the Sultan and of other parts of the government against the influence of the Janissaries. These soldiers are trained in a Western European manner, but are also raised to be fanatically loyal to the Sultan and to Islam.

The Ottoman Navy/Donanma-yı Humâyûn is the naval force of the Padisah, the sole navy operating in the Black Sea, an important force in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and a significant force in the Indian Ocean, with a fleet also operating in the Danube. The Fleet is led by the Grand Admiral/Kapudan Pasha/قپودان پاشا, also known as the Captain of the Sea/Kaptan-ı Derya/قپودان دریا‎. While not able to challenge the domination of the Venetians, the Navy is more than enough to protect the empire's coasts, and combined with important fortifications in the Dardanelles and the Bosporus, to deny the Venetians an entrance through the straits, defending Constantinople and the Black Sea from their presence. The Danube Fleet is also an important part in the ongoing effort to strengthen the Padishah's authority in Hungary. In the Indian Ocean, the Ottoman strategy is a lot more varied. The coasts are much better protected, and as such, the navy itself ventures throughout the entire ocean, clashing with the Venetians in an eternal, albeit undeclared war of trade and piracy. Each side tries to protect its own trade ships bringing spices and other goods from the East Indies, while using privateers to hunt the other's ships. This is supported by a system of trading posts and allies.

Territory:Same as the map, but with a few trading posts in the East Indies that would be too small to show on a map. The Padishah also rules over several vassal states, the Principalities of Transylvania, Wallachia, and Moldova, and the Crimean Khanate. There have also been talks about creating a vassal state in Hungary, but so far there has been no indication of something like that happening.
Also, the Ottoman Sultan, through his position as Caliph, considers himself to be the leader and protector of all Islam. All faithful throughout the world can expect the Padisah's protection, with the Sultanate of Aceh being a great example of the Sultan of Sultans' friendship.
History: (Your nation's history until 1700, or the current date if you're joining in late)

RP Sample: Hmm
#FWOAN - Do Not Remove

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Would there be a place for a west-African kingdom here? The lack of transatlantic slave trade would mean these kingdoms would be in a much more powerful position than irl. Otherwise, the English Commonwalth would be nice.

[Tracian Empire]

Would there be a place for a west-African kingdom here? The lack of transatlantic slave trade would mean these kingdoms would be in a much more powerful position than irl. Otherwise, the English Commonwalth would be nice.

I think that there would be a place for such a kingdom. There would of course be small European colonies and trading posts all along the coast, due to a desire to challenge the Venetian spice trade, but there would certainly be no transatlantic slave trade.

England would also be available, if you would want it. With no America, it would maybe be a little weaker than in real life, but a weaker Spain might give it a lot more space to do things on the sea. And of course, France would still be France.

[Reverend Norv]

Would there be a place for a west-African kingdom here? The lack of transatlantic slave trade would mean these kingdoms would be in a much more powerful position than irl. Otherwise, the English Commonwalth would be nice.

I think that there would be a place for such a kingdom. There would of course be small European colonies and trading posts all along the coast, due to a desire to challenge the Venetian spice trade, but there would certainly be no transatlantic slave trade.

England would also be available, if you would want it. With no America, it would maybe be a little weaker than in real life, but a weaker Spain might give it a lot more space to do things on the sea. And of course, France would still be France.

If James doesn't snag it, I'll also lay claim to the English Commonwealth. Puritanism and democracy forever! And yes, that is pretty much my only speed for AH RPs, for those who remember my French iteration of the same idea.

[Danceria]

This gonna be good.

[The V O I D]

So, pending if GC confirms that they want the English Commonwealth, I'll add the reservation to the list; otherwise, it'll likely go to Norv.

The IC, assuming we get at least a few complete apps by then, will be launched on Friday.

[Danceria]

Is there any way to be something like the Knights Hospitallers, or some sort of order to protect traders that are a nominal vassal of Venice?

[Grand Indochina]

REDACTED.

[The Great Swedish Empire]

Could I reserve sweden?

[Tracian Empire]

Is there any way to be something like the Knights Hospitallers, or some sort of order to protect traders that are a nominal vassal of Venice?

Well, it is up to the OP, since both Rhodes and Malta are marked as Venetian on the map, but I personally think that it would make sense for the Knights Hospitallers to occupy one of those two islands as Venetian vassals.

[Tracian Empire]

Can I have a reservation for the Chinese Empire, also known as Zhongua ?

For Want of a Nail - Nation Application

Nation Name :

• The Middle Kingdom (Zhongua).
• The Divine Land (Shenzou).
• The Heavenly Kingdom (Tianxia).
• The State of Qing (Qingzou).
• Cathay.

Flag / Symbols :

• Flag of Zhongua.
• Imperial Symbol of Zhongua.
• Imperial Military Flag.

Head of State / Head of Government : Emperor Kangxi.
Government Type : Absolute Monarchy - Meritocratic Oligarchy.
Population : Approximately 210,715,000.
Military Population : 2,100,00 personnel.

Territory :

(Image)

History : (Your nation's history until 1700, or the current date if you're joining in late)

RP Sample: (at least one)
#FWOAN - Do Not Remove

I do not see any issues with the reservation itself - but you would have to explain why the Qing are directly controlling Vietnam in your map there, something that as far as I'm aware did not happen in real life.

[Tracian Empire]

Could I reserve sweden?

Sure

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

So, pending if GC confirms that they want the English Commonwealth, I'll add the reservation to the list; otherwise, it'll likely go to Norv.

The IC, assuming we get at least a few complete apps by then, will be launched on Friday.

I’ll go with the Songhai Empire, then, in western Africa. Without the Americas, Africa will be a prime exporter of gold. Europe will not have the technology to breach into the hinterlands, so Africa is set to be much more powerful than it was IRL.

I think that there would be a place for such a kingdom. There would of course be small European colonies and trading posts all along the coast, due to a desire to challenge the Venetian spice trade, but there would certainly be no transatlantic slave trade.

England would also be available, if you would want it. With no America, it would maybe be a little weaker than in real life, but a weaker Spain might give it a lot more space to do things on the sea. And of course, France would still be France.

If James doesn't snag it, I'll also lay claim to the English Commonwealth. Puritanism and democracy forever! And yes, that is pretty much my only speed for AH RPs, for those who remember my French iteration of the same idea.

And without the puritan exodus to the Americas, Cromwell will have a bigger power base! More puritanism!

[Reverend Norv]

So, pending if GC confirms that they want the English Commonwealth, I'll add the reservation to the list; otherwise, it'll likely go to Norv.

The IC, assuming we get at least a few complete apps by then, will be launched on Friday.

I’ll go with the Songhai Empire, then, in western Africa. Without the Americas, Africa will be a prime exporter of gold. Europe will not have the technology to breach into the hinterlands, so Africa is set to be much more powerful than it was IRL.

If James doesn't snag it, I'll also lay claim to the English Commonwealth. Puritanism and democracy forever! And yes, that is pretty much my only speed for AH RPs, for those who remember my French iteration of the same idea.

And without the puritan exodus to the Americas, Cromwell will have a bigger power base! More puritanism!

My thoughts exactly. No safety valve.

[The V O I D]

Roster updated to reflect new reservations. Glad to see that people are taking interest in this.

[Duestchstien]

For Want of a Nail - Nation Application

Nation Name: Emirate of Bactria
Flag/Symbols:

Head of State/Head of Government: Emir Mirwais Hotak
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Population: 12.4 Million
Military Population: 124 Thousand Active
Territory: Modern day Afghanistan and Pakistan
History: In the 1500s the Spice Trade was booming in the region. Karachi became a stopping port for trade entering and exiting the Persian gulf. Furthermore land trade routes passed through the region which began to bring great wealth to the local population. The majority of the population spoke Pashto instead of the Mughal's Urdu, and the growing wealth and influence of the local rulers earned the region autonomy from the Mughals. In the late 1500s and early 1600s a distaste grew against the Mughals, who were seen as stealing the regions wealth for themselves. The local rulers gathered to establish the Kandahar Council, were they began to plan acts of rebellion against the Mughals, local militias were formed and the military of the region was put under control sympathetic commanders. In 1680, the Hindus rose up in Rajastan, the Mughals deployed many of their forces to the Aravalli Hills to fight the rebellion. With their attention distracted, the Bactrians rose up, the Indus river and Karachi were quickly secured, so sympathizers in Europe and the Ottoman Empire could provide goods to the rebellion. The Bactrians beat back what little forces the Mughals could spare, with the Rajastani gaining more and more support. The Bactrian forces began a campaign toward Delhi. In 1682 the Mughals agreed to a peace treaty, and the Bactrian Emirate was formed. The Hotak Dynasty came to power as it was the most influential. In the following years, the nations Economy greatly grew, infrastructure was greatly improved. A grand library was constructed in Kabul, the expanding capital of the nation. Mosques were constructed throughout the country, and agriculture developed.

RP Sample: viewtopic.php?p=35824961#p35824961
#FWOAN - Do Not Remove

[Reverend Norv]

Speaking of spice trade: no potatoes, tomatoes, maize, chiles, or squashes for us. Medieval cuisine lives on!

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Speaking of spice trade: no potatoes, tomatoes, maize, chiles, or squashes for us. Medieval cuisine lives on!

No tobacco, cane sugar, tonic, upland cotton, syphillis, chocolate... you know what, just gonna post the list.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_exchange