1890: Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC-DEAD]

[Axis Asteroid]

Reporting in.

天下
Tianxia
"All Under Heaven"

Full Nation Name : Heavenly Kingdom | Heaven | Taiping — (天囯, Tiēnkuo)

• • Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace — (太平天囯)
  • Heavenly Kingdom of the True Divine Will — (真天命太平天囯)
  • Heavenly Kingdom of the Heavenly Father, Heavenly Brother & Heavenly King — (天父天兄天王太平天囯)
• • Heavenly Dynasty | Hakka Dynasty — (天朝, 客家朝)
  • Chinese Commonwealth | China — (中華民國, 中国 and NOT the "Chinese Empire")

Majority/Official Culture : Hakka—Dai—Han Chinese or Heavenly People — (天国人 | Historically, the Chinese referred to themselves and their homeland as the Subjects of the Celestial Empire — (天朝子民) and the Celestial Empire — (天朝), though it took on a different meaning later on with the word, Celestial, which was used as a pejorative against Chinese immigrants living in the USA and elsewhere during the 19th century. For unrelated reasons, this changed once more during Taiping Rebellion when Hong Xiuquan insisted on the universal use of the word Heavenly — (天) to describe all things such as "Heavenly Dynasty, Heavenly Army, Heavenly Officials, Heavenly Commanders, Heavenly Soldiers, Royal Troops” and most notably "Heavenly People" in order to pay proper homage to Jehovah and distinguish the godly and virtuous new order from the pagan and morally bankrupt dynasties of old.)

Territorial Core : Heaven — China proper and Taiwan; the Selayar, Cocos, Chagos, Mauritius, and Réunion Islands; Madagascar, Mozambique (Northern), and Somalia.
Territorial Claim : Thy Kingdom Come — Tibet, Xinjiang, Manchuria, and Mongolia (Inner + Outer); China as it once was in other words, though no serious attempt has been made towards reunification following the Taiping Rebellion, nor is any concerted effort in the future likely as the Taiping rebrand themselves as the neutral mediator in Oriental affairs, all the while shifting their focus away from past nostalgia and towards the expansion of their relatively recent and growing colonial empire overseas.
Capital City : Tianjing, the Heavenly Capital — (天京). Formerly known as Nanjing — (南京市), but later renamed to "New Jerusalem" after the Taiping captured the city in 1853.
Population : ~383,000,000

Government Type : Celestial Empire (Commonwealth)
Government Ideology/Policies : Totalitarianism, Militarism, Fundamentalism, Nationalism, Paternalism, Feminism, Egalitarianism, Abolitionism, Marxism, and Cosmopolitanism—NOT Tianxia, Huaxia, and Sinocentrism — (中国中心主义 | The use of the word "barbarian" to describe Westerners and other foreigners was discouraged historically by the Heavenly King, who considered all people as equal “sons” and "daughters” of the same Heavenly Father. In his own sermons, he preached equality with Western brothers and sisters, and inserted the line “bless brothers and sisters of all nations” in his revision of the Lord’s Prayer.)

• ---

  In 1853, the Heavenly King — Hong Xiuquan, implemented a series of ambitious and radical reforms in pursuit of utopia. Most, if not all were reversed or abandoned following the defeat of the Taiping, but that will no longer be the case here naturally.

  ---

  • Promotion of Hong Xiuquan's personal writings and the Taiping Bible as the doctrinal foundation of the state and the subject of study for the imperial civil service examinations, replacing the Confucian classics.
  • Adoption of a Gregorian solar calendar to replace the lunar calendar.
  • Ban on foot binding, concubinage, arranged marriage, wife purchase, widow suicide, and prostitution under penalty of death. (The Hakka were noteworthy for being the only Han subgroup to have never followed the tradition of foot binding and likewise were the most progressive in their equal treatment of women, for which they were often scorned by their rivals in the Chinese mainstream, who saw it as an affront to Confucian morality.)
  • Society was declared classes and the sexes likewise were declared equal under penalty of death to all in opposition. Civil service exams were also open to women for the first time in Chinese history, paving the way for an educated woman like Fu Shanxiang to become the first female zhuangyuan or primus — (状元) and become an official at the court of the Eastern King after passing with the highest score among her peers.
  • Women were decreed equal access to education, government, and most radical of all — military service, codifying the precedent set by the thousands of female soldiers and commanders under the Taiping, such as Su Sanniang, Qiu Ersao, and most notably, Hong Xuanjiao, the sister of the Heavenly King himself.
  • Prohibition on polygamy and monogamy was mandated as an additional protection to women. Abusers faced the death penalty if convicted. (Poverty kept Hakka monogamous, and they could neither conceive, nor afford, to take their wives, sisters, and daughters, whom they deemed as indispensable partners in survival, out of farm work and market activities by binding their feet as other Chinese did.)
  • Slavery was abolished under penalty of death.
  • Prohibition of opium, gambling, tobacco, alcohol, and prostitution through various "vice" laws, all of which also carried death penalties when violated.
  • Establishment of a five—day work week by law (half a century ahead of Western contemporaries) as a direct consequence of work being prohibited during the Sabbath, which is observed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. (Sunday was already considered a day of rest beforehand, whereas work on Saturday was standard. Banning work during the Sabbath effectively codified the world's first observance of the two day weekend into law).
  • Establishment of a national education system, reflecting the Hakka’s long-standing concern for literacy training, which was democratized to reach as much of the predominantly peasant population as possible through Hakka-style vernacular language simplification.
  • Abolition of private property and redistribution of wealth to the masses.
  • Nationalization of the means of production into a vast Sacred Treasury — (天国库) that operated as a communal fund, from which the faithful reap the rewards in a system that closely resembles an early form of social security, if not universal basic income.
  • Implementation of the Land System of the Heavenly Dynasty — (天朝的土地制度), which involved the redistribution of China’s farmland to landless peasants, including to women, who would, for the first time in Chinese history, receive equal amounts of similarly-productive acreage as men. (It was the most ambitious and unprecedented land reform policy in terms of sheer size and scale in the world up to that point, the full details of which can be found here and here.)

  ---

• ---

  In 1859, the Gan Prince — Hong Rengan, proposed a series of ambitious reforms as part of a national industrialization program that the Japanese later took inspiration from during the Meiji Restoration of the following decade, though it failed to materialize due various setbacks in the conflict and the ultimate failure of the Taiping Rebellion, but likewise no longer applies here.

  ---

  • Adoption of railways by granting patents for the introduction of locomotives — 21 railways were planned for each of the 21 provinces, adding up to a total of 100,000 miles or 160,000 kilometres.
  • Implementation of a new navy program and the construction of modern ships and ironclads for commerce and defense.
  • Establishment of a central bank and other state—owned derivatives charged with printing fiat currency to respond to economic crises.
  • Replacement of the small native banks and private draft banks known as qianzhuang — (錢莊) and piaohao — (票号) with formal banking institutions beholden to the government and the general public and not self—serving third parties such as Shanxi merchants.
  • Introduction of a new patent system, which granting of 10—year patents for the introduction of new inventions, and 5—years for minor items.
  • Establishment of a National Postal Service.
  • Expansion of mining operations by granting control and twenty percent of revenues to the discoverers of mineral deposits.
  • Introduction of governmental investigative offices known as Inspector Circuits — (督察).
  • Institution of district treasuries and paymasters to manage finances.
  • Expansion of the Sacred Treasury and the Land System of the Heavenly Dynasty into national welfare system and social safety net.
  • Reformation of the God—Worshiping faith into a Protestant denomination in order to better integrate the Taiping with the Christian West. (Historically, Hong Rengan joined the Taiping with a throughly Protestant mindset and belief system that clashed with largely Old Testament—inspired doctrines of the senior rebels. He reformed the worship and prayer services into Protestant—style ceremonies as part of his early efforts.)
  • Transition towards constitutional monarchy and Western-style democracy.
  • Establishment of philanthropic institutions.
  • Industrial development using Western ideas and production methods.
  • Integration into the global market economy by opening up the country and engaging in free trade.

  ---

Government Focus : "To rid the world of demon worship and establish paradise on earth" in the words of Hong Xiuquan.

• In short, holy war, revolution, reform, trade, and a general rebranding as a mediating power in the former Sinosphere and Orient separate from both Korea and Japan; a third force committed to maintaining stability in the region and a business friendly state open to trade, in contrast to the intransigence, isolationism, and cultural stagnation of previous Chinese dynasties like the Shun.
• Infrastructure and public works projects is also a large priority in regards to building schools, hospitals, roads, and laying down track, as part of an ongoing industrial and modernization program, the most ambitious of which is the renovation and fortification of the Great Wall into the most formidable, defensive line of fortifications, obstacles, and weapon installations in the world. Half of which has been completed since construction began in 1860.
• Historically, the Taiping also considered slavery as a great affront, the original sin. Cooperation with other abolitionist powers like the USA and Britain towards the ban of the slave trade globally would likewise be on their list of priorities. In the long term, once the sale of human beings has been outlawed, the abolition of the practice itself is the ultimate end goal, which would be to the ideological, spiritual, and material benefit of the Heavenly Kingdom.
• Further relations with American, British, and [REDACTED] beyond free trade and [REDACTED].

Head of State : Heavenly King — (太平天王 | Her Grace, Hong Xuanjiao, the Heavenly King, Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years, and Empress of Great Peace and Equality)
Head of Government : Prince Gan — (干王, literally the "Shield Prince")
Government Description : Originally a totalitarian theocracy under military dictatorship that transitioned into a federal parliamentary semi-constitutional theocratic monarchy under one—party revolutionary vanguard following the end of the Warlord Era when Hong Rengan's democratic reforms were implemented by the new Heavenly King — Hong Xuanjiao.

A single ruling political party known as the United Front or Tongmenghu (TMH) — (中國同盟會) formed from the merger of various revolutionary and rebel groups is the backbone of the new government. It is comprised of the Taiping, Nian, Panthay, Red Turban, White Lotus, Small Swords Society and other remnants of former warlord cliques and regional factions.

Though the government is now a constitutional monarchy, it is functionally not too dissimilar from the Heavenly Kingdom of Hong Xiuquan. Despite the establishment of checks and balances, the Taiping remain the dominant faction in the TMH, outnumbering the rest combined with an almost permanent super majority of two—thirds when including adjacent and closely aligned groups like the Nian and Red Turbans. In the unlikely event this changes, the Grand Chancellor remains little more than a glorified bureaucrat anyway. Real power is in the hands of the Heavenly King and the Zhili Clique over which she presides, a dynamic unlikely to change in the near or even far future.

---

---

Administrative Divisions of the Heavenly Kingdom (and their corresponding components)

• Sufu (also known as the Imperial Domain or Imperial Center) — (江南省): Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang
• East Kingdom — (東囯): Guangdong and Taiwan
• South Kingdom — (南囯): Guangzhi and Guizhou
• West Kingdom — (西囯): Shaanxi, Gansu, and Sichuan
• North Kingdom — (北囯): Zhili and Shanxi
• Flank Kingdom — (翼囯): Hexi and Qinghai (also known as the Hexi or Gansu Corridor)
• Formosan Republic — (台湾民主国): Taiwan
• Pingnan Guo — (平南国, literally the "Pacified Southern State"): Yunnan
• Ningxia — (宁夏): NHAR and Eastern Gansu

---

Majority/State Religion : God—Worshipping (拜上帝教, Bài Shàngdì Huì)
Religious Description : As a religious movement, the God-Worshippers centered their worship around the views of its founder, Hong Xiuquan, whose unique interpretation of Christianity combined Chinese folk religion and other religious traditions with faith in Shangdi (上帝, Supreme Deity | God). They believe in central tenets and scriptural concepts shared in the established Christian canon such as Divine filiation, which is the redemption of all Christians (and only Christians in their view), Trinitarianism, and Canonization of Saints, but differ widely when it comes to the belief that their founder Hong Xiuquan was "the son of God the Father and the younger brother of Jesus Christ who had been directed to rid the world of demon worship."

Economic Ideologies : Market Socialism underpinned by Christian Socialism and Liberation Theology. In practice, a mixed socialist market economy that can be considered a form of state capitalism depending on the definition.
Major Production : Too many to name, though a short list includes, but is not limited to traditional luxury goods such as silk, tea, salt, sugar, porcelain, saffron, and spice, which remain lucrative and in high demand, albeit in a more crowded place shared by newer manufacturing goods such as steel, motors, railways, textiles, synthetic dyes, photographic films, agricultural chemicals, and other consumer goods produced domestically. An emergent military industrial complex comprised of newly established arms, munitions, and shipbuilding corporations such as Hanyang Arsenal, Taiyun Arsenal, Foochow Arsenal, Great Hsi-Ku Arsenal, and Jiangnan Shipyard (JSY), are also responsible for the mass assembly of rifles, ammunition, artillery, bayonets, rockets, and warships at the behest of the government, from whom they are recipients to substantial subsidies.
Economic Description : A hybrid economy comprised largely of public ownership, cooperatives, and state—owned enterprises within a market system that also affords private businesses and investments opportunities to compete and flourish, albeit under strict government oversight and regulation. In most of the country, economic development is based on based a model of economic planning at seven year intervals, sometimes split between sets of three and four years when flexibility and adjustment is required, though this isn't the case everywhere.

The exceptions are former treaty ports along the coastline have been designated as Special Economic Zones or SEZs after a lengthy process renegotiating and unraveling the unequal treaties of yesteryear. Unlike the rest of the Heavenly Kingdom, SEZs operate under operate different business and trade laws to attract foreign investment through open markets and free trade, providing an opportunity to acquire a foothold into the largest consumer market in the world and tap into the vast wealth of China in the interest of trade, mutual profit, the further expansion of the economy.

In total, there are currently twenty designated SEZs or open cities, comprising of nineteen ports and the island province of Hainan.

• Free City — (自由港): Xiamen, Shantou, Shenzen, Zhuhai, Kashgar, Shanghai, Tianjin, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Zhanjiang, Beihai, Qinhuangdao, Lianyungang, Nantong, Dalian, Qingdao, Yantai, Ningbo, and Wenzhou
• Open Province — (开放省): Hainan

Currency : Holy Treasure (聖寶, Shèngbao)

Development: Modern/Semi—Industrial
Development Description : Uneven and very staggered due the sheer size of the land, with major urban centers and coastal cities such as Guangzhou and Shanghai among the first to industrialize, while more inland settlements and rural environs still range from developing to primitive. While there is still much work to be done, the local economies of individual Chinese cities alone are comparable to that of small countries, if not moderately sized Western states based on sheer size and scale. Guangzhou and the the Pearl River Delta from which its seated is home to tens of millions for example and was the first to industrialize with a strong manufacturing base to become the production center of China. Shanghai likewise is also host to multitudes of enterprising workers and consumers, developing its own trade and maritime empire from the banks of the Yellow River, and more importantly the entrance of the Grand Canal, which leads into the vast wealth of the interior. In short, the Heavenly Kingdom is greater than the sum of its parts and when put together, the economies of its powerful cities afford it the power to compete with its Western counterparts.

Army Description : The Heavenly Army — (天军) is the military arm of the United Front or Tongmenghui (TMH) and the regular army of the Heavenly Kingdom since its founding in 1853, though the institution itself predates both, its origins rooted in prophesy, wherein the Heavenly King was visited by the Heavenly Father in his dreams and was granted a golden sword and seal with which to slay the demons infesting heave with help of celestial older brother — Jesus, at the head of a Heavenly Army.

Much like the state it represents, the Heavenly Army is an inherently revolutionary institution that is an extension of the revolutionary vanguard responsible for well—being of peasants, workers, and the faithful congregations of proletarians. It is home to many peculiar elements that depart greatly from the martial tradition of the Orient with its distinctly Westernized professionalism and command structure, though it also deviates from those selfsame traditions through its radical gender politics of fully integrated units of men and women at arms, reflecting the precedents set by warrior women such as Su Sanniang, Qiu Ersao, and most notably, Hong Xuanjiao, the sister of Hong Xiuqan himself, as both soldiers and commanders during the revolution.

Though only a fraction of its former size in regards to the cumulative land forces of the various regional cliques and factions during the Warlord Era, it remains the largest, if not the largest standing army and peace-keeping force in the world with two million regulars in active service across roughly one hundred and forty two divisions of horse, foot and artillery organized into thirty five corps. Full mobilization would bring that number back up to ten million, comprising largely of veterans of former warlord factions.

Army Weakness : In the midst of rearmament and reorganization process that includes a sixty division plan to reduce the size of the army into a smaller force of well trained, elite divisions. A decision on which factions and troops to axe has yet to be made, though whatever the end result will result in inevitable tension. Variable quality and questionable loyalties of warlord troops in the reserves.
Naval Description : The Heavenly Navy — (天海军) is the maritime arm of the Heavenly Kingdom, comprised of the remainder of the four regional Beiyang, Fujian, Guangdong, Nanyang fleets of their former Shun overlords. It is the product of reorganization efforts to consolidate the former Shun navy into a proper, modernized blue water navy. While few of these original ships remain in active service, newer models comprising of hulking vessels of iron and steel ranging from destroyers, cruisers, and battleships produced from the Jiangnan Shipyards (JSY) have since bolstered its ranks to replace previously decommissioned and outdated vessels with respectable numbers capable of not only to defend the shores of the Heavenly Kingdom, but also its distant colonial possessions.
Naval Weakness : Inexperienced sailors. Navy is split into two between a larger home fleet and a smaller colonial fleet, which would take time to consolidate into a united force in the event of war.
Further Military Description : [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals : Open up the country and and expand its colonial empire.
National Issues : Provincial unrest stemming from lingering regionalism and warlordism, religious tensions and sectarian violence within God Worshipping congregations, the widespread destruction of historical monuments and cultural sites, and the precarious state of religious minorities such as Buddhists and Confucians, who have been driven underground and to the brink of extinction.
National Figures of Interest :

• • Hong Xiuquan
  • Hong Xuanjiao
  • Hong Tianguifu
  • Yang Xiuqing
  • Feng Yunshan
  • Xiao Chaogui
  • Wei Changhui
  • Hong Rengan
  • Shi Dakai
  • Li Xiucheng
  • Chen Yucheng
  • Li Shixian
  • Qin Rigang
  • Zhang Lexing
  • Su Sanniang
  • Qiu Ersao
  • Fu Shanxiang

National Ambition/Aspirations : [[OPTIONAL]] [[Not really set objectives, but rather the big picture that your nation is drawing towards]]

History :

• 1836
  
  • American evangelist and Protestant missionary named Edwin Stevens preaches to a young Hong Renkun about Christianity. Stevens hands him a crude, rough translation of the Bible into Chinese.
• 1843
  
  • Hong Renkun fails the imperial examinations in his fourth and final attempt. In the aftermath, he has a mental breakdown and becomes deathly ill, dropping in and out of a hallucinatory, if not miraculous state, during which he claims to have gained entry into heaven, and communed with God, Jesus, and others.
  • Upon awakening, he is a changed man. After declaring himself the second son of God the Father and the younger brother of Jesus Christ based on his visions, his family immediately fears he has gone insane, but his personal charisma wins them over. As time passes, they note that Renkun is more careful, friendly, and open while his pace has become imposing and firm as if his height and size increased.
  • Renkun reveals that his given name violates certain taboos according to Jehovah. Therefore, he adopts a new name. Hong Xiuquan or "Quan" for short.
  • Two giant swords known as the demon-slaying swords (斬妖劍) are forged to aid Hong Xiuquan in his quest to rid China of idols.
• 1847
  
  • Hong Xiuquan is baptized in Guangzhou by the Southern Baptist missionary Issachar Jacoxx Roberts, whose sermons of fire and brimstone, judgement and eternal damnation leave a lasting impression on Quan, further radicalizing him in the process. Roberts is unaware of Quan's unique interpretation of the faith.
  • The Society of God Worshippers is founded by Quan's cousin, Feng Yunshan, comprised of a growing number of converts to former's unique brand of Christianity. Quan assumes leadership shortly after.
  • Quan begins his translation and adaption of Gospel into what would become the Taiping Bible.
• 1850
  
  • The God Worshippers have grown to a size of 30,000 converts. Alarmed Shun officials send imperial troops to disperse the growing sect, but are instead routed in a battle, where a the Shun deputy magistrate is slain.
  • A full scale attack is launched by the Chinese Imperial Army against the sect's headquarters in Jintian, but once again are repelled. The victorious zealots behead the Shun commander, sparking the Jintian Uprising, evolving into what later became known as the Taiping Rebellion.
• 1851
  
  • Hong Xiuquan christens himself as the Heavenly King and his followers, the Taiping.
  • The rebels capture Yongan. Quan's army swells with new converts and receives support from large portions of the working poor and peasant populations, who are drawn by promises of land reform and wealth redistribution.
  • Quan is joined by his sister, Hong Xuanjiao or "Jiao", who arrives with an army of women. She is thereby promoted as a general of the rebellion.
  • A navy for the fledgling Taiping state is formed, comprised of captured Shun vessels that operate along the Yangtze and its tributaries.
• 1852
  
  • Siege of Nanjing begins. Yang Xiuqing, the East King, is wounded during the battle and is incapacitated for the rest of the war.
  • Jiao is introduced to Xiao Chaogui, the North King by her brother. They marry later that year.
• 1853
  
  • In March, the Taiping capture Nanjing, the former capital of the Ming dynasty. Quan renames the city "New Jerusalem" and declares it the capital of the newly established Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace, which now controls a population base of 30 million people.
  • Hong Xiuquan reveals himself to be the reincarnated Melchizedek, the messianic priest—king who anticipated David in the Old Testament and Christ in the New.
  • Industrialization begins at limited scale with the establishment of military facilities such as ammo presses and arsenals capable of producing imitations of western equipment weapons and equipment as was the case historically.
• 1854
  
  • The Northern Expedition — (太平天國北伐) is launched to capture the Shun capital of Beijing and end the war.
  • Xiao Chaogui and his wife, Hong Xuanjao are chosen to lead the offensive. They leave Tianjing that same year.
• 1855
  
  • Xiao Chaogui is killed by a Shun ambush on the way to Beijing, putting the Northern Expedition in peril.
  • In the moment of truth, Hong Xuanjio is forced to step in Heavenly King's sister and manages to rally the expedition to a successful conquest of the Northern Capital, where she stays and rules as de facto North Queen in her late husband's place for next twenty years.
• 1857
  
  • Two years after the fall of Beijing, the Heavenly Kingdom controls much of the former Shun Dynasty. In the immediate reorganization of government, the old ruling class is replaced by a new aristocracy of former revolutionary leaders, largely comprised of both commoners and foreign missionaries, with many intermarrying and establishing new great houses such as the Yang, Feng, and Wei, many of whom also claim descent from celestial parents among the Trinity much like Hong Xiuquan before them.
• 1858
  
  • Hong Rengan joins his cousin at the Heavenly Court. He proposes a series of reforms that would later prove influential.
• 1860
  
  • Over ten million are dead left in the wake of the Taiping Rebellion, many of which are the new government's fallen enemies. With armed revolutionaries roaming the country, and the newly christened Heavenly Church ascendant, few remain to oppose the will of the Celestial Palace (天宫, Tiāngōng) in the year following the revolution's end. In what became known as the Heavenly Restoration (太平恢复), in reference to Hong Xiuquan's teachings about an ancient Chinese past that was both notably prosperous and more importantly - Christian - that predate the lies of Confucius and Buddha, they move quickly in reversing much of Shun policy and implementing sweeping reforms in line with the Heavenly King's teachings, leading to a tumultuous period of radical social change and rapid industrialization.
  • Mandatory indoctrination, propaganda and reeducation programs are also launched that also proved quite effective with the youth, much more so than the old, comprising the Heavenly Kingdom's most zealous base of support.
  • Countless precious texts are burned and rampant vandalism of Buddhist and Confucian icons is encouraged. Mobs of angry zealots in particular flush the cities clear of demonic influence and maleficarum with such hate and ferocity that centuries of ancient Chinese cultural icons and scripture considered "demonic" in origin is destroyed in less than a decade.
• 1864
  
  • Hong Xiuquan is killed in an attempted coup by the East King, Yang Xiuqing. He is succeeded by his son, Hong Tianguifu (洪天贵福, Hóng Tiānguìfú) as the next King of Heaven (天王), though neither he nor his brothers survive during the apocalyptic slaughter that followed in the capital that later came to be known as the Tianjing incident.
• 1865—1877
  
  • The Heavenly Kingdom is plunged into chaos as Quan's death creates a power vacuum that spreads across China proper in the regions of Sichuan, Qinghai, Ningxia, Guangdong, Guangxi, Gansu, Yunnan and Xinjiang. It is characterized by constant civil war between different factions, growing to a scale that surpassed even the Taiping Rebellion.
  • This period is also marked by a scramble among various warlords to try and industrialize their respective territories based on Hong Rengan's guidebook in an attempt to gain an edge on their rivals in a Darwinist struggle for supremacy like that of Medieval Europe.
• 1875
  
  • Hong Xuanjiao who marches south from Beiping for the first time in over two decades to defeat the squabbling and weakened warlords, rallying the rest of China as the next of kin of Xiquan and rightful heir to the Taiping.
  • Yang Xiuqing is forced to flee his seat in Guangdong after a defeat at the hands of Jiao and her Zhili Clique.
• 1876
  
  • Jiao sails forth from Guangdong to chase after brother's killer after a year long delay in assembling a sizable fleet on relatively short notice.
  • She finds the former East King at Sulawesi, where he somehow managed to seize control of the island after a diplomatic incident involving Korean merchants. Yang is killed in the ensuing battle and most of his surviving fleet defects, though a small contingent flee towards open waters and evade capture.
• 1877
  
  • Upon her return to the mainland, Jiao finds herself at the scene of a country at war once more. During her absence, various warlords recant their allegiance and try to seize the Heavenly Kingdom for themselves.
  • Jiao and the Zhili Clique emerge victorious in the Central Plains War, involving more than one million soldiers initially before ballooning to four million in the span of fourth months.
  • Her victory marks the end of the Warlord Era.
• 1878—1890
  
  • Hong Xuanjiao officially ascends the throne as the new Heavenly King. For the first time since the outbreak of the Taiping Rebellion less than three decades ago, China enjoys the longest period of peace since the founding of the Heavenly Kingdom.
  • There is cohesive, national undertaking by Jiao, who builds upon progress up to this point with her own industrialization program. Her reign is marked by years of economic growth, expansion, accompanied with various social and political reforms.
• 1884
  
  • Contact is reestablished with the small contingent that escaped from Sulawesi during that fateful battle nearly a decade prior. In the aftermath, they had sailed all the way to Africa, where they conquered the coastline of Northern Mozambique and created a rump state, which they now offered as gift to the Taiping in exchange for pardons and to avoid nearby European powers from seizing the colony, which had become an increasingly likely outcome prior to their decision.
• 1887
  
  • Words are exchanged. A promise is made. A pact between [REDACTED].

RP Sample: susan took the kids

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

[The Hindustani State]

Alright, I was a bit busy over the last few days, but now I can finally do this

Reservation

Nation Name: Maratha Kingdom
Territory: Extreme Southern provinces of the Mughal Empire (at discretion of Sao Nova Europa)
#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

[Arvenia]

Did the Mongol Empire exist just like IRL?

[Tracian Empire]

Sorry about this OP, but I’m going to have to withdraw my application. I’m just too busy IRL at the moment.

Though, should I get some time, I’ll come back to it.

It's understandable, don't worry about it. If you'll ever have the time to return, you'll be more than welcome to!

[Tracian Empire]

Did the Mongol Empire exist just like IRL?

The details are probably up to the players in question. It certainly existed, the extent of its conquests are up to the others though. In Persia as an example, since the Parthian Empire never fell, it seems that the Mongols never invaded and ravaged the region.

[Tracian Empire]

Alright, I was a bit busy over the last few days, but now I can finally do this

Reservation

Nation Name: Maratha Kingdom
Territory: Extreme Southern provinces of the Mughal Empire (at discretion of Sao Nova Europa)
#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

Not possible how that would be anymore - we have a Nepali player now so the territory that Sao Nova Europa had asked for as compensation can't be given to him anymore. I'll talk to him and see what he says.

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name : United States of America

Looks alright to me! Accepted

[Tracian Empire]

Alright, I was a bit busy over the last few days, but now I can finally do this

Reservation

Nation Name: Maratha Kingdom
Territory: Extreme Southern provinces of the Mughal Empire (at discretion of Sao Nova Europa)
#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

The provinces in yellow here are what he is willing to give you

[The Hindustani State]

Alright, I was a bit busy over the last few days, but now I can finally do this

Reservation

Nation Name: Maratha Kingdom
Territory: Extreme Southern provinces of the Mughal Empire (at discretion of Sao Nova Europa)
#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

The provinces in yellow here are what he is willing to give you

That works, I’ll need to work out the history but I can work with that

Also I just realized there’s a discord, I’ll join

[Sarderia]

Crest of the Rightful Caliphs


The Black Standard

al-Khilāfah al-ʿAbbāsīyah - اَلْخِلَافَةُ ٱلْعَبَّاسِيَّةُ‎
The Abbasid Caliphate

Full Nation Name : Abbasid Caliphate - اَلْخِلَافَةُ ٱلْعَبَّاسِيَّةُ‎ - al-Khilāfah al-ʿAbbāsīyah, commonly: Abbasid Empire (or just Abbasids)
Majority/Official Culture : primary: Arab, Afar, Oromo, Tigray, Somali officially: None (the Caliphate emphasized unity of religion instead of culture)
Territorial Core : Abbasid Caliphate
Territorial Claim : -
Capital City : جيبوتي - Jibuti
Population : 12,800,000

Government Type : Caliphate (Monarchy)
Government Ideology/Policies : officially: Islam de facto: Imperialism
Government Focus : The Caliphate focuses on expanding the dominion of Islam throughout Africa, and various expenditions had been sent by the Caliphate towards Africa's inner regions throughout history. While never directly controlling Africa's interior itself - only the Ethiopian highlands had been fully integrated and absorbed into the Caliphate - various petty kings pledged themselves allegiance to the Caliph as Amr al-Mu'minin - Leader of the Faithful. As an industrialized and well-developed state with a strong military, the Caliphate is also focused in strengthening its control over the Bab el-Mandeb, the strait that connects Europe with Asia - and protecting its frontiers against both the Persians and the Byzantines.
Head of State : Caliph Abd' Allah Sulaiman Salim al-Muttawakil VII al-Abbasiyah al-Mughaliyah, Amr al-Mu'minin
Head of Government : Grand Vizier Muhammad Yusuf al-Qandari
Government Description :

The Caliphate is considered as the supreme governing authority for all Muslims, starting from the emergence of the Rashidun Caliphate under Abu Bakr ash-Shiddiq after the departure of Prophet Muhammad (shallahu 'alayhi wa Sallam). The Abbasid Caliph, who has taken the title of Caliph, is considered the successor of the earlier Caliphs, themselves successor to the Prophet as leader of the Muslim socio-political authority and the leader of the entire Muslim community (ummah).

In practice, the Abbasid Caliphate is a constitutional monarchy, though the monarch's power was considerably higher than in contemporary European monarchies. The Sultan is the supreme authority in the Empire; as Sultan, he acts as the head of government, presiding over the Divan Council (cabinet), though this responsibility is nominally delegated to the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister). As Caliph, the Sultan is the Head of State; he has the authority to issue declarations of war, issue a jihad (holy war) that all Muslims should follow, receive and send foreign or Abbasid diginitaries, and is the supreme head of all religious councils.

The main legislative branch of the Abbasid Empire is the Shura Council. It is composed of two parts; the ulemas (religious scholars and influential priests that is elected at each subdivision by their respective Shura Councils), and the Beys (representatives of military or civillian governors of the Empire). Only the Ulemas can issue fatwas (legal opinion of Islamic law that is binding), and only the Beys can issue legislations pertaining to military or national security matters. Officially, Abbasid laws are based on sharia (Islamic laws), but in practice the Shura council often pass legislations that are contradictive or slightly conforming to the Sharia law for convenience. Banks are regulated to prevent riba (increase; e.g. interest in loans) in compliance to the Sharia law, although a separate banking authority exists for the dhimmi (non-Muslims such as Christians), and foreigners wanting to do business. Trading companies sell their stocks at the Bourse of Sana'a and Djibouti. There exists 2 kinds of currency in the Abbasid Empire; the Riyal, the official paper currency issued by the Central Bank of the Empire, and the three coins of dinar (gold), dirham (silver), and fals (copper) which acts as the official currency of the state. These kinds of coins are getting rarer everyday, as it has been fallen out of disuse since the start of the century. Metals to make these coins are mined in Ethiopia under heavy security.

Majority/State Religion : Sunni Islam (99%)
Religious Description : The Abbasid Caliphate is considered the successor of the first four rightful Caliphs of the Rashidun Caliphate, and as such has taken itself to be the supreme representative of the Islamic world. Sunni Islam, the official state religion, is the form of Islam rthat is characterized by strict adherence to the sunnah, or the actions of Prophet Muhammad. A shura council of Ulemas, formally headed by the Caliph, issue formal fatwas (commandments) that interpret the Islamic holy books (al-Quran and the Hadiths) into national and religious laws. The Abbasid Empire maintains cordial relationship with all other Muslim state in the world, with the Euthydemid Mughal India taking the prime position due to sharing a same ruling dynasty with the Mughal Strategoses of India, as well as being the largest Muslim state in the world. Traditionally the Abbasid Sultan is viewed as the leader of all Muslim rulers, taking the title of Amr al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Believers), although this has very little effect.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism in accordance with Sharia Law
Major Production :

• Natural Resources: Primarily the Abbasid Empire produces a massive amount of natural resources, most notably its vast reserves of gold in Arabia and the Ethiopian highlands. Gold has long since been the driving engine for development and consumption in the Empire, and with the advent of industrialization, the Abbasid government is looking to mine more and more of this precious metal to fuel their ever-growing investment in the industrial sector. Other minerals included iron and steel, although the domestic sector is prioritized for these metals' consumption. However, in recent times, one natural resource has been known as a rising star in the Abbasid economy - none other than petroleum. The coastal wilayas of Hasa, Bahrayn, Qatar, and al-Imaratia saw tens of new oil rigs being drilled every month, and oil revenues are increasing year by year. Currently, the Abbasids is the world's top Kerosene producer, and it would likely remain so for a long time.
• Agriculture: For a long time the Ethiopian Highlands, one of the world's most fertile areas, has been a center of farming and agriculture. Major productions include coffee, tea, cotton, cereals, sugar, and tobacco. During the early 1600s, Ethiopia was the world's primary producer of sugar - eclipsing European possessions such as Saint-Domingue and Cuba. While sugar - and other agricultural products - has lost their importance in the age of industrialization, the Abbasid Empire is still known as one of the world's primary agricultural exporter. The Arabica coffee, which is only grown at the Ethiopian highlands, is known for its strong and favourable flavour, and is one of the most highly-prized and premium coffee beans in the world.
• Industrial: As a semi-industrialized nation the Abbasids embraced the Industrial Revolution quite late compared to its European neighbors, but industry had brought more profound change in the Abbasids more than it effects contemporary European nations. With industrialization, the Abbasids are capable to mass produce textiles, machineries, and other products domestically. Recently, production rates have increased substantially, allowing the Abbasids to export their products at a cheap price but with a decent quality.
• Slavery: The Arab Slave Trade, while becoming one of the propellers of the Caliphate's economic growth in the middle ages, has been under a state of decline since the start of the 19th century. Slavery has fallen out of favour, replaced by other economic models such as capitalism and industrialism - no small thanks to the fatwas (legal opinions) issued by ulemas of the Shura Council in the 1820, which calls for the abandonment - and abolition of slavery. However, the status of slavery is pretty much in limbo until this day, with no national laws legalizing or forbidding the practice. Small slaver outposts might still exist, but largely unnoticeable, and forgotten by most Abbasid officials.

Economic Description : The Abbasids' economy has changed considerably in the last century, thanks to the advent of industrialization. Traditionally dominated by trade (between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean as well as in the Arabian desert) and agriculture (the growing of coffee and wheat), it is now largely dominated by the production and industrial sector, though agriculture remains a significant and inseparable part of the economy. Trade is primarily conducted through the two largest ports of the Abbasid Empire - Djibouti and Aden - although a significant amount of trade also flows through Jeddah. Djibouti serves as the primary transit port for all kinds of African products to the world, including - but not limited to - ivory, coffee, tea, precious metals, and other items. It is also the host of the Bourse of Djibouti, a stock exchange with tens of trading companies listed there, mainly serving trade expeditions to the African kingdoms. Meanwhile, Aden is known as the export route of various Abbasid industrial goods, such as clothes, metal and wooden tools, weapons, carriages, and other items. The strategic location and abundant workforce invites numerous investors domestic and foreign, and cheap Abbasid goods are increasingly flooding neighbouring nations. Shipyards for both civillian and military vessels are available on Jeddah, Djibouti, and Aden. Main trade partners include the Eastern and Western Roman Empires, the Parthian Empire, and Mughal India, as well as Korea and Japan to some degree.

Numerous gold mines in the Hejaz and Ethiopia region made the Abbasid Empire one of the world's primary gold producers, fueling the industrialization craze that has struck the Abbasid Empire through the last century. Likewise, the Abbasid Gulf coast is sitting above an enormously abundant reserve of petroleum, and the Abbasids is the world's current premier Kerosene producer. Mining is regulated through the Secretariat of Gold and Petroleum reserves, which granted domestic as well as foreign investors permit to exploit the Abbasids' abundant natural resources. The Central Bank of the Abbasids issue paper money, backed with substantial gold reserves held by the government. The traditional coin currency still exists and is still the official currency of the Abbasids, but its use has declined very significantly to the point hardly anyone used it now, and its production likewise is very limited.

Development: Modern (Eritrean Coast, Yemen, Asir, major Arabian and Ethiopian cities), Semi-Industrialized (rest of the nation)
Development Description :

• Infrastructure: Abbasid infrastructure is relatively well-developed, although certainly behind its European counterpart. There exists a well-maintained road system to connect the cities in the Yemen and Asir region, as well as the Ethiopia - Eritrea region. These two corridors are the primary economic axis of the country, and as such the government is spending great amounts of money to maintain safe and efficient transportation. The two major railway companies, the Ethiopia Railway and the Sana'a Railway, controlled rail systems in the Ethiopian highlands - Eritrean coast region and the Yaman - Asir region, respectively. A third railway company, the Hejaz Railways, maintained a well-developed rail system that connected Abha, capital of the Asir wilayat, with Hejazi cities such as Mecca and Medina, and onwards to Damascus - in the Eastern Roman Empire. Recently, siginficant railway projects has been constructed in the Gulf coast to facilitate the transport of raw materials as well as petroleum, and its derivative projects such as kerosene.
• Industrialization: Major factories and foundries exist in the Yemeni and Ethiopian cities, such as Sana'a. Aden, Abha, Djibouti, and Asmara. Additionally, inland cities such as Addis 'Ababa and coastal harbours such as Jeddah has saw rapid expansion and urbanization as industries began to emerge within the cities. Major products include textiles, tools, engines, weaponry, vessels, and others. The first locomotive factory was estabilished in Sana'a in 1850, and similar factories have subsequently been estabilished across the country. Urbanization is steadily growing, albeit in a not too rapid pace.
• Education: The Abbasids placed great emphasis in education since the days of the Islamic Golden Age. Arabic scientists such as Avicenna, Ibn al-Haytham, and Al-Khwarizmi made profound breakthroughs and contributions to science, laying down the foundation of trivial knowledge such as Algebra, biology, and mathemathics. Likewise, because of this, the Abbasids have been to catch-up quickly with their rapidly advancing European neighbors and industrialize at a short time. Madrasas (Islamic boarding schools) are an ubitquous sight throughout the country, from the rural Ethiopian town to the well-estabilished schools in Sana'a. A national curriculum allows for an 9-year educational period, with the Madrasas divided into two levels, the Maktab (elementary and primary education), and the Madrasa 'Aliya (tertiary education). Universities are found in major cities such as Sana'a, Aden, and Djibouti. The lingua franca of government is Arabic, but in regional authorities, it is more common to use their regional dialects and other languages such as Amharic. Languages taught in Madrasas differ according to regions, usually teaching Arabic as well as a secondary regional language. Classes of English, Latin and Greek are also offered, though the extra cost made it largely unappealing for middle-to-poor income families. Education of religion is emphasized, and to obtain ijaza (diploma/certification of finishing school) requires one to be well-versed in fiqh (Islamic law), being a Quran hafidh (reciter), and generally attaining good religious scores. Schools maintained the teaching that unity in religion, and unity of all Muslims (ummah) is more important than "petty things" such as nationalism, this is one of the reasons the Abbasids are able to maintain relatively peaceful stability for a long age.

Army Description :

The Black Standard

Army of the Caliphate
جيش الخلافة - Jaysh al-Khilafat
Motto: ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ - Allahu Akbar, La Illaha Illa' Allah - God is the Greatest, there is no deity but God

Leader of the Imperial Regular Army: Abu Bakr ibn Sultan al-Mughal al-Abbas (rank: General)
Leader of the Imperial Grand Host: Emir Wattan ibn Suleiman al-Thana (rank: Brigadier General)

Regular Army Size: 210,000
Grand Host Size: 45,000
Description:

• Regular Army: This is the main fighting force of the Abbasid Empire, formed after the Black Rebellion of Haza Khan in 1650. The Regular Army used a hybrid voluntary-conscript recruitment system with recruiting agencies spread across the Empire's major cities and major towns. Haza Khan's intentions are to make a centralized Abbasid fighting force independent of interference by local rulers - such as Walis and Emirs - while also not relying on foreign mercenaries, following the Mamluks which had generally understood to be a massive disaster both for the Abbasids and the Islamic world in general. The Regular Army's nominal commander is the Caliph (as Sultan), and every soldier is required to declare an oath of allegiance only to the Caliph.
  
  It is divided into three divisions, namely the Eastern Army (Jaish al-Sharqia) which oversaw the defenses of the Gulf coast, headquartered in Muscat; the Hejaz Army (Jaysh al-Hijaz) which oversaw the defenses of the Arabian Red Sea coast and Yemen all the way to Hadramawt, and the Ethiopian Army (Jaysh al-Habash) which oversaw the defenses of Ethiopia in general. Three-fourths of the Regular Army is made up of the Hejaz and Ethiopian Army components (78,750 soldiers each) while the Eastern Army is composed of 52,500 soldiers. Each Army is further subdivided into Regions (four regions make an Army), and each regions is further subdivided into Commanderates (two or three Commanderates make a Region). At the lowest level there are Platoons of ten soldiers each, this is the very basic unit of the Army that is commonly used when planning attacks.
  
  There are several specialized regiments of the Regular Army, most notable being the Bedouin Corps and the Mountaineer Corps. These brigade-level units are fully integrated within their Regions. The Bedouin Corps are an elite cavalry corps of the Army which specialized in desert and attrition warfare, unlike regular brigades the Bedouin corps' smallest unit is a Band, consisting of 50 cavalrymen. They are equipped with snipers and supplies to last in the desert for weeks if needed. The Bedouin Corps' mission is to harass and raid enemy units and supply depots, they employ a tactic of random raiding, striking at the time the enemy expected the least. They work in concert with the larger Army components to provide insight as scouts, provide safety and security against possible enemy counter-attacks and raids, and to create attrition on the enemy frontier. The Mountaineer Corps is battle-tested in the Ethiopian highlands, and they are comparable to some of the world's finest mountain regiments such as those of the Western Rome's and Germany's.
• Grand Host: Being the ancient core of the Abbasid military, the Grand Host is composed of regional paramilitaries owing allegiance to various Emirs and Walis that are influential within the government. They are kept in check by the Caliph's (House of Abbas) own contribution to the Grand Host which totals almost half (20,000) of the entire Army. It is in no way related to the Regular Army and exists as a separate component under the Secretary of Defense and Security. A largely medieval institution, the Grand Host's component varies from regiment to regiment, and is headed by influential nobles. They commonly act in support to Metropolitan polices across the country in stamping dissent and criminal activity. In case of war, they act as supporters of the Regular Army to raid and pillage enemy frontiers.

Naval Description :

Abbasid Naval Jack

Navy of the Caliphate
بحرية الخلافة - Bahriat al-Khilafat
Motto: ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ - Allahu Akbar, La Illaha Illa' Allah - God is the Greatest, there is no deity but God

Admiral of the Navy: Nasrid ibn Haftar al-Thanawi (rank: General)
Commandant of the Marines: 'Umar ibn Thani al-Mughal al-Abbas (rank: Brigadier General)

Navy Personnel Size: 38,000
Marines Personnel Size: 12,000
Description:

• State Navy: Reforms by Haza Khan also reached out to the Abbasid Navy, completely transforming it from the former medieval, levy, and iqta-based system into a standing Navy. It follows a largely similar style of organization as the Army, reformed according the style of modern European navies. The Abbasid Navy is considered as advanced, they could be compared on par with the Byzantine and Royal Navies, albeit certainly lacking in number. It is equipped with modern weapons, and materials to construct ships aren't much of an issue since the Abbasids had plenty of metal and mineral mines, as well as several large dockyards in Djibouti, Jeddah, and Aden. It is sufficient for patrol and heavy combat however the Abbasids lack the capability of a blue-water navy. The weakness is that the Navy and the Marines compete for funding, and this in turn competed with the Army. Not to say the Abbasid Navy lacks funding, of course, but there is a slight problem in management.
• Marines: The Marines are a relatively new fighting force, formed in the earlyy 1820s. It serves as the main naval fighting force although it is not integrated with the Navy. Marines soldiers specialized in amphibious and covert operations as well as sea battles. It is a considerably small force however this small force allows for better training and the best equipment. It suffers from the same problem as the Navy listed above, however it is quite deadly on its own and are certainly capable of defending Abbasid sovereignity.

Further Military Description : N/A currently

National Goals : The Caliphate is currently on a precarious position. Trapped between the Roman Empire in the northeast, Persians in the northwest, and various European colonial powers in the south, it has a very little room to wiggle about for expansion. However, the Caliphate views the African interior, of which Kingdoms and Sultanates have embraced Islam, as a traditional room for expansion and its sphere of influence. The Abbasid Empire seeks to maintain it so, while protecting its borders from outside interference. Additionally, with the boom of industrialization, the Empire seeks to industrialize further and become the pre-eminent economic power in all Africa.
National Issues :

• Economy: A massive economic momentum arrived in the Abbasid Empire due to the advent of industrialization, but so far the Empire only managed to attain semi-industrialized status. In order to achieve true economic potential, the Abbasids seek to attract investment and develop its domestic industries further.
• Wahhabism: Muslim cleric Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab preached a new, puritan, and fundamentalist form of Islam - a variety of the Salafist movement - in 1740. His teachings drew many supporters, even as far as the ruling family of the Najd wilaya - the Al Saud family - into embracing this new form of Sunni Islam, called Wahhabism. Wahhabist reject the Caliphate's increasingly liberal stance towards Western influences, and seek to change the nation according to their ideologies. Left unchecked, this new movement could gain a massive support from the country's conservative population, and could worsen the political condition in the Abbasid Caliphate.

National Figures of Interest :

• 'Abu al-Abbas as-Saffah: The first Abbasid caliph, he led the rebellion against Umayyad rule and founded the Abbasid caliphate.
• Al-Mustansir: Called the "Puppet Caliph", the Abbasid reign in Egypt during his and his successors' time was nominal, with day-to-day administration controlled by the Mamluks. The Mamluks are widely blamed for delivering the Abbasid Caliphate into a state of decline, culminating in their defeat by the Eastern Roman Empire.
• Haza Khan: The Mughal prince who led the Black Rebellion against Caliph Al-Mutawakkil III, after the Abbasids lost Egypt to the Eastern Romans. He married into the Abbasid dynasty through the Caliph's eldest daughter, thus incorporating the noble Mughals of India and the ruling Abbasid dynasty in Arabia into one. He is widely known as "the Restorer" as during his time the Abbasids invaded rebel Amhara emirs in Ethiopia, securing Abbasid rule throughout the region.

National Ambition/Aspirations : Expand the modernization and industrialization effort, expand further into Africa, secure the Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea under Abbasid control by expanding the Navy, secure an alliance with either Byzantium or the British Empire, and estabilish colonies.

History : A letter from the Prophet Muhammad (Shallahu alayhi wa Sallam) towards the King of Ethiopia, the Negus, was well-received. The King of Ethiopia himself converted to Islam, however this conversion would not last since his successors took up the throne as Coptic Kings. The Rashidun caliphs, facing defeat in Parthia, turned their expansion towards Ethiopia instead. After the ascension of Muawiyah as the first Umayyad Caliph the expansion into Ethiopia was undertook, both with military campaigns as well as missionary work. They managed to convert the Tigray peoples into Islam in the early 800s, and then this was continued by the Abbasids with further incursions into Ethiopia. Finally in the year 1200, the conquest of Ethiopia was complete and they began a gradual assimilation like what they did in Egypt before, with many Amhara, Oromo, and TIgray clans adopting Arab names, as well as Arab settlement in the Ethiopian highlands.

The Umayyads, following the failure of expansion into Parthian Empire, decides to strike into North Africa and Anatolia instead. They managed to do this and gained a vast amount of territory even expanding to the Iberian penninsula, but there they would be defeated by the Iberians. However, the Umayyads largely reversed their policy of Quraysh dominance over government, and gradually allowed for more non-Arab Muslims to take part in the Umayyad government. Following successive defeats by the Iberian Visigoths and the Western Roman Empire, the Umayyads slowly crumbled in authority, In the 8th century finally facing numerous defeats and the loss of Morocco as well as Carthage, the Umayyad authority crumbled. The Banu' Abbas clan led the revolt against them and estabilished the Abbasid Caliphate, where they ruled from Egypt. During this time a campaign against Shias were instituted and it was successful in destroying the Shia influence. As of now the Shia branch of Islam exists only as a tiny minority, and often unheard of. The Mamluks and the Turks conquered Syria and Egypt, during this time the Caliph Al-Mustansir was placed as a puppet ruler by the Mamluks. In the 15th century due to infighting and general discontent towards the Mamluks, the Abbasid Caliphate fell into infighting, at this time the Byzantines promptly seized their chance and attacked the Levant as well as Egypt.

Abbasid caliphs were forced to get out of Egypt as the Byzantines took control of the country, and re-estabilished themselves in Medina. This was followed by a 15-year long period of civil war which culminated in the event that was widely known as the "Black Rebellion", when the Mughal prince Haza Khan sailed from India at the head of a 20,000 strong Army, landed in Aden, and attempted a conquest of Arabia. However regional Emirs and Walis, and most of Ethiopia, allied themselves with Haza Khan against the Abbasid rule, already weakened because of the infighting. With the Siege of Medina, Haza Khan finally overthrew the Abbasid Caliphs' rule. He appointed himself as the Caliph and married the former Caliph's eldest daughter to solidify his rule and gain legitimacy. Haza Khan moved the capital to Sana'a and founded the Abbasid-Mughal dynasty that would rule Arabia and Ethiopia until now. He reformed the Army and Navy and started a gradual modernization process that would be continued by his successors. In 1790 the Abbasids, inspired by the Industrial Revolution in Europe, began gradually the process of industrialization, with economic and technological links with the Byzantine Empire propelling the Abbasids.

RP Sample:
An early-modern nation RP
An alternate-history interwar RP
An American Civil War character/nation RP
A post-modern nation RP

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

[The Hindustani State]

Full Nation Name : The Maratha Kingdom
Majority/Official Culture : Marathi
Territorial Core :

Territorial Claim : All of India
Capital City : Dindigul Fort
Population : 23 million

Government Type : Clan-based monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Hindu Nationalism (relatively new concept at the time, seeks to liberate India from foreign rule)
Government Focus : Currently, the government is almost entirely focused on military, seeking to liberate India, propaganda encouraging citizens to fight for their Hindu brethren and rigorous military drill is practiced
Head of State : (Maharaja) Sayajirao I Shinde
Head of Government : Same as monarch
Government Description : The Maratha Kingdom is ruled by the Maratha caste of India, with the Shinde clan at the top of the clans hierarchy and forming the monarchy. However, the power of the monarchy is entirely dependent on the loyalty of the various Maratha clans, and the entire state is militaristic in nature, with the army indistinguishable from the government

Majority/State Religion : Hinduism
Religious Description : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Spices
Economic Description : The economy is a standard spice economy of India, trading with Europe. However, the government doesn’t prioritize economics, as military is the number one priority, hence financial matters are handled by merchants themselves

Development: Semi-Industrialized
Development Description : Contact with the west has slowly brought factory production and industrial concepts, however the country is still traditional with limited advancement

Army Description : The army is synonymous with the government, and the way of life for most men. Unlike most Indian armies, the Marathas prioritize carefully bred horses rather than elephants, and hence have pioneered the first instances of guerrilla warfare in modern history. Trade with Europe has brought firearms, and using guerrilla tactics, have managed to defeat numerically superior Mughal armies in the past.
Army Weakness : Numerically inferior, and hence will get destroyed easily on terrain without adequate cover (grasslands and plains)
Naval Description : No official navy, merchants have their own security ships
Naval Weakness : N/A
Further Military Description : The Maratha armies have defeated numerically superior armies through the use of guerrilla warfare in the Deccan mountains and dense coastal jungles. However, they are by far at the weakest on open battlefields, such as grasslands and deserts.

National Goals : Reconquer Desh and the central Deccan
National Issues : Clan infighting, poor administrative governmental structure
National Figures of Interest : Bajirao I Shinde, the first Maratha king to revolt against Mughals, is propped up as a divine liberator of the Hindus
National Ambition/Aspirations : Liberate all of "Bharat" from foreign rule

History :
The Maratha caste of India has always been a warrior caste, made up of Maratha clans, each having their own militias. Unlike the Sultanates and Kingdoms of India, the Marathas have always preferred to use horses as compared to elephants, and breeding the best horses is a prized practice among Marathas. For decades since the Mughal conquests, Mughal Emperors have payed the Marathas as regional governors and mercenaries to fight battles, and Marathas agreed to do so as long as they were paid.

The Maratha Kingdom itself began when the Mughals levied a highly unpopular Islamic Jizyah tax. Bajirao, the head of the Shinde Maratha clan, rallied his militia and allied clans in revolt against the Mughals. The Mughals had put down many rebellions, as their army was completely numerically superior. However, Bajirao’s battlefield innovation came up with a new technique of fighting, guerrilla warfare, where instead of conventional line battle, Maratha armies would make heavy use of cover and terrain. This proved to be brutal against Mughal armies in the Deccan, who had to deal with other revolts in the empire following the Jizyah Tax.

Following the surprising victory of the Maratha Armies, Bajrao began a campaign to conquer the Tamil kingdoms of the South. Whenever battles were fought against Mughals, heavy use of guerrilla warfare was made in the Deccan. However, in order to avoid having the empire cut in half through the middle, the Mughal government put all resources and stressed the utmost priority of controlling the Deccan, which, due to sheer overwhelming forces, was lost by the Marathas. The Kingdom retreated Southwards and formed a new base of power in the newly conquered Tamil lands, preparing to strike back and liberate India from Islamic rule, as Hindu nationalism as an ideology has begun to develop, thanks to works of Brahmin scholars in the South.
RP Sample: viewtopic.php?p=36023695#p36023695

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

(I spoke to SNE about the history, and this fits with Mughal history. If there are any issues, let me know and I’ll make changes)

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name : The Maratha Kingdom

With SNE's approval in terms of history, accepted

[Kazarogkai]

-Snip-

[Cabana]

Big frickin WIP:

Full Nation Name : Argentine Confederation (Interslavic: Аргентинска Конфедерација, Argentinska Konfederacija), also known as Argentina
Majority/Official Culture : Argentine (Аргентинец, Argentinec), Mixture of all Slavic (mostly Western and Eastern) cultures speaking a constructed Slavic auxillary language
Territorial Core : Argentina, Paraguay, and the Falklands
Capital City : Dobri Vetra (Добри Вєтра, Dobri Větra; Buenos Aires OTL)
Population : 3,616,800

Government Type : Federal republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Liberal Party (Либерална Партија, Liberalna Partija
Government Focus : Maintaining a balance between the federal government and the autonomy of the provinces
Head of State : President (Председатељ, Predsedatelj) Radiša Prohazka (Радиша Прохазка)
Head of Government : Prime Minister (Премиер-Министр, Premier-Ministr Ljudomir Rabinov (Људомир Рабинов)
Government Description : Federal republic with a parliamentary system, led by the Liberal Party. It has 6 provinces, 2 territories, and one federal city.

Majority/State Religion : Christianity
Religious Description : Christian denominations include: Eastern Catholics, Orthodox, Roman Catholics. Small numbers of Slavic Neopagans and Native American religions exist.

Economic Ideologies : Liberal capitalism
Major Production : WIP
Economic Description : WIP

Development: Modern
Development Description : WIP

Army Description : WIP
Army Weakness : WIP
Naval Description : WIP
Naval Weakness : WIP
Further Military Description : WIP

National Goals : WIP
National Issues : WIP
National Ambition/Aspirations : WIP

History : WIP
RP Sample: [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]]

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

[Novacom]

-snip-

Accepted.

[Oscalantine]

Korea's progress is coming along dudes. I just got sick and tired of keeping word limit here so I am making a factbook portion where I am dumping all info there.

But I understand the timing of things: I'll try to finish touching up on the app first, and then add on the factbook extension as so we can start soonish. I should be good to go as soon as I lop off some issues in 1800s and merge other things here and there.

[Kazarogkai]

-Snip-

Might use this for a later time, in another place.

[Arvenia]

I will complete my application once I have filled out the history section.

[Tracian Empire]

I will complete my application once I have filled out the history section.

No problem, but if you could do that these days it would be great - we're going to launch the IC tonight or tomorrow.

One small question though, how come that the capital is named Ulaanbaatar?

[Arvenia]

I will complete my application once I have filled out the history section.

No problem, but if you could do that these days it would be great - we're going to launch the IC tonight or tomorrow.

One small question though, how come that the capital is named Ulaanbaatar?

Isn't that the capital of Mongolia?

[Tracian Empire]

No problem, but if you could do that these days it would be great - we're going to launch the IC tonight or tomorrow.

One small question though, how come that the capital is named Ulaanbaatar?

Isn't that the capital of Mongolia?

It indeed is, but the name is Soviet. The city was renamed after the Bolsheviks took power, Ulaanbaatar means Red Hero

[Arvenia]

Isn't that the capital of Mongolia?

It indeed is, but the name is Soviet. The city was renamed after the Bolsheviks took power, Ulaanbaatar means Red Hero

So the name would be Urga?

[Tracian Empire]

It indeed is, but the name is Soviet. The city was renamed after the Bolsheviks took power, Ulaanbaatar means Red Hero

So the name would be Urga?

It could be Urga or Khüree, yeah

[Kazarogkai]

*Snip*

Under revision. WIP

[Kisinger]

Full Nation Name : République française
Majority/Official Culture : French
Territorial Core : France proper
Territorial Claim : All of its African holdings
Capital City : Paris
Population : 41,100,000

Government Type : Unitary parliamentary republic
Government Ideology/Policies : Militant Republicanism
Government Focus : The current coalition government under the leadership of the Parti socialiste has taken to heavily focusing on the coninuted economic growth that France has experienced since the late 19th century, in conjunction using the exponential economic growth to continually expand the already large military that the Republic fields as well as actively fanning the flames of Republican ideals abroad.
Head of State : President
Head of Government : Premier
Government Description : The Government of France is a unitary parliamentary republic, the only one existing in Europe. It is led by a ceremonial President who serves as the leading diplomat of the nation and the figurehead of the government. The Parliament called the Directory approves laws, ratifies treaties and declares war, it is made up of 400 deputies with the seats remaining the same until the government is dissolved or every four years when all 400 seats are put up for election. They are elected by the FPTP method. The Premier is the Head of Government and ensures laws passed by the Directory are enforced and forms a cabinet of ministers to conduct a variety of activities and pursue policies within granted powers. He also directs most policy within the government. The Judicial branch consists of multiple courts, most notably the Constitutional Court and the Court of Justice interpreting the constitution of France and ensuring the proper interpretation of the law respectfully.


Majority/State Religion : The Church of France
Religious Description : Following the unification of France in the 900s there existed a deep religious divide that had existed between the Archbishop of Paris and the Pope in Rome overtime grew exponentially as the Pope tried to exert more and more power over France and by the end of the 16th century declared the Church of France, translating the Bible to French and maintaining the same internal structure of France with the King of France at its head. Following the dissolution of the monarchy the new head of the Church of France is the Archbishop of Paris.

Economic Ideologies : Mixed Economy
Major Production : Industrial Goods, Coal, Iron, foodstuffs
Economic Description : The economy of France is heavily industrialized and centered on exporting industrial goods to the rest of the world while importing a variety of raw materials that are not found in France. While much of the economy is privatized, major industries such as arms production are purely state run.

Development: Modern
Development Description : France has rapidly developed since the onset of the Industrial Revolution with the spread of railroads across France. The Worker’s Act of 1888 also saw an increase in development with more and more able to afford decent housing across France allowing for the increased development of people’s housing.

Army Description : The Army of France is the land forces of the French Republic it is an extremely large force with a standing force of 410,00 men and a reserve force of 4.1 million. The Army of France exists at a large size due to the nature of the states surrounding France. The Army has adopted a policy of quick lightning attacks to knockout its opponents quickly as it is surrounded on all sides by enemies. It has prioritized itself on extensive planning and preparation for war and equipping it’s soldiers with the best equipment possible.
Army Weakness : Lack of Defensive Preparation, forces stretched out across much of the border
Naval Description : The Republican Navy, is the naval branch of the Republic of France. Historically France has been a major naval power attempting to contend with Great Britain throughout most of its history in the North Atlantic and more especially in the Mediterranean. While it maintains a moderately sized fleet with a large focus on the Mediterranean many of the ships are either undercrewed or are much older steam ships. It is mostly a navy geared to Defensive operations and small raider operations by light cruisers and heavy cruisers on enemy commerce as well as secure supply lines from France to Algeria.
Naval Weakness : Lack of funding and a focus on raider ships then true standup battleships
Further Military Description :
The Republican Guard: The Republican Guard is an elite unit of the French Army directly underneath the Prime Minister himself. It consists of two subunits, the Young Guard and the Old Guard. While numbering roughly 10,000 men each these small units are known for their elite training and modern equipment.

National Goals : Maintain the current borders of France, Spread the Republican Revolution Abroad, and Find an Ally in Europe
National Issues : Unstable Geopolitical Situation and Internal Unrest
National Figures of Interest : Charles the Unifier, Joan of Arc, Napoleon Bonaparte
National Ambition/Aspirations : Spread Republicanism abroad



History : 768 - Charles the Unifier ascends to the throne of the Kingdom of the Franks taking everything east of the Loire River while his younger brother Carolman would take the West but died shortly afterwards under mysterious circumstances.
770-800 - Charles the Unifier would spend much of his reign in Southern France conquering or forcing much of it to submit to Frankish rule with Charles hoping to secure a coastline bordering the Mediterranean.
800-900s - The Frankish Kingdom would be split and reunified multiple times before finally becoming the Kingdom of France referring to the territories it held rather than the Frankish people.
1570s-1580s - A growing divide between the Archbishop of Paris plus the King of France, and the Pope in Rome began to grow with France eventually separating itself from the church in 1582 with the confiscation of Church lands and wealth and the King of France declaring himself to be Supreme Governor of the Church.
1796 - Napoleon Bonaparte bravely leads a charge at the Battle of Verdun and is slain in the heat of battle despite the victory that his troops would achieve.
1799 - A coup attempt is launched against the Republic but it fails with those who attempted it are executed.
1800 -The Directory is reformed as to operate as a unicameral parliament, with an elected Prime Minister from their ranks and the rest of the Directory his secretaries for various affairs.
1801- Following several major instances of bravery by several troops the Directory approved the creation of a Republican Guard of handpicked troops to be apart of this elite unit
1802 - The Republic secures peace for itself but still prepares for the coming of another conflict.
1830 - France begins the process of invading and conquering Algeria.
1848 - The election of Charles-Louis Napoleon Bonaparte to Prime Minister as a Conservative is met with much distrust and suspicion before he his killed shortly afterward by a disgruntled lover.
1852 - The writings of Karl Marx spread throughout much of the urban centers of France as they become ever increasingly popular among the working class and soon the Jacobin and the Socialist Party both capitalize on this.
1860-1890 - This period in French history has been marred with increasing political instability and the fracturing of the major conservative parties along with several political assassinations by both conservatives and socialists.

RP Sample:You know me bby

#AltDiv (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)