In An Age of Liberty [OOC | Sign Up]

[Liecthenbourg]

In An Age of Liberty


The Austro-Prussian War would prove to be the last of the Iron Chancellor’s ‘great successes.’

IC | MAP | NUMBERED MAP | THEME

Pax Britannica, Bellum Gallico, Vindicta Brasilica

The year is 1903, 32 years after the conflict that shaped the European Continent. The Kingdom of Prussia, so confident after her successful wars against Austria and Denmark, manipulated the French Republic into a declaration of war. With the North German Confederation at her back, the Prussians marched off in honour and glory, to solidify the unity of the German people and carve their long deserved place in the sun: the time of France’s dominance would come to an end.

The French Republic, jacobin and ferocious, heir to the revolution, did not succumb to the quick victory that the Prussians had envisioned. Through Belgium, a French territory, did the Grand Army of the Republic lay siege to Cologne and best the Imperial Army on the relief at Bonn. Helmuth Von Moltke lay dead, the German Confederation in confusion and the Southern Germans suing for peace.

Europe has remained in the ‘MacMahon Peace’ ever since, German plans of unification shattered as the French Republic proclaimed hegemony over the continent.

The Americas see a giant in the South, as the Empire of Brazil - the so called ‘Portuguese Empire’ - looms over the affairs of her northern sister continent, the self proclaimed ‘Guardian of the Free Peoples of the Americas’. Britain and France remain stalwart, their possession on the continent secured by their navies - and British politicking has kept the Thirteen Colonies, once on the cusp of unity, at a hateful bicker ever since the failures of the Articles of Confederation.

The Orient, once a land of Confucian Tranquility where all nations bowed to the Middle Kingdom, lays in chaos. Japan, a feudal backwater all but forty years ago, rose in the fires of nationalism and European desires to reinstate their Emperor - until his authoritarian nature saw the Japanese turn against him, too, and proclaimed a republic in the name of ‘Jiyū, byōdō, yūai’, much as the French had done. Now the relentless ambitions of the Island Republic see it meddle in the affairs of the dying Qing Empire, but their mettle may well be tested by the Russian Empire.

The Ottoman Empire, subject to the carvings of numerous powers and national uprisings, sees itself as a husk of its former self. To the east, Persia encroaches across Mesopotamia while Greeks and Armenians have, under Russian auspices, declared their own Pontic State. To the south, the Egyptians have risen against them and claimed their southern territories, though French and British ambitions threaten their own control of the Nile. And now from within do the fires of republicanism burn, for ‘The Young Turks’ desire the reforms that the French instituted all but over 100 years ago.

I'm back with another batshit idea. Somebody better stop me. You know the drill, rules, regulations and player conduct. We've been doing this for like seven years. We know what we're on about.

Application:

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[box][size=150][b]Generic Info[/b][/size]
[b]Nation Name: [/b]
[b]Symbols: [/b] (ex. Flag, Coat of Arms, National Anthem, personifications, etc.)
[b]Location: [/b] (Number on Map)
[b]Population: [/b] (population of everyone considered a citizen)
[b]Capital City: [/b]

[size=150][b]Government Info[/b][/size]
[b]Government Type:[/b] (ex. The UK is a [i]Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy[/i])
[b]Brief Explanation of Government:[/b] (explain all the complex/unique stuff that can't be described in the type section)
[b]Ideology:[/b]  (Refer to [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_ideologies]this[/url])
[b]Leader/s:[/b]  (Head of State, Head of Government, etc.)
[b]Relations[/b] (Trade agreements, existing military alliances, rivals, etc)

[size=150][b]Population Info[/b][/size]
[b]Brief Description of your people:[/b]
[b]Religion:[/b]
[b]Ethnicity:[/b]
[b]Main/Accepted Culture(s):[/b] (ex. IRL-UK would be English, Scottish; only cultures that are dominant and the gov't favors)
[b]Other Cultures:[/b] (ex. IRL-UK would have been Irish, Welsh, etc ; cultures that aren't accepted by the gov't/people)

[size=150][b]Military Info[/b][/size]
[b]Army: [/b] (branches, number of troops, quality of army, etc,)
[b]Navy: [/b] (branches, number of troops, quality of navy, etc,)

[size=150]Other Info[/size]
[b]Brief Description of your Economy:[/b]
[b]Goals: [/b]
[b]History: [/b]
[b]RP Sample:[/b] (required, send Telegram with a sample of what your post would be like  if you have not participated in any previous RPs)
429 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.[/box]

Reservation: If you want to reserve land, you must use the following reservation. Reservations will last for 24 hours though you can appeal to the OP to make it last fora maximum of 36 hours. These reservations are meant to give you time to make your application or keep your area safe while AFK. These are not meant to be used to keep other waiting. You will not be able to have a second reservation (for the same area) unless you provide significant reason why. NOTE: this is more or less a person's intent to RP a certain nation and reservations are not set in stone. Multiple people can apply for the same nation, just be civil and most importantly courteous about it.

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[b]Region and Number:[/b] *choose the correct region and number from the list*
    [b]Nation Name:[/b] *the nation you are applying for, not your Nationstates name*
    777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Nation List

1. French Republic
a) Department of Louisiana
2. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and her Dominions and Colonies across the Seas
3. North German Confederation
4. The Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of St. Stephen. [Austro-Hungarian Empire]
a) South German Confederation
b) Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina
5. United Kingdom of Spain and Portugal and the Alagarves [Iberian Union]
6. Russian Empire
7. Batavian Republic
8. Kingdom of Denmark [Denmark-Norway]
9. Kingdom of Sweden
10. Kingdom of Saxony
11. Swiss Confederation
12. Italian Republic
13. Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
14. Kingdom of Montenegro
15. Republic of Albania
16. Kingdom of Serbia
17. Principality of Wallachia
18. Kingdom of Bulgaria
19. Kingdom of the Hellenes
20. Ottoman Empire
21. Pontic State
22. Sublime State of Persia
23. Kingdom of Egypt and the Levant
24. Emirate of Ha'il
25. Emirate of Nejd
26. Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen
27. Abyssinia [Ethiopian Empire]
28. Canadian Confederation
29. Laurentian Confederation
30. Republic of Massachusetts
31. Serene Republic of New York
32. Republic of New Hampshire
33. Republic of Vermont
34. Confederate States of America
35. Kingdom of Virginia and the Carolinas
36. Republic of Georgia
37. Republic of the Rio Grande
38. State of Deseret
39. Indian Free State
40. New California Republic
41. United States of Mexico
42. Republic of Guatemala
43. People’s Republic of Central America
44. Republic of El Salvador
45. Republic of Costa Rica
46. United States of Colombia
47. Republic of Venezuela
48. Andean Confederation
49. Republic of Chile
50. Empire of Brazil and the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves
51. Argentine Republic
52. Principality of Cuba (Brazilian Sphere)
53. Republic of Haiti
54. Dominican Republic
55. Great Qing [Qing Empire]
56. Liangjiang Province
57. Huguang Province
58. Sichuan Province
59. Guizhou Province
60. Guangxi Province
61. Jiangxi Province
62. Guangdong Province
63. Fujian Province
64. Zhejiang Province
65. Tibet
66. Sinkiang Province
67. Outer Mongolia
68. Joseon Kingdom
69. Republic of Japan
70. Grand Duchy of the Philippines (Brazilian Sphere)
71. Polish Republic
72. Kingdom of Siam
SPECIAL: Unnumbered: Hawai'i

Reservations:
Polish Republic - GCCS
Sweden - Sudbrazil
Argentina - Orson Empire
Mexico - Pentapolitan Kyrene
Qing Empire - Pearl River
Tibet - Speyland
Persia - Grand Indochina
Austro-Hungarian Empire - Elerian
Pontic State - Nea Byzantia

[Liecthenbourg]

Roster

• The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland - Krugmar
  
  • The Canadian Confederation - St George Territory
  • The Laurentian Confederation - The Industrial States of Columbia

• The Empire of Brazil and the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves - Liecthenbourg
  
  • The Grand Duchy of the Philippines - Intermountain States

• The French Republic - Caltarania
• The Russian Empire - Rodez
• The Andean Confederation - Vaterlandische Austria
• The Confederate States of America - The New Kargintina
• The Serene Republic of New York - Mifan
• The Republic of Vermont - Ruskland-Preuben
• The New California Republic - Greater Redosia
• The Kingdom of Virginia and the Carolinas - Military Lands of the Scottish People
• The Republic of Japan - Kisinger
• The Joseon Kingdom - The Holy Dominion of Inesea
• The Republic of Georgia - Rygondria

[The Industrial States of Columbia]

Region and Number:29
Nation Name: Laurentian Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

cackles in laker

[Krugmar]

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Iwerddon
Rìoghachd Aonaichte Bhreatainn is Èireann
Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Éireann

Generic Info
Nation Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Symbols: Union Flag, Arms of Edward VII, Edward VII, God Save the King, Jerusalem
Location: 2
Population: 436,259,084
Capital City: London

Government Info
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Brief Explanation of Government: The United Kingdom possesses a system by which most executive and legislative power is vested within Parliament, along with the highest judicial functions in the House of Peers. The constitution is uncodified, but is largely followed as much as possible with the monarchy taking a largely ceremonial role as its guardian. The UK possesses many overseas territories which are not classed as either colonies or dominions, and these are considered separate entities from the UK but are under its control and jurisdiction. Its dominions: Canada, Australia and New Zealand, possess self-government though they are not equal to the UK nor are they sovereign. Colonies range in size from the vast Indian Empire to the many islands of the West Indies, and range also in terms of governance.
Ideology: Tories: conservatism, protectionism, unionism | Liberals: classical liberalism, free market, home rule
Leader/s: Edward VI, King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India
Prime Minister Arthur Balfour
Viceroy of India Lord Curzon of Kedleston
Prime Minister of Australia, Edmund Barton
Prime Minister of New Zealand, Richard Seddon
Relations

Interests
• Empire of Brazil - The UK and Brazil have largely had a good trading relationship and lacked territorial ambitions over the others territory. While Brazil's desire for hegemony over the Americas is worrying, it is not considered a threat to British power or trade in the region.
  
• Austro-Hungarian Empire - With the failure of the North German Confederation to counter the growing threat of France, Austria looks to be a firm ally. It mustn't do too well in a war against France, however, should it itself tip the balance of power.
• Emirate of Nejd - Strange fanatics and iconoclasts, but reliable and appreciative of British business and gold. Their pressure upon Egypt could be quite useful.
• Qing China - China presents an opportunity to many countries; a land of plenty with a failing government. To Britain the dynasty failing so soon would be a disaster. Governors must be bought, and the right people groomed for the next dynasty. Then they have our permission to die.
• Kingdom of Egypt - Many countries have a stake in the Suez, but none moreso than Britain. Egypt has been doing too well against the Ottomans and should be brought back into line. They also have some territories in the Levant which could prove useful to have.
• Joseon Dynasty - Japan was an excellent opportunity wasted. Until their revolution ends and they ask for their emperor to return, we shall look to strengthen Korea.
• Kingdom of the Hellenes - The Ottomans are failing and Bulgaria stands triumphant in the Balkans. The Greeks have always been our allies, and now that the Russians have chosen the Bulgarians, even moreso. We must work hard to secure the Pontic State for Greece, Russia cannot expand more.
Threats
• French Republic - The French threaten the stability of Europe which we have worked tirelessly to tend to over the past century. It's time for their revolution to end, permanently.
• Russia - The Autocratic Tsar was not amused by our moves in the Great Game, and harbours a resentment towards us. The issue of Japan and France, however, could present an opportunity for Russia to make itself useful to us.
• Republic of Japan - A wasted opportunity, and now a threat to our holdings in the east. We must direct Japanese aggression towards China and Russia, and when they are worn out end their revolution and restore their Imperial monarchs.

Population Info
Brief Description of your people: An Englishman's home is his castle; his castle now comprising one quarter of the globe. Autocracy, of monarchs and revolutionaries, known personally and through observing the world, has left the British elite satisfied with what they consider a perfect parliamentary system. The people themselves emerge into the twentieth century, eager to see the hardships of the industrial revolution and stunning expansion of empire translate into wealth and prosperity. But as Europe braces for war, and discontent in the dominions and India begins to rise, the English find themselves stretched thin amidst a vast, diverse, and much loathed empire.
Religion: The British Empire is religiously diverse, having become increasingly secular and tolerant over the years. In England and Wales the Anglican Church has continued a slow decline to the joint attack of secularism and evangelical dissension. The Scottish Kirk remains strong, but may soon follow its Anglican partner into decline. Ireland remains largely Catholic, though the Protestants, largely concentrated in the north, remain particularly politically and economically important. India, the birthplace of religions, is largely divided between the Hindu majority and the Muslim minority, though cultural and linguistic links between the two communities remain strong. The dominions are mostly majority Protestant, though Canada possesses a strong and vocal French-Catholic population in Quebec. Malaysia and Brunei profess Islam, though missionaries work hard in Sarawak to spread the word of Christ. In Burma and Ceylon Theravada Buddhism dominates, even as it has largely faded from its birthplace in northern India. Africa is the domain of missionaries, both Muslim and Christian, as a north-south divide becomes largely apparent. Jews are present both in the colonies and the metropole, where they form a sizeable, stable and largely indistinguishable community.
Ethnicity: Yes, pretty much all of them.
Main/Accepted Culture(s): English, Scottish, Welsh, Pan-Irish, Australia, New Zealander, South African (British), Rhodesian, Newfoundlander,
Other Cultures: West Indian, Pan-Indian, Tajik, Afghan, Balochi, Malay, Aboriginal, Maori, Pan-African, South African (Boer|Afrikaans), Yemeni, Burmese, Chinese, Somali, Polynesian, Micronesian, Melanesian

Military Info The British Army has had a reputation since the end of the Napoleonic Wars as a small but disciplined force, and over the 19th century upheld that standard over countless campaigns in Europe and the world. The disastrous First Boer War revealed weaknesses and decadence, and the British Army has since been undergoing reforms, alongside the Kitchener reforms of the Army of India.
Army:

• British Army - 247,432 regular troops, 246,000 territorial, 145,350 reserve (retired), 64,000 reserve (special), 215,000 reserve (national)
• Commonwealth Military Forces [Australia] - 28,923 regular troops
• Army of India - 155,000 regular troops, 18,000 Imperial Service Troops [Princely States]

Navy: It's the Royal Navy, and it's the early twentieth century. What more needs to be said? Due to British leadership in the Industrial Revolution it has an unparalleled advantage in shipbuilding capacity and resources, and with the Naval Defence Act, which formally adopted the 'two-power standard', it has put that to use.

The Royal Navy has 10 battlecruisers, 20 town cruisers, 15 scout cruisers, 200 destroyers, 29 battleships (pre-dreadnought design) and 150 cruisers.

Other Info
Brief Description of your Economy: The British economy is one of the strongest in the world, benefiting from its leading role in the industrial revolution, naval-backed mercantile enterprises, and access to nearly every market in the world. Raw resources from its dominions and colonies flow back into Britain, where they are refined into goods which are then shipped out and sold worldwide.
Goals:

• Ensure Europe remains divided, and the European states hostile to each other
• Diminish Russian presence in Central Asia and the Balkans
• Prevent further expansion of Brazilian power in the Americas and abroad
• Further consolidate and protect the Empire

History: The end of the 18th century marked the nadir of British power. Bankrupted from the Seven Years War, it was then humiliated by rebel militias who forged in the heat of anger a new nation: the United States of America. Britain was not forced from North America, the Canadas and Quebec having remained steadily loyal, now seeded with many loyalists fleeing the unstable and crumbling United States. The rebel country had quickly taken a sharp downturn, its hero of the revolution refusing to take either the monarchy or presidency. No troops ever arrived to relieve the British garrisons in the Ohio Territory, and with the USA ceasing to exist the territory relapsed to British control. British diplomats did their best to seed discord amongst the former Thirteen colonies, to turn them upon each other, though Britain was unable to take advantage of their discord.

A Corsican artillery officer had arisen from the chaos of the French Revolution to forge a new empire; Bonaparte's sword and Talleyrand's quill carved a new order, a new Europe. Britain fought on even when its continental allies fell one by one, until Napoleon gambled all upon Russia and lost. His second gamble, at Waterloo, was defeated by a joint Prusso-British effort. A new dawn was upon the Empire, and a young new queen: Victoria.

The East Indian Company had expanded rapidly in India after gaining control of Bengal. From controlling various factories upon the coast to commanding armies of sepoys, it had carved out an empire of its own. The Mutiny of '57 revealed to the UK's government the extent of the EIC's failure to govern the subcontinent, and it was brought under direct British control. Expansion continued as the Great Game heated up; Burma was conquered in the east, and Siam split in influence between the British and the French, while Britain gambled and, after several attempts, added Afghanistan to the list of princely states. Tensions with Russia remain high, but the road to India remains safe for now.

In the Americas both Canada and Laurentia, the state born out of the Ohio Territory, have confederated and become official dominions. Australia and New Zealand have also been granted the status, and with the conquest of the Boer States some believe South Africa is on its way to be granted home rule. Africa itself is now home to many empires, and Britain attempted to carve out land for a road from Cape to Cairo, but has found itself with a problem. Egypt is over-mighty, refusing British protection and instead making war upon the Ottomans, while the North Germans robbed Britain of Tanganyika.

Britain now finds itself at a crossroads. It rules one fifth of the world's population in one quarter of its territory, yet its safety and dominance is far from assured. France threatens the peace and stability of Europe, and few of the British establishment are eager for another Napoleonic fiasco. Discontent in India is rising, as an educated Indian elite begins to question Britain's future in India, and imagine a state of their own. And finally, but certainly not least, the Irish Question dominates British politics: Home Rule, or Union?

Will the splendour of the Victorian era end, or will the Edwardians usher in the apogee of the British Empire?
RP Sample: Some of my best work
429 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Caltarania]

Region and Number: 1
Nation Name: French Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Liecthenbourg]

Generic Info
Nation Name: The Empire of Brazil and the Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves | Império do Brasil e o Reino de Portugal e os Algarves | Unofficially: 'The Portuguese Empire', 'Brazil', 'The Brazilian Empire', etc.
Symbols: The Flag, CoA, the anthem, national personifications include: Our Lady of Aparecida and Dom Pedro II.
Location: 50, with aggressive claims on parts of 5.
Population: Total: 73,768,000
'Brazil'

• Brazil: 63,000,000
• Uruguay: 2,000,000
• Paraguay: 700,000

'The Empire'

• Mozambique: 2,200,000
• Angola: 4,700,000
• Panama: 300,000
• Brazilian Guinea: 200,000
• Macau: 68,000
• Puerto Rico: 100,000
• Goa: 300,000
• East Timor: 150,000
• Sao Tome et Principe: 48,000
• Pacific Islands: 2,000 ~

Capital City: Rio de Janeiro

Government Info
Government Type: Quasi-Federal Parliamentary and Pluricontinental Constitutional Monarchy
Brief Explanation of Government: Article 2 of the Empire's Constitution clearly defines the roles of the Monarch and the Parliament; the Assembleia Geral. Politics in the Empire take place in a framework of a quasi-federal parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Emperor of Brazil is the head of state and nominally head of government although the President of the Council of Ministers is effectively the de facto head, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the General Assembly.The Judiciary is independent of the Executive and the Legislative. The Empire of Brazil is divided into 24 provinces and the Neutral City; Rio de Janeiro. In official terms, the Emperor of Brazil is also regarded to be the King of Portugal and the King of the Algarves. Furthermore, all imperial holdings are regarded as being extensions of the Brazilian mainland as part of the philosophy of 'pluricontinentalism', areas such as the Azores, Panama, Puerto Rico, etc, are viewed as overseas departments with full voting rights - the rest of the empire, has not yet achieved this function.
Ideology: Constitutional Monarchism, Political Catholicism, Progressivism, Liberalism, Federalism, with a heavy dose of imperialism and notions of revanchism against the Iberian Union.
Leader/s: Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil, King of Portugal and King of the Algarves.
Afonso Celso, Viscount of Ouro Preto, President of the Council of Ministers and Prime Minister of the Empire
Relations Aside from generic trading agreements with numerous nations around the world, Brazil has a fairly complex foreign policy:

Allies:

• The Republic of Chile - Brazil has always supported her fellow Southern American states in their efforts for independence and expansion, but none more than Chile. She economically invests in the Chilean Republic, aids her in naval missions and military training - for their common foe occupies the space between them, the Argentines.
• The United States of Colombia - Ever since the French failed at producing a canal in Panama, Brazil has warmed to the United States of Colombia - she has assisted the northern republic in her attempts at consolidation and control, and assisted in the economic development of her coastal regions in exchange for purchasing the Panama canal and completing it.
• The Principality of Cuba - With the end of the Brazilian-Iberian War, Brazil had found itself in possession of the island of Cuba. Not willing to occupy a land with such a desire for independence, they installed Pedro's daughter - Isabel - as Princess of Cuba, a fair and progressive ruler over the Cubans, who now find themselves as a sort-of-protectorate of the Empire.
• The Grand Duchy of the Philippines - See above, but with Pedro's youngest son Pedro Afonso as Grand Duke of the Philippines.

Interests:

• Britain - Brazil and the United Kingdom are fairly ambivalent to each other, and whilst minor squabbles have arisen - notably over the colonisation of Africa, Brazil has always relented in angering the UK too much. She bowed her head respectfully, and respects Britain's contributions to the development and peace in the North American Continent. Their trading is good and profitable.
• France - The French are an enigma to the Brazilians. They espouse the ideals of Radical Republicanism, and this worries the Brazilian state - how do they fit into this? Brazil is a monarchy, indeed, but one that has shown stability and progression in a land of historically stagnant dictatorial republics. A concern rises with French ambition meeting Argentine resentment. Brazil hopes it will not come to that.
• Mexico - The United States of Mexico, are in Brazil's eyes, a shining hope for the north American continent. They aim to be on good terms with the Mexicans, and try to facilitate economic growth and dependence on Brazil to further expand her economic interests and domination on the northern half of the continent.
• New California Republic - This plucky republic is viewed favorably by Brazil, especially in conjunction with its theocratic neighbour to the east. Whilst not a world-crushing power in its own right; the threat it could present to both Britain and France continentally - if the need arose for it - is particularly useful.

Concerns:

• The Andean Confederation - The Union of the Andeans proves a problem for Brazil: are they friendly? A threat? Do they seek to try to usurp the Brazilian hegemony, or assault her allies on the continent? Their existence, for the most part, is to play in the fact Brazil was so adamant for the Panama Canal and seizure of Easter and Wake Island. Naval bases to strike from multiple sides, if the need arose.
• The Republic of Japan - The Japanese and their republican backed revanchism prove to be a threat to the stability of the Chinese region; and their attempts to destabilise the Qing and provoke the Russians see a threat to Brazilian interests in the region: East Timor, Macau and the Philippines.

Rivals:

• Iberian Union - PORTUGAL IS MINE, BY RIGHTS.
• Argentina - LEAVE ME ALONE.

Population Info
Brief Description of your people: The Brazilians are a hardy folk, seen by many as the 'tamers of the New World' given their continental hegemony. Fire is in their blood, determination in their hearts, for the ideals of truth, justice, freedom, liberty. Multi-racial, with roughly over half the country being white or metis, has seen a great convergence of culture. There is no unified 'Brazilian Culture', other than a shared language, Portuguese, a shared Monarch, and shared ideals. The south and north east are infinitely more 'European' in culture, with the centre and the interior being suspect of Afro-Brazilian and native cultural practices and traditions.
Religion: The State Religion is Roman Catholicism, with sprawling minorities of various sects of Protestantism (usually from immigration, such as German), Jews - the empire contains Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, African Folk Religions and the animist religions of the Brazilian interior.
Ethnicity: A sprawling multi-ethnic state, divided along the lines of 'white', 'brown', 'black'' and 'Indian'.
Main/Accepted Culture(s): 'Brazilian', Portuguese, 'Caboclos', any European immigrant.
Other Cultures: The African Cultures of the Colonies, Chinese, South Pacific Islanders,

Military Info
Army: 400,000 active soldiers, stationed in Brazil, with a non-professional reserve of 700,000. All of Brazil's colonies maintain small garrisons, with the exception of Mozambique and Angola, which have small territorial armies composed of natives led by Brazilian officers, numbering about 20,000 and 40,000, respectively. The army's quality is fairly decent, necessary to maintain Brazil's empire and ambitions. Its most recent success comes from the Brazilian-Iberian war, where Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines were taken from the Union. Almost all of its equipment is produced domestically.
Navy: The Brazilian Navy, claiming legitimacy from, and the heir of, the Portuguese Navy, is one of the largest navies in the world. Whilst progressively developed from Brazil's conception to the 1890s, it fell stagnant until it was called upon in the Brazilian-Iberian war, where it displayed its necessity and success, if not its need to be updated. From the early 90s, Brazil's economic focus can be seen with its naval build up - culminating in the deployment of the world touring 'Great Green Navy'. Brazil's navy consists of: 13 battleships, 4 battlecruisers, 12 town cruisers, 6 scout cruisers, 96 destroyers, and 48 cruisers. Numerous smaller vessels such as torpedo boats and coastal defence ships are employed.

Other Info
Brief Description of your Economy: The Brazilian Economy is a large mixed economy, focusing on agricultural and industry. It is a large centre for ship-building, arms production, machinery manufacturing, textiles, cannery, timber and clothing. Additionally, it is the world's leading supplier of coffee, and one of the giant's in terms of sugar, cocoa and rubber. Her imperial provinces provide raw materials, necessary trading revenue and cheap labour. Developments in France, Britain and Austro-Hungary have seen Brazil try to replicate their success in the fields of electrical manufacturing appliances. Several firms are also experimenting with automobiles.
Goals: Reclaim Portugal from the Iberian Union, solidify the Brazilian Hegemony over the Western Hemisphere. Everything else will be dealt with pragmatically, if possible.
History:

The history of the Brazilian Empire can begin in 1822, with the proclamation of Brazilian Independence by Pedro I. This proclamation was not well received by the segments of the military in Brazil loyal to the Portuguese Empire. This resulted in a two year long civil war which plagued across the country; north, south, west and east. The last Portuguese soldiers surrendered in March 1824, and Brazilian Independence was recognised by Portugal a year later. For Pedro I, his reign was just to begin. He encountered a number of crises during his reign. A secessionist rebellion in the Cisplatine Province in early 1825 and the subsequent attempt by Le Plate to annex Cisplatina led the Empire into the Cisplatine War: "a long, inglorious, and ultimately success in the south", in which Cisplatine remained part of the Empire In March 1826, João VI died and Pedro I inherited the Portuguese crown, briefly becoming King Pedro IV of Portugal before abdicating in favor of his eldest daughter, Maria II. During the same year in Lisbon, Maria II's throne was usurped by Prince Miguel, Pedro I's younger brother.

Other difficulties arose when the Empire's parliament, the General Assembly, opened in 1826. Pedro I, along with a significant percentage of the legislature, argued for an independent judiciary, a popularly elected legislature and a government which would be led by the emperor who held broad executive powers and prerogatives. Others in parliament argued for a similar structure, only with a less influential role for the monarch and the legislative branch being dominant in policy and governance. The struggle over whether the government would be dominated by the emperor or by the parliament was carried over into debates from 1826 to 1831 on the establishment of the governmental and political structure. Unable to deal with the problems in both Brazil and Portugal simultaneously, the Emperor abdicated on behalf of his son, Pedro II, on 7 April 1831 and immediately sailed for Europe to restore his daughter to her throne. When Pedro I and the campaign collapsed in shambles, the Brazilian navy hastily found loyalists across the Portuguese former colonies, who would rather align themselves with Brazil than the newly formed Iberian Union that had been declared upon Spain's conquest of a fracturing Portugal.

Following the hasty departure of Pedro I, Brazil was left with a five-year-old boy as head of state. With no precedent to follow, the Empire was faced with the prospect of a period of more than twelve years without a strong executive, as, under the constitution, Pedro II would not attain his majority and begin exercising authority as Emperor until 2 December 1843. A regency was elected to rule the country in the interim. Because the Regency held few of the powers exercised by an emperor and was completely subordinated to the General Assembly, it could not fill the vacuum at the apex of Brazil's government.

The hamstrung Regency proved unable to resolve disputes and rivalries between national and local political factions. Believing that granting provincial and local governments greater autonomy would quell the growing dissent, the General Assembly passed a constitutional amendment in 1834, called the Ato Adicional (Additional Act). Instead of ending the chaos, these new powers only fed local ambitions and rivalries. Violence erupted throughout the country. Local parties competed with renewed ferocity to dominate provincial and municipal governments, as whichever party dominated the provinces would also gain control over the electoral and political system. Those parties which lost elections rebelled and tried to assume power by force, resulting in several rebellions.

The politicians who had risen to power during the 1830s had by then become familiar with the difficulties and pitfalls of power. Some of these politicians (who would form the Conservative Party later on) believed that a neutral figure was required—one who could stand above political factions and petty interests to address discontent and moderate disputes. They envisioned an emperor who was more dependent on the legislature than the constitutional monarch envisioned by Pedro I, yet with greater powers than had been advocated at the beginning of the Regency by their rivals (who later formed the Liberal Party). The liberals, however, contrived to pass an initiative to lower Pedro II's age of majority from eighteen to fourteen. The Emperor was declared fit to rule in July 1840 and thus the pieces of Brazil's greatness began to fall into place.

To achieve their goals, the liberals had allied themselves with a group of high-ranking palace servants and notable politicians: the "Courtier Faction". The courtiers were part of the Emperor's inner circle and had established influence over him, which enabled the appointment of successive liberal-courtier cabinets. Their dominance was short-lived, though. By 1846, Pedro II had matured physically and mentally. No longer an insecure 14-year-old swayed by gossip, suggestions of secret plots, and other manipulative tactics, the young emperor's weaknesses faded and his strength of character came to the fore. He successfully engineered the end of the courtiers' influence by removing them from his inner circle without causing any public disruption. He also dismissed the liberals, who had proved ineffective while in office, and called on the conservatives to form a government in 1848.

The abilities of the Emperor and the newly appointed conservative cabinet were tested by three crises between 1848 and 1852. The first crisis was a confrontation over the illegal importation of slaves. Importing slaves had been banned in 1826 as part of a treaty with Britain. Trafficking continued unabated, however, and the British government's passage of the Aberdeen Act of 1845 authorized British warships to board Brazilian ships and seize anyone who was found to be involved in the slave trade. While Brazil grappled with this problem, the Praieira revolt, a conflict between local political factions within Pernambuco province (and one in which liberal and courtier supporters were involved), erupted on 6 November 1848, but was suppressed by March 1849. It was the last rebellion to occur during the monarchy, and its end marked the beginning of forty years of internal peace in Brazil. The Eusébio de Queirós Law was promulgated on 4 September 1850 giving the government broad authority to combat the illegal slave trade. With this new tool Brazil moved to eliminate the importation of slaves, and by 1852 this first crisis was over, with Britain accepting that the trade had been suppressed.

The third crisis was a conflict with Le Plate over ascendancy in territories adjacent to the Rio de le Plate and free navigation of that waterway. However, a peaceful treaty was reached that resulted in Le Plate's government backing down. The Empire's successful navigation of these crises considerably enhanced the nation's stability and prestige, and Brazil emerged as a hemispheric power. Internationally, Europeans came to see the country as embodying familiar liberal ideals, such as freedom of the press and constitutional respect for civil liberties. Its representative parliamentary monarchy also stood in stark contrast to the mix of dictatorships and instability endemic in the other nations of South America during the period, notably the Andeans.

The 1850s were a period filled with incredible growth for Brazil. The nation's infrastructure was being developed, with progress in the construction of railroads, the electric telegraph and steamship lines uniting Brazil into a cohesive national entity. After five years in office, the successful conservative cabinet was dismissed and on September 1853, Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, Marquis of Paraná, chieftain of the Conservative Party, was charged with forming a new cabinet. Emperor Pedro II wanted to advance an ambitious plan, which became known as "the Conciliation", aimed at strengthening parliament's role in settling the country's political disputes.

Paraná invited several liberals to join the conservative ranks and went so far as to name some as ministers. The new cabinet, although highly successful, was plagued from the start by strong opposition from ultraconservative members of the Conservative Party who repudiated the new liberal recruits. They believed that the cabinet had become a political machine infested with converted liberals who did not genuinely share the party's ideals and were primarily interested in gaining public offices. Despite this mistrust, Paraná showed resilience in fending off threats and overcoming obstacles and setbacks. However, in September 1856, at the height of his career, he died unexpectedly, although the cabinet survived him until May 1857.

The Conservative Party had split down the middle: on one side were the ultraconservatives, and on the other, the moderate conservatives who supported the Conciliation. The ultraconservatives were led by the Joaquim Rodrigues Torres, Viscount of Itaboraí, Eusébio de Queirós and Paulino Soares de Sousa, 1st Viscount of Uruguai—all former ministers in the 1848–1853 cabinet. These elder statesmen had taken control of the Conservative Party after Paraná's death. In the years following 1857, none of the cabinets survived long. They quickly collapsed due to the lack of a majority in the Chamber of Deputies.

The remaining members of the Liberal Party, which had languished since its fall in 1848 and the disastrous Praieira rebellion in 1849, took advantage of what seemed to be the Conservative Party's impending implosion to return to national politics with renewed strength. They delivered a powerful blow to the government when they managed to win several seats in the Chamber of Deputies in 1860. When many moderate conservatives defected to unite with liberals to form a new political party, the "Progressive League", the conservatives' hold on power became unsustainable due to the lack of a workable governing majority in the parliament. They resigned, and in May 1862 Pedro II named a progressive cabinet, one which would lead Brazil.

This period of calm came to an end when the British consul in Rio de Janeiro nearly sparked a war between Britain and Brazil. He sent an ultimatum containing abusive demands arising out of two minor incidents at the end of 1861 and beginning of 1862. The Brazilian government refused to yield, and the consul issued orders for British warships to capture Brazilian merchant vessels as indemnity. Brazil prepared itself for the imminent conflict, and coastal defenses were given permission to fire upon any British warship that tried to capture Brazilian merchant ships. The Brazilian government then severed diplomatic ties with Britain in June 1863.

As war with the British Empire loomed, Brazil had to turn its attention to its southern frontiers. Another civil war had begun in Uruguay which pitted its political parties against one another. The internal conflict led to the murder of Brazilians and the looting of their Uruguayan properties. Brazil's progressive cabinet decided to intervene and dispatched an army, which invaded Uruguay in December 1864, beginning the brief Uruguayan War. The dictator of nearby Paraguay, Francisco Solano López, took advantage of the Uruguayan situation in late 1864 by attempting to establish his nation as a regional power. In November of that year, he ordered a Brazilian civilian steamship seized (triggering the Paraguayan War) and then invaded Brazil. Potentially; they may have been aided by Argentina, Brazil's longtime rival and opponent on the continent and both duelled over Paraguay.

What had appeared at the outset to be a brief and straightforward military intervention led to a full-scale war in South America's southeast. However, the possibility of a two-front conflict (with Britain and Paraguay) faded when, in September 1865, the British government sent an envoy who publicly apologized for the crisis between the empires. The Paraguayan invasion in 1864 led to a conflict far longer than expected, and faith in the progressive cabinet's ability to prosecute the war vanished. Also, from its inception, the Progressive League was plagued by internal conflict between factions formed by former moderate conservatives and by former liberals.

The cabinet resigned and the Emperor named the aging Viscount of Itaboraí to head a new cabinet in July 1868, marking the return of the conservatives to power. This impelled both progressive wings to set aside their differences, leading them to rechristen their party as the Liberal Party. A third, smaller and radical progressive wing would declare itself republican in 1870—an ominous signal for the monarchy. Nonetheless, the "ministry formed by the viscount of Itaboraí was a far abler body than the cabinet it replaced" and the conflict with Paraguay ended in March 1870 with total victory for Brazil and its allies. More than 50,000 Brazilian soldiers had died, and war costs were many times the government's annual budget. However, the country was so prosperous that the government was able to retire the war debt in only four years. The conflict was also a stimulus to national production and economic growth. For their victory in the war, the Brazilian Empire annexed the province of Paraguay, which had become so vastly depopulated they sent in their own settlers to colonise it - culturally assimilating the region to Brazilian identity in a few decades.

Throughout this time, mass immigration -- equivalent to the immigration seen to the United States -- had bolstered the Brazilian population, workforce and economic capacity.

The diplomatic tranquility with Britain and the military victory and annexation against Paraguay led to a new 'Golden Age' in Brazil. The economy grew rapidly, railroad, shipping and other modernization projects were started; immigration flourished. The Empire became known internationally as a modern and progressive nation, perhaps second to none in the Americas; it was a politically stable economy with a good investment potential.

In March 1871, Pedro II named the conservative José Paranhos, Viscount of Rio Branco as the head of a cabinet whose main goal was to pass a law to immediately free all children born to female slaves. The controversial bill was introduced in the Chamber of Deputies in May and faced opposition from ultraconservative slaveowners, but it passed nonetheless. It however split the stability of the Empire for a period of time. This new wave of conservatives had not experienced the horror days of Brazil, and were only accustomed to the ideas of state stability - so they lost their unconditional faith in the monarchy they so adored.

In the mid 1880s, Brazil attended the Paris Conference - detailing with the carving up of the African Continent. Despite attempts to complete their 'Green Map', to see Angola and Mozambique territorially connected, the Brazilian delegation backed down over fears of antagonising the British. Indeed, much of the conference Brazil lobbied in favour of any territorial acquisition that would see the Iberians unable to gain more colonial land.

This decline took many years to note; as if it were a carefully planned plot. As the 1880s closed, so did the Brazilian Monarchy - for a moment. As Pedro reached his late 50s, he had become a tired man. Still concerned about the legacy of his nation, he aimed to delegate roles to his eldest son, but began taken longer leaves of absences from duties. So when he left portions of the military in decline and retreated to his chambers for weeks at a time, the so called Republicans took their chance.

On a social and demographical scale, Brazil became the first South American nation to adopt public electrical lightning, the second nation in the Americas to introduce a tranatlantic telegraph line, the fifth nation in the world to install modern sewage, the third for sewage treatment and a pioneer of the installation of the telephone.

Bittered at Pedro's 'Golden Law' (which had banned Slavery in Brazil completely) - and to a lesser extent the first organised rally of women's rights he had allowed - on the morning of November 15th 1889 a coup d'etat was launched by the aforementioned ultraconservatives and republicans and Pedro was deposed with minimal resistance from the elderly monarch, whom heeded their demands and made his way out of Brazil with his family. This did not sit well with the Brazilian people. On November 21st, 1889, Brazil shook at her core. People rallied in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and other cities and demanded Pedro be brought back, these false notions of 'Republicanism' did not sit well for them. A prevalent group amongst these individuals were the Afro-Brazilians, whom had come to idolise the recently removed Monarch. Under the leadership of the Baron of Ladário, the royalist segments of the Brazilian army (And the entirety of the navy) launched a counter offensive that captured Sao Paulo. By the time they had arrived in Rio, they had already found that the perpetrators of the coup had been mauled in the streets of the city after they had been dragged out of the Imperial Residency. Pedro returned to Brazil not long after, his ship having been intercepted by segments of the Brazilian Navy. It was well known that when Pedro stepped back onto Brazil, disembarking from the boats, he came to realise that he could not allow his own feelings and tiredness get in the way: Brazil needed him to govern much as he felt he needed to govern Brazil.

Reinvigorated to run his country, Pedro returned to his status as Emperor on December 3rd 1889. Here he has continued to lead Brazil since, leading the nation through social, economic and military successes - continuing her Golden Age. In this era, Brazil's navy continued to grow, as did her economy and women were given the right to the vote in 1896, following a numerous amount of successful campaigns and intervention from Pedro's daughter, Isabel - whom has taken a more active role in politics at the bequest of Pedro.

In 1895, during the Cuban Revolution against the Iberians, the Brazilian cruiser Ceará exploded when refueling at Havana, tensions high due to the low levels of hostility between nations. Outraged at what was perceived to be an Iberian attack the Brazilian legislature declared war on the Iberian Union. A conflict that lasted a good few years saw Iberia lose Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the Brazilians - who would go on to elevate Cuba to a Principality officially ruled by Princess Isabel of Brazil and Cuba. Later, following the brief Philippine Insurrection, the Philippines too were elevated - to a Grand Duchy, ruled over by Pedro Afonso.

RP Sample: (required, send Telegram with a sample of what your post would be like if you have not participated in any previous RPs)
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[Lunas Legion]

Liec, go home, it's not 2014 anymore you're drunk.

I'll need to have a think about apps and do some research, currently leaning towards Prussia but I do have to asks what the hell is happening in Thailand there's a strange unreadable number there next to the 72 and a black bloby thing?

[Speyland]

Region and Number: 1
Nation Name: French Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Liecthenbourg]

Region and Number: 1
Nation Name: French Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Noted, but do keep in mind there's competition

Liec, go home, it's not 2014 anymore you're drunk.

I'll need to have a think about apps and do some research, currently leaning towards Prussia but I do have to asks what the hell is happening in Thailand there's a strange unreadable number there next to the 72 and a black bloby thing?

IT'LL ALWAYS BE 2014

Thailand was an unfortunate mistake in our mapping process. Please ignore the man behind the curtain.

[Krugmar]

Liec, go home, it's not 2014 anymore you're drunk.

I'll need to have a think about apps and do some research, currently leaning towards Prussia but I do have to asks what the hell is happening in Thailand there's a strange unreadable number there next to the 72 and a black bloby thing?

The person making the number map made a mistake, the 54 is badly crossed out and Thailand is 72 instead.

[Lunas Legion]

Also are the 'a's and 'b's vassal states and are they playable (and the British one probably needs a label)?

[Krugmar]

Also are the 'a's and 'b's vassal states and are they playable (and the British one probably needs a label)?

It depends. Most of them are highly autonomous barring 4B) Bosnia, but they could all be considered vassals, dominions and whatnot.

28 and 29 should be labelled according to the pattern, but the person who made the number map messed up on that also.

[Caltarania]

Generic Info
Nation Name: French Republic | République française
Symbols: Tricolore, Grand Sceau, Liberté, égalité, fraternité, la Marseillaise, Marianne, la Liberté éclairant le monde, le coq gaulois, Napoleon, le père de la nation, Charles-Louis Bonaparte, l'avant-garde de la liberté
Location: 1
Population: Total - 110,209,646

• La Métropole - 58,452,400
• Amérique française - 14,980,100
  
  • La Louisiane - 14,706,600
  • Guyane française - 29,100
  • Antilles françaises - 244,400
• Afrique francaise - 21,081,600
  
  • Algérie française - 4,930,000
  • Afrique occidentale française - 13,000,000
  • Afrique équatoriale française - 1,893,000
  • Madagascar et dépendances - 2,644,700
  • Côte française des Somalis - 317,600
• Asie française - 15,695,546
  • Indochine française - 15,407,000
  • Établissements Français dans l'Inde - 288,546

Capital City: Paris, la capitale du monde libre

Government Info
Government Type: Semi-presidential social and democratic republic
Brief Explanation of Government: Vive la france! The eldest republic of the revolutionary tradition has seen recent reforms, and with the victory of the Social & Democratic Republic in aftermath of Charles-Louis Bonaparte's death, it has seen politics and economics become undeniably intertwined. The government ensures that basic needs are yet, running National Workshops across the country to provide employment. Alongside this, there is of course the democratic political system; in France, anything which can be an elected position, is an elected position. The President of the Republic is elected in a popular vote, and the Prime Minister is elected by his peers in the Council of Ministers. They are appointed by the President, but require ratification from the National Assembly. The National Assembly is elected via a form of proportional representation, with a number of members representing each department.
Ideology: Radical Republicanism, Jacobinism, Social and Democratic Republicanism, Socialism (minority), Bonapartism (minority)
Leader/s:

Alfred Dreyfus (Independent Radical), President of the French Republic & Hero of Tirana
Jean Jaurès (Socialist), Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers
Charles Jonnart (Opportunistic Republican), President of the National Assembly

Relations

Allies
• Republic of Japan - the Entente Cordiale has seen the two republics united in their goals, sharing amicable relations, alongside a stringent military alliance.
  
• Italian Republic - considered the petit frère, the French Republic is a staunch ally of their Italian counterparts, considering them brothers in arms.
• Polish Republic - among France's staunchest allies, Poland owe's independence on two occasions to their French counterparts, and it shows.
• Batavian Republic - Batavia remains a strong ally of France, thanks in part to the protection France offers them from the German states.
• Republic of Albania - Albania is the latest of allies to join France's side; the success of their revolution a direct result of Dreyfus' leadership.
Rivals
• United Kingdom - Perfidious Albion has stepped up their efforts in recent years; only la République can drag them back down to Earth.
• North German Confederation - German unification must be halted, at all costs. We beat them the last time they tried; would we be capable of beating them again?

Population Info
Brief Description of your people: Liberté, égalité, fraternité! The French people have suffered much; they have endured ruthless tyrants and the endless suppression of their will to freedom at the hands of kings and emperors, foreign and native. But no longer; now the people rule in Paris, and it is an enlightened rule. Although most Francs are Catholic, most are also committed to secularism. Radicalism emerged victorious in the spat between it and a more liberal form of republicanism. French nationalism too is heightened, especially after their victory over the North German Confederation.
Religion: Officially secular, with a strong commitment to Laïcité. Roman Catholicism, Calvinism, Lutheranism and Judaism are major faiths in the Metropole, with Islam and Buddhism major faiths abroad.
Ethnicity: The Metropole overwhelmingly white, with minor migration from the colonies. Across the empire, the opposite, overwhelming black and Arab, with white minorities.
Main/Accepted Culture(s): French, Walloon, Breton, Occitan, Pied-Noirs
Other Cultures: Basque, Algerian, Berber, Moroccan, Malagasy, Sub-Saharan African, Somali, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Cambodian, Lao

Military Info
Army: Around 600,000 Active with another million in reserves. It is the premier continental land power and such has a well disciplined and trained force equipped with modern weaponry. The army operates on a system of limited conscription. President Dreyfus is the nominal Commander-in-Chief. There is also the renowned French Foreign Legion, known across the world for its skill.

Army of the Rhine - 300,000 men, stationed along the eponymous river in cities such as Mainz and Bonn.
Army of the Pyrenees - 150,000 men, stationed in Toulouse, prepared to defend the realm from any possible Iberian advance.
Army of Paris - 50,000 men, stationed in the capital, and largely used to reinforce the other armies.
Army of Nice - 50,000 men, stationed in in Nice.
Arm of Algiers - 35,000 men, stationed in Algiers.
French Foreign Legion - 15,000 men, recently returned from it's expedition to Albania.

Navy: Described in detail here. The French Navy finds itself secondary in importance to the more prestigious army, and ultimately unable to stand up to British rivals.

Other Info
Brief Description of your Economy: The victory of the Social & Democratic Republic has led to the emergence of a new kind of government. In France, the government ensures that none go hungry, and that all live sheltered. The National Workshops have been revamped; now paying more than subsistence wages, they offer work to the unemployed, while also contributing to the national economy in the production of goods. Overall, the economy is largely regulated; the government does not hesitate to set prices for staple goods such as grain, and given its prominent position in Europe, most producers dare not question it.
Goals:

Resolve remaining international tension between the Radicals and the Liberals
Ensure that Germany can never threaten European prosperity
Ensure the continued spread of republicanism across the globe

History:

June 1848 - As the June Days uprising breaks out in Paris, Minister of War Louis Eugène Cavaignac is severely injured in his attempts to quell the protests alongside the National Guard. He is forced to pull back, and the National Assembly ultimately decide to retreat on their policy of abolishing the National Workshops in order to end the disorder. General Cavaignac is angered, and against the will of parliament returns to crush the rebels. He succeeds; but no one is happy with the result.
November 1848 - The Constitution of the Second Republic is put forward, and is slightly less conservative than it would have been otherwise, thanks to the promise of the National Workshops.
December 1848 - Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte unites rural farmers, urban proletariat and monarchists and wins 70% of the vote in the first presidential election. He promises to embark on a number of progressive economic policies to alleviate the poverty among France's lower classes. He is at odds with the largely liberal republican and conservative National Assembly, and the two are set on a collision course.
March 1849 - General Louis Eugène Cavaignac, at the behest of conservative members of the National Assembly, attempts to initiate a coup d'etat against President Bonaparte. He assembles the National Guard, and marches them to Paris; personally laying siege to the Élysée Palace. The President came to meet them outside the Palace; urging them to stand down, in the name of the Republic. When Cavaignac ordered his men to shoot Bonaparte, and to storm of the Palace, the National Guard refused - not mutinying - but no longer following his direct orders. Angered, Cavaignac himself open fired at the President. He shot two rounds, both of which hit the President, knocking him to the ground. He would bleed out in the following hours; Cavaignac would be killed by his own men in the aftermath. The whole event - which would come to be known as the March Mutiny - led to popular outrage across the capital, and the erection of barricades across the city. Charles-Louis was a martyr for the republic.
April 1849 - New elections are called in the aftermath of the March Mutiny; Colonel Adolphe Niel, a key ally of the late President Charles-Louis Bonaparte wins a stunning victory, running on a ticket dedicated to avenging Charles-Louis' death. He sets about essentially purging the National Assembly, forcing a number of deputies to resign at gunpoint. He ushers in a second round of National Assembly elections, which leads to a victory for a joint list of Radical Republicans, Bonapartists and Socialists who supported his candidacy. This so-called "Redemption Coalition" would mark the emergence of the Social & Democratic Republic.
1853 - Adolphe Niel wins reelection, and his coalition's majority is returned in the National Assembly; although, there is tension between many of the delegates. For his part, Niel was preoccupied with the reform of the French Army; he drafted and began to carry out a far-reaching scheme of army reform, based on universal service and the automatic creation of large reserves which needed only time to mature. Under his system, those men who had purchased exemption from conscription into the army would nonetheless be called up into a new service, the Garde Mobile.
1865 - Adolphe Niel wins his fifth consecutive reelection. In this term, he sets about re-arming the French army with the chassepot rifle. Additionally, the death of Leopold I of Belgium - accompanied by the country's own poor finances and economic situation - leads to a general revolt against the rule of his successor, primarily agitated by French-speaking Walloons. President Niel orders the French army to intervene, restoring order and holding a plebiscite about the future of the Belgian state. After an allegedly-rigged vote, the Belgian people voted by a margin of 60-40 to join the French Republic. The United Kingdom was fuming at this state of affairs, but reacted to slowly to effectively respond.
1869 - Intending to run for a sixth consecutive term, Niel succumbed to his wounds during an operation to remove a bladder stone, prior to the election being called. The nation enters a period of mourning, and the Radical Republicans, Bonapartists and Socialists scramble to find a new candidate to support for the Presidency; meanwhile, the Opportunistic Republicans, Legitimists and Conservatives rally around a new candidate; Patrice de MacMahon. The Nielites would come to support Émile Ollivier, except for the Socialists, who would back Louis Charles Delescluze. In the hotly-contested election which would follow, MacMahon would emerge the victor, with a knife-edge victory of less than 50% of the vote. Pledging to overturn the "Social & Democratic Republic", MacMahon would instead find his term preoccupied, instead, with foreign affairs.
July 1870 - Otto von Bismarck baits France into a war with the North German Federation, and its German allies. Unbeknownst to him, he has unleashed the perfect storm. MacMahon, seeing an incredible rise in popularity, vows to personally lead the French armies into battle; the National Assembly unanimously supports the war, offering a sizable war budget to the defence of the Republic. In a famed fiery speech to the people of Paris, MacMahon - alongside rival and President of the National Assembly Émile Ollivier - would exclaim "nous aurons notre rivière!" to cheers from bellow. It was now clear; the French Republic aimed to solidify its border at the Rhine.
August 1870 - French forces win a string of victories in Alsace-Loraine and Wallonia, forcing the German forces to enter a retreat. The Germans had not anticipated that the French army had modernised to the state that it had, nor were they aware of the leadership capabilities of MacMahon, who they saw as an unpopular leader likely to be impeached. French forces advanced into the Rhineland, ready to advance their claim. German forces regrouped at Cologne under the leadership of Helmuth von Moltke, and as the French approached, prepared for a siege. The Siege of Cologne would result in a stirring French victory, with Moltke only barely escaping with his life when the city fell to French forces.
September 1870 - Moltke regrouped, again, with the remainder of active German forces near Bonn. He resolved to retake Cologne, and re-take the initiative in the war. Moltke himself, though, would fall in the ensuing Battle of Bonn, to a rogue rifle shot. With their commander dead, the German forces surrendered; French forces now set their sights on Berlin.
January 1871 - Berlin, after a lengthy siege, falls to French forces. The German governments are forced to surrender to the French, with the Treaty of Potsdam granting France control over all German land up until the Rhine. The 'MacMahon Peace' then set would shadow Europa for the next thirty years, ushering in an era of French dominance.
1894 - Albania enters it's revolution; the French Foreign Legion is sent to intervene, under the command of Alfred Dreyfus. Dreyfus confounded all exception, using his small force to rout an Ottoman army twice the size, and liberating Tirana within weeks. Dreyfus is lauded as a Hero of Albania, and returns home to media acclaim.
1903 - The current President, elected two terms prior, succumbs to wounds. In a snap presidential election, Alfred Dreyfus wins a stunning victory on a Radical Republican ticket. At the same election, the French people return a National Assembly more aligned to traditional conservative views. The two are bound to clash, and maybe perhaps once and for all, the fate of the Social & Democratic Republic will be decided.

RP Sample: sent you one totally
429 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Region and Number: 71
Nation Name: Polish Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Sudbrazil]

Region and Number: 3
Nation Name: North German Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[The Orson Empire]

North America is interesting. I assume the colonies got their independence from Britain, but the Articles of Confederation couldn't be reformed?

[Vaterlandische Austria]

Region and Number: 48
Nation Name: Andean Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Krugmar]

Region and Number: 71
Nation Name: Polish Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Region and Number: 3
Nation Name: North German Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Region and Number: 48
Nation Name: Andean Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Noted

North America is interesting. I assume the colonies got their independence from Britain, but the Articles of Confederation couldn't be reformed?

Yes, I believe Washington never took up the presidency while the Articles of Confederation were never reformed and gradually (the details left to the people applying) the states broke apart and eventually warred, annexed, confederated etc.

[Sudbrazil]

Region and Number: 3
Nation Name: North German Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Actually, scratch this. I feel like taking Germany would be too great a responsibility. I think I'll play as Sweden.

[Liecthenbourg]

Region and Number: 3
Nation Name: North German Confederation
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Actually, scratch this. I feel like taking Germany would be too great a responsibility. I think I'll play as Sweden.

As you like.

Things that are still considered 'powers' (albeit, lesser) without perhaps the responsibility of the North German Confederation or Austria would be states like: the Italian Republic, Bulgaria, if you're interested in something with a bit a bite.

But, again, as you like.

[The Orson Empire]

Region and Number: 51
Nation Name: Argentine Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

I've decided to give Argentina as a try. I'm still reading up on the RL history of the nation, but it should be fun playing as a major rival of Brazil.

[Liecthenbourg]

Region and Number: 51
Nation Name: Argentine Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

I've decided to give Argentina as a try. I'm still reading up on the RL history of the nation, but it should be fun playing as a major rival of Brazil.

DEATH TO THE IBERIAN UNION.

[The Orson Empire]

Region and Number: 51
Nation Name: Argentine Republic
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

I've decided to give Argentina as a try. I'm still reading up on the RL history of the nation, but it should be fun playing as a major rival of Brazil.

DEATH TO THE IBERIAN UNION.

More like death to Pedros II

I can't wait to start fucking up your empire...

[Kisinger]

Region and Number: The Orient and 69
Nation Name: Republic of Japan
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

[Liecthenbourg]

DEATH TO THE IBERIAN UNION.

More like death to Pedros II

I can't wait to start fucking up your empire...

There's a reason Brazil is the Western Hemisphere's Great Power

Region and Number: The Orient and 69
Nation Name: Republic of Japan
777 - Do not remove. This is for tracking purposes.

Noted, Kisi.