A World on Fire (OOC, 1700s AH, Accepting Apps)

[Nuraca]

Portugal and Galicia

This looks good, though do you have a source for your population? The source I'm using has Portugal as around 2.5 million around 1765, but I don't know hava a source for the Galician lands. Otherwise, accepted!

Spain looks potentially interesting, but I saw it was designated an NPC nation, though it could be nullified with a player app. Would there be any objections to me taking it?

No problem with it! You may want to use whatever information available about NPC Spain as help you don't absolutely need to.

I will be making another IC post within the next day or two for those waiting on me (be sure to TG or Discord me if there's anything that requires my attention and cowriting).

[Union Princes]

Is it possible to be a sovereign state in the Americas?

You'll have to talk to the Brittany or Portugal players since they dominate the colonialism race

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

Is it possible to be a sovereign state in the Americas?

You'll have to talk to the Brittany or Portugal players since they dominate the colonialism race

Not necessarily, there's still plenty of unclaimed land left in the Americas. If Arvenia claims land near either of them it'd be good for them to work out a shared history, but he/she doesn't necessarily need their permission to claim anything that's blank on the map.

[Danubian Peoples]

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

[Khasinkonia]

You'll have to talk to the Brittany or Portugal players since they dominate the colonialism race

Not necessarily, there's still plenty of unclaimed land left in the Americas. If Arvenia claims land near either of them it'd be good for them to work out a shared history, but he/she doesn't necessarily need their permission to claim anything that's blank on the map.

Personally, it might be interesting to have a sovreign Incan state around. It would be crippled, but it would be an interesting dynamic to play. Sort of a new world Ethiopia, in a way.

[Reverend Norv]

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

I'd have no objection to that, speaking only for myself. But good luck drawing that Huguenot Cross.

[Union Princes]

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

Go wild, man.

[Danubian Peoples]

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

Go wild, man.

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

I'd have no objection to that, speaking only for myself. But good luck drawing that Huguenot Cross.

Good to know folks! I'll be on it soon. Although some of your flags are a bit finnicky, so I'll just interactions between nations with easier to draw banners. Sorry!

[Sarderia]

Portugal and Galicia

This looks good, though do you have a source for your population? The source I'm using has Portugal as around 2.5 million around 1765, but I don't know hava a source for the Galician lands. Otherwise, accepted!

Thanks... Actually I looked over in wikipedia, and it said there are about 2 million people in Portugal (1700) but 7 million people in Spain, and I thought maybe about 2 million more is a good representative of Galicia's population (since I can't get any numbers about that)... but if it's way too much then I should probably edit the app.

---

UNITED KINGDOM OF PORTUGAL AND GALICIA
CAPITAL: LISBON | CLAIMS | SARDERIA | POPULATION: 6,550,000 (6,265,000) | RELIGION: CATHOLICISM | APPLICATION
"Portugal, an ancient kingdom and a vast colonial empire that spanned every continent of the world, staunchly clinging to its expansive dominions while maintaining the volatile and unstable realm together. While maintaining a vast wealth due to its trade and colonies, the first constitutional monarchy of Europe must work hard to preserve the unity of its empire. Only time will tell of Portugal's fate."

[Nuraca]

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

Oh yeah that'd sure be fun!

Thanks... Actually I looked over in wikipedia, and it said there are about 2 million people in Portugal (1700) but 7 million people in Spain, and I thought maybe about 2 million more is a good representative of Galicia's population (since I can't get any numbers about that)... but if it's way too much then I should probably edit the app.

No worries, that's why your app was accepted! Just wanted to see if you had some better sources than me


Also, I am writing a series of RP events (in the presentation of a newspaper) featuring stories from around the world (or the player-populated parts of it, rather). Some will be events that definitely affect nations, some may be local or regional events that you can choose to act on or not. There is the potential that not acting on some local events may lead to further events that may be somewhat more consequential (but not nearly the same level as the big ones). This will likely be posted before my next IC post, so look out for it either tonight or tomorrow.

[HypErcApitAl]

Is it possible to be a sovereign state in the Americas?

I'd love to see someone do something w/ the Aztecs, Olmecs, or someone in Mesoamerica. Plus, they out here colonizing so you'd need to act fast.

[Aureumterra]

Is it possible to be a sovereign state in the Americas?

I'd love to see someone do something w/ the Aztecs, Olmecs, or someone in Mesoamerica. Plus, they out here colonizing so you'd need to act fast.

Olmecs? They’ve been gone for thousands of years now

[Danubian Peoples]

I'd love to see someone do something w/ the Aztecs, Olmecs, or someone in Mesoamerica. Plus, they out here colonizing so you'd need to act fast.

Olmecs? They’ve been gone for thousands of years now

Yes, also while the divergence point of 1000 CE gives you plenty of room to change stuff quite a lot (Inca Empire is listed as having lasted from 1438–1533 in Wikipedia for instance), the Olmecs stopped being a thing in the 400s BCE. More recent civilizations, that were there by the time the Europeans came ashore are however open to roleplay such as the Incas (as listed), the Aztecs, and many others. However, your numbers are probably incredibly low since everyone died of smallpox a mere 400 years ago, so keep that in mind.

[Nuraca]

Ulm App

Nice, thank you for being understanding and cooperative. Accepted!

[Danubian Peoples]

Is Nuraca's latest post a reference to this by any chance? More specifically this madlad?

[The Orson Empire]

Application
General
--Nation Name: New Republic of Spain
--Map: European Spain. I also wish to claim all of Peru, Chile, and Argentina in South America (outside of areas already claimed by Portugal).
--Flag:

--Capital: Madrid
Government
--Government Type: Constitutional parliamentary republic
--Government Overview: The government of Spain is based on a parliamentary system, divided between two chambers:
House of Lords: Consisting of nobles appointed for life by the Caudillo. While the nobles once held power under the old monarchy, these positions are now largely ceremonial, with the House of Lords acting as a rubber stamp for policies passed by the Common Assembly.

Common Assembly: Has the power to draft and pass legislation, with the Caudillo bearing the responsibility of enforcing said legislation. Additionally, the Assembly has the power to collect taxes, coin money, maintain a standing army and navy, and form diplomatic relations with other nations.

The Caudillo is elected every 10 years, while representatives of the Assembly are elected every 5 years. The former kingdom has been broken up into several districts, each allowed two representatives in the Assembly. As for the colonies, the Viceroyalty of Peru has been organized into the "Sister Republic" of Peru, and allowed to maintain its own local parliament and two representatives of its own in the Assembly, and guaranteed substantial autonomy to govern itself and raise its own defense forces, so as long as the Sister Republic remains loyal to Madrid.
--Head of Government: Caudillo Ricardo Amparan
--Head of State (if different): Caudillo Ricardo Amparan
Demographics
--Population: 7,500,000 in European Spain
----Colonial Population (if applicable): 2,000,000 in the Sister Republic of Peru
--Demonym: Spanish
--Primary Culture: Spanish culture
--Other Cultures: Catalan, Aragonese
--Religion Overview: There is no state religion, but Roman Catholicism is the dominate religion among the population.
Development Points
--Infrastructure/Economy: 5
--Army (out of 10): 6
--Navy (out of 10): 4
--Military Overview: The dominant branch of the military is the New Spanish Army, so-called because of substantial reforms passed in 1707 when the constitutional monarchy came to power; they were heavily inspired by the structure of the French Army, and the Spanish defeat in the previous war with France. Soldiers were full-time professionals, rather than the part-time militia of the past. A professional officer corps was established to ensure good leadership, with officers required to graduate from a military academy and prohibited from buying their commission. The emphasis on noble birth was gradually discarded, instead based solely on merit. Officers are encouraged to be resourceful and look for new strategies and methods to achieve victory. Each district was responsible for supplying a certain amount of troops to the Army, whether they be volunteers or conscripted, ensuring the Army always has access to a large pool of manpower.

The Spanish Navy largely plays second fiddle to the Army, though attention has been focused on it in recent years in order to compete with the Portuguese Navy. While a large portion of the navy consists of light ships, the dozens of galleons and man-o-war's nevertheless help to form the backbone of the Navy. The Navy also plays a role in combating pirates in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean, as well as guarding the treasure ships transporting large amounts of silver back to Spain proper.
RP Elements
--National Objectives: Successfully invade Portugal and become the dominant power in Iberia, continue colonization of foreign lands, export its republican ideology abroad
--History: Like Portugal, the patchwork of lands that would one day become Spain emerged out of the Kingdom of Asturias, established in 718 AD as a remnant of the old Visigothic Kingdom that had succumbed to Muslim conquest. The last king of a united Asturias, Alfonso III the Great, also held control of the kingdoms of Leon and Galicia, and his reputation was so magnificent that he was referred to as "Emperor of Spain" in later historical sources. After his forced abdication from the throne, all three kingdoms were divided between his three sons: Fruela II of Asturias, Garcia I of Leon, and Ordono II of Galicia. All kingdoms would eventually be reunited by Ordono's grandson, Bermudo II, into the sole surviving Kingdom of Leon. The decisive Battle of Ourique in 1139 saw Portugal be recognized as an independent kingdom separate from Leon. In 1217, Ferdinand the III became the King of Castile, inheriting the kingdom from his mother Benrengaria who surrendered the kingdom to him after the death of his elder brother. He was also the male heir to the Kingdom of Leon, as he was the son of Alfonso IX. The marriage between Benrengaria and Alfonso IX had been annulled by Pope Innocent III in 1204 due to issues surrounding consanguinity, but their children were still recognized as legitimate. When Alfonso IX died in 1230, he attempted to leave the Kingdom of Leon to his two daughters from his first marriage with Teresa or Portugal in his will. Ferdinand III successfully contested this with the aid of his mother, and after lengthy negotiations and a substantial payment of cash and lands to the sisters, Ferdinand III had inherited both Castile and Leon. A major setback occurred when Alfonso II of Portugal, married to Ferdinand III's sister Dulce, marched against the forces of Castile in Galicia. The Castilians were defeated at Benavente; as a result, Ferdinand III failed to inherit the Crown of Galicia, which would permanently remain under Portuguese control. Ferdinand III was forced to give up pursuing his claims in the area, and instead focused on expanding the territory of Castile south into Moorish territory. He was far more successful here, capturing vast swathes of old al-Andalus and taking the old Andalusian capitals of Cordoba and Seville.

His successors, however, had not given up the dream of expanding into Portugal. John I of Castile, married to Beatrice of Portugal, attempted to claim the Portuguese throne in 1383. That year, Ferdinand I of Portugal had died with no male heir; the Treaty of Salvaterra de Magos had previously been signed, arranging the marriage between Beatrice and John I of Castile, and both kingdoms would be united under the heirs of John I. This was, of course, totally unacceptable to the Portuguese; a faction of Portuguese noblemen and commoners under the noble House of Aviz successfully stopped the Castilian ambitions at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. Just when Castile seemed on the verge of success, victory had once again been lost, and Portugal remained independent. In 1400, John I was assassinated by his upstart 21-year old son, who would become Henry III of Castile. His brother, Ferdinand, died in a hunting accident, preventing a possible succession dispute. In 1404, Henry III began planning a major campaign against the Emirate of Granada to the south, as the Reconquista entered its final stages. This war would last for 7 years, and see the Moors cede large amounts of land in the Cora de Elvira and Cora de Bayyana regions. In 1415, after the death of the King of Aragon, representatives of the constituent lands of the Crown of Aragon (including Aragon, Valencia, and Catalonia) met to determine the new heir to the throne, as the king had died without a legitimate heir. This ultimately saw Henry III, a nephew of the king, be elected as the new King of Aragon, and the crowns of Castile, Leon, Aragon, and Valencia would be merged into one, forming the beginning of a united Spain.

The House of Trastamara seemed to be well on its way to dominance in the Iberian peninsula, though it would not go unopposed. Henry III died in 1451, after 51 years on the throne, though he spent much of the latter years of his reign focusing on domestic affairs, organizing the internal structure of the unified Spain and putting down revolts in the Crown of Aragon, caused by disgruntled nobles that did like their affairs being controlled by Madrid. After his death, it was clear the peace and prosperity of his reign would not last. Henry III died with three living sons- John, Henry, and Peter. Henry III had taken great pains to ensure Spain would not be divided on his death, designating John as his sole heir, and made attempts at reconciliation between his sons. His efforts ultimately failed, and all three brothers soon began plotting against each other. Both Henry and Peter manage to gain support among various noble families and raise armies, determined to press their claims on Leon and Aragon respectively. Thus, this period became known as the "Great Anarchy", in which all of Spain descended into brutal civil war and chaos for 20 years. Meanwhile, the Moors in the south took advantage of the situation to regain some lost lands, while Portugal to the west was thriving, as they began overseas exploration and colonization. By 1467, after years of stalemate and constantly changing battlelines, Henry had died of disease while on campaign; his supporters defected to Peter, who now controlled the Crowns of Aragon and Castile. John managed to hold out for another 4 years, refusing to surrender and even scoring several victories against his brother, forcing Peter to agree to several different ceasefires over the years. John was decisively defeated outside the walls of Madrid in 1471 and went down fighting; following a siege of the city, the walls were breached and Peter's forces began a brutal massacre of its inhabitants, resulting in thousands of deaths. The war was finally over, and Peter was crowned Peter I of Spain.

Peter I's reign saw a long period of rebuilding, while several smaller wars were conducted against the Emirate of Granada to reclaim further territory from the Moors. Nevertheless, the Spanish countryside had been devastated during the Anarchy, not allowing the monarch to focus on all of his ambitions. Spain soldiered on however, and gradually made a recovery. Peter I's descendants would see the Moors finally subjugated by 1501, and the completion of the Reconquista. In 1524, in a new effort to finally catch up with the Portuguese in the New World, an expedition was funded to colonize lands in South America in the name of the Spanish King and claim any possible wealth. This saw the Spanish make contact with the native Inca Empire, a vast realm that stretched across the western coast of South America and held an estimated 16 million people. Through a long and arduous effort that would last into the early 17th century, the Spanish conquered the Inca, and the native population was heavily devastated by Eurasian diseases that they had no immunity to, with as much as 90% of the population perishing in some areas. The Inca empire was reorganized into the Viceroyalty of Peru, encompassing a vast amount of land in South America that would rival the Breiz colony of Pernamboug in the east; much of Argentina was also claimed by Spain and incorporated into the Viceroyalty. Settlement of the new colonies was encourage in Spain, and missionaries were sent in to convert the population to Catholicism. Silver mines were also discovered in the colonies, which would work to greatly enrich the Spanish in the coming years.

Storm clouds, however, were gathering in Europe. The Renaissance had a major impact on the continent, but of even greater impact was the Reformation. Spain under the Trastamaras was staunchly Catholic, and considered those supporting the Reformation as outright heretics. This strict foreign policy was complicated by the arrival of the Reformation in France, among the most powerful nations in Europe. Jean Calvin established the Reformed Church, and began rapidly attracting converts and followers in France, much to the alarm of the Spanish. In 1564, the League of Metz had been formed to restore the French states to religious union with Rome, thus beginning the Forty Years' War. Spain intervened on the side of the League of Metz in an attempt to stamp out the Reformation once and for all and gain territories of its own, in an era of unparalleled bloodshed and chaos. The conflict finally ended in 1601 when the Holy Roman Emperor recognized French independence in exchange for the territory of Alsace. Having gained nothing from the fighting, Spain quickly emerged as a Catholic rival to France. The Spanish fought two wars with the French in the late 1600's, ultimately resulting in a French Victory and the loss of Roussillon and much of the Basque Country. Spain was humiliated yet again, and this would not be lost on the Spanish population.

Despite the Spanish monarchy's attempts to suppress any and all dissent, democratic and Enlightenment ideals successfully spread south from France and into Spain. The people were growing more and more tired of the poor leadership of the Trastamaras. The royalty were more focused on political intrigue, infighting, and living lavishly on the wealth from the New World, all while Spain saw poor success on the diplomatic and military front and the welfare of the commoners suffered. Other nations such as Portugal and Brittany were dominating the colonial race, all while Spain began to lag behind. The people of Spain looked to the successes of the French Commonwealth, despite their heresy, and despite being outright opposed by the Holy Roman Empire, and began to wonder...what if the same could be achieved at home? In 1706, King Peter IV of Spain was facing a potential massive revolt. An outbreak of plague had already led to tens of thousands of deaths across the country, exacerbating the already intense socio-political climate. Soon, the peasants were rising, ostensibly for lower taxes; the revolts were quickly co-opted by Enlightenment thinkers throughout the merchant class (and even some nobles) that desired to see the power of the monarchy restrained. Now, the rebels were making major demands; a formal end to feudalism in Spain, a new constitution guaranteeing a bill of rights, a parliament modeled off that of Portugal's, etc. As his own soldiers were showing sympathies for the rebels, Peter IV was forced to agree to all demands. No longer would the king ever rule with absolute power; instead, most of the power was concentrated in the new chambers of Parliament: the House of Lords, and the Common Assembly. The House of Lords consisted of delegates from noble families across Spain, appointed to the position for life, and with the supposed goal of checking the power of the lesser house. Nevertheless, the real power would eventually remain with the Common Assembly, consisting of delegates from districts across the country; they were voted for every 5 years by all eligible male citizens. The Constitution of 1707 established and fully outlined this new system, with the King responsible for executing the law, Parliament acting as the legislative branch, and a new judicial system responsible for interpreting the law; additionally, it included a Bill of Rights, outlining the right of free speech, the right to vote, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to due process, etc.

Peter IV died in 1720, and the throne passed to old Peter V. He died in 1746 with no male heirs, with his 12-year old daughter Isabella being crowned Queen of Spain. Her mother, Dowager Queen Theresa, acted as regent. With the support of the House of Lords, Theresa worked to undo the many reforms that had been passed in 1706, installing power back into her daughter whom she could then manipulate and control for her own interests. This provoked outrage among many supporters of the constitutional monarchy, who now felt like they did not go far enough in 1706. Talk quickly began of a complete end to the monarchy, and the establishment of a full republic. The Common Assembly met in secret and ultimately announced their intentions to depose Isabella from power. A civil war was brewing, and supporters of both sides rapidly began marshaling their forces for battle. A general in the army known as Alberto Mancha (and once a staunch supporter of the constitutional system) defected, followed by tens of thousands of other soldiers. They won a decisive victory against the royalist forces at the Battle of Barcelona in 1748, resulting in the royalist cause largely fizzing out. Mancha's army stormed the city of Madrid later that year; Isabella, Theresa, and the rest of the royal family in the city were arrested and placed in chains. The so-called "New Republic" was proclaimed. The Common Assembly voted overwhelmingly to execute the royals, as well as any nobles that still supported the royalist cause. Isabella and Theresa were both executed by firing squad, and the Assembly's ruling would begin an 8 year period known as "the Terror", in which an estimated 40,000 people accused of siding with the monarchy were executed by the republican forces. Mancha himself was executed in the confusion and chaos, accused of attempted treason against the Assembly. Even clergy were not immune to the violence, despite the republicans claiming to be loyal Catholics, and a number of their lands were seized by the government.

In 1756, General Ricardo Amparan was elected the leader of the Common Assembly. He managed to stabilize the situation, as a number of radicals in the government were executed or assassinated by his loyal soldiers, and the Terror came to an end. Amparan re-established the House of Lords with some minor powers and appointed surviving nobles to the House, but it was mostly ceremonial compared to the Common Assembly. He gave himself the title of Caudillo, a new type of strongman wielding military and political power that was emerging. Per the terms of the newest Constitution of 1756, the Caudillo is the head of parliament and allowed to rule for a period of 10 years before having to face re-election. Amparan is largely focused on preparing for a future invasion of Portugal, serving as a means of uniting the various factions within the government against a single enemy, and dealing with the old Spanish rival once and for all.

RP Sample: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=340421&hilit=rp+sample+a+cold+galaxy

Tracking Number: 276

[Sao Nova Europa]

Updated map to include all Portuguese colonies:

https://i.imgur.com/HIfQkKL.png

[Nuraca]

Spain app

Accepted!

[HypErcApitAl]

Spain app

Accepted!

Well, that was fast.

[Pasong Tirad]

Application

General

Nation Name: Irish Confederation, Cónaidhm na hÉireann
Map:

Capital: Dublin
Flag: See right

Government

Government Type: Confederal parliamentary confessional co-monarchy

Government Overview: The Instrument of Government (Ionstraim Rialtais) of the Irish Confederation, the constitution of the country, laid out how the parliamentary monarchical government of Ireland were to function.

Executive

The Head of State of Ireland is the High King. Currently, there is no High King of Ireland, as the four kingdoms have disagreed on who to crown since the death of Queen Anne in 1714. Without a High King, the title of head of state of the Irish Confederation falls to the four kings of Ireland:

• James, Catholic King of Leinster,
• John, Presbyterian King of Ulster,
• James III, Anglican King of Munster
• Henry, Catholic King of Connacht

The four kings have several royal prerogatives or executive powers that they can exercise (with advice from their councils and respective parliaments), suc has the power to grant, delay or withhold assent for laws passed in their respective assemblies, the power to veto laws passed in the General Assembly if three of the four kings are in agreement, the power to ennoble and grant honors to distinguished persons and the power to pardon convicted persons.

The order of succession is governed by agnatic-cognatic primogeniture, meaning that women can succeed to the throne only if there are no male direct descendants (direct descendants understood as brothers, sons and grandsons of the king). The Instrument of Government also states that only Catholics can inherit the thrones of Leinster and Connacht, only Presbyterians can inherit the throne of Ulster and only Anglicans can inherit the throne of Munster.

The kings' executive powers are exercised by their King's Councils. The King's Council is a group of men, modeled after the English Great Officers of State, who exercise executive power on their behalf and who advise the king on government matters, such as on who to appoint as chief minister of the kingdom (not the Confederation) and when to dissolve the assembly.

Each of the four King's Councils comprises of nine men holding different positions. These are:

• Lord Steward, presiding officer of the King's Council, bears the sole legal power to preside over impeachment trials of barons, lords and other nobles
• Lord Chancellor, master of judicial matters in the King's Council, such as the appointment of judges and the independent functioning of the courts, and presiding officer of the House of Lords
• Lord Treasurer, master of the King's Treasury
• Lord Representative of the Commons, the leader (not the chief minister) of the Assembly of the Commons
• Lord Baron, the chief baron of the Baronial Assembly
• Lord Chamberlain, master of the king's household
• Lord Constable, master of the horse and the king's stables and commander of the king's personal guard
• Lord Marshal, master and commander of the king's army and the county levies
• Lord Spiritual, master of spiritual affairs - can either be a Lord Cardinal for Connacht and Leinster, a Lord Archbishop for Munster, or a Lord Minister for Ulster

When all four king's councils meet, this is known as the Supreme Council of the Irish Confederation. The Supreme Council includes eight additional men from the High King's Council (currently vacant - meaning that there is no High King's Council), who all have similar roles to the lords in the king's councils, save the Lord Spiritual, as the High King of Ireland is (presumably) advised on spiritual matters by the Church of England. The Supreme Council also includes all four chief ministers of the four King's Assemblies.

Legislative

There are three different kinds of legislature in Ireland: the County Assembly, the King's Assembly and the General Assembly of the Confederation

The County Assembly is a unicameral assembly that exercises both executive and legislative power over each of Ireland's 32 counties. Its size is determined by each kingdom according to their own desires. Its members are known as deputies and its leader is known as the County Minister. The speaker and presiding officer of the County Assembly is the Cathaoirleach.

The King's Assembly is the bicameral assembly of the four kingdoms of Ireland. It exercises legislative power and it also technically holds executive power. It is made up of a lower house, the Assembly of the Commons and the Baronial Assembly. The Commons is a directly elected body, whilst the Baronial Assembly is made up of representatives elected by the baronies of each kingdom (usually the Baron, but it can be someone else). The leaders of both assemblies are the Chief Minister and the Chief Baron.

The General Assembly of the Confederation is the bicameral parliament of the whole Irish Confederation. It exercises legislative power over the four kingdoms and executive power in behalf of the High King. It is made up of a lower house, the General Assembly and the House of Lords. The General Assembly is made up of two ministers from each of the 32 counties, one ministers from each of the 274 baronies, two ministers from Dublin University. No member of the General Assembly can also be a member of the House of Lords, the King's Assembly or the County Assembly. The General Assembly is the more powerful of the two houses.

Head of Government: Prime Minister Charles Lucas, member of the Assembly of the Commons for Dublin City. Technically, the Leader of the House of Lords, known as the First Lord, Thomas Nugent, Earl of Westmeant is also the head of government. However, because the Prime Minister holds more power in the General Assembly, he de facto outranks the First Lord.

Lord Chancellor John Bowes, 1st Baron Bowes acts as Speaker of the House of Lords and the supreme judicial authority in the Confederation.

Head of State (if different): The High King and the four kings of Ireland act as the collective head of state of the Irish Confederation. However, there hasn't been a High King since the death of Queen Anne in 1714.

The English insist that the Hanoverians are the legitimate High Kings of Ireland. Only one kingdom - Munster - recognizes the legitimacy of the Hanoverian High Kingship. Leinster and Connacht, for their part, believe that James Stuart, the "Old Pretender" and Catholic head of the House of Stuart, should be crowned High King. Ulster, on the other hand, believes that another Stuart should be High King, but that that Stuart cannot be a Catholic.

Demographics

Population: 4 million (Source 1, Source 2)
Demonym: Irish
Primary Culture: Munster, Leinster and Connacht are majority Gaelic Irish. Ulster also has a significant Gaelic Irish population.
Other Cultures: Munster is ruled by an Anglo-Irish ruling class, which make up around 15 percent of the population of Munster. Ulster, on the other hand, has a slim Ulster Scots majority population, followed by the Gaelic Irish, which make up around 45 percent of the population. Both Ulster and Leinster have a small Anglo-Irish population, making up between five to 10 percent of the population of both kingdoms.
Religion Overview: The vast majority of Ireland has been able to retain its Catholic roots. However, since the 16th century, Protestants in the form of English Anglicans and Scottish Presbyterians have been emigrating to Ireland, changing the religious landscape of Munster, Ulster and parts of Leinster.

Currently, around 80 percent of the population (approximately 3.2 million) is Roman Catholic, half of the population of Ulster is Presbyterian and small pockets of Scots are in Munster and Leinster (450,000 - 550,000) and significant Anglican populations are in Munster, Leinster and Ulster (250,000 - 350,000).

Development Points (Total = 15)

Infrastructure/Economy: 5 If any country could be considered a backwater in Western Europe, it would be the Irish Confederation. A large chunk of the populace still live rural and agricultural lives. Much of the development, if it could be called that, is centered around Dublin, where there is a growing Gaelic Irish and Anglo-Irish urban bourgeois class that is investing in the building of workshops, factories and merchant fleets that produce and export goods. The cities of Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway are also building up a small arms manufacturing industry for their own "private" armies. Fortunately, all four kingdoms have good road networks where men, animals and materiel can travel easily.

Army: 5

Navy: 1

Military Overview:

Standard uniform of Irish line infantry

There is no properly unified Irish Confederate Army. Instead, Ireland has four separate armies of around similar sizes for Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht that are loyal not so much to the Confederation as they are to their respective kingdoms. There used to be a Confederate Guard, which acted as the High King's royal guard that was stationed in Dublin, but they were disbanded soon after the death of Queen Anne when the four kingdoms couldn't agree to a new High King.

There are four royal guard units in the Confederation, one for each kingdom, which represent the only professional standing army in the island. These units are of regiment size, with around 800 to 1,000 men each. They are made up of a small battery of artillery; a squadron of light horse to be used mostly for relaying messages, reconnaissance and screening; one company of light infantry; one or two companies of pike and sword-armed men (fewer if the shortage of firearms is less pronounced); and the rest are made up of companies of regular musket-armed line infantry.

These units are dressed and equipped similarly to English units - albeit with significant alterations to uniform, such as the significant addition of green facings to the distinctive red coats of the English Army.

For their armaments, the Irish regiments are equipped similarly to English army units. Long Land Pattern muskets, socket bayonets and the occasional blunderbuss for line infantry, swords and pistols for officers, cavalry carbines and sabres for cavalry, smoothbore cannon and mortars for artillery and pikes, swords, bucklers and an assortment of melee weaponry for the other unit.

Other than these regular army units, each kingdom is capable of recruiting levies from each county and barony. According to the last census of 1750, a united Irish Confederate Army can reach a minimum size of around 40,000 men and a peak size of probably 100,000 men.

However, the quality of these levies will be seriously lacking. There simply aren't enough arms and ammunition to be able to effectively provide for all 40,000 to 100,000 men. Many of these levies, if they ever have to be called up to service, will most likely be armed with farm implements, swords and bucklers for shields or farm implements like scythes, hammers and axes. These levies would also sew on green bands to their hats or to the arms of their coats, a tradition dating back to the First Confederates who, lacking proper uniforms, tore up strips of green cloth and tied it around their clothing to distinguish allies from enemies on the field.

The Confederation has had to call upon levies several times, when peasant rebellions, ethnoreligious revolts and other kinds of widescale conflicts would erupt. A royal guard regiment would be sent in and would be supplemented with haphazardly-armed levies.

When it comes to the Irish Confederation's navy, technically it has none. According to the Instrument of Government, it is England's duty to see to the defense of Ireland's seas. However, the Confederation does have a tiny number of small frigates and brigs. They also have a sizeable number of gunboats. These gunboats usually carry only a single smoothbore cannon and several swivel guns. Ireland has a small number of more modern gunboats that can have up to three small cannon. These vessels are great for maneuvering the shallow waters around the Irish coasts and patrolling rivers. They are mainly used for escorting merchant vessels and chasing smugglers.

RP Elements

National Objectives: There is a growing feeling among the Irish that they are living in an age of radical change. They have spent the last 50 years without a High King, making many question why they can't just choose an Irish High King for themselves – or to devolve into four independent kingdoms ruled by their current kings. Each of the four kingdoms want to merely keep their kingdoms intact and retain the status quo. There are factions looking to create a newer Irish kingdom - a modern, industrial and possibly even colonial Ireland. Other factions are looking to cultivate closer political relations with the rest of England and Scotland. The rest simply want Ireland to be left to its own devices. The Rebel Isle is about to explode.

History:

In the 16th century, the Kings of England began turning vast swathes of the Irish countryside into plantations for English lords. This brought with it extensive settlement, originally from English and Welsh families, and then to Scottish ones. The resentment over the massive displacement of many Catholic and Gaelic Irish families for non-Irish ones boiled into a massive conflict, known as the Irish Revolt of 1641, which led to the creation of the Irish Catholic Confederation.

They were initially successful, able to take back much of the Irish countryside. However, they ran into difficulties when the First Confederates attempted to take the urban centers of Dublin and Belfast. This failure led to a stalemate where, for several years, much of Ireland was taken back by Irish Catholics, but the important urban centers of the country - Dublin and Belfast, but also Cork and Galway - were still held by the English. This stalemate allowed Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army time to come over and try a reconquest of Ireland.

While Cromwell also achieved a lot of success, the First Confederates, under the command of Felim O'Neill and Rory O'Moore, were able to reorganize and fight back - however, they weren't as successful this time around. This led to a second stalemate, which ended when diplomats and politicians from both sides spent a year negotiating a settlement that could have been agreeable to both sides.

The negotiations led to the Treaty of Roscommon in 1651. After 10 years of war, Ireland finally knew peace. Under the terms of the treaty, Cromwell and his now embarrassed New Model Army would depart Ireland forever, and Cromwell would be crowned Lord Protector of Ireland. Under the Lord Protector, four kings would be crowned to govern Ireland in his name, one for each of the four traditional provinces of Ireland: the Catholic House of FitzGerald would rule Leinster, the Presbyterian House of O'Neill would rule Ulster, the Anglican House of Cotter would rule Munster and the Catholic House of de Burgh would rule Connacht. Surprisingly, the House of Cotter agreed to convert to Anglicanism, while the House of de Burgh converted to Catholicism.

When the Commonwealth is overthrown and the House of Stuart is put back on the thrones of England and Scotland, revolts rose up again in Ireland. However, these revolts were quickly quelled when Charles II showed interest in negotiating. Several concessions were taken from Charles, such as full emancipation for Catholics in Ulster and Munster - on the condition that only Anglicans and Presbyterians could hold several political offices - and more local control on taxes. Afterwards, the Treaty of Dublin was signed in 1661, which crowned Charles as High King and further cemented the confederal parliamentary co-monarchical system in Ireland.

The idea of four kings, rather than one, didn't sit well with many Irishmen. Revolts broke out for the first several decades of the Second Confederation, as it is sometimes called, mostly of an economic and ethnoreligious nature - Catholic Gaelic Irish angry at how the Treaty of Dublin didn't grant many the ability to return to their ancestral lands. Several of the larger Irish clans also rose up to try and take back their place and reestablish the Gaelic aristocracy that ruled much of southern, western and northern Ireland before the Plantations. Known as the Revolt of the Clans or simply the Great Revolt, this was the largest revolt to take place during the Confederation and it lasted several years.

After the defeat of the Gaelic Irish, the supremacy of the baronial system was confirmed. Several smaller revolts and uprisings would occur, however none as large as the Revolt of the Clans. Once James II of England came to the High Kingship, peace had, finally come to Ireland - that is, until the outbreak of the Williamite War in 1689, when supporters of the House of Stuart - known as Jacobites - were defeated by supporters of Prince Wiliam. The fighting was long and brutal, and it took the lives of over 20,000 Irishmen who fought on both sides of the conflict.

Fortunately, the terms of the surrender, known as the Treaty of Limerick, were mild, thanks to the intervention of a sympathetic Mary II. Under the terms of the treaty, the Irish Confederation was maintained and Mary II of England would be crowned High Queen of Ireland. William would be King of England and Scotland, but would not be crowned High King of Ireland.

Things went relatively smoothly after the Williamite War. When High Queen Mary died, William continued to reign in England for another eight years. However this was also the First Regency, as both the Irish Parliament and three of the four kings of Ireland - save the king of Munster - denied the High Kingship to William, opting instead to wait until his daughter, Anne, was crowned Queen of England, which happened in 1702 upon his death.

For twelve years, Anne ruled as Queen of Great Britain and High Queen of Ireland and her reign was relatively peaceful. Irish forces would be called upon to fight in a war, but this war never reached the Irish shore. However, things took a turn for the worse when Queen Anne died, and the four kingdoms of Ireland interpreted the Treaty of Limerick differently.

According to the kingdoms of Ulster, Leinster and Connacht, only a Stuart may be crowned High King of Ireland. According to the kingdom of Munster, whoever is the King of England can also be crowned High King. Furthermore, the kingdom of Ulster insists that whichever Stuart takes the throne must be a Protestant.

Thus began the Second Regency, which has been going on up to the present day. The four kingdoms have been able to function thanks to the governance of the Irish Parliament in Dublin, known as the General Assembly of the Confederation.

Ireland is considered medieval when compared to the rest of Europe. It hasn't been in a proper conflict since 1714, thus the country's military has been pretty much stagnant save for some reforms that saw the introduction of newer firearms and ships. The country's economy is stagnant, as England has elected to simply ignore Ireland until they can resolve the issue of the High King.

This question of who will be the High King remains. Each year, the four kings and their respective councils meet at the borders of County Roscommon in Connacht and County Westmeath in Leinster in a meeting that, every year, fails to produce a new High King, as the Instrument of Government lays out that the General Assembly and all four kings must arrive at a consensus on who to crown as the new High King.

RP Sample: From 1906: Alternative Divergence

Tracking Number: 276

[Nuraca]

Irish App

Great detail, accepted!

[Pasong Tirad]

Irish App

Great detail, accepted!

Wonderful! Expect a post up by the end of the week.

Do I work on my write up or do you do that?

[Danubian Peoples]

Hey is it ok if I start drawing Polandball comics relating to this thread? I do that stuff here by the way. I particularly want to draw France and Russia enjoying theological debate over whether God created the coffee cup or the coffee bean, thanks to Union Princes's latest post, which really made me laugh. I'm just asking permission to err on the side of caution is all.

And it is done! Click on the image to take you to where I'll post the rest of this stuff. This here is a drawing of all of our player republics so far, as well as some of the stuff they've gotten up to. I won't be posting thr rest here since PB comics might be off-topic.

[HypErcApitAl]

Still thinking about what my second post'll be about. I kinda went all-in on the suitor thing.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Hey, I noticed we are lacking a Papacy in here, who is pretty vital in European politics. OP, would you mind me whipping up a papal history and writing some of their stuff, until another player comes around? I actually want to pour quite some research into this.