Dimension 398 or How a Few Bacteria Changed the Course of History

*static*

"grss. . .is. . .kytzzs. . .sure?"

*more static*

"Got it! I told you it was three left not right. . . .Ahem, this is agent Centauri. We have successfully entered Dimension 398. We appear to be in an abandoned maintenance tunnel for an underground. Further research is being taken underway. What? . . . Oh, good work. We're picking up radia signals. We will begin studies to determine Point of Divergence. Verification make take some time, as we will finding a relatively unbiased source."

*static*

"Gah!! That's sensitive equipment! Be careful..."

*transmission ends*
 
OOC: Legal information
This TL will be done in LTTW style updates (and frequency in all likely hood ;)). Comments and criticism are welcome, since they will only help to make things better.

I hope that everyone enjoys it.
 

Sachyriel

Banned
...Are the Bacteria talking?:confused: Kay, well, I do want more, but I'm so confused I don't know what is going what is this i don't even...
 
...Are the Bacteria talking?:confused: Kay, well, I do want more, but I'm so confused I don't know what is going what is this i don't even...

No the Bacteria are involved in the POD (though subtly) the people talking are simple explore this new dimension, such as the team in LTTW. It's ok, without any information I suppose it can be confusing, but stay tuned.
 
*Static*

"Agent Centauri here, progress is ahead of schedule. We believe we have found the POD fot this time line (TTL), and we are sending the freshly translated information through. . . Now."

The Life of Louis XVI[1]

VIth edition (1897)





Louis XVI is possibly the most celebrated king in all the history of France, but one must remember that his reign did not begin on a joyous note. His father (Louis XV) had fallen ill in August, near the city of Metz , and his death appeared imminent. Thus the future Louis XVI rushed to his father's side, so that he would at least have some of the family there, even though he disagreed with his father on a many things.

The dying king did not see things the same way and, using what little strength he had left, grabbed his son by the shirt and began to lecture him about how he had endangered the Bourbon family by rushing to the battle front. He never finished the lecture though as he died part way through a word [2]. The young Louis XVI was horrified, and became convinced that he was responsible for his fathers death.

This conviction was what led his introverted behaviour for the next few months. He only orders were to keep fighting the war as the generals saw best, saying he was in no position to tell them better ideas. He was somber at his relatively mundane coronation. Many worried that nothing could make him happy, as he even took little interest in his own marriage arrangements. When he first met his wife however he took notice, as the two had a very good match in personality, despite her being three years his elder. The two became alsoinseparable for the next year, young Louis XVI continuing to allow the generals, such as Maurice de Saxe, to fight the war in their own style. This was quite efficient, especially since the young king had little experience in commanding troops, and allowed the French (and their Prussian allies) to enjoy success throughout the end of the war.

The unfortunate young king soon lost his wife though when she gave birth Louis Philip de France[3] on July 28th 1746, which drove him into yet another period of depression, though he recovered within just over two months with a new determination, similar to that of the revolutionary dictators of Europe during the turn of the century. It is at this point he is believed to have created his master plan for France that he followed for the rest of his reign, though some historians would argue that he had only a vague idea and built upon it as time went on.



[1] Not OTL Louis XVI but his father
[2] This being the POD, which we believe to be caused by some bacteria managing a little better
[3] OTL they had a daughter
 
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"We have found a more up to date bit of information, the transcript is being sent. Do not worry, Louis XVI will not be our only subject of interest"


The Life of LouisXVI
XVIIth edition (1947)



Historically many have believed that Louis XVI simply recovered from his wife's death, this false statement having even been printed in previous editions of this text. However modernmentalytical science[1] has led to the belief that he merely internalised his suffering, and tried to hide it with his grand schemes, perhaps even trying to convince himself that he wasn't suffering. Though some traditionalists still argue that he somehow pulled himself together, this scientific approach allows one to more easily understand the thinking of this remarkable man.

It is clear that he mourned his wife, after all he waited until the end of the War of Austrian Succession before remarrying the Saxon princess Marie-Josèphe of Saxony. Many also believe that he only took part in the marriage for diplomatic reasons as it is widely known that they were not the happiest of couples. Louis XVI was a very diplomatically minded person, at the vary least after the death of his first wife.
One of his greatest achievements was at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, where he managed to get all the French colonies that were captured during the war. He also managed to gain the formerly Austrian Netherlands[2], though ensuring the British that the Belgians would be allowed religious freedom, with only a minor tax increase, in return for the British returning some colonies. Another major part of the treaty was the return of Madras in exchange forLouisbourg, though this move was somewhat unpopular.

Soon after the war young Louis decided that, in order to compete with Great Britain, France needed a far stronger navy. He decided the best way to fund this project was through taxing some of the lower nobles, a controversial concept. However he managed to use his power to push this through.

Louis XVI also made the controversial move of making New France an area of free religion. This prompted thousands of Huguenots to move to New France, some even arriving from the Thirteen Colonies, wishing to return to a French region. It was around this time that he exiled Diderot to New France partially it is by some, believed because he respected the man and did not want to see the church exact revenge upon him[3]. This particular action would be one of his most lasting legacies, it's effects still a major part of American life today.


[1] psychology
[2] something his father failed to do OTL
[3] this statement has not been repeated in any other source we have found, and is thus suspicious
 
Taxing the nobility would have been an enormous challenge. As would making New France an area of religious freedom. What inspired that?
 
Well he needed funds for the naval construction, so he taxed some of the lesser nobility. IN OTL Louis XV taxed all the nobles to solve the economic crisis, so it doesn't seems too hard.
The relgious freedom in New France was to incourage growth, but also to move those that he suspected would be likely to be discontent away from him.
 
"Our research has allowed us to conclude that James Wolfe and Robert Clive both died during the War of Austrian Succession. The following is an update on Ideologies and the New World."
The Originator of Libertism: Rousseau
(1916)

1750 was an important year for Rousseau, as his good friend Diderot had been exiled by the king to New France for his latest work "Letter on the Blind". Diderot had obviously been followed by some of his more devoted supporters, yet Rousseau felt he would need some more support. He also viewed this as a good chance to view his theory of natural society by visiting the native communities to observe how the equality improved in the more natural societies. That is why he chose to voyage to the New World in 1751, after publishing his work "Discourse on the Arts and Sciences".
Unfortunately much of what happened during his early days in the New World has been lost through the propaganda of our northern enemy. Enough still exists to get a vague idea of what occurred though. upon reaching New France he saw that many of the people were happier than back in France, which he felt was the result of the lack of competition for resources. The New World seemed to have limitless supplies, thus their was no need for competition between people. The mixture of laws and abundant resources allowed the colonial societies to reach an almost perfect standard in his eyes. He began writing back to France in early 1752 with stories of the superior way of life available in the colonies and how the laws were somewhat more lax as it was easy to live in the country far from anyone.
It was Rousseau writings that were a major contribution to the immigration boom that hit New France just before the First World War[1] and also aided the continuing immigration after the war. It also caused a slight loosening of laws in New France to encourage further immigration. This was an effect which Louis XVI rejoiced about as he had wanted to get rid of the more revolutionary types, but had been unsure of how until seeing Rousseau's success. By 1755, with the start of the First World War, New France's population had climbed to 96 000.
The Biggest draw back to the war for Rousseau was that he was delayed from visiting the Thirteen Colonies for several years. The events that transpired after the war would however have a significant effect on his political ideology of Libertism that was forming at the time.

[1] OTL Sevens Year War, more or less

 
That's some pretty cool stuff there. Personally, I thought Rousseau was a flake, but he was enormously popular. The idea of him praising the policies of a French king is pretty radical. What'd he say? "Man is born free but everywhere he is in chains"?

I wonder who this "Northern Enemy" is.
 
It's not so much his praising the king, as the king do something he agrees with. I think that the nations of origin for the sources should be added. Thus the list is: update 1&2 are from France, while update 3 is from the Liberal Republic of America.
 
The First British Isolation
(1903 Calcutta)​
Following the War of Austrian Succession the Austrian-British relations became chilled, as the Austrians felt that the British had not supplied enough aid. The resulting poor relations caused the Anglo-Austrian alliance to collapse. The Austrians wished to form an alliance with France in place of Britain, however the French had a strong anti-Austrian stance[1], and also preferred having Prussia as a junior partner in place of Austria which would demand an equal power. The British began to panic and tried to find a continental ally, but faced a serious impediment in that both Austria and France wished to prevent their success.
The French strengthened their grip over Prussia with a lucrative trade deal in the New World, while Denmark and Sweden remained strongly neutral. Austria was able to gain Russia's support in 1757 for an invasion of Silesia, which began the European theatre of the First World War, though it was of minimal consequence to isolated Britain. War had already broken out in the Americas when a small army of British soldiers made a failed attack on a french fortress, with only a small number escaping[2]. The Franco-British part of the conflict had began in 1755, and as Britain had no continental allies the French felt safe in sending significant armies to back up both New France and India, where they enjoyed the benefits of their victory during the Second Carnatic war.
It was clear that fighting alone against France would be difficult, especially with the new fleet that the French had built for what Louis XVI said would be a "War that reaches every corner of the World", which is obviously where the term World War came from. Unfortunately for the French their new armies in India were limited by disease, and they had trouble supplying so many soldiers in the Americas. The French also began to regret their decision to concentrate on the colonies when Austria and Russia attacked their Prussian allies. While they could supply some troops under Maurice de Saxe [3], they were able to supply some funds to aid Prussia.
The war started out badly for the British, then turned out poorly for the French and Prussians. It was the Prussians, though, who managed to by enough time for France to ready more soldiers, by defeating a larger Austrian army under Charles of Lorraine at the Battle of Breslau, where Frederick the Great led 38 000 men against the Austrian army of 78 000. The ingenious victory weakened the enemy morale, while helping the French gain a clear advance deeper in to the Holy Roman Empire. During late 1758 the French managed to surprise the British with an invasion of Minorca, and took control of much of the Mediterranean. The French fleet was badly damaged in the assault though and was forced to dock for repairs.
In the colonies things were not going so well for either side. The French armies under Montcalm, while dangerous and better trained than American militia were none the less outnumbered. This meant that almost every major battle was a French victory, but that the British were able to capture numerous under defended fortresses. Then James Abercrombie made a major mistake that many say lost the war. He decided to assemble the vast bulk of the Colonial Army and Militia for an assault on Quebec city, only barely convincing the other major general. Through his native allies Montcalm learned of this and sent his own Forces to block the British army. The British force of nearly 35 000 was ordered to attack the city by following a route up the riverside hills that was discovered watching a laundry woman. upon reaching the top the British army was met with the unpleasant surprise of Moncalm and his 10 000 disciplined troops on the Field of Abraham. The damage of the battle was exceptional. The French lost only 1 500 men, while the bewildered British lost nearly 7 000, with nearly 4 000 more to wounded to participate in the rest of the war[4]. The retreating army was also plagued by assaults by the Native allies of the French.
Hearing of this devastiting defeat the British sent a large number of reinforcements from Britain to try and revenge the loss. After all what were soldiers in Britain for but being sent to colonies that were in danger, it was not as if anyone would be able to get past the Royal Navy. While in hind sight we know just how British overconfidence swayed the course of many things, at the time it seemed like an entirely reasonable plan.​

[1]as per OTL until Madame de Pompadour
[2]George Washington was one of those not able to escape​
[3]De Saxe did not die of the disease or wound that killed him in OTL
[4]Several sources have contributed this victory more to Moncalm's assistant Francis de Gaston

"We are currently increasing research outside of Europe, India will likely be the focus of our next update."
 
"Our research has allowed us to conclude that James Wolfe and Robert Clive both died during the War of Austrian Succession. The following is an update on Ideologies and the New World."

That, killed by musket fire or artillery, records aren't the best.
 
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