Portuguese America and Southern Africa the Redux
- Thread starter Viriato
- Start date
THE DECLINE OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE
Throughout the 18th century, new competitors from Europe began to trade in the Indian Ocean, with the Dutch from Antwerp being the latest to establish an East India Company to trade with the Orient in 1764. By the close of the century the German East India Company had been able to cut out the Spanish middlemen from much of the lucrative trade in spices, tea, porcelains and textiles to Germany. This coupled with French cultivation of spices and other tropical crops in Madagascar and the Mascarenes would cause the value of sugar, vanilla, coffee, cloves and cotton to decline during the late 18th century. As a result of its decreasing dependence on Lisbon, the Estado da Índia morphed into an almost autonomous state within the empire. Though the Viceroys were still appointed by Lisbon, they were often forced to bow to the pressures of important military commanders, particularly in the Bengal, who ran their military districts as personal fiefdoms. Goa increasingly sought to control trade within the Indian Ocean and obtain revenues from exporting goods such as opium and calicoes to the East Indies and Africa. To further increase revenue, Goa also placed more efforts on territorial conquest, hoping to extract wealth by annexing or at least controlling vassals on the Indian subcontinent. However, these actions would lead to series of ongoing wars in India, not only with local rulers, but also with other European powers, and would leave little revenue from the Indies to flow into Lisbon's coffers.
In America, the over-reliance on the use of African slaves in agriculture and mining led to a series of violent slave revolts, particularly in the West Indies where African slaves outnumbered Europeans, sometimes at a ratio of 20:1. These revolts, were brutally suppressed, often at a great economic cost. Despite the revolts, the numbers of slaves being imported continued to increase, with numbers reaching 200,000 per annum during the 1780s. However, it was not only the Africans whom were revolting, but increasingly marginalised Indians, particularly in the mines of Peru, with long-lasting revolts in the highlands, leading to the another costly war against the indigenous peoples. In other areas, particularly as settlement expanded across North America with Europeans moving westward, Indians were being expelled from lands and rounded up into slavery. The reliance of America's economy on slaves was so evident that a Lisbon writer from the period wrote in 1786 that "In America, a white man would rather live in poverty than work".
In West Africa, the Spanish increasingly built new trading factories, stretching from Arguim to Biafra in an attempt to satisfy America's appetite for slave labour, as the human commerce was one of the most profitable enterprises in the Empire. There Spanish traders acquired large numbers of Africans from local rulers in return for other goods, particularly cotton cloth from India along with tobacco and rum. Nova Lusitania, which was also hungry for slave labour, primarily as the decline in gold output coupled with an expanding European population led settlers in search of new lands further north. Agriculture regained importance, and the focus on the cultivation of sugar, cotton, cacao, maize and tobacco, created a need to import larger numbers of slaves from the north to now depopulated areas. This also would lead to ongoing violence, particularly north of the Rovuma in East Africa, where refugees from the south would create considerable resistance for the Spanish settlers.
At home, the attempts to modernise the Spanish economy were inadequate, with most Spain along with the holdings in Italy stagnating in relation to Northern Europe. As peasants found themselves with little economic prospects, the only option seemed to be emigration to the empire. Meanwhile, others began joining the army or navy, often being sent to fight against the revolting Moors in North Africa. Though Egypt had become the recently acquired jewel in the empire, but much of the Muslim population had fled southwards, establishing a hostile state in Nubia, driving many of the Christians from that region to Ethiopia. As a result a large army of occupation had to be permanently stationed to protect Egypt, along with Berberia which itself was subject to raids from the Sahara, led by the Moroccans.
The elite of the empire, embodied a lifestyle which intellectuals saw as the ultimate symbol of Spain's decadence. Living in opulent palaces, and estates, the upper nobility benefited the most from the riches of the overseas empire. Many nobles began undertaking grand tours of Italy and increasingly of Egypt as well, giving rise to an early version of luxury tourism. They marveled at Roman ruins and the Pyramids of the Nile, meanwhile oblivious to the problems of the empire. Unwilling to pay taxes, they allowed the burden to fall upon the poor. To alleviate their poverty, the poor in Spain, and in the colonies soon enlisted in increasing numbers in the armed forces, however having such a massive standing army became a bureaucratic nightmare and increasingly difficult to finance. Attempts at reform too only increased the number of state monopolies and as a result, the state bureaucracy.
Throughout the 18th century, new competitors from Europe began to trade in the Indian Ocean, with the Dutch from Antwerp being the latest to establish an East India Company to trade with the Orient in 1764. By the close of the century the German East India Company had been able to cut out the Spanish middlemen from much of the lucrative trade in spices, tea, porcelains and textiles to Germany. This coupled with French cultivation of spices and other tropical crops in Madagascar and the Mascarenes would cause the value of sugar, vanilla, coffee, cloves and cotton to decline during the late 18th century. As a result of its decreasing dependence on Lisbon, the Estado da Índia morphed into an almost autonomous state within the empire. Though the Viceroys were still appointed by Lisbon, they were often forced to bow to the pressures of important military commanders, particularly in the Bengal, who ran their military districts as personal fiefdoms. Goa increasingly sought to control trade within the Indian Ocean and obtain revenues from exporting goods such as opium and calicoes to the East Indies and Africa. To further increase revenue, Goa also placed more efforts on territorial conquest, hoping to extract wealth by annexing or at least controlling vassals on the Indian subcontinent. However, these actions would lead to series of ongoing wars in India, not only with local rulers, but also with other European powers, and would leave little revenue from the Indies to flow into Lisbon's coffers.
In America, the over-reliance on the use of African slaves in agriculture and mining led to a series of violent slave revolts, particularly in the West Indies where African slaves outnumbered Europeans, sometimes at a ratio of 20:1. These revolts, were brutally suppressed, often at a great economic cost. Despite the revolts, the numbers of slaves being imported continued to increase, with numbers reaching 200,000 per annum during the 1780s. However, it was not only the Africans whom were revolting, but increasingly marginalised Indians, particularly in the mines of Peru, with long-lasting revolts in the highlands, leading to the another costly war against the indigenous peoples. In other areas, particularly as settlement expanded across North America with Europeans moving westward, Indians were being expelled from lands and rounded up into slavery. The reliance of America's economy on slaves was so evident that a Lisbon writer from the period wrote in 1786 that "In America, a white man would rather live in poverty than work".
In West Africa, the Spanish increasingly built new trading factories, stretching from Arguim to Biafra in an attempt to satisfy America's appetite for slave labour, as the human commerce was one of the most profitable enterprises in the Empire. There Spanish traders acquired large numbers of Africans from local rulers in return for other goods, particularly cotton cloth from India along with tobacco and rum. Nova Lusitania, which was also hungry for slave labour, primarily as the decline in gold output coupled with an expanding European population led settlers in search of new lands further north. Agriculture regained importance, and the focus on the cultivation of sugar, cotton, cacao, maize and tobacco, created a need to import larger numbers of slaves from the north to now depopulated areas. This also would lead to ongoing violence, particularly north of the Rovuma in East Africa, where refugees from the south would create considerable resistance for the Spanish settlers.
At home, the attempts to modernise the Spanish economy were inadequate, with most Spain along with the holdings in Italy stagnating in relation to Northern Europe. As peasants found themselves with little economic prospects, the only option seemed to be emigration to the empire. Meanwhile, others began joining the army or navy, often being sent to fight against the revolting Moors in North Africa. Though Egypt had become the recently acquired jewel in the empire, but much of the Muslim population had fled southwards, establishing a hostile state in Nubia, driving many of the Christians from that region to Ethiopia. As a result a large army of occupation had to be permanently stationed to protect Egypt, along with Berberia which itself was subject to raids from the Sahara, led by the Moroccans.
The elite of the empire, embodied a lifestyle which intellectuals saw as the ultimate symbol of Spain's decadence. Living in opulent palaces, and estates, the upper nobility benefited the most from the riches of the overseas empire. Many nobles began undertaking grand tours of Italy and increasingly of Egypt as well, giving rise to an early version of luxury tourism. They marveled at Roman ruins and the Pyramids of the Nile, meanwhile oblivious to the problems of the empire. Unwilling to pay taxes, they allowed the burden to fall upon the poor. To alleviate their poverty, the poor in Spain, and in the colonies soon enlisted in increasing numbers in the armed forces, however having such a massive standing army became a bureaucratic nightmare and increasingly difficult to finance. Attempts at reform too only increased the number of state monopolies and as a result, the state bureaucracy.
bookmark95
Banned
Nice update Viritao.
Is chattel slavery going to last longer than OTL? Is there going to be a political revolution in Spanish America?
Is chattel slavery going to last longer than OTL? Is there going to be a political revolution in Spanish America?
Gold Rush in California
During the first half of the 18th century, the Spanish presence in Pacific Coast of North America consisted of nothing more than a few forts, with scattered Dominican missions to convert the Indians. West of the of the Grande Deserto (Great Plains), European settlements remained sparse and the territory remained the final frontier as it was dominated by nomadic Indian tribes. This had begun to change as settlement began increasing northward along the Pacific Coast. Basques in particular began to establish large ranches in the territory, and by 1790, perhaps some 30,000 Basques lived West of the Rio Grande (Mississippi River). Additionally, settlement from the heartlands of Nova Hespanha began to increase, albeit in very small numbers, with many being degredados.
Fearing Russian expansion in America, the Spanish Crown had begun sending settlers from the Azores, so as to establish a permanent presence along the Pacific Coast, with the first contingent arriving in 1776. By 1790, the Azoreans and their descendants numbered some 14,000, with the majority hailing mostly from the islands of Terceira and Faial. They settled along the coast, but some had also established settlements inland, particularly in the fertile Vale de São Joaquim. Numbering perhaps fewer than thousand, the Azorean settlers there had begun to build small canals to irrigate the lands in the valley, establishing farms to grow grains, fruits and vegetables. The area would remain an isolated backwater until 1798, however, when in the spring of that year, a farmer named Joaquim Cordeiro discovered gold near the Rio Cumayo (American River). The isolation meant that news only reached the reached the Captain at São Francisco, Dom Francisco de Vasconcellos e Souza. Within months, the settlers began abandoning their farms to head towards the Serra Nevada in search of gold. A year later, a contingent of soldiers arrived from Santa Cruz to establish crown control over the mining, as the crown was to collect one-fifth of the gold mined in the region.
Like in previous discoveries in other regions of the empire, news of the discovery of gold reached Spain, and led to a rush of immigrants wanting to join in the new found wealth. Though the initial gold miners arrived from the larger Spanish settlements on the Pacific Coast to the South, others made their way overland as well. From further away came Europeans and men Eastern America. Many made the arduous journey via the Panama Isthmus, risking malaria, yellow fever and cholera. Others came by sea around the Southern tip of America, through the Estreito de Magalhães (Magellan Strait). The increase in traffic through this route led to the establishment of a penal colony at Cabo d'Areia (Punta Arenas) in 1798. Within five years of the discovery of gold, São Francisco grew into a port of 40,000 inhabitants, and Sacramento to 20,000. California itself began attracting settlers from Spain, Italy and even Australia, and by 1810, the population had grown to 300,000. Though the European population of the territory grew, the population of Indians was reduced from 300,000 to fewer than 60,000 by 1815 as the indigenous inhabitants were increasingly driven off their land in the search for gold. The gold did have a positive effect on Spain's finances as some 370 tonnes of gold were mined during the first decade of the gold rush, allowing the Spanish Treasury to enjoy a short-lived surfeit, something which had not occurred in decades. Additionally, the gold rush led to a stronger Spanish military and naval presence in the North Pacific, and as a result a string of new forts were built along the coast, including Santa Cruz da Quadra, established by João Francisco d'Adega e Quadra, Captain General of Peru on Ilha Quadra (Vancouver Island) in 1796.
Dom Francisco de Vasconcellos e Souza, Captain of São Francisco and after 1802, first Captain-General of California
During the first half of the 18th century, the Spanish presence in Pacific Coast of North America consisted of nothing more than a few forts, with scattered Dominican missions to convert the Indians. West of the of the Grande Deserto (Great Plains), European settlements remained sparse and the territory remained the final frontier as it was dominated by nomadic Indian tribes. This had begun to change as settlement began increasing northward along the Pacific Coast. Basques in particular began to establish large ranches in the territory, and by 1790, perhaps some 30,000 Basques lived West of the Rio Grande (Mississippi River). Additionally, settlement from the heartlands of Nova Hespanha began to increase, albeit in very small numbers, with many being degredados.
Fearing Russian expansion in America, the Spanish Crown had begun sending settlers from the Azores, so as to establish a permanent presence along the Pacific Coast, with the first contingent arriving in 1776. By 1790, the Azoreans and their descendants numbered some 14,000, with the majority hailing mostly from the islands of Terceira and Faial. They settled along the coast, but some had also established settlements inland, particularly in the fertile Vale de São Joaquim. Numbering perhaps fewer than thousand, the Azorean settlers there had begun to build small canals to irrigate the lands in the valley, establishing farms to grow grains, fruits and vegetables. The area would remain an isolated backwater until 1798, however, when in the spring of that year, a farmer named Joaquim Cordeiro discovered gold near the Rio Cumayo (American River). The isolation meant that news only reached the reached the Captain at São Francisco, Dom Francisco de Vasconcellos e Souza. Within months, the settlers began abandoning their farms to head towards the Serra Nevada in search of gold. A year later, a contingent of soldiers arrived from Santa Cruz to establish crown control over the mining, as the crown was to collect one-fifth of the gold mined in the region.
Like in previous discoveries in other regions of the empire, news of the discovery of gold reached Spain, and led to a rush of immigrants wanting to join in the new found wealth. Though the initial gold miners arrived from the larger Spanish settlements on the Pacific Coast to the South, others made their way overland as well. From further away came Europeans and men Eastern America. Many made the arduous journey via the Panama Isthmus, risking malaria, yellow fever and cholera. Others came by sea around the Southern tip of America, through the Estreito de Magalhães (Magellan Strait). The increase in traffic through this route led to the establishment of a penal colony at Cabo d'Areia (Punta Arenas) in 1798. Within five years of the discovery of gold, São Francisco grew into a port of 40,000 inhabitants, and Sacramento to 20,000. California itself began attracting settlers from Spain, Italy and even Australia, and by 1810, the population had grown to 300,000. Though the European population of the territory grew, the population of Indians was reduced from 300,000 to fewer than 60,000 by 1815 as the indigenous inhabitants were increasingly driven off their land in the search for gold. The gold did have a positive effect on Spain's finances as some 370 tonnes of gold were mined during the first decade of the gold rush, allowing the Spanish Treasury to enjoy a short-lived surfeit, something which had not occurred in decades. Additionally, the gold rush led to a stronger Spanish military and naval presence in the North Pacific, and as a result a string of new forts were built along the coast, including Santa Cruz da Quadra, established by João Francisco d'Adega e Quadra, Captain General of Peru on Ilha Quadra (Vancouver Island) in 1796.
Dom Francisco de Vasconcellos e Souza, Captain of São Francisco and after 1802, first Captain-General of California
Very interesting as always.
El Deserto Grande or El Gran Deserto sound more grammatical than Grande Deserto, although Desierto would be Spanish - is the Spanish in this timeline supposed to be closer to Portugues? You may have explained before, but I forget
El Deserto Grande or El Gran Deserto sound more grammatical than Grande Deserto, although Desierto would be Spanish - is the Spanish in this timeline supposed to be closer to Portugues? You may have explained before, but I forget
In this timeline Portugal is the head of the Kingdom of Spain, and Portuguese remains the lingua franca of the overseas empire rather than Castilian. Castilian remains the administrative language of Castile and Leon.
Born on 21 May of 1767 (making her a Gemini), Paola di Medici was the eldest daughter of Cosimo III of Tuscany's nephew, Prince Lorenzo of Tuscany, Duke of Guastalla (1743-1788) and Anne Marie d'Orléans (1747-1768). After the death of her mother, the young princess she was raised by her maternal-grandmother, Luisa of Saxony (1721-1788), dowager Duchess of Orléans. The Dowager Duchess came to Florence to prepare her for marriage, providing her with a mother figure which she lacked. For a young princess, she was given a very unconventional upbringing, and though she was schooled in Italian, French, and Spanish, she was given a large amount of freedom in relaxed atmosphere of the Villa Cora, located a short distance from the Pitti Palace. He grandmother, was not strict and spoiled her vivacious granddaughters with upbringing largely free from protocol and formality. Paola grew into a beautiful young woman, attracting the attention of the most prominent men of Florence.
In 1781, Paola's older cousin, Prince Ferdinand, Prince Imperial of Spain, along with this wife, Elisabeth of Saxe-Hilburghausen came to live in Florence. Upon the death of Paola's grandmother, the couple assumed responsibility for finding a suitable match for the young princess. Though they had hoped to find her a Spanish Duke, the 17 year old Paola fell in love with Infante Luiz, Prince of Viseu (b1757), her first cousin once removed, and the ambitious young princess sought to marry him. The Infante Luiz was ten years older and much more serious in personality and was soon taken in by the charms of Paola. With the approval of the Empress, the two were married in Lisbon in 1785. Taking up residence in the Palácio de Porto Côvo in Lisbon and at Queluz Palace in the summer, the young princess soon became the leader of Lisbon society, throwing elegant balls which attracted the leading artists and intellectuals of Europe. The Infanta became one of the most fashionable women in Europe, and soon overshadowed her sister-in-law the empress. The young couple was very much in love and unlike many aristocrats enjoyed a happy marriage, giving birth to their first child, Afonso in 1787, followed by a daughter, Francisca in 1788 and two more sons, Miguel in 1791 Estêvão in 1792.
The Palácio de Porto Côvo, home of Infante Dom Luíz and Paola in Lisbon.
Jealous of her sister-in-law's popularity, Empress Elisabeth convinced her husband to have the couple sent to Naples, where Luiz would serve as his Viceroy, and preside over the Consiglio d'Italia, thus making him responsible for overseeing the governance of Spain's Italian territories. In 1795, the arrived Naples, taking up residence in the Royal Palace of Portici. However, their arrival was followed by tragedy, as Prince Miguel died of typhus. Young Miguel had been the favourite child, and his death came as a great blow to the couple. The once loving couple soon became distant as Infante Luiz buried himself in work and sought increasingly distant from his wife. He spent much of his time touring the Spanish-ruled lands of Italy. Infanta Paola often did not see her husband for weeks, and as a result began having an affair with a twenty-four year old officer in the Viceregal household, Donato di Spinelli. Upon finding the two in bed, Luíz exiled her from Naples, offering her a lavish settlement of 3 million cruzados on the condition that she leave without her children, as he considered her an unfit mother.
Portrait of Paola di Medici c1796
Unbeknown to Infante Luiz, Paola was pregnant with his child. Embittered, Paola went to Switzerland, where she would give birth to a young girl, named Anna in November 1796, and leaving her in the care of her cousin, Thérèse, the widowed Duchess of Montpensier. She would keep the child a secret from Luiz for years, and refused to acknowledge his paternity over Anna. After having the child, she spent time in Venice, engaging in the scandalous social atmosphere of the Serene Republic, with various lovers making herself the talk of Europe. In February 1797, she returned to her native Florence, establishing her residence at the Villa Cora. Making herself the queen of Tuscan society, she would attract people from all over Europe to her social functions. It would at one of these where she would meet a young Corsican colonel, Napoleone di Buonaparte, changing the course of European history.
Villa Cora, just outside of Florence.
In 1781, Paola's older cousin, Prince Ferdinand, Prince Imperial of Spain, along with this wife, Elisabeth of Saxe-Hilburghausen came to live in Florence. Upon the death of Paola's grandmother, the couple assumed responsibility for finding a suitable match for the young princess. Though they had hoped to find her a Spanish Duke, the 17 year old Paola fell in love with Infante Luiz, Prince of Viseu (b1757), her first cousin once removed, and the ambitious young princess sought to marry him. The Infante Luiz was ten years older and much more serious in personality and was soon taken in by the charms of Paola. With the approval of the Empress, the two were married in Lisbon in 1785. Taking up residence in the Palácio de Porto Côvo in Lisbon and at Queluz Palace in the summer, the young princess soon became the leader of Lisbon society, throwing elegant balls which attracted the leading artists and intellectuals of Europe. The Infanta became one of the most fashionable women in Europe, and soon overshadowed her sister-in-law the empress. The young couple was very much in love and unlike many aristocrats enjoyed a happy marriage, giving birth to their first child, Afonso in 1787, followed by a daughter, Francisca in 1788 and two more sons, Miguel in 1791 Estêvão in 1792.
The Palácio de Porto Côvo, home of Infante Dom Luíz and Paola in Lisbon.
Jealous of her sister-in-law's popularity, Empress Elisabeth convinced her husband to have the couple sent to Naples, where Luiz would serve as his Viceroy, and preside over the Consiglio d'Italia, thus making him responsible for overseeing the governance of Spain's Italian territories. In 1795, the arrived Naples, taking up residence in the Royal Palace of Portici. However, their arrival was followed by tragedy, as Prince Miguel died of typhus. Young Miguel had been the favourite child, and his death came as a great blow to the couple. The once loving couple soon became distant as Infante Luiz buried himself in work and sought increasingly distant from his wife. He spent much of his time touring the Spanish-ruled lands of Italy. Infanta Paola often did not see her husband for weeks, and as a result began having an affair with a twenty-four year old officer in the Viceregal household, Donato di Spinelli. Upon finding the two in bed, Luíz exiled her from Naples, offering her a lavish settlement of 3 million cruzados on the condition that she leave without her children, as he considered her an unfit mother.
Portrait of Paola di Medici c1796
Unbeknown to Infante Luiz, Paola was pregnant with his child. Embittered, Paola went to Switzerland, where she would give birth to a young girl, named Anna in November 1796, and leaving her in the care of her cousin, Thérèse, the widowed Duchess of Montpensier. She would keep the child a secret from Luiz for years, and refused to acknowledge his paternity over Anna. After having the child, she spent time in Venice, engaging in the scandalous social atmosphere of the Serene Republic, with various lovers making herself the talk of Europe. In February 1797, she returned to her native Florence, establishing her residence at the Villa Cora. Making herself the queen of Tuscan society, she would attract people from all over Europe to her social functions. It would at one of these where she would meet a young Corsican colonel, Napoleone di Buonaparte, changing the course of European history.
Villa Cora, just outside of Florence.
By 1790, Egypt had been under the rule of the Spanish Empire for nearly half a century, but the occupation had been anything but pacific. The Spanish had hoped that they would now control the trade routes between the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans, but this was to prove to be a much more difficult task than originally anticipated. One major accomplishment however, had been the rebuilding of Alexandria. It had been transformed from a backwater of 4,000 to a major port of 60,000 inhabitants, attracting immigrants from Italy and Greece, and it replaced Cairo the seat of the Spanish Viceroy in 1784. Throughout he rest of the country, the benefits were less widespread. Under Spanish rule, taxes were levied from the merchants and artisans, mostly by Syrian Tax Collectors. Mamluk properties were confiscated, as were those of anyone who rebelled, often being distributed to absentee European landlords. A new land registry was formed, as taxes were levied on rural and urban properties. The new policies caused frequent rebellions, and large scale migration out of Egypt, particularly to Ottoman ruled lands in Anatolia, while others migrated to Nubia, and later Nejd raiding not only Egypt, but Ethiopia as well.
Economically, the collapse of the Eyalet had led to an abolition of the former trade monopolies, destroying many of the local merchants. In their place, new Greek and Armenian merchants, tied to the Spanish trading companies took their place. The local economy was further affected by famines and epidemics. In 1784, a major famine swept Egypt, and this was followed the next year by an epidemic, killing one-fifth of the population. Due to the brutal occupation, coupled with famines and successive epidemics, and migration the population declined from 5 million at the beginning of the century, to barely 1.5 million. Of these, one-third were Christians with 300,000 of them being Copts, many of whom, due to their knowledge of Egyptian Arabic were used by the new administration to watch over the Muslim population. Around 150,000 were Catholics, a mix of Italians, Levantines and Spanish, with the rest being Greek and with a small number of Armenians. The majority of the population however remained Muslim, and had been reduced to a status of second-class citizens, banned from the army and forced to live in separate quarters and wear distinctive clothing. In a reversal of status, they were now only allowed to ride mules, rather than horses. Before Spanish rule, only Muslims could ride horses, and this was just one of the many humiliations heaped upon a vanquished people. However, some would seek revenge, and would be aided by events taking place across the Red Sea in Arabia.
In a small Oasis town of Nejd, a Muslim preacher and scholar named Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab was born around 1700, he would create a movement aiming to purify Islam, restoring the da'wa or true monotheistic worship. This revivalist movement rejected practises which had become so prevalent in certain sects of Islam, such as praying to saints, making pilgrimages to tombs and special mosques. In 1744, a local ruler, Muhammad ibn Saud made a pact with Wahhab, whereby he would protect and propagate the doctrines of the Wahhabi mission, while ibn Abdul Wahhab would support Saud, giving him glory and power. As a result, the movement grew, and declared jihad against neighbouring tribes, whose practices, he believed to be the work of idolaters. According to his teachings, they were not Muslims, and as a result, fair game for plunder and even murder. Wahhab claimed those who participated in such practises were not just misguided or committing a sin, but were not Islamic. The attraction to the fundamentalist Islamic movement grew, and from Saud's base in Diriyah, Wahhabism spread across Arabia. They would attack the Ottomans, Shia and Bedouins and others as non-believers. The death of Muhammad bin Saud in 1765, led his son and successor, Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad taking power. Even more zealous than his father, Abdul-Aziz would pursue his campaign of conquest with more fervour. Non-believers were given the option to "convert or die", leading to his small emirate controlling a huge part of Arabia by 1790. Wahhabism had filled the power vacuum left by the Ottomans, and their conquests continued, taking control of Al-Hasa, and threatening Mesopotamia, when they reached the mashes of the Euphrates in 1780. Until then, the Spanish had shown little concern about the Saudis, however, the attacks on Mesopotamia threatened Spain's position as the leading European trading power in the Mesopotamia and Persia.
Fearing the fall of Basra, the centuries old Spanish factory and convent were evacuated to Coveite (Kuwait) in 1793, however, the Pasha of Basra was able to defeat the Saud in 1795. Perhaps more significant was the capture of Medina in 1792, and the following year of Mecca by Saud. The Ottoman attempts to stem the tide of Wahhabism were hampered by the weak control over Arabia, weakened further by the Anglo-Spanish conquest of Egypt and Syria. The Spanish government initially responded by increasing their fortifications on Persian Gulf and sending aid to the Pasha of Baghdad and Basra, even establishing a permanent mission in Baghdad, making Mesopotamia in effect a military protectorate of the Spanish empire. They were however unable to stop the Saudi attack on Karbala in 1801 where thousands of Shia were killed. Additionally, in the Red Sea, Saudi control over Mecca and Medina had spread Wahhabism to Nubia among the Muslim refugees from Egypt. It was also enhanced by those fleeing from English-ruled Syria. The criticism of the Ottoman Caliphate and the call for Jihad appealed to those who wished revenge on the "Franks" (Christians) and the Ottomans.
Beginning in 1793, the Saudi began sending armies to Nubia, taking over Sennar and Darfur, and threatened Ethiopia. With control over Jeddah, attacks on the Egyptian Red Sea ports, most often hit and run plundering became commonplace. As a result, an increasingly large Spanish army was required to defend the territory. In 1796, the Wahhabist forces invaded Egypt from Nubia, reaching Qena and laying waste to much of Southern Egypt. With the situation increasingly dire, the Spanish government responded by sending a 34,000 man army to Egypt in February 1797, among them was Colonel Napoleone di Buonaparte.
Economically, the collapse of the Eyalet had led to an abolition of the former trade monopolies, destroying many of the local merchants. In their place, new Greek and Armenian merchants, tied to the Spanish trading companies took their place. The local economy was further affected by famines and epidemics. In 1784, a major famine swept Egypt, and this was followed the next year by an epidemic, killing one-fifth of the population. Due to the brutal occupation, coupled with famines and successive epidemics, and migration the population declined from 5 million at the beginning of the century, to barely 1.5 million. Of these, one-third were Christians with 300,000 of them being Copts, many of whom, due to their knowledge of Egyptian Arabic were used by the new administration to watch over the Muslim population. Around 150,000 were Catholics, a mix of Italians, Levantines and Spanish, with the rest being Greek and with a small number of Armenians. The majority of the population however remained Muslim, and had been reduced to a status of second-class citizens, banned from the army and forced to live in separate quarters and wear distinctive clothing. In a reversal of status, they were now only allowed to ride mules, rather than horses. Before Spanish rule, only Muslims could ride horses, and this was just one of the many humiliations heaped upon a vanquished people. However, some would seek revenge, and would be aided by events taking place across the Red Sea in Arabia.
In a small Oasis town of Nejd, a Muslim preacher and scholar named Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab was born around 1700, he would create a movement aiming to purify Islam, restoring the da'wa or true monotheistic worship. This revivalist movement rejected practises which had become so prevalent in certain sects of Islam, such as praying to saints, making pilgrimages to tombs and special mosques. In 1744, a local ruler, Muhammad ibn Saud made a pact with Wahhab, whereby he would protect and propagate the doctrines of the Wahhabi mission, while ibn Abdul Wahhab would support Saud, giving him glory and power. As a result, the movement grew, and declared jihad against neighbouring tribes, whose practices, he believed to be the work of idolaters. According to his teachings, they were not Muslims, and as a result, fair game for plunder and even murder. Wahhab claimed those who participated in such practises were not just misguided or committing a sin, but were not Islamic. The attraction to the fundamentalist Islamic movement grew, and from Saud's base in Diriyah, Wahhabism spread across Arabia. They would attack the Ottomans, Shia and Bedouins and others as non-believers. The death of Muhammad bin Saud in 1765, led his son and successor, Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad taking power. Even more zealous than his father, Abdul-Aziz would pursue his campaign of conquest with more fervour. Non-believers were given the option to "convert or die", leading to his small emirate controlling a huge part of Arabia by 1790. Wahhabism had filled the power vacuum left by the Ottomans, and their conquests continued, taking control of Al-Hasa, and threatening Mesopotamia, when they reached the mashes of the Euphrates in 1780. Until then, the Spanish had shown little concern about the Saudis, however, the attacks on Mesopotamia threatened Spain's position as the leading European trading power in the Mesopotamia and Persia.
Fearing the fall of Basra, the centuries old Spanish factory and convent were evacuated to Coveite (Kuwait) in 1793, however, the Pasha of Basra was able to defeat the Saud in 1795. Perhaps more significant was the capture of Medina in 1792, and the following year of Mecca by Saud. The Ottoman attempts to stem the tide of Wahhabism were hampered by the weak control over Arabia, weakened further by the Anglo-Spanish conquest of Egypt and Syria. The Spanish government initially responded by increasing their fortifications on Persian Gulf and sending aid to the Pasha of Baghdad and Basra, even establishing a permanent mission in Baghdad, making Mesopotamia in effect a military protectorate of the Spanish empire. They were however unable to stop the Saudi attack on Karbala in 1801 where thousands of Shia were killed. Additionally, in the Red Sea, Saudi control over Mecca and Medina had spread Wahhabism to Nubia among the Muslim refugees from Egypt. It was also enhanced by those fleeing from English-ruled Syria. The criticism of the Ottoman Caliphate and the call for Jihad appealed to those who wished revenge on the "Franks" (Christians) and the Ottomans.
Beginning in 1793, the Saudi began sending armies to Nubia, taking over Sennar and Darfur, and threatened Ethiopia. With control over Jeddah, attacks on the Egyptian Red Sea ports, most often hit and run plundering became commonplace. As a result, an increasingly large Spanish army was required to defend the territory. In 1796, the Wahhabist forces invaded Egypt from Nubia, reaching Qena and laying waste to much of Southern Egypt. With the situation increasingly dire, the Spanish government responded by sending a 34,000 man army to Egypt in February 1797, among them was Colonel Napoleone di Buonaparte.
I was wondering how come Portugal didn't colonize Madagascar before France could have a chance?
dirtyjapaneseman
Banned
sorry for necro but i was wondering, is this still being updated? i hope so, i like it so far.
The Young Colonel
Born in 1769 to a family of minor nobility on the island of Corsica, Napoleone di Buonaparte came from a large family, that was not rich, but possessed enough affluence to have the children sent to school in Spain. For many of the petty nobility sending younger sons to service in the military and navy, or to a religious order was the only way in which they could acquire wealth and prestige. Napoleone's parents, felt there was little future for their sons on Corsica and by sending them to be educated in Spain they would have a greater opportunities. Napoleone's father, Carlo Buonaparte, served as Attorney General of the Kingdom of Corsica in 1776, and was later posted as a representative of Corsica to the Emperor in Lisbon. Awed by the grandeur of the city, it would be during this time that Carlo sought to have his sons educated in Spain, rather than Italy. The ongoing wars of pacification in North Africa were particularly beneficial int he promotion of men through feats of military valour. With much of army of Egypt originating from the Spanish holdings in Italy, the war had become a means to acquire wealth and title for mercenaries. In Lisbon, Carlo obtained a scholarship for his sons to study in Spain's military academies. At the age of 10, Napoleone was sent to the Aula Militar d'Elvas, a military academy for young boys where he did well in his studies. At the age of 15 he was promoted to the premiere military academy, the Academia Militar da Corte in Lisbon. He spoke with an Italian accent, and was considered a loner as he was not as wealthy as his classmates, many of whom were sons of some of the most prestigious families in Spain.
In 1786, Buonaparte was commissioned as second-lieutenant in the 1st Artillery Regiment. Ambitious and intelligent, he was able to achieve the rank of Captain by 1788. With the ongoing wars in Egypt, Buonaparte was sent to inspect the coastal fortification in North Africa in 1792, and would see his first combat action in Egypt two years later, achieving the rank of Colonel by 1796. Despite these successes however, there often was a limit to promotions as the top ranks were reserved for the upper nobility. This led Napoleone to resent the social system, particularly the corruption and nepotism which he saw in Corsica. He saw the aristocratic leadership of Spain as causing the ongoing decay of the Spanish Empire. This contrasted with his studies of the glories of the Roman Empire, and particularly the central role in which it placed Italy. Idealistic and ambitious, he dreamt of separating Italy from the Spanish Crown. He was not alone as many began seeing the Spanish Crown as milking Italy's wealth and offering little in return. His publications on the history of Italy made him well known in the social circles of intellectuals, and he was welcomed into the salotti of Florence, where well known hostesses entertained writers and artists. Among the most prominent was Princess Paola. Eschewed from formal society, she surrounded herself with artists and people whom she considered interesting, rather than other aristocrats. On a leave of absence to Florence in 1797, the gauche young Colonel's personality led him to become acquainted with Princess Paola at one of her infamous soirees in Florence. There he became intoxicated and in his memoirs wrote that from that moment on, he was love with the princess. She thought of as a short and odd looking man, but she found him amusing. With the ongoing disturbances in North Africa, he departed for Egypt a few days later and sent her letters from his military campaigns.
With the worsening military situation in Southern Egypt, Napoleone was among the army of various regiments sent to fight in Nubia. However, by the time the troops reached Cairo, the Wahhabi Army had made spectacular advances and were close to Cairo. The young Colonel was given the task was to shore up the fortifications around the city as the Wahhabi laid siege to Cairo, during the spring of 1797. During the battles in the outskirts much of the Spanish Army had been captured or killed, including its commander, the Marquez of Bonanza whom was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Pyramids in May 1797. As a result, morale sank and the Spanish forces were in disarray, retreating towards the sea. The city of Cairo was in a state of panic, with the disease and famine killing many within the city walls. Colonel Buonaparte was surrounded by incompetent officers and sought permission from the leading General, the Count of Barantes, to organise the defences. He imposed strict discipline on the city's populace and through his skill as a skilled orator was able to raise morale of the Spanish forces. Meanwhile, he planned an attack on the Wahhabi that would route them from the city. To prepare for his offensive, he had the city walls reinforced and mustered as much artillery fire as he could to attack the Wahhabi forces. On 7 May 1797, the Wahhabi breached the city walls and were not only repulsed, but faced an onslaught of artillery, piercing their army in two. Buonaparte had armed many of the city's civilians, and drilling them constantly to make them a formidable fighting force. Combined with the conventional army, he used artillery and the remaining cavalry to swiftly attack the Wahhabi forces. Once the battle had been won, he organised an force to chase the Wahhabi, inflicting a severe defeat on 14 May 1797 near the old Babylon Fortress. For his heroism, Napoleone would be awarded the Order of the Tower and the Sword, along with the Order of Saint James, and would be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Throughout 1797 and 1798, Napoleone would gain prestige as a tactical genius, using his knowledge of artillery to pursue the Wahhabi Forces out of Egypt and Nubia, though the remnants of this menace would not be defeated in Africa until 1803, when they were defeated in Arabia.
In 1786, Buonaparte was commissioned as second-lieutenant in the 1st Artillery Regiment. Ambitious and intelligent, he was able to achieve the rank of Captain by 1788. With the ongoing wars in Egypt, Buonaparte was sent to inspect the coastal fortification in North Africa in 1792, and would see his first combat action in Egypt two years later, achieving the rank of Colonel by 1796. Despite these successes however, there often was a limit to promotions as the top ranks were reserved for the upper nobility. This led Napoleone to resent the social system, particularly the corruption and nepotism which he saw in Corsica. He saw the aristocratic leadership of Spain as causing the ongoing decay of the Spanish Empire. This contrasted with his studies of the glories of the Roman Empire, and particularly the central role in which it placed Italy. Idealistic and ambitious, he dreamt of separating Italy from the Spanish Crown. He was not alone as many began seeing the Spanish Crown as milking Italy's wealth and offering little in return. His publications on the history of Italy made him well known in the social circles of intellectuals, and he was welcomed into the salotti of Florence, where well known hostesses entertained writers and artists. Among the most prominent was Princess Paola. Eschewed from formal society, she surrounded herself with artists and people whom she considered interesting, rather than other aristocrats. On a leave of absence to Florence in 1797, the gauche young Colonel's personality led him to become acquainted with Princess Paola at one of her infamous soirees in Florence. There he became intoxicated and in his memoirs wrote that from that moment on, he was love with the princess. She thought of as a short and odd looking man, but she found him amusing. With the ongoing disturbances in North Africa, he departed for Egypt a few days later and sent her letters from his military campaigns.
With the worsening military situation in Southern Egypt, Napoleone was among the army of various regiments sent to fight in Nubia. However, by the time the troops reached Cairo, the Wahhabi Army had made spectacular advances and were close to Cairo. The young Colonel was given the task was to shore up the fortifications around the city as the Wahhabi laid siege to Cairo, during the spring of 1797. During the battles in the outskirts much of the Spanish Army had been captured or killed, including its commander, the Marquez of Bonanza whom was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Pyramids in May 1797. As a result, morale sank and the Spanish forces were in disarray, retreating towards the sea. The city of Cairo was in a state of panic, with the disease and famine killing many within the city walls. Colonel Buonaparte was surrounded by incompetent officers and sought permission from the leading General, the Count of Barantes, to organise the defences. He imposed strict discipline on the city's populace and through his skill as a skilled orator was able to raise morale of the Spanish forces. Meanwhile, he planned an attack on the Wahhabi that would route them from the city. To prepare for his offensive, he had the city walls reinforced and mustered as much artillery fire as he could to attack the Wahhabi forces. On 7 May 1797, the Wahhabi breached the city walls and were not only repulsed, but faced an onslaught of artillery, piercing their army in two. Buonaparte had armed many of the city's civilians, and drilling them constantly to make them a formidable fighting force. Combined with the conventional army, he used artillery and the remaining cavalry to swiftly attack the Wahhabi forces. Once the battle had been won, he organised an force to chase the Wahhabi, inflicting a severe defeat on 14 May 1797 near the old Babylon Fortress. For his heroism, Napoleone would be awarded the Order of the Tower and the Sword, along with the Order of Saint James, and would be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Throughout 1797 and 1798, Napoleone would gain prestige as a tactical genius, using his knowledge of artillery to pursue the Wahhabi Forces out of Egypt and Nubia, though the remnants of this menace would not be defeated in Africa until 1803, when they were defeated in Arabia.
You made the short Napoleon joke for the sake of it didn't you? 
Anyways what's Egypt like under Spanish rule? Are the Spanish supporting the Coptic Christians at the expense of the Muslims?
Anyways what's Egypt like under Spanish rule? Are the Spanish supporting the Coptic Christians at the expense of the Muslims?
On 14 December 1800, Emperor Ferdinand of Spain fell ill and was found dead in his bed, leaving no surviving children, his younger brother Luiz, Prince of Viseu became emperor, making his estranged wife Paola, Empress Paula of Spain. Living in Florence, she had taken Napoleone as a lover. Emperor Ferdinand had appointed the Corsican as Commander of the Spanish forces in Italy, a move which upset Luiz. Upon receiving the news of the Emperor's death, Napoleone encouraged Paola to return to Lisbon in time for the coronation which was scheduled for July. In the meantime, the new Emperor Luiz, sought to distance his wife from Napoleone, sending him to Naples where a peasant revolt had begun as a result of the increased taxation in that Kingdom.
Knowing that the headstrong Paola would attempt to return to Lisbon, Emperor Luiz offered to increase his estranged wife's annuity by 500,000 cruzados if she would remain in exile. Paola seemed to agree, but secretly she planned to make a triumphant return to Lisbon. For months she prepared an escape from Florence that would have her arrive in Lisbon and surprise Luiz. She felt that if she were to arrive in such a fashion, there would be nothing that the Emperor could do to stop her from assuming the role of Empress. On 14 May 1801, Paola travelled to La Spezia, having had one of Napoleone's Corsican contacts hire a merchant brigantine which would bring the Empress to Lisbon.
Upon sailing into the Tagus River twelve days later, the ship hoisted the Imperial Standard of the Empress signalling whom was on-board. Upon docking at the Terreiro do Paço, sentries noted that the ship was flying the standard and a guardsman rushed to the palace by horse and contacted the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Duke of Aveiro, Grand Master of Ceremonies, whom was the senior member of the court at the palace. Incensed at the news, but never one to break protocol, he hastily assembled an honour guard and trumpeters to greet the Empress. Meanwhile, Emperor Luiz was away from the capital at his summer palace at Queluz, and was unaware of his wife's return. The Empress was carried from her ship through the square in a litter by four shirtless Nubians dressed in Egyptian attire, and made sure that her entrance was a public spectacle which would leave the tongues of Lisbon wagging. The Duke of Aveiro attempted to persuade the Empress to leave Lisbon, trying to get her to go to Madeira or somewhere further away, but undaunted she and her retinue made their way to Queluz by carriage. Along her route, curious crowds followed the Empress, and Paola made certain to stop along the way waving to the crowds and giving out coins to children whom approached her. In Queluz, the Emperor had been enjoying the summer day, on a gondola of the palace's canal with his mistress the Countess of Caparica, was alerted and reacted angrily as he made waited at the palace's Cour d'honneur to confront the Empress.
The Empress, however had not planned to have a direct confrontation with her husband and avoided the Palace of Queluz, and instead made her way towards the smaller Palácio das Fontes. In 1787, the rococo palace had been acquired by Luiz from the Marquês de Abrantes and given to Paola upon the birth of her first son Afonso. The palace had been deeded to her and was her own private domain where she had often painted, but had lay empty since 1795 with its furniture covered and its gardens overgrown. Nevertheless, the Empress arrived with her servants and members of her inner circle to reclaim her residence. When the Emperor learned of her plans, he mounted a horse and rode feverishly made his way toward the Empress' Palace where he saw servants unloading the Empress' personal belongings into the palace. According to the accounts of bystanders he angrily shouted in an uregal manner at her "and just what do you think you are doing here" to which she replied "Florence bores me, Sire". Paola smirked as he demanded her to leave to which she replied, “This palace is mine remember! You gave it to me when Afonso was born, and nothing shall take it away from me”.
The Emperor stormed back to his palace uncertain of how to handle the reappearance of his wife. Later that evening however, the Cardinal appeared at the Empress’ palace and attempted to persuade her to return to Italy. When his attempted bribes failed, he alluded to her infidelities and how he had a collection of pamphlets, pornographic in nature, showing her debauched lifestyle with various lovers. Unfazed the Empress mocked the Cardinal, asking him if he read them on lonely nights, famously having said, “The poor lonely, patriarch, still the impotent voyeur”, adding, “I should like to see, please send them over sometime” and before dismissively sending him off, “That will be all your eminence”. The Empress' mocking of the most powerful of the Emperor's Secretary of State soon spread around Lisbon making her a hero amongst many whom hated the Cardinal-Patriarch and saw the Empress as the victim of an unfair smear campaign, gaining Paola a great deal of sympathy amongst the man on the street.
Palácio das Fontes
Knowing that the headstrong Paola would attempt to return to Lisbon, Emperor Luiz offered to increase his estranged wife's annuity by 500,000 cruzados if she would remain in exile. Paola seemed to agree, but secretly she planned to make a triumphant return to Lisbon. For months she prepared an escape from Florence that would have her arrive in Lisbon and surprise Luiz. She felt that if she were to arrive in such a fashion, there would be nothing that the Emperor could do to stop her from assuming the role of Empress. On 14 May 1801, Paola travelled to La Spezia, having had one of Napoleone's Corsican contacts hire a merchant brigantine which would bring the Empress to Lisbon.
Upon sailing into the Tagus River twelve days later, the ship hoisted the Imperial Standard of the Empress signalling whom was on-board. Upon docking at the Terreiro do Paço, sentries noted that the ship was flying the standard and a guardsman rushed to the palace by horse and contacted the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Duke of Aveiro, Grand Master of Ceremonies, whom was the senior member of the court at the palace. Incensed at the news, but never one to break protocol, he hastily assembled an honour guard and trumpeters to greet the Empress. Meanwhile, Emperor Luiz was away from the capital at his summer palace at Queluz, and was unaware of his wife's return. The Empress was carried from her ship through the square in a litter by four shirtless Nubians dressed in Egyptian attire, and made sure that her entrance was a public spectacle which would leave the tongues of Lisbon wagging. The Duke of Aveiro attempted to persuade the Empress to leave Lisbon, trying to get her to go to Madeira or somewhere further away, but undaunted she and her retinue made their way to Queluz by carriage. Along her route, curious crowds followed the Empress, and Paola made certain to stop along the way waving to the crowds and giving out coins to children whom approached her. In Queluz, the Emperor had been enjoying the summer day, on a gondola of the palace's canal with his mistress the Countess of Caparica, was alerted and reacted angrily as he made waited at the palace's Cour d'honneur to confront the Empress.
The Empress, however had not planned to have a direct confrontation with her husband and avoided the Palace of Queluz, and instead made her way towards the smaller Palácio das Fontes. In 1787, the rococo palace had been acquired by Luiz from the Marquês de Abrantes and given to Paola upon the birth of her first son Afonso. The palace had been deeded to her and was her own private domain where she had often painted, but had lay empty since 1795 with its furniture covered and its gardens overgrown. Nevertheless, the Empress arrived with her servants and members of her inner circle to reclaim her residence. When the Emperor learned of her plans, he mounted a horse and rode feverishly made his way toward the Empress' Palace where he saw servants unloading the Empress' personal belongings into the palace. According to the accounts of bystanders he angrily shouted in an uregal manner at her "and just what do you think you are doing here" to which she replied "Florence bores me, Sire". Paola smirked as he demanded her to leave to which she replied, “This palace is mine remember! You gave it to me when Afonso was born, and nothing shall take it away from me”.
The Emperor stormed back to his palace uncertain of how to handle the reappearance of his wife. Later that evening however, the Cardinal appeared at the Empress’ palace and attempted to persuade her to return to Italy. When his attempted bribes failed, he alluded to her infidelities and how he had a collection of pamphlets, pornographic in nature, showing her debauched lifestyle with various lovers. Unfazed the Empress mocked the Cardinal, asking him if he read them on lonely nights, famously having said, “The poor lonely, patriarch, still the impotent voyeur”, adding, “I should like to see, please send them over sometime” and before dismissively sending him off, “That will be all your eminence”. The Empress' mocking of the most powerful of the Emperor's Secretary of State soon spread around Lisbon making her a hero amongst many whom hated the Cardinal-Patriarch and saw the Empress as the victim of an unfair smear campaign, gaining Paola a great deal of sympathy amongst the man on the street.
Palácio das Fontes
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I was thinking the same thing; it resembles Catherine the Great, though with some differences. I find the thought of Napoleone marshaling the power of the entire Spanish Empire towards dramatic conquests to be exciting, but I don't see what Paola brings to the table besides arrogance, melodrama, and being a Medici married to the Emperor. Hopefully Paola won't do too much damage and the empire can pass through this adolescent phase without being permanently harmed by self-destructive excess.
It would be nice if, for example, Napoleone was just using her for the advancement of his own designs. The need to consolidate his gains will then lead him to settle things down and build. Maybe he could even take Afonso under his wing, ruling as a sort of Marshal General-Prime Minister (basically a dictator) and "uncle" to the crown prince during the transition from absolutist monarchy to a global monarchical republic.
Even better, say Luiz is a kind of prisoner of circumstance in Lisbon, having to pretend that he champions Napoleone's reforms, a public cuckold and figure of fun to the man in the street. Afonso can finally come of age, take the throne, and avenge his father by giving his Corsican teacher a taste of his own medicine. He would say, "Thanks for the advice and conquests. You are dismissed now." He could imprison his mother and somehow scheme to eliminate Napoleone. Would be interesting to see the empire reinvigorated with a competent Emperor who took the lessons of the changing world to heart and was able to meet the challenge.
We almost never see that. Imagine somebody with as dynamic a personality as Napoleone Buonaparte being improved upon by a protege, like Aristotle to Plato (not to derogate Plato by comparing him to Napoleon).
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Escape from Lisbon
Dom Martim Afonso de Sousa, Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon had seen the arrival of the Empress in Lisbon as a threat to his power and he wanted to send her back to Italy. Confronting her with blackmail had failed, but Paola knew that she had to get rid of her opponent first. Fortunately for the Empress, the Cardinal's heavy handed policies had created many enemies in Lisbon, particularly with the mercantile classes. Sometime in June 1801 the Empress was known to have attended a meeting at the home of Joaquim Pedro Quintela (1748-1817), one of Lisbon's greatest merchants, of Galician origin. The beautiful Empress seduced him and he seems to have been captivated by her and it is assumed that together, they plotted the murder of Sousa. Quintela, also gave the Empress some 300,000 cruzados worth of unpolished diamonds. Though little is known of the exact events, on 17 July 1801, Sousa's body the woods around Queluz Palace, having been struck in the head. The Emperor was devastated as he had relied on Sousa for spiritual and political guidance, and decided to postpone the coronation ceremony as the court was plunged into official mourning.
Meanwhile in Italy, Napoleone had thrown in his lot with the rebels and had the bulk of the Imperial Army in Italy loyal to him personally. A charismatic man, he managed to raise a citizen army, expanding his numbers from 30,000 to nearly 200,000 men in arms. Known as a fiery orator, by August the Kingdom of Naples and most of Sicily had joined the rebellion against Spanish rule. Empress Paola offered her services as a peacemaker to her husband, as she knew Napoleone personally and that she could have him become loyal to Luiz. The Empress' actual motives seemed to have been to win back the affection of her husband, but he confided to his inner circle that he did not trust Paola’s motives. She proposed that she travel to the neutrality of Rome where she could meet with Napoleone face to face and get him to lay down his arms. The Empress also pleaded the case of the rebels to her husband, telling him that the majority "lived in misery" and that their taxes were "a constant source of injury", and that reforms must be made. The rising taxes imposed in Italy had served to finance the wars in North Africa and particularly Egypt, leaving the 8 million subjects of the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily in increasing poverty. The Emperor seemed to agree, but was hesitant to impose higher taxes on the nobility or clergy to alleviate the suffering of his Italian subjects. Importantly, he was leery of his wife's motives in going to Italy, as he envisioned the possibility of her joining Napoleone.
In August, Empress Paola had arranged for a deputy of Napoleone's, Michele Carrascosa to arrive in Lisbon with his series of demands, and though the Emperor listened to them, on the advice of his reactionary ministers, he had Carrascosa imprisoned. The Empress was livid and knew that she must gain control of Spain. She used her time in the capital to make political allies and became determined to return to Italy so that she could join forces with Napoleone. During this time, became particularly close to the Emperor’s youngest brother, Infante Afonso, who like Paola shared a love of gambling and the opera. The relations between the Emperor and Empress had been improving and she was now allowed to have her children stay with her at the Palacio das Fontes, becoming particularly close to her eldest son, Afonso, Prince of Brazil. However, rumours began emerging that it was the Empress whom had ordered the murder of the Cardinal, but without conclusive proof, Luiz was hesitant to implicate his wife. Quintela, fled Lisbon for the safety of France and later Switzerland. The Empress strove to win her husband’s affection, but he had taken on a mistress, Carolina de Lippe (1778-1842), the illegitimate daughter of a German Count whom had been in the service of Imperial Army. The Empress hated the young blonde, whom was beautiful, tender and supportive of Luiz. It was also discovered she was carrying his child, upon discovering this, Paola was thrown into a fit of rage.
On Sunday 25 October 1801, after returning from mass, the Empress confronted Carolina in the stair hall of the Palace of Mafra calling her a “puta” and slapping her across the face. The polite but feisty mistress had been subject to the Empress’ insults for the past months and had ignored the Empress’ insults. This time however, she slapped back and to the shock of the halberdiers as the foot of the stairs the two women were fighting and pulling one another’s hair. Before they could intervene, Carolina was thrown down the stairs by the Empress. Carolina survived the fall, but her baby did not. For Emperor Luiz, he had reached the limits of patience with his wife, saying that she was no better than a common whore, and was unfit to be an Empress. He felt she refused to act in unregal manner and sent her away to the Palácio das Fontes. Paola was now determined to make her way to Italy, as she had learned that Napoleone’s rebellion had spread to the Papal States, drawing the Holy Roman Empire into the conflict against the rebels. The audacious Empress Paola, nevertheless had faith in Napoleone and decided that if she could not rule in Spain, she would join him in Italy.
Carolina de Lippe, Emperor Luiz's Mistress
During her months in Lisbon, Paola had used selective generosity giving large sums of money and gifts to people whom she knew could be of use to her. She was known for giving gold coins to the lowliest of her servants, and this generosity earned her the love of the common people, and likewise made many scornful of Emperor Luiz. With the funds obtained from the sale of diamonds given to her by Quintela, she had been able to bribe the servants in the royal palace along with many of the guards. Her behaviour was seen as undignified and earned her the contempt of the court nobility, particularly as she was known to mingle with the kitchen staff. The shrewd Empress knew that there would be a time when she would need to rely on them, and she planned to use the servants in her escape from Lisbon. With the help of servants, on the night of the 27 October 1801 she was snuck into her son Afonso’s quarters in the Royal Palace and was able to leave the palace through a series of passages leading to the kitchens. Dressed as peasants, they were able to escape in a baker’s wagon. Journeying inland they were brought to the fishing village of Nazaré, north of Lisbon where the Empress and her son boarded a fishing vessel which brought them to Aveiro. From there they were brought on a smaller ship and days later taken to Royan in France. In France the two made journeyed by land dressed as a nun, claiming the prince was an orphan, the two journeyed towards the Mediterranean when their identities were discovered and her cousin, King Louis XVII was alerted. They were temporarily held captive, but then were given escorts to take them to the Mediterranean. The King of France was only too willing to help destroy Spain’s powers and he had secretly providing arms to Napoleone. As a result, Paola and her son were given a ship to sail to Naples where the Parthenopean Republic had been proclaimed, with Napoleone as its Consul. Napoleone was made aware of Paola's return and was he was truly in love with her and he felt that now that he was ruler of much of Italy, that he could win her affection.
Meanwhile in Italy, Napoleone had thrown in his lot with the rebels and had the bulk of the Imperial Army in Italy loyal to him personally. A charismatic man, he managed to raise a citizen army, expanding his numbers from 30,000 to nearly 200,000 men in arms. Known as a fiery orator, by August the Kingdom of Naples and most of Sicily had joined the rebellion against Spanish rule. Empress Paola offered her services as a peacemaker to her husband, as she knew Napoleone personally and that she could have him become loyal to Luiz. The Empress' actual motives seemed to have been to win back the affection of her husband, but he confided to his inner circle that he did not trust Paola’s motives. She proposed that she travel to the neutrality of Rome where she could meet with Napoleone face to face and get him to lay down his arms. The Empress also pleaded the case of the rebels to her husband, telling him that the majority "lived in misery" and that their taxes were "a constant source of injury", and that reforms must be made. The rising taxes imposed in Italy had served to finance the wars in North Africa and particularly Egypt, leaving the 8 million subjects of the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily in increasing poverty. The Emperor seemed to agree, but was hesitant to impose higher taxes on the nobility or clergy to alleviate the suffering of his Italian subjects. Importantly, he was leery of his wife's motives in going to Italy, as he envisioned the possibility of her joining Napoleone.
In August, Empress Paola had arranged for a deputy of Napoleone's, Michele Carrascosa to arrive in Lisbon with his series of demands, and though the Emperor listened to them, on the advice of his reactionary ministers, he had Carrascosa imprisoned. The Empress was livid and knew that she must gain control of Spain. She used her time in the capital to make political allies and became determined to return to Italy so that she could join forces with Napoleone. During this time, became particularly close to the Emperor’s youngest brother, Infante Afonso, who like Paola shared a love of gambling and the opera. The relations between the Emperor and Empress had been improving and she was now allowed to have her children stay with her at the Palacio das Fontes, becoming particularly close to her eldest son, Afonso, Prince of Brazil. However, rumours began emerging that it was the Empress whom had ordered the murder of the Cardinal, but without conclusive proof, Luiz was hesitant to implicate his wife. Quintela, fled Lisbon for the safety of France and later Switzerland. The Empress strove to win her husband’s affection, but he had taken on a mistress, Carolina de Lippe (1778-1842), the illegitimate daughter of a German Count whom had been in the service of Imperial Army. The Empress hated the young blonde, whom was beautiful, tender and supportive of Luiz. It was also discovered she was carrying his child, upon discovering this, Paola was thrown into a fit of rage.
On Sunday 25 October 1801, after returning from mass, the Empress confronted Carolina in the stair hall of the Palace of Mafra calling her a “puta” and slapping her across the face. The polite but feisty mistress had been subject to the Empress’ insults for the past months and had ignored the Empress’ insults. This time however, she slapped back and to the shock of the halberdiers as the foot of the stairs the two women were fighting and pulling one another’s hair. Before they could intervene, Carolina was thrown down the stairs by the Empress. Carolina survived the fall, but her baby did not. For Emperor Luiz, he had reached the limits of patience with his wife, saying that she was no better than a common whore, and was unfit to be an Empress. He felt she refused to act in unregal manner and sent her away to the Palácio das Fontes. Paola was now determined to make her way to Italy, as she had learned that Napoleone’s rebellion had spread to the Papal States, drawing the Holy Roman Empire into the conflict against the rebels. The audacious Empress Paola, nevertheless had faith in Napoleone and decided that if she could not rule in Spain, she would join him in Italy.
Carolina de Lippe, Emperor Luiz's Mistress
During her months in Lisbon, Paola had used selective generosity giving large sums of money and gifts to people whom she knew could be of use to her. She was known for giving gold coins to the lowliest of her servants, and this generosity earned her the love of the common people, and likewise made many scornful of Emperor Luiz. With the funds obtained from the sale of diamonds given to her by Quintela, she had been able to bribe the servants in the royal palace along with many of the guards. Her behaviour was seen as undignified and earned her the contempt of the court nobility, particularly as she was known to mingle with the kitchen staff. The shrewd Empress knew that there would be a time when she would need to rely on them, and she planned to use the servants in her escape from Lisbon. With the help of servants, on the night of the 27 October 1801 she was snuck into her son Afonso’s quarters in the Royal Palace and was able to leave the palace through a series of passages leading to the kitchens. Dressed as peasants, they were able to escape in a baker’s wagon. Journeying inland they were brought to the fishing village of Nazaré, north of Lisbon where the Empress and her son boarded a fishing vessel which brought them to Aveiro. From there they were brought on a smaller ship and days later taken to Royan in France. In France the two made journeyed by land dressed as a nun, claiming the prince was an orphan, the two journeyed towards the Mediterranean when their identities were discovered and her cousin, King Louis XVII was alerted. They were temporarily held captive, but then were given escorts to take them to the Mediterranean. The King of France was only too willing to help destroy Spain’s powers and he had secretly providing arms to Napoleone. As a result, Paola and her son were given a ship to sail to Naples where the Parthenopean Republic had been proclaimed, with Napoleone as its Consul. Napoleone was made aware of Paola's return and was he was truly in love with her and he felt that now that he was ruler of much of Italy, that he could win her affection.