2 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - 1474 to 1491: The Caribbean

Most of Parliament votes of exploration driven policies. Very soon thereafter a law is passed giving the state the right to settle uninhabited lands as royal colonies. In this, the Empire hopes to exploit new resources, since Europe is currently lacking in many that have gained popularity. However, the definition of uninhabited extends only to uninhabited by Europeans, and it is decided with the passing of that law that the relationship with the indigenous population will be strictly through trade.

The Empire, at the leadership of Emperor Saxon, finances several explorers to lead British expeditions along the coast of Africa. The first is a man named Andrew Oshere, who was captain of a ship during the war with France. Although he saw very little combat, he has lifelong experience with sailing. The crown gives him 3 ships, a heavy early carrack called Arapot, and two barques, one named Maria and the other Agathe. He and his three ships set off from the Port of Munster in May of 1475, headed south for African waters.

A month later, Saxon dies at the age of 54. His son Scotty de Gael inherits the Empire. He has had a balanced education befitting a ruler. His diplomatic and administrative knowledge is above average, and he is a fine leader in war.

Andrew Oshere returns in December, having charted several areas of water west of Africa. There, he found a small chain of islands called the Azores; these islands would make a perfect base for further exploration into Africa, but the Empire would not be able to govern a colony so far from the motherland. Not yet.

Further exploration is halted as money is directed instead toward the construction of barracks in seven south England provinces. The army, after, is rather weak at only 43 thousand, at least when compared to what it faced during the war.

In May of 1476, Emperor Scotty has a son, whom he names Khaine. The future Emperor of Britain is born!

Surprisingly, Emperor Scotty dies in May of 1477, just shy of 2 years after his father's death. The 1 year old baby Khaine ascends to the throne.

In November of 1478, tensions along the British French border in Normandy have given Britain sufficient reason to take a border province. Unfortunately, the matter of the Regency makes things difficult, and another invasion will have to wait.

In 1479, the limber, a cart with two wheels meant to increase or enable the mobility of field artillery reaches Britain. Now, armies can cart along large, terrifying pieces of metal destruction. The Council agrees on the construction of only two units, though. These go to the armies in Normandy and Caux.

In 1482, General Scipion Barca Saunders dies. Although not the greatest of generals, as proven by the French general in the war, he did his job well and, in the end, ensured victory.

Over the last few years, interest in exploration and colonization, which grinded to a halt after the initial voyage of Oshere, built up until 1483, when the Regency Council agrees to fund the colonization of the Azores. It is slow progress, but Britain takes its first step into a new world of Colonization.

A few months later, Andrew Oshere's next voyage is financed. He sails further down the coast than any Brit before him. In fact, only Castille and Seville have ever had explorers past the Bay of Arguin. Along the west coast, they encounter the Sunni tribal nation of Jolof.

In March, 1486, Andrew Oshere's small fleet of ship spots land while exploring the waters west of Cape Verde (which is a colony of Seville). His supplies and men not sufficient for any landings, he leaves without any knowledge of what he had discovered.

Although the land was too far to the south, his masters of the Regency Council believe that Andrew spotted islands in the Indies, and they implore him to return. This could be the new path to the East.

Split between those wishing for a continued exploration of Africa and those for a search for the new path, they do not agree on any course of action for several years. During the deliberations, they do agree on the establishment of a penal colony on the Azores.

It is not until April of 1488 that Oshere's third and final voyage is funded. Instead of returning to the newly discovered lands across from Africa, he is made to explore the waters more north, where, if all goes according to plan, the East Indies ought to lie. He sets out on April 3rd, stopping in the Azores in June to resupply.

It is not until April of the next year that any land is spotted. It is just a small island thousands of miles away from Europe. The ships do not stop, for they have been gone from the Azores for nearly a year.

More land is spotted in July of 1489, a long chain of islands that must be the East Indies. Andrew and his men stop occasionally and encounter the natives, a darker skinned people that inhabit many of the islands. This inferior race of men, these Indians, could easily be made slaves of the Empire, Andrew writes in his diary. He and his men refer to the waters and islands as the Caribbean, after learning through gestures that the peoples that inhabit the islands are called the Caribs.

They stay in the Caribbean for another few years, exploring and meeting groups of indigenous. They do not explore inland at all, only stopping on the coast to gather more food and water.

Meanwhile at home, Aquitaine declares war on France for Anjou, calling to Britain for aid...

NOTE
-When I first saw south America, covered in Terra Incognita, it looked strangely shaped! I thought for a second that I had accidentally turned on RNW when I first started! Luckily, I was just being stupid.
-I've been reading up on this era, since I haven't studied anything on it since AP world history in highschool (I don't count playing EU4 as studying), so let me know if anything I wrote was too far fetched! I tried to make it as realistic as possible.