2 Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - 1507 to 1526: Reformation

On the island of Madeira, sugarcane grows. The demand for sugar has been increasing in Europe, and with these new colonies comes land space for planting and harvesting it. Another commodity, one that has been traded from Sub-Saharan Africa to the Middle East for hundreds of years, is also becoming more valuable, a trade good that is not quite as simple to acquire as planting and harvesting. Slaves. For now, the desire and need is at a lower level, so conquest for the sake of slaves is unlikely, but the time for such wars is not far off. The colonization farther and farther down Africa is more for getting to India. A Galician man named Vasco de Gama has already managed to sail around the Cape of Africa and reach India, but without secure posts along the way, Britain will have a hard time managing it.

The colony of Madeira reaches 1000 settlers in April, and the efforts move from island-based to land. The first British, in fact European, colony that is not a trade post begins in Beafada, Guinea just south of Malian West Africa. Mali is currently in a crisis. It can be considered a union of West African tribes all under one flag, but in the past year many tribes have attempted to seize power or leave, throwing the nation into a fight for survival.

The difference with this new colony is not all with the neighbors it entails, but more the native population that must be subjugated or destroyed. Although the islands saw just little resistance to the colonization, the natives of Africa are likely to put up a much harder fight. In preparation, a new African Army is raised of 2 thousand infantry and 2 thousand cavalry. 7 ships, including 4 transports are allocated to a new fleet called the Colonial Fleet.  The troops are loaded onto the new fleet and transported to Beafada.

In April of 1509, the inevitable happens as the natives of Beafada rise against the colonists. The African Army manages to defeat the uprising, but at the loss of several hundred soldiers. In response, Emperor Khaine orders the massacre of thousands of natives, leaving the colonial territory nearly empty of non colonists.

In 1509, Galicia declares war on Provence, intent on expanding its kingdom outward. Unfortunately, Provence's ally, Aquitaine, answers the call, pitting Britain's two closest allies against each other. Galician-Aquitainian relations have worsened since the split, the issue deriving from Galicia's French provinces that Aquitaine so desires. This final straw, the expansion of Galicia's non Iberian holdings, broke all hope of rebuilding the relationship. To the Empire, Galicia's warmongering is obviously to blame, and the alliance between the two nations is broken in protest; Galicia has no right to expand into what is rightly Aquitaine's sphere.

1512 brings with it a new Colonial Company founds a settlement adjacent to Beafada. It will have slower growth, lacking complete Royal backing.

Without the protection of the Empire of Britain, Galicia is invaded by Castille in 1514, losing their northern two provinces. They also lost some of their territory in France from the peace treaty that resulted from its war with Provence.

More of the Caribbean is explored in 1515, this time by Captain Frost. He does not stay at sea, and his ships' crews disembark at times and move inland. He says "although these people, or should I just say the native population, could easily be made slaves of the Empire, to plow our fields and sow our seeds, I believe converting them to the one true faith could be done with just as little effort." Many large kingdoms are also sighted, and contact is made. For now, no hostile action is taken against them.

In 1516, a Monk in Malte openly declares his discontent with the Church, preaching against its corruption.

Beafada is a thriving colony in 1517, and a new colony is established further down on the island of Sao Tome.

By this time, the new reformation has spread to mainland Europe. Berlin, the capital of Brandenburg, is now home to many Christians all screaming protest at the church and demanding reformation.

This new form of Christianity grew slowly over the next years. In 1520, no ruler in Europe openly supports it, but Luxembourg's, capital of Lotharingia's, people become followers. 2 years later and the ruler of Samos, the Anatolian single province nation, adopts what will come to be known as Protestantism, and with him his people as well. It finally arrives in Britain in 1526.

Parliament commences in February. Two things must be decided, things that could well determine the entire future of the empire.

Vote (please comment either A or B, as well as either 1 or 2):

Firstly, the Protestant Reformation. As it proved throughout Europe, the Reformation has the potential to spread through an entire country. This, says Khaine, is dangerous, and he propose that the new set of policies that will give more power to the Clergy in regards to stopping conversion away from Catholicism. This could stem the flow, but it could also be a waste of time and resources, as there is no guarantee that it will stop it completely.

The opposition puts forth a very different set of policies, one that was considered at a Parliament before now. They move for innovative policies that advance the technological growth of the nation. It is in such contrast to the Emperor's proposition that many accuse the opposition of supporting the reformation.

(A) Religious Ideas

(B) Innovative Ideas

Secondly, the expansionists bring forward the point that, in order to support a full Colonial Empire, as is indeed imaginable in the not-so-distant future, the nation would need to be able to support a navy that can out sail the competition. A far flung Empire across the seas would require a massive amount of ships to function at all. Therefore a policy set reflecting this necessity should be adopted.

The militarists, and many of the expansionists who are divided on the issue, agree that a large navy is indeed desired. However, they argue that the steady growth the Empire's fleet has seen is enough for the moment, and that the most important thing indeed would be a larger army. How can one guard against furious savages, discontent settlers, and jealous neighbors if ones army is not large enough to protect both the home and the colonies?

(1) Navy Ideas

(2) Quantity Ideas

This vote ends Sunday 9:00 AM EST

Each person gets one vote for each issue.