[EU4->Vic2] The Bloody Art of Politics - A Prussian Vicky2 AAR

[garbon]

The EU4 to Victoria 2 converter has been developing nicely and as I've still not finished modding for my CK2 Zoro playthrough into EU4 (), I've decided to take my first completed EU4 playthrough in recent memory as an opportunity to try it out. I have added in a bit of nations, decisions and events from the NNM to give the converted mod a bit more flavor.

The Prologue

As 1836 dawns, House Hohenzollern strides the world like a colossus. Though no longer united by one crowned head, mighty France and magnificent Prussia are both ruled by Hohenzollern monarchs.



The tiny electorate of Brandenburg formed the Kingdom of Prussia in the 16th century following the establishment of the Protestant faith. Champions of the true religion, Prussia enforced Luther's teachings at swordpoint upon the princes of the Holy Roman Empire, gaining the Imperial Crown in perpetuity.

A series of fruitful matches led to the inheritance of the Kingdom of Holland, coming with it rich colonial possessions in the Caribbean, Peru and Brazil, as well as for a time, the crown of France.



Following a bloody and futile attempt to establish a revolutionary regime in France, the aged (and childless) King Louis XVI bequeathed his kingdom to his nephew, Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. His Spanish nephew, King Francisco II, started a disastrous war for the French throne that resulted in a series of minor kingdoms being carved from former Spanish lands.

Becoming a haven for fallen French revolutionaries, the Spanish Republic arose from the crippled Spanish kingdom. Though its 30 years of existence saw it make few territorial gains, the coalition war that led to the Altamiran Monarchical Restoration had great ramifications for the balance of power in Europe. Friedrich Wilhelm II agreed to the accession of his second son, Karl Friedrich, to the throne of France with a solemn promise that the kingdoms of France and Prussia would remain separate henceforth.

In 1836, Prussia is the world's third greatest power close on the coattails of France and the United Kingdom. The Ottoman Empire, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain and Portugal round out the Great Eight.



A multi-ethnic empire, Prussia sees German citizens making up just over ¼ of its population. Farmers make up the bulk of the populace.


As with most states of the day, the Kingdom of Prussia still allows slavery in its colonial possessions


Map showing the larger Polish dominated areas making up the southeast of continental Prussia, as well as Dutch population in the west.

Prussia boasts strong relationships with most German princes as well as close ties with France and Russia (though wars against the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century have shown Russian armies to largely be garbage).


The two puppets noted with the black eagle flags were client states setup by Prussia in EU4. The converter now has some pretty decent graphics converting so while simple versions of CoA selected in EU4, those are pretty similar to the flags they had prior to conversion.



The United Kingdom 'united' early with an England heavily focused on military aims. Such efforts allowed the UK to keep some of England's continental possessions. While the English Civil War did result in a Parliamentary victory, Lord Protector Cromwell found the temptations of the Crown too much to handle, reverting the newly minted republic back to a monarchy.

Late to the colonial game, the UK still has much of the Atlantic seaboard of North America, a few colonial lands in Canada and its recent conquests in India.

Having studiously avoided the charms of the Reformation, the Catholic rulers of the United Kingdom have nevertheless, through the last couple centuries, pragmatically aligned themselves with Protestant Scandinavia, in order to curb Prussian militarism.



As one of the great Muslim success stories, the Ottomans have managed to hold their own against the European powers during the preceding centuries - now holding territories stretching from the Baltic to the Red Sea. Recent Prussian meddling resulted in Sultan Murad III being forced to sign a humiliating peace authorizing the independence of Bulgaria and Albania. Allied with Scandinavia, the Ottomans complete the tripartite pact to box the Prussians in.




While Russia is a behemoth stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific, it is well known to Prussian generals that the Russian army isn't worth its weight in, well, anything. Still with impressive manpower reserves, Russia has proven a useful ally to check Ottoman expansion.



The product of a rapacious Sweden (which forced the Norwegian monarchs to retreat to Iceland), Scandinavia was once one of Prussia's greatest allies and instrumental in great victories over Poland, Lithuania and the battle against the Habsburgs for the Imperial Throne. Despite adopting the same faith as Prussia, Scandinavia spent the 18th century as one of Prussia's most implacable enemies as the two fought for dominance of the Baltic Sea. Though finally ejected from the German coast, Scandinavia still hungrily eyes Prussia.



Spain is the most curious of the great powers as apart from the Spanish Revolution and the impressive conquest of North Africa, Spain has little to commend it.  The colonization of the Americas took place not under the aegis of Spain but under financing from the independent kingdom of Castile. The latter established large colonies in Brazil, Mexico, Louisiana and Haiti before losing it all when the kingdom of Aragon formed Spain and forced the Castilian monarchs to flee Iberia. In exile in southern Africa, the Castilian monarchs regained their Iberian lands during the First War of French Succession. Too late though to keep hold of their American territories which had sprouted into independent nations.

Spain is allied with the final great power, Portugal, but is likely to lose all standing if its North African territories ever rise in rebellion.





Portugal made early pacts with the monarchs of Castile and Aragon, leaving it free to crusade in Morocco. Portugal's colonial efforts were spent making profits in Chile, Australia and Indonesia - though the former two ungratefully rose against their monarch to form independent republics. Competing against its former colony, Portugal and Australia carved up much of Japan before the Shogunate fell into the Portuguese sphere of influence.




Map of North America showing the principal powers. California, Louisiana and the Empire of Mexico all offspring of Castile. The latter has thrown its hat in the ring for world status with conquests in India and a substantial bevy of claims on Japan. Britain still holds its American territories, while Prussia holds most of Canada. Tiny Vinland is a former colony of Norway.


Map of the situation in Central America. The combined might of the French and Prussian forces is the reason that France was able to hold onto its territories in Mexico and Colombia while virtually all other great powers were booted from the region. Mexico longs to unite its lands by taking French North America.


Southeast Asia carved up by Portugal, Russia, Australia (burgundy territories), France and surprisingly large Lan Xang.


Ming managed to beat back Mongol and Manchu invaders while Japan has fallen prey to Western powers


Western toeholds in India - Prussia in blue, Australia in burgundy, UK in red and Mexico in light green. Also displayed large uncivilized states of Delhi, Persia and Yarkand.

While not a great power, Austria is a secondary power to watch. Long an enemy of Prussia, the Catholic Habsburgs have proven resilient and continue to be numbered among Europe's most tenacious dynasties.




The World's Great and Secondary Powers on the eve of 1836

[Jaron]

That's quite an interesting world. Ottoman Empire out of CONTROL and Mexico is shifted north of its geographic position.

[Tonitrus]

I was somewhat confused...Russia is mentioned as a behemoth, but it looks like thy're jsut a rump wedge sandwiched between Scandinavia and the Ottoman Empire?

And the poor Sioux...exiled to polar bear country. 

[garbon]

The Eight Month's War

On January 1st of 1836, Hesse-Darmstadt declared war on Frankfurt am Main. Wasting no time, they simultaneously requested military support from Prussia.



Hesse-Darmstadt was in luck that on that very same day, Prussia had shuffled out the Liberaldem anti-military government and brought to power the jingoistic Konservative Partei. Had the diplomat arrived just hours earlier, it is likely Prussia would have abstained from the war.



The new government, eager to prove its mettle, authorized a declaration of war against Frankfurt am Main and its ally, Bremen.



In additional energetic moves, the Konservative government announced plans to increase the professionalism of the Prussian army and sought a new alliance with Hungary. The latter as part of the cornerstone of a policy to build alliances against the Austrians and the Ottomans.





On January 22nd, the forces of Friedrich Wilhelm IV (raised to the throne shortly after the brief and inconsequential rule of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm III) saw the first battle of the war when they met the army of Bremen on a field near Cloppenburg.





The Emperor's forces proved competent leading to a complete rout of their enemy.



As news reached the Emperor of new wars raging across the globe, he also received word that the great powers had been assessed and Prussia was now the most powerful nation in the world!





News also reached the court that fearful of western of encroachment, Delhi announced its new name to be Hindustan, encouraging all muslims on the Subcontinent to flock to its banner. Few muslim states were impressed.





Unbeknownst to the government, several nobles had taken it upon themselves to stir up agitation in the Ottoman Empire. Caught red-headed by Ottoman forces paranoid about a rumored Russian invasion, Prussia appeared needlessly antagonistic with its attempts to meddle from the shadows.





In March, the Konservative Partei chose its new party leader - a gifted academic who was committed to the party's efforts to reform the Prussian nation



Back on the war front, Prussian forces quickly hunted down all enemy troops allowing them to put all of Bremen under siege. Prussian artillery made short work of the minor fortifications that had been hastily erected; Stade and Bremen fell by May.





Enthusiastic about the new government's success on the battlefield, the aristocrats of Holland threw a celebration in Rotterdam to announce their unequivocal support for the Emperor and his ministers.



By August, Prussian troops were itching for a fight. While Frankfurt was still under siege, the last town in Bremen had fallen in June, leaving Prussian forces on war footing with no armies to battle. Word from the east changed all that when a courier arrived with a missive from the Tsar of Russia. In honor of their longstanding alliance, he requested that Prussia declare war on the Ottoman Empire.



Eager to tear down the Ottomans, Prussia agreed and sent troops marching east. Albrecht von Roon was given wide latitude to conduct the war in the east as he saw fit.





Word reached court that Scandinavia had dishonored its alliance with the Ottomans, claiming that it was too busy prosecuting its war against Norway. No one was fooled though as Scandinavia finished its war against Norway within a week of Russia's declaration of war against the Ottoman Empire. Gossip around Europe was that Scandinavia was fearful of Prussian might.





Eager to shift troops to the east, the Prussian government decided to give into Frankfurter entreaties for peace. Adding a new stipulation to the peace terms, Frankfurt was to be annexed to Hesse-Darmstadt while Bremen was to fall into the Prussian sphere of influence. Their lands fully occupied, the minor German states had no chance but accede to Prussian wishes.







The Konservative government congratulated itself on the successful conclusion of a campaign that had lasted only 8 months. They could only hope the Ottoman Empire would prove as easy a nut to crack.

[garbon]

I was somewhat confused...Russia is mentioned as a behemoth, but it looks like thy're jsut a rump wedge sandwiched between Scandinavia and the Ottoman Empire?

And the poor Sioux...exiled to polar bear country. 

More like Russia was too big for screen capture. Here's two I cobbled together.

[Jaron]

Perm. The hairstyles are probably atrocious there.

[Syt]

Perm. The hairstyles are probably atrocious there.

The country to the south seems a bit homophobic.

[Jaron]

Perm. The hairstyles are probably atrocious there.

The country to the south seems a bit homophobic.

[garbon]

Oh you chuckleheads.

[Tonitrus]

I was somewhat confused...Russia is mentioned as a behemoth, but it looks like thy're jsut a rump wedge sandwiched between Scandinavia and the Ottoman Empire?

And the poor Sioux...exiled to polar bear country. 

More like Russia was too big for screen capture. Here's two I cobbled together.

I didn't mean to deny Russia was big...but it seems all the territory that is left is useless snow and taiga. 

[garbon]

War in the East

The occupation of the first Ottoman province to fall, Przemysl, was so quick that von Roon had not even had chance to reach the battlefront before word of the successful siege reached him. The Prussian army hoped it was a sign of things to come.



Meanwhile at sea, Prussia had its first opportunity to prove its naval might when it was attacked by a foolhardy Ottoman transport fleet off the coast of Africa. With a superior force of attack ships, the result was a foregone conclusion.





France expanded its holdings in Europe with the capture of Brabantian Flanders while Austria forces besieged Bohemia-Moravia in their war to annex Salzburg (a goal which would be accomplished before the end of March).



Early spring saw the remainder of Prussian troops from the west move into place to siege Ottoman territories. With only minor Ottoman forces in sight, advancement would continue swiftly through summer and autumn.



The dawn of 1837 saw support for the Konservative Partei grow  with its presence in the Upper House swelling to over 70%.



Despite its overwhelming command of the government, the Konservative Partei still found its hands tied by the will of the Emperor which may account for the foolish stance taken when the French king came asking for support in his war against the United Kingdom. No longer content to stand for British rule over the heartland of France, the French state declared war for the British Region Centre, more aptly described as Maine and Anjou.



Never on the best terms with his nephew in Prussia, Charles Frédéric, never would have guessed that Friedrich Wilhelm IV would abandon him to face the forces of Britain and Scandinavia alone. No one knows for sure why the Prussian monarch chose to dishonor the alliance that stretched back to the 16th century, but court gossip had it that Friedrich Wilhelm held it against his uncle that he wore a crown that he felt was rightfully his own.

Whatever the reason, the French vowed to make the Prussian state regret its treachery.

In April, the Emperor's troops finally met the Ottoman army in combat. The Battle of Grodno would go down as a decisive victory for Prussia.





The march of the Prussian army continued throughout the spring of 1837 with province after province falling into Prussian hands.









Eager to see the war carried to a more swift conclusion, the Prussian government called out to Hungary for aid. Apparently not gracious for the prior year of Prussian protection, the Hungarians refused to be drawn into Russia's war.



In short order, Hungary declared its own war against the Ottomans to reacquire historically Hungarian territories.



Hungarian intransigence was eventually understood as a diplomatically clumsy way of making it known that Hungary feared its interests would not be looked after by the Russian-Prussian coalition. Diplomats managed to smooth things over, Prussia and Hungary reaffirmed their military commitments to one another.

Further diplomatic efforts succeeded in drawing Lorraine into the Prussian sphere of influence.



As with spring, summer saw Prussian and Russian forces continue to expand their control over Ottoman lands.





August brought news of many items of interest to the Prussian court. Relations with the United Kingdom hit an all time low when the Prussian ambassador was slapped by the British foreign minister on the front lawn of the Prussian embassy in London.

In a clear dig at his Prussian nephew, France began to make diplomatic overtures to the Ottoman Empire with a goal of establishing friendly relations.

Portugal hit hard by foreign efforts to limit its influence in Japan (including an Australian invasion of the latter), found that it could no longer rank itself among the Great Powers of the world. Prussia's implacable enemy, Austria, took its place. The Konservative government found its diplomatic options shrinking all around it.





In a swift response, the aristocrats of Pomerania put up a show of no confidence in the ruling party.



In November, the Ottomans managed to pull together a force of troops in a futile effort to oppose the invading forces. Meeting with the Russian army at Kiev, all knew from the outset that the Russian forces would carry the day. "What an uncharacteristic show of honor from the Mohammedans," said the Emperor when he heard of their valiant sacrifice.



Prussian reform efforts proved successful with new professional standards for the army rolling out at the start of 1838. With resources freed, the government turned its focus towards establishing a modern military staff system.





The New Year also saw Holstein and Hesse-Darmstadt join the list of Prussian spherelings.





On a less positive note, word reached the court that France had been victorious in wresting the contested lands from British control. The Prussian emperor looked all the more cowardly for having not supported his erstwhile ally.



Nevertheless as 1838 began, it looked to be a very good year to continue the humiliation of the Ottoman Empire.

[garbon]

Shuffling the Deck

Despite the French army's numeric inferiority, by summer of 1838, people began to speak of France as a greater power than Prussia.



The antipathy between the two great monarchs continued to grow as France declared an alliance with the Ottoman Empire. Upon receiving a stinging rebuke from the Emperor, the French ambassador to Prussia noted that France simply wanted to make sure that no other nations took advantage of the mess that Russia and Prussia had made.



In September, news came that the fragile Republic of Castile had given up on democracy. While Prussia had successfully agitated to bring the Castilian king from exile as one of the conditions of the Altamiran Monarchical Restoration in Spain, that same king had been forced to abdicate during a wave of liberal sentiment in 1835.

After failing in 1837 to protect Castile against the kingdom of Leon, the fickle people grew disillusioned with democracy. Voting in a reactionary party, no one was surprised when the new president voted himself dictator until the current 'crisis' was over.

The Emperor was overjoyed to see a quasi-monarchical form of rule return to the people of Castile, even if the new president was from peasant stock.









Back at court, the Konservative government was happy to announce that its diplomatic maneuvering had convinced a majority of the Great Powers that France needed a lesson in humility. They only hoped that the Emperor could be persuaded to take the bait.



In October, seeing the writing on the wall, the Ottoman sultan reached out to Russia, Prussia and Hungary asking for peace terms. Still eager for a fight, Russia announced there would be no peace until further concessions were granted.



In line with its desire to dismantle its Ottoman foe, the Prussian government announced limited independence for the Greeks of Athens as a precondition for peace. The move played favorably in Russia which had a policy aim of protecting Orthodox peoples around the world.



Unlike the two great powers, Hungary was more than happy to conclude hostilities and with the stroke of a quill, saw its territories double in size.





As 1839 dawned, efforts were completed on the modernization of Prussia's military staff system.



The government quickly turned its focus to making sure muzzle-loaded rifles were available for its troops.



Peace talks continued throughout winter and in April, the Ottomans agreed to all demands put forth by the Prussian and Russian delegations. Russia was to gain Bryansk and Kursk while the Greeks of Attica were allowed to form their own government under Prussian protection.



Warned by the French, British and Scandinavian ambassadors that they would not stand idly by if a more humiliating peace was forced on the Ottoman Empire, treaties were signed and peace was declared.





Two weeks after the the cessation of hostilities, all of Europe was briefly at peace when the Pope was forced to sign a humiliating treaty by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Eager to prove his temporal, as well as spiritual supremacy, the Pope had declared war hoping to force Tuscany into submission. It was said that once Spain had decided to support Tuscany, it was only a matter of time till the Pope found himself the one forced to submit.



Per the treaty, long-standing Papal vassals of Naples, Urbino and Ferrara were set free - forcing a fragmentation of the Italian landscape.





The fledgling Greek government spent its first few weeks of existence hard at work to lobby the Great Powers to support independence for all Greek peoples within the Ottoman Empire.



Seeing no reason not to double down on their support, the Prussian government declared their full support for Greece in its struggle against Ottoman rule. The Spanish government also announced the same.



Hardliners in Russia pressured the Tsar to an even tougher stance with Russia resuming hostilities against the Ottoman Empire just scant weeks after its soldiers had laid down their arms. Convinced that the Ottomans needed further humiliation, Russian started what was known to be known to history as the Crimean War.

Proving its alliance was more than just words on paper, France declared its intentions to protect the Sultan against Russian aggression.



Following on the tails of Ottoman and Papal humiliation, the word saw a shake up of its great powers. The victorious Tuscans replaced the paper tiger Ottomans while Austria was replaced by Australia (the first great Power not headquartered in Europe).





Humbled Austria sought protection from Scandinavia.



With the outbreak of the Crimean War, the Konservative government wondered if now was the time to humiliate France.


Prussia and its spherelings, June 1839

[Jaron]

What is combat width?

[garbon]

Konservative Ascendancy

First discovered by Portuguese sailors in the 17th century, Australia did not see large scale permanent settlements established for nearly a century more. At the same time that the kingdom of Portugal lost its grip on its other colonial territories (Chile and Louisiana), Australia began to slip away too – a formal split from its motherland was signed at the start of the 19th century.



Consisting primarily of settlements in and around the coast of Australia proper, New Zealand and Sulawesi, the state can boast nearly 4 million souls. As previously mentioned Australia also has toeholds in India and Japan. Successful Australian venturing to limit Portuguese influence over the latter, has recently catapulted the island nation to the world stage. Pursuant to an analysis of its military strength, Prussian command views the upstart as posing little threat to Prussian interests in Asia.



As the Konservative government debated whether or not Prussia should go to war to humiliate France, and ostensibly help Russia in the Crimean War, it was decided that the Prussia needed to greatly increase the size of its standing army in order to make warfare on two fronts a viable option.

A recruitment initiative was started to encourage the Emperor's Polish subjects to take up arms in defence of the fatherland.



At the same time, word reached court that the nearby city-state of Hamburg was claiming it was bankrupt and it no longer was obligated to pay back its Prussian creditors.



Eager to test their newly trained army, Prussian leadership happily took up the opportunity to invade Hamburg.



Encountering little resistance from the unpaid Hamburger army, General von Blomberg quickly put the city under siege.



French envoys managed to use Prussia's bellicosity to convince Lorraine that perhaps it wasn't so good idea to be on such cosy terms with the Emperor.



In a show of sabre rattling, the Emperor personally lead several detachments of Prussian forces to the border of France. Speculation that war would breakout shortly between the two powers led to a sharp increase in the price of artillery.





Within in 4 months of war being declared, Hamburg fell to Prussian forces and agreed that it would, as possible, repay its debts to Prussia.





The war's successful conclusion was celebrated with the opening of the new rail line terminus in Pritzwalk. The Berlin rail line could now quickly transfer goods and munition between Pritzwalk and Cottbus. Impressed, several investors signed up to help the railroad continue to expand across the length of Prussia.





Happy tidings at Thuringia falling into Prussia's sphere were more than balanced out by alarming news that relations between Russia and France were warming despite an official state of war existing between the two!





It was revealed that secret negotiations had taken place where France had agreed to policy of non-interventionism in the Crimean War which permitted Russian troops to continue their slow march across the Ottoman Empire, unhindered.



France doubled up on its charm offensive by also establishing friendly relations with the Japanese in the Far East.



The start of 1840 found Prussia in the grips of another election cycle. The Konservative government was confident that it would retain a strong majority but nevertheless in a bit of cynical politicking announced the establishment of child labour laws.

   



With few industries local to Prussia proper and most of the economy focused on agrarian outputs, it was hardly a concession at all to act as the 'protector' of German children. Nevertheless, it proved a masterstroke in undercutting liberal power among voters with liberal tendencies ensuring that the election would prove an orderly one.



The government also chose the start of the elections to announce that it had successfully negotiated an alliance with Thuringia.



In April, the newspapers carried a story of a minor disturbance in the colony of Peru but the government wrote it off as nothing of consequence.



Meanwhile at a political debate, the government made a rousing speech in support of its current policy of interventionism nothing that only with government involvement in industry, both at home and abroad, could Prussia continue to upkeep its military prowess.





In mid-April, the Berlin line opened up regular service to Magdeburg in the west and Küstrin in the east.





News reached the capital that a small group of Prussians were leading a movement to abolish slavery in the colonies stating that it was appalling that a modern state would continue to permit the enslavement of men.



While still a minor movement, the Emperor ordered that the abolitionists be monitored as slavery was one of the top issues discussed across the Empire.



The Konservative narrative of Prussia starring front and centre as the protectors of the German peoples was advanced when Hesse-Darmstadt sent out feelers for an alliance.


The government garnered strong support for its military policies with ringing endorsements in support of continued patriotism.





By the July, the results were in with the current government garnering an incredible 100% of the vote.





While there was a diplomatic breakthrough when Cologne became part of the Prussian sphere, July would prove to be a month of mixed emotions as the nation learned that the heir apparent to the Prussian throne had died. An elaborate state funeral was held with his surviving brother, Prince Friedrich Karl, new heir to Prussia, leading the ceremonies.



Not long after, Friederich Wilhelm IV also ascended to heaven, leaving his second son to assume the imperial throne.

[garbon]

The Old Alliance

After a suitable period of mourning, the new Emperor made his first state appearance at the dedication of the new fortifications built in Bayreuth (initially commissioned by his father as a show of strength to Austria). He marked the occasion by appoint a new first minister who was dedicated to improving the readiness of the Prussian army.





Many wondered what stance the new Emperor would take with regards to his relatives in France. Would war break out at last between the former allies? While nothing was said at the dedication regarding his ultimate aims, the diplomatic squabbles continued by proxy when Lorraine was convinced to expel its French ambassadors.



In December, the government finished its deployment of muzzle-loaded rifles to the army and turned its attentions to developing ideological thought in support of Prussia's German aims.





By early 1841, Russian forces had successfully occupied one quarter of Ottoman territories. With the Ottoman army in disarray, there was little that was likely to stop continued Russian advancement. Prussian ambassadors began to work overtime to understand the Czar's ultimate aims. It would prove of no service to Prussia if the doddering Ottoman Empire were transferred wholesale to the capable Russians.



The declining Ottoman situation led to change in the balance of the world's great powers with the Empire of Mexico eclipsing the Ottomans.





No longer maintaining the confidence of his army, the Ottoman sultan was forced into granting humiliating concessions. No longer would the sultan wield absolute authority.



The rest of 1841 and 1842 passed by rather quietly with no increase in tensions between Prussia and France. Prussia's colonies did witness additional disturbances which were once again shrugged off by the ruling elite.





The balance of power did shift again with Spain and Russia falling out of the top 8. Despite its armies proving more than capable versus the Ottomans, such a sustained focus on military efforts had caused the Russian economy to falter.







1842 would also prove a time of great pandemics with major outbreaks of influenza and smallpox.




By autumn of 1842, Russia had overrun most of the Sultan's European holdings. The French were enraged as the terms of French non-intervention had been predicated on Russia not seeking to take Orthodox territory in the Balkans.



In response, the French government caused major waves when it reached out to the Prussian government asking for military access so that it could enter Russian occupied territories.
In sharp departure from the policies of his father, the new emperor pushed hard on his ministers to acquiesce to the French request. The courts of Europe stared on in astonishment, would this the be beginning of a return to Old Europe?





Hoping to head off the rapprochement, the United Kingdom sent envoys to negotiate terms of an alliance with Prussia. Gauging the UK's army and navy to be relatively weak, the Prussian government was unable to see any advantages of such a match.



The professionalization of the Prussian army increased with a new requirement announced that all prospective officers, even if of noble birth, would be required to receive formal educations – preferably at a war college.



Great strides were made in pursuit of ideological thought and the government moved to spend its energies supporting the development of improved railroad technology.





News came from Prussian India that the nearby native state of Venad had fallen to reactionary revolutionaries who were unhappy with their former government's adoption of Prussian values and technology. 'Uncivilized heathens,' the Emperor is said to have muttered when informed.





1843 opened with Prussia making two strategic alliances. The first of minor consequence saw Bremen joining its Prussian brothers in arms.



The other, which was guaranteed to have far reaching ramifications, was the culmination of many months of hard work in the waning months of 1842.



The two branches of House Hohenzollern were once again reconciled and the Old Alliance was once again renewed!



Where would the Prussian army find its next battlefield?