Letter Bee

Letter Bee's Character Sheets

First Post for Egypt

Sultan’s Palace, Cairo, Egypt, January 1, 1847

Muhammad Ali was dying.

His years had been successful, Egypt was led to greatness and prosperity and even a measure of hegemony over the petty states of the Middle East under his reign. However, he had alienated many people not just with his brutality, which he could have gotten away with, even turned into a strength, but also with his defiance of tradition plus the demeaning concessions with which he had secured the vast majority of his dominions against the overwhelming power of Britain. And now, with his son Ibrahim dying from tuberculosis as well and his grandson Abbas already dead, some suspect by his own command, it was the former’s task to hold back the tide of discontent which was still simmering in the areas where opposition to the Sultanate remained strong.

As the former Pasha, now Sultan, of Egypt lay on his deathbed, surrounded by his doctors, caretakers, servants, and relations, he looked around uncomprehendingly at first, gripped by the increasing senility which had arrived with his advancing years. Then, a glint came into his eye as he looked at his son, sixteen-year-old Sa’id, who was now the next in line (once Ibrahim had died) after Abbas’ death through poison administered in his wine. Then he said in a raspy voice:

“Even before I die, send out an army to Syria across the Suez - The British will be obligated to allow our passage, lest any rebels threaten their precious canal, more worth to them than a dozen cities. This army will be composed of conscripts from Egypt itself and several battalions of Sudanese, in order to make the instructions forwarded to them easier. What are these commands? To take hostages among the leading families of each town and city, and burn out any rogue shaikh, Bedouin tribe, or discontented noble who want to bring back the backwardness and chaos of the past.”

The hard edge came back to his voice as he continued, “At the same time, another army is to be sent down to the Sudan, where the ungrateful natives of the region claim the right to revolt due to our ‘oppressions’. As if The Highest himself did not smile upon me and justify my actions! Similar instructions are to be given to this force - Take hostages and give punishment for any hint of revolt!”

He coughed, his death was near indeed. “As for the Sharif of Hedjaz… Heap him with high honors and a reminder that any rebellion in Arabia will open the gates to the return of the heretical followers of Ibn Wahhab and his ilk. Hint at a marriage between your brother,” Sa’id then looked at him with some surprise at being mentioned, “And one of his daughters, a purest Sayyida who carries the line of the Prophet - Peace Be Upon Him - himself.”

Sa’id’s eyes opened wide at that - His father was shooting high, indeed, if he was aiming for one of his son’s future brides (for their religion allowed for four wives) to come from such a family. No, Sa’id knew that any sons he would bear with his future wife could claim the dignity of the Caliphate itself, and thus usurp another of the Ottoman Sultan’s shrinking raft of titles. He bowed before his father, amazed at his wisdom.

The Sultan of Egypt then took off his turban and put it on Sa’id’s head, saying, “You are the one and only successor to my throne - I have crossed many lines and risked hellfire to ensure that this is so. Now take up the sword as well as the throne, and do not shirk from taking the blood of rebel and ingrate!”

An oblique admission that Abbas’ death was indeed caused by him, and exhausted by this last movement, as well as his outburst, Muhammad Ali of Egypt lay down and finally expired, the boundless energies which he had put into administration and conquest both finally dissipating.

But for Sa’id, now Sultan Sa’id, once known only for his Francophilia and fascination with Western ways, the flames were just beginning to burn.

“Gather the leading men of the court, city, and army here immediately and have them pledge their allegiance. Muster the needed forces and send the needed messages, now. We will not let what my father has built fall down just because of the jealousy of blind and old men!” he barked out with surprising ferocity. “Egypt will stand!”

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation RP

Formal Application - The Sultanate of Egypt:

Hider

Government

Name: Sultanate of Egypt

Flag/Badge:


Head of State: Sultan Muhammad Ali Pasha
Head of Government: Sultan Muhammad Ali Pasha
Ideology: Conservative.

Military

Army Numbers: 75,000 - 80,000 (After Point of Divergence.)

Navy Numbers: (Copy Wikipedia if you are not using a Point of Divergence. If you are, use common sense and reason - No absurd numbers. Also, if you have multiple fleets, list each one's ships seperately, do not bunch them up).

Mediterrenean Fleet (After Point of Divergence):

-8 Ships of the Line
-20 Frigates
-30 Corvettes
-10 Schooners
-20 Brigantines

Red Sea Fleet (After Point of Divergence):

- 3 Ships of the Line
- 8 Frigates
- 10 Corvettes
- 5 Schooners
- 10 Brigantines

Army Equipment:

-Springfield Model 1842 (Rifle).
-Colt Walker 1846 (Pistol).
-The Harpers Ferry Model 1841 (Rifle).
-Aston Model 1842 (Pistol).
-20 Smoothbore Cannons (Field and Siege Guns).
-15 Rocket Artillery.

Naval Ship Types:

-Ships of the Line
-Frigates
-Corvettes
-Schooners
-Brigantines

History, Expansion, and Economics

The Point of Divergence began in the year 1840, where the British offered Muhammad Ali, then merely the rebellious viceroy of Egypt, a deal - Keep his military conquests, his navy, and gain independence from the Ottoman Empire in exchange for an earlier Suez Canal. Muhammad Ali agreed, and once the deal was signed, he found himself the new Sultan of Egypt, and ready to create a new modern nation which nevertheless did not lose its continuity and attachment to the Past. With a free hand to continue his reforms, and relations with the independent Greek Kingdom repaired by his' ceding Crete to them, he now had almost unlimited power in his nation.

His modernizing reforms involved improving education and fostering literacy, encouraging foreign business and trade, while at the same time making use of the Western Powers' current goodwill (extended by legally abolishing slavery) to foster trade with the parts of Africa which were still unconquered by European powers. Not just that, but he also founded a Military Academy in order to lessen his dependence on European specialists, as well as extended medical education to women in order to improve the expertise of midwives and women's doctors so that his pool of potential soldiers and workers can grow.

While these all came with a cost, economic growth was high due to investment in Egypt's agricultural economy, as well as the workshops and small factories the Sultan ordered built all along the Nile. Gold mining in Sudan was also a vital source of funds, especially when new methods of resource production were brought in from the West. And of course, there was Egyptian Cotton, which grew into a viable competitor against the American South's products. While taxes were still high, wages grew, and the standard of living in Egypt began to improve, although it was still poor by European Standards.

As for foreign affairs, Muhammad Ali chose to eschew intervention into Ethiopia as he grew older, knowing full well that he had to focus on building Egypt's economy. So in a surprising move, he chose to aid the would-be uniter of the Ethiopians, Sahle Dingil/Tewedoros II, in ascending to his nation's throne in exchange for preferential access to the coffee plants of said nation. At the same time, defenses are built up all across the Cicilian border with the Ottomans, where the local Armenian population is given tax exemptions in exchange for helping build fortifications and serving as soldiers and sailors.

Nevertheless, some touch of the old ruthlessness remains in the elderly, successful, Sultan of Egypt, as he is speculated to have secretly ordered the death of his most incompetent nephew, Abbas, in order to have an heir who would not scrap his modernizing policies (his competent eldest son, Ibrahim, is currently dying from tuberculosis). For now, however, despite the absolute nature of his rule and his insistence that it continue, Egypt's future looks bright...

Territory: Cilicia/Lesser Armenia, The Levant, the Hedjaz region of Arabia including the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina, Egypt and Sudan.

Economic Description: Egypt makes most of its money from agriculture, whether of food crops or cash crops, with cotton making up most of the latter. It has also built up a proto-industrial economy of workshops and factories for local consumption of goods, as well as the production of guns, artillery, and ships. Mining in Sinai and Sudan is also a source of wealth, with gold and iron ore being important resources to the domestic and foreign economies. And finally, a Western-style Bank has been set up in Cairo itself, one which heralds the arrival of more 'sophisticated' financial institutions.

Historical Claims: None, Egypt is satisfied.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

@Eldritch Puppy, Accepted.

Please give Elkader to us. :P

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

Making the OOC thread.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation RP

@TheEvanCat@Dinh AaronMk@Jeddaven@Lady Lascivious@Yam I Am@Andreyich@Richard Horthy@Wernher@Eldritch Puppy:

OOC Thread has been made!

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation RP

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay


Muhammad Ali establishing a Modern Navy

The Discord Server

The IC Thread (TBA)

In 1840, history diverged when the British offered Muhammad Ali of Egypt, the great modernizer of his country, independence and continued rule of the territories he had conquered in his rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in exchange for one major concession: The construction of an earlier Suez Canal. As the European Navies' guns were staring down his metaphorical throat, the ruler of Egypt agreed, and sweetened the concessions by ceding Crete, which he held at the time, to the nascent Greek state. Thus, the newly-founded Sultanate of Egypt found itself in control of the Levant, Cicilia, and the Hedjaz, becoming the hegemon of the Middle East almost overnight.

Using this opportunity, Muhammad Ali continued his modernizing reforms, establishing a professional bureaucracy, introducing modern technology and agricultural methods, and even sowing the seeds of industry in Egypt, all the while keeping friendly relations with the European powers, relations made friendlier by his abolition of slavery a few years after consolidating his rule over his new lands. Diplomatic ties were also formed with the Muslim states of Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the Christian nation of Ethiopia, where he formed an unlikely alliance with one of the claimants to its Imperial Throne, Sahle Dingil (The future IRL Tewodoros II), an alliance dedicated to modernizing both their nations in the face of European Expansion.

As for the rest of the world, China is trying to recover from its stunning defeat and humiliation in the First Opium War, with reactionaries and reformists beginning to clash over what reforms their Empire needed, if they needed any at all. Hatred for the foriegners who forced drugs into their country and threaten their way of life simmers among the citizenry and peasants, but above all, the latter despise the ruling Qing Dynasty for trapping them in oppression and poverty. This is the year in which Hong Xiuqan, who would later start the Taiping Rebellion, was refused baptism by Western Missionaries, a foreshadowing of how his revolution will have to rely mostly on domestic support...

In America, the United States is handily beating Mexico in the first and only war between their two nations. Founded on principles of Freedom and Democracy, the United States is brimming with ambitions to turn itself into a world power, although it has to deal with the cancer of slavery which still exists in its southern parts. Will its future be as bright as it was in History, or will the American Dream flounder in this alternate world? For that matter, what of Brazil, Peru, and the other nations of 'Latin America'? Will they be able to rise up and industrialize, attaining unheard-of strength, or will their dreams crash and burn?

And while Ireland suffers under the Great Famine, and Britain sits in 'splendid isolation' to build an empire while not involving itself in Continental Europe, where the forces of Revolution and Reaction stir, with nationalists and liberals formenting rebellion against the Old Guard. Italy and Germany call out for Unification, with would-be revolutionaries in the former prepared to confront the Papacy itself, while in the latter, plans are made to influence Prussia, the hegemon of North Germany, to unite the other German-speaking peoples by force. In Hungary, intellectuals plan to agitate for the self-determination of their people and equality with the Austrian crown, while France's last King, Louis-Philippe of Orleans, is losing popularity to the point where his downfall seems inevitable.

In the Real World, these will become the unsuccssful rebellions of 1848, but who knows what the seeds of discontent will flower into in this world? Or will the forces of reaction succeed instead?

-------

Co-GMs:

-------

Rules are below:

1.) Do not be an asshole.
2.) The Point of Divergence is 1840 (the present date of the RP is 1847). Before that, your nation's history must be as IRL.
3.) Do not make your nation overpowered.
4.) Do not ignore Logistics or Economics.
5.) By the same token, only a few nations can match the British Empire's economy.
6.) Do not make your nations perfect.
7.) Technological Development must be plausible - I do not want people developing Dreadnoughts in the 1840s. That said, this is an era of advancements in Science and Technology, so don't overly gimp yourselves either.
8.) All nations must have existed in the 1840 - 1847 period. This includes my own, Egypt.

Nation Sheet

Nation Sheet

[b][u]Government[/u][/b]

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Flag/Badge:[/b]
[b]Head of State:[/b] (Who rules your nation, either as a figurehead or in truth).
[b]Head of Government:[/b] (If your Head of State is a figurehead, list the real ruler here. If he isn't, type 'Same as Head of State').
[b]Ideology:[/b] (Is your nation Liberal, Conservative, or some radical version of both?)

[b][u]Military[/u][/b]

[b]Army Numbers:[/b] (Copy Wikipedia if you are not using a Point of Divergence. If you are, use common sense and reason - No absurd numbers).
[b]Navy Numbers:[/b] (Copy Wikipedia if you are not using a Point of Divergence. If you are, use common sense and reason - No absurd numbers. Also, if you have multiple fleets, list each one's ships seperately, do not bunch them up).
[b]Army Equipment:[/b] (What sort of guns and cannons does your army have?).
[b]Naval Ship Types:[/b] (What sort of ships does your navy have?).

[b][u]History, Expansion, and Economics[/u][/b]

[b]History:[/b] (Optional unless you are using a Point of Divergence.)
[b]Territory:[/b] (Describe Verbally or show on map.)
[b]Economic Description:[/b] (Elaborate on your Economy. What natural resources, manufactured goods,and crops do you produce?)
[b]Historical Claims:[/b] (What land [i]outside[/i] your territory do you want? If using a Point of Divergence, do not claim the rest of the world).

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

@Jeddaven, @Eldritch Puppy already reserved France earlier, but if he doesn't turn up in 24 hours, I'll approve your Nation.

@Dinh AaronMk, Accepted! I'm happy to have you. Now, will you join us in the Discord Server?

Edit: Sorry, Jedd; Puppy made good on his reservation.

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

@TheEvanCat, Accepted. Glad to see you back, SevanCat (sorry if that nickname is unwarranted).

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

@Lady Lascivious@Yam I Am@Andreyich@Richard Horthy@Wernher@Eldritch Puppy:

Discord Server Invite has been made!

discord.gg/9czbSVd5Sc

From Sick Man to Savior - An 1847 Nation Roleplay

<Snipped quote by Letter Bee>

1812 was very different to the 1840s though, where we saw native Canadian rebels against Britain in people like Papineau and Mackenzie. Ultimately it was a status symbol of the Empire as opposed to the cash cow of India. Likewise, in their status as an unincorporated territory the Republic of Canada has more than nominal autonomy and freedom from core America especially in contrast to the relationship with Britain they had.

Thus this compromise where Britain still gets to keep Atlantic Canada and the vast profits from the fishing, trade, etc. As well as a foothold in North America to try reconquer the lands if it so desires while letting me have my pretty greater 'Merica.

@Andreyich

All right, I'll approve it.