Part 56: Europa Universalis III: Chapter 25 - The Scramble for the East Indies: 1740 - 1760

1740 - 1760: The Scramble for the East Indies

The Establishment of the Colonial Company proposal passes in the Reichstag, beating out the School Act by a single vote.


The Imperial Colonial Company, charged with overseeing the growth and management of designated 'Imperial Colonies', is founded. The first such Imperial Colony is the newly settled Banten on Java.



France is facing yet another round of liberal revolts, and this time Konrad decides to fan the flames by providing arms and money to revolters in the Netherlands and Aquitaine.


He next turns his attention to the matter of Lüneberg. Though a few in the Reichstag and Electoral College are content to leave the matter alone, Austria in particular is deriding the Hohenzollerns as weak for failing to carry out their promise. Claiming to act on behalf of the branch of the Ortenburg family that previously ruled the small Duchy, Konrad begins to mobilize.


War is declared in October of 1740. As Konrad had hoped, the Byzantines choose to side with Swabia, rather than be embroiled in a potentially devastating war against their strongest ally. Scandinavia's only defenders are The Finns and Saxony, and its armies are outnumbered four to one.


The Swabian Baltic fleet moves to blockade Öresund as the Imperial Armies march into Slesivg, Lüneberg and Bremen.


By March of 1741, all of Jylland is in Swabian hands and Saxony has been forced out of the war through the occupation of its capital.


The Finns, seeing the way the wind is blowing, quickly ask for peace and is given it.


40,000 Swabians make their way across Öresund to Skåne in September, attacking the 28,000 Scandinavians defending it. Though heavy casualties are suffered during the storming of the Scandiavian beach barricades, the battle is a victory for Swabia.



With Imperial armies now marching across its mainland, Scandinavia is more than willing to begin peace negotiations, and is quick to accept the relatively mild terms offered it - cede their old claims to Iceland, release their hold over Lüneberg, and pay reparations for the losses suffered by Swabia during the war.


To prevent the newly freed Duchy from falling under foreign influences again, it is made a Swabian vassal.


Swabian colonization of the island of Celebes on which Makassar is located is proceeding steadily, interrupted only by the unwelcome news that the Iberians have established their own colony in the province of Bone.


Knowing that Swabia would be very displeased to see their enemies set up shop in the Swabian interest zone, Makassar's govenor decides to deal with the matter by sending agents to stir up Bone's native population against the Iberians. The natives are given gifts and weapons, and told colorful stories of the sorceries and barbaric rites of the invaders. The ploy succeeds, as the native population rises against the Iberians and wipes out the colony.


Upon hearing the news, Govenor Vogel gives the natives their due reward by sending in a colonial army to clear the way for Swabian colonization - after all, the natives are now agitated and militant, and too much of a threat to be left alone.


Spurred on by Scandinavia's military defeat, the island colony of Blåland in America declares independence in March of 1744.


Back in the East Indies, Sumbawa and Flores are next to be colonized by Swabia, while France sends colonists to stake a claim to Sumba.


By 1749, the armistice with Ceylon has long since run out, and Vogel decides that it is time to place the rest of the strategically located island under Swabian colonial rule.


The ensuing war is short and brutal, and Ceylon is forced to give up its independence to a colonial power for the third time.


News arrive 1752 that the Byzantines are making headway into a chaotic India with the aid of local rulers, having annexed a significant stretch of territory and begun converting the population.


By May of 1753, Banten on Java has grown from a colony into a city, and is made an Imperial City and part of the Emperor's demesne. The entire island of Java is designated as an offical part of the Holy Roman Empire.


By 1754, Swabian colonization has reached New Guinea, while the French have established their rule on Timor and several other smaller islands.


An influential settler in Swabian Kongo known as Heinrich of Bern has begun preaching separatism to other settlers. A large number of Swiss, tired of the oppressive royal rule at home, have settled in Kongo and established minature republics according to Swiss tradition. Heinrich wants to turn Kongo into a free republic under the name New Geneve. Fortunately, he lacks enough support to do anything more than just stir up trouble, and representatives of Swabian rule mostly ignore him.


Emperor Konrad, meanwhile, is turning his attention to military policy. Lacking much of an understanding on the topic, he has convened his generals for a briefing on the state of the Swabian military. What he learns - that the Swabian army is essentially unbeatable - pleases him greatly.


The rest of New Guinea is colonized in 1755, while French and Iberian settlers stake claim to a number of islands further off to the east.


In 1757, French agents stir the natives of Flores into rising against the Swabian colony. Though only a handful of settlers are killed, and the damage to the colony is minimal, Swabian response is swift and brutal to discourage any further such risings.



As the year turns to 1760 and another decade nears its end, Konrad learns of strange new ideas from Morocco - its Caliph has established something called a 'constitution' which limits his own powers, putting much of said power in hands of elected representatives. Hamstrung enough on foreign policy by the Reichstag as it is, Konrad scoffs at the idea of a ruler willingly giving over domestic rule to a bunch of squabbling advisors.


What's the world coming to?