This post will be done in a much more condensed format with hopefully far less typos.
When we last left, The Serene Republic of Venice had just annexed the Kingdom of Milan and taken colonies in Southern Cameroon from The Republic Genoa.
Overall the the war had been a success but the communication between the Military command the Doge's imperialist administration causing a the army to fail almost all of it's initial objectives set by the military High Command
The High Command was quick to blame the arrogance of the Moderati administration for the severe losses suffered during the Invasion of Milan, and for the counter offensives launched into Milan from Genoa. Administration on the other hand blamed the outcome on "Sub-par performance of the decadent military aristocracy," arguing that the command structure lacked quality generalship, to the level of Genoa or Milan.
While these disagreements never became public knowledge, this proved a considerable schism with the prerogatives of the Moderati Administration and the High Command.
The Venetian-Milanese war had turned out to be a costly affair; initially planned as a springboard for further expansions across Italy had left Venice exhausted of manpower and teetering on brink of bankruptcy. There was now a massive concern within the government that there was no way of financing operations into 1939.
Below the surface the Venetian state was in dire straits but to the international community, they were a raising power.
The Society for Geopolitcal communications and Diplomacy or S.G.C.D announced its estimation of Venice as the 6th Most powerful nation, given its military success in Northern Italy, as well as it's growing military presence in the Adriatic Coast, the Agean sea and its control of the Athesian peninsula in Arcadia.
The Moderati had in a sense, achieved their objective of revitalizing Venice, re-establishing the middling empire to prestige and prominence of it's bygone glory days.
__ 1840____
Though fiscally devastated innovations in planing and market economics allowed the Administration to reduce the cost of the Military equipment without declaring a reduction to the military budget. Allowing the High Command to continue planning it's next expansion route. The economic boon from annexing Milan allowed the republic to secure revenue to fund the government into 1840 and begin repaying its debts. The Minister of Finance had assured the Maggior Consiglio (the Great Council) that Venice was on track to completely pay off its war debt by 1845.
There was still however the a growing liberal faction that were not pleased with the administration. Seeing the conservatives and their pro military, expansionist regime as disastrous for Venice. They were gaining support amongst the bourgeois merchants, who did not see themselves as benefiting from inland expansion. They were concerned that making enemies amongst fellow Italians would jeopardize Venetian trade, and cause military presence to be refocused away from overseas trading ports and and instead on threatening other trade oriented Italian states. and stood to contest the Moderati administration in the 1840 election.
In last ditch effort to stop the liberal Riformatori party from securing a majority the Moderati began to campaign for and successfully pass a bill to abolition slavery in all of Venice and her colonies. While abolition was not a major concern of the 1840 election, it was considerably popular amongst the bourgeois voters who traditionally would support the Riformatori.
On 5January 1840 the Doge officially declared an a complete abolition of slavery in Venice.
While on campaign for the 1840 elections several members of the Moderati began to give speeches about the National Security and the need for more defensive borders. They Argued that The Kingdom of Parma had violated its neutrality in allowing the Genoese army access through her, and stressed that "Parma's Betrayal" was the cause of the disasters in Verona.
The inernational community was not too concerned with Venice's vague threats towards the King of Parma but the Military and Finance Minister both urged the Administration to tread lightly. Regardless they prerogatives of the Administration could not be impeded domestically.
"We had not begun to pay pay for the coffins, before we began buying guns. "
-Minister for Finance Luigi Trentavisso, 1840
On 13 March the Ottoman Empire declared the end of the Sunset Rebellions. Finishing a 30 year long struggle against splintering peoples of the decaying Sultanate. This was an immediate concern to The Republic of Venice, who had intervened in the rebellions years earlier to protect and annex vast swaths of Ottoman held Greek lands. 5 divisions were commissioned to be be raised and stationed in Greece, for a total of 24 divisions to be stationed in Athens.
-War in Wallachia
Ottoman troops to marched on Bucharest in April in conquest of Wallachia. Wallachia had hitherto relied on a defensive pact with Venice to protect it from Turkic aggression, however the current Venetian Administration had not renewed their alliance with the Kingdom of Wallachia and thus, saw no reason to move to her defence. 23rd May Wallachia's King surrendered and agreed to dissolve the Wallachian monarchy. On 1st April, Ottomans offically annexed Wallachia.
In response, Venetian diplomats began negotiations with Montenegro Albania and Illyria about an Anti-Ottoman coalition amongst the free Balkan countries. Negotiations soon fail as both Montenegro and Illyria reject the proposal citing Venice's betrayal of Wallachia. Albania,bordering both Greek Venice and the Ottoman Empire, agrees to enter into an alliance, finding a powerful ally against the imposing Ottoman threat.
June 1840
The International Community officially induct The Serene Rebublic into the Great Powers, giving his Serenity the 5th seat of Great Power. Venice begins to induct its Italian neighbors into a sphere of influence, in order to better share resources and foster Italian economic and political unity.
-War of Provencal Resortation of Order over Etruria-
Rival northern Italian power, Provence declared war to restore Order in the Republic of Etruria. Provence protests Etruria declaration of independence and claims their sovereignty over the Republic's lands. While not directly supported, Provence is a member of Dual Monarchies sphere of influence and is understood to be acting as a proxy for Anglois influence into Italy. This was a direct threat to the Moderati's expansionist agenda, despite this a position of neutrality was adopted by the Serene Republic at the beginning of the war.
There were however members of the Administration who believed a more covert action could be taken to counter the establishment of a second Northern Italian power.
The recent economic reforms of the Moderati had allowed a faster economic recovery than expected and the revenue was great enough that there was a possibility for the use it's excess funds to covertly subsidize the Etruria defence. This would allow what most spectators believed would be a quick victory for Provence into a slow advance or possibly turn the tide of the war completely.
"Aiding a sister republic was seen as both a necessary action way to ensure no outside interference would again frustrate the Venetian army's advances and to establish Venice as hegemon in Northern Italian politics."
General Monteverdi, of the Army of the Serenissima
-WAR of the Conquest of Parma-
Investing over 3,100£ per month worth of guns, materials and liquid cash through various shell companies operated by Venetian owned businesses in Etruria, the "Sister Republic" was finally able to mobilize a functional counter offensive.
on 18 October believing that they had bogged Provence down into an expensive war, the Serene Doge declared war on the Kingdom of Parma. The only defensive agreement the Kingdom had maintained was with Provence, who was unlikely to be able to honor the agreement.
Ordering Gen Monteverdi to lead the Army of the Serenissima, stationed in Brescia, southward into Parma with 12000 men. As the order went out the Administration, High Command, Maggior Consiglio and common Venetian waited with baited breath for Provencal response. In a stunning victory of covert economic warfare, Provence denied the Call to defence from the King of Parma.
But what came next was far more devastating.
-WAR of Ottoman Liberation of Ventian Thesselia-
18th of October
No sooner than the order had gone out for war with Parma did a dispatch from the Ottoman Sultanate arrive at the estate of the Serene Doge, issuing an ultimatum:
'Release the people of Thesselia from your tyranny or we will be forced to cede our protected lands and her peoples by use of arms. '
A flurry of envoys and dispatches were made across Venice's network of alliances and neighbors in order to ensure support for the coming conflict.
After 24 hours, taking the call for mobilization of the Venetian army as a denial, the Ottoman Sultanate declared War on The Serene Republic of Venice
20th October
Most of Venice's allies in the Mediterranean and Northern Italy honored the call to defence, most importantly Albania on the Ottoman-Greek border, Bavaria a Secondary Power in Southern Germany, and Aragon the current hegemon de jure of the Mediterranean Sea and 7th Great Power. Aragon Italy was a far more established power across the Mediterranean with a far greater naval Presence than the Ottoman Empire and Venice combined. She controlled everything south of Rome in Italy, including the islands Sardinia and Corsica, but she was principally an Iberian power, with a capital in Catalonia.
The Ottomans however had attained the backing of Scandinavia the 4th Great Power, whose immense naval dominance could make it impossible for any troops without a land border into Greece help defend. But those ships were spread across her vast global empire and would need time to concentrate before they could break through the Aragonese naval blockade at the Straits of Gibraltar.
Ottoman-Scandanavian Alliance: 114 Brigades
Aragon-Venetian Allied Forces: 94 Brigades
Military High Command hoped that the concentrated forces of the Allied Forces could quickly attack into the Balkans and advance along the Aegean coast with the aid of the Argonese navy.
The goal was to subdue and occupy the European coast of the Ottoman empire and lay siege on Constantinople in order to force the Ottomans to surrender before the Scandinavian navy could concentrate into the Mediterranean and begin cutting supply lines or land troops in Greece.
these plans were immediately impeded by Balkan politics as both Illyria and Montenegro refused to allow the Venetian Allied Forces access through their land into Ottoman territory fearing retaliation from either side for violating neutrality, complicating the war. The only way to relieve the forces into Greece would be via naval transports, however the Venetian was rudimentary and vastly outdated, there were not enough transports to move an entire army across the Adriatic. Attempts to coordinate with the Aragonese navy bore no fruit due to the refusal Aragonese Admiralty's refusal to acquiesce to any of the war objectives of what it perceived as an inferior and, in it's opinion, doomed nation.
Emergency funds were desperately needed to update and expand the Navy, while what what 5 operation ships that could be salvaged were outfitted to transport an Army of 15000 soldiers from the port of Venice to western Greece.
14 December
After Holding the line along the rigid mountains of the Ottoman Greek borders for several months, the Ottoman advance was repelled by the Army of Crete. Little assistance from anyone in the greater coalition due to disunity amongst the Aragonese and Italian commanders. Albanian forces however had been instrumental in securing supply lines and re-enforments for the defenders. The minor norther Italian Participants for their part had frustrated Ottoman attacks into Greece by landing troops along the Aegean coast and establishing a total blockade of the Turkic coast line. While there had been some attempted incursions by the Scandinavian Navy, by November it was clear that Scandinavia was not very enthusiastic about refocusing it's naval presence away from contesting the Dual Monarchy in the Northern Sea or from protecting it's colonies in Eastern Africa, the Caribbean, the South Pacific of India, towards a regional Balkan conflict it had little to benefit from. The war was very unpopular in Scandinavia, and it seemed that the hope was that their political support alone would be enough to cause Venice to agree to the Ottoman Ultimatum, without further discrediting their government with a military engagement in the Mediterranean.
Following their hard won victory over the Ottomans in the Trikkala Mountains a special Council was held amongst the Greek soldiers of the Army of Crete.
"The Army of Crete's command staff, has earned the right to speak on behalf of the Greek peoples. While isolated in the defence of our home lands we have grown sentimentally attached to our self determination. The Greek nation would like to petition his Serenity for a provisional independence. So that the fight for the our ways no longer sheds Venetian blood onto Greek lands."
-Statement of Provisional Independence, signed by various Junior Officers
A Greek state was allowed to exist as a substate of Venice who's military command must answer to the Venetian High Command, when requested, but would otherwise be independent in the matter of internal Greek affairs.
With the Greek People now in control of their own land, the current Ottoman claims to Thesselia were now invalidated and after an emergency session with agents of the Provisional Greek State, the Ottoman Sultanate and the Serene Republic agreed that Greek self determination would b the ultimate conclusion for their war.
20th December The War of Greek Liberation is ended in White Peace, a victory for the Greek Nation. But a costly endeavor for the Venetian Republic and a failure for the Ottoman Sultanate.
-1841-
The Moderati win the elections, but some seats had flipped over to Riformatori members. They larger Reformatori presence in the senate was enough to push through reforms legalizing the establishment of trade unions, provided the unions were officially sanctioned by state.
Annexation of Parma February 1841
Council of Athens 6 October 1841
The Provisional Greek Liberation army had organized a new council in Athens to come up with an official decision on Greece's position. There was much discussion and dissatisfaction with the many concessions made to Venetian High Command ad part of the Provisional declaration and it was feared that as waves of liberal agitation spread through Europe, Greece wouldn't be able to sustain a united government much longer.
Venice had denied previous requests for majority Greek islands in the Aegean to be ceded to the Provisional State despite Greece agreeing to enter the Venetian sphere of influence. There was a growing belief that Venice would only tolerate Greek autonomy, until it was in a position to completely subsume the nation. Not unfounded as Venetian control of strategic islands allowed it to militarily surround and isolate Greece.
Some believed that full autonomy was the only way forward for Greece, "By arms if Necessary", but ultimately cooler heads prevailed and a Council agreed to continue as a semi autonomous sub-state of Venice.
8 October
Military Police were deployed in Athens to disperse the explosion of anti-Venetian demonstrations that followed.
5 November The Society for Economic Development of Albania-
A faction of merchants begin to make investments in Valona to create deeper ties between Italian and Balkan nations, and to bolster Venetian naval dominance in the Adriatic.
A Treaty of Friendship is signed between Albania and Venice in Valona and The Venetian Ministry of Finance issues a 20,000£ loan to Albania.
December 1841
The Venetian Ministry of Finance releases a report stating that the Albanian government has squandered most of their investments on personal pet projects, by local politicians that do little to improve national infrastructure or increase Venetian naval dominance. A second series of loans are issued to Albania with strict instructions on its intended use for internal improvements.
"The intent of our investments as to not only bolster the effectiveness of a strategic ally, but to undermine Albanian economic and political autonomy. Our most Serene Doge must look to spread his wings across southern Europe as it's economic leader political hegemon and military protector. The Doge must move to become the Patriarch of all Southern Europe by any cost"
Moderati Minister Antonio Leotardo
In order to assuage domestic anger at further investments being made into Albania instead into the crumbling Venetian industry, the Ministry of Finance signed off on a reduction of taxes by 20% for all classes and reduction of Tarrifs from 100% to 62%.
Minister of Finance also begins negotiating loan repayment extensions and renewals with Bohemia and Bavaria.
- 12 May 1841 War of the Conquest of Montenegro-
Sighting concerns over national security and the refusal of Montenegro to allow military access to the Allied Forces who were defending from an aggressor state. The Doge declared war on Montenegro for Conquest.
-1842-
3rd October
The Council of Athens has reconvened to discuss the future of Greece-Venetian relations.
They agree to submit a petition for a proper legal union with Venice so long as The Serene Republic of Venice pledges to reform its government. Either restructuring into a modern liberal republic with with equal Greek representation in both houses of the Greater Council, or a Kingdom of Italians and Greeks with a special session to be held between both Venetians and Greeks to crown a new King with Greece maintaining it's own separate Council that would be subject only to the King.
20th October
After several weeks of discussion and extended special sessions in both the Greece and Venetian councils, the two stats agree to the creation of a two nation Kingdom.
21 October
The Kingdom of Venice and Greece is established.
During the weeks of debate and contest the liberal Reformatori are able to maneuver their supporters into the levers of power. Something of a coup occurs within the Venetian Council as Moderatori members find their greater imperialist ambitions incompatible with pro-Greek sentiment that had enveloped the moment.
"The brave Greeks, have graduated from the collection of feuding clans that needed protection from a the Ottoman threat. They have proven, at Trikkala and Athens, that they have the military strength and political determination to defend their freedom; and yet they offer themselves onto us. To squander this moment in favor of pursing deluded notions of oppressive empire would be disastrous for Venice and for the peace and prosperity of all of the Mediterranean."
Michelangelo D' Milano
Reformatori Minister of Internal Affairs (1841)
It was clear to even centrists and many Moderati partisans that the integration and reformation the two states could only be successfully spearheaded by the Liberals.
November 1842
The Doge renounces his position as an elected and mostly powerless state official and is coronated as King of The Greeks and Venetians. A mostly powerless hereditary position, but a successful moment for Venice who symbolically assert their dominant position over the Greek portions of the Kingdom. The initial agreement had been for a separate King to be chosen by both the Greece and Venetians and in the early stages of negotiations, there was much support behind offering the crown to a noble house from Dalmatia, as an olive branch to the greater Balkan community. However the Reformatori understood that to be politically untenable and had agents manufacture a crisis in Dalmatia that would justify the Doge's immediate coronation and prove Venetian supremacy in the Balkans.
This action was however extremely transparent and unpopular domestically and internationally, the centrist and conservatives who had been keen to allow the liberals to lead the formation of the Kingdom, now saw a way to legitimize them and re-assert their control.
There was growing support amongst the bourgeois, the Reformatori's base of support, for a return to conservative leadership, aside from the scandal of the coronation, there was also the economic policy of the Reformatori.
As soon as they had control of the ministry of finance the liberals begin implementing sweeping changes to the tax codes and tariff rates and subsidies laws that would plunge the nation into further debt, and upset Venetian business families. The Venetian industry had been almost entirely dependence on generous subsidies and steep tariffs to remain competitive, but these could only be maintained through hefty taxes. While removing these burdensome taxes was broadly popular, this would only be possible with the removal of subsidies to local businesses. The liberal agenda also attacked tariffs, seeing them as the root cause of the inefficient and unsustainable Venetian economy. These moves may have been broadly popular at first but by November had left the Venetian economy in tatters as factories shut down and cheap foreign goods were imported.
5 November
Moderati Hold vote of no Confidence sighting the illegal mismanagement of the the establishment of the Kingdom of Venice and Greece, as well as their inability to mange the Venetian economy.
Elections are held throughout the Kingdom, but this time with equal Greek involvement in all rounds of elections. This election cycle saw the conservative and Liberal parties of Greece and Venice form into larger organizations that operated in both nations under the same leadership. This essentially meant that hopes for Greek political equality had been thwarted, and the Council of Athens would furthermore function as lower council to the Parliament in Venice.
1843 January
The Moderati attain a slim majority in the lower house if the Venetian parliament and the expansionist Administration resumes their agenda.