Brittania rules the stars

by Southeren Legion

This is a story wherein the United Kingdom finds the Stargate in 1905 and makes it public. Written in the style of a historical text and goes in detail so that to quote one review "WHY any of this is important to anyone not at least in college studying world political history".

90. No more coffee and milk

Democracy in the eastern Mediterranean had long been in danger but following the Balkan Wars and the foundation of the European Union the ideas of freedom and democracy had emerged triumphant in the region. The Hellenic Empire had transferred to democracy in order for the establishment of the Imperial titles while the Republic of Turkey had been a free democracy from the beginning of the state. The Tsardom of Bulgaria had been democratic prior to the wars but the death of Tsar Ferdinand in 1948 and the ascension of Tsar Boris III who acknowledged the powers of the Parliament and refused to exercise the power invested in him allowed it to truly flourish. Across the border in Serbia things were similar with the monarchy ceding more and more power to the parliament with King Alexander II spending a majority of his time with the military and King Michael I of Montenegro. The same happened to Montenegro as their monarch spent a majority of their time with King Alexander II of Serbia and thus, democracy prevailed. The Kingdom of Romania had faced an attempted coup from the father of King Michael I but the Strigoi guard of the young King had defeated the coup and democracy had prevailed. To the north of the former Balkan league however Danubia was a very different beast.

The confederation formed by Ferdinand VI in 1928 had aimed to be a free and equal state giving rights to all of the many minorities within its demise but in reality it had remained dominated by the Germans and Hungarians. As the upper house of the federation was formed from three representatives from each federal state the ethnic states often voted together which gave the ethnic groups with the most states effective dominance. This took the form of the German and Hungarian states dominating politics with the ethnically German States of Austria, South Tyrol, German Bohemia, and German Moravia alongside the state of Bohemia and the two Hungarian states giving a majority of the upper house to the Germans. Of course, there were several attempts to change this as the Croatian, Bosnian, Slovenian, Polish and Ukrainian representatives all tried to force through changes, but the Germans and the Hungarians united together to stop any major change being passed through. The death of Ferdinand VI in 1938 and the ascension of his nephew Karl to his many titles (full title below). The ascension of Emperor Karl to the Imperial Throne led to the Imperial Monarchy withdrawing from politics as the new monarch spent most of his time praying and helping the poor as he supported the views held by Pope John XXIII in regard to helping the people.

Karl By the Grace of God, Emperor of the Danube, Emperor of Austria, Apostolic King of Hungary, of this name the First, King of Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, and Galicia, Lodomeria, and Illyria; King of Jerusalem, Archduke of Austria; Grand Duke of Tuscany and Cracow, Duke of Lorraine and of Salzburg, of Styria, of Carinthia, of Carniola and of the Bukovina; Grand Prince of Transylvania; Margrave of Moravia; Duke of Upper and Lower Silesia, of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, of Auschwitz and Zator, of Teschen, Friuli, Ragusa and Zara; Princely Count of Habsburg and Tyrol, of Kyburg, Gorizia and Gradisca; Prince of Trent and Brixen; Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia and in Istria; Count of Hohenems, Feldkirch, Bregenz, Sonnenberg; Lord of Trieste, of Cattaro, and in the Windic March; Grand Voivode of the Voivodeship of Serbia.

-Extract from an explanation of the tumultuous history of Democracy in the Balkans

The restoration of the Empire of Brazil had led to a 'purge' of many of the corrupt upper class that had destroyed the Republic in the eyes of the people this of course resulted in democracy being more effective and the people had far more representation. The government launched several major campaigns to industrialize the nation and educate the people. The most notable effort was the construction of three interstellar warships the NISMIB (His Imperial Brazilian Majesty's Interstellar Ship) Pedro I, Isabella, and Rio. The warships were built at three locations across Brazil in order for as many people as possible to work on the projects. The first warship the NISMIB Pedro I was launched in late 1948 just after the launching of SMDIS Franz Joseph by Danubia and just before the launching of the RPIS João IV which was a source of great pride to the Brazilian people. However, all of the Brazilian internal achievements pale in the face of their international efforts of settling the many border conflicts across South America.

The first was settled almost accidently in that Peru was on the verge of declaring war on Ecuador over their border dispute after a shepherd was accidentally killed by Ecuadorian forces. Brazil sent a diplomatic not kindly informing Peru to back down and negotiate. Peru surprisingly backed down and requested Brazil to arbitrate which they were more than happy to do. The Belem accords made the two states compromise to Ecuador securing all land between the Napo and Maranon rivers but making several economic concessions to Peru and establishing open borders between the two. Of course, like all compromises it irritated both sides, but Brazil had directly stated that if they refused to accept the ruling there would be war both nations agreed to signing the Belem accords despite protests. The second came when both Bolivia and Paraguay requested Brazil to arbitrate on their border dispute over the Chaco Boreal region. Brazil eventually arbitrated in favour of Paraguay ceding two thirds of the disputed land to the state. Bolivia refused to accept the ruling and launched an attack on Paraguay but a combination of terrible communication and Brazil attacking from the north led to defeat after defeat and they were forced to cede the entire region to Paraguay in the treaty of Sucre. Brazil used their new influence over Paraguay to develop the nation heavily as an ally against potential Argentine aggression though that fear would prove unwarranted the young communist state was focused on peaceful development.

-Extract from a blog on the Rise of Brazil following the restoration.

The majority of the nation's building first interstellar warships were in Europe, but the Empire of Brazil and the United States of America represented the Americas while the United Empire spread across the globe. The minor countries that launched interstellar ships of any kind during the 1940's were the Kingdom of Portugal, the Imperial Federation of the Danube, the Kingdom of Italy, the Hellenic Empire, and the Kingdom of the Arabs. Most of these were built at home which makes it even more impressive for those nations. While of course they all varied in power they were all up to the tasks expected of them in the Goa'uld War.

-Extract from Neil Armstrong's book Mankind's Fist: A history of Interstellar warships.