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Laurania
Background
Laurania is a
small Southern European country which is culturally similar to Italy and Spain.
Its coastline is on the Mediterranean Sea, and it has an African colony which
can be reached via the Suez Canal. It has been a republic for many years, and
has a well established constitution.
The country was
split by a civil war in 1883, as a result of which General Antonio Molara became
President and Dictator. His 5-year rule ended when the 1888 Revolution broke
out. During the revolution fierce fighting took place in the City of Laurania
between the revolutionaries of the Popular Party and the Republican Guard. This
culminated in the storming of the Presidential Palace and the death of General
Molara. The city was subsequently bombarded by the Lauranian Navy, but despite
the considerable damage caused the revolutionaries prevailed and the
Constitution was restored.
During 1886 and
1887 there was unrest in the African colony. This was dealt with by the
Lauranian Army, with the support of the Lauranian Navy. In 1888 a border dispute
with the British increased tension in that part of Africa, and the arrival of
HMS Aggressor in the area precipitated the despatch of the several Lauranian
warships to 'show the flag'. This was also intended to dissuade the British from
taking any military action in support of their claim on the disputed area.
Index of
People and Places at the time of the 1888 Revolution
| Balfe,
Sergeant |
NCO of the
Lauranian Army (11th Infantry Regiment).
|
| Bettine |
Savrola's
housekeeper and former nursemaid.
|
| Black
Gorge |
Choke-point on
the road between the frontier and the City of Laurania.
|
| Brienz,
Colonel |
Commander of the
Brigade (2 Regiments of Infantry of the Guard and 2 Field Artillery
Batteries) sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| Cheronta,
Battle of Cape |
Naval battle
during the 1883 Civil War.
|
| City
Hall |
Home of the Civil
Council of the City of Laurania and the central meeting hall in the
city. It can hold nearly 7,000 people.
|
| Constitution
Square |
Main square in
the City of Laurania.
|
| De
Mello, Admiral |
Commander of the
Lauranian fleet sent to Laurania's African colony.
|
| De
Roc, Major |
Commander of the
Turga garrison.
|
| Drogan,
Colonel |
Officer of the
Lauranian Army.
|
| Ferrol,
Countess of |
Lauranian
aristocrat.
|
| Godoy |
Mayor of the City
of Laurania.
|
| Kreutz,
Karl |
Head of 'The
League'.
|
| Langi
Tal, Battle of |
Battle during the
1886-87 colonial campaign in Laurania's African colony.
|
| Laurania,
City of |
Capital of
Laurania.
|
| Lecompte,
Captain |
Officer of the
Lauranian Army (11th Infantry Regiment).
|
| Lorenzo |
Lauranian
garrison town between the border and the City of Laurania.
|
| Louvet |
Minister of the
Interior.
|
| Miguel |
Private Secretary
to the President.
|
| Molara,
General Antonio |
President of
Laurania.
|
| Molara,
Lucile |
First Lady of
Laurania.
|
| Moret,
Louis |
Member of the
Civic Council and the Popular Party.
|
| Morgon |
Finance Minister.
|
| Parliament
Building |
Home of the Lower
House of the Lauranian Parliament. It contains the Chamber of Deputies.
|
| Renos |
Barrister and
member of the Popular Party.
|
| Rollo,
Colonel |
Commander of the
Reserve Brigade sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| Savrola |
Leader of the
Popular Party.
|
| Senate |
Upper House of
the Lauranian Parliament.
|
| Senate
House |
Home of the Upper
House of the Lauranian Parliament.
|
| Shalgrove,
Sir Richard |
British
Ambassador to Laurania.
|
| Sorato,
Battle of |
Concluding battle
of the 1883 Civil War.
|
| Sorrento,
Colonel |
Chief of Police
and War Minister.
|
| Strelitz |
Leader of the
insurgent army (2,000 men and several Maxim machine guns).
|
| Tarentum,
Princess of |
Lauranian
aristocrat.
|
| Tiro,
Lieutenant |
Officer of the
Lancers of the Guard.
|
| Tranta |
Government Party
election candidate. Reputed to have been married to one of the ugliest
women in Laurania.
|
| Turga |
Lauranian
garrison town between the border and the City of Laurania.
|
Index of
Political Parties at the time of the 1888 Revolution
| Democratic
Party |
Minor political
party.
|
| League,
The |
Secret society of
anarchists plotting the overthrow of the Government.
|
| National
Party |
Losing side in
the 1883 Civil War.
|
| Popular
Party |
Main opposition
political party.
|
| Radical
Party |
Minor political
party.
|
| Reform
Party |
Minor political
party.
|
Index of
Military Units and Warships at the time of the 1888 Revolution
| 1st
Field Battery |
Part of the
Brigade sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| 2nd
Field Battery |
Part of the
Brigade sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| 3rd
Infantry Regiment |
Part of the
Reserve Brigade sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| 5th
Infantry Regiment |
Part of the
Reserve Brigade sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| 11th
Infantry Regiment |
Part
of the Reserve Brigade sent to stop Strelitz's insurgents.
|
| HMS
Aggressor |
British
Battleship (12,000 tons, 4 x 11" guns) sent to menace Laurania's
African colony.
|
| RLS
Fortuna |
Lauranian Navy
Battleship (and flagship of the Lauranian fleet).
|
| Infantry
of the Guard |
Infantry
component of the Republican Guard (3 Regiments).
|
| Lancers
of the Guard |
Cavalry component
of the Republican Guard (1 Regiment).
|
| Lauranian
Army |
Comprised the
Republican Guard, 4 Regiments of
Cavalry, 20 Regiments of Infantry, and 8 Field Artillery Batteries.
|
| Lauranian
Navy |
Included 2
Battleships, 2 Cruisers, and a Gunboat.
|
| RLS
Petrach |
Lauranian Navy
Cruiser.
|
| Republican
Guard |
Comprised of Cavalry (1
Regiment of Lancers of the Guard) and Infantry (3 Regiments of Infantry
of the Guard).
|
| Republican
Militia |
Reserve component
of the Lauranian Army. One of its roles was to garrison the coastal
defences around the City of Laurania and its harbour.
|
| RLS
Rienzi |
Lauranian Navy
Gunboat.
|
| RLS
Saldanho |
Lauranian Navy
Battleship.
|
| RLS
Sorato |
Lauranian Navy
Cruiser.
|
A
description of the City of Laurania
-
'Three hundred thousand
people live there'.
-
'The palace stood upon
high ground commanding a wide view of the city and harbour ... The red
and blue tiled roofs were relieved by frequent gardens and squares
whose green and graceful palms soothed and gratified the eye. To the
north the great pile of the Senate House and Parliament buildings
loomed up majestic and imposing. Westward lay the harbour with its
shipping and protective forts'.
-
Part of the harbour's
defences include a military mole, at the end of which is a 'shapeless
mound of earth that marked the protecting battery of the harbour ...'.
-
The seaward battery is
armed with 'nine-inch guns', some of which are within embrasures and
some are en barbette.
-
The entrance to the
harbour is 'nearly a mile wide, but the navigable channel itself was
dangerously narrow and extremely difficult.'
-
There is a 'great
square in front of the Parliament House'. The
square is called Constitution Square.
-
There is a railway line
that runs 'right to the frontier'.
©
Robert George Cordery (2006) |