I think sword bayonets will become popular, since local swordmakers can convert kaiken blades easily. Wakizashi can evolve into do-it-all utility blades.
Nobunaga’s Ambition Realized: Dawn of a New Rising Sun
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Rifle-kaiken are absolutely becoming a thing; early modern armies had infinite creative uses for bayonets when not fighting.
Yeah I could defo see it happening, the guard and pommel only needs to be refitted for it to work. Idk if it would be something the Japanese would invent tho bc they'd rather do things the traditional way. I could see a peasant blacksmith attempt to fixate their wakasashi or tanto on the bayonet after facing socket bayonets and impressing a general enough to get other ppl to change to do it. Or they'd copy it from western designs. I do hope the Japanese do invent stuff for themselves tho, getting a sidearm on a musket isn't that hard. I don't think wakasashis will evolve into utility blades tho, they're too long to be used in that way. Tantos, traditional Taiwanese aboriginal blades or ainu blades would probably be the best options available.
Ps I could see the Japanese adopting ainu harpoon designs on socket bayonets as it'd keep the barrel of the gun farther away.
Chapter 80: Spain and Western Europe in the 1650s
Chapter 80: Spain and Western Europe in the 1650s
At the conclusion of the Franco-Spanish War in 1648, Spain was a thoroughly defeated and humiliated crown, having directly lost major wars to the Japanese, Dutch, and French since 1631. It had been forced to make significant territorial concessions in the Low Countries and even now faced rebellion in its vicinity in Catalonia and Portugal. Additionally, Spanish ties with the Austrian Habsburgs had weakened due to the former’s failure to properly assist in the Imperial Liberties’ War. Not even the sacking of the Count-Duke of Olivares from the Castilian court in 1643 could reverse the cascade of disasters for King Philip IV. A sort of recovery would begin for Madrid after 1648, however. Deprived of French support, the Catalan rebels suddenly found themselves rudderless and vulnerable. This allowed Spanish forces under the new Catalan viceroy, the Marquess of Leganes, to turn the tide, culminating in the successful siege of Barcelona in 1651. In the aftermath, much of the revolt’s leadership was captured and subsequently executed, the rebellion now reduced to guerilla forces in the countryside and mountains which continued to resist Madrid over the next few years.
Spain, having largely pacified Catalonia, now turned their full attention to the Portuguese front, which had seen intermittent fighting through most of the 1640s as Madrid’s armies were busy fighting in the Netherlands, Catalonia, Italy, and Lorraine. Portugal itself had been busy fighting the Dutch overseas in South America and Africa, reconquering Dutch Brazil and securing Angola, while also consolidating its own sovereignty domestically through the Braganza monarchy. Lisbon had also begun to concentrate its commercial and colonial efforts more efficiently around its Indian possessions [1]. John IV of Portugal, however, would once again face a concerted Spanish effort to reincorporate the kingdom. Expecting a tough struggle, the king would reach out to an old ally that had surprisingly been absent from western Europe’s recent shakeup.
England had been preoccupied with political and religious strife over the past decade. King Charles I’s reign had been marked by aloof arrogance, overtaxation, and religious alienation, with Parliament sidelined and dissolved after the king and the legislative body butted heads early on. The Stuart king, however, was forced to bring back Parliament in 1640 to raise money after Charles attempted to enforce uniformity between the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, resulting in a revolt by the Presbyterian Scottish Covenanters in 1639. Although the Bishops’ Wars, as the conflict became known as, was resolved in 1640, the recall of Parliament opened Pandora's box, with the body prosecuting the king's ministers and passing the Grand Remonstrance, a list of demands and grievances towards Charles I. Tension grew between the two sides, the breaking point being when rumors of the possible impeachment of the queen over involvement in Catholic plots as well as secret collaborative efforts between the Scottish and certain MPs during the Bishops’ Wars reached the royal court. On January 4th, 1642, Charles I marched with 400 men into the House of Commons to arrest the 5 allegedly guilty MPs, only to find them gone already. This caused a massive uproar in London, forcing the royal family and triggering the English Civil War. In the conflict that followed, the parliamentarian forces beat the cavaliers, as the royalists were known as and by 1645, the king had been taken prisoner by the Covenanters who had allied with the English Parliamentarians [2]. After negotiations with a highly obstinate king, the Putney Settlement was agreed upon, under which future parliaments were to be summoned biennially, the body would appoint all state and military officials for 10 years, the Covenant would be adopted, and the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland would adopt Presbyterianism together [3]. The isles, however, continued to see conflict against the Irish Catholic Confederation, which had formed in 1642 in order to exert demands of greater self-governance, the return of confiscated Catholic lands, and an end to anti-Catholic discrimination. Their fight, however, would not long last the Putney Settlement for an Anglo-Scottish invasion force under the joint command of Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Earl of Leven landed on the island in 1646 and began defeating the Irish. A final defeat at the Battle of Rathmines in 1649 sealed the fate of the Irish, leading to complete Protestant dominance in Ireland and the mass confiscation of remaining Irish Catholic landholdings. Meanwhile, a group of radicals in the English army led by Colonel Thomas Rainsborough rebelled in 1651 against what they saw as an unchanging oligarchic order with a new coat of paint. Though they were quickly defeated and punished, sympathetic factions like the congregationalist Independents and egalitarian Levellers continued to be present in the House of Commons [4].
Spain, having largely pacified Catalonia, now turned their full attention to the Portuguese front, which had seen intermittent fighting through most of the 1640s as Madrid’s armies were busy fighting in the Netherlands, Catalonia, Italy, and Lorraine. Portugal itself had been busy fighting the Dutch overseas in South America and Africa, reconquering Dutch Brazil and securing Angola, while also consolidating its own sovereignty domestically through the Braganza monarchy. Lisbon had also begun to concentrate its commercial and colonial efforts more efficiently around its Indian possessions [1]. John IV of Portugal, however, would once again face a concerted Spanish effort to reincorporate the kingdom. Expecting a tough struggle, the king would reach out to an old ally that had surprisingly been absent from western Europe’s recent shakeup.
England had been preoccupied with political and religious strife over the past decade. King Charles I’s reign had been marked by aloof arrogance, overtaxation, and religious alienation, with Parliament sidelined and dissolved after the king and the legislative body butted heads early on. The Stuart king, however, was forced to bring back Parliament in 1640 to raise money after Charles attempted to enforce uniformity between the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, resulting in a revolt by the Presbyterian Scottish Covenanters in 1639. Although the Bishops’ Wars, as the conflict became known as, was resolved in 1640, the recall of Parliament opened Pandora's box, with the body prosecuting the king's ministers and passing the Grand Remonstrance, a list of demands and grievances towards Charles I. Tension grew between the two sides, the breaking point being when rumors of the possible impeachment of the queen over involvement in Catholic plots as well as secret collaborative efforts between the Scottish and certain MPs during the Bishops’ Wars reached the royal court. On January 4th, 1642, Charles I marched with 400 men into the House of Commons to arrest the 5 allegedly guilty MPs, only to find them gone already. This caused a massive uproar in London, forcing the royal family and triggering the English Civil War. In the conflict that followed, the parliamentarian forces beat the cavaliers, as the royalists were known as and by 1645, the king had been taken prisoner by the Covenanters who had allied with the English Parliamentarians [2]. After negotiations with a highly obstinate king, the Putney Settlement was agreed upon, under which future parliaments were to be summoned biennially, the body would appoint all state and military officials for 10 years, the Covenant would be adopted, and the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland would adopt Presbyterianism together [3]. The isles, however, continued to see conflict against the Irish Catholic Confederation, which had formed in 1642 in order to exert demands of greater self-governance, the return of confiscated Catholic lands, and an end to anti-Catholic discrimination. Their fight, however, would not long last the Putney Settlement for an Anglo-Scottish invasion force under the joint command of Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Earl of Leven landed on the island in 1646 and began defeating the Irish. A final defeat at the Battle of Rathmines in 1649 sealed the fate of the Irish, leading to complete Protestant dominance in Ireland and the mass confiscation of remaining Irish Catholic landholdings. Meanwhile, a group of radicals in the English army led by Colonel Thomas Rainsborough rebelled in 1651 against what they saw as an unchanging oligarchic order with a new coat of paint. Though they were quickly defeated and punished, sympathetic factions like the congregationalist Independents and egalitarian Levellers continued to be present in the House of Commons [4].
19th century painting of Charles West Cope of the attempted arrest of the 5 MPs by Charles I, the incident that eventually led to the English and subsequently a Presbyterian England
Despite the emotional protest of the French Catholic Queen Henrietta Marie, Parliament passed a law restricting royal marriages of the royal princes and princesses to Protestants, and England would strive to forge closer ties with Protestant nations. This resulted in the marriage of the Prince of Wales, another Charles, to Gustavus Adolphus’ daughter, Christina, and better Anglo-Swedish relations [5]. The new Presbyterian-influenced trajectory on foreign policy, however, would be swept aside in 1652 when the resumption of active Spanish-Portuguese conflict loomed on the horizon. Although Portugal was a Catholic nation, it had been a longtime English ally and presented a lesser affront compared to the inquisitorial Spanish. Spanish success against Portugal also presented a geopolitical risk to English interests. Therefore, when a representative from Lisbon arrived in London requesting aid, England obliged to help. A brigade of 3,000 men would be raised and sent to support the war effort, to be led by Sir Thomas Fairfax, by now the realm's most celebrated military commander. Although initially treated with contempt by the Portuguese because of their Protestant faith, the “Fairfax brigade” as they would be nicknamed would prove their worth on the field.
In 1653, Philip IV’s illegitimate son John Joseph of Austria led a sweeping offensive into southern Portugal and with the capture of the city of arbors even looked poised to capture Lisbon. However, a lack of supplies amongst the Spanish delayed further moves, giving the Anglo-Portuguese forces time to prepare. The latter fielded 16,000 men, including the Fairfax Brigade, and were led by Antonio Luis de Meneses, the Marquis of Marialva and one of the Forty Conspirators. At the Battle of Ameixial that followed, the Spanish were defeated, losing all of their baggage, artillery and even John Joseph’s standard which was later presented to the Portuguese king. In this decisive victory and others that soon followed, the Fairfax Brigade earned the respect of the Portuguese, particularly at the 1654 siege of Valencia de Alcantara where the English bore the brunt of the casualties. A renewed offensive campaign in late 1656 attempted to take advantage of the death of King John IV, but Spanish forces commanded by Luis Mendez de Haro were routed for good at the Battle of Montes Claros. Philip IV, realizing that Portugal was beyond the grasp of Madrid at that point, sued for peace and the Treaty of Lisbon was signed in 1668, confirming Spanish recognition of Portuguese independence with the concession of Ceuta, a North African holding of Portugal that had never recognized the Braganza monarchy. Portugal’s decades-long struggle against Spain had ended, and Thomas Fairfax and his men returned home as heroes to be honored by King Charles II, who had succeeded his father in 1654.
In 1653, Philip IV’s illegitimate son John Joseph of Austria led a sweeping offensive into southern Portugal and with the capture of the city of arbors even looked poised to capture Lisbon. However, a lack of supplies amongst the Spanish delayed further moves, giving the Anglo-Portuguese forces time to prepare. The latter fielded 16,000 men, including the Fairfax Brigade, and were led by Antonio Luis de Meneses, the Marquis of Marialva and one of the Forty Conspirators. At the Battle of Ameixial that followed, the Spanish were defeated, losing all of their baggage, artillery and even John Joseph’s standard which was later presented to the Portuguese king. In this decisive victory and others that soon followed, the Fairfax Brigade earned the respect of the Portuguese, particularly at the 1654 siege of Valencia de Alcantara where the English bore the brunt of the casualties. A renewed offensive campaign in late 1656 attempted to take advantage of the death of King John IV, but Spanish forces commanded by Luis Mendez de Haro were routed for good at the Battle of Montes Claros. Philip IV, realizing that Portugal was beyond the grasp of Madrid at that point, sued for peace and the Treaty of Lisbon was signed in 1668, confirming Spanish recognition of Portuguese independence with the concession of Ceuta, a North African holding of Portugal that had never recognized the Braganza monarchy. Portugal’s decades-long struggle against Spain had ended, and Thomas Fairfax and his men returned home as heroes to be honored by King Charles II, who had succeeded his father in 1654.
17th century engraving of the Battle of Ameixial
Simultaneously, England engaged in a mostly naval war with Spain with the West Indies with the objective of seizing Spanish possessions there for England. This endeavor, however, would prove unsuccessful for the English. Despite the buildup of the English navy under Charles I, it proved unable to sufficiently support the realm’s designs on Hispaniola and Jamaica. The English attempt at seizing the latter was initially successful when the unfortified island was captured in 1655 [6]. However, a Spanish fleet commanded by Cristobal Arnaldo Isasi landed a sizable force on the island and defeated the depleted English forces at the Battle of Ocho Rios. This side conflict to the larger Portuguese Restoration War ended in English defeat and would end in a truce within the larger Treaty of Lisbon.
Accepting the inevitable defeat, Spain looked for other opportunities to make up for their years of losses. Seeing the internal strife Japan was experiencing, they soon found a potential target in Japanese Luzon. Manila, in fact, had wisely prepared not only for a possible Japanese offensive towards the heart of the Spanish Philippines but also for a possible comeback. After the Spanish loss in the Iberian-Japanese War, it became clear that Japan was no second-rate power and in fact could field large armies and navies that matched Europe in sophistication, tactics, and technology. The new governor general, Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, initiated administrative and military reforms that sought to better integrate Filipinos in the governance of the Philippines and make them more loyal to the colonial government in Manila. In particular, he established several new companies composed of native Filipinos and Sangleys [7] that nearly matched Spanish conquistadors in training and prowess while being much cheaper to maintain. Through close relations with Siam, Corcuera also managed to employ Siamese and Chinese mercenaries into Spanish service. Under him and his successors, natives were brought into the civil service and even the ecclesiastical orders of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. Therefore, by 1659, the Spanish Philippines was a more cohesive and unified colony less reliant on direct aid from Madrid and had become a suitable staging point for a reconquest of lost lands.
Accepting the inevitable defeat, Spain looked for other opportunities to make up for their years of losses. Seeing the internal strife Japan was experiencing, they soon found a potential target in Japanese Luzon. Manila, in fact, had wisely prepared not only for a possible Japanese offensive towards the heart of the Spanish Philippines but also for a possible comeback. After the Spanish loss in the Iberian-Japanese War, it became clear that Japan was no second-rate power and in fact could field large armies and navies that matched Europe in sophistication, tactics, and technology. The new governor general, Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, initiated administrative and military reforms that sought to better integrate Filipinos in the governance of the Philippines and make them more loyal to the colonial government in Manila. In particular, he established several new companies composed of native Filipinos and Sangleys [7] that nearly matched Spanish conquistadors in training and prowess while being much cheaper to maintain. Through close relations with Siam, Corcuera also managed to employ Siamese and Chinese mercenaries into Spanish service. Under him and his successors, natives were brought into the civil service and even the ecclesiastical orders of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. Therefore, by 1659, the Spanish Philippines was a more cohesive and unified colony less reliant on direct aid from Madrid and had become a suitable staging point for a reconquest of lost lands.
Portrait of Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera
In the early Dawn of May 29th, 1660, 2,500 Filipino soldiers and a few hundred local Catholic collaborators launched a surprise assault upon the port city of Lingayen, the main urban center of Japanese Pangasinan. The Japanese garrison was quickly overwhelmed and attempted to retreat. However, the attackers cut down most of the fleeing men and only the commander and his entourage escaped death or capture. In a humiliating display, the captured prisoners were beheaded by the vengeful Catholic natives and many of their heads were stuck on pikes. Following the capture of the city, governor-general Sabiniano Manrique de Lara declared Manila’s intent on reconquering Japanese Luzon. The Luzon War had begun.
[1]: Results in the Portuguese retaining Ceylon ITTL for now.
[2]: English Civil War ends earlier in a parliamentarian victory due to the absence of Prince Rupert due to the Protestant victory in the Imperial Liberties’ War.
[3]: Essentially a less harsh Newcastle Propositions. English Presbyterians are able to prevail due to the New Model Army never forming due to the war ending earlier.
[4]: The Levellers are similarly suppressed but are not immediately crushed with force as they were IOTL, allowing them to linger on albeit very marginalized.
[5]: No marriage agreement between Portugal and Englands means that Bombay and Tangiers remain in Portuguese hands.
[6]: IOTL, England successfully takes Jamaica. The loss is due to a smaller English navy without the ambitions of Oliver Cromwell and a Spanish navy not so preoccupied as IOTL.
[7]: Filipino-Chinese mestizos
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well, this pretty much gives Spanish Philippines a good chance to retake Pangasinan, at the very least
so much for a Japanese Agno and Pampanga river basins, huh?
hey @Namayan — look at here: it's pretty likely that this integrated civil service and the associated centralisation will dissolve the datu system in a way that gives credence to statist or institutionalist Catholic supremacy; Blas Piñar will surely cream his pants with this!
so much for a Japanese Agno and Pampanga river basins, huh?
hey @Namayan — look at here: it's pretty likely that this integrated civil service and the associated centralisation will dissolve the datu system in a way that gives credence to statist or institutionalist Catholic supremacy; Blas Piñar will surely cream his pants with this!
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tbf the only reason Spain could even do this is that the Japanese are going through a civil war, when Japan gets its head screwed on straight I think they'll wipe the Spanish in general. Moritora isn't credited with any part of the war though, which is quite disturbing... Hopefully the Japanese don't lose Luzon.
Well — the Philippines just having forged what amounts to its national mythology is going to be a formidable force to be reckoned with however, perhaps even permanently so once the datu chieftain-derived political and social patronage system gets entirely done away with in favour of that of the now-integrated colonial government.
Yeah the Philippines probably won't be able to subsumed into Japan proper due to the ethnic groups in the region. I think a Luzon-Phillippines-Magindanou split would be very possible with the Japanese Luzon and the Magjndanou really disliking the Phillippinos. I think it'd be the point where Japanese Luzon gains an identity too.
Tbf I'm interested to see Beireitou and what colonies would Japan have. It'd be really ironic if Japan manages to get Borneo to be loyal to Japan by incorporating Chinese settlers and have a Japanese-Chinese-Native mix as their main group in those colonies.
Spanish taking beating after beating just like OTL huh? Maybe they will get lucky with the Philippines this time
Well, the irreconcileable differences — and then, that war — between the three pretty much preempts the prospect of direct rule and political integration by one over the others. It's not as if the Filipinos had any love of the Japanese persecutors and Moro pirates down south either — though in this case — it's only the latter which they can do something with since it's a snowball's chance in hell that they can make a client state out of the Japanese settlers on Cagayan Valley and Ilocos, and the Maguindanaons are still resting content on their laurels.
Once the Philippines manages to establish a reliable source of income — especially through a fair and consistently-enforced tax system — then they'll have the funds to continue churning out galleons and warships from the Cavite and Naga shipyards, and perhaps, even do away with the polo corvee labour system.
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It will also allow them focus Japanese immigration and assimilation on Bireitou.
Hopefully in the future Japan also colonised Hawaii.
That as well since the Philippines will cost too much manpower to hold and with the daimyos wanting to expanded their power and influence towards the colonies.
I think they would ally with Hawaiians instead of colonizing them for now since they're a bit far from Japan, at least until the Hawaiians ask to become a protectorate, puppet or when we have better ships.
Plus, focusing on the Pacific will allow for Japan to reach the West coast of America
Yeah that would be very interesting especially as the Swedish would want Poland as part of their domains. If the Swedish manage to do so against the Russians it'd change European history significantly, and would be very interesting.
Tbf I'd think if Japan takes over all of the Phillippines the Japanese (both ppl sent from the gov and Japanese born there) would be on top, with the Japanizied natives, Chinese and the Magjndanou being second class citizens which still have significant power. The ones who're the most oppressed would be the Christian natives as they're pro Spanish and would resist Japanese hegemony.
Tbf yeah if they focus on the Pacific it'd be the best for them as it'd help them with the expansion of the fur trade and settle Japanese along the coasts.
I do think that eventually Japan would go south though, and taking over Luzon would be harder if the Phillippines win this war because they'd just be remembered as enemies who they beat back.
Tbh — at this point — such a conquest is only bound to become their version of the Imjin War.