To Rebuild a Shattered World

That is technically true, but England might have the resources available to create its own empire so to speak. With the Savonarola villages becoming popular, it might also have an effect on food production, as the majority of those villages are agrarian in nature. If the Spaniards still introduce the potato, tomato and many other New World crops to the Old World, human demographics may also improve.

Southern Africa and the Australian continent might become a good place for a French Pacific Empire, although there is also a new possibility of the Spaniards taking New Zealand.

Fagundesia is named after João Alvarez Fagundes, and it's the ATL name for the Americas.

You're welcome.

Next few updates will cover the Second Hundred Years' War, so it might be five or even eight updates on it. Just be warned.

Case Study #15: The Second Hundred Years' War Part One

The Second Hundred Years' War, as contemporary historians today have coined the term, refers to the most destructive conflict of the Early Modern Era. Unlike the First Hundred Years' War where England and France fought each other in French territory, the Second Hundred Years' War not only occurred in Europe, but even in the Fagundesias, Africa and Asia, where European colonies were also established. Why it was considered the most destructive is because of new innovations that had been introduced to the battlefield, as well as the socio-political and economic consequences that occurred as a result of the battles that took place. Various names of legendary generals arose from out of nowhere during this war, and many of them would play vital roles in their nations' histories. For the Savonarolist bloc, this war was a baptism through fire, a war for their literal survival against the Catholic Church. For the Catholic loyalists, this was a war to stop the Savonarolist heresy from spreading like wildfire. For the Ottoman Empire, this was a war they needed to fight in order to expand their lands at the expense of Christian Europe. For Muscovy and later on, the Tsardom of Russia and its neighbors, this was a conflict that brought them fully into the European house of civilizations. For East Asia, this was a conflict that paved the way for contact between themselves and faraway Europe. For everyone else, this was a history making moment.

The growing Catholic-Savonarolan rivalry had already reached high peak with the occassional violence breaking out between the two groups throughout France, and the Savonarolists have also made inroads into the Low Countries where their ideas were caught on by the Dutch population there. However, it was in the region of Wallonia where the Savonarolists were the strongest and in Flanders and the northern regions of what is now the German Netherlands, Catholicism was the strongest there. In addition, the Swiss Confederation was at a loss about the news of the Reichsreform, and needless to say they were unhappy with the proposed changes. The biggest problem with the Catholic-Savonarolist rivalry was in foreign policy. The Holy Roman Empire's expansion to include the acquisitions of the Polish and Hungarian crowns came at a hefty price: the rise of the anti-Catholic coalition of England, France, Denmark and Muscovy/Russia in the form of the Grand Alliance had literally surrounded the territories of the HRE with enemies. Moreover, the House of Hapsburg wanted to retain the autonomy of the HRE's member states while their in-laws in the House of Hohenzollern viewed the current arrangement as a form of weakness that was easily exploited by its enemies. For the French, an ideal expansion at the HRE's expense was up to the Rhine River and up to Wallonia. For the English, any piece of Continental territory would be good to compensate for the loss of its Irish holdings. For the Muscovite state, the Kingdom of Lithuania's crown was something they desired because of dynastic links.

Economic competition also played a key role into the fueling of the Second Hundred Years' War, mainly because of the establishment of new colonies in the new continent of the Fagundesias. The Crown of Portugal had established a trading post in what was then San Venerio before the English conquered the Portuguese trading post and renamed it to Warwicksville in 1548. Meanwhile, the Crown of Castile was beginning to establish several colonies along the San Salvador island chain while the Crown of Aragon started to explore the regions of northern South Fagundesia. In essence, the Catholic bloc was miles ahead of its Savonarolist rivals in terms of building a global empire, but the Savonarolists were building a new kind of society without financial exploitation or incentive for peasant revolts. With the focus on Fagundesia, the three Iberian kingdoms were more invested in exploring the new lands rather than to seek an alternative route to Asia. The explorations to Asia was consequently taken up by the English and the French, many of whom also hired Italian explorers for their exploration eastwards. Giovanni Caboto, also known as John Cabot, led the first English exploration mission to Africa where he navigated its coasts and documented his daily discoveries. The French hired Giovanni da Verrazano to follow the English in the race to find another route to Asia. In 1503 da Verrazano sailed from the port of Bourdeaux on his way eastward, taking an eight month journey southwards to the southern tip of Africa. He brought with him 300 Savonarolists eager to build a new colony for themselves. In February of 1504, da Verrazano had spotted a good coast to stop his ships so they can explore its inlands. The Savonarolan colonists had landed on the coast, and found their position to be a good place to build a new settlement. Da Verrazano, along with Count Louis II of Montpensier, christened the new French settlement as “Nouvelle Auvergne”[1], after the region of France where Montpensier was located. Nouvelle Auvergne became the first French settlement in southern Africa, and it was the place of refuge for most of the Savonarolists who fled from Europe or wanted to seek their fortune elsewhere. The entirety of the colony in which Nouvelle Auvergne was located in eventually became the French Royal Dominion of Nouvelle Provence, or New Provence. It was a colony that was almost dominated by the French and Italian Savonarolists, and in one of their main core idea, they rejected the idea of slavery because of its negative effect on society. In addition, the Savonarolists had pointed out that the Roman overreliance on slaves had made them softer until their empire fell. They would not make the same mistake again, as the Savonarolists would insist time after time.

The interaction between the Savonarolan colonists and the African tribes whom they have encountered was shaky at best, though the only times they did interact was when they needed certain supplies that only the Xhosa, Zulu and the Ndebele tribes can provide. At the same time, the fertile lands and the suitable climate made it feasible to plant European crops like wheat and rye, as well as grapes that are mainly used for wines. There were a few missionary work made towards the three tribes of Nouvelle Provence, but the new converts were rather few and most of them were young indigenous women who were curious about the way the Savonarolists had lived. Though the Savonarolan colonists brought modern farming techniques, they mostly kept to themselves and only preached the word of God to the indigenous tribes when they were curious enough. There were hostile tribes that reacted negatively to the presence of the Savonarolists, which is why the Count of Montpensier was assigned 1,300 French troops and 800 Italian mercenaries to help protect the colony. From 1504 to 1508, Nouvelle Auvergne had grown to 5,000 people (with the inhabitants consisting of the soldiers, the Savonarolists and the navigators who helped Da Verrazano with the exploration mission). Finally in July of 1508 Louis II of Montpensier was assigned the interim Governor of the Nouvelle Provence colony while Da Verrazano continued his eastward trip, taking him to East Africa where he found another suitable landing and found it run by indigenous Africans and surprisingly enough, a few Muslim merchants. Most of the Muslim merchants came from the Arabian peninsula, which hasn't fallen to the Ottomans just yet. The merchant who greeted Da Verrazano was named Abu Rahman (no last name was given), and it was through this individual that Da Verrazano learned of the Middle East, the Ethiopian Kingdom, and the riches of India. Abu Rahman also added that the Muslims often come to this mercantile town they called Quelimane to trade and make a profit. Da Verrazano then struck a deal with Abu Rahman: they would trade in the port of Quelimane in exchange for export of French goods to Muslim states. The Arab merchant agreed, paving the way for the French colonization of eastern Africa. Beside Quelimane, another port was acquired and a new settlement was also built within the vicinity of the area. Sofala was the next port acquired by Da Verrazano in September of 1508, while the new settlement of Nouvelle Guyenne [2] soon emerged as the first Savonarolist colony in eastern Africa, and the second in the entire African continent. The two existing ports in French Southern Africa also became as important as Nouvelle Auvergne in that they provided relief for French ships when they're sailing to Asia.

France's emerging colonial policy was reflected in King Charles VIII's official letter to the Savonarolan colonists who were encouraged to create new Savonarola villages in areas where there is no Christian activity, where he advised them to 'always lead by example, for words alone will not win converts'. This policy was codified in the French Edict of Vichy, made in September of 1508, that highlighted France's official colonial rules regarding interaction with indigenous tribes. Out of all the nations that had excellent relations with the indigenous peoples of the world, French policy was the most enlightened. Ironically, the Spanish policy of assimilation of their indigenous population into the Spanish culture through conversion to Roman Catholicism was also seen as enlightened despite the opposite rules from the ones the Savonarolists have followed. It was so helpful that when France later conquered the Indian region of Kerala, they also helped revitalize the local Indian Orthodox Church, where the main rite was that of the Syriac Rite. The Savonarolist presence in Kerala also helped increase the ties between France and the Church of the East, particularly with the Indian Christians there. Savonarola's doctrine also caught on with the hierarchy of the Church of the East that there was talk of an ecclesiastical rapprochement between the French Catholic Church (though Charles VIII hasn't yet revived the Avignon Papacy or turned it into an Avignon Catholicosate), the Eastern Orthodox Churches of Russia and Georgia, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Church of the East. Arriving in the port of Cochin on December of 1508, the French found themselves in the presence of a curious arrival party of 200 Keralite civilians. The King of Cochin, Unniraman Koyikal II, had welcomed the French to his palace, and was surprised by the objects Da Verrazano had brought to the king. 50 French knights and 200 French infantry troops armed with arquebuses displayed their weapons in front of curious Cochinese warriors, who were also impressed with the deadly power of the arquebus. Da Verrazano offered to build a gunsmith factory and help train the king's army in exchange for additional trade treaties between the Kingdom of Cochin and the Kingdom of France. Unniraman Koyikal II accepted the terms, but insisted that the Savonarolists build their quarters close to the other Malankaran Syriac Christians who lived within his territory. The religious tolerance of Cochin would also result in the systematic attempt by the Savonarolists to win over new converts to Christianity of the Uniate rite from among the social 'untouchables' of the Indian caste system. However, trouble between the Cochin king and the French began when a newly converted 'untouchable' who was christened as Chanan explained the harsh nature of the Hindu caste system where the upper classes, the Brahmin, would often look down on the untouchables. The marginalized 'untouchables' were most seduced by the Savonarolan ideology that they began their missionary work in conjunction with the Malankaran Syriac Christians who also became dedicated Savonarolists. Surprisingly, a few people from the Kshatriya class of warriors were also receptive of the new faith, but the Brahmins were the most hostile. It also didn't help that the Brahmins were the biggest backer of the Cochin king and insisted that the French intruders would upset the traditional order of Hinduism. Thus in the winter of 1510 a plan was made for the Cochin army to expel the French, the converted 'untouchables' and the Christians of Kerala through a surprise attack. However, the plan was foiled because a Cochin army officer who converted to Christianity notified Da Verrazano of the plot. In response, the French deposed the king with the backing of the Cochin military, and turned Cochin into a French protectorate.

France's creation of an enclave in southern India had aroused hostility from the nearby Vijayanagara Empire, which was dealing with the Muslim invasions from the north. Vijayanagara's king, Vira Narasimha III, was already facing revolts from within his territories, especially the Deccan Sultanates. The addition of the French enclave was not only an unwelcoming intrusion, but the growth of Christianity in southern India and its particularly seditious message of anti-caste rhetoric, made Vijayanagara an enemy of both France and the Deccan Sultanates.

The French race towards Asia had been known only among a few people in both French and English political circles, but in the three Iberian kingdoms the news of France's emerging Afro-Asian empire was that of outrage and horror. John II of Portugal blamed himself for getting caught up with the race for the discovery of the Fagundesias to neglect the Portuguese goal of reaching Asia through an eastern route that he practically handed the path to the Asian spice trade to the French. Ferdinand II of Aragon on the other hand, was also shocked by Charles VIII's decision to pursue his fortunes in Asia and Africa that the three Iberian kingdoms feared the annexation of Navarre to France becoming a reality. Yet because France was surrounded by Catholic enemies, it also maintained a large army and invested a good amount of money in maintaining naval parity with the three Iberian kingdoms, the Kalmar Union and England. French soft power, in contrast to the Spanish hard power, was more popular. It was the fear of France securing a route to the Spice Islands that accelerated the path towards the Second Hundred Years' War.

---

Excerpts from King Charles VIII's Edict of Vichy:

“To My Subjects Seeking Fortunes in Other Lands:

As we observe the laws enshrined by the talented and prodigal reformer, Girolamo Savonarola, we must show the world how we redefine the meaning of Christian morality. Actions speak louder than words, and by mixing our actions with the words we preach in our Bibles to heathens in need of salvation, we will win over the skeptical heathens and soften the hearts of hostile ones. Unlike the Papal-friendly Catholic states, with the backing of the most insufferable bunch of monsters in the Inquisition, we do not subject the offender to torturous punishments. Should a Christian observing Savonarolan rules go astray, it is our duty to bring him or her back on the right path. Through gentle guidance and patience, we will bring civilization to the far corners of the world.

Let us not forget that we Savonarolists also view the Christians of the Greek Eastern Church and that of the Church of the East, the fabled Nestorians, as brothers in need of support. In fact, it is through our efforts that we will pursue the dream of reunification of the two Christian churches. Catholic, Orthodox, it won't matter if we share the same dream of unity. Thus we declare our religious reforms as that of moving towards unity. It is to our declaration that we name this movement the Uniate path. The term 'Uniate' being the movement seeking to reunite the two churches, but neither Avignon nor Moscow would become its seat. Both Avignon and Moscow will become the two seats of power in this new movement, but we do not believe only in the power of one man to lead the church. There shall be a Synod to help and advise the Catholicos Patriarch, or in our case, the Catholicos Archbishop. This, we hold our dreams to be.

Your King,

Charles VIII de Valois”

---

SEVILLE, KINGDOM OF CASTILE
JANUARY 12, 1511

The atmosphere inside the king's palace was almost covered in such political toxicity. Everywhere, the advisors were yelling at each other while the guards were at a loss as to how to proceed from there. Even Ferdinand II of Aragon and his wife Isabella of Castile couldn't resist the urge to scream at their temper proned advisors.

“This is unacceptable! How is it that the Portuguese have neglected their trade routes to Asia that badly to allow the damned French to pick up the slack!?” one advisor screamed. “At this point, Portugal might as well be stuck in the new continent, searching for gold and land while Charles VIII of France gets the wealth of the Spice Islands!”

Another advisor stomped his foot on the floor. “Do you think I don't know that? What's more concerning is Savonarola's heresy spreading even beyond this whole continent! How are we supposed to deal with them and the detested Turks at the same time!”

“That's enough!” Ferdinand II of Aragon yelled back, causing everyone to become silent. “We are not going to accomplish anything as long as we scream at each other like this. Now, can we proceed with what we need to do next, as it is clear that France may eventually defeat us in the race for the Spice Islands”

A third advisor spoke up: “Your Majesty, the only thing we can truly do is to build on our new colonies and use them as a springboard for our search into the western route to Asia. From what our explorers have reported, this whole new land that they've discovered is definitely not an extension of Asia. They have encountered Indians, but not a sign of a Chinese or Japanese in sight. For that matter, I do believe that once our warriors have been sent to the new continent, they could claim the land for themselves and turn the natives there into serfs. Of course, we will bring many priests from the various friar orders to do so.”

No one had spoken up right after the third advisor explained himself. At a hindsight, it made sense that the new discoveries that were made by the various explorers in employment of the three Iberian kings would be put to use. The Castilians, with their possessions in the San Salvador island chain area, might be interested in the lands north of their position, while the Portuguese were just as interested in the lands that are under their control in North Fagundesia. The Aragonese on the other hand, are curious about their new discovery, and it was also rumored that they would allocate a bit of land for the Sephardic Jews to settle in. Still, the news of France's growing power and alliance with the Savonarolists remained a menace.

“One thing is clear: the Savonarolists must be exterminated. They are not only radicalizing the dissidents within our territories, but if we let them continue their heresies, then even we will fall victim to it. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves for a long war against the French,” said Ferdinand II of Aragon.

---

Excerpts from “A Reformation Attempted: The Savonarolan Revolution”
by: Jean-Claude de Olympe
De Coligny Printing Press, published 2015

Chapter Nine: Savonarolism Within the Holy Roman Empire

The arrogant rulers of the Holy Roman Empire had expected that the forces of the Savonarolan Revolution would fail in their attempts to spread their influence into the territories within the Holy Roman Empire. To their dismay and outrage, the Savonarolists had managed to make inroads into areas that were under the control of the Hanseatic League, but for different reasons. The trade guilds and financiers who lived within the territories controlled by the Hanseatic League had to compete with their Jewish counterparts, many of whom would often charge interest in loans that are given to the public. Gentile merchants and tradesmen have also complained of unfair advantages that the Jews have acquired for themselves. The revolutionary message of enforcing the ban on usury had made the Savonarolan ideology decently popular, but because of their open mindedness and their religious tolerance, the Savonarolists managed to become popular within the tradesmen and the Gentile financiers. In addition, the ports of Amsterdam, Antwerp and Rotterdam have emerged as the center of the Savonarolist stronghold in the Low Countries, particularly where the Dutch were concerned. Although Charles VIII of France had encouraged the spread of Savonarolism into the territories of the Holy Roman Empire itself, he didn't know that within a hundred and fifty years, Savonarolism would have spread like wildfire throughout the German portions of that empire, contributing to the brutal collapse of the Holy Roman Empire into several successor states. Ironically, the Savonarolist ideology would be destroyed in France itself after the Second Hundred Years' War had ended.

The regions of Wallonia and Flanders also saw the influential rise in Savonarolist ideology, and indeed it was the House of Nassau who became the first European nobility after the House of Valois to publicly join the Savonarolist sect. Moreover, the 17 provinces that make up of the northern Dutch entity had grown resentful towards the Holy Roman Empire in light of the acquisition of the Polish crown and their attempt to create numerous new electorates who would in reality become little more than puppets for the Houses of Hapsburg and Hohenzollern. William I, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, had initially praised the French for taking the initiative in spearheading the attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church until Pope Alexander VI's death in 1503 when his successor Raffaele Riario was elected as the new pope, under the name Augustus I. Augustus I was known for his violent anti-Savonarolist stance to the point where he declared that whoever destroys the Savonarolists shall gain the right to lead Catholic Europe in secular terms. The new Pope also sent a note, congratulating Prince Afonso of Portugal for his heroic deeds in the final conquest of Granada from the Muslims. However, Augustus I harshly criticized Maximillian's decision to grant John Corvinus the Croatian lands to rule in exchange for his support of the Hapsburg candidate's ascension into the Hungarian throne because it led to the increase in Ottoman power and the loss of Venetian colonies to the Turkish menace. Yet he fell short of issuing an order of excommunication against the Hapsburg King of Hungary because he realized that while Maximillian's decisions had been a disaster in the end, he needed allies in the long crusade against the Ottoman Empire. Thus he and several other cardinals began to secretly back the Hohenzollern faction within the Holy Roman Empire. In fact, most of the German lands consisted the major theaters of the conflict. The deaths of various dukes and counts of areas that have remained under Catholic control or joined the Savonarolist camp created an enormous power vacuum that allowed the House of Nassau to position itself as the dominant player in western Germany. The Italian portion of the Holy Roman Empire, despite Savonarola's origins, never caught up to his ideas becoming popular, and only Florence was the seat of Savonarolan power before events of the Second Hundred Years' War had ensured the Catholic supremacy over the Savonarolist sect through violent purges that saw 50,000 Catholic dissidents, regardless of whether or not they joined the Savonarolists, murdered without a trial. Augustus I and his successors saw the mass slaughter of Savonarolists as a 'purification campaign' of the Roman Catholic Church and that kind of campaign nearly destroyed any hope of reunifying the Catholic, Armenian Apostolic and Eastern Orthodox Churches altogether.

---

Excerpts from “Para Bellum: The Dramatic Rise of Britannia”
by: Robert Smythe
Patterson Publishing Press, published 2014

Chapter Four: The Scottish Question

When King James IV of Scotland had won over the Irish clans to his domain, the English were left humiliated. Shorn off the Irish territories they've held for so long, some of the English nobles began to question Edward V's alliance with the French. Moreover, the traditional rivalry between England and France preceded over any thoughts of a alliance between the two powers in the face of the growing power of the Holy Roman Empire. Of course, the Grand Alliance was still in its early phase, but by the time the Second Hundred Years' War had concluded, the Grand Alliance was effectively destroyed. However, the Catholic League would also decline within the hundred years they fought the Savonarolan revolutionaries because certain popes feared the Savonarolist takeover of the Roman Catholic Church and made serious attempts to address certain issues without handing them over to the Savonarolists. In addition, the Lollard alliance with the Savonarolists took a different turn when in 1510 a riot in Paris when several Savonarolists were killed by pro-Papist French Catholics. However, the anti-Savonarolist pogroms were masterminded by the Catholic Church in an attempt to create a justification for war against the Savonarolists. Thus in the Paris tragedy, one of the major events that would lead to the outbreak of the Second Hundred Years' War.

Edward V never forgot the humiliation that the Scots had handed to him, and so preparations for a new conflict began with the investment in England's fortifications, as well as an ambitious military reform that made all able bodied English males, regardless of class status, liable for conscription. Arquebus production went through the rood, the English knights were being phased out in favor of dividing the cavalry into two groups: light and heavy. Though most of the English knights would become a part of the heavy cavalry, the English light cavalry would be the most feared units in the armies of Western Europe. Taking an inspiration from the Muscovite and Polish cavalry units, Edward V would arm these English light cavalry units only with a sword, two pistols and the composite bow 'purchased' from Hungarian bowmakers. Nicknamed the Watchers due to their primary role as sentries guarding the border between England and Scotland, these English light cavalry would be used as the main force in the attempt to conquer Scotland and during the Second Hundred Years' War when faced off against the Spanish tercios. It was only in 1510 when English troops were engaged in the attack against Dumfries against Scottish forces did Edward V Plantagenet refer to the English light cavalry as the “Yeoman”, or a cavalryman who tended to his own land. Though it was not intentional, the English Yeoman light cavalry was built on the model of the Turkish timariot light cavalry units that was used on various raids, though the akinci were more common. The English Border Reivers were also being recruited heavily into Edward V Plantagenet's new army, and their lightning speed allows them to stage raids along the border with Scotland. Mass production of warships increased, with new shipyards being built on all sides of the English coast, with Hull and Grimsby emerging as the new shipbuilding centers alongside Liverpool, Blackpool, Lancaster, Newport in Wales, Plymouth and Brighton. Swansea and Cardiff also saw the increase in military activity, particularly naval patrols between the Welsh and Irish coasts. The massive expenditure in defense had also allowed England to develop new industries that were dedicated to arms manufacturing. However, the heavy defense spending was placing a strain on the English economy, and the peasants are struggling to keep up with the payments. Thus Edward V Plantagenet authorized peasants to leave their landlord's property in order to migrate into the cities where they were recruited by shipbuilders. In Wales, the Welsh peasants who left their farms also contributed to the growth and expansion of Anglesey, but landlords are complaining about the lack of manpower needed to harvest the crops. Reluctantly, the king was forced to curtail the peasants' movement, almost causing a new peasant revolt in the process. In what was to become the first trigger that set off the Second Hundred Years' War was an uprising in the small Scottish town of Lockerbie.

The Lockerbie Rebellion of 1510 was largely religious in nature, as Scottish Lollards were being persecuted by the pro-Catholic government of James IV Stuart. He viewed the heretics as agents of the English and began to mobilize his forces. News of the Lockerbie Rebellion reached London in April of 1510, giving Edward V Plantagenet the justification he needed to get his revenge on Scotland. Thus when seven Scottish Lollards fled to English territory, the Scottish Border Reivers crossed the border and slain six Lollards, except for one survivor who notified the English Border Reivers and began to engage their Scottish adversaries. Incensed by the blatant raid on their territory, the English Border Reivers proceeded towards Lockerbie and captured the town, massacring the Catholic population there.

Edward V Plantagenet formally declared war on Scotland on April 24th, allowing James IV Stuart to reciprocrate. Moreover, the English attack also gave Scotland the justification for sending envoys to other members of the Pact of Ravenna for a declaration of war against England. Consequently, the Grand Alliance was notified by English envoys that they're at war with the Pact of Ravenna, spiraling out of control until all of Europe descended into war. That was how the Second Hundred Years' War had begun, and the attack against Scotland was just a diversion: Edward V Plantagenet had amassed 48 warships and 19,000 infantry soldiers, plus 2,300 cavalry units for a reconquest of Ireland. Their target however, wasn't Dublin, but Dungarvan and Youghal. The civilians living within the Savonarola Villages inside England began to join the army, though there was no policy on Savonarolists going off to war. However, the king's letter had confirmed the Savonarolists' worst fears: unless they take up arms to defend their faith, the Catholic Church will show no mercy on them.

---

[1] Nouvelle Auvergne is TTL's name for Cape Town, South Africa.

[2] Nouvelle Guyenne is TTL's name for Beira, Mozambique.

   Interesting and sounds like the wars going to be badly destructive for everybody involved, with the HRE ending and France also collapsing in some way in the aftermath.

   Not sure if the Zulu's actually existed at this point as they were only a very small tribe when Shaka rose to power. Have even heard some suggestions that the Bantu tribes were only reaching those regions pretty much as the Boers expanded from the Cape - although this could be propaganda by Boer elements to legalise their control of the land in the region. However this could be a very useful area for settlement, especially with the far more tolerant and respective attitude of the Savonarolists towards the locals. Such an attitude could become hugely important if/when their able to contest the Iberian kingdoms in Fagundesia as its going to be very attractive to the surviving locals left after the conquests and pandemics. Also if they maintain their stance against slavery it could be very popular to African slaves taken to Fagundesia.