History of Tauland: Difference between revisions
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These conditions were finalized, and Taulandt independence was official. The delegation arrived back in Taulandt on 20 April 1891. they were welcomed as heroes. The 20th of April is still, to this day, celebrated as a national holiday. Upon its independence, nothing changed in the daily lives of many citizens. The same currency was used which was the Taulandt Guilder, the same laws still applied, and local foreign policy did not change. However almost immediately upon gaining word that the treaty was a success the ''Staaten der Formosa'' send out ambassadors to their Asian neighbors and Dutch American cousins. While at the same time a large reform was about to take place.
== Early Republic ==
=== The early Republic ===
''1892-1907''
The transition from Dominion to a Republic was a smooth one as all government systems were already in place; an independent tax agency already was in place, an independent parliament, military police force and all be it a limited foreign policy. Yet it was not without its hurdles for Taulandt had always worked based upon the Huid der Patronen or Staten der Formosa, now renamed to the Staaten Generaal. It needed a leader, someone who would rule the county. Inspiration was taken from Nieuw Nederlandt in the form of the Raadpensionaris Taulandt thus adopted the same system of powers for their Raadpensionaris.
The first Raadpensionaris was inaugurated in Nieuwe Haag on the 1st of January 1892 it was the man by the name of Willem van Aertens, a direct descendant of Jacob van Aertens. He, like his NNL counterpart, would hold office 5 years before facing re-election. Van Aertens would set many precedents during his 15 year tenure over the nation, his tenure was filled with many challenges for the young nation ranging from domestic to foreign affairs. These where dealing with social unrest in the late 1890s as the Calvanisitic confusion order came under threat, to skirmishes and eventually a conflict with Japan over the Ryukyu islands to dealing with the effects of a weakening Qing.
In these early years of the Republic a boom in Taulandt culture in the form of art, music, theatre, architecture and cuisine. While Taulandt and her people had always had a strong sense of self these early years of the republic really began to come to define what it meant to be a Tauer. This era came to be known as the first cultural golden age.
During this time Taulandt was establishing foreign relations with almost all nations, from its contacts in the netherlands it was able to get several trade treaties with britain signed for india, however one of the most daring ploys employed at the time was Taulandt her relationship with Japan. Japan and Taulandt had always had a tense relationship ever since Taulandt's capture and subsequent integration of the Ryukyu islands in the late 1700s. Japan which had recently opened up and was slowly modernizing began to voice her thought that those islands still belonged to Japan. It became clear to both sides that a war was inevitable as both sides started preparing for a conflict. In this Taulandt heldt the advantage in her industrial capacity and her well established navy. Japan had expanded her navy rapidly but still lacked an industrial base but felt confident that it could overcome the Taulandt presence around the island.
Through the late 1890s both sides did try to come to a compromise on the matter of the islands. Japan however demanded full sovereignty and while no outright declarations of war had come when in late 1899 the presence of Japanese warships sighted along the northern most island became ever more frequent Taulandt decided to react. The island in that moment was swept with a sense of Anti-japanese sentiment, despite the government's attempts to limit it, people went on the streets demanding war and pro Taulandt sentiment was high. With this domestic support for action, Raadpensionaris van Aertens felt confident to order the Navy to reinforce the naval force already present near the islands. The Taulandt navy was considered the public pride of the nation and was a navy that could be seen as competing with European navies.
=== Ryukyu stand off ===
''November 1899 - 3rd of January 1900''
By november of 1899 both Taulandt and Japan and their political leadership feared what was to happen. Japan knew that any protracted conflict could mean defeat and shame, while Taulandt knew that any protracted conflict with Japan would diminish her naval power and might endanger her southern sea interests, more importantly the Oostelijke Wadden (paracel islands). Thus while the public wanted a war the political establishment was hoping for at worst a series of naval skirmishes. Yet it still wanted to deter the Japanese and not look weak to european powers, Taulandt felt that should it fail in this that it would never be taken serious again and thus felt that it had to prove itself.
With this in mind the Raadpensionaris had ordered de Schout responsible for the defense of the realm to order the Admiralty to start enacting a plan that had long since been spoken of with hushed tones. To send one of Taulandt her battleships supported by its cruisers and light cruisers to the island near japan and defend the troops that would land and strengthen the defenses. Thus the admiralty which had long since feared and thus prepared for this send one Battleships, SVS Vliegend vuur escorted by 4 cruisers and 5 motor torpedo boats towards the island of Amami.
The naval force arrived near Amami in early November of 1899 and began setting up a more active set of patrols. At the same time across the other islands especially, Okinawa troops landed to reinforce the local garrison in preparation of what could be Japanese invasion. The commander of this force was Vloot-hooft Schout-Bij Nacht Johan Fabricius, a man who had fought prior to the independence in naval actions in colonial wars. For the first 8 days nothing happened in fact a storm forced all ships to stay close to the islands, it was only on the 9th day that the first Japanese ships were sighted. Fabricius, wanting to get a good idea of what he was up against, ordered 2 Motor torpedo boats to get as close as possible. when they returned Fabricius knew that he had a challenge in front of him.
The Japanese had sent 17 motor torpedo boats and 3 cruisers, while they did outnumber Fabricius his force, those motor torpedo boats could do little against the shore fortifications. He quickly ordered a cable to be sent to Taulandt for more ships that would be sent but would not arrive for two days.
Yet nothing happened the Japanese did not fire upon the Taulandt ships and neither did the Taulandt ship’s fire upon the Japanese. Thus a stand-off ensued where neither side was willing to back down and for nearly a month the cannons of the battleships were aimed at one another waiting for the first shell to hit. Neither side fired first however and the tense stand-off would continue all the way through November. It was at the end of November that the first moves were made as a Japanese freighters were boarded by Taulandt sailors after failing to comply, what followed was a tense situation that lengthened the standoff by another month before both forces were called back after cooler heads had prevailed. In the end, it was settled through quick negotiations and the assurance that Japanese fishing boats could fish near the Ryukyu islands but only in limited numbers.
With the area now at peace Taulandt continued its pace of gradual economic independence from China, something that had been an aim of the Taulandt government ever since the formation of the Dominion. To do this a period of Economic, Industrial, Educational and military reforms took place. During this time a new Taulandt was born, a new architectural style was born by mixing the old Hollandic neo-gothic designs with traditional Chinese architecture to create the so-called School van het Oosten. This style is identified by its use of red colors combined with Dutch house building but with Chinese style interiors.
During this time the culinary inventory of Taulandt also expanded, mixing classical Hollandic food, with Chinese and Japanese created a diet that had a large degree of nutrients, rice, fish, beef, potatoes, spices and coal as well as large quantities of Chicken. This would become a staple of the Taulandt diet combined with the large quantities of milk truly made it an odd nation in regards to its cuisine compared to other local cuisine.
A new era for Taulandt had started an era of independence and total self determination and a golden age for its cultural development in this new century.
== '''20th century''' ==
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