Imperial France

Imperial France, also known as the Third French Empire, The French Empire in Exile, and Bonapartist France, was created in Morocco by exiled French Monarchists. Imperial France would remain a minor, unimportant, player in geo-politics until the advent of the space race. The Bonapartist French played an important role in stellar colonization and would carve out a place for themselves among the stars.

Origin
Ever since the downfall of the Second French Empire, there had been strong monarchist sentiment in France. It was likely only the inability of the monarchists to find and agree upon a suitable willing candidate that prevented the restoration of the Kingdom of France. This monarchist sentiment didn't die out with the initial electoral victory of the Syndicalists and the monarchists, sometimes in coalition with other nationalist groups, continued to present a serious contender to the Syndicalist parties up until 1929.

Following the Rif War in 1926, the French colonial administration in Morocco broke with the Syndicalist government in France. Louis Lyautey, head of the colonial administration was a long time monarchist with ancestral ties to the House of Bonaparte. He invited Louis Prince Napoleon, current head of the House of Bonaparte to take up residence in Morocco. Following unrest in France, and the persecutions of 1929, many monarchists fled the country and Morocco was a common, and welcoming, destination. Louis Prince Napoleon had a strong support base in Morocco and in 1931, at the invitation of the colonial administration, Louis Napoleon declared the Third French Empire. He was crowned by the Bishop of Marrakesh

Algerian Uprising
When the Syndicalist French government began their colonial wind-down in 1930, Louis Lyautey the French General who had been de facto governing Morocco independently since 1926, moved to take control of Algeria. He was supported by the large community of the "Colons" who were either descended from European settlers or were ethnically Jewish and feared the imposition of a Muslim government. Lyautey was also supported by the Kabyle Berber tribesmen who had enjoyed privileged status under the French colonial government.

Algerian nationalist forces who had been preparing to set up their own independent government rejected Lyautey's authority and conflict soon broke out between the French colonial forces of Lyautey and Algerian nationalist forces.

When the Third French Empire was declared in Morocco, the Algerian supporters of the French Colonial government requested that the newly crowned Louis Napoleon take up the government of Algeria as well. The Bonaparte Emperor took up this request and after appointing Lyautey as his first Prime Minister, the Third French Empire began to prosecute an aggressive campaign against the Algerian nationalist uprising.

The majority of the Algerian nationalist forces were defeated by summer of 1932 but a guerilla campaign would continue until the final nationalist stronghold was reduced in the Autumn of 1933.

Internal Struggles
In both Morocco and Algeria there were significant minority populations descended from European colonists who had been emigrating since the late 19th century. In addition there were indigenous tribes, such as the Kabyle Berbers, who enjoyed privileged status under the former colonial governments and therefore supported continued French rule. There were also, however, a variety of tribal and political groups that wanted independence and opposed the continued Francification of their lands.

General Lyautey had left behind the assimilation scheme of "civilization" during his government returning to the older segregated society. This mollified some of the anti-French sentiment due to the native populations being left alone. However it did little to quell the rhetoric of nationalists and it tended to breed dissatisfaction due to the resulting social inequities. Initially the new Emperor continued to follow Lyautey's policies, partially because he had, as yet, no better insight and partially out of respect for the old General who had been instrumental in establishing the Empire.

Following Lyautey's death in 1934, Emperor Louis Napoleon began to embark on a new policy aimed at creating a more cohesive social structure and common identity among the people of his empire. The first step in the new plan was the Imperial Code of Civil Rights and Privileges promulgated in 1935. The new Imperial Code extended Imperial Citizenship to all indigenous inhabitants of Algeria and Morocco. Citizenship carried with it basic legal and social protections. In addition, indigenous tribal groups were granted special privileges within their ancestral lands.

These reforms established a new military and a new bureaucratic structure both of which incorporated elements from the indigenous people groups in an attempt to create a more cohesive Imperial identity. The reforms were not without their failures and their pains, but they would ultimately prove successful in welding together a cohesive society and Imperial identity.

Imperial Code of Civil Rights and Privileges and Bureaucratic Reforms
The new Imperial Code also instituted 'ancestral privileges' to various indigenous tribal groups. Ancestral Privileges were intended to secure the unique ancestral cultures and practices of indigenous peoples but only within their ancestral lands. In turn, all indigenous tribal groups were required to submit an annual levy for service in the Imperial military and the Imperial bureaucratic corp.

Together with the Imperial Code of Civil Rights and Privileges, the Imperial Administrative Reform Decree, reorganized the empire into two different types of administrative districts. Ancestral Districts were set up to recognize and protect the Ancestral lands of different indigenous cultures. Within an Ancestral District the privileges of the local population were enforced but basic legal protections and civil rights were extended to any Imperial Citizen. All other districts, mostly major cosmopolitan areas, were designated as Imperial Districts. In Imperial Districts, the ancestral privileges were not enforced and all imperial citizens were required to abide by the newly designated "Imperial Culture".

In the new Bureaucratic corps, candidates submitted as part of the annual levy by tribal groups were trained alongside candidates of European descent. Indigenous candidates generally followed their initial training by serving in the administration of an Imperial District for several years. Having achieved senior status and proven their skill as administrators, they would eventually be sent back to form the local administrative government of their Ancestral District. By this means, the Ancestral Districts could be eventually administered by an indigenous local government that understood and could work with the Imperial Bureaucracy.

Imperial Military
During the colonial period the core of the military had been composed of French troops supported by large numbers of native colonial auxiliaries. Following the break from Syndicalist France and the Syndicalist colonial wind-down, many French troops returned to France. General Lyautey was able to offset these losses partially from the influx of monarchist and other anti-syndicalists from France, but was also forced to rely to a greater degree on local colonial troops.

Imperial military reforms beginning in 1936 reorganized the army into the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Army, and the National Defense Force.

The National Defense Force was established as a purely defensive and garrison force deployed across the empire to maintain order and security. The NDF would not operate outside of Imperial territory or in offensive war except in the case of some extreme emergency. Most NDF forces were garrisoned in Imperial Districts and would only deploy to Ancestral Districts in response to unrest, or at the request of the District Administration. Virtually all units of the NDF were mixed ethnicity.

The Imperial Army was the regular professional army. The core of the army would be composed of units of mixed ethnicity. Special units with ethnically homogenous identity were also formed. These ethnic units particularly honored the tradition of elite colonial troops in French service and was intended to encourage esprit de corp among the indigenous ethnic soldiers in the army. The Imperial Army was composed solely of those who volunteered for professional military service.

The Imperial Guard was the smaller elite force recruited from among the best of the Imperial Army.

Ancestral Districts were required to provide an annual levy who, at a minimum, would serve in the National Defense Force. Likewise, all male citizens residing in Imperial Districts were required to enlist for military service.

Both levies and citizens from Imperial Districts were required to begin service at the age of 17. Both had the option of serving in the National Defense Force for two years, and subsequently serving a term of three months every two years until the age of 30, or enlisting in the Imperial Army for a minimum term of six years.

Those that opted to enlist in the Imperial Army would undergo a significantly more rigorous initial training process, with those that washed out being sent back to the NDF.

International Relations
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Space Race
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