1610 Summer

Louis XIII, King of France and my grandson & Princess Jane, my 2nd daughter - were officially wed. The wedding was held twice, first in London and second in Paris. I've participated in both weddings myself.

"It's...better than I had expected."

"...I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, I'm sorry if I have sounded rude. But, it was unexpected to see Paris was greater than I've thought..."

At the 2nd wedding held in Paris, Jane made her would-be-husband Louis XIII perplexed. She didn't have any other intentions, but it was an imply that France was an underdog, compared with the United Kingdom.

'Huhuhuu...'

I've quietly giggled in the corner at Jane's - no, now, the French Queen - Jeanne's remark, having reminded my first wife, late Maria's response on her first day in London, who has spent her entire life in Vienna before coming to England.

And the Lioness - the regent, queen mother of France, Elizabeth - sent a proctor to both weddings and didn't show her face.

After I've returned from Paris, I've designated Richard - Prince of Wales and my eldest son - as a regent of Great Britain and went to Madrid, the 2nd Capital of the United Kingdom.

It's time for a test.

1610 Fall

"Now, the time has come! The time to complete Reconquista! I, Eduardo I, will reclaim Morocco, as a first step towards reclaiming the Mauretania region(Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia), by the name of Jesus Christ, Holy Father and Virgin Mary!"

"Yeah! Long live Eduardo I!"

"Deus lo volt!" "Viva la Reconquista!"

I've announced the declaration of war to Morocco in front of the congressmen of Madrid. And the 2nd Congress of Madrid - Senate and House of Commons alike - unanimously approved it, and a Reconquista to reclaim Mauretania restarted.

The Ottoman was silent. The hyperinflation caused by Spain still has lasting damage to them as well. With the crash of the actual value of money, the Ottoman's military burden worsened. Also, with the Valide Sultans taking full control of the empire, they had no administrative power to react to the Reconquista.

Also, during the last Ottoman War, since the Holy League led by Spain destroyed the Barbary pirates, the Ottoman had an almost-to-nothing navy to fight in the West Mediterranean Sea.

Morocco, which still hasn't recovered from the damage of the 1599-1600's war with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy and privateers of the West India Company's looting, couldn't stop the Iberian - Portuguese and Castillian - troops. 160,000 soldiers who were drafted by the army reserve system swept to devasted Morocco, and less than a month, Fes - the capital city of Morocco - fell to the hands of Iberian troops.

1610 Winter

The Sultan of Morocco threw in the towel. I kicked him out of Morocco, and confiscated the land occupied by local Moroccan feudal lords and Imam(*Muslim priest)s and redistributed it to Iberian aristocrats. Also, I've promoted the soldiers, who've fought well during the battle, into low-rank aristocrats. It was following the Iberia's tradition, which the nobles account for 20% of the entire population - due to an old Reconquista tradition, that the soldiers who've fought well are promoted into an aristocrat.

"From next spring - 1611 spring - all kinds of private army, which are not allowed by me, are forbidden. Also, I'll straighten out military ranks. There will be 4 classes. 1st class is a Marshal, the highest military commander. 2nd class is a Commissioned officer - and is divided into 3 categories - Company officer, Field officer, and General officer. 3rd class is a non-commissioned officer and is divided into 4 categories - Staff Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, Master Sergeant, First Sergeant

And the 4th class is soldiers and will be divided into 5 categories - Recruit, Private, Private First Class, Corporal, Sergeant."

"And all male citizens of Iberia, who have reached the age of 20, will serve compulsory military service for 5 years. And after it's over, they'll be enlisted as local reserve army till the age of 40. After that, till the age of 60, they'll be enlisted as wartime laborers. Of course, aristocrats will serve as Commissioned officers or Non-commissioned officers at least and will be given priority at the promotion if they become full-time soldiers. Any objections?"

"..."

"...No, your majesty."

"Okay. That's all for today. Off you go."

And I've kept my 160,000 Iberian troops, not disbanded, and forced the Madrid Congress to approve my military rank reform bill. It was all thanks to my late father's - Felipe II's - 40 years efforts to centralize and increase administrative power, that Iberia was able to introduce conscription, earlier than Great Britain.

The 2nd Parliament - The Madrid Congress - had no choice to surrender to my request at 160,000 troops and my feat of successfully re-conquering Morocco. And I've changed Iberia's army system from a recruitment system to a draft system. Naturally, there were objections from rural areas, and I've given incentives to soothe them.

First, I've established the 2nd National Pension Service HQ in Madrid and introduced national pension and national health insurance to Iberia as well. Also, I've allowed to set up a self-ruling parliament in major cities and regions of Iberia. Also, I've granted suffrage to the grown-up males who've finished compulsory military service.

1611 Spring

In Great Britain - where the Prince of Wales & Regent of Great Britain, Richard rules - a new bill was announced.

It was to treat the Native Americans, who've accepted Catholic faith, as fellow citizens, not serfs as before. That bill was passed, thanks to the filibuster that Richard and his fellow scholars of the Royal Society of London and fervent priests of England branch of Society of Jesus held against the 1st Congress in London, for the entire last winter.

'It's a tyranny, your majesty!'

'Please, nullify this absurd law, your majesty!'

So, the congressmen of 1st congress in London - Senators and representatives alike - wrote to me almost every week.

'...Did I give birth to a Wilberforce or Lincoln? Anyway, he's your future king. Deal with it, fools.'

Meanwhile, a rebellion occurred in Morocco, which was crushed by Carlos, Morocco's military commander.

So, I've emigrated 10,000 Great Britain people and 20,000 Castilians and 10,000 Portuguese to Morocco, giving them land which was confiscated from local Moorish farmers. And the Moorish farmers were sacked towards the Sahara desert.

1611 Summer

Louis XIII, who've just become 17, decided to rule by himself. In other words, he officially abolished the Regent, ending the compromise with the Lioness. And Elizabeth abruptly went to the streets of Paris and gathered her followers. 20,000 citizens of Paris instantly became her army.

I've also gathered troops after receiving permission from the Madrid and London Parliament. 300,000 army was gathered in the entire United Kingdom of Great Britain and Iberia.