Ardainne Revolutionary Influence on the Salts of Albion
It’s apparent to most readers that the world of Enid and Nath is rooted in our real-world history. The similarities are uniformly obvious, but the differences are less noticeable. The practical use of magic has made many of the technological advancements of our Age of Revolutions redundant and unnecessary, and, as a result, related areas of knowledge and expertise never developed. The theocratic germ of Ardainne’s revolution versus the more radical and, for the time, progressive character of real-world 18th/19th century France also made itself felt - or failed to, as the case may be.
Stolid, individualistic Albions from all classes proved highly resistant to the Theocratic Revolution’s calls to link orthodoxy to revolution, while excising all scriptures and liturgy that contradicted their demands for equality among all classes — under the supervision of the Theocratic Council, of course. Appealing as the Theocracy’s reforms to establish equity among the classes with regard to privilege, obligation, taxes, land ownership, etc., the replacement of a royal government with a theocracy was too strange to be accepted by any but Albion’s most wild-eyed radicals. Worse yet, at least from the perspective of those wishing to reform Albion’s equally flawed social and political institutions, progressive reforms were inextricably linked to the Theocratic Republic’s murderous regime. Eventually, this stain would fade and a different Ardainne experiment in government whose influence would be far more difficult to limit among Albion’s middle class, common laborers, and most importantly, the common tars of her navy.
Still, the Theocratic Revolution, or more accurately, the body of radical political literature that informed it, wasn’t completely without impact on Albion, particularly with regard to the foremast hands of the Royal Navy. But that’s a story for another book!
If you’re interested in the impact of the French Revolution’s impact on the common sailors of the British Royal Navy, I recommend reading Tempest: The Royal Navy and the Age of Revolutions, by James Davey* (available here). It’s an imminently readable book that blends insightful socio-political commentary with a stirring history of Royal Navy operations during the Age of Revolutions. I found it to be an engrossing read. If you share my love of all things Napoleonic Age of Sail, I’m sure you will, too!
*I have no relationship or connection with Mr. Davey or his publisher. I simply adore his book.
