This is the timeline for The Balance of Power.
1860s[]
- April 1865- The American Civil War ends with the Union retaking the South.
- September 1865- The Biarritz Agreement is signed by Prussia and France. The French will remain neutral if Prussia goes to war with Austria over Venetia. The agreement also creates a quasi-alliance between the two nations.
- October 1866- The Austro-Prussian War begins.
- January 1867- France sends a military mission to Japan to aid the collapsing Tokugawa Shogunate.
- May 1867- Treaty of London: Luxembourg's sovereignty is solidified as soon as Prussia makes claims over the small nation. France made no moves over Luxembourg's political status but signed the treaty.
- June 19th, 1867- Maximilian I, the French-installed Emperor of Mexico, is executed by Republicans. The failure of the monarchy is heavily scrutinized by the French press.
- July 1867- Napoleon III discovers he has bladder stones.
- September 1867- Austria loses the Battle of Konnigratz, losing the war. The region of Venetia is given to the Kingdom of Italy. The Peace of Prague is declared.
- November 9th, 1867- The Tokugawa Shogunate ends in Japan.
- Late 1867- Otto von Bismarck and Wilhelm I press for a united Germany. The North German Confederation is created but virtually controlled by Prussia. However, the southern German states resist.
- January 1868- Meiji, Emperor of Japan, enters a war to finally end shogun rule. The Boshin War begins.
- September 1868- Isabella II, Queen of Spain, is deposed in the Glorious Revolution. Spain becomes a kingdom without a monarch.
- October 1868- The Japanese government orders the French military mission to leave. The action prevented Franco-Japanese relations for quite some time.
- May 1869- The Boshin War ends with an Imperial victory. The military phase of the Meiji Restoration of Imperial rule is complete.
- November 17th, 1869- The French-built Suez Canal is opened for shipping, making it a large source of income for France.
1870s[]
- July 2nd, 1870- The Spanish offer Leopold of Hohenzolern-Sigmaringen the Spanish crown. Originally, he refuses the position. After pressure from Otto von Bismarck, Leopold becomes King of Spain. Many French people, including the press, object the move and believed Prussia was putting France on two fronts.
- May 18th, 1871- Workers, Marxists, and Anarchists in Paris rebelled against the Imperial government. The Pairs Commune was quickly put down by the French Army.
- August 1871- Adolphe Thiers, one of the strongest supporters for French neutrality, becomes Prime Minister for a 3rd time.
- January 9th, 1873- Napoleon III dies from the bladder stone. He is succeded by his lone child, Napoleon IV.
- October 22nd, 1873- Otto von Bismarck present the League of the Four Emperors, an alliance between Prussia, France, and Russia.
- June 1st, 1874- Napoleon IV marries Beatrice, daughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain. France and the U.K.'s relations better as a result of the marriage.
- April 1877- War erupts between Russia and the Ottoman Empire.
- March 1878- Russia and its Balkan allies defeat the Turks.
- July 1878- The Congress of Berlin is held. Russia's wish for territory following the Russo-Turkish War is not completely granted. The Ottoman Empire is given control of Macedonia, but Serbia, Romania, and Montenegro are recognized as free. Russia, so upset by the outcome of the conference, temporarily broke off relations with Prussia (who hosted the congress).
- November 1878- A Russian diplomatic mission is sent to Afghanistan. Britain sends their own, but it is denied and sent back. Thus, British forces are sent to invade the country. This is a major moment in the Great Game, a cold war of influence in Central Asia between Russia and the U.K.
1880s[]
- September 1st, 1880- Kandahar, the Afghan capital, falls to the British. The United Kingdom now has complete control of Afghanistan, serving a major challenge to the Russians.
- February 1884- The Berlin Conference: A conference is held in Prussia to determine territory in Africa. Virtually carving out the continent between the European powers, the conference was plagued by agendas and disputes. The borders and territories lined out were not completely solidified, which led to wars in the future. However, the Berlin Conference did put an international ban on the slave trade/slavery, and made the Niger and Congo Rivers free for ship traffic.
- March 29th, 1885- Russian forces seize the oasis of Panjdeh in southern Turkmenistan. Reports of the attack reach British garrisons in nearby Afghanistan. The so-called Great Game over influence in Central Asia has hit a climax: The U.K. declares war against Russia, starting the Anglo-Russian War.
- November 1885- Serbo-Bulgarian War: After Bulgaria is given control of the Ottoman province of East Rumelia, Serbia declares war. Austria-Hungary, wanting Serbian territory, supported Bulgaria. Russia, who oppossed the unification, backed Serbia. The war ended with a Bulgarian victory and recognition of the unification. The war led to a breakdown in relations between Russia and Austria-Hungary. Russia ended up leaving the League of the Four Emperors, forcing Prussia and France to form the Triple Alliance with Italy. Russia was left diplomatically vulnerable.
- March 9th, 1888- Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, dies. He is succeeded by Frederick III, who dies 3 months later. Frederick is succeeded by the 29-year old Wilhelm II.
- June 20th, 1888- The last Russian troops are forced to leave Central Asia after the Treaty of Bordeaux is signed. The Great Game and the Anglo-Russian War has ended with a British victory.
- March 1898- Prussia and the Northern German Confederation begin building a navy which can match that of the United Kingdom.
1890s[]
- March 20th, 1890- After nearly 30 years as Minister President of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck retires from politics.