The Dairies of the Doofus King is an Alternate History timeline created by user Alt History Buff, on the website AlternateHistory.com. The premise is an earlier death of George III, allowing George IV (the epynomous Doofus King) to take the British throne, resulting in a shift in British politics.
The first part can be read here
, the second part is here
This timeline includes the following tropes:
- Alternate History: The point of divergence is the death of King George III, allowing his lazier and spendthrift son to take the throne in 1783.
- Also the Boll Weevil wiped out the cotton crop after 1800, weakening the power of the Deep South slavocracy in America.
- Alternate History Wank: Ironically, but in spite of losing the Napoleonic War, the British Empire ends up being one. With the fall of Portugal, the UK takes her former ally's colonies including the resource-rich Brazil under her control and taking over French-aligned Argentina and the Guyanas, as well expanding into India. Thus the British have not one but two crown jewels, Brazil and India.
- The Russian Empire, under the leadership of Alexander I, annexes Finland, and overruns Anatolia, most of Persia and Mesopotamia, getting a port at Basra. Small reforms include expanded rights for sefs.
- Napoleonic France conquers Egypt, the Levant, liberates Constantinople and Greece, as well helps Spain conquer Portugal. Eventually the French conquer the Magreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunesia).
- Subverted with Portugal which is annexed by Spain and has her colonies seized by Britain.
- Ireland becomes an independent kingdom.
- It is heavily implied that the political, economic and cultural influence of Britain will turn Brazil into a Canada in steroids.
- To some extent the Dutch who manage to hold on their control of South Africa.
- Due to a series of contrived events, a non-industrialized Japan defeats a small British force.
- The Alliance: A much weaker United Kingdom tries to create one to defeat revolutionary France, but it ultimately fails.
- Awesome, but Impractical: basically describes Napoleon II idea of creating great lakes in the Sahara.
- Balkanize Me: Mexico becomes this, including a Spain-controlled Southeast, Confederation of the North, Republic of Vizcaya, Republic of Sonora and the Republic of Mexico.
- Civil War: after the death of King George IV, Britain suffers a small one between "King Frederick", the dying former Duke of York supported by his heir, the Duke of Cumberland, and the late King George's son with Maria Fitzherbert. See Unexpected Successor.
- The Empire: quite a few.
- Napoleonic France successfully defeats the various Coalitions set up by Britain, because of Charles Fox's weakening the British military.
- The Russian Empire withdraws from the Coalition after 1806 and goes on a military campaign in the Middle East.
- The British Empire, of course.
- Evil Reactionary: the Duke of Cumberland, whose heavy-handed leadership results in Ireland becoming an independent nation a century earlier.
- Ferdinand VII of Spain also counts.
- Expanded States of America: America fights an earlier war with Britain in 1810, resulting in the annexation of Upper Canadanote , seizes the British claims to Vancouver and establish settlements in California, Hawai, New Zealand and Australia. However this is not an Alternate History Wank, as thanks to American support for the Mexican revolutionaries, Spain declares war to the US. The Spanish navy, in spite of being the laughing stock of Europe, overpowers the American one. In the end, Spain retains Florida and Southeast Mexico, while America gains California and the rest of New Spain become independent nations.
- Government Procedural: the timeline takes a focus on British politics under a monarch less willing to use royal patronage or get involved in the day to day act of ruling. For a majority of George IV's rule the British government was either lead by Charles Fox or Pitt the Younger.
- Pompous Political Pundit: Charles Fox is an interesting case, as he much preferred to be in the Opposition, where he could make up catchy slogans and drink himself into a stupor in a tavern. However once he become leader of the government he finds himself in a harder position of having to push legislation through the parliament.
- Real Politik: strongly applied to slavery. Due to the lack of steady supply of slaves from Africa harming the valuable West Indiesnote , Britain relents and allows for "local" slave trade, which largely means absorbing surplus American slaves.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: subverted with George IV, who is lazy, indolent, spendthrift, gluttonous and a womanizer that is clearly unfit to rule.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Brazil is not a British colony, it's a protectorate.
- Unexpected Successor: The Duke of Sussex, 6th son of George III, against all expectations, takes the throne as King Augustus.
