Kingdom of Brittany

Brittany was for centuries a historical region of France. The Breton people opposed the dissolution of the July Monarchy and the election of Louis-Eugene Cavaignac in 1848. In 1850, when protests became violent, Brittany was among the first regions to declare independence, electing Henri, Count of Chambord and grandson of King Charles X, to be king.

During the French Civil War, Brittany initially sought assistance from Great Britain, but was denied as the British wanted a peaceful outcome to the conflict to restore balance. Instead, Brittany gained the support of Holland, as Louis II was eager to gain the French Nord provinces. Like the other rebel regions, Brittany gained its independence in 1852.

Brittany became a major trade market, gaining much of the French naval ports and power. Unlike Occitania, Brittany did not attend the Berlin Conference, preferring to establish trade relations with the varying powers of Europe.

Brittany remained largely neutral during the successive conflicts in Europe. During the Great War, Brittany remained out of the conflict, even as Dutch and Occitan forces clashed in France. When Vladimir Lenin gained prominence in France, and the establishment of the Comintern Republic, Brittany became heavily invested in by both Britain and Germany as a buffer. As such, a major military presence grew along the border, becoming the site of much contention.

With the rise of far-right ideologies in Italy and Great Britain, Brittany's government began to side with the ideas of Italy's Mussolini, as well as the rise of fascists in the Spanish and Portuguese Republics. In 1940, Brittany, under King Henry II and Prime Minister Celestin Laine, agreed to join the Latin Bloc, matching their foreign policies to those of Mussolini, Oscar Carmona, and Jose Antonio de Rivera.

Within the Latin Bloc, Brittany negotiated the purchase of a fully manned and operational aircraft carrier from Great Britain. While the ship was officially owned and operated by the Breton navy, Germany declared it was in violation of the treaty ending the Great War, demanding the ship be surrendered. Brittany refused, causing Germany to declare war in 1944, beginning the European Theater of the World War.