The Creosotian Empire

The Creosotian Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the The Independent Creosotian Republic between 1886-1898.

It originated with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by The International Creosotian Trading Company in the 1870s, and came under full control of the republic when it was formed in 1886. It continued to function as it did under the company for some time after and was famous for its heavier reliance on mercenaries than the Republic's armies to maintain its territory, especially in its final years. Hudson oversaw the acquiring of its two prize possessions in 1894; Papa New Guinea (on a lease from Germany), and a chunk of Siam informally named 'Hudsonland'. The latter was initially profitable due to Hudson's conversion of the lands into farming for palm oil, but an uprising in 1897 led to its immediate abandonment.

In all, its existence can be charted between 1874 - when Hudson established the first trading post in Morocco - and 1901, when its lease of Papa New Guinea to Germany ran out. Former President J.E Creosote attempted to retain what he could of the empire after the end of his Republic, but quickly had to accept reality.

Historians have debated the term 'empire' to describe the territories, since large amounts of its lands barely felt its presence despite being officially under its control and they only existed for brief periods, making the Empire more of an overlapping series of occupations. A.J.P. Taylor called it 'a sordid little fantasy', while Niall Ferguson more positively claimed it was 'a canny arrangement'.

It is generally agreed that the Empire's hold over a variety of valuable trading posts and routes allowed the Republic to exert considerable influence for its size, and is thought to have massively economically benefited until The Final Jeremboah War.