Difference between revisions of "Category:Timeline"

Latest revision as of 01:20, 1 October 2017

A brief outline of relevant events. Spoiler Warning: Major plot events will be noted here.

1774[edit]

Approximate birth-year of William Laurence, the third son of the Earl of Allendale.

1791[edit]

Lord Macartney's embassy to China. His ship, the HMS Lion, becomes the first Western vessel to chart the Bay of Zhitao. Macartney refuses to perform the ritual obesiance, the kow tow, to the Emperor of China and the British expedition is forced to leave.

William Laurence is promoted to lieutenant in the Royal Navy. He serves under Capt. Barstowe on HMS Shorewise.

1798[edit]

August 1-2: British victory under Nelson at the Battle of the Nile ends French ambitions of conquering Egypt. William Laurence and Jane Roland present.

1805[edit]

Early January: The HMS Reliant, under the command of Captain William Laurence, captures the French frigate the Amitié. Shortly after the battle, a hardening dragon egg is found aboard and is determined to be close to hatching. Due to the distance from the nearest British port, the crew of the Reliant draws lots to determine who should attempt to harness the dragonet and a young midshipman, Jonathan Carver, is selected.

Mid-January: The dragon egg found on board hatches and Midshipman Carver attempts to harness the dragonet. However, the dragon takes an interest in Laurence, who completes the harnessing by giving him the name Temeraire. Laurence transfers command of the Reliant to his Second Lieutenant, Thomas Riley.

Late January: The Reliant passes through a storm and a seaman, Gordon, is washed overboard. Temeraire makes his first attempt at flying to rescue him, in which Laurence dangles himself upside down to pull Gordon from the churning sea.

Early February: The Reliant ports at Funchal, Madeira, and Laurence—accompanied by Riley—reports to his commanding officer, Admiral Croft of the HMS Commendable. Waiting for further instructions on his new posting, Laurence sets up a meeting with Sir Edward Howe, a foremost expert of dragons, who informs Laurence that Temeraire is a Chinese Imperial. After a week in port, Captain Portland of the British Aerial Corps arrives to attempt to transfer Temeraire’s captainship with a trained officer of the Corps. However, it fails and Portland directs Laurence to a transport on course to Dover.

Late February: Laurence and Temeraire arrive at Dover and report to Chatham to receive their orders at Aerial Command, which are to report to Kinloch Laggan for training. En route, they rest a night at Laurence’s family home of Wollaton Hall, Nottinghamshire, forcing Laurence to confront both his father Lord Allendale and his childhood sweetheart Edith Galman about his new posting. After arriving at Loch Laggan covert, Laurence and Temeraire begin their training under the supervision of the aging dragon Celeritas, and make acquaintances with Captain Matthew Berkley, Captain Catherine Harcourt, and Captain Jeremy Rankin. Due to their familiarity with higher society, Laurence and Rankin make and early friendship.

Early March: Laurence discovers Rankin’s mistreatment of his dragon Levitas after a day in Edinburgh and strives to disassociate himself with Rankin thereafter. The following five weeks are spent in flight and signal training.

March 29: Villeneuve slips out from Toulon as French dragons bombard Nelson’s fleet.

Early April: Several dragons from the Edinburgh covert answer a distress call from Aberdeen and clash with French dragons over the North Sea. The British dragon Victoriatus is wounded in battle and Temeraire and Maximus are called to support him back to Loch Laggan for medical attention. Temeraire himself is injured—accidentally raked on the side by Victoriatus—and is given a week to recover. Celeritas assigns Temeraire and Maximus to Lily’s formation.

Mid-April: Temeraire and Maximus begin their formation training.

May 8: Nelson discovers that Villeneuve has sailed across the Atlantic and promptly sets out in pursuit. The HMS Reliant, commanded by Captain Riley, is among the ships that give chase.

Mid-June: Laurence is introduced to Jean-Paul Choiseul, a French aviator who had fled to Austria during the French Revolution. He and his dragon Praecuroris bring news of the Austrians beginning to mobilize (Approximate).

Early August: Temeraire and his crew begin to test his devised aerial formation movement.

August 21: Villeneuve ports at Cádiz.

Early September: Just before Laurence and Temeraire present their formation movement design, Celeritas informs them that Villeneuve is penned up at Cádiz and Lily’s formation must replace Mortiferus’, which has been sent to Cádiz, at the Dover covert. En route, Lily’ formation is attacked by French dragons somewhere between Felixstowe and Dover, which leaves Lily wounded. Laurence meets and shortly thereafter forms a relationship with Captain Jane Roland of Excidium.

September 30: Roland and Excidium leave Dover for Cádiz.

October 13: Captain James and Volatilus return to inform them that Roland and Excidium arrived safely. Choiseul attempts to kidnap Harcourt and Lily (Approximate).

October 21: The British defeat the French and Spanish at the Battle of Trafalgar. Excidium, Mortiferus, Laetificat, and Volly all present. Admiral Nelson is wounded during the Battle.

October 24: James and Volatilus arrive early morning to announce British victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Choiseul is executed.

October 25: Praecuroris is sent to a transport heading for Nova Scotia. Public celebration is held for the victory at Trafalgar and fireworks are shot off over the mouth of the Thames.

October 26: Rankin and Levitas cross over French borders to and spy the French “airships”—transport ships lifted by dragons—Bonaparte has constructed near Cherbourg. In their retreat to Dover, Levitas is fatally injured by pursuing forces. After Rankin reports to Admiral Lenton, Levitas dies from his wounds.

October 27: An attempted French invasion of Britain is prevented by British victory at The Battle of Dover. Temeraire discovers the Divine Wind.

Early November: The Chinese Embassy arrives in search of Temeraire, whom they called Lung Tien Xiang. However, they find him—to their horror—in military service and companioned to Laurence. By the demand of Prince Yongxing, brother of the Jiaqing Emperor, Laurence and Temeraire are separated.

Mid-November: A meeting between the Chinese Embassy, Admiral Barham, Admiral Powys, and Laurence occur in the board room of the Admiralty in London on the issue of Laurence’s captaincy over Temeraire.

November 23: Laurence and Temeraire board the dragon transport HMS Allegiance to be taken to China.

November 24: The Valérie Engagement.

November 26: The Allegiance rendezvous with the HMS William of Orange

December 2: Napoleon defeats Russia and Austria at the Battle of Austerlitz.

December 23: The Allegiance ports at Madeira to restock. After leaving port, the Allegiance makes a sort encounter it a storm; though no damage is made to the ship, it causes Liu Bao a bout of nausea.

December 24: Liu Bao seeks out Laurence to thank him for the biscuits and wine, which effectively cured his sea-sickness. Laurence takes the opportunity to invite him and the other members of the Chinese embassy to dine with the British officers on Christmas.

December 25: Christmas. Sun Kai recites poetry by Lung Li Po.

December 28: Prince Yongxing emerges from his quarters and begins to educate Temeraire on the Chinese culture.

1806[edit]

January 8: Battle of Blaauwberg, also known as the Battle of Cape Town.

Early/Mid-January: Scuffles between the aviators and sailors begin to break out and quickly escalate, finally leading to a fist fight between Temeraire's armorer's mate Blythe and the midshipmen Reynolds. For striking a officer of the King's Navy, Blythe is flogged.

January 18: Cape Town is capitulated to the British.

Late January: The Allegiance ports at Cape Coast.

January 23: Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger dies.

January 30 or 31: The Allegiance crosses the equator en route to China.

Mid-February: James and Volly bring the post, a well as the news of Pitt's death. By this time Volly a contracted the Dragon Plague and has unbeknowingly given it to Temeraire.

February 18: Chinese New Year. Feng Li attempts to murder William Laurence.

February 19: Temeraire sneezes, the first signs that he has contracted the Dragon Plague; though, at the time, it is believed to be only a cold.

Late February/Early March: The Allegiance ports at Cape Town and they spend nearly two weeks there trying to cure Temeraire of his "cold". After eating a rather rancid specimen of mushroom, Temeraire illness alleviates.

Early/Mid-March: Shortly after setting sail from Cape Town, the Allegiance experiences a three day storm; during which time, Feng Li makes another attempt to murder Laurence, but is washed overboard in the attempt.

Early April: The Allegiance makes port at New Amsterdam to restock supplies. Shortly after setting sail again the ship is attacked by a large sea-serpent, which they manage to kill.

Late May: The Allegiance passes through the Banka Straits.

June 17: The Allegiance arrives in Macao.

October 14: Prussia defeated at the Battle of Jena-Auerstadt. These battles are notable for the innovative uses that the French put their arieal corps to. Many of these innovation can be attributed to Lung Tien Lien's influence over the French at this time.

Late October/Early November: The Prussian army begins its march towards Warsaw to rendezvous with the Russians. Prince Hohenlohe surrenders to Murat at Prenzlau, but Kalkreuth escapes aboard a courier and is taken to Danzig. Less than a week after his arrival, the French are camped outside the city walls. The Siege of Danzig begins.

November 4: The Prussian army is three days from Warsaw when Napoleon begins a of surprise attacks against the Russians.

November 5: By the afternoon, Napoleon has beaten the Russian army. Temeraire and his crew separate and begin their journey back to Britain; they spend the night sheltered by the shell of a castle.

November 6: The Kazilik egg hatches and Granby harness the dragonet, which is named Iskierka. They make a mad dash for Danzig, pursued by an enemy patrol.

Late November: Lien lands at the French encampment outside Danzig; though her arrival is unconfirmed for sometime due to a snow storm. A week later, Lien’s efforts drastically advance the French trenches.

Early/Mid-December: Temeraire and a group of around 20 feral dragons ferry approximately 15,000 men to a British Fleet stationed in the Baltic Sea, ending the Siege of Danzig.

December 18: Temeraire, Iskierka and a group of twenty feral dragons are attacked by a French patrol off the coast of Scotland as they arrive in Britain.

December 1806 / January 1807: By this time every British dragon has contracted the Dragon Plague. The British air defence against Napoleon's attacks is now little more than a show screen. The defenses are bolstered by the return of Temeraire and the fit dragons accompanying him. Admiral Jane Roland and Laurence attempt to get the Admiralty to cough up the funds necessary to provide for the sick dragons. Plans for the construction of the first British Dragon Pavilion are made; it is to be erected on the quarantine grounds to ease the sick. Temeraire and William Wilberforce hold a dinner party to raise funds for the sick dragons while advancing the Abolitionist cause.

1807[edit]

January: The French begin to suspect the British weakness. The courier dragon Sauvignon is brought down by Temeraire while attempting to spy on the British coverts. The two dragons land accidentally in the quarantine grounds, exposing them to the plague. Both are expected to die. Temeraire is bred with Felicita in an attempt to retain some Celestial genes within the British dragon population. However, after Temeraire does not fall ill within five days, the dragon surgeon Keynes grudgingly admits that Temeraire may have contracted the plague during his voyage to China and may have recovered due to something he ate while in Cape Town.

Late January / early February: Lily's formation leaves for Cape Town aboard the Allegiance to search for the cure. Due to Captain Tom Riley's discomfort with female officers, Laurence initially agrees to serve as go-between between him and formation-leader Captain Catherine Harcourt. However, a quarrel between Laurence and Riley makes this arrangement unworkable. Laurence and Temeraire leave the ship early to fly ahead to Cape Town and begin research on the cure.

Mid-April: The Allegiance arrives in Cape Town. After some experimentation, the British discover the mushroom which cures the Dragon Plague and begin sending out parties to harvest as much of it as possible, not realizing that they are in fact raiding Tswana mushroom cultivations.

Mid-May: Harcourt, Laurence, Chenery and their crews are captured by the Tswana dragon Kefentse and a band of warriors while harvesting (raiding) mushrooms. They are taken to Mosi-oa-Tunya, the capital of the Tswana Kingdom ruled by Mokhachane I (d).

Early June: Mokhachane I (d) begins his crusade to expel slave traders from Africa. His forces including large numbers of dragons attack European settlements across Africa. These strikes are entirely successful and every target is destroyed with massive loss of life and territory. Coinciding with these attacks, Lily and Dulcia free Temeraire and the human captives from Mosi-oa-Tunya. They return to Cape Town in time to cover the departure of the Allegiance for Britain, crowded with refugees. Captains Riley and Harcourt are married during the voyage.

Late August: The Allegiance reaches Britain, where Iskierka and Arkady's ferals have been doing well at capturing French prize ships and where Iskierka has had her own pavilion built.

Early September: The British Admiralty releases Sauvignon in an effort to spread the Dragon Plague to the continent. Temeraire and Laurence steal samples of the mushroom from the Loch Laggan covert and bring them to France. Laurence insists on returning to Britain, where he is subsequently convicted of treason and condemned to execution. This sentence is immediately stayed on the condition of Temeraire's good behaviour. Temeraire is sent to the Pen Y Fan Breeding Grounds.

Early November: Harcourt's and Riley's child born. The birth is difficult, and to Harcourt's and Lily's disappointment, the child is a boy.

November 19-30: Franco-Spanish forces invade and occupy Portugal, taking the Prince-Regent Joao by surprise who, plagued by indecision, fails to order the Portuguese army into action before it is largely neutralised by the French peacefully. However, despite the French successfully occupying Lisbon without a single shot fired, the Portuguese Royal family escape and go on to reestablish the Portuguese court in the Portuguese colony of Brazil, in Rio de Janiero. The consequences of the invasion of Portugal will eventually lead to the beginning of the Peninsular War.

Early December: Napoleon's troops successfully invade Britain. Laurence reaches Dover after the sinking of HMS Goliath, on which he was being transported as a prisoner. Temeraire receives word through Moncey that the Goliath has been lost with all hands. Believing Laurence to be dead, he organizes a regiment of unharnessed dragons and leads them from the breeding grounds to fight the French.

Late December: Harcourt returns to active duty, leaving the child with Riley and a wet nurse. By this time Napoleon's troops have occupied London. The British government and the King have fled to Scotland, as have the land and air forces, including Laurence, Temeraire and the unharnessed regiment.

1808[edit]

January-February: On General Wellesley's orders, Laurence leads a party of harnessed and unharnessed dragons in guerrilla raids against the French. Knowing that there are likely to be official inquiries later on as to the legitimacy of this style of warfare, Laurence agrees to cooperate with Wellesley on the condition that the other Aerial Corps officers under his command will be given written orders absolving them of any responsibility, while he himself is under verbal orders only.

March (sometime between 3rd and 13th): Napoleon and his troops are expelled from Britain at the Battle of Shoeburyness. Admiral Nelson is killed and almost all of his fleet destroyed in a tidal wave raised by Lien to cover the French retreat.

April: Nelson's funeral. HMS Allegiance sails for Australia as a prison ship, carrying Temeraire and Laurence along with other prisoners. Laurence's death sentence has been commuted to transportation and labour in return for his cooperation in getting Temeraire - and Temeraire's political organizing - out of Britain.

May 2: Napoleon betrays his Spanish ally, forcing the Spanish Bourbons to abdicate whilst placing his brother, Joseph on the throne. During the forced expulsion of the rest of the Spanish Bourbon's from the Palacio Real, the Spanish people, moved by the frightened Infante Francisco de Paula, rise up against the French garrison under the command of Joachim Murat, sparking off the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal.

August: The British intervene in the Peninsular War, sending Wellington to lead the British forces sent to fight in Portugal and Spain.

October 4: British frigate HMS Phaeton enters Nagasaki under Dutch colours, hoping to capture two Dutch that were expected to arrive shortly. After kidnapping the Dutch representatives who had rowed out from the Dejima trading post to welcome the Ship, the Phaeton shows her true colours and her captain, Pellew, demands that the Japanese resupply the ship or else he would execute the Dutch representatives and destroy Chinese and Japanese shipping in the harbour. To accompany his threat, Captain Pellew has his crew fire muskets and the ships cannons. The Japanese Sui Riu, Lord Jinai, who is tasked with protecting the harbour, sinks the Phaeton in response.

December: The Allegiance reaches Australia, where it finds the ousted Governor William Bligh exiled to Van Dieman's Land. They take back him to Sydney, now controlled by the New South Wales Corps, but do not attempt to reinstate him.

1809[edit]

January: HMS Beatrice reaches Sydney, bringing a group of aviator candidates headed by Jeremy Rankin. Caesar hatches and chooses Rankin as his captain.

January - Summer 1810: Laurence and Temeraire, along with Granby, Iskierka, Rankin, Caesar and their crews, along with a group of convicts, undertake an expedition of the lands beyond the Blue Mountains in order to find suitable settlement for a covert. During the expedition a Yellow Reaper Egg, sent along with another smaller egg to establish an aerial presence in New South Wales, is stolen by the Wiradjuri, prompting the group to engage in pursuit with the thieves.

April 9: Major-General Lachlan Macquarie is appointed by the British Government as Governor of New South Wales, who hope that by appointing an army officer, instead of the traditional naval officer, as governor, would placate the New South Wales corps.

April 10 - October 14: The War of the Fifth Coalition, Napoleon and his allies, fight against the Austrians and the Tyroleans (who are in revolt against the Kingdom of Bavaria, who obtained Tyrol from Napoleon as a reward for loyalty during the War of the Third Coalition) and concludes with Napoleon victorious. During the peace negotiations at Schonbrunn, German nationalist Friedrich Staps attempts to assassinate Napoleon, but is captured before he can get close, he is executed by firing squad on the 17th October.

Summer: The smaller egg hatches and as Rankin regards the dragonets survival as unlikely, opts to end its life to the opposition of Laurence and Temeraire. The dragonet's life is saved when he is harnessed by Demane, who subsequently names the dragonet Kulingile.

Autumn: A Royal Naval squadron under the command of Captain Nesbit Willoughby, arrives at the Chinese-Larrakia trading port and attempts to conquer it. The Chinese defeat the Naval squadron using unorthodox tactics involving sea-serpents and the crews of the ships, including Captain Willoughby himself, are only saved from certain death by Laurence, Temeraire and the rest of their group. The crews are then taken to Sydney, aided by Laurence and Temeraire's group.

December 28: Lachlan Macquarie and his family arrive in New South Wales.

Unknown: The Chinese establish a trading post in Larrakia lands, somewhere on the North Australian coast, east of the border of New South Wales.

Unknown: The Tswana mount 'revanchist' attacks against the European ports of the Mediterranean, coming into contact and diplomatic relations with Napoleon as a result, Tswana forces also attempt to attack Gibraltar but are repulsed. As a result of entering negotiations with Napoleon, the Tswana are provided with French transports to take them across the Atlantic, to South America. The Tswana land in the Portuguese colony of Brazil, and in the ensuing chaos, Rio de Janerio is burned by the Portuguese in an attempt to destroy slave records.

1810[edit]

January 1: Lachlan Macquarie begins his governorship of New South Wales.

Late Winter/Early Spring: Laurence and Temeraire's group return to Sydney, along with the crews of Willoughby's squadron and Captain Willoughby himself.

Late Winter/Early Spring: Governor Lachlan Macquarie is deposed by John Macarthur and the New South Wales corps, due to Macquarie's support towards Willoughby's demand for war with the Chinese, instead of Macarthur's advice of diplomacy. John Macarthur subsequently takes power, granting himself the title of 'First Minister' which he later abandons.

Late Autumn/Early Winter: British diplomat Hammond, arrives in Australia with orders to find and deliver Laurence and Temeraire their official pardons, along with Macarthur's appointment as Governor of New South Wales. Laurence almost rejects the pardon, fearing that he would be ordered to to be the 'Governments butcher' again, but accepts after considering Temeraire's future.

Unknown: Wellington, perhaps now realising the full strategic importance of Celestials, convinces the Percival Ministry to grant Laurence and Temeraire pardons. To kill two birds with one stone, the Percival ministry also decides to grant the governorship of New South Wales to John Macarthur.

Unknown: The French dragon transport Triomphe sails for the Inca Empire on a diplomatic mission to the Inca Empire. The mission is lead by French diplomat De Guignes and his newly acquired companion-dragon Genevieve, who are accompanied by three other dragons, a number of French noblewomen and items of tribute for the Inca.

1811[edit]

Late Winter: Laurence and Temeraire, along with Granby, Iskierka, Demane, Kulingile, Hammond and the rediscovered Ferris, depart Sydney on the Allegiance on a mission to Brazil. During the voyage the Allegiance runs into a five-day storm, following which a fire breaks out due to the actions of inebriated sailors. Despite attempts to stem the blaze, the ship's gunpowder magazine is ignited and in the ensuing explosion most of the ship's officers are killed, including Captain Riley. With the destruction of the Allegiance, the ship is abandoned, with the ship's crew entering the ships launches in the hopes of navigating their way back to Sydney whilst the dragons and their crews opt to try to fly the remainder of the journey. The dragons also carry the drunken sailors, who had been forced aboard the dragons to keep out of the way.

Early Spring: The surviving dragons of the Allegiance, exhausted after weeks of non stop flying, land on the Triomphe, whereupon the dragon's Captains surrender at once. Here, Temeraire and Hammond learn of the French diplomatic mission to the Inca Empire, and Temeraire learns the Quechua language from Genevieve. Among the Triomphe's passengers is the Incan dragon Maila Yupanqui, advisor and bodyguard of the Sapa Inca (Inca head of state).

Mid Spring: De Guignes maroons the Laurence, Temeraire and the rest of the British party on an island, partly because the Triomphe is overloaded but mostly with the purpose of picking them up again on the voyage home, as they are more likely to be weaker and complacent then. However, despite an attempted mutiny from the pressed sailors, the party discovers a wrecked privateer after reconnoitering the island, and salvage enough resources to make a flight to the South-American mainland.

Late Spring/Early Summer: The French party arrives in the Inca capital of Cusco, followed by the British party a few days later. In the coming days, both parties state their cases to the Incan Empress Anhuarque, the French hope to marry her to Napoleon (now divorced) while the British hope to marry her to Granby (very much against it) in order to secure an alliance with their respective nations, and at first she leans towards the British but turns towards the French after the arrival of Napoleon and Lien. Iskierka, annoyed by Maila Yupanqui's shifting attention towards Lien (after previously showing attention to her), convinces Temeraire to mate with her. Laurence and Temeraire's party are chased out of the Inca Empire and subsequently journey towards the Brazilian Empire. During the British journey to Cusco, Hammond attracts the attention of the Incan dragon Churki, who then joins the party in hopes of setting up an ayllu with Hammond (to his dismay).

Mid Summer: Laurence and Temeraire's party arrive at the ruins of Rio de Janiero and bring the Portuguese into diplomatic negotiations with the Tswana, in order to end the conflict and unify their forces in the face of a prospective Incan invasion. At around the same time, Lily and Maximus and the rest of the formation arrive in Brazil and rejoin Laurence and Temeraire. With their numbers bolstered Laurence undertakes a raid to capture the French dragon transport fleet in Rio harbour, which is successful.

Mid Summer: The Tswana-Portuguese negotiations conclude, the Portuguese agree to free their slaves, provided that they stay in Brazil (Laurence suspects that they will re-enslave them later), while the Tswana dragons with no family members or their descendants found return to Africa. The newly captured dragon transport fleet serves to ferry those Twsana dragons that choose to return. Following negotiations, Gong Su reveals himself to be an agent of the Chinese court and with summons to bring Laurence and Temeraire back to China and promises to Hammond of a possible alliance. The British party boards the Potentate, where Hammond convinces the Captain to reroute the Ship towards China.

Unknown: Napoleon and Lien learn of Laurence's recommissioning, and embark on a voyage to the Inca Empire, anticipating that he or Temeraire would interfere with their plans.

Unknown: Lily's formation is deployed to Brazil on the dragon transport HMS Potentate, with the purpose of aiding Laurence and Temeraire.

1812[edit]

January: The Potentate is caught in a typhoon and beached on the last leg of its journey to China, with Laurence being lost overboard. Laurence later washes up on a beach in Kyushu, Japan, suffering amnesia as a result of head trauma. Laurence, in his weakened state, is picked up and given shelter by the Daimyo, Kaneko Hiromasa. However, due to an incident where Temeraire and the other dragons accidentally provoke Lord Jinai into conflict, Laurence is forced to escape, aided by Hiromasa's retainer Junichiro, who wishes to spare his master dishonour.

January/February: Iskierka lays the egg that she and Temeraire created.

March: The Potentate arrives in Nagasaki harbour, where they are greeted with hostility due to the actions of the Phaeton in 1808. Whilst Hammond is engaged in tense diplomacy with the Japanese, Temeraire notices and is introduced to American dragon and trader, John Wampanoag, who agrees to act as a go-between with the British and the Dutch trading authorities. Just as the British are about to leave Nagasaki, having abandoned the search, Laurence and Junichiro appear at the waterline and call to the ship, whilst being pursued by Hiromasa and Lady Arikawa (a dragon who has a particular affection for Hiromasa). Just as Lady Arikawa corners Laurence and Junichiro, they are rescued by Temeraire who takes them back to the Potentate. Following further negotiations and the revelation of Laurence's position at the Chinese court, the Japanese allow him to leave, along with Junichiro.

Mid-Spring: The Potentate finally arrives in China, where Laurence and Prince Mianning survive two consecutive assassination attempts. Temeraire, after intervening in the second assassination attempt, learns that his brother and Prince Mianning's companion, Lung Tien Chuan, is dead, having been assassinated by poisoning.

Late Spring - Early Summer: Laurence, Temeraire, Granby, Iskierka, Demane, Kulingile and Lily's formation, are ordered by the Jiaqing Emperor to prove their country's innocence, in regards to an apparent resurgent White Lotus rebellion and opium trading, they accompany General Chu, a Chinese Lung Shao, and three Jalan (regiments) and join up with an army led by General Fela, west of Xian. They are accompanied by Mei who repeatedly mates with Temeraire, hoping to bear a Celestial egg so that Prince Mianning would not be without a Celestial companion and thus ensure a smooth succession. During the search for the rebels, and after another assassination attempt on Laurence's life, General Fela is incriminated as an agent of the Conservative factions that seeks to bring down Mianning and the British dragons.

June 24: Napoleon invades the Russian Empire, with the Grande Armee numbering at 685,000 soldiers and at least 100 dragons. The Grande Armee consists of soldiers and dragons from the French Empire, the Inca Empire, Austria, Prussia, Duchy of Warsaw, Italy and other nations under French domination.

July 22: Wellington and Roland defeat the French at the Battle of Salamanca. News of the victory emboldens Laurence, Temeraire and the Russians when it reaches them in September.

July 28 - August 1: French forces under Marshal Oudinot, defeats the Russians at the Battle of Klyastitsy, allowing the Grande Armee to occupy St Petersburg and, a week later, Smolensk.

July: Temeraire finds Arkady being held prisoner, and after an attempt on their lives are averted (with the help of Immortalis and Kulingile), conspires with Laurence to expose General Fela. Laurence and Temeraire convince General Chu to accompany them, ostensibly to discuss better scouting methods, whereupon they are betrayed and attacked by General Chu's honour guard. The Dragons initially struggle to evade the honour guard, until reinforcements from Lily's formation and the loyal elements of Chu's forces tip the balance in their favour. As the honour guard retreats, the Dragons land at a nearby caves (which Chu noticed had smoke coming from it) and assault the fortress within. After defeating the small garrison, Laurence finds Tharkay, their reversed circumstances from 1807 leading to Laurence regaining his memory. Tharkay informs Laurence that Napoleon has invaded Russia, intending to crush his final continental opponent. Following the battle, Temeraire executes General Fela personally. Following this, the Jiaqing Emperor agrees to make plans to aid Russia, promising 300 dragons and sending Gong Su and Hammond as emissaries. Lily's formatio along with Iskierka and Kulingile return to the Potentate, to be transported to Spain to fight in the Peninsular war. Temeraire and Iskierka's egg are left in the Forbidden city, to serve as Prince Mianning's companion.

Mid August: Temeraire and Laurence, along with a bulk of the Chinese Aerial legions led by General Chu, arrive near Moscow where they find that the Russian court has dismissed Hammond and Gong Su's statements as unreliable. Whilst in Moscow, Laurence is reunited with Prussian Captain Dyhern albeit without his dragon Eroica, Laurence offers Dyhern the opportunity to serve with him and he accepts.

Late August: In an attempt to stall Napoleon whilst the Chinese aerial legions move into their orders of battle, the Russians engage in faux peace negotiations with Napoleon, at Vyazma. The negotiations end with the Russian Emperor, Czar Alexander declaring that he would rather burn the throne and live with his serfs than surrender.

September 4: After months of retreating, and with the arrival of the Chinese aerial legions, the Russians under Field Marshal Kutuzov decide to make a stand at Borodino. The battle ends in a phyrric victory for Napoleon as, although the Russians sustain heavy losses, the Russian Army remains in the field intact, whilst the French have lost irreplaceable numbers.

September 14: After the French occupy Moscow following the Battle of Borodino, the Russians deliberately burn their own city, ensuring that the French obtain no supplies and no respite.

September 15: Laurence and Tharkay sneak into the ruins of Moscow in disguise to learn of Napoleon's intentions, they overhear Napoleon's intent to retreat but also his order to his brother-in-law Murat, to release the oppressed Russian dragons in the prison-like breeding grounds.

Late September: Laurence, Temeraire and Chinese dragons capture Murat and his dragon Liberte, whilst they are liberating Russian dragons. Laurence berates Murat for effectively signing the released Russian dragon's death warrants, as they are likely to take revenge on the populace and fuel further public resentment of dragons in Russia.

Early October: Junichiro takes his leave of Laurence to join Napoleon. Seeing France as a necessary ally for Japan in the event of a more permanent Anglo-Chinese alliance.

October 23: French republican Claude Francois de Malet attempts a coup d'etat in Paris, hoping to reestablish the French republic in Napoleon's absence. However, the coup fails and Malet along with his conspirators are executed.

October 24: The Grande Armee engages the Russians and the Chinese at the Battle of Maloyaroslavets, despite the French victory, courtesy of reinforcements from Marshal Oudinot, Russian and Chinese forces remain intact, forcing Napoleon to abandon his attempt to march home through the Ukraine and instead to march back the same road he came. Following the battle the Chinese retreat due to supply issues. The Grande Armee is caught in the infamous Russian winter, leading to the almost complete destruction of the army.

November 26-29: The Russians harass the retreating French at the Battle of Berezina, during the battle Laurence and Temeraire spot Napoleon's baggage train and capture it but instead of Napoleon they find his mistress, who informs Laurence that Napoleon has already gone ahead, due to Malet's coup.

November/December: Napoleon creates the Code Napoleon Draconique, legislation that grants the dragons of France legal rights, and calls for the creation of a 'League of Dragons' in a bid to recuperate some of the many dragons lost in the Russian campaign.

December: Whilst camped at Vilnius, following the Battle of the Berezina, Laurence challenges a Russian Aristocrat, Baron Dobrozhnov to a duel after the latter, first implied that the dragon plague was an act of God then insulted the Jiaqing Emperor as a 'barbaric king'. The duel ends with both Laurence and Dobrozhnov injured. Whilst recuperating, Eroica and the Prussian dragons arrive, having escaped captivity and reveal to Temeraire that Lien has her sights set on his and Iskierka's egg. Temeraire leaves Laurence, in the protection of Eroica and Dyhern, and sets off to Peking, during the journey he is trapped in a barn by Russian dragon-slayers who then set it alight but Temeraire escapes and sees them off, following this he meets Tharkay (who had gone off again) who reveals to Temeraire that his egg has already passed through Constantinople.

December 30: Convention of Tauroggen: Prussian forces under General Ludwig Yorck desert from the Grande Armee, beginning the process of bringing Prussia back into the war and triggering a Freikorps insurgency in Germany.

Unknown: Napoleon and Anhuarque's first child, Napoleon Joseph Pachacuti Yupanqui Bonaparte is born.

Unknown: Learning of Napoleon's intended invasion of Russia, Tharkay along with Arkady fly to Peking in order to warn Temeraire and Laurence, but both are captured by disloyal Conservative elements of the Chinese military, who intend to frame them as British spies supporting the White Lotus.

Unknown: Agents of Lien (and possibly Napoleon) steal Temeraire and Iskierka's egg from the Forbidden city, and make their journey back to France.

1813[edit]

January: Laurence, Tharkay and Temeraire, in pursuit of the egg thieves arrive in the Franco-Italian Alps, whereupon they ambush and are reunited with Iskierka and Granby (who have heard of the theft). Whilst pursuing a French dragon suspected to have the egg, the dragons are tricked into being surrounded (though their captains were not) and are forced to surrender.

Late January: The 'League of Dragons' is held at Fontaineableau Palace, Temeraire, Laurence, Iskierka, Granby and Tharkay are brought to Fontaineableau at Napoleon's pleasure. They witness a number of dragons from all parts of globe, including, but not limited to, the Tswana, Bengali's and Native Americans. Temeraire and Iskierka steal back the egg, which then hatches almost immediately after, the hatchling then engulfs the Palace in flame and in the chaos Laurence, Granby and Tharkay reunite with the dragons and make their escape, although not before Laurence rescues Napoleon's son (and the nanny). The dragonet later names herself Lung Tien Ning.

February: Temeraire and Perscitia (with the input of the dragons of Britain) create a manifesto to counter the Code Napoleon Draconique. The manifesto is taken up in the British Parliament whereupon the Dragon Rights bill is passed and made into law.

February: Laurence is appointed an Admiral of the Royal Aerial corps, at the behest of Czar Alexander, despite the protestations of the Percival ministry and due to Wellington's refusal to give up Roland whose services he deems better served in Spain. As a result of his promotion, Laurence is assigned to command an army of British dragons in the upcoming war in Germany, however, the loyalty of certain Captains towards him is questionable at best.

March 17: German newspapers print Prussian King Frederick William III's speech 'An Mein Volk' which calls for a war of liberation in Germany.

March 20: The War of the Sixth Coalition formally begins, with Prussia officially declaring war against France.

March/April: Russian and Prussian forces, along with a British Royal Aerial Corps contingent commanded by Laurence, defeat a French army near Berlin, liberating the city.

June 21: Anglo-Portuguese-Spanish forces under Wellington and Roland win a decisive victory at Vitoria, Spain, leading to the collapse of French rule in the Peninsular.

July: Napoleon attacks Dresden, in the hopes of capturing the leaders of the Coalition, although he captures the city, during the ensuing battle the leaders of the Coalition escape, as Laurence and Temeraire fighting a valiant rearguard. Following the battle Kutuzov, already extremely ill, dies and Wittgenstein is appointed Field Marshal of the Russian army in his place.

Late July: The high command of the Sixth Coalition considers using poison to remove Napoleon's new-found aerial advantage but are won over by Laurence's proposition to win the dragon's hearts by implementing Temeraire and Perscitia's manifesto instead. Captain Poole, of the yellow reaper Fidelitas, suspecting that Laurence may attempt treason again, attempts to take him and Temeraire into custody. After a standoff with Granby, Poole draws his sword on Laurence only to discover that he has been appointed the supreme commander of the sixth Coalition's Aerial forces.

Late July/Early August: The Chinese Aerial legions return to the war, this time commanded by Zhao Lien, crossing the Caucasus mountains to reach the Allied army. After mediating fruitless negotiations between Napoleon and the Sixth Coalition, the Austrian Habsburg Empire declares war on France. Around this time, Wellington and Roland cross the Pyrenees and invade southern France.

August: Napoleon and his allies engage with the Coalition forces of Russia, Prussia, Britain, Austria and China at the Battle of Reichenbach. After many hours of fighting, whereupon the town is reduced to ruin, Napoleon is abandoned by the Inca and betrayed by the Tswana, leaving him defeated and captured, along with Lien, personally by Laurence and Temeraire. Following the battle, Napoleon is forced to abdicate the throne in favour of his eldest son and go into exile, along with Lien, to St Helena, as part of a peace treaty that is otherwise surprisingly lenient towards France. Laurence, during the proceedings, quickly realises that the Inca retreat was deliberately planned by Anhuarque and Talleyrand, who have collaborated with the Sixth Coalition (via Hammond and Metternich) to do so in order to secure a more favourable peace for France.

Late Autumn: Napoleon and Lien are exiled to the Atlantic island of St Helena. Ning decides to return to China to serve Prince Mianning, now the Daoguang Emperor (though Temeraire suspects she will find excuses to visit him). Laurence retires from the Royal Aerial Corps and considers his and Temeraire's future, whereupon the Celestial suggests that he enters Parliament as a member for one of the newly created Dragon constituencies.