The Spanish-American War in the Highton Islands*

In 1898, the United States took Spain to war in Cuba and the Philippines. As Nova Madrid was an important colony for the Spanish, Spain hoped the U.S. wouldn't invade. In July, with the war in the Philippines raging on, President William McKinley ordered the invasion of Fort Fernández. First, the American navy invaded the north coast of Vixzingzia. Despite the Spanish pushing the Americans out of Port Isabella, the U.S. crushed defenses at Erixion and Loto'pa'i. Next, the Americans' eyes were set on Fort Fernández, the original order. First, US troops destroyed the coastal villages of Pacifica and Coruña, pushing the Spaniards into the Rixion mountains. When the forces reached the capital, Queen Miriam II was quick to surrender and the Nova Madriello monarchy was abolished. In the treaty following the conclusion of the Spanish-American War, Spain lost most of its empire: Guam, Cuba, the Philippines, Wake Island, and Puerto Rico. Despite this, Maria Christina of Austria, who was queen regent of Spain, managed to convince the Americans to allow them to keep the Highton Islands. She claimed that the twenty million dollars the U.S. paid Spain for the territories did not account for Nova Madrid, and held on. Her son, Alfonso XIII, the actual king of Spain, would play an important role in Hightonian history 20 years later.