New Imperialism - AH RP v 2.1 [OOC, Signup]

[Alleniana]

"Yes, but no religion can be eradicated, not by the sword or the missionary."
~Some Muslim Guy

Well no it can't but it was a series of wars against Arabia that's also why we didn't have a Najd NPC. Also there is still a few Islamic Countries Most namely; Me, Oman, Hedjaz, Zanzibar, and Egypt I think... And then what's left of Arabia if that even counts as a nation...

Well, actually, we didn't have a Najd NPC because I didn't feel like making another NPC that wouldn't be as relevant

@Aldelxane, I got ~41 million for your pop. Probably a tiny tad high, but I'm fine with it.

[Sasutary Island]

Well no it can't but it was a series of wars against Arabia that's also why we didn't have a Najd NPC. Also there is still a few Islamic Countries Most namely; Me, Oman, Hedjaz, Zanzibar, and Egypt I think... And then what's left of Arabia if that even counts as a nation...

Well, actually, we didn't have a Najd NPC because I didn't feel like making another NPC that wouldn't be as relevant

Allenati Confirmed

[Hastagia]

Well no it can't but it was a series of wars against Arabia that's also why we didn't have a Najd NPC. Also there is still a few Islamic Countries Most namely; Me, Oman, Hedjaz, Zanzibar, and Egypt I think... And then what's left of Arabia if that even counts as a nation...

Well, actually, we didn't have a Najd NPC because I didn't feel like making another NPC that wouldn't be as relevant

@Aldelxane, I got ~41 million for your pop. Probably a tiny tad high, but I'm fine with it.

Najd into relevance! Well at least for a few years as I eat it... Slowly and deliciously... Nomnomnomnomnom

[Alleniana]

Well, actually, we didn't have a Najd NPC because I didn't feel like making another NPC that wouldn't be as relevant

Allenati Confirmed

I really want to make a legit Bavarian Illuminati NPC now.

edit: bzaaaah
http://i.imgur.com/PZRt0Ah.png
not necessarily accurate, but the latest draft of the map before I sleepie

[Sasutary Island]

Allenati Confirmed

I really want to make a legit Bavarian Illuminati NPC now.

*Shaun Konnury Voice*
Cum 'awn 'nao Allen, we all 'no you are de head of de Illuminati an' KKK. Aren't 'ye now?

Am so tempted to make a James Bond-esque character and take down a Nestorian Empire or two...
EDIT: Or the world for that matter

[Sasutary Island]

Meanwhile in Nestoria, underhand tactics hue

[The Nation of Hay]

I did one.

Application

Name: The Merina Kingdom; Imerina; Merina
Symbols: Flag
Claims: The entirety of Madagascar
Power: Microstate.

Government Structure: The eldest child succeeds the throne, regardless of gender, and the next eldest if he is to perish. Simple enough. However, the country is also divided into many different castes and spatial organizations. The andriana are the noble class, and are further split into four different sub-divisions, and the hova are the non-noble free people. The policies and tactics of previous Merina rulers highlighted and increased the separation between the king and his subjects. They transformed social divisions into spatial divisions by assigning each clan to a specific geographical region within the kingdom. The kingdom is very decentralized, with each town or city (or tribe, depending on the situation) is ruled over by its own officials, selected by whichever means suit them. That said, the king still has the highest power and may overrule any local decision, though that power is rarely used.
Ideology/Policy: Decentralization, Free Trade, Hereditary Succession, Monotheism
Leaders: Queen Ranavalona II
Capital City: Antananarivo

Population: 2,542,400
Primary Ethnic Group: Merina
Minority Ethnic Groups: Vazimba, Betsileo, Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Sakalava
Description of Ethnicity: For its entire history, the many ethic groups of Imerina have warred. Even after the unification of Madagascar, the many tribes under Merina rule continued to skirmish with each other. However, the disparate ethnicites have grown more cohesive over the years. Though many still bicker over ancestral borders, it is very rare to see an armed conflict between them (at least one that isn't stopped by the Merina Army quickly after it begins).
Language: Many dialects are spoken among the various tribes of Imerina, but the Merina tongue is rapidly growing as the common national language.
Religion: The current queen, Ranavalona II, is best known for Christianizing the court. This conversion was effected to bring the increasingly powerful Protestant faction under the influence of the royal court. Declaring Madagascar a Christian nation, Ranavalona had the traditional royal talismans burned in a bonfire in September 1869 and replaced their authority with that of the Bible. Previously, the Merina people believe in a very broad selection of totemist, shamanist, and astrological divinities. The most widespread of these beliefs is the worship of sampy by the nobles and ody by the peasantry. Sampy are traditional amulets made from assorted natural materials, and amulets and idols called ody have long occupied an important place among many ethnic groups of Madagascar. Ody are believed to offer protection to the individual wearer only and were commonplace objects possessed by anyone from slave children to kings.

Foreign Relations: The diplomat's of Imerina are not far-flung. The queen sees only futility in improving relations with those who are not immediate threats to her realm. As such, her emissaries try to keep the French, Arabs, and Boers content, as well as to keep trade as prosperous as possible. The natives of East Africa are also mostly hostile towards the people of Imerina, seeing them as "too civilized for their own good." That being said, many Somalians are still eager to trade with the Merina, as we all know that gold is more valuable than petty feuds.
Military Information: As the Kingdom of Merina is highly decentralized, much of the central government's funding goes towards paying soldiers, as they do not need to pay for the upkeep of the various towns and cities. The soldiers of Imerina are not nearly as well-armed or well-trained as many of the European soldiers are, but they are fairly well-led by Imerina's noble class. Merina soldiers are highly trained in defensive and guerrilla tactics, though may be easily beaten in foreign terrain.
Army Size: 8,000 active soldiers; 5,000 reserve; 2,500-10,000 slave soldiers available. Most of the Merina armies use mid-18th century equipment, which are not comparable to current European arms, though a fairly large amount of modern weapons have been acquired through trades with the Sultanates of the Middle East.
Navy Size: 5,000 active Sailors, spread among warships and trade ships. Similar number of reserve sailors.
4 Battleships, 12 Small Ships, various Transports and Trade Ships. Not comparable to European ships.

Economic Policy: The Merina Kingdom is very decentralized, and its economy reflects this. Most laborers buy and sell their goods at the various markets around the country, and traders bring goods to and from the island. Most of the dealings in Imerina are private and the government does not meddle much. That said, the kingdom does go to certain extents to stop rampant smuggling and the importation of contraband goods.
Economic Situation: With the abolition of slavery by most European powers, the Merina were forced to look to other means to sustain their economy. Rice is the primary staple of Imerina's economy. The flat swampland and coastal areas are perfect for cultivating rice plantations. Other agriculture products, including raffia, fishing and forestry, are now also a mainstay of the economy. Other key agricultural resources include coffee, lychees and shrimp. Key mineral resources include various types of precious and semi-precious stones sapphires. Although the island has many riches, the economy is not quite booming, and, in the decentralized state of the current government, is likely not to grow at a very high rate.
Infrastructure: Unpaved dirt roads connect the Merina cities together, using wooden bridges to cross rivers. Several large forts dot the country, though not much else is to be said for military sites. The only piece of infrastructure that is even worth mentioning is the Merina ports, which are greatly maintained, as they are the main source of Imerina's income. Besides the ports, the capital city of Antananarivo is kept up nicely.
Imports & Exports:
Exports:
Textiles
Fish
Lumber
Coffee
Gems
Rice

Imports:
Weapons
Refined Goods
Foodstuffs
Capital Goods

Currency: Barter Economy

History:

Madagascar's central highlands were first inhabited between 200 BCE–300 CE by the island's earliest settlers, the Vazimba. By the 15th century the Hova people from the southeastern coast had gradually migrated into the central highlands where they established hilltop villages interspersed among the existing Vazimba settlements, which were ruled by local kings and queens. The two peoples coexisted peacefully for several generations and are known to have intermarried. In this way, a reigning Vazimba queen (alternately given in the oral histories as Rafohy or Rangita) married a Hova man named Manelobe. Their oldest son, Andriamanelo (1540–1575), broke this tradition by launching a largely successful war to subjugate the surrounding Vazimba communities and force them to either submit to Hova dominance and assimilate, or flee.

Andriamanelo was succeeded by his son Ralambo (1575–1612), whose many enduring and significant political and cultural achievements earned him a heroic and near mythical status among the greatest ancient sovereigns of Merina history. Ralambo expanded and defended the Kingdom of Imerina through a combination of diplomacy and successful military action aided by the procurement of the first firearms in Imerina by way of trade with kingdoms on the coast. Imposing a capitation tax for the first time (the vadin-aina, or "price of secure life"), he was able to establish the first standing Merina royal army and established units of blacksmiths and silversmiths to equip them. He famously repelled an attempted invasion by an army of the powerful western coastal Betsimisaraka people.

Upon succeeding his father, Andrianjaka led a successful military campaign to capture the final major Vazimba stronghold in the highlands on the hill of Analamanga. There he established the fortified compound (rova) that would form the heart of his new capital city of Antananarivo. Upon his orders, the first structures within this fortified compound (known as the Rova of Antananarivo) were constructed: several traditional royal houses were built, and plans for a series of royal tombs were designed. These buildings took on an enduring political and spiritual significance, ensuring their preservation.

Miscellaneous: Nah
RP Example: Can I just say the first one?
429

[Altito Asmoro]

I did one.

Application

Name: The Merina Kingdom; Imerina; Merina
Symbols: Flag
Claims: The entirety of Madagascar
Power: Microstate, although the Merina Kingdom could be considered a regional power compared to the fledgling East African states and disparate tribes.

Government Structure: The eldest child succeeds the throne, regardless of gender, and the next eldest if he is to perish. Simple enough. However, the country is also divided into many different castes and spatial organizations. The andriana are the noble class, and are further split into four different sub-divisions, and the hova are the non-noble free people. The policies and tactics of previous Merina rulers highlighted and increased the separation between the king and his subjects. They transformed social divisions into spatial divisions by assigning each clan to a specific geographical region within the kingdom. The kingdom is very decentralized, with each town or city (or tribe, depending on the situation) is ruled over by its own officials, selected by whichever means suit them. That said, the king still has the highest power and may overrule any local decision, though that power is rarely used.
Ideology/Policy: Decentralization, Free Trade
Leaders: Queen Ranavalona II
Capital City: Antananarivo

Population: 4,542,400
Primary Ethnic Group: Merina
Minority Ethnic Groups: Vazimba, Betsileo, Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Sakalava
Description of Ethnicity: For its entire history, the many ethic groups of Imerina have warred. Even after the unification of Madagascar, the many tribes under Merina rule continued to skirmish with each other. However, the disparate ethnicites have grown more cohesive over the years. Though many still bicker over ancestral borders, it is very rare to see an armed conflict between them (at least one that isn't stopped by the Merina Army quickly after it begins).
Language: Many dialects are spoken among the various tribes of Imerina, but the Merina tongue is rapidly growing as the common national language.
Religion: The current queen, Ranavalona II, is best known for Christianizing the court. This conversion was effected to bring the increasingly powerful Protestant faction under the influence of the royal court. Declaring Madagascar a Christian nation, Ranavalona had the traditional royal talismans burned in a bonfire in September 1869 and replaced their authority with that of the Bible. Previously, the Merina people believe in a very broad selection of totemist, shamanist, and astrological divinities. The most widespread of these beliefs is the worship of sampy by the nobles and ody by the peasantry. Sampy are traditional amulets made from assorted natural materials, and amulets and idols called ody have long occupied an important place among many ethnic groups of Madagascar. Ody are believed to offer protection to the individual wearer only and were commonplace objects possessed by anyone from slave children to kings.

Foreign Relations: The diplomat's of Imerina are not far-flung. The queen sees only futility in improving relations with those who are not immediate threats to her realm. As such, her emissaries try to keep the French, Arabs, and Boers content, as well as to keep trade as prosperous as possible. The natives of East Africa are also mostly hostile towards the people of Imerina, seeing them as "too civilized for their own good." That being said, many Somalians are still eager to trade with the Merina, as we all know that gold is more valuable than petty feuds.
Military Information: As the Kingdom of Merina is highly decentralized, much of the central government's funding goes towards paying soldiers, as they do not need to pay for the upkeep of the various towns and cities. The soldiers of Imerina are not nearly as well-armed or well-trained as many of the European soldiers are, but they are fairly well-led by Imerina's noble class. Merina soldiers are highly trained in defensive and guerrilla tactics, though may be easily beaten in foreign terrain.
Army Size: 15,000 active soldiers; 10,000 reserve; 5,000-15,000 slave soldiers available. Most of the Merina armies use mid-18th century equipment, which are not comparable to current European arms, though a fairly large amount of modern weapons have been acquired through trades with the Sultanates of the Middle East.
Navy Size: 10,000 active Sailors, spread among warships and trade ships. Similar number of reserve sailors.
5 Battleship, 17 Small Ships, various Transports and Trade Ships. Not comparable to European ships.

Economic Policy: The Merina Kingdom is very decentralized, and its economy reflects this. Most laborers buy and sell their goods at the various markets around the country, and traders bring goods to and from the island. Most of the dealings in Imerina are private and the government does not meddle much. That said, the kingdom does go to certain extents to stop rampant smuggling and the importation of contraband goods.
Economic Situation: With the abolition of slavery by most European powers, the Merina were forced to look to other means to sustain their economy. Agriculture, including raffia, fishing and forestry, is now a mainstay of the economy. Other key agricultural resources include coffee, lychees and shrimp. Key mineral resources include various types of precious and semi-precious stones sapphires. Although the island has many riches, the economy is not quite booming, and, in the decentralized state of the current government, is likely not to grow at a very high rate.
Infrastructure: Unpaved dirt roads connect the Merina cities together, using wooden bridges to cross rivers. Several large forts dot the country, though not much else is to be said for military sites. The only piece of infrastructure that is even worth mentioning is the Merina ports, which are greatly maintained, as they are the main source of Imerina's income. Besides the ports, the capital city of Antananarivo is kept up nicely.
Imports & Exports:
Exports:
Textiles
Fish
Lumber
Coffee
Gems
Rice

Imports:
Weapons
Refined Goods

Currency: Barter Economy

History:

Madagascar's central highlands were first inhabited between 200 BCE–300 CE by the island's earliest settlers, the Vazimba. By the 15th century the Hova people from the southeastern coast had gradually migrated into the central highlands where they established hilltop villages interspersed among the existing Vazimba settlements, which were ruled by local kings and queens. The two peoples coexisted peacefully for several generations and are known to have intermarried. In this way, a reigning Vazimba queen (alternately given in the oral histories as Rafohy or Rangita) married a Hova man named Manelobe. Their oldest son, Andriamanelo (1540–1575), broke this tradition by launching a largely successful war to subjugate the surrounding Vazimba communities and force them to either submit to Hova dominance and assimilate, or flee.

Andriamanelo was succeeded by his son Ralambo (1575–1612), whose many enduring and significant political and cultural achievements earned him a heroic and near mythical status among the greatest ancient sovereigns of Merina history. Ralambo expanded and defended the Kingdom of Imerina through a combination of diplomacy and successful military action aided by the procurement of the first firearms in Imerina by way of trade with kingdoms on the coast. Imposing a capitation tax for the first time (the vadin-aina, or "price of secure life"), he was able to establish the first standing Merina royal army and established units of blacksmiths and silversmiths to equip them. He famously repelled an attempted invasion by an army of the powerful western coastal Betsimisaraka people.

Upon succeeding his father, Andrianjaka led a successful military campaign to capture the final major Vazimba stronghold in the highlands on the hill of Analamanga. There he established the fortified compound (rova) that would form the heart of his new capital city of Antananarivo. Upon his orders, the first structures within this fortified compound (known as the Rova of Antananarivo) were constructed: several traditional royal houses were built, and plans for a series of royal tombs were designed. These buildings took on an enduring political and spiritual significance, ensuring their preservation.

Miscellaneous: Nah
RP Example: Can I just say the first one?
429

Interested in cheap but 19th century small arms?

Colombia is willing to sell it at negotiated price.

[Valentir]

Poor King Martijn, his father dies and no one sends Europe's youngest monarch any condolences.

[Liecthenbourg]

Filled in my WIP Post.

[Aldelxane]

Trieste was ruled by Germans for 500 years, Normans ruled Sicily for like 300 years,
Britons have owned Wales for...well idk
FRance has owned Brittany for a long ass time and we all know how the French are with Assimilation
Please don't take offence to this I am merely debating and I mean no challenges to the legitmacy of your app.

Okay so essentially, it is called assimilation. How do you assimilate people you ask? Well, here's how we did it.

We move people over the Sicily, Naples, etc. to run the show. The government provides incentives for Catalans to migrate there. We begin teaching Catalan in any form of educational institution. Eventually the Catalans that move to Sicily marry into the native Sicilians. This creating Catalo-Sicilians. This process continues for 100s of years, lots of Catalans and Catalo-Sicilians pissing about to marry, causes the number of Sicilians to dwindle.

Essentially, we tried to assimilate them into the culture. That is one of the reasons why we formed the Dual Kingdom of Catalonia and Naples, instead of just remaining Aragon. Why did we do this? To further assimilate the Sicilians into a joint identify with the Catalans. Give them fair representation in Barcelona, whether it be through Court or eventually the Royal Assembly, and poof more assimilation into the centralized government.

I mean if you actually peruse a policy of integration, it is not super hard. Many of the nations you listed did not do so, where as we did.

Would that work in Bohemia?

[Carathon]

I notice a-lot people aren't too keen to the idea of another Generic Fascist Ultra-Nationalist rebellion in Italy. You have my personal assurances that this particular uprising will be..... unique

Oh, the current uprising in Rome only has a very small minority of the far-right (considering they're fighting against the conservative establishment) with most of them being Nationalist republican middle-class liberals, rabble-rousing the peasants disgruntled by poor harvests with a few socialists thrown into the mix.

[The New Lowlands]

Okay so essentially, it is called assimilation. How do you assimilate people you ask? Well, here's how we did it.

We move people over the Sicily, Naples, etc. to run the show. The government provides incentives for Catalans to migrate there. We begin teaching Catalan in any form of educational institution. Eventually the Catalans that move to Sicily marry into the native Sicilians. This creating Catalo-Sicilians. This process continues for 100s of years, lots of Catalans and Catalo-Sicilians pissing about to marry, causes the number of Sicilians to dwindle.

Essentially, we tried to assimilate them into the culture. That is one of the reasons why we formed the Dual Kingdom of Catalonia and Naples, instead of just remaining Aragon. Why did we do this? To further assimilate the Sicilians into a joint identify with the Catalans. Give them fair representation in Barcelona, whether it be through Court or eventually the Royal Assembly, and poof more assimilation into the centralized government.

I mean if you actually peruse a policy of integration, it is not super hard. Many of the nations you listed did not do so, where as we did.

Would that work in Bohemia?

Integration never really works unless you're willing to repeatedly suppress revolt in the process over a long period of time, violently suppress the native culture, and make your own culture seem superior.

[Aldelxane]

Would that work in Bohemia?

Integration never really works unless you're willing to repeatedly suppress revolt in the process over a long period of time, violently suppress the native culture, and make your own culture seem superior.

So Catalonia-Naples's strategy is unrealistic then...

[Aldelxane]

Doesn't Ruthenia have way more than two major ethnic groups in it's homeland as well? How did you deal with uniting the nation?

[The New Lowlands]

Doesn't Ruthenia have way more than two major ethnic groups in it's homeland as well? How did you deal with uniting the nation?

Not trying to integrate them and promoting pan-Slavism.

[Aldelxane]

Doesn't Ruthenia have way more than two major ethnic groups in it's homeland as well? How did you deal with uniting the nation?

Not trying to integrate them and promoting pan-Slavism.

I was going to go with the not trying to integrate them thing at first, but I don't have anything like Pan-Slavism unfortunately, meaning that not trying to integrate them might not be enough.

[The New Lowlands]

Not trying to integrate them and promoting pan-Slavism.

I was going to go with the not trying to integrate them thing at first, but I don't have anything like Pan-Slavism unfortunately, meaning that not trying to integrate them might not be enough.

The Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, Serbs, Bosnians, and Slovenes are all Slav populations. You can promote pan-Slavism, but it's likely to make the Austrians and other populations feel left out unless you provide them with local autonomy- not something I'd encourage with Germany on the loose, although it might actually help prevent German nationalism by promoting an Austrian identity.

[Aldelxane]

Bohemia was going to be a federal union anyway. I guess a possibility would be some kind of a West/South-Slavic thing, with autonomy for Austrians, Italians, and Hungarians, as well as conversion to Hussitism among Catholic groups to hold them together. Do you thing that that'd work?

[The New Lowlands]

Bohemia was going to be a federal union anyway. I guess a possibility would be some kind of a West/South-Slavic thing, with autonomy for Austrians, Italians, and Hungarians, as well as conversion to Hussitism among Catholic groups to hold them together. Do you thing that that'd work?

Probably, yes. Italy will be harder to hold on to in case someone tries to unify the peninsula, but Austrian probably don't identify well with Prussian Germany anyway.

[Aldelxane]

Bohemia was going to be a federal union anyway. I guess a possibility would be some kind of a West/South-Slavic thing, with autonomy for Austrians, Italians, and Hungarians, as well as conversion to Hussitism among Catholic groups to hold them together. Do you thing that that'd work?

Probably, yes. Italy will be harder to hold on to in case someone tries to unify the peninsula, but Austrian probably don't identify well with Prussian Germany anyway.

I'm partially counting on a good portion of Venetian Catholics converting to Hussitism over the span of a few hundred years of history in order to put a barrier between them and the rest of the Italians.

[Carathon]

Integration never really works unless you're willing to repeatedly suppress revolt in the process over a long period of time, violently suppress the native culture, and make your own culture seem superior.

So Catalonia-Naples's strategy is unrealistic then...

The only problem I really see with the Dual Kingdom's strategy, though it's a rather good one in theory, is that the Catalonian home-land is a-lot smaller and less populated then it's Italian holdings. I would imagine the migrations from Catalonia - to already (relatively) urban and populated area - might result in the Catalonians assimilating into the Neapolitan/Italian culture and not the other-away around, especially when the two countries are literally seas apart.

And then allowing the far-more numerical and larger Neapolitans/Italian/Sicilian "fair" representation in the Royal Assembly and what-have you would probably have them instantly out-vote the Catalonian officials to have the Dual Kingdom "stop fkin wit our culture n' language guise plz thx."

So I think this strategy might result in a relatively peaceful Lower Italy under Dual Kingdom control, I don't think the culture would be greatly affected and it would only add Catalonian to the list of influences like Greek, Norman, Arabic and whatnot on the greater Sicilian/Italian/Neapolitian identity.

Feel-free to correct me, if I got something wrong though.

[Liecthenbourg]

Probably, yes. Italy will be harder to hold on to in case someone tries to unify the peninsula, but Austrian probably don't identify well with Prussian Germany anyway.

I'm partially counting on a good portion of Venetian Catholics converting to Hussitism over the span of a few hundred years of history in order to put a barrier between them and the rest of the Italians.

That may be a bit difficult with their proximity to the Holy Father.

[Caltarania]

too many posts

anything important?

[Aldelxane]

Application

Name: The Bohemian Union
Symbols: Flag, The Chalice, Coat of Arms
Claims: http://i.imgur.com/5O4Blbr.png
Power: Great Power
Government Structure: The Bohemian Union is a Federal Parliamentary Republic. The Bohemian Parliament is unicameral, and elected through transferrable voting, as was demanded by the rebels after the revolution of 1837. A legislator in the Bohemian parliament is known as a Delegate. Each state in the Union elects a delegate for every 100,000 citizens it contains. There are 13 states in the Union. These states are: Bohemia, Moravia, Slovakia, Hungary, Tyrol, Austria, Istria, Venice, Dalmatia, Central Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, and Serbia. Parliamentary elections occur every 5 years. After an election, the Delegates of Parliament appoint one of their number as Prime Minister. Every three years, the electorate has the option to approve or oust a Prime Minister. If more than 2/3 of the electorate vote to oust a Prime Minister, the Delegates are forced to appoint a new Prime Minister, and the previous Prime Minister returns to his status as a Delegate until the next Parliamentary election.
Ideology/Policy: The Bohemian Union is a secular federalist republic, and the vast majority of it's citizens agree with these ideas. Another important ideology in the Union is Pan-Balkan Slavicism, a movement that arose to form a sense of national unity between West Slavs, South Slavs, and Hungarians in Bohemia. Minority ethnicities and languages are allowed to peacefully coexist with the Czechoslovak plurality, and minority religions have been protected from forced conversion by law since the Revolution of 1837 and the founding of the current Republic. Egalitarianism and Republicanism are extremely popular among the Bohemian middle and lower classes, and moderately popular among the remnants of the aristocracy. Bohemian industrialists and capitalists support a policy of government intervention in the economy in order to protect markets and support economic growth. Won over by offers of education and healthcare, the masses heartily agree. Due to this general consensus, economic liberalism is largely taboo in Bohemian politics.Leaders: Alexandr Hustovi (Prime Minister)
Capital City: Prague

Population: Approx. 41 million
Primary Ethnic Group: Czech, Slovak
Minority Ethnic Groups: German, Hungarian, Serbian, Croat, Bosnian, Italian, Ashkenazi, Hasidic.
Description of Ethnicity: Bohemia is a mosaic of ethnicities, and it's people vary greatly. Due to Bohemia's status as a majority-minority nation all major ethnic groups in Bohemia have come to be accepted and integral parts of the nation as a matter of necessity. All ethnic groups other than German and Italian are considered to be under the umbrella of "Balkan Slavs", with even the Hungarians over time coming to accept the term as part of their identity due to similar heritage to Slavic peoples. Austrians and Venetians are given autonomy in the form of the states of Venice, Tyrol, and Austria. Austrians in Bohemia tend to see themselves as ethnically Austrian rather than German, and look to the rest of the Union to protect them from the likes of the NGC. Venetians are beginning to form an ethnic identity separate from the rest of Italians, largely due to the conversion of most of Venice to Hussitism over the four centuries of Bohemian rule. As with the Venetians, conversions to the reformed Hussite religion over time in Austria and Hungary further solidify their ties to the Union.
Language: Czech, German, Hungarian, Italian, Slovak, Serbian, Yiddish
Religion(s): Hussitism is the majority religion in Bohemia north of Bosnia. Pockets of Catholicism remain in formerly Catholic lands, but Hussites outnumber Catholics. South of Central Croatia, Eastern Orthodoxy reigns supreme. However, approximately 20% of the population of majority Orthodox territories are Hussites, largely due to the migration of Czech and Austrian farmers south in order to secure land to work in the mid 16th century. The inverse is also true, with Orthodox populations existing in Vienna and Prague as Serb and Croat migrants seek work in the industrial centers of the north. Jews in the Union have largely assimilated into Bohemian culture, living and working alongside others and protected by secularist policies introduced in the 17th and 18th centuries, and expanded upon in the 81 years of the 19th century.

Foreign Relations: The Bohemian Union is allied with the Ruthenian Empire and the Dual Kingdom of Catalonia and Naples, and maintains friendly relations with Switzerland-Piedmont. Bohemia is relatively neutral towards most of Western Europe, but suspicious of the North German Confederation an it's potential to upset the balance of power in Central Europe.
Military Information: The Bohemian Armed Forces are a well trained, well equipped, adaptable force. Since the days when the first Hussites developed Wagenburg tactics to fight the incessant onslaught of Catholic crusaders, Bohemian commanders have been particularly versatile when devising battle plans, tactics, training, and weaponry. This military tradition of a search for new, better ways of fighting makes the Bohemian military a force especially feared in battle.
Army Size: 410,000 active, 850,000 reservists.
Navy Size: (Still unsure. I still think Bohemia would be seagoing, due to a lot of coast line and enough major ports to build a navy, as well as the alliance with Catalonia-Naples allowing Bohemia ships to leave the Adriatic. I still need ship numbers, since I have no experience deciding ship numbers)

Economic Policy: The Bohemian government follows largely protectionist and interventionist economic policies. Unlike their average contemporaries in the rest of Europe, Bohemian economists advocate the importance of growth at home and the advancement of domestic industry ahead of foreign trade and free markets, and the general, largely unchanging consensus of the populace is that protectionism and government interventionism promote economic stability.
Economic Situation: In recent years, Bohemia has experienced massive industrial growth. Government subsidies on factories help speed economic growth, and Bohemia's protectionist policies put its industry at an advantage among the free trade oriented nations of Europe. Coal in the Czech heartland fuels the fires of steel industry in the Austrian territories. Food production in the southern and eastern provinces is beginning a rapid upswing, fueling the growth of food exports and the canned food industry, as well as a moderately large population boom, bringing more laborers and consumers to the ever-growing marketplace. Bohemian exports can be found in the majority of European nations.
Infrastructure: After the sluggish growth of roads and railways in the 1870's slowed industrial projects, the government of Bohemia nationalized the nation's roads and subsidized the railways. This has caused a huge upsurge in the building and repair of roads, railways, and bridges. The growing Bohemian transport system spirals out from the major cities of Prague, Vienna, Venice, Budapest, and Belgrade, as the nation becomes increasingly interconnected. Government-operated schools and hospitals are a relatively new idea, but the importance of an educated and healthy populace is increasingly becoming a consensus, and the infrastructure of education and health is growing as well.
Imports & Exports: Bohemia is a major exporter of coal and steel, as well as essential food products such as meat and grain. Bohemia imports luxury goods such as coffee from the Americas, as well as cotton from the British, Portuguese, and Dutch colonies in the east, and myriad fruits and spices from around the globe. Bohemia is an importer of crude oil, as it has little to none of it's own.
Currency: Bohemian Koruna/Kroner

History:

After the Hussite victory in the Battle of Vyšehrad, the capture and execution of Sigismund of Hungary left the Kingdom of Hungary leaderless, and Hungary devolved into civil war. In 1422, with the Catholic armies routed and Hungary ripe for conquest, Jan Zizka led a massive invasion into Hungarian lands. After two years of fighting, with the anti-Hussite crusaders still incapable of launching another assault after their crushing defeat in Bohemia, Budapest capitulated to the Hussites by 1423, and after another two years of war the rest of Hungary submitted to the invaders. In 1426, threatened by the quick fall of Hungary, Austria and Venice were persuaded by the Pope to mount a crusade against the Hussites. With new levies raised in Bohemia and new converts in the conquered Hungarian lands, Hussite troops held the border against the crusaders. Bohemian Wagenburg tactics decimated the armies of the crusaders, and after a staggering chain of losses much of the crusader armies deserted, while many of the mercenary captains hired to fight for the Venetians changed sides and joined the Hussites.* After this second destruction of the armies of the Pope, Hussite forces under Prokop the Great, Zizka's successor, pushed into Austrian and Venetian lands, slaughtering those who resisted. The shocked Catholic powers declined new requests by the Pope to intervene, choosing to ignore the Hussite advance rather than face the fate of the now-extinguished line of the Hapsburgs and the unfortunate Sigismund of Hungary. In 1429, Genoa, taking advantage of the Hussite invasion, declared war on Venice and sank most of it's fleet in a major battle off the city of Split. This signaled the death knell of the Venetians, and in 1431 Venice surrendered unconditionally to the Bohemians. By 1465, the southward expansion of the Bohemians into Serbian and Bosnian lands had put the Empire into close contact with the Ottomans. In 1467, the Ottoman Empire declared war on the Bohemian one. After a desperate and bloody conflict lasting five years, and the deaths of thousands on both sides, the Bohemians forced the Ottomans to accept treaty marking the edge of the Ottoman Empire at Greece. This war caused a thaw in relations with the Catholic powers, and in 1473 the Papacy finally caved to reality and acknowledged Bohemia's land gains in Europe. In 1580, Bohemia became a noble republic, granting the right to vote to the aristocracy and weakening the monarchy. In 1837, Bohemia, which had largely stayed out of the Napoleonic wars, was rocked by a major Jacobin uprising against the rule of the nobility in Bohemia, and the victory of the rebels was followed by the consignment of the monarchy to the role of a relic and a tourist attraction, completely cut out of politics, and the establishment of the Bohemian Union.
*In this timeline, Jan Zizka survives until 1427

Miscellaneous:
RP Example:
From the Man in the Sand Castle RP:

Isolated Village, Chukotka
Chukokta. Supposed hideout of the self styled "Lawrence of Siberia", this cold, snowy north-easternmost province of the Union was getting more than it's fair share of attention from the government of late. Now, AFS personnel were being deployed to this barren land to attempt the takedown of the terrorists. Composed of the best of the best of the former F.R.L partisans, the AFS was an elite anti-terrorism force, and in this case far more experienced than their enemy.
Gavrilov pulled the hood of a parka over his head. Frigid temperatures prevailed in the godforsaken wasteland all year round, and the temperature had recently plummeted. They had tracked the terrorists to an isolated village, following a tip from a local hunter. Miles of pines surrounded the dwellings, cutting it off from the rest of humanity. 60 AFS operatives closed in on the building. Nothing moved. Gavrilov raised his right hand. All stopped. "Curses. Deserted." The AFS searched the houses, and came up with nothing. Finally, they evacuated the area. It had been a false lead. The terrorists were already gone.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka, Two Weeks Later
They had trailed this "Lawrence's" fighters down from Chukotka, all the way to the largest city in Kamchatka. Now, the AFS positioned themselves around a small, shabby structure in a back alley. Two operatives entered through the back door. A man was sleeping in the carpet inside, but otherwise the house was deserted. The still sleeping suspect was cuffed, and his belongings were searched, as more AFS members entered the building. A letter. It had been encrypted, but the terrorist had wrote down the translation for ease of reading.

"Meet at Vladivostok, Trans-Siberian station-
L.S."

Clumsy. He hadn't even bothered to burn the note. Even more telling, it seemed Lawrence was taking a leaf from the playbook of the F.R.L. He planned to strike at the Trans-Siberian railway.

Vladivostok, Trans-Siberian Rail Station, 12:00 PM

A train whistle blew in the distance. It seemed that it would arrive in the city soon. Good. The self-styled "Lawrence of Siberia" hid inside a warehouse overlooking the rails, as his small cadre of terrorists set up the bomb on the tracks below, out in the pitch black night. Down by the rails, however, the operation was not going as planned. The man in Kamchatka had told the AFS everything he knew under interrogation, and they skulked through the darkness. The shooting began. Blasts of gunfire rippled through the blackness. The forty-odd terrorists were outnumbered 2-1 by the more experienced AFS members. "Lawrence's" cause was not popular in the east, with the rights of the natives at last equalling those of the Russians, and "Lawrence" had only been able to find approximately 200 inexperienced men, many of whom had never carried out any kind of an attack before, and they were surprised by the onslaught of the veteran partisans. "Lawrence" dashed outside, firing a gun, and killing the two AFS operatives closest to the door before being concussed.

Courthouse, Novosibirsk,
The jury members sat around a circular table, near the courtroom. Many had favored sentencing the terrorist to death, but a message had arrived at the last moment from a high ranking official whose name was unknown. They had been out for only ten minutes. Public opinion of this "Lawrence" had never been high. He was simply a terrorist, and even those whom he fought for didn't believe in his cause. Adding to this sentiment, tales of family members killed in recent bombings had spread, and on top of destruction of property and the crime of terrorism, the man was charged with the personal murder of twenty civilians.

Do not make him a martyr.

The jury reentered, holding the verdict of the former "Lawrence of Siberia", and the judge read it out to the prisoner.
"Vladimir Vakhrov, the court finds you guilty of twenty accounts of murder, as well as the crime of terrorism. You have been sentenced to life in prison, in the New Siberian Islands. The court is adjourned.

429

I think it's done.