Claim Classification: Main Nation
Shortform name: Achysia
Indigenous shortform: Akȳsia
Longform name: Empire of Achysia
Indigenous longform: Ghioragon ka Akȳsia
Link: https://imgur.com/ROquhLe
Population estimate: Around 82,000,000
National Overview:
Achysia is a a nation in Western/Central Aurora, consisting of mainland Achysia, and its various island territories. From an administrative point of view, Achysia is divided into 16 provinces, including the autonomous province of Eastern Valentia, and the imperial capital of Veranium, with a special status. Achysia also has a special relationship with the Elyrian Haliarchy, marked by a series of bilateral historical treaties which have resulted in open borders between the two nations and a firm pledge by the Achysian state to protect the Haliarchy's borders and sovereignty. The Empire of Achysia is also a founding member of the Auroran Community, a political and economic union and a military alliance of various Auroran states.
The history of Achysia starts with the various ancient peoples that inhabited its present day territory, the so called Ancient Achysians. Various kingdoms and city-states were formed on its lands for centuries, and these states were influenced by and influenced the other ancient civilizations around the Elyrian Sea too. Eventually, the virulent expansionism of the Elyrians forced the ancient Achysians to come together in the Odrysian League, an alliance and later a nation that fought multiple wars against the Elyrians until it was eventually annexed - one of the first territories to fall under the Old Elyria's rule. From that point onward, Achysia became one of most important territories of the Elyrian Empire, eventually being reorganized into the Hegemony of Achysia, a military and civilian province of the Elyrian Empire.
The Calamity that led to the destruction of the Old Elyria also led to the destruction of many coastal areas in Achysia, but the inland territories managed to survive relatively unscathed, allowing the provincial government to survive. The Hegemon of Achysia claimed the imperial title and formed an informal alliance with the early Vayonist Faith which had its center in a former territory of the Hegemony. While this new state continued to consider itself to be the same Elyrian Empire, historians normally call it "the Veranian Empire", in relation to the city of Veranium. Despite being on the coast, it managed to survive the Calamity without major damage, and the Faith interpreted is as a divine sign, leading to it being rebuilt as the New Elyria, a title that it would continue to hold for a long time.
The Veranian Empire lasted for around 1000 years, experiencing periods of glory, of decay, and of recovery. Eventually, it morphed into its own distinct civilization, preparing the stage for the eventual Achysian identity. Various defeats against its neighbors, periods of anarchy, and succession issues eventually led to the conquest and sacking of Veranium by the Ardamist Caliphate, which could have well enough been the end of the Achysian state, but in the region of Thynia, a provincial governor related to the imperial family reorganized the empire's remains to continue fighting. Ardamist attempts to conquer the Holy Elyria and the Ecclesiarchy led to the creation of various alliances against them, and during the Siege of the Holy Elyria, the invading armies were destroyed. Over the next century, the Veranian state reconquered most of its territories and even started to conquer lands in Dihara, but an important event happened after the reconquest of Veranium - its monarch was crowned as Emperor of the Achysians before the older title of Emperor of the Elyrians, marking the moment that most historians consider to be the creation of the first modern Achysian state.
The reborn Achysian Monarchy continued to expand, in an expansion and militarism fueled by a religious fervor. The new nation took part in the Auroran colonization of other continents, quickly creating a rich and large colonial empire for itself, becoming one of the great powers of that era. With the riches of its colonies, the Achysian Empire quickly became involved in Auroran affairs, developing a fierce rivalry with the nation of Kathia but a strong alliance with Ichoria. The inheritance of territories in Western Aurora by the Achysian monarchs and their attempts to expand against the Kathic and Grothbordian Confederacy led to short wars, that erupted into a century of continental warfare once Kathia and Achysia became the supporters of different positions in a major religious issue, beginning the Wars of the Faith. Throughout these 100 years of warfare, there were periods of glorious victories and bitter defeats, but one of the defining events of this war was the Conquest of the East, a Achysian expedition into Eastern Aurora that ended with the death of the Achysian Emperor and of much of the Achysian imperial family, but also of the successors to the Ichori throne. The Emperor's wife, an Ichori princess, was named as Empress-Regent over a personal union of Achysia and Ichoria, which would become a reality with the double coronation of Daeron, her second born son, as Emperor of the Achysians and King of the Ichorians. In the Holy Elyria, Daeron was also crowned as Emperor of the Elyrians, creating the Elyrian Monarchy, a short lived attempt to revive the Elyrian Empire of old.
During his reign, Daeron led to the League of the Holy Sun to major victories against its enemies, conquering the entire coast of the Western Elyrian Sea, including much of Kathia. Daeron the Great and the Holy died of old age after creating a glorious empire, but his death created cracks in the bedrock that supported this new nation. His extensive campaigns weakened Achysia economically, blowing into a full economic crisis after his demise. His son tried to keep the empire together, but after a major naval defeat, his autocratic rule led to a rebellion by the Ichori nobles. His attempts to fight back against the Kathic and the Grothic armies ended in defeat after a failed siege of Ravonne and a land defeat against a combined Ichori-Kathic-Grothic force that was a huge blow against the Achysian military supremacy. In a skirmish during his retreat towards Achysia, Daeron's son was killed by a bullet - with historians having no idea if it was a stray bullet fired by his enemies, or a bullet fired by one of his guards. His death however ended the war and the Elyrian Monarchy. Ichoria and Kathia became fully independent, a religious compromise was reached, ending a war that lasted a century and that killed millions of people.
Achysia's autocratic rule eventually placed it as the greatest enemy of the new Kathic regime during the revolutionary wars, and the Achysian Monarchy ended after a series of defeats, the death of most of its imperial family and the conquest of Veranium by the Kathics. Prince Eugene, a bastard son of the last Emperor led a Supreme Regency Council which led a huge guerrilla campaign against the Kathic forces, while the nation's first princess managed to escape into exile where she gave birth to two successors - twins. The Achysian forces led by Eugene eventually took part in the conquest of Kathia which ended this period of history, but Eugene was assassinated by a faction of nobles while returning to Achysia. Eventually the two twin princes returned to Achysia, both claiming the throne, with Prince Velisarion eventually defeating his brother in front of Veranium, crushing the faction of the nobility, and recreating the Achysian Empire as a constitutional monarchy.
The nation was reformed, and in order to avoid such a tragedy from ever happening again, all emperors from Velisarion onward would focus on the military and on diplomatically isolating Achysia's enemies - while also starting to improve Achysia's diplomatic relations with Ichoria, relations that had been really bad after the perceived Ichori betrayal during the Wars of the Faith. Achysia took control of its colonies again after the interregnum, and also expanded its colonial empire, but its militarism and aggressiveness were one of the factors that led to many regional wars throughout the world, and to the eventual beginning of the world wars.
The First World War quickly degenerated into brutal trench warfare on the Achysian-Kathic front, and ended in a stalemate, despite various offensives on both side. This, combined with naval defeats and with the diplomatic armistice that ended the war gave birth to a knife in the back myth among Achysian nationalists. The rise of Autocratism as a political ideology was the downfall of the troubled Achysian democracy. Combined with an economic crisis, a feeling of revanchism, and the support accorded to this new ideology by the new Emperor, Achysia became an absolute monarchy, and one-party state in the interwar period. The Autocratic government led Achysia right into a Second World War, which was even more bloody than the first one. Despite naval defeats and the loss of many colonial conflicts, Achysia managed to defeat Kathia and to occupy its mainland territories, while also invading various other countries. The tide of the war slowly turned against the Achysians, but the Allied liberation of Europe was slowed down, but before the war could end in a stalemate like the first, various revolts started in Achysia proper.
The Autocrats had slowly lost the trust of the people and the loyalty of the military throughout the war, and the return from exile of Prince Michael gave the Achysian resistance movement a new leader. A military coup and revolts in most cities ended the period of Autocratic rule, with the leaders of the movement, including the Emperor, being killed, while various other Autocrats were summarily executed. Before their defeat however, the Autocratic Knights of the Eternal Serpent that guarded the headquarters of the Heaven's Fall Project managed to drop a nuclear bomb on one of Achysia's cities in a final, hateful retaliation.
The Achysian Transitional Council and later Government was forced to sign an armistice with the Allies in the face of further aggression from the East. Various Auroran powers, including Kathia and Ichoria came together in the military alliance that would serve as the basis of the future Auroran Community, fighting in Eastern and Central Aurora and in !Asia until the eventual end of the war. Achysia itself became a battleground, or more specifically, its northeastern provinces, where the forces loyal to the Council fought against left-wing rebels in the War of Transition, a brutal civil conflict which ended with an armistice and the defeat of the rebels in 1948.
Democratization, deautocratization and reconciliation marked the first decades of Achysia's history after the war. A short lived attempt at a republic proved that the Achysian politics were extremely unstable, and with the already popular hero Michael representing it, a return to the constitutional monarchy was voted by a majority of the Achysian people in 1955. The newly formed Empire of Achysia developed into a modern and democratic constitutional monarchy, becoming well known for its political stability caused by its largest two parties, the center-right conservative National Monarchist Front and the center-left, social liberal and progressive Constitutional Democratic Union. Unlike in Kathia and Ichoria, the Faith still plays a huge role in the nation, even if Achysia is formally secular, perhaps also because of the close relationship of the state with the Haliarchy. A certain conflict continues to exist between the older, more conservative part of the population and the more progressive and liberal youth. Achysia is also known for its vibrant culture and rich history, and for the way in which it combines its traditions from the past with elements of the present and the future.
Achysia became a founding member of the Auroran Community and continues to be regarded as a great power and as one of the Community's most important pillars, even if its presence on the international stage has been limited by the cautious pragmatism that has been trying to avoid the mistakes of the past.
The history of Achysia starts with the various ancient peoples that inhabited its present day territory, the so called Ancient Achysians. Various kingdoms and city-states were formed on its lands for centuries, and these states were influenced by and influenced the other ancient civilizations around the Elyrian Sea too. Eventually, the virulent expansionism of the Elyrians forced the ancient Achysians to come together in the Odrysian League, an alliance and later a nation that fought multiple wars against the Elyrians until it was eventually annexed - one of the first territories to fall under the Old Elyria's rule. From that point onward, Achysia became one of most important territories of the Elyrian Empire, eventually being reorganized into the Hegemony of Achysia, a military and civilian province of the Elyrian Empire.
The Calamity that led to the destruction of the Old Elyria also led to the destruction of many coastal areas in Achysia, but the inland territories managed to survive relatively unscathed, allowing the provincial government to survive. The Hegemon of Achysia claimed the imperial title and formed an informal alliance with the early Vayonist Faith which had its center in a former territory of the Hegemony. While this new state continued to consider itself to be the same Elyrian Empire, historians normally call it "the Veranian Empire", in relation to the city of Veranium. Despite being on the coast, it managed to survive the Calamity without major damage, and the Faith interpreted is as a divine sign, leading to it being rebuilt as the New Elyria, a title that it would continue to hold for a long time.
The Veranian Empire lasted for around 1000 years, experiencing periods of glory, of decay, and of recovery. Eventually, it morphed into its own distinct civilization, preparing the stage for the eventual Achysian identity. Various defeats against its neighbors, periods of anarchy, and succession issues eventually led to the conquest and sacking of Veranium by the Ardamist Caliphate, which could have well enough been the end of the Achysian state, but in the region of Thynia, a provincial governor related to the imperial family reorganized the empire's remains to continue fighting. Ardamist attempts to conquer the Holy Elyria and the Ecclesiarchy led to the creation of various alliances against them, and during the Siege of the Holy Elyria, the invading armies were destroyed. Over the next century, the Veranian state reconquered most of its territories and even started to conquer lands in Dihara, but an important event happened after the reconquest of Veranium - its monarch was crowned as Emperor of the Achysians before the older title of Emperor of the Elyrians, marking the moment that most historians consider to be the creation of the first modern Achysian state.
The reborn Achysian Monarchy continued to expand, in an expansion and militarism fueled by a religious fervor. The new nation took part in the Auroran colonization of other continents, quickly creating a rich and large colonial empire for itself, becoming one of the great powers of that era. With the riches of its colonies, the Achysian Empire quickly became involved in Auroran affairs, developing a fierce rivalry with the nation of Kathia but a strong alliance with Ichoria. The inheritance of territories in Western Aurora by the Achysian monarchs and their attempts to expand against the Kathic and Grothbordian Confederacy led to short wars, that erupted into a century of continental warfare once Kathia and Achysia became the supporters of different positions in a major religious issue, beginning the Wars of the Faith. Throughout these 100 years of warfare, there were periods of glorious victories and bitter defeats, but one of the defining events of this war was the Conquest of the East, a Achysian expedition into Eastern Aurora that ended with the death of the Achysian Emperor and of much of the Achysian imperial family, but also of the successors to the Ichori throne. The Emperor's wife, an Ichori princess, was named as Empress-Regent over a personal union of Achysia and Ichoria, which would become a reality with the double coronation of Daeron, her second born son, as Emperor of the Achysians and King of the Ichorians. In the Holy Elyria, Daeron was also crowned as Emperor of the Elyrians, creating the Elyrian Monarchy, a short lived attempt to revive the Elyrian Empire of old.
During his reign, Daeron led to the League of the Holy Sun to major victories against its enemies, conquering the entire coast of the Western Elyrian Sea, including much of Kathia. Daeron the Great and the Holy died of old age after creating a glorious empire, but his death created cracks in the bedrock that supported this new nation. His extensive campaigns weakened Achysia economically, blowing into a full economic crisis after his demise. His son tried to keep the empire together, but after a major naval defeat, his autocratic rule led to a rebellion by the Ichori nobles. His attempts to fight back against the Kathic and the Grothic armies ended in defeat after a failed siege of Ravonne and a land defeat against a combined Ichori-Kathic-Grothic force that was a huge blow against the Achysian military supremacy. In a skirmish during his retreat towards Achysia, Daeron's son was killed by a bullet - with historians having no idea if it was a stray bullet fired by his enemies, or a bullet fired by one of his guards. His death however ended the war and the Elyrian Monarchy. Ichoria and Kathia became fully independent, a religious compromise was reached, ending a war that lasted a century and that killed millions of people.
Achysia's autocratic rule eventually placed it as the greatest enemy of the new Kathic regime during the revolutionary wars, and the Achysian Monarchy ended after a series of defeats, the death of most of its imperial family and the conquest of Veranium by the Kathics. Prince Eugene, a bastard son of the last Emperor led a Supreme Regency Council which led a huge guerrilla campaign against the Kathic forces, while the nation's first princess managed to escape into exile where she gave birth to two successors - twins. The Achysian forces led by Eugene eventually took part in the conquest of Kathia which ended this period of history, but Eugene was assassinated by a faction of nobles while returning to Achysia. Eventually the two twin princes returned to Achysia, both claiming the throne, with Prince Velisarion eventually defeating his brother in front of Veranium, crushing the faction of the nobility, and recreating the Achysian Empire as a constitutional monarchy.
The nation was reformed, and in order to avoid such a tragedy from ever happening again, all emperors from Velisarion onward would focus on the military and on diplomatically isolating Achysia's enemies - while also starting to improve Achysia's diplomatic relations with Ichoria, relations that had been really bad after the perceived Ichori betrayal during the Wars of the Faith. Achysia took control of its colonies again after the interregnum, and also expanded its colonial empire, but its militarism and aggressiveness were one of the factors that led to many regional wars throughout the world, and to the eventual beginning of the world wars.
The First World War quickly degenerated into brutal trench warfare on the Achysian-Kathic front, and ended in a stalemate, despite various offensives on both side. This, combined with naval defeats and with the diplomatic armistice that ended the war gave birth to a knife in the back myth among Achysian nationalists. The rise of Autocratism as a political ideology was the downfall of the troubled Achysian democracy. Combined with an economic crisis, a feeling of revanchism, and the support accorded to this new ideology by the new Emperor, Achysia became an absolute monarchy, and one-party state in the interwar period. The Autocratic government led Achysia right into a Second World War, which was even more bloody than the first one. Despite naval defeats and the loss of many colonial conflicts, Achysia managed to defeat Kathia and to occupy its mainland territories, while also invading various other countries. The tide of the war slowly turned against the Achysians, but the Allied liberation of Europe was slowed down, but before the war could end in a stalemate like the first, various revolts started in Achysia proper.
The Autocrats had slowly lost the trust of the people and the loyalty of the military throughout the war, and the return from exile of Prince Michael gave the Achysian resistance movement a new leader. A military coup and revolts in most cities ended the period of Autocratic rule, with the leaders of the movement, including the Emperor, being killed, while various other Autocrats were summarily executed. Before their defeat however, the Autocratic Knights of the Eternal Serpent that guarded the headquarters of the Heaven's Fall Project managed to drop a nuclear bomb on one of Achysia's cities in a final, hateful retaliation.
The Achysian Transitional Council and later Government was forced to sign an armistice with the Allies in the face of further aggression from the East. Various Auroran powers, including Kathia and Ichoria came together in the military alliance that would serve as the basis of the future Auroran Community, fighting in Eastern and Central Aurora and in !Asia until the eventual end of the war. Achysia itself became a battleground, or more specifically, its northeastern provinces, where the forces loyal to the Council fought against left-wing rebels in the War of Transition, a brutal civil conflict which ended with an armistice and the defeat of the rebels in 1948.
Democratization, deautocratization and reconciliation marked the first decades of Achysia's history after the war. A short lived attempt at a republic proved that the Achysian politics were extremely unstable, and with the already popular hero Michael representing it, a return to the constitutional monarchy was voted by a majority of the Achysian people in 1955. The newly formed Empire of Achysia developed into a modern and democratic constitutional monarchy, becoming well known for its political stability caused by its largest two parties, the center-right conservative National Monarchist Front and the center-left, social liberal and progressive Constitutional Democratic Union. Unlike in Kathia and Ichoria, the Faith still plays a huge role in the nation, even if Achysia is formally secular, perhaps also because of the close relationship of the state with the Haliarchy. A certain conflict continues to exist between the older, more conservative part of the population and the more progressive and liberal youth. Achysia is also known for its vibrant culture and rich history, and for the way in which it combines its traditions from the past with elements of the present and the future.
Achysia became a founding member of the Auroran Community and continues to be regarded as a great power and as one of the Community's most important pillars, even if its presence on the international stage has been limited by the cautious pragmatism that has been trying to avoid the mistakes of the past.
Government Type: Unitary constitutional monarchy
Head of State (title): His Imperial Majesty, by the Grace of the Sixteen Gods and in the name of the People, Emperor of Achysia, Heir of the Elder Sun, Emperor of the Elyrians, Protector of the Holy Haliarchy, Custodian of the Holy City of Veranium, Emperor of Emperors, King of Kings, Ruling Over Those Who Rule.
Head of Government (title): Grand Logothete
Abstract (optional): Achysian wine is clearly superior to both Kathic and Ichori wine. This is not debatable.
