A World on Fire (OOC, 1700s AH, Accepting Apps)

[Danubian Peoples]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name:Russian Republic
Map:Everything in green
999 - Do not delete this.

So, here's my reservation. It may be a tad excessive, apologies in advance. As for history, well I'm imagining that the Republic of Novgorod grows to become the premier power amongst the Russian fiefdoms, eventually taking over all of the old Kievan Rus'. Since there is no Mongol Invasion unless specified, Muscovy does not exist and as such there are no Ivans (either great or terrible) to make this too hard. Since Novgorod now controls all of the Rus', they change their name to Russia and go gallop into the Siberian frontier much like real-world Russia. They also score some land in Europe, namely to get those sweet warm water ports. Since The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile's app has territories in the Baltics, there's probably a Russo-Swedish rivalry somewhere in there.

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name:Russian Republic
Map:Everything in green
999 - Do not delete this.

So, here's my reservation. It may be a tad excessive, apologies in advance. As for history, well I'm imagining that the Republic of Novgorod grows to become the premier power amongst the Russian fiefdoms, eventually taking over all of the old Kievan Rus'. Since there is no Mongol Invasion unless specified, Muscovy does not exist and as such there are no Ivans (either great or terrible) to make this too hard. Since Novgorod now controls all of the Rus', they change their name to Russia and go gallop into the Siberian frontier much like real-world Russia. They also score some land in Europe, namely to get those sweet warm water ports. Since Munkcestrian RepubIic's app has territories in the Baltics, there's probably a Russo-Swedish rivalry somewhere in there.

You've got me confused with the other guy

[Danubian Peoples]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name:Russian Republic
Map:Everything in green
999 - Do not delete this.

So, here's my reservation. It may be a tad excessive, apologies in advance. As for history, well I'm imagining that the Republic of Novgorod grows to become the premier power amongst the Russian fiefdoms, eventually taking over all of the old Kievan Rus'. Since there is no Mongol Invasion unless specified, Muscovy does not exist and as such there are no Ivans (either great or terrible) to make this too hard. Since Novgorod now controls all of the Rus', they change their name to Russia and go gallop into the Siberian frontier much like real-world Russia. They also score some land in Europe, namely to get those sweet warm water ports. Since Munkcestrian RepubIic's app has territories in the Baltics, there's probably a Russo-Swedish rivalry somewhere in there.

You've got me confused with the other guy

Managed to fix it. Thanks for pointing it out!

[Dragos Bee]

Here is my Application - I know it infringes on Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States' reservation, but I sent him a TG asking him if we can negotiate:

-Deleted-

Edit: On second thought, I am withdrawing this application so as not to infringe on someone who has already made their reservation.

[Danubian Peoples]

Application
General
--Nation Name: The Russian Republic
--Map: See all that green? That's the map
--Flag:

Pic too big

--Capital: Novgorod

Government
--Government Type: Republic
--Government Overview: The governmental system of the Russian Republic is as follows: The Prince is the nominal leader of the state, and his abilities include starting motions on wars and having the final say on laws, among others. However, the position is not hereditary, and is instead passed down from various dynasties according to the will of the High Veche, an elected assembly with the power to pass laws and elect princes as well as dismiss them. As the prince more or less derives his power from the High Veche according to this schema, he actually holds less power than what his title may suggest. Despite this, he is still the head of government by all means, as he can still veto laws and has the authority to start motions on wars.

At the local level, there too exists a Veche, however this Veche is not to be confused with the High Veche held at Novgorod. Lower Veches administer the country in much the same way the High Veche does, albeit with the position of Prince replaced with that of mayor. Both forms of Veche are derived from the highly institutionalized public assemblies that made up the old Novgorod Republic.

Elections are as follows: Lower Veches are elected from the common citizenry of wherever they may be located. All eligible persons under their jurisdiction are allowed to vote on the composition of their veche. The exact definition of eligible has varied over the years, and will be expanded on below. The High Veche sources its members from each region, which each elect a number of representatives, with more populous regions granted more representatives, to man the High Veche.

The Veche system however does not occur throughout the entire nation. The Siberian frontier is largely administered by local peoples via an agreement with central government, or governors centrally appointed by the Grand Prince himself.
--Head of Government: Prince Ivan Kirlilovich II
--Head of State (if different): Prince Ivan Kirlilovich II

Demographics
--Population: 35,000,000
----Colonial Population (if applicable): 30,000-Russian Alaska
--Demonym: Russians
--Primary Culture: Russian-in this case largely defined as the Rus' region culture, stretching from Novgorod to Kiev. Only Russians have the ability to vote in most veches, with certain exceptions specifically catering for minority cultures, and only Russians have the ability to serve in most positions of government. 'Russian,' is largely defined by Russian-speaking Orthodox Christian.
--Other Cultures: As the Russian Republic is so large, there exists a variety of local cultures. Everything from Alaskan natives to Baltic peoples inhabit the large country. Here are just some of them:
-Turks
-Lithuanians
-Finno-Urgics

Most of these cultures are barred from the ability to vote or serve in government, with the exception of minority local veches specifically allocated to them, as you can't be elected by Russians in a place where Russians don't live, can you? Another exception are the more informal agreements that have been signed between Siberian peoples and Russians over the years, entitling the former to a degree of self-determination independent from the veches.
--Religion Overview: Orthodox Christianity is the majority of Russia's population, comprising of about 80%, and only bolstered by how the heart of the nations is in the Rus' region, a majority Orthodox land. Other forms of Christianity, from Protestant demoninations to the ever-populous Catholic, make up about 15% percent of the population, mostly in western regions. The remaining 5% is mostly the religions of the frontier. Sparse as it is, the Muslims, pagans, etc. of the Siberian and Alaskan territories are a minority of the population in Russia.

Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy (out of 10): 6-The Russian Republic maintaisn a decent road system, and it is mostly present in the western half of the country. Infrastructure gradually disappears the further you enter Siberia, 'til only local paths manned by minority tribes serve as infrastructure. There has been a consecrated effort to remedy this, and a few 'highways' strech the vast Siberian frontier, mostly as a means to ease the movement of goods from one end of Russia to another. As for the economy, Siberia is the source of the aptly named fur trade, and Russia's economy benefits greatly from access to this luxury resource. In the more fertile west, urbanization has taken off in around the Dnieper, Volga and their tributaries. The ancient city of Novgorod in particular is a bustling metropolis. There are also vast rural provinces filled with free farmers, who provide the bulk of the food for the population of 35 million, far more productive than the serfs that ran Russia's farms in the real world. Russia also has a long history with trade, and its merchant fleets and Siberian trade caravans allow it to ship a variety of goods to import-hungry lands. The industrial revolution is also beginning to take root in these big cities, albeit only in its earliest stages, as did Enlightenment ideals earlier in the century.
--Army (out of 10): 5-The Russian army is a decent force maxing out at about 250,000.
--Navy (out of 10): 4-The Russian navy is a not a force to be reckoned with. It might be able to deal with barbarian fleets and maybe a couple of engagements, but it is a far cry from the great navies of real-world powers like Britain. Most of Russia's boats are civilian in nature, from trading vessels in the west departing from their warm-water ports on the north Sea, to Alaskan ships carrying a variety of exotic goods from the American continent. Russian vessels can theoretically trade as far to Iberia, from the west, and into California from the east.
--Military Overview: The Russian army is meritocratic in nature, with only the best and brightest attaining command. Russia lacks a dedicated soldier stratum, and instead recruits its men from the citzenry. Soldiers either enlist of are conscripted into the army, with the latter usually being performed should war be on the horizon. As Russian armies get their numbers from the citizenry, the population-dense west is where the armies are usually raised. It can take months for this army to cross the Siberian frontier, to perhaps deal with a threat in Alaska. Due to this, Russia also entrusts the duty of defense to various Siberian peoples, organizing them into dedicated garissons to defend the frontier.

RP Elements
--National Objectives: Prince Ivan Kirilovich II is currently aiming for Swedish lands in the mainland, in fact, Sweden in general is a hassle for Russia, as it encircles the North Sea and could potentially cut off Russia's Atlantic trade should it want to. There of course other expansion plans on the table, from an expansion of the Alaska colony to Central Asian subjigation.
--History: The history of the Russian Republic is as follows:

Early Days
The Russian Republic traces its roots to the Novgorod Republic, that emerged during the 1000s-1100s CE. It operated much like it did in real history, parting ways with the Kievan Rus' and being run by public assemblies. Thing diverge pretty quickly though, starting with..

The Mongol-Wait a Minute..
The Mongol hordes are seemingly absent. It's the 1200s and it appears Temujin retired to a peaceful life in the steppe, either that or he died in battle facing off against any number of foes. Regardless, the horse horde is mysteriously absent from the Russian land. This allows Novgorod the luxury of continued expansion. Gradually they begin their march south, waging wars with other petty princedoms and growing their territory, and even beating the Catholics to the Baltic region.

Unity!
it's around 1450 and Novgorod has finished off the last of its peers. The Rus' region is firmly under its control, and a suitable change of name is needed. The Novgorod Republic is rechristened the Russian Republic, signifying their domain over all Russians. A wave of administrative form follows suit, with the formalization of the Veche system and the drawing up of plans for further expansion. As the Russian Republic is derived from the Novgorod Republic, serfdom as an institution never really takes off, allowing for a more developed Russia.

Westward Conquests
With Western Europe currently in the throes of the Protestant Reformation, the Russian Republic takes the opportunity to declare a few wars here and there, and take land up to real-world east Prussia, as shown in the map. While everyone from the Hugenots in France to the aptly named English Church and even the pope himself find themselves embroiled in religious wars, Russia is all to happy to gobble up Eastern Europe, and along the way gain year-round access to the North Sea.

Siberian Expansion
Happening concurrently with the above, Russia's march east was characterized largely by the fur trade, an invaluable resource that the Rus' principalities had known for generations. The Novgorod Republic in particular was very familiar with the fur trade, and it only made sense that the Russian Republic would follow the caravans and the traders to their source. They would eventually make it to the Pacific by the 1630s, dismantling various khans and subjugating many tribes in the process. They also made contact with China from the north, the same China that more exploratory European powers had encountered via the Indian Ocean. In 1692, relations between the bear and the dragon would be formalized under the aptly named Treaty of Beijing, which outlined the Russo-Chinese border among other things.

Turn of the Century
The start of the 1700s is largely marked by the Disaster at Narva at the ensuing end of the Great Northern War, the outcome of which severely disrupted the status quo in the North Sea. Faced with a serious blow to its Atlantic trade, Russia looked for new opportunities in the east, and found one in Alaska. The new colony proved to be rather productive, as it provided access to a never before slew of goods unique to the American continent. While it wasn't the game changer they expected, Alaska did float the Russian Republic in the fallout of the Great Northern War.

The Enlightenment
Even the Russian Republic is not safe from the new ideas that have sprung up across the European continent. The minority veche is in fact a recent introduction made around this time, in a landmark series of reforms made by princes practicing Enlightenment ideals of freedom and equality. Until then, the many minorities that Russia had under its banner were largely underrepresented, and would frequently be a thorn in the bear's paw. Along with this came sweeping military reform and modernization. 'Never again another Navra!' has become a popular mantra amongst reformist elements of the military.

Right Now
The Russian Bear is understandably livid at this Swedish expansion. Russia is currently seeking a way out. Another Great Northern War is on the table, a means to change the North Sea's power balance to something more advantageous to Russia. There of course other options. Alternate expansion routes. Subjigating Central Asia, crossing the caucasus. More ambitious and hubristic ideas floated by Veche members with a drink too many include everything from a march on Paris to an invasion of Persia.

RP Sample:Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Tracking Number:276

Here's my app! Hope it's up-to-standard. Apologies for the sudden change in tone when i got to the history section.
EDIT: Got around to fleshing out the application like I said I would. If anyone has problems, please tell me.

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

Application
General
--Nation Name: Empire of Sweden
--Map: The Swedish Empire
--Flag: Our glorious standard
--Capital: Stockholm
Government
--Government Type: Absolute monarchy
--Government Overview: Although, in theory, the Riksdag— that is, the Riksdag of the Estates, the body charged with representing the people in the Imperial government— has a number of powers dwarfed by those of the Emperor, in practice it is little more than an automated rubber stamp approving every breath which emanates from the Emperor's mouth. That is to say that the Emperor wields supreme power and is beholden to no man, only God.
--Head of Government: His Imperial Majesty Karl XIV
--Head of State (if different): Why, the Emperor, of course!
Demographics
--Population: 3,660,000
----Colonial Population (if applicable): 570,000
--Demonym: Swede
--Primary Culture: Swedish
--Other Cultures: Finnish, Sami, Norwegian, Balt, (in colonies) Algonquin
--Religion Overview:
All varieties of Protestant are granted the right to worship under Swedish law, but the strain embraced by the Empire is Lutheranism, which is dominant across Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Baltic, and New Sweden. Other than other Protestant exclaves, there is a significant population of Eastern Orthodox Christians concentrated in the Baltic region, whose freedom of religion has been protected by law since 1617. There is also a small minority of Papists within the Baltic region, who are not free to poison the Empire with their Popish propaganda. Also, to the far north of the Empire, native shamanistic religions are popular with the Sami tribes, though our noble Lutheran missionaries endeavor to cure them of these backward superstitions.
Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy (out of 10): 4
--Army (out of 10): 6
--Navy (out of 10): 5
--Military Overview:
The Carolean system is organized under the policy of allotment, whereby each farming community (rote) provides the crown with one soldier (or horseman, or seaman) and, importantly, equips that soldier and supplies him with a farm of his own for use during peacetime. Carolean soldiers are held to stringent discipline and, interestingly, are motivated religiously. Sweden has been regarded for decades now as the primary upholder of Protestantism, and its soldiers are reminded by the priests who follow them into battle that they fight on God's side. This combination of strict discipline and religious fervor results in the peerless morale of the Carolean. In regards to equipment, the majority of Carolean soldiers are afforded modern flintlock muskets, although older models are sometimes issued, especially to low-priority areas of the Empire.

Tactically, the Caroleons still employ the Gå—På tactics which carried the day at Narva. Under this doctrine, soldiers advance to very close range of the enemy (often while said enemy is engaged in the lengthy process of reloading), discharge several successive volleys in groups, and then engage in a bayonet, rapier, and pike charge to rout whatever enemies still stand. In recent years the army has updated its tactics to include a heavier focus on combined-arms, including the integration of grenadiers into every infantry unit and the close support of infantry assaults by artillery.

As for the Swedish navy, it boasts an impressive number of three-deckers and a towering pile of guns, as well as a successful, if brief, history. Its victory over the Bohemian and Rogalander fleets at the Battle of Rügen left it as the effective master of the Baltic, although challenging the naval dominance of powers outside that sea is another matter entirely. Finally, the Swedish infrastructure is, though not as underdeveloped as some other northern states, lacking. A major problem is the Empire's small population— not all of whom are actually Swedish and thus willing to fight— which will restrict its ability to wage prolonged war.
RP Elements
--National Objectives:
To the Swedish people, the Empire is presently in its heyday, and the current period of economic growth and peace is not one many wish to see disturbed. There is a growing sentiment, however, that the Russian Bear to the east will have to be decisively dealt with at some point. Their defeat at Narva was thought to have thrown them back to the Stone Age, but apparently the Russians have clawed their way back up— and there can only be one master of the Baltic, after all.
The monarch, Karl XIV, is privately eager to prove that he can live up to his ancestors, specifically the great victor Karl XII, and truly earn the title of Emperor. The surest path to that goal is war; whether Karl will seek to gain mastery over the Belt or slay the Bear and unite the Baltic, or perhaps pursue a third, unpredicted path, is unsure— but what is certain is that this epoch of peace can only last so long before it is shattered.
--History:

The story of our most illustrious Empire really begins with the ascension of His Royal Majesty, Karl XII, to the throne of Sweden at the young but capable age of fifteen in 1697. Karl XII had been superbly trained in the art of statecraft by the realm's finest tutors, and possessed a strong will and unique genius. His father, Karl XI, had stripped the nobles of their fiefs and the Riksdag of its powers, leaving himself as the sole de facto authority in the Kingdom. He further alleviated Swedish debt with the funds accrued by this mass confiscation of property, and used the excess to invigorate the Swedish military, instituting the new allotment system. All of this meant that Karl XII inherited one of the finest armies, navies, and kingdoms in Europe.

Almost immediately, however, young Karl's reign was beset by the terrible alliance of Rogaland, Bohemia-Poland, and Russia— all of whom hoped to wrest some Baltic territory from the young King— against him in 1700, beginning the Great Northern War. Karl first marched on Rogaland, whose armies proved persistent during early battles. Despite these setbacks at Duved and the Battle of the Lakes, the Rogalander war effort was crushed by the Swedish navy at the Battle of the Danish Straits, alongside the fleet of Bohemia. Karl himself took the field, leading his men to victory at the decisive Battle of Oslo, which forced Rogaland to completely withdraw from the war. The Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1701, whereby Sweden annexed Trøndelag and assumed administrative control over Oslo. The Kingdom of Rogaland became politically tethered to Sweden, a relationship the Rogalanders initially resented but upon which they became reliant as Swedish power waxed.

Karl next turned his attention to Russia, leading his armies— against the advice of his councillors— to relieve the siege of Narva. There, with the help of a felicitous blizzard which obscured the advancing Swedish forces, the Russians were so utterly annihilated that they immediately sued for peace. While negotiations were ongoing, a Bohemian force crossed into Livonia, but was fought to a standstill by Karl, whose role as commander had grown steadily bigger as his grasp of strategy came into its own. After just two years of fighting, the young King had utterly crushed the three mighty powers arrayed against him, who pled for peace while they still had some bargaining power left. Young Karl wished to reject these overtures, believing his conquest to have only just begun, but he was talked down by his advisors, who implored him to capitalize on Sweden's early victories before other powers, such as the Holy Roman Empire, intervened. Thus the Treaty of Warsaw was born in 1702, and a reluctant Karl agreed to cease hostilities with his enemies in exchange for the Duchy of Courland from Russia.

Although eager Karl was ultimately unsatisfied with these minor concessions and what he felt was an incomplete victory, his attitude was tempered by the assurances of his advisors, who swore that peace was better for Sweden than a protracted war with three European powers. Nevertheless, Carolus Rex was hailed as a hero by his countrymen. Immediately after the war, he was encouraged by his advisors to marry a beautiful and well-landed princess from the continent, Louise. Though he was firmly opposed to the concept of arranged marriage, Karl quickly fell in love with Louise, and their passions resulted in the birth of Karl XIII in 1703. Distracted from familial bliss by a disgruntled Trønder insurrection, Karl readily plunged back into military affairs, quashing the revolt. Afterward he was inspired to begin a campaign of Swedishization in the outlying provinces of the Kingdom so as to preclude further rebellions.

The King embraced the local nobility of the Baltic and Norway, granting them the same privileges of the Swedish nobility in exchange for their loyalty— much to the chagrin of the Swedish nobility. The spread of Swedish language and culture was also highly encouraged, and integration was particularly successful in western Finland, Trøndelag, and the Baltic. Although Karl focused on strengthening the military, he also introduced reforms in other areas, such as a new, fairer tax code which shifted the burden from Sweden's lower classes to the nobility, who had hitherto enjoyed ridiculously low taxes. Needless to say, these changes were unwelcome to the Swedish gentry, who were still nursing deep wounds from when Karl XI relieved them of their holdings. Karl XII's next— and last— fascination was with the New World.

Our Kingdom had quite a fortuitous colonization of the New World. Our first settlements sprang up in New Sweden (read: Delaware Valley) in the 1630s as part of an effort to broaden Swedish markets, but shortly afterward colonization became a matter of not just economics, but prestige. At first, Swedish immigrants were mainly trappers and traders who settled the region sparsely and maintained good relations with the natives. During the reign of Karl XI, however, colonization was highly encouraged, leading to a flood of Swedes and Finns who "purchased" land from the natives and settled cities, securing a firm grip over the region between the Fleming (read: Susquehanna) and the Risingh (read: Hudson) Rivers by 1680. In 1692, Karl XI officially chartered this region as the Royal Colony of New Sweden.

Now that that history lesson has concluded, let us return to Karl XII. Like his father, Karl encouraged immigration to the New World, offering land to noble and commoner alike in order to incentivize immigration. Bustling Swedish ports like Kristina and New Karlsborg (read: New York) had succeeded in enlarging Sweden's economy, yielding access to a vast supply of new resources and a reliable market where goods produced in Sweden could be sold. This glut of colonization had, however, brought New Sweden into conflict with the natives. Various tribes had begun to resist Swedish expansion, namely the Susquehannock and Pequot; tensions erupted into war when, in 1711, Susquehannock braves raided the Swedish settlement of Johanesgård.

Karl, understandingly eager for war, sailed across the Atlantic himself alongside several thousand of his Caroleans to punish the Indians for their insolence. The subsequent campaign presented new difficulty for the King. His supply lines were long and tenuous; his men were fighting in a strange and unfamiliar land; and the natives' style of warfare was totally unlike that which Karl had previously encountered. The expedition was critically aided, however, by the assistance of the Iroquois tribes and the North-Kin, with whom New Sweden had established a trade partnership and informal alliance. North-Kin and Iroquois scouts provided invaluable insight as to the terrain and the enemy's tactics, and with their help, Karl ended the Susquehannock War in 1714, exiling the remnants of the unfriendly tribes westward. Immediately after his victory Karl embarked for Sweden, wishing to reunite with his beloved Louisa— but his voyage was intercepted by a violent maelstrom, and the King was lost at sea.

Sweden mourned its fallen King, but the Riksdag and the nobles conspired: they had been unhappy under an authoritarian and demanding absolutist, and desired to regain their lost powers. Karl's heir, Karl XIII, was a mere boy of eleven, and his distraught mother, Queen Louisa, could be easily manipulated. Under the guise of consoling friends, the Riksdag coerced Louisa into signing a decree which transferred most of the important powers of regency to the Chancellor of the Privy Court, Arvid Horn. For five years, the Riksdag dominated Sweden, and succeeded in restoring many of the nobility's old privileges. In 1719, however, Karl XIII inherited the throne.

Much like his late father, Karl XIII had an iron will, impeccable tutelage, and a strong desire to rule. Attempts by Chancellor Horn and other nobles to manipulate the King failed, while Georg Heinrich von Görtz, who had been a devoted advisor to Karl XII, steered Karl XIII in an absolutist direction. Under Görtz's suggestion, Karl did the unimaginable in 1720: at the age of sixteen, he declared himself Emperor. The boy had no precedent to do so, nor cause; and yet, much to Chancellor Horn's displeasure, the Swedish public reveled in the unexpected event. Sweden was now an Empire, and the successor to the glorious conquerer Karl XII was its Emperor. Shortly thereafter Karl sacked Horn and his confederates and replaced them with a Riksdag headed by Görtz, who readily affirmed the Emperor's reforms. Remarkably intelligent for his age, Karl once again revoked the nobles' privileges, but this time went a step further, completely abolishing the rights of nobility throughout Sweden. Now, at least in theory, a commoner could hold any office throughout the Empire, and noble birth meant nothing beyond a title.

Naturally, there was an outburst among the nobility, but a series of key executions dismantled whatever resistance they might have offered. The Emperor soon turned to affairs of state: among his varied interests was vexillology, and he personally designed the new Imperial standard, which incorporated the blue and gold of Sweden, the white of Finland and the various other territories of the Empire, and the heraldic tre kronor symbolic of the Swedish monarchy. Unlike his father, he was more interested in domestic policy than the military. He spent much time writing Imperial law and reviewing economic matters with his trusted advisor, Görtz, who, on the Emperor's orders, oversaw an effort to increase industrialization and modernization throughout the Empire. He also saw the value in Sweden's colonies, whose production of tobacco, indigo, and cotton was critical to the growing Swedish economy; therefore he sent more Swedish troops and settlers overseas, constructed forts along New Sweden's borders, and in 1722 reorganized the colonies into three distinct entities, each with its own government and governor: Scandia (read: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware), Carolina (read: Maryland and Virginia), and Gustavia (read: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut).

The Swedish Empire entered a period of prosperity and modernization under Karl XIII, whose hand only grew steadier as he matured. Although he ensured that the military did not atrophy and maintained a firm grip over Empire— stomping out a Curonian uprising in 1728— he was not an expansionist, and ameliorated relations with neighboring powers, specifically Russia, who had recovered from the bloody nose his father gave her and found a foothold in the Baltic. His relaxed attitude toward Russia was alarming to some of his advisors, who cautioned him against allowing the Bear to gather her strength, but Karl was content to focus on the economic and domestic policies of his realm. He inherited from his father that same curious chastity, and protested that he would not marry until he found true love. Thus it was not until 1742, well into his reign, that he chose an Empress, a fetching German princess named Sofia, twenty years his junior. A year later she gave birth to his heir, Karl XIV.

We now enter the current era of the Empire— one of peace, plenty, and prestige. Emperor Karl XIII died of medical complications in 1764 at the age of sixty-one, after a long and mostly peaceful reign. To his heir he left a competent military; thoroughly integrated territories in the Baltic, Finland, and Norway; a blossoming breadbasket in the New World; a steady if small economy; a loyal and content homeland— Sweden; and the magnificent title We Charles, by the Grace of God the Emperor of Sweden, the Goths and the Vends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Trøndelag, Scania, Estonia, Livonia, Curonia and Karelia, Lord of Ingria, Duke of Bremen, Verden and Pomerania, Prince of Rügen and Lord of Wismar, and also Count Palatine by the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, Count of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg, as well as Duke of Jülich, Cleve and Berg, Count of Veldenz, Spanheim and Ravensburg and Lord of Ravenstein. Karl XIV had the luxury of a few more years of experience before he was thrust into emperorship at the age of twenty-two, but he was afforded the same education and, if rumor is to be believed, the same unbreakable will of his forefathers. After less than a year of rule, however, it remains to be seen if Karl XIV will be another great enforcer of Swedish supremacy, or the monarch who will lose the Empire.

*I have left this section intentionally vague in order to avoid conflict with other nations' alternate histories. I will edit to fix any discrepancies with others' lore.
RP Sample: 1 2 3

Tracking Number: 276

Edit: Fixed grammar mistakes and updated my claims to include more of Norway so as to avoid border gore, since I doubt anyone was going to form his/her nation around those rugged mountain provinces anyway (I'll cede them back if I'm wrong!) and also Swedish Pomerania, which I originally forget to include in my haste.

Edit 2: Added history with Rogaland.

Edit 3: Slightly expanded naval history and added history with Bohemia.

Edit 4: Added more history with Rogaland and the North-Kin.

[American Pere Housh]

Application
General
--Nation Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
--Map:

https://www.quora.com/Were-the-American-colonies-ever-considered-the-crown-jewel-of-the-British-Empire-as-India-later-was

--Flag:

[url]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Flag_of_Great_Britain_%281707–1800%29.svg[/url]

--Capital:London
Government
--Government Type:Constitutional Monarchy (Absolute monarchy, representative democracy, etc.)
--Government Overview:Great Britain is ruled the Prime Minister and Parliament which is split between the House of Commons, which are elected positions, and the House of Lords, which are inherited positions. The Monarch is held by the House of Stuart.(What makes you unique to other nations with the same government type, if anything?)
--Head of Government:George Grenville (Who runs your nation?)
--Head of State (if different):George the 3rd (e.g. Boris Johnson is a Head of Government, Queen Elizabeth is a Head of State)
Demographics
--Population:8 million
----Colonial Population (if applicable):
--Demonym:British (What are your citizens called?)
--Primary Culture:English (What culture is the ruling class?)
--Other Cultures: (What other cultures exist besides the primary, if any?)
--Religion Overview:Protestant, Catholic (What is the primary religion? What are the other religions? Which are acceptable and which are persecuted?)
Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy (out of 10):10 (How strong your road networks are, how wealthy you are, how well-quipped your army and navy are)
--Army (out of 10):10 (How large your army can be, how educated are your generals, how fast can your troops mobilize)
--Navy (out of 10):10 (How large your navy can be, how fast can your navy mobilize, how far you can trade overseas)
--Military Overview:WIP (How is your military structured? Equipped? Flesh out the specifics of your Development Points here.)
RP Elements
--National Objectives:To spread British Culture around the world and make new Allies (What do your people/monarchy hope to accomplish?)
--History:WiP (Check other apps before filling this out)

RP Sample:WiP

Tracking Number:(in OP)

[Danubian Peoples]

Sweden snip

Excellent app. Maybe I should update mine to this standard, starting with the typos I probably have buried in mine.

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

Application
General
--Nation Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
--Map:

https://www.quora.com/Were-the-American-colonies-ever-considered-the-crown-jewel-of-the-British-Empire-as-India-later-was

--Flag:

[url]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Flag_of_Great_Britain_%281707–1800%29.svg[/url]

--Capital:London
Government
--Government Type:Constitutional Monarchy (Absolute monarchy, representative democracy, etc.)
--Government Overview:Great Britain is ruled the Prime Minister and Parliament which is split between the House of Commons, which are elected positions, and the House of Lords, which are inherited positions. The Monarch is held by the House of Stuart.(What makes you unique to other nations with the same government type, if anything?)
--Head of Government:George Grenville (Who runs your nation?)
--Head of State (if different):George the 3rd (e.g. Boris Johnson is a Head of Government, Queen Elizabeth is a Head of State)
Demographics
--Population:8 million
----Colonial Population (if applicable):
--Demonym:British (What are your citizens called?)
--Primary Culture:English (What culture is the ruling class?)
--Other Cultures: (What other cultures exist besides the primary, if any?)
--Religion Overview:Protestant, Catholic (What is the primary religion? What are the other religions? Which are acceptable and which are persecuted?)
Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy (out of 10):10 (How strong your road networks are, how wealthy you are, how well-quipped your army and navy are)
--Army (out of 10):10 (How large your army can be, how educated are your generals, how fast can your troops mobilize)
--Navy (out of 10):10 (How large your navy can be, how fast can your navy mobilize, how far you can trade overseas)
--Military Overview:WIP (How is your military structured? Equipped? Flesh out the specifics of your Development Points here.)
RP Elements
--National Objectives:To spread British Culture around the world and make new Allies (What do your people/monarchy hope to accomplish?)
--History:WiP (Check other apps before filling this out)

RP Sample:WiP

Tracking Number:(in OP)

I've already reserved England.

[Sarderia]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Caliphate of Cordoba (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Corsica, Cuba, Mexico, Central America, the Leeward Islands, Colombia, Peru, Fernando Po, Canary Islands, Azores, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

[Sao Nova Europa]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Shun Dynasty
Map:

Higher Quality Imgur Link: https://imgur.com/yMf4rcY

999 - Do not delete this.

[The Grand Duchy Of Nova Capile]

Sweden snip

Excellent app. Maybe I should update mine to this standard, starting with the typos I probably have buried in mine.

Thanks. I liked the way yours was broken down, by the way, nice and succinct.

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Ummayyad Caliphate (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Mexico, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

Looks like we've got some inquisiting to do.
Edit: Protestant inquisiting, of course.

[Sarderia]

Excellent app. Maybe I should update mine to this standard, starting with the typos I probably have buried in mine.

Thanks. I liked the way yours was broken down, by the way, nice and succinct.

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Ummayyad Caliphate (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Mexico, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

Looks like we've got some inquisiting to do.
Edit: Protestant inquisiting, of course.

The infidel thinks that they could even lay a feet inside our glorious nation.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Ummayyad Caliphate (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Cuba, Mexico, Central America, the Leeward Islands, Colombia, Peru, Fernando Po, Canary Islands, Azores, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

I'm afraid I already reserved Malta.

[Sarderia]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Ummayyad Caliphate (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Cuba, Mexico, Central America, the Leeward Islands, Colombia, Peru, Fernando Po, Canary Islands, Azores, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

I'm afraid I already reserved Malta.

Edited

[Danubian Peoples]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Ummayyad Caliphate (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Dalmatian islands of Hvar, Brac, Vis ans Kortula, Corsica, Cuba, Mexico, Central America, the Leeward Islands, Colombia, Peru, Fernando Po, Canary Islands, Azores, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

Wait, what exactly do you mean by Ummayyad Caliphate? Does this mean that the same Caliphate of Cordoba from 929 CE is somehow still extant at the time of RP start? Or is there some sort of intermmediary period, where the caliphate stopped existing only for it to start existing again? Apologies if you either don't have a concrete answer for this or would rather not answer at all.

[Sarderia]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Ummayyad Caliphate (Al-Andalus)
Map: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Dalmatian islands of Hvar, Brac, Vis ans Kortula, Corsica, Cuba, Mexico, Central America, the Leeward Islands, Colombia, Peru, Fernando Po, Canary Islands, Azores, Goa
999 - Do not delete this

Wait, what exactly do you mean by Ummayyad Caliphate? Does this mean that the same Caliphate of Cordoba from 929 CE is somehow still extant at the time of RP start? Or is there some sort of intermmediary period, where the caliphate stopped existing only for it to start existing again? Apologies if you either don't have a concrete answer for this or would rather not answer at all.

The Caliphate of Cordoba, as in, the Fitna of Al-Andalus never happened, and the Iberian penninsula stayed under Muslim rule. I'm working on the history draft as of now.

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

Application

General
--Nation Name: Eŋliի Riitի
--Map: here (England, Scotland south of the Firth of Forth, Isle of Man, Anglesey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Shenandoah Valley, southern Virginia, eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Lesser Antilles)
--Flag: England does not have a flag. The closest thing it has to such a national symbol would be the coat of arms of the Cerdicings.
--Capital: Winchester

Government
--Government Type: Limited monarchy
--Government Overview:

The power of the English monarch is limited by both the nobility and the people, the latter of which the crown has been allied with against the power of the former for most of England’s history. While the monarch may appoint the cɩdɥrman of a shire as they see fit, in practice the nobility is still powerful enough that this position is hereditary. The people, with universal manhood suffrage (while in theory restricted to free men, there have been no such ‘unfree’ men for centuries now), elect a Fokmut, the support of which is required to pass legislation and set taxes.

--Head of Government: King Eⱨilbɥrt V
--Head of State (if different): King Eⱨilbɥrt V

Demographics
--Population: c. 10.8 million
----Colonial Population (if applicable): c. 300,000
--Demonym: English
--Primary Culture: English (Anglo-Saxon, without Norman influences)
--Other Cultures: English (Anglo-Saxon, without Norman influences)
--Religion Overview:

Christianity is the state religion, and the English Church (based on the "people's churches" in Scandinavia) the state church. Although Protestant, this England is nowhere near as extreme as about it as our timeline's England or this timeline's France.

Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy (out of 10): 6 (How strong your road networks are, how wealthy you are, how well-quipped your army and navy are)
--Army (out of 10): 4 (How large your army can be, how educated are your generals, how fast can your troops mobilize)
--Navy (out of 10): 5 (How large your navy can be, how fast can your navy mobilize, how far you can trade overseas)
--Military Overview:

The Infrastructure/Economy score is slightly dragged down by the lack of an actual army that can be equipped. While there is no 'standing army' beyond the household guard of the monarch, the recruitable population is in general well-equipped and trained, particularly so in the borders, and in times of war it would be possible to raise a fɥrd, but this would have no training beyond the existing ability of the individuals comprising it. England has a sizeable navy, but one that is somewhat weaker than our timeline's Royal Navy around this time.

RP Elements
--National Objectives: What do (almost) all countries wish to have? Power and wealth. There is no real overarching long-term national 'strategy' beyond that. It would be nice to affirm England's control of its claimed lands in !North America, though.
--History:

On the 18th of October 1016, an Anglo-Saxon army led by Edmund Ironside defeated a Danish one led by a son of the usurper Sweyn Forkbeard. Eadric Streona, his treachery having been revealed by a disgusted loyal Englishman in his own ranks just hours before the battle began, was unceremoniously killed and his lands confiscated. The rule of the Anglo-Saxons over their own country was, at last, secure. King Edmund would rule for another fifty years, dying from natural causes in 1066, becoming one of the longest-reigning English kings in history, beaten only by his grandson - who we shall be hearing more about next.

Edgar II would, with his grandfather's death, ascend to the throne at the age of only 15, his father and uncle having died nine and twenty years before respectively. Seeking to take advantage of what he thought to be the weakness of the Cerdicings, the Duke of Normandy, William the Bastard, would claim that the throne was his through his father's marriage to the daughter - and only surviving descendant - of Sweyn Forkbeard, a claim at best even weaker than the position of young Edgar.

It would be the last time a Nor(se)man would seek to claim England. Landing at Hastings, he was met by an army led by the young Edgar. In the ensuing battle, William, along with many Norman notables and much of his army, would be killed. One of the few survivors from among the Bastard’s companions would be his half-brother Odo, a coward who had held back and, upon his return to Normandy, a traitor, defecting to the side of his nephew Conan II of Brittany and destroying what remained of Normandy’s power.

England had been one of the wealthiest realms in Europe, having grown rich from the profits of the wool trade.

WIP WIP

RP Sample: WIP

Tracking Number: 072

WIP WIP WIP

[Sao Nova Europa]

Application
General
--Nation Name: Great Shun
--Map:

--Flag:

--Capital: Beijing
Government
--Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
--Government Overview:

The Emperor (Huáng Dì) is the Son of Heaven and the autocrat of All Under Heaven. He is the supreme ruler of the entire civilized world. The Shun Dynasty does not recognize any other governments as legitimate entities, viewing them instead as tributary states or unruly barbarians. All must submit before the heavenly-ordained ruler of the world. Tributary states are expected to annually submit tribute to the Emperor. The unruly barbarians are excused for their lack of decorum before the Emperor as they know no better. Tributary states are allowed to trade with the Empire but barbarians are kept out.

The Emperor rules with the aid of the Chancellor. The Chancellor is always an eunuch, a precautionary measure to prevent the domination of the office by powerful political dynasties. The Chancellor heads the Six Departments and Six Ministries. The Six Departments are:

The Secretariat, responsible for drafting policies.
The Chancellery, responsible for reviewing policies.
The Department of State Affairs, responsible for implementing policies.
The Department of Palace, responsible for the upkeep of the imperial household.
The Department of Books, responsible for maintaining the Imperial Library.
The Department of Service, responsible for staffing the palace with eunuchs.

The Six Ministries are:

Ministry of Personnel, in charge of appointments, promotions & demotions of officials and the granting of honorific titles.
Ministry of Rites, in charge of state ceremonies & rituals and the maintenance of palace protocol.
Ministry of Revenue, in charge of collecting taxes, handling state revenues and gathering census data.
Ministry of War, in charge of appointments, promotion & demotion of military officers, maintenance of military installations and equipment, supply of the military and leadership in times of war.
Ministry of Justice, in charge of the judicial and penal process.
Ministry of Works, in charge of government construction programs and maintenance of infrastructure.

The Office of Barbarian Affairs is an independent agency responsible for diplomacy. It is mostly concerned with nations that are not tributary states of the Shun Dynasty. Relations with the tributary states are handled by the Ministry of Rites.

The Imperial Household is staffed entirely by eunuchs and servant ladies. The number of concubines is in the hundreds while the number of eunuchs and servant ladies in the thousands. The Imperial Household is a large, complex bureaucracy of its own, a miniature government of sorts handling the women and offspring of the Emperor. Concubines are chosen both in merits of political expediency and of beauty. They are trained by eunuchs to adhere to a strict protocol.

Below the Ministries are the Bureaus, government departments staffed by bureaucrats chosen in accordance to their rank in the Imperial Examinations. The scholar-officials dominate thus the bureaucracy. The maximum tenure in office is twelve years but every three years officials are evaluated and can be promoted or demoted.

The administrative division of the country is:

Viceroyalty, comprising of several provinces.
Province
Prefecture
County

--Head of Government: Chancellor Yang Guo
--Head of State (if different): Jiajing Emperor
Demographics
--Population: 271,300,000
----Colonial Population (if applicable): -
--Demonym: Chinese
--Primary Culture: Han Chinese
--Other Cultures: Vietnamese, Mongol, Manchu, Uighur, Tibetan
--Religion Overview: A syncretism of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Ancestor Worship. Other religions are tolerated, as long as religious beliefs do not undermine imperial rule.
Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy (out of 10): 6
--Army (out of 10): 7
--Navy (out of 10): 2
--Military Overview:

The military is divided into two main groups: the Standard Army and the Guard Battalions. The 300,000 men strong Standard Army is the professional force of the Shun Dynasty. It is equipped with the best weaponry available and has the most training and discipline. It is meant to undertake offensive operations and conquer land for the Emperor. The Guard Battalions, numbering 600,000 men, are hereditary soldiers stationed in the provinces. They are granted military farms (tun tian) and are supposed to be self-sufficient. Their main objective is to defend provinces and act as a policing force too, undertaking operations against bandits and rebels. They are less well equipped and disciplined than the Standard Army soldiers and cannot be counted on in a serious military engagement. The Heavenly Fleet is the naval arm of the Shun military but despite its impressive name, it is small in size and mainly acts as a policing force to keep coasts clear from pirates. The Shun Empire focuses on land warfare and thus the navy is underfunded. The military is under the strict supervision of the civilian Ministry of War to avoid the danger of ambitious generals turning against the central government. The Ministry is responsible for the maintenance of military installations and the supply of the troops. It maintains bureaus in the various provinces in order to undertake this task. A large network of roads, bridges and canals enables a steady and relatively fast (for the standards of the time and the size of the empire) supplying of the military. The number of bureaucrats employed to undertake this logistical support is almost half the size of the military.

RP Elements
--National Objectives: Maintenance of the status quo as the dominant power in East Asia. The Shun Empire has already fulfilled its territorial ambitions and seeks no further territorial expansion.
--History:

By the late 1600s, the once mighty and rich Ming Dynasty was in terminal decline. Widespread natural disasters and famines, banditry and military defeats at the hands of the Manchus in the north meant that the prestige of the dynasty had plummeted. Everyone was certain that the dynasty had lost the Mandate of Heaven and that the Ming Emperor was no longer fit to rule. In the 1630s a number of peasant revolts broke out. Among those rebelling was Li Zicheng, a man of obscure origins who joined one of the peasant revolts in 1633. Thanks to his cunning and martial prowess, by 1637 he was leader of the revolt. His armies marched forward, crushing Ming resistance and in 8 February 1644 he proclaimed in Xi'an, the old Han Dynasty capital, the establishment of the Shun Dynasty.

In April 1644, Beijing was captured and the last Ming Emperor hanged himself in shame. Li Zicheng managed to impose discipline on his troops, preventing a plunder of the city. Instead, he recruited many of the former Ming officials and sought to come to an accommodation with the Ming political establishment. In early June, Li proclaimed himself Yongchang Emperor. Realizing that the Manchus in the north could take advantage of the situation to launch an invasion of the Middle Kingdom, Yongchang came into a secret agreement with Wu Sangui, the Ming military officer in command of the vital Sanhai Pass, the eastern terminus of the Great Wall. Yongchang arrested his family and publicly declared Wu Sangui a traitor. Wu contacted the Manchu regent Dorgon, offering him his submission and a clear path to China. Dorgon accepted and a sizeable Manchu force arrived to the Sanhai Pass. Instead of aiding them, though, Wu and his men ambushed the Manchus and eliminated them almost to the last man. This clever scheme is now remembered in China as one of the most brilliant stratagems in Chinese history.

Wu Sangui became Marshall of the North, essentially supreme commander of the Shun military forces. His first task was to launch an invasion of the Manchu heartland, taking advantage of the crushing defeat the Manchus had suffered. By 1647 much of Western Manchuria was under Shun rule. This region had a sizeable Chinese population and was more urbanized, and thus easier to control. On the other hand, the eastern part of Manchuria was left outside Shun control and remained under nomadic Manchu rule. While Wu was busy subduing the Manchus, in the south things for Shun did not look good. A Southern Ming regime had been established by a fleeing Ming prince, who rallied Ming loyalists to his cause against the 'bandit pretender'. The regime was based on Nanjing and ruled much of the Chinese South. The Shun suffered a series of defeats but managed to maintain Northern China under their rule.

In 1648, Wu Sangui led an invasion of the South. A force of over 350,000 men invaded and fought a series of pitched battles and drawn-out sieges against the ramp Ming regime. By 1652, the South had been pacified but at the cost of over 120,000 soldiers dead on both sides and 400,000 civilian casualties. Wu, responsible for the pacification of the South, chose to show clemency towards the defeated and recruited South Ming officials into the new Shun administration. He reestablished the old Ming system of Guard Battalion, giving hereditary land to men in exchange for military service. Those new troops would ensure the establishment of long-lasting peace in the South.

In 1660, a Shun army of 150,000 men invaded Yunnan and pacified the region, establishing Shun control. In 1662, the Shun army managed to take over Taiwan, the last remaining Ming loyalist stronghold. The Ming loyalist Koxinga was executed publicly. With the reunification of the whole of the Middle Kingdom under Shun rule, the dynasty was able to stabilize its hold over China as it was now evident to all that the Yongchang Emperor enjoyed the Mandate of Heaven. Wanting to showcase the prestige of the dynasty and expunge China from devious foreign influence, the Yongchang Emperor proclaimed a policy of 'closed doors'. Only tributary states would be allowed to trade with China while trade with the barbarian tribes was forbidden. With the exception of a trade settlement in Macau by the Kingdom of Brittany, no other European power has been allowed to trade with the Shun Empire.

Yongchang died in 1663 and was succeeded by his eldest son, who took the title of Taizong Emperor. Primogeniture had been established by Yongchang as the succession principle of the dynasty. Taizong, sharing the same name as the great Tang Emperor Li Shimin, wanted to compete with his namesake in terms of military conquest and sagacity. In contrast to his father, Taizong was dreaming of expanding the borders of Chinese civilization, a Chinese version of the European 'civilizing mission'. Taizong was only twenty-three years old when he came to the throne and, unlike his peasant father, had been educated by the best scholars of the Empire. He was a poet, calligrapher and painter. Energetic, he showed an unwillingness to let the court control him. In 1664, he managed to assassinate Wu Sangui, getting himself rid of a possible opponent. He appointed fellow-minded young officials in high positions of governance. His Chancellor, Zhang Yudi, was only thirty-four years old while his Marshall Guo Jing was forty-four years old. A new era had dawned.

Just like the Taizong Emperor of the Tang Dynasty had imposed his will on the nomadic tribes of the north, the Shun Taizong Emperor wanted to impose his own will on the Mongol tribes. Taizong found his chance when in 1668 the Khorching Mongols requested his assistance against the advances of the Khalkha and Chahar Mongols. A Shun army was dispatched and managed to inflict a series of defeats on the hostile Mongols. This was in large part thanks to the Mongol cavalry provided by the Khorching Mongols. Guo Jing made clever use of that cavalry to compensate for the weakness of the largely infantry-based Shun military. By 1672, Mongolia had been pacified, as had the part of southern Xinjiang controlled by the Khalkha Mongols.

Taizong headed in person to the north and in a public ceremony in 11 March 1672, he was proclaimed Khagan of the Mongols. Guo Jing was left responsible for the continued pacification of the region. With cunning diplomacy, he managed to gain the friendship of many in the Mongol nobility. Instead of ruling the vast plains of Mongolia in a Chinese manner, Guo Jing chose instead to retain the traditional Mongol administration. He merged disloyal defeated tribes with the tribes of his Mongol allies and left the actual administration in the hands of the Mongol tribal leaders. Aside from paying a yearly tribute, providing a levy of cavalry and not engaging in tribal warfare, the Mongols were left to their devises.

At the same time, Chancellor Zhang Yudi implemented an ambitious reformist agenda. He enacted a broad land redistributing program to give farm to tenants and landless peasants, much to the dismay of many large landowners. Regional revolts in the 1660s were crushed by the Shun military, allowing the reform to go ahead. Zhang undertook the first population census since the collapse of the Ming. The 1671 census gave an accurate picture of the population of the Empire and allowed a revision of the tax assessment to make taxation fairer. Monopoly on salt was established, roads, canals and bridges were either updated or constructed and series of granaries were built in the provinces to allow steady supply in times of natural disasters.

The conquest of Mongolia brought the Shun Dynasty in conflict with the Dzungar Khanate. An Inner Asian Khanate of Mongol origins, it controlled parts of Outer Mongolia and much of northern Xinjiang. In 1683, a Shun invasion was launched, led by the brilliant Guo Jing. A mixed army of Chinese infantry and Mongol cavalry pushed deep into Dzungar territory. The Chinese infantry was garrisoning conquered land while the Mongol cavalry was undertaking the offensive. In a decisive battle in 12 August 1685, the Dzungar army was crushed and the Khan himself was killed. A civil war broke out between his two sons, allowing the Shun to overwhelm the remaining Dzungars. Although the Dzungar Khanate was fully conquered by 1686, it was not fully pacified. Two widespread revolts broke out in 1688 and 1691, which led to widespread massacres of Dzungar civilians. In order to completely pacify the region, the Taizong Emperor ordered the mass emigration of landless Chinese to the region. By 1700, the region had a Chinese ethnic majority.

In 1695, the Shun Dynasty intervened in Tibet on behalf of the Dalai Lama, after a riot in Lhasa had driven out the Tibetan religious leader. A 50,000 men strong Shun army conquered Tibet by 1698 and established Dalai Lama as its ruler. Shun garrisons were established in vital strongholds of the country and the Dalai Lama was nothing more than a figurehead meant to keep the Tibetans in line. While the Empire was expanding, Taizong had constructed the Grand Library in Beijing, a gargantuan pagoda that housed thousands of books, almost the entirety of Chinese literature. Taizong was a patron of arts and he financed many artistic projects.

In 1699, the Taizong Emperor died and was succeeded by his second son, as his eldest son had died from disease two years earlier (although there is speculation that he had been poisoned by the second son). The Kangxi Emperor, in his thirties when coming to the throne, was far less austere than his father and more willing to indulge in carnal pleasures. He was a competent ruler however, entrusting key offices of the state in the hands of capable officials. He established in 1701 the Secret Memorandums, allowing direct communication between him and local officials without the court or ministries getting in the way. This allowed far greater imperial oversight of the public administration.

In 1711, the Kangxi Emperor launched an invasion of the Lê Dynasty of Vietnam. An ambitious Vietnamese general, Nguyen Xi, had launched a coup in 1710 that overthrew the rightful Dụ Tông Emperor. Dụ Tông managed to escape to China and asked the Kangxi Emperor to intervene. An army under the Mongol general Tögs-Ochiryn invaded Vietnam and by 1712 it had managed to conquer much of the north of the country. The tropical conditions though and the irregular attacks by Vietnamese peasants forced the Shun army to retreat. Almost 20,000 men had perished. A second invasion was launched in 1714 that also ended in disaster.

Finally, in 1717, a third invasion was launched under general Huang Dao. This time, it was a combined land and naval invasion. The number of land troops mobilized reached 160,000, the largest Shun invasion force since the war against the Dzungar Khanate. By 1720, Vietnam had been pacified. Instead of restoring Dụ Tông, Kangxi chose to annex Vietnam into the Shun Dynasty. After hundreds of years of independence, Vietnam was finally once again a Chinese dominion. Dụ Tông was strangled and three revolts in 1721, 1725 and 1729 were brutally put down. Widespread massacres were followed by Chinese colonization of the region, as Kangxi found a chance to solve social problems caused by an ever increasing population.

In 1730, the Champa Kingdom was invaded and most of it was annexed by 1732, with the exception of the far south. Champa was to be the final Chinese conquest. The Empire had already gotten too vast and neither the Emperor nor the bureaucracy had any interest in further expansion. Instead, the Shun Dynasty chose to enforce a strict system of tribute by the neighboring states. In 1735, the Kangxi Emperor died and was succeeded by the Tongzhi Emperor.

The Tongzhi Emperor largely left matters of state to his Chancellors, spending most of his time in pursuing various literary efforts. His Chancellors followed a policy of lowering taxes and keeping the peace. A White Lotus revolt in 1745 was the only instance of war. A quasi-religious movement, it managed to gain many followers in central China. Rising up in revolt, it managed to defeat local garrisons but by 1746 it had been crushed by the Standard Army.

In 1756, Tongzhi was succeeded by the twenty-four years old Jiajing Emperor. A more energetic ruler, the Jiajing Emperor has taken a more active role in everyday governance. His reign so far has focused on large-scale infrastructure projects to update the road network and expand the canals and bridges of China. He remains committed to the traditional Chinese dogma of seeing the Middle Kingdom as the only civilized entity in the world and hopes to maintain that status quo.

RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=36926722#p36926722

Tracking Number: 276

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

here's a world map, i almost crashed my computer making it because of how large it is

[The Baton Rouge Free State]

48hr Reservation Form
New Nation Name: Kingdom of Joseon
Map:

https://imgur.com/a3bAKSg

999 - Do not delete this.

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

here's a world map, i almost crashed my computer making it because of how large it is

after Paint.neting it out i really think a few of the space-filling empires could've been less extreme with their claims because these RPs have seen 'native' empires before and what happened in the Americas IOTL was unrealistic as fuck but whatever not my RP

[Guuj Xaat Kil]

Hmm Zengi empire, Ibadi Oman colonial empire, or Tibetian empire...

Or a Ghurid empire controlling Persia and northern India, again, hmmmmmm...

[Sao Nova Europa]

Tibet is under Chinese control (assuming my app is accepted by the OP of course).

A Ghurid Empire would certainly be interesting.

[Ontorisa]

Application
General
--Nation Name: The Kingdom of Rogaland & the Peninsula [The Kingdom of Rogaland for short] (Motto: "Sterkt i Nord!" [Strong in the North!])
--Map: Seen here.
--Flag:

--Capital: Stavanger
Government
--Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
--Government Overview:

THE OLLIST - Nicknamed "The Moot" by most representatives, the Ollist functions as an advising body and a council to enact the will of the King. Made up of representatives from the various provinces within the kingdom, each representative brings to the table their issues to the king, and advise him on the decisions that are required. In the end however, the council is required to act on the king's decisions, which has lead to internal conflict in the past.

THE DUKEDOM OF THE PENINSULA - Due to the distance between the Rogalander capital, and the significant cultural difference between the Rogalandites and the Peninsulians, a relatively autonomous dukedom has been set up to enact the king's will on the peninsula. While externally, the dukedom is a de jure vassal of the king in Stavanger, internally however, the dukedom has been known to spar with the king. Only under external conflicts or aligning goals does the dukedom fall in line without hesitation. Otherwise, it acts as its own separate country at times.

--Head of Government: King Sebastian Bjorssen IV
--Head of State: King Sebastian Bjorssen IV
Demographics
--Population: 1,400,000
----Colonial Population: N/a
--Demonym: Rogalanders
--Primary Culture: Rogalandite (Southern Norwegian)
--Other Cultures: Swedish, Northern Peninsulian (Danish)
--Religion Overview: Predominantly Protestant with some Catholic influences on the Peninsula.
Development Points (Total = 15, 11 for nations with no navy)
--Infrastructure/Economy: 5
(tl;dr strong economy, high levels of development in Southern Norway, while the Danish peninsula remains somewhat underdeveloped).
--Army: 7
(tl;dr small, professional, highly mobile & autonomous force mixed in with levy and conscript forces as support).
--Navy: 3
(tl;dr inexperienced, small, yet decently-funded navy).
--Military Overview:

Predominantly, the Kingdom of Rogaland structures its military around a small, professional, disciplined, and modernized army. The backbone of this army is, at its core, the infantryman, who is typically equipped with modern-day flintlock muskets, bayonets, rapiers, and is drilled consistently to ensure the highest of quality. These infantrymen have typically been motivated historically to fight for their country and people, and to reap the benefits after the war, such as bonus wages, recognition, and land. As a result, the typical infantryman has been known to be overly zealous and at prone to putting their own individual glory over the needs of their overall strategic goals. In general, it is this small core of soldiers who are the main punching power of the Rogalander forces alongside of the King's Own Dragoons.

Units raised or used to support the infantry are designated as Auxiliaries (with the exception of cavalry and artillery, that's another story). These auxiliaries can include additional firepower in 3-month trained conscripts armed with flintlock muskets varying in quality, pikemen, and light infantry. While en masse, these auxiliaries can help make up the usual numerical deficit of the Rogalander army, they are no way in any shape or form the professional army's equals, and at times can be prone to misuse or entirely unused by commanders due to their preference for the professional soldiers.

Cavalry with Rogaland plays an important role. Despite having few numbers of cavalrymen, cavalry is generally used as a scouting force as well as to serve as a threat to unprepared infantry & undefended artillery pieces & light infantry. As well, cavalry has also been used to check the advances of the opponent's cavalry, and to act as a mobile stopgap force until further forces are able to arrive at vulnerable positions.

The cream of the crop however, are the King's Own Dragoons. A relatively small, yet mighty dragoon fighting force, these men are typically selected for both their dedication to the kingdom, as well as their marksmanship, horsemanship, and fighting prowess. One of the many reasons why the King's Own Dragoons have such a dedicated role within the military of the Kingdom is for their usefulness and mobility on the field. Not only is this "regiment" (while organized and designated as a regiment, the fighting strength of this group is more of a battalion) a feared fighting force, but they can also hold their own in melee.

For each regiment of infantry, there is typically a small artillery detachment attached to it consisting of either 6-pound or 12-pound artillery pieces, depending on the regiment and its role within the kingdom. This strange turn in regimental design has allowed regiments to detach from main forces but to retain the firepower to attempt to overcome local odds. This is due to the natural mountainous terrain of the Norwegian peninsula, where the mountain ranges have forced smaller units to engage in order to make up for logistical and communications constraints.

For tactics, commanders typically utilize extremely mobile strategies in order to outmanoeuvre their opponent and to win battles on small engagements in order to destroy their enemy piecemeal (commonly referred to as "Hapla"). This includes feigned retreats, tactical withdrawals, and irregular/unorthodox placements of units in order to play every advantage possible due to the small size of the Rogalander forces. As a result, highly drilled and disciplined musket fire forms part of the backbone of these tactics, as well as coordinated assaults and artillery fire. Cavalry forms more of a scouting and anti-cavalry engagement role as its commanders typically avoid open engagements with infantry unless if the commanders see fit or if an opportunity presents itself. The Rogalanders utilize a mix of fifes, drums, banners, and flags in order to effectively communicate with each other, and boast one of the most premier messaging systems in Europe, utilizing messengers as required in order to dispatch orders.

Generals and officers are expected to further the expansion and gains of the kingdom, while keeping in mind that the cost should be strongly considered. Additionally, due to the size of the military, officers of regiments, battalions, and even companies, are expected to be able to function independently and act on generalized orders in order to achieve their objective. As a result, the professional Rogalander military is a highly mobile force and is able to break up and work independently of one another before combining to engage an enemy (a la Napoleonic tactics, but on a much smaller and primitive scale). These regiments are not equipped with their own logistical units typically however, and cannot remain operating in the field for extended periods of time without resupplying with the main force.

On water however, the Rogalanders are equipped with a moderately-funded, modern yet inexperienced and minuscule navy. Due to the Battle of the Danish Straits, the old Rogalander navy was utterly destroyed by their Swedish counterparts, and has struggled to rebuild itself into a force to project its power. Instead, the navy patrols the Danish straits, skirmishes with the County of Sjaelland, and protects the Rogalander trade from piracy domestically. Equipped with a number of outdated two-deckers equipped with 50 guns for trade protection, two-deckers equipped for main battles (range from 64-72 guns), and a lone three-decker for admiralty, the Rogalander fleet remains a modern yet inexperienced fighting force that could be used to combat smaller navies. However, due to the inexperience of the current Rogalander navy, it is highly unlikely the fleet will see any active combat missions due to the kingdom's worries about another Battle of the Danish Straits. Nevertheless, the Rogalanders remain a proud people and still utilize their navy for a multitude of purposes besides military. Essentially, it's a fleet-in-being, equipped only to protect trade and skirmish, but not to fully engage another European power.

RP Elements
--National Objectives:

• To expand southwards and incorporate the rest of the Danish Peninsula into the Rogalander realm.
• To maintain cordial and friendly relations with the Empire of Sweden.
• To strengthen the internal unity of the kingdom.
• To fully integrate the Danish peninsula, and to dissolve the Dukedom of the Peninsula over time.

--History*:

Where to begin with this small, yet mighty, northern kingdom?

The story of Rogaland starts during the "Troubled Times" in the early 1500's where a disorganized group of Norwegian states banded together under a common banner for protection from the Holy Roman Empire's ever expanding influence to the south and the Swedes to the east. Under this confederation at the time, the Southern Norwegians were united finally under one common identity, and were soon formalized under the Nordic Confederacy. Throughout the Troubled Times, the confederation was tested through a strength of military might, and political stability. Its expansion northwards to bring additional land under the control of the confederation was met with hostility from their neighbours, as well as their own kinsmen within the confederation.

That soon came to a close as the "Wars of the King" erupted around the start of the 1570's, where Rogaland and a select few confederation members were plunged into a civil war within the Nordic Confederacy. The two sides, the Royalists, and the Confederates, fought to a bloody standstill at numerous engagements, and left the rest of the Norwegian peninsula open for Swedish aggression and expansion (which was capitalized upon by the Swedes). In the end however, it was agreed upon by the two sides following the Confederates' disastrous 1574 campaign that saw their armies laid to waste, that in order to protect the original goal of the confederacy, their surrender was required. Thus, in 1575, the Kingdom of Rogaland was born under a King Agnar Bjorssen I

The young kingdom had plenty of growing pains to go through at the time. With border skirmishes with still independent duchies and counts of the Norwegian peninsula, the Danes, and the Swedes, and its fledgling politics prone to external influences from the southern HRE, King Agnar Bjorssen I was forced to limit the power of the various vassals of the kingdom and to consolidate this power within himself and himself only. One of the first issues King Agnar Bjorssen I tackled was the reformation of the standing army of Rogaland, where he sought to modernize the army and give it a cutting edge over its rivals. While initially, this was difficult to accomplish, through a mix of sheer luck and constant military research & brainstorming, the Rogalander military was able to speed up its modernization in order to be able to combat its rivals toe-to-toe despite its size. "The smaller man, does not necessarily mean he's the weaker one" King Agnar Bjorssen I was quoted saying when he was asked about the reason why modernization and staying a step ahead of their rivals was so important. This has resulted in a very militarized upper class, and a massive focus on the army of Rogaland, which at times has hindered the kingdom's progress.

King Agnar Bjorssen I died of natural causes around 1582, succeeded by his son, the 32-year old King Halvor Bjorssen I. Under King Halvor Bjorssen I, the Kingdom of Rogaland expanded to the Danish peninsula during the Peninsular Wars. These wars were due to King Halvor Bjorssen I attempting to expand the influence of the kingdom and to control the Danish straits (which inevitably led to the conflict between Rogaland & Sjaelland). This involved the creation and formalization of the Rogalander navy, which over time was transformed from a number of brigs to incorporate proper warships with the ability to land a fighting force. During these wars, the Rogalanders were taught valuable lessons against the various independent Danish states, particularly the art of war and the effectiveness of their army. By utilizing their cavalry and winning decisive battles on a smaller scale against a numerically superior foe, the Rogalanders were able to conquer much of the northern Danish peninsula while Sjaelland managed to remain independent underneath the rulership of the House of Nborg.

During the early 1600's, much of the time was spent fully incorporating the Danes under the control of the Rogalanders. This was met with heavy opposition, a number of rebellions, and even a confederacy of Danish states attacking the Rogalander holdings on the peninsula. This incorporation was one of the more difficult times during the rule of House Bjorssen, as many Danes sought their independence. Eventually however, through countless treaties, compromises and conflicts, a mutual understanding was set with the establishment of the Dukedom of the Peninsula, which saw a Danish noble house elevated to a position almost equal to that of a king.

Throughout the late 17th Century, the Rogalanders expanded thoroughly throughout the Danish Peninsula, becoming a key player in the politics of the Baltic Sea. Being the only entrance to the sea meant that the Rogalanders enjoyed a period of hefty tariffs and taxes paid to the kingdom. At times this had brought them into conflict with the Swedes, as the two disagreed on the handling of the straits. These conflicts would eventually land the Rogalanders in an alliance with the HRE, Bohemia-Poland, and Russia in lieu of the Great Northern War.

During the Great Northern War of 1700, Rogaland fought alongside of the Bohemians, Poles and Russians against their (at the time) Swedish rivals. Despite a number of engagements and inflicting a decent amount of casualties on the Swedes (see: The Battle of the Lakes, the Battle of Duved, where smaller Rogalander forces were able to emerge victorious). The Rogalander navy was also decimated at the Battle of the Danish Straits, in which the superior Swedish navy utterly destroyed the entire Rogalander fleet. Even to this day, Rogaland's navy has not recovered from this defeat despite the efforts of multiple kings. The Rogalanders were ultimately unable to stop the overwhelming push of the Swedes towards their main port city at the time of Trøndelag (the decisive Battle of Oslo was another key point in which the Rogalander army was defeated). The city was then sieged, captured, and then ceded alongside of Oslo to the Swedish under a common agreement that the two Scandinavian countries should avoid the shedding of further Nordic blood in the gains of mainland European gains. From that point forward, the two countries have reconciled their past and have become closely tied, both in economics and politically.

Thanks to the Friendship Treaty of 1701, the city of Oslo remains under administration of the Swedish Empire, while the surrounding areas are administered by the Rogalanders. Initially, this threw off both the Swedish and the Rogalanders, yet over time it has become a compromise between the two and a symbol of the newfound brotherly relationship between the two kingdoms. This area, referred to both as simply "The Border", represents the close economic and political alliance between the two countries, as well as their open-borders with one another. The people living in the Border were initially resistant to the idea but have warmed up to it over time thanks to the fair ruling of Oslo, and the fair ruling of the countryside by the respective sides.

Militarily, the Rogalanders have experienced a quieter time since the Great Northern War. While continuing to drill and research new and expanded ways to maintain a military prowess over their rivals, experts have argued despite the overhaul and development of the military, the officer corps has grown stagnant due to the lack of formal wars. Under King Jakub Bjorssen III in 1721, the officer corps were expanded to attempt to incorporate the brighter yet less fortunate people of the kingdom. This revolved around the unpopular idea called Sjorvis developed by a one Mikael Augustas that while the upper class and nobility had significantly more resources and fortunes, their ideas and training had become stale and required an influx of new ways of thinking and perspectives. Even to this day, this idea remains unpopular among the more fortunate classes and people of the kingdom and continues to be a massive debate among the Ollist and the kings.

Today, the Kingdom of Rogaland stands at the height of its power. Its goals are simple, to maintain a friendly relationship with their eastern neighbours, and to continue their expansion onto the Danish Peninsula. While this may eventually bring the nation into conflict with the Holy Roman Empire, the trust between Sweden & Rogaland allows the country to act with impunity at times. Ruled by the fair hand of King Sebastian Bjorssen IV, the kingdom has prospered, yet has set its ambitions on the further conquest of the Danish Peninsula, notably the County of Sjaelland, which remains a painful thorn in the ambitions of the Rogalander Kingdom.

RP Sample: 1, 2, 3, 4.
A lot of my RP experience is on the character scale, and I lack any recent nation-scale RPs. Nevertheless, I promise I'm pretty okay with nation-wide stuff.

*My kingdom's history remains flexible and open to any others who are looking to collaborate. If I have made a mistake, or if there is disagreement with my kingdom's history, please let me know via TG or Discord. Thanks!!
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