1812: Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC-DEAD]

[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name:The New Persian Empire
Territory:Modern Day Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkmenistan
#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

Yeah, the claim is just a bit too large, you'd have to decide between modern day Pakistan and Afghtanistan and western Arabia.

[Alt Div Admin]

Map and list updated, reservation for Ruthenia expired, so Russia is up for grabs again

[Chia Dal]

Reservation

Nation Name:The New Persian Empire
Territory:Modern Day Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkmenistan
#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

Yeah, the claim is just a bit too large, you'd have to decide between modern day Pakistan and Afghtanistan and western Arabia.

I will do Western Arabia.

[Tracian Empire]

Yeah, the claim is just a bit too large, you'd have to decide between modern day Pakistan and Afghtanistan and western Arabia.

I will do Western Arabia.

Alrighty!

I'm not fully sure what your concept entails as of now - we need Islam and a Caliphate to have existed in Arabia at some point for the history of other people to make sense - you can roughly see a sketch of that in my own history as the ERE, but other than that you are of course more than free to do anything.

[Alt Div Admin]

Updated the current announcements section in order to highlight the areas that are still open and looking for players

[Chia Dal]

I will do Western Arabia.

Alrighty!

I'm not fully sure what your concept entails as of now - we need Islam and a Caliphate to have existed in Arabia at some point for the history of other people to make sense - you can roughly see a sketch of that in my own history as the ERE, but other than that you are of course more than free to do anything.

Persia only gains the Arabia in 1791.

[Deblar]

Full Nation Name : Republic of Florida
Majority/Official Culture : Blend of Hispanic and American culture
Territorial Core : The Floridian peninsula
Territorial Claim : The entirety of old Spanish claims on Florida up to the Mississippi River
Capital City : St. Augustine, Florida
Population : 946,040 (1,357,040 including slaves)
Flag: (Image)

Government Type : Federal Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : After winning independence, Florida had remained isolationist prior to the election of Diego De la Rosa. While campaigning, De la Rosa used the promise of increased diplomacy with European and Asian nations as a pillar of his campaign. After winning he election, recently elected De la Rosa plans to not waste any time implementing his agenda.
Government Focus : To establish Florida on the world stage, defend her interests against colonizers, and grow the economy and international cooperation.
Head of State : Diego De la Rosa
Head of Government : Diego De la Rosa
Government Description : The Floridian government is based on the IRL American government, with three branches of government. There are a few differences, such as there is only one house of legislature and the Supreme Court is made up of elected officials rather than appointed judges.

The Executive Branch is made up of the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice President, and each of the different ministries, which function like the IRL American system.

The Legislative Branch is made up of a singular house of legislature, the Senate, which is made up of 2 representatives from each of Florida’s 16 districts (or states), plus a representative from each Native American tribe living in Florida.

The Judicial Branch is made up of courts of different levels of jurisdiction and power, those being local level courts, district level courts, lesser federal courts, and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of Florida is made up of a body of 7 different officials who are elected into their seats by the people rather than appointed by the President. These officials are usually people with experience in the criminal justice system, such as lawyers, prosecutors, and judges.

Majority/State Religion :Christianity
Religious Description :[/b] Florida is 73% Protestant , with the rest of the Christian population falling under Roman Catholicism. Other religions include Atheism and voodoo.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Oranges, Cattle, Cotton, Sugar, etc.
Economic Description : The economy of Florida is heavily based on agriculture, but the government has attempted to change that by subsidizing industry and encouraging factory development, which has not been very effective as Florida is unable to industrialize on its own. President Diego De la Rosa plans on gaining outside industrial support as part of his plan to connect Florida with the rest of the developed world. Following independence, Florida attempted to model its economy after the economy of European nations, which was not very successful, as Florida still remains dependent on agriculture.

Development: Pre-Industrial
Development Description : Florida is early in the process of industrializing, with a few factories in major towns such as Miami and Tampa, and the capital, St. Augustine.

Army Description : The army is led by a former Hispanic war general by the name of Julio Hernandez de Santa Anna, who fought for the Hispanics during various conflicts from 1767-1779, and led the Hispanic attacks of British forces in the Gulf Coast during the American Revolution. He also was Benjamin Fredrickson’s right-hand-man during the Revolution. His experience in warfare and superb ability to train his troops brings an advantage to the Floridian Army. He trains his forces and uses tactics that he learned as a member of the Hispanic Army, with some of his own tactics mixed in. His leadership is similar to that of George Washington, a mix of guerrilla and tactics used by larger militaries .
Army Weakness : The Floridian Army is remarkably small(only 30,000 men in total) and not very well funded(military funding only takes up 3% of the GDP), and the rather conservative government is hesitant to give the military any new funds.
Naval Description : The navy is led by former American sailor Henry Jackson, who also fought in the American Revolution. His experience and leadership gives the navy a tactical advantage. He prefers to use European training methods and tactics. His leadership is similar to that of John Paul Jones(who primarily used hit and run tactics). The navy is primarily used for defensive purposes .
Naval Weakness : same as army(only 18 ships and 7,000 sailors in total)
Further Military Description : Both Branches are pretty small and underfunded. The military is forced to use Revolution-era equipment, which is pretty outdated, and with little funding, they cannot afford to improve the equipment. President Diego De la Rosa has remained open to increasing military funding, but doing so is not his top priority.

National Goals : Florida wishes to establish itself on the global stage, grow its economy, and continue its survival
National Issues : Lacks international relations; economy and industry underdeveloped; slavery a widely talked about issue; small size, which will become more of a problem as the population continues to grow; while they have signed numerous treaties with Native Americans respecting their sovereignty and giving them somewhat of a voice in government, not everyone agrees with these treaties
National Figures of Interest : Ponce de Leon is seen as a Christopher Columbus like figure and can be seen on the $5 banknote, and revolutionary leader and first president of Florida, Benjamin Fredrickson, is seen as a George Washington like figure and the father of Florida. He can be seen on the $1 banknote.
National Ambition/Aspirations : In an initiative started by President Diego De la Rosa, Florida will begin to establish concrete relations with European and Asian powers.

History :
In 1513, Florida was discovered by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who named the new land La Florida. In 1564, the first settlement, St. Augustine, was founded. As more settlements popped up across Florida, the area came under frequent attacks from British and French forces.

During the latter half of the 18th century, many colonists from the 13 colonies began to move to the area, considering they weren't allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains and for the expansive farmland optimal for growing crops like cotton, tobacco, and others. Mass immigration continued through the American Revolution, mostly for loyalists looking to escape harassment in the 13 colonies. After the revolution ended, the population was now made up mostly of Americans who emigrated from the 13 colonies. These settlers began to clash with the Hispanic colonial government, which began to come to a head in 1787, when troops were sent to seize control over the territory. Armed colonists clashed with them near St. Augustine, officially starting the Floridian Revolution.

The Hispanics were able to create a blockade, but the colonists, who had boldly commandeered some anchored ships on the coast near St. Augustine, were able to break through in a bold attack and create a hole in the blockade. Meanwhile, in St. Augustine, the Hispanics forced the then outnumbered Floridian militia, led by Benjamin Fredrickson, to retreat into the city, where they had to endure a 3 week long siege in which way were starting to run out of supplies.Once more rebels to the south took up arms, they went to St. Augustine and flanked the assaulting Hispanics, who, after taking numerous losses, retreated into the countryside to regroup. With newfound reinforcements, St Augustine was fortified to prepare for another potential assault on the city. While preparing, Benjamin Fredrickson suggested that they attack the Hispanic encampment in the countryside, reportedly stating “we must win this war before it is lost”. Taking his advice, he led the Floridian militia in a surprise attack on the Hispanic camp. The Hispanic general was captured and was forced to surrender.

After the surrender of Hispanic forces, both sides signed the Treaty of Madrid, which granted the Republic of Florida independence from Hispania in 1788. Following independence, elections were held, and Benjamin Fredrickson won the presidential election. While in office, he instituted a neutrality policy, which practically made European and Asian relations nonexistent. While many people didn’t exactly like the policy, it gave the newborn Republic a chance to stabilize without being pulled into a conflict. This policy continued to be upheld by following presidents up to the recently elected Diego De la Rosa. He plans on re-establishing concrete diplomatic relations with Europe and Asia. As they enter the 24th year of the Republic, Florida has many challenges ahead, but with the determination they had made themselves known for during and after the Revolution, they shall face them head on.
RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=498384&p=38381231#p38381231

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

/bump

[Danubian Peoples]

Full Nation Name : Novgorod Rus' Federation, often shortened to just Rus' Federation or even just Rus'. Other names include Novogorod Rus', Novgorod Republic and Rus' Republic.
Majority/Official Culture : The Rus' culture, as the name might suggest is the dominant identity of the region, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Seas. A variety of distinct, regional identities do exist within this wider banner of Rus' culture. Chief among these identities is arguably that of the Novgorodians. They are the progenitors of the country as a whole, and as such they hold a degree of primacy over the other regional identities, albeit only a very slight degree. While the Novgorodian dialect is somewhat pushed in high society circles and government positions, and the capital of Novgorod is indeed a Novgorodian city as the name might suggest, their primacy ends there. Unlike their real-world counterparts in Muscovy, the Novgorodians have not attempted to implement a united Russian identity and assimilate the other Rus' peoples into their own, and thus the likes of the Muscovites and others remain independent regional identities under the wider Rus' culture.

Besides the Rus', there exist a great many more cultures within the Rus' Federation's borders. In the fields of the Pontic-Caspian steppe, there lie the great Cossacks of cavalry fame. A mix of Slavic and Turkic influences, the free-spirited people they are were fare more amiable to the decentralized Rus' Federation than they were the Russian Empire of the real world. Their zemlęs in the south operate a touch more autonomously than those to their north, and their cavalry have become emblematic of the country's armies.

To the north, their lie the myriad Uralic peoples. Their lands are the source of much of the lucrative fur trade that drove Novgorod, and later the Rus's initial growth, with boyars and merchants alike historically having accepted expensive furs as tribute. Though in theory untouched by intentional attack from the south, the Uralic peoples have been made to share their lands with an influx of Rus' settlers into the lands, as a means of securing the resources of the north. The zemlęs in the region offer varying degrees of rights and representation to the natives within each, but their deal is usually a lesser one than those of the Rus' there.

The east as it is known, represents the great frontier. It is ruled by a pair of governorates, the Siberian Governorate and Central Asian Governorate. The governorates rule over the peoples of their territories via a system of tithes. The myriad cultures here lie under their watch, and as the nation industrializes, the discovery of valuable resource deposits and the means to harness them within both regions may prompt the influx of ever more settlers, potentially changing the cultural makeup of the frontier forever.

In the west, at least to the west of Novgorod, there lies the Baltics, conquered from the Scandinavians in the 1700s, and one of the most recent receivers of zemlęhood in the west. A mix of native Balts, settler Scandinavians and newcoming Rus' live within its borders. The region is a bevy of ports in the Baltic Sea, and as such its cities have come to join those the Novgorod zemlę in terms of those that thrive off the Baltic Sea trade. The zemlę itself has proven surprisingly stable, likely due to the rights that the non-Rus' of its borders have fought and continue to fight bitter tooth and nail in the veches and the streets alike to achieve. This has set quite the precedent, and other groups that feel underrepresented, neglected and oppressed have begun taking steps to emulate their Baltic neighbors.

Territorial Core : Eveyrthing in Europe that is green. Should be obvious, but if it is isn't do tell me.
Territorial Claim : The nation is satisfied territorially at the given moment.
Capital City : Novgorod
Population : 30,000,000

Government Type : Unicameral Parliamentary Federation
Government Ideology/Policies : More often than not, the Rus' Federation is motivated by economics, harkening back to its roots in Novgorod. It is also a nation of republicanism, and is as such eager to spread its form of governance as a means of creating strong allies with common ground. Its economic focus combined with the decentralization inherent with federalism does mean that it more often than not resorts to more indirect means of achieving this as invasions are bad for the budget and hard to net approval from government with. The decentralized administration has given rise to a variety of factions in government, usually rooted in various regional divisions and only occasionally wider ideologies.
Government Focus : The nation is eager to reach out to the wider world, especially with the rise of new republics (which the Rus' may or may not have sponsored), and gain allies in a conflict that might just be defusable with enough guns to tell the enemy to back off. It is also eager for internal reform, to update the centuries-old republic by which it has operated. Whether or not it is willing or able to satisfy itself is another story, as is what kind of reforms it needs.
Head of State : Vladimir Nikolayevich Osipov is the Grand Prince of the Rus' Federation.
Head of Government : The Grand Prince is also the head of government, no strings attached.
Government Description : The country is a unicameral parliamentary federation. The Grand Prince, the head of government and state alike is elected by the High Veche, but not from within their ranks. Historically, the Grand Prince was a Rus' of noble blood usually from a neighboring principality, though in contemporary times they are more often than not an influential member of society from within the Rus' citizenry. A decorated general, a skilled administrator, a retired representative. The Grand Prince's duties include the appointment and firing of ministers to the cabinet with High Veche approval, helming the duties of 'said cabinet, and acting as the face of the country in international affairs. The Grand Prince is also vested with the power to head the nation's armies, a holdover from the position's time as that of a foreign noble, in practice, this power is usually delegated to other positions, save for the case where the Grand Prince is of a military background. The position, along with that of those of the representatives of the High Veche, have a collective 10-year term limit, after which the High Veche is dissolved, the Grand Prince resigns, and nationwide elections are held to staff the High Veche. Additionally, the High Veche can at any time force a vote of no confidence against the Grand Prince, then elect a new Grand Prince to fill out the remainder of the 10-year term.

The High Veche itself is the unicameral legislature of the country, and the highest one at that. It is comprised of many representatives from the varying zemlęs of the country. Each zemlę, or state is entitled to a proportional quantity of representatives in the High Veche, depending on the zemlę's population according to the latest census. Every ten years, the High Veche is dissolved, and the zemlęs must elect new representatives in a nationwide process. The means by which this is conducted vary between each zemlę, but in general, eligible political parties are listed on the ballot, and those with suffrage cast votes to choose their representatives. The resulting representatives are decided with the proportion of votes in the ballot. If 2/3rds of the votes are for Faction A, then 2/3rds of the representatives in the High Veche will be of Faction A. Of course, this system is by no means universal among all the zemlęs. The definition of suffrage in particular varies considerably from zemlę to zemlę, though since the Enlightenment came to the country the trend has been towards allowing more people to vote. The High Veche's responsibilities are, besides that of electing the Grand Prince, are also to propose and pass legislation, like any good legislature.

The system of governance practiced at the highest level is recursive. Each zemlę is entitled to one zemlę veche, complete with a Prince similarly lacking in nobility to the Grand Prince. This recursion continues all the way to the municipal level, and a nation of 30,000,000 is now many, many municipalities of a few thousand or even a few hundred each.

Despite what the previous paragraph suggests, there are in fact, places in the Novgorod Rus' Federation not under the zemlę system. These are the governorates, of which there are currently two. The Siberian and Central Asian governorates respectively. Each one is headed by an aptly-named governor-general, and instead of proper representation, the tribes and such, the peoples of these governorates instead act much like vassals to a feudal king, paying tithes and such to the governor-general, be they in currency or in precious resource. These governor-generals are also boasting of great armies which they use to expand their domains (or at least until they reached the Wei border) and quell uprisings amongst their subject polities. The system of governance practiced in the east has been lambasted as backwards, inefficient, and cruelly exploitative by reform-minded intellectuals both from within and without. Time will tell if they survive.

Historically, the politics of the High Veche has been divided along staunchly regionalist and socioeconomic lines. Zemlęs of similar character would form voting blocs. Urban zemlęs, rural zemlęs, et cetera, and governments would be established via coalitions between these zemlę blocs. Attempts at centralization were historically shot down in this environment. As the Enlightenment has spread on however, a new force has come onto the scene. Willing to cross regional boundaries, the Centralists, as they are a new political faction of ardent reformists. Their position is largely one of centralization as the name suggests. The Centralists have slowly grown in prominence, and the latest government, elected in 1811, is a Centralist-led coalition. Their platform is one of populist reform, of bringing sweeping change to the country from up high. They think the weakness of central government has allowed oligarchs and immorality to spread unchecked among the zemlęs, that the zemlęs no longer represent their peoples because of it, and that the course of state ought to be corrected. Their opposition, more often than note bearing ties to the oligarchs the Centralists decry is tighter than ever. The Centralists themselves are a varied sort, with positions within the new 'political party' varying from moderate to radical.

Majority/State Religion : Eastern Orthodoxy is the dominant religion in the country, its influence far and wide. Even as increasing secularization brought upon by the Enlightenment distanced the Orthodox church from the state, it remains a preeminent actor in the country. Missionaries need not be state-sponsored to continue their work, and few zemlęs, and certainly not the governor-generals have placed laws to curtail their activity.
Religious Description : A medley of other faiths exist within the Rus' Federation, with varying degrees of protection afforded to them by each zemlę and of course, the two governorates. The Norðurtrúin of the Baltic zemlę are given a comparatively high degree of protection by the ardently reformist zemlę there, while to the east, the native faiths of Siberia and Central Asia lie open to the prying jaws of persecution, discrimination and forced conversion alike. Other Christian denominations, from the Catholics to the Protestants, as do Jews and Muslims, each one once again afforded varying degrees of rights, privileges and protections by the many zemlęs and the two governorates.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism is currently the rising economic ideology the governs the country's economics. Mercantilist policies of old are currently being abolished to make way for the new free market and the Industrial Revolution.
Major Production : Many goods are produced by the Rus' Federation. Oldest amongst its industries are the furs, timbers and crops produced by its northern wilderness, expansive forests and fertile south, respectively. The industrial Revolution has also begun to make its inroads into the country, and prospective persons have begun to scan the country for valuables deep underground. Mining towns in the east have begun to spring about, driving the migrating of western populations. For now it's a relative trickle, but as the Industrial Revolution intensifies it will surely turn into a deluge. In terms of manufactured goods, some zemlęs are said to have certain specialties in that regard. The Baltic zemlę has inherited many of the shipbuilding traditions of the Scandinavians, while the zemlęs in more agrarian areas are said to excel in the production of alcohol.
Economic Description : The premier centers of the Rus' Federation's developing industrial economy are the big cities, the already-existing urban centers. Scattered primarily across the Novgorod and Baltic zemlęs, and also peppering the coastlines of the southern zemlę bordering the Black Sea, these cities serve as hubs were goods domestic and foreign alike are both exchanged for profit and brought together to create new goods in new-fangled factories. These cities also occur occasionally on the riverbanks of the Dnieper and Volga alike, bringing the wealth of trade and industry further inland.

Past these centers of trade and hotspots of the Industrial Revolution, there are the lands of 'simple resources.' The logging fields, the hunting grounds and the farming lands. Of the three, farming is the most prominent in terms of area, and certainly of importance, for the rather obvious reason that people need to eat. The chernozem (black soil) of the Eurasian Steppe has fueled only the most high-yield farms, where the likes of wheat and potatoes are grown by the bucketload. As industrial equipment enters the farming sector, the rise of larger farming estates is sure to come, be they peasant collectives or bourgeoisie operations.

In the east, in land mainly under the jurisdiction of the governorates, there lie the yet-to-be-utilized resources of Siberia. Mining towns have already sprung up through the decades, as pockets of rare minerals are found and extracted, but with the Industrial Revolution bringing forth a whole slew of new goods to extract and the means to do so, it is likely that the rate of settlement in these lands will skyrocket, and their influence in the economy similarly so.

The Rus' Federation operates on a unified currency, the ruble, which helps the economy move along, much to the chagrin of some of the more autonomy-minded zemlęs.
Development: Industrializing
Development Description : For one, this is a far more 'European' state than the real-world Russian Empire. Hemmed in by Wei in the east and founded by the trade-inclined and serf-less Novgorod, the Rus' Federation is far more inclined to industrial development than its real-world counterpart. The rise of industry so far has only occurred in the aforementioned urban centers predominantly in the coasts and rivers, but it is likely to spread further inland as capital is drawn into Russia and more resources are found. Still it is on a level lower than the likes of Britain in this regard.

Army Description : Historically, the army of the Rus' Federation was coupled with the zemlę system, each zemlę creating its own idea of a standing professional army, with only minor standards levied by the government. With the passing of the controversial Army Reform Bill in the 1800s, a Centralist pet project, however, a standing professional army has been created. The zemlę armies were broken up and reformed into new divisions.

These divisions number 35-strong, and each one is 10,000 in number, totaling 350,000 soldiers. 30 of those divisions are infantry divisions, and they are further divided into 1,000-strong regiments. 6 regiments in every division are infantry, while 2 are cavalry regiments and the remaining 2 regiments artillery. The remaining 5 divisions are cavalry divisions, with 8 regiments of cavalry and 2 regiments of artillery. The doctrine of this new army is in theory, informed largely by a synthesis of the varying military doctrines of the old zemlę armies, from the fierce cavalry tactics of the southern zemlęs to the winter-adapted soldiers of the north, in an attempt to utilize the best of all worlds and create only the greatest army.
Army Weakness : In practice, not so much. The doctrine of the new standing army is confused, owing to the recency of its creation and the lack of contemporary military conflict from which it can be field-tested in high numbers. The old military officer corps, the learned men with experience in past battles have so far also have mixed opinions on this new standing army. More than a few have sympathies for the zemlę system of old, and have been ardently uncooperative in helping its development along. Military observers deployed in recent conflicts tell of fierce armies with powerful arms and legendary reputations, and whether or not the army of the Rus' Federation will join their ranks or lay at their feet is a matter of utmost importance.
Naval Description : Unlike the army, the Rus' Navy was historically and currently is not affiliated with any given zemlę, and was instead a project of the country as a whole. The country maintains two fleets, the Baltic and Black Sea fleets, and both share roughly the same composition and integrity. As I am not familiar with warships of the time, I will instead just say they're a decent force for what their task is and not elaborate any further because I honestly cannot.
Naval Weakness : To say the least, the fleets of the Rus' Federation, both Baltic and Black are bottled. The Danish Belts and Bosporus are both controlled by foreign powers, and rarely does the country ever have naval quarrels past either geographic formation. As such the task given to these fleets is a mostly defensive one, and for the Baltic fleet especially, one that deals with the feared seamen of Scandinavia, even that might be a tall order.

National Goals : Expansion of the Rus' Federation's influence on the world stage, the bolstering of the economy, and of course reform.
National Issues : The Centralists are in many respects correct. The oligarchy is indeed a rampant issue, decentralization only feeding into that while also weakening the country as a whole. Literacy and suffrage are largely limited to urban areas, contributing to inequality. Minorities in the Rus' Federation have also historically held inferior status to the majority Rus'. The ascent of the Baltic Governorate to zemlęhood and the fight for the rights of Balts and Scandinavians has emboldened both movements and contributed to the rise of the Centralists.
National Figures of Interest : Here are a few contemporary figures of interest.
Vladimir Nikolayevich Osipov-The aforementioned Grand Prince. He holds Centralist leanings, largely a reflection of the current governing coalition, and his cabinet is much the same. He believes in a unified Centralist movement, that the growing split of radical and moderate ought to be put aside so that they may better govern.
Adam Otarrovych Danylyuk-A representative from the Baltic zemlę. Has mixed ancestry, both Scandinavian and Rus' settler. He helms the moderate faction of the Centralists, believing in some increase of government power, to keep zemlę tyranny (an enemy he has fought on many occasions) in check, but as a minority, he also desires a degree of freedom for his zemlę and others.
Iosif Alesnarovich Sabantsev-A representative from the Novgorod zemlę, and head of the radical faction of the Centralists. Has some very, interesting ideas about government, influenced by certain thinkers from elsewhere in Europe. He believes in a great deal of interventionism on the government's part. He also has new and fantastical ideas pertaining to the Rus' people as a whole.

History : History is as follows, a quick bulletin:
1400s-Moscow just, doesn't exist. Maybe the Tatars burned the city down en route to China? Regardless, it becomes a non-entity one way or the other, and Novgorod is free to continue existing. Eventually they begin a campaign of expansion into the south, to subjugate the other principalities, with a mix of diplomacy and warfare. In their place are established new veche republics, subjects to Novgorod. As a means to placate the displaced nobility and the uppity populace without resorting to assimilation into Novgorodian culture, these constituent zemlęs, the new term for them are given autonomy.
1500s-The unification of the Rus' is complete. The Novgorod Rus' Federation is declared, a statement of dominion over the entire land. Despite the name, everyone knows that 'Novgorod' is largely window dressing in terms of a name. Later in the century the Cossacks of the south would be dealt with, creating new zemlęs out of them with ever more autonomy. Wars with western powers also begin around this time, both as attacker and defender.
1600s-This is the time when eastern expansion took of, the Western world secure and stable-ish. The Wei border is reached during the middle of this century. Wars with western powers continue, though there is a slight downtick. This is also the time where the ills of decentralization become manifest, the nation now having existed long enough for the problems of such governance to be observable with two centuries of data from the past. Cries of reform begin towards the end of the century, but they are quiet for the time being.
1700s-The Baltics are conquered from the Scandinavians. The turbulent situation there leads to the creation of the formal Governorate System, with the Baltic, Siberian and Central Asian Governorates being established. The cries of reform grow to a crescendo in the 1750s, when the first hints of the Centralist faction arise. The ascension of the Baltic Governorate to zemlęhood only furthers their resolve. Towards the end of the century the great European revolutions in Britain and Germany take place. Centralist laws start getting rolled out as the movement picks up steam.
1800s-It's a new century, and the prominence of the Centralists is at an all-time high. Reforms are being passed at an increasing rate, but the opposition is also banding together to form a united front against them. Internal divisions within the Centralists are also making themselves manifest. Europe inches ever closer to another great conflagration of military conflict, not helped by the militarist nature of these new republics. The country well and truly hangs in the balance.
RP Sample: Last RP I participated in that had a similar theme and premise

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

[Northern Socialist Council Republics]

In the west, at least to the west of Novgorod, [there] lies the Baltics, conquered from the Scandinavians in the 1600s,

1700s, as per my history.

---

In any case, I look forwards to having an eastern neighbour. :) Given what you have in your application so far, Commonwealth-Novgorodian relations are probably going to be quite uneasy, but without any points of contention worth really fighting for.

Russia being an Orthodox Republic is also rather interesting, considering that right now the main European diplomatic split seems to be between the Catholic/Orthodox monarchies to the south and the Protestant/Reformed republics to the north.

[Danubian Peoples]

In the west, at least to the west of Novgorod, [there] lies the Baltics, conquered from the Scandinavians in the 1600s,

1700s, as per my history.

Sorry about that, was a mistake on my part.

In any case, I look forwards to having an eastern neighbour. Given what you have in your application so far, Commonwealth-Novgorodian relations are probably going to be quite uneasy, but without any points of contention worth really fighting for.

Russia being an Orthodox Republic is also rather interesting, considering that right now the main European diplomatic split seems to be between the Catholic/Orthodox monarchies to the south and the Protestant/Reformed monarchies to the north.

Also, good to know on that note!

[Tracian Empire]

The way in which Novgorod is organized might give some ideas to the Senate in Constantinople, but at this point in time the Senate is just a rubber stamp, and it's at the mercy of the influence of the demes, so it won't be doing much.

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name : Novgorod Rus' Federation, often shortened to just Rus' Federation or even just Rus'. Other names include Novogorod Rus', Novgorod Republic and Rus' Republic.
Majority/Official Culture : The Rus' culture, as the name might suggest is the dominant identity of the region, stretching from the Baltic to the Black Seas. A variety of distinct, regional identities do exist within this wider banner of Rus' culture. Chief among these identities is arguably that of the Novgorodians. They are the progenitors of the country as a whole, and as such they hold a degree of primacy over the other regional identities, albeit only a very slight degree. While the Novgorodian dialect is somewhat pushed in high society circles and government positions, and the capital of Novgorod is indeed a Novgorodian city as the name might suggest, their primacy ends there. Unlike their real-world counterparts in Muscovy, the Novgorodians have not attempted to implement a united Russian identity and assimilate the other Rus' peoples into their own, and thus the likes of the Muscovites and others remain independent regional identities under the wider Rus' culture.

Besides the Rus', there exist a great many more cultures within the Rus' Federation's borders. In the fields of the Pontic-Caspian steppe, there lie the great Cossacks of cavalry fame. A mix of Slavic and Turkic influences, the free-spirited people they are were fare more amiable to the decentralized Rus' Federation than they were the Russian Empire of the real world. Their zemlęs in the south operate a touch more autonomously than those to their north, and their cavalry have become emblematic of the country's armies.

To the north, their lie the myriad Uralic peoples. Their lands are the source of much of the lucrative fur trade that drove Novgorod, and later the Rus's initial growth, with boyars and merchants alike historically having accepted expensive furs as tribute. Though in theory untouched by intentional attack from the south, the Uralic peoples have been made to share their lands with an influx of Rus' settlers into the lands, as a means of securing the resources of the north. The zemlęs in the region offer varying degrees of rights and representation to the natives within each, but their deal is usually a lesser one than those of the Rus' there.

The east as it is known, represents the great frontier. It is ruled by a pair of governorates, the Siberian Governorate and Central Asian Governorate. The governorates rule over the peoples of their territories via a system of tithes. The myriad cultures here lie under their watch, and as the nation industrializes, the discovery of valuable resource deposits and the means to harness them within both regions may prompt the influx of ever more settlers, potentially changing the cultural makeup of the frontier forever.

In the west, at least to the west of Novgorod, there lies the Baltics, conquered from the Scandinavians in the 1700s, and one of the most recent receivers of zemlęhood in the west. A mix of native Balts, settler Scandinavians and newcoming Rus' live within its borders. The region is a bevy of ports in the Baltic Sea, and as such its cities have come to join those the Novgorod zemlę in terms of those that thrive off the Baltic Sea trade. The zemlę itself has proven surprisingly stable, likely due to the rights that the non-Rus' of its borders have fought and continue to fight bitter tooth and nail in the veches and the streets alike to achieve. This has set quite the precedent, and other groups that feel underrepresented, neglected and oppressed have begun taking steps to emulate their Baltic neighbors.

Territorial Core : Eveyrthing in Europe that is green. Should be obvious, but if it is isn't do tell me.
Territorial Claim : The nation is satisfied territorially at the given moment.
Capital City : Novgorod
Population : 30,000,000

Government Type : Unicameral Parliamentary Federation
Government Ideology/Policies : More often than not, the Rus' Federation is motivated by economics, harkening back to its roots in Novgorod. It is also a nation of republicanism, and is as such eager to spread its form of governance as a means of creating strong allies with common ground. Its economic focus combined with the decentralization inherent with federalism does mean that it more often than not resorts to more indirect means of achieving this as invasions are bad for the budget and hard to net approval from government with. The decentralized administration has given rise to a variety of factions in government, usually rooted in various regional divisions and only occasionally wider ideologies.
Government Focus : The nation is eager to reach out to the wider world, especially with the rise of new republics (which the Rus' may or may not have sponsored), and gain allies in a conflict that might just be defusable with enough guns to tell the enemy to back off. It is also eager for internal reform, to update the centuries-old republic by which it has operated. Whether or not it is willing or able to satisfy itself is another story, as is what kind of reforms it needs.
Head of State : Vladimir Nikolayevich Osipov is the Grand Prince of the Rus' Federation.
Head of Government : The Grand Prince is also the head of government, no strings attached.
Government Description : The country is a unicameral parliamentary federation. The Grand Prince, the head of government and state alike is elected by the High Veche, but not from within their ranks. Historically, the Grand Prince was a Rus' of noble blood usually from a neighboring principality, though in contemporary times they are more often than not an influential member of society from within the Rus' citizenry. A decorated general, a skilled administrator, a retired representative. The Grand Prince's duties include the appointment and firing of ministers to the cabinet with High Veche approval, helming the duties of 'said cabinet, and acting as the face of the country in international affairs. The Grand Prince is also vested with the power to head the nation's armies, a holdover from the position's time as that of a foreign noble, in practice, this power is usually delegated to other positions, save for the case where the Grand Prince is of a military background. The position, along with that of those of the representatives of the High Veche, have a collective 10-year term limit, after which the High Veche is dissolved, the Grand Prince resigns, and nationwide elections are held to staff the High Veche. Additionally, the High Veche can at any time force a vote of no confidence against the Grand Prince, then elect a new Grand Prince to fill out the remainder of the 10-year term.

The High Veche itself is the unicameral legislature of the country, and the highest one at that. It is comprised of many representatives from the varying zemlęs of the country. Each zemlę, or state is entitled to a proportional quantity of representatives in the High Veche, depending on the zemlę's population according to the latest census. Every ten years, the High Veche is dissolved, and the zemlęs must elect new representatives in a nationwide process. The means by which this is conducted vary between each zemlę, but in general, eligible political parties are listed on the ballot, and those with suffrage cast votes to choose their representatives. The resulting representatives are decided with the proportion of votes in the ballot. If 2/3rds of the votes are for Faction A, then 2/3rds of the representatives in the High Veche will be of Faction A. Of course, this system is by no means universal among all the zemlęs. The definition of suffrage in particular varies considerably from zemlę to zemlę, though since the Enlightenment came to the country the trend has been towards allowing more people to vote. The High Veche's responsibilities are, besides that of electing the Grand Prince, are also to propose and pass legislation, like any good legislature.

The system of governance practiced at the highest level is recursive. Each zemlę is entitled to one zemlę veche, complete with a Prince similarly lacking in nobility to the Grand Prince. This recursion continues all the way to the municipal level, and a nation of 30,000,000 is now many, many municipalities of a few thousand or even a few hundred each.

Despite what the previous paragraph suggests, there are in fact, places in the Novgorod Rus' Federation not under the zemlę system. These are the governorates, of which there are currently two. The Siberian and Central Asian governorates respectively. Each one is headed by an aptly-named governor-general, and instead of proper representation, the tribes and such, the peoples of these governorates instead act much like vassals to a feudal king, paying tithes and such to the governor-general, be they in currency or in precious resource. These governor-generals are also boasting of great armies which they use to expand their domains (or at least until they reached the Wei border) and quell uprisings amongst their subject polities. The system of governance practiced in the east has been lambasted as backwards, inefficient, and cruelly exploitative by reform-minded intellectuals both from within and without. Time will tell if they survive.

Historically, the politics of the High Veche has been divided along staunchly regionalist and socioeconomic lines. Zemlęs of similar character would form voting blocs. Urban zemlęs, rural zemlęs, et cetera, and governments would be established via coalitions between these zemlę blocs. Attempts at centralization were historically shot down in this environment. As the Enlightenment has spread on however, a new force has come onto the scene. Willing to cross regional boundaries, the Centralists, as they are a new political faction of ardent reformists. Their position is largely one of centralization as the name suggests. The Centralists have slowly grown in prominence, and the latest government, elected in 1811, is a Centralist-led coalition. Their platform is one of populist reform, of bringing sweeping change to the country from up high. They think the weakness of central government has allowed oligarchs and immorality to spread unchecked among the zemlęs, that the zemlęs no longer represent their peoples because of it, and that the course of state ought to be corrected. Their opposition, more often than note bearing ties to the oligarchs the Centralists decry is tighter than ever. The Centralists themselves are a varied sort, with positions within the new 'political party' varying from moderate to radical.

Majority/State Religion : Eastern Orthodoxy is the dominant religion in the country, its influence far and wide. Even as increasing secularization brought upon by the Enlightenment distanced the Orthodox church from the state, it remains a preeminent actor in the country. Missionaries need not be state-sponsored to continue their work, and few zemlęs, and certainly not the governor-generals have placed laws to curtail their activity.
Religious Description : A medley of other faiths exist within the Rus' Federation, with varying degrees of protection afforded to them by each zemlę and of course, the two governorates. The Norðurtrúin of the Baltic zemlę are given a comparatively high degree of protection by the ardently reformist zemlę there, while to the east, the native faiths of Siberia and Central Asia lie open to the prying jaws of persecution, discrimination and forced conversion alike. Other Christian denominations, from the Catholics to the Protestants, as do Jews and Muslims, each one once again afforded varying degrees of rights, privileges and protections by the many zemlęs and the two governorates.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism is currently the rising economic ideology the governs the country's economics. Mercantilist policies of old are currently being abolished to make way for the new free market and the Industrial Revolution.
Major Production : Many goods are produced by the Rus' Federation. Oldest amongst its industries are the furs, timbers and crops produced by its northern wilderness, expansive forests and fertile south, respectively. The industrial Revolution has also begun to make its inroads into the country, and prospective persons have begun to scan the country for valuables deep underground. Mining towns in the east have begun to spring about, driving the migrating of western populations. For now it's a relative trickle, but as the Industrial Revolution intensifies it will surely turn into a deluge. In terms of manufactured goods, some zemlęs are said to have certain specialties in that regard. The Baltic zemlę has inherited many of the shipbuilding traditions of the Scandinavians, while the zemlęs in more agrarian areas are said to excel in the production of alcohol.
Economic Description : The premier centers of the Rus' Federation's developing industrial economy are the big cities, the already-existing urban centers. Scattered primarily across the Novgorod and Baltic zemlęs, and also peppering the coastlines of the southern zemlę bordering the Black Sea, these cities serve as hubs were goods domestic and foreign alike are both exchanged for profit and brought together to create new goods in new-fangled factories. These cities also occur occasionally on the riverbanks of the Dnieper and Volga alike, bringing the wealth of trade and industry further inland.

Past these centers of trade and hotspots of the Industrial Revolution, there are the lands of 'simple resources.' The logging fields, the hunting grounds and the farming lands. Of the three, farming is the most prominent in terms of area, and certainly of importance, for the rather obvious reason that people need to eat. The chernozem (black soil) of the Eurasian Steppe has fueled only the most high-yield farms, where the likes of wheat and potatoes are grown by the bucketload. As industrial equipment enters the farming sector, the rise of larger farming estates is sure to come, be they peasant collectives or bourgeoisie operations.

In the east, in land mainly under the jurisdiction of the governorates, there lie the yet-to-be-utilized resources of Siberia. Mining towns have already sprung up through the decades, as pockets of rare minerals are found and extracted, but with the Industrial Revolution bringing forth a whole slew of new goods to extract and the means to do so, it is likely that the rate of settlement in these lands will skyrocket, and their influence in the economy similarly so.

The Rus' Federation operates on a unified currency, the ruble, which helps the economy move along, much to the chagrin of some of the more autonomy-minded zemlęs.
Development: Industrializing
Development Description : For one, this is a far more 'European' state than the real-world Russian Empire. Hemmed in by Wei in the east and founded by the trade-inclined and serf-less Novgorod, the Rus' Federation is far more inclined to industrial development than its real-world counterpart. The rise of industry so far has only occurred in the aforementioned urban centers predominantly in the coasts and rivers, but it is likely to spread further inland as capital is drawn into Russia and more resources are found. Still it is on a level lower than the likes of Britain in this regard.

Army Description : Historically, the army of the Rus' Federation was coupled with the zemlę system, each zemlę creating its own idea of a standing professional army, with only minor standards levied by the government. With the passing of the controversial Army Reform Bill in the 1790s, a Centralist pet project, however, a standing professional army has been created. The zemlę armies were broken up and reformed into new divisions.

These divisions number 35-strong, and each one is 10,000 in number, totaling 350,000 soldiers. 30 of those divisions are infantry divisions, and they are further divided into 1,000-strong regiments. 6 regiments in every division are infantry, while 2 are cavalry regiments and the remaining 2 regiments artillery. The remaining 5 divisions are cavalry divisions, with 8 regiments of cavalry and 2 regiments of artillery. The doctrine of this new army is in theory, informed largely by a synthesis of the varying military doctrines of the old zemlę armies, from the fierce cavalry tactics of the southern zemlęs to the winter-adapted soldiers of the north, in an attempt to utilize the best of all worlds and create only the greatest army.
Army Weakness : In practice, not so much. The doctrine of the new standing army is confused, owing to the recency of its creation and the lack of contemporary military conflict from which it can be field-tested in high numbers. The old military officer corps, the learned men with experience in past battles have so far also have mixed opinions on this new standing army. More than a few have sympathies for the zemlę system of old, and have been ardently uncooperative in helping its development along. Military observers deployed in recent conflicts tell of fierce armies with powerful arms and legendary reputations, and whether or not the army of the Rus' Federation will join their ranks or lay at their feet is a matter of utmost importance.
Naval Description : Unlike the army, the Rus' Navy was historically and currently is not affiliated with any given zemlę, and was instead a project of the country as a whole. The country maintains two fleets, the Baltic and Black Sea fleets, and both share roughly the same composition and integrity. As I am not familiar with warships of the time, I will instead just say they're a decent force for what their task is and not elaborate any further because I honestly cannot.
Naval Weakness : To say the least, the fleets of the Rus' Federation, both Baltic and Black are bottled. The Danish Belts and Bosporus are both controlled by foreign powers, and rarely does the country ever have naval quarrels past either geographic formation. As such the task given to these fleets is a mostly defensive one, and for the Baltic fleet especially, one that deals with the feared seamen of Scandinavia, even that might be a tall order.

National Goals : Expansion of the Rus' Federation's influence on the world stage, the bolstering of the economy, and of course reform.
National Issues : The Centralists are in many respects correct. The oligarchy is indeed a rampant issue, decentralization only feeding into that while also weakening the country as a whole. Literacy and suffrage are largely limited to urban areas, contributing to inequality. Minorities in the Rus' Federation have also historically held inferior status to the majority Rus'. The ascent of the Baltic Governorate to zemlęhood and the fight for the rights of Balts and Scandinavians has emboldened both movements and contributed to the rise of the Centralists.
National Figures of Interest : Here are a few contemporary figures of interest.
Vladimir Nikolayevich Osipov-The aforementioned Grand Prince. He holds Centralist leanings, largely a reflection of the current governing coalition, and his cabinet is much the same. He believes in a unified Centralist movement, that the growing split of radical and moderate ought to be put aside so that they may better govern.
Adam Otarrovych Danylyuk-A representative from the Baltic zemlę. Has mixed ancestry, both Scandinavian and Rus' settler. He helms the moderate faction of the Centralists, believing in some increase of government power, to keep zemlę tyranny (an enemy he has fought on many occasions) in check, but as a minority, he also desires a degree of freedom for his zemlę and others.
Iosif Alesnarovich Sabantsev-A representative from the Novgorod zemlę, and head of the radical faction of the Centralists. Has some very, interesting ideas about government, influenced by certain thinkers from elsewhere in Europe. He believes in a great deal of interventionism on the government's part, and has allied himself and his radical sector of the Centralists extensively with the unions that've followed the Industrial Revolution's footsteps, and that have also been adopted by the peasants.

History : History is as follows, a quick bulletin:
1400s-Moscow just, doesn't exist. Maybe the Tatars burned the city down en route to China? Regardless, it becomes a non-entity one way or the other, and Novgorod is free to continue existing. Eventually they begin a campaign of expansion into the south, to subjugate the other principalities, with a mix of diplomacy and warfare. In their place are established new veche republics, subjects to Novgorod. As a means to placate the displaced nobility and the uppity populace without resorting to assimilation into Novgorodian culture, these constituent zemlęs, the new term for them are given autonomy.
1500s-The unification of the Rus' is complete. The Novgorod Rus' Federation is declared, a statement of dominion over the entire land. Despite the name, everyone knows that 'Novgorod' is largely window dressing in terms of a name. Later in the century the Cossacks of the south would be dealt with, creating new zemlęs out of them with ever more autonomy. Wars with western powers also begin around this time, both as attacker and defender.
1600s-This is the time when eastern expansion took of, the Western world secure and stable-ish. The Wei border is reached during the middle of this century. Wars with western powers continue, though there is a slight downtick. This is also the time where the ills of decentralization become manifest, the nation now having existed long enough for the problems of such governance to be observable with two centuries of data from the past. Cries of reform begin towards the end of the century, but they are quiet for the time being.
1700s-The Baltics are conquered from the Scandinavians. The turbulent situation there leads to the creation of the formal Governorate System, with the Baltic, Siberian and Central Asian Governorates being established. The cries of reform grow to a crescendo in the 1750s, when the first hints of the Centralist faction arise. The ascension of the Baltic Governorate to zemlęhood only furthers their resolve. Towards the end of the century the great European revolutions in Britain and Germany take place. Centralist laws like the Army Reform Bill start getting rolled out as the movement picks up steam.
1800s-It's a new century, and the prominence of the Centralists is at an all-time high. Reforms are being passed at an increasing rate, but the opposition is also banding together to form a united front against them. Internal divisions within the Centralists are also making themselves manifest. Europe inches ever closer to another great conflagration of military conflict, not helped by the militarist nature of these new republics. The country well and truly hangs in the balance.
RP Sample: Last RP I participated in that had a similar theme and premise

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

Accepted!

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Full Nation Name : The Papal Diocese and Apostolic State
Majority/Official Culture : Latin, Roman
Territorial Core : The City of Rome and environs
Territorial Claim : The Entire World (Catholicism claims to be the Universal Religion, and the Pope presents himself as the leader of that religion)
Capital City : Rome
Population : 1.500.000

Government Type: Absolute Theocratic Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Conservative theocratic
Government Focus : The focus of the Papal Diocese is the advancement of Catholicism around the world, be it the safety of the children under her guidance or the expansion of states that follow the Catholic doctrine. The Pope also makes sure Canon Law and religious dogmas are properly followed.
Head of State : The Pope, Pius Septimus
Head of Government : See Head of State
Government Description : The City of Rome and the Catholic Church are headed both by the Pope; the most holy bishop in all of Christendom. The election of the Pope has always been a difficult subject; at the start of the medieval era, the Pope was no different than any other Bishop, and his position was therefore an elected one; to be chosen by the people of his diocese. However, this was more and more unbecoming as the Patriarch of Rome came to hold an important position in Western Christianity, what would later become Catholicism. Two Roman patrician families constantly vied to have their loyalists on the Papal throne, and because of this the Papal seat became a political device for these families. At one point, the Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Germans, was forced to intervene, and came to appoint Popes in the following years. After this, a new system was devised, where a Pope would divise the manner of appointment for his successor, usually involving the College of Cardinals having some sort of vote.

Now, this is all important for understanding how the current system came to be. In 1565, Pope Pius Quartus passed away. He had been a controversial figure, reconvening the Council of Trent as a perpetual ecumenical council to consult in matters of faith. This coincided with the restructuring of the Theological University of Rome, which would serve at the pleasure of the Ecumenical Council. Altogether, the basis of the Church would be more seated in rational debate than in pure Church dogma, in the hopes of undercutting the criticism of protestantism and other reformist groups. On his death bed, Pius Quartus also signed his final Will and Testament, which decreed that his successor would have to be elected by all Dioces across Europe, as the will of God would show itself through the whole mass of Christendom. The Cardinals objected, but the Will contained such a detailed description of what procedures to follow that they dared not cast it aside. So, the first Papal election in history was held. It was mostly farsical; rife with voting fraud on all possible levels, since there was no history for such an event, and the high illiteracy among Catholic peasants did not help the matter, but the farsical nature did not deminish the revolutionary act.

Pope Pius Quintus did not repeat this experiment, but did increase the role of the ecumenical council as well as the college of cardinals in selecting candidates, while giving the ecumenical council representative seats from all Dioces. This turned the ecumenical council into something resembling a parliament, although they lacked any sort of power and remained a purely deliberative and scientific body. It was pope Urbanus Septimus who once again let his successor be decided by general vote, although this time, he prepared for it. The voting procedure would be done over a period of half a year, during which votes would be cast under seal of confession. This helped reduce fraud as well as make the election part of church doctrine. Throughout the 17th century, popes were elected in this manner sporadically. Until Pius Septimus; this pope has since decreed that, from his death onward, every pope will have to be elected by secret ballot from candidates nominated from the college of cardinals by the ecumenical council. The 19th century is a new century, after all, and the revolutionary fervour of the world shows that the Church has to grow alongside. Still, it is important to note that the Church still supports the theological basis for the divine right of kings; however, they make a difference between the Papacy and the Temporal Kings, whose authority eminates from the Holy See.

Majority/State Religion : Rastafarianism

Economic Ideologies : Mercantalism, with heavy Christian overtones
Major Production : Religious texts, wine, early tourism (due to Rome being a site of pilgrimage)
Economic Description : The economy of the Diocese is pretty unique: it depends almost entirely on the spending of the Catholic Church, from money that is mainly collected from donations and state sponsors, as well as some banking duties and investments performed by the Church. This influx of money means that the Diocese does not export much in the traditional sense, and the economy is almost entirely geared towards supporting the headquarters of the Universal Religion. Local economy is also supported by tourism from wealthy pilgrims from all over the world, seeking the most holy site in Catholic christianity.

Development: Mercantile and mostly urban, based on the ownership of various patrician, semi-noble classes in the Roman countryside.
Development Description : Rome is mostly urbanised with some farming gentry in what countryside it possesses. It has no interest in machines, rather wanting to keep their estates pure and close to nature. The Church abhors any investment into factories, not least because the creation of a poor working class would be a threat to the Vatican.

Army Description : The Roman army consists of two major parts: the smallest, but most well-trained, is the Swiss Guard. This papal honour guard, grenadiers all, acts as an elite police force and the personal guard to the Pope. It consists of two regiments, the Saint Peter and Saint Paul regiments, and totals 4.000 men. Despite the name, the Swiss Guard is formed from all German-speaking lands that will allow expatriats to Rome. The larger part, the Holy Legion, is bigger: five regiments, 10.000 men in total, and acts like a kind of foreign legion. People join it to escape some form of justice. At any moment, only one regiment is active, while the others are kept in reserve, to be called on. Their quality is poor, but their devotion to the Church is unrivalled, and they can be called upon when the Swiss Guard lacks the strength to protect Rome.
Army Weakness : It's size. The Roman Army cannot project strength far beyond its borders, and serves only to protect the City itself from incursion. The armaments of the Swiss Guard are stellar, but the Holy Legion is poorly equipped with antiquated weapons.
Naval Description : The Roman Navy is nearly non-existent; Rome is kept safe by naval forts and shore batteries, rather than an active navy. The Pope has a small personal fleet for when he needs to travel, but this fleet is only lightly armed, and depends on the strength of other nations to protect it from harm.
Naval Weakness : You can't have naval weaknesses if you don't have a navy.

National Goals : It depends on what Pope is on the throne. Generally, the Church balances between peaceful, theological contemplation and charity on the other hand, and vengeful spreading of the Faith by Fire and Sword. The basic goal of the Church is to become the Universal Church, to herald Jesus' peace to all corners of the globe. Eventually, the Church must rule supreme, and all heretics and heathens must be accepted into the bosom of the Mother Church. However, Catholicism stands on the back foot, and colonisation will be the greatest boon to the church since the printing press.
National Issues : Uppity kings who have their own goals aside from the Holy Goals of the Church, a division among the clergy on what the Church needs to accomplish, and the prominence of large Orthodox, Muslim, Heathen and Protestant powers all over the world.
National Figures of Interest : The Pope, Pius Septimus, who is more and more interested in claiming the mantle of the Roman Empire from the Austrians, who are beginning to annoy him through lack of missionary zeal.

History :

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

Here is my app, the history still needs to be finished but most of it I already described. The history is pretty much the same as IRL, but with the pope getting elected by an enormous catholic vote every time.

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name : The Papal Diocese and Apostolic State
Majority/Official Culture : Latin, Roman
Territorial Core : The City of Rome and environs
Territorial Claim : The Entire World (Catholicism claims to be the Universal Religion, and the Pope presents himself as the leader of that religion)
Capital City : Rome
Population : 1.500.000

Government Type: Absolute Theocratic Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies : Conservative theocratic
Government Focus : The focus of the Papal Diocese is the advancement of Catholicism around the world, be it the safety of the children under her guidance or the expansion of states that follow the Catholic doctrine. The Pope also makes sure Canon Law and religious dogmas are properly followed.
Head of State : The Pope, Pius Septimus
Head of Government : See Head of State
Government Description : The City of Rome and the Catholic Church are headed both by the Pope; the most holy bishop in all of Christendom. The election of the Pope has always been a difficult subject; at the start of the medieval era, the Pope was no different than any other Bishop, and his position was therefore an elected one; to be chosen by the people of his diocese. However, this was more and more unbecoming as the Patriarch of Rome came to hold an important position in Western Christianity, what would later become Catholicism. Two Roman patrician families constantly vied to have their loyalists on the Papal throne, and because of this the Papal seat became a political device for these families. At one point, the Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Germans, was forced to intervene, and came to appoint Popes in the following years. After this, a new system was devised, where a Pope would divise the manner of appointment for his successor, usually involving the College of Cardinals having some sort of vote.

Now, this is all important for understanding how the current system came to be. In 1565, Pope Pius Quartus passed away. He had been a controversial figure, reconvening the Council of Trent as a perpetual ecumenical council to consult in matters of faith. This coincided with the restructuring of the Theological University of Rome, which would serve at the pleasure of the Ecumenical Council. Altogether, the basis of the Church would be more seated in rational debate than in pure Church dogma, in the hopes of undercutting the criticism of protestantism and other reformist groups. On his death bed, Pius Quartus also signed his final Will and Testament, which decreed that his successor would have to be elected by all Dioces across Europe, as the will of God would show itself through the whole mass of Christendom. The Cardinals objected, but the Will contained such a detailed description of what procedures to follow that they dared not cast it aside. So, the first Papal election in history was held. It was mostly farsical; rife with voting fraud on all possible levels, since there was no history for such an event, and the high illiteracy among Catholic peasants did not help the matter, but the farsical nature did not deminish the revolutionary act.

Pope Pius Quintus did not repeat this experiment, but did increase the role of the ecumenical council as well as the college of cardinals in selecting candidates, while giving the ecumenical council representative seats from all Dioces. This turned the ecumenical council into something resembling a parliament, although they lacked any sort of power and remained a purely deliberative and scientific body. It was pope Urbanus Septimus who once again let his successor be decided by general vote, although this time, he prepared for it. The voting procedure would be done over a period of half a year, during which votes would be cast under seal of confession. This helped reduce fraud as well as make the election part of church doctrine. Throughout the 17th century, popes were elected in this manner sporadically. Until Pius Septimus; this pope has since decreed that, from his death onward, every pope will have to be elected by secret ballot from candidates nominated from the college of cardinals by the ecumenical council. The 19th century is a new century, after all, and the revolutionary fervour of the world shows that the Church has to grow alongside. Still, it is important to note that the Church still supports the theological basis for the divine right of kings; however, they make a difference between the Papacy and the Temporal Kings, whose authority eminates from the Holy See.

Majority/State Religion : Rastafarianism

Economic Ideologies : Mercantalism, with heavy Christian overtones
Major Production : Religious texts, wine, early tourism (due to Rome being a site of pilgrimage)
Economic Description : The economy of the Diocese is pretty unique: it depends almost entirely on the spending of the Catholic Church, from money that is mainly collected from donations and state sponsors, as well as some banking duties and investments performed by the Church. This influx of money means that the Diocese does not export much in the traditional sense, and the economy is almost entirely geared towards supporting the headquarters of the Universal Religion. Local economy is also supported by tourism from wealthy pilgrims from all over the world, seeking the most holy site in Catholic christianity.

Development: Mercantile and mostly urban, based on the ownership of various patrician, semi-noble classes in the Roman countryside.
Development Description : Rome is mostly urbanised with some farming gentry in what countryside it possesses. It has no interest in machines, rather wanting to keep their estates pure and close to nature. The Church abhors any investment into factories, not least because the creation of a poor working class would be a threat to the Vatican.

Army Description : The Roman army consists of two major parts: the smallest, but most well-trained, is the Swiss Guard. This papal honour guard, grenadiers all, acts as an elite police force and the personal guard to the Pope. It consists of two regiments, the Saint Peter and Saint Paul regiments, and totals 4.000 men. Despite the name, the Swiss Guard is formed from all German-speaking lands that will allow expatriats to Rome. The larger part, the Holy Legion, is bigger: five regiments, 10.000 men in total, and acts like a kind of foreign legion. People join it to escape some form of justice. At any moment, only one regiment is active, while the others are kept in reserve, to be called on. Their quality is poor, but their devotion to the Church is unrivalled, and they can be called upon when the Swiss Guard lacks the strength to protect Rome.
Army Weakness : It's size. The Roman Army cannot project strength far beyond its borders, and serves only to protect the City itself from incursion. The armaments of the Swiss Guard are stellar, but the Holy Legion is poorly equipped with antiquated weapons.
Naval Description : The Roman Navy is nearly non-existent; Rome is kept safe by naval forts and shore batteries, rather than an active navy. The Pope has a small personal fleet for when he needs to travel, but this fleet is only lightly armed, and depends on the strength of other nations to protect it from harm.
Naval Weakness : You can't have naval weaknesses if you don't have a navy.

National Goals : It depends on what Pope is on the throne. Generally, the Church balances between peaceful, theological contemplation and charity on the other hand, and vengeful spreading of the Faith by Fire and Sword. The basic goal of the Church is to become the Universal Church, to herald Jesus' peace to all corners of the globe. Eventually, the Church must rule supreme, and all heretics and heathens must be accepted into the bosom of the Mother Church. However, Catholicism stands on the back foot, and colonisation will be the greatest boon to the church since the printing press.
National Issues : Uppity kings who have their own goals aside from the Holy Goals of the Church, a division among the clergy on what the Church needs to accomplish, and the prominence of large Orthodox, Muslim, Heathen and Protestant powers all over the world.
National Figures of Interest : The Pope, Pius Septimus, who is more and more interested in claiming the mantle of the Roman Empire from the Austrians, who are beginning to annoy him through lack of missionary zeal.

History :

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

Here is my app, the history still needs to be finished but most of it I already described. The history is pretty much the same as IRL, but with the pope getting elected by an enormous catholic vote every time.

Looks pretty great overall, memes aside

Accepted, although if you could later take the history you mentioned and turn it into a simple bulletpoint chronology in the history section it would be much appreciated

[Alt Div Admin]

Map and list have been updated, Persia and Iraq are once again free and up for grabs

[Deblar]

Full Nation Name : Republic of Florida
Majority/Official Culture : Blend of Hispanic and American culture
Territorial Core : The Floridian peninsula
Territorial Claim : The entirety of old Spanish claims on Florida up to the Mississippi River
Capital City : St. Augustine, Florida
Population : 946,040 (1,357,040 including slaves)
Flag: (Image)

Government Type : Federal Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : After winning independence, Florida had remained isolationist prior to the election of Diego De la Rosa. While campaigning, De la Rosa used the promise of increased diplomacy with European and Asian nations as a pillar of his campaign. After winning he election, recently elected De la Rosa plans to not waste any time implementing his agenda.
Government Focus : To establish Florida on the world stage, defend her interests against colonizers, and grow the economy and international cooperation.
Head of State : Diego De la Rosa
Head of Government : Diego De la Rosa
Government Description : The Floridian government is based on the IRL American government, with three branches of government. There are a few differences, such as there is only one house of legislature and the Supreme Court is made up of elected officials rather than appointed judges.

The Executive Branch is made up of the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice President, and each of the different ministries, which function like the IRL American system.

The Legislative Branch is made up of a singular house of legislature, the Senate, which is made up of 2 representatives from each of Florida’s 16 districts (or states), plus a representative from each Native American tribe living in Florida.

The Judicial Branch is made up of courts of different levels of jurisdiction and power, those being local level courts, district level courts, lesser federal courts, and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of Florida is made up of a body of 7 different officials who are elected into their seats by the people rather than appointed by the President. These officials are usually people with experience in the criminal justice system, such as lawyers, prosecutors, and judges.

Majority/State Religion :Christianity
Religious Description :[/b] Florida is 73% Protestant , with the rest of the Christian population falling under Roman Catholicism. Other religions include Atheism and voodoo.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Oranges, Cattle, Cotton, Sugar, etc.
Economic Description : The economy of Florida is heavily based on agriculture, but the government has attempted to change that by subsidizing industry and encouraging factory development, which has not been very effective as Florida is unable to industrialize on its own. President Diego De la Rosa plans on gaining outside industrial support as part of his plan to connect Florida with the rest of the developed world. Following independence, Florida attempted to model its economy after the economy of European nations, which was not very successful, as Florida still remains dependent on agriculture.

Development: Pre-Industrial
Development Description : Florida is early in the process of industrializing, with a few factories in major towns such as Miami and Tampa, and the capital, St. Augustine.

Army Description : The army is led by a former Hispanic war general by the name of Julio Hernandez de Santa Anna, who fought for the Hispanics during various conflicts from 1767-1779, and led the Hispanic attacks of British forces in the Gulf Coast during the American Revolution. He also was Benjamin Fredrickson’s right-hand-man during the Revolution. His experience in warfare and superb ability to train his troops brings an advantage to the Floridian Army. He trains his forces and uses tactics that he learned as a member of the Hispanic Army, with some of his own tactics mixed in. His leadership is similar to that of George Washington, a mix of guerrilla and tactics used by larger militaries .
Army Weakness : The Floridian Army is remarkably small(only 30,000 men in total) and not very well funded(military funding only takes up 3% of the GDP), and the rather conservative government is hesitant to give the military any new funds.
Naval Description : The navy is led by former American sailor Henry Jackson, who also fought in the American Revolution. His experience and leadership gives the navy a tactical advantage. He prefers to use European training methods and tactics. His leadership is similar to that of John Paul Jones(who primarily used hit and run tactics). The navy is primarily used for defensive purposes .
Naval Weakness : same as army(only 18 ships and 7,000 sailors in total)
Further Military Description : Both Branches are pretty small and underfunded. The military is forced to use Revolution-era equipment, which is pretty outdated, and with little funding, they cannot afford to improve the equipment. President Diego De la Rosa has remained open to increasing military funding, but doing so is not his top priority.

National Goals : Florida wishes to establish itself on the global stage, grow its economy, and continue its survival
National Issues : Lacks international relations; economy and industry underdeveloped; slavery a widely talked about issue; small size, which will become more of a problem as the population continues to grow; while they have signed numerous treaties with Native Americans respecting their sovereignty and giving them somewhat of a voice in government, not everyone agrees with these treaties
National Figures of Interest : Ponce de Leon is seen as a Christopher Columbus like figure and can be seen on the $5 banknote, and revolutionary leader and first president of Florida, Benjamin Fredrickson, is seen as a George Washington like figure and the father of Florida. He can be seen on the $1 banknote.
National Ambition/Aspirations : In an initiative started by President Diego De la Rosa, Florida will begin to establish concrete relations with European and Asian powers.

History :
In 1513, Florida was discovered by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who named the new land La Florida. In 1564, the first settlement, St. Augustine, was founded. As more settlements popped up across Florida, the area came under frequent attacks from British and French forces.

During the latter half of the 18th century, many colonists from the 13 colonies began to move to the area, considering they weren't allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains and for the expansive farmland optimal for growing crops like cotton, tobacco, and others. Mass immigration continued through the American Revolution, mostly for loyalists looking to escape harassment in the 13 colonies. After the revolution ended, the population was now made up mostly of Americans who emigrated from the 13 colonies. These settlers began to clash with the Hispanic colonial government, which began to come to a head in 1787, when troops were sent to seize control over the territory. Armed colonists clashed with them near St. Augustine, officially starting the Floridian Revolution.

The Hispanics were able to create a blockade, but the colonists, who had boldly commandeered some anchored ships on the coast near St. Augustine, were able to break through in a bold attack and create a hole in the blockade. Meanwhile, in St. Augustine, the Hispanics forced the then outnumbered Floridian militia, led by Benjamin Fredrickson, to retreat into the city, where they had to endure a 3 week long siege in which way were starting to run out of supplies.Once more rebels to the south took up arms, they went to St. Augustine and flanked the assaulting Hispanics, who, after taking numerous losses, retreated into the countryside to regroup. With newfound reinforcements, St Augustine was fortified to prepare for another potential assault on the city. While preparing, Benjamin Fredrickson suggested that they attack the Hispanic encampment in the countryside, reportedly stating “we must win this war before it is lost”. Taking his advice, he led the Floridian militia in a surprise attack on the Hispanic camp. The Hispanic general was captured and was forced to surrender.

After the surrender of Hispanic forces, both sides signed the Treaty of Madrid, which granted the Republic of Florida independence from Hispania in 1788. Following independence, elections were held, and Benjamin Fredrickson won the presidential election. While in office, he instituted a neutrality policy, which practically made European and Asian relations nonexistent. While many people didn’t exactly like the policy, it gave the newborn Republic a chance to stabilize without being pulled into a conflict. This policy continued to be upheld by following presidents up to the recently elected Diego De la Rosa. He plans on re-establishing concrete diplomatic relations with Europe and Asia. As they enter the 24th year of the Republic, Florida has many challenges ahead, but with the determination they had made themselves known for during and after the Revolution, they shall face them head on.
RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=498384&p=38381231#p38381231

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

/bump

[Novacom]

Full Nation Name : Republic of Florida
Majority/Official Culture : Blend of Hispanic and American culture
Territorial Core : The Floridian peninsula
Territorial Claim : The entirety of old Spanish claims on Florida up to the Mississippi River
Capital City : St. Augustine, Florida
Population : 946,040 (1,357,040 including slaves)
Flag: (Image)

Government Type : Federal Republic
Government Ideology/Policies : After winning independence, Florida had remained isolationist prior to the election of Diego De la Rosa. While campaigning, De la Rosa used the promise of increased diplomacy with European and Asian nations as a pillar of his campaign. After winning he election, recently elected De la Rosa plans to not waste any time implementing his agenda.
Government Focus : To establish Florida on the world stage, defend her interests against colonizers, and grow the economy and international cooperation.
Head of State : Diego De la Rosa
Head of Government : Diego De la Rosa
Government Description : The Floridian government is based on the IRL American government, with three branches of government. There are a few differences, such as there is only one house of legislature and the Supreme Court is made up of elected officials rather than appointed judges.

The Executive Branch is made up of the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice President, and each of the different ministries, which function like the IRL American system.

The Legislative Branch is made up of a singular house of legislature, the Senate, which is made up of 2 representatives from each of Florida’s 16 districts (or states), plus a representative from each Native American tribe living in Florida.

The Judicial Branch is made up of courts of different levels of jurisdiction and power, those being local level courts, district level courts, lesser federal courts, and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of Florida is made up of a body of 7 different officials who are elected into their seats by the people rather than appointed by the President. These officials are usually people with experience in the criminal justice system, such as lawyers, prosecutors, and judges.

Majority/State Religion :Christianity
Religious Description :[/b] Florida is 73% Protestant , with the rest of the Christian population falling under Roman Catholicism. Other religions include Atheism and voodoo.

Economic Ideologies : Capitalism
Major Production : Oranges, Cattle, Cotton, Sugar, etc.
Economic Description : The economy of Florida is heavily based on agriculture, but the government has attempted to change that by subsidizing industry and encouraging factory development, which has not been very effective as Florida is unable to industrialize on its own. President Diego De la Rosa plans on gaining outside industrial support as part of his plan to connect Florida with the rest of the developed world. Following independence, Florida attempted to model its economy after the economy of European nations, which was not very successful, as Florida still remains dependent on agriculture.

Development: Pre-Industrial
Development Description : Florida is early in the process of industrializing, with a few factories in major towns such as Miami and Tampa, and the capital, St. Augustine.

Army Description : The army is led by a former Hispanic war general by the name of Julio Hernandez de Santa Anna, who fought for the Hispanics during various conflicts from 1767-1779, and led the Hispanic attacks of British forces in the Gulf Coast during the American Revolution. He also was Benjamin Fredrickson’s right-hand-man during the Revolution. His experience in warfare and superb ability to train his troops brings an advantage to the Floridian Army. He trains his forces and uses tactics that he learned as a member of the Hispanic Army, with some of his own tactics mixed in. His leadership is similar to that of George Washington, a mix of guerrilla and tactics used by larger militaries .
Army Weakness : The Floridian Army is remarkably small(only 30,000 men in total) and not very well funded(military funding only takes up 3% of the GDP), and the rather conservative government is hesitant to give the military any new funds.
Naval Description : The navy is led by former American sailor Henry Jackson, who also fought in the American Revolution. His experience and leadership gives the navy a tactical advantage. He prefers to use European training methods and tactics. His leadership is similar to that of John Paul Jones(who primarily used hit and run tactics). The navy is primarily used for defensive purposes .
Naval Weakness : same as army(only 18 ships and 7,000 sailors in total)
Further Military Description : Both Branches are pretty small and underfunded. The military is forced to use Revolution-era equipment, which is pretty outdated, and with little funding, they cannot afford to improve the equipment. President Diego De la Rosa has remained open to increasing military funding, but doing so is not his top priority.

National Goals : Florida wishes to establish itself on the global stage, grow its economy, and continue its survival
National Issues : Lacks international relations; economy and industry underdeveloped; slavery a widely talked about issue; small size, which will become more of a problem as the population continues to grow; while they have signed numerous treaties with Native Americans respecting their sovereignty and giving them somewhat of a voice in government, not everyone agrees with these treaties
National Figures of Interest : Ponce de Leon is seen as a Christopher Columbus like figure and can be seen on the $5 banknote, and revolutionary leader and first president of Florida, Benjamin Fredrickson, is seen as a George Washington like figure and the father of Florida. He can be seen on the $1 banknote.
National Ambition/Aspirations : In an initiative started by President Diego De la Rosa, Florida will begin to establish concrete relations with European and Asian powers.

History :
In 1513, Florida was discovered by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who named the new land La Florida. In 1564, the first settlement, St. Augustine, was founded. As more settlements popped up across Florida, the area came under frequent attacks from British and French forces.

During the latter half of the 18th century, many colonists from the 13 colonies began to move to the area, considering they weren't allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains and for the expansive farmland optimal for growing crops like cotton, tobacco, and others. Mass immigration continued through the American Revolution, mostly for loyalists looking to escape harassment in the 13 colonies. After the revolution ended, the population was now made up mostly of Americans who emigrated from the 13 colonies. These settlers began to clash with the Hispanic colonial government, which began to come to a head in 1787, when troops were sent to seize control over the territory. Armed colonists clashed with them near St. Augustine, officially starting the Floridian Revolution.

The Hispanics were able to create a blockade, but the colonists, who had boldly commandeered some anchored ships on the coast near St. Augustine, were able to break through in a bold attack and create a hole in the blockade. Meanwhile, in St. Augustine, the Hispanics forced the then outnumbered Floridian militia, led by Benjamin Fredrickson, to retreat into the city, where they had to endure a 3 week long siege in which way were starting to run out of supplies.Once more rebels to the south took up arms, they went to St. Augustine and flanked the assaulting Hispanics, who, after taking numerous losses, retreated into the countryside to regroup. With newfound reinforcements, St Augustine was fortified to prepare for another potential assault on the city. While preparing, Benjamin Fredrickson suggested that they attack the Hispanic encampment in the countryside, reportedly stating “we must win this war before it is lost”. Taking his advice, he led the Floridian militia in a surprise attack on the Hispanic camp. The Hispanic general was captured and was forced to surrender.

After the surrender of Hispanic forces, both sides signed the Treaty of Madrid, which granted the Republic of Florida independence from Hispania in 1788. Following independence, elections were held, and Benjamin Fredrickson won the presidential election. While in office, he instituted a neutrality policy, which practically made European and Asian relations nonexistent. While many people didn’t exactly like the policy, it gave the newborn Republic a chance to stabilize without being pulled into a conflict. This policy continued to be upheld by following presidents up to the recently elected Diego De la Rosa. He plans on re-establishing concrete diplomatic relations with Europe and Asia. As they enter the 24th year of the Republic, Florida has many challenges ahead, but with the determination they had made themselves known for during and after the Revolution, they shall face them head on.
RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=498384&p=38381231#p38381231

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

/bump

The changes you've made are so minor I didn't even NOTICE them on the first read, I'll be fair and give you a chance to step back and put in the requested changes, if you can't then I'm afraid this application cannot be accepted due to it being too barebones.

[The Imperial Warglorian Empire]

Done
Full Nation Name: Royaume de France (Kingdom of France)
Majority/Official Culture : French
Territorial Core: Modern French territory, Tunisian Coast, Alegeria northern coast, East Madgascar Coast, this pink stuff (minus the Pondichery region), West Bengal, Bangladesh, the Indian coastal territories between West Bengal and the other eastern French Indian colonies, those small islands above Madagascar, Queensland area, Timor Island, Seychelles Islands, Réunion Isle, Mauritius Isle, Port Mathurin, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Territorial Claim: India, North and West Africa, Sardinia, Northern Italy, Canada, Louisiana, The Caribbean, Madagascar, all Benelux territories up to the Rhine, The British Isles (as a friendly non-Jacobin government), the Netherlands (as a client state), Australia
Capital City: Paris
Population: 40,171,000
-30 million (Continental France)
-2.9 million (French North Africa)
-8 million (French India)

Government Type: Bicameral Constitutional Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies: Militant, Imperialist, Progressive
Government Focus: The government focuses on both expanding France's colonial holding abroad, as well as helping further develop and change the social & political cultures of France, as the divide between the Aristocracy and the Lower Class are still decently prevalent. A gentle balance must be formed in order to keep the delicate Constitutional Order that had been developed in the nation in the aftermath of the Constitutional Revolution.
Head of State: King Louis XVI (Louis Joseph Xavier, Duke of Burgundy)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Antoine Barnave
Government Description: There are three branches, the King's Cabinet (Executive), the Royal Parliament (Bicameral) and the Judiciary. The King's Cabinet, officially, is made up of Royal Ministers appointed by the King to carry out the will of the National Assembly. The Royal Parliament, meanwhile, is a bicameral Legislature partly inspired by both the British Parliamentary and American Legislatures: with an upper chamber (Senate) and a lower chamber (National Assembly). Due to the unique balance between aristocracy and commoners, a compromise was reached whereupon the Senate would be made up of nobles from the aristocracy and the National Assembly would be made up of deputies (representing a certain geographic area and part of the population) elected by the people. The King has a suspensive veto with which he can use to void any legislation passing through Parliament; unless 2/3rds of both the Senate and the National Assembly vote to overturn said veto.

The National Assembly is currently controlled by three factions: the Girondins on the left desiring the abolition of the monarchy in favour of a fully republican system. The Ultra-Royalists (known by other names, including the Phillipians from the first official King of France and the Septemberists based on the September Revolt), who broadly desire a return to the Absolute Monarchy (though some factions vary concerning the retaining of less-radical reformations). And finally, the Burgundian Constitutionalist Party in the middle, which support the Constitutional government under the current regime.

Majority/State Religion: Roman Catholicism
Religious Description: Exactly as stated

Economic Ideologies: Capitalism
Major Production: Wheat, corn, meat, wine, iron and coal
Economic Description: Due to the more liberal based reforms of both the government and economy, a more prevalent and competitive free market has been developed. Furthermore, the government has taken a much more active role concerning funding public projects such as state-funded hospitals and educational centres. The latter, under the watchful eye of Louis-Auguste, has especially seen rapid reform, creating top-quality universities and government-funded schools free for the peasantry to attend.

Development: Industrialising
Development Description: A competitive free market, as well as recent developments abroad, has allowed France to keep up technologically with her neighbours.

Army Description: The Armée Royale in Europe is a professional fighting force composed of approximately 150,000 veteran soldiers. Unlike the previous incarnation of the Royal Army as well as the AR in its early days, which was mostly dominated by members of the aristocracy, through the efforts of reform-minded individuals like Napoleon Bonaparte, the army has become much more meritocratic. One especially notable part of France's Army is its cadre of talented generals and marshalls, many of them handpicked by Grand Marshall Bonaparte himself. Another is the Army's usage of a Staff Corps, something established in the aftermath of the Constitutional Revolution from the insistence of Louis XVI and other like-minded military leaders.

Other parts of the Empire maintain their own local armies which hold not just European soldiers but also a large number of soldiers recruited from the local populace. Most notable of these is the Armée de l'Inde (Army of India) which has a standing force of 80,000 professionally trained Indian soldiers stationed there, the largest of any of the French colonial armies. Due to the rather progressive stance France has on racial equality, it is not uncommon to see locals manage to rise into positions of higher rank within these armed forces.

A rather notable part of the Armée Royale, however, is the "Garde constitutionnelle du roi," an elite fighting force of 10,000 men completely and utterly loyal only to the King. With its own cavalry, light infantry and artillery, the Garde is a fully self-sufficient and mobile force, filled with veterans. Due to the September Revolt, Louis XVI grew concerned at how much of the aristocratic officer corps had rebelled, siding with the Ultra-Royalists rather than the king himself. Therefore, not only is the Garde a "private army" that the King can rely on, but because it's filled with veterans soldiers, members of the Garde (in times of emergency) can be used as NCOs and be spread out across the rest of the regular army in case of another mass insurrection by officers occurs.

Army Weakness: The army remains somewhat divided ever since the Royalist Revolt, as despite the far more meritocratic-based reforms set up by Marshall Bonaparte, there are still rather heated tensions between the aristocratic officers and lower class officers within the Army. This may lead to a more disunited spirit, one which may jeopardize military operations in the future, and often what keeps them from going at each other's throats is the charisma of France's higher ranking (and generally more sensible) commanders.
Naval Description: The French Navy is like most other navies of the era, filled with both large 100 gun ships-of-the-line as well as smaller frigates, sloops and brings. The Navy is constantly expanding and is in fact a primary focus by the French government at the moment as it attempts to catch up with its main rival, Jacobin Britain. There are, however, currently two main camps of thought within the French Navy: those who desire a pursuit of a conventional large navy composed of ships-of-the-line that may face other rivals on the open seas in conventional warfare (nicknamed the "Grands Artilleurs"). And those who say that it's impossible to catch up with Britain when it comes to their navy, and so they ought to focus on creating a fleet of small merchant raiders, that'll be used to speedily spread across the globe and raid shipping to starve out their enemies (named "Petits Coureurs").
Naval Weakness: Though relatively large, it is not staffed by a large cadre of experienced naval officers, as France lacks such a maritime tradition and has been disregarding the infrastructure to do so.
Further Military Description:

National Goals : The rebuilding of France's global empire, the spreading of the Constitutional Revolution to other parts of the world
National Issues : The ending of Britain as an economic and military rival, tensions between the aristocracy and the meritocratic lower class officials
National Figures of Interest:

• Napoleon Bonaparte (Grand Marshal of France, Grand Master of Artillery)
• Arthur Wellesley (General of His Majesty's Armed Forces in Exile)
• Louis-Auguste (Brother of Louis XVI, Minister of Public Instruction & Worship)
• Marie Antoinette (Royal Governess of Guelma)
• Joseph Fouché (Minister of Police and Head of the Girondins Party's Radical Sect)
• Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (Minister of Foreign Affairs)
• Jean-de-Dieu Soult (Marshal of France, Head of Burgundian Revolutionary Movement)
• Georges Danton (Head of Girondins Party)
• Elisabeth de Bourbon (third child of Louis XVI, Honourary Officer in the Garde constitutionnelle du roi
• Charles de Bourbon (first child of Louis XVI and Heir to the Throne)

National Ambition/Aspirations : To create an empire dominant on the world stage, while forming a nation based on true progressive and liberal ideals while still retaining the conservative aspects of a monarchy.

History: Louis, Duke of Burgundy, doesn't die in a freak rough play accident with his friends, which leads to him becoming king instead of Louis "Citizen Capet, cut my head off" Auguste. Him, being a much more kind-hearted soul than his brother (and frankly more sociable and brighter in that regard), takes much more care concerning the debacles facing his kingdom. For one, he decides to restrict military support to the American Revolutionaries, mostly sending only weapons, though compensating by sending a large number of military advisors.

Due to, y'know, walking along the streets of Paris once in a while, his own study of France's economic and developmental situation, and help from a good friend of his in the military Napoleon Bonaparte (who won quite a decent amount of fame for himself with his service in the French intervention in the German Revolutionary Wars), Louis XVI realises that the lower classes of France are, frankly, in a terrible situation.

Louis XVI constantly attempted to bring about major reform, though was constantly blocked in the Estates-General by his fellow aristocrats and the clergy, though earning praise from the Third Estate who saw him as on their side. Rumours began to circulate that Louis XVI was, in fact, being held hostage by members of the aristocracy who hoped to stop widespread reform. Motivated by this, as well as the frankly minimal amount of progress being made, the citizens of France decided to rise up, majorly kickstarted when a mob stormed the Bastille prison.

Rather than attempting to majorly suppress the revolt, Louis XVI instead travelled to Paris himself upon hearing the news, guessing (correctly) that the crowd wasn't actually anti-him. It was then that Louis XVI met with the National Assembly, with who he then began negotiations. It was there in Paris that he realised exactly how much of the general population did, in fact, support him, and simply wanted a betterment of their situation. After many weeks of talk, and the arrival of some American diplomats, Louis XVI and the other leaders of the Paris Revolt were able to reach an agreement and draft a new constitution that transformed the Absolute Monarchy into a Constitutional one, coming to be known as the "Constitutional Revolution."

Yet not all were happy with this arrangement and a broad coalition of anti-Monarchists, led predominantly by one Maximilien Robespierre and his Jacobins, would form a Republican Coalition, desiring a dissolution of the monarchy and the establishment of a full republic. After being constantly blocked in the National Assembly by those that would be called the "Constitutionalists" (people who supported the Constitutional Monarchy), the Republican Coalition would rise up in a general revolt and attempt to seize power. This led to the French Civil War in 1791, where the Constitutionalists would gain the upper hand due to retaining the loyalty of the majority of the armed forces as well as holding multiple talented military leaders, such as Lafayette, Berthier and Bonaparte.

The Jacobins, who mostly dominated the Republican Coalition, would also become more and more radical as the civil war progressed, executing people (both aristocracy and commoners) en masse in what would be called the "Jacobin Terror." This would disgust many more moderate members of the coalition, leading to the moderate Republicans, led by Georges Danton, to offer defection to the Constitutionalists in return for positions in government and more concessions. Louis XVI would agree, and so the moderates would turn on their radical brothers. And so the Civil War would end swiftly in 1796, with Robespierre being executed and the remnants of the Jacobins fleeing, most notably Jacques Roux leading a core of particularly fanatical Jacobins to Britain.

After this, Louis and the National Assembly would work to reform the country, overhauling various institutions of the nation and overall making the nation better for the common man. Yet again, Louis and the NA would face opposition from particularly conservative segments of the aristocracy. This would come to ahead when, in 1801, Louis XVI would fall into a deep depression upon the death of his wife. Conservative elements of the aristocracy would take this opportunity to subvert Louis (as the aristocracy still held a relative stranglehold over power in the nation, since this is in the Constitutional Kingdom's early years and the democratic institutions of the nation haven't quite taken solid hold yet). This would notably include sending (exiling) Louis' longtime ally General Napoleon Bonaparte on an expedition to destroy Barbary Corsairs on the coast of Algeria, an expedition expected to fail as Napoleon was given a substandard force against the still formidably strong remnants of the Islamic Caliphates in the area. Yet nonetheless, Napoleon would overcome the supposed impossible and within two years would conquer much of the North African coast to add to the French Colonial Empire.

By this time Louis XVI would recover from his deep depression and, realising what'd been happening while he'd been in such a state, attempt to crack down on this subversion, working closely with the National Assembly to try and further subvert the powers of the radical aristocracy. Seeing this as a blatant attack and fearing that only more drastic change would come, the radical aristocracy (later named the Ultra-Royalists) would attempt a coup in what would be called the "September Revolt," where elements of the upper-class aristocracy would rise up and attempt to overthrow both Louis XVI and the National Assembly in order to replace it with an absolute monarchy under Louis XVI's brother, Louis-Auguste. While Louis-Auguste claimed to be the leader of the revolt, it was really the behind-the-scene machinations of Marie Antoinette who was behind everything.

Yet the Septemberist Ultra-Royalists would find the plan backfire as they didn't account for a lack of support from the people. When aristocratic officers in the army would call for their regiments to march on Paris, those same regiments would refuse and on occasion even turn on their superiors. When troops that were loyal to the Ultra-Royalists attempted to march, they'd find their paths blocked by mobs of angry civilians. They may have had the resources and the funds, but they lacked the popular support of the people. Louis XVI, knowing his brother and knowing that he couldn't possibly have done all that by his own prerogative, offered him amnesty and much of the aristocracy amnesty. Louis-Auguste eagerly accepted.

After only a month and a few brief skirmishes, the revolt was crushed. Many members of the aristocracy were either executed for treason or heavily taxed. Marie Antoinette herself, being of foreign nobility, was instead simply exiled to a small settlement in the recently conquered territory of Algeria.

And so the Revolt was crushed, and Louis and the NA now continues to reform the country, though now more careful as they must keep the balance between the still sour aristocracy and the increasingly angry lower class.

Other notable differences include French forces, though completely losing out in America (leading to the loss of her the Caribbean and mainland American territories), is able to succeed in India and even manages to take Calcutta from the British. A rebellion from the local Indian Princedoms during the French Civil War leads to the Louis XVI (with little other choice) sending the British Royalist Army-in-exile to help defend French India. The effectiveness of the British Royalist Expedition leads to the French Indian territories not only being saved but also being expanded as they're able to bring several Indian princes to heel and submit to French rule.

Another is that the 1788 expedition by Jean-Francois de La Perouse arrives in Moreton Bay (now called La Perouse Bay) and manages to successfully establish a colony in the area. With efforts abandoned in the Americas and now concentrated in Asia, the French make an effort to try and better connect this new Australian colony with France's Madagascar and Indian holdings. Therefore a number of expeditions are sent out into the Indian Ocean whereby a multitude of islands is claimed for France, to be made as resupply points for ships heading for Madagascar, India or Australia. Timor itself is claimed and taken over initially as a "gateway" to Australia, a way to hinder any potential attempts by the British to block off France's holdings. Yet now, with a relatively solid supply line established, both Australia and Timor provide ample opportunities to further expand France's influence into South East Asia.
RP Sample: I can't believe I have to say this, but I do: I do not in any way support the Nazi ideology nor do I have pro-Nazi sympathies relating to racial beliefs or anything of the sort. I was simply RPing the characters I was playing in a way I thought accurate to their personalities reflected in the "The New Order: Last Days Of Europe" HOI IV mod.

#AltDiv (Do not delete this, it is used to keep track of the apps)

[Northern Socialist Council Republics]

France is here! Now we can finally have both sides of this Franco-British rivalry. :p

Hopefully the player representing Germany will show up and make an IC post too at some point... actually come to think of it there are a lot of people who's been accepted but has been staying very quiet in the IC.

[Old Tyrannia]

France is here! Now we can finally have both sides of this Franco-British rivalry.

Hopefully the player representing Germany will show up and make an IC post too at some point... actually come to think of it there are a lot of people who's been accepted but has been staying very quiet in the IC.

Personally I haven't posted due to being preoccupied, but also because I've been waiting for others to post before I decide how the United Duchies will play their cards in the developing diplomatic situation. In particular I'd like to see how France and Hispania respond to the HRE's overtures.

[The Imperial Warglorian Empire]

France is here! Now we can finally have both sides of this Franco-British rivalry.

Hopefully the player representing Germany will show up and make an IC post too at some point... actually come to think of it there are a lot of people who's been accepted but has been staying very quiet in the IC.

DEATH TO THE NEO-JACOBINS! GOD SAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTION!

[Northern Socialist Council Republics]

Speaking for the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth in Hyperborea would definitely like to see the British Navy taken off the field; Britain literally separates the North Sea from the North Atlantic, and if the British Navy's ability to interfere with the Commonwealth's traffic between them can be eliminated...

Of course, the Commonwealth is also highly averse to taking any overt action. A downside of being a global influencer with no military force projection is that the Commonwealth is extremely sensitive to anything that might tarnish its reputation and prefers to work behind the scenes if at all possible...

[The Imperial Warglorian Empire]

Speaking for the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth in Hyperborea would definitely like to see the British Navy taken off the field; Britain literally separates the North Sea from the North Atlantic, and if the British Navy's ability to interfere with the Commonwealth's traffic between them can be eliminated...

Of course, the Commonwealth is also highly averse to taking any overt action. A downside of being a global influencer with no military force projection is that the Commonwealth is extremely sensitive to anything that might tarnish its reputation and prefers to work behind the scenes if at all possible...

I would appreciate money and/or competent naval officers.

[Northern Socialist Council Republics]

[...] and the Hyperborean of Scandinavian settlers.

'Hyperborean' is a civic-national identity, encompassing Scandinavians, Finns, and Sami. It's not a culture of its own, and the language of the Scandinavian settlers would be Scandinavian.

---

Anyways, that was an interesting look into life in the Novgorodian Baltic. Things have definitely settled down from the chaos of the Burning Raven, and the national allegiances of its population seems to have mostly adapted to the new Hyperborean-Novgorodian border.

[Tracian Empire]

The German player will be trying to post during the weekend, and early next week I should also create some issues in an NPC Low Countries state, with fun stuff in an NPC Poland-Lithuania to happen in the near future.