1618: Alternative Divergence [AH][OOC-OPEN]

[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name: The United States of the Netherlands ("States" here carries the Dutch meaning of a governing assembly, not necessarily a sovereign power; a more accurate rendering would be "The United Assemblies").
Territory: The historic territories of the Netherlands, Flanders, and East Frisia.
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*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

Reservation accepted

[Khasinkonia]

I like that. I think if you wanted, you could also factor in that I think Gaul could have actually been subject to something not dissimilar from the Lithuanian Crusade and/or Wendish Crusades, which might also account for the Holy Roman Empire’s current extent at the expense of the Gaul and Belgica of antiquity. In essence, I’m thinking Gaul would have remaining incompletely Christianised until some time around the beginning of the Late Medieval Period. I don’t know what the process for the Christianisation of Britain looks like, but that’s where I’m at for the time being.

Christian status of Britain? Secular.

The main rationale is mostly to do with Bretons keeping Celtic tradition. While this is romanticized in the Round Table Records as Mordred forgiving Lancelot after Arthur's hiatus for his adulterous relationship with Queen Guinevere (and thus going against the Church's statement at the time that Lancelot and Guinevere must be executed as adulterers they are), basically the line of High Kings' legitimacy as "Pendragon" came from druids and not the Church. So while Arthur was a devout Christian according to myth, the line of High Kings gradually moved towards tolerance of all religion in an attempt to appease both the Christian majority in the land that became prominent during Arthur's reign while keeping the Celtic tradition which gave legitimacy to the fledgling Pendragon lineage.

This, of course, is not the same sense of "secularism" as we see in irl nations, as Albion's Christian Knights still participated in the Crusades with the High King's blessing and Muslims were persecuted until relatively recently. Catholic Inquisitions were also allowed to scour the countryside during the Protestant Reformation, and although Lutheran and Calvinists have recently been recognized as a bastardization of Christian faith and thus tolerated, other, less well-known denomination of Protestantism is actively persecuted in Albion as Satanic worship.

So... as secular and inclusive as druidic Christians can be.

Duly noted. This should be interesting! Any further thoughts regarding relations?

[Tracian Empire]

I would like to also remind people about the reservation rules - please make sure that you have a completed app before your reservation expires. If your reservation expires, that does not mean that you won't be able to finish your app and post it, but if someone else makes a reservation for the same territory while your reservation is expired, they will have priority.

[Alt Div Admin]

Full Nation Name: Empire of the Great Joseon, 대조선제국, 大朝鮮帝國

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Accepted

[Reverend Norv]

Full Nation Name: The United States of the Netherlands (Dutch: Verenigde Staten van Nederland). Staten, in this context, is a term for a legislative body, so the country's name translates more accurately to the "United Assemblies of the Netherlands." The republican character of the polity is declared in its name, and it is often simply called the Dutch Republic. By reference to their most powerful confederal subject, the Netherlands are sometimes just called "Holland." Within the Netherlands, the polity is usually called "the Republic" - which encapsulates a complex of Dutch attitudes toward limited government, Protestant religion, tolerance, and solidarity.

Majority/Official Culture: Dutch. In this timeline, Flemish culture is considered a regional variation of Dutch culture, because the division between West Francia and Middle Francia never amounted to much. Frisian culture is considered distinct from Dutch culture, but closely related, and belonging to the same national vaderland. To simplify: the Flemings are Dutch, whereas the Frisians are the brothers of the Dutch.

Territorial Core: The United States of the Netherlands is a confederation of the County of Holland, the County of Zeeland, the Lordship of Utrecht, the Duchy of Guelders, the Lordship of Groningen, the Lordship of Friesland, the County of Drenthe, the Lordship of Overijssel, the Duchy of Brabant, and the County of Flanders. In addition, the Dutch East India Company and Dutch West India Company maintain a global network of colonies and trading posts. Some of these are actual Dutch territory. These territorial colonies include the settlement of New Amsterdam, at the mouth of the Hudson River (our New York); the penal colony of New Zwolle in the Orinoco Delta; most of the Lesser Antilles; the outpost of Fort Voorzienigheid, at the mouth of the Biobio River on the Pacific Coast of South America (our Concepcion, Chile); the great slave ports of Banjul and Bissau in West Africa, and the stronghold of Fort Verwachting on the Gold Coast (our Fort Elmina); and a number of island outposts that resupply the Dutch trading fleet (including our Sao Tome and the Seychelles). The two largest Dutch colonial ventures are the Kaapkolonie at the Cape of Good Hope, which is - uniquely - a mostly self-sustaining colonial society, not a money-making venture run for the profit of the homeland; and the Dutch East Indies, an unprecedented colony in western Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands, which produces an absolute majority of all spices imported to Europe. Beyond this, the two trading companies also operate dozens of factories and trading posts in Kochiraj, the Indian Caliphate, the Song Dynasty, and Japan. These outposts are not Dutch territory, but they are an important extension of Dutch commercial and cultural influence.

Territorial Claim: The Netherlands do not claim any additional territory in Europe; while other Frankish-derived areas of the Low Countries have often been regarded as part of "the Netherlands," they are not a part of the Dutch nation - which is defined in linguistic, cultural, and above all religious terms - and so the Republic does not aspire to control them. Instead, the Netherlands' territorial ambitions lie overseas: the Republic considers itself the presumptive power in West Africa, the Cape, the Atlantic Coast of North America, and the Spice Islands, and it is prepared to defend and expand its interests in those regions against Albion, Kochiraj, and the Pagan Empire.

Capital City: The States-General convene in the Hague, which is the nation's political capital. Both trading companies are headquartered in Amsterdam, which renders it the country's colonial capital. The world's first and only stock exchange is also located in Amsterdam, making it the economic capital of the Netherlands. Notably, both the Hague and Amsterdam are located in the County of Holland, which contributes more than a third of the Republic's budget, and which wields a dispositive influence on its politics. In confederal terms, Holland itself is the capital of the Netherlands.

Population: 2 million. The historic Dutch population in 1600 was 1.5 million; this is adjusted for control of the densely populated areas of Flanders and South Brabant.

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Government Type: Confederal Republic

Government Ideology/Policies: The Dutch Republic is, by its very nature, a self-conscious and radical challenge to the European order. It represents the rejection of feudalism in favor of capitalism; of monarchy in favor of republicanism; of hierarchies of birth in favor of hierarchies of merit; of agriculture in favor of trade and manufacturing; of territorial expansion in favor of economic hegemony; of absolutism in favor of federal constitutionalism; and of the Roman churches in favor of the Reformation, of which it was the cradle. The Republic is likely the most modern society in Europe, and its leaders believe that it is at the cutting edge of a new, inevitable, and radically different future: one in which the whole world will look a lot more like Holland.

Government Focus: One of the Republic's real challenges is that its focus is divided, and different factions in the States-General cannot agree on the nation's priorities. Everyone agrees that the strength of the Republic is trade, and that its position as Christian Europe's greatest trading power - and the only European nation with a reliable trade route to the East Indies - must be maintained. This requires continued investment in the Navy, in the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, and in the Republic's unparalleled diplomatic access to Kochiraj, the Indian Caliphate, the Pagan Empire, the Song Dynasty, and Japan. On the other hand, the States-General are also acutely aware of the Republic's status as the cradle of the Reformation and the economic powerhouse of the Evangelical Union. They are committed to bankrolling other Protestant states, growing Protestant power in the Holy Roman Empire, and securing the Republic's borders through the world's most powerful system of modern fortifications. This tension between economic expansion overseas and religious/military expansion at home in Europe defines the Republic's divided focus.

Head of State: None; each province has a ceremonial stadtholder, or head of state, but none of these have held real power or national preeminence since the death of Maurice of Nassau, the last Prince of Orange.

Head of Government: Pensionary of Holland (and Grand Pensionary of the Republic) Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

Government Description:

The Dutch Republic is the first major republican polity since Ancient Rome. This is an immense achievement. But the first attempt at a concept is rarely the best. The Republic is a largely irrational system of government based on a muddled combination of Protestant ideals, ancient feudal rights, vested economic interests, and simple political necessity. And while it is very deeply republican, it is not at all democratic. Its organizing principle is not popular sovereignty, but the division of power. Every official of the Dutch government is accountable to somebody else; nobody's power is unconstrained. But nobody is genuinely accountable to the people, either.

Unusually, the Republic is defined not by tradition, but by law. (Ironically, Austria may be the only other European state where this is true.) The Union of Utrecht created the United States of the Netherlands, and that document defines the institutions of their government. As a result, the Republic can fairly be described as a constitutional state: it is a government of defined and limited powers, and when the government seeks to act beyond legal bounds, its actions can legitimately be characterized as unlawful. This is still remarkably unusual in Europe, where sovereign power is mostly thought to derive from God or tradition, and not from a legal instrument. Dutch constitutionalism is deeply religious, rooted in the Protestant Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates - the same doctrine that justified the Dutch Revolt. Because sovereign power is legitimate only insofar as it is exercised in accordance with God's law, the sovereign has no power to act except in accordance with fundamental principles of justice. It is the duty of the lesser magistrates - especially the States of the various provinces - to ensure that the sovereign complies with the laws of God and man. This is the religious origin of the basic Dutch principle that everyone who holds power must be accountable for his use of that power to someone else.

For this reason, the Republic is the world's first modern federal system: a "sovereign union of sovereign states," in which the provinces and the States-General each have certain delegated powers reserved to them, and neither level of government can dictate to the other. Most domestic functions remain with the staten - States - or assemblies of each constituent province. The provincial States write civil and criminal statutes, levy taxes to fund roads and canals and land reclamation, decide religious questions through the Provincial Synods, fund and regulate universities, ensure public safety through militia and night watchmen, and generally maintain the day-to-day fabric of Dutch life. These sovereign staten are legislative bodies, and this means that each province is a republic - but not a democracy, because the staten are not elected. Instead, they are composed of the hereditary rural nobility, and the delegates of the province's cities. The latter are chosen by the Vroedschap, or council, of each city: a body of its most wealthy and influential men, who serve for life. Whenever one member of the Vroedschap dies, the others nominate his replacement.

Because the Netherlands are the most urbanized society in Europe, in most provinces the Vroedschappen's delegates to the Provincial States far outnumber the noble delegates. This ensures that political power lies mainly with the sort of men who are chosen to serve on a Vroedschap: the regenten, or regents. The regents are essentially the Dutch haute bourgeoisie. They are commoners, not nobles, but they have amassed (or inherited) vast wealth through trade, banking, or other commercial activity. The regent class is therefore theoretically open to anyone who achieves sufficient economic success, and indeed new men are regularly named to Vroedschappen in recognition of their achievements. It is not democratic, but it is at least somewhat meritocratic, albeit that "merit" is measured by the ability to make money. Moreover, the regents are characterized by a distinctive class identity. They do not flaunt their wealth. They wear plain black clothes, and their homes are all brick and wood and whitewash. But they are connoiseurs of art, and collectors of Oriental china, and they maintain Cabinets of Curiosities stocked with strange discoveries from far-flung continents. Above all, beyond birth or color or creed, they prize initiative and competence and hard work. To understand the regent class is to understand Dutch values, and Dutch power.

The provincial States - dominated by the regents - each nominate a delegation to the States-General, the national legislature. This delegation can be one man, or twenty; it makes no difference, since each province has one vote in the States-General. The delegation votes as a bloc, and delegates do not vote their consciences; they usually receive specific instructions from the provincial States about how to vote on each measure. The powers and responsibilities of the States-General are quite limited. They are primarily dedicated to foreign diplomacy, commerce, and war: they maintain the army and the navy, deal with foreign governments, supervise the East India Company and West India Company, and raise taxes to fund the Republic's defense and commercial investments. They do not make criminal or civil law, build roads or canals, or otherwise engage with most domestic affairs. Their focus is resolutely international.

The States-General appoint their own executives to carry out their policies. The most important is the Council of State (Raad van State), which is primarily responsible for the national budget and taxes. Its members are drawn from each province in proportion to that province's economic strength: Holland has five members, Flanders and Brabant have three each, and most others have two or one. These members vote individually, not by province, which gives the wealthier provinces much more executive power. Other executives include the Treasurer-General, responsible for tax collection and bookkeeping; the Governors-General of the East India Company and West India Company; and the Captain-General of the Army and Admiral-General of the Navy. All of these officials are appointed by a vote of the States-General, and they all serve ex officio on the Council of State.

In principle, the Republic has no single chief executive. Instead, the Council of State serves this purpose at the national level. At the provincial level, each province's States chooses a pensionary (raadpensionaris), a salaried administrator who oversees the day-to-day administration of the province. In practice, the Pensionary of Holland - the wealthiest and most powerful of the provinces - is always one of Holland's delegates to both the States-General and the Council of State. While most Dutch politicians are wealthy merchants who serve part-time in government, the Pensionary of Holland is always a professional politician, backed by a professional staff of experts, and he is automatically the most powerful man from the most powerful province. As a result, the Pensionary of Holland serves as an unofficial head of government - he is widely called the Grand Pensionary by foreign diplomats - and he is typically the chairman of the Council of State and Speaker of the States-General. An effective Grand Pensionary can usually bend the unwieldy Dutch government to his will.

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Majority/State Religion: Dutch Reformed Church

Religious Description:

The Dutch Reformed Church is, after the Hussite Church, the oldest Protestant Church in Europe. It is generally considered the "mother church" of modern Protestantism, and the cradle of the Reformation as a whole. It was deeply influenced by the literate, cosmopolitan society of the Low Countries, and it has in turn played a fundamental role in the development of Dutch national identity. It is likely the most prestigious and influential Protestant church in Western Europe.

Dutch Protestantism was born out of Dutch humanism. In the late 15th century, scholars at the University of Leuven, led by Erasmus of Rotterdam, launched a sustained critique of the Catholic Church. This critque focused especially on the sale of indulgences, the prohibition on vernacular Bibles, clerical celibacy, the prevalence of simony, and a variety of other "superstitions and abuses." The Reformers' arguments reflected a deeply humanist premise: a well-educated man could study the Scriptures and the Church Fathers, and determine through the application of individual reason whether the Church had deviated from them. The human mind, not the traditions of the Church, was the best guide to Christian truth. These scholars became known as the Leuven Reformers, and they are today regarded as the founders of the Dutch Reformation: a Reformation, significantly, that had no single author or sole authority. In fact, the Leuven Reformers held a variety of views about human sin, Christ's nature, and other key theological concepts - but they all agreed that those disputes should be resolved through reasoned analysis and debate, not by appeals to Church authority. Ever since, the Dutch Church has derived its unity not through consensus on doctrinal questions, but through a shared belief that the educated Bible-reading Christian should be the final judge of those questions. Its central concern is not agreement, but the right way to disagree.

Now, in 1618, the Dutch Reformed Church is the state religion of every one of the Dutch provinces. It is a congregational church under lay control, whose ministers are considered scholars rather than priests; every believer has equal status before God. Religious practice is defined by preaching - a rational exegesis of the Scriptures - and not by sacramental rites, art, or music. Each provincial church is governed by a synod of learned men, both clergy and laity. Like the Republic itself, the Church is meritocratic but not democratic.

Dutch values, to a great extent, derive from the ethos of the Reformed Church. Like the Leuven Reformers, the Dutch believe that disagreement should be mediated by rational debate rather than enforced consensus; they view education and intellect, not tradition or authority, as the best guides to truth; they are convinced that both religious authority and political authority should be measured against a careful analysis of the Scriptures, and curbed when they overreach. For the Reformed Church, Christianity is a process, not a fixed doctrine; it is an unending search for deeper truth, mediated equally by human reason and by the Holy Spirit. This moral, intellectual seriousness expresses itself in severe simplicity: because the mind and not the senses is the path to God's truth, gilded churches and fine clothes are frivolous distractions. For this reason, Dutch churches are whitewashed, and their richest parishioners wear the same plain black as the poorest. Anything else would be a concession to superstition, and an invitation to corruption.

Consistent with its view that reason and not force should mediate religious disputes, the Reformed Church has provided a welcoming environment for religious minorities - with the exception of Catholics, whom most Dutchmen still regard as authoritarian idolaters. Many of the Jews of Europe have found refuge in the Netherlands. Gaulish and British pagans, and even Andalusian Muslims, can practice without fear of persecution. In fact, in keeping with the doctrinal diversity of the Leuven Reformers, the Reformed Church has always supported full freedom of religious practice. But it remains a state church: no one who is not a member of the Church can hold public office anywhere in the Netherlands, and only the Reformed Church can use public space for religious purposes. Other faiths are protected, and even sometimes respected - but they are considered a private matter. The Reformed Church alone has a central place in public life.

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Economic Description:

The Netherlands - Europe's most urbanized society - are the world's first truly modern capitalist economy, run by and for the bourgeoisie. The Netherlands form a single free market for commodities and labor, where feudal lords cannot restrict workers' mobility or education, and where the law guarantees the property and contract rights of all citizens. Without access to most natural resources, it is human capital that has fueled Dutch prosperity: commerce, trade, innovation. Uniquely perhaps in the world, only 40 percent of the Dutch labor force works in agriculture. But those workers still produce enough food to meet the needs of the entire Republic, because most of the Netherlands has been literally reshaped to boost productivity: the entire country is one great mass of reclaimed farmland and canals and irrigation windmills.

Sixty percent of Dutch workers are engaged in manufacturing and commerce. These are professions that require a higher level of training and education than peasant agriculture, and indeed the Netherlands has both the highest literacy rate and the highest nominal wages in Europe. In other words, the Netherlands is a very specialized labor market - a nation not of peasants, but of tradesmen. Shipbuilding, gunsmithing, lacemaking, architecture, engineering - these are the typical Dutch industries. The invention of the reciprocating crankshaft by Cornelis Corneliszoon has led to the proliferation of windmill-powered sawmills and fulleries: the earliest milestone in the history of European industrialization. And because the entire country is a common market connected by canals, different cities can specialize in different types of production; there is no need for local self-sufficiency, and the geographic concentration of expertise and resources creates an early form of comparative advantage.

Still, by far the largest industry in the Netherlands is trade. A Dutch merchant fleet of twenty thousand ships connects every port in Europe to the slave ports of West Africa, the sugar and coffee of the Antilles, the riches of India and China, and the pepper and tea of the Spice Islands. This is the first truly global trade network in human history, and it has brought the Netherlands unprecedented prosperity: selling German guns to Kochiraj and Java pepper to Albion yields greater profits than the most productive farm or the richest mine. And crucially, these profits are not themselves retained in coffee, or china, or pepper - those material goods are all sold on to foreign buyers. Rather, the Republic's wealth is capital itself: the profit that is left when the sale is done. As obvious as this seems, it is a revolutionary development in world history: the greatest industry in the Netherlands produces nothing but money itself.

Because raw capital is the foundation of the Dutch economy, the Netherlands have had to develop a new financial infrastructure to make capital itself productive. This infrastructure includes the most sophisticated banking system seen thus far in history: a system that invented the use of trade credit, negotiable instruments, and collateralized marine reinsurance. Likewise, the Amsterdam Wisselbank is the first attempt at a central bank in world history: it controls the Netherlands' monetary supply, and is responsible for guaranteeing the value of the guilder both in absolute terms and against any foreign currency. Much of the Republic's colonial trade is conducted through the East India Company and West India Company, which are joint-stock corporations chartered by the States-General. The ability to buy stock in these companies allows Dutch merchants to invest directly in the Netherlands' global trading empire, even if those merchants cannot afford a ship of their own. Other merchants have imitated the companies, selling shares in their merchant fleets or sawmills or banks to raise capital for new ships or windmills or secondary investments. In 1607, the States-General chartered the Amsterdam Stock Exchange to provide a public forum for the buying and selling of these securities: the first institution of its kind in the history of the world. It is the perfect emblem of the Dutch economy as a whole: an unprecedented innovation for a dawning era of truly global capitalism.

Major Production: From the Netherlands proper: ships, muskets, cannons, steel, sailcloth, draperies, paper, ceramics, refined sugar, distilled spirits, preserved herring - and, perhaps most poignantly, more books than anywhere else in Europe. From the colonies: furs, raw sugar, coffee, tea, spices. While they do not produce these goods, Dutch merchants are the leading retailers on the European market of porcelain, cotton, lacquerware, ivory, opium, and other Asian and African goods. And to its eternal shame, the Republic is by far the leading European dealer in enslaved Africans. But above all, what the Dutch economy produces on an unprecedented scale is capital itself.

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Army Description :

The Netherlands have no ambitions for territorial expansion or conquest, but they fought a bitter war for independence against Austria, and they share a border with the great land power of Gaul. A nation of merchants has little use for battlefield glory, and is therefore empowered to be exceptionally pragmatic about its own survival. Accordingly, the Dutch States Army is purpose-built for a single purpose: to defend the territorial integrity of the Netherlands against a more numerous invader. It is ideally suited to this task, and entirely unsuited to any other.

The Netherlands is very rich in capital, but relatively poor in manpower. Therefore, the Dutch States Army is a standing, professional force of about 30,000 - funded primarily out of the trade profits of the East India Company and West India Company, in which the States-General are the majority shareholder. Most of the Army's officers and men are Dutch, but almost a third hail from other lands; these are not autonomous mercenary companies, but individual soldiers or adventurers who have chosen to fight for the Republic. This has given the Army considerable insight into many other European militaries, and it has somewhat padded the Netherlands' scant manpower.

In practice, the Army is primarily a full-time engineering corps. Fortifications are a way of trading money for lives - an investment of capital that helps to neutralize enemy numbers. Over the course of the Dutch Revolt, every border town and every major city in the Netherlands was fortified, and the Army's main task is the maintenance and modernization of those fortifications. Today, the Netherlands are dotted with dozens of star forts: modern fortresses based on steep earthen glacis rather than stone walls, designed so that every inch of the surrounding countryside can be raked with cannon from multiple points, and surrounded by canals to prevent easy approach. Unlike earlier fortifications, the star fort is designed around artillery emplacements: it is not intended simply to outlast the enemy, but to gun down anyone who comes close enough to besiege it. By forcing the enemy to assault cities fortified in this way, the States Army hopes to neutralize its disadvantage in numbers.

The Army will generally give battle in the open field only when it is confident of victory or when it has no other choice. Still, it is an innovative force that can punch above its weight. Uniquely, artillery is the most prestigious arm of the Army: where aristocrats thrill to the glory of a cavalry charge, merchants prefer the mathematical certainty of firepower. The Netherlands produce an enormous number of cannons to equip their ships and forts, and so the Army is well-furnished with artillery, and it has developed new theories about artillery's use: heavy guns are massed and used to blow holes in a particular section of the enemy line, while light guns are embedded with the infantry and loaded with grape shot to mow down enemy pikemen. The States Army also employs infantry in a unique fashion devised by Maurice of Nassau, the last Prince of Orange. Instead of massive tercios, Dutch regiments are divided into battalions, which fight in line formation four ranks deep. These employ a rolling fire: after the front rank fires, it moves to the rear and reloads, while the second rank replaces it and fires again. This requires considerable training and discipline, and it leaves the formation vulnerable in a push of pike. But it allows a small Dutch regiment to unleash as much firepower as a much more numerous foe.

Army Weakness : The States Army's greatest weaknesses are numbers and manpower. The Netherlands are a small country to begin with. But crucially, the Republic is also not a nation of rural peasants who can be levied into service after every harvest. Its citizens are tradesmen, craftsmen, seamen, and bankers; to take them away from their work would bring counting houses and merchant fleets and wind-powered fulleries to a standstill. And because the Netherlands are a single market, bound together by investments and bank loans, disruption to one area of the economy cannot be contained. Any kind of general conscription therefore risks collapsing the finely tuned machine of the Dutch economy. In short: the Netherlands are rich enough to afford a small, highly professional army. But they are too rich to afford a large army that absorbs manpower needed elsewhere. The States Army must win with the men it has, and avoid taking too many casualties in the process. If it cannot do that, then it will not win at all.

Naval Description :

The Dutch States Navy has a credible claim to be the world's most powerful sea force. It is by far the largest expenditure of the States-General, absorbing more than half of their budget in an average year. It is widely acknowledged to be the lifeline of the Republic: the Netherlands live or die by trade, and trade lives or dies by the fleet that protects it. For the Republic, naval supremacy is nothing less than an existential imperative.

The States Navy is aided in this imperative by the existence of the Dutch merchant marine. In most European countries, the bulk of the navy consists of armed merchant galleons that are drafted into service in wartime. For the Netherlands, this would entail an intolerable disruption in the continuity of trade, and so the merchant marine is a separate force: composed primarily of lightly-armed, shallow-draft fluyts that carry twice the cargo of most European merchantmen, but that are fundamentally unsuited for battle. Instead, the merchant marine relies on a separate, purpose-built, standing navy for its protection. But there is a great deal of overlap in personnel between these two institutions. The Navy is primarily crewed by veteran sailors who have years or decades of experience in the merchant marine - men who have sailed seas from the Antilles to Malacca. With the possible exception of Albion's Royal Navy, the Dutch States Navy has a higher standard of professional seamanship than any of its competitors.

Like the Army, the Navy is much given to tactical innovation. The typical Dutch preference for artillery means that Dutch admirals are inclined to see their ships primarily as gun platforms, which perform best when firepower is massed. As a result, the States Navy has begun - though only just begun - to pioneer line sailing: a new school of tactics coordinated by complex signal flags, which requires ships to maintain consistent formations at a distance from the enemy in order to concentrate broadside firepower in the same direction. This is a major break from traditional naval tactics, which involve closing with the enemy and attempting to board or sink on a ship-by-ship basis. To maximize the effect of line sailing, the Navy's production in the last decade has focused on a new ship design, the race-galleon: a longer, straighter-sided ship designed for broadside fire, with lateen-rigged staysails that free up the mizzenmast to be square-rigged. This sail plan allows both greater speed and greater control than a traditional galleon. But both line-sailing and the race-galleon are very new - developed in the last ten years - and untested in pitched battle against a peer force. Most most of the States Navy's fighting strength still comes from older (but formidable) 16th-century galleons. Finally, the Navy sails over a hundred frigates: new, faster ships with 20 or 30 guns, designed to operate mostly autonomously and to protect Dutch trade from pirates in far-flung waters. Many frigate captains moonlight as privateers themselves, and they are considered romantic, adventurous figures.

Beyond all this, the States Navy includes the States Marines: a force of almost ten thousand men, fully a third the size of the States Army. In most 17th-century navies, the main purpose of marines was ship-to-ship boarding. The States Marines remain competent at this, but because line sailing deemphasizes boarding, their primary function lies elsewhere. They are a dedicated amphibious force, specializing in colonial warfare. Aggressive and adaptable, many States Marines have survived war elephants, yellow fever, Orinoco headhunters, and worse. They include many Javanese and African recruits, and they are known for effective small-unit and irregular operations. The Marines are the primary enforcers of Dutch land power outside Europe.

Naval Weakness : Precisely because it is so prestigious and well-funded, the States Navy is often treated as a political football by the States-General. The appointment of the Admiral-General, and even of particular fleet admirals, frequently owes more to patronage than to seniority or skill; veteran captains sometimes have to save Dutch admirals from the consequences of their own decisions. Despite its enormous size, the Navy is also spread thin: it must protect trade routes stretching from Amsterdam, to the Antilles, to the Cape, to India, to the Spice Islands, to China, to Japan. Dutch squadrons are based in trading posts and colonies on five continents. They cannot be everywhere at once, and to rally a force sufficient for fleet action against another naval power might require summoning ships across a literal ocean. Finally, as with every Dutch institution, manpower shortages are always a looming risk for the Navy. Innovative tactics like line sailing rely on extremely experienced professional sailors, and these are a rare commodity: it takes years of experience to make such a man, and the merchant marine is always competing with the Navy for top talent. Were the Navy to lose thousands of veteran sailors in battle, it would find them notably difficult to replace.

Further Military Description : Among its many other firsts, the Dutch Republic possesses Europe's first professional intelligence service. The Committee of Safety is a permanent, institutionalized version of the informal informant networks used by many European powers. In theory, the Committee is just one of the myriad executive committees of the States-General. But it is supported by an unusually large full-time staff of well-traveled former merchants and frigate captains, who have extensive connections in governments and port towns all over the world. The Committee uses this network - which is recruited and maintained by the offer of money and favors, and by the threat of blackmail or commercial ruin - to remain abreast of events from Camelot to Kyoto. While many European powers have informant networks of this sort, the Netherlands are unique in having put their intelligence organization under formal, institutional control; their spies work for an office, not for a man. Moreover, the Committee reports regularly to the States-General in confidential session, and its findings are made available throughout the Republic's administration. This allows the Dutch government (and its trading companies) to base their military, diplomatic, and commercial decisions upon much more complete information than many other nations. "The Committe of Safety," Maurice of Nassau once remarked, "is as good as another three regiments."

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National Goals: The Netherlands are prosperous, powerful, and free. They hope to remain so. The States-General are divided about how exactly to do that; the Watergeuzen faction supports continued colonial expansion abroad while remaining neutral in Europe, while the Gelovigen support an alliance with the Protestant states in Germany aimed at containing Austria and Gaul. So far, the Grand Pensionary has attempted to please both parties: investing heavily in colonial ventures while also improving ties with Saxony and Bohemia. It remains to be seen whether this balancing act can be sustained.

National Issues: The Netherlands stand at the dawn of a golden age, but the Republic's position is fragile. It has built the world's first modern financial system, but it has not yet figured out how to protect that system from investment bubbles and crashes; the growing importance of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange is a weakness as well as a strength. Dutch politics is divided, and while the disagreement so far remains respectful, there is a real sense in which the priorities of the Watergeuzen and Gelovigen cannot be fully reconciled. Because the Dutch government is not designed to accommodate organized political parties, this division risks disruption and dysfunction. And perhaps most importantly, the Netherlands thrive because they are at peace: peace boosts trade, trade funds the Navy and banks and trading companies, and this makes the country safe and rich. War - and, worse still, war on Dutch soil - could deal a devastating blow to all of that, no matter how impregnably the States-General have fortified the Republic's great cities. And war certainly seems to be brewing on the horizon.

National Figures of Interest :

• Cornelis Corneliszoon: inventor of the reciprocating crankshaft, the technology that allows a windmill to power a sawmill, fullery, or water pump; father of Dutch industry.
  
  
• Hugo Grotius: lawyer and scholar; first theorist of modern international law, maritime law, and law of armed conflict.
  
  
• The Leuven Reformers: late 15th-century scholars at Leuven University, mostly pupils of Erasmus of Rotterdam, whose critiques of the Catholic Church provoked the Dutch Reformation.
  
  
• Frans Hals: painter and portraitist; the Netherlands' greatest currently living artist.
  
  
• Willem Janszoon: explorer, discoverer of Australia and New Zeeland, former ambassador to Japan, and governor of the Dutch East Indies.
  
  
• Isaac Le Maire: director of the Dutch East India Company and second-largest shareholder therein (after the States-General). The richest man in the Netherlands, and probably the richest commoner in the world.
  
  
• William I, Prince of Orange: original leader of the Dutch Revolt, stadtholder of Holland, and vader des vaderlands - father of the country. Assassinated by Austrian agents in 1584.
  
  
• Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange: son and heir of William I, and stadtholder of Holland; reformed the States Army and defeated Austria, securing Dutch independence. Upon his childless death in 1603, the House of Orange ended, and power passed to the States-General and the Grand Pensionary.
  
  
• Johan van Oldenbarnevelt: pensionary of Holland, and Grand Pensionary of the Republic. A great lawyer and even greater politician, who has been a fixture of Dutch politics for the last four decades.

National Ambition/Aspirations : In a deep sense, the Dutch believe that they are the first flowering of a new era. They have faith that they are on the right side of history, and that the world will inevitably come to look more and more like Holland - capitalist, bourgeois, republican, tolerant, rational, Protestant. But they feel no obligation to force this social model on anyone; they consider its superiority so obvious that its ultimate triumph is a foregone conclusion. The Dutch do not hope to remake the world; they believe that it will remake itself in their image. All they have to do is prosper, and wait.

---

History:

• 57 B.C. - 27 B.C.: Julius Caesar invades the Netherlands south of the Oude Rijn and west of the Rhine. Ultimately, the Augustine Agreement provides for the autonomy of Gaul, including the future Cisrhenish Netherlands, where Roman influence remains more attenuated even than elsewhere in Gaul.
  
  
• c. 1 A.D. - 250 A.D.: Arrival of Germanic tribes to the Transrhenish Netherlands. Preexisting Celtic populations largely exhausted the soil of the uplands. The Germans therefore become the first humans to settle the coastal floodplains, and they begin draining and reclaiming land. First origins of the Frisian and Dutch languages in the northern Netherlands; first origin of the Frankish language in the southern Netherlands. First mention in Roman records of the Batavi, a tribe dwelling on the islands and wetlands of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt Delta.
  
  
• 261 A.D.: Revolt of the Batavi against Marcus Postumus, the Gallic Emperor, who had devastated and conquered their lands in his wars against the Franks. The rebellion becomes highly significant to the 16th-century Dutch national imaginary: the origin of a freedom-loving people prepared to defend their independent homeland.
  
  
• 320 A.D. - 450 A.D.: Consolidation of Salian Frankish control of the Netherlands, through a confederation of tribes including the Batavi. Frankish and Batavian pirates begin raiding northern Gaul and Britain. Origin of the Dutch seafaring tradition.
  
  
• 400 A.D. - 475 A.D.: Migration of Saxons, Angles, and Jutes to the northern Netherlands. Most leave to invade Britain, and are never seen again. Those who remain or return alive become known as Frisians. Frisian territory eventually stretches as far east as Oldenburg, where the Dutch Republic's eastern border still lies.
  
  
• 450 A.D. - 486 A.D.: Invasion of the Gaulish March by the Salian Franks, including many Batavi and Frisians. After their ultimate defeat by Conthalv tóth Trichas, the Salian Franks disappear from history, fragmenting back into the Batavi and Frisians. But the Salian Franks' southern kinsmen, the Ripaurian Franks, will still have a significant part to play in the 8th and 9th centuries.
  
  
• 500 A.D. - 700 A.D.: Golden age of Frisia. Frisian is spoken along the entire southern North Sea coast. Utrecht is founded as capital of the Frisian kingdom. Dorestad becomes the most important trading port and largest city in northwestern Europe, with its own mint and currency. In the central and southern Netherlands, the Batavian and Frankish languages evolve into Old Dutch and Old Flemish.
  
  
• 600 A.D. - 800 A.D.: Conversion of the Frisians and Batavians to Christianity, primarily through the efforts of Gaulish missionaries. These missionaries prove more successful in the Netherlands than in their own country. The Frisian kingdom becomes the northwestern frontier of Christendom against the surviving pagans of Britain and Gaul, a status that it will retain for centuries.
  
  
• 720 A.D. - 800 A.D.: The Ripaurian Franks of the Rhineland, under the leadership of Charles Martel, conquer Gaul. His successor Charlemagne then conquers the Netherlands, putting an end to the Frisian kingdom. The Low Countries experience a brief cultural and economic rennaissance as the commercial heart of the Carolingian Empire. Netherlandish scholars and priests at Charlemagne's court first characterize their people as neither Frankish nor Gaullish, nor even Batavian or Frisian or Flemish, but Dutch.
  
  
• 840 A.D.: At the death of Louis the Pious, the Carolingian Empire splinters. Flanders is assigned to West Francia, but after the overthrow of West Francia by King Dáimáro and the Gauls, Flanders transfers its allegiance to Middle Francia and rejoins the rest of the Netherlands.
  
  
• 850 A.D. - 950 A.D.: The Netherlands become the most important region of Middle Francia - and of Middle Francia's successor states, Lotharingia and Lower Lotharingia. Maastricht and Nijmegen both serve as Frankish capitals. Formation of the Ten Provinces: the feudal titles of the County of Holland, the County of Zeeland, the Lordship of Utrecht, the Duchy of Guelders, the Lordship of Groningen, the Lordship of Friesland, the County of Drenthe, the Lordship of Overijssel, the Duchy of Brabant, and the County of Flanders. As Lotharingia's central government weakens, Viking raids terrorize the Dutch coast and lead to the decline of Dorestad. In the resulting commercial vacuum, some of the Netherlands' great cities begin to take form: Antwerp, the Hague, and Amsterdam. The defeat of Rorik of Dorestad by Count Gerolf of Holland puts an end to the worst of the Viking menace, and establishes the local Dutch aristocracy - not their Frankish liege-lords - as the primary protectors of the land.
  
  
• 953-980 A.D.: Conquest of Flanders and Brabant by Archking Kathmáro Gróiath. The Flemish and Dutch aristocracy rebel unsuccessfully. Kathmáro confiscates their land and attempts to resettle the area with Gauls. A bifurcated society emerges, with Gauls controlling much of the countryside and holding feudal tenure, while the Dutch and Flemings take refuge in fortified towns and rely on trade for their living. Gaulish Kings of the Belgae begin consistent efforts to re-Celticize Flanders and Brabant, including through enforced serfdom, ethnic cleansing, and massacre. In the face of oppression and atrocity, a strong shared ethnic identity develops among Dutch/Flemish communities on both sides of the Rhine. The common language of Middle Dutch emerges.
  
  
• 1000 A.D. - 1150 A.D.: Land reclamation in the Transrhenish Netherlands begins. Coastal Dutch communities develop techniques for draining and cultivating the prevalent salt marsh, and they create new independent towns on reclaimed land that is not subject to any preexisting feudal contract. A society of freeholders rather than serfs begins to develop. Frisia adopts a proto-republican form of government, rejects both feudalism and the patriciate, and defeats Saxony to maintain its independence. Holland conquers much of Zeeland and western Frisia.
  
  
• 1050 A.D. - 1150 A.D.: Urbanization of the Netherlands begins. In Flanders and Brabant, this is an attempt to escape rural serfdom and massacre. In the Transrhenish Netherlands, it is because the decentralization of the Holy Roman Empire encourages local control and investment, and the fine harbors and strategic location of the Netherlands promote trade at the expense of agriculture. New towns are founded; existing towns grow. In Flanders and Brabant, the great trading ports of Antwerp and Bruges become de facto independent of Gaulish authority.
  
  
• 1153 A.D. - 1178 A.D.: Flemish Revolt. After almost two hundred years of Gaullish supremacy, the urban centers of Flanders and Brabant launch a coordinated revolt against the King of the Belgae and his overlord, the High King of Gaul. The rebels are funded by their trading wealth, aided by the Dutch and Frisian states within the Holy Roman Empire, and protected by some of the most heavily fortified cities in Europe. They hold out for decades, but by the 1170s they are gradually being overwhelmed one city at a time. Their defiance becomes a fundamental cultural touchstone for the future Republic.
  
  
• 1178 A.D. - 1357 A.D.: In 1178, the Pope declares the Gaulish Crusade. For the next century and a half, the Netherlands form the front line of the war. Flanders and Brabant, already in revolt, are relieved within the first decade; Flemish and Dutch nobles resume titles lost two centuries before, but the real power remains with the city leaders who organized the Flemish Revolt. And for decades thereafter, those cities resist dozens of sieges by the armies of Gaul.
  
  At the same time - and in part because the Crusade makes the countryside unsafe - urbanization accelerates. Guilds are established; markets proliferate; artisan production exceeds local needs; an export economy evolves. On both sides of the Rhine, as cities grow in wealth and power, they purchase privileges from their titular feudal lords: city self-government, the right to pass laws, exemption from feudal duties and courts. By the late 14th century, the cities are quasi-independent republics in their own right, and they are usually more powerful than the local lord, count, or duke. And all of this happens in the midst of brutal religious war on the Gaulish frontier. The Crusade sets a precedent that will recur many times in Dutch history: the Netherlands are the most urbanized, wealthiest, most sophisticated area of Western Europe - but they are also the bloodiest.
  
  
• 1432 A.D.: After decades of infighting following the end of the Gaulish Crusade, the cities of the Low Countries invite the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Good, to take suzerainty over them. This begins a pattern that will last until 1603, whereby the Dutch cities seek a symbolic feudal overlord who will in practice defend their liberties and leave them to their own devices. Duke Phillip and his son, Charles the Bold, grant almost every Dutch city and county a charter of rights and liberties, which will form the foundation of Dutch constitutionalism. These are the "ancient liberties" that the Dutch have so jealously guarded ever since.
  
  
• 1450 A.D. -1525 A.D.: The Netherlands become the most important center of European trade outside the Mediterranean. Amsterdam becomes the primary distribution center for Baltic grain in Western Europe, feeding much of Gaul and Britain. The University of Leuven becomes a major center of Rennaissance humanism.
  
  
• 1477 A.D.: With the death of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V inherits the Burgundian lands in the Low Countries. He appoints regents and begins a campaign of centralization, but does not directly infringe the rights granted to the Dutch cities and provinces by the Burgundian dukes.
  
  
• 1490 A.D. - 1505 A.D.: At Leuven University, a group of theological scholars coalesces around the renowned priest and humanist Desiderius Erasmus. Like Erasmus, they advance a stinging critique of the "superstition and abuses" of the Catholic Church. Unlike Erasmus, they ultimately reject the authority of the Catholic hierarchy to judge or condemn them, and instead promote the idea that any educated, Bible-reading Christian is himself the highest authority in religious matters. Their first clear expression of this idea - the Rotterdam Precepts of 1503 - is widely considered to mark the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. In 1505, both the Pope and the Emperor declare the Leuven Reformers to be heretics and outlaws; several are burned at the stake, and the rest scatter.
  
  
• 1505 A.D. - 1550 A.D.: The Netherlands become predominantly Protestant, embracing the humanist tradition and Scripturalist epistemology of the Leuven Reformers. In response, the Austrian regents increasingly ignore the local governments, courts, traditions, and liberties of the Dutch provinces. Instead, the regents establish the States-General: a centralized body of the Dutch merchant elite and nobility, gathered in one place so that Austrian officials could control them. This will prove to have been a mistake. In the meanwhile, for most of the educated population of the Netherlands, the cause of the Protestant religion and the cause of their hallowed rights become inseparably intertwined.
  
  
• 1550 A.D.: The Netherlands include 25 cities of 10,000 inhabitants or more - by far the largest urban conglomeration in Europe. The development of Dutch manufacturing begins to accelerate: Dutch mills spin 25 million florins' worth of Albion wool into cloth and draperies every year. The Netherlands are already the wealthiest society in Western Europe, and one of the wealthiest in the world.
  
  
• 1555 A.D.: Most of the population of every Dutch province is Protestant. The ruling Archbishop of Gelre is overthrown. Protestant iconoclasts destroy statues and stained-glass windows, alleging that they are mere frippery to distract men from the truth of the Scriptures. In response, Emperor Rudolf II creates the Inquisition of the Netherlands. Dozens of Protestant leaders are burned at the stake.
  
  
• 1567 A.D.: After twelve years of the Inquisition, the States-General assert their ancient liberties and declare that the Inquisition is illegal within the borders of the Netherlands. In response, an Austrian army arrives and occupies the region. Dutch leaders submit the General Apologia, acknowledging their mistake but also demanding a relaxation of imperial control. City governments begin fortifying urban centers across the Netherlands. William the Silent, Prince of Orange, is appointed stadtholder by the States of both Holland and Flanders, making him the de facto leader-in-waiting of the Netherlands.
  
  
• 1576 A.D.: After clear evidence emerges of William the Silent's collusion with Protestant leaders, the Austrian authorities attempt to arrest him. In response, the States-General convene in the Hague without imperial authorization, and issue the Act of Abjuration: a declaration of independence on behalf of the Dutch nation. Four months later, in Utrecht, representatives of each Dutch province sign the Union of Utrecht. This creates the United States of the Netherlands: Europe's first independent, national republic. This also begins the Twenty Years' War (which will actually last for more like 27 years).
  
  
• 1576 A.D. - 1584 A.D.: The war stalemates into a slog of siege and counter-siege. Austrian troops massacre the entire populations of Zutphen and Naarden. Flanders, while ravaged by the fighting, never quite falls; Holland, protected by Flemish valor, confirms its position as the wealthiest and most powerful of the Dutch states. Freed for the first time from external trading regulations and taxes, the Netherlands become indisputably the most important trading center in Europe. In the midst of the brutal war at home, the States-General charter the East India Company and West India Company: the world's first joint-stock corporations. The companies establish key colonies at the Cape, the Hudson River estuary, and the Orinoco Delta. Dutch merchants first establish diplomatic relations with Kochiraj, Hindustan, and the Pagan Empire. The University of Leiden is founded, and it earns a reputation as the most innovative educational institution in Europe.
  
  
• 1584 A.D. - 1603 A.D.: William the Silent is assassinated by Austrian agents in Delft, in May 1584. He is succeeded as Prince of Orange by his only son, Maurice of Nassau, who is immediately named stadtholder by most of the Dutch provinces. Cornelis Corneliszoon invents the windmill-powered sawmill, which improves the production efficiency of Dutch shipbuilding by a factor of thirty. The Netherlands construct the world's largest merchant fleet and most powerful navy. The East India Company buys, steals, and conquers much of Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands; it founds the city of Batavia from which to administer the Dutch East Indies. The West India Company founds and conquers crucial slave ports on the West African coast, including Fort Verwachting. The Republic establishes diplomatic and trade relations with the Song Dynasty, and becomes Europe's largest publisher of books.
  
  At home, star forts are constructed around most major Dutch towns and cities, stalemating Austria's armies. Maurice of Nassau invents the battalion, rolling fire tactics, and massed artillery batteries. By 1600, the Austrian armies have been bled white by fruitless sieges. In 1602-1603, Maurice of Nassau leads the reformed States Army to five decisive victories over the numerically superior but exhausted Austrians. At the last of these victories, the Battle of Tienen, Maurice receives a mortal wound. At the Treaty of Groningen, Emperor Rudolf II recognizes the independence of the Dutch Republic not only from Austria, but from the entire Holy Roman Empire. Two weeks later, Maurice of Nassau dies of his wounds. He never married, and sired no children. The entire House of Orange dies with him.
  
  
• 1603 A.D. - 1618 A.D.: Beginning of the Dutch Golden Age. With the extinction of the House of Orange, the States-General assume sole responsibility for the government of the Republic. Advanced windmill-powered pumps greatly improve the pace and efficiency of land reclamation. Cities rebuild better than before the war: new canals facilitate domestic trade and turn the Netherlands into a single market. Tidy new brick homes create Europe's first truly middle-class urban landscape. The East India Company establishes trade and diplomatic relations with Japan. Religious tolerance - a fundamental principle of the Dutch Reformation - turns the cities of the Netherlands into magnets of immigration. The plurality of these immigrants are Jews, who find in the Netherlands an unparalleled combination of opportunity and tolerance; they are followed by Protestants fleeing Europe's Catholic polities, and by atheists - for the Republic is one of the only states in Europe where atheism is not a crime. As the scale and complexity of the Republic's trade revenue grows apace, the Amsterdam Wisselbank is established to control inflation and ensure the value of the currency. The growing secondary market in corporate shares provokes the creation of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange - like the Wisselbank, the first institution of its kind in the world. Twenty thousand Dutch ships traverse three oceans and five continents: carrying Andalusian wine and Baltic grain, Bohemian crystal and Chinese porcelain, Japanese lacquerware and Javanese pepper - and producing profits never before seen in the history of mankind. For most of the Dutch people, their long and painful past has all been prologue; from this moment forward, the future belongs to them.

RP Sample: I believe you know me.

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

[Arvenia]

Currently WIP

Full Nation Name: Ruzakh Khanate (Ресеқ Хандығы/Рузахское Ханство)
Majority/Official Culture: A strange mix between Kazakh and Russian
Territorial Core: European Russia, North Caucasus, Ukraine, Crimea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ural Federal District
Territorial Claim: Siberian Federal District, Far Eastern Federal District, Belarus, South Caucasus and the rest of Central Asia
Capital City: Mäskew (Moscow)
Population: 13,250,000

Government Type: Unitary Absolute Elective Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies: Social Conservatism, Interculturalism, Expansionism and Semi-Feudalism
Government Focus: Territorial expansion, cultural assimilation, political stability and economic development
Head of State: Maikil Khan
Head of Government: Same as above
Government Description: The Khan of the Ruzakh Khanate is usually elected by the Kurultai when the previous Khan has passed away. The Ruzakh Khanate is semi-feudal and its feudal lords are called "Boyars". The Ruzakh Khanate is largely seen as a mix of the Kazakh Khanate and the Tsardom of Russia. The Kazakh rulers of the Ruzakh Khanate have long abandoned their nomadic ancestry after adapting to the cultural beliefs of their Slavic neighbours.

Majority/State Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Description: Sunni Islam is the dominant religion of the Kazakh people. Both the Russian and Ukrainian populations are predominantly Eastern Orthodox, while other religions include Judaism and Shamanism. As a result, non-Muslims are ordered to pay a large sum of jizya. Many non-Muslim boyars are ordered to pay jizya as well.

Economic Description: The Ruzakh economy is semi-feudal, but Maikil Khan has made a decision to enforce economic development in order to transition from feudalism to a new economic model. The Ruzakh Khanate is primarily agricultural, but many of its towns have produced a number of luxury goods and housed many shops. Weapon manufacturing, shipbuilding, banking and animal breeding have become commonplace in the Ruzakh Khanate. Winter, however, is a big issue for farmers.
Major Production: Livestock, wood, beverage, metal, leather, food and luxury goods.


Army Description:
Army Weakness:
Naval Description:
Naval Weakness:
Further Military Description: [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals: [[What are the main objectives of your nation?]]
National Issues: [[What needs to be fixed in order for your nation to achieve its true potential?]]
National Figures of Interest: [[OPTIONAL]] [[Are there any Mother Teresas or Moses that we need to know about?]]
National Ambition/Aspirations: [[OPTIONAL]] [[Not really set objectives, but rather the big picture that your nation is drawing towards]]

History: [[Can be formatted in paragraphs or as a bulletpoint timeline.]]
RP Sample: [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]]

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

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name: The Roman Empire (Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων-Basileía Rhōmaíōn|(Imperium Romanum), the Empire of the Romans (Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων-Basileia tōn Rhōmaiōn|Ἀρχὴ τῶν Ῥωμαίων-Archē tōn Rhōmaiōn|Imperium Romanorum). The phrase: the Emperor, Senate, and People of Rome (Η βασιλεύς Σύγκλητος και ο Λαός της Ρώμης - I Basileus Sýnklitos kai o Laós tis Rómis|Imperator Senatusque Populusque Romanus) is used to officially refer to the Roman state, which is also commonly referred to simply as Rome (Ρώμη-Rómi|Roma) or the New Rome (Νέα Ῥώμη-Néa Rómi|Nova Roma). Other names like the Roman Republic (Πολιτεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων-Politeia tōn Rhōmaiōn|Res Publica Romana) and Rhomania (Ῥωμανία|the Land of the Romans), or Rhomeis (Ῥωμαΐς|Rhōmais) with the derived (Βασιλεια Ρωμανια-Basileia Rhōmania|Imperium Romaniae) also exist.
Majority/Official Culture: Roman (Ρωμαϊκή-Romaïkí). The Roman view on the culture of its citizens is different from that of other nations, as it is based on the concept of Ρωμανότητα-Romanótita (Romanity, or Romanism). This is the idea of the Roman civilization and culture rather than the ethnic reality. The use of the true Roman language, the (Ρωμαικα-Romaika|Roman/ Roman language) what some may call “Greek”, the one true Orthodox Christian faith, and subordination to the imperial authority are the main pillars of this identity.

Other cultures which refuse to acknowledge this divinely ordained scheme of things or dare to challenge are guilty of a form of heresy in the eyes of the Roman culture, to be pitied or to be condemned, as people of the nations (έθνη), and as barbarians (βάρβαροι). Such cultures present throughout the Empire are then actively persecuted using this reasoning, being forced to go through a cultural process known as Romanization, a process of acculturation, integration and assimilation.

Territorial Core:

Territorial Claim: At least as a part of the Roman imperial theory, the Romans consider all the countries which belonged to the Roman orbis, to the Roman world, to be their everlasting and incontestable possessions. In practice however, this imperial theory has never quite recovered, and the current Roman policy is focused on finalizing the reconquest of the Holy Land, and on pushing onward into Egypt.

Capital City: Constantinople, Konstantinoupolis, the New Rome, the Second Rome, the Eastern Rome, Roma Constantinopolitana, the Queen of Cities, the Great City, the City of the Emperors, the Reigning City, the City, the God-Guarded City, the Great City of the Romans, the Throne of the Romans, the Eye of the World, the Envy of the World, the City of the World's Desire.
Population: ~17,000,000

Government Type: Caesaropapist absolute monarchy with bureaucratic and militaristic elements
Government Ideology/Policies: Roman and Orthodox traditionalism
Government Focus: The Empire is currently focused on the expansion of its military-bureaucratic system, and supporting the adaptation of the economy in face of the changing of trade routes and the expansion of Roman merchant power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Head of State: Basileus Autokrator Mikhail Palaiologos Doukas Komnenos Ioustinianos Sebastos (Short Title)
His Imperial Majesty, Mikhael Palaiologos Doukas Komnenos Ioustinianos, in Christ Basileus and Autokrator of the Romans, Kaisar and Despot of the New Rome, Forever Sebastos and Sotiras, Sebastokrator and Nobelissimos, Porphyrogennetos, Viceroy of Jesus Christ on Earth, the Pious and the Blessed, Defender of the One True Orthodox Faith, Great Protector of the Holy Cities of Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem, Lord of Our Sea, Sovereign of the Holy Order of the True Cross, Grand Master of the Order of Saint Andrew, of the Order of Constantine the Great and of the Order of Justinian the Great, Emperor of Emperors, King of Kings, Ruling Over Those Who Rule (Grand Title)

Head of Government: Grand Logothete and Hypatos Alexandros Kantakouzenos
Government Description:

The Roman Empire is a highly administrative and bureaucratic caesaropapist absolute monarchy, with the Roman Emperor holding the supreme authority in both secular and religious matters. In practice however, the empire has certain elements which would belong to a more mixed type of government. The monarchy is of course, clearly embodied in the person of the Emperor, which rules the nation as a hereditary despotic autocracy. He is sacred, elected by God as the Viceroy of Jesus Christ, and is considered to be the law animate. All the authority in the state emanates from him.

Beneath the Emperor stands the bureaucracy, a well-developed civil-military administrative formed by offices that are arranged in a clear order, and which is marked by a competition between the civil aristocracy, generally based in Constantinople, and the military aristocracy of the themes. The administration is highly ceremonial and intricate, but also efficient and flexible, a dual legacy of the Empire's long existence. The most important officials are the Logothetes, who serve as ministers and secretaries of state with clearly specified functions.

While power is centralized in the capital, it is practically delegated in the themes, (θέματα - thémata), provinces where the civil and military powers are combined in a single person, the Strategos (Στρατηγός), who is chosen by the Emperor and who acts as the Emperor's viceroy.

The Senate, despite still being portrayed prominently alongside the Emperor in official phrases, and serves as an honorary council, with an advisory role, and with members appointed by the monarch.

Certain small democratic elements exist through the influence of the demes, chariot associations which play a political role through their position, one where they serve to express the popular will to the Emperor through their acclamation during the races. Such demes exist in most major cities of the Empire, but those in Constantinople are particularly relevant, as they are partially integrated in the administration, where they serve as the main way for regular people to petition the throne.

A theocratic element is also present through the power of the Orthodox Church, which while subject to the Emperor's authority, is a rich and strong institution with an influence that can permeate the entire imperial administration.

Majority/State Religion: Imperial Roman Church
Religious Description: Roman Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodoxy. The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church practices what it understands to be the original faith passed down from the Apostles. The Orthodox Church in the Roman Empire is, led by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who is recognized as "primus inter pares" (first among equals) between all the Orthodox bishops and patriarchs. The Orthodox consider the Church to be a union of various autocephalous patriarchates in full communion with each other. Besides from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the other Patriarchates under Roman control are the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. The Basileus, due to his supreme authority in both secular and religious matters, is considered to be divinely ordained, as the Viceroy of Jesus Christ on Earth, and all Patriarchs must receive his confirmation before taking their positions.

Economic Description: The Empire maintains a strong and advanced economy that has not yet been fully affected by changes in the maritime trade routes. Trade as such remains one of the most important foundations of the Roman economy, with Constantinople serving as the center of an extensive trade network, with trade being strictly controlled by the state. The Empire maintains a strong monetary system, controls interest rates, and directs the actions of guilds and corporations.
Major Production: Silk and other textiles, grain, olive oil, wine, ceramics, perfumes, traded spices


Army Description: The Roman Army (Ρωμαϊκός Στρατός- Romaïkós Stratós|Exercitus Romanum), or the Army of the Romans (Στρατός τῶν Ῥωμαίω-Stratós tōn Rhōmaiōn|Exercitus Romanorum), is a direct and uninterrupted continuation of the Roman army of old and of its traditions, being renowned for its level of discipline and organization. The Army emphasizes the martial tradition of the old Roman legions and combines it with a religious duty and even fanaticism which has been proven in the many wars against Islam, while individual units maintain the traditions of Roman units that go all the way back to the Notitia Dignitatum, strengthening the morale and unity of the troops. The reformed theme system helps the Empire in fielding a force that is numerically superior to that of nations of a comparable size, and the localized centers of command provide a adaptable and in-depth defensive system. Much like other armies of the era, the Empire generally uses a combination of musketeers and pikemen, and use a clearly established formation system, with a hierarchical system of units and officers ranging from the regiment-sized tourma (τούρμα) to the ten man kontoubernion (κοντουβερνιον), giving the Romans the ability to field armies that can divide themselves into small and mobile groups, and while maintaining a good level of command and communication. The imperial forces are also well known for their auxiliary forces and for the attention that they give to supplies, medical teams and engineers. The Romans also employ specialized units of grenadiers and flame-throwers. The imperial tagmatic force numbers 52,000 including the guards, while the thematic force could hypothetically in case of a full mobilization of their forces could gather an additional of 110,000 men, but that is unheard of as such a mobilization would disrupt the Empire heavily, particularly in terms of economy and agriculture which would be heavily affected by the mobilization of so many peasants. Usually while on a campaign, the combined imperial forces range somewhere 70,000 and 90,000.
Army Weakness : The Roman Empire is fundamentally faced with several strategic issues which limit the effectiveness of its army. The first is that its very territory divides its attention between two continents and very long borders which essentially means that the Roman Army can very rarely bring its full force against a single enemy, as any movement of troops might weaken a specific part of the border and encourage hostile actions, which is only further compounded by the generally negative relations that the Romans have with most of their neighbors. Other weaknesses concerning the army include conservative views on cannons and on fortifications, and the limitations of the theme system - as thematic soldiers are usually not as well armed or trained as the soldiers of other nations.
Naval Description : The Roman Navy (Ρωμαϊκό Ναυτικό-Romaïkó Nautikó|Classis Romanum), or the Navy of the Romans (Ναυτικό τῶν Ῥωμαίω-Nautikó tōn Rhōmaiōn|Classis Romanorum), is a small and predominantly defensive force. It is a well maintained force, organized in an Imperial Navy based in Constantinople and in defensive fleets organized around the coasts around the thematic system, but it is singularly focused on maintaining the safety of the Eastern Mediterranean and of the Black Sea. The Romans mainly use galleys and galleasses, manned by professional soldiers, and they make extensive use of naval forts and fortifications, particularly in their Mediterranean islands and around the Straits, and Greek fire is still used both on ships and in forts.
Naval Weakness : The navy is profoundly marked by the Palaiologoi focus on the army, and while it is more than suited to defending the coasts and seas that are important for the Roman Empire, it is in only a limited position to carry any offensive engagements and is a far cry from the periods in which the Romans served as the undisputed masters of the Mediterranean. The Romans are somewhat conservative and greatly favor galleys and other such ships, which is starting to rapidly leave them behind the development of sailing ships such as the Western galleons.
Further Military Description:

The Roman Army is essentially divided into three main forces. The armies of the themes (θέματα - thémata) and the forces organized and recruited by the provinces with the same name. The soldiers of each theme are being granted land to work as long as they serve in the military, in order to support and to equip themselves, which gives the Roman armies a constant supply of peasant-soldiers without the use of conscription. The military organization is not neglected, and the units can mobilize relatively quickly in times of need. Under the authority of the themes, but of a different type are the akrites - (ἀκρίτης), irregular troops formed by soldiers which are granted land next to the Empire's borders. They act as border guards in times of peace, and as scouts and raiders in times of war. In case of enemy invasion, they try to protect the local population and to harass the attackers until the thematic forces are raised.

The tagmata (τάγματα) are the standing armies, usually garrisoned around the capital. They are formed by professional and loyal soldiers, and represent the core of the Empire's forces. They are divided in distinct regiments with traditions ranging all the way back to Constantine the Great. An important part of the tagmata is represented by cavalry forces, and they make extensive use of firearms. The are paid regular salaries, and also benefit from an organized auxiliary force which serve as support corps. They are well trained and are held to an extremely high standard, usually recruiting already experienced soldiers from the themes.

The final part of the army is represented by the Varangian Guard (Τάγμα τῶν Βαράγγων - Tágma tōn Varángōn), an elite unit of guards organized as a tagma. The Varangians are different from the rest of the units of the Roman Army, as their ranks are mostly formed by foreigners. The Guard was created at the height of the Viking Age, with its first members being provided by the Nordic warriors of the Kievan Rus. The Nordic warriors quickly proved their loyalty, and their battle prowess became legendary. The Guard is no longer formed only by men of Nordic heritage, nor is it formed only by Germanic people, as it was during the late 11th century, but the Varangians are still worthy of their heritage. Like in the days of old, the "axe bearing foreigners" are some of the best warriors under the command of the Romans. They are organized like a modern unit of pikemen and musketeers, but their members are handpicked and still use their traditional viking-style axes in close quarters combat.

Usually, the individual strategoi in command of the thematic armies are given independent command in term of dealing with threats, but in order to facilitate an organization of forces in a specific area, they respond to superior officers known as Domestics. The Domestic of the East (Δομέστικος της Ανατολής, Domestikos tis Anatolís ), is in charge of Asia Minor and the Levantine territories of the empire, and the Domestic of the West (Δομέστικος της Δύσης-Domestikos tis Dýsis), coordinates the Empire's territories in the Balkans. The Grand Domestic (Mέγας Δομέστικος-Mégas Doméstikos) is present in Constantinople and serves as a commander in chief of the Imperial forces as long as the Basileus himself does not take command.

National Goals : A continuation of the wars of reconquest against the Arabs, strengthening the Balkan frontier, improving the Empire's diplomatic position
National Issues : The recently conquered regions in the Levant need to be properly integrated, and a religious agreement has to be reached with the Oriental Orthodox positions in the Levant and in Egypt which are still hostile to the Imperial Orthodoxy, the bureaucracy could be somewhat streamlined.
National Figures of Interest :

• Constantine the Great
• Justinian the Great
• Basil II the Bulgar Slayer
• Alexios I Komnenos
• Michael VIII Palaiologos

• Emperor Michael IX Palaiologos
• Prince Konstantinos Palaiologos, current Despot of Morea, younger brother of Emperor Michael
• Prince Manuel Palaiologos, Despot of Trebizond, youngest brother of Emperor Michael
• Princess Sophia Palaiologos, twin sister of Emperor Michael
• Princess Maria Palaiologos, younger sister of Emperor Michael
• Princess Anastasia Palaiologos, youngest sister of Emperor Michael
• Alexandros Kantakouzenos, Grand Logothete and Hypatos
• Ecumenical Patriarch Anthimus VI of Constantinople

National Ambition/Aspirations : A restoration of the Empire was it was in the days of Heraclius, including a reconquest of Egypt and of northern Africa, and especially, the reconquest of Rome itself.

History :

• 1071 - After losing the Battle of Manzikert, Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes is captured and then released by the Seljuk Sultan. With the Mamluk guards the Sultan had given him, Romanos captured Andronikos Doukas, the traitor who had caused the rout of the Roman army during the battle. Romanos, the Mamlukes and his loyalists then clashed with the traitor Roussel de Bailleul and his mercenaries, killing him. Romanos remained in Anatolia for a few more years, strengthening the remaining garrisons, his survival also guaranteed the survival of the treaty he had signed with the Seljuks, meaning that most of Anatolia was spared from a heavy Turkish invasion. After his eventual death at the hands of his co-emperor, Michael VII Doukas, years later, the Seljuks moved against the Romans but they did not have the success they did in real life.
• 1081-1186 - Under the Komnenoi dynasty, starting with Alexios the Great, the Romans rallied against the Seljuks. Alexios called for Western help, being surprised by the movement of the Crusades, but with the Roman army in a much better position, they were able to fight alongside the Crusaders and to force at least a de jure recognition that the Crusader states were to become Roman vassals. Relations eventually broke down, leading to the Roman-Crusader Wars, but under a series of highly competent military Emperors, the Empire recovered significant territory in both Asia and Europe.
• 1186-1204 - The last Komnenoi emperor, Andronikos I Komnenos, was overthrown by the new Angeloi dynasty, which in their short reign proved to be one of the worst dynasties the Romans have ever had. Also known as the "Decades of Anarchy", their period of rule was marked by palace coups, internal conflicts, civil war, and a collapse of imperial authority. The Muslims and the Crusaders reconquered parts of the Levant, the remaining Slavs revolted in the Balkans, and many other conflicts weakened the state, which proved to be unable to maintain the centralized and highly professional army of the Komnenoi Emperors, while theme system, long ignored, was unable to provide reinforcements. The Roman state essentially started to crumble, and this all culminated in the Fourth Crusade, which the Venetians diverted from its original purpose of striking against Egypt in order to support the claims of an Angeloi claimant. The Crusaders besieged the city and took advantage of the disarray of the Roman forces to break through the coastal walls, but the defenders were rallied by megas doux Alexios Palaiologos, a military official and relative of the Komnenoi dynasty. The Romans managed to take advantage of the fact that the Crusaders had started to sack the city and that their cohesion had been broken, and recovered the walls, while using Greek fire to burn Venetian ships. The Crusaders inside the city were massacred, and the city was saved. Alexios Palaiologos married Princess Eirene Komnenoi and was acclaimed Emperor by the people of Constantinople.
• 1204-1261 - The Latinokratia (Rule of the Latins) marked the period in which Catholic principalities were formed throughout former Roman territories with the help of the Venetians, including a Latin Empire in Thessaloniki, led by Count Baldwin of Flanders who married an Angeloi princess. This was combined with a civil war, as several other claimants refused to recognize the new dynasty, including an Angeloi state in Nikaea, a branch of the Komnenoi family in Trebizond, and in Epirus under the Doukai family. This was a general period of war and conflict, even worse than the Decades of Anarchy, and were marked progressive massacres against the Orthodox population by the Catholics, who were hoping to occupy all former Roman territories as a new Catholic Roman Empire, and then to continue with Crusades against the Muslims. The Palaiologoi, centered in Constantinople, began a campaign of reunification and reform, earning the support of the Ecumenical Patriarch and of the Orthodox Church, which proved to be fundamental in their reconquests. The new dynasty first dealt with internal dissent, conquering the rebel areas and strengthening their claim through marriage - the son of Alexios Palaiologos, Andronikos Palaiologos, married an Angeloi princess, while his son, Michael Palaiologos, married a Doukai princess. It was under Michael Palaiologos that the situation was pacified, with all other opposing claimants dealt with, which allowed the Romans to focus on the Latin states - culminating in 1261 with liberating the old co-capital of the Empire, Thessaloniki, and the destruction of the Latin Empire. This was however done at the expense of the security of the eastern borders, which soon led to other wars with the Turks.
• 1261 - 1491 - The Palaiologoi restoration deeply reformed the empire, with reforms in nearly all fields. The new emperors were particularly careful to restore the system of the themes that had been so necessary for the protection of the empire before, fighting aggressively against the pronoia system and feudal elements, centralizing power and expanding the imperial bureaucracy. A proper Imperial fleet was restored, and by the mid 1300's it began aggressive campaigns against the Venetians and the remaining Latin states in the Eastern Mediterranean islands. Crete, Naxos, Cyprus and Corfu were all recovered, one by one, as the Romans took advantage of the wars Venice had in Italy, and defeat its remaining forces in the east in the Second Battle of Cephalionia. On land, the major rivals of the Palaiologoi were the Serbians in the Balkans and the Ottoman dynasty of the Seljuks in Asia. Despite the military focus, the Palaiologoi did not want to repeat the mistakes of the soldier emperors at the beginning of the millennia, and sponsored artists and scholars, leading what would become known as the "Roman Renaissance", while also establishing libraries in most major cities of the Empire - unwilling to repeat the risk of losing them all as when the imperial libraries in Constantinople were nearly set on fire by the Crusaders. Diplomatically, the Palaiologoi attempted to improve relations with the Papacy, which had opposed the Fourth Crusade and had excommunicated its leaders, and to perhaps mend the Great Schism, though that was not to be. This, combined with the establishment of good relations with some of the Italian states that had opposed Venice led to greater communications between Constantinople and Italy, with Italian scholars coming to learn in the East - and leading to the Great Renaissance of Europe. With the power of the Serbians destroyed and the Balkans secured, and with the Seljuks heavily defeated against the Mongols, the Palaiologoi managed to restore imperial borders to a reasonable degree of safety comparable to what existed during the Komnenoi rule.
• 1491 - 1618 - With the borders secured, further Palaiologoi continued to strengthen the empire, waging continuous wars. In the West, successive emperors managed to restore the Danube border and to reconquer what had once been Bulgaria and attempted to avert other possible conflicts with Catholic states by establishing buffer vassal states, but this brought them into conflict with other European states. This led to many conflicts between the Romans and the Hungarians, and later on with several Roman-Habsburg conflicts, although most of them were resulted with compromises and neither side believed it had the resources for a full war, and both sides had issues elsewhere, resulting the permanent crystallization of this system of buffer states.
  Meanwhile in the East, the Romans began a massive conflict with the Mamluk Sultanate and the Caliphate, as the Romans finally went on the offensive. Antioch was liberated in 1550, Damascus had fallen in 1560, and despite setbacks like the defeat in the Battle of Sidon, the Romans gained the upper hand, liberating Jerusalem in the Mamluk-Roman War of 1582.

RP Sample: Here

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[Elsbrat]

Reservation

Nation Name: Persian Empire
Territory: Greater Iran +. So Greater Iran plus some additional areas. Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Western half), Iraq, Armenia, Ajerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman. Willing to drop reserved locations if they fall outside of the claimed area of the Safavid Empire for other players, especially vassal states
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*Note: Reservations will last for 48 hours. The OP board reserves the right to be subjective in regards to accepting and removing reservations.

[Khasinkonia]

Bróirich in Galáthé | Kingdom of the Gauls

Full Nation Name: Kingdom of the Gauls (Bróirich in Galáthé) or, more rarely, Kingdom of Gaul (Bróirich Galathía)
Majority/Official Culture:

Gaulish culture is dominant, with several minority cultures, most prominent of which including Breton, Frankish, Occitan, Lotharingian, and Basque. Of these, only Breton and Basque culture are regarded as legitimate within Gaul, while most others are considered foreign. Gaulish culture is heavily estranged from much of Europe, and is often seen as aloof to other Christian peoples on the continent.

Territorial Core: Galathía hÍsúé — Gaul Herself
Territorial Claim: In Tíré Dhiduchwépach in Galáthé — The Indisputable Land of the Gauls. This land is regarded by the Gaulish monarchy as an integral part of Gaul that was torn away by Lothair and the Crusades, and has continued to exist as an important political concept to justify the centralisation efforts of the Archking over the past few centuries.
Capital City: Cenáv (Orleans), the heart of Gaul, home of the Great Synod, and traditional holy grounds of eras past.
Population: ~20,000,000

Government Type: Elective Federal Popular Monarchy with significant Bureaucratic elements
Government Ideology/Policies: Gaulish Revanchism, opposition to Papal primacy, and rejection of Roman cultural dominance
Government Focus:

For the past several decades, the focus of Archking Luchsorich and his Head Druid Synod has been centralisation of the realm and streamlining of the bureaucracy, particularly in matters of military, economic, and infrastructural undertakings to build a strong state that can effectively support prolonged conflicts, with intent on the return of the Gaulish border to the Rhine. A secondary focus of the government is that of forging amicable relations with Andalusia and reduction of reliance on imports via Dutch and Mediterranean merchants.

Head of State: Ardhúrich in Galáthé (Archking of the Gauls) Luchsorich Brenn tóth Carnath
Head of Government: Congharas Brendrúidhé in hOghwíath (Conductor of the Head Druid Synod) Gwesucha Cathrich tóth Namnath
Government Description:

The Gaulish government is conventionally arranged on two levels, that of the Kingdom and that of the Realm, with 73 Kingdoms serving beneath the Realm. Administratively, the Realm presides over 73 Kingdoms, which preside over Ran, which preside over Opidh. Although an Opidh always falls in only one Kingdom, some Ran may cross Kingdom borders and are generally subject to rules of different Kingdoms based on where the boundary is drawn, dividing taxes proportionally. Not all Kingdoms exist territorially due to historical changes in the borders of Gaul, but are still maintained as institutions and have symbolic Kings elected.

Both the position of King and Archking are elected upon the previous title-holder’s death, with Kings being elected from candidates, usually wealthy urbanites or landed elite, who bear the relevant tribe designation, while Archkings have by convention been selected from the reigning King of Carnath or his relatives, but must always be selected from a King or close relative of a King. When an Archking is elected, they are required to abandon any other titles they may bear, including status as King of a Kingdom.

Although the Archking lacks technical legal limitations to his power, the institution historically gains its power by the will of those under the crown, not by any innate divinity to royalty itself. The role of Archking is therefore first and foremost that of a unifying figure, and only secondarily that of an administrator.

The role of administration of the realm is shared between the Kings and the Druids. The Druidry (Drúidháith) has evolved from a religious and leadership position in society to a primarily secular institution with the supplantation of Celtic paganism with Catholicism. Parallel to the Catholic diocese and parishes, secular Druids are raised from a young age for the position, and, relatively unique among European institutions, there is no explicit expectation that a Druid be male. Although there is no standard examination process, Druids are educated in special Druidic schools from a young age and are generally expected to have been certified by the local educator for at least several years of successful study. The Druidry are assigned to different kingdoms on the parish, diocesan, Kingdom, and Archdiocesan levels, filling a variety of roles including bureaucrats, advisors, and administrators proper, as well as important roles within state ceremonies.

Within the Druidry, there exist five ranks: Drúidh, Drúidham, Gwerdrúidh, Ardrúidh, and Brendrúidh, translated as Druid, Great Druid, Overdruid, Archdruid, and Head Druid respectively. Druids make up the vast majority of the Druidry, composing the bureaucrat class that manages day-to-day life, such as tax collection, filing of papers, and so on on a local level. Great Druids perform comparable tasks, but for the Kingdoms or on a Kingdom-level. Overdruids are drawn from Druids, Great Druids, and—if given the permission of either the Archking or the Head Druid Synod—Archdruids, and serve as councillors to Kings. Archdruids function similarly to Druids and Great Druids, but perform their work for national institutions and must complete interviews with the Brendrúidh in Danan, or Head Druid of Administration, in order to receive their appointments, while Druids and Great Druids need only local appointment or petitions for instatement to work.

The Brendrúidhé, the Head Druids, are nine individuals who serve as advisors to the Archking and as overseers of the Nine Brithwían (Considerations), of which the Head Druid of the Head Druid of Fairness. They are replaced only upon death or resignation, and a new Head Druid must be proposed by the Gwergongharas Drúidhol (All-Druid Synod), which convenes only for this situation, and approved by the standing Archking. While the Archking has the final approval on all matters, the Head Druids generally handle the mundanities of their respective domains.

The Nine Considerations are as follows:

• Brithwían Canech (Consideration of Gold), responsible for collection of taxes, management of finances, handling national revenues, trade, and general oversight of the economy
  
• Brithwían Danan (Consideration of Administration), responsible for the oversight of the Druidry as a whole and the delegation of new Druids to the different Considerations
• Brithwían Lamcherdhl (Consideration of Labour), responsible for organising labour required for national construction projects and the maintenance of infrastructure
• Brithwían Gwídhl (Consideration of Understanding), responsible for the education of young Druids, the conducting of censuses, and of overseeing commoner education.
• Brithwían Lithan (Consideration of Celebration), responsible for all ceremonial matters of the realm and relations with the church
• Brithwían Ianúas ach Caraníu (Consideration of Fairness and Friendship), responsible for the mediation of disputes within the government and between private individuals and institutions, and the formal interactions of Gaul with other realms—in essence the civil court system and diplomatic corps. The Head Druid of this Consideration generally also serves as the Conductor of the Head Druid Synod, unless the standing Head Druid of Fairness declines to do so.
• Brithwían Arthreva ach Donétír (Consideration of Farming and of Peasantry), responsible for oversight of agriculture, addressing concerns of the commoners, and organisation of resources in times of famine.
• Brithwían Tiochovréith (Consideration of Justice), responsible for the prosecution of crimes and bureaucratic side of law enforcement—in essence the criminal court and administration of law enforcement
• Brithwían Namaníu (Consideration of Enmity), responsible for overseeing the national military and the logistics therein, though crimes done during service are delegated to the Consideration of Justice. Although espionage is not institutionalised, most operations are considered to be under the purview of the Consideration of Enmity

Majority/State Religion: Gaulish Catholicism
Religious Description:

The Roman Catholic Church exists across Europe and was historically the official religion of the Romans. Prior to the Protestant Reformation, Latin was used by convention in most western churches as the language of religion. Most, but not all. Gaul was a late holdout of paganism in Europe, with some reports of pagan rituals still being practised quietly in isolated pockets, as well as the celebration of numerous holidays with pagan roots across many communities. Though many of the Gaulish people had initially rejected the teachings of Christ, the reign of the Carolingians saw the persecution of many Druids, and led to Catholicism becoming a significant religion within Gaul by the overthrow of the Carolingians, though it would not be until the Gaulish Crusades that Catholicism was instilled as the sole official religion of Gaul.

However, Gaulish Catholicism remains distinct from Roman Catholicism, as the Archking reserves the right to reject bishop appointments—sometimes enforcing his rejection via assassination. Most distinctly to other Catholic denominations, however, is the near-exclusive usage of Gaulish as the liturgical language, a practice that hails from stoning of St. Léinu (Laelianus), which led one of his companions and translator, St. Prúdhen (Prudentius) to begin conducting services in Gaulish instead. St. Prúdhen has since been regarded as the patron saint of Gaul, while St. Léinu was canonised as a martyr from his home of Asti, Montferrat.

Economic Description:

One of the largest single populations in Europe, Gaul bears a large economy that remains comparatively isolated from Western European markets due to historic hostilities with the Holy Roman Empire and the states of Italy. The Gaulish economy is predominantly agrarian, with eighty five percent of the population inhabiting the countryside. Despite this, Gaul has a number of large cities, including the largest city in Western Europe: Cenáv. These large cities are productive centres of internal trade, but few Gaulish cities play host to large foreign merchant markets.

Though the farmlands of Gaul are rich enough that starvation is relatively rare, it cannot be said that many live in luxury. Even the Archking lives in relative austerity compared to many other monarchs of Europe, as it has been a longstanding policy to minimise luxury trade to avoid dealing with the Romans. Some inroads have been made for trading with Andalusia, and some navigators have begun to follow the Cape route, but most trade remains something that the government has been hesitant at best to authorise.

Major Production:

Much of the Gaulish economy is centred around agriculture, with Gaulish farmers producing a variety of staple crops as well as luxuries including olive oil, wine, cider, woad, and even saffron. A century ago, silk came to Gaul, and a few cities maintain small productions of it, though it is almost exclusively consumed on the domestic market, as it is universally considered inferior to Byzantine silk. Gaul also produces wool, linen, and hemp in great quantities, but many who can afford to do so will weave their wool with imported stock from Albion.

Gaulish metallurgy is well-regarded within Western Europe, with high-quality smelting taking place in the high-temperature forges of the northeast. Gaul produces a significant quantity of metal goods, but must import the raw materials to maintain this level of production, as local mines are unable to supply the necessary resources to do so.

The Gaulish economy is facilitated by an extensive network of roads and canals, maintained by the Archking, which enable effective transportation of goods through the interior. Likewise, the institutionalised education system has enabled many urban poor to obtain education, allowing minds that would otherwise have been condemned to the life of a peasant to be plucked and elevated.

Army Description :

Though many nations possess long and rich military traditions, the Gaulish army benefits from a martial tradition baked into Gaulish culture itself. There exist three levels to the Gaulish military: Realm, Kingdom, and Commoner.

On the Realm level, the army is most standardised and what can be called the standing army. It possesses a combination of firearms and pikemen combined with cavalry, as is the standard for the era, but is distinguished by the fanaticism present in troops and the usage of shock troops in large scale battles. All soldiers in the permanent army are selected from the men of the Kingdom armies, and are individually inspected for valour and devotion to the cause, often demonstrated by tests of bravery. The process for becoming a member of the permanent army is vigorous, but those who enter into service can expect to be exceptionally well-paid for their sacrifices, and those with families will, in the case of their own death, see their family granted pensions to ensure widows are not left wanting. Approximately 60,000 soldiers serve in the national army

Each King is expected to gather their own troops, up to a full division’s worth at the most, paid for directly from the realm treasury, from which the soldiers for the Realm army are drawn. While there are standard requirements for what must be taught to every soldier, and the soldiers under Kings are provided weapons by the Realm just as Realm soldiers are, Kings are given significant leeway in the training of their soldiers, with the understanding that consistent failure to provide soldiers meeting the standards of the Realm army may mean penalties as severe as forced abdication or execution of a member of the King’s personal Synod. Kingdom soldiers are provided smaller wages than Realm soldiers, but are treated as permanent soldiers all the same.

At the bottom of the Gaulish military is the Commoner. The Realm and Kingdom keeps their weaponry up to date, which inevitably produces waste of blunter or older weapons. Rather than discard or stow away these weapons, peasants who have consistently paid their taxes are given these weapons and trained during the winter as militia in exchange for a guaranteed familial pension should they die in times of war. This commoner militia is only levied in times of war, and serves to bolster the main troops as reserves, flanks, and padding to enable the main army to punch above its weight. Unique among militaries in Europe, the Commoner army will accept women under some circumstances. It will field as many troops as the realm can handle in times of war, and arms far more than that. Those who are armed but not drafted are expected to lay down their lives for the Realm just as a member of the army ought.

Even the Commoner army, however, is well-trained compared to other levies in Europe due to the War Games hosted in towns and cities after harvest, where a local Druid of the Consideration of Enmity will train and oversee children in mock warfare framed as a game, complete with play pikes and slingshots in place of muskets. This tradition helps to single out natural soldiers from a young age, and educate the peasantry in the tactics of warfare to enable commoner troops to be treated more like standard troops.

Army Weakness :

Among the biggest weaknesses of the Gaulish army is that Gaulish troops, especially lower ranked ones, shun armour. Though this may aid in manoeuvrability, speed, and shock value, going into battle with just war paint and/or one’s clothes means that a successful strike is more likely to inflict casualties, which incurs the expenses of pensions. Furthermore, the widespread militarisation of the peasantry, while excellent for rallying quick defences and mustering reinforcements, comes at a heavy cost. While other rulers can ignore their peasants for a time, Gaul must tread carefully to ensure her people do not become dissatisfied, because even an old pike is still a weapon. Furthermore, the upkeep of the permanent army is expensive, and, even as conservatively as the government spends, it still demands a significant portion of the Kingdom’s revenue. To keep from running a deficit, the Archking and the Consideration of Gold must be very careful to make sure troops are paid and taxes are not raised to a point where the peasantry might see fit to fight against Gaul herself, for an armed peasantry means the lowest class is acutely aware that they may fight back if they feel their treatment is unfair. This tightrope budget means that, in times of tight budget, infrastructure projects may be left abandoned, and even the Archking must tighten his belt.

Naval Description : Gaul lacks a formal, centralised navy. Naval affairs are generally handled by the Amorichan Kingdoms at their own expense, leading to a small force of what is, in essence, privateers.
Naval Weakness : The Gaulish navy is essentially a patchwork of Amorichan privateers and a few proper military vessels that are personally owned by the Kings of the Amorichan tribes. Gaul can, at best, swat away pirates from her Atlantic shores, but little more. She is fundamentally a land power, and there is little incentive to change this.
Further Military Description : Along the borders of Gaul and around many cities, the Druidry cultivates forests that are treated as grounds of the Realm. Hunting is not banned, but trees may not be cut down without specific approval. These woods, as well as those used to separate properties, can serve as useful defensive positions for Gaulish troops, who are some of the only European troops to have specific strategies for use in tight quarters like those of the forests.

National Goals : The reconquest of the Indisputable Land of Gaul, cultural purification of the realm, achieve trade independence from other European nations, and religious independence from external authorities, especially Rome.
National Issues : With as much heart as the Archking and the Druidry may put into developing the nation and army, no amount of dedication or even skill can stand alone against the HRE. Gaul has many nations it sees as enemies, few options for friends, and fewer actual friends. In order to bring about the national dream, new relationships must be forged and wars must be waged carefully. Gaul cannot stand alone, no matter how much its leaders may wish it could. Indeed, compromises of ideals will likely have to be made, which may not necessarily be popular with nobiles or the common man. There are still Occitan and Lotharingian minorities on the periphery who have not been sufficiently removed from Latin influence, and they seem keen on keeping their culture.
National Figures of Interest :

• Amiórich (Ambiorix) - Famous leader from the Gallic Wars
• Verchinthrich (Vercingetorix) - Brokerer of peace between Rome and the Gauls. Widely believed to be the reason the Gauls survived Roman rule
• Moiurich Conthalv tóth Trichas - First Archking of the Gauls
• Dáimáro Sáeth tóth Carnath, in Riuníath - First Archking of the current Gaulish Kingdom, liberator from the Franks
• Kathmáro Gróiath tóth Carnath, in Mói - Oversaw Gaul at its territorial apex
• Oriethr Dresíath tóth Arúern - Surrendered to the Crusaders, ending the Gaulish Crusades
• Súadhrich Comnerth tóth Carnath - Beginner of the Genuflexion Reforms

• Luchsorich Brenn tóth Carnath - Reigning Archking of the Gauls
• Gwesucha Cathrich tóth Namnath - Head Druidess of the Consideration of Fairness and Friendship, Conductor of the Head Druid Council
• Ianwaru Suchel tóth Caleth - Head Druid of the Consideration of Gold
• Doghís Súadhrich tóth Cadurch - Head Druid of the Consideration of Administration
• Arióthal Gósach tóth Díavlinth - Head Druid of the Consideration of Labour
• Lúiswa Saghru tóth Trichas - Head Druidess of the Consideration of Understanding
• Sáeth Gwéli tóth Arúern - Head Druid of the Consideration of Celebration
• Cenrath Aiustin tóth Lémvich - Head Druidess of the Consideration of Farming and of Peasantry
• Penwen Édhríath tóth Adhú - Head Druid of the Consideration of Justice
• Corenthn Moiurich tóth Ósim - Head Druid of the Consideration of Enmity

National Ambition/Aspirations : Gaul and Europe shall one day sit apart, not as enemies, but not as friends either. Gaul shall have herself and her people, and Europe can carry on without bothering her. The domesticated dogs will become wild again, no longer haunted by the shame of defeat.

History : Though many cultures have rich written traditions, Gaul is not one of them. Much of her early history is only known from foreign records or inferred from stories passed down through the generations. It has only been within the last few centuries that Gaulish literature has been able to compete with its many contemporaries.

The Gallic Wars - 58 BC to 53 BC
It is said that Julius Caesar cried when he learned that Alexander, at his age, had already conquered the known world. Though he would not go on to conquer all the known world, the entire world of the Gauls would fall before him.

Caesar was the appointed governor of Gallia Narbonensis in 58 BC. While his true motivations behind doing so, one thing is certain: after just a year of campaigning, Julius Caesar had unsettled all of Gaul with his spectacular victories. Under Caesar’s leadership, several Roman legions divided and conquered numerous warring Gaulish tribes. In 57 BC, Caesar reached Northern Gaul, and there intervened in an inter-tribal conflict as he had several times before, attacking the Belgae confederation in defence of a different tribe that had allied itself with Rome. Though both sides initially avoided conflict due to supply concerns, Caesar seized upon an opportunity and beat the Suessiones to their own oppidum, forcing the weary Suessiones to attempt to siege their own home if they wanted to take it. The sight of Roman fortifications on their own home compelled the Suessiones to surrender, and this stunning victory brought several other tribes into the fold of Rome without any combat.

Despite these victories, some Belgic tribes still resisted, such as the Nervii. The Nervii set up an ambush along the river Sambre to catch the legions off guard. Though the ambush itself was detected, the Caesar’s reinforcements were stalled long enough for the battle of the Sabis to end in defeat, though Caesar had still managed to achieve some of his goals via the capture and sale of over 50,000 Atuatuci men into slavery. Ultimately, though the expedition was not as successful as Caesar had hoped, the profits from the sale of his captives and his victory over the Suessiones were enough to pay off his debts and grow his prestige, as he had hoped.

Over the next several years, Caesar would largely see success, though his defeat at the hands of the Nervii led him to, on defeat of many Gauls, avoid the sale of them into slavery in favour of collecting extortionate tributes. This would continue, until 54 BC, when, on his return from his exploits in Britain and wintered his troops in Gaul, the Eburones under Ambiorix revolted, tricking and murdering Sabinus, and slaughtering their legion. This new victory inspired numerous other tribes to rise up, in what has become known as Ambiorix’s revolt. Ambiorix went on to attack Cicero’s camp using the same trickery that he had used on Sabinus, but Cicero did not fall for the same lie, and fortified his camp. Unfortunately, by the time his messenger had reached Caesar, the fortress had fallen and Cicero and only a few of his men were able to escape.

Seeking vengeance, Caesar set out on a brutal campaign with fresh legions in 53 BC, and announced that Gaul would be treated as a Roman province after narrowly defeating Ambiorix’s forces. This harsh treatment caused many Gauls who had previously submitted to fear for their prosperity, and under the leadership of the charismatic Vercingetorix, they began to organise. Although plans were initially made to revolt, Vercingetorix convinced his fellow Gauls to wait patiently. The city of Cenabum was not destroyed, as had been feared, but Roman religion would begin to be pushed on the Gauls. Though the Gauls chafed, direct conflict had thus far been disastrous, and Vercingetorix proposed an alternative strategy.

Augustine Agreement - 43 BC to 27 BC
Although poorly attested-to, it is believed that, during Octavian’s assignment to Cisalpine Galla, he met with Vercingetorix in secret and offered the Gauls a revocation of Gaul’s status as a province in exchange for providing Gaulish troops to bolster his ranks in the coming civil war. What is known for certain, however, is that in 32 BC, the War of Actium began, and Gauls dressed in Roman armour fought for the soon-to-be Emperor Augustus, who, after victory, honoured his promise and negotiated with Vercingetorix under the pretext of preventing a new Gallic War, leading to the provinces in the region of Gaul, other than the previously annexed Gallia Narbonensis, being treated as a technical part of the Empire under special jurisdiction, in later periods referred to informally as the Gaulish March. Though later emperors would attempt to reverse this and properly integrate Gaul into the Empire as several provinces, the colonisation of Gaul was incomplete at best, and only succeeded in certain areas around the periphery that had been depopulated by Caesar and then Germanic raids.

Crisis of the Third Century & Second Gallic War - 235 AD to 284 AD
During the Roman Crisis of the Third Century, Marcus Postumus, the governor of Germania Superior and Inferior, made his revolt official after the siege of Colonia Agrippina, later declaring the Gallic Empire. Though local Gaulish leaders were initially hesitant to follow him, his defence of the frontier and previous crushing defeat of the Franks brought most in line with relatively minimal fighting due to the former governor’s light hand.

With Postumus’ assassination in 269, tensions began to grow as Gaulish leaders began to once again worry for their prosperity, which led to the open revolt of many Gauls against the authority of Postumus’ presumed successors. This series of conflicts between Gaulish leaders, the Gallic Caesars, and proper Roman forces has since become known as the Second Gallic War. Finally, in 284, Aurelian was able to subdue both Gaulish and Gallic forces and reunified the Empire, with Gaul returning to status quo ante bellum.

Third Gallic War - 413 AD to 486 AD
In the aftermath of the Sack of Rome and a long period of Germanic incursions and barbarian raids, many of the pagan Gauls began to arrange in smaller societies mirroring those of pre-Roman rule, generally following traditional clan lines, believing the Roman authority to be weak, with some harkening back to the revolutionary spirit of Ambiorix’s revolt. As the Goths moved into the south of Gaul, there was a temporary alliance brokered between the Roman garrison and Gaulish revolters to repel the Goths from Tolosa. After an armistice of several years, revolts resumed and the garrison retreated, some to the Domain of Soissons.

Fall of Soissons & the first Gaulish Kingdom - 486 AD
In the aftermath of the Battle of Soissons and the defeat of Syagrius at the hands of Clovis I of the Salian Franks. While the Gauls, having defeated the last of the Roman garrisons and Gothic incursions into their lands, were beginning to fragment into many warring tribes once more, they were rallied under the leadership of Moiurich Conthalv tóth Trichas, elected as the first Archking of the Gauls. Under his leadership, Clovis was repelled and the rest of Gaul remained under Gaulish control for several generations of leaders, though as the generations went on, infighting began to spread once more.

Conquest of Gaul & Charlemagne’s Empire
By the early 700s, Gaul had regressed into a number of warring Kingdoms again, with no Archking elected for several generations. Under the leadership of Charles Martel, the Franks saw a resurgence and subjugated the Gaulish tribes during the Umayyad conquest of Gaul, then repelling the Umayyads at Turon — a victory which earned him the moniker of “Martel – The Hammer” and legitimacy in his rule over the Gauls.

Frankish rule would continue for several generations. Under the leadership of Charlemagne, the Frankish realm would grow and reach its peak in terms of prestige and extent, laying the foundations for the Holy Roman Empire and coming close to declaring a new Western Rome. When Charlemagne died of a fever in his old age, his son Louis the Pious assumed control as Emperor and began a series of campaigns in the peninsula known as Amorich to the Gauls and as Breizh to the Bretons, subjugating the local rulers. During his reign, he had aimed to solidify control over Charlemagne’s legacy and suppress dissent, but this would ultimately not come to pass. Despite his successes in Amorich, unrest from Gaulish revolts as well as wars between his sons would come to destabilise his realm.

The Foundation of the Second Gaulish Kingdom
With the death of Louis the Pious in 840, his realm became split into three kingdoms: West Francia, Middle Francia, and East Francia. His youngest son, Charles the Bald, was made King of West Francia. Louis had died before he was able to successfully cow the Gaulish revolters. With his death, a Synod was called at Cenáv by the Gaulish revolters, where they elected Dáimáro Sáeth tóth Carnath in Riuníath (The Liberator) as the first Archking of the new Kingdom of the Gauls. While Charles tried to fight his brothers, Dáimáro rallied Gauls against him and succeeded in overthrowing him by 843, at the cost of being forced to make peace with Lothair I of Middle Francia, and relinquish claims on land to the east and north.

For over a decade, Dáimáro, who was well-educated in history, worked to avoid what he considered a likely fragmentation of Gaul after his death by establishing the foundations of the Kingdom and Archking system of modern Gaul. After the death of Lothair I and the fragmentation of his Kingdom, Dáimáro struck once more, and was able to crush the nascent Provençal kingdom that Lothair had willed to his son Charles, seizing most of the kingdom except for a pittance in the east near the Alps. Though Dáimáro and his men eyed the rest of Lothair’s legacy with eagerness, he would die before the time for conquest came.

Lothair’s Crown
After several caretaker High Kings, Archking Kathmáro Gróiath tóth Carnath the Great saw fit to once more engage in a war for the Crown of Lothair, this time seizing upon Duke Conrad’s rebellion in 953 to bring the Gaulish border to the Rhine by 962, after a bloody war on both sides. Although he initially granted amnesty to those living in the conquered lands, he would later reverse course after several revolts by local nobility. In 976, Kathmáro revoked the lands previously assured to the local nobility and marched in with his army, restoring the land to members of clans who claimed descent from the Belgic and Gaulish peoples that had once inhabited the lands.

The Gaulish Crusade
The Gaulish border with the HRE remained relatively static for several centuries, and most conflicts across the border occurred between lesser nobility and resulted in only small shifts of the border. It was during this period of peace where the Druidry began to take its modern form as a functional institution, and the foundations for the modern Gaulish state were laid. Despite these reforms and the relative peace, Gaul was not, ultimately, prepared for what came in 1178. The Pope issued a bull sanctioning warfare against the Gauls, who up to this point were as many pagan in number as Christian.

Eager to regain lost lands, those with claims to the land that Gaul had taken from Lotharingia were swift to provide funding to expeditions and armies to fight the Gauls, and soon gained support from larger benefactors as well. Over almost the next two centuries, Gaul would be engaged in a state of near-continuous warfare with armies from all over Christendom. Although little land was won in any given battle, the Crusader armies made slow progress chipping away at the realm.

By 1357, the Gaulish Kings had been worn down sufficiently, and capitulated to the Pope’s demands, requesting the Papal bull be revoked in exchange for mass conversion and baptism, in a document signed by 70 of the 73 Kings known as the Gaulish Genuflexion, in an event known as the Submission of Caleth. Although the effects of this peace were mostly negative, the Crusades themselves had caused an important development within the Gaulish realm, namely the adoption of permanent, elite troops.

The Gaulish Genuflexion
The Genuflexion has become used to describe the era in Gaul following the Crusade, where the primary focus of the Archking and his Druidry has been directed inwards, towards rebuilding and self-strengthening. Initiated by Súadhrich Comnerth tóth Carnath, the Archking directly succeeding the last king of the Crusades, Oriethr Dresíath tóth Arúern, who abdicated after his treaty was ratified, this era continues into the modern day, and has been carried down by several generations of Archkings.

While many of her neighbours have been rocked by the Reformation, the Church of Gaul has seen a greater conflict between the authority of the state and of the church than of the followers of the church. Gaul has produced few theological minds of note, and receives more clergy assignments than it produces ministers. Many Gaulish churches have consistently disappointing attendance, which few in the government have seen fit to address, despite the protestations of the clergy. Even among the nobility, reverence seems limited, and few Kings and Archkings have had anything to say to Rome for many years now. Though there has not been any notable resurgence of paganism for over two centuries, there are still those among the nobility who have shrines in their personal gardens, and peasants who keep small refuges in the woods. Up to the present day, no Archking has seen fit to promote disobedience to the church, and, since an incident in the 1400s, the Archkings have been careful to avoid outright excommunicable acts, but this has not stopped them from pursuing policies that place state firmly above the church.

RP Sample: Something new I tried. I think it turned out well.

#AltDiv

[American Pere Housh]

Reservation

Nation Name: The Egyptian Empire
Territory: Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya, Tunisia
#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.

[American Pere Housh]

Full Nation Name: The Egyptian Empire
Majority/Official Culture: Arab
Territorial Core: Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya, Tunisia, Jordan
Territorial Claim: The Holy Land, Syria
Capital City: Cairo
Population:35 million

Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies: Militant, Imperialist and Expansionist
Government Focus: Egypt's main focus will be expanding its borders, spreading the Islamic faith across the world and retaking the Holy Land.
Head of State: Pharaoh Achmed IV
Head of Government: N/A
Government Description:

Majority/State Religion: [[It does not have to be IRL religion]]
Religious Description: [[OPTIONAL]]

Economic Description: [[A short description of your economy, does not need to be detailed considering the era]]
Major Production:


Army Description : [[Describe your nation's army in as much detail as you can]]
Army Weakness :
Naval Description : [[Describe your nation's navy in as much detail as you can]]
Naval Weakness :
Further Military Description : [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals : [[What are the main objectives of your nation?]]
National Issues : [[What needs to be fixed in order for your nation to achieve its true potential?]]
National Figures of Interest : [[OPTIONAL]] [[Are there any Mother Teresas or Moses that we need to know about?]]
National Ambition/Aspirations : [[OPTIONAL]] [[Not really set objectives, but rather the big picture that your nation is drawing towards]]

History : [[Can be formatted in paragraphs or as a bulletpoint timeline.]]
RP Sample: [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]]

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

[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name: Persian Empire
Territory: Greater Iran +. So Greater Iran plus some additional areas. Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Western half), Iraq, Armenia, Ajerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman. Willing to drop reserved locations if they fall outside of the claimed area of the Safavid Empire for other players, especially vassal states
#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.

Reservation accepted

[Tracian Empire]

Reservation

Nation Name: The Egyptian Empire
Territory: Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya, Tunisia
#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.

Reservation accepted, with the exception of Ethiopia/Eritrea. You're getting a plenty well developed claim as it is, and I would like to keep Ethiopia open on the off-chance that we'll be getting a Christian player there, to try to keep any conflicts in this part of the world a bit more balanced.

If we'll get no such player in the near future we could certainly discuss border adjustments.

[American Pere Housh]

Reservation

Nation Name: The Egyptian Empire
Territory: Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya, Tunisia
#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.

Reservation accepted, with the exception of Ethiopia/Eritrea. You're getting a plenty well developed claim as it is, and I would like to keep Ethiopia open on the off-chance that we'll be getting a Christian player there, to try to keep any conflicts in this part of the world a bit more balanced.

If we'll get no such player in the near future we could certainly discuss border adjustments.

Sure

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name: Cheriyan Dynasty | Kingdom of Cochin | Kochiraj | Nasraniraj | Holy Kingdom of St. Thomas | Cochin

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

The app looks great, accepted!

[Oscalantine]

Full Nation Name: The United Kingdom of Albion
Majority/Official Culture: British, Scottish, Wales, and Irish
Territorial Core: British Isles, Calais Colonies in Eastern coast of North America, and Bermuda Island
Territorial Claim: North America and Coasts of Africa
Capital City: Camelot (Caerwent in IRL UK)
Population: Roughly 6.8 million (1.5 million in Wales, 3.5 million in England, 800 thousand in Scotland, and roughly 1 million in Ireland)

Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies: Centralized Feudal System
Government Focus: The Court of Camelot and its Knightly Institutions is always juggling between the needs of the practicality of its expanding elites and what they consider “Knightly Virtues” consisting of moral high grounds similar to that of Chivalry in other cultures.
Head of State: Ei Dyrchafedig Mawrhydi (His Elevated/Exalted Majesty), High King of all Britons, Lord-Protector of the United Kingdom and all her Territories, Sir Caradoc Pendragon the Magnificent
Head of Government: The Knights of the Round Table
Government Description:
From the bureaucratic perspective, Albion has widely two branches of government: the judiciary-executive and legislative branch. The Court of Camelot is responsible for judging and executing laws and decrees which in turn are written and overviewed by the Parliament of the Britons. This design of the government is not made with checks and balances in mind, but rather of efficiency: daily matters across all corners of the United Kingdom are quickly discussed and a ruling is given by the Parliament, which in turn is enforced by the Court of Camelot. The definition of each decree by the Parliament, unless challenged, will be interpreted freely by the Court of Camelot in dealing with matters of state that needs to be handled immediately.

The Parliament of the Britons is a simple institution which in turn is divided into two houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It is the House of Lords’ duty to present the matters of state to be debated among the House of Commons, a process that is to be both practical and symbolic representation of the elites judging the direction of Albion whereas the Commoners are to provide positive feedback and, if needed, beseech to lessen their loads. Once the debate between the factions within the House of Commons which is to represent all of the people in the United Kingdom, its results are to be presented back to the House of Lords by the Chancellor who is of the member of the House of Lords and yet presides as the final speaker of the House of Commons. The House of Lords votes on whether to send the conclusion back to the Commons or to pass the legislation into a law.

Once the legislature is signed by simple majority in the House of Lords, the legislature is given for enforcement by the Court of Camelot. While House of Commons do have the authority to oversee the workings of each Magistracy including the appointment of its Magistrates as set by decree of High King Bran in 1335, this authority remains largely a ceremonial one. Instead, each Magistracy is ultimately answerable to the High King, who relegates his or her daily authority to the Royal Family, who interprets the legislative decisions of the Parliament and appoints them to each Ministries. Although it is within the authority of the High King, which in turn the Royal Family, to appoint Magistrates when necessary, the Royal Family usually takes recommendation from the House of Commons when a new Magistracy is deemed necessary by the Court of Camelot.

Despite this simple yet seemingly efficient bureaucracy, however, the true understanding of British political system lies not in its legitimate government but in an institution steeped deep in tradition and unofficial soft power over every aspect of Albion: The Knights of the Round Table. The Round Table is an ancient political institution which protected and ruled over British Isles since its conception by the High King Arthur himself. The Round Table’s members are selected by the reigning High King, who is always a Knight of the Round Table by default, and remain a member until death or accused of high treason against Albion. In practice, seventeen major families always maintain a position within the Round Table regardless of their relationship with the High King, and the High King can select up to ten knights without any objection from the seventeen families. In this way, there usually are roughly thirty-eight Knights in the Round Table (ten from the current High King’s discretion, seventeen Knightly Families, ten from the previous High King’s discretion, and the High King himself), although there was an instance of more than a hundred Knights of the Round Table in the past.

The Round Table collectively project absolute political power over all aspect of Albion, and serve as a moral, economic, and cultural compass for all Briton people. This is achieved by the individual members’ occupations. As the High King of Briton is both a Knight of the Round Table as well as a ruling head of the Court of Camelot, the Round Table has collective authority over the executive and judiciary aspects of the government. Furthermore, seventeen Knightly Families occupy 30 of 40 hereditary peers of roughly 60-member House of Lords, which is the upper house within the Parliament of the United Kingdom. As a result, the decisions from the Round Table hold significant sway within Albion, and its statements can be assured to be the leading goal of the United Kingdom for foreseeable future.

Majority/State Religion: Secularism

Religious Description: The creation of Secularism is odd even in the modern era, but what’s even more odd is that Albion was secular haven free from Catholicism for some time since the reign of High King Sir Mordred Pendragon, the second High King of Albion. Despite this precedence, the definition of “Secularism” has fluctuated between reigns of different High Kings. For instance, during the Protestant Reformation the heretic Catholic faith was persecuted, and Catholic inquisitors were allowed to perform inquisition under the pretext of “secularism does not provide protection against the perversion of sacred faiths.” Muslims were prohibited from freely practicing their religion since the Crusades, when High Kings did allow some of the Knights of the Round Table of Catholic faith to participate on the reconquest of Jerusalem.

As it currently stands, much of Albion population is free to go to Catholic Churches and Mosques are becoming increasingly tolerated thanks to hands-off attitude of the Court of Camelot. And since the Celtic pantheon was never truly persecuted, the countryside of Albion still roams druids and other men of healing who provide aid to those who the knights cannot. Despite this seeming mismatch of secular ideas and melting pot of religion, there are a few religions that are still alienated. For one, Albion still do not recognize all but the most mainstream of Protestantism, which only restricts non-Catholic Christians to Lutherans and Calvinists and everything else is still considered a form of Satanic worship and thus persecuted. Furthermore, as even a toddler learns the great legends and exploits of High King Arthur as almost a gospel of historical truth, the Nordic pantheon is treated almost as equivalent as that of worshiping the devil itself, and any practitioners of such faith, if any are left, are reported straight to the authorities.

Economic Description: Albion’s economic system is similar to its political ideology in that it is highly centralized and yet still feudal in its essence. Many Knightly Families hold large swath of land across Albion mainland and Ireland where they employ hundreds of peasants to work the fields and mines. These Knightly Families create watch towers to light the roads and strongholds to keep the brigands and highwaymen out, and naturally that’s where villages are created. These Knightly Families contribute great deal of raw materials to the few planned cities scattered across Albion, which serve as both a seat of High King’s authority and the distribution hub from which large-scale trade happens both between Knights and internationally.

While each Knightly Families have their own wants and projects, it is usually the High King who spends generously to create great achievements in his or her life, as a High King or Queen without any glorious exploits be it in battle or in development is considered an inept leader. Thus, Albion’s national budget created from taxation of the Church and Commoners as well as donations from the Knightly Families, is fueled towards creating this lifetime achievement. While the focus of this achievement varies between one High King to the next, usually this involves building up military potential of Albion for great conflict or great architectural wonders that will be remembered as a monument to his or her grandeur. Despite this seemingly skewed spending, it is also up to the High King to provide for his or her subjects in the cities, and thus any acting High King spends some portion of his or her national budget in providing alms to the poorest in the cities and beautifying the streets as a show of the High King’s authority. This has led to many cities being considered a refuge during the times of great trial, and many would flock to the cities during great famines, leading to the High Kings and Queens to stock up on supplies at any one time for this eventuality.

Major Production: Albion’s predominant production focuses greatly on sheep’s wool, as wool spun from Albion Sheep are considered both strong in quality and affordable in quantity. And while the England region houses large grain plantations of Knightly Families who supplies the entire country with sources of flour, Ireland has been adapting strange rooted vegetable called the potato, which has been accepted as good eats across the Isles as the food for the working class (ooc. I understand that the potatoes being adopted as a staple in the British Isles is a bit too early, but since potatoes were introduced in Britain irl as early as 1588 and Albion people are far less superstitious due to secular governance, I can see potatoes finding a pragmatic use as a food in more rough regions in the Isles far earlier and more readily).

Beyond the needs of exports and internal consumption, great mines across the Isles are developed and exploited to provide for large number of forges and shipyards. As it is considered a great achievement of the High King or Queen to win victories against other nations, the budget for war is almost always a constant in Albion, a feat which is mirrored equally in the Knightly Families who spends great wealth to maintain their own assortment of squires fit for service of the High King should the need calls. As a result, metallurgy has developed significantly in Albion, and forges hammer away constantly to improve upon the techniques which has been passed down from father to son for generations.


Army Description : The military capability of Albion lies, unsurprisingly considering its position as the land of the knights, is in its Knightly Families. Many prominent Knightly Families with their countryside estates trains and maintains a fairly large sum of squires that serve as both a policing force as well as the family’s private militia. While the quality of men part of this “Squire System” is highly varied depending on which Knightly Family that they serve and which role that they perform, many Knightly Families have a more well-trained retinues that waxes and wanes depending on each family’s needs and prestige.

Meanwhile, the Royal Army, as it is often known, persists of few companies of highly disciplined soldiers that the High King maintains as an extension of his own authority over the kingdom. These royal retinues to the Crown serve dual role of maintaining order in the major cities as a police force free from the skirmishes of any one Knightly Families as well as to serve as an extension of the Court of Camelot’s will in the fields of battle. Its ranks taken from both the prestigious members of Knightly Families as well as orphans dwelling in the cities’ many slums, each member of the Royal Army first learns proper discipline and a lengthy training befitting to be considered among the most elite of all regiments under the service of the High King. It is from this lengthy training and maintenance of a standing troops that the Court of Camelot may stand above as a literal “king of all knights” within Camelot.

Army Weakness : As one could already see from the presence of Knightly Institution, the military organization of Albion is convoluted and exceptional difficult to manage. While Lord-Protector is a technical commander-in-chief of all military forces of Albion, and while Lord-Protector is a title usually controlled by the High King who should be the leader of all knights in Albion, the abyssal gap between Albion’s standing army and Knightly Families’ private militia can make situation in the front extremely difficult. For while it is considered of highest praise and honor for the Knightly Families to be needed by the High King, many consider themselves above the rank and file of His Royal Army. Thus, barring a direct Royal Mandate from the High King which most accept without any second thought, a requisition of resources and men from the Royal Army is generally ignored or worse. This can lead to Albion’s military campaigns to be disconnected and needlessly inefficient, as military chain of command between armed forces gathered can become unraveled if a knight and his or her squires refuse the “insistence” of Royal Army’s decisions on whatever basis.

Naval Description : The Albion Royal Navy has been the symbol of not only Albion’s culture, but of Albion’s innovativeness. Unlike the military, the position of Lord High Admiral, the highest-ranking office of Royal Navy, has never been challenged by the High King or Lord-Protector in its selection. This indicates that Lord High Admiral has always been a place where only the Admiral deserving of greatest recognition has been placed, making Admiralty as a whole an institution of greatest meritocracy.

And due to this tradition of independence and meritocracy, the Royal Navy has a unique culture consisting of honor and camaraderie above all else. Beyond the decks where sailors sing through the stench of rum and wine, the Albion’s navy has always had officers that would only answer to their own and never to others. Unlike in the military, the command structure of Royal Navy has always been a solid block regardless of methods that the Court of Camelot and many Knightly Families tried. Each vessel in the Royal Navy chooses a Commander of the vessel from capable Lieutenants, or a Captain out of Commanders for a larger vessel. The choice of Commander or Captain-ship has always been a elective process among the ship’s members, and can be revoked if the Captain or Commander is unfit for duty. And through recommendation between peers, any Captain or Commander who commands a vessel can be promoted to the Albion Office of Admiralty and Marine Affairs (or simply, “the Admiralty”) to be an admiral assigned to specific squadron or flotilla.

Depending on the needs of the Royal Navy, the Admiralty sanctions several of its admirals to stay within the Admiralty Office in Winchester to serve as a proxy for requisitioning resources and receiving orders from the Lord-Protector. Apart from Admiralty Office, the Royal Navy also has Admiral Authority in various regions of United Kingdom to assist with the logistics of all Royal Navy operations as well as to train and recruit capable seamen from across the United Kingdom.

This unique structure and independence that the Royal Navy has certainly attracts many commoners and peasants who wish to escape the burden of tiered hierarchy of Albion, many nobles and knights also join this institution due to the freedom from suffocating traditions of nobility. As the Royal Navy functions purely based on merit alone and focuses on aspects of honor and camaraderie above all else, people find comfort in the organization that functions as an island of peace sheltered away from politics and feuds between Knights. The result is that Royal Navy has some of the greatest morale and companionship that none of the other organizations of Albion has, which can become disorganized and lose morale in dire situations. While many outsiders complain that the Royal Navy is wasting troops over doomed operations, many in the Royal Navy understand that this is due to seamen and women refusing to give up the fight when the foes of Camelot still stand. Many in the Royal Navy believe it to be an honor to go down fighting in a vessel that they have served alongside their captain.

Naval Weakness : While some may see independence of Admiralty as a positive thing, it can also be an active ground for corruption and conservatism, which isn’t always a positive factor in a navy. Although meritocracy serves as an effective barrier against external corruption, internal corruption still runs rampant in an organization which believes themselves to be above all other walks of life. The Admiralty, for instance, has been known to particularly favor ex-seamen families in recruiting drives and believe the words of retired Admirals over more professional opinions when discussing acquisition of resources. This has, from time to time, have resulted in the Admiralty spending more than their budget would allow, and has been a point of criticism in the House of Commons on more than one occasion. However and despite active efforts by both the House of Commons and even the Magistrates of the Court of Camelot to reduce such connections, Royal Navy as an institution from the conception is traditionally free from external checks and such corruption remains exceedingly difficult to root out.

Another issue with independence is freedom from normal Albion chain of command. While it could be said that Royal Navy in a much more organized situation free of mires of hierarchy of Royal Amy, that only means that Royal Navy will only listen to itself and no one else. Royal Navy is certainly a functional whole that can actively respond to any situation at hand, and its logistics are some of the greatest in Europe being capable of handling all threats in both Old World and New. However, requesting aid from a Royal Navy is completely different matter. Just as it is with Knightly Families and their private army of squires, Royal Army generals can be robbed of proper naval support if the Royal Navy does not see the merit of the operation. This is amplified by the fact that Royal Navy sees themselves as above the Royal Army, leading to the Royal Navy often times ignoring plights of the Royal Army or refusing to risk naval operations for the benefit of the Royal Army. Once again like with Knightly Families, Royal Army generals could have to wait weeks for the complaint to move up the chain of command to Lord-Protector, who can command the Admiralty to send the order down the its own chain of command to the fleet in question. This has led to increased issues with mobilizing Royal Army into more risky operations, as faced with a realization that naval support could be difficult to come by, Royal Army generals could refuse to operate until a guarantee is declared by the Admiralty to aid the Royal Army in a particular operation.

Further Military Description :

The United Kingdom’s military structure is, at its helm, commanded by a singular commander in chief, the Lord-Protector of the United Kingdom and all her Territories. This is a title usually held by High Kings of Albion, although it isn’t rare for a particularly powerful knight or Prince Consort to hold the title on behest of his High Queen. The Lord-Protector’s job is to protect the territorial holdings of all of United Kingdom as well as any potential threat that she may face. This is usually decided upon by a unilateral decision of a High King, who is Lord-Protector’s superior by hierarchy of command.

Lord-Protector’s command, however, only extends towards Albion Royal and Navy. Although this is by no means small, it is only fraction of the United Kingdom’s total military potential. This is due to Albion’s unique “Knightly Institution,” a term coined by many political scholars to describe quasi-feudal system in place within Albion. Within Albion, a person can be distinguished as a “knight” by the High King to be held until death. Having a title of a knight is akin to obtaining an uninheritable title of nobility, and thus a knight is exempted from many obligations of the common citizenry. Furthermore, a knight can also extent their exemption towards others by appointing persons to be his or her “squire.” While there are numerous legal systems in place to prevent the title of a squire to be handed out without a proper due-process, once a squire is appointed and is one and only paid occupation of the individual in question, the squire is exempted from all public services similar to nobles and knights.

This Knightly System not only effectively limits Albion’s manpower pool somewhat, but it also means that a large noble family with tradition of numerous knights to be able to field a personal army which is loyal only to the noble family, creating a quasi-feudal system in which the Lord-Protector has no authority over. Although the High King and the Round Table can rouse these knights and their squires into action, they are not part of a military hierarchy of Lord-Protector, which can cause several logistical issues even if they are mobilized.

However, what this system does allow is room for specialization and innovation. As many Knightly Families compete with one another, their squires often become highly disciplined and professional armed forces of the area. Furthermore, a Knightly Family could be particularly interested in a particular military innovation, leading to purchase of products which Albion Armed Forces may not be interested in. This has led to many interesting innovations and subsequent adaptation of technologies earlier than others in Europe, as many Knightly Families are more than eager to openly test new and interesting technologies if it means that they can “one-up” their rivals.

Another interesting perks of Knightly Institution is in security and rapid military response. To protect their territories as well as to expand their colonial holdings, many Knightly Families fund their own private military organization across all lands in Albion. This allows significant defensive advantages for Albion Royal Armed Forces as all logistics and basic security for these colonial regions are already taken care of privately by these Knightly Families. This altogether makes Albion be able to focus their military efforts into areas of national interest while allowing preliminary defense of the United Kingdom to be fulfilled by the Knightly Families.

National Goals : To continue to increase prosperity of the land of Britons.
National Issues : As can be inferred by the Albion’s government structure and its military, Albion is a living example of old feudal system in the new and innovating world. While the unique system of Knightly Virtues and families proudly expressing such virtues have kept the peace thus far, the rivalries between Knightly Families have more than one occasion led to open conflicts within Albion’s own borders. While cities which are considered under the protection of the High Kings have been protected, such lawlessness has led to some degree of disconnect between one rural village to another. As all roads lead to the city as the High King’s roads will not be disrupted, the increased centralization to a fault does need to be dealt with if Albion is to advance beyond tradition to a true inter-regional power beyond its Islands.

National Figures of Interest : [to be added as story progresses]

National Ambition/Aspirations : To prepare the empire for the coming of Arthur; to create an empire that will outlast all else.

History :

The history of the United Kingdom is a necessarily unfalsifiable due to its length. As it stands, the known facts are as follows: during the Saxon invasion of British Isles, a coalition of tribal kingdoms was pushed back from complete settlement of the main island by the end of fourth century. This was a departure from the containment strategy that the Romano-British families who pledged fealty to the Romans at this time, and upon the conclusion of full eradication of the Saxon settlements from the main island, the balance of power was decisively on the side of a particular kingdom in Wales from which the current Pendragon line claims its lineage.

The reason for this unfalsifiability is due to the only surviving records of this period coming from a single source who has the most to gain from its embellishment: the Knights of the Round Table. “The Round Table Records” as it has come to be known, begins with the recollection of past events under their first High King, the legendary King Arthur, and records the unbroken line of High Kings from him to the current High King of the United Kingdom. And while later histories have been augmented with more collection of various historical records which have been collected and cross-checked under the collective banner of Historia Regum Britannica, the founding tale of the United Kingdom has not had such proof.

Whatever the truth may be, The Round Table Records begins with the birth of King Arthur Pendragon, who was born under the turmoil of third century, when the Britons were unified under the Scion of Romano-British Family, Ambrosius Aurelianus, against the Saxon invasion in the British Isles. And around the time of Arthur’s coming of age, Saxons were well entrenched in the now-Sussex region of British Isles and was actively expanding its territories. Records discuss in detail a particular battle, the Battle of Weald, the Scion is slain in battle against the Saxon forces led by the chieftain Aelle, leading to outright route of British forces and so begins the tale of Arthur’s ascension.

Left without a leader, the British families seek the aid from Welsh Kingdoms. Many join the remaining British forces to fend off the Saxon menace, among which were Uther and his son Arthur. During many battles that followed, Arthur earns fame and respect of numerous kings and nobles in his bravery and strategic genius, leading him to be the war-leader against the Saxons by the Siege of Mount Badon in 496 CE, which became the turning point of the war against the Saxons.

The victory in Mount Badon and resulting rout of Saxons led to general peace in the British Isles, which has led to peace talks between the British and Welsh in ownership of the lands. These talks, however, were less than satisfactory for either sides, resulting in fracturing of alliances and shattering of united front against the Saxons. The subsequent retreat of Welsh forced and infighting among the British ensured that Aelle and his Saxon forces were able to regroup and maintain a foothold in British Isles, creating a lasting problem for some time.

It is roughly at this time around 500 CE, that Arthur comes more into fame beyond the shadow of his father. It should, of course, be known that Arthur is more or less an illegitimate son of King Uther, and was not a viable heir to Uther’s throne. This is the reason why King Uther created the tournament to find the best knight who will inherit his throne, which came with the famed sword from Uther’s own treasury, the Caliburn. The tournament was convened despite the disagreement from the queen in 504 CE, which saw Arthur, already a proven knight, win the tourney and crowned heir to Uther. The resulting turmoil over the legitimacy of the crown raged for six years after the coronation in 505 CE, at such time Merlin from the order of druids attested to Arthur’s legitimacy as of Pendragon blood. The guarantee from the line of druids was legitimate enough to already faltering royalists, who surrendered that same year in 511CE. One year from the end of the conflicts, King Arthur commemorated the solidification of his rule by ceremonially “pulling the sword from the stone,” the feat which was embellished through the word of mouth.

During this time, the Britons were pushed back by the Saxons after the battle of Llongborth (modern day Portsmouth), which once again prompted the Britons to ask for Welsh aid. While others refused, Arthur responded, leading both his and remnants of British army back to the fight against the Saxons. Through the series of victories, the final blow came to Saxons in the Battle of Wenta (modern day Winchester) in 515 CE, where Arthur successfully slew Aelle and majority of Saxon warriors and routed the Saxons completely out of British Isles. While the son of Aelle continued to lead the Saxons in the Sussex region, the Saxons no longer had the forces to challenge the Britons any longer.

Suffering from the defeat at Llongborth which resulted in loss of Great British Chieftain Geraint who unified all of Britons against the Saxon invaders, the nobles had no choice but to rely on Arthur for support, pledging fealty and entering as vassal under his rule. The Britons symbolized this fealty by forging a sword made of rare “beorhtne-stiele” from faraway lands, which, the historians believe to be crucible steel. Arthur was crowned “High King of all Britons” in 518 CE with this sword symbolizing his leadership, which Merlin named “Excaliber.”

Both The Round Table Records and traces of battles at this time explains that the transition of the British Isles from a loose confederate alliance of convenience to a consolidated rule under a single High King was not a smooth one. However, around 529 CE, most of the Welsh kingdoms have largely fallen in line with the High King, and a new class was emerging from the ashes of war. During the war with the Saxons and subsequent challenges to the throne, King Arthur have collected various warriors whose charisma and battle prowess was second to none on the island. They were Arthur’s closest confidants and battle advisors, and the militia that they raised and led were the closest thing to the standing army at the time. Later historians believe that, rather than alienating these men who knew nothing but battle, Arthur kept these warriors as his own and created a lodging for them to be of use at whenever there was a challenge to his leadership in the form of unpaid tributes. Whether this logical conclusion or the glorious war heroes joining the fold to fulfil the first High King’s vision is true, the beginning of the social class of “the knights” begins at this time with the establishment of the Round Table.

As King Arthur’s might became well known, the final member of the Knights of the Round Table that is officially recorded is perhaps the most significant. The Round Table Records states that Sir Lancelot, whose origins can be traced to the land of Gauls, came seeking glory in battle by the High King’s side. The Round Table Records discusses in detail great friendship that budded with between the High King and his newest knight.

It was this friendship, however, that would ultimately end the High King’s reign. Both the historical records of the Gauls and the collected repository in the Historia Regum Britannica tells how High King Arthur marshaled a massive force to answer Lancelot’s plea for assistance of his home in what is now northern Gaul. However, in what was later known as Battle of Avranches, High King’s forces were completely routed by a superior Nordic invaders, and the High King’s body was never found. It is from this tale that the “Arthurian Sect” of the Celtic religion, the “Avalonists,” derive their belief that the chosen king of old will return some day. While the Round Table does not actively advocate this ideology of the return of their first High King, many Knightly Families to have superstitions and traditions that can search their roots back to Avalonists.

It was a fortune mixed with pragmatism that Mordred was chosen as an heir to the High King’s throne prior to Arthur’s departure, again with the druid’s guarantee of legitimacy that Sir Mordred is indeed a “Pendragon.” And while the family tree of the Royal Family can trace its lineage back to “Sir Mordred Pendragon,” there are debates in the historical circles as to whether Sir Mordred was a biological heir to the throne or if he was merely the more prominent young knight among the rank of the Round Table.

Whatever was the case, it was under the orders of the “acting-High King” Mordred that the order was restored. The Round Table records that once the order was restored, the Round Table took lengthy discussion as to ascertain Arthur’s absence of death. Furthermore, the discussion of the continued knighthood of Sir Lancelot was also fiercely debated. For while Arthur covered the issue, there was rumors of Queen Guinevere’s secret affairs with Sir Lancelot prior to his departure to his homeland over the pretext of “protecting his home.” Thus, after the turmoil of Arthur’s hiatus the first true order of Sir Mordred was to pardon Sir Lancelot and convincing the more Christian members of the Round Table as to why this was necessary. The Round Table Records recalls a fierce debate among various members, although the debate was never based on the goodwill of the knight of Gaul. For while many members, including Sir Mordred, was deeply hurt by Sir Lancelot’s betrayal of the knightly virtues, they ultimately concluded that, in order to search for the missing High King, they needed Gaulish allies in the land where the battle has occurred. Thus, the decision was given, and Sir Lancelot and his families were allowed to settle back on Albion with full privileges of being a knight restored.

Despite this pardon, Sir Lancelot never went back to Albion. It is unknown as to what drove his motivation, be it gratitude to the High King for the aid of his home or deep feelings of guilt that he harbored for his adultery. Regardless, Sir Lancelot faithfully used his influence and coffers to man a large-scale search whenever there was no invasion of his home by the Vikings. Sir Mordred, seeing the efforts of once-banished knight, joined him in the land of Gaul for multiple summers and winters, and thus providing aid to the northern Gaul against the Nordic nightmare that raged in the lands. In the end, the High King was never found, but to many in the Round Table, the efforts of Sir Lancelot would regain his honor among their numbers and cement Sir Lancelot’s household as the member of the seventeen knightly families who will later swear to protect Albion against all intruders.

The acting High King was recalled, however, when his presence was needed to answer to the Catholic Church. Although High King Arthur was not entirely a devout Christian, much of Catholicism was reinstated and comingled with more traditional druidic traditions during his rule. Thus, being a Christian nation gave Rome the rights to intervene in the state affairs of Albion. What the Pope found inexcusable which demanded Mordred’s attention was the acting High King’s decision to forgive Lancelot and Guinevere, who should have been executed for adulterous acts. The Church demanded Albion to execute Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere without delay, else the Church will be forced to excommunicate the High King.

Mordred, a long-known as “hothead” within the Round Table, did not take to this news well. Instead of responding to Vatican, Mordred instead decreed with the Round Table’s support that Albion will become a secular nation freed from all religion. State-sanctioned missionary work will cease and there will be a separation between Church and state, which freed Albion from the need to obey the orders of Church. Mordred returned to druidism, understanding that there was no place in Church, and officially invited Sir Lancelot back to the Round Table. Despite the cordial invitation, Sir Lancelot made a lengthy statement claiming his failure as a knight and his desire to stay in Gaul to search for his friend and king. Mordred allowed this venture, which not only closed further feud between Christian members of the Round Table (for Lancelot ultimately exiled himself) and the house of Lancelot (who was still in Albion and thus a full pardon and an official re-invitation of Sir Lancelot to the Round Table was necessary to regain their honor as knightly family) once and for all. It is recorded in the Round Table records that Lancelot never returned to Albion, and mentions of Queen Guinevere is intentionally neglected from all further records upon Mordred’s insistence.

For the remainder of his reign, Mordred made many reforms to Arthur’s system which was based on assumption of the ruler’s honor and chivalry. It was Mordred’s speech in the Round Table that all men could not possible come close to the virtues of his father, even himself, and thus no one could possibly hope to rule Albion with sense of duty and knightly virtues alone. While it is widely accepted that Arthur unified Albion, Mordred shaped it into a nation. Mordred made Albion’s code of honor into series of decrees which remains to this day as among the most influential legal system in the world as melding duty and honor with pragmatism. It is mainly for this reason that Mordred has obtained the epaulet “the Terrible,” for his rule can be described as nothing short of continuation of “terrific” reign from the High King Arthur, although Mordred’s reign is marked more by consistency than honor.

Mordred is also known during his reign to be ruthless when subjugating any rebellions, which was numerous enough to give many commoners the confusion that his title “the Terrible” is due to his reign of tyranny. When a king rose challenging the Round Table’s decision, Mordred personally rode out to stomp the rebellion, and purged the royal family and nobility of the region to consolidate the land into the High King’s own lands. Mordred’s reign saw significant increase in “crown lands” and elevation of the status of High King as one monarch of Albion instead of figurehead of a confederated state. The Round Table records reads the outrage of Mordred to any rebellion, stating that their challenge to the Round Table’s decision was akin to hurling insults to his father Arthur, who Mordred still considered as true High King of Albion.

Throughout his reign, Mordred always referred to himself as “acting” High King, believing that at any time his adoptive father will return. Contrary to what is embellished by the Round Table, however, Historia Regum Britannica shows some human side of Mordred in living an opulent lifestyle equal to most monarchs in mainland Europe. Mordred is known to be extremely short-tempered, which made him all the more active in established a rule of law that could “emulate the code of honor and duty that my father could inspire through charisma.” Power of the Round Table was further expanded since the Arthurian times, as Mordred relied more and more on the organization for daily activities as he rode out to the front lines to quell increasing frequency of rebellions.

Mordred believed that succession should be based not on blood, but based on merit as his heir was merely supposed to hold the title until the return of the true High King. Fortunately, however, the Round Table looked positively upon Mordred’s first son, Ifor, who was recommended neigh-unanimously by the Knights of the Round Table to succeed Mordred as next High King. The Round Table records write the insistence of Mordred in only passing on the position of “acting High King” and “heir to Arthur Pendragon” while leaving the title of High King to Arthur who may come back at any time. Despite the argument in the Round Table, Mordred insisted that High King must stay with Arthur, who Mordred believed to the very end will return. After passing his title to Ifor his son, Mordred spent rest of his time with his personal knights in Gaul searching for Arthur with Lancelot all the while defending the border from Nordic threat.

By the time that Ifor became “acting” High King, very few member of the Round Table were left. This was mainly due to Mordred’s insistence that he was no High King and thus unfit to enlist anyone to his father’s sacred assembly. It was Ifor, seeing the detriment of his father’s humility, took charge and enlisted many of the promising knights in Camelot who could continue the institution. With the members of the Round Table overwhelmingly supporting Ifor, it was unanimously decided from both the new and the old that the position of High King was to be fully passed onto late High King Mordred, and, by extension, made Ifor the current High King. This acted to legitimize not only the institutions in Camelot which Mordred made to establish more systematic administration, but also the new Knights of the Round Table who were enlisted by Ifor.

As the Round Table became established as a continuous institution of governance in Albion, it was natural that the families of member knights became elevated as greater than any nobility. Furthermore, the position of High King, who could choose to elevate any knights into position of Knights of the Round Table, were not only further entrenched but restricted. Ifor continued his father’s practice of consolidating and systemizing honor system that was held by Arthurian Court, which to this day is considered a symbolic representation of Albion governance’s absolute ideal.

It was Ifor who suggested that the process of nurturing and selecting the High King be drawn from the line of all Pendragon lineage from High King Mordred, but be taught in the same institution for optimal measure of competence. After discussion with his brothers and sisters, it was agreed that all children of Pendragon will be taught by druids in a discrete location in the far north, and their growth and performance monitored by the Knights of the Round Table. Once the children come of age, the most exemplary among the descendants of Mordred will be chosen by the Knights of the Round Table as the new heir to the throne, with the rest waitlisted as backup in case of tragic death of the heir. It is the tradition that is still well-observed to this day, which is partially the reason why the Round Table’s connection with the High King is so consistent and why Celtic druidism is still considered with highest honor and praise despite general conversion of the population towards Christian faith.

The resulting conclusion to Ifor’s reign was that the Round Table was firmly established as a solitary decision-making body of Albion whose responsibilities included the nomination of High Kings who would in turn elect new members to its ranks. This system, while seemingly logical, created a complete oligarchy without any checks or balances to the contrary. The only reason why such a system was not corrupted, thus, was due to its initial membership, who was handpicked by Arthur himself who symbolized knightly honor. However, the Round Table records does indicate that there was a fear among the original members, who understood corrupting nature of power. Thus, majority of the Knights of the Round Table created institutions with their accumulated wealth to create their respective heirs. While many were based on their blood relatives or children, some households continued Mordred’s tradition of accepting only the brightest to be their heirs. These institutions eventually became Knightly Families over time, an organization which dominate political atmosphere of Albion today.

And thus concludes the founding tale of the Albion history. These abovementioned three High Kings (Sir Arthur, Sir Mordred, and Sir Ifor) consolidated the British Isles from rule of loose kingdoms scattered across the island into a fully authoritative state with legitimate system of heirs. Their rule also established the code of conduct for the ruthless, non-consolidated military force in Albion, the knights, through the creation of knightly virtues which would mirror the system of chivalry but more fiercely overseen and enforced by the Round Table which exercised unquestionable authority in the region. From this point onwards, the historical records become more varied in publications and thus majority of The Round Table Records (barring actual discussion between its member within the institution) become far more falsifiable. And thus, a few highlights to what significant issues that happened following the reign of High King Ifor and ending with the current rule of High King Caradoc are as follows:

• 1293 CE – William Wallace’s rebellion under the reign of High King Mervin the Bold. End of which consolidated the northern British Isles as fully under the control of Camelot but at the cost of weakening the knightly institution with such casualties
• 1335 CE – Irish Rebellion under the reign of High King Mervin the Bold. This rebellion was significant for during the trial of Sir Gautier of the house of Galahad for crimes against humanity, High King Mervin revised the definition of knightly virtues to include exploits and clandestine tactics so long as it was pertained to saving your own men.
• 1532 CE – The founding of Winchester Shipyard. Driven by the discovery of gold and riches in the New World, Albion became both increasingly interested and increasingly worried about the prospect of complete domination of Islamic faith. Seeing that the need of navy would become necessary in the future, High King Emrys, a devout Christian, funded a great construction of large shipyard capable of creating ships destined for the high seas. This would later become the foundation for the Royal Navy in later years.
• 1557 CE – The founding of first colony in Virginia. The House of Lancelot, often lacking land in the mainland, was jealous of its peers holding vast ancestral claims. Having amassed wealth through trade instead, it was the House of Lancelot that first traveled across the great unknown to find the first colony in Virginia. Determined to make the land their own holdings, Sir Kynan of the House of Lancelot, the Lord-Protector under the High Queen Madwen, requested and was accepted in the creation of the colonial region of “Virginia,” named after the virgin High Queen.
• 1571 CE – The first legalization of slave labor. While House of Kay was content in using their wealth to continue to fund exploration across the coasts of Africa, it was the House of Percival that brought first African slaves to the cities. At first, these were mere exotic trinkets to be sold to the noblemen and women. None thought wrongly of this venture at first, for it has always been the House of Percival which treated with the traders in the Lowlands as well as Muslims and brought forth exotic goods from across the ocean blue. However, the House of Lancelot saw greater need for those manpower, and recognized that there would come a need for a vast and unrestricted trade of manpower to fuel the economies of sparsely populated New World. Thus, with the concessions from the High Queen, the Round Table officially recognized slaves as a legitimate form of goods for trade within the realm of Albion, although with treatment of these men as humans they were.
• 1578 CE – The first meeting of the House of Lords and the creation of House of Commons in Camelot. The recognition of slaves as a commodity was not well received by the commoners in Albion, for while the knights and the nobles could grow fat from their labor, the commoners and peasants were paid less for their labor. This unrest mounted to a full abdication of the Lord-Protector Sir Kynan from his office, and the Round Table conceded to allow for an official representation of common folks in government. Using an old system of commoners and noblemen beseeching their High King in the days of old, a grand meeting house was to be built by directly next to the palace of the High Kings in Camelot where the parliamentary processes can take place. In the meanwhile, High Queen Madwen allowed the use of a large ball room within the palace where gentlemen will be able to discuss the matters of government while dining.

RP Sample:

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

[Oscalantine]

[[reserved... just in case. I promise I will try to keep my app short this time.]]

[Old Tyrannia]

Mon of the Japanese Imperial Dynasty


Mon of the Toyotomi Clan

大日本 | Dai Nippon | Great Japan
日本帝國 | Nippon Teikoku | Empire of Japan

Full Nation Name: The official name of the state is simply Japan (日本, Nippon) or Great Japan (大日本, Dai Nippon), but it is also referred to as the Japanese Empire (日本帝國, Nippon Teikoku)
Majority/Official Culture: Yamato (Japanese)
Territorial Core: Japanese Islands, Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, northern Luzon (Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region), Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands
Territorial Claim: Rest of the Philippines, the Spice Islands/Maluccas, Micronesia, Melanesia, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula
Capital City: Kyoto (京都, Kyōto)
Population: c. 17,550,000

Government Type: Feudal hereditary dynastic dictatorship under ceremonial diarchy
Government Ideology/Policies: Imperialism, mercantilism, traditionalism, Confucianism
Government Focus: Expansion of the navy, colonial expansion, internal political stability
Head of State: Their Imperial Majesties the Emperors of the Northern and Southern Courts
Head of Government: Lord Toyotomi Senchiyomaru (豊臣仙千代丸), Imperial Regent (関白, kampaku) of Japan
Government Description: The ultimate fount of all authority is considered to be the two co-emperors of Japan, who rule by virtue of their descent from the sun deity, Amaterasu-Omikami. Each of the two emperors "reigns" for one half of the year, before the imperial regalia- the "Three Sacred Treasures of Japan," the sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (草薙劍), the mirror Yata-no-Kagami (八咫鏡), and the jewel Yasakani-no-Magatama (八尺瓊勾玉)- are transferred from one court to the other amongst much ceremony to mark the transfer of authority to the emperor of the other court. In practice, however, the imperial courts' role is primarily symbolic and authority is exercised by the Toyotomi clan as imperial regents or kampaku. The Toyotomi government functions essentially as a personalist military dictatorship; the effective head of the Toyotomi clan exercises the role of absolute ruler regardless of specific titles or government positions. The current ruler of Japan, Toyotomi Senchiyomaru, holds the official office of kampaku or regent to the emperors, inherited from his father, Toyotomi Hidetsugu. The nominal head of the Toyotomi clan is his cousin Toyotomi Hideyori, who is in practice a figurehead with no real power or authority. Japan is largely organised into feudal domains under the rule of feudal lords or daimyō (大名), who effectively govern their territories as independent vassal rulers. The official Chinese-influenced government structure of the imperial courts is largely vestigial and has lacked any real power since the failure of the Kenmu Restoration in 1336.

Toyotomi Hidetsugu established three new bodies to assist with the government of the Japanese Empire; the Secretariat of Relations with Barbarians (蛮関係官房, Bankankei Kanbō), to oversee trade and foreign relations; the Secretariat of Martial Affairs (軍事問題官房, Gunjimondai Kanbō), to oversee military matters; and finally the Secretariat of Civil Administration (民政官房, Minsei Kanbō), which takes responsibility for taxation, public works and the administration of justice in Japan's colonies. Hidetsugu repurposed the title of Sei-i Taishōgun (征夷大将軍, literally "Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force Against the Barbarians"), historically used by Japan's military dictators in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, to refer to the military governors of Japan's territories outside of the historic Japanese homelands; there are presently three shogunates- the Ezo Shogunate is responsible for administration of the islands of Ezo and Karafuto to the north, the Taiwan Shogunate for the island of Taiwan, and the Nanchiiki (南地域) Shogunate for Japan's new territories to the south of Taiwan. Creating a strong institutional government independent of personal feudal ties and obligations is a significant ambition of Japan's current rulers.

Majority/State Religion: Most Japanese practise a combination of Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism.
Religious Description: Confucianism is the state ideology and is promoted by the Imperial Government. Shinto remains a largely disorganised folk religion, although it is central to the Japanese understanding of themselves and their nation; the Japanese Emperors serve as the dual religious heads of the Shinto religion. Buddhism has faced official suppression in the past but is currently tolerated officially. Because Shinto regards death as unclean, funerary rites have traditionally been the domain of the Buddhist clergy. It is not uncommon for emperors to abdicate after reigning for a certain length of time and retire to a Buddhist monastery, becoming "cloistered emperors" (太上法皇, daijō hōō); these former emperors may exert more influence over national affairs than they did whilst reigning. There are a number of schools of Buddhism present in Japan, and which sect a Japanese subject adheres to is often influenced by their social station; a common saying about Buddhism in Japan is that "the Tendai is for the imperial family, the Shingon for the nobility (kuge), the Zen for the warrior classes (the samurai), and the Jodo for the masses."

Colonial populations under Japanese rule continue to practice their pre-colonial religious traditions, including Islam, Hinduism and various traditional folk religions, although veneration of the Shinto kami by conquered peoples is encouraged as a patriotic practice that demonstrates loyalty to the empire and Buddhist missionaries from Japan are also active in converting non-Buddhists in the Philippines.

Economic Description: Japan's economy remains essentially feudal and agrarian. Most of the population are peasant farmers working the lands of the local samurai. In line with traditional Confucian precepts, merchants are distrusted and looked down upon, but there is nonetheless a wealthy emergent merchant class operating out of the major cities such as Kyoto, Edo and Osaka. Trade with the outside world is closely controlled and directed by the government, primarily through the government-sponsored "red seal ships" which conduct trade throughout East Asia and the East Indies. Many Japanese products- including silk, ceramics, tea and lacquerware- are highly sought after in the West. Western traders are restricted to designated areas of Japanese ports, known as factories. Japan also trades with South and Southeast Asia, and with the Song dynasty through the intermediaries of the Ryukyu Kingdom, which is effectively a Japanese client state whilst also formally maintaining a tributary relationship with the Song.
Major Production: Rice, tea, silk, ceramics, wooden furniture, lacquerware

Army Description : The Japanese army consists of the forces of the individual daimyo, who are responsible for raising, training, arming and supplying their own household forces, as well as those under the direct control of the Toyotomi clan. Supplying their forces for the central government's external military operations is regarded as part of the feudal duties of the daimyo. Japan's soldiers are famed as being amongst the best trained and most experienced in the Orient. The army is made up of two main groups- the samurai, the traditional landholding warrior class, who form the officer class of the army as well as the bulk of its cavalry, and the ashigaru foot soldiers who form a class of professional peasant soldiers, originally conscripts and mercenaries from farming families who gradually emerged as a separate recognised social category due to their prominent role in the civil wars of the Sengoku Jidai. Japan's forces make extensive use of tanegashima, matchlock firearms. The total size of the armed forces under the control of the imperial government in 1618 is around 210,000 troops, including 53,000 stationed in Taiwan as the Taiwan Expeditionary Force, 22,000 stationed in Ezo and Karafuto as the Northern Expeditionary Force, and 129,000 forming the Southern Islands Expeditionary Force in Luzon. As a feudal stratocratic society, Japan is highly militarised and can raise further forces relatively quickly if necessary.
Army Weakness : Being drawn from the forces of- and therefore loyal to- the various daimyo, Japan's ground forces do not form a single military organisation with a single chain of command, and individual commanders have significant authority independent of the overall command structure. The effectiveness of the Japanese army is therefore sometimes hampered by internal rivalries between samurai clans and individual officers. Political concerns can also hamper the effectiveness with which the Japanese government wields its significant military might; the regent is often reluctant to send large troops detachments from traditional Toyotomi clan allies to participate in military expeditions due to the experience of the Imjin War, in which the large numbers of troops lost by the Toyotomi clan and its allies significantly weakened their position in the home islands. At the same time, daimyo with less clear loyalties are often reluctant to send substantial numbers of troops or their most capable forces to fight in the Philippines or Taiwan, and the regent is generally wary of appointing traditionally anti-Toyotomi clan members to significant command positions. This places limits on the number and quality of troops that Japan is realistically capable of deploying. Finally, Japan's forces are less technologically advanced in many respects than those of Europe, and Japan lacks the economic or population base to compete with some of the major Asian land powers such as the Song dynasty and the Pagan Empire in any major land conflict.
Naval Description : Japan maintains a large navy of close to ten thousand ships, most of which are relatively small galley-style ships used for coastal defence. The navy also includes some two hundred atakebune or tekkōsen, large ships with iron plating similar to those of Joseon's famed turtle ships and four to six cannons designed for use in coastal waters. The largest ships in the Japanese fleet are the ships of the Imperial Expeditionary Fleets, built specifically to facilitate Japanese overseas expansion with new shipbuilding technologies learned from Europeans. These ships typically weight between 500 and 750 tons, similiar to contemporary European galleons, and are armed with six to eight cannons. 364 such ships are presently in service with the Japanese navy. A specialised cadre of marines, soldiers trained to fight primarily in ship-to-ship combat and serve as the vanguard of colonial expansion, has also began to emerge from amongst the samurai and ashigaru employed aboard the ships of the Expeditionary Fleets. The Secretariat of Military Affairs maintains responsibility for managing the Japanese navy, which is however still treated principally as an extension of and transport for Japan's land forces and is yet to acquire the status of a separate arm of the military.
Naval Weakness : Japanese sailors are experienced and capable in coastal waters and in traditional naval warfare such as boarding parties and grappling with enemy ships. They are, however, still somewhat inexperienced in sailing in deeper waters and in the tactics of modern ranged naval warfare.

National Goals : Establish an effective centralised institutionalised government; establish Japan as the dominant sea power in East and Southeast Asia; expand Japan's maritime empire and establish control over the major maritime trade routes in the region
National Issues : Japan's rulers face the challenge of overcoming the factionalism amongst the ruling samurai class that has plagued the nation since the beginning of the Sengoku Jidai, and building a naval force capable of matching those of traditional sea powers such as the Pagan Empire, the Cheriyan Dynasty and the Dutch.
National Figures of Interest :

• Toyotomi Senchiyomaru (豊臣 仙千代丸): 27 years old, the son of former regent Toyotomi Hidetsugu, Senchiyomaru is the present de facto head of the Toyotomi clan and absolute ruler of Japan. He is an ambitious and forward-thinking but autocratic leader.
• Toyotomi Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼): 24 years old, son of Japan's "Great Unifier" Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The current de jure head of the Toyotomi clan. His personal relationship with his cousin Senchiyomaru is good, but their political relationship is fraught due to the belief of many Toyotomi clan retainers that Hideyori is the rightful ruler of Japan as his father's designated heir. Lives in a virtual gilded cage at Osaka Castle, under guard by Senchiyomaru's loyalists.
• Emperor of the Northern Court (北朝天皇, Hokuchō Tennō): 21 years old, personal name Masahito (政仁). A young and inexperienced figurehead with close ties to the ruling Toyotomi clan. His era name is Genna (元和); he previously reigned under the era name Keichō (慶長) from 1596 to 1615.
• Emperor of the Southern Court (南朝天皇, Nanchō Tennō): 31 years old, personal name Kōshō (恒性). Emperor of the more senior Southern Court, based at Nara, and therefore theoretically the highest ranking individual in Japan. The Nara court is generally more independent than that in Kyoto, but still has little real power. The Southern Court Emperor's current era name is Shōzū (正崇).

National Ambition/Aspirations : To create a strong unified Japanese state and establish Japan as the hegemonic power in East and Southeast Asia

History : Japan is a nation with an ancient history. According to traditional accounts its sovereigns have reigned in an unbroken line for over two thousand years, the Imperial House of Yamato- Japan's ruling dynasty- having been founded by Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇, Jinmu-tennō) in 660 BC. Through him, the imperial lineage may trace its ancestry back to the Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu-Omikami (天照大神). Although the early origins of the Japanese nation are shrouded in myth and mystery, Chinese sources dating from the 3rd century AD confirm the existence of a powerful kingdom known as Yamataikoku in the Japanese archipelago. Buddhism was introduced to Japan by the 6th century, in the Asuka Period. In the following Nara Period, so-named for the city of Nara which is built upon the site of the then-capital of Japan, the country became more centralised and began to adopt Chinese Confucian ideas on governance. Literature and the arts began to flourish. The Nara Period ended with the shift of Japan's capital from Nara to Nagaoka and then finally to Heian, modern day Kyoto, marking the beginning of the Heian Period. This period of Japanese history witnessed the decline of imperial authority as Japan's emperors became figureheads for the powerful Fujiwara clan, who monopolised the powerful position of kampaku (関白), meaning chief advisor to the emperor. The loss of power by Japan's emperors did not halt the cultural flourishing that had begun in the Nara Period, however. Japan at this time began to develop the distinctive culture it is known for today, and a strong sense of Japanese identity and nationhood emerged. The ethos of the Japanese nation in this period was expressed by a phrase from The Tale of Genji, one of the greatest works of Japanese and world literature, written at the Heian court by a female courtier named Murasaki Shikibu; "it is when there is a fund of Chinese learning (才, zae) that the Japanese spirit (大和魂, Yamato-damashii) is respected in the world."

The trend of declining imperial authority continued into the second millennium, and by the 12th century the court nobility had also began to lose its power in favour of the newly ascendant warrior class, the samurai. The passage of power from the Fujiwara court clan to the Minamoto samurai clan under the leadership of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first military ruler or shogun (将軍) of Japan, heralded the dawn of Japan's feudal era and the beginning of the Kamakura Period. By the end of the Kamakura shogunate, even the shogun had become a figurehead to the powerful Hōjō clan, who wielded the title of Regent to the Shogunate or shikken (執権). Thus the emperor, kampaku and shogun were all reduced to figureheads in a situation that could only arise as a result of Japan's strong Confucian culture, which made openly deposing and replacing one's superior or liege lord an unthinkable offence. Under the Hōjō clan the Japanese successfully defeated Mongol invasions in 1274 and 1281, but they ultimately lost power in the 14th century as a result of an attempt by the Emperor Go-Daigo to topple the shogunate and restore the imperial house to true power in the so-called Kenmu Restoration. The Emperor was successful in toppling the Hōjō, but not in curbing the ambitions of the samurai class. By 1336 the Restoration government had collapsed and the imperial capital of Kyoto fell into the hands of a rebel samurai named Ashikaga Takauji, a descendant of the Minamoto clan, who proclaimed himself shogun and installed a rival claimant to the imperial throne as Emperor Kōgon. Emperor Go-Daigo and his supporters fled south to Yoshino, where they established a rival court known as the Southern Court whilst the court in Kyoto became known as the Northern Court. The conflict between the Ashikaga shoguns and the Southern Court lasted until 1392, when the third Ashikaga shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, offered the beleaguered Southern Court a compromise; the role of emperor would be shared between the northern and southern lines, who would each hold nominal authority over the northern and southern parts of the country, with Kyoto demarking the dividing line. In practice, authority over the entire country would remain with the shogun, but the Southern Court could save face and retain their prestige. The three imperial treasures, the regalia of the Japanese Emperor, would be shared between the two emperors, spending half the year with the Northern Court Emperor and half the year with the Southern Court Emperor. Furthermore, as the senior imperial line the Southern Court Emperors would hold seniority to the Northern Court. This agreement led to the establishment of Japan's unique diarchic system that has endured to the modern day.

The rule of the Ashikaga clan saw Japan experience an era of relative peace and prosperity, but the in-looking tendencies of the Japanese elite continued. Whilst neighbouring Korea emerged as a colonial power in south-east Asia, Japan remained insular and unconcerned with foreign affairs. This state of affairs was not to last indefinitely, however. Growing rivalries between Japan's powerful feudal lords, the daimyō (大名), began to undermine the central authority of the shogunate. In 1467, the Ōnin War broke out as a consequence of a dispute between two powerful lords, Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen. The war rapidly escalated out of control, and signalled the end of the Ashikaga shogunate's centralised rule over Japan. This began Japan's Warring States or Sengoku Period. The Imperial Courts lacked any authority to impose order on the country. Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the 14th Ashikaga shogun, was assassinated in 1565 and the ambitious and powerful daimyō Oda Nobunaga seized power and installed Yoshiteru's brother Yoshiaki as puppet shogun. Nobunaga was a skilled military leader and a capable political reformer, but also known to be brutal in his efforts to unify Japan under his rule. By 1582 most of Japan was under Nobunaga's control, but in that year he was assassinated along with his eldest son in a coup by a former subordinate, Akechi Mitsuhide. It fell to Nobunaga's vassal Hashiba Hideyoshi, a peasant's son raised high by his talents as a negotiator and commander and by Nobunaga's largesse, to avenge his liege lord. Mitsuhide was defeated by Hideyoshi's forces at the Battle of Yamazaki, and Mitsuhide himself died shortly afterwards, supposedly killed by a bandit named Nakamura Chōbei with a bamboo spear- a dishonourable end for the powerful samurai. Hideyoshi now took for himself his former master's place as ruler of Japan. Like Nobunaga, he was not descended from the Minamoto clan and therefore ineligible to claim the title of shogun, but instead had himself adopted by the Konoe branch of the powerful Fujiwara clan and adopted a new surname, Toyotomi. He was thus able to take the title of kampaku, civil dictator or regent to the Emperors.

Hideyoshi was not content with completing the unification of Japan that Nobunaga had began. After securing the country, he looked to expand his power by invading China. His hopes were to construct a vast Japanese empire spanning all of Asia, rivalling that of the Mongols who had tried to invade Japan centuries earlier. Hideyoshi had hoped to gain the collaboration of the Korean Joseon dynasty in his ambitions, but the Joseon refused to allow Japanese forces to pass through Korea. Hideyoshi thus resolved to invade Korea. From 1592 to 1598, Japan launched two campaigns against Korea. Initially, the more experienced and better-armed Japanese troops swept the peninsula with little resistance, although the Koreans fared better at sea with the famed admiral Admiral Yi Sun-sin inflicting several defeats on the Japanese navy. Eventually, the Korean forces, with the aid of their Jurchen vassals, began to push back the Japanese. A stalemate eventually ensued as neither side was able to inflict a decisive defeat on the other, despite the organisational difficulties facing the Japanese with the Korean navy cutting their forces off from supplies and reinforcements whilst civilian militias known as the "righteous armies" harassed them by land. A truce was agreed in 1594, but after two years no permanent peace agreement could be reached resulting in a second Japanese invasion that followed much the same course as the first; rapid initial success followed by the Japanese forces being pushed back by the Koreans and their Jurchen allies, ultimately resulting in another stalemate. On the 18th September 1598, Hideyoshi died of natural causes, and the new ruling Council of Five Elders decided to withdraw Japan's armies from Korea. With Hideyoshi gone, his son Toyotomi Hideyori was declared ruler of Japan, but actual power was exercised by a council of regents. Hideyoshi's dreams of expansion were temporarily forgotten by Japan's new rulers, but not by his heirs.

By 1600, relations between the members of the council had deteriorated. Civil war broke out between Hideyoshi's former retainer Tokugawa Ieyasu and the other four members of the council. Toyotomi Hidetsugu, Hideyoshi's nephew, adopted son and former heir who had been exiled upon the birth of Toyotomi Hideyori to prevent a succession crisis, returned from his exile and began gathering an army of his own to fight the Tokugawa forces and protect Toyotomi rule. Hideyoshi had considered forcing Hidetsugu to commit suicide, but had relented after being advised against it; it was now Hidetsugu who would save the Toyotomi clan's legacy. Hidetsugu met and defeated Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara, after which Ieyasu committed ritual suicide, seppuku, leaving Hidetsugu in control of Japan. Hideyori remained the nominal ruler of Japan, but his older cousin and adoptive brother held real power, marrying his daughter to Hideyori in order to increase his authority over him as his father-in-law, since under Confucian precepts sons-in-law owed filial piety to their bride's parents. Both Hidetsugu and Hideyori shared Hideyoshi's dreams of expanding Japanese power, but it was clear that another invasion of Korea was out of the question. Instead, Hidetsugu opened Japan up to trade with Korean and European merchants, and began building up Japan's naval strength, nurturing ambitions of building a Japanese colonial empire. Under him, the Japanese gradually expanded north, charting and colonising the unexplored islands of Hokkaido and Karafuto (Sakhalin). At the same time, a military expedition was waged to conquer the island of Taiwan to the south.

Toyotomi Hidetsugu died in late 1617, at the age of 50, whilst his forces under Shogun Akashi Takenori were occupied with a new campaign to colonise the northernmost island of the Philippines, Luzon. His son, Toyotomi Senchiyomaru, succeeded him as imperial regent and absolute ruler of Japan. His second cousin Hideyori remains a virtual figurehead confined to Osaka Castle. However, divisions amongst Japan's ruling elites remain, particularly between those clans who supported the Tokugawa against the Toyotomi at Sekigahara as well as within the Toyotomi clan and their loyalists over whether the present regent or his second cousin, Hideyori, is the rightful ruler of the country.

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[Novacom]

Full Nation Name: Pagan Empire
Majority/Official Culture: The Pagan Empire is different to most nations and this extends to culture, with a longstanding tradition of Cultural Synthesis, this is symbolised by a Burmese upper class identifying as Pyu, and the linking of the dynasty's genealogy to historic great kings past of the various regions patronising scholars of conquered peoples. As a result it is difficult to truly define a dominant individual culture as over the centuries the lines have been blurred greatly.
Territorial Core: [[The territory that your nation actually controls]]
Territorial Claim: Indonesia, Malaysia, Guinea the Philippines, North Vietnam
Capital City: Pagan
Population: 32,353,271

Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Government Ideology/Policies: Expansionist and Mercantilist
Government Focus: The Pagan Empire is heavily focussed on what could be considered the domination of Trade passing through the Strait of Malacca as well as expansion of it’s southern territorial holdings.
Head of State: Emperor Ravakendra III
Government Description: The Pagan Empire is an absolute Monarchy however the day to day running the the kingdom is often conducted with the advice of the Hluutlaw, a grouping of delegate councils who are comprised of experts and personages of note for that councils area of influence, the councils themselves then present advice to the Hllutlaw itself.

One of the councils is devoted to the succession and the education of the Imperial Children, from whom an heir is selected, the council itself is constantly weighing the merits of having potential heirs remaining prison within the Palace or instead to be given a distinctly more humble lifestyle, at present a distinct compromise is carried out, with the method not being the area of agreement, but the outcome, that presumptive heirs be capable, highly educated and humble. While this council may advise on a choice of heir and has on occasion selected one for the succession, it is typically on the Incumbent Emperor whether they wish to select an heir or not, and in the event of a succession, all candidates are imprisoned within one quarter of the Palace for a period after the accession as so to reduce any risk of dispute.

Majority/State Religion: Theravāda Buddhism
Religious Description: [[OPTIONAL]]

Economic Description: The Economy of Pagan is well organised and diversified from Resource extraction to Agriculture and manufactured goods, allowing it to trade, which it is perfectly placed in order to do so, levying tithe’s for passage with one unique difference to most, on payment of the transit tithe a passing ship is presented with a pirate prisoner.

The Empire takes great pride in it’s position lying as it does on a key crossroad of world trade and great efforts are made to ensure that trade flows unencumbered and if anything to further encourage the flow and it is not unheard of to find Pagan Merchants in many strange and varied locales doing their utmost to press for every advantage but not so far that they cannot return again. The Pagan economy is growing rapidly especially in terms of manufactured goods due in no small part to possessing some of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Major Production: Silk, Cotton, Textiles, Clothing, Ivory, Wood, Rubber, Sugar, Ceramic Goods, Spices and Rice

Army Description : The Pagan Military is a mostly levy based force built around the Palace Guards at it’s nucleus which itself is a standing force, the military itself is well resourced from it’s Manipur Cavalry to it’s Elephants to the regular rank and file as of late however it has mostly seen use in dealing with banditry and brigandry.

The Military benefits greatly from the innovations both from within and without fielding large amounts of gunpowder-based weapons as well as both elephants and horse based cavalry, both of which are the subject of several extensive breeding programs intended not only to maintain levels but to increase them steadily both for use by the military and for other purposes.

Army Weakness : The Pagan Army is in some ways not fully effective as it commits resources to the wall in the Mountains on the border between it and the Indian Sultanates wary of Mongol successors who have ravaged India continuing Eastwards.
Naval Description : The Navy has benefitted greatly in the last few decades from steady expansion as Pagan trade has flourished and has been tasked with exterminating Piracy and spreading Pagan influence.
Naval Weakness : The Navy while well-resourced has the concern of simply needing to be everywhere at once, as a result of the extremely aggressive stance against Piracy.
Further Military Description : [[OPTIONAL]]

National Goals : Security, as although the threat of the Mongols has long since receded, the concern of a repeat in the future is of foremost worry.
National Issues : There are some concerns in some quarters about the almost ritual castigation by some of the Clergy, while others take such castigation to an extreme, however the long standing policy of synthesis and assimilation somewhat mitigates this.
National Figures of Interest : King Anawrahta
National Ambition/Aspirations : Reclaim North Vietnam, cement it’s hold over the islands of South East Asia and to forge good relations to ensure it’s protection and mutual power.

History :
Foundation 107 AD – 416 AD
The at the time, Kingdom was founded in the area surrounding what would be the capital which at the time would be named Arimaddana, The City that Tramples on Enemies, comprising of the settlement itself and several outlying villages, over the decades the city itself would expand as would the borders bringing about several conflicts with which the nascent kingdom experienced varying degrees of success and failure in. This period is spoken of in mild terms as being in general unremarkable outside of the Empire’s beginnings but would culminate several centuries later in conflicts with neighbouring Chinese states and an influx of immigrants in the wake of said conflicts.


Early Expansion 416 AD - 832 AD
Fuelled in part by the influx of immigrants with their own cultures ideas and held wisdom the Kingdom itself began to shift with both the native’s and the immigrants changing one anothers perceptions and bringing about a more outward looking people. During this period the borders would expand rapidly from a previously small realm to a proud Kingdom that could compete with several of it’s neighbours and most importantly gained sea access. During this period in addition to a physical expansion it saw an administrative expansion as well, with a new script, and irrigation methods being amongst the changes.


Rapid Expansion 832 AD – 1102 AD
While the expansion of the kingdom had been steady it would in this era become swift and comprehensive with the rise of Anawrahta in 834 AD, he was a lively monarch who at a young age instituted sweeping reforms, first early in his reign invested considerable efforts into developing and irrigating the heartlands east of Pagan. This would expand his economic and military base both by providing work and food but also as a result increase the overall manpower at his disposal and he would have the realms towns and villages graded according to what levy it could muster.

He would in the decades after this period embark upon an extensive military and diplomatic campaign and through guile and statecraft or strength and cunning of arms bring the Khmer under his auspices after a prolonged siege at Angkor in which the inhabitants were starved out leaving the city near untouched, his words to the citizenry and soldiers afterwards were noted as follows, “I have not harmed this city, for we shall have need of both it and it’s peoples for the future, together.” He would be a kind yet stern monarch in victory and even, on the occasion of defeat and made an extensive effort to ensure the peaceful integrating and assimilation of his new subject peoples even going so far as to patronise several schools of thought and ideal.

His northern conquests would be extensive bringing Vietnam into the fold and establishing a border with the Chinese Dynasties and in the aftermath of these conquests he established multiple competing schools. Each of these schools were tasked to look to the future in various fields especially in terms of warfare well aware that the numerical advantage alone could overwhelm them, this establishment dovetailed nicely with the cultural synthesis policies and helped to elevate the various ethnicities especially those of the newly brought in Khmer.

It was during this period that he would convert to Theravada Buddhism from his own Ari Buddhism, which would in time set the stage for a conflict between himself, his successors and the clergy. And after his death succeeding kings would make great shows of piety attempting to curry favour with the Clergy by making gifts of land, which would in time weaken the kingdom and slow it’s expansion, with several members of the clergy beginning to turn from spiritual matters to more worldly affairs, it would culminate however with Narathu who over a period of a decade would steadily lay the groundwork for a very public faltering and exposure allowing the Clergy to be placed in it's proper place. Once more as a tool of the state and return it back to it's more spiritual nature, it would culminate in a very public display where a delegation of the clergy seeking greater privileges and greater tithes were in what some would later describe as a political ambush, publicly castigate the clergy for their accumulation of wealth and land distracting them from their holy mission, with the representative leader of the Clergy being unable to articulate a proper response resulted in the considerably diminished status of the Clergy, both in prestige and in holdings.

In the years after this castigation the clergy’s holdings were reduced to small areas of land around their temples and monasteries with relatively little in the way of outward complaint, however Narathu and one of his sons Naratheinkha would later be killed in public by assassins thought to be ordered by the Clergy, in the aftermath, Narapatisthu would survive the Assassination and would succeed as king, and amongst his first acts was to create the Royal Palace Guards whose sole duty was to guard the palace and the King, after which he would then embark in a long prolonged internal campaign against the clergy and rebellious elements who had begun to arise as a result of both the excesses of the clergy and the actions taken against them.

In the aftermath of this inauspicious incident a series of reforms were instituted to protect the succession against such a similar instance and also to streamline the management of the Kingdom, the Hllutlaw would be established as a formalised Privy council and would, monarch so willing oversee the day to day running of the kingdom as well as see the Kingdom reorganised into more easily governed districts with ruling councils in charge of these districts with the ostensible goal on ensuring that the burden of leadership be shared, with the true goal of making power plays difficult by preventing accumulation of power outside the throne excessively in one individuals hands. This would in tandem be implemented with a system of exams and instructional institutions for administrators in a similar style to China to the north with it's own Pagan stylings and idiosyncrasies that the royal heirs would also have to undertake such learnings along with the other areas of education to be overseen by one of the Hllutlaw's institutions dedicated specifically to overseeing the succession.


Reorientation 1102 – 1600 AD
This period of Pagan would be one of reform, refocus and reorientation, with previous structures being made a new both literally and figuratively with the Empire entering a Golden Age, albeit one born from a shaky start with Dai Viet declaring independence before being swiftly conquered by the Song Dynasty leaving many to decry foul play. The aftermath of this resulted in a great influx of refugees into the Empire which would place some strain as the infrastructure was expanded to adapt resulting in food rationing for several years. The aftermath of this however was to increase efforts in irrigation and cultivation which had been overlooked in favour of military conquests, and so an era of peace, at least internally set in, with extensive programs in both agriculture and architecture were undertaken with many cities being transformed.

While these works of wonder were undertaken efforts were made to extend Pagan influence south both in interests of Trade and Empire, and over the next century the Kingdom of Melayu was steadily brought into the fold. Consolidation efforts would take decades and much focus was made on the construction of a grand wall on the mountainous Western Border of the Empire for fear of the Mongol successors that were ravaging through India reaching through to the empire.

This era would be defined as one of growth and building, with the Pagan Architecture reaching it's own unique and distinct levels of sophistication with it's grand elaborate and ornate temple complexes being notable and the patronising of new such projects in some ways considered an olive branch to a now much more humble clergy which would spend several decades trying to mend damaged relations with the court after their implication in the assassination of members of the Imperial Court, yet perhaps as a result of that act the Clergy are kept at a strict arms length and while not treated with hostility, but perhaps with a sense of caution or suspicion.

RP Sample: [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]]

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[Aegeonia]

Could I make a Kingdom in Nigeria of African Natives? Just wondering if I’d be allowed to do that

[Tracian Empire]

Could I make a Kingdom in Nigeria of African Natives? Just wondering if I’d be allowed to do that

You would certainly be allowed. There were plenty of native African states in Western Africa in this period of time in real life. As long as you take one and do something to it so that it's considered at least slightly alternate, it would work very well.

[Tracian Empire]

Full Nation Name: Electorate of Saxony-Prussia


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Accepted

[Tracian Empire]

(Image)
Mon of the Japanese Imperial Dynasty

(Image)
Mon of the Toyotomi Clan

大日本 | Dai Nippon | Great Japan
日本帝國 | Nippon Teikoku | Empire of Japan

Full Nation Name: The official name of the state is simply Japan (日本, Nippon) or Great Japan (大日本, Dai Nippon), but it is also referred to as the Japanese Empire (日本帝國, Nippon Teikoku)


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Accepted

[Arvenia]

What do you guys think the Fei Dynasty's total population would look like (in numbers)?

[Tracian Empire]

What do you guys think the Fei Dynasty's total population would look like (in numbers)?

The Ming dynasty had a population of 160,000,000 at this point in time, the Southern Song took 60% as that's roughly the percentage of people that loved south of the Huai river (roughly the border between the two of you) historically.

That leaves 64,000,000. The Northern Yuan had an estimated 2,300,000 at this point in time, maybe with another million more in the other Mongol territories that you own. Your Siberian territories are going to be somewhat lacking in population. I'd go with around 70 million. Maybe 75 million at the most.