Forum:Global and regional issues/Romantia - Collaboration
History Discussion
I've started this topic to discuss the history of the Romantian/Southern Romantian regions, which are mostly owned/collaborative. There isn't really a solid foundation for history at this point beyond that the region was part of the Romantian Empire (OGF:Roman Empire), and then split into many small kingdoms/states after it collapsed. Bigger national identities came about later, resulting in various resettlement and changes.
I've created the following timeline, trying to fill in the history of Franquia (Franqueterre), based off of what little information I have - and I just went on from there. The key component is an entity similar to the Holy Roman Empire - New Romantia. This loose confederation of kingdoms, bishoprics, duchies, princedoms, etc, effectively serves as a long-lived and troubled precursor to the unified Franquese state, and allows for plenty of interesting history. The "Kingdom of Franquia" remains the main power, so no one will have to say they were colonized by "New Romantia" - Franqueterre will still work fine. I'd appreciate it if the various territory owners could give feedback on what's there now and discuss wider history for the region, and the timeline can fill out over time.
Some Questions:
- What's happening down in Castellan?
- How/When did the Plevian Kingdoms unify, and in what context? What did Plevia look like before unification?
- Would the Coast of Shelaks have been a major sea and trading power, like Navenna, in the past?
- Is Mardoumakhstan a relatively new or old country? What is it in general?
- Is Pretany the direct successor state to the Romantian Empire, or is it something else? Was the capital of the Romantian Empire in UL08e or Pretany?
etc...
--Lithium-Ion (talk) 22:43, 16 March 2022 (UTC)
- Thanks for the forum entry. My input to the Romantian Empire and the questions:
- The Ulethan region of Romantia would have had its origins at some point in an Romantian-speaking entity, through which Romantian languages have spread and evolved. I wonder if it's possible to not translate the Roman Empire 1:1 into OGF, but instead find a slightly different concept.
- About Castellan, I wonder if its Romantian language can be explained through it being a early colony of "Romantia".
- Mardoumakhstan and the Coast of Shelakhs are meant to be a cultural buffer between Plevian, Turquan and Surian. At their core, both cultures are quite similar, loosely Tatar- and Central Asian inspired. I imagine that Mardoumakhstan would be the place of origin for various Central Ulethan Turquan tribes, not sure what the agreement is/if there is one, but maybe also part of the area where Turquan languages origin? As a state it's rather new, having probably been under Surian and other occupations along the history and, else, mostly consisted in tribes and clans. The Coast of Shelakhs has not been a major sea or trading power, probably only during its Navennan rule trade has been developed along its coast.
- I think the capital of an Romantian "entity" would have been St. Richards. Pretany and UL08e (if it becomes a Romantian-speaking territory) may both be successor states.
- While I have nothing to say about Romantia itself, I came here to say that I'm ok with Mardoumakhstan being the cradle of Turkic peoples or one specific group of them. But... we must remember that Turkic people were nomads and were able to travel very long distances because grass is always greener on the other side of the hill. What I mean is that Mardoumakhstan is too small for them and the place of origin could spread from Mardoumakhstan through Suria to UL20 territories (with a side note that Turkic people were probably never the only people living there) because that would be realistic size based on historic constraints of nomadic lifestyle. Rustem Pasha (talk) 22:16, 17 March 2022 (UTC)
Timeline
Currently focusing mainly on Franquia and Arquitenie
Romantia
Post-Romantia (Early Middle Ages)
300 AD - End of Romantian Rule in most of Franquia
330 AD - Franquish Kingdoms form, with the largest under the rule of Pepit I
450 - 500 AD - the Kingdom of Franquia begins to expand to cover most of the north of modern-day Franquia, and expands influence with the southern kingdoms on the shore of the Mediterranean.
600 AD - Suffering from internal strife, Lothric III decentralizes much of the outer territories of Franquia, creating the “independent duchies”, which are all but independent from the kingdom.
615 AD - First record of a Marquisate in Arquitenie, a subject of the Kingdom of Lousere.
720 AD - A resurgence in Franquian power results in war with the southern kingdoms, resulting in an eventual stalemate, with expanded Franquian territory and one of the kingdoms being forced to become a satellite state of Franquia.
720 AD - As a result of this war, Arquitenie and many other smaller states on the fringes of the Franquian region are able to become independent
770 AD - Oto I of Franquia establishes an alliance with the Kingdom of Orcitaux, and begins to court the northern kingdoms.
820 AD - The first Peasant Rebellions weaken Orcitaux and the southern kingdoms. In Arquitenie, the Marquis is forced to abolish indentured serfdom.
860 AD - Alaric of Franquia marries Duchess Jeanne of Temisa, the last direct descendant of the Romantian Emperor, and declares New Romantia, seizing the weakened state of many of the smaller states and the existing alliances to unify them into the new confederation. The kings retain their position, but are now subordinate to Alaric, who is both King of Franquia and Emperor of New Romantia.
860-905 AD - Alaric and his successors fight a series of wars to subdue and subsume various states into New Romantia.
950 AD - Alaric II declares the positions of Emperor and King of Franquia to be indivisible, creating resentement among the southern nobles.
980 AD - Pretanic Raiders burn ports on the sea coast
High Middle Ages
1010 - Widespread raids in the north result in weakening of Franquian power
1020 - Seige of Abillion and burning of the city
1023 - Perceiving the Emperor, who has mainly been dealing with minor issues in Temisa, to be incapable of dealing with the problems in the north, a coalition of nobles deposes him and places his 10 year old nephew, Theon on the throne.
1025 - Theon is forced to sign the “Electors Edict”, which removes the requirement that the King of Franquia and the Emperor be one and the same, and establishes the 6 Electors, composed of Orcitaux, Temisa, Franquia, Lombres, Arquitenie, and Pergrene.
1036 - Theon dies after a long illness, and the Electors are split on whether to elect Henri of Lombres or Henri of Franquia, Theon’s second cousin, starting the war of the two Henris.
1042 - Henri of Franquia wins, and preserves Franquia as the main power in the region. He mainly focused on the north of Franquia, establishing an alliance with Pretany and all but eliminating the Raider threat.
1080 - First formal judiciary established in the empire, to try to deal with border conflicts between the hundreds of small states.
1130-1260 - Long period of effective paralysis, with infighting and lack of a defined political structure crippling a series of weak emperors, none of whom were able to maintain control.
Late Middle Ages
1265 - Last of the first Franquian Dynasty, Odo VI, dies, and the electors once again are divided between multiple candidates, beginning the first interregnum.
1265-1275 - Interregnum. With no emperor, and no decision being made, Temisa and the plevian provinces secede in 1273, spurring the empire’s possessions in the far north to secede as well.
1275 - Antoine, Bishop of St Wulfric, is elected as emperor, renouncing his title as bishop. He institutes a series of reforms, creating the Imperial Senate and adding the Archbishop of Imenes and Icisinia as an elector, preventing future stalemates.
1290 - Death of the Bishop, with no heir, the electors elect his cousin, Henri of Raquetan, who continues reforms, increasing peace at the cost of removing a great deal of central authority from the Emperor.
1295 - Colonization reforms - As colonization efforts begin by multiple kingdoms, the Emperor declares that each state of the empire is responsible for their own efforts and maintaining of their colonies, which are still part of the empire but not directly subject to the emperor.
1340 - In order to try and preserve some central authority, Henri VI establishes the imperial government, formalizing and collecting the various systems that have developed into one, and establishing an independent treasury, among other things.
1405 - The various electors and states in the south become restless, as the north suffers from religious conflict. The emperor attempts to resolve the issue by engaging in a war to retake the Duchy of Marins in the north, but dies in combat.
1406 - The electors elect Philippe of Franquia to the throne. Philippe engages in nationalist rhetoric, building a common identity for New Romantia. By instituting various common systems of governance, including a unified school system for nobles and an institution to control land ownership, directly under the emperor. This cemented his position as the chief monarch of New Romantia, and stopped the slow process of decentralization in its tracks.
1430 - In the later years of Philippe’s reign, he focused on diplomacy, building relations with Plevia, Navenna, Castellan, Pretany, and other states, and secures multiple marriages for his children.
1480 - Philippe’s successors focus even more on a common identity, with Philippe III trying to relegate languages like Orcitannian to peasant languages, increasing Franquian influence even in the more remote possessions of the Empire.
1500 - Naval conflicts in the Mediterranean result in the humiliation of the NR’s fleet, spurring major military reform.
Early Modern Period
1520 - Establishment of “Independent Cities”, as cities begin to become influential in their own right.
1550 - Religious conflict results in the loss of Loudna, as the Empire sides with the pope in supporting Ortholicism. Protestant revolts are dealt with by severe military action, and widespread deportation of protestants. Various states secede during this time.
1600 - Religious crisis culminates with the “Southern Coalition”, a trading group formed in 1554, declaring that both ortholicism and protestantism are of equal standing, directly against the wishes of the emperor. The Emperor attempts to remove the governements of the rebellious states, but fails, and is deposed.
1602 - His successor, Henri XII, inherits a failing empire, but tries to preserve it by creating religious equality (though still not letting protestants hold positions of power), instituting various reforms to catch up with neighboring states, and giving the electors even more power. This does little to stop the continued departure of small states from the empire.
1610 - The Confederation of Laxhaute is formed out of various former states of the empire in the west. The confederation is percieved a serious threat by the electors.
1615 - The Marquis of Arquitenie marries the Doge of Navenna in a personal union. As their child will be both the Marquis and the Doge, the Marquis gains significant influence and moves to force the Emperor to abdicate.
1620 - The Emperor abdicates, and the Marquis of Arquitenie is elected Emperor. Supported by Navenna’s maritime infrastructure, the Empire is able to begin a new period of prosperity, with trade and colonies increasing, despite little change in the actual power of the emperor, as most of the Marquis’ ability to rule with such efficacity comes from a lucky combination of Franquian weakness and personal influence with the other electors.
1680 - The Marquis dies, and his son is elected both the Doge and Emperor. However, he prefers to spend his time in warm Navenna, leaving the kingdoms of New Romantia to their own devices, resulting in stagnation of the imperial state.
1700 - The Emperor is pressured to return to the empire, and does so reluctantly. At this point he’s growing old, and is able to do little governing.
1710-1730 - The 20 Year War begins, as the Empire enters into conflict with the Confederation of Laxhaute and Plevian States. The war eventually garners the involvement of Castellan and Kalm, and ends with serious losses for NR. Navenna, by virtue of not being part of NR, escapes consequences, with the merchants of Navenna taking advantage of the war, playing both sides. This lowers the popular view of Navenna among Franquians.
Revolutionary Period
1735 - Due to economic instability and the increasing importance of rich merchants on the political stage, the populace of many of the kingdoms, in particular hard-hit Franquia, begin to be swayed by republican sentiment.
1740-1750 - The “People’s Revolution” in Franquia. The Franquian King is killed by a mob in his country palace, and Franquia effectively splinters as multiple revolutionary movements try to establish a government. The Franquian army, which made up most of NR’s coalition army, is also divided, with some troops defending the capital and others fighting with the revolutionaries, and so NR is powerless to stop the revolution.
1749 - The powerful revolutionary movement takes control of the capital after a year-long siege and officially remove Franquia from NR, killing the elector. This spurs many other states to leave NR, which is reduced to a quarter of its former size in between divided Franquia and Plevian territory.
1760 - The new government, dubbed the Republic of Franquia, finally takes complete control of Franquia’s former territory. Many states surrounding it have fought small wars and unified, with some as fellow fledgling democracies, but most as larger kingdoms or duchies. Franquia still suffers from disunity and general poverty. NR is doing fine enough, having taken the time to recover and establish closer ties with other countries.
1778 - Navenna does not elect the new Emperor as Doge upon the death of the old Emperor, signalling the end of the Arquitenian dynasty. NR is all but finished, with the Emperor living out his days in his palace, and most of the territories were basically governing independently.
1795 - The old Emperor dies, and the electors elect Louis III of Marinque, who dissolves the Imperial Government, supposedly giving him significant power, but in reality doing the opposite. He attempts to enact reforms meant to help unify NR, but they do little.
1796 - The Confederation of Laxhaute declares war on Franquia after the Franquian government enacts heavy tariffs.
1796 - Gregoire Chambault, the President General of Franquia, soundly defeats the Confederation of Laxhaute and declares himself leader of Franquia in order to defend it from threats and unify all franquian nations.
1796 - 1820 - A consecutive series of wars follows where Chambault seizes the growing dissatisfaction with the remaining kings in neighboring kingdoms and the highly weakened state of NR to expand Franquia by a significant amount. In 1802 he conquers most of NR, with only Selonia, Flamain, and Arquitenie remaining.
1810 - Lombres is conquered by Chambault, and Orcitaux is undergoing civil unrest, with the King fleeing to Sathria.
1815 - Chambault establishes the Republic of Orcitaux, a satellite state of Franquia.
1818 - Moving north, Chambault annexes much of the northern kingdoms, and is met with little resistance.
Industrial Revolution and 19th Century
1820 - Chambault tries to modernize the nation, but is not a skilled governor in peace-time, and is forced to establish a small democracy, trying to maintain executive control while letting a tightly controlled group of politicians and bureaucrats make laws. The system works well enough, and under the minister Guy Laffel, many reforms are instituted, centralizing the state and enacting a comprehensive code of laws, so on and so forth.
1845 - Chambault defeats a coalition force from the northwest, with a heavy toll, greatly impacting his popularity. He dies 6 years later.
1851 - Creation of the Franquian Republic, a democratic state. The Republic of Orcitaux is absorbed fully into Franquia at this time with the Treaty of Erveaux, along with a few other remnant states.
1860-1863 - Arquitenian War. Franquia tries to take over Arquitenie, and reduces its territory after heavy fighting. The Franquian government also forces Arquitenie to establish a democracy, with popular approval.