Natrusca

Natrusca, officially the New Natruscan Republic, is a parliamentary republic located on the continent of Sarpedon. Natrusca is one of the three so-called 'Xalesian Nations' - nation's whose culture is predominantly Xalesian in origin and whose predominant language is of the Xalesian Latin language family.

Natrusca has the second largest population of the three 'Xalesian Nations', ahead of Aliantura and behind Xalesia. However, Natrusca's economy is very large for its population, and much like Aliantura, its economy has grown massively in the last 70 or so years, mainly thanks to the opening of the Xala canal in its northern neighbour, Xalesia.

The nation of Natrusca has existed in its current form since 1910, when the Natruscan people overthrew their authoritarian monarchy and established the New Republic. The region itself has been inhabited for millennia, however. The first inhabitants of what is today Natrusca were native tribal groups. These tribes were pushed out by Xalesian settlers under the first Xalesian Empire, and Xalesian culture and language was fully cemented in the region under the reign of the second Xalesian Empire. However, after the fall of the second Xalesian Empire in 994 CE, the Xalesians would never again rule over the entirety of the region, and the first independent realm named Natrusca would be born. Natrusca's territory would grow significantly with the fall of the third Xalesian Empire, gaining large areas of land in the north that had formerly been part of Xalesia. However, this means that today Natrusca has a huge Xalesian minority inhabiting this northern region. Although, this has so far been little issue to Natrusca. Natruscan culture is incredibly similar to Xalesian, and both languages are in the Xalesian Latin language family meaning they too are very similar.

Natrusca is today a highly developed and modern country, with its development easily on par with its northern neighbour, Xalesia. This development and rapidly growing economy is mostly thanks to the Xala canal. It has allowed Natruscan business to trade their goods with Capihiria without having to sail their goods around the entire continent or transport their goods over land all the way through Xalesia.

Natrusca, like its neighbour Xalesia, also ranks highly in its social performance and human development. Natrusca boasts a national healthcare service which is completely free at the point of use. Natrusca also has strong worker protections and union rights, and has strong environmental protection laws.

History
The history of the region that is today Natrusca spans more than two millennia. The region is believed to have been inhabited by native tribes for far longer than that, but the history of the region usually begins around the time of the arrival of the Latinic peoples from the recently settled city of Xala. From this point onward, the history of Aliantura is divided into three periods, culminating in the modern day New Natruscan Republic.

Prehistory
Although not one of the three official periods, the prehistory of Natrusca is sometimes considered an honorary fourth period. Prior to the arrival of the Latinic peoples from the new settlement of Xala, the region was inhabited by native tribes and clans. However, these native tribes could not fend off the Latinic invaders from the north and they were quickly destroyed or subsumed into Latinic culture. Evidence of these original natives can still be seen from numerous artefacts in museums all over Natrusca, and from the remnants of ancient Natruscan hill forts that dot parts of the country.

Province of Xalesia
Natruscan history as we know not is usually considered to have begun around 620 BCE when the first Xalesian Empire begun to settle on the coast of the Bay of Riaia in what is today Natrusca. The region was already inhabited by small Latinic settlements and these would quickly be subsumed into the growing Xalesian Empire. By 580 BCE, the territory in Natrusca had expanded and was named a new province of Xalesia - the province of Natrusca. The province only inhabited a small part of what is today Natrusca, sticking mostly to the coast along the Bay of Riaia, however Xalesian culture would quickly take hold there and province would become a hub for future expansion into the Omnium Ocean. However, the first Xalesian Empire didn't last forever, and after the sack of Xala in 517 CE during the First Xalesian-Caphirian War the empire would quickly collapse.

The first Xalesian Empire's collapse would lead to the beginning of the Decennium Sanguinis - the Decade of Blood. During this time, the Praeceptorems - Governors of Xalesian provinces - fought viciously with one another to try and reclaim the Xalesian Empire. This included the Praeceptorem of Natrusca. However, In 537 CE Theodosius Mescarla would negotiate the Praeceptorem of Natrusca's surrender, and his realm would be adsorbed in Theodosius'. Four years later in 541 CE, Theodosius would found the second Xalesian Empire and would become its first Emperor. The region of Natrusca would once again be instated as a province of Xalesia. Under the second Empire, the territory of Natrusca would significantly expand to the east, encompassing far more of the area that makes up Natrusca today. However, just like the first empire, the second empire couldn't last forever. In 994 CE, the second Xalesian Empire would lose the second Xalesian-Caphirian war. With this, a large portion of the empire would come under Caphirian subjugation. This included some areas of what is today Natrusca, however the majority of Natrusca came under the rule of various Christian lords from the east who had been allied to Caphiria. The Province of Natrusca was no more.

Kingdom of Natrusca
For 150 or so years after the fall of the second Xalesian Empire, the majority of what is today Natrusca would remain under the rule of various foreign christian lords. During this time however, the Xalesian culture and language in the region would begin to transform into what would become known as the Natruscan culture and language. In 1143 CE, the rule of these various foreign lords would finally come to an end. The death of one of these lords would trigger a succession crisis in his realm. The crisis would eventually end when the former lord's nephew, Atosis I, was chosen to succeed him. Atosis was different from the other lords in that he had fully integrated into Natruscan culture. He had spent almost his entire life living in Natrusca and by all regards considered himself a Natruscan. Atosis also had a keen mind for strategy and warfare, and would spend five years after he inherited his realm conquering all of the various lords of Natrusca. By 1143 CE he would've succeeded, and he would found the Kingdom of Natrusca and declare himself its first king. Over the following centuries the Kingdom of Natrusca would expand its borders further eastward, eventually encompassing the entirety of the modern borders of Natrusca. The kingdom would remain mostly stable until its end in 1910, however there was once event that almost caused the kingdom to come to an end almost a century earlier. In 1818 CE, rapid industrialisation had led to huge amounts of squalor and poverty all across Natrusca, and the people were getting angry. This culminated in the Vanassa uprising, which saw workers revolt against the kingdom and seize control of the city. This would spark revolts all across the kingdom, and in a matter of weeks numerous cities would have fallen to these uprisings. The various leaders of these rebellions would gather in Vanassa only a month after the Vannassa uprising and declare the founding of the Republic of Natrusca. Over the next few months the Republic continued to see victory after victory as more and more workers revolted and joined their cause, however these victories wouldn't last forever. The kingdom had been incredibly taken off guard by this mass revolt, but after four months they had managed to gather a large army backed up by a force of mercenary soldiers in the capital of Tarroni. By this point, more than two thirds of Natrusca were under the control of the Republic, but it had no real army, and the rebels were lightly armed and had no real combat training. As soon as the Kingdom's army went on the offensive they quickly crushed the rebels. They took back city after city until, by the end of the year, they recaptured Vanassa and finally destroyed the Republic of Natrusca, ending the uprising.

The Vanassa Rebellion, as it had become known, led to the kingdom taking a far more hardline approach to dissent leading to the creation of an extremely authoritarian state. This would end up backfiring for the kingdom, however. In 1908, after a succession crisis had rocked the nation, a band of rebels would storm the Royal palace in Tarroni and execute the King. This prompted the beginning of a second rebellion, that after only two years would see the rebels claim victory. They would gather in the Natruscan capital of Tarroni and would found the New Natruscan Republic.

New Republic
With the founding of the New Natruscan Republic things were finally looking up for Natrusca. They finally had representation, more freedoms and an end to authoritarian rule. In 1912, after Caphiria invaded and occupied Xalesia, the New Natruscan Republic would also annex a large area of land on the Xalesian border. This territory had been all that had remained of the Xalesian government and they quickly handed it over to Natrusca just before the third Xalesian-Caphirian war came to an end to spite the Caphirians and to ensure that at least some Xalesians could escape Caphirian rule. The New Natruscan Republic still rules this territory to this day, and has a huge Xalesian minority because of it. However, due to the massive similarities between Xalesian language and culture and Natruscan language and culture, this hasn't really been an issue. Although, a large number of this Xalesian minority have been calling for reunification with Xalesia over the past few decades, and some throughout Natrusca are even calling for the entire nation to unite with Xalesia.

The New Natruscan Republic has become a modern and prosperous nation. Much like the other three 'Xalesian Nations' it leans heavily to the left and has passed numerous progressive reforms and policies over recent decades. Thanks to the Xala canal, its economy also continued to grow and the quality of life in Natrusca only continues to improve.