Volonia

The Republic of Volonia is a country in Sarpedon, located south of Caphiria and east of Aciria. It shares a long cultural and political history with Caphiria.

The modern Republic of Volonia became independent during the Second Great War after its own War of National Liberation, which became a theater within the conflict. The Volonian Republic was officially proclaimed on 9 November 1939. With its independence recognized by the Treaty of Kartika, Volonia underwent decades of military rule under the Junta of National Liberation before transitioning to democracy in the late 1960s. The modern democratic constitution of Volonia was inaugurated in 1970.

Slavic Silver Age
Volonia was home to a period of Slavic political and cultural resurgence against the advancing Caphirian First Imperium during the 5th and 6th centuries known as the Slavic Silver Age. During this period, Volonia was home to four major Slavic kingdoms.

Ash War
On the the first Sunday following Easter in 1627 - April 11th 1627 - the The Reformations of 1627, a package of reforms throughout the Caphiric Church took effect. Among other changes, the Reformations introduced the new universal liturgy was used throughout Caphiria. It included burning consecrated hosts into Sacred Ash. As liturgies proceeded throughout Caphiria's southern provinces that Sunday, crowds within Churches began to react violently as the priests attempted to burn the consecrated hosts. These crowds threw priests out of churches and began public riots, starting what would become the Ash War. The crowds began to coalesce around local leaders, preventing Caphiric-aligned priests from entering churches and eventually leading to a rejection of civil authority. A local Slavic noble and member of the Senate named Aleksandar Baciu managed to unite the mobs with other dissatisfied low level Slavic nobles, beginning an open revolt that would last for five years. Baciu's armies would ultimately be defeated in 1631 and he would be executed in Venceia, but the unrest continued until mid-1632.

Though the Ash War was ostensibly a conflict related to the Great Schism of 1615 and southern provincial Slavic loyalty to the Catholic Church and its teachings, the war would be a major source of pride and inspiration for the people of Volonia in the future. Baciu is recognized as one of the nation's founding fathers and national heroes.

Era of Retribution
With the defeat of Aleksander Baciu's army in 1631 and ultimate suppression of rebellion in the southern provinces in 1632, a period of harsh crackdowns and strict control from Venceia began. The worst of the so-called "Era of Retribution" came from 1632 to 1635, when the Imperial Legion systematically destroyed most Catholic Churches in the region, executed priests and nuns, appropriated convents and monasteries for the homes of generals and nobilities, and in many cases burnt villages that were housing priests or had been heavily involved in the uprisings. The most famous of these events came on 18 August 1634, when an aged Imperial Naval Fleet carrack was filled with 424 priests - most of the Catholic priests remaining in southern Caphiria and sank just off the southern coast of the country, with many village elders and other prominent locals forced to view as most of the clerics drowned to death.

By 1635, the southern provinces were considered pacified such that a permanent occupation by the Imperial Legion was no longer necessary. While most violence ended, the Era of Retribution continued as Imperial magistrates imposed heavy obligations on the people of the provinces and violence was still employed in order to bring about adherence to the Caphiric Church. Economic disruptions continued through the 1640s, as prominent local Catholic nobles and landowners were systematically expelled and their land re-appropriated to Legionary generals. The Imperial Senate passed many acts between 1629 and 1680 relating to suppression in the southern provinces. By the 1680s, all participants of the Ash War were long dead and the area was considered fully integrated back into the Imperium, ending both special legislation as well as the burdensome presence of additional magistrates.

Long Peace
The "Long Peace" was inaugurated in the 1680s as Caphiria's focus shifted from adherence to the internal Great Schism of 1615 to external military and economic dominance in Sarpedon, and as such most retributive legislation against the southern provinces had expired or been repealed by 1700. While Catholic priests and liturgies continued to operate underground in the area, their existence was something of an open secret tolerated by authorities, though if caught Catholic adherents would be subject to significant penalties or even death. Following nearly a century of violence, however, the economic and agricultural output of the area began to rebound and exceeded 1600 output by 1715.

Liberation Government
Following the conclusion of the Second Great War, Volonia was governed by a proclaimed as the official governing body of the provinces towards the end of the fighting. This junta, which referred to itself as the "Liberation Government", an ostensibly temporary body, was really a slightly reformed version of the United Volonia Movement established by G.C. Lorenzo. Given the coalition nature of the Movement, cracks began to form even before the official end of hostilities. By January 1943, General Timotei Nicolescu managed to become the Chairman of the Liberation Government, and began to immediately coalesce power. Nicolescu, who had represented Volonia at the Treaty of Kartika, was hailed by the people as the leader who finally lead them to independence following four centuries of Caphirian domination. He used his popularity to first launch a political purge of the left wing of the United Volonia Movement, with key leaders and local organizers of the Socialist Party of the Volonian Nation (SPVN) arrested on the night of 22 March 1945. Following the purge of the left, Nicolescu sought alliances with the right, securing the support of the Catholic Party as well as a number of groups who sought the establishment of a Levantine-style monarchy in Volonia. Nicolescu managed to dominate these groups, and eventually purged them as well on 4 November 1949. By 1950, Nicolescu ruled Volonia unopposed, taking the title of President on 1 January of that year. Nicolescu also assumed the title "Tribune of the Revolution" and reorganized the United Volonia Movement as a formal political party under his direct control.

Nicolescu's Liberation Government pursued close relations with Levantia and Aciria, committing Volonia to the Levantia and Odoneru Treaty Association and recognizing Aciria's Western Imperium. The nation received significant infrastructure investments from Urcea and Burgundie during the 1950s as well as technical experts, bringing Volonia to modernity with respect to its industrial and economic capabilities. Most of the benefit of the economic growth, however, remained in the hands of a small clique of Nicolescu's friends and insiders, and the daily lives of Volonians were actually slightly worse in 1960 than they had been prior to the nation's independence. General Nicolescu died on 30 September 1965. He was succeeded as President by General Andrei Diaconu, a close confidant. Diaconu, however, was outmanuevered within the Liberation Government by General Paul Torje, who made alliances with reformers and traditionalist conservatives. General Diaconu was forced to step down as President on 7 December 1968, ceding authority to Torje. Torje announced a transition to democracy would begin, calling for a constitutional convention to begin the following year. While still wielding dictatorial authority, Torje began to unilaterally liberalize the economy in early 1969 as much of the economy was still in the hands of Nicolescu's allies who sought to restore Diaconu to authority.

Constitutional reform and rapprochement
The Constitution of 1970 took effect on 1 July 1970 following a year and a half of formulation. The 1969-70 Constitutional Convention included many of Torje's military allies, but the majority of its members were legal scholars, diplomats, and a few clergy. The Constitution was largely based on the governing systems of Pelaxia and Cartadania, instituting a moderately liberal democracy in Volonia. Elections were held in June 1970, and Torje was reelected as President and the United Volonia Movement won a plurality of seats in both houses of the legislature. Following his election, Torje formally resigned his military command and transferred authority to a non-UVM Minister of Defense, signaling a partial transition of power in the country.

While the constitutional reform was underway, Torje was undertaking secret negotiations with Caphiria to rebuild relations with its northern neighbor. Technical and economic assistance from Levantia had dwindled since 1960 and had ceased with beginning of Operation Kipling, and the benefits to Volonia were dwindling. Trade with Caphiria would significantly boost the Volonian economy. Torje extracted a promise from Caphiria to recognize Volonia's sovereignty and even issue a statement of apology for the Era of Retribution and atrocities committed during the Ash War. With a popular mandate established, Torje announced on 18 August 1970 that Volonia would be leaving the Levantia and Odoneru Treaty Association and would no longer recognize the Emperor of Aciria as worthy of Continental Obligations. Volonia would be joining the new Continental Diplomatic Arrangement Organization with Caphiria and Pelaxia and would offer its obligations to the Imperator once more. While this decision was controversial, and the United Volonia Movement lost its majority in the House of Tribunes in the 1974 election, the economic benefits to Volonia were undeniable. Torje remained in power through the 1986 elections, when he retired. Despite the limitations of the Constitution, Torje received considerable criticism for his heavy handed authority exercised over the government of Volonia, and many modern scholars believe the "true" democratic era only began with the inauguration of the first non-UVM President in 1987.

Government
Volonia is a governed according to the principles of the Constitution of 1970. The Constitution features a and a  legislative body, consisting of the House of Tribunes, which represents certain geographical areas and social institutions, and the National Assembly, which is apportioned by population. Elections for the Presidency are held every four years beginning with the 1970 election. Both houses of the legislature are elected to four year terms, but their elections are staggered, with the House of Tribunes electing during Presidential years and the National Assembly electing during the other even numbered years between the Presidential cycle. Volonia is a, but it does have specific geographic areas, known as tribunates, with uneven populations which are represented in the House of Tribunes.