Eloillette

The Hillside Hegemony of Eloillette is an unrecognized state in eastern Sarpedon claimed by Bussdaberria. The country is bordered to the north by Bussdaberria, northeast by Dyamenes and Qustantistan, and to the west by Carnazza. The country’s landscape is defined by being largely an expansive grassy steppe, making up much of the Istroyan plain. The country is claimed as part of Bussdaberria’s diverse makeup and has been affirmed as such since the signing of the Treaty of Kartika in 1953. The country is fairly warm and as such hosts a sizeable population despite only being a moderately sized nation.

Name and Etymology
The name Eloillette was not actually developed by the Eloillettien people, but rather the Burgoignesc settlers of the nation who arrived in the unorganized lands in 1526 after venturing inland past the Politeian islands, which the Burgoignesc regularly conducted trade with. The Burgoignesc asked the locals what the name of their land was, but the locals not knowing the Burgoignesc language assumed they were asking about the name of the region, to which they naturally replied with Istroya. With the Eloillettien accent always being thick however, the Burgoignesc would go on to name their future colony over the land Eloillette in an earnest attempt to name the colony after what the people referred to the land as. However, the local people were actually saying Istroya in their local language, which they called "L'acsen d'Oilóstras" or in English "The land of Istroya".

Colonial Eloillette
The first Burgoignesc permanent settlement in the area of Eloillette was a factory in modern day Oìse d'Evías, called Port d'Ostroise, in the Burgoignesc language, in 1526. Port d'Ostroise had become a massive hub for the export of Eloillettien cotton and sugar by the 1600s. The Duchy of Bourgondia and the Principality of Faramount expanded their presence in the area following the conclusion of the Great Confessional War by awarding Patroonships to loyal Catholic vassals. These patroonships in the 1610s constitute the first formal colonization of modern Eloillette by Levantines.

In the 1630s silver was discovered in the west and a rapid expansion took the small, coastal settlements deep into the heartland of Sarpedon. The silver mining villages were sprawling, under-policed and were full of people of all ethnicities and origins. It also raised the colony's profile in the eyes of the Caphirians and ultimately led to its demise. Accounting was rudimentary at best, and corruption and theft was commonplace. Based on modern geographical estimates only about 57% of the silver mined in Eloillette made its way to Levantia through official channels.

The death knell for Levantine control of the colony was the independence of Cartadania. Caphiria discovered that the Cartadaniaan Peso was partially backed by Eloillettien silver. Following Cartadania's independence, Eloillette faced annexation pressure both from both Caphiria and Cartadania. The Duchy of Bourgondi bought out the Principality of Faramount's colonial shares and started a desperate and authoritarian effort to extract all of the silver from Eloillette before either country made its move. This caused massive inflation in the Duchy of Bourgondi as massive amounts of silver poured in in the late 1680s through 1720s. The 40 year period of inflation weakened the Occidental purchasing power of the Duchy of Bourgondi but saw massive investment in its colonial empire as it tried to spread out the silver to reduce inflation. Cartadania never acted on its threat of annexation because of local instability and Caphiria had its hands full battling the Veltorinian independence movement.

This however, did not stop them from agitating for the removal of Levantine's from the area and the recognition of Eloillettien independence.

The Republic of Eloillette
The people of Eloillette first united under the name now synonymous with the disputed territorial entity they are represented by in 1780 when they declared independence from the Thalassocracy of Burgundie. This was done through peaceful means largely due to pressure from the larger continental powers of Caphiria and Cartadania, both looking to expand their influence in the region. In the case of the former as well, the idea of a Levantine Creep made it an important goal of Caphiria’s to contain and rid the continent of influence from Levantine powers. Though Eloillette was influenced linguistically by the presence of their Burgoignesc colonial administrators, the culture and identity of the people remained as the colony was never of significant monetary or strategic value. In 1781 after negotiations between Burgundie, Caphiria, and Cartadania concluded, the Treaty of Víela Vedeña granted the fledgling nation of Eloillette independence.

The First Election
Being a historically voiceless people the Eloillettien naturally turned towards democracy. The transitional administration set up by the previous colonial government prepared the country for its first set of elections in a quick manner as to avoid citizen unrest. This ended up being rather pointless though as the Republican Party won nearly 100% of the vote, with next to no support going towards the Burgoignesc Loyalist Party. The Republic of Eloillette was born.

The Migration Period
The intentions of their neighbours soon became clear though as immigration to the country skyrocketed. Caphirians and Cartadanians moved to the country in droves with no warning, and the government’s hands quickly became full of pressing problems the people were demanding solutions too. A tax was hastily put in place that forced Caphirian and Cartadaniaan immigrants to pay additional payments when purchasing goods in the country. As it was apparent that showing the deed to your land for every purchase made daily life for the Eloillettien people unnecessarily difficult the government began to issue a form of proto-passport, with some qualities of an ID card as well. On top of listing standard information like a person’s name, birthday, and address, it also listed their family’s country of origin. If you were not a citizen of Eloillette prior to the first election, you were deemed a foreigner and were subject to a plethora of additional fees, taxes, and regulations. Applying to be deemed as a native of Eloillette was extremely difficult as one needed to provide extensive evidence to suggest that their lineage was sufficiently Eloillettien.

The concern over foreign migration to Eloillette was not completely unwarranted though. Though it was certainly xenophobic and caused unnecessary strife to ordinary people looking to become part of Eloillettien society, the Republican Party leaders of the country would soon find their aggressive foreign policy to be justified by the actions of powers abroad. However, it would prove to be from a power unexpected.

Carnazzian Occupation
In 1787 Carnazzian troops would march into Eloillette without any sign of warning. An unprepared Eloillettien army would prove to be no match for the superior strength of Carnazza, despite the country not being considered a large military powers. It would take a force of just 15,000 soldiers armed with outdated weapons to take the country in little under 20 days. The government of Eloillette did not expect to have to fight for its existence a mere 6 years after its independence, and this time there were no idealistic Caphirian and Cartadaniaan governments to come to the country’s aid. This would be the country’s first occupation of many.

The Great Expulsion
Carnazza began to expel much of the Eloillettien population to neighbouring but foreign nations like Dynemes and Politeia, where large ethnic minorities remain to this very day. The Carnazzian army thought it would be far more beneficial to keep the Caphirian and Cartadaniaan immigrant populations in the country as they would be far less vocal about the upheaval of the Eloillettien government. The country would quickly become unrecognizable from its former self as the culture of Eloillette was destroyed with the government. Literature was burned with the libraries that were burnt down, historic architecture that had once dotted the landscape was destroyed to make way for farms for Carnzzian settlers, and the homes of hundreds of thousands of Eloillettien people were cleared to make way for the new people of the land. This would come to be known as the Great Expulsion of 1788. Little promise seemed to remain as the people of Eloillette were spread throughout Sarpedon with no way for the Eloillettien government-in-exile to lead them, and this would remain the case for more than two decades.

Les Arons Opíotíon d’Eloillette
In 1821 however, a nationalist by the name of Evan d’Oizette would become inspired to unite the people of Eloillette after reading the works of Yonderian scholar Emanuel Famichez, a settler of Carnazzian controlled Eloillette. His book titled, “The Authority of Stolen Lands” was one of the first in the world to disparage colonialism, and Evan noted in his journal that he became inspired by his chapter regarding the destruction of other cultures around the world due to continuous warring between colonial empires. Emanuel Famichez wrote, “One culture that has miraculously stood the test of time has been that of the Eloillettien. Though known by different names in the countries they fled to after Carnazzian invasion, they remain largely unscathed. These people have continued to show that colonialism is not a practice that can forever go unchecked. The Carnazzians may sit comfortably on their captured lands at the moment but have failed to look at how the Eloillettien people have outlasted the likes of the militarily superior Burgoignesc, Caphirians, and Cartadanians. These people will come back, but Carnazza is waiting as if an aspiration Eloillettien will never take the throne to the land.” At was this that led Evan to form Les Arons Opíotíon d’Eloillette.

Evan began enlisting diaspora communities of Eloillettien people throughout Sarpedon to join his cause with the promise of each and every Eloillettien being returned their land from, in his words, “the unjust hands of Carnazza.” He even travelled as far as Burgundie and Eshel to gain the numbers necessary to stand a chance against the now firm Carnazzian grip over the land of Eloillette. Due to a sizeable army being important above all to retake the Eloillettien homeland, he enlisted both men and women as young as 16 years old to fight for the right to return to Eloillette. With a sizeable enough army, Even began making plans to retake the country while training and equipping his militia to the best of ability. After all, he was no military leader and was only even capable of leading this militia due to the knowledge he gained through his passion for reading and always learning. When he felt his army was trained to the best of his ability, Evan gave orders to retake Eloillette on June 5th of 1828, a day that would come to be known as the Day of Return.

Le Cònjetíf Dìespra d'Eloillette
This invasion would not be an orthodox one though, and Evan was by no means regarded as the universal leader of the Eloillettien people. In fact, Evan struggled to get young members for the EPA as other less militaristic groups appealed far more to the Eloillettien youth spread through the world. One group in specific known as Cònjetíf Dìespra d’Eloillette (in English know as the Eloillette Diaspora Community) appealed to the youth as they preached that the Carnazzian occupation of Eloillette was justified in the fact that the region was never the original home of the Eloillettien people, but rather their origins trace back to all the countries the Eloillette fled to. Thus the invasion of Eloillette by Carnazza ironically returned the Eloillettien people to the homelands of their ancestors such as Burgundie, Caphiria, Carnazza, Dyanemes, Cartadania, Pelaxia, Politeia, and others. Those who were born and raised outside of the influence of Eloillette in particular supported the EDC, and they would not only actively protest the planned Day of Return invasion of Carnazza, but would enlist in the Carnazzian army to prevent an state being created to represent their people.

The War of the Day of Return
The EPA entered the country primarily from Dyanemes as it was the least defended land border of Eloillette and it made it easier to maintain supply lines from their ships through a foreign country. Additionally though, the EPA fortified in many locations north of the Eloillettien border in contemporary Bussdaberria, and this would serve to prevent the Carnazzian army from transiting through neighbouring countries to encircle or sneak up on EPA troops. Though the Istroyan land south of Eloillettien was not accounted for this was considered to not be a strategy that the Carnazzians would consider as it would means fleeing outside of the East Sarpedonian Plain, which would only serve to make them more vulnerable to the EPA. This prediction was risky and not something the EPA could rely on with absolute certainty, but they did not have the ability to project power in that area regardless so it was of no use to consider how that scenario would play out regardless.

The Qustantistani Stronghold
As planned, the invasion began from Dyanemes on June 5th, 1828, but the EPA had not accounted for something. They had not consider the possibility of Carnazzian naval forces travelling down the canal west of Dyanemes and fortifying in the territory of modern-day Qustanfistan. Unfortunately, this possibility turned out to be the reality of the situation. The EPA would need to come up with a new strategy quickly as their wasn’t much stopping Carnazzian forces from continuing their assault on the EPA into Dyanemes as the government of Dyanemes was complacent with the EPA running supply lines from their ports to occupied Eloillette. The EPA could definitely not afford bringing the entire continent into a war over their land, as it would mean not only their end of their cause, but torment and strife for the Eloillettien people across Sarpedon who would become subject to discrimination by opponents of the EPA and those who did not stand against them.

This change in Carnazzian military strategy meant that the EPA would have to try to push forward from its vast fortifications spanning the entirety of the northern Eloillettien border. This operation was nothing more than a suicide mission, but Evan not being a military strategist saw no other options. On July 7th EPA troops would push their entire northern front south through the vast open Eloillettien grasslands. Embarrassingly, the EPA was not even fighting against Carnazzian soldiers, but rather the militia forces of the EDC placed along the northern border to cut off westward EPA invasion assuming they would be equipped to combat the Carnazzian stronghold in present-day Qustantistan. This military death wish would be published in newspapers throughout Sarpedon and the image of the noble Eloillettien who fled their homeland and established thriving communities abroad would be dragged into the mud. The EPA was clearly under-equipped to deal with the larger Carnazzian aligned faction, so the EPA needed to look far abroad to a nation and a people who shared a common history and would subsequently understand their struggle for a nation to represent their people.

The Levantine Ally
The EPA attempted to enlist the help of various powers throughout the world. They were denied support from Ralvithja and Yonderre despite both nations previously supporting the independent Eloillettien identity. However, one nation was willing to offer its support, but it was not one that the EPA was keen to call to its aid. The fledgling nation of Cronzcovina was in the midst of the Third Gabbenian War and yet extended its support to the EPA. The Cronzcovinic revolutionary administration extended the offer of sending a force of 40,000 soldiers to aid the EPA. Unbeknownst to the EPA these were small numbers to the military powerhouse that was Cronzcovina. Though they were not technologically advanced, they offered a no strings attached agreement to liberate Eloillette of Carnazzian influence. Naturally, the EPA accepted.

As of September 1828 the Carnazzian army had pushed the EPA out of Eloillette and had as suspected continued its assault into Dyanemes. Dyanemes not looking to suffer the same fate the Eloillettien people had in 1787 allowed the Carnazzian army free passage through the country should they vacate alongside the eviction of the EPA. To the EPA’s dismay this was ratified by both countries in the 1828 Treaty of Malgasta and was done so under the agreed upon neutral party of Caphiria. All hope was not yet lost though, as on September 12th the promised 40,000 Cronzcovinic soldiers landed on the northern river border of contemporary Qustantistan and began making work of the unprepared Carnazzian troops.

This still however left the EPA to continue its expansive push southward across the entire northern Eloillettien border, but there was now hope for this initiative to work. The EPA began pushing its northeastern stationed soldiers south behind the Carnazzian fortification in present day Qustantistan At the same time forces stationed in the northwest entered Carnazza rather than going into Eloillette and made significant advances through the rough terrain of the region. Once far enough south these troops flooded into western Eloillette. Evan’s strategy became clear, he intended to push Carnazzian troops into the center of the country from both sides and either completely take them down or force them into territory out of their control south of Eloillette.

The Levantine Betrayal
This campaign was extremely successful as well, but it would quickly become clear why the Cronzcovinic government extended their “no strings attached” agreement in the first place. Without conferring with the EPA the Cronzcovinic troops in modern day Qustantistan all left. They sailed to the Carnazzian capital of Malgasta and ransacked the city. This further created a distraction for the EPA and even had the Carnazzian army return home to deal with the Cronzcovinic army in Malgasta. On October 3rd however, the EDC pushed through the northern EPA defences with ease to the surprise of the EPA. The EDC then went through modern day Bussdaberria and began an invasion of Carnazza for seemingly no reason. However, the EPA would find out in little time that the EDC only entered north Carnazza to assist the Cronzcovinic army in making their way up the country. Cronzcovina has no interest in fighting Carnazza, but rather they were looking to establish their very own dominion in Sarpedon led by the EDC. Cash and Cronzcovinic military equipment proved to be enough to convince the EDC to change their organization’s and lead the Eloillettien people.

Without the support of the Cronzcovinic military the EPA quickly fell to both the superior technological capabilities and the sheer numbers of the Cronzcovinic aligned faction. In a twist of irony however, Carnazza provided the small remaining EPA forces in the then Eloillettien capital of Víela Vedeña with the local soldier’s weapons and supplies while they fled back home to Carnazza. Carnazza then signed an armistice with Cronzcovina on October 21st after a multitude of Carnazzian cities had been pillaged and burned to the ground. Both nations agreed that this conflict needed to be left in the past if Carnazza was to remain independent in the face of growing Caphirian continental influence and if Cronzcovina was to have the resources to repel Ralvithjan expansion in Cronzcovina.

 Óríellade d'Onísa
Despite the remaining force in Víela Vedeña holding off the EDC incursion for a couple weeks, they were forced to surrender on November 25th, 1828 or face destruction. All parties involved in the war signed the Cronzcovinic drafted 1828 Treaty of Itera. This treaty established the Cronzcovinic Dominion of l’Óríellade d’Onísa, in which the EDC would be transformed into the Cronzcovina’s colonial administration of the territory. The second occupation of Eloillette had begun.

Colonial Cronzcovina
Cronzcovina’s occupation of Eloillette was notably one of the worst out of the many times Eloillette has been occupied, though this was not entirely to the blame of Cronzcovina either as the country was in the midst of a war against Ralvithja. Despite the Third Gabbenian War just beginning Cronzcovina began using its newly gained territory as a second homeland for the Cronzcovinic people. Though Cronzcovina had a large military it was not as technologically advanced as that of Ralvithja’s. Along with being largely isolated diplomatically due to being perceived as nothing more than a failing secessionist faction that would be wiped out in a matter of a year, the Cronzcovinic government quite literally began making its own allies. Despite being an independent nation, Las Acronitas was already under considerable Cronzcovinic influence upon Cronzcovina gaining independence in 1733 due to a series of negotiations worked out between the Burgundie and Cronzcovina’s predecessor state, the Magnavyan Empire. Now Eloillette would join this group, but rather as the Dominion of Óríellade d’Onísa. Officially and more often called l’Oríellade d’Onísa, the dominion was also known by its English name, the East of Onisa.

Conscription in Eloillette
In February of 1829 Cronzcovina began enlisting the people of the new Dominion of l’Oríellade d’Onísa into the Cronzcovinic army. Propaganda in l’Oríellade d’Onísa attempted to use Cronzcovina’s military support in the War of the Day of Return to plant the seeds of nationalistic sympathies in the people of l’Oríellade d’Onísa. This program was not successful however as it was clear that this was nothing more than an attempt to make Eloillette into the colony Cronzcovina wanted it to be. Due to this failure, Cronzcovina moved to conscripting the ethnically Eloillettien people into the Cronzcovinic army. When the Eloillettien people were sent overseas the Cronzcovinic administration of l’Oríellade d’Onísa worked to give as much of the vacated land as possible to ethnically Diamav, Helvanic, Mortropiv, and Vaegir settlers as possible. In essence, Cronzcovina was manufacturing a Slavic population in l’Oríellade d’Onísa. Being an colony in inland Sarpedon owned by a country in the midst of a war made this program difficult however, especially as Ralvithjan warships went out of their way to capture Diamavyan ships leaving the Kilikas Sea and Sea of Nordska.

Manufacturing Slavic Sarpedon
Though Cronzcovina was able to establish sizeable Slavic population in the Dominion of l’Oríellade d’Onísa they were not as large as the Caphirian, Carnazzian, and Cartadaniaan minority groups. From 1829 to 1856 Cronzcovina managed to establish a series of previously nonexistent ethnic minority groups they only brought the Slavic population of the country up to 23,004 people. Though still an impressive feet regardless, it only constituted roughly 1.45% of the total population of l’Oríellade d’Onísa of 1,586,493 people. Cronzcovina needed another approach, as the native citizens of its colony were up in arms, and it wasn’t only the displaced Eloillettien.

Civil Unrest and Protests
Even prior to 1856 the people of l’Oríellade d’Onísa detested Cronzcovinic rule. After the EPA was defeated Cronzcovina integrated the EDC into its own colonial administration of Eloillette. With the EDC formerly not even believing the people of Eloillette should have their own state, the government was already unpopular. Those who lived under the Carnazzian occupation of Eloillette would wish Carnazza never lost power of Eloillette, as while they destroyed countless pieces of historical Eloillettien architecture, culture, and literature, they did not pursue a complete cultural overhaul of the land and the people, but rather sought to integrate Eloillette into Carnazza. Cities across l’Oríellade d’Onísa regularity became hotbeds for clashes between the l’Oríellade d’Onísa colonial administration and the populace of the colony.

Post-Kartika
The government of the de facto self-declared state of Eloillette regards itself as an independent entity, not a rebel or rival government making it hostile to other republican/rebel factions due to its seperatist tendencies.

= Politics & Government = The Executive is led by an elected president, whose government includes a vice-president and a Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers, who are responsible for the normal running of government, are nominated by the President and approved by the Congress's Assembly of the Nation. The President must approve bills passed by the Assembly before they come into effect. Presidential elections are confirmed by the People's Electoral Commission of Eloillette. The President can serve a maximum of two five-year terms.

= See Also =