Fiannria

Fiannria, officially the Commonwealth of Fiannria is a Federal Semi-Presidential Republic in Levantia. Consisting of 83 counties within 13 provinces and several overseas possessions. Located along the northeastern coast of Levantia, Fiannria reaches from the Nordska Sea which it borders to the north to the Vandarch Sea on it's southwestern border. Fiannria borders Hollona and Diorisia,Kronenia and Vinesia to the south, and Fhainnaeran to the east. Enter something here about the land area and with a population of 421,478,211.

Fiannria and Fiannan civilization is unique in both its ancient history but also diversity and is a multiethnic state. Earliest civlization can be traced back to the widespread settlement of the early Gaelic Celt, Fhainic peoples. The region was soon a territory of the Adonerii empire of Great Levantia which called the region Gaul and Ultmar. However the melding of a modern Fiannan culture would not see its cornerstones until after the collapse of Great Levantia in the 5th century and the arrival of the Germanic tribes of Gothica from across the Vandarch. Fiannria was a major part of the Holy Levantine Empire from it's foundation, and it's historical origin developed from the Empire. The Levantine Catholic Church, the nation's multiethnicity and the democratic tradition that predates the modern Culfran and Fiannan nation and it's consituent parts were all major factors to the creation of the modern Fiannan state.

Fiannria is a highly developed Occidental nation. Fiannria is a leading state in the Human Development Index (HDI) and a high rating in gross domestic product per capita. Fiannria possesses a healthy and strong mixed economy based on Distributism with a per capita income around $45,700. Fiannria has a burgeoning service and knowledge-based sector which has grown more intertwined with manufacturing through the Digital Revolution. Fiannria is the leading manufacturer and provider of Information Technology and IT services. Fiannria has a diversified manufacturing base, also known for its arms, machinery and transport manufacturing.

Fiannria foreign policy is focused on its position in Levantia and abroad, through cooperation with Urcea, maintaining stability in eastern Levantia and also extending its own and the Levantine Union influence as the largest power in northern Levantia and western Levantia. It is also focused on its relationship in Alshar and Audonia where it possesses significant historical ties and is in political union with Soirwind. WIP

Fiannria is a member of the League of Nations, the Levantine Union, and the Levantine Union Defense Council

History
Most of Fiannan history is referred to the region and peoples that make up Fiannria today. In the past, the region now known as Fiannria was called by many names, most prevalent being Gaullia and Culfra or the Culfras. WIP

Prehistory
Evidence of the first humans in the region that would make up modern Fiannria go back to around 13000 BC in the Late Paleolithic period. The ending of the last great Ice age and into the Mesolithic saw various proto-Celts small hunter-gatherer-fisher bands travel through the Fiannan lowlands and into the highlands. Semi-permanent fishing settlements, early pottery, and large burial sites are shown to have been established during this time

Neolithic to the Bronze Age
As the agricultural revolution sweeped its way across Levantia in the Neolithic period, permanent settlements, farming, animal husbandry and many megalithic monuments and structures began to dot the Fiannan landscape and stone tools became widely available through the settled region. Notably however, groups which had traveled deeper into the highlands maintained a pastoral society for quite some time still while those in the lowlands and closer to the coast were agriculturally based.

Around 2500 BC the Copper Age began sweeping through Levantia and metallurgy created an economic revolution for early Fiannan people who had access to a huge field of metal ores including gold. Early metalworking would prove to be a major part of the early Fiannan economy. This would continue by around 1700 BC with the outbreak of more advanced metallurgy of the Bronze age. During the Fiannan Bronze Age, came the sweeping of the Crannog culture, part of the early Feinii Celts who began building crannogs, cairns, and hillforts across settled lands now considered part of Fiannria. Religious practices also majorly revolved around wetlands and bogs at the time.

Pre-Adonerii Iron Age
Before the Adonerii and Great Levantia's arrival to modern Fiannria. From around 700 BC and forward the feuding tribes of the now developed Celts divided into two subcultures, Cúchuliann Celts lived along the lowlands and coast while Feinic Celts lived in the interior and among the highlands. Trade had clearly been a major part of early Celts in Fianria since the Copper Age and this continued to be shown during the pre-Adonerii period. Development of druidic Celtic religion occurred early in this period.

Adoneric Iron Age
The Latins of the Adonerii Empire called Great Levantia often referred to the land of modern Fiannria as ‘Gaul’, while the earliest Adoneric conquests of Gaul occured around 200 BC. The Levantine Empire would not conquer Gaul to the Western Mountain ranges and the Vandarch until around 50 BC. Before these conquests, Clan Confederations had spread across much of Fiannriga and was starting to reach Adonerii lands leading to much conflict. The Adonerii, by allying and promising much wealth to certain clans, subjugated much of modern Fiannria and would remain atleast partially in power until 487 AD when the last Adonerii rump state was conquered. During the Adoneric Iron Age, evidence shows a great increase in traded goods from across Levantia and an advancement in infrastructure, Adoneric roads, settlements, and aqueducts setting the building blocks for later civilization. A major construction of a series of fortifications and walls along western Fiannria defined Ultmar, the region beyond. Despite major inroads into modern Fiannriga, true Adonericization of the Celtic cultures there was limited to mostly the closer regions to Adoneric states. However, in the late Empire, one major Adonericization tool which would gradually spread across Fiannria was Christianity. However the conflict between the pagan homeland religion versus Christianity from Adoneria would prove to be complex with the collapse of the old Empire and arrival of Gothic peoples from across the Vandarch

Dark Ages and the Gothic Migration Period
During the Migration period, starting around 375 AD, Great Levantia faced many Gothic-Germanic and Slavic invaders from the west. During the decline of the Adonerii, Feinic Chrisitianity flourished, adapting the mythology and traditions of the Celtic peoples of Fiannria. However as part of the migration, clan confederations of Goths arrived on the southwestern coast of modern Fiannria, along the Vandarch and at first, began trade along the Alva River, one of the major rivers of northern Levantia. But eventually began invading from this river and onto the northern coast of Fiannria as well. This, along with the collapse of the Adoneric Empire, led to an upheaval of Celts, Gothic and Latin petty kingdoms ultimately replaced Great Levantian presence in Gaullia (Fiannria) entirely. The decayed institutions of Great Levantia were to varying levels success attempted to become preserved. The most successful places where Adoneric knowledge was preserved was in Feinic Christian Art and monasticism which gained great popularity during this time period. It was during this period that the Gaul region became the frontlines of conversion and pagan warlords between pagan Celts, Christian Latins and Celts, and the largely still pagan Goths or Geats.

The Reaver Kingdoms and the Foundation of the Holy Levantine Empire
Christianization continued to have varying degrees of success in the war embroiled region. By now most Celts had adopted Christianity but they were also being subjugated and driven south and east from expanding pagan kingdoms of Norogothic clans. Given the term of Reavers and Vikings, these Germanic people built Reaver Kingdoms along the entirety of the Fiannrian coast and made use of the coast and rivers and the Vandarch to raid across Levantia. However during this period also, the Kingdom of Gallwa located in the borderlands between the modern Deric States, Fiannria and Urcea had confederated many Celtic tribes under its own protection, expanding itself into an Empire under king Conchobar In the 750s, having conquered Urceopolis, in 761 Conchobar was crowned Emperor of the Levantines. Conchobar’s descendants would rule this Holy Levantine Empire and confront the Reaver Kingdoms until 917 after Emperor Brian III died and split the realm among his sons. Fiannria was considered part of the Eastern Kingdom, ruled by King Culmann (as called by contemporaries). However for a series of reasons that have yet to be fully understood, King Culmann, the eldest and holder of the most power, was denied the coronation as Emperor of the Levantines by the Pope.

Early Holy Levantine Empire
The Levantine throne would remain vacant for almost a generation, however during the reign of Culmann and his descendants, the first feudal establishments and contracts would be made in the clannic and tribal lands of Gaul (Fiannria) as marches to defend from rogue clans and the Reavers. Eventually, in the 960s, Leo, a man of some Latin descent became King of Eastern Levantia overthrowing the Conine dynasty there and proceeded to depose the Southern Kingdom, reestablishing the Holy Levantine Empire. Emperor Leo being crowned in 972, however, the failure to produce a legitmate heir led to turmoil and revolt and the development of an elective monarchy and the electoral college.

Captaincy of the North
During this period, major gains in pushing back Gothic dominance of the coast occurred, leaving a Norse-Gael ethnic group along coastal Fiannria. To ensure the safety of retaken land, a Gall-Ghael (norse-gael) nobleman named Oulay Mac Agnar was given the title magister millitum per Gallias by the reigning Holy Levantine Emperor often referred to as the Captaincy of the North. Oulay established a fortress near the final resting place of Saint Bridget ‘the Renegade’ and soon a port community developed around the fortress, calling it Bridget’s Haven, or Brídhavn. As Captain of the North, Oulay and his descendants was tasked with the administration of Gaul and the peoples and clans within it as well as the defense of Gaul from beyond the Ultmar, where the Gothic Reavers still prospered along the Alva River from the Vandarch to the Northern coast. However, the Mac Agnar dynasty died early in 1076 and in order to prevent outright upheaval in the region. Nobility, Clan leaders, and Elders met in Brídhavn in 1077 in the first Tynoach, often called the great Tynoach of 1077 Gaels, Latin-Gaels, and Gallogaels (norse gaels) met and determined a new course of action for the people of Gallia. Every year, a Tyn would then be called in Brídhavn of the leaders of the various clans, noble houses, and families as an assembly of laws, to solve disputes and make political decisions. Every three years, the Tyn would elect an Ardrike from among themselves in the Aonach, who would hold a place similar to that of the Captain of the North.

The Realm of Culmannia
During this period, the term Gaul and Gallia was falling out of practice in the south where it was often referred to as such with the title referring to the King Culmann of old, calling it Culmannia and Culfra. In 1082 a series of edicts to enforce Holy Levantine Authority over Culfra legally feudalized the clans and created stem ducal titles tied to the land the various Gaelic and Norse-Gael clans lived on. While causing some protest, and chafing of Levantine authority over the Culfran lords, nothing significant came of this while the Tyn continued to meet and the Ardrike represented the affairs of Culfra. However in 1093, at the issuing of the Emperor or those close to the Emperor, the Ardrike was removed from his position and orders were issued for rule of the Emperor, abolishing the Aonach and Tyn. The Tyn met anyway the following year and openly discussed rebellion. The situation was tense even during the start of the Crusades of Sarpedon which Culfran dukedoms participated in. However during the Crusade, the situation at home boiled over and Culfran forces marched for Corcra, returning Culfran crusader veterans joined and the situation looked very likely a Culfran victory. However the Golden Bull of 1098 creating the Imperial Kingdom of Urcea, which joined with the Imperial forces defeated the rebellion near the end of that same year. However, punishments on the rebellion were rather light and many concessions were made for the Culfran princes. Brídhavn was named an electoral seat and most the Culfran Princes were welcomed back into the Imperial Diet with only moderate monetary reparations and oaths of loyalty. In Brídhavn, Emperor Carles II permitted the princes a new Aonach for the Electorate of Brídhavn, and choosing a man who and his descendants would be Magister Militum per Culmannia and hold the Archimarcellus High Office for the Empire as well as a Prince Elector. The man chosen was a dark horse candidate by many in the south. A Norse-Gael baron who had gained renown for his time in the Crusades and in the Culfran rebellion, Tormick Mac Iolor. Mac Iolor’s election and the period thereafter saw peace and a population boom in Culfra following the return of the Culfran Crusaders and Rebels leading a resurgence of art, scholasticism, Latinic studies, old Gaelic studies and adventurism. As well as a growing cultural unity of martial ability. These many factors led to the sprouting of the new Fianna, bands of landless wandering warrior-hunters which traveled by land and sea who would sell their service as mercenaries across Levantia and Sarpedon. As well the foundation of several Holy Orders with Culfran involvement.

The Ultmaric Crusade
In the mid 12th century, Tormick Mac Iolor’s son and the new Magister Militum per Culmannia, Harla Mac Iolor saw an opportunity. It was a period of antebellum in the crusades in Sarpedon and Audonia and backed Freadrikr O’Boen in the establishment of a new Holy Order, the Order of the Blood and Shield of Saint Bridget or Order of the Martyr’s Shield. A saint who, along with Saint Alsandr were patrons of Culfra. While initially sponsored and established in Sarpedon. The Holy Order, with backing from Mac Iolor and the Papacy began the Great Ultmaric Crusade. Crossing the mountains and wall that once guarded Great Levantia, young Culfrans, glory and wealth seekers, and Crusader veterans joined the Order of the Martyrs Shield in droves to challenge the Norsgeats and other Gothic Reaver kingdoms. The fighting against the northern pagans continued along the northern Vandarch well into the territory of the Slavs. Through the Ultmaric Crusade, the Order of the Martyr’s Shield became known by another name, the Ultmaric Order, which by papal orders established a temporal regime over the lands of the Reavers. In the aftermath of this Crusade, settling Gaels in lands of the Norse found the places they left being settled by Norse refugees. Meanwhile the first Gothic Christian aristocrats began to arise in the Ultmaric Order’s realm, proving to the Levantine Catholics that these pagans could be brought to the light. Setting the foundation for future Crusades in Gothica and Ultmar.

The Gallowglass War
The peace and adventurism of the mid 12th to the early 13th centuries gave way to the crisis in the north called the Gallowglass Wars. While work to build constructive and peaceful synergy between the Latins, Gaels, Goths, and Slavs now under the Mac Iolor administration, arguments over cultural sentiments, ancestral lands and wealth often led to descension to chaos and fistfights in the annual Tyn, now called the Altyn. Attempts to institute smaller Tyns across regions of Culfra failed after the assassination of Gregair Mac Iolor by Culfran Princes opposed to the Prince-Electors political maneuvering to gain more control over the Culfran Princes. Gregair’s death sparked the first in a series of conflicts called the Gallowglass Wars or the Foreign Gael Wars. The collapse of the central authority of the Prince-Elector of Bridhavn with Gregair’s heir, Wualderic, a boy of five led to absolute chaos and warfare between Norse-Gaels, Goths, Slavs, Gaels, and Latins fighting amongst one another for any which reason from land to dominance. The Sack of Bridhavn in 1222 forced the main line of the Mac Iolor dynasty to extinction. With the Prince-Elector seat now up for grabs, the years of conflict was called to a sudden and uneasy truce for the first Altyn consisting of all Culfran princes since before the death of Gregair over a decade beforehand. The debates for the next Prince-Elector and Magister Militum nearly broke into open bloodshed several times over the course of two and half months which led to the support of two different heirs, Raemon af Derrickhalle and Alsandr Mac Magen. One the day the final vote was to be cast, Alsandr was stabbed by a Prince whose name was lost to the history books and the riot of fighting that broke out killed Raemon. The camps of the two dead heirs retreated from Bridhavn and met over a series of pitched battles across Culfra in the name of the two dead heir’s sons. During these battles, the fame of Culfran soldiers such as the Galllowglass, Kerns, Huskarls and Landschnekt met popularity alike to Deric Knights among the Empire. However it was a sea battle of Culfran birlinn longships that in truth ended the conflict when the Derrickhalle faction attempted to strike Bridhavn by sea to cut a decisive blow from behind the Mac Magen forces. However, a force of longships and birlinn made a desperate defense in the Shalla(name subject to change) Firth (the estuary gulf into Bridhavn) which saw an irrecoverable number of Derrickhalle supporters killed spelling victory for the mac Magens.

Princes of Culfra
With the Gallowglass Wars at an end in 1234, Sinclair mac Magen was named the new Prince Elector of Bridhavn. Notably however, he was not named Magister Militum per Culmannia, signifying a decentralization forced by the Culfran Princes that brought mac Magen to power. This decentralization of authority allowed Culfran princes to have more autonomy in affairs and reign more independently which would eventually lead to different cultural backgrounds and dialects spread across Culfra as the unifying bonds the Magister Militum held were broken. However, the Altyn continued every year and it was during this period of relative peace that lots of modern Fiannan culture developed from the popularization of Tyns and other assemblies among freemen, festivals and holiday popularization as well as Fianna mercenaries became of great demand across Levantia and beyond after word of the renown of Culfra warriors were spread following the Gallowglass Wars. During this period also did the first Culfran Universities develop and Culfran traders and explorers traveled further than ever before.

Culfran Ambitions and the Great Plague
The fourteenth century saw both great triumphs and disasters for modern day Fiannria. Culfran princes having gained more autonomy during the previous century and restabilizing following the Gallowglass Wars and other smaller conflicts. The strengthening Culfran princes saw opportunity for grabs of power and new lands. Extending its reach further into Slavica and Gothica and also making gains into Dericania. However the powers gained by the Culfran Princes during the early fourteenth century did little to prepare Culfra and Levantia as a whole for the arrival of the Great Plague in 1347. The plague swept through Culfran lands without mercy like a wildfire and the crisis saw not only people turn to faith in hordes, but also turn to heresy during the period. Free Spirit heretics in the west within the Ultmaric Order’s territory and Fraticelli movements in southern Culfra caused heated strife in the lethal climate. The Great Plague heavily afflicted Culfra killing millions and upwards of half of the Culfran population at the time. It would take centuries for Culfra to regain its population numbers before the Plague. The devastation of the Plague after it faded away in 1351 left the survivors reeling and seeking recovery, turned inward for the rest of the century.

The Rennaisance and Wealth Overseas
After near a century of relative peace and restabilization from the Great Plague, trade had started to resume and spike abroad and scholarship and study of the ancients began to become popular, starting in Dericania lands and moving north into Culfra where scholarship of the humanities grew extremely popular leading to what contemporaries called the Dual Monarchy of Science and Scholarship, referring to Theology and Humanities. The study of ancient classics and artistry grew very popular while also strides into science and reason was delved into with great fervor. During the fifteenth century a major change was occurring through deft marriages, political alliances and inheritances which made Culfra a shifting climate of political and dynastic ties, de jure united within the HLE but nonetheless competing with one another for dominance of Culfra. Competition in Culfra and abroad saw Culfran adventurist princedoms establish trading companies to Alshar and Audonia. During this period, Culfra came to be dominated by several major political dynasties. It was during this period also another name began being coined in the developing native tongues of the region, variations of the word Finnrik, Fiannri,and various other terms as a popularized northern name for the region instead of the Latinic Culfra and the older Gaullia.

The Anarchy and the Northern Wars for the Cross
As popularization of inventions such as the printing press allowed for the mass access to books The Anarchy in the Holy Levantine Empire with the Protestant Reformation sparking as well. The Anarchy was a period of great political and social upheaval. While conflicts in the Jazonid Wars and the Sedicimal Plague would define the period along with the economic depression and famine, a major part of the period in the northern Holy Levantine Empire was the Wars for the Cross, the northern theatre of the Great Confessional War.

The early stages of the Protestant Reformation saw the sweeping conversion of Culfran princes and their citizens to the Protestant faith and Reformed christian faiths, tense internal conflicts would spread like wildfire as Catholic princes sought to rid their lands of Protestants, Protestants attempted to do the same, all the while Princes who attempted to tolerate both saw conflicts break out anyways. The early popular internal conflicts led to more radical forms of Protestantism taking root as well.

Mid-way through the century following the defeat of Angla in the Nordmontaine War, the internalized strife of Christian sects through the Catholic world turned into an open conflict between Princedoms with the formation of the Evangelic Union and the Holy League. The patchwork of alliances and nations in Culfra disintegrated overnight as new lines were drawn and armies were gathered to battle across the Levantine conflict. This was largely due to the aggressive nature following the beginning of Counter-Reformation in the south leading to a breakdown of diplomacy between negotiations and compromises attempted to be made to return northern Protestants back into the fold. The aggressive, military action taken against Protestants in the south led to their militarization and union with Protestants across Levantia and the inflammation of rhetoric and hate between the sects, ultimately collapsing into the Wars for the Cross.

The Wars of the Cross spanned several decades following its breakout in the 1540s and saw the rise of several prominent families to positions of power during the conflict for religious dominance. Among those families were the O'Rourke dynasty, McCall dynasty, and the Hessian dynasty. These families became leaders of the different factions fighting through the period but by the mid 1550s, members of the O'Rourke dynasty had ascended to the position of the Prince-Elector of Brídhavn and undisputed leaders of the northern faction of the Holy League. Great atrocities were committed during this time amongst the pitched battles between Catholic and Protestant lords were the raiding and killings of Culfran peasantry and free men. Including the onset of the Dragonnades.

Eventually, in 1571, as seen in many other parts of Levantia, the Holy League came out on top and Prince-Elector of Brídhavn held a vast majority of the seized lands of the Protestant lords, a network and vassals and loyal, weaker, and allied Culfran princedoms and bisophrics. Through popular and political will, the Holy Levantine Emperor recognized and the Pope crowned Alexander O'Rourke I as King of the Culfras and Captain of the North. For the first time in her history, uniting Culfras under a Culfran and what would later be called Fiannria.

The United Kingdom of the Culfras and her Golden Age
Following Alexander O'Rourke I's coronation and establishment of the United Kingdom of the Culfras, historians account for the one hundred and thirty years as a period of peace, prosperity and success for the new Kingdom. Often called a Northern Golden Age from 1571-1705. One of the first declarations of the O'Rourkian kings was a shocking one however, outlawing the practice of the Dragonnades and expulsion of remaining Protestants within the kingdom. WIP

Contemporary
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Religion
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Government and politics
The Commonwealth of Fiannria is the oldest surviving Republic and Democracy in Levantia. It is a constitutional republic and with a semi-presidential system of government. The government is organized and established by a series of documents and edicts together create Constitution of Fiannria.

Executive power is shared by the President of Fiannria, who is the head of state and elected proportionally by the popular vote of each of the Cuilann every 6 years and can be re-elected once and the Chancellor who is the head of government and is appointed by the President. These two offices along with the Executive Cabinet, make up the Executive branch.

The legislative branch is the AllTyn, or just the Tyn, which is the National Assembly. A unicameral legislature with elections held every 3 years. The AllTyn is the primary legislative body of the nation with 527 seats and chaired by the Chancellor of the Commonwealth. Elections are mixed election system.

The judicial branch is headed by the High Court of the Commonwealth, which consists of 7 High Justices, beneath which is a federal court system.

Political division
The 13 Cuilannden are the first level of administrative division within the Commonwealth. Within a Cuilann are the Graiven or counties, there are a total of 83 Graiven in the Commonwealth. In a Graive there are municipalities and parishes, municipalities are subject to parish/es they reside in but however are semi-autonomous and given more governance. Within municipalities are Boroughs that are a subdivision. This is followed by the most local level of governance, the city, town, village, or hamlet.

There also exists territories of the Commonwealth, insular or otherwise, which can be incorporated or possess an organized government and classified as an autonomous territory.

Parties and Elections
Fiannria is a multiparty state with several major and some minor parties vying for power. Much of the Post-War period was dominated by absolute or near absolute majority of the (ENTER POLITCAL PARTY NAME HERE) until the mid-1980s and since with only two exceptions, majority governments and minority governments have been formed by politcal coalition leading to an intensified political climate