Carto-Pelaxian Commonwealth

The Carto-Pelaxian Commonwealth formally known as the United Kingdom of Cartadania and Pelaxia and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Alahuela, was a country and a federation of Cartadania and Pelaxia ruled by a common monarch in real union, who was both King of both former Caphirian provinces. It was one of the largest and most populous countries of 16th to 17th-century Sarpedon. At its largest territorial extent, in the early 18th century, the Commonwealth covered almost 1,000,000 km2 (400,000 sq mi) and as of 1718 sustained a multi-ethnic population of almost 22 million. Cartadanian, Pelaxian and Latin were the three co-official languages.

The Commonwealth was established by the Union of Alahuela in July 1618, carried by the major lords of the Caphirian southern provinces, following the the Great Schism of 1615, where a break of communion between what are now the Levantine Catholic Church and the Imperial Church of Caphiria occurred. The Great Schism lead to the dissolution of the Southern Provinces and the independence of the at the time vassal lords. The First Partition in 1772 and the Second Partition in 1793 greatly reduced the state's size and the Commonwealth was partitioned out of existence due to the Third Partition in 1795.

The Union possessed many features unique among contemporary states. Its political system was characterized by strict checks upon monarchical power. These checks were enacted by a legislature (Concilii Regii) controlled by the nobility (Nobles). This idiosyncratic system was a precursor to modern concepts of democracy, as of 1791 constitutional monarchy, and federation. Although the two component states of the Commonwealth were formally equal, Cartadania was the dominant partner in the union.

The Carto-Pelaxian Commonwealth was marked by high levels of ethnic diversity and by relative religious tolerance, guaranteed by the Albalitor Confederation Act 1673; however, the degree of religious freedom varied over time. The Constitution of 1791 acknowledged Levantine Catholic Church as the "dominant religion", but freedom of religion was still granted with it.

After several decades of prosperity, it entered a period of protracted political, military, and economic decline. Its growing weakness led to its partitioning during the late 18th century. Shortly before its demise, the Commonwealth adopted a massive reform effort and enacted the Rosas Constitution, which was the second codified constitution in modern Sarpedonian history.

=Name= The official name of the state was the United Kingdom of Cartadania and Pelaxia (Cartadanian: Reino Unido de Cartadania e Pelaxia, Pelaxian: Reino Unido de Cartadania y Pelaxia, Latin: Regnum Unitum Cartadanium Pelagium) and the Latin term was usually used in international treaties and diplomacy.

In the 17th century and later it was also known as the 'Most Serene Commonwealth of Carto-Pelaxia'.

Levantines often simplified the name to 'Cartopelaxia' and in most past and modern sources it is referred to as the Kingdom of Cartadania, or just Cartadania.The terms 'Commonwealth of Cartadania and Pelaxia' and 'Commonwealth of Two Nations' were used in the Reciprocal Guarantee of Two Nations.

Other informal names include the 'Republic of Nobles' and the 'First Commonwealth of Sarpedon.'

=History=

Partitions (1772–1795)
=State organization and politics=

Late reforms
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