Nahe

Nahe, formally the Republic of Nahe is a confederal republic in northern Levantia along the Western Sea. Bordered to the south by Yytuskia-Helvana and to the east by Oscenia, the nation is centered on the Nahe River and surrounding valley, its borders made up by natural features. The southern border is defined by the Toran Alps, which extend up to the eastern border, while the western border is defined by the Nahean Alps and the Baie River. Perhaps the most significant geographic feature is the long disputed Vycho River along the border with Oscenia, which has historically been one of the largest geopolitical flashpoints on the continent. Despite being surrounded by mountains and rivers, Nahe's survival over the previous three centuries was as a result of the Nahe Lowlands which includes some of the most fertile soil in the world, and for thousands of years transformed the region into a major producer of food and a center of trade.

Various tribes have inhabited the Nahe Lowlands since antiquity, with the earliest evidence of habitation being found at a cave in Freha at the edge of the Freha Hills. According to legend, the country is named after Nahe, the son of Japheth and grandson of Noah. He and his wife, Brenna, namesake of the country's capital city, were according to the national mythology the progenitors of the Nahean people. In the story, Nahe and his brother Sares disputed the land handed down to them by their father. Angered by defeat in battle, Sares sided with an invader of Nahe's lands, and disappeared. According to legend, Sares will return and exact his revenge on Nahe's descendants. In reality, the origins of the Naheans is recent, as various tribes moving into the region from the east and south banded together against other competitive regions. These tribes later transformed into a series of principalities, kingdoms, and republics, often tied together by a loose system of alliances that lasted for over a thousand years.

The movement for Nahe Unification had been a constant issue since the Nahe Renaissance from 1517 to 1650 during the Protestant Reformation of that period. Seeking unification, new Protestant states feared the intervention of Catholic nations, and they formed the Nahe Confederation in 1611. These attempts at unification lasted for over a century, with the Protestant Kingdom of Grunwald and the Catholic Kingdom of Carinthal waging war for dominance over Nahe. Ultimately, after a series of armed conflicts, Jonas IV Lindstrom, King of Grunwald, established the Kingdom of Nahe in 1786. A full unification, however, would not take place until 1803 when Aurick I Lindstrom, King of Nahe, conquered Schiern and brought together all ethnic Naheans. His rule from 1797 to 1853 was instrumental, the Aurick Reforms in 1822 establishing the confederal system and the seven regions of Nahe, which are Nordmark, Berland, Endaal, Zweilen, Carinthal, Ostmark, and Grunwald, as well as autonomous cities such as cultural centers like Varena and Sonnay, economic centers such as Vorsenke and Heneufels, religious centers such as Pfinz, and political centers such as Brenna. The reforms also established the constitutional monarchy, which was a mainstay for over a century.

However, after a century of proud militarism and a rise of nationalism, Nahe fought two devastating wars. The Irkumas War from 1914 to 1917 saw further democratic reforms in Nahe and a near-collapse of the monarchy, while Oscenia, a longtime rival of Nahe, fell into a socialist revolution and its royal family forced into exile. This draw built up more tensions between the new nations, and in 1927, Karl Mueller, a popular military commander and ardent nationalist, seized power with the blessing of Otto II Lindstrom, King of Nahe. In 1942, the Oscenian War started with Nahe's invasion of the country. Although initially a success, the smaller Nahean force was worn down, and on May 2, 1945, with Mueller removed from power weeks earlier, Matthias I Lindstrom, a young and new ruler, surrendered as Oscenian forces were bearing down on Brenna. This started the Oscenian Occupation of Nahe, which lasted for four years. On June 8, 1946, Matthias I Lindstrom abdicated and left the country as the Treaty of Heneufels decided the fate of the country. The monarchy was formally abolished, while a new confederal form of government was to be installed. Nahean sovereignty was guaranteed, but it came at the cost of reparations to Oscenia, demilitarization, and occupation of Ostmark for a period of ten years. Most most embarassingly Vorsenke, the largest port, was annexed by Oscenia and transformed into a closed city for over forty years.

The Nahe Republic was officially formed on August 15, 1949, with the leaders of Nahe's major political parties signing the Brenna Proclamation to bring the new government into existence. The Constitution of Nahe, the first of its type in the country, was put into effect at this point. Guaranteed were basic rights to free speech, free press, free assembly, as well as other essential rights such as employment, healthcare, a living wage, and more. Most importantly, the different states and cities were granted immense levels of autonomy as they were after the Aurick Reforms. Nahe also ingratiated itself with other powers around the world, and joined the Prevalia to guarantee its sovereignty and to ensure economic success. Despite suffering immeasurable damage during the Oscenian War, the Nahe Miracle of the 1950s and 1960s saw rapid economic gain as heavy industry was revived due to foreign investment, while economic reforms allowed for larger pensions, higher wages, and stronger labor unions. Despite not being allied with Oscenia, Nahe during this period also established a robust welfare state and socialist programs to uplift millions impoverished after the Oscenian War, and even worked to prevent a new war. In 1991, with the collapse of the Oscenian Democratic Republic, Vorsenke was returned after forty-two years, while small border adjustments were made over the following two years. In March 1992, the Vorsenke Revolution forced Nahe to turn Vorsenke into what was effectively its own country with its own political culture, economic policies, and even foreign policies. Despite these changes, Nahe in the 2000s and the 2010s continued to be at the cutting edge of industry, science, and technology, and while facing troubles such as the Oscenia Refugee Crisis and the Varshan War in the first years of the 2020s, is on track to continue its successes.