Nahe

Nahe, formally the Republic of Nahe is a constitutional republic in northern Levantia along the Ostsee. Bordered to the south by Yytuskia-Helvana and to the east by Covinia, 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 Covina, 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 Japeth 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 Protestanr Kingdom of Grunwald and the Catholic Kingdom of Schiern waging war for dominance over Nahe. Ultimately, after a series of armed conflicts, Jonas IV Lindstrom, King of Rosenwald, 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 five regions of Nahe, which are Nordmark, Alpen, Schiern, Ostmark, and Grunwald, as well as autonomous cities such as cultural centers like Varena and Sonnay, economic centers such as Vorsenke, 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 Tretek War from 1914 to 1917 saw further democratic reforms in Nahe and a near-collapse of the monarchy, while Covina, 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 Covina 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 Covine forces were bearing down on Brenna. This started the Covine 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. Nearly two-thirds of Ostland were to be annexed by Covina, while the border was to be demilitarized. In addition to that, the monarchy was to be formally abolished, as well as the nobility, many of whom escaped as new restructions were being put in place.

On August 15, 1949, the Nahe Republic was established. Avoiding the installation of a communist government, this new constitutional republic suffered economically during its first decade, but the Sontenburg Miracle of the 1960s, sometimes called the Nahe Miracle, saw a rapid economic growth for the country. Cities such as Vorsenke became major centers of trade, while industrial cities such as Sontenburg, Errenfeld, Pfinz, created one of the stronger economies in Levantia. Consumer goods and heavy industry, mixed with a democratic tradition, created a social democratic society that enjoyed vast economic prosperity. However, many have criticized the country for its opposition to extensive immigration, and a recent rise of nationalism as many desire a restoration of the Lost Provinces which Covina formally annexed in 1946, as well as Nahe's involvement in Covina after the collapse of the country in 1991 and the support of numerous breakaway regions. Despite this, many credit these policies for maintaining continuous economic growth, democratic traditions, regional stability, and domestic prosperity.