Timbia: Difference between revisions

Timbia was originally populated by several [[Polynesian]] tribes. These tribes were spread all along the island, living off the land and occasionally fighting each other for more land, a unified government did not however exist. This situation persisted until [[Daxia]] discovered and colonized the island in 1671. The following colonial era saw Timbian society develop from its tribal roots into a more modern puppet state, ending in a brief period of semi-self governance during the early 20th century. A bloody [[Timbian War of Independence|war]] between Timbian freedom fighters and the Daxia-aligned government followed between 1919 and 1921, resulting in a Daxian retreat from the Island. An internal [[struggle for power]] followed Timbian Independence, ending with the rise to power of the [[Timbian People's Party]]. The party had total control over the nation from 1923 until 2022, with the country being largely isolated from the rest of the world. This changed when the [[Timbian revolution]] removed the Party from power and paved the way for the Republic to form.

The colonization of Timbia almost started by accident, when a [[Daxia]]n vessel captained by [[South_Seas_Development_Company|Xi Haifong]] suffered a major scurvy outbreak south of [[Zhijun]] and decided to deviate off its course to find land. The landmass they found turned out to be [[Peratra]]and it was deemed interesting enough for another expedition. Captain Haifong sailed back and he who established the first company trading post in a natural bay in what is now [[Rakin]] in 1642, where the natives could go and trade freely with the [[Daxia]]ns. Two years later a new [[Daxia]]n community was founded at the cape of hope on the northwestern part of the island, named after the fact it brought hope to the ill sailors who discovered it. The [[Daxia]]ns called this city Xīwàng but is now known as the regional capital Faamoemoe.

[[Daxia]]n exploration beyond the initial settlements at Xīwàng and [[Rakin]] was met with curiosity and then hostility from the local tribes, who did not trust the foreign settlers. In 1645 the [[South Seas Development Company|company]] ordered [[Xi Haifong]] to send representatives to the king of Taualai; a kingdom in the southwestern coast of [[Peratra]], to hammer out a commercial agreement that would enable the company to have a presence in Taualai's coast by establishing trading posts there. The company representatives managed to get this from the king in addition to agreeing on the inapplicability of local laws inside the trading posts. This novel concept of extraterritoriality did not sit well with some of Taualai's royal advisors. Under pressure from noble factions unhappy with the accords reached with the company, the king of Taualai reneged on the agreement only a few weeks into their implementation. One of the trading posts under construction was attacked and overrun, the workers being taken as slaves.

Despite keeping faithfully to the new conditions, the [[South Seas Development Company|company]] no longer trusted the king so in 1654 they forced him to abdicate the throne to his eldest son; who had been a guest of the company in [[Zhijun]] for almost ten years. The new teenage king was soon presented with a treaty stipulating that should he die without siring a male heir, his kingdom would pass into the ownership of the [[South Seas Development Company|company]]. By this point the kingdom was so weakened and infiltrated by people on the [[South Seas Development Company|company]]'s payroll that it could not hope to resist. The king died at the age of 16, a mere four years later, possibly strangled in his sleep. As stipulated in his treaty, the [[South Seas Development Company|company]] took possession of the kingdom initially as 'stewards' and allowing for the nobility to continue ruling in a limited fashion but soon moving towards an entirely exploitative colonial venture. Resistance started almost immediately, moving inland into mountainous areas beyond company reach. The capture of Taualai provided two new deep water ports (known modernly as the cities of Lili and I'na) further away  and protected from the piracy originating from [[Sudmoll]]. A four decade long push into the countryside followed, and by 1671 the Qian had nominal control until the mountains that bisect [[Peratra]]. It is estimated that up to half the native population died during this period.