History of Urcea (1798-1902): Difference between revisions

History of Urcea (1798-1902) (view source)

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 The war ended in 1848 with Urcea emerging totally victorious and the Grand Duchy of [[Carolina]] permanently connected to the Urcean crown in addition to the annexation of [[Transionia]], which completed an eastern riverine border running from [[Gassavelia]] to the [[Ænglasmarch#Duchy_of_Holchester|Duchy of Holchester]]. The withdrawing Urcean [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] lead to nationalistic uprisings beginning in Dericania as civil authority in the area was temporarily absent. The defeat of the [[Kingdom of Dericania]] lead to the rise of [[Derian people|Derian]] nationalism, and Derian nationalists attempted to oust the various princes in Dericania and unite into a single Deric state, one that could stand on its own against [[Urcea]]. The subsequent unrest - and question over whether or not [[Bergendii]] or other people had a place in the Deric state - lead to the [[First Fratricide]]. For his victory, after the [[Great Landsmeet]] a decade later, as part of the [[Tria nomina movement|tria nomina system]] he enacted, King Aedanicus VIII adopted the agnomen ''Carolinicus'' at the opening ceremony of the [[Caroline Arch]]. As the vast Royal Army returned home to vote for the first time in the 1850 election, a more radical new generation of [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]] Delegates swept into office, inaugurating a period of more aggressive reforms to the Urcean state and a period of feuding between King Aedanicus and the [[Concilium Daoni]]. It was during this period that the office of [[Procurator]] returned to a period of greater prominence and was politicized for the first time, as the King appointed Delegates as Procurator in order to grasp the upper hand for control of the Royal Treasury with the Chancellor. While it was never prohibited, the precedent of Delegates serving as [[Procurator]] established another [[Constitution of Urcea|Constitutional precedent]] that would later allow the Chancellor and Temporary President to simultaneously serve as [[Procurator]], accumulating a wide array of powers over the Urcean state. Aedanicus would also concede, in the 1860s, the power for the Chancellor to choose members of the Purpaidá via constitutional advice to the King. Aedanicus's reign continued for several decades, but the increasing reform of the military lead to increasing political power of the armed forces. The regime's continued reforms and the nation's prosperity lead to stability for the Crown, but the relative power of the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea|Armed Forces]] became a major political issue in the public and in the [[Concilium Daoni]] during the 1870s. Increasingly, the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] was becoming an attractive destination for members of the [[Social class in Urcea|privilegiata]] class, and the army became a hotbed of reform-minded politics as the 19th century progressed. During the period, and in the 1870s in particular, the [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]], sometimes referred to as the ''Party of Order'', was the dominant political organization in [[Urcea]]. It controlled wide majorities in the Daoni during this period and faced very little organized opposition besides the nascent power of the Armed Forces. Due to the success of [[Crown Liberalism]] during the period, the National Pact considered the [[Government of Urcea]] its own "property", in the sense that they had secured hard fought reforms towards a liberalized [[Constitution of Urcea]] and they were willing to fight to defend it. This set the stage for conflict between the National Pact and the armed forces at the end of the century.
-In the 1850s, following the end of the war in [[Carolina]], Aedanicus set his eyes on western [[Crona]]; he was the first [[Apostolic King of Urcea]] to do so. Since the middle of the 17th century, the Levantine powers - [[Urcea]] included - held various trade rights throughout northwestern Crona around the Sea of Nysdra, especially within [[Quetzenkel]]. The nascent states of [[Burgundie]] held trade investments and colonial interests - even in its early state - in Crona, [[Punth]], and [[Audonia]], and King Aedanicus believed Urcea's next project should be a demonstration of its power abroad. While the [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] was mostly inadequate in comparison to other Occidental powers, it would be suitable enough to bring diplomats and soldiers to Crona. Power projection was not Aedanicus's only goal, however; in an effort to strengthen army recruiting, the King had promised land to veterans of the [[Third Caroline War]], and territory in the Carolinas had long since been taken. The Urcean territory in Crona would be a settler colony rather than a mere exploitative one. Based out of trading centers in Quetzenkel, Urcean officials began to search the neighboring regions for a suitable territory to acquire via negotiation if possible. In 1857, a suitor was found; the [[War of the Northern Confederation#Background|Northern Confederation]] tribe of the Schoharie was willing to sell land in its southernmost tip, which was primarily swampy and unusable to the locals. Urcea purchased the land for 4 million talers, and King Aedanicus formally proclaimed the [[New Harren#New%20Yustona|Colony of New Harren]] the next year, as veterans and others willing to try their luck began settling the land in 1859. New Harren was not Aedanicus's only foreign acquisition, however.
+In the 1850s, following the end of the war in [[Carolina]], Aedanicus set his eyes on western [[Crona]]; he was the first [[Apostolic King of Urcea]] to do so. Since the middle of the 17th century, the Levantine powers - [[Urcea]] included - held various trade rights throughout northwestern Crona around the Sea of Nysdra, especially within [[Quetzenkel]]. The nascent states of [[Burgundie]] held trade investments and colonial interests - even in its early state - in Crona, [[Punth]], and [[Audonia]], and King Aedanicus believed Urcea's next project should be a demonstration of its power abroad. While the [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] was mostly inadequate in comparison to other Occidental powers, it would be suitable enough to bring diplomats and soldiers to Crona. Power projection was not Aedanicus's only goal, however; in an effort to strengthen army recruiting, the King had promised land to veterans of the [[Third Caroline War]], and territory in the Carolinas had long since been taken. The Urcean territory in Crona would be a settler colony rather than a mere exploitative one. Based out of trading centers in Quetzenkel, Urcean officials began to search the neighboring regions for a suitable territory to acquire via negotiation if possible. In 1857, a suitor was found; the [[War of the Northern Confederation#Background|Northern Confederation]] tribe of the Schoharie was willing to sell land in its southernmost tip, which was primarily swampy and unusable to the locals. Urcea purchased the land for 4 million talers, and King Aedanicus formally proclaimed the [[New Harren#New%20Harren|Colony of New Harren]] the next year, as veterans and others willing to try their luck began settling the land in 1859. New Harren was not Aedanicus's only foreign acquisition, however.
 Aedanicus's reign was characterized by a cultural renaissance in Urcea. A spirit of national renewal had been on the rise since the end of the [[Second Caroline War]] during the reign of King Niall, as the reform efforts successfully created a sense of national consciousness. This sense of consciousness exploded after the [[Third Caroline War]], and Romantic nationalism swept the nation, though, unlike in other countries, in induced adoration and praise for King Aedanicus and his predecessor King Niall for their wisdom and strength in leading the country. Though many historians have dismissed Aedanicus's reign as overrated and the praise he received by contemporaries unwarranted, especially considering the reduction of prerogatives of the [[Apostolic King of Urcea]] during his reign, 21st century historians have given Aedanicus praise for his full embrasure of the cultural revival in the country at the time. Besides commissioning public arts programs, Aedanicus fully engorged himself in everything the Romantic movement had to offer. Famously, the King convened a [[Great Landsmeet]] in 1858 - an ancient Urcean institution not seen since the 13th century - to adopt the [[Tria nomina movement|Tria nomina system]], which recalled [[Great Levantia|ancient Levantine]] naming systems. The King also involved himself heavily in the appearance of the nation, introducing landscape architecture to the country, which would lay the groundwork for the success of the city beautiful movement in Urcea following the restoration in the early 20th century. His building program included construction of the [[Caroline Arch]], celebrating the Kingdom's victory in the [[Third Caroline War]]. Most famously, the King connected several disparate parks - including the Royal Gardens outside the [[Julian Palace]] built in the Imperial era - into a massive park known as the [[Royal Green]], which stretched across the entirety of [[the Pale]]. The dome of the [[Julian Palace]] had collapsed in 1858, and accordingly, following up on the construction of the new park, the King began a massive renovation of the Julian Palace in 1861. The project, mostly an entire reconstruction of the building, which had been last altered in the 17th century, brought its current Gothic revival form into being. The King relocated to [[Castle Welute]] on a semi-permanent basis after the 1858 collapse and subsequent renovation. During this time, the King also completed a renovation of The Praetorium, the government hub for both [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] and the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]]. All three projects were complete in time for the [[List of world's fairs|1869-70 International Exposition]], when the palace was opened to international visitors for the first six months of the Exposition. The King also ordered the removal of several layers of outer defenses of the then-neglected [[Castle Welute]], including the crumbling outer walls. The King also introduced planned revitalization of the Castle complex, though it was not carried out until the restoration of his son, [[King Patrick III]]. Another major project of the King's was the construction of the [[Carolina-Grand Canal]], beginning in 1865 and completed in 1880. The Canal was the first access point to the Vandarch from the [[Urce River]], and the project helped [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]] continue its ascent as a major world economic capital. The canal's 15-year construction would later cause significant problems for the government, as the cost of construction played a role in the large debts incurred by Urcea by the 1880s.
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 Like many of his predecessors, Aedanicus was also concerned with legal reform and efforts to centralize in order to better utilize the Kingdom's extensive resources. The dukes and counts in the former territories of [[Angla]] and [[Gassavelia]] had retained their privileges and autonomy in part as a way to ensure their loyalty and keep their territories tied to [[Urcea]], an expedient that was no longer viewed as necessary due to the power demonstrated by Urcea in the [[Third Caroline War]]. It was also unclear whether or not these territories were formally included within the Crown of Urcea or were merely part of the [[Imperial Kingdom of Urcea]]. Aedanicus's chief constitutional goal of his reign was to bring uniformity of royal power to the entire realm including these "ethnic" outlier territories acquired during the [[Great Confessional War]], and most Urceans viewed the "feudal" authority of local nobility to be an anachronism in the otherwise modernizing reigns of Niall and Aedanicus. During the latter's reign, the [[Concilium Daoni]] passed several initiatives supported by the King to reduce the autonomy of the nobles. Chief among these was the repeal of the right to appeal to the [[Emperor of the Levantines]] in 1854, essentially tying them to the Crown and subsuming them into Crown law as adopted by the King and Councils. This action provoked considerable unrest both in the territories themselves and in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]; the [[Imperial Diet]] condemned the action as illegal. Nevertheless, Royal tax collectors and members of the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] began to flood into the territories in 1855 followed by "policy advisors" to the dukes and counts the next year. While it would take the Regency period to fully curb the influence of the local nobility, Aedanicus had laid the first steps for doing so and was content for the remainder of his reign in the authority he held in former [[Angla]] and [[Gassavelia]]. The centralization plan also included reducing the autonomy of [[Urcea]]'s few overseas possessions, including [[New Archduchy]] and [[Antilles]]. While the efforts were largely successful in Antilles and resulted in better administration that prevented the abuses of many merchants based on the island, the centralization efforts in New Archduchy lead to significant resentment in the colony and an eventual rift growing in relations between Urcea and its colony.
-Aedanicus and his grandfather Niall had successfully rebuilt the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] leading to its decisive success in the [[Third Caroline War]], but during the period the [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] had been seriously neglected, and by the 1860s the fleet was primarily comprised of wooden sailing ships and some steamers built during King Niall's reign. The shortfalls of the Royal Navy were on display while Urcea worked to acquire [[New Harren]], which was accompanied by serious logistical problems due to non-steam powered travel time and ship reliability. Aedanicus began a large overhaul of the navy during this period, intending to construct more than a hundred armored cruisers. The navy revitalization effort lead to a large shipbuilding boom, with new firms such as the [[Royal Sealift Company]] being founded to handle the increased demand. The navy was all-ironclad by the early 1870s, and the Urcean navy was, for the time, relatively advanced and powerful. The navy added several protected cruisers in the mid-1880s, but the cost of the naval overhaul was mounting and the various political instabilities that characterized the 1880s lead to the cancellation of further naval development just prior to the election of 1885, though the economic shipbuilding boom had ended by the mid-1870s leading to a market consolidation of shipbuilding contracts. Consequently, when Urcea's navy would next go to war in the [[Red Interregnum]] in the late 1890s and early 1900s, most of its ships were already in use for three decades and were considered mostly obsolete. Aedanicus's interest in naval affairs would be inherited by his son, however, who would prosecute a similar period of buildup during his own reign. Urcea attempted to expand its [[New Harren#New%20Yustona|New Harren]] colony in 1881 using the power of its navy; while efforts to subdue the Northern Confederation's coasts were entirely successful, the interior of the Confederation held out and the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]]'s expeditionary force failed to make meaningful progress. The colony was ceded territory in the ensuing peace, but the small gains from an expensive war were a bitter disappointment for the increasingly divided Urcean government.
+Aedanicus and his grandfather Niall had successfully rebuilt the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] leading to its decisive success in the [[Third Caroline War]], but during the period the [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] had been seriously neglected, and by the 1860s the fleet was primarily comprised of wooden sailing ships and some steamers built during King Niall's reign. The shortfalls of the Royal Navy were on display while Urcea worked to acquire [[New Harren]], which was accompanied by serious logistical problems due to non-steam powered travel time and ship reliability. Aedanicus began a large overhaul of the navy during this period, intending to construct more than a hundred armored cruisers. The navy revitalization effort lead to a large shipbuilding boom, with new firms such as the [[Royal Sealift Company]] being founded to handle the increased demand. The navy was all-ironclad by the early 1870s, and the Urcean navy was, for the time, relatively advanced and powerful. The navy added several protected cruisers in the mid-1880s, but the cost of the naval overhaul was mounting and the various political instabilities that characterized the 1880s lead to the cancellation of further naval development just prior to the election of 1885, though the economic shipbuilding boom had ended by the mid-1870s leading to a market consolidation of shipbuilding contracts. Consequently, when Urcea's navy would next go to war in the [[Red Interregnum]] in the late 1890s and early 1900s, most of its ships were already in use for three decades and were considered mostly obsolete. Aedanicus's interest in naval affairs would be inherited by his son, however, who would prosecute a similar period of buildup during his own reign. Urcea attempted to expand its [[New Harren#New%20Harren|New Harren]] colony in 1881 using the power of its navy; while efforts to subdue the Northern Confederation's coasts were entirely successful, the interior of the Confederation held out and the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]]'s expeditionary force failed to make meaningful progress. The colony was ceded territory in the ensuing peace, but the small gains from an expensive war were a bitter disappointment for the increasingly divided Urcean government.
 The King's reforms also included changes to the [[Gildertach]], a process began by his grandfather. In 1848, Aedanicus formalized many of the changes made by King Niall V by consolidating them - and other statutes - into the Guild Law, which only the Gildertach could amend. The Guild Law set the number and scope of the guilds, how the Gildertach was governed, and set forth the responsibilities and limitations of the power of the Gildertach. The institution was now also required to meet at least five times a year as opposed to the requirement of five times per decade as mandated in the 17th century. Consequently, the Gildertach found itself without a permanent home, sometimes meeting in the [[Julian Palace]] when the [[Concilium Daoni]] was out of session, sometimes meeting in [[The Praetorium (Urceopolis)|the Praetorium]], but most commonly meeting in the Hermitage in the [[Harren|Grand Duchy of Harren]], far from [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]]. As part of his large construction effort, [[King Aedanicus VIII]] began construction on the [[Guilder Palace]] to permanently house the Gildertach, and it was completed in 1857.