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It was at this time, and partly due to the propaganda and education efforts, that Urcea's neighbors in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] as well as the Empire in general were portrayed to the people as a "foreign master" of Urcea and its subjects, and that the "Black Prince" fought for national liberation and national defense during the [[Second Caroline War]]. The relationship between the Empire and Urcea grew increasingly antagonistic in this context beginning a period that would become known by historians as the [[Recess of the Julii]]. The Empire began to use the Imperial Inquisition for political reprisals in Urcea after the end of the war, leading to increasing disillusion with the Inquisition by the King and [[Government of Urcea]]. In 1815, King Niall V obtained permission from [[Pope]] Pius VII to banish the Inquisition from Urcea, and in its place he created the office of [[Censor (Urcea)|Censor]]. The [[Emperor of the Levantines]], Mauricio I, suffered a major loss of face after opting not to prosecute a war against Urcea for what was considered an illegal act under the law of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]. Niall's governmental reforms also included the empowerment of the [[Gildertach]], giving them fuller oversight of trade negotiations and agreements. Niall's reform of the Gildertach was the last major one done to the institution, though a formalization of its powers over trade gradually came to be understood during the reign of [[King Aedanicus VIII]] later in the 19th century. | It was at this time, and partly due to the propaganda and education efforts, that Urcea's neighbors in the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] as well as the Empire in general were portrayed to the people as a "foreign master" of Urcea and its subjects, and that the "Black Prince" fought for national liberation and national defense during the [[Second Caroline War]]. The relationship between the Empire and Urcea grew increasingly antagonistic in this context beginning a period that would become known by historians as the [[Recess of the Julii]]. The Empire began to use the Imperial Inquisition for political reprisals in Urcea after the end of the war, leading to increasing disillusion with the Inquisition by the King and [[Government of Urcea]]. In 1815, King Niall V obtained permission from [[Pope]] Pius VII to banish the Inquisition from Urcea, and in its place he created the office of [[Censor (Urcea)|Censor]]. The [[Emperor of the Levantines]], Mauricio I, suffered a major loss of face after opting not to prosecute a war against Urcea for what was considered an illegal act under the law of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]]. Niall's governmental reforms also included the empowerment of the [[Gildertach]], giving them fuller oversight of trade negotiations and agreements. Niall's reform of the Gildertach was the last major one done to the institution, though a formalization of its powers over trade gradually came to be understood during the reign of [[King Aedanicus VIII]] later in the 19th century. | ||
Abroad, the independence and establishment of [[Paulastra]] provided an opportunity to spread the influence and prestige of the [[House de Weluta]] with the new nation, who shared a partial [[Urcean people|Urcean]] heritage. Niall sent his chief advisor, Corio de Weluta, to the Paulastrans to become their King in 1824. Niall would later say that losing Corio was "like the death of a brother", but recognized the value in creating dynastic relations with the new nation. | Abroad, the independence and establishment of [[Paulastra]] provided an opportunity to spread the influence and prestige of the [[House de Weluta]] with the new nation, who shared a partial [[Urcean people|Urcean]] heritage. Niall sent his chief advisor and [[Procurator]], Corio de Weluta, to the Paulastrans to become their King in 1824. Niall would later say that losing Corio was "like the death of a brother", but recognized the value in creating dynastic relations with the new nation. | ||
King Niall's reign, which concluded in 1837, mostly achieved all three reforms. In 1827, he reached another settlement with the [[Concilium Daoni]] in which the King's nomination for [[Procurator]] had to be approved by majority vote of the Daoni, increasing their standing further as a national legislature. By 1835, the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] - reformed into a permanent, standing army - was the largest in [[Levantia]]. Urcea's enemies - viewed by the Urcean people as the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] - were in decline. King Niall V died in 1837, but left to his son and successors the tools of a politically engaged and militarily powerful nation - tools that were aimed to be used in [[Carolina]] as soon as the opportunity presented itself. | King Niall's reign, which concluded in 1837, mostly achieved all three reforms. In 1827, he reached another settlement with the [[Concilium Daoni]] in which the King's nomination for [[Procurator]] had to be approved by majority vote of the Daoni, increasing their standing further as a national legislature. By 1835, the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] - reformed into a permanent, standing army - was the largest in [[Levantia]]. Urcea's enemies - viewed by the Urcean people as the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] - were in decline. King Niall V died in 1837, but left to his son and successors the tools of a politically engaged and militarily powerful nation - tools that were aimed to be used in [[Carolina]] as soon as the opportunity presented itself. |