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History of Urcea (1575-1798): Difference between revisions
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==Leonine reforms and 17th century expansion== | ==Leonine reforms and 17th century expansion== | ||
[[File:Left transept of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Venice) - Funeral monument of the Doge Sebastiano Venier by Antonio dal Zotto.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines|Leo II]], following his victory in the [[Great Confessional War]], implemented long-lasting reforms to Urcea's social and land reforms.]] | [[File:Left transept of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Venice) - Funeral monument of the Doge Sebastiano Venier by Antonio dal Zotto.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines|Leo II]], following his victory in the [[Great Confessional War]], implemented long-lasting reforms to Urcea's social and land reforms.]] | ||
King [[Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines|Leo II]] reigned until 1597 and spent the remaining 22 years of his life after 1575 fundamentally remaking [[Urcea]], strengthening the Church, and attending to Imperial affairs, particularly the nuances and specifics of the victory terms and the division of land. Leo initiated a series of wide-reaching post-war reforms in which he sought to not only bring to Kingdom together into a cohesive unit, but also planned to undercut the [[Social class in Urcea|optimate class]], who he blamed for the war as well as the [[Saint's War]], and planned to simplify [[Social class in Urcea]]. The King reduced the number of classes to three and formally abolished serfdom in [[Urcea]], though the institution had already been rendered mostly nominal due to the devastation of the wars. Part of King Leo's program also included the famous Leonine Land Decree of 1590, which opened lands acquired as part of the [[Dragonnades]] to any family in the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] of [[Social class in Urcea|privilegiata or freeman]] rank without considerable land holdings. The Land Decree divided the acquired estates in [[Gassavelia]], and, to a lesser extent, in [[Ænglasmarch]], into 40 acre parcels to be used as smallholds. This created the first wave of [[Ómestaderoi]], and Leo intended for it to strengthen smallholders at the expense of the optimates, which, following several future waves of Ómestaderoi, proved successful. In [[1591]], Leo organized the standing [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] and [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] which were loyal only to the Crown, further reducing the authority of remaining local magnates. Leo's primary reform, however, was standardizing the legal code throughout nearly all of [[Urcea]] at the time, including the final elimination of the separate legal code in [[Canaery]]. By bringing the disparate duchies and territories under one standard code, Leo forged the legal nation of Urcea out of the medieval crown confederation of Urcea. With the standard legal code also came the abolition of internal tariffs, bringing about strong economic recovery following decades of war. His legal reforms also stripped the right of heads of the [[Estates of Urcea]] to appoint representatives to the [[Concilium Daoni]], and he began the process of creating "districts" for members to represent, though these districts were often coterminous with local communes - which elected members - or with lower vassals, who appointed members to the body. Leo's successors in the 17th century took part in the economic spoils and successively attempted to expand the country's eastern border, with several successful wars bringing neighboring duchies and counties to heel. It was also during this time the Crown began to devise schemes to acquire the [[Grand Duchy of Carolina]], a polity to the north, though such attempts would not come to fruition in the 17th century. The profile of Urcea in the Empire continued to rise under Leo's successors, greatly unified and strengthened by the victory of the War of Religion and with a powerful southern Gassavelia no longer extant to contain Urcea. The 17th Century, besides continuing expansion within the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], was a time of something of a second Renaissance in Urcea as the baroque period took off and the Crown focused on making internal improvements. The [[Julian Palace]] was given a major renovation at this time, building the [[Julian Palace#Caeline Palace|Caeline Palace]] which remains the core of the structure as of the 21st century. The Crown spent lavishly on infrastructure improvements as well as rebuilding several palaces and Churches. The period | King [[Leo III, Emperor of the Levantines|Leo II]] reigned until 1597 and spent the remaining 22 years of his life after 1575 fundamentally remaking [[Urcea]], strengthening the Church, and attending to Imperial affairs, particularly the nuances and specifics of the victory terms and the division of land. Leo initiated a series of wide-reaching post-war reforms in which he sought to not only bring to Kingdom together into a cohesive unit, but also planned to undercut the [[Social class in Urcea|optimate class]], who he blamed for the war as well as the [[Saint's War]], and planned to simplify [[Social class in Urcea]]. The King reduced the number of classes to three and formally abolished serfdom in [[Urcea]], though the institution had already been rendered mostly nominal due to the devastation of the wars. Part of King Leo's program also included the famous Leonine Land Decree of 1590, which opened lands acquired as part of the [[Dragonnades]] to any family in the [[Urceopolis (Archduchy)|Archduchy of Urceopolis]] of [[Social class in Urcea|privilegiata or freeman]] rank without considerable land holdings. The Land Decree divided the acquired estates in [[Gassavelia]], and, to a lesser extent, in [[Ænglasmarch]], into 40 acre parcels to be used as smallholds. This created the first wave of [[Ómestaderoi]], and Leo intended for it to strengthen smallholders at the expense of the optimates, which, following several future waves of Ómestaderoi, proved successful. In [[1591]], Leo organized the standing [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] and [[Royal Navy (Urcea)|Royal Navy]] which were loyal only to the Crown, further reducing the authority of remaining local magnates. Leo's primary reform, however, was standardizing the legal code throughout nearly all of [[Urcea]] at the time, including the final elimination of the separate legal code in [[Canaery]]. By bringing the disparate duchies and territories under one standard code, Leo forged the legal nation of Urcea out of the medieval crown confederation of Urcea. With the standard legal code also came the abolition of internal tariffs, bringing about strong economic recovery following decades of war. His legal reforms also stripped the right of heads of the [[Estates of Urcea]] to appoint representatives to the [[Concilium Daoni]], and he began the process of creating "districts" for members to represent, though these districts were often coterminous with local communes - which elected members - or with lower vassals, who appointed members to the body. Leo's successors in the 17th century took part in the economic spoils and successively attempted to expand the country's eastern border, with several successful wars bringing neighboring duchies and counties to heel. It was also during this time the Crown began to devise schemes to acquire the [[Grand Duchy of Carolina]], a polity to the north, though such attempts would not come to fruition in the 17th century. The profile of Urcea in the Empire continued to rise under Leo's successors, greatly unified and strengthened by the victory of the War of Religion and with a powerful southern Gassavelia no longer extant to contain Urcea. The 17th Century, besides continuing expansion within the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], was a time of something of a second Renaissance in Urcea as the baroque period took off and the Crown focused on making internal improvements. The [[Julian Palace]] was given a major renovation at this time, building the [[Julian Palace#Caeline Palace|Caeline Palace]] which remains the core of the structure as of the 21st century. The Crown spent lavishly on infrastructure improvements as well as rebuilding several palaces and Churches. | ||
The period saw a relative unusual succession, including two "Years of Three Kings" - 1627 and 1656. Leo II was succeeded by his son Constantine III, who reigned from 1597 to 1601 dying from natural causes. His son, Aedanicus IV, was also short-reigned, ruling from 1601 to 1612. Aedanicus IV had three sons, two of which would rule the country. The first, Aedanicus V, died in 1627 and left the throne to his son Adrian IV, who died in childhood after just three months on the throne. Aedanicus V's brother, Leo III, assumed the throne and would rule from 1627 through 1651. Leo's sons (Brian I and Seán III) would rule respectively from 1651-1656 and for two days in 1656, before the throne passed to a cousin. The accession of King Riordan VI was unusual in this respect, in that it was the only time in the history of [[House de Weluta]] that the throne passed to a cousin. Riordan VI was the descendant of the third son of Aedanicus IV. Riordan and his sons were prodigious, ensuring the survival of the dynasty. | |||
===Dragonnades=== | ===Dragonnades=== | ||
During the late 16th and early 17th century, the [[Dragonnades]] were prosecuted throughout the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] and [[Urcea]]. This term has come to encompass the entirety of anti-Protestant efforts during this time period, but in actuality these efforts took two main forms: indiscriminate military looting and persecutions and deliberate, systemic perseuction of Protestants using both the [[Imperial Inquisition]] and the antecedents of modern law enforcement agencies. Military dragonnades, by their very nature, were mob actions which typically only followed investigatory incidents of the Dragonnades. In either form, these events took place most fiercely in the years immediately following the [[Great Confessional War]], and as mentioned they had the effect of opening up new land for distribution and purchase within [[The Valley (Urcea)|the Valley]] and elsewhere throughout the Empire. Incidents would decrease in severity and frequency as the decades progressed, and the last major wave of Dragonnade efforts - not including in Holchester - occurred in 1607. | During the late 16th and early 17th century, the [[Dragonnades]] were prosecuted throughout the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] and [[Urcea]]. This term has come to encompass the entirety of anti-Protestant efforts during this time period, but in actuality these efforts took two main forms: indiscriminate military looting and persecutions and deliberate, systemic perseuction of Protestants using both the [[Imperial Inquisition]] and the antecedents of modern law enforcement agencies. Military dragonnades, by their very nature, were mob actions which typically only followed investigatory incidents of the Dragonnades. In either form, these events took place most fiercely in the years immediately following the [[Great Confessional War]], and as mentioned they had the effect of opening up new land for distribution and purchase within [[The Valley (Urcea)|the Valley]] and elsewhere throughout the Empire. Incidents would decrease in severity and frequency as the decades progressed, and the last major wave of Dragonnade efforts - not including in Holchester - occurred in 1607. | ||