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History of Urcea (1798-1902): Difference between revisions
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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 Yustona#New%20Yustona|Colony of New Yustona]] the next year, as veterans and others willing to try their luck began settling the land in 1859. New Yustona 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 Yustona#New%20Yustona|Colony of New Yustona]] the next year, as veterans and others willing to try their luck began settling the land in 1859. New Yustona 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]]. | 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. | ||
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. | 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. | ||
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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 [[Grand Duchy of Yustona]], 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. | 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 [[Grand Duchy of Yustona]], 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. | ||
During the 1880s, [[King Aedanicus VIII|King Aedanicus]], now in his 60s, was struggling with various illnesses and would be known to have long lapses of reason and consciousness. Beginning a tradition that remains through the present, the King decided to relocate to [[Castle Welute]] to take in the "country airs" and to escape the looming political chaos in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]]. Despite this retreat from public life, the King finalized publishing the ''[[Consolidated Laws of HMCM's Kingdom and State]]'', a sweeping legal reform and consolidation that considerably eased administrative and judicial burdens. The Election of 1885 threw the government into chaos, as dissenting factions within the [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]] could not agree on a leader. King Aedanicus opted to appoint a leading General, [[Gréagóir FitzRex]], as [[Procurator]] in an attempt to co-opt the military and restoring order in the government. FitzRex received a very narrow approval from the [[Concilium Daoni]] and began to exercise increasing control over the government, appointing his own members to the Purpaidá despite that being under the Chancellor's purview. Despite the military's nascent political power, it was not immune from the growing sense of decay at the end of the long Aedanicad that struck every other part of the country and society. While the navy was falling behind technologically, the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] became imbued in a scandal known as the ''Eight Rifle Affair'', in which the Army ordered [[List of equipment of the Armed Forces of Urcea#Muskets%20and%20rifles|8 different standardized rifle designs]] between 1880 and 1887, using most of them for a year or less. The Eight Rifle Affair was extremely costly to the already-tight government budget, leading to a near-discrediting of the army and a hope for FitzRex's opposition. Army leadership eventually decided to license a foreign design from [[Veltorina]]. The adoption of the this semi-successful licensed rifle - dubbed the SRM-8 - brought the affair to an end in 1887, finally giving the Royal Army a standardized bolt-action rifle for use for the next decade and a half. | During the 1880s, [[King Aedanicus VIII|King Aedanicus]], now in his 60s, was struggling with various illnesses and would be known to have long lapses of reason and consciousness. Beginning a tradition that remains through the present, the King decided to permanently relocate to [[Castle Welute]] to take in the "country airs" and to escape the looming political chaos in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]]. Despite this retreat from public life, the King finalized publishing the ''[[Consolidated Laws of HMCM's Kingdom and State]]'', a sweeping legal reform and consolidation that considerably eased administrative and judicial burdens. The Election of 1885 threw the government into chaos, as dissenting factions within the [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]] could not agree on a leader. King Aedanicus opted to appoint a leading General, [[Gréagóir FitzRex]], as [[Procurator]] in an attempt to co-opt the military and restoring order in the government. FitzRex received a very narrow approval from the [[Concilium Daoni]] and began to exercise increasing control over the government, appointing his own members to the Purpaidá despite that being under the Chancellor's purview. Despite the military's nascent political power, it was not immune from the growing sense of decay at the end of the long Aedanicad that struck every other part of the country and society. While the navy was falling behind technologically, the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal Army]] became imbued in a scandal known as the ''Eight Rifle Affair'', in which the Army ordered [[List of equipment of the Armed Forces of Urcea#Muskets%20and%20rifles|8 different standardized rifle designs]] between 1880 and 1887, using most of them for a year or less. The Eight Rifle Affair was extremely costly to the already-tight government budget, leading to a near-discrediting of the army and a hope for FitzRex's opposition. Army leadership eventually decided to license a foreign design from [[Veltorina]]. The adoption of the this semi-successful licensed rifle - dubbed the SRM-8 - brought the affair to an end in 1887, finally giving the Royal Army a standardized bolt-action rifle for use for the next decade and a half. | ||
Now empowered, Procurator FitzRex convinced the elderly King to grant him the previously Royal title of [[Ranks in the Urcean Armed Forces|Magister Militum]], granting FitzRex total control over the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea|armed forces]], subsequently inducing the Daoni to vote the powerless title Commander-in-Chief to the King instead. The Daoni remained without a [[Chancellor and Temporary President]] for the remainder of the 1886-1890 term, and Procurator FitzRex used this to push through a series of aggressive reforms intended at modernization, which were initially popular. In 1889, King Aedanicus VIII died and supposedly named FitzRex as Crown Regent for the Kingdom rather than the normal succession to his son and heir, the Prince of Halfway, [[King Patrick III|Patrick]]. Historians, scholars, and forensics experts have long argued whether or not "''Aedanicus's Last Will and Testament''" was forged. Either way, Procurator [[Gréagóir FitzRex]] became Crown-Regent Gréagóir FitzRex, as no King sat in the [[Julian Palace]]. The new Crown-Regent swore to install a "legitimate but popular" King following a brief period of reform. | Now empowered, Procurator FitzRex convinced the elderly King to grant him the previously Royal title of [[Ranks in the Urcean Armed Forces|Magister Militum]], granting FitzRex total control over the [[Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea|armed forces]], subsequently inducing the Daoni to vote the powerless title Commander-in-Chief to the King instead. The Daoni remained without a [[Chancellor and Temporary President]] for the remainder of the 1886-1890 term, and Procurator FitzRex used this to push through a series of aggressive reforms intended at modernization, which were initially popular. In 1889, King Aedanicus VIII died and supposedly named FitzRex as Crown Regent for the Kingdom rather than the normal succession to his son and heir, the Prince of Halfway, [[King Patrick III|Patrick]]. Historians, scholars, and forensics experts have long argued whether or not "''Aedanicus's Last Will and Testament''" was forged. Either way, Procurator [[Gréagóir FitzRex]] became Crown-Regent Gréagóir FitzRex, as no King sat in the [[Julian Palace]]. The new Crown-Regent swore to install a "legitimate but popular" King following a brief period of reform. | ||