Medimeria: Difference between revisions

The progress of the island precipitated the growth of free laborers in the city of Madix as many Medimerians began to end their tenancy contracts or even abscond from them, causing a shortage of farm labor. The ever-expanding whaling industry also began to have additional labor needs by the 1630s. The stream of Protestants from [[Levantia]] was reduced to a trickle by this period, more than a half-century after the end of the Confessional War, and most new arrivals were nobles or prominent burghers imprisoned by the [[Imperial Inquisition]] and deported to Medimeria. In [[1634]], facing continued labor shortages, the Refuge Company approved the importing of [[Audonia]]n laborers. Attempts were made to launch slave raiding parties into modern day [[Soirwind]] and [[Zaclaria]], but these were easily repulsed by local authorities and perpetrators executed by local authorities. Instead, two different solutions were implemented. First, Audonian peasants and poor Audonian city-dwellers were offered relatively decent terms to live and work on patroonships as tenant farmers for a twenty year period of {{Wp|Indentured servitude|indentured servitude}}. Second, the Refuge Company began to offer to buy the rights to petty criminals imprisoned by various Audonian realms, who would then serve thirty year periods of indentured servitude. The result of both of these programs were mostly the same; the majority of those voluntarily becoming indentured servants were often absconding from the law or some other obligation, transforming Medimeria's patroonships into de facto penal colonies. These Audonians and their descendants formed the ethnic group now known as the "{{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}", a [[Burgoignesc language]] corruption of the Audonian term {{wp|abeed}}, meaning servant. By the end of the 17th century, the original group of the {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} had descendants numbering multiple generations. The {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}, primarily now tenant farmers rather than indentured servants, faced de facto segregation by the island's Levantine-descended Protestant majority; accordingly, they largely kept to themselves, building small villages within the Patroonships and practicing a number of different religions and indigenous Audonian practices.

Medimeria grew in importance with the beginning of [[Canespa-Burgoignesc relations]] in the early 1700s. The island's location roughly halfway between [[Cusinaut]] and eastern [[Levantia]] made it a critical {{wp|Transshipment|transshipment}} port in [[Maritime Dericania|Deric]] global trade routes. The trade route had the effect of greatly expanding the importance of Madix as a port city with some minor cascading effects for the rest of the island. The need for additional labor in Madix tended to attract Levantine-origin free laborers or indentured servants at the end of their term, leaving the Patroonships to rely more on {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} labor.

In [[1713]], the Middle Seas Refuge Company was nationalized by the [[Duchy of Bourgondi]] in light of its growing trade importance with [[Crona]]. The Duke issued an edict of toleration and Patent of Governance, which recognized and retained the traditional rights and privileges of the Patroons and codified the existing Patroon Council into law. The 1713 acts also entrenched Protestantism as official, rather than predominant, religion on the island, and guaranteed certain rights only to Protestants. This had the practical effect of beginning the conversion of the {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}; the guarantee of rights to Protestants began a process by which Protestant rights would be exploited by the most forward thinking and best educated {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}, beginning the slow process of ethnic integration.

The period between [[1760]] and [[1820]] in Medimeria was mostly characterized by civil discord. The [[Patroon]] class still held political, social, and economic dominance on the island, but the Patroons and an aristocracy formed of descendants of the first Patroons were far outnumbered by both free [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] tenants, burghers, and the {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}. The growing rights of the now mostly-Protestant {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} sparked ethnic tensions on the island largely between themselves and the [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] tenant farmers, and these rifts for a time were managed by the Patroons who exacerbated tensions on both sides and provided funding and even arms to the most radical agitators in both groups. In [[1777]], the Port Marie massacre saw 14 {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} churchgoers killed by a [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] militia, leading to a series of retaliatory skirmishes in the countryside. A race war appeared imminent, requiring the deployment of troops by the [[Duchy of Bourgundi]] to restore peace on the island. The machinations of the Patroons, however, would soon quickly backfire; the Madix Journal published several leaked letters between members of the Conseil Patronal commenting on the success of recent efforts to foment resentment. The news quickly spread among the literate {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} and [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] tenant farmer alike, sparking full blown insurrection and riots on the Patroonships beginning in [[1782]]. The Ducal armies were called upon to halt the rebellion, but avoided direct conflict. The members of the Conseil Patronal issued a formal complaint to the Duchy in [[1784]] regarding the lack of urgency as their estates reached a level of zero productivity, though the residents of the island began to grow in appreciation for the restraint of Ducal troops. An organized insurrectionary army in [[1785]] was formed and rallied around the slogan "''Le duc et son île''" (The Duke and His Island), signifying a desire to replace Patroonal rule with direct rule from Bourgundi. A series of major skirmishes, known as the ''Guerre des loyers'' (Rent War) was fought between the insurrectionists and aristocratic militias as well as estate police forces. In [[1787]] the war came to an end with a declaration of {{wp|martial law}} on the island.  

During the three year period beginning in [[1787]], the [[Duchy of Bourgondi|Ducal government]] issued major reforms. Most tenant farmers, both {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} and [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']], had their leasehold farmsteads transformed into freeholds, parceling out the major Patroonships to the small farmers. The Patroons were left with their manor houses and enough land to generate enough revenue equivalent to their [[1780]] expenses, and in most cases this left most of the Patroonships profitable due to their drastically decreased scale. Three members from Madix and one member from the city of Saint Marie were added to the Conseil Patronal on the basis of urban elections. One member was added who served as a direct appointment of the [[Duchy of Bourgondi|Duke of Bourgundi]], bringing the Conseil up to its modern membership of 17. With order restored, martial law was ended in [[1790]]. Significant resentment on the part of the Patroon class existed towards their fellow islanders, resulting in major class discrimination and a further segregation of the Patroon class from the rest of the island's residents; inversely, the 1787 settlement decreased hostility between the lower orders of both ethnicities and laid the groundwork for integration and a post-manorial economy.

[[Urcea]]'s ownership of the island lead to a renewal of military and fueling efforts on the island given its position nearly halfway between [[Levantia]] and [[New Harren]]. The military facilities at Port Marie were significantly renovated between [[2016]] and [[2019]], adding increased base capacity for both ships and personnel. The island's small international airport was expanded significantly for increased civilian and military air traffic. Significant investments were also made into the island's emergent phosphate mining sector, and as of [[2030]] Medimeria's phosphate mines produce a large amount of the raw phosphate material used in fertilizers in [[Nysdra Sea Treaty Association]] countries in addition to significant exports to [[Levantia]] as well.

The vast majority of Medimerians are some variety of Protestant. Denominationally, about a fifth of all Protestants belong to the {{wp|non-denominational church|non-denominational movement}}, while both the [[Mercantile Reform Protestantism]] and [[College of Levantine Churches]] both claim about 40% of Protestants. [[Catholic Church|Catholicism]] was not present on the island in any significant way until about [[1800]], but remained a very small minority until about [[2020]]; since then, it makes up about 8% of the population. A very small remaining portion of the population practice Islam, almost all of whom are {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}.

Medimerians consider themselves to be part of two ethnic groups. The first, called [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']], are predominantly [[Levantia|Levantine]]-ethnic origin individuals who arrived to Medimeria as Protestant religious refugees. The second, called {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}, are descended from Audonian laborers brought to the island in the 17th century as indentured servants.

Medimerians are divided among two ethnic groups; the predominant [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] who make up about 80% of the island and the {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} who make up about 20% of the island's population. In the 21st century, these groups are heavily integrated, with ethnic-based prejudice being both uncommon and illegal on the island. Small wealth disparities exist between the more prosperous [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] people, but significant strides were made in the 20th century to alleviate the differences. The degree of integration is such that Medimerian, rather than one's ethnicity, is the primary identity of island residents. It is considered impolite to comment on someone's ethnic background without them initially discussing it.

Ethnic relations were, for a long time, largely negative and colored by the origin of both ethnic groups. The [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']] are descendants of the Levantine Protestant refugees who settled the island in the 16th and 17th centuries, predominantly coming to the island as free laborers, tenant farmers, or patroons. The {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}, meanwhile, were Audonian laborers (of various modern national descents) who were brought to the island on long terms of indentured servitude to work on large farm estates. The {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}}, as they were never enslaved, had some legal standing from their arrival, but civil rights and true integration came after the process of {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} conversion began in the 1700s. The {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} were initially culturally segregated from the [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']], developing a distinctive culture that incorporated their own Audonian traditions with those held by the [[Medimeria#Ethnicity|''les Refuges'']]. Conversion led to the gradual end of de facto cultural segregation, and {{wp|Abidi|Ebidi}} culture is best preserved in some vocabulary of Medimeria as well as in its cuisine, with {{wp|cevapi}} being one of the best known local dishes from this tradition.