Creagmer republics
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The Creagmer republics were a number of small merchant republics and members of the Holy Levantine Empire along the Creagmer and Odoneru Ocean which mostly existed between the 8th and 12th centuries. The mercantile states were largely reorganized from earlier city states and members of the Latin League, which was destroyed during the formation of the Empire. The Creagmer republics dominated trade in the southern and eastern Odoneru during the time of their existence, becoming relatively wealthy and powerful. They became subject to the desires of the Julian dynasty, which began to actively attempt to assert its de jure legal dominance over them in the 12th century following the establishment of Urcea with the Golden Bull of 1098. The cities were desirable to the Julians not only because of their wealth and prominence but also due to their sea access and influence over the Urce River, control of which was a key early strategic concern of the new Urcean Kingdom.
While most of the small polities were destroyed in the 12th century, a number of them obtained status as autonomous free cities, and briefly reemerged during the Saint's War only to be suppressed by the war's end. During the free city period, the patrician families of the cities largely remained in tact, but their rebellion during the Saint's War lead to most of the families' holdings being destroyed and the historic autonomy of the cities brought to an end. The largest of the republics, the Philaridon Republic, would continue its turbulent existence until 1680. Today, the territory of the republics largely coincides with the western Archduchy of Urceopolis with the exception of the territory of the Philaridon Republic, which is largely coterminous with the modern province of Roscampus. Many of the former republics now comprise some of the Archduchy's largest cities, such as Ordep and Beldra.
The number of entities ranges from a strict historiographical convention of only counting the actual seven republics to sometimes including the three counties which existed along the Urce River and adjacent to the republics during this period.