History of Vithinja
 | This article is a work-in-progress because it is incomplete and pending further input from an author. Note: The contents of this article are not considered canonical and may be inaccurate. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. |
!NOTE - Add infobox
Rise of the Vikings
The Vithinjan lands in Kiro-Borealis once housed small tribes of a somewhat unique culture, believed to have been connected to the Finno-Ugric peoples. Little remains of these natives as most of their history is lost with only small amounts of archeological evidence that they ever even existed. Up until 1991 the Vithinjan government denied the existance of these lost aboriginals.
Two legends from two very different cultures speak of how the beautiful lands of Vithinja was once first discovered. The Ruthans take their name from the leader of the first settlers, Ruth the Ferryman, who left his home in western Levantia to explore the north, searching for a new home to escape their powerful neighbors. At first he settled the island of Nordland, but near the end of his life he left to discover the Ruthinja mainland. The Gogauls come from a tale of three brothers, each finding a larger land to settle than the previous one.
These two original groups of settlers are believed to have arrived in Vithinjan lands as early as 700 AD. It has been very difficult for historians to figure the exact dates when it first became common for the peoples of Noborea to leave for seafaring expeditions towards the more plentiful lands of northern Ultmar. What is known is that by the year 800 it had become commonplace both among the local gogauls and nordgeats. There is some evidence in Fiannrian records of the gogauls starting as early as 750, including a tribal migration to some of the lands north of Brídhavn of some celtic tribe that may have been from Noborea.
Using this understanding of seafaring they traveled in small warbands to exploit people in more habitable climates along the northern coasts and riverbanks of Ultmar. Such looting quickly lead to the northernerns becoming dependent on these stolen resources brought home by their raiding, as they quickly outgrew the meager resources of their frozen homeland. Despite having substantially different pagan beliefs the nordgeaths and gogauls both sailed south to fight or trade with the more prosperous mainlanders, sometimes together. In other cases they would target other raiders to steal their winnings. This unified seafaring tradition started a process of religious and cultural intermingling that would help unify these very different peoples under a single national ideal in the far-distant modern age.
For a long period, these tribes fought each other and whatever defenders could be rallied against them in more prosperous settlements, with nothing to hinder them that couldn't be simply bypassed. This allowed the seafaring marauders to not only gain wealth, but new lands to settle. But most importantly of all they got something that would help them greatly in their future battles: infamy. It was in the early 800s that their vicious reputation started to really spread around, together with their given name: Vikings. For almost two full centuries they harassed and expanded along the coasts and rivers of northern Ultmar. This was the Viking Golden Age, and it lasted until a pair of new rivals suddenly and unexpectadly entered the region.
Christian Consolidation
In the 10th century a new realm appeared at the northern tip of Ultmar. A band of warriors lead by a great leader bringing with them a distant god, establishing a domain that would be named Caergwynn. The region these foreign Christians entered was divided between the nordgeats and gogauls. It only took a handful of years for these lands to fall to the Caeric warriors. But the most important things they brought with them was a combination of a large unified people and good seafaring knowledge as well as Christianity, allowing them to do more than just defend themselves against the northern raiders. The Caerics would respond to raids with retaliation expeditions, torching whatever tribes they reached. The arrival of Caergwynn also saw many tribes bowing to them, accepting their strange faith in exchange for both mercy and protection against other Viking tribes. This would in itself lead to a dramatic change among the vikings, to help ensure their continued success.
Although records are still quite uncertain of the exact time, somewhere between 860 and 880 it is believed that the first nordgeath raiders would find a peculiar friendship with a people far from their homes. While resting in the small village that would one day be named the city of Tdrassäl, on the island of Vonein, strange sails were spotted in the distance. Although they first prepared to fight, they soon realized the strange new arrivals looked more like themselves than the heavier arms of the soldiers of the southern empire. Seeing little wealth to steal and a hard fight to gain it, they chose instead to meet these strange southerners and find if their was value to be found through words. These men where often referred to as Corsairs, and they knew much of extorting wealth from those far to the south of the realm known as Ultmar by the southerners. This meeting would be the start of a strong bond developed through the trading between two people who very much understood each other.
Unexpectedly the arrival of the powerful Caeric princedom and it's dominating navy actually improved things for the boreal tribes who escaped the subjugation of these northern templars, as the threat forced them to grow more capable in warfare as well as improve their navigation capabilities. As a new method of using the stars was discovered and spread they were now able to make longer journeys than ever before. This lead to the discovery of new unspoiled and poorly defended lands far further south than they ever dared travel before, the most enduring reaching as far as the Vandarch. With their improved war-making and new sources of plunder, the few bravest among the tribal chieftains become much more powerful, consolidating what was once hundreds of smaller tribes into the nine viking lords, as they were called by the southerners. All of these changes would finally be fully established in the first quarter of the 8th century, as two of the nine lords would leave their homes en-masse for new homes, taken from the peoples of Ultmar. The first of these found themselves in what is today northern Fiannria, and would hold their own almost until the millenium shift. This would lead to the creation of Cliprigorn, Ynndellin, Arforia, Sydebro, Latiland, Cyfothpyra, Roveridarrige, Berghogabo, Alvarige and Valarnes. The second left only ten years later, after hearing of the first ones success, finding their own corner of what is today western Faneria. They would hold out far longer, a small number of their descendants still making up a small minority within the modern Fanerian nation.
A small tribe known as the Alvkullruth would lead to a great change among the Noboreals. Lead by chieftain named Ruth, whose father had become the third of the nine viking lords in today's Ruthinja, he would start his rule just before the millennium shift. Before his father had died in battle, leaving him to rule in his 22nd winter, he had watched as the peoples of the north went from hundreds of small tribes to only nine. He had also seen how the Christian missionaries, despite being brutally murdered by his people only for attempting to spread their ideas, would continue traveling north to spread their beliefs. Any attempts to stop the holy men from finding their ways northward was made impossible by the powerful Caergwynn princedom, who would easily have full control of the islands if it wasn't for the nine viking lords. He did not strongly believe in the ideas they spread but he could see how the ideas were spreading through some tribes, especially through mothers and children. By the time he came to rule he would continue to watch as the southern missionaries slowly made more and more progress towards their religious mission. As he consolidated his leadership in his region over the first ten years of his rule, he could not ignore his fascination with this war of ideas.
It was nothing but a curious interest though until the day he met with the viking lord to his east, and found that he had converted to the southern faith, in part to make an alliance with the Caeric knights of northern Ultmar. A plan was taking shape in the aging chieftain named Ruth. He would convert to the new faith and encourage the weaker tribes who had already converted to turn on their lords, allowing him to grow far more powerful than any of the other viking lords. They would inevitably all join together against him, as he would be too much of a threat. He would never be able to stand against them alone. But he would be part of christiandom, and he had seen how they defended their faithful.
His plans did not all go to plan. After accepting his baptism what was suppose to be an simple overwhelming of the more christian celtic tribes turn into a bloody ten year long war. The powerful state he had planned to shape was severely weakened. At first it looked as if it would help avoid the great coalition from the other lords, but it only delayed it as his first few victories against his neighbors soon turned the rest against him. This was the moment where all would be tested. He reached out a hand to the northern knights of the holy cross, those who he once viewed as his greatest threat, the Caerics. He knew that he would have to kneel to the southern power, but he had come too far to see his great task unfinished. The deal was struck, he would accept their rule, but he would have the aid to defeat the remaining pagans. With the aid of the knights he was finally able to unite all but the most distant of the tribes, and his rule of the north was complete. All that remained was to ensure his rule was his alone.
Ruth the first he was named. Only two year later he would be slain before seeing the last part of his great purpose fulfilled. He rebelled against the Caerics only a year after being named king of the lands then simply called Borealis. In the decisive battle against the princedoms knights, he and all but one of his sons would be slain, but his warriors would still claim victory. The last of his sons, Ragnar, would rename both himself and the kingdom he now ruled over after his father and oldest brother: The Realm of Ruth, Ruthinja.
His fathers war against the Caerics had lead to his Excommunication, one that was immediately passed onto himself. He would spend most of his life consolidating the new kingdom and fighting in a series of civil wars. The end result was a kingdom that was only christian at the highest and lowest levels, where a christian king ruled pagan lords ruling over christian servants. The tribal system that had always existed in the region would maintain itself, only giving small concessions towards their ruler. The continuation of the raiding culture would ensure that every Ruth to rule over the tribes would find themselves excommunicated within the first years of their rule, severely harming the dynasties legitimacy among the people who made the unification possible. By the year 1050 the larger conflicts had at subsided, and it was clear that the north would be ruled as one realm, under one king.
Tribal Kingdom Era
Ruthinja being a newly united kingdom quickly established a strong rivalry with the principality that enabled it's creation in Caergwynn. Over the next 50 years many wars were fought over control of the Vithinjan isles, changing the line of control over the prosperous territory. This would cause damage to the isles wealth and power that wouldn't be fully regained for 200 years. The many wars fought between the Ruthans and Caerics over these islands was the main external matters that the kingdom of Ruthinja would face as a unified force. When not fighting the caerics the many tribal chieftains in Ruthinja would go out and raid together with the free tribes of Nordska. Sometimes small internal conflicts would also flare up but the crown made sure to involve itself in these internal matters to help enforce stability.
Overtime the feudal system would spread it's influence over most of the Vithinjan isles as well as south-eastern Ruthinja, mainly among the closes celtic regions to the Ruthinjan and Caeric bases of power. Outside of these regions the notherners maintained a more elective tribal order, with meetings of the various tribal rulers to decide their next course of actions. The fact that the king was never invited to these tribal meetings was a slight that lead to civil war more than once, yet some tribes would not bend to the crowns dominion.In the the kings of Ruthinja were never able to destroy these old tribal systems, mainly because the best warriors for his armies came from these lands as well as the economic boost from their raiding helping boost the wealth of the barren lands the crown ruled. The continued excommunication that these raids caused however were a severe problem for every new king.
The end of the Caergwynn wars around 1100 resulted in Ruthinja securing most of the isles, as the Caerics turned to deal with other rivals on the mainland. This lead to a period of peace that allowed the tribal rulers raiding to escalate. It wasn't more than 10 years after this prosperous time began that a Nordskan lord left their homes behind in an invasion of other Fhainnic lands. It only took until th early 1120's for some of the most powerful tribes in Ruthinja - seeing the success of the Nordskans - to gather in spite of their king, in numbers the crown would not dare face, and left in the first invasion targeting the somewhat new state of Culfra. This action going unanswered by the ruler would not be forgotten by his subjects.
When the most powerful of the kings vassals, previously promising to baptize himself, declared only a month before 1129 that he would lead the first ever Ruthinjan invasion of the inland sea others called the Vandarch, the king prepared to crack down on this clear rebellion. However, the lack of legitimacy lead to many of his other vassals turning against the crown as he prepared for a civil war. The kingdom would end up on the brink of collapse as the invasion left them behind, seeking glory in far away lands.
The following civil war would last for the next 20 years, only being interrupted once the first of the Ultmar Crusaders started to arrive. When the next Ruth was declared, his uncle having been slain by the rebels he struggled against, he declared himself the defender of the Pagan traditions of the boreal lands. This was the only thing that protected the kingdom from total collapse, as the southern islands were lost to the invigorated Caerics supported by southern crusaders. If the Gallowglass wars in the realm of Culfra did not cause difficulties for the northern crusaders that may have been the end of the Ruthinjan kingdom, but they held out through the many attacks, most of the battles against the christians ending before 1180, finally allowing the kingdom to recover.
But there would be no recovery. In the time that the Ruthinjans had been constantly fighting both foreign and domestic enemies, the tribal rulers of the Nordskans had relished in their plundered wealth and felt little of the many conflicts ravaging their western neighbors. This prosperity was successfully united not through conquest by a foreign faith, but an alliance of electors among the tribal leaders selecting a rulers amongst themselves. This first ruler was elected only a few years before the arrival of the crusaders. They would lend their brothers in faith assistance throughout the next forty years, helping protect the north from the southern incursion. After this however, it became evident how weak the Ruthinjan kingdom had become. The electors gathered for an important decision, and unanimously decided that they would conquer their brother-realm, to ensure that the christians would never gain another foothold on their continent. When their fleet first sailed into the Ruthinjan capital, they were let in as the reinforcements they previously represented. Only the kings own guard protected him from the betrayal of their brother-kingdom, and the war of one-night ended without ever seeing the suns light.
The new Nordskan kingdom would immediately run into issues however. Their own system being built fully out of the tribal electoral system was ill fit to rule over the more feudalistic parts of Ruthinja, and found little legitimacy among the local tribal rulers. The Ruthinjan lords had learned one thing above all from their own kingdoms struggles. The simple ability to ignore their rulers expected loyalty and only rise against him when he would attempt to enforce his rule. For a time the lords were left alone, as the king was busy fighting off the Caerics once more. This would cause further issues, as the king was slain by the Caeric knight. His heir would rule over one of the strangest times in the history of the north. This silent insurrection by the lords was finally addressed, caused another civil war in the nation, only lasting a few years before the most powerful of the Ruthinjan lords made a move that would change the way of the north for the next hundred years. He made an alliance with the Caeric principality, forcing the king to his negotiating table. The crown had to give substantial concessions to the western lords, leading to near autonomous vassals, who may bow and call him king, but would only help him in times of war against the southerners, and even that only to a limited extent.
The kings of the Nordskans found themselves in a strange political game over the next 100 years leading up to the middle of the 12th century. One where his own subjects made up two very different groups. One would barely listen to a call to arms, mostly spending their time raiding or even leaving for southern lands in large numbers. The other was constantly making political maneuvers based on the power struggle between the Nordskans and the Caerics. The region never really being loyal to either and constantly undermining the regional power of both in the Ruthinjan lands. This period also meant relative peace in the region, allowing for much growth. Such growth soon lead to overpopulation of the frozen lands, being further complicated by the winters growing harsher in the early 12th century. The solution to this issue was a simple one long since practiced by the northerners: invading the southern lands. This period is thus the golden age of invading settlers, attacking everywhere along the Ultmar coast and including the only invasion ever to attempt to invade the HLE.
At the end of this period the kings tribal lords at home one day simply deposed him and disbanded the kingdom as a political entity. This quickly lead to a war between the various now independent lords of Ruthinja and the Caers. One that would have likely lead to the expansion of the Caerics domain, where it not for it's unfortunate timing with the Great Plague of 1347.
Holy Kingdoms Era
The Great Plague was a calamity devastating most of the southern nations, In the late 15th century a number of people had started to criticize the catholic church, spreading a new wave of reformist ideas. One of the people who found these ideas fascinating was a young christian duke name Rolv. Despite his christian upbringing he was heavily involved in the old traditions of the ruthan pagan faiths. Because of this he saw an opportunity present itself with this new wave of reformists. Together with a group of christian scholars who held similar beliefs, he created a new set of rules for a branch of christian beliefs, that would be acceptable to those holding on to the old faith of the north. He formed the Church of Rolv, although the name came long after personally naming the faith as the northern church. With this new political tool he was able to garner a lot of support from other small rulers, conquering those who would not bow in quick succession. He chose to name himself the ruler of two separate kingdoms, the kingdom of Ruthinja, claiming all that the old kingdom held, as well as the kingdom of Vithinja, laying claim to all of the islands the caerics had taken. While his home town lay in Ruthinja he would move the capital to the largest city on the Vithinjan isles to further enforce his control over the islands. After accomplishing all of this it is said he gave his crown to his grandson during the winter of 1512 and then walked out into a blizzard, never to be seen again.
1500-1800
The kingdom of Vithinja fought many wars with the many nations surrounding them, mainly in an attempt to gain full control of the northern Levantian trade.
After many wars fighting their neighbors and the monarchy being forced to leave the country Vithinja started down the path of collapse again. The only thing that loosely kept the nation together was the declaration of a federal republic in the early 17th century.
The Unforgotten Peace
The 100 Year Republic - Country was lead by a republic that attempted to change the nations values to be more multicultural and peaceful. ~1850-1950
The Great War - With the arrival of the great war the republic attempted to stay out of the war. However this only lead to those still following the old warlike culture resurrecting the monarchy and taking over the country through a hostile coup. ~1950
Third Kingdom - After the Great War the monarchy was struggling with recognition. The country was approaching a civil war. A powerful organization of Syndicalists approached the King with a demand of abdication. The monarchy levied the last of their power to reject this proposal, attempting to reach a compromise. The syndicalists had collected a lot of support by advocating for a peaceful power transfer, which in the end lead to what is today known as The Vithinjan Compromise.
Syndicalization
After several years of pain an suffering, the Second Great War ended with Vithinja on the victorious side. This was not as well felt in the nation as one may usually expect, in large part because several holdings that belonged to Vithinja before the war were handed to Caergwynn, since Vithinja had legally already ceded them in the VITH_EARLY_PEACE_EVENT. While this is often seen by experts on the subject these days as inevitable, considering the large caeric populations in the areas, that is not how the people of the nation perceived the end of the war. With the military junta only ever being accepted because of the republics quick settling after the VITH_PEARL_HARBOR, the legitimacy the government had been able to maintain through the war as a fight for the fatherland was completely gone. A new civil war was brewing, in a nation that had already suffered deep wounds from the last 50 years of conflicts. The start of political upheaval with protest turned riots by various political movement, turning more radical and partisan by the day.
This could have very well been the end of Vithinja as a unified nation, was it not for two greatly influential individuals and their strange friendship. Ruth Sortvit was only a cousin to King Rolv X. With Rolv having his own children sibling there was no way Ruth should ever had a chance to ascend to the throne, even if it held only religious influence at the time. So he instead spent his life as a well studied political scholar. It was during these days at the Cärssund University. This is where he made friends with Gunnar Folgvig, a man soon to become famous for his famous book Red Snow, White Blood, a book describing a system of government based on the unions, or Fack as they are called in Vithinja. Neither of them expected the book to become a centerpiece of the socialistic factions during the post-war crisis. Folgvig found himself being pushed into the leadership of the populist movement, with most of the leaders around him starting to discuss the coming conflict with the two strongest other factions: the ruling military junta and the rising royalist movement trying to place Rolv X in power. Many believe that it was Gunnars wife, Helga Himladotr who suggested that he should attempt to make Ruth the leading figure of the royalist movement so that "We can celebrate Christmas this winter with white stained streets, not red." Folgvig traveled to meet his old friend, found himself in a small skirmish between armed partisans, got his left ear shot off but arrived in Rolvsvik otherwise unharmed. His request to his friend to become the representative for the royalist came with one well understood implication: Ruth, having been a scholar for most of his life, would have to challenge his cousin, a trained duelist, to single combat in accordance to old traditions. While those traditions would easily have been ignored and dismissed under most other circumstances, the importance of appearance during the crisis meant that it was unlikely to be dismissed.
(Ruth miraculously wins duel [Might have cheated somehow])
(Ruth and Gunnar creates the "[White-Red Meeting of Concordance]", where they agree to the "[Syndical Compromise]", the founding document of the modern Vithinjan state)
(Vith becomes an isolationist nation that hates all of their neighbors, with a closed of economy)
(Period of isolationism lasts officially until the [1982 Arctic Nuclear Flash], where the League of Nations proved beyond reasonable doubt that Vithinja was responsible. The following sanctions and loss of international statement combined with strong pressure from far too many sources leading to Vithinja entering a short period of political turmoil)
End of Isolationism
The [Diplomatic Crisis of 1983] lead to a lot of political turmoil in Vithinja. While most foreign involvement was done in as much secrecy as possible today there is little doubt of the impact in the nation. While figures like [Magnus Tornsson] today speak of the period as only an internal reorganization, the political support that he and his newly established Cooperative movement received was greatly disproportional to his popularity only a year before. The end result was the same however. Vithinja received a new ruling alliance, as the sudden death of Riordan II and rise of Ruth XII is still viewed with suspicion to this day, considering Riordans three children all passed away during the same period and Ruths close relation with Magnus. All of this was finalized in the "[Dismissal of 1984]", where King Ruth XII ordered a sudden full elective cycle. The results of this cycle are viewed with suspicion by some, in part since it resulted in the replacing of more than half of the National Assembly, and all but two of the National Chancellors, with Ruth XII being one of the exceptions.
This period directly after the 1984 change of government is often referred to as the "[Vithinjan Economic Miracle]", where the Vithinjan economy finally started opening up for proper international trade for the first time since the Second Great War. This period saw the Vithinjan economy nearly double its GDP over the next 16 years, in large part because of population growth both from an increased birthrate but more importantly from previously highly regulated or outright banned immigration. Even though the rules for immigration in Vithinja are far harsher than many other nations to this day they still experience a lot of immigration in large part thanks to their extensive rules being quite easy to fulfill for the vast majority of people if given enough time.
Recent History
One of the many changes that ended up as a result of the Vithinjan economy opening up to international trade partners while minimizing the chance of a war breaking out was a new perceived need for those in the nation seeking a chance to fulfill their religious obligation to partake in the art of violent combat. As the nation could not officially support any such efforts either this lead down a path these northern people had not walked down in a long time: Mercenaries. From 2001 to 2007 there was a large surge in the creation and sale of mercenary work to distant contractors. While this lead to some complaint from foreign partners there was little issue until the start of The Deluge. While Vithinjan mercenaries early on in the conflict mainly served the League forces, a lot of issues started coming up when journalists started to come out with proof of war crimes committed by some mercenary forces. This was however not the most controversial event by Vithinjan mercenaries. That would be the BRIBE_EVENT_NAME where multiple full companies of mercs were paid an almost absurd bribe to join with the Varshan forces.