Fiannria: Difference between revisions

===The Reaver Kingdoms and the Foundation of the Holy Levantine Empire===

Christianization continued to have varying degrees of success in the war embroiled region. By now most Celts had adopted Christianity but they were also being subjugated and driven south and east from expanding pagan kingdoms of Norogothic clans. Given the term of Reavers and Vikings, these Germanic people built Reaver Kingdoms along the entirety of the Fiannrian coast and made use of the coast and rivers and the Vandarch to raid across Levantia. However during this period also, the Kingdom of Gallwa located in the borderlands between the modern Deric States, Fiannria and Urcea had confederated many Celtic tribes under its own protection, expanding itself into an Empire under king Conchobar In the 750s, having conquered Urceopolis, in 761 Conchobar was crowned Emperor of the Levantines. Conchobar’s descendants would rule this Holy Levantine Empire and confront the Reaver Kingdoms until 917 after Emperor Brian III died and split the realm among his sons. Fiannria was considered part of the Eastern Kingdom, ruled by King Culmann (as called by contemporaries). However for a series of reasons that have yet to be fully understood, King Culmann, the eldest and holder of the most power, was denied the coronation as Emperor of the Levantines by the Pope.

The Levantine throne would remain vacant for almost a generation, however during the reign of Culmann and his descendants, the first feudal establishments and contracts would be made in the clannic and tribal lands of Gaul (Fiannria) as marches to defend from rogue clans and the Reavers. Eventually, in the 960s, Leo, a man of some Latin descent became King of Eastern Levantia overthrowing the Conine dynasty there and proceeded to depose the Southern Kingdom, reestablishing the Holy Levantine Empire. Emperor Leo being crowned in 972, however, the failure to produce a legitmate heir led to turmoil and revolt and the development of an elective monarchy and the electoral college.

During this period, major gains in pushing back Gothic dominance of the coast occurred, leaving a Norse-Gael ethnic group along coastal Fiannria. To ensure the safety of retaken land, a Gall-Ghael (norse-gael) nobleman named Oulay Mac Agnar was given the title magister millitum per Gallias by the reigning Holy Levantine Emperor often referred to as the Captaincy of the North. Oulay established a fortress near the final resting place of Saint Bridget ‘the Renegade’ and soon a port community developed around the fortress, calling it Bridget’s Haven, or Brídhavn. As Captain of the North, Oulay and his descendants was tasked with the administration of Gaul and the peoples and clans within it as well as the defense of Gaul from beyond the Ultmar, where the Gothic Reavers still prospered along the Alva River from the Vandarch to the Northern coast. However, the Mac Agnar dynasty died early in 1076 and in order to prevent outright upheaval in the region. Nobility, Clan leaders, and Elders met in Brídhavn in 1077 in the first Tynoach, often called the great Tynoach of 1077 Gaels, Latin-Gaels, and Gallogaels (norse gaels) met and determined a new course of action for the people of Gallia. Every year, a Tyn would then be called in Brídhavn of the leaders of the various clans, noble houses, and families as an assembly of laws, to solve disputes and make political decisions. Every three years, the Tyn would elect an Ardrike from among themselves in the Aonach, who would hold a place similar to that of the Captain of the North.

===The Realm of Culmannia===

===The Ultmaric Crusade===

In the mid 12th century, Tormick Mac Iolor’s son and the new Magister Militum per Culmannia, Harla Mac Iolor saw an opportunity. It was a period of antebellum in the crusades in Sarpedon and Audonia and backed Freadrikr O’Boen in the establishment of a new Holy Order, the Order of the Blood and Shield of Saint Bridget or Order of the Martyr’s Shield. A saint who, along with Saint Alsandr were patrons of Culfra. While initially sponsored and established in Sarpedon. The Holy Order, with backing from Mac Iolor and the Papacy began the Great Ultmaric Crusade. Crossing the mountains and wall that once guarded Great Levantia, young Culfrans, glory and wealth seekers, and Crusader veterans joined the Order of the Martyrs Shield in droves to challenge the Norsgeats and other Gothic Reaver kingdoms. The fighting against the northern pagans continued along the northern Vandarch well into the territory of the Slavs. Through the Ultmaric Crusade, the Order of the Martyr’s Shield became known by another name, the Ultmaric Order, which by papal orders established a temporal regime over the lands of the Reavers. In the aftermath of this Crusade, settling Gaels in lands of the Norse found the places they left being settled by Norse refugees. Meanwhile the first Gothic Christian aristocrats began to arise in the Ultmaric Order’s realm, proving to the Levantine Catholics that these pagans could be brought to the light. Setting the foundation for future Crusades in Gothica and Ultmar.

The peace and adventurism of the mid 12th to the early 13th centuries gave way to the crisis in the north called the Gallowglass Wars. While work to build constructive and peaceful synergy between the Latins, Gaels, Goths, and Slavs now under the Mac Iolor administration, arguments over cultural sentiments, ancestral lands and wealth often led to descension to chaos and fistfights in the annual Tyn, now called the Altyn. Attempts to institute smaller Tyns across regions of Culfra failed after the assassination of Gregair Mac Iolor by Culfran Princes opposed to the Prince-Electors political maneuvering to gain more control over the Culfran Princes. Gregair’s death sparked the first in a series of conflicts called the Gallowglass Wars or the Foreign Gael Wars. The collapse of the central authority of the Prince-Elector of Bridhavn with Gregair’s heir, Wualderic, a boy of five led to absolute chaos and warfare between Norse-Gaels, Goths, Slavs, Gaels, and Latins fighting amongst one another for any which reason from land to dominance. The Sack of Bridhavn in 1222 forced the main line of the Mac Iolor dynasty to extinction. With the Prince-Elector seat now up for grabs, the years of conflict was called to a sudden and uneasy truce for the first Altyn consisting of all Culfran princes since before the death of Gregair over a decade beforehand. The debates for the next Prince-Elector and Magister Militum nearly broke into open bloodshed several times over the course of two and half months which led to the support of two different heirs, Raemon af Derrickhalle and Alsandr Mac Magen. One the day the final vote was to be cast, Alsandr was stabbed by a Prince whose name was lost to the history books and the riot of fighting that broke out killed Raemon. The camps of the two dead heirs retreated from Bridhavn and met over a series of pitched battles across Culfra in the name of the two dead heir’s sons. During these battles, the fame of Culfran soldiers such as the Galllowglass, Kerns, Huskarls and Landschnekt met popularity alike to Deric Knights among the Empire. However it was a sea battle of Culfran birlinn longships that in truth ended the conflict when the Derrickhalle faction attempted to strike Bridhavn by sea to cut a decisive blow from behind the Mac Magen forces. However, a force of longships and birlinn made a desperate defense in the Shalla(name subject to change) Firth (the estuary gulf into Bridhavn) which saw an irrecoverable number of Derrickhalle supporters killed spelling victory for the mac Magens.

With the Gallowglass Wars at an end in 1234, Sinclair mac Magen was named the new Prince Elector of Bridhavn. Notably however, he was not named Magister Militum per Culmannia, signifying a decentralization forced by the Culfran Princes that brought mac Magen to power. This decentralization of authority allowed Culfran princes to have more autonomy in affairs and reign more independently which would eventually lead to different cultural backgrounds and dialects spread across Culfra as the unifying bonds the Magister Militum held were broken. However, the Altyn continued every year and it was during this period of relative peace that lots of modern Fiannan culture developed from the popularization of Tyns and other assemblies among freemen, festivals and holiday popularization as well as Fianna mercenaries became of great demand across Levantia and beyond after word of the renown of Culfra warriors were spread following the Gallowglass Wars. During this period also did the first Culfran Universities develop and Culfran traders and explorers traveled further than ever before.

The fourteenth century saw both great triumphs and disasters for modern day Fiannria. Culfran princes having gained more autonomy during the previous century and restabilizing following the Gallowglass Wars and other smaller conflicts. The strengthening Culfran princes saw opportunity for grabs of power and new lands. Extending its reach further into Slavica and Gothica and also making gains into Dericania. However the powers gained by the Culfran Princes during the early fourteenth century did little to prepare Culfra and Levantia as a whole for the arrival of the Great Plague in 1347. The plague swept through Culfran lands without mercy like a wildfire and the crisis saw not only people turn to faith in hordes, but also turn to heresy during the period. Free Spirit heretics in the west within the Ultmaric Order’s territory and Fraticelli movements in southern Culfra caused heated strife in the lethal climate. The Great Plague heavily afflicted Culfra killing millions and upwards of half of the Culfran population at the time. It would take centuries for Culfra to regain its population numbers before the Plague. The devastation of the Plague after it faded away in 1351 left the survivors reeling and seeking recovery, turned inward for the rest of the century.

After near a century of relative peace and restabilization from the Great Plague, trade had started to resume and spike abroad and scholarship and study of the ancients began to become popular, starting in Dericania lands and moving north into Culfra where scholarship of the humanities grew extremely popular leading to what contemporaries called the Dual Monarchy of Science and Scholarship, referring to Theology and Humanities. The study of ancient classics and artistry grew very popular while also strides into science and reason was delved into with great fervor. During the fifteenth century a major change was occurring through deft marriages, political alliances and inheritances which made Culfra a shifting climate of political and dynastic ties, de jure united within the HLE but nonetheless competing with one another for dominance of Culfra. Competition in Culfra and abroad saw Culfran adventurist princedoms establish trading companies to Alshar and Audonia. During this period, Culfra came to be dominated by several major political dynasties. It was during this period also another name began being coined in the developing native tongues of the region, variations of the word Finnrik, Fiannri,and various other terms as a popularized northern name for the region instead of the Latinic Culfra and the older Gaullia.

As popularization of inventions such as the printing press allowed for the mass access to books The Anarchy in the Holy Levantine Empire with the Protestant Reformation sparking as well. The Anarchy was a period of great political and social upheaval. While conflicts in the Jazonid Wars and the Sedicimal Plague would define the period along with the economic depression and famine, a major part of the period in the northern Holy Levantine Empire was the Wars for the Cross, the northern theatre of the Great Confessional War.

Eventually, in 1571, as seen in many other parts of Levantia, the Holy League came out on top and Prince-Elector of Brídhavn held a vast majority of the seized lands of the Protestant lords, a network and vassals and loyal, weaker, and allied Culfran princedoms and bisophrics. Through popular and political will, the Holy Levantine Emperor recognized and the Pope crowned Alexander O'Rourke I as King of the Culfras and Captain of the North. For the first time in her history, uniting Culfras under a Culfran and what would later be called Fiannria.  

===The United Kingdom of the Culfras and her Golden Age===

In 1705, King Alexander III and his heir apparent  Princess Diana O’Rourke passed away early from a sudden and vicious battle with pneumonia. The question of succession grew violent rather quickly due to foreign interests in the cadet dynasties tied to other nations in Levantia. This vicious war by some was considered the first Civil War of Fiannria/Culfra as Princes, Prince-Archbishops, and Free Cities took sides of various backed powers among the other states of the Holy Levantine Empire and beyond it. The Crisis devolved into a further crisis as neighboring Fhainerian fell into a succession crisis as well. This led to a trans-Gaeldom war and propositions of forming a union state of the two nations. This conflict became known as the 1st Kin War. By Late 1717 the crisis in Faneria was resolving and the war exhaustion in Fiannria led to the  1718 Convention of Bridhavn.  

In the 1718 Convention of Bridhavn, Princes, Imperial Representatives, Prince Archbishops, and Aristocrats convened to find a new agreement for governance. Many foundational documents that would set the foundation for the future Commonwealth were made at this convention. Among those was the O’Rourkian Disinheritance. Concluding that the main dynastic line of the reigning dynasty was extinguished and the cadet and dynastic relatives too numerous and distant from the main line, the remains of the O’Rourkian Dynasty do not represent the Culfran interests and will therefore not be recognized as potential inheritors. Among the other verdicts from the convention was the formation of the Culfran League. A biannual assembly at the Tyn of Bridhavn with members being from every member princedom, bisophric, and free city would oversee the business of the member Princedoms with an annually elected Magister of the Tyn who would oversee the governing body and could call for emergency Tynmoots. Along with agreeing to meet as they did under the Kingdom of Culfra to pass laws regarding the Culfran League and promises of mutual defense of foriegn incursion. Ratifying the declaration of the League and recieving recogniton by the rest of the Holy Levantine Empire.

===Commonwealth of Fiannria===

In 1801 a copy of a Charter was sent out and shared in every town square and every city of the Culfras, declaring the foundation of the Commonwealth of Fiannria. Enumerating rights and ideas of governance born from the Kilikas Enlightenment and Rights of Man within a new Republican government based on Democratic principles, consisting of the Lands of Culfras. The Commonwealth would hold its first Election the following year under this new government but for the time the Congress of Bridhavn would serve as the legislative body and in place of the first elected President, Marshal of the Commonwealth, a temporary executive until the first election was named. The Marshalship was given to Count Otto Chrichton. The peace was still an uneasy one as the Great Levantine Experiment began.

===The Fiannan Brothers War ===

The first Fiannan National Election however did not play out as what idealists hoped. Quickly, factions developed across the first Tyn and the Cuilann elections quickly they devolved into a standoff of two groups Comhþháil Náisjúnta Fiannan the National Congress of Fiannria and Comhdalag Culfras, the Alliance of Culfras. The National Congress was aligned with a wide alliance of Republicans, Constitutionalists, Revolutionaries, and Radicals while the Alliance of Culfras was primarily made of traditionalists, monarchists and nobles, and clergy at the threat of Radicalism within the National Congress. What later evidence made clear is that both sides exploited this initial election and committed fraud in an effort to win. On the night of the election, both sides claimed victory and denounced the opposing side, and established their own separate All Tyn and elected President of the Commonwealth. A standoff for three months of 1802 broke out into war. A lament to the veterans of the last Kin War to watch their sons march out to fight their brothers of this new Commonwealth. Vicious fighting of militias and newly formed standing Commonwealth armies clashed. What made this a controversy was that previously Imperial armies would march forth and fight with the Culfrans, but atleast at this time, the Holy Levantine Empire did not recognize the Commonwealth. Over the next year and a half villages, towns, and cities were split in half and fought over. In mid 1804, secret talks began between moderate Republicans and moderates in the Alliance of Culfras to obtain peace and restablish a national discussion and right the wrongs both sides committed through the conflict. From mediatsation and reworking boundaries, along with harsh suppression of individuals and suspension of habeas corpus many wrongs were committed. When an agreement was made by this secret accord and joint coup occurred to put down the more radical leadership of both sides and met in Bridhavn to hold a peace settlement and prepare for a new election.  

These early years the development of a new federal army, navy, maintaining the colonies and trade companies in Alshar as well as reconstruction and rehabilitation to the new government all vied for a place as the most important mission of the government, all the while trying to figure out the role and place of the nobles, clergy and the nation of Fiannria within the Holy Levantine Empire.

This work to build the new nation faced a major crisis early on still. The neighbor Faneria which caused or escalated the collapse of the League struck the young Republic again in the Third Kin War. This war struck deep in the hearts of the young nation after it was soundly defeated and much of the Fiannria Vandarch taken and the still developing army and navy crippled by the Fanerian advance. This shame however turned to rage and revanchism. Infuriated Fiannrians were angry at everyone, from the lack of support from the Empire to the perceived government failures to the theft of Fiannan lands. With the war over in 1823, this anger poured over into the polls the followed year.  

===Levantine Civil War===

===The Post-War and Cold War===

===Operation Kipling===

WIP

==Ge<span id="Geography,_Climate,and_Wildlife"></span>ography, Climate,and Wildlife==

The Commonwealth of Fiannria is the oldest surviving Republic and Democracy in Levantia. It is a constitutional republic and with a semi-presidential system of government. The government is organized and established by a series of documents and edicts together create Constitution of Fiannria.

===Political division===

There also exists territories of the Commonwealth, insular or otherwise, which can be incorporated or possess an organized government and classified as an autonomous territory.

===Parties and Elections===

===Foreign Relations===

===Military===