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History of Urcea (1798-1902): Difference between revisions
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===Cultural revival=== | ===Cultural revival=== | ||
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. | 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, [[Patrick III of Urcea|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 counts and other nobles 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 nobles 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 led 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 counts and other nobles 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 nobles 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 led to significant resentment in the colony and an eventual rift growing in relations between Urcea and its colony. | ||