Anglo-Saksen Commonwealth
| Anglo-Saksen Commonwealth | |||
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| Motto: | |||
| Anthem: | |||
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| Map versions | |||
| Capital | Johannsessbuurg | ||
| Largest city | Kerbuurg | ||
| Official language(s) | Common tongue; Crandish; Anglo-Saksen | ||
| Official religion(s) | Church of Cranda | ||
| Demonym | Anglo-Saksen | ||
| - Adjective | Anglo-Saksen | ||
| Government | Heptarchy | ||
| - High King | Johann IV | ||
| - Kingsmoot | The Seven Kings | ||
| - Legislature | Council of Thanes | ||
| Establishment | |||
| Area | |||
| Population | 8,404,112 | ||
| Active population | 1 | ||
| Currency | Scilling | ||
| Calendar | |||
| Time zone(s) | CMT | ||
| Mains electricity | |||
| Driving side | right | ||
| Track gauge | |||
| National website | N/A | ||
| National forum | N/A | ||
| National animal | Aeagle | ||
| National food | Shepherd's Pie | ||
| National drink | Stout | ||
| National tree | Britannic Oak | ||
| Abbreviation | ASX | ||
The Anglo-Saksen Commonwealth, also referred to as Angsax, is a former country located in northern Apollonia. Angsax is a direct continuation of the Anglo-Saxon Commonwealth and was formed in response to ongoing negotiations between the various tribal leaders. It is now a part of Lac Glacei.
Etymology
Although comprised of seven kingdoms, the country takes its name from the two primary groups that form the commonwealth, the Saksens and Anglish.
Geography
The commonwealth is a collection of seven kingdoms across northern Apollonia along the shores of the Clear Sea and Violette Sea. It is bounded in the north and south by Lac Glacei and Hurmu, in the west by Meckelnburgh, and in the southwest by Ashinthael.
History
Early History
The current tribes of the commonwealth began migrating into the region 1400, with the first tribes, the Saksens and Jutts, arriving from the south. Other tribes, including the Angles, Humms, and Balls, began migrating into the area soon after from Lyrica island, pushed out by Storish invaders. Finding safe passage through Cognito and Lac Glacei they settled in northern Apollonia, extinguishing the Oceanic people and reducing the Purple Islanders to a mere shadow of their former selves. Some of the tribes soon coalesced into the state of Cranda.
Angsax was founded by the Beckford Dynasty around 1465 AN as the Whealsh, Humms, Myrca and West Saksens settled in the northeast corner of Apollonia. The Beckford dynasty married in to the Crandish kings and soon the two states joined to form the massive Kingdom of Arminy. When Arminy collapsed around 1512, the kingdoms and duchies were divided up between several nations. Disagreements over who received what led to internecine warfare between the tribes as each vied for power. The resultant war depressed the region enough that none of the tribal leaders wielded enough power to form a cohesive state. The situation remained in such a poor state that it allowed other tribes to begin moving into the area.
Around 1521 the first rivals to the old Crandish orders arrived when Tokish nomads established their kingdom on the Purple Isles, soon conquering Anglien and Jutien. Stormark soon moved in and seized the Vaan Aujoen. By 1524 Novans had overtaken Saskenlant and parts of Balduvien, while the Tokish had pressed southward all the way to Lake Glacei. It wasn't until 1531 when the Keshan tribes formed an alliance with the Tokish and began a massive conquest of the region and soon, along with Novatainia, dominated all the lands of former Arminy. In 1534 the Novans and Tokish joined together to form the Empire of Gralus who would then utterly control the whole of northern Apollonia until 1627.
With the passing of Gralus only a rump state of Toketi survived on the Purple Isles and Glanurchy. Within a decade foreign powers had begun to fill the vacuum left by Gralus' collapse. Stormark colonized Eesdeheito while Alexandria and Gotzborg propped up puppet governments in Anglien and Jutien, respectively. Meanwhile Shireroth moved in and colonized Jorvik. Most of these colonization efforts would eventually falter save for the Storish occupation which engulfed the remains of Toketi and expanded around Lake Glacei. The Storish invaders would manage to subjugate most of Wessax, Jorvik and the northeast before succumbing to the Crab Plague around 1685.
1700s
By the early 1700s the area had begun to stabilize, thanks in part to nations like Meckelnburgh, Ashinthael, Hurmu and Lac Glacei consolidating their hold over the region. A renewed interest in Crandish culture arose in Lac Glacei, spurred by the restoration of the ancient Arminian capital of Arminsburg. The Crandish cultures, particularly those of the Lac Glaceians and Anglo-Saksens, began to thrive again. Lac Glacei's seizure of Arminsburg and the unification of Ashinthael were the two primary events to spur action on behalf of the Anglo-Saksen kings. Recognizing that they were steadily losing ground to other encroaching states, Johann IV, King of Anglien, called a Kingsmoot in Johannsessbuurg in which he invited the six other kings. At the meeting they agreed that to continue the petty squabbling amongst themselves would leave the door open for colonization.
The meeting concluded with the basic outline for the heptarchy agreed upon. The Kingsmoot elected Johann IV as High King and the union was officially formed with the seven kingdoms. The commonwealth was declared in 1706 with a formal coronation of Johann IV. Ambassadors were quickly sent to Ashinthael and Lac Glacei to formalize borders and ensure no further encroachment. Only the Hummish clans in the east continued to disagree over the borders with neighboring Jorvik; although the Grand Duke of Lac Glacei assured the High King that they would reconcile the matter peaceably. By 1706 the Grand Duchy and Commonwealth had drawn up permanent boundaries with Humlant and concluded a formal treaty between the two nations.
Government and Politics
Angsax is a commonwealth heptarchy ruled by a High King who presides over the seven kingdoms. The seven kings combined form a Kingsmoot, a legislative body that acts as a governing council and elects from among its peers one to serve as High King.
The current High King is Johann IV, a direct descendant of Johanns fonn Klosso, first King of Arminy. He also serves as monarch of Anglien. He is married to Queen Lianna, daughter of Aethelgar II, King of Saksenlant.
The seven constituent kingdoms are:
- The Kingdom of Anglien
- The Kingdom of Saksenlant
- The Kingdom of Balduvien
- The Kingdom of Wheals
- The Kingdom of Humlant
- The Kingdom of Jutien
- The Kingdom of Myrca
See also: Foreign Relations of Angsax
Culture
The commonwealth is comprised of seven separate tribes, each with their own kingdom: Angles, Saksens, Whealsh, Humms, Jutts, Balds, and Myrcans. While each tribe has its own distinct culture, they all share a common heritage with Cranda and Arminy. Krantisk is the common language spoken by all tribes.
Role of Magic
While the Anglo-Saksen peoples are primarily non-magic tribes, the commonwealth comprises lands that were once under the aegis of Gralus, whose people were deeply involved with arcane and mystical powers. As such, magic still exists within the land, especially within those Gralan cities that survived into present times (such as St. Nova's). The level at which magic was prevalent during the heyday of Gralus no longer exists. At present magic has become something of a lost art, practiced by Gralan wizards, who are scarce, reclusive, and/or both. Many of the surviving practitioners fled to neighboring Ashinthael, which still embraces the old ways. Most people are afraid of magic and consider it taboo, shunning it and those who practice it. This has reached such an extent that most magic practitioners have fled to Ashinthael where magic is welcomed.
The St. Nova Academy
The St. Nova Academy is one of the last vestiges of Gralus on Micras. The institute was founded by a group of Gralan wizards as a school to teach the magical arts. Barely surviving the fall of Gralus, the academy managed to retain a semblance of autonomy even during the long upheavals tat eventually led to the present Commonwealth. While most magic users were expelled or killed during the great civil disturbances that prevailed before the Commonwealth could stabilize the region, the academy managed to fend off these hordes due to carefully-woven spells that kept it concealed for years. Once the Commonwealth had stabilized the region the SNA secretly contacted the Anglo-Saksen kings and negotiated a pact with them. The academy would obtain royal protection and acknowledgement as the only legal institution that could teach magic. To this day it remains the only location where magic is legally taught within the Commonwealth. The government maintains strict regulation over those who are selected for the SNA program and most are recruited directly to the military after graduation.
Demographics
The country has a total population of 8,404,112 citizens.
The following was the ethnic breakdown of the country, according to the 1700 census:
- Anglo-Saksens: 5,101,709
- Crandish: 850,602
- Lac Glaceians: 603,044
- Hurmudans: 278,199
- Gralans: 247,625
Economy
The Scilling is the national currency of the commonwealth and is a minted coin. A single scilling can be divided into 12 pence; conversely 20 scillings constitute a pound. Both pence and pounds are also minted coins, though in lesser circulation than the scilling.
Currently the scilling is pegged to the Glaceian blanc.
Infrastructure
The Anglo-Saksen infrastructure is still in a relative age of infancy despite the many civilizations that have called this region home. Years of warfare and the ravages of barbarian tribes left their toll and set back years of development, especially from the economic boom years of Gralus. The commonwealth government has been working diligently to repair basic infrastructure, such as roads and rails, manufacturing, and commercial investment. Despite this, much of the population remains fragmented in rural towns or clustered in the remaining major cities.
