Beneluccas
| Benneluccas Benelukken | |||
| Subah of Çakaristan | |||
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| Subdivision | subah | ||
| Capital | Ruhatyn | ||
| Largest cities | |||
| Area | 158,112 km2 | ||
| Population | 978,917 census of 1750 | ||
| Subahdar | |||
| Legislature | |||
| Languages | Batavian | ||
| Time Zone | CMT+5 | ||
| Driving side | right | ||
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Beneluccas (Batavian: Benelukken) was a subah (province) within the Çakar Empire. The subah is located between the Captive Sea and the Sea of Storms. It consists of an archipelago of islands that are counted among the Skerry Isles.
The archipelago of the Beneluccas consists of three main islands with a further 182 smaller islands.
Name
The name "Beneluccas" is a contraction of the first two letters of Belgium Netherlands and the addition of a derivative of Jazirat al-Muluk, which means "Island of Kings". The name was created by Erwin V.H.
History
Early History and Conflicts over Sovereignty
The territory was first shared in 1568 AN, when Flanders acquired joint sovereignty over the islands with New Cognito. This partnership led to a protracted conflict over ownership rights with Ashkenatza. After years of diplomatic pressure and military tension, Flanders and Ashkenatza signed the Treaty of Ruhatyn in 1592 AN. Under this treaty, administration of the Ashkenatzaan part was transferred to Flanders, which formally incorporated this territory as the fifth region of Flanders. However, the political landscape changed rapidly; Ashkenatza ceased to exist in 1607 AN, leading to a period of uncertainty for the archipelago.
The Fall of Flanders and Anarchy
The fall of Flanders in 1649 AN brought an end to the joint rule and left the Beneluccas in the lurch. This resulted in a tumultuous period of anarchy, during which the islands had no clear government. Amidst this chaos, various factions sought to seize control. Between 1651 and 1660 AN, the southern part of the islands became part of Gerenia, whilst the northern part became part of New Calbion in 1663 AN. Although this rule did not last long — just one year — it highlighted the region’s weakness.
It was not until 1667 that the islands found stability through the establishment of the Congress of the Beneluccas. This congress, composed of local leaders, opted for a radical step to end the anarchy: the establishment of a kingdom. As the original candidate, Erwin V.H., was no longer active, the congress began searching for a new leader. The choice fell on Margaery des Vinandy, a prominent figure who could unite the islands under a single flag.
The Franco-Batavian Transition and the Green
Following the fall of the Franco-Batavian Empire, the Beneluccas faded into the shadows of history. The islands slipped into The Green, a period of isolation and decline. The situation only changed in 1692 AN, when Calbion laid claim to the northern islands. Immediately afterwards, Batavia laid claim to the remaining islands. During this period of territorial claims, the archipelago remained politically divided until it was finally united by treaty in 1709 AN. In the same year, 1709, the islands were formally transferred to Çakaristan.
War and Drought
During the Sanpo-Çakar War (9.V.1716 AN - 31.XV.1720 AN), the Beneluccas were severely ravaged by the hostilities. The region was largely occupied by the Spider Fleet, leading to economic damage and social unrest. The war was merely the beginning of a serious problem. From 1720 to 1728 AN, the Great Skerry-Valencian Drought wreaked havoc on agriculture. The sugarcane harvest fell sharply, causing rum prices to rise immediately and leading to severe shortages. In addition, serious water shortages arose on the islands, a dramatic reminder of the region’s vulnerability to external factors. These events laid the foundations for subsequent political and economic developments in the Beneluccas.
Political Isolation and the Revaluation of Sanpantul
Whilst the islands of Sri Pashana and Lija were subjected to internal tensions and strategic realignments by Çakaristan, the Beneluccas’ political ties with the empire became increasingly tenuous. The local political parties had no representation in the Çakari Congress; the appointed subahdars from Agra made decisions in the interests of the Empire. This detachment meant that the connection with the Beneluccas was increasingly perceived not as a shared identity but as a dysfunctional administration, leading the local population to harbour fluctuating feelings of loyalty.
Relations with Sanpantul began to improve considerably. The war of 1720 to 1728, combined with the devastating drought that had paralysed the economy, had weakened the Beneluccas, but had also created a necessary reality. Trade, which had initially been conducted under the protection of Çakaristan, was now flourishing in a new form between the Beneluccas and Sanpantul. The supplies needed for reconstruction work, the development of new infrastructure and the growing demand for agricultural produce fuelled an economic boom that bridged the political divide with their western neighbour. Trade smoothed out the various cultural and economic differences, with the result that, for many, many of the inhabitants, Sanpantul was preferred to the bureaucratic aloofness of the Çakari Empire.
In this changing political climate, a new political phenomenon emerged. Elara van Lijnden, an immensely popular politician with a mother from Sanpantul and a father from Beneluccas, launched an ambitious campaign in 1757 AN. Her unique background made her a symbol of the new, more intercultural dynamic that characterised the region. In her speeches, she emphasised that the Beneluccas should no longer be a forgotten periphery of the empire, but a bridge between the two worlds, and that a closer bond with Sanpantul was the best way to guarantee the islands a strong economic future.
In 1759 AN, at a time when the region was reeling from the aftermath of the Dromosker Island Crisis and the strategic shifts in the Skerry Isles, formal talks between Sanpantul and the Shahanshah of Çakaristan officially began. The terms of the negotiations were clear: the transfer of the Beneluccas to Sanpantul. This proposal, driven by public pressure and economic realities, was seen as a way to quell the political unrest in the designated territories and to offer the Beneluccas a stable and prosperous future outside the direct influence of the central empire. The talks were set to lead to a treaty under which the islands, which had sailed under the Çakari flag for so long, would definitively transfer their sovereignty to their western neighbours.
Maps
Several maps have been made showing the Benneluccas:
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Early map of the Skerries Isles -
First detailed map of the Beneluccas -
Detailed map of Çakari East Skerries -
Second detailed map of the Beneluccas
Economy
Agriculture
During the period when the islands changed flags rapidly, the economy was increasingly dominated by the cultivation of poppies for the narcotics trade. Since the islands came under the Çakar flag, there was an active policy to reduce and even eliminate poppy cultivation altogether. This involved burning down poppy fields and trying to control exports. More other agriculture did appear, such as the cultivation of sugar cane. But after the Great Skerry-Valencian Drought, that rotation proved difficult to sustain. As a result, the government changed its policy and instead of burning down poppy fields, started buying up the crops. A factory, Rho Pharma, was set up to make morphine from the bought-up poppy.
Besides sugar cane and poppy cultivation, products such as coconuts, cotton and cocoa are grown.
Alcohol
Rum and beer brewing have been present in the islands since the early 16th century. Skerry Brand, a West Skerrian brand, is a popular rum on the islands. Between 1696 and 1717, the brand could not be supplied, but despite high prices, there was never a shortage of rum of this brand. A variety of rum brands of their own emerged during that period, some of them then labelled as Skerry Brand. Today, people take pride in their own brews and there is a wide variety of brands.
Petroleum
An oil transfer terminal is located near Schaarlecht. Built in 1668, the terminal acts as intermediate storage for petroleum before it is shipped to a refinery for processing.
Salt mining
The islands have natural salt pans that allowed for large-scale salt extraction. Towards the end of the 17th century, the salt pans ran out and extraction had become uneconomical. A Çakari businessman revived salt production, by constructing artificial salt pans. The Beneluccas Salt Company was established. The Beneluccas are ideally suited to this method of salt extraction, given its location, climate and existing infrastructure.
Tourism
Despite its troubled recent history, the islands are popular with tourists. Mainly because of their excellent diving facilities, magnificent beaches and wonderful nature.
