United Principalities of Cibola
| United Principalities of Cibola (Common Tongue) Vereinigte Fürstentümer von Zibola (Saxon) Verenigde Prinsdommen van Zibola (Diets) | |||
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| Motto: Heil dir, o Zibola Hail to thee, O Cibola | |||
| Anthem: Weisenburger Lied | |||
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| Map versions | TBD | ||
| Capital | Weisenburg | ||
| Largest city | Bülow, Gödelitz | ||
| Official language(s) | Common Tongue (lingua franca) Saxon Diets | ||
| Official religion(s) | Nazarene (Ludwiggian Reformed Church) | ||
| Demonym | Cibolan, Weisenburger | ||
| - Adjective | Cibolan, Weisenburger | ||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||
| - Kaiser | Ludwig I | ||
| - Chancellor | Konstantin Tiedemann (KNU) | ||
| - Legislature | Imperial Senate | ||
| Establishment | 1725 AN | ||
| Area | |||
| Population | 5,678,843 | ||
| Currency | Mark (𝔐) | ||
| Calendar | Norton Calendar | ||
| Time zone(s) | CMT-10 | ||
| Mains electricity | 240 V, 60 Hz | ||
| Driving side | Left | ||
| Track gauge | Standard (1,435 mm) | ||
| National website | |||
| National forum | |||
| National animal | Cibolan Owl | ||
| National food | Knackwurst | ||
| National drink | Milk | ||
| National tree | Cibolan Linden | ||
| Abbreviation | UPC | ||
The United Principalities of Cibola (Cibolan-Saxon: Vereinigte Fürstentümer von Zibola), commonly referred to as just the United Principalities (Cibolan-Saxon: Verinigte Fürstentümer) is a small nation located in southeastern Cibola. It borders Aemilia to the north and west and the Natopian demesne of Whales to the south. Nestled among the lower Lanzerwald forest, the nation provides a continuation of several Saxon cultures that have existed in the region for centuries.
Consisting of 3 principalities and 3 Imperial Cities, they became united under the Proclamation of Weisenburg, where several representatives from each principality pledged allegiance to the Duke of Weisenburg, and proclaimed him Kaiser of the nation. These representatives would go on to form the Imperial Senate
History
After the Craitish withdraw from their former dominion of Zandarijn, much of the area's former cities were left to the tender mercy of several bands of raiders that made their way up and down the countryside. The city of Nieuw-Rotterdam was subject to an especially harsh raid. The entire outer city was leveled by a fire set by raiders in order to draw out defenders. The city was left to rot; stripped of industry, infrastructure, and people. It was rumored this raid was carried out to lead to the eventual annexation of the city, as a 1706 decree of the Principality of Whales was feared to provide the Honourable Company with a sufficient pretext. An earlier attempt by the ESB Group to establish a trading post in Nieuw Rotterdam had only been thwarted by a brief but bitterly fought skirmish, after which possession of the settlement had passed to the Lanzerwald. The city remained as a minor outpost settlement for the rest of its time under control from Stadt Sankt Ludwigshafen until the collapse of the nation in the early 1720 ANs, after many years of political instability. The Saxon-speaking peoples in the region were left without a state to protect them from raids from outside forces. Razzias from ESB Cossacks from Whales became evermore common in these years. These Cossacks operated in groups that raided towns, killing the most of the able-bodied men and taking the rest into slavery. The entire region languished in anarchy as these warbands marched from town to town. The locals often nicknamed these Cossacks Tiere (Beasts/Animals) or Bärtige Schläger (Bearded Thugs).
A minor Saxon noble, former Kriegskorps Ludwigshafen Sergeant Ludwig von Heida-Weisse, founded the city in this such state after the final collapse of Lanzerwald in the late 1710s AN. With a group of armed supporters, he took the city after he faced almost no resistance from the local population. Renaming the city Weisenburg in his name, roving migrants began to once more settle in the city. The city gradually was rebuilt, and became a minor regional center for commerce and culture.
In 1725 AN, several Saxon lords came to Ludwig seeking protection from future Cossack raids on their holdings. Ludwig ordered them to assemble a group of local representatives to meet him in a manor on the Fuchshügel, a hill on the outskirts of Weisenburg. There, the Proclamation of Weisenburg was drafted, crowning Ludwig king of all of their lands. The Proclamation also gave the title of Chancellor to one of Ludwig’s close advisor, Dr. Hans-Georg Nimitz, and laid the groundwork for an elected assembly; The Imperial Senate.
In the years following its international recognition, the UPC began to rapidly expand industrially and economically. Companies such as Altdorfer Werften-Dampfkessel Werke AG, Ziboler Schwerindustrie, and Weisenburger Maschinefabrik helped to make cities such as Weisenburg and Bülow major industrial centers within the country. The nation also began to reach out to other nations to establish relations, resulting in the creation of the foreign office, the Auswärtiges Amt.
Following the country's first official national election a new Chancellor, Konstantin Tiedemann, was elected following the retirement of Hans-Georg Nimitz. Although mocked by some for being a Saxonised Zandt, Tiedemann led his Conservative-Nazarene Union party to an overwhelming victory of the rival Farmer's Party, led by Heinrich Lechner.
Government and Politics
The Monarchy
The United Principalities are a Constitutional monarchy, ruled over by the House of Heida-Weisen. Kaiser Ludwig I has ruled the nation since it's independence in 1725 AN. As outlined in rules of succession, the crown prince (the eldest son of the Emperor) is Paul von Heida-Weisse.
The Emperor holds supreme authority throughout the entire nation. All laws passed through the Imperial Senate must be approved by the Emperor (although for the most part, the emperor simply acts as a rubber stamp for legislation). Although handicapped in their legislative authority, members of the royal family are highly revered by the citizens of the Principalities.
The Imperial Senate and The Chancellery
The Imperial Senate (Saxon: Reichsrat) is the elected assembly of the United Principalities. It serves as the main voice of the people of the UPC, holding elections every 8 years where all subjects regardless of gender over the age of 18 can vote. Each Bezirk elects one Senator, who is supposed to vote on laws and policies in the best interest of their constituency. Currently there are two parties that are represented in the Imperial Senate, the Conservative-Nazarene Union (Konservativ-Nazarenische Union) and the Farmer's Party (Bauernpartei).
The Imperial Senate is headed by the Chancellor, officially the Imperial Chancellor (Reichskanzler). The Chancellor is elected via a first-past-the-post voting system. Usually, the Chancellor is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the Imperial Senate. The current Chancellor is Konstantin Tiedemann, leader of the Conservative-Nazarene Union.
The Grand Imperial Court
Subdivisions
- Principalities:
- Jürichen
- Alch
- Rhätia (Rhaetia)
- Free Imperial Cities
- Weisenburg
- Bülow-Altdorf-Colsburg
- Gödelitz
As outlined in the Proclamation of Weisenburg, the country is split into 3 Fürstentümer (Jürichen, Alch, and Weichenheim-Rhaetia) and 3 Freie Reichstadte (Weisenburg,Bülow-Altdorf-Colsburg, and Gödelitz. Each principality is further split up into several Bezirke that are used for electoral and taxation purposes.
Each principality is led by a Duke (Herzog) , who manages the day-to-day governance of the region. Each Duke is subordinate to both the Kaiser and the Imperial Senate. The Free Imperial Cities are headed by a Lord Mayor (Oberbürgermeister), which is elected by the populace and confirmed by the Kaiser and Imperial Senate. These Lord Mayors then appoint city councils (Stadtrat).
Geography
The UPC is nestled in the Lanzerwald, a deep and thick forested region of Southeast Cibola. Summers are often humid as the thick tree cover traps heat and moisture inside of the forest. Despite this, the soil in the area is said to be some of the most fertile on the entire Continent. The west of the country is dominated by rolling hills and winding rivers.
Demographics
Religion
A vast majority of people in the nation still profess faith with the Ludwiggian Reformed Church, the dominant Nazarene denomination in what was once Sankt Ludwigshafen. Even after the collapse of Sankt Ludwigshafen, the church persisted as a bastion of normality in the chaotic era before the foundation of the UPC.
There also exists a small Yehudi minority, mostly concentrated around the city of Bülow. Due to the historic persecution of Yehudis, this community is given official protection by the Kaiser himself.
Language
Most in the UPC speak Cibolan-Saxon, a Germanian language that originated with the ancient nation of Germania. Although lesser in numbers, some in the nation do continue to speak Cibolan-Diets, although this number is ever decreasing.
Defense
Military
See: Weisenburger Kriegstruppen.
