Shirerithian emigration to Nouvelle Alexandrie
 Flag of Shireroth; 1752 AN. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| ~1,250,000 (1752 AN, estimated) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Lausanne, South Lyrica |
~480,000 |
 Punta Santiago, Alduria |
~310,000 |
 Beaufort, North Lyrica |
~165,000 |
 Cárdenas, FCD |
~95,000 |
| Other cities | ~200,000 |
| Languages | |
| Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
Population figures based on 1752 AN Department of Interior registration records and community organization estimates. Actual figures may be higher due to incomplete registration of second-generation emigrants. | |
The Shirerithian emigration to Nouvelle Alexandrie was a significant political exodus that began during the Mango Anarchy period of the Shiro-Benacian War (1733 AN-1740 AN) and has continued in smaller waves through the present day. The emigration began as a trickle of nobles and upper-class citizens leaving Shireroth in 1735 AN, but transformed into a mass movement following the establishment of the Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep and the subsequent Regime of the Bloody Cleansing in 1737 AN. Many of these political refugees settled in Nouvelle Alexandrie, particularly in the regions of South Lyrica, North Lyrica, and Alduria, establishing what became known as the "Little Shirekeep" community in Lausanne.
By 1752 AN, the Shirerithian diaspora in Nouvelle Alexandrie numbered approximately 1.25 million, making it one of the largest exile communities in the federation. The community has produced notable figures in politics, the arts, and sciences, while maintaining distinctive cultural institutions and voting patterns that reflect their historical experience with revolutionary violence. The presence of Queen Mother Abigail, herself a descendant of Kaiseress Noor and member of the Ayreon-Kalirion dynasty, has provided the emigre community with an influential patron at the highest levels of New Alexandrian society.
Background
Prior to the exodus, Shireroth had been experiencing severe internal strife following the controversial Bad Neighbour II nuclear attack orchestrated by Kaiseress Salome. The subsequent house arrest of the Kaiseress by Steward Louis Thuylemans and the relocation of the government to Novi Nigrad created a power vacuum in Shirekeep. The situation was further exacerbated by a mounting debt crisis, with Shireroth owing significant sums to both Natopia and Nouvelle Alexandrie.
The establishment of the Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep under Erasmo Laegel in 1737 AN marked a turning point, as the committee began systematically stripping away aristocratic privileges and initiating radical reforms. The subsequent Flight to Foley incident, where Kaiseress Salome attempted to escape but was captured and taken to Hurmu, catalyzed the radical elements within the revolution, leading to the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing.
Waves of emigration
First wave (1735-1737)
The first wave of Shirerithian emigrants, comprised primarily of politically astute nobles and wealthy merchants, began their exodus in early 1735 AN as they anticipated the empire's growing instability. These early emigres demonstrated remarkable foresight in transferring their wealth through complex financial networks, often converting their assets into precious metals and artworks before departure, and establishing banking relationships in Nouvelle Alexandrie well in advance of their arrival. Many worked through their own merchant networks to secure their fortunes, while others leveraged ancient noble privileges to transfer hereditary treasures through diplomatic pouches. Their careful planning allowed them to establish comfortable positions in their new home, with many purchasing extensive estates in Punta Santiago and Lausanne, where they quickly established exclusive social clubs and private academies to maintain their cultural traditions.
However, the conspicuous wealth and behavior of these early emigres soon drew criticism from both their hosts and less fortunate refugees who would arrive later. As Junior Envoy Carlos Mendez famously complained[1], "The nobles who fled do nothing but gorge and feast! They're rotten to the core. Even our foreign dignitaries have given up on them - they never want to discuss real business, it always circles back to pleading with us to fight their battles!" The lavish lifestyle of these nobles, characterized by extravagant balls, hunting parties, and constant social events in their newly established exile communities, created tension with local New Alexandrian aristocrats and politicians. Their persistent attempts to lobby for military intervention in Shireroth became particularly problematic during the Recession of 1737 and subsequent Fake War, when Shireroth's debt default to Nouvelle Alexandrie made such requests especially unwelcome.
Mass exodus (1737-1740)
The largest wave of emigration occurred following the establishment of the Revolutionary Committee of Shirekeep and the start of the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing in 1737 AN. This period saw widespread persecution of the nobility, as revolutionary fervor gripped Shireroth. Local peasant uprisings targeted noble estates and rural fiefs, with villagers who had long endured feudal restrictions taking advantage of the political chaos to ransack mansions and burn down estates in symbolic acts of defiance. The Imperial Forces of Shireroth and local marshals, overwhelmed or unmotivated to protect the nobility, often stood by as aristocratic properties were destroyed.
By 1738 AN, radicals had seized control of the Folksraad and Adelsraad, effectively sidelining the Landsraad and institutionalizing persecution of the nobility. Though emigration was officially forbidden, many nobles used their remaining connections to slip out of Shireroth, often at great personal risk. Those who escaped frequently had to leave significant portions of their wealth behind, as the revolutionary government had begun confiscating emigre properties. The creation of mutual aid societies among the emigre community became necessary for supporting these later refugees, who arrived with far fewer resources than their predecessors.
Post-war period (1741-1750)
The conclusion of the Shiro-Benacian War with the Treaty of Lorsdam in 1741 AN and the subsequent stabilization under Kaiser Ayreon V did not end Shirerithian emigration to Nouvelle Alexandrie, though it changed in character. The restoration of order in Shireroth allowed some emigres to return and reclaim confiscated properties, but many chose to remain in their adopted homeland, having established businesses, married into local families, or simply grown accustomed to New Alexandrian society.
The post-war emigration consisted primarily of three groups. First, nobles who had survived the Mango Anarchy within Shireroth but found their social and economic positions permanently diminished under the new order. Second, professionals and intellectuals who had been associated with the old regime and faced continued discrimination. Third, individuals who had fallen into disfavor at court for personal rather than political reasons, finding exile preferable to marginalization at home.
Shireroth's departure from the Raspur Pact following the war created additional complications for the emigre community. Where once the emigres had represented displaced allies, they now occupied the more ambiguous position of refugees from a nation with which Nouvelle Alexandrie no longer maintained close relations. This shift paradoxically strengthened emigre community bonds, as the prospect of return became more distant and the need to establish permanent roots in Nouvelle Alexandrie more pressing.
Continuing arrivals (1750-present)
By 1750 AN, a steady if modest stream of Shirerithian arrivals continued to augment the diaspora. These later emigrants typically came for personal rather than political reasons, though the distinction was not always clear. Scandals, failed careers, broken marriages, and simple lack of prospects at home drove individuals to seek new beginnings among established emigre communities.
The most notable recent arrival was Prince Atreyu Ayreon-Kalirion, who arrived in 1752 AN following the scandal surrounding his neglect of his illegitimate children. His reception as a guest of the Royal Household, facilitated by his kinship with Queen Mother Abigail, demonstrated that even disgraced members of the imperial family could find refuge in Nouvelle Alexandrie under appropriate circumstances.
Settlement patterns
The Shirerithian emigre community established distinct enclaves across several major New Alexandrian cities, with each developing its own unique character and social dynamics. The largest concentration settled in Lausanne, South Lyrica, quickly transforming several neighborhoods into what became known as "Little Shirekeep," complete with traditional Shirerithian architecture, restaurants serving Imperial cuisine, and social clubs that maintained the strict hierarchical etiquette of the Shirerithian court. By 1752 AN, approximately 480,000 Shirerithian-origin residents lived in Lausanne and its surrounding communities.
A significant number of emigres also established themselves in Punta Santiago, where the community of approximately 310,000 split along class lines. The wealthy settled in the prestigious Florencia district, where they renovated mansions in the Shirerithian imperial style and established private gardens modeled after those of Raynor's Keep. Less affluent emigres settled in the working-class neighborhoods of the port district and industrial quarters, where they found employment in shipping, manufacturing, and service industries.
Beaufort attracted a smaller but notably prosperous community of approximately 165,000, composed primarily of former Imperial bureaucrats and administrative officials. These emigres tended to integrate more readily with local society while maintaining their own exclusive social circles. Their administrative expertise secured them positions as advisers and consultants to New Alexandrian businesses and government offices. The capital region around Cárdenas housed approximately 95,000 emigres, mostly professionals and academics who had found positions in federal institutions.
Royal patronage and the Queen Mother
The Shirerithian emigre community has benefited from an influential connection to the New Alexandrian crown through Queen Mother Abigail. As the widow of King Sinchi Roca I and mother of the reigning King Sinchi Roca II, Queen Mother Abigail holds significant influence within the House of Inti-Carrillo. Her own descent from Kaiseress Noor through her branch of the Ayreon-Kalirion dynasty places her within the extended family network that connects the New Alexandrian and Shirerithian royal houses.
Queen Mother Abigail has served as an informal patron of the emigre community since the earliest waves of arrivals. She has attended Remembrance Day ceremonies commemorating victims of the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing, provided personal contributions to the Imperial Exiles' Benevolent Association, and used her influence to smooth the integration of noble emigres into New Alexandrian high society. Her intervention on behalf of Prince Atreyu in 1751 AN-1752 AN, securing him a place as a guest of the Royal Household despite his disgrace, demonstrated the practical value of her patronage.
The Queen Mother's involvement has lent legitimacy to the emigre community's more aristocratic elements while also creating expectations of loyalty and discretion. Emigre nobles who enjoy her favor understand that overt political agitation against Shireroth or public criticism of the New Alexandrian government would jeopardize their privileged position. This tacit arrangement has contributed to the community's political moderation and its focus on cultural preservation rather than restorationist schemes.
Socioeconomic status and class dynamics
The Shirerithian diaspora in Nouvelle Alexandrie is far from economically homogeneous. The timing and circumstances of emigration created sharp class divisions within the community that persist into the present day, shaping residential patterns, social institutions, and political behavior.
The emigre elite
The wealthiest stratum of the diaspora consists of families who emigrated during the first wave of 1735 AN-1737 AN, having successfully transferred substantial assets before the revolutionary government could confiscate them. These families, numbering perhaps 15,000 to 20,000 individuals, maintain lifestyles comparable to the New Alexandrian upper class. They own estates in Florencia and the exclusive neighborhoods of Lausanne, hold directorships on corporate boards, and send their children to elite academies. Many have intermarried with New Alexandrian noble families, and some have received New Alexandrian titles through royal favor.
This elite maintains the most visible Shirerithian cultural institutions: the exclusive clubs, the heritage foundations, the private temples. Their wealth funds the Imperial Exiles' Benevolent Association and supports less fortunate community members. However, their conspicuous consumption and insular social networks have sometimes generated resentment both from working-class emigres and from native New Alexandrians.
The professional class
A larger stratum, perhaps 150,000 to 200,000 individuals, consists of professionals who either arrived with some resources or successfully rebuilt careers in Nouvelle Alexandrie. This group includes former Imperial bureaucrats, military officers, lawyers, physicians, academics, and merchants. Many arrived during the mass exodus with little more than their skills, but their education and connections allowed them to find employment suited to their abilities.
This professional class has integrated most successfully into New Alexandrian society. They work alongside native colleagues, send their children to public academies alongside New Alexandrian students, and participate in mainstream civic organizations. Many have adopted New Alexandrian citizenship while maintaining cultural ties to the emigre community. They form the backbone of organizations like the Shirekeep Cultural Institute and provide leadership for community mutual aid efforts.
Working-class emigres
The majority of the diaspora, perhaps 800,000 to 900,000 individuals, consists of working-class and lower-middle-class families. Many descend from minor nobles or gentry who lost everything during the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing and arrived as refugees dependent on charity. Others came from non-noble families who fled persecution for association with the old regime or simply sought to escape the chaos.
These emigres work in manufacturing, shipping, retail, and service industries. They live in modest neighborhoods adjacent to but distinct from the wealthy emigre enclaves. Their children attend public schools and often speak Alexandrian or Martino more fluently than Istvanistani. While they maintain cultural identity through religious observance, community festivals, and family traditions, their daily lives are more integrated with working-class New Alexandrian society than with the emigre elite.
Class tensions
The class divide within the diaspora has generated periodic tensions. Working-class emigres sometimes resent the elite's control of community institutions and their presumption to speak for all Shirerithians. The wealthy emigres' persistent emphasis on noble titles and court etiquette strikes many working-class community members as pretentious, particularly when those claiming distinguished lineages have done little to assist less fortunate compatriots.
Conversely, elite emigres occasionally express concern that working-class integration threatens cultural preservation. The declining use of Istvanistani among second and third generations, the adoption of New Alexandrian customs, and intermarriage with non-Shirerithians all represent, to some traditionalists, a gradual dissolution of Shirerithian identity.
These tensions remain largely internal to the community. To outsiders, the diaspora presents a unified front, and political candidates seeking emigre votes court both wealthy donors and working-class voters. The annual Remembrance Day ceremonies bring together emigres of all classes in shared commemoration of their community's trauma.
Political activities and host nation relations
The political activities of Shirerithian emigres created significant diplomatic challenges for their host nations. While many emigres dreamed of organizing anti-revolutionary interventions to reclaim Shireroth, the political climate proved unfavorable for such ventures. The Recession of 1737 and Shireroth's debt default made potential host nations reluctant to fund military actions, especially given the risk of retaliation from the Shirerithian Navy. This tension became particularly evident during the failed Jinkeai Expedition of 1737 AN, when Prince Yukio's attempted restoration from Hurmu complicated that nation's position of neutrality.
The New Alexandrian government maintained a delicate balance in its treatment of the emigres, particularly during The Fake War. While granting asylum to verified noble families and providing protection through the Department of Interior, authorities also closely monitored emigre political activities to ensure compliance with neutrality laws. The government faced particular challenges in managing the diplomatic tensions arising from Shireroth's debt default while simultaneously housing a significant population of anti-revolutionary exiles.
Following Shireroth's departure from the Raspur Pact, the emigre community's political activities became less diplomatically sensitive but also less practically relevant. With no realistic prospect of a restored Shireroth rejoining the Pact alliance, dreams of military intervention faded. The community's political energies increasingly turned inward, focusing on preservation of cultural identity and advancement of community interests within New Alexandrian politics.
Political behavior and voting patterns
The Shirerithian emigre community has developed distinctive voting patterns shaped by its historical experience with revolutionary violence and persecution. Political scientists have documented consistent trends across multiple election cycles, though individual variation exists based on generation, region, and socioeconomic status.
Party preferences
Shirerithian emigres vote disproportionately for the Federal Humanist Party and, to a lesser extent, the Federal Consensus Party. Studies conducted following the 1749 general election found that approximately 58% of self-identified Shirerithian-origin voters supported the FHP, compared to 52% of the general electorate. Support for the FCP stood at approximately 28% among emigre voters, slightly above the party's national average.
Support for the Alliance for a Just Nouvelle Alexandrie and its constituent parties, particularly the Democratic Socialist Party, remains notably low among the emigre community. Fewer than 8% of Shirerithian-origin voters supported AJNA in 1749 AN, less than half the coalition's national vote share. Political analysts attribute this to the community's visceral reaction against left-wing politics, which many emigres associate with the Revolutionary Committee and the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing that drove them from their homeland.
Class and political preference
Socioeconomic status correlates with party preference within the emigre community, though not always in expected ways. The wealthy emigre elite votes overwhelmingly for the FHP, drawn to its pro-business policies, emphasis on property rights, and connections to the Raspur Pact security framework. Many elite families maintain direct relationships with FHP leadership and contribute substantially to party fundraising.
Working-class emigres also favor the FHP, but for different reasons. Their anti-left orientation stems from direct experience with revolutionary persecution rather than economic interest. Many would benefit from the redistributive policies advocated by AJNA, but their historical trauma makes left-wing politics culturally unacceptable. The FCP attracts working-class emigres who seek more moderate economic policies without associating themselves with the left.
The professional class displays the most varied preferences. While still trending conservative, professionals show greater willingness to evaluate candidates individually and occasionally support centrist or even progressive candidates who avoid socialist rhetoric. This flexibility has made professional-class emigres a target of outreach efforts by the Civic Governance Alliance and reform-minded elements of the FCP.
Issue priorities
Emigre voters consistently prioritize stability, property rights, and strong institutions over redistribution and social reform. Polling conducted by the IOP in 1748 AN found that Shirerithian-origin respondents ranked "banking system stability and financial security" as their top concern at rates 12 percentage points higher than the general population. Conversely, they ranked "wealth inequality and income distribution" significantly lower than average.
National defense and border security also rank highly among emigre priorities, reflecting both their experience as refugees and their continuing connections to a volatile region of Micras. Many emigres support robust military spending and Raspur Pact commitments, viewing international alliances as essential protections against the kind of chaos they fled.
Generational differences
Younger members of the emigre community, particularly those born in Nouvelle Alexandrie after their parents' arrival, display more varied political preferences than their elders. While still less likely than the general population to support left-wing parties, second-generation Shirerithian New Alexandrians show greater willingness to consider centrist and even progressive candidates on individual merit. This generational shift has created some tension within emigre community organizations, with older members expressing concern that younger generations are forgetting the lessons of the Mango Anarchy.
Electoral influence
The concentration of Shirerithian emigres in South Lyrica, particularly Lausanne, gives the community measurable electoral influence in several Federal Assembly constituencies. At least three deputies from South Lyrica owe their seats in part to emigre support, and candidates of all major parties routinely court emigre community leaders during election campaigns. The annual Remembrance Day ceremonies commemorating victims of the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing have become obligatory stops for politicians seeking emigre votes, with Queen Mother Abigail's attendance lending additional prestige to the occasion.
Notable Shirerithian New Alexandrians
The Shirerithian diaspora has produced notable figures across New Alexandrian society, from politics to the arts and sciences. The following represents a selection of prominent community members:
Politics
- Konstantin Vorzhev (born 1698 AN, Shirekeep) - Deputy for South Lyrica in the Federal Assembly, representing the Federal Consensus Party. Born to a family of Imperial civil servants, Vorzhev fled Shireroth during the mass exodus of 1738 AN at age 40, settling in Lausanne where he worked as a legal consultant before entering politics. First elected in 1744 AN, he has served on the Commerce and Foreign Affairs committees and is considered the unofficial voice of the emigre community in the Cortes Federales. Vorzhev has advocated for refugee resettlement programs and property rights protections, drawing on his own experience of dispossession.
Arts and entertainment
- Irina Voronova-Talbot (born 1712 AN, Shirekeep) - Actress and director, considered one of the leading figures of New Alexandrian cinema. The daughter of a theatrical impresario who operated several playhouses in Shirekeep, Voronova-Talbot escaped the Regime of the Bloody Cleansing as a young woman when revolutionary authorities shuttered her father's theaters as "bourgeois entertainments." She rebuilt her career in Punta Santiago, initially performing in emigre community theaters before breaking into mainstream New Alexandrian film. Her 1746 AN film The Last Season (La Derniere Saison), depicting the final days of a noble family during the Mango Anarchy, received critical acclaim and won the Golden Laurel at the Punta Santiago Film Festival.
Sciences
- Dr. Mikhail Dragunov (born 1701 AN, Novi Nigrad) - Physicist and professor at the University of Cárdenas, specializing in materials science and crystallography. Dragunov was a junior researcher at the Imperial Academy of Shirekeep when the Mango Anarchy began, and his family's connections to the old regime made continued academic work impossible after 1738 AN. He emigrated to Nouvelle Alexandrie in 1742 AN, initially working as a laboratory technician before his expertise was recognized. His research on crystal lattice structures has contributed to advances in Alexandrium processing, and he has trained a generation of New Alexandrian scientists. Dragunov has spoken publicly about the debt he owes his adopted country and the importance of emigres contributing to their new homeland.
Nobility
- Atreyu Ayreon-Kalirion (born 1695 AN, Shirekeep) - Prince of Shireroth and former heir apparent to the Golden Mango Throne. The most prominent recent arrival, Atreyu emigrated in 1752 AN following personal scandal rather than political persecution. His presence in Nouvelle Alexandrie as a guest of the Royal Household, facilitated by Queen Mother Abigail's intervention, represents the continuing connection between the Shirerithian imperial family and New Alexandrian royalty through the Ayreon-Kalirion bloodline.
Cultural institutions
The emigre community maintains numerous cultural institutions dedicated to preserving Shirerithian heritage and supporting community members. The Shirekeep Heritage Society, founded in Lausanne in 1739 AN, operates a museum of Shirerithian history, maintains archives of emigre family records, and sponsors cultural events throughout the year. The Imperial Exiles' Benevolent Association provides financial assistance to recently arrived emigrants and elderly community members, funded by contributions from wealthier emigre families. Queen Mother Abigail serves as honorary patron of the Association.
Religious life centers on several Cedrist temples established in emigre neighborhoods, though many community members have converted to Nazarene Christianity or Bovicism through intermarriage with New Alexandrians. The Cedrist Temple of the Exiled Light in Lausanne remains the among the largest Cedrist house of worship outside Shireroth, attracting worshippers from across the diaspora for major festivals.
Educational institutions include the [[Imperial Academy of Lausanne, a private secondary school modeled on Shirerithian educational traditions serving primarily elite emigre families, and the Shirekeep Cultural Institute, which offers language instruction in Praeta and Istvanistani as well as courses in Shirerithian history and customs. The Institute is open to all community members regardless of socioeconomic background and has become an important venue for cross-class interaction within the diaspora.
See also
- Mango Anarchy
- Streïur uis Faïren
- The Fake War
- Atreyu Ayreon-Kalirion
- Abigail Ayreon-Kalirion
- Alexandrian people
