Shëkas

The Shëkas are the historic landed nobility of Aerla. Although holding no political power based on this nobility alone, they are influential figures in society, culture, and politics. The Shëkas are notable for holding vast power in the Grand Army of Aerla. with them holding many of the high positions within the vast command structure of the army.

Etymology

Shëka is a Commonspeak word derived from the Hatayyian title of Sheikh (شيخ) meaning “Elder” or “Lord”. It was often used to denote the leader of a certain tribe, which in turn gave them vast power in the Hatayyian society.

Groups

Anterreichians

Junker estates, with their Aerlanized names in parenthesis.

The Anterreichians, a Germanian people hailing from the nation of Anterreich-Launderschnell, have inhabited the south of modern-day Aerla since the collapse of their mother country in (insert date here). They founded several colony settlements, such as Laudendorf (Sheaville) and Jakobsgarten (Jamestown). These “Junkers”, as they called themselves, used land-bound peasants to work their vast agricultural estates. The largest of these estates was owned by the Letzebürger family, located north of Laudendorf. Even after the collapse of Anterreich-Launderschnell, these families kept their influence for many decades to come.

When Aerla declared sovereignty in 1709 AN, the new government found itself in immense debt having to pay back mercenaries that had been used to establish control in the frontiers of the Republic. Many Junker estates, seeking to gain favor with the new government, offered to pay out generous loans to the new government in Noursala. These loans proved immensely helpful to help consolidate many of these bands of mercenaries into the first divisions of the Aerlan military.

Despite this, the government sought to curb the influence of the still prominent Junker families. The Letzebürger family, still controlling their vast estate in Sheaville, entered into extensive talks with the new regional authorities in order to keep their land and influence. This led to the National Assembly passing the Nobility Act of 1711, decrying that noble titles would not entail any political power alone, but allowed the nobles to keep their previously held land. The bill also banned the use of land-bound peasants for labor.

Despite these laws, families such as the Letzebürgers still hold considerable power and favor within Aerla, mostly in the Army. Most high command positions being are held by those of Anterreichian descent due to their perceived militaristic backgrounds. For example, Joachim von Letzebürger serves as a Generalmæjor within the GAR and is currently acting Chief of the Army Recruiting Department. Other notable Junkers in the army include Generalfëldmarshall Eric Jost (who acts as Inspector-General of the GAR and is Chief of the Army High Command), as well as Generalleutant Heinz Kafka, commander of the 4th Army. Many in the public and government criticize their role in army planning, believing their appointments were done as political appeasement rather than any actual command skill.

Hatayyians

When the Kingdom of Hatay conquered Central Keltia in the 1520 ANs,they installed local rulers who had converted to Umraism and swore an oath of loyalty to their queen, Horiah al-Baqir. The most notable of these families that would have influence on modern Aerla were the Umar family who ruled over the aptly named Umar Province from Yasid, and the Abadi family that ruled the Shahdad Region from Mola Ram. These families, like the Junkers, commanded vast estates and gained much wealth from jizya taxes collected from non-Umraists in their realms.

Unlike the Junkers, these Hatayyian families lost much influence upon the collapse of their nation. Both the Umar and Abadi families’ spheres of influence both would wither into the walls of their regional capitals. The Abadi thereafter lost their grip on Mola Ram due to nomadic invasions. The Umars held out in Yasid for many more decades to come, before they ultimately submitted to Aerla.

Another reason for their gradual decline was the rise in prominence of the Nazarene faith in the region over Umraism. With Umraists becoming the minority in the region, the families were unable to collect their jizya taxes. It also diminished their role as religious leaders, with even most Umraists going on to ignore their authority.

Despite all of this, families such as the Umars still hold much power in the regions they control. Due to compromises with the Aerlan government, the Umar family is still responsible with taxation in the city of Yasid and its surrounding villages. The city of Yasid is the only city in Aerla where the mayor is not democratically elected, with the current head of the family, Jiyaad al-Umar, holding the office of Sheikh until his death.