History of Valenciennes
The History of Valenciennes can be split into two discreet areas: what is often referred to as the "fictional history", that is the history that predates the 21st Century; and the "Micronational History", that is the history of what has happened post-2005.
Fictional History
Valenciennes was originally an independent realm ruled by small tribes, who together formed the Occetian nation. These tribes had come together into a large confederation to fight invading Lerians from the south. From 58 – 51 B.C.E, the Kingdom of Occetia tried to fight the Lerian Empire with virtually no success. In the summer of 51 B.C.E, the King of Occetia was captured while attempting to escape from the capital of the kingdom, Cangerliam. With the capture of the King and his capital, the Lerians had conquered the kingdom. In honor of their leader, Emperor Gerniens I, they renamed Cangerliam to Gertenia.
After the conquest, the Lerian Empire began to use Occetia as a base for the campaign against a whole constellation of marauding Madlandian tribes bent on seizing new territory. These tribes came from the Kingdom of Markionii (modern-day mainland Baudrix) and were led by King Ichnalteriox. In 13 B.C.E, the Lerians defeated King Ichnalteriox during the siege of the capital city of Markion.
The Lerian Empire dominated mainland Alexandria, or Madland as it was called by the local tribes, from 51 B.C.E until 485 C.E. Madland not only received the defending Lerian armies, but also the Lerian bureaucracy, language, commerce and culture. Madland adopted Lerian as its official language and developed a written culture. They later adopted Lerian Christianity as the official religion. The Lerians used the established precedent and used the tribe as the basic unit of their administrative districts. The nobles of Madland received Lerian titles and administrative duties, the warriors were incorporated into the Lerian army, and the peasants only paid light taxes. In 215 C.E, Emperor Lucianus granted Lerian citizenship to all Madlandians, who by the fourth century were almost universally called “Lerians”. Under the rule of the Lerian Emperors, the provincial economy of the Occetian province focused on wine, hemp, geese and flax. These items were in demand throughout the Lerian Empire, making the province of Occetia an economic powerhouse in the region. Neighboring Markion focused on grain, sheep and gold.
In the fourth century C.E, Leria began to suffer an irreparable decline. Depopulation, high tax rates and constant attacks and invasions from neighboring tribes had put immense pressure on the Lerian administration of Madland. The largest and more powerful of the invading tribes, the Alexandrii, was able to topple the Lerian administration in 485 C.E. and took firm control of Madland.
Out of the disintegration of the Lerian Empire emerged an Alexandrii kingdom –created by the Alexandrii dynasty which ruled until the disintegration of the nation and the rise of the Alexandria-Sardinia. The Alexandrii Kings saw themselves as continuing the Lerian imperium. They may have had their own legal codes, but these were written in Lerian and were based on Lerian models. In addition, the administrative structures remained essentially unchanged.
Now under the rule of the Alexandrii, the names of provinces and cities began to change. The province of Occetia was renamed Valencinnia, in honor of the sister of the new Alexandrii ruler, King Artegnus I.
Over time, the successors of King Artegnus I established the Kingdom of Alexandria, and slowly changed the subdivisions of the country. They divided Valencinnia into three possessions: Gradlia, Kettle and Occetia. Members of the Alexandrii dynasty were named rulers of these areas. Slowly, the centralized powers of the Alexandrian Kingdom were devolved to these areas. In 498, the Kingdom of Alexandria was dissolved after a brief civil war in which King Manterio I was defeated by the Alexandrii nobles. As a result of the civil war, King Manterio I became King of Gradlia, while the nobles that defeated him assumed control of Kettle and Occetia.
Many within Valencinnia were opposed to the results of the civil war. Many wished to see the return of a unified Valencinnia within a unified Alexandria. The rulers of Markion, the Alexandria-Sardinia, began to support such a movement. It wasn’t until the year 518 when King Manretcio of Gradlia, in order to appease his subjects, called for a conference of all Alexandrian rulers to meet in the city of Gradlia. It was in that conference that the Alexandrian Confederation was created. Within this confederation, it became clear that Markion and Gradlia were the most powerful states. Over time, the Gradlians with the support of the other Valencinnia realms, assumed control of the top positions of the Confederation council, known as the Tynwald, to ensure that the confederation would not turn into a unified state.
In 664, a Markionian was elected by the Tynwald to the executive post of Chief Magistrate by the Tynwald. Also in that year, the reorganization of the Tynwald caused the Markionians to have the largest delegation in the Tynwald. In 669, the King of Markion, Francis Joseph II, was elected as King of Occetia when King Heribert II died childless. With the advancing power of the Markionians, the Gradlians and the Kettleians allied themselves to fight against King Francis Joseph II. In 670, the Alexandrian War of Unification exploded.
In 679, after the Markionian victory over Kettle, the bulk of the Gradlian and Markionian armies met at Vouillons. In this legendary battle, Francis Joseph was able to thrash the armies of King Clodovis of Gradlia. The King died in battle, and his only son, Julius, was captured two days later after escaping the crush at Vouillons. The defeat marked the end of the national fragmentation and the foundation of a new, united nation. In 680, the Second Kingdom of Alexandria was created, and King Francis Joseph II of Markion became King Francis Joseph I of Alexandria. The capital of the new Kingdom was established in the city of Geneva.
Under the reunification, the provinces of Kettle, Gradlia and Occetia were dissolved. Fullfilling his promise, Francis Joseph I recreated the province of Valencinnia. However, he changed the spelling to Valenciennes. He proceeded to rename the province of Markion to Baudrix soon after. The city of Gertenia was renamed Franciscania after the new King.
Fictional History of Alexandria is currently being written. Please keep checking the history articles for more updates as the history is published.
Micronational History - 2005-2006
The province of Valenciennes was officially formed by the Golden Triangle Reforms of 2005. The old Madlandian provinces of Gradlia, Kettle and Franciscania were merged to create it.
Soon after its creation, the province took up Franciscania’s reputation for being the most liberal province of Alexandria. Liberal politicians such as Russell DuBois, Damien Clouseau and Jean Michel Leclerc became residents of the new province.
On October 12, 2005, Jean Michel Leclerc petitioned the Emperor for the establishment of the Valenciennes Provincial Parliament. Residents of the province quickly supported the petition and it was created on the same day. This made Valenciennes the first province in Alexandria to have its own provincial government.
Following the establishment of the Provincial Parliament, the residents of Valenciennes began to work on a local constitution and on different laws. Valenciennes began offering free health care to its residents, and since then, the system has been used as a model for national health care proposals.
