Antora: Difference between revisions

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The first inhabitants were the Antora people, an offshoot of the [[South Peragen#Ancient%20history|Impelanzans]]. They settled the region of Novaris that now bears their name, and founded many towns and cities still standing in modern times. The Antora eventually split into the Reóran and Arranzic ethnic groups, who settled in Réal and Casilló respectively. These groups ruled over neighboring territory and feuded for nearly 600 years over sole control. Conflicts during this period include the Invasion of Valle de María, the War of the Red River, and the Sieges of Eleçeron.
 
In 1584, the Kingdom of Réal was conquered after the Thirty-Years’ Bloodshed, also known as the Conquísta. A brutal war instigated by King FélipeFelipé I ‘the Bloody’ of Casilló, most of the populations of both states were involved in the fighting. Most of the adult members of the House of Carrateó, rulers of Réal, were slain, and the House of Naranza became the rulers of most of Antora. Tensions remained high and the economy of the region suffered as rural populations became prey for mercenaries and bandits. The Réoran people refused to acknowledge the conquerors as their legitimate rulers. A rebellion was narrowly avoided when King FélipeFelipé II worked with Réoran leaders to personally address their concerns.
 
King FélipeFelipé III of the House of Naranza married Alicia II 'the Younger' of the House of Carreteó after years of difficult court intrigue to secure the future of his throne, and the support of the Réoran people. This marriage, and the measures his father took to address the Reóran peoples’ distress, allowed FélipeFelipé III to rule over a united country of both Arranzic and Reóran cultures for the first time in history. With the combination of the two states after several years of legal work and persuasion of the nobility, the Kingdom of Corrí was officially founded in 1628. The astronomic talents of Reóran scholars were combined with the nautical capabilities of Arranzic sailors, producing a thriving and wide-ranging trade fleet. Corric merchants traded the mineral and agricultural wealth of their nation in exchange for foreign crops and scientific knowledge.
 
Most of the profit generated from trade went to the already-wealthy merchants, nobles, and royals. The wealth inequality led to discontent culminating in the common populace rising up in 1658 in a peaceful revolution. The people demanded a constitution that provided checks on the Monarchs' power, diminished the legal authority of the nobility, and codified values such as the concept of citizenship, civil rights, taxation, and elective governance. King Juan Téo agreed to reform the government against the advice of the nobility. His ideas were influential enough that his son King Luca IV reorganized the territory of the kingdom into nine districts, to ensure that locals had adequate municipal and regional governance and to streamline the census. The legal and economic reforms of this period saw the Kingdom emerge stronger, with a larger tax base and more patriotic populace lending themselves to an increase in infrastructure projects, military growth, and industry expansion.
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When Réal was conquered by Casilló, the ethnic and cultural makeups of the two began to blend. Modern Antora has a majority population of ''Corric'' people, a mixture of Reóran and Arranzic traits. This demonym comes from the Kingdom of Corrí, which was established after the two kingdoms were legally consolidated.
 
The name Corrí has no definite known origin, as any thoughts on the matter remain in King FélipeFelipé III’s or Queen Alicia II’s memoirs, which are locked by royal decree. Some scholars believe it has roots in the words ''correr'', to move, shift, pass by, get a move on, ''corregir'', to correct or make right, or ''corazón'', heart. Theories point to certain public speeches and decrees by both her and her husband the King as to the origin of the name being ''corazón'', though other theories point to other speeches and ''corregir'' instead.
 
After the national restructuring in 2022, the Popular Assembly voted alongside a national referendum to rename the former kingdom of Casilló y Réal to Antora to reflect the rejection of past connotations and to display a united national identity on an official level. As the name Antora was already used mostly interchangably with Casilló y Réal, the populace had no issue with the change, voting 78% in favor.
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Notable conflicts of the Horrible Two-Hundred include the Invasion of Valle de Maria; an occupation and massacre of an economically important Reóran valley, the War of the Red River; a twelve-year conflict over much of the territory of Grejona which was the furthest Reóran territory ever expanded east, the Sieges of Eleçeron; a successive series of assaults and counter-assaults against the Réoran capital, and the Infanticides; a blood feud that extinguished the Arranzic house of Deguerde and the Reóran house of Lavanesse.
 
Though the period of warfare lasted two and a half centuries, it was not a stalemate. The Arranzic territories had direct access to the Concordian Ocean, while the Réorans were limited to overland trade routes, of which there were few. Casilló was thus able to slowly grind down the resources and manpower of Réal and offset their losses via imports. By the mid-sixteenth century, Réal was regrouping their professional soldiers and levied militia. The Réoran nobility was restricted to raiding and small-scale skirmishes.[[File:Philip II of Spain portrait.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Portrait of King FélipeFelipé I of Casilló, c. 1551|alt=Portrait of King Félipe I of Casilló, 1551, portraying a standing man in his middle years with dark orange hair and beard and a stern expression. He is wearing brown hose and red-and-gold decorated black armor in the style of the 1500s. He holds a golden rod across his legs and the background is dark.]]
 
=== Conquista (1557 - 1584) ===
In 1557, King FélipeFelipé I of Casilló began the largest conflict of the Horrible Two-Hundred. The king had been born a second son, which allowed him to pursue more dangerous activities. He grew up as a squire in service to one of the Royal Captains tasked with keeping the peace outside of the main population centers. These experiences of seeing much of the west in poverty from centuries of conflict made Prince FélipeFelipé resolve to remove the threat Réal posed to his people.
 
When King Alejandro III and Crown Prince Teodore died in a shipwreck in 1550, FélipeFelipé ascended to the throne. He quickly gathered like-minded supporters from the nobility and upper classes, including prominent generals from the Royal Arranzic Armed Legions. These individuals and their power bases would form the backbone of FélipeFelipé I’s fight against Réal. The king spent seven years training troops, funding military research, and acquiring some black-powder weapons that were new to Antora at the time.
 
On 12 March 1557, FélipeFelipé I invaded the Réoran province of Marsabale, part of the Duchy of Palda, with an army of almost 14,000 troops. This set off the '''Thirty Years’ Bloodshed''', also known as the '''Conquista'''. The use of firearms and cannons allowed the Arranzic forces to further conquer Camplata and L'vontre provinces. The Duke of Palda was able to marshal his army and engage FélipeFelipé I while the king was consolidating the loot gained from Camplata. The king won the battle, but it proved costly and slowed progress. This stall allowed the rest of Réal to prepare for war, and the Conquista changed from a swift professional conquest to a general war of sieges, raids, and pitched battles.
 
==== Raids and Knights ====
A large portion of the Thirty Years Bloodshed was raiding and counter-raiding. Akin to the earlier skirmishes of Antoran conflict, frontier territories between the belligerents would often be assaulted by mobile bands of soldiers and mercenaries. These raids were part of a larger strategic goal of depriving the opposition of food, manpower, fortifications, and supply lines. Certain enterprising raid captains would take their forces deep into hostile territory to strike at less-defended towns and outposts, catching their garrisons unaware. As a consequence, more and more towns on both sides of the war began to build up their militia and defenses. The need for capable soldiers to manage and command these defenses became serious; most knights and high-quality mercenaries were already committed to important garrisons or expeditions. This situation led to the creation of three Orders of Chivalry. These Orders differ from the two already-established Antora Orders, the Order of the Eagle and the Order of the Sepulchre, in that they can be joined rather than membership being a bestowed honor.[[File:Badge of the Order of Calatrava.svg|alt=The Order of Santa Claudia is a four pointed equal cross with each bar tipped with a red fluer de lis, the Andoran Lily|thumb|180x180px|The badge of the Chivalric Order of Santa Claudia]]In Réal, King Marius Sancho created the Chivalric Order of Eleçeron in 1563. This Order was open to all who displayed good bearing, love of the Kingdom, and skill at arms. The smaller population of Réal and their history of warrior queens meant that membership was not restricted by gender. Many notable knights of this Order throughout the Conquista, including Jaquelin of Santo Juan and the Blue Knight, were women. In Casilló, King FélipeFelipé created the Chivalric Order of Málama and the Chivalric Order of Santa Claudia. The Order of Málama was founded as a way to ennoble commoners who displayed the means to equip and maintain the lifestyle of a knight, to have competent commanders for frontier and conquered garrisons. The knights who joined this order are referred to as 'Knight-Mayors,' or more derogatorily as 'Muddy Knights.' This Order did prove effective despite its detractors, with several successful defenses of Arranzic territory credited to Knight-Mayors. The Order of Santa Claudia was established as an all-women order of knights with the authority to marshal small militias in their home territories. Primarily founded as a means of rear-line defense against raids, the women of the Order gained a reputation as fierce fighters and authority figures. The Militia of Conzelaña, for example, was officially made the Twenty-Ninth Royal Irregulars Company for their skill and bravery under the command of Marta Lilía of Conzelaña.
 
==== Mercenaries ====
The conflict saw involvement from large numbers of mercenaries hired by both nations. Réal retained several large pike companies from the areas of what is today Celannica, and hired coastal raiders from several coastal Novaris states. Casilló hired large numbers of Cryrian sell-sails, which operated on raids up the major rivers into Réoran territory and helped defend the coast. The cultural impacts of these companies can be seen across Antora. The shipbuilding techniques of the Cryrians heavily influenced later Antoran ship designs. Some mercenaries decided to settle in the Antora region after their contracts concluded. Today, significant populations of Antoran people can trace some ancestry back to Cryria and Celannica.
 
In 1571, Casilló finally gained the upper hand in the conflict. FélipeFelipé I had started a river campaign using Cryrian mercenaries to destabilize the Réoran interior. Squadrons of ships would be sent up the largest rivers into Réal's territory to raid the countryside and destroy any fortifications guarding the waterways. Although not initially very successful, the continued expeditions drew troops and attention away from other areas while also incrementally accomplishing their objectives. Since Réal had no large shipbuilding industry or heritage, they were constrained to building more castles and forts along the rivers. This further diverted labor and supplies that could have been used to fortify the frontier regions. The mercenary ships did not have to destroy every castle; they were there to hold the focus of the Réoran military response.
[[File:View of Grol (Groenlo) in 1595.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Rendition,''The 1788Northern Sieges'', ofc. the Northern Sieges1700|alt=Rendition, 1788, of the Northern Sieges, depicting a painting of a group of soldiers in trenches and barricades outside a medieval town. The town has dark brown stone in its walls. The soldiers are firing many cannons and muskets at it.]]
 
==== Escalation and Conquest ====
After four years of continuous river raids and small land skirmishes, FélipeFelipé I began the next phase of the strategy. The lands between the provinces of Cartavedra and Liti had always been the least-rugged terrain between the two kingdoms, with few mountains to impede travel. Both sides had fortified their sections accordingly. Réal had diminished their defenses in this area to focus on the river attacks to the south, and Casilló took advantage of this. Coastal garrisons had long served as the reserves for the Arranzic lords, but the king had them training while not fighting. This left them hardened and very fit for duty. The majority of coastal troops, nearly 40,000 were marched north to Liti and then west to the border of Cartavedra to siege the weakened forts. These Northern Sieges lasted three weeks, and by the time that word had reached the strengthened river garrisons, the Arranzic cannons had already broken through the defenses.
 
These Sieges coincided with the largest naval action of the Conquista. Cryrian ships alongside significant portions of the river-capable Arranzic fleet were sent up each major river at dawn the day the Sieges were to commence. This hamstrung the Réoran troops; with no way to counterattack the riverine forces directly, nor take advantage of the weakened garrisons of the coastal Arranzic territories, they were forced to sit as static defenses and engage their enemy in place. The frontier defenses, meanwhile, were still largely independent and separated from the overall command structure. They had been formed to defend their territory, not attack the enemy ''en masse.'' This, combined with contemporary travel time, meant they were unable to be used as a reactionary attack force.
 
The northern Arranzic forces, which had been bolstered at the front by all but one regiment of the King's Own royal troops, began a rolling encirclement tactic. This method was deployed on a strategic level as well. The leading edge of the front would be maneuvered south to wrap around an enemy position, be it a fortification, town, or group of soldiers. The forces further back in the lines would act as a reserve in case of enemy counter-maneuvers, but would otherwise move past the encirclement to become the front of the next encirclement. The forces that had previously encircled the enemy would pacify the opposition and then rejoin the front to become the reserve. Working on both a micro and macro level, this wave-like motion allowed the forces of Casilló to occupy much of northern Réal. This was made easier by the nature of the Réoran mountain ranges, which would obscure troop movements between valleys. Réoran troops, uninformed as of yet about the tactic, would move in a straight line to engage hostile troops encircling a town, only to be attacked in the flank or the rear by more troops emerging from a neighboring valley.
[[File:San Romano Battle (Paolo Uccello, London) 02.jpg|thumb|180x180px|Section of ''A battle near a bridge,'' c. 1591, showing the duel between Count Burgí and King FélipeFelipé I|alt=Section of A battle near a bridge, 1591, showing the duel between Count Burgí and King Félipe I. The painting is cropped to focus on two fully armored men, one riding a black horse and the other a white. The man on the white horse is rearing back and raising a warhammeer, while the man on the black horse is striking with a sword as if to block the hammer. ]]
By the time that the Arranzic advance had reached the Ourá River, they had occupied the entirety of Cartavedra. The river fleet on the Ourá had been stymied by the twin castles of Otia, near present-day Vizos, which mounted a chain between them and heavy artillery. The Arranzic troops successfully demolished the northern tower and allowed the fleet to take the southern bank stretch unopposed. Thus controlling the bridge at Vizos, the army was able to cross the Ourá and continue the campaign. FélipeFelipé I, however, decided to consolidate his gains. He sent half the Ourá fleet east, to head up the Azuré River. A sixth of the army was sent back to occupy Cartavedra, while the rest was allowed to rest and recuperate on the north bank of the river.
 
This gave the lord of Otia, Count Burgí who had not committed his cavalry to the river defense, to attack the bridge. FélipeFelipé I, not wanting to lose the largest river crossing in a hundred miles, led his cavalry to stop the Réoran's demolition attempts. The Battle at Vizos Bridge was the largest single cavalry engagement of the Conquista, with 400 medium and light Réoran horsemen engaging 700 heavy and medium horsemen from the Arranzic army. After several complex flanking maneuvers and counter-maneuvers across the plateau, the Réoran horse managed to separate their opponents' line into three. The Arranzic riders took losses from crossbow fire and javelins and were unable to fully utilize their massed charge capabilities in the small and uneven field on the southern end of the bridge. Count Burgí, a respected military mind and fighter, personally engaged FélipeFelipé I in mounted combat. The Arranzic king took several significant blows but held himself long enough to sever the saddle straps of his opponent with his sword. Count Burgí fell and was subsequently trampled. The remaining Réoran horse quit the field soon after.
 
Incensed by his wounds and the possibility of the advance being stymied, FélipeFelipé sent the bulk of the army ahead after a week of rest, while he and a detachment of royal troops remained at Otia to recuperate. The Arranzic forces faced less resistance as they moved south along the western half of Réal, as soldiers were garrisoned mostly in the east. By 1577, they had endured losses of estimated 4,000 troops, and in turn, captured 20,000 and killed 18,000 more. Advancing deeper into the Réoran heartlands proved more difficult. The mountains became harsher and the defenders more trained and fanatical. The Sieges of [[Descarai|Descara]]<nowiki/>i and Vazara were the longest and bloodiest battles of the whole Conquista; they lasted 2 and 3 years respectively with a total loss of life of around 40,000 military and civilian casualties. A significant obstacle the Arranzic forces needed to overcome was the terrain being unsuited for large-scale cannon bombardment. Locations with lines of sight on fortifications and flat, even terrain to transport and deploy cannons were scarce. Sieges that should have taken weeks or months stretched on and on and gave time for defending armies to rally.
 
The provincial lords of Elvuros stripped garrisons of trained soldiers and conscripted most able-bodied men to meet the army that had flanked them in the rear. Historians posit that if the terrain was not so difficult for both sides at the Sally at Vazara, when the Duke of Elvuros and half the province's lords descended on FélipeFelipé I and his army, who by this time had reconsolidated, then the Arranzic troops would have routed. The battle ended with a loss of 3,000 men on the Arranzic side, 8,000 Réorans, and the surrender of the city. This battle froze the army in place for another year as their numbers had been diminished through battle and garrisoning occupation troops they no longer held a numerical advantage. The river fleets, which had been mostly destroying infrastructure and bogging down troops up to this point, began ferrying seasoned front-line troops further into Réoran territory to launch small sieges and bolster the king's army.
 
Casilló secured the capitulation of Elvuros in this advance and took significant defensive forts in Imodé. Simultaneous assaults on towns from land and river led to more surrenders and what is estimated to be a fourth of Réal's total military strength laying down their arms. By 1581 the kingdom of Réal had been reduced in territory to Marsalvano and the western portions of Imodé King Marius Sancho had by this time summoned all available lords to defend Marsalvano and the capital city, though only a third of those available joined him. The rest either did not reply or cited threats to their lands. At this point in the war, FélipeFelipé I was able to call upon an estimated 45,000 professional soldiers with a further 120,000 conscripted infantry and 25,000 mercenary troops, with the rest of the Royal Arranzic Armed Legions serving as defensive or occupational troops. He also had the various mercenary sailors and fleet marines making up another 10,000 troops. In contrast, Marius Sancho had approximately 20,000 professional soldiers across his remaining territory with 9,000 available for maneuvers, and around 40,000 conscripts and 8,000 mercenaries, mostly pikemen from Celannica. The defenses of the capital territories of Réal were formidable but never battle-tested.
 
The city of Eleçeron did not have sufficient defensive works to repel an assault from the river, which posed a significant risk. Construction was begun on a river wall with an enormous gate in 1582, as the Arranzic army marched closer to the city. The strategy, however, was not to take the capital immediately. FélipeFelipé I instead directed his lords and generals to capture all remaining territory under Réoran control. He and the royal troops began an encirclement of the eastern portion of the city, and soldiers from the Duchy of Giroruña were disembarked on the western bank several miles downriver to begin the encirclement of the other half. Facing limited resistance due to almost two-thirds of the remaining Réoran soldiers occupying Eleçeron, the Arranzic army was able to conquer the rest of Marsalvano and Imodé by late 1583.[[File:1579 Siege of Maastricht - Aranjuez Palace.jpg|thumb|275x275px|''The Siege of the Royal City'', 1600c. 1650|alt=The Siege of the Royal City, 1600. A painting depicting a grand scale siege against a city that is split by a river. The painting overlooks many siege lines and tents and soldiers. In the foreground are two parties of horsemen dressed in orange, with several banners, approaching each other. Behind them are formation of musketeers and pikemen marching towards the city. In the center of the painting is prominently displayed a large tower, inside of which are large cannons which are firing on the city. Cannons are also surrounding the city on the close and far sides of the river. The city walls and buildings inside them have smoke, fire, and explosions on them. ]]
Marius Sancho ordered the continuation of the work on the river walls. With no outside resources and no quarries within the city, this involved demolishing buildings within the walls and dumping the stone into the river. The populace was incensed by this and the rapidly dwindling food stores being monopolized by the thousands of soldiers. When the Arranzic army began shelling the fortifications with cannons on board ships in the river, the laborers stopped work and refused to return, leaving the river walls half-finished. FélipeFelipé I sent heralds repeatedly to the city asking for surrender, but they returned each time with ruder and ruder replies. FélipeFelipé I attempted to personally negotiate the surrender and brought his sons Arturo and FélipeFelipé with him to the walls. Marius Sancho outright refused to surrender or entertain the thought of a settlement, despite the protests of his son Enriqué. A Réoran crossbowman, apparently intending to kill FélipeFelipé I, instead shot Arturo. Marius Sancho killed the archer on the spot, audibly shouting about how the death of the Arranzic crown prince had doomed the city. FélipeFelipé returned to his camp and ordered a continuous bombardment of the city walls until all cannons had run out of either ammunition or powder.
 
The Thunderstorm Siege lasted for four weeks and involved an around-the-clock artillery barrage that remains the longest single artillery engagement in Antoran history. FélipeFelipé I had brought nearly 300 guns of varying sizes, with a further 34 onboard ships in the river. Eleçeron was attacked from nearly all directions. Fortifications, earthworks, and siege platforms were erected to give cannons better firing angles on the city walls as well as buildings within. It is estimated that over 80,000 cannonballs, grapeshot, and mortars were fired onto the city. Care was taken to avoid damaging civilian homes, with royal observers being assigned to each battery and the authority to execute any crew that hit a non-military target intentionally. The East and West Royal Gates were recorded to have been hit 4,000 times combined, and the Réoran Guard Barracks almost 1,000. Neither structure survived into the modern-day, and only 12% of the city walls of Eleçeron exist currently. The barrage was so powerful and so loud that soldiers were rotated to the encampment lines, 2 miles distant, after only 3-hour shifts. Contemporary Réoran accounts describe a never-ending lightning storm, with earthquake-like impacts being able to be felt everywhere in the city and the constant roar of thunder permeating even the cellars of the Royal Palace.
 
After all ammunition had been exhausted, the Arranzic armies were ordered to advance. FélipeFelipé I had issued orders that no enemy soldier was to remain alive at the end of the day. They encountered little resistance, with most of the still-surviving Réoran soldiers surrendering on the spot. All were simply killed immediately. The civilian population was ignored for the most part; those that confronted the Arranzic troops were imprisoned. The Royal Palace of Eleçeron was stormed by FélipeFelipé I himself, along with his household troops. 657 of the two-thousand strong Royal Arranzic Guard were killed in the fighting, facing the Carratéo Royal Bodyguard, a force of five hundred men as well as nearly seven hundred soldiers. All those living in the Palace were killed either in the fighting or afterward. This included all members of the House of Carratéo, save for the sole child, Princess Alicia, making the family functionally extinct in the male line.
 
=== Reconciliation Period (1584 - 1660) ===
After Réal was fully conquered by Casilló, the Arranzic kings devoted themselves to integrating the territory and people of both kingdoms. FélipeFelipé I worked with his vassals and advisors to remove troublesome lords from Réoran lands and award the new ''heredados'' to loyal nobles and soldiers. Between 1586 and 1590, the armies of Casilló put down revolutions by Réoran nobility and traitorous Knight-Mayors who did not want to relinquish their lands. Many new castles were commissioned in the central provinces to ward against peasant rebellions and robber barons. After ensuring that the security of the Antora region was taken care of, FélipeFelipé I spent the remainder of his life combining the legal and feudal systems of Casilló and Réal before passing away in 1599 at age 66.
 
FélipeFelipé II ascended the throne in 1600 and continued his father's work on integration. Many issues with taxes arose during his reign. The common citizens did not want to provide the fruits of their labors to a foreign king, and many small conflicts between Arranzic knights and Réoran citizens broke out. Since the Arranzic court was already ''de facto'' located in Eleçeron, FélipeFelipé II made the controversial decision to permanently relocate. The capital and royal court of the Naranza family would be permanently located in the Réoran city, though the Palace of Porta Tranquíla would remain their largest and most-frequented residence. FélipeFelipé II also made many trips through the region to learn and listen to the people, often holding informal audiences in taverns, castles, and fields with the local communities. Despite the dangers, which included assassination attempts and poisonings, his fair judgments and even temper helped endear him to the populace. The king proved himself an able administrator despite many detractors, and after ten years of work had fully combined all the archives, laws, noble lineages, and institutions of Casilló and Réal.
[[File:Recognition of the Duke of Anjou as King of Spain.png|thumb|''Acclaimation of Felipé III,'' c. 1821]]
The success of FélipeFelipé II would be short-lived. In 1610, only a year after the integration of the kingdom, he passed away from typhoid at the age of 43. This thrust his son, FélipeFelipé III, onto the throne. Only 17 at his coronation, FélipeFelipé had few advisors considered trustworthy. To combat the ambitions of his court, he appointed Alicia of the House of Carratéo to be his principal counselor. The House of Naranza had proven able administrators and fair rulers, but significant portions of Réorans still held faith in their old dynasty. Alicia was also, by this point, a capable scholar and a childhood friend of FélipeFelipé III. Her presence on the royal council provided legitimacy and skill for FélipeFelipé III to rely on when other courtiers concerned themselves with manipulating the king. The Paladins of the Royal Body were created by FélipeFelipé III as a special detachment of guards to defend the monarch. Between 1611 and 1617, twelve conspiracies to control, kill, or incapacitate the king were uncovered, with the conspirators executed or exiled. Meanwhile, the insight into Réoran culture via Alicia allowed the king to address Réoran issues more capably. These years cemented FélipeFelipé III as a shrewd monarch, with the general support of both the people and the nobles. The strength of his rule eventually dissuaded further attempts to control him, yet it was not permanent.
 
After years of failed engagements to various noblewomen, it began to be believed that FélipeFelipé III would never have an heir of his own. At 27, he had gone through eight broken engagements. Many nobles felt that his intelligence and the support of the people were not enough if he could not commit to a relationship for the good of the monarchy. Distant cousins from various minor Naranza branches began to form factions to take the throne. The Naranza-Juniares princes issued FélipeFelipé III an ultimatum in 1622: he must be married to a proper lady within a year, and stay married, or they would force him to abdicate. While the king had the leading princes arrested and imprisoned for threatening the sanctity of the monarch, their opposition emboldened many other dissatisfied parties. Enough vassals and extended family were potentially against him that by 1623 the king found he could not reasonably win a civil war if one broke out.
The success of Félipe II would be short-lived. In 1610, only a year after the integration of the kingdom, he passed away from typhoid at the age of 43. This thrust his son, Félipe III, onto the throne. Only 17 at his coronation, Félipe had few advisors considered trustworthy. To combat the ambitions of his court, he appointed Alicia of the House of Carratéo to be his principal counselor. The House of Naranza had proven able administrators and fair rulers, but significant portions of Réorans still held faith in their old dynasty. Alicia was also, by this point, a capable scholar and a childhood friend of Félipe III. Her presence on the royal council provided legitimacy and skill for Félipe III to rely on when other courtiers concerned themselves with manipulating the king. The Paladins of the Royal Body were created by Félipe III as a special detachment of guards to defend the monarch. Between 1611 and 1617, twelve conspiracies to control, kill, or incapacitate the king were uncovered, with the conspirators executed or exiled. Meanwhile, the insight into Réoran culture via Alicia allowed the king to address Réoran issues more capably. These years cemented Félipe III as a shrewd monarch, with the general support of both the people and the nobles. The strength of his rule eventually dissuaded further attempts to control him, yet it was not permanent.
 
FélipeFelipé III's decision to marry his advisor Alicia, by then Chamberlain of the Court, was a shock to many Antoran nobles. The friendship between the two was well-known, but it was believed if the king had affection for Alicia, he would have proposed to her many years ago. The personal records of both are sealed to this day on the Crown's authority, so no definitive insights into the situation can be gleaned. What is known is that on the 20th of March, 1625, FélipeFelipé III married Alicia of the House of Carratéo in the Porta Tranquíla Cathedral, creating her as Alicia II. As a show of respect and unity between their peoples, FélipeFelipé III declared that their House would be known going forwards as Naranza-Carratéo. The couple had two children; a daughter, Margaríte, born in 1626, and a son, Juan Téo, born in 1628. Margaríte would die of a fever when she was just three years old, leaving Juan Téo as the heir to the throne.
After years of failed engagements to various noblewomen, it began to be believed that Félipe III would never have an heir of his own. At 27, he had gone through eight broken engagements. Many nobles felt that his intelligence and the support of the people were not enough if he could not commit to a relationship for the good of the monarchy. Distant cousins from various minor Naranza branches began to form factions to take the throne. The Naranza-Juniares princes issued Félipe III an ultimatum in 1622: he must be married to a proper lady within a year, and stay married, or they would force him to abdicate. While the king had the leading princes arrested and imprisoned for threatening the sanctity of the monarch, their opposition emboldened many other dissatisfied parties. Enough vassals and extended family were potentially against him that by 1623 the king found he could not reasonably win a civil war if one broke out.
[[File:Jan-Joosten-van Lodensteyn-and-William-Adams-with-Ship-Liefde-first-encounter-in-Kyushu-Japan-1600.png|thumb|''Antoran Sailors Acquire A Peregrin Map,'' c. 1730]]
The royal couple would break tradition and begin a new one by jointly ruling the kingdom. While queens had as much authority in Antora as kings, no Antoran monarch had ever co-ruled with their spouse before. FélipeFelipé agreed to handle economic and military matters, while Alicia took charge of social and feudal issues. The both of them passed judgment on petitions together and often consulted each other for major decisions. While the Arranzic nobility was opposed to dealing with a Réoran monarch, the Queen proved a fair, personable, and extremely intelligent ruler. Combined with the King's good-natured refusal to deal with the issues of vassals unless necessary, Alicia II was able to eventually convince the lords of Antora of her capabilities.
 
In 1628, after long negotiations started by his father, FélipeFelipé III was able to convince the clergy and nobles that full integration of nations would be in everyone's best interests. Since the Conquista, the kingdoms had simply been jointly referred to as "Casilló." This completely ignored the Réoran parts of Antora, leaving many dissatisfied. Alicia II was ironically instrumental in convincing the Arranzic lords of the need for a name change. With both monarchs' consent, and the support of the common people, religious community, and noble Houses, Casilló and Réal were discarded as names in favor of a unified Kingdom of Corrí.
Félipe III's decision to marry his advisor Alicia, by then Chamberlain of the Court, was a shock to many Antoran nobles. The friendship between the two was well-known, but it was believed if the king had affection for Alicia, he would have proposed to her many years ago. The personal records of both are sealed to this day on the Crown's authority, so no definitive insights into the situation can be gleaned. What is known is that on the 20th of March, 1625, Félipe III married Alicia of the House of Carratéo in the Porta Tranquíla Cathedral, creating her as Alicia II. As a show of respect and unity between their peoples, Félipe III declared that their House would be known going forwards as Naranza-Carratéo. The couple had two children; a daughter, Margaríte, born in 1626, and a son, Juan Téo, born in 1628. Margaríte would die of a fever when she was just three years old, leaving Juan Téo as the heir to the throne.
 
The royal couple would break tradition and begin a new one by jointly ruling the kingdom. While queens had as much authority in Antora as kings, no Antoran monarch had ever co-ruled with their spouse before. Félipe agreed to handle economic and military matters, while Alicia took charge of social and feudal issues. The both of them passed judgment on petitions together and often consulted each other for major decisions. While the Arranzic nobility was opposed to dealing with a Réoran monarch, the Queen proved a fair, personable, and extremely intelligent ruler. Combined with the King's good-natured refusal to deal with the issues of vassals unless necessary, Alicia II was able to eventually convince the lords of Antora of her capabilities.
 
In 1628, after long negotiations started by his father, Félipe III was able to convince the clergy and nobles that full integration of nations would be in everyone's best interests. Since the Conquista, the kingdoms had simply been jointly referred to as "Casilló." This completely ignored the Réoran parts of Antora, leaving many dissatisfied. Alicia II was ironically instrumental in convincing the Arranzic lords of the need for a name change. With both monarchs' consent, and the support of the common people, religious community, and noble Houses, Casilló and Réal were discarded as names in favor of a unified Kingdom of Corrí.
 
The prosperity and community that this change brought about enriched the Antoran peoples immensely. After years of separation, the Arranzic and Réoran populations were finally equal people in one nation. Difficulties between prejudiced members of both cultures persisted, but most were happy to have an excuse to put rivalries aside. In particular, the shipbuilding industry in the coastal provinces received a large boost in productivity with formerly-Réoran lumber merchants and mining guilds willing to negotiate better deals. The mountaintop Réoran monks kept great records of astronomical information, which provided another boon to the Corric economy. Newly-imported printing presses allowed these astronomy charts to be copied and sold in large numbers to sailors. The sailors then used these charts to navigate across Urth and establish a trade network that outshone even the historical fleets of Antora. The success of Corric merchants brought great wealth to the guilds, noble sponsors, and monarchy.
[[File:CromwellDissolvingLongParliament.jpg|thumb|242x242px|''Márquez Declares Revolution'', c. 1867]]
 
Very little of the resources and coins made their way into the hands of the sailors, craftspeople, and dock workers that supported these trade expeditions. For every one silver ''Regné'' that was earned by a sailor, five-hundred were earned by the captain, a thousand by the owner of the vessel, and upwards of ten-thousand by investors. Weavers and farmers were hit the hardest; their goods sold for their weight in gold overseas, yet many were reimbursed by merchants at a hundredth of the true value. The lords who controlled the docks and rented space to the guilds received massive kickbacks to keep the process going, as well. The constant refusal of the nobility to more fairly guarantee wages and compensation for Corric goods being exported meant many citizens saw negative returns on their labor. This climate of exploitation and ignorance saw the populace become progressively more radicalized.
 
After the death of FélipeFelipé III in 1655 and Alicia II in 1657, the citizens of Corrí saw the perfect opportunity to fix the issues of their society. Prominent community leaders in major cities held meetings and rallies to acquire support for a general strike and revolution. Ismael Halconero of Porta Tranquíla, Pau Márquez of Iravala, and Salma Vélez of Eleçeron were instrumental in convincing many people to abandon their work and march together on the coronation of Juan Téo. Printing presses were also utilized to create fliers and news sheets about the inherent rights of the populace. On the 8th of September, 1658, Juan Téo began the traditional procession from Porta Tranquíla to Eleçeron for his coronation. Instead of cheering crowds, he was greeted with armed civilian militias blocking the exits from the Palace. It is estimated that over 300,000 people rose up and blockaded the castles, barracks, gates, and docks of the major Corric cities that day. Certain lords found themselves sympathizing with the people and acted to secure the Palace from the inside along with their personal guards. With the situation in their control, the community leaders and their sympathizers presented Juan Téo with a choice: either accept a provision of government that allowed the common people a voice or never reach Eleçeron to become king.
 
Faced with this decision, and earnestly unaware of how bad certain groups had been treated, Juan Téo immediately accepted the fact that better representation of the people was necessary. There were members of the nobility that violently objected to this, specifically those that had become grossly enriched by the status quo. When members of this faction attempted to attack the community leaders and Juan Téo, they were detained and executed. These nobles and their families were subsequently stripped of their titles and lands as part of the First Constitution of the Kingdom of Corrí, which was drafted over the rest of the year. With the rights of the people guaranteed, the establishment of an Assembly and electoral system, and a codification of law, King Juan Téo was crowned King of Corrí and Sovereign of Antora on the 16th of March, 1659, with the support of the nobility and the permission of the general populace.
 
=== Reformist Period (1660 - 1740) ===
[[File:Portrait of Pope Innocent X (by Diego Velázquez) - Doria Pamphilj Gallery, Rome.jpg|center|thumb|''Portrait of Archbishop Hernandéz II,'' c.1740]]
 
=== Rennaissance of the Mind (1740-1835) ===
[[File:Iglesia de San Miguel, Jerez de la Frontera, España, 2015-12-07, DD 99-101 HDR.JPG|center|thumb|The interior of the Tonderouca Cathedral, built in 1770]]
 
=== Colonial Abstenation (1835-1880) ===
[[File:Environs de San Sebastian par Didier Petit de Meurville (années 1850).jpg|center|thumb|''Journey to Conference,'' c. 1850]]
 
=== Stagnation (1880-1912) ===
[[File:Francis of Assisi of Bourbon king consort of Spain.jpg|center|thumb|King Montero Julio, depicting in portrait c. 1905]]
 
=== 20th Century Priorities (1912-1982) ===
[[File:An F-4G Phantom II wild weasel 1991.jpg|center|thumb|The L-65 Tiburón fighter, still in service today, is considered the best example of Corric military development in the 20th century]]
 
=== Succession Crisis (1982-1987) ===
[[File:De proclamatie en beëdiging van Prins Juan Carlos tot Koning van Spanje tijdens , Bestanddeelnr 254-9766.jpg|center|thumb|King Benito Ares I at the accession ceremony of Catrás, 1984]]
 
=== Current Day (1987-Present) ===
[[File:Felipe VI y la alcaldesa visitan la muestra Haciendo futuro en CentroCentro 04.jpg|center|thumb|King Sebastián II regularly interacts with citizens outside royal protocol.]]
 
== Geography ==
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