Ellesborg: Difference between revisions
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| population_total = 1.7 million
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This vulnerability would be thrust into full light in 1863, when the native population exploded into full rebellion. Repeated abuses and disrespect towards local customs by the EMC resulted in a general uprising throughout the territory, giving local leaders the confidence to turn against their puppetmasters, and resulting in the defection of many native troops. While the Cooperative successfully held on to the fortress at Ellesborg and the surrounding settlement, the silver mines that were the region's lifeblood were lost. Desperate to regain control, the EMC would turn back to Cryria and fiercely lobby the government in Leidenstad for military support.
Despite the actions of its citizens, the Kingdom had historically sought to avoid entanglements in Arcturia, both due to the logistical challenges and out of fears of running afoul of the spheres of influence that had already been established by other powers. However, this time the Cryrian government was led by Prime Minister Ingvar Aberg, who had close financial and familial connections to the EMC, as well as colonial ambitions for his country. Aberg would prove to be a friendly ear for the Cooperative, and would arrange for a small expedition to be sent to secure Ellesborg. In exchange, the EMC agreed to transfer its governing mandate over the territory to the Crown, allowing
==== Later History ====
At the outbreak of the Great War, Ellesborg was defended by some 3,750 soldiers, drawn from the Naval Infantry and Foreign Legion garrisons as well as local militia. The local naval presence consisted of four gunboats and a torpedo boat, though this was reinforced by a pair of torpedo cruisers prior to the commencement of hostilities. In recognition of the outpost's isolated nature, a series of fortresses had been established in the hills surrounding the city as well as over the harbor. Cryrian entry into the Great War would bring Ellesborg into the conflict as well against neighboring Imperial Coalition colonies and nations. The postwar settlement would see the significant inland expansion of the Mandate, one of the few Cryrian gains in the war, though the subsequent turmoil of the Cryrian Anarchy would once again cause Leidenstad's interest in the area to evaporate, and the EMC was left on the brink of insolvency due to the long disruption in trade.
With the formation of the Union of Free Cities, Ellesborg would become an area of shared sovereignty between Cryria and the UFC, though for the most part the Cryrian side of affairs would be effectively run by the EMC. By this time, the mines had practically run dry, but the Mandate's unique legal status would offer new routes to prosperity. Exempt from many of the regulations of normal Cryrian life yet still maintaining full and direct access to the Cryrian system, Ellesborg would transform itself into a tax haven, becoming an important financial hub for the ever more notoriously secretive Cryrian banking system. Loose restrictions and frequent visits from the wealthy allowed for the development of a thriving gambling industry as well, and the city would go from a mining town to a resort town.
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=== Defense ===
The defense of Ellesborg remains the responsibility of the Cryrian government, which has historically limited its investments in that regard. The Cryrian presence that does exist is largely the result of extensive lobbying efforts by the EMC, and units based in the UFC collectively operate under the aegis of the Ellesborg Garrison. Though
== Economy ==
Historically centered on mining, Ellesborg has developed into a wealthy service economy based on casino gaming, tourism, and banking. In many respects, Ellesborg shares a common market with the far more regulated Cryrian economy, and the Cryrian Krona is an accepted currency within the mandate alongside the Zapolese Dollar. Despite a high GDP per capita, the Mandate continues to have a high level of wealth disparity between the native Zapolese and the Cryrian-descended elite, a legacy of the city's colonial past. The EMC remains the largest corporation headquartered in Ellesborg, though its assets in the territory now consist of several large casinos and hotels.
[[Category:Cryria's Pages]]
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