Ethalria (Grand Matriarchy)
Grand Matriarchy of Ethalria Groẞmatriarchat Ethalrien (1152 CE - 1975 CE) Ethalried (119 BCE - 1152 CE) | |||||||||
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| 119 BCE–1975 CE | |||||||||
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Capital | Rivendale | ||||||||
| Common languages | Ethalrian | ||||||||
| Religion | Vaerism | ||||||||
| Government | Hereditary monarchy (119 BCE - 1152 CE) Matrilineal monarchy (1152 CE - 1975 CE) | ||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||
• 119 BCE - 94 BCE (first) | Sigbert I | ||||||||
• 1974 CE - 1975 CE (last) | Roneria IV | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 119 BCE | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 10 May 1975 CE | ||||||||
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| Today part of | The Ethalns | ||||||||
The Grand Matriarchy of Ethalria was an empire that extended across nearly one third of Aurora at its height. It was one of the oldest continually existing empires in Urth history until the end of the Auroran Imperial War where it dissolved into the Matriarchy of Ethalria and the Republic of Ethalria.
Ethalria was one of Aurora's three colonial powers alongside Great Morstaybishlia and Salovia, exerting influence and possessions in Arcturia and Gondwana, but over time it held less and less influence on the world stage. Generally, the Second Posolic War is where historians mark the end of the colonial power status of Ethalria, holding on to few territories after signing most of the away to Morstaybishlia to end the war. Ethalria was described as an 'Economic superpower' in the mid 20th century, and remained an economic powerhouse until its dissolution in 1975.
Ethalria was the largest empire to span Aurora, with territory nearly uninterrupted in modern day Great Morstaybishlia, parts of Salovia and other empires of the Auroran continent, its economic prowess outmatched the Kormistazic, Caltharus and Salovian Empires combined. Known as Ethalried in the first millennium, Ethalria was ruled under male-preference primogeniture until 1152 CE when Arin Visteue, later Queen Arin III led a coup d'etat against King Haligar V. From thereon a matrilineal primogeniture was established and because of the initial imbalance of power allowed other empires to take over vast swathes of land. Ethalria was officially a Queendom from the Arin Coup D'etat until 1826 where it became a Matriarchy. In 1975, the post-war recession from the Auroran Imperial War crippled Ethalria and the Sofura Revolution that spanned over April and May 1975 broke the empire into two states; the Grand Republic of Ethalria and the Matriarchy of Ethalria. The Grand Republic chose to hold on to the monarchy of Ethalria but the new fascist matriarchy did not.
Etymology
The Old Ethalrian word Ethal, which is the name for the Ethal peoples, derived as a human form of the old elven name Ætal. The word Ethalria derives from the Old Ethalrian word Ethalried, which literally translates to "Marshes of the Ethals". In the first millennia CE it is believed that the Valerians referred to the land as Ethalria.