Great Morstaybishlia
Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia | |
---|---|
Anthem: "March of the Fatherland" | |
Capital and largest city | Sani Bursil |
Official languages | Staynish Kaltareg Jūs |
Recognised regional languages | Rombewek Axdelian Ethalrian Salovian |
Ethnic groups (2024) | 68.1% Human 21.1% Elvish 7.2% Cava 3.6% Other |
Religion (2019) | |
Demonym(s) | Morst, Morstaybishlian |
Countries of Great Morstaybishlia | Staynes Kaltariezh Valeria Jusdelva |
Government | Federal parliamentary Constitutional monarchy |
• King | Lambertus VII |
Franklin Barvata | |
Legislature | Samming |
Lord's Hall | |
Folk's Hall | |
Establishment | |
1515 | |
• Annexation of the Kormistazmic Empire | 1575 |
• Secession of Axdel | 1970 |
• Acts of Union of Great Morstaybishlia and Jusdelva | 2016 |
Area | |
• Total | 4,335,443 km2 (1,673,924 sq mi) (3rd) |
Population | |
• 2024 census | 436,963,967 (2nd) |
• Density | 100.78/km2 (261.0/sq mi) |
GDP (nominal) | 2024 estimate |
• Total | $15.478 trillion (1st) |
• Per capita | $35,421.7 |
Gini (2024) | 0.38 low |
SDI (2018) | 0.904 very high |
Currency | Kirib (♅/KRB) |
Time zone | UTC (Toransloe Mean Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+7 to +11 (Morstaybishlian Summer Time) |
Date format | dd/mm/yyyy yyyy/mm/dd |
Driving side | the left |
Calling code | +75 |
ISO 3166 code | MSB |
Internet TLD | .MB |
The Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia, commonly known as Great Morstaybishlia (officially MSB, but often informally abbreviated to the MBE) is a unitary sovereign state and transcontinental country in Aurora and southern Cereneria. Great Morstaybishlia includes Staynes, Kaltariezh, Valeria and Jusdelva, as well as other islands. Great Morstaybishlia shares land borders with seven countries (from left to right); Axdel, Qayam, Drakaland, North Ethalria, Blueacia, Tivot and Marislia, and neighbours Dewnania in the Filari Sea. Jusdelva shares no land borders except on one island with the Free Pax States and a district of Tivot, whilst neighbouring the Kohatu Isles by sea. The Morstaybishlian Sea lies between the north coasts of Staynes and Kaltariezh and the south coast of Jusdelva. The Caven Sea sits north of Jusdelva, and the Azure Sea sits south of Valeria. The Packilvanian Ocean starts at the left coastline of Staynes and the north-westernmost island in Jusdelva.
Great Morstaybishlia is a constitutional monarchy with a two-House parliament system. The current monarch is King Lambertus VII, who has reigned since 1991 and the heir apparent is Princess Rosamund. The capital is Sani Bursil, a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 50.8 million in 2024, the largest in Aurora, largest in the United Nations of the Auroran Continent and largest in Urth. Other major urban areas in Great Morstaybishlia include Rouanezkador, Kuthernburg, Kirdintayos, Porthcamas, Redrugus, Bourbridge, and Swardings. The nearby Eskomia and Necraties Islands are not part of Great Morstaybishlia, being Crown dependencies with the government responsible for defence and international representation.
The relationships among the countries of the Great Morstaybishlia have changed over time. In 1515, Lambertus III united the thrones of Staynes and Kaltariezh which formed the United Kingdom of Staynes and Kaltariezh, which went on to become the sovereign state of the Morstaybishlian Empire. Jusdelva was annexed by the Kaltariezh Empire between 1483 and 1485. Jusdelva declared independence from Morstaybishlia in 1967, but was not recognised until 1975. In 2016 Jusdelva entered a political union with Great Morstaybishlia under the Acts of Union of Great Morstaybishlia and Jusdelva leaving the present formulation of the Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia. The Morstaybishlian Empire transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy in 1917 by the end of the Great War, establishing a democratically elected lower house to the Samming; the Folk's Hall, enacting huge sociopolitical reforms including the abolition of slavery. The MBE is one of the last reminders of colonial times with nineteen Overseas Territories of Great Morstaybishlia; remnants of the Morstaybishlian Empire which, at its height in the 1800s, encompassed almost a tenth of the world's land mass and was the largest empire in history. Today, they collectively comprise of 106.144 million people over 828,243 sq km; whilst Great Morstaybishlia exists over 5,940,250 sq km and recorded 515.88 million people in its 2021 census, the first year the country recorded over half a billion people. Morstaybishlian influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies.
Great Morstaybishlia has the world's largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP), and the second-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). It has a relatively high-income economy and a very high human development index rating, ranking 6th in the world. It was the world's first industrialised country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries, competing in the Auroran Space Race and beating Ethalria and Salovia by landing four men on Olune in 1968. The MBE remains a superpower, with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is first in military expenditure in the world.
Great Morstaybishlia has been a member state of the United Nations of the Auroran Continent since its formation in 2017; the successor union to both the Auroran Continental Assembly, where the MBE was a member state, and the Auroran Union. The MBE's council representative of the UNAC is Fischan Rhye who was appointed in December 2017. Great Morstaybishlia is also a member state of IRSA, the Morstaybishlian Economic Sphere and Morstaybishlian Commonwealth, a Permanent Invitee to the OFAC, and has Observer Status in the Alliance of Northwest Gondwana and the League of Novaris.
Etymology and terminology
The word Morstaybishlia derives from an amalgamation of Morsa Lake, Staynes and the Bishlans. It is often misinterpreted for "More Staynes and the Bishlans". The true meaning of the name Morstaybishlia can be read from the founding documents of 1515 where is it described as "The Staynish people whom control the heart of the continent Morsa Lake; unionised with the Bishlan cultures of the east."; though Bishlan was latinised to Bishlia in the shortened form name Morstaybishlia. Bishlan derives from the Kalt name of the Ider River "Aberbish", and replaces the Kalt place-name prefix Aber with the Middle Staynish place-name suffix Lan, which literally means "shallow seas".
The 2016 Acts of Union declared that the kingdoms of Great Morstaybishlia and Jusdelva were "United into one Kingdom", where the new state is also referred to in the Acts as the "Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia", simply "Great Morstaybishlia".
Although Great Morstaybishlia as a sovereign state is a country; Staynes, Kaltariezh, Valeria and Jusdelva are also regarded as countries, though they are not sovereign states. The High Elderthane's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe Great Morstaybishlia.
The term "MBE" was a historic acronym for the Morstaybishlian Empire, though today it is more commonly synonymous with Great Morstaybishlia. MBE is the standard country codes for Great Morstaybishlia and are consequently used by international organisations to refer to Great Morstaybishlia, replacing GM in 1959. Additionally, Great Morstaybishlia's Olympic team competes under the name "Great Morstaybishlia" or "Team MBE".
The term "Morstaybishlian Empire", in politics, is used to describe Great Morstaybishlia and all Overseas Territories.
The adjective "Morstaybishlian" is commonly used to refer to matters relating to Great Morstaybishlia and rarely as a synonym for Great Morstaybishlia. The term has no definite legal connotation, but is used in law to refer to Great Morstaybishlia citizenship and matters to do with nationality. People of Great Morstaybishlia use a number of different terms to describe their national identity and may identify themselves as being Staynish, Kaltian, South Staynish, Jus; or as being Marislian. A growing minority of people have identified themselves with Morstaybishlian nationality after the Acts of Union 1977, likely a patriotic spur.
After the Union of the Thrones in 1515, the two kingdoms were briefly known as the "United Kingdom of Staynes and Kaltariezh" and subsequently their empire was known as the "Staynish-Kaltariezh Empire" until it was formally dubbed the "Imperial Kingdom of Morstaybishlia" in early 1517.
The Acts of Union 1977 decreed the Imperial Kingdom of Morstaybishlia in political unification with Valeria. By extension of Kingdom territory, the region of "Morstaybishlia" was given the epithet "Great", short for "Greater".
The Acts of Union 2016 decreed the Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia in political unification with Jusdelva to ratify the earlier 2016 Treaty of Union and so unite the two kingdoms.
In 2017, a new design of Morstaybishlian passport was introduced. Its first page shows the long form name of the state in Staynish, Kaltareg and Jusdelviz.
History
Before the Union of the Thrones
There is evidence to suggest that Morstaybishlia has been settled by sentient, anatomically modern cava for nearly a million years, arriving from central Aurora where they evolved from a member of the Dromaeosauridae clade of dinosaurs. These tribes were hunter-gatherers, in some cases exhibiting crude metalworking as early as 40 Kya, such as gold artefacts found in the Avankad burial chamber and tin finds elsewhere. The metal would have been found in nature without the need for smelting, and shaped into the desired form using hot and cold hammering without chemical alteration or alloying. There has been no evidence pointing to the use of melting, smelting and casting in this era of prehistoric Morstaybishlia.
Evidence for agriculture emerged in Aurora around 8000 BCE in what is now the eastern bank of Morsa Lake, and spread through Northern Aurora to what is today the western coast of Staynes and the Aberbish in eastern Kaltariezh. Vicia ervilia was domesticated into ervil around 7000 BCE on the banks of the Aberbish, along with some root vegetables. The Auroran auroch were domesticated into cattle in the areas of modern Morstaybishlia around the same time. The Three Sisters cultivation of squash, beans and maize were discovered in the Kuthern River Valley from 5000 BCE, replacing the older cultivation of several plants.
The start of of the early Auroran Bronze Age, from c. 4000 BCE, saw the rise of ancient Toransla, the first agricultural-based civilisation in Morstaybishlia. By the turn of the 3rd millennium BCE other civilisations had spawned, such as Kutha and Morsa in west Staynes and west Kaltariezh respectively. These cava civilisations thrived for a thousand years, growing in size as evidenced by the rapid increase of methane emissions from cattle. They developed metallurgy techniques, developed their own scripts and kept historical records, including the mention of trade with other early settlements which archaeology have yet to find. The prevalence of Proto-Usprian across northern Aurora, and matching jewellery styles discovered in the Morsa civilisation and in ancient Dewnan indicate that these civilisations traded with the wider ancient Usprian world.
The Great Vanishing around the beginning of the 2nd millennium BCE led to a population bottleneck and civilisational collapse across Aurora, including ancient Toransla, the Kutha and the Morsa civilisations. The cava populations did not recover to significant levels for hundreds of years in Morstaybishlia and the wider continent. The Proto-Usprian language diverged in the successive millennia because of geographic and economic isolation. Elves began migrating from eastern Aurora in the later half of the 2nd millennium, co-existing with cava.
The discovery of King Eljuedh’s burial chamber in Synt Jowan mapped out the previously scarcely-known Bishec States to historians. It was the first post-Great Vanishing civilisation within Morstaybishlia, a dominion of elf and cava that straddled the northern coast of the Aberbish over twelve city states. The Bishec Tablet noted Eljuedh was elected in the 4th century BCE as their ‘king of kings’ and was a reclaimer of lost territory, suggesting the Bishec States had an understanding of civilisation before the Great Vanishing. The Bishec States played an important role in forming the foundations of what would become the Kaltariz and Terghyntow civilisations. Gadelthene, formed in the 21st century BCE in ancient Ethalria, was the primary religion in the Bishec States and across much of northern Aurora. The king was buried with ornamental vases depicting Gadelthenian symbology. Scrolls uncovered in the Bockyas Caves near Draouenngwenstrobinellourkastel dated to the 2nd century CE detail Gadelthene mathematics, cartography and astrological understanding, referencing several Gadelthene sects, including one in the ‘’Kultouar’’ civilisation.
The Impelanzan Empire explored and settled on the shores of northwest Staynes in the 1st century BCE to mine for metals, most notably tin, forming Estenes de la Aurora, (literally ‘’Tinlands of the Sunrise’’ in Impelanzan). They brought with them Tunseism and the first human settler population to western Aurora. At this time, isolated Malterva cultures speaking descendent languages of Proto-Usprian established their own civilisations: Dumnowes developed in northwest Staynes, Toransla developed in west Valeria and Rombarow developed in the Staynish interior. In 512, the VEI 8 Toré eruption destroyed Impelanza and plunged the world into global volcanic winter. Following a year of famine and hardship, the Staynish Revolution in 513 overthrew the Impelanzan colonial elite and installed Alzar I as the first King of the Staynish (a demonym in Old Staynish derived from Estenes). The Thaerist sect of Tunseism worked with Alzar in supporting one another to power. Alzar converted to Thaerism, the religion of all successive Staynish and Morstaybishlian kings and queens to date. In the successive centuries, Staynes warred against surrounding kingdoms for land, including against the Kingdom of Toransla, which they nearly completely assimilated by the 9th century; and the Kingdom of Rombar, which they assimilated after the siege of Sannedh Bursil in the 10th century. The Toranslic language survived until the 15th century in isolated communities in the Zycannes.
The Bishec States expanded and contracted several times in the first millennia CE, eventually absorbing the Kultouar civilisation. A period of unification in the 11th century formed modern Kaltariezh. Even as far east as Ar Kabdubec, the cava and elvish populations were outcompeted by human descendents of Estenes. Humans came to dominate much of north Aurora, in part from having a high birth rate and also from feudal practices. The ancient cavan Hendra family, the last non-human dynasty of Kaltariezh, died out in the mid 13th century.
The Staynish-Kaltariz War in the mid 14th century fixed the border of the two nations at the Caldu River, whereas before there were encampments by the Kaltariz on the Staynish side and vice versa. The Kaltariz began overseas trading expeditions in the 14th century, establishing trading towns Jusdelva and in southeastern Arcturia. By the 15th century it had formed the Kaltariz Empire, making a more permanent settlement in southern Jusdelva and annexing the Inizi Reterdelien, the Necraties and Eskomia. The Staynish followed this trend of maritime exploration and established their own settlements in eastern Arcturia in the mid 15th century, and defeated the Kaltariz encampments on both Necraties and Eskomia, claiming it as their own. The Staynish thus formed their own empire, that before the Union of the Thrones had actually established its first colonies: Rodenia and Lokania, though by comparison to today's borders, these colonies were about five times smaller. In 1482, Lambertus III of Staynes ended eighty years of the Dergart dynasty and claimed the throne. The death of the cava King Crago V marked the last time a non-human dynasty would rule over the Staynish. At 39 years old and having lost three wives to childbirth (and their children), King Lambertus III of Staynes married a contestant of the Kaltariz throne during its civil war in 1501; Azenor Cadoret. Joining forces against Azenor’s uncle Kirus Cadoret, Lambertus slew him in single combat at the Battle of Rouekador in 1505. The Staynish and Kaltariz thrones were politically unified in 1515, forming Morstaybishlia.
Western Auroran Crusades
Taking over Kormistazic Arcturia
Colonising the South Concordian Ocean
After successfully beating the Ethalrian Empire over Gronmund Port, Morstaybishlian influence would begin to soar over the lands which made up Lythuscia. Within less than five years, due to a strong embargo on the Kingdom of Albon, their influence waned, and eventually it was assimilated into the Morstaybishlian Empire.
Upon the ascension of Florence I, the oppressed peoples of South Peragen began to prefer the idea of Morstaybishlian intervention in the Concordian Ocean, which would upset the powerful influence the Commonwealth held on the nation. With more trading aligned to the Morstaybishlian Empire, South Peragen became a wealthier trade hub; and in 1629 the aristocracies of South Peragen started a revolt against the Commonwealth, which was supported by the Erranzan separatists and the Morstaybishlians. A three year war passed, after which South Peragen won and gained independence in 1632, and with Commonwealth forces retracted, the Empire sought to expand their influence into the prosperous South Concordian Ocean.
At this point the pretensions of Morstaybishlia well public knowledge as they had traded with South Peragen and helped it becoming independent from the Commonwealth. Shoneria followed the same path as South Peragen as it saw a prosperous path of trade and wealth, and started small rebel cells which became an overwhelming national rebellion in 1635. The daughter of the old king of Shoneria, Estelo, became aware of the rebellion and organised a coup on the throne, but her vessel who hosted her, the king pretender and his only son sank and all lives lost.
Morstaybishlia send aid, setting out a clear set of objectives to conquer its first territory in the South Concordian Ocean, and the Shonerian leaders accepted Morstaybishlian occupation. Commonwealth forces had been stretched thin because of the repression in its empire, reached and were victorious over the current occupation. Morstaybishlia retaliated by sending a blockade to the capital Privétia. Morstaybishlia rallied the support of South Peragen and more of their own forces for a full scale invasion of New Leganés, but the Commonwealth occupation of Shoneria retreated to defend their homeland, effectively leaving Shoneria to Morstaybishlia. The Commonwealth had a narrow victory against the coalition of Morstaybishlia and South Peragen, but the Commonwealth had suffered a long siege and suffered extensive damage. Six years of wars over the seas and the Commonwealth ensued, and fearing losing their autonomy, Queen Cristalina IV began negotiations with their enemies and in 1641 the Treaty of Arsal was signed and ratified by the three independent nations. The treaty saw Morstaybishlia take control of the already occupied Shoneria and also control over Oblivion Islands, as well as the Commonwealth dissolved so that the queen would retain power in the New Leganés and retain great trade and a presence of exploitation within the South Concordian Ocean. Morstaybishlia henceforth had huge economic control over the nations of New Leganés and South Peragen which lasted for over 276 years.
Keaneward and Visteue period (1663-1803)
Caven Wars
In the year 1688, Captain Kerden discovered an island in the Packilvanian Ocean and established a settlement a year later called Queensport. For another five years the Morstaybishlian Empire would build up their settlements with the prospects to use it as a military naval port and trading hub to Yasteria. Communications to the island abruptly ceased to which a vessel was sent and discovered that the Caven Empire had set up their own port on the other side of the island and had fought and won the Staynish port.
Now Commodore, Kerden was sent to claim back the small prospective trading hub and did so in a short-lived Battle of Queensport. A Caven ship survived and sent the news back to the Caven Empire after which there was no obvious retaliation.
Over the next four years, merchant ships leaving Rouanezkador and other ports in north Kaltariezh and Staynes were going missing and businesses in these ports were closing down from a loss of income. It was explored by the Morstaybishlian navy but there was no explanation until by chance MBS Queen Aprille was mistaken as a merchant vessel and attacked by a Caven warship but survived. Morstaybishlia later declared war on the Caven Empire.
In secret, Commodore Kerden was sent to Perigrinia, the rival of Caven in the north to formulate a plan to destabilise the Caven Empire as to both Morstaybishlia and Perigrinia’s gain. Perigrinia would fund Morstaybishlian armament and naval ship production for Morstaybishlia’s full scale invasion into Cavens’ south province of Wachovia, starting the Caven Wars.
Morstaybishlia had a strong starting advance in the war, pushing the Caven forces far back. Morstaybishlia would strategically siege Caven port towns of Truzcon, Merna and Libertyburg and cut off trading routes into the Caven Sea from the north. It held a strong advance into Caven and Verlot for about two years, pushing past the Izumi mountains, but fearing encirclement they were pushed back over the mountains to the Wachovia borders where the two forces reached a stalemate. There would be some victories on either side, but after six years in 1704 the Caven Empire surrendered its occupied lands to the Morstaybishlian Empire to end the war. With a suffering economy and a large famine, Peregrinia, who had remained neutral during the conflict, upheld its side of the agreement and began humanitarian aid, promising the people of Caven better fortunes. After fifteen years, Peregrinia had managed to integrate the Caven provinces of Dominionland, Termino, Trioni and Verlot.
Late Modern (1803 - 21st century)
Slavery
Morstaybishlia played a leading part in the Cerenerian and Concordian slave trade, mainly between 1673 and 1917 when Morstaybishlian or Morstaybishlian-colonial ships transported nearly 5 million slaves from Gondwana in a legal system of human chattel enslavement. The slaves were taken to work on plantations in Morstaybishlian possessions, principally in Saint Matilda, the Morstaybishlian Cerenerian, Jusdelva and Morstaybishlian Arcturia, but also Aurora. The rapid expansion of the cotton and flax industries after the invention of the cotton gin and spinning wheel greatly increased demand for slave labour. Slavery coupled with the Cerenerian sugar industry had a significant role in strengthening and developing the Morstaybishlian economy in the 18th century. Throughout the later 19th century movements called for the monarchy to install laws similar to other nations which began restricting and abolishing slavery, and giving slaves more rights, but this did not succeed. However, when the Folk's Hall was formed in 1917 following the handover of absolutism from the monarchy, it banned the slave trade and banned slavery in the Morstaybishlian Empire, freeing over 5 million slaves.
Through reward programs, former slaves were encouraged back to their origin countries, though it largely fell through and former slaves instead settled in the colonies where they had been set to work in. Today, large portions of former slaves live in Lokania, Jusdelva, throughout the Cerenerian and in Gondwana - which can be seen in the distribution of large minority ethnic groups in these colonies.
Slave trade
Posolic Wars
Height of the Morstaybishlian Empire (1826-1897)
Florence II ascended the throne when her father died at the end of the First Posolic Wars. Her opponents believed that due to her tucked away and extravagant lifestyle she would be weak leading Morstaybishlia into the 19th century. The Second Posolic Wars confirmed her as the opposite; a titanic leader who glided Morstaybishlia back into its role as the world superpower. Her reign, the reign of her son Frederick III and her granddaughter Rosamund II marked the Golden Era where Morstaybishlia reach the zenith of its economic and political power. Exciting new technologies such as railways, photography, telegraphs and steam ships emerged, making the world far faster-paced. Morstaybishlia reinstated its mostly active role in Continental politics which had been challenged by Ethalria and Biramura in the years before.
There was peace and prosperity, as the national income per person grew by over half. Much of the prosperity was due to the increasing industrialization, especially in machinery and textiles, as well as to the worldwide network of engineering and trade which produced profits for Morstaybishlian merchants and experts from across the world. In the Morstaybishlian sphere there was peace abroad.
Despite these changes, Morstaybishlia lacked behind in its democratic index. It was still an absolute monarchy, and even though there was movements to change, an elected chamber in the Samming would not happen until 1917. However, the Privy Council of Staynes and Privy Council of Kaltariezh which were appointed by the Crown and served at the Crown's pleasure became more autonomous, including consolidating the two devolved administrations of Staynes and Kaltariezh into one, based at Kalmington Palace, Sani Bursil, and helmed by a Lord Rubian, equivalent of a high elderthane today. This became the Lord's Hall in 1520, and became the first major political unification. They drafted legislation in the name of the King, or Queen, at their pleasure, and the monarch was perfectly in their right to stop legislation from passing. In fact, this was common practice. The monarch remained untouchable and unaccountable to the Lord's Hall, and had a large sway among leading figures to bend them into submission.
On a local level, a rapid rise of the middle class, in large part displacing the complete control long exercised by the aristocracy occurred. Respectability was their code, and businessmen had to be trusted and must avoid reckless gambling and heavy drinking. The Thaerist institution imposed fresh moralistic values on society, such as responsibility, widespread charity, discipline in the home, and self-examination for the smallest faults and needs of improvement. They focused on exciting a personal revulsion against social evils and personal misbehavior. Though across the world slavery was being abolished, the lack of free press saw most of Morstaybishlia oblivious to the country's huge trade, and so anti-slavery movements barely took off despite this moral shift. The press was still widely controlled by the aristocracy who gained from the slave trade, and all independent agitation and reporting of the horrific conditions of chattel slavery across the Empire was either bought out or quashed.
There was a spirit of libertarianism as people felt they were free. Taxes however were moderate, and government restrictions on media and other aspects of everyday life was in effect. There were other problem areas, such as occasional riots, especially those motivated by anti-Monarchism. Society was still ruled by the aristocracy and the gentry, which controlled high government offices, the Lord's Hall, religious institutions, and the military. Becoming a rich businessman was not as prestigious as inheriting a title and owning a landed estate.
The abstract theological or philosophical doctrine of agnosticism, whereby it is theoretically impossible to prove whether or not a higher being exists, suddenly became a popular issue in the 1860s, though Blasphemy laws meant that promoting atheism could be a crime and was vigorously prosecuted, which drove these freethinkers underground. Children were entitled to education for the first time, though this was limited to literacy as the population was highly illiterate. A 1840s estimate believed that over 90 percent of people could not read or write; but by the end of the 19th century illiteracy had fallen so dramatically that over 65 percent could read and write, which inspired a boom in reading culture and Morstaybishlian literature. A plethora of reading materials were to children. Publishers also took advantage of innovations such as those that enable the printing of coloured illustrations. As the middle class boomed, people had more money to spend on entertaining their children. Moral messaging was de-emphasised in favor of fun.
Opportunities for leisure activities increased dramatically as real wages continued to grow and hours of work continued to decline. In urban areas the ten-hour workday became increasingly the norm; the Factory Act 1869 limited the working week to 60 hours, encouraging the movement towards an eventual nine-hour workday. Sundays became a day off for the working man, which opened up opportunity for some 1,000 seaside resorts emerging thanks to cheap hotels and inexpensive railway fares.
In this period, fertility rates remained high, leading to a population boom. Gradually, fertility rates fell as people became more affluent and had better access to contraception. By 1897, the infant mortality rate in Staynes was 10 percent, down from about half in the 15th century. There was no catastrophic epidemic or famine in Morstaybishlia in the nineteenth century, marking the first century in which a major epidemic did not occur throughout the whole country. In the olden days, people typically had had as many children as they could afford in order to ensure at least a few of them would survive to adulthood and have children of their own due to high child mortality rates. Moreover, it was the poor who had had an incentive to curb their fertility whereas the rich had lacked such a need due to greater wealth and lower child mortality rates. This changed due to the Industrial Revolution. Standards of living improved and mortality rates fell. People no longer needed to have as many children as before to ensure the propagation of their genes. The link between poverty and child mortality weakened. In addition, societal attitude towards contraception warmed, leading to the negative correlation between intelligence and fertility.
Imperial affairs before the Great War
The reign of Thadeus I marked the final years of the Morstaybishlian global trading empire before the Great War. Morstaybishlia went through a phase of being relatively unchallenged at sea, particularly domestically where it dominated Auroran, Arcturian and Cerenerian waters. Alongide its formal colonial empire, Morstaybishlia's dominance over world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of many countries, such as Peragen, Ewenshire and Zreiru'a.
Morstaybishlian imperial strength was bolstered by the telegraph in the mid 19th century, allowing greater control and defence of its empire. The Morstaybishlian Empire was linked together by a network of telegraph cables, called the Morst Code Network, which was inaugurated in October 1898.
Most trading expeditions to Concord and northwestern Yasteria bypassed the Tawusian Cape in favour of travelling through the quicker route in northern Arcturia. Trading vessels were left vulnerable to piracy at various chokepoints in the Ewenshire Strait and Optian Sea, and many returning galleons loaded with goods were raided by pirates operating off the coast. This was most prominent in the 17th through to the early 19th century because Morstaybishlia had no permanent settlements and had to sail Imperial Navy ships from Queensport more than 1,800 miles away to defend them. Even with being allowed to dock in Ewenshire, the ports available were too small to allow anything more than one or two Imperial Navy ships in at a time. A formal arrangement was signed in 1856 where Morstaybishlia began leasing the relatively underdeveloped town of Farhide and its surrounding area, and immediately began constructing a permanent naval base to protect both country's trading interests. This was administered as a Morstaybishlian colony, and quickly turned into a vital naval hub for operating out of it dozens of warships at a time. With organised piracy adopting incendiary shells in the 1850s, Morstaybishlia trialled the world's first ironclad warships in 1861 to combat piracy. This base was incorporated into the Morst Code Network in 1898, and coupled with Morstaybishlia's economic projection in the area has led several historians to quote Morstaybishlia's influence over Ewenshire as being apart of its informal empire.
In western Borea, Morstaybishlia assisted Elwin Arachne seize power of Zreiru'a in 1885, and by the turn of the century was being supplied most of its abundant natural resources in exchange for military aid to help assist Arachne in conquering the continent. Settlers flocked to Kurandia to capitalise on the resource boom, aiding the development of new urban spaces such as Corren Tree and Ander's Point.
Aftermath of the Great War
Despite the armistice, a formal state of war between the two sides persisted for another five months, until the signing of the Treaty of Ribenstadt on 8 December 1917. The treaty saw the official end of the war in Aurora. Whilst there was no official surrender, historians favour an Ethalrian and Salovian victory over Morstaybishlia in regards to the Auroran theatre of war because of the concessions that Morstaybishlia signed in the treaty. Ethalria receeded their forces north of the Bolvinian Plateau in exchange for annexing the historical provinces of Bro-Tewesac, Bro-Suode and Bro-Angwin in southern Kaltariezh.
The first Morstaybishlian election cycle and disagreements around the Axdelian peninsula delayed the signing of the treaty by three months. Ethalria demanded that it was their right to annex southern Axdel because they had de facto controlled swathes of it since 1911, and had even established the Republic of Korstazia as a puppet state ruled by the Axdelian-born General Sauwo Ñeya̋na. Orson Klarass refused this because an independent Axdel would likely align with Ethalria and make the already rescinding Morstaybishlian Empire far weaker on the continent. Later, Morstaybishlia would concede to a less severe offer. In exchange for returning Dragonia and the Indigo Isles to Ethalria, as well as granting the peninsula devolved autonomy, something that had never happened in Morstaybishlia; Ethalra agreed to withdraw their troops and support for the Republic of Korstazia. Without backing by Ethalria, Ñeya̋na’s government surrendered after a four month continuation war.
The Samming passed the Act of Federation in February 1919 which saw the creation of the Federated Colonies of Lythuscia. This was the first time that Morstaybishlia had federated its colonies, and granted any colony home rule. Legislative power was held in Albaburg, whilst military command, diplomacy and foreign policy remained in Sani Bursil.
Abolition of slavery
As the world evolved in the 19th and 20th centuries, many democratic nations abolished slavery and pressured the Morstaybishlian and Packilvanian Empires to do so. Owing to its incredible size and power in the 19th century and its absolute monarchy which had large capital interests and investment in the slave trade, the Morstaybishlian Empire did not abolish slavery until in November 1917, two months after the end of the Great War and the dissolution of Morstopackia. The nation saw huge social, economic and political reforms in 1917 as it transitioned from an absolute monarchy to parliamentary republic under constitutional monarchy; and later 1910s and 1920s.
The Folk's Hall passed the Slavery Abolition Act 1917 with 4/5ths voting in favour. The Act made the purchase and ownership of slaves in all of the Morstaybishlian Empire illegal and immediately freed over 5 million slaves. Slavery had been a point of social contention for nearly all of the 19th and early 20th century leading up to its abolition, with its abolition being a primary benefactor of their movement. By January of 1918, the Morstaybishlian Empire had de jure implemented the Act in its declining oversea territories, though de facto there was still an active slave trade in many territories. Following the thirteen years of warfare, the Imperial Navy was heavily damaged and initially struggled with enforcing the legislation. Many of the closer territories to continental Morstaybishlia, including New Kaltariezh, Morstaybishlian Arcturia (later Lythuscia) and Jusdelva followed suit with the mainland and who's people accepted the changes, but elsewhere it was different.
In the colonial and territorial administrations of Joralesia, Salisar, Morst Cereneria, Dalmaghar, Kurandia, and others recognised the Act and implemented it, but clandestine slave-trading and blackbirding still occurred as late as the mid 1930s. Though it was hit with the economic depression and major de-colonisation following the war, the Imperial Navy immediately established a presence off of the coasts of these territories where there were rumours, sightings, reports or evidence of ongoing slavery, as well as negotiating with countries neighbouring these colonies and territories for their rights to stop and search vessels believed to house slaves. The Imperial Navy dispatched three squadrons of four, five and eight light cruisers to the Cerenerian Ocean, as well as the south and north Concordian Ocean respectively. With bases at Montecadre, what is now Penisine Garrisons in Balidar, and Bruzraka; the squadrons aided in the capture of over 2,100 slave ships, freeing over 205,000 people from slavery between 1917 and 1934. However, unfortunately this did not exactly reduce the number of deaths of slaves. Thousands lost their lives if the captain of a slave ship knew they were being approached by a squadron vessel. The captain would order for the slaves to be thrown overboard still shackled. Very few would make it to shore.
Great Depression
From secession to union
Years of tension between the central government and many local councils and authorities in Valeria led to a snap referendum on 6 June 1975 for independence at the end stages of the Auroran Imperial War. Questions of legitimacy all over the nation was raised because this was not a government sanctioned referendum, seeing a 54 percent vote to leave. Due to the ongoing war effort, a collapsing economy and independence elsewhere within the empire, the Crowcasa War Cabinet - a national coalition - broke apart, two years before a scheduled general election.
Greta Vardem declared herself President of an independent Valeria, and consolidated power via military divisions on the eastern offensive against Ethalria, who hadn't been rotated in over a year and were loyal to a South Staynish identity. South Staynish military leaders executed dissenters which allowed for a swift alignment of troops, but also several theaters of infighting between Morstaybishlian and South Staynish forces.
A stagnant eastern front was opened up by Ethalria after Valeria declared independence and the line of contact had internal problems. Ethalria pushed back the line of contact with an offensive from Imperium and Wulesburg to Rorivon and Rostok. Though the line of contact had deflated many miles, it soon consolidated into a more solid position as Valeria gained its footing. At this point, Ian Crowcasa had been voted out of government after his 14 year tenure, voting in Delores Gastrell.
Banking in Valeria was all headquartered in Staynes. From Sani Bursil, Gastrell ordered all banks to shut down. With over 90 percent of banks shutting down in Valeria, people were unable to withdraw money, and Valeria immediately plunged into financial ruin.
Vardem established an emergency National Bank and begun integration schemes with a new currency made of plastic coins, because there was no time to mine and mass produce coins made of nickel or other metals. Economic depression followed, and millions of people were out of work. Ethalria capitalised on this and seized huge swathes of land, before being immobilised from the Ketavuul orbital bombardment strikes. They would later cede land they absorbed in this offensive to what is the current border today. The Wreycliff Pact prevented signatories from recognising Valeria as an independent nation, and so Vardem's talks with Axdel broke down in the latter part of the year.
Between 1975 and 1977, millions of people died as a result of the depression. Nobody could afford healthcare and medical supplies and the government struggled with demand. Infectious diseases spread across the population, including Poliovirus, Typhus fever, and Measles.
Whilst Valeria held de facto power in the nation, Morstaybishlia continued its claim, which put pressure on nations to not recognise Valeria as a sovereign nation, which would aggrevate the superpower. However, Peregrinia came into controversy when CapCoal Bank, a private banking group headquartered in the nation, gave out loans to aid Valeria. Morstaybishlia put pressure on Peregrinia to withdraw this aid, which they eventually did.
Civil unrest began in March 1977, and saw South Staynish people target people and companies based on economic ties with Morstaybishlia. Arson and vandalism occurred against Staynish owned businesses, which were marked with a blood rose on shop windows before being subject of attack. People with Staynish blood, family or other ties were blamed for Morstaybishlia's actions in crippling their nation. Politicians and well known business owners who were Staynish fled to Morstaybishlia or were otherwise killed, or at the least beaten. A new opponent to Vardem's government swept the younger population who had known nothing other than struggle, war and famine. Supported by Delores Sofura's fascist regime, the opposition was helmed by fascist leader Morgan Lugin.
All Morstaybishlian allies turned a blind eye to the situation, unable to find adequate reason to undermine Morstaybishlia. Some nations supported Valeria, such as Norgsveldet.
In April, in a highly controversial moment, a gunman in a police disguise was mistakenly identified as Labius Deputy Police Officer Aero Benagli and was allowed on set during a live television broadcast where the President was filming. The gunman, Fred Greidman, fired and shot Greta several times in the chest and stomach before shooting himself. Immediately following the incident, fascist opponent Morgan Lugin seized power of the senate. Civil unrest was intensified, and infighting began in major cities. The armed forces was dispatched and under Morgan Lugin was ordered to fire live ammunition at violent protesters. Several thousand people were massacred. This action sent the country into civil war and Lugin lost the trust of Delores Sofura and other fascist allies. With infighting reaching extreme heights, Lugin was forced to resign by his own council and later went into exile. A new interim government ran by seven members of the Vardem Committee believed it was in the national interest to reintegrate with Morstaybishlia. The committee flew to Sani Bursil to begin negotiations, and a few months later, Morstaybishlia recognised Valeria as an entity and Valeria integrated into the nation under the Acts of Union 1977. This formed a political union with the Imperial Kingdom of Morstaybishlia to create the Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia.
Between the two Auroran Wars
Lyrevale Civil War
A period of geopolitical tension between Axdel and Morstaybishlia and their respective allies began immediately following the Auroran Imperial War, and lasted until the dissolution of Noroist government in 1996. There was no large-scale fighting directly between the two powers, but they engaged in proxy wars such as the Lyrevale Civil War and Continuation War.
Meremaa Civil War
On 15 April 1990, Grand Duke Telvi II of Meremaa ordered the military to fire at a labour strike organised by Democratic Socialist political organisations in the city of Morzk. Immediately after the actions ordered by Telvi II, Meremaan news outlets and papers began glorifying their leader and exerting an approach relating to their foreign policy which gave High Elderthane Robert Delari an unclear future for Dalmaghar. This concerned Robert Delari, who retaliated by condemning the actions of the Grand Duke. Meremaa declared their intentions to align further with Norgsveldet economically despite their independence less than a decade before.
Delari viewed this negatively, and made public his views on how Meremaa has lost its sovereignty and how the Morstaybishlian Government no longer viewed the government of Meremaa as legitimate. As civil unrest grew into civil war, Delari endorsed the Democratic Socialist movement, led by Tyr Vaines, which branded itself as the Republican Forces of Meremaa, whilst simultaneously sending its Cerenerian Fleet to protect the Morstaybishlian asset of Dalmaghar.
Norgsveldet viewed the newfound Morstaybishlian naval presence in Dalmaghar as hostile. However, they initially laid off any form of support to Meremaa as Morstaybishlia had not officially sided with the republicans.
On 22 May 1990, Robert Delari declared war on Meremaa, and revealed his new deal with the Republican Forces was to help install a democratic foundation in the region. The same day, media coverage of Republican Forces attacking an Ulvriktru temple went global, and this coupled with the already public dissent against war began a month long riots across all of Great Morstaybishlia. Delari’s opinion polls dropped dramatically as he guided a Morstaybishlian landing on the Meremain coast.
Soon thereafter, Norgsveldet declared their intentions to back the Meremain government and send troops to reinforce the already strong Meremain forces. Over the next year, Morstaybishlia sent over 82,000 troops to the campaign. The Meremain forces were well dug in and the Morstaybishlian’s lost 12,481 men. A hopeful campaign on 21 February 1991 laid out a plan to wipe out one of the main entrances of Norgsveltian troops into Meremaa. Morstaybishlian saw a quick naval bombardment and subsequent attack of the city, but over an ensuing ten days was blocked by a fiercely dug in Meremain defence line. The battle lasted 26 days, until 19 March, where the Morstaybishlian forces retreated to Dalmaghar. It was during this retreat that the MBS Augustine, the first Augustine-class aircraft carrier completed two months before was sunk.
The Folks immediately motioned a vote of no confidence against Delari’s administration, and no less than two weeks later Morstaybishlia had a hung Samming. The Principles of Democracy Party led by Rupert Sinkasa formed a confidence-and-supply coalition government with the Liberal Party. His party promised to end the war, but the Liberals, their only feasible coalition partner, would go on to make that reality very difficult. Through votes in government, the Liberals denied Podite majorities on de-escalation.
Sinkasa immediately faced more riots in Sani Bursil and other major urban conurbations as he failed to find a de-escalation solution. Meremaa and Norgsveldet pushed a firm counter attack into Dalmaghar, with a continuous air strike campaign on military and civilian targets. Morstaybishlia was forced to deploy a second fleet to Dalmaghar stoked with fresh supplies and troops when Norgsveltian forces began accumulating in the Isles of Hel for a land invasion. This deterred Norgsveldet from commencing an attack.
Morstaybishlia sent over 124,000 troops from April 1991 to October 1992 to Morzk where they fought a huge series of campaigns to take the capital, Kalaborgdurg. Initially the campaigns went well, establishing a strong defence line halfway between Morzk to Kalaborgdurg, and gaining ground as close as Dzimspilsēta, but after some time Meremaa and Norgsveldet began to push them back. Morstaybishlia over this next year of retreat would lose 43,305 men. At the same time, the Republican Forces of Meremaa lost over 110,000 troops and became increasingly unpopular among the population of Meremaa for violent attacks on Ulvriktru temples despite the Morstaybishlian’s best curveball attempts.
By the beginning of 1993, the two sides had reached a stalemate at a natural defence line in the far east of Meremaa. Morstaybishlia and the Republican Forces of Meremaa agreed that any future campaign of Kalaborgdurg would be unsuccessful and agreed on forming a splinter state known as the Republic of Morzk. From January to April was a period of relative peacetime. This was interrupted when Norgsveltian submarines sank a Morstaybishlian supply lane which would mark the beginning of a Norgsveltian campaign to choke the mostly unrecognised republic.
Norgsveldet fought and won a decisive naval battle against an unprepared Morstaybishlian defence which would establish a blockade around the republic. Meremaa and Norgsveldet began a full assault into the region of Morzk which lasted until 23 October 1994 when the Republican forces surrendered. Rupert Sinkasa signed a peace treaty with Grand Duke Telvi II of Meremaa and Prime Minister Margete Kverheim of Norgsveldet which saw non-aggression between the three nations and Morstaybishlian recognition of Meremaa.
After the war, it was judged that during the Kalaborgdurg campaign Morstaybishlian and Meremain Republican forces were responsible for over twenty thousand civilian murders and somewhere between one thousand and two thousand five hundred rapes.
State of Morstaybishlia
Despite sharing the same culture, language and history, west and east Staynes have rivalled each other since antiquity, with the kingdoms of Staynnica and Maltervenia opposing each other during the Era of Changes and their capitals, Redrugus and (now) Sani Bursil going on to compete in growth and economic output during the Industrial Revolution. These two cities were the first two cities to rapidly industrialise in the early-mid 19th century anywhere in the world. Today Redrugus still maintains its industrial identity whilst other cities naturally deindustrialised into primary tertiary economies, such as being the site of Aurora's largest steelwork companies and some of the world's largest manufacturing companies. Up the coast from Redrugus, Fort Staynes maintains the facilities as Staynes' fourth largest port by freight distribution; the city sees large volumes of maritime traffic from east Arcturia and Alaria.
Morstaybishlia faced economic decline in the 1990s and 2000s. Years of privatisation in the 1990s resulted in the quality of goods and services decreasing whilst companies recorded record profits. Unions demanded better pay and working conditions whilst the government maintained its attention abroad in proxy wars with Axdel in Lyrevale and direct conflict in the Meremaa Civil War. When three Podite high elderthanes (Sinkasa, Tharen and Logrin) of six years was defeated in the 1998 general election by Progress Party leader Verlhanz Rothgerus, the new high elderthane focused a considerable amount of resources in tackling socioeconomic issues in the worse affected cities. Redrugus and Fort Staynes, as well as smaller cities nearby were among several areas within Morstaybishlia that was disproportionately treated. Redrugus, who's dockside constituencies are some of the most impoverished in the country, were overlooked and underfunded much to the distaste of the locals, whilst the richer constituencies (namely Bramblehead, Highwood and Kenton Beacon) had practically all of their funding redistributed to places elsewhere. Years passed and conditions did not improve, yet inflation was at a thirty year high.
On 3 May 2002 senior politicians and military personnel met in Clara House for the first of eight secret talks aimed at bringing the Staynish provinces of Horkalo and Redrugus out of Morstaybishlia. They met bi-monthly until their final meeting in July 2003. Notable members included Boriff Dinnick Amildon of Redrugus, Redrugus Chief of Police Kirkosby Lews, former Chief of Defence Staff Velisa Felgian and RedBank CEO Clauzia Murley. In the week leading up to the State of Morstaybishlia declaring independence, military and police leaders carefully and meticulously laid out the groundworks for their coup d'etat. On 31 July 2003, seperatist forces seized control of two aircraft carriers, MBS Marvant and MBS Baltassar, as well as the rest of the Home Fleet docked at Xenliada, the main dockyard of the Morstaybishlian Fleet and the headquarters of the Naval Staff Offices. The coup d'etat was swift, and the police leadership was also ascertained, both without casualties.
On 1 August, a group of crossbench politicians from the two provinces declared a new 'State of Morstaybishlia' as independent from Great Morstaybishlia. Pro-Kalmington politicians had quickly rallied overnight and attempted to organise a resistance. The streets of Redrugus and other large cities entered a week of civil unrest. Until the seperatist forces (which by now had consolidated a disproportionate section of the Morstaybishlian Armed Forces, including 90% of the Imperial Navy's Home Fleet) managed to mobilise defensive lines on the Burren mountains and the Anker River, many thousands evacuated and general anarchy proliferated the cities.
The Morstaybishlian government acted swiftly, though critics argue there were obvious signs a military coup d'etat of Redrugus and Horkalo was happening under their noses months before it happened. Before separatists gained air superiority, Morstaybishlian long-range bomber aircraft disabled several naval vessels, including MBS Horkalo, a Litop-class IIA destroyer. The surrounding waters of Xenliada saw naval engagement, where ships under MBE scrambled to escape State control and disabled targets where they could. Four ships under the MBE's control were sank, including two Rouanezkador-class frigates, MBS Walverdon and MBS Torrin, claiming a total of 787 crew. Seperatists were fought back to the Heldon Bridge, where they destroyed it, thus forming the line of control that would remain until Great Morstaybishlia invaded two years later.
With his declaration as President of the State of Morstaybishlia and Supreme Commander of its armed forces, George Vermana set out by enacting martial law. To suppress what opposition existed to their self-declared independence, regular stop checks began and curfew was set at 20:00. Vermana's government sought to legitimise their status as an independent nation by continuing the sale of goods, such as grain and oil to importing customers of Great Morstaybishlia, the latter via the Redrugan Oil Reserve (Morstaybishlia's third largest). The MBE responded by patrolling blue waters in the West Sea with components from other fleets, enacting an embargo and seizing ships that tried to leave, or enter. The State responded in kind, and patrolled their own waters. Open sea warfare to remove the blockade begun, and the State, operating the Home Fleet and backed by the Redrugan Oil Reserves, was able to fight indefinitely until all of their ships were damaged or sunken.
Morstaybishlia successfully whipped the ACA (the predecessor of the UNAC) into condemnation of the State by September 2003. A condemnation by the International Forum in January 2004 followed. Both the State and the MBE had rapidly mobilised forces for the advent of war. RedBank departments and cash machines were shut down and disabled across Aurora (where the banks entire operations were conducted), and assets were frozen when economic data showed that the State of Morstaybishlia was a recipient of several of their loans worth billions of Kiribs.
George Vermana was shot and killed by MIB agents operating undercover at his stately home on 18 October 2004 in what the Morstaybishlian Government codenamed Operation Fox Hunt. His death was applauded in main streets like Oswald Place and Palace Street. On the same day, MBE forces penetrated the defense lines of the State and began its invasion. From Kalmington, King Lambertus VII officially declared hostilities, the first time the Morstaybishlian government had done so since the advent of the Auroran Imperial War. In Redrugus, Zecrod Furista was sworn in as President.
Morstaybishlian Secession War
In an interview with the MBC in 2014, Franklin Barvata described how success in Operation Fox Hunt falsely alluded the Morstaybishlian government into believing that the State would collapse because of a fragile leadership system, and that in the vacuum left by the death of George Vermana would allow the Morstaybishlian Armed Forces an easier path to victory against a stunned and chaotic State military command.
No such government or military command collapse occurred, and Zecrod Furista was sworn in as the second president the same day. Kalmington hopes of civil unrest and internal conflict against the Furista government was not met. Morstaybishlian forces crossed the border on 18 October 2004 and was met by fierce resistance, though as the conflict progressed, lightning tactics were employed to encircle State units to force a quicker victory. However, George Vermana had predicted this in his tenure and had planted explosives on every road across the border. When these eplosives were detonated, the Morstaybishlian fast attack strategies were useless. Warfare on the ground continued slowly, and battles were mainly fought in the air and at sea.
In the north, the MBE's delayed landings as a result of the 2004 Packilvanian Ocean Typhoon season's Typhoon Ariezoe made continual permanent territorial gains as forces on land pushed south. In the east, State forces fought hardest and territorial gains were harder come by. The capture of Skaul, Queenschester and Fort Staynes had Zecrod Furista on the defensive. By April 2005, as Kalmington was preparring for the 2005 genral election, forces aboard the Baltassar-class MBS Baltassar (the lead ship of her class) mutinied, and surrendered to the Morstaybishlian Fleet. Further waves of surrendering forces saw morale in Furista's government fall dramatically. Several politicians and members of State High Command either attempted unsuccessfully or successfully to leave to seek refuge in Morstaybishlia and avoid imprisonment by revealing sensitive strategies or secrets which could help the war effort. Only two out of six high ranking politicians and military command managed this feat.
During fierce combat in the Battle of Kasilly Point, MBS Roumont, under command of the State, was sunk and destroyed by a Vezra GE-25 fourth-generation fighter. Other smaller vessels on both sides were sunk.
At some point during 16 to 20 September 2005 Zecrod Furista fled the country, and on 24 September 2005 the State of Morstaybishlia surrendered. The new High Elderthane Walter Johannes travelled to Redrugus on 26 September and declared 'the people are free, and this dark chapter of Morstaybishlia's history is over'.
Preliminary talks in early 2005 between Great Morstaybishlia, Axdel (who's political relationship with Morstaybishlia had improved drastically since the Lyrevale Continuation War nineteen years before) and the Republic of Ethalria would form the basis of the Western Auroran Pact (WAP), which would become the precursor of the Intercontinental Regional Security Accords (IRSA). A main proponent to the groups formation was unity against secessionist movements, which all parties had partial issues with.
Acts of Union
Jusdelva faced continuous trouble with a language and cultural divide since it was colonised in the late 15th century. Jusdelva, who seceded from Morstaybishlia upon the closure of the Auroran Imperial War was bound by the Loeizaporzh Agreement, signed by former High Elderthanen Delores Gastrell and the first High Elderthane of Jusdelva Riannar B. Carrington, which stated that "if at any stage it is clear that a majority of constituencies in Jusdelva hold pro-Morstaybishlian seats, then a referendum for Morstaybishlian reunification would be considered" and that, under these terms, "a Morstaybishlian reunification would see Jusdelva become a functioning member state of Morstaybishlia as opposed to territory of the crown". After the 2014 Jusdelva general election, the new High Elderthane Wiley Gordwin was elected but led a minority government, his opposition could not form a government but which formed for the first time a majority for pro-Morstaybishlia. Gordwin controversially ignored this clause in the Loeizaporzh Agreement, and had a huge backlash from politicians and the general public. At the time, Gordwins' opinion polls dropped to 23 percent, the lowest of any Jusdelviz high elderthanes ever. A general election was called after a vote of no confidence. The Liberal League of Jusdelva lost ten seats in the 2015 Jusdelva general election and the Jusdelviz Unionist Party was voted in. His successor, and the new High Elderthane Arran Samsey, held a referendum on 16 December 2015 which saw a 65 percent vote for Morstaybishlian reunification, though no constituency in the Eastern Outliers voted to leave. Samsey flew to Sani Bursil on as many as eleven occasions to discuss with Walter Johannes an agreement. One year later to the day, on 16 December 2016, the Imperial Kingdom of Great Morstaybishlia and Jusdelva came into being, the result of Acts of Union being passed by the Sammings of Great Morstaybishlia and Jusdelva and so unite the two kingdoms.
Auroran-Cerenerian War
See also: Auroran-Cerenerian War
After loyalists to the Ethalrian Monarchy illegitimately seized the government of the Republic of Ethalria in May 2017 to form the Greater Ethalrian Empire, the Morstaybishlian Government would call an emergency meeting between world leaders at Sani Bursil Royal Palace resulting in an allegiance of half a dozen countries to fight the new Auroran threat. Tensions rose across the world for a few weeks. The Royal Parade was not cancelled despite the best efforts of High Elderthane Walter Johannes, who deemed it 'unsafe in the current political climate'. During the parade around Sani Bursil, an assassination attempt on King Lambertus VII failed but resulted in the death of the heir apparent Prince Thadeus. It was soon thereafter discovered that the plot was orchestrated by operatives of the Matriarchy of Ethalria working for Amalda Harimann and Great Morstaybishlia declared war on the Matriarchy the same day.
With Stratarin's Premier Viktor Drugov losing his position of power to Mikhail Starikov, Great Morstaybishlia lost one of its great allies. Starikov made his intentions known and became allies with the Matriarchy of Ethalria, the Greater Ethalrian Empire and Kostromastan, forming the axis. Stratarin played a vital role in military armament and funding of the axis; in particular Kostromastan, who had used this aide to push an invasion deep into Nocturne. Kostromastan and Stratarin would aim to push deep into Barbarus and Laulia Provinces to ambush the vastly spread and deeply entrenched allied forces in their battle over north Ethalrian cities, and a planned Strataric naval invasion on the beaches of Aurus and Laulia Provinces was narrowly prevented when their naval routes were cut off by the Oan Isles, which began the Cerenerian Theater of War. Great Morstaybishlia immediately amassed a force with IRSA to invade both Ethalria's. Facing fierce opposition, the allies narrowly secured victories in Arkenvel and Avenai in late June and July, later beating the Matriarchy of Ethalria in the battle for Karinthus and later Ribenstadt, the Ethalrian capital which would lead Harimann into hiding and see the Ethalrian Vice Matriarch sign the Instrument of Surrender on the 24th of October. In the west the allies were repelled into Valeria, with bombing of cities Leriad, Burleron and Kovaro killing millions of people, but upon the surrender of the Matriarchy of Ethalria, the Greater Ethalrian Empire caved into pressure on all sides from the allies, herself surrendering soon thereafter. Immediately following the war, Great Morstaybishlia, as well as Axdel, Tuvaltastan and the Oan Isles saw the fragmentation of both Ethalria's and occupied each zone which became the six Ethaln countries.
Since the Auroran-Cerenerian War
Walter Johannes lost the 2019 general election to Progress Party fielded candidate Franklin Barvata[1], ending the 14 year Johannes administration and subsequently stepped down as Podite leader[2].
Kyrloth's annexation of Izria saw the Embask oil rigs off the coast of the Undirnor and Slodhir Islands unlawfully and illegally signed away by King Tegura IV to Sinter Tass sparking controversy and outrage[3]. Barvata failed to negotiate with Tass and the latter sent a blockade of corvettes to the oil rigs[4]. Norgsveltian Prime Minister Sverdrup hosted a meeting between Tass, Barvata and Kuthern leaders[5]. Meanwhile during this meeting one of the oil rigs was blown up on order of Artun Sotarikos and sunk the destroyer MBS Dovia[6]. The incident was known as the The Lion of Taren Incident, and in Norgsveldet the outcome of this meeting saw the Kyrlot Government pay a sum of 20 billion Kiribs (5% of their GDP) for the oil rigs and compensation to the workers and the dead workers' families. Barvata later sacked Elderthane for Foreign and Oversea Territory Affairs Janietta Rubis from the cabinet for her poor handling of the situation, replacing her with Ron Wehrasbi[7].
Walter Johannes successor Berowalt Ase accused his party of a 'witch hunt' after being forced to resign for alleged continuous racism, being succeeded by Benjamin Wardola[8]. This leadership change rippled in the Civic Party [9] and its leader Paddy Lukamortz was replaced by Osbourne Saudaran in the 2020 MBE Democrats Leadership Election[10][11].
In May 2020, Great Morstaybishlia joined the The Anti-Alyunthian Coalition, and participated in open political isolation against Alyunthia, but unlike the lead member Rodenia who had declared hostilities, Great Morstaybishlia decided to remain neutral.
In the defence of peace, Great Morstaybishlia, Meremaa and Norgsveldet signed the Riberoe Pact[12], a non-aggression treaty over the tensions in the territorial waters of Meremaa and Dalmaghar that have existed since the Meremaa Civil War.
On 25 June 2020 High Elderthane Franklin Barvata made a speech advocating de-escalating Arcturia[13] after large political blocs including the UCA and LN condemned Rodenia for their military intervention into Puntalia. The Morstaybishlian Government deployed the Home Fleet to Lambombay Naval Base, Nevez Kaltariezh; a 200 vessel strong theater-level component command led by aircraft carrier MBS Glasgore to provide humanitarian aid and to promote de-escalation with their presence[14][15]. A day later the home fleet was split into three. MBS Jarsdel was sent to lead a force to the west coast of Rodenia, MBS Sinkasa was sent with a group to the east coast and MBS Glasgore led a group on the north coast[16]. Barvata scrutinised Prime Minister Johanna Sverdrup of Norgsveldet for her “lack of professionalism and cooperation” following a telephone conversation between the two where he tried to establish meaningful cooperation and to de-escalate and overcome the tensions in Arcturia[17][18]. Barvata reached out to Packilvania for support in blockading the naval maritime border between a UCA coalition and Rodenia[19][20]. The addition of Packilvania alongside Great Morstaybishlia plateaued rising troop deployment from the UCA.
On 10 July 2020 Great Morstaybishlia hosted a conference of nation states involved in the Puntalian Crisis. The 2020 PCT Sani Bursil Summit saw the end of hostilities from Rodenia, the UCA with the Puntalian Cooperation Council (PCC) erected to maintain the clauses of the Puntalian Compromise Treaty. In accordance to the clauses laid out in the treaty, Great Morstaybishlia and Packilvania ended its maritime occupation and blockade to prevent an outbreak of war between nations involved. Great Morstaybishlia was a listed member of the Puntalian Cooperation Council and will lead in the establishment of PCC military installations in both New Puntalia and Puntalia.
Terrorists co-ordinated two attacks that took place on 24 July 2020 in Barbarus and Jomsgord Provinces, Kaltariezh, Great Morstaybishlia. Beginning at 08:36, one Khadgar tank operated by terrorists alongside 37 terrorists shot and blew up the side of the Barbarus police headquarters building before committing a mass shooting. At 9:06 another tank and gunmen committed a second mass shooting on the Khauser police headquarters. Both mass shootings resulted in a standoff with police. 67 civilians were killed and another 71 injured. 67 of the suspected 81 attackers were killed. Since the attacks, nobody has taken responsibility. High Elderthane Franklin Barvata initiated a state of emergency which was declared across Great Morstaybishlia to help fight terrorism, involving the banning of public demonstrations, and allowing the police to carry out searches without a warrant, put anyone under house arrest without trial and block websites that encouraged acts of terrorism. Calthia, Laulia, Aurus, Barbarus, Jomsgord provinces of Kaltariezh were put on Black Alert with a curfew of 21:00, football matches and pubs were also closed and non-essential travel became prohibited. The July 2020 Kaltariezh attacks were the deadliest in Great Morstaybishlia since the Auroran Imperial War.
A day later, violent riots in major cities of Nocturne Province began in Fort Nocturne against the military presence and changes implemented following the terror attacks. The rioting escalated into over twenty minutes of armed conflict between the join occupying police and military presence and freedom fighters, claiming the lives of six police, two soldiers and 29 freedom fighters. Immediately following the conflict the high elderthane tightened restrictions but rioting, arson, looting and other violent crimes ensued continuously for another four days, until 29 July. Since then, rioting has continued but more sporadically and no engagements between armed forces and freedom fighters have occured.
The August 2020 Kaltariezh police attack saw a drone bomb attack into a meeting of chief constables in Kola House, Nocturne provincial police headquarters, eastern Kaltariezh, Great Morstaybishlia; that happened at 14:05 and claimed the lives of six chief constables, one deputy chief constable and one site engineer. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, although in a nation addressed High Elderthane Franklin Barvata insisted that the same group responsible for the July 2020 Kaltariezh attacks are to blame.
The high elderthane denied a proposed independence referendum by FP Berinter Fokes for the city of Aegis in Valeria that was set out in a clause of the Aegis Area Agreement of 1975 and 1977. The Supreme Court of Great Morstaybishlia ruled his denial of the clause unlawful. The high elderthane flew to Andel, the capital of Axdel and conferred with President Diego Corbinn where they ruled out the clause as void due to the clause not bring brought over from signatory state of Noroist Axdel to Axdel, due to the nature of the transition. After the high elderthane's address, many South Staynish Progress FPs organised a faction within the party, known as Valerian Progress, which would fight for better representation for the constituent country and for a more appropriate national identity. The Valeria Elderthane Nellie Hermin resigned and conveyed a public speech to millions of viewers, prompting for the resignation of the high elderthane.
On 9 March 2021, four coordinated terrorist attacks and a fifth foiled attack occurred in Joralesia between 13:03 and 13:39. Including two perpetrators, 354 people died and 881 were injured, 109 of which critically[21]. Vothetrian Prime Minister Clauzia Sarohart was a victim of the second bombing. The high elderthane called a TRIDENT meeting and initiated Black Alert over all Joralesia, which was given Royal Assent at 04:00 on 10 March, three hours after the attack (as Sani Bursil is twelve time zones in front). The 2021 Joralesian attacks were later discovered to be conducted by members of the Ravenspaw and Greypike cartels, two listed terrorist organisations. By evening on the same day of the attacks, protests and later riots throughout Joralesian cities took place.
In the Folks, the high elderthane attempted to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act, passed controversially in 2020 to give amnesty to actions taken by Joralesian police, including unsanctioned arrests for anyone affiliated with the ongoing protests. This was met with heavy criticism across the House and the amendment historically failed, with three Cabinet members voting against the government. Barvata refrained from forcing their resignations against convention. Barvata called for and the House voted on an early general election, which failed. When the House voted on a second amendment to the Act, it failed by two votes, leading to Barvata circumnavigating the Fixed-terms Sammings Act of 1999 which requires a two-thirds supermajority in order for an election to take place by passing the Early Sammings General Election Act 2021, which only required fifty percent[22]. King Lambertus VII gave Royal Assent to the Early Sammings General Election Act 2021 on the afternoon of 10 March 2021 and the samming dissolved at 00:01 on 11 March 2021[23].
The general election was the first in 23 years to result in a hung samming[24]. The abstentionist Marislian Independence Party had its greatest ever victory. Progress remained in power after forming a minority government with inner-party agreements with the Valerian Progress faction. Two days later, MARIP leader Romilda von Anzitter forwarded a strong demand for independence live on MBC.
Geography
Great Morstaybishlia has an area of 5,940,250km² (or 2,293,542 square miles). The mainland part of Great Morstaybishlia is made up of Staynes, Kaltariezh and Valeria which are collectively referred to as Morstaybishlia. Jusdelva is an archipelago located in the Caven Sea that forms the metropolitan part of the Great Morstaybishlia along with Morstaybishlia. This article will refer to the metropolitan part of the MBE unless it specifically refers to one, some or all of its numerous overseas territories.
Great Morstaybishlia is the third biggest nation and largest transcontinental empire on Urth. At its height, it was the largest nation on the planet. It has a diverse range of ecosystems. Its metropolitan area goes through five timezones.
The average elevation is 845 m (or 2772 ft). The highest elevation is the summit of Mount Kersivius which is 7,405 m (or 24,294 ft). The lowest elevation is the Nepiditras Depression in Kaltariezh (at 79 m below sea level). The longest river is Stayn River with a length of 5,216 km (or 3241 miles). The largest lake by surface area is Morsa Lake with an area of 129,850 km² (or 50,135 square miles). It is the second largest lake by surface area on Urth.
The geology of Jusdelva and Morstaybishlia are different. Jusdelva was formed from volcanic activity and as such it has igneous rock with a base of basalt rock. Morstaybishlia has sedimentary rock with high amount of metals such as iron, aluminium and silicate minerals, precious metals such as silver, rhodium, palladium, platinum and gold, semi precious and precious stones such as sapphire, ruby, garnet, emerald and red beryl, and fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas and coal.
Biodiversity and environment
Great Morstaybishlia as a whole comprises largely varying ecosystems. Jusdelva has an entirely tropical climate and over 65% of the land is made up by the Flizon rainforest. The Flizon is recognised as being one of the greatest biological diversity sites in the world and is a lot more species rich than the Jubrione evergreen rainforest despite its higher level of biodiversity to other evergreen rainforests, caused by large annual rainfall from Morsa Lake which extends all the way to the Agners mountains and the Staynes-Kaltariezh border.
Small regions of Moorlands and the Great Savanna form a natural barrier around the Jubrione evergreen rainforest to the temperate deciduous forests in Staynes. The Great Savanna offers one of the most unusual landscapes in the world, with rivers, waterfalls and gorges, deep and vast valleys, impenetrable jungles and savannahs that host large numbers and varieties of plant species, a diverse fauna and the isolated table-top mesas. The Great Savanna extends all the way from the western Staynish coast to the centre-north Kaltariz coast, though it is split into western and eastern regions. Much of it has been turned into agriculture or settlement by humans over millennia, though considerable amounts have been protected as national parks today.
Much of the Horkalic, and some of the Redrugan Provinces make up the Horkalic Basin; a large shallow inland sea. If present today, it would completely isolate over half of Horkalo from continental Aurora. Today though it acts as a drainage basin for multiple large rivers including the longest Staynish river the Anker to the West Sea. The Staynish interior including the Horkalic Basin also has areas of seasonal wetlands and large deposits of crude oil from ancient marine organisms of the former Maltervenic Sea. The northern regions of the basin, and a large part of the north-west coast are made of mangrove swamps.
The Zycannes is one of the worlds largest mountain ranges by area, the largest on Aurora, and is the worlds longest. The mountains form the natural border between several nations, including Staynes and Valeria to an extent. Staynes and a small region of Valeria that is north of the mountain range is on the windward side and sees luscious vegetative growth whilst Valeria is on the leeward side and is a long belt hot semi-arid land which makes up the Sperran Desert. There are two mountain ranges adjacent to the Zycannes; the Burren mountains and the Oesan mountains. Between the Burren and Zycannes there's a semi-arid region known as the Jersian Desert and between the Oesan and Zycannes there's a small semi-arid region called the Oeser Desert.
Within the hot semi-arid climate of the Sperran Desert lies a small belt of cold desert climate that forms a boundary. Valeria experiences a mixture of temperate coniferous forests and grasslands on relatively flat areas or rolling hills. The region south of the cold desert belt has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers.
In part of being split by two mountain ranges, the Zycannes and the Kalivian mountains; Kaltariezh is split into three different regions. The north of the Zycannes is windward and hosts a mixture of temperate climates, present in the north and north west is an oceanic climate and closer to the Zycannes is a typical continental climate. Immediately below the Zycannes is a narrow belt of cold desert called the Waron Desert and the Versuben mountains which connects to the Zycannes in two places and forms a segregated low area of hot arid land known as the Versubish Desert. Between the Waron Desert and the Kalivian mountains there are areas of large precipitation and thus forms a large wet temperate forest region. North of the Kalivian mountains is windward and south of the mountains is leeward, giving the provinces of Nocturne and some of Barbarus and Jomsgord a mixture of steppe and a semi-arid deserts.
In the seas surrounding Great Morstaybishlia, Jusdelva is host to some 25 deep-water corals primarily in the Western Outliers Province but also in the Dorghold Islands chain between Sinerus Island and Varness. The largest deep-water corals are Pannagar corals which extends over a length of about 43 kilometers (27 mi), and has a width of up to 6.9 kilometers (4.3 mi) and Kenure corals which extends over a length of about 31 kilometers (19.2 mi), and has a width of up to 5 kilometers (3.1 mi). The deep-water corals belong to the Phylum Cnidaria and are mostly stony corals, but also include black and horny corals. The black and horny corals aren't present in the 4 deep-water corals off the coast Kaltariezh and Staynes respectively. Off the coast of Valeria and encompassing most of the continental waters in the Azure Sea lies a kelp forest.
Flora
Metropolitan Morstaybishlia is divided into three regions that vary dramatically in climate and soils, though it is largely temperate, oceanic, monsoon and semi-arid; these regions are divided by the Zycannes which due to the tundra climate is widely inhospitable, though the wetlands and foothills host over 20 percent of all Morstaybishlian flora species, including 411 angiosperm, 5 gymnosperm and 15 fern species.
Staynes and Kaltariezh make up the Morstia region as their climates, flora and fauna are very dissimilar. The Morstia region hosts the most plant species in metropolitan Morstaybishlia. The Jubrione evergreen rainforest is a deciduous broadleaf, wet, high diversity rainforest; and as such contains over 50 percent of all plant species in metropolitan Morstaybishlia. The Maple is found in the Jubrione and is Morstaybishlia's national tree; it has since been exported around the world through the Morstaybishlian Empire. Although a broad leaf forest, coniferous trees make up over ten percent and are invasive, non-native species introduced from Gondwana in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The rest of Morstia is typically inhabited by deciduous forest, plains and moorland with a diverse pattern of vegetation. As with most of Aurora, prehistoric Morstaybishlia was covered with forest and swamp. Clearing began around 5,000 BCE and accelerated in medieval times. Despite this, Morstaybishlia retained its primeval forests and evergreen rainforest longer than most of Aurora due to its size, and wood shortages were not a problem until the 17th century. By the 18th century, around 50 percent of Morstaybishlian forests were consumed for shipbuilding or manufacturing charcoal and the nation was forced to import lumber from Arcturia. Today, most forest land in Morstaybishlia is maintained by state forestation programmes. Almost all land outside urban areas is farmland. However, relatively large areas of forest remain in north and south-west Staynes, north Kaltariezh and south-eastern Valeria. The most common trees in Morstaybishlia are beech, silver birch, elm and pedunculate oak. Natural forests in Morstaybishlia consist mainly of Maple or Oak. Farmland hosts a variety of semi-natural vegetation of grasses and flowering plants. Woods, hedgerows, mountain slopes and marshes host heather, wild grasses, gorse and bracken. Morstaybishlia has several national flowers, including the Hydrangea, Daffodil and the Morst Rose.
Valeria consists primarily of semi-arid desert, oceanic and temperate. The creosote bush is the dominant plant species on gravelly and occasional sandy soils in valley areas within the Sperran Desert. The other species creosote bush is found with depend on factors including the soil type, elevation, and degree of slope. Desert or arid grasslands comprise 20% of this desert and are often mosaics of shrubs and grasses, the most famous of which is the purple three-awn.
Jusdelva is rich and varied, with habitats ranging from tidal swamps at sea level to alpine conditions. In low-lying coastal areas, various species of mangroves form the main vegetation, together with the beautiful casuarina, sago, and palm. Most of the country is covered by tropical and savanna rain forest, in which valuable trees such as kwila and cedar are found. Orchids, lilies, ferns, and creepers abound in the rain forests. There are large stands of pine at elevations of 910 to 1,220 m (3,000–4,000 ft). At the highest altitudes, mosses, lichens, and other alpine flora prevail.
Fauna
The fauna of Morstaybishlia has many endemic species found nowhere else on Urth. Morstaybishlia shares a great deal of its fauna with the rest of the Auroran continent. An estimated 360 species of mammals characterize the fauna of the continental MBE. There are more than 600 species of bird and more than 65,000 species of insects. There are 272 known reptiles, 222 amphibians and 953 known fish species.
Jusdelva comprises a much smaller land area within the MBE, yet supports nearly an equal percentage of biodiversity, and constitutes nearly 5 percent of the recognised world vertebrates; ranging from an estimated 3 percent of the world's lizards and mammals to about 8 percent of the world's fish species.
There are animals that exist in all of the continental Morstaybishlia; some of which includes the Yastaurian sparrowhawk, the common kestrel, the Auroran stoat, Auroran rabbit, wild boar, black rat, black rat snake, Auroran common frog and noble false widow. However, generally it is split similarly to the flora regions; that is the Morstia, Abergwerin, Valerian, Jubrione and Marislian regions.
Huge parts of the country with the most distinctive indigenous wildlife are protected as national parks. In 2020, the MBE had more than 4910 national parks or protected areas, all together more than 1,523,210 km². The first national park was the Jubrione National Park in Jubrionas Province, recognised and established by Royal Charter in 1799. Jubrione National Park is widely considered to be the finest megafauna wildlife habitat in the MBE. There are 64 species of mammal in the park, including the Auroran cheetah, Auroran jaguar and the threatened brown bear.
Abergwerin
Of the native fauna to Abergwerin perhaps the most notable are the Wild boars, hunting of whom was a common manhood ritual amongst early Kaltian societies. Though now days surpassed by the Kalt Lion in cultural importance, in the Kingdoms of Calthia and Laulia it was a common theme in crests and flags.
Another notable part of Abergwerin Fauna is the Kalt Puma, nicknamed Kalt lion, which in turn is found in so many Calhtarusian symbols. The Kalt Puma along with black bears is often considered the apex predator of the Abergwerin area. Though other notable predators include the Dotted Kalt lion and the wolf. Biologists have for years advocated for years for changing the common name of the dotted Kalt lion, because it is based on a centuries old misunderstanding that thought it was much closer than the actual Kalt lion, but so far the name has stuck
Abergwerin is home ot numerous snake species that populate it’s beaches and forrest. Luckily for the population however, most of the snakes while numerous are not deadly venomous, a dubious honour which goes only to the Forest Devil and the Green Viper species. Notably both of the species only bite in self defense, but are easily aggravated resulting in a large number of bites, especially to unwary hikers, each year.
Morstia
The ecoregions and ecology found in the Morstia region is extremely varied as it extends from the Molvian Corridor in the south-west to the border with Tivot and Blueacia in the north-east. The region has a diverse climate that influences the inhabiting fauna; a humid continental climate in the southern provinces, a humid subtropical climate in the middle provinces of mainly Staynes but also a small area of Kaltariezh, and tropical wet and dry climate in the north of Staynes and over 90 percent of the Morstia region in Kaltariezh. There are densely forested areas found in southern and central Staynes which have mostly species adapted to living in temperate climates, while northern Staynes excluding the Jubrione region and all of Kaltariezh in this region have a fauna resembling its position in the subtropic and tropics.
The western coast of Staynes varies from a warmer-to-colder climate from north to south. Several species live throughout the coast, though mostly avian and fish species such as the Yastaurian sparrowhawk which inhabits the Bolmertheton Isles and Montinay Island, but also the grey buzzard, Auroran anchovy, yellowfin tuna, black marlin, swordfish and shiny bird squid. In most of the Morstia region are various deer species like the velvet red deer and fallow deer; speckled ground squirrel, common badger, red fox, buzzards and several species of snakes and lizards are common.
Many species of mega fauna and large carnivorous mammals that lived in the Morstian savanna have been hunted for their meats, skins and ivory, and many have been pushed to extinction as a result. The brown bear once spanned all of northern Aurora but was hunted for its fur and because it was a dangerous predator; today it lives in pockets of the Morstian region across northern Staynes and Kaltariezh. Some common species in the savanna include the giant anteater, giant armadillo, ocelot, spotted paca, widow monkey, cock-of-the-rock and tango pitviper. Many amphibians live in wet areas, including the golden belly frog and black bumped toad. Capybara are also found in the savanna and is the provincial animal of Horkalo and Jubliak.
Along the north and west coastlines are several species of whales, sea otters, grey seals, and even the Morstian flamingo.
In the mangroves on the northern coast the Morstaybishlian crocodile lives in great number but are a protected species since their decline in the 19th century where crocodile leather fashion was at an all time high. Other species that inhabit the mangrove includes the mangrove black hawk, common snapping turtle, roseate spoonbill, mangrove tree crab, tropical gar and the mummichog killfish; but they are most famous for holding the most anole species of any place in the world with 114 accepted species. The most notable of which are the blue-headed anole, blue-throated anole and the giant anole - the largest species of anole in the dactyloidae family.
Jubrione
The Jubrione region was mapped separately from the Morstia region in 1902 to separate the evergreen rainforest with the rest of Morstia. It encompassed a region approximately 390,693 km². This land, which eventually became only seven constituencies in 1917 was protected as a nature reserve as the Jubrione National Park. The national park is home to a plethora of fauna, including species that overlap with those found in the Morstia region such as the wild boar, velvet red deer, brown bear, and the Morstaybishlian crocodile which inhabits several freshwater river systems.
Many native fauna also make the Jubrione Rainforest their home, including Morstaybishlia's national animal the Auroran jaguar and two other big cats; the Auroran cheetah and a subspecies of the ocelot found exclusively in fringe parts of the west and south near the savanna. Hunting these big cats for their furs were a traditional sport until it was banned in the 1940s - the numbers of the Auroran cheetah came as low as 450 mating pairs in the wild, though breeding and reintroduction programs have increased their native population tenfold. Many other animals have experienced the same problem and have had reintroduction programs, such as the panther genet and the nocturnal pigmy hippopotamus.
Other mammals in the Jubrione region include the aforementioned big cats, the little spotted cat, brown throated sloth, black-and-white colobus, greater spot-nosed monkey, red-bellied monkey, lesser bush baby, Jubrionas bushbaby, giant anteater, orange-furred honey bear, red brocket, agile gracile opposum, white-bellied slender opossum, and the grey-bellied caenolestid. The Jubrione region is host to many water-borne mammals like the endemic north Auroran manatee, Jubrionas river dolphin, pygmy sperm whale, southern sea lion, neotropical river otter, pantropical spotted dolphin and the common bottlenose dolphin.
Some species of rodent mammals in the Jubrione region are Mesomys spiny tree rat, woolly-headed spiny tree-rat, neotropical pygmy squirrel, white-footed climbing mouse, Jubrione forest climbing mouse, yellow-bellied climbing mouse, black rat and Capybara; though another 38 species of rodent exist or are endemic to the region.
The Jubrione region is home to 119 species of Chiroptera, the most bat species in any one region in all of the southern hemisphere and which over a third are endemic. Some of its more well known are the silver-tipped myotis, black myotis, small big-eared brown bat and the Auroran ghost bat; a relatively rare, completely white, insectivorous bat, with an unusual sac at the base of its tail.
The Jubrione region has over 690 species of birds - one of the highest number of any national park in the world. New species of birds are still being discovered and catalogued by scientists, of which 11 have been officially added to science in the last 40 years. Some bird species include the Morstian flamingo, grey tinamou, puna tinamou, fulvous whistling-duck, white-faced whistling-duck, black-bellied whistling-duck, comb duck, ruddy duck, blue-throated piping-guan, rufous-headed chachalaca, nocturnal curassow, titicaca grebe, band-tailed pigeon, eared dove, croaking ground dove, smooth-billed ani, pavonine cuckoo, squirrel cuckoo, oilbird, pong-tailed potoo, common nighthawk, common pauraque, spot-tailed nightjar, lesser swallow-tailed swift, fiery topaz, buff-tailed sicklebill, koepcke's hermit, brown violetear, ruby-topaz hummingbird, speckled hummingbird, limpkin, spotted rail, sora, killdeer, snowy plover, blackish oystercatcher, Jubrionas avocet, red knot, surfbird, greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, black skimmer, black-legged kittiwake, Morstian pelican, roseate spoonbill, Morstian condor, blue-crowned trogon, broad-billed motmot, green kingfisher, purplish jacamar, brown nunlet, scarlet-banded barbet, golden-collared toucanet, collared aracari, scarlet-backed woodpecker, fasciated antshrike, rufous antpitta, vilcabamba tapaculo, short-tailed antthrush, common miner, ruddy-tailed flycatcher, cinnamon manakin-tyrant, turquoise jay, purplish jay,
black-capped donacobius, and many, many others.
There are many seabirds associated with the Jubrione region, and many are endemic here. Some of these seabirds include the grey gull, kelp gull, common tern, red-tailed tropicbird, grey-headed albatross, white-bellied storm-petrel, wood stork, magnificent frigatebird, blue-footed booby, neotropic cormorant, rufescent tiger-heron and little blue heron.
The Jubrione region hosts dozens of bird of prey and owls, some of the more well known or recognised are the red-throated caracara, orange-breasted falcon, semiplumbeous hawk, black-faced buzzard, cinnamon screech-owl and great horned owl. The osprey, brown barn owl and white barn owl are found here but also across vast parts of the world.
There are few parrot species remaining in the region as several dozen have been hunted to extinction, some include the bronze-winged parrot, white-eyed parakeet, cobalt-winged parakeet and the grey-cheeked parakeet.
The Jubrione region has many insect and terrestrial gastropod molluscs. The raspberry crazy ants, longhorn crazy ants and fire ants are widely distributed here. The Jubrione region has over six hundred bee species, but only one of them make honey; the red dwarf honey bee, and is native across the rest of Aurora. banana slugs, six-spotted tiger beetles and goldenrod soldier beetles are endemic to the Jubrione Rainforests.
Jusdelva
Valerian
Zycannes
The fauna of the Zycannes, the largest mountain range of Aurora that stretches across the Staynes-Valeria border and divides northern and southern Aurora, is large and diverse, containing many different animal species.
With almost a thousand species, of which roughly ⅔ are endemic to the region, the Zycannes are the most important region in the world for amphibians. The diversity of animals in the Zycannes is high, with almost 650 species of mammals (15 percent endemic), more than 1,800 species of bird (about 30 percent endemic), more than 650 species of reptiles (about 48 percent endemic) and 420 species of fish (around 35 percent endemic).
The Zycuna can be found living in the Zycannes plateau, the widest part of the mountain range and are similar to camelids in Cereneria and Gondwana. Few predators exist here, but those that do are the brown bear, Zycannes cat and the golden-throated marten - a widely distributed omnivore whose sources of food range from fruit and nectar to small deer; they also play an important role in local folklore and Zycandean culture. The nocturnal chinchillas, two threatened members of the rodent order, inhabits the Zycannes' alpine regions and are widely domesticated.
Other domestics that originates from the Zycannes region are the Mara and the Zycannes mountain cavy. Other wild mammals found in the relatively open habitats of the high Zycannes include the Zycandean deer and foxes in the genus Pseudalopex.
Although very rich in flora and fauna, few large mammals are found in the Zycannes cloud forests, with exceptions being the threatened mountain tapir and yellow-tailed woolly monkey.
The Zycandean condor, the largest flying land-bird in the southern hemisphere, occurs throughout much of the Zycannes but generally in very low densities. Numerous other birds are found in open habitats of the Zycannes, including certain species of tinamous (notably members of the genus Nothoprocta), Zycandean moa, Zycandean goose, torrent duck, giant coot, Zycandean flicker, diademed sandpiper-plover, miners, Zycandean-finches and diuca-finches.
A few species of hummingbirds, notably some hillstars, can be seen at altitudes above 4,000 m (13,100 ft), but far higher diversities can be found at lower altitudes, especially in the humid Zycandean forests ("cloud forests"). Other birds of humid Zycandean forests include quetzals of the trogon family, whilst mixed species flocks dominated by tanagers and ovenbirds are common sights, in contrast to some vocal but typically cryptic species of rhinocryptidae, grallariidae and wrens.
There are many freshwater and saline lakes, and even some hypersaline lakes. Each host several threatened endemics, including grebes in the rollandia genus (white-tufted grebe and short-winged grebe), aquatic frogs such as those in the telmatobius genus and Orestias fish. Although the foothill and lower mountain rivers and streams are relatively rich in fish, only a few species are found in higher areas, and such are dominated by only a few catfish in the trichomycteridae genus. There are a few Zycandean crustacean, like the boeckella palustris and the branchinecta brushi, but the largest, the aeglids, can occur as high as 3,500 m (11,500 ft). In addition to pollution and habitat loss, smaller aquatic natives in the Zycannes are often threatened by introduced, non-native species.
Climate
Great Morstaybishlia has a climate that varies. Most of Morstaybishlia is temperate, with plentiful rainfall all year round. The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below −5 °C (23 °F) or rising to 42 °C (107.6 °F) in the north, and dropping below -15 °C (5 °F) or rising to 24 °C (75.2 °F) in the south. The southern regions of Valeria often has prevailing winds which bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Azure Sea, although the northern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind since the majority of the rain falls over the southern regions and therefore the midland regions including the Sperran Desert are the driest. Packilvanian currents, warmed by the Oceanus Stream, bring mild winters; especially in the west where winters are dry. Summers are warmest in the north of Morstaybishlia being closest to the tropics but also in the several deserts within the rain shadow of the Zycannes, and coolest in the south. Heavy snowfall can occur more southerly in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills.
In most of the Flizon Jungle and parts of the Jubrione, there is no dry season. The Flizon has an average precipitation value of at least 60 mm (2.4 in) per month whilst the Jubrione has around 304 mm (12 in) per month. Tropical rainforests and tropical evergreen rainforests have no summer or winter; it is typically hot and wet throughout the year and rainfall is both heavy and frequent and in the Jubrione very unpredictable. One day in these climates can be very similar to the next, while the change in temperature between day and night may be larger than the average change in temperature during the year. The Jubrione is considerably temperate, between 16 °C and 22 °C or 60.8 °F and 73 °F degrees. The northern Jubrione coast is the hottest, at an average of 23 °C. The Jubrione maintains annual humidity levels of 77%. The Flizon Jungle in Jusdelva maintains an average heat of 28 °C and annual humidity levels between 78% and 80%.
The location of the Zycannes, as well as the great variations in their elevations and exposure, give rise to very large differences in climate, not only among separate ranges but also within a particular range itself. Because of their central location in Aurora, the Zycannes are affected by four main climatic influences: from the north and west flows the relatively mild, moist air of the Packilvanian; cool or cold polar air descends from southwestern Aurora; continental air masses, cold and dry in winter and hot in summer, dominate in the east; and, to the south, dry Azure air flows northward. The average temperature in the foothills of the Zycannes is around 13 °C to 18 °C.
The highest recorded temperature was during the 2018 summer in the Staynish interior when the mercury hit 47.5 °C (117.5 °F) in Iron Valley, Jersia Desert, whilst the lowest recorded was during the Great Freeze of 1943 (the most brutal winter Aurora had seen in over three centuries), where during the blizzard filled night of 26 June the temperature was recorded at -24 °C (-11.2 °F) over the town of Keltucka, Valeria.
Territories and dependencies
Great Morstaybishlia has sovereignty over seventeen territories which do not form part of the MBE itself: fifteen Morstaybishlian Overseas Territories and two Crown dependencies.
The nineteen Morstaybishlian Overseas Territories are remnants of the Morstaybishlian Empire: they are Andomi, Eskomia, Neptentia Islands, Detention Islands, Louzaria, Nevez Kaltariezh, the Seligeze Islands, Morstaybishlian Rotantic Territories, Joralesia, Rosamund Island, Dalmaghar, Buzela, Bolize, New Celidizia, Morstaybishlian Cerenerian Territories, Salisar, Balidar, Kystland and Saint Matilda. Collectively Morstaybishlia's overseas territories encompass an approximate land area of 828,243 square kilometers (319,786 sq mi), with a total population of 106.144 million. A 2001 MBE government white paper stated that: "[The] Overseas Territories are Morstaybishlian for as long as they wish to remain Morstaybishlian. Morstaybishlia has willingly granted independence where it has been requested; and we will continue to do so where this is an option." Self-determination is also enshrined in the constitutions of several overseas territories and three have specifically voted to remain under Morstaybishlian sovereignty (Buzela in 1996, Joralesia in 2001 and New Celidizia in 2010).
The Crown dependencies are possessions of the Crown, as opposed to overseas territories of the MBE. They comprise two independently administered jurisdictions: the Necraties Islands and Eskomia. By mutual agreement, the Morstaybishlian Government manages the islands' foreign affairs and defence and the Samming has the authority to legislate on their behalf. Internationally, they are regarded as "territories for which Great Morstaybishlia is responsible". The power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with their own respective legislative assemblies, with the assent of the Crown. Since 2005 each Crown dependency has had a Lieutenant Governor as its head of government.
The Morstaybishlian dependencies all use the same currency as Great Morstaybishlia, the Kirib.
Politics
See also: Samming, Cabinet of Great Morstaybishlia, High Elderthane, List of high elderthanes of Great Morstaybishlia
The politics of Great Morstaybishlia take place in the framework of a unitary state under a constitutional monarchy. The monarch and head of state of Great Morstaybishlia is Lambertus VII. The monarch occupies a largely symbolic position with limited powers. In practice the monarch is limited to the following powers: receiving diplomats, signing laws without the power to veto them and signing treaties without the power to ratify them, and opening sessions of the legislature. The Constitution of Great Morstaybishlia is a supreme legal document that keeps checks and balances within government. Samming can perform "constitutional reform" simply by passing Act of Sammings, and thus has the political power to change or abolish almost any written element of the constitution. No Samming can pass laws that future Sammings cannot change.
A body of aristocrats and distinguished people, called the Privy Council, advises the monarch on the exercise of their duties with some committees such as the Cabinet, having taken over much of the work of ruling from the Crown.
Government
The Morstaybishlian parliamentary government is based on the Kalmington system of some modern parliamentary constitutional monarchies, and that is emulated in some former colonies after 1917 and instated in 2 of the 4 nations in the Ethalns after the Auroran-Cerenerian War. The government is divided into two branches: an elected Folk's Hall and an appointed Lord's Hall. All bills passed are given Royal Assent before becoming law.
The position of high elderthane is the head of government of Great Morstaybishlia. The position belongs to the person most likely to command the confidence of the Folks; this individual is typically the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that holds the largest number of seats in that chamber. By convention, the monarch respects the high elderthane's decisions of government.
The cabinet is drawn from members of the high elderthane's party or coalition and mostly from the Folk's Hall but always from both legislative houses, the cabinet being responsible for both. The work is divided according to topics called portfolios occupied by Thanes of the Crown. Other executive officials may attend cabinet meetings but may not vote. Executive power is exercised by the high elderthane and cabinet, all of who are sworn into the Privy Council of Great Morstaybishlia, and become Thanes of the Crown. The current High Elderthane is Franklin Barvata who has held office since 23 September 2021. Barvata is also the leader of the Progress Party. For elections to the Folk's Hall, the MBE is divided into 1,794 constituencies, each electing a single Folkspart (FP) by simple plurality. General elections are called by the monarch when the high elderthane so advises. The Fixed-term Sammings Act 1946 required that a new election must be called no later than seven years after the previous general election.
The government is heavily centralised in Sani Bursil and handles matters such as defence, currency, trade, treaties, property rights, public health care, education, and land management. Territorial governments such as Louzaria and Joralesia are restricted to issues such as housing, water, power, sanitation and local roads. The national government has a large degree of control over their internal affairs.
The Principles of Democracy Party, the Progress Party and the Civic Party have, in modern times, been the MBE's three major political parties, representing the Morstaybishlian traditions of conservatism, socialism and centrism, respectively. Most of the remaining seats were won by parties that contest elections only in one party of the MBE: Jusdelvic Unionist Party and Jusdelvic Independence Party (Jusdelva only); and the Marislian Independence Party (Marislia only). In accordance with party policy, no elected Marislian Independence Party folkspart have ever attended the Folk's Hall to speak on behalf of their constituents because of the requirement to take an oath of allegiance to the monarch.
History of constituencies
In 1917, Morstaybishlia converted from absolutism to parliamentary democracy and the first mention of constituencies were made. After the Great War, Morstaybishlia's territory looked very different; Axdel, and Emberwood Coast were apart of the empire as dominions, whilst the lands east of the Aberbish in Kaltariezh weren't. The Constituency Administration Committee were established to draw up the first constituency maps. The first iteration in 1917 had 1,214 constituencies and gave the Dominion of Axdel representation for the first time under the Morstaybishlian Empire with 170 seats. During the interwar period the constituencies remained unchanged until 1966 when Noroist Axdel gained independence and the land east of the Aberbish came back under control of Morstaybishlia. The Constituency Administration Committee was re-established and produced a second map that overhauled most of the work from the first, producing 1,742 constituencies. This remained until the Acts of Union of Great Morstaybishlia and Jusdelva which saw 52 new constituencies added to make the final iteration of 1,794.
Provinces
The history of local government in Great Morstaybishlia differs between Staynes, Kaltariezh, Valeria and Jusdelva, and the subnational divisions within these which have been called provinces have varied over time and by purpose. The province has formed the upper tier of local government over much of Great Morstaybishlia at one time or another, and has been used for a variety of other purposes, such as for Dukes, Lord Lieutenants, land registration and postal delivery.
Thirty four provinces of Staynes and thirty two provinces of Kaltairezh share the same borders as the pre-1917 dukedoms, and comprise of shires, realms and territories. The four coastal and two northernmost of the sixteen provinces of Valeria are the same, whilst the rest are modern realms. Judelva's provinces are all named after historic dukedoms, though they are all modern realms.
Law enforcement and crime
Great Morstaybishlia does not have a single legal system as the 1515 Treaty of Union provided for the continuation of Kaltariezh's separate legal system. Today the MBE has three distinct systems of law: Staynish law, Kaltariz law and Valerian law. The Supreme Court of Great Morstaybishlia came into being in 1917 to replace the Royal Courts, which had been previously used since 1036. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, including the same members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for several independent Commonwealth countries, the Morstaybishlian Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.
Both Staynish law, which applies in Staynes and Jusdelva, and Valerian law are based on common-law principles. The essence of common law is that, subject to statute, the law is developed by judges in courts, applying statute, precedent and common sense to the facts before them to give explanatory judgements of the relevant legal principles, which are reported and binding in future similar cases (stare decisis). The courts of Staynes and Jusdelva are headed by the Senior Courts of Staynes and Jusdelva, consisting of the Appeals Court, the Justice High Court (for civil cases) and the Royal Court (for criminal cases). The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land for both criminal and civil appeal cases in Staynes, Valeria and Jusdelva and any decision it makes is binding on every other court in the same jurisdiction, often having a persuasive effect in other jurisdictions.
In Staynes, Valeria and Jusdelva, The Court of Magistrates conduct trials. They are ranked according to the affairs and geographical area over which their jurisdiction extends. In order of least to highest, they are as follows: ward (or parish), borough (or shire), county (or district), then region (or province).
Kaltariz law is a hybrid system based on both common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Conclave, for civil cases, and the Jurat High Court, for criminal cases. The Supreme Court of Great Morstaybishlia serves as the highest court of appeal for civil cases under Kaltariz law. Sheriff courts deal with most civil and criminal cases including conducting criminal trials with a jury, known as sheriff solemn court, or with a sheriff and no jury, known as sheriff summary Court. The Kaltariz legal system is unique in having three possible verdicts for a criminal trial: "guilty", "not guilty" and "not proven". Both "not guilty" and "not proven" result in an acquittal.
Each province possesses a police force under the authority of the provincial government. The national government controls law enforcement agencies that deal with particularly complex or multijurisdictional cases and provides support to province police. Some larger cities, such as Sani Bursil, Rouanezkador and Kirdintayos maintain their own police forces. Generally the law enforcement is disciplined and impartial. In recent years, more pressure has been put on policing in the MBE as staffing shortages have increased, which has led to breaches in security such as the Assassination of Prince Thadeus. As recently as 2016 this policing shortage has been called a national emergency.
Crime in Staynes, Valeria and Jusdelva increased in the period between 1976 and 1983, and then again between 1993 and 1997, though since that peak there has been an observed fall of 39 per cent in recorded crime from 1997 to 2007, according to crime statistics. However, as crimes have increased since 2016, the prison population of Great Morstaybishlia has increased to 2 million, giving the MBE the highest rate of incarceration in the southern hemisphere at 388 per 100,000. The Royal Prison Service (RPS), which reports to the Thaning of Justice, manages most of the prisons within metropolitan MBE, whilst the Jusdelva Prisons Committee (JPC) is independent. The murder rate in Great Morstaybishlia has increased in the second half of the 2010s with a murder rate around 3 per 100,000 which is double the peak in 2008, the highest year in that decade. Morstaybishlia's prisons are overcrowded and the prison population is increasing.
Although many nations have abolished capital punishment, it is sanctioned in the MBE for certain civilian and military crimes, though this excludes Jusdelva. Executions are not commonplace, thought to be due to long prison sentences, good education and supplementary social welfare programs. Since 2000, there have been 159 executions. In recent years the number of executions and presence of capital punishment statute on whole has trended down nationally.
Foreign Relations
Great Morstaybishlia has an established structure of foreign relations. The MBE has a seat on the International Forum Security Council. The MBE is a permanent member of the United Nations of the Auroran Continent, where Sani Bursil holds secondary and tertiary functions for the Auroran Parliament, Auroran Commission and Council of the UNAC. Historically, the Bank of Staynes issued the legal tender of the UNAC's predecessor, the Auroran Continental Assembly. Almost all countries have embassies in Sani Bursil or Rouanezkador, and many have consulates around the country. Likewise, nearly all nations host Morstaybishlian diplomatic missions.
Great Morstaybishlia observes close relationships with Axdel, The Oan Isles, Kurandia, and to a lesser extent Packilvania. As a member of the Intercontinental Regional Security Accords, the MBE works closely with its fellow members on military and security issues. The MBE heads the Morstaybishlian Economic Sphere and Morstaybishlian Commonwealth. It is a Permanent Invitee to the OFAC, and has Observer Status in the Alliance of Northwest Gondwana and the League of Novaris.
Morstaybishlia exerts a large global presence and influence is further amplified through its trading relations, foreign investments, official development assistance and military engagements. Historically, Rodenia was the MBE's closest ally in Arcturia, though this changed since Kirk Santon seized power.
Military
Main article: Royal Armed Forces of the Empire
The Royal Armed Forces of the Empire (RAFOTE), also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces (HM's Armed Forces) or the Morstaybishlian Armed Forces (MAF) form the military of the MBE and its Oversea Territories. They are made up of three branches: the Imperial Navy, Army and Air Force. The forces are managed by the Thaning of Defence and controlled by the Defence Council, chaired by the Elderthane for Defence; currently Andrew Chemlin. The Commander-in-Chief is the Morstaybishlian monarch, to whom members of the forces swear an oath of allegiance. The Armed Forces are charged with protecting Great Morstaybishlia and its overseas territories, promoting Great Morstaybishlia's global security interests and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. They are active and regular participants in the UNAC Defence Force. Overseas garrisons and facilities are maintained in Packilvania, Axdel, Lokania, as well as in Overseas Territories of Nevez Kaltariezh, Louzaria, Joralesia, the Rotantic Territories, Eskomia, the Cerenerian Territories, Detention Island, Rosamund Island, Dalmaghar, New Celidizia and Neptentia Island. The Morstaybishlian armed forces played a key role in establishing the Morstaybishlian Empire as the dominant world power in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. By emerging victorious from conflicts, Morstaybishlia has often been able to decisively influence world events. Since the comedown of the Morstaybishlian Empire, Great Morstaybishlia has remained a major military power.
The Imperial Navy controls three sub branches: the Imperial Marines (an amphibious infantry), the Imperial Coast Guard (a maritime law enforcement branch) and the Imperial Missile Force. The Army forms the land component. It controls another sub branch called the Gendarmerie, a paramilitary force, and the Redplate Guard. The Imperial Air Force forms the air branch and controls the air defence sub branch.
The military has a total active manpower of 2.74 million soliders and a reserve manpower of 1.81 million soldiers. The Army has 1.3 million active soldiers in total. The Air Force has 720K airmen and women in total. The Navy has 798K sailors in total. The total budget of the armed forces, which amounted to 3.9% of GDP, was 603.6 billion KRB in 2022.
The main standard issue infantry rifle is the SK-AR4. The main marksmanship rifle given to special forces is the MR10. The primary air superiority fighter is the Vezra GE-55. The most used main battle tank is the Colonarius mk2. The primary multi purpose jet is the Vezra GE-35. The ground attack fighter is the Thunderbird II. The primary combat helicopter is the Mospher AH-1 Viper. The military intelligence has electronic reconnaissance capabilities.
The navy has 254 commissioned ships, which include submarines and auxiliary ships. The composition of the 254 commissioned ships include 14 air craft carriers (with three under construction, in development or planned); the navy also has two amphibious assault docks, 15 ballistic missile submarines (which maintains the MBE's nuclear superiority), 44 nuclear fleet submarines, 6 guided missile cruisers, 57 guided missile destroyers, 55 frigates, 25 patrol boats and 11 mine countermeasures, plus 27 ships of the Imperial Fleet Auxiliary (IFA); the IFA replenishes Imperial Navy warships at sea. Women and homosexuals are allowed to join the armed forces. They are trained in Krav Maga hand to hand combat.
Economy
Overview
Great Morstaybishlia has a partially regulated market economy. Based on market exchange rates, Great Morstaybishlia is today the largest economy in the world. HM Treasury, led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is responsible for developing and executing the government's public finance policy and economic policy. The Kirib, which is the legal tender, originated in Great Morstaybishlia. Historically, the Kirib was issued by the Bank of Staynes in Sani Bursil, Staynes, but is presently issued by the Auroran Central Bank in Tarov, Tivot, printed by the Staynish Bank Note Company and minted by the Royal Staynish Mint. The Bank of Staynes is the MBE's central bank and continues to act as a central bank in other respects such as regulating the banking sector, acting as a lender to banks and managing the nation's gold reserves. Great Morstaybishlia has gold reserves of 172 billion KRB. The Kirib is the world's second-largest reserve currency (after the SH Dollar). Since 1995 the Bank of Staynes' Monetary Policy Committee, headed by the Governor of the Bank of Staynes, has been responsible for setting interest rates at the level necessary to achieve the overall inflation target for the economy that is set by the Chancellor each year.
Great Morstaybishlia follows a free market model. Intellectual and physical property rights are respected. Businesses operate freely. There are some regulations to protect small businesses and poor households. Collective bargaining is legal. Overtime and leave days are guaranteed. There are laws to protect consumers from scams, unsafe products and excessive prices. There are taxes on the wealthy. There are some welfare programs to support the poor.
Great Morstaybishlia has a GDP of 15.47 trillion KRB. Great Morstaybishlia has a GDP per capita of 30 thousand KRB. The unemployment rate is at 6%, with the unemployment in Valeria at 9%. The inflation rate is at 2.1%. The growth rate is at 1.8%. the MBE remains the top destination in Aurora for foreign direct investment at 412,650 million. The total value of investments made by Great Morstaybishlia to other nations is 345,150 million KRB. The MBE government recorded a government debt equivalent to 97 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2017. Poverty is defined as people who are in relative low income (less than 60 per cent of the national median average, or 18,002 KRB). The poverty rate is 14.07%. The Gini coefficient is 0.36 points.
The agricultural industry makes up 3% of the economy. The biggest sectors are grain, meat and dairy. The manufacturing industry makes up 17% of the economy. The biggest sectors are transportation equipment, industrial machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, electrical machinery, office machines and data processing equipment, power-generating machinery, organic chemicals, precision instruments, and iron and steel. The mining industry makes up 4% of the economy. The biggest manufacturer of electronics in the world, Primrose Inc., originates from Fort Staynes in Great Morstaybishlia. The services sector makes up 52% of the economy. The biggest sectors are creative industries, education, health and social work, financial and business services, hotels and restaurants, public administration and defence, transport, storage and communication, wholesale and retail trade, real estate and renting activities and tourism. Great Morstaybishlia has the biggest financial sector in the world, Sani Bursil. The second largest bank in the world, LabiaTurtle Bank, originates from Great Morstaybishlia.
Great Morstaybishlia's biggest trade partners are Packilvania, Axdel, The Oan Isles, Norgsveldet, Free Pax States, New Leganes, Lovelia and Aivintis. The biggest export products are petroleum products, chemicals, weaponry, automobiles, agricultural foodstuff, beverages (such as Hobsti tea and Hobsti wine), clay and timber. The biggest import products are scientific apparatus, optic fibres, uranium, pharmaceuticals, gold and sanitary.
Science and technology
Great Morstaybishlia spent about 1.1% of its GDP (approximately ♅170 billion) on research and development in 2022, with the world's highest budget. It ranked first worldwide in the number of scientific publications in 2022, with roughly 8.2 million papers. Great Morstaybishlia is typically considered to produce high quality scientific research in a major 2020 survey of international scientists, and has made many integral scientific discoveries leading to hundreds of Fidal Prizes in physics, chemistry, and medicine, the most recent awarded to Dame Rosamund Rothgerus for experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science.
Great Morstaybishlia is furthermore home to the headquarters of numberous global technology firms. It has one of the highest levels of access to the Internet in the world, with more than 494.7 million users, equivalent to around 95.9 percent of its total 2021 population.
Transport
The railway network of Morstaybishlia, which as of 2019 stretches 265,847 kilometres (165,190 mi) is the most extensive in Aurora. The rail network was privatised between 2005 and 2009, which was followed by a rapid rise in passenger numbers following years of decline, although the factors behind this are disputed. There's 3,945 kilometers (2,451 mi) of rail network in Jusdelva and railways in Jusdelva are operated by JV Railways, a subsidiary of state-owned TrainLink. High-speed trains include the Aurostar, the BURAET and Ethaline trains, which travels at 320 km/h (199 mph) in commercial use. Since privatization in 2005 to 2009, dozens of Staynish railway companies compete in regional and local passenger transportation markets. Some 300 high-speed bullet trains connect major cities and these trains are known for their safety and punctuality. Great Morstaybishlia also has the LOOP, a hyperlink trainline that connects across Aurora and is the largest continuous train line ever built.
The Aurostar runs all across Aurora; BURAET literally means Bursil to Aeternum and connects the two capitals whilst also travelling through other major conurbations. Rail connections exist to all other neighboring countries in Aurora, except Dragonia. Intra-urban connections are also well developed with both underground services (Sani Bursil, Redrugus, Kirdintayos, Rouanezkador, Lambertupol, Fort Jubrayn) and tramway services (Sani Bursil, Eskrador, Valeron, Imbazdu, Kasidura and others) complementing bus services.
There are approximately 9,265,190 kilometres (5,757,122 mi) of serviceable roadway in Morstaybishlia, ranking it the most extensive network in the world. The Sani Bursil region is enveloped with the most dense network of roads and highways that connect it with virtually all parts of the country. Morstaybishlian roads also handle substantial international traffic, connecting with cities in neighboring North Ethalria, Drakaland, Sarentria, Tivot, Volova, Tuvaltastan, Valerica, Rosalica and Asilica. The MBE has an annual motoring taxation; however, most motorways are free to use. The new car market is dominated by domestic brands such as Audelli (18% of cars sold in Morstaybishlia in 2010), Kentora (17.5%) and Mambeck (15.2%). Over 65% of new cars sold in 2013 had diesel engines, far more than contained petrol or LPG engines.
There are 4,176 airports in Great Morstaybishlia. Fort Jubrayn Airport, located on the outskirts of Fort Jubrayn, is the largest and busiest airport in the country, handling the vast majority of popular and commercial traffic and connecting to virtually all major cities across the world. Morstaybishlian Air is the national carrier airline, although numerous private airline companies provide domestic and international travel services such as Jubrayn Airlines and Limhay Travel. Great Morstaybishlia handled a total of 1.256 billion passengers in 2018. There are twelve major ports in Great Morstaybishlia, the largest of which is in Fort Jubrayn and Rouanezkador, which also are the second and third-largest bordering the Morstaybishlian Sea behind Tarov. 110,349 kilometres (68,567 mi) of waterways traverse Morstaybishlia including the Anker River, which connects many of the interior Staynish cities to the West Sea, and the Jubliak River which connects Sani Bursil to the Morstaybishlian Sea.
Tourism
In 2021, Morstaybishlia was one of the most visited countries in the world, recording 104 million tourists which marked the sixth consecutive year of record-beating numbers.
Morstaybishlia's geographic location, popular coastlines, diverse landscapes, historical legacy, vibrant cultures, and excellent infrastructure has made the country's international tourist industry among the largest in the world. The most visited city is Sani Bursil, with popular landmarks such as the Sani Bursil Royal Palace, Kalmington Palace (legislature) and Abingdon Tower. Syllester Abbey is the most visited landmark in the MBE outside of the capital.
Energy
In 2014, Great Morstaybishlia was the world's second-largest consumer of energy and the largest producer. The MBE is home to a number of large energy companies, including one oil and gas "supermajor" – Embask. In 2018, 37 per cent of the MBE's electricity was produced by gas, 35 per cent by nuclear power, 20 per cent by coal and 8 per cent by wind, hydro, biofuels and wastes.
Morstaybishlia produces a surplus of nuclear power for its own energy usage. Thus, the MBE produced about 25 percent of the UNAC's electricity. The MBE is set to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by investing in hydroelectric dams, to be constructed between the mid to late 2020s and early 2030s.
Water supply and sanitation
Access to improved water supply and sanitation in the MBE is universal. It is estimated that 97.1 per cent of households are connected to the sewer network. According to the Government Agency for the Environment (GAE), total water abstraction for public water supply in the MBE was 126,750 megalitres per day in 2009. Drinking water standards and wastewater discharge standards in the MBE are formerly determined by the UNAC.
In metropolitan MBE, water and sewerage services are provided by 37 private regional water and sewerage companies and 29 mostly smaller private "water only" companies. In Jusdelva water and sewerage services are provided by a single public company, Jusdelva Water.
Demographics
Great Morstaybishlia held a population census in May 2021 and recorded 515,889,582 people, making it the second most populous country in the world behind Packilvania. It has an urban population of 437,990,255 (83.90%), of which 179,576,005 (41%) is urban cities and 187,897,819 (42.9%) is urban towns. Barkoln is the most populous province, as the mean centre of Great Morstaybishlia's population has consistently shifted to the Cradle of Aurora. Sani Bursil is the most populous city, followed by Rouanezkador and Kirdintayos. Great Morstaybishlia has a rural population of 83,058,222 (16.10%).
The total fertility rate in Great Morstaybishlia estimated for 2020 is 2.4 children per woman, which is above the replacement fertility rate of approximately 2.1. The Great Morstaybishlia Census Bureau shows a population increase of 3% for the twelve-month period ending in September 2014. This is considerably high by industrialised country standards, being above the world average annual rate of 1.1%.
There were about 274.16 million females in Great Morstaybishlia in 2020. The number of men was 205.4 million. At age 85 and older, there were almost twice as many women as men (6.1 million vs. 3.3 million). People under 21 years of age made up over 101.66 million of the MBE's population (27.2%), and people age 65 and over made up 69.53 million (14.5%). The national median age was 38.2 years in 2020.
Whites constitute the majority of Great Morstaybishlia's population, with a total of 438.94 million or 91.53% of the population as of 2020. Non-Ethal or Non-Kostuv whites make up 76% of the country's population. Despite major changes due to immigration since the 1950s, and the higher birth-rates of nonwhites, the overall current majority of Morstaybishlian citizens are still white, and Staynish-speaking, though regional differences exist.
The Morstaybishlian population almost quadroupled during the 20th century—at a growth rate of about (?)% a year—from about 90.2 million in 1900 to 381 million in 2000. It reached the 300 million mark in 1978, and the 400 million mark on the 26th of May 2007. According to the Census Bureau's estimation for 2015, 29.7% of Morstaybishlian children under the age of 1 belonged to minority groups.
Other Aurorans accounted for 24% of the national population growth of 4 million between the 1st of September 2011, and the 1st of September 2012.
The Census Bureau projects a MBE population of 500 million in 2025, a (?)% increase from (?) ((?) million).
The average population density of Great Morstaybishlia is 81 people per square kilometer. On average, Jusdelva and Valeria are the densest constituent countries with 102.99 and 98.13 people per square kilometer respectively. On the other end of the spectrum Kaltariezh and Staynes are less dense with 80.61 and 69.12 people per square kilometer. The Sani Bursil metropolitan area is the densest region of the MBE with 9,859.37 people per square kilometer and the province of Jubrionas is the sparsest with 6.87 people per square kilometer. Six of the top ten largest provinces by population density are from Valeria, including Kladnes, which has a population density of 655.77 people per square kilometer and Kalidest, which has a population density of 645.46 people per square kilometer; the latter is where the capital Kirdintayos of Valeria is. Jusdelva observes the most even spread of population density by province, the densest province is Isekaiou with 534.51 people per square kilometer and the sparsest is the Western Outliers with 73.36 people per square kilometer.
Ethnic groups
Historically, indigenous Morstaybishlian people were thought to be descended from the various ethnic groups that settled around the north coast of Aurora around 40 to 50 thousand BC: the Jubrites, Maltites and Kosites, who are thought to be the direct descendants of the Strathepolic people and the oldest ethnic group in the Aurora. A 2012 genetic study shows that more than 35% of the Morstaybishlian gene pool contains Salovian Y and Ethalrian Y chromosomes. Another 2015 genetic analysis indicates that "about 73% of the traceable ancestors of the modern Staynish population had arrived in the Staynish lands by about 10 thousand years ago, at the start of the Maltervenian Neolithic or Stone Age", and that the Staynish broadly share a common ancestry with the Axdelian people. A separate study conducted in Valeria found that only 30% of the gene pool contains the broad plethora of Morstaybishlian genes, with the rest coming from either West or East Aurora. Valeria was one of the last areas on Aurora to be truly inhabited by humans as the Zycannes prevented the immediate habitation and thus the descendants from the Kosites who traveled eastward eventually migrated to the Southern-Central Auroran coast and more specifically Valeria.
Jusdelva sits on the remaining land area of the Strathepolic archipelago and it is believed that over 90% of Auroran's ancestry originate here. A large land bridge extending from west-Jusdelva to Bai Lung and then to the Staynish-Kaltariz border became the premier travelway of the two continents after the early submerging of a land bridge from Peregrinia through the Morstaybishlian Cerenerian Territories and the Oan Isles connecting to the easternmost Auroran coastline. The Strathepolic people mainly lived in and around the northern Strathepolic ridge but migrated southwards during its erosion to strong Cerenerian currents. A study found that Jussie genes are closely comparable of those genes thought to be pure-Morstaybishlian.
Since the mid to late 19th century and the early 20th century substantial immigration from the Gordic Council and the Kuthern Commonwealth, the Caliphate, and Overseas Territories has been a legacy of ties forged by the Morstaybishlian Empire. Migration from UNAC (formerly ACA) member states in Western and Eastern Aurora since 2017 has resulted in growth in these population groups, although some of this migration has been temporary. Since the 2000s, there has been substantial diversification of the immigrant population, with migrants to the MBE coming from a much wider range of countries than previous waves, which tended to involve larger numbers of migrants coming from a relatively small number of countries.
Ethnic diversity varies significantly across Great Morstaybishlia. Just over 26% (11 million) of Sani Bursil's population and 25% of Aternum's was estimated to be non-white in 2017, whereas less than 5% of the populations of western-Kaltariezh, north Valeria and central Staynes were from ethnic minorities, according to the 2017 census. In 2016, 28.8% of primary and 26.4% of secondary pupils at state schools in Staynes were members of an ethnic minority. The 1997 census was the first MBE census to have a question on ethnic group. In the 1997 MBE census 92.8% of people reported themselves as being White Morstaybishlian or White Other with 7.2% of people reporting themselves as coming from other minority groups.
During the early 20th century at the outbreak of the Great War, Packilvanian migrants came in waves amounting up to nearly five million. After the war, Ethalrian and Salovian migrants numbered nearly 920,000. Staynes has had small Ulvriktru community for many centuries, subject to occasional expulsions, but Staynish Ulvriktru's numbered fewer than 16,000 at the end of the 1910s. During the early-mid 20th century, due to the uncertain political situation and strong support for independence in Axdel, then a Dominion of the Empire, nearly two million people migrated to the fatherland, most being humans. After the Auroran-Imperial War, there was significant immigration from the colonies and newly independent former colonies, many from Lokania and independent Valeria, partly as a legacy of empire and partly driven by labour shortages.
Major cities
Great Morstaybishlia is a highly urbanised country, with its top ten largest cities (in terms of metropolitan area population in 2021) being Bursil (17,450,424), Rouanezkador (12,771,347), Celidizia (9,615,493), Kirdintayos (8,968,446), Lambertupol (6,712,896), Verhana (6,530,211), Gersega (5,632,889), Valeron (5,121,347), Redrugus (4,618,192) and Fort Jubrayn (4,568,118). Rural flight was a perennial political issue throughout most of the 20th century.
Largest cities or towns in Great Morstaybishlia
2021 census | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Name | Province | Pop. | Rank | Name | Province | Pop. | ||
Bursil Rouanezkador |
1 | Bursil | Barkoln | 17,450,424 | 11 | Imbazdu | Tissany | 4,321,499 | Celidizia Kirdintayos |
2 | Rouanezkador | Dovia | 12,771,347 | 12 | Fort Vitaryn | Jubliak | 4,176,140 | ||
3 | Celidizia | Barkoln | 9,615,493 | 13 | Kasidura | Corstania | 4,103,106 | ||
4 | Kirdintayos | Kalidest | 8,968,446 | 14 | Warladnes | Surbila | 3,968,861 | ||
5 | Lambertupol | Laulia | 6,712,896 | 15 | Nahiron | Montepul | 3,896,419 | ||
6 | Verhana | Barkoln | 6,530,211 | 16 | Tuvaria | Tissany | 3,862,102 | ||
7 | Gersega | Barkoln | 5,632,889 | 17 | Eskrador | Langamere | 3,818,912 | ||
8 | Valeron | Tissany | 5,121,347 | 18 | Aurus | Auria | 2,951,117 | ||
9 | Redrugus | Redrugan | 4,618,192 | 19 | Kovaro | Montepul | 2,671,918 | ||
10 | Fort Jubrayn | Jubliak | 4,568,118 | 20 | Jersia City | Jersia | 2,649,287 |
Languages
Great Morstaybishlia's de facto official language is Staynish and Kalt. As a first language, it is estimated that 90.7 percent of the MBE's population speak Staynish, whilst 3.5 percent speak Ethalrian, 3 percent speak Kalt, 0.7 percent speaks Horkalic, 0.7 percent speaks Salovian, 0.3 percent speak Axdelian and 1.1 percent speak other languages as a first language.
4 percent of the population are estimated to speak languages brought to the MBE as a result of relatively recent immigration. Cerenerian and Yasterian languages, including Packilvanian among others, are the largest grouping and are spoken by 2.5 percent of the MBE population. According to the 2017 census, Ethalrian is the largest non-Morstaybishlian-Auroran language spoken in Morstaybishlia and has 14.3 million speakers.
There are two recognized regional languages spoken across Great Morstaybishlia: Axdelian and Jusdelviz. They are recognized as regional or minority languages, by the United Nations of the Auroran Continent, under the Auroran Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. As it is a UNAC member state, this therefore obliges the Great Morstaybishlian government to provide them specific measures of protection and promotion.
In the 2017 Census over a forth (25.6%) of the population of the Province of Horkalo said they could speak Horkalic, an increase from the 2007 Census (23%). In addition it is estimated that about 200,000 Horkalese speakers live elsewhere in Staynes. Over 492,000 people in Jusdelva (just 3% of the population) had varying Reoa language ability, including 66% of those living on the eastern islands. The number of schoolchildren being taught through minority languages are increasing.
It is compulsory for Staynish and Kaltariz pupils to study the Staynish and Kalt languages up to the age of 16 in their respective countries, whilst only Staynish is taught in Valeria and Jusdelvic is taught with Staynish in Jusdelva. During Sixth Form is it optional to learn a foreign language, Kostuvian and Axdelian are the two most commonly taught foreign languages in Staynes and Kaltariezh.
Religion
Thaerism has dominated religious life in what is now Great Morstaybishlia for over 1200 years. Although a majority of citizens still identify with Thaerism in many surveys, regular temple attendance has fallen dramatically since the late 19th century, while immigration and demographic change have contributed to the growth of other faiths, most notably Paxism. This has led some commentators to variously describe Great Morstaybishlia as a multi-faith or secularised.
In the 2019 census 65.2 per cent of all respondents indicated that they were Thaerists, with the next largest faiths being Paxism (4 per cent), Akronism (3.2 per cent), Varism (0.6 per cent), Ulvriktru (0.3 per cent), Ademarism (0.2 per cent) and all other religions (0.3 per cent). 20.8 per cent of respondents stated that they had no religion, with a further 5.4 per cent not stating a religious preference. Vaerism holds a religious stronghold in the Nocturne province of Kaltariezh with over 87% of Morstaybishlians practicing Vaerism living there.
The state recognises religious organisations according to formal legal criteria that do not address religious doctrine. Conversely, religious organisations are expected to refrain from intervening in policy-making. Certain groups are considered cults and therefore do not have the same status as recognised religions in Great Morstaybishlia. Cults are considered a pejorative term in Great Morstaybishlia.
Education
Education in Great Morstaybishlia is a devolved matter, with each country having a separate education system.
Considering the four systems together, about 40 per cent of Great Morstaybishlia's population has a university or college degree, which is the highest percentage in Aurora, and among the highest percentages in the world. Great Morstaybishlia trails only to South Hills in terms of representation on lists of top 100 universities.
A government commission's report in 2014 found that privately educated people comprise 8% of the general population of the MBE but much larger percentages of the top professions, the most extreme case quoted being 70% of senior judges.
In Staynes, Kaltariezh and Valeria, it is compulsory for all primary and secondary schools to have a uniform, whilst in Jusdelva most schools do not have a compulsory uniform policy in place. A school uniform typically consists of a blazer in the school colours or a white shirt or blouse; a tie, trousers or skirt in a black, grey, or blue and black shoes. It could also be a shirt, sweater, and tie or a polo shirt and a sweatshirt.
Healthcare
Healthcare in Great Morstaybishlia is a devolved matter and each country has its own system of private and publicly funded health care, together with alternative, holistic and complementary treatments. Public healthcare is provided to all MBE permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation. The UNAC, in 2019, ranked the provision of healthcare in Great Morstaybishlia as 3rd in Aurora and 12th in the world. Since 1975 expenditure on healthcare has been increased significantly to bring it closer to the highest world standards. The MBE spends around 7 per cent of its gross domestic product on healthcare, which is about one and a half percentage points lower than the average of the United Nations of the Auroran Continent.
Regulatory bodies are organised on a MBE-wide basis such as the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and non-governmental-based, such as the Royal Colleges. However, political and operational responsibility for healthcare lies with four national executives; healthcare in Staynes and Kaltariezh is the responsibility of the Morstaybishlian Government; healthcare in Valeria is the responsibility of the South Staynish Assembly, and healthcare in Jusdelva is the responsibility of the Jusdelvic Assembly.
Culture
The culture of Great Morstaybishlia has been influenced by many factors including: the nation's Auroran status; its history as a western liberal democracy and as a superpower; as well as being a political union of four countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. As a result of the Morstaybishlian Empire, Morstaybishlian influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former and current colonies including Louzaria, Nevez Kaltariezh, Axdel, Joralesia, Atiland, Lokania, Rodenia and parts of Free Pax States and The Oan Isles. The substantial cultural influence of Great Morstaybishlia has led it to be described as a "cultural superpower". A global opinion poll for the MBC saw Great Morstaybishlia ranked the third most positively viewed nation in the world (behind West Cerdani and East Malaysia) in 2014 and 2015.
Freedoms and rights
Great Morstaybishlia has been considered a progressive country, having adopted legislation in the past one hundred years which have encouraged and supported women's rights, minority rights, species rights and LGBTQ rights. Women began campaigning for their right to vote after the first general election in 1917 as they were disallowed, later succeeding with legislation in 1925 and 1931. The Woman's Rights League, formed in 1917, also successfully campaigned for women's right to education, the right to work, and other gender equality policies. Voting ages for both genders have decreased since 1917. It was originally 30 for when only men were allowed the vote, later lowered in 1931 to 25 for both genders. In 1940 it was lowered again to 20, and then lowered to 18 in 1982, which continues to this day. Campaigning for species suffrage first took off in the 1960s, and by 1978 had equal voting rights to humans.
In 2007, Morstaybishlian law was amended to grant absolute primogeniture to the Morstaybishlian throne, meaning that the eldest child, regardless of gender, takes precedence in the line of succession. This means that for those born before the year 2007 it shall be the case that a male shall take precedence over a female; although this does not change the current setup which sees Princess Rosamund as the heir apparent.
In regard to LGBTQ rights, Morstaybishlia enacted an anti-discrimination law protecting the rights of gays and lesbians in 1985. In 1989, under the same government, Morstaybishlia legalised civil union partnerships for same-sex couples under the Civil Partnership Act 1989. In 2008 Morstaybishlia legalised same-sex marriage, and in 2015 legalised inter-species marriage and civil unions.
Literature
The earliest Morstaybishlian literature dates from the early Middle Ages during the Second Interregnum Period, when what is now known as modern Staynes did not have a single, uniform language. There was several languages and dialects, and writers used their own spelling and grammar. During the Middle Staynish language period, most literature was written in the same language except for splinter dialects in what is now Horkalo and Valeria.
Much medieval Staynish poetry and literature were inspired by the legends of Pip the Gallant and his predecessors in the Kingdom of Staynnica. Other medieval poetry and literature hailing from Kaltariezh depicts the legendary Colonarius and other historical military figures.
After the printing press was introduced in Kaltariezh and later Staynes in 1475, vernacular literature flourished. During this period, theatrical playwrights portrayed romances, tragedies, comedies and histories became very common. Morstaybishlian literature and poetry flourished even more in the 18th and 19th centuries where things like arts, sciences, languages and philosophy were very popular as well as children's fairy tales becoming widespread. The age of reason bought with it a rational and scientific approach to religious, social, political and economic issues that promoted a secular view of the world and a general sense of progress and perfectibility. Led by the philosophers who were inspired by the discoveries of the previous century they sought to discover and to act upon universally valid principles governing humanity, nature, and society. They variously attacked spiritual and scientific authority, dogmatism, intolerance, censorship, and economic and social restraints. They considered the state the proper and rational instrument of progress. The extreme rationalism and skepticism of the age led naturally to deism and also played a part in bringing the later reaction of romanticism.
The Romantic period was one of major social change in Staynes (at the time included Valeria) and Kaltariezh, because of the depopulation of the countryside and the rapid development of overcrowded industrial cities, that took place in the period roughly between 1750 and 1850. The movement of so many people in Staynes and Kaltariezh was the result of two forces: the Agricultural Revolution, that involved the Enclosure of the land, drove workers off the land, and the Industrial Revolution which provided them employment. Romanticism may be seen in part as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, though it was also a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment, as well a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature.
During the reigns of Florence II, Frederick III and Rosamund II (1810-1897) the novel became the leading literary genre in Staynish. Women played an important part in this rising popularity both as authors and as readers. Satirical novels and plays were very common. Poetry of this era was heavily influenced by the romantics, but also went off in its own directions. Particularly notable was the development of dramatic monologue, a form used by many poets in this period. Drama changed in this period with a profusion on Bursil stage of farces, musical burlesques, extravaganzas and comic operas.
Morstaybishlian literary modernism developed in the early twentieth-century out of a general sense of disillusionment with previous attitudes of certainty, conservatism and belief in the idea of objective truth. Fine writers still existed into this period.
The modernist movement continued through the 1920s, 1930s and beyond. An important development, beginning in the 1930s and 1940s was a tradition of working class novels actually written by working-class background writers. Post-modernism started in the late 1940s and early 1950s which is a continuation of the experimentation championed by writers of the modernist period (relying heavily, for example, on fragmentation, paradox, questionable narrators, etc.) and a reaction against Enlightenment ideas implicit in Modernist literature. Postmodern literature, like postmodernism as a whole, is difficult to define and there is little agreement on the exact characteristics, scope, and importance of postmodern literature.
Many works published in the twentieth-century were examples of genre fiction. This designation includes the crime novels, spy novel, historical romance, fantasy, graphic novel and science fiction.
Architecture
On continental Auroran, the architecture of Great Morstaybishlia has a long, rich and diverse history. Every major Auroran style from Maltervenic to Postmodern is represented, including renowned examples of Maltesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Modern and International Style architecture.
Jusdelva deviates the most from this theme; it has a wide array of modern colonial architecture and themes of pre-colonial vernacular architecture. The houses are at the centre of a web of customs, taboos, traditional laws, social relations, myths and religions that bind communities together. Pre colonial houses would have provided the main focus for the family and its community, and is the point of departure for many activities of its residents. Villagers build their own homes, or a community will pool their resources for a structure built under the direction of a master builder or carpenter.
Throughout history, large swathes of land separate Great Morstaybishlia into different kingdoms and provinces, causing great regional diversity and favoured vernacular architecture. This made for a heterogeneous and diverse architectural style, with architecture differing from town to town. While this diversity may still be witnessed in small towns, the devastation of architectural heritage in the larger cities of some regions during the Great War and Auroran Imperial War resulted in extensive rebuilding characterised by simple modernist architecture.
For over several thousand years, the Maltervenic Empire in its largest extent encompassed most of modern Staynes, and thus its architecture holds great significance today. In addition to border fortifications such as walls, forts and military camps, the Maltites also built thermae, bridges, and amphitheatres. One of the more famous examples of Maltervenian architecture is Hamasin's Wall, a several-hundred kilometer long wall that extends within the Molvian Corridor from the Montinay, at the West Sea to Mount Molvia.
The Maltesque period, from the 10th to the early 13th century, is characterised by semi-circular arches, robust appearance, small paired windows, and groin vaults.
Gothic architecture flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Maltesque architecture. The first Gothic buildings in Morstaybishlia were built from about 1240, for example Syllester Abbey (c. 1260), which is the most important early Gothic cathedrals in Morstaybishlia and falls into the architectural tradition of the Auroran Gothic.
Renaissance architecture belongs to the period between the early 14th and early 16th centuries in different parts of Aurora and the world, when there was a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Maltervenian thought and culture. In the Staynish provinces of Redrugan, Surbila and Hyridia there are numerous castles and manor houses that made up the Western Style.
Baroque architecture began in the early 17th century, reinventing the humanist vocabulary of Renaissance architecture in a new rhetorical, theatrical, sculptural fashion, expressing the triumph of absolutist church and state. Whereas the Renaissance drew on the wealth and power of the courts, and was a blend of secular and religious forces, the Baroque directly linked to the Counter-Reformation, a movement within the Thaerist Church to reform itself in response to the Vaerist Reformation in the south of the continent.
Classicism arrived in Morstaybishlia in the second half of the 18th century. It drew inspiration from the classical architecture of antiquity and was a reaction against the Baroque style, in both architecture and landscape design.
The distinctive character of modern architecture is the elimination of unnecessary ornament from a building and faithfulness to its structure and function. It developed early in the 20th century and adopted by many influential architects and architectural educators. Although few "modern buildings" were built in the first two thirds of the 20th century, after the Auroran Imperial War it became the dominant architectural style for institutional and corporate buildings for four decades. Almost all skyscrapers are modernist, with some such examples as the Damehowe and Primrose Inc. headquarter buildings.
Music
Throughout its history, Great Morstaybishlia has been a major producer and source of musical creation, drawing its artistic basis from the wealth of music from many cultures across the four constituent countries.
Researchers have discovered archaeological evidence of musical instruments in many parts of Morstaybishlia. Some artifacts have been dated to 55,000 years old,
such as a Valerian flute made from an animal bone which was dated between 35,000 and 40,000 years old, while critics often dispute the findings. Consensus solidifying about artifacts dated back to around 27,000 years old and later. Artifacts made from durable materials, or constructed using durable methods, have been found to survive.
Images of musical instruments begin to appear in Valerian artifacts in 3500 BC or earlier. Beginning around 3000 BC, Valerian (elven) culture began delineating two distinct classes of musical instruments due to division of labour and the evolving class system. Popular instruments, simple and playable by anyone, evolved differently from professional instruments whose development focused on effectiveness and skill. Only few examples from these time periods have been recovered. Even the process of assigning names to these instruments is challenging since there is no clear distinction among various instruments and the words used to describe them. Although Valerian artists mainly depicted ceremonial instruments, historians have distinguished that wind-based and string-based instruments were prominent in earlier Valerian society, creating bow harps, harps and lyres, as well as bone flutes.
During the period of time loosely referred to as the Middle Ages, Staynes and Kaltariezh developed their own traditions of integrating musical influence from other regions. The first record of this type of influence is in 401 CE, when Staynes (then the second Maltervenian Empire) established an orchestra in its royal court after a conquest in the Kingdom of Corstania. Influences from other Auroran cultures, as well as Cerenerian, Arcturian, and other regions followed. In fact, early northern Auroran musical tradition attributes many musical instruments from this period to those regions. Pianos became widely popular after its invention in Ethalria, along with more advanced trumpets, clarinets, flutes, drums, lutes, oboes and cymbals.
Morstaybishlia had a large impact in musical instrument development from the 15th century onwards. Instruments took on other purposes than accompanying singing or dance, and performers used them as solo instruments, especially in the upper echelons of society. Keyboards and lutes developed as polyphonic instruments, and composers arranged increasingly complicated pieces using advances in tablature techniques. Composers also began designing pieces of music for specific instruments. In the latter half of the sixteenth century, orchestration came into common practice as a method of writing music for a variety of instruments. Composers now specified orchestration where individual performers once applied their own discretion. The polyphonic style dominated popular music, and the instrument makers responded accordingly. During this time, Morstaybishlian instrument builders developed features that would endure today. For example, while organs with multiple keyboards and pedals already existed, the first organs with solo stops emerged in the early fifteenth century. These stops were meant to produce a mixture of timbres, a development needed for the complexity of music of the time.
Beginning in the seventeenth century, composers began writing works to a higher emotional degree. Bowed instruments such as the violin, viola, baryton, and various lutes dominated popular music. Beginning in around 1755, however, the lute disappeared from musical compositions in favor of the rising popularity of the guitar. As the prevalence of string orchestras rose, wind instruments such as the flute, oboe, and bassoon were readmitted to counteract the monotony of hearing only strings. This period saw the slide trumpet invented in Staynes.
During the Classical and Romantic periods of music, lasting from roughly 1750 to 1900, many musical instruments capable of producing new timbres and higher volume were developed and introduced into popular music. The design changes that broadened the quality of timbres allowed instruments to produce a wider variety of expression. Large orchestras rose in popularity and, in parallel, the composers determined to produce entire orchestral scores that made use of the expressive abilities of modern instruments. New instruments such as the clarinet, saxophone, and tuba became fixtures in orchestras.
The proliferation of electricity in the 20th century lead to the creation of an entirely new category of musical instruments: electronic instruments, or electrophones. The latter half of the 20th century saw the evolution of synthesizers and adoption of samplers.
Each of the four countries of Great Morstaybishlia has its own diverse and distinctive folk music forms. Folk music has existed here since antiquity, and flourished until the era of industrialisation when it began to be replaced by new forms of popular music, including music hall and brass bands. Realisation of this led to academics and amateur scholars taking note of the musical traditions being lost, and over three waves, one in the late-19th century, one in the mid-20th century and one at the start of the 21st century; initiated various efforts to preserve the music of the people. The most notable effort involved was the collection of the texts of over three hundred ballads in the Staynish and Kalt traditions, by Alemin Thompson-Fisher (called the Thompson-Fisher Ballads), some of which predate the 15th century. Valerian folklore, which had been a lifeline to their pre-Morstaybishlian kingdom before the 13th century, was widely lost in the industrial revolution, though scholars and amateur scholars preserved many of the vanishing ballads and folk dance songs. Valerian folklore has a revivalist movement which began in the mid 20th century. Overall, folk music as an important sub-culture within Morstaybishlian society.
Forms of popular music, including folk music, jazz, rapping/hip hop, pop and rock music, have particularly flourished in Great Morstaybishlia since the twentieth century. Morstaybishlia has had a large influence on popular music due to its size, and due to its linguistic and cultural links with many countries, particularly Peregrinia and Emberwood Coast and many of its former colonies, and its capacity for invention, innovation and fusion, which has led to the development of, or participation in, many of the major trends in popular music. In the early-20th century, influences from the Free Pax States became most dominant in popular music, with young performers producing their own versions of Cerenerian music, including rock n' roll from the late 1950s and developing a parallel music scene. This is particularly true since the early 1960s when the Morstaybishlian Invasion, led by The Swallows, helped to secure Morst performers a major place in development of pop and rock music. Since then, rock music and popular music contributed to a Morst-SEY collaboration, with genres being exchanged and exported to one another, where they tended to be adapted and turned into new movements, only to be exported back again. Genres originating in or radically developed by Morstaybishlian musicians include blues rock, heavy metal, progressive rock, ska, hard rock, punk rock, Bhangra, Morst folk rock, folk punk, acid jazz, trip hop, shoegaze, drum and bass, goth rock, grime, gondoswing, industrial and dubstep.
Fashion and clothing
Dress norms in Great Morstaybishlia are generally consistent with those of post-industrial nations and have become largely informal since the mid-20th century. Clothing in Great Morstaybishlia also depends on a variety of factors including location, venue, and demographic factors such as ethnicity. Jeans are a consistent fashion trend among all classes, with variations being vast in both price and style.
Conspicuous consumption and a desire for quality has led to a strong preference for designer label clothing among many in the middle and upper classes. The tolerance of body expression that deviates from the mainstream, such as complete body tattoos or nudism, is strongly linked to the sub-culture and location in which an individual may find themselves. The tolerance shown for personal expression such as cross-dressing and piercings varies greatly with location and sub-culture, and may be completely appropriate in one venue while being taboo in another.
Cities such as Sani Bursil, Kasidura, Aurus, Credita, Khaeron and Aegis are known for their fashion and cosmetics markets. Smaller, but nonetheless prominent fashion destinations are Montinay, Sperry, Rosamundport, Springsfire, Cavenhelm, Kingsfort, Mathens and Burkash.
Particular regions and cities are known for their specialties, such as Aurus for casual attire and womenswear, Credita and the general north coast for eco-conscious fashion, Kasidura for formal menswear and Montinay for their swimwear. Sani Bursil is known for a variety of fashion categories and is the premier fashion destination in the Morstaybishlian market. Sandals, thinner and airier fabrics and lighter colour and pastels are found more commonly in the north where it is hotter and more humid. Fast-fashion and cosmetics industries have cropped up in many of the more highly urban cities.
Bucket hats are a common summers item, whilst cardigans are common in winter. Besides the south coast, winters are mild and as such thicker and warmer clothes are not as prevalent. Flat caps, wellington boots and silk tweeds, among others, are found across the countryside. Clogs emerged in the Industrial Revolution and are still seen today.
Visual art
Morstaybishlian art refers to all forms of visual art in or associated with the country, and encompasses Staynish art, Kaltariz art, Valerian art and Jusdelvic art. During the 18th century Morstaybishlia began to reclaim the leading place it had played in Auroran art during the Middle Ages, being especially strong in portraiture and landscape art. Increasing Morstaybishlian prosperity led to a greatly increased production of both fine art and the decorative arts, the latter often being exported. The Romantic period resulted from very diverse talents. The 20th century saw a great diversity of art, and a far bigger quantity created than before.
The training of artists, which had long been neglected, began to improve in the 18th century through government and private initiatives, and greatly expanded in the 19th century. Public exhibitions and the later opening of museums brought art to a wider public, especially in Sani Bursil. In the 19th century publicly displayed religious art once again became popular after a virtual absence for over a hundred years.
The Morstaybishlian contribution to early Modernist art saw some of the most prolific artists appear after the Great War, such as Sir Lucas Moraby and Everett Childs. Since the 1940s Morstaybishlian artists have made a considerable impact on Contemporary art, especially with figurative work. Neo-classicism has also seen a revival in the 20th and 21st centuries. Morstaybishlia remains a key centre of an increasingly globalized art world.
Cinema
Cuisine
Morstaybishlian cuisine is the heritage of cooking traditions and practices associated with Great Morstaybishlia through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 6th century. It is a mixture of southwestern cuisine (especially Toranslic) and the wider Maltervic cuisine. Morstaybishlian cuisine has historically been divided into town, castle, monastic, parsonage, cottage and farmhouse cuisines. Significant changes occured come the advent of colonialism, which profoundly enriched its native cooking traditions, bringing items such as tomatoes, potatoes, and many root vegetables that became main ingredients of the cuisine starting in the late 17th century. Due to the variety of Morstaybishlian cultural and natural landscapes, there are more than forty five distinct regional cuisines with an abundance of difference in taste and presentation. Morstaybishlian cuisine is popular around the world.
Morstaybishlian cuisine is rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, game meats, potatoes, pastas and creams. It is characterised by its simplicity and variety, relying heavily on traditional products. North coast cuisine comprise primarily of lighter pasta dishes with fish, fruits and vegetables, and widely incorporate olives and olive oil in meals such as roasted vegetable and seafood pasta, baked cod and roasted vegetables, fish stew and vegetable paten. The inland shire regions and Toransla incorporate heavier ingredients such as pastries, game meats, potatoes and other root vegetables. Traditional meals include roast dinner, game pie,
shepherd's pie, stews (for example claypot beef and potato), fruit pies (for example hobstiberry pie and Banoffee pie), and cheese dishes. Gowder, Albreshire Blue and Suwold are national cheeses.
Morstaybishlian cooking has been influenced by foreign ingredients and cooking styles since the Middle Ages. Squid baguettes (formerly known as squid breads) were introduced from New Leganes and adapted to Morst tastes from the eighteenth century. Tavari cuisine influenced Morst recipes throughout the late 17th and early 18th centuries, most notably Sevišala. After the rationing of the Great War, Packilvanian cuisine became heavily popular, featuring meals which mainly featured rice with easy to cultivate root vegetables and pea variants. Another popular Packilvanian dish was Tajine when meats became more easily available.
Great Morstaybishlia has a large winemaking tradition, with the realm of Oglota being a protected winemaking region and one of the largest exporters of wines globally. Morstaybishlia is also a major producer of cider, beer and whiskey and liqueurs.
Media
See also: List of political magazines of Great Morstaybishlia
The MBC, founded in 1917, is Great Morstaybishlia's publicly funded radio, television and Internet broadcasting corporation, and is the oldest and largest broadcaster in the world. It operates numerous television and radio stations in the MBE and abroad and its domestic services are funded by the television licence. Other major players in the MBE media include STV, a media conglomerate of national broadcasters and newspapers; and the KS, who themselves dominate the media scene in Kaltariezh since the 1930s. Sani Bursil dominates the media sector in the MBE: national newspapers and television and radio are largely based there, although Rouanezkador is also a significant national media centre. Kirdintayos and Valeron, and Loeizaporzh, are important centres of newspaper and broadcasting production in Valeria and Jusdelva respectively. The MBE publishing sector, including books, directories and databases, journals, magazines and business media, newspapers and news agencies, has a combined turnover of around £141 billion and employs around 1.1 million people.
Philosophy
Morstaybishlian philosophy, here taken to mean philosophy in the Staynish language, has been extremely diverse and has influenced Auroran philosophy as a whole for centuries, from the medieval scholasticism of Redmund von Kitelrus, through the founding of modern philosophy by Walter Vergassas, to 20th century philosophy of science, existentialism, phenomenology, structuralism, and postmodernism.
Sport
Association football is the most popular sport in Morstaybishlia, varieties of which have been played in Morstaybishlia as far back as Maltervenic times. It has dominated the sport scene since the late 19th century. The Staynish national football team played and beat Kaltariezh in the first ever international tournament in 1869 at the Kaltariz venue, Karadmarh Stadium. Through its constituent countries, Great Morstaybishlia has hosted the Men's World Cup four times; Staynes hosted it in 1952, 1968 and 1992 and Kaltariezh hosted it in 1960. Staynes has had the most success, winning the world cup three times in 1960, 1964 and 1992, a record that is tied with Asendavia, New Leganes and Vaklori.
Kaltariezh has also won a world cup in 1968. Combined, the constituent countries of Great Morstaybishlia has placed either second or third nine times. Valeria has had limited success, placing third place twice in 1984 and 1996. Staynes, Kaltariezh, Valeria and Jusdelva usually compete as separate countries in international competitions.
At club level, Kaltariezh is recognised by the international football association as the birthplace of club football, due to Whitequeens F.C. being founded in 1852 and thus the world's oldest club. The Football Federation is the oldest governing body in the sport, where it drafted the first recognised football rules in the world in 1860. The FF Cup and The Football League were the first cup and league competitions respectively. In the modern day, the Morstaybishlian Premier League is the world's most-watched football league, most lucrative, and amongst the elite, attracting the highest average attendance of all professional sports leagues in the world.
As is the case throughout the MBE, football in Staynes and Kaltariezh are notable for the rivalries between clubs and the passion of the supporters, which includes a tradition of football chants. The most successful Morstaybishlian football team in the Auroran Cup is Celidizia F.C. who have won the competition a total of eight times. They are closely followed by Redrugus Rangers, who together, alongside Kuthern A.F.C., Walverdon United, K.P.D. Kemberporzh. and K.P.D. Gwernaven, make up the most decorated clubs across the MBE.
Great Morstaybishlia is one of the leading motor sports countries in the world. Constructors like Royal Redrugus and Kerpten are prominent manufacturers in motor sport. Morstaybishlia came first place in the 2019 GT3 Championships in Blueacia. The Morstaybishlian oil and gas company Embask has been the lead sponsor for the GT3 Championships across various seasons.
Horse racing and greyhound racing are both popular in Morstaybishlia. There are frequent horse race meetings and greyhound stadiums are well-attended. The mainland is noted for the breeding and training of race horses and is also a large exporter of racing dogs.
The horse racing sector is largely concentrated in Redrugan.
Great Morstaybishlia fields a single national rugby team and a single association, the Morstaybishlian Rugby Football Union, governs the sport across the nation. The Morstaybishlian rugby team have played in every Rugby World Cup, winning in 2003 and 2015.
Today, Great Morstaybishlia is a major world sports powerhouse, with major sports in Morstaybishlia including table tennis, tennis, rugby union, rugby league, boxing, martial arts, swimming and other aquatic sports.
Physical fitness is widely emphasized in Morstaybishlian culture, with morning exercises widely practiced, and commercial gyms and private fitness clubs popular across the country.
Diaspora
Traditions
Staynish Tar Barrels
Staynes typically stages annual national events on the night of 2 November, in a tradition dating from before records began, barrels soaked in tar are set alight and carried aloft through cities and towns by their residents.
The festivities begin in the early evening with children's, youths' and women's events, which culminate in the men's event. The barrels, increasing in size up to 40 kg, are carried through the city or town centre, often packed with onlookers, in an exhilarating and risky spectacle. Only those born in the town, or who have lived there for most of their lives, may carry a barrel. Generations of the same family have been known to compete across the years and it is thought that the event may have originated as a means of warding off evil spirits, similar to other Staynish fire festivals, around this time. In recent years the event has been jeopardised by the need for increasing public liability insurance coverage. Nevertheless, the event continues in many towns and cities with audiences occasionally exceeding well over 20,000 people. During the event all roads in and out of these events are closed for safety reasons with diversions in place.
Oglota Wine Festival
The Oglota Wine Festival is a summer festival primarily in the Oglota Province of Kaltariezh, though it has since spread to many towns and communities in western and central Kaltariezh.
These such wine festivals across Kaltariz communities takes place on 21 December, also Summer Celebration Day in Morstaybishlia. The day begins at various times in the mid to late morning, with a parade of people of all ages carrying jugs, bottles, leather wine bottles and other types of containers filled with red wine. Led by the community leader such as a boriff on horseback, the parade usually goes through the market streets of these communities, symbolising riches and good health. A mass is then celebrated at the town centre or community park, or equivalent.
After the mass, the Battle of Wine commences. The participants toss wine on each other until everyone is completely soaked. This is greatly enjoyed by the locals and is tourist friendly. It has been televised on MBC Two since 2009.
After everyone has finished, people get together in couples and dance with grapevines whilst locking arms.
Tea Drinking Championships
On 28 April every year, many towns across Kaltariezh and Staynes observe a Tea Drinking Championship. An opponent is chosen to out drink the champion of the previous year in each town, from a large jug or from multiple tea cups. If they win, they become the champion. There are many under-card one versus one face offs that take place on a more casual setting at the same event to promote the tradition, whose origins are lost in history. The event doesn't usually last longer than half an hour.
Symbolism
The flag of Great Morstaybishlia is the Empire Flag. It was created in 1517 by culminating the design features from both the Flag of Staynes and the Flag of Kaltariezh. Being former colonies, Valeria and Jusdelva have no unique flag designs and have any option of redesigning the flag to represent the two other nations has been ruled out.
The Golden Rose of Staynes originated as the prominent symbolism of the kings and queens of Staynnica, which later became a symbol for national sovereignty and pride of the Staynish peoples. It's present across flags of the realm as well as in company logos and sport clubs and other advertising and logo styles.
The heraldic lion is quite common around the world, and several countries incorporate it into their national coats of arms. In Kaltian heraldry, the lion is first found in the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Kaltariezh the later part of the 11th century.
Public holidays and festivals
Public holidays celebrated in Great Morstaybishlia include a mix of religious (Thaerism), national and regional observances. Each country is allowed to declare a maximum of 13 public holidays per year; up to 11 of these are chosen by the national government and at least two are chosen locally. Morstaybishlia's national day (Unity Day) is 11 January, the anniversary of the Union of the Thrones between Staynes and Kaltariezh and celebrate Lambertus the Great's feast.
There are many festivals and festivities in Morstaybishlia. Some of them are known worldwide, and every year millions of people from all over the world go to Morstaybishlia to experience one of these festivals. The most well known is Week of the Empire, celebrating the achievements of the Morstaybishlian Empire over a period of a week (seven days) between 9 and 15 November.
Name | Date | Remarks |
---|---|---|
New Year's Day | 1 January | Celebrates the beginning of the Gregorian New Year |
Unity Day | 11 January | This national holiday was established to celebrate the Union of Staynes and Kaltariezh and to hold a great feast |
International Women's Day | 8 March | This national holiday was established to commemorate the brave history of women around the world |
Sovereign Day | 26 April | This national holiday was established in 1803 after the death of Rosamund I to celebrate the birthday of the incumbent sovereign, currently Lambertus VII |
Labour Day | 1 May | This national holiday was established to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers across the world |
Winter Celebration Day | 21 June | From 1980, by Royal Proclamation, this day celebrates the winter solstice |
Thaer's Day | 15 August | Traditional common law holiday |
Prophet Matilda's Day | 3 September | Traditional feast day of the Prophet Matilda |
Peace Day | 24 October | Statutory bank holiday from 2018, celebrates peace in Aurora which is marked by the end of the Auroran-Cerenerian War |
Summer Celebration Day | 21 December | From 1980, by Royal Proclamation, this day celebrates the summer solstice |
Old Year's Day | 31 December | Celebrates the ending of the Gregorian Year |
References
- ↑ MBC, 27th February 2019. Barvata Defeats Johannes. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s45.html#p208859
- ↑ MBC, 8th March 2019. Walter Johannes Resigns. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s45.html#p209246
- ↑ MBC, 22nd October 2019. Kyrloth Illegally Seizes Embask Rotantic Oil Operations. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s60.html#p217619
- ↑ TARA PT4, 7th November 2019. MBE moves MBS Dovia and two frigates to the Lion of Taren Oil Rig. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mr-tass-s-holiday-t-a-r-a-parts-3-4-kyrloth-expans-t16094-s15.html#p218579
- ↑ TARA PT4, 7th November 2019. Osfjord Summit. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mr-tass-s-holiday-t-a-r-a-parts-3-4-kyrloth-expans-t16094-s15.html#p218218
- ↑ TARA PT4, 7th November 2019. Lion of Taren Oil Rig is detonated, sinks MBS Dovia. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mr-tass-s-holiday-t-a-r-a-parts-3-4-kyrloth-expans-t16094-s15.html#p220069
- ↑ MBC, 25th January 2020. Janietta Rubis Sacked. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s60.html#p221623
- ↑ MBC, 12th February 2020. Benjamin Wardola Becomes Leader of the Opposition. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p223508
- ↑ MBC, 4th March 2020. It Has Been Too Long, Civic Party Says. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p225027
- ↑ MBC, 13th April 2020. Eliminations in the Democrat Leadership Election. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p226733
- ↑ MBC, 10th May 2020. Victory for Saudaran. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p228468
- ↑ MBC, 19th May 2020. Riberoe Talks a Success. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p229172
- ↑ MBC, 25th June 2020. Barvata's Speech. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p231546
- ↑ MBC, 25th June 2020. Great Morstaybishlia Deploys the Home Fleet. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p231546
- ↑ Government Statement, 25th June 2020. Our Response to Rodenia. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/the-puntalian-takeover-t17235.html#p231732
- ↑ MBC, 29th June 2020. Great Morstaybishlia Moves its Fleet. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p231744
- ↑ MBC, 29th June 2020. Sverdrup: "Unreasonable". https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s75.html#p231744
- ↑ Released Cabinet Minutes, 29th June 2020. Barvata Discusses Conservation with Norgsveltian prime minister. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/the-puntalian-takeover-t17235-s15.html#p231742
- ↑ MBC, 1st July 2020. Unprecedented Moves. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s90.html#p231879
- ↑ Released Cabinet Minutes, 30th June 2020. Barvata addresses Cabinet on his communique with Empress Noi of Packilvania. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s90.html#p231879
- ↑ MBC, 9th March 2021. Joralesian Terror Attack Worse in its History. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s120.html#p243403
- ↑ MBC, 9th March 2021. Early Election Bill Passes Folks. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s120.html#p243440
- ↑ MBC, 10th March 2021. King Lambertus VII Gives Election Act Royal Assent. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s120.html#p243473
- ↑ MBC, 1st April 2021. Barvata Retains Office, But Only Just. https://forum.theeastpacific.com/mbc-t3205-s120.html#p244223