Sayyed

The Serene Emirate of Sayyed إمارة السيد الهادئة 'iimarat alsayid alhadia
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Motto: "أكرم أولئك الذين جاءوا من قبل" "Honor those who came before."
Anthem: "The Sands of Sayyed" Royal anthem: "Long Live The Grand Emir/Emira"
Status	Universally Recognized
Capital and largest city	Al-Salarqa
Official languages	Atasiyaqidu Staynish
Recognised regional languages	Xuhari Sha'aidari (AtasiqayiduDialect) Haqen, Dimangali Kapandihan Ridarakhi Dihobja several others
Religion (2022)	Alqamarism (70%) Yekeneskmi (20%) Xuhar Folk Religion (10%)
Demonym(s)	Sayqidi
Government	Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
• Emira	Scheherazade Al Sayyed (2022)
• Grand Vizier	Mahmoud Al Ahdal
• Imperial Viziers	Farhad Hanifnejad Leila Ghorbani Akeem Ghazali Ahmed Kamel Anoush Safaryan
Legislature	Imperial Chambers
• Upper house	Council of Viziers
• Lower house	Council of Pashas
Independent
• The Emirate of Sayyed founded	873 AD
• Sayyed transitions into a unique form of government	1693 AD
Area
•	902,562.02 km2 (348,481.14 sq mi)
Population
• (2022) estimate	7,531,764
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$300 billion
• Per capita	$39,831
Gini (2022)	25 low
SDI (2022)	0.947 very high
Currency	Sayqidi Dirham (SDI)

The Serene Emirate of Sayyed (Alsaayqayidu: اللسان الصايقيدي, 'iimarat alsayid alhadia) is a nation located in the deserts of West Gondwana.

Sayyed is a semi-constitutional monarchy, where the Emir(a) of Sayyed holds the title of both head of government and head of state simultaneously. Most decisions are made with the supervision and acknowledgment of the Council of Viziers (CoV) and the Council of Pashas (CoP) The current monarch of Sayyed is Emira Scheherazade Al Sayyed, who ascended to the throne in May 2022 when her father abdicated in poor health.

The emirate has maintained relations with Mirhaime who they on rely heavily for military support and are important trading partners.

Sayyed’s economy is a developed free-market one. Because of its advanced economy that came from exporting oil from the 1920s, the nation focused on modernizing its infrastructure and its main source of revenue shifted to manufacturing, research and development, and tourism. Sayyed holds a sophisticated welfare system, modern infrastructure, and an advanced, high-technology sector.

The Sayqidi jewelry industry is one of the world’s centers for extracting, cutting, and polishing, and contributes a sizeable portion of the nation’s exports. However, the country depends on imports for resources like fruit. And due to freshwater sources being scarce in the nation, it also relies on importing bottled water from other nations.

Sayyed is known to be incredibly wealthy and to have a low Gini score; most if not all Sayqidi citizens live comfortably, even in luxury. While the prices of basic necessities are low, and basic housing is provided by the government, the costs of amenities are significantly high. Due to the wealth of the nation, the minimum wage is higher than average, and hard labor, in Sayqidi culture, is considered to be extremely valuable and workers in most industries that in most countries, are considered underpaid, are paid rather well in Sayyed.

Sayyed's high-quality university education, as well as the creation of a highly motivated and educated populace, are largely responsible for the country's high-tech boom and rapid economic development by regional standards. The country has built a strong educational infrastructure as well as a high-quality incubation system (which they had adopted from the Haqmi) for new cutting-edge ideas to produce value-added goods and services. As a result of these developments, the country has created a high concentration of high-tech companies across the country's regions. These companies are financially backed by a strong venture capital industry.

Having four sheikhdoms, all of which are culturally different from one another, Sayyed is rather multicultural; all citizens of all Sheikhdoms are treated equally and discrimination of any kind is frowned upon. The current reigning Emira of Sayyed is of Haqmi heritage and grew up with both Haqmi traditions and Atasiyaqi ones.

Sayyed’s history dates back to 1000 BCE when the Kingdom of Ashur was formed by Niiqiarusu the Great, who reformed and developed the city of Salaharkesh, which became the capital of the kingdom and was the foundation of modern-day Al-Salarqa. The kingdom expanded into more of the Atasiyah Desert and southwards to the coast.

Before the last Ashurian king passed away childless, he appointed his Alqamar-following cousin, Muhammed Al Sayyed, as his heir. After the king’s death in 873 CE, Muhammed took the throne and reformed the kingdom into an Emirate, the Emirate of Sayyed, after the Al Sayyed clan he led. His reign marked the beginning of the prosperous desert empire it is today. He helped the citizens of Sayyed through famine and upon the recovery of the emirate, he set his sights on its development. Due to its new and growing wealth, Emir Muhammed was able to invest funds into the construction of Al Mahadiyya Palace, the current residence of the Emira, her family, the court, the Grand Vizier, and the location of the imperial government chambers. Muhammed passed away at the age of 79, just when the 24 years of construction on the palace were completed.

The Sayqidi Golden Age began in 955 CE on several timelines, though there wasn’t a solid date for its true beginning. Due to its ever-increasing wealth, Sayyed began to focus on science, mathematics, art, and literature. This was also a time when the Emir promoted literacy and education; Upon the poet Scheherazade (born Auset) of Khor Sha’aidat’s rise to prominence, she was sent to the court of Al Mahadiyya, where, in exchange for poetry on the life of the palace, she would be supported by the royal family in any endeavor she’d have, as long as it benefited the emirate. With this, she used the funds to build schools all over Al Salarqa, smaller villages in Atasiyah and Khor Sha’aidat, and in her home city of the same name. These crown-sponsored schools helped promote literacy and by 1000, it was reported that most if not all Sayqidi citizens could read and do basic mathematics.

For three centuries, the emirate has focused on expanding their territory, from peacefully forming the Sheikhdom of Khonmani in 1045 to violently sieging the city of Haraman in the mountain region in 1229 and forming the Sheikhdom of Haq as a form of peace. Through history, Sayyed has found itself a multicultural nation with the cultures of each sheikhdom mixing, turning cities like Al Salarqa into a melting pot of "Sayqidi culture".

In 1459, Aghvani Arzumanyan, a Haraman-born noble and Imperial Vizier, was appointed Grand Vizier by Emir Ibrahim Al Sayyed, becoming the first Grand Vizier of Haqmi origins. He made multiple contributions and improvements to the Emirate, including founding the Aghvani Arzumanyan University in Salarqa. Today it is the top university in Sayyed. He also integrated the Haqmi Educational Philosophy (Contemporarily abbreviated as HEP) into the standard Sayqidi education system, which improved the average performance of most students in the emirate.

In 1527, Emir Mirza passed away without a confirmed heir. Due to his popularity, Ngawang Tsamchoe, Mirza’s son via a Xuhari concubine, took the throne instead of Mirza’s son with his chief consort. Thus begin the Tsamchoe Dynasty, where Sayyed (then Tsamchoe) was ruled under Xuhari royalty. This caused a shift in court culture, where Xuhari culture was the major influence. However, the rule of the Tsamchoes wouldn’t last long. In 1610 Sharyar Al Sayyed staged a coup, which ened up being successful and he took the throne, restoring the clan Sayyed onto the throne.

Emir Sharyar's reign was a time of stability after a turbulent time the Tsamchoes left Sayyed in. Though his contributions put his predecessors to shame, he was most known for his love life and harem, which became the subject of many contemporary works in drama and literature.

Emira Abreshmina was a beloved and benevolent Emira, whose 60 years of rule was a time of peace and prosperity. A revered diplomat and a patron of the arts who reformed Sayyed into a semi-constitutional monarchy in 1693 using the foundation Aghvani Arzumanyan created during his term as Grand Vizier in the 15th century, which included the creation of the Council of Pashas, which consisted of officials elected by the people. Imperial Viziers held more power as well after Abreshmina and the Grand Vizier signed the decree.

The Emirs and Emiras of the Hiqbat Jamila were known to be weak, but not unintelligent. The reign of Emira Soraya (dubbed the laziest Emira) marked the time where formal relations with Mirhaime were established as a way to strengthen the Sayqidi military.

In 1991, the Theocratic Republic of Askaraban invaded the Sheikhdom of Aparapat, out of hopes of reuiniting the Kingdom of Astava, which collapsed during the Sayqidi invasion of the Haq mountains in the 13th century. Though the Asakarabani forces greatly outnumbered the Sayqidi ones, with Mirhamian assitance, the Sayqidi pushed back Askaraban. Despite its short period, it was one of if not the most devastating war in Sayqidi history.

Etymology

Because of its religion and culture, the realm would be named after the ruling dynasty. The name of the dynasty, Sayyed (السيد) means "The Master" in Alsaayqayidu.

-i in Atasiqayidu, followed by a culture or a nation means "people of", hence Xuhari (People of the Xuhar) and Haqmi (People of the Haq).

Before Sayyed, the preceding kingdom was called Ashur, named after the river that flowed near the city of Salaharkesh (now Salarqa).

The first time Sayyed was ever used to refer to the kingdom was in 873 CE, when King Muhammed al-Sayyed made a speech, referring to the what was then called the Ashur Kingdom as "The Kingdom of Sayyed".

Geography

Sayyed is located in western Gondwana, and has a surface area of 900,000 sq km. It is a nation that is almost pure desert, with the exception of the Haqmi Mountainous Region in northern Sayyed. The longest river in the nation is the River Ashur, which flows into the city of Al-Salarqa. (Notes: write about water area once you get the detailed border.)

Sayyed's highest point is Mount Qami, located in the Haqmi Mountainous Region, Qami has an elevation of 10,195 feet.

Had it not been for the multiple oases and the Ashur river, the areas where most important cities are would have been nearly uninhabitable. The Sayqidi deserts are mostly arid, so rain barely comes to bless the land.

However, Sayyed has a lot of rich resources that led to their wealth. Not only do they have a monopoly on oil, their land also contains gold, diamonds, iron, copper, and platinum-group materials.

Sayyed's fauna contains animals like camels, lizards, sand cats, etc. Sand cats and camels have been important in the empire's history and culture.

Sheikhdoms

Sayyed has four sheikhdoms, all divided based off the shared history of its peoples and geographic climate.

• Atasiyah - Is the largest region in Sayyed, it covers the large Atasiyah Desert and is home to the capital city of the same name.
• Khonmani Plateaus - The second largest region and home to the Xuhari. Its capital is Quzou.
• Aparapat - The highest region in Sayyed. It's home to the Haqmi and their capital of Haraman.
• Khor Sha'aidat - Sayyed's hottest desert and the home to the Sha'aidari people. Its capital shares the name of the region.

History

Ancient History

The earliest settlement in modern-day Sayyed was founded in around 1300 BCE, named Salaharkesh, and is the precursor to the metropolis of Al Salarqa. The settlement of Salaharkesh is most known for the intricate clay structures and pottery founded by archeologists in a 1987 excavation. In the same excavation, the first written form of the Sayqidi language, abhad, was discovered.

Salaharkesh was a monarchal city-state, one of the first monarchs being King Niiqiarusu, who established the Kingdom of Ashur in 1000 BCE. He was named “the Great” for his significant contributions to Ashurian society and civilization. As Ashurian scholars described him, “A wise and dignified ruler who made significant changes to the kingdom and has made an impact so large it is still felt many generations after his passing.” It was also during his reign when the Ashurian Code was written, describing every law and every punishment for breaking them.

King Issaruutunu III

The reign of King Issaruutunu III is marked to be one of the most impactful reigns in the history of the kingdom. His reign saw the development of a more urbanized metropolis and an improved connection between cities in the kingdom. Issaruutunu was also known to conquer the south, most significantly the region of Khor Sha’aidat, and has developed the city of the same name.

Enheduana I

King Suusaandar IV “the Mad” had a reign of dread and instability. A lot of his decisions displeased the people and were out of madness. So, the people started to turn to his younger sister, Enheduana, to rule the kingdom. The revolts were met with violence, people were killed on both sides. In 150 BCE, Suusaandar and Enheduana had a duel where Enheduana, as described by the writer Baassiia:

“Enheduana sliced Issaruutunu’s head off and placed it on the end of her spear, and paraded it all around Salaharkesh, without words, announcing that she was the new queen. And she proved to be such. However, she has spoken about her guilt of slaying her own kin, but knew it had to be done.”

Queen Enheduana, called the mother of Ashur as the kingdom went under great changes during her reign. Women now played a more influential role in Ashurian society, and she endorsed the young poet Gashansunu, who wrote "The Epic of Ashur", an epic entailing the adventures of "Young Enheduana", which included a lot of figurative speech that put a commentary on Ashurian high society.

The Founding of Alqamarism

It was believed that the prophet, Ibrahim rested under a palm tree one night and heard a voice coming from the moon, saying that he was the true god and his wife shall receive good fortune in the coming days. When he returned home, he informed his wife about what he had heard, however, she, Aaliyah, a huntress, laughed at him, saying that it was probably just a mirage, and if the god were to be real, she desired a bountiful hunt, as to make food and clothes for the poor. The following day, she went out hunting, and brought back what she desired, from meat to eat to animals to skin for pelts. The same day, Ibrahim was working when he found gold, and decided to use the money he got from it to give alms, crediting al'Iilah for the wealth he found. Shortly after, the faith has spread around the village in which the couple lived, and the two were seen as holy vessels.

Spread to the Entire Kingdom

The teachings of Ibrahim from al'Iilah began to spread across Ashur, eventually reaching Salaharkesh, however, despite its popularity, the royal family refused to adopt the common faith. With the exception of the clan Sayyed, who gained great political influence after their conversion.

The First Sayyed Dynasty

Formation of the Kingdom of Sayyed

King Manishtushu died without an heir in 873 AD. Before his passing, he named his cousin, the popular, Alqamar-following Muhammed Al Sayyed, as his heir. Much to the displeasure of the King's brothers. Muhammed established the Emirate of Sayyed, and wrote the Code of Emirs, a book containing all the rights and limitations of the Sayqidi monarch. The sudden naming of Muhammed as Manishtushu's heir caused great dissatisfaction among the nobles supporting Manishtushu's brothers and led to great instability in the early years of Muhammed's reign. However, that wasn't the only reason why Muhammed's first years as Emir was unstable...

The Great Famine

Famine hit Sayyed in 879 AD. Known as the "Year of Death" as a quarter of the Sayqidi population starved to death or died of illness. As a response, Emir Muhammed greatly reduced taxes so the population could survive it. This made him more popular considering he also followed the common faith. When the famine ended in 880, the population flourished and Muhammed was renowned as "The Great Emir".

Stabilization of Emir Muhammed's Reign

After several plots against Muhammed's life have been discovered and traced back to Manishtushu's brothers, he ordered their executions and exiled their descendants, eliminating any claimants to the throne and establishing House al-Sayyed as the dominant and ruling house.

Rapid Growth of the Emirate

Following the famine, Emir Muhammed made laws and encouraged the development of domestic and continental trade routes, cities, and the nation as a whole.

The Construction of Al-Mahadiyya Palace

In 896, Emir Muhammed ordered the construction of Al-Mahadiyya Palace, which would become the official residence of the Emir of Sayyed. As Emir Muhammed described:

"The Palace shall be large and fit for a true Emir. However, it should be flexible so the palace is able to change with the times. It shall be lined with great works and tapestries telling the stories of our ancestors."

The construction took 24 years, and by then, Emir Muhammad was on his deathbed, but his final wish was to see Al-Mahadiyya before he passed, and he got his wish.

The Sayqidi Golden age

The Sayqidi Golden Age began in 950 after decades of economic prosperity and stability. Instead of focusing on political matters, Sayyed focused on science, math and literature. Al-Salarqa attracted great minds from all over the Emirate, and education became Sayyed's priority. Schools were put up by magisters who were supported by the royal family. School was no longer a privilege only the children of nobles can have. The wealth of the country made it so that not only can every child attend, but it also ensured quality education, oftentimes free. Students, both male and female, were taught science, geometry, history, and literature. It was encouraged to teach children how to read from a young age. Mathematics was a subject loved heavily by Sayqidi scholars and therefore was a common subject as it accompanied science.

Salarqa House of Wisdom

The Salarqa House of Wisdom was formed from a coffeehouse in the center of the city.  The coffee house has attracted great minds such as mathematicians scientists and artisans.  Eventually, the coffeehouse grew into a house of wisdom, a  library full of manuscripts and scriptures of the past of the present,  manuscripts containing mathematic equations that helped bring Sayyed to what it is today. Men and women from all over the emirate came to the coffee house in Salarqa to share their ideas with one another, it was a time full of wisdom and of academics. Some say it was truly beautiful.

The house of wisdom emerged during the middle of the side to the golden age when libraries were built in the coffee house and its size increased to accommodate more people.

Scheherazade of Khor Sha’aidat

Scheherazade of Khor Sha’aidat was revered as a legend of the Sayqidi Golden Age, as she has written the work Tales and Poems from Sayyed, a collection of stories and poems of Sayqidi legend that were traditionally passed down orally. She has also written books containing her poetry that are studied by scholars today. Scheherazade was also known to, with the support of the Royal Family, have built many schools and encouraged literacy in the country. By the time of her death, almost everyone in Sayyed knew how to read and write.

The Xuhari

Before having been discovered by the Sayidi, the Xuhari were an elven nomadic people that roamed the Khonmani plateaus. They lived their lives in small, isolated communities away from the rest of civilization.

Before their nomadic lifestyle, there was a large Xuhari civilization known as the Principality of Xuhar. However, they were displaced when Crimpatein forces invaded and eventually conquered the principality, massacring many in the process. Those who remained lived a nomadic life, going from place to place for food and water.

Conquest of the East

The "Conquest of the East" wasn't a conquest but rather a claiming of land, but the Sayqidi prefer to call it a conquest as to make themselves appear stronger. The territory that was known as the Khonmani Plateaus was claimed by Sayyed in 1015, under the reign of Emir Muhammad II. By the time of the claiming, they reported no sight of human habitation, so they decided that it was "free territory expansion" and claimed the territory.

However, a few months later, scouts reported sights of "abandoned, foreign-looking, large camps" in the plateaus, so they decided to look into it. When they arrived at the Khonmani Plateaus, they found a camp that was inhabited by an elven people. These people called themzselves Xuhar, a nomadic elven people who have moved around the Khonmani Plateaus. After an exchange of culture, and an introduction to permanent settlements as a suggestion, the Xuhari and the Sayqidi were on good terms. Which will lead to the...

Founding of Quzou and the Sheikhdom of Khonmani

After a rising Xuhari population, Emir Lateef and the leader of the Xuhari, Nyandak Lhamo, formed the Sheikhdom of Khonmani with Nyandak, now Nyandak Lekhshey as its Sheikh and the new city of Quzou as the capital. This marked the year most Xuhari abandoned their nomadic ways and settled permanently in the area, accepting the Emir of Sayyed as their leader.

The Conquest of Aparapat

After rising tensions in what was then the Kingdom of Aparapat, Ishkan Aren Vardanyan sent a letter to Emir Ibrahim Al Sayyed to support him and his claim to the throne of Aparapat by leading a conquest of the mountains. In exchange, Aren will swear fealty to the Emirate. Ibrahim agreed and he prepared his troops.

This conquest became known as Sayyed’s bloodiest battle, having many deaths on both sides, including civilian casualties.

The Siege of Haraman

May 1st, 1229. The city of Haraman was sieged. The city was almost destroyed, and those who were martyred by Sayqidi forces like Princess Dzaghig Vardanyan became heroes and figures of Haqmi nationalist movements in the upcoming decades.

Two months into the siege, Aren’s brother, King Tigran Vardanyan, surrendered the throne and gave it to Aren.

The Treaty of Protection

Having fulfilled his promise, Aren pledged fealty and signed the treaty of protection on the fifteenth of August, 1229. Aren became the Sheikh of Aparapat, and his lineage as ruler of the Sheikhdom was secured. Upon the fall, The Yekenesk Republic of Askaraban was offered to join the new Sheikhdom, they refused, stating that the "true Kingdom of Aparapat" will live on with them. The refusal of Askaraban to join caused the tensions that intensified through the years, even when the Emirate took it lightly.

Grand Vizier Aghvani Arzumanyan

The Haraman-born Aghvani was appointed Grand Vizier at the age of 36 in 1459 by Emir Ibrahim Al Sayyed. Throughout his tenure of 34 years, he made great contributions to the education of Sayyed and creating an educational system based of the Haqmi Educational Philosophy. He also invested funds from the Imperial Exchequer in the improvement of roads and trade routes. And he set the foundation for the system Sayyed currently rules under, which was fully reformed during the reign of Emira Abreshmina Al Sayyed in the late 17th century. As the first Haqmi Grand Vizier, he brought pride to his people, who suffered a great loss centuries before.

The Founding of Aghvani Arzumanyan University

Shortly after he was appointed, Arzumanyan founded the Aghvani Arzyumanyan University (AAU), using an old but large Madrasa building. Most of its students were those the children of the friends and court of Grand Vizier Arzumanyan. Eventually, its student body grew as it rose in popularity, being one of the most progressive universities at the time.

The Tsamchoe Dynasty

In 1527, Emir Mirza Al Sayyed passed away, and to everyone's surprise, the son of Emir Mirza and his Xuhari concubine, Ngawang Tsamchoe Al Sayyed succeeded him instead of Mirza's son with his consort, who was about the same age as Ngawang. This sprouted the Tsamchoe Dynasty, and according to the Code of Emirs, Sayyed would be called Tsamchoe for as long as the dynasty lived. Court culture in what was now Tsamchoe saw a change as the Xuhari courtiers got more and more influential, eventually being influenced by Xuhari art, music and dress. However, the Tsamchoe Dynasty only lasted four generations.

The Tsamchoe Dynasty was ridden with weakness. However, upon the death of her father, Gyalwa Tsamchoe took the throne in 1589, the first and only Emira of the Tsamchoe Dynasty. Her reign was a breath of fresh air, as her reign was seen as stable and calm, "unlike her predecessors."

When Emira Gyalwa passed away in 1603, the throne went to her young son with her younger brother, Tobgyal as regent. After a series of events, Tobgyal usurped the throne in 1605 and became Emir of Tsamchoe. But, his rule proved to be unstable and challenging.

Bloody Salarqa

Late 1609 marked the time Sharyar Al Sayyed gathered enough support to put the Sayyed Clan back on the throne. It started with a letter from Sharyar to Tobgyal, saying that he (Sharyar) was the rightful Emir of (Sayyed), and if Tobgyal were to abdicate in favor of Sharyar being Emir and restoring the Sayyed Dynasty, no one would get hurt. However, Tobgyal crudely responded and refused.

(Note: make a letter from Tobgyal to Sharyar)

So, as a response, Sharyar and his supporters attacked Salarqa from the inside. The bloodshed lasted three days, but those three days saw multiple casualties on both sides, hence the name "Bloody Salarqa". Tobgyal's forces were weakened in Salarqa and Atasiyaqi, Sayyed-supporting men replaced the Emir's forces in the city. The following day, Sharyar planned an attack on Al-Mahadiyya Palace. Fortunately for Sharyar, he was able to get in contact with servants, both former and serving, who were willing to provide information on the palace's layout for a bit of gold. With information collected, he began to strategize: the members of the female-only legion, the Daughters of Aaliyah, would dress as harem maids to access the concubines and young children of Tobgyal, whom they will escort out to safety. A few selected younger soldiers would do something similar to his teenaged sons. The goal was to not harm any of his family or the staff. While the royals are being escorted, saboteurs go around the palace, sabotaging any escape route Tobgyal could take, disabling guards in the process. After the royals have been escorted to safety and the escape routes are secured, Sharyar begins the attack.

The plan was well-executed and as most his men focused on the exterior forces, Sharyar brought a few soldiers with him inside the palace where they located the office. Blood was spilled on royal carpets, and when they got to the office, Sharyar entered alone and saw Emir Tobgyal face-to-face. While no one knows what happened in the office, the doors opened to reveal Tobgyal on his knees, declaring Sharyar as Emir of Sayyed. Tobgyal was put with the rest of his family and everyone celebrated that night.

It was later decided that the Tsamchoe clan be exiled to a remote area in the Sheikhdom of Khonmani and denied any position of influence. The attack of Al Mahadiyya marked the beginning of the Second Sayyed Dynasty.

Portrait of Emir Sharyar, 1615

The Second Sayyed Dynasty

Most of Emir Sharyar's reign focused on stabilizing the realm after what had occurred during Tobgyal's reign and Bloody Salarqa. He was revered as not only a great military leader, but a man of just. He encouraged free thinking, and helped development in Khor Sha'aidat.

Emira Abreshmina Al Sayyed

Abreshmina ascended to the throne upon the death of her father in 1663, at the age of thirteen, making her the youngest Emira of Sayyed.

Early Reign

Upon the death of Emir Solayman Al Sayyed, Abreshmina received the crown. When the news of her father's death reached her, she was recorded to be "Distraught" and to have "not left her chambers for a week". Though, after that period of mounring, it was reported that the young Emira returned to her normal, energetic self.

Coronation

Abreshmina was coronated two months after the death of her father. The ceremony, as with all Sayqidi coronations, was grand. However at the end of the procession, she was reported to have almost fainted when she stood up from the palanquin because of the heat.

The Aldarri-Inspired painting

In 1665, Abreshmina sent the court painter, Beg Mostafa Fayek, north of Sayyed to look for inspiration. Though the trip was risky, he arrived to the city of Hasa safely with his daughter, and met the Mutadiit, Suleiman, who not only gave inspiration for the painting, but advice. Mostafa painted a paitning depicting a scene in Hasa, using the Mutadiit's advice as a backbone. It was received extremely well by the Emira and he was paid his weight in gold for it. After his return, Mostafa wrote about his trip in the memoir "A Caravan to Hasa".

The Formation of the Council of Viziers and Council of Pashas

In 1693, Emira Abreshmina reformed the Sayqidi government system so rather than the Grand Vizier being an advisor to the Emir, who would be both head of state and head of government, the Grand Vizier holds the title of Head of Government alongisde the Emir. The Council of Viziers was formed, a location where the Imperial Viziers (Wazir Imburiiati) discuss with and advise the Grand Vizier and the Emir. She also decided the selection process of the Grand Vizier, who would be elected among the most senior of Imperial Viziers, voted on by the other viziers.

It was also at this time when the lower house, the Council of Pashas (Majilis Pashari) was formed by Abreshmina, with the intention of giving a more democratically-elected force in the government and a council to focus on minor matters that don't concern the Council of Viziers and the crown.

The Hiqbat Jamila

The Hiqbat Jamila emerged in the late 18th century when there was a focus on taking inspiration from foreign and neighboring powers, or any ally Sayyed had. It was a time of emerging modern beauty, and works like 90 Days in Al Salarqa by Kelden Norbu were written with the mindset of focusing on the industrial beauty of the nation.

During this period was the time Sayyed became a force of industrialization. And due to external pressure from Askaraban and Crimpateia, they took inspiration from Corstesian and Mirhamian industrial zones.

Upon the establishment of relations with Mirhaime, they were given machinery from Aeter and Cathal.

However, due to the rise of machine-made products, it aggrivated artisans whose main stream of income was thier work, and thus, protests began and strikes soon followed. Emir Hakim took quick action by giving government support to artists whose line of work have been replaced by machinery.

Emira Soraya’s reign caused controversy, as she decided to let the Grand Vizier hold most of the authority on the Emirate while she focused on her vanity. Many people feared that there might be a sudden switch of governments, even when the unique semi-constitutional system the emirate had for centuries had proved to work perfectly. However, something Soraya did to benefit Sayyed was endorsing the involvement of the Mirhamian military in Sayyed from 1916 onwards. The Great War struck fear into the Sayqidi, who never had the need to militarize heavily, so they sought outside help. Mirhaime ended up being a major trading partner with Sayyed in its modern day, and contains the largest Sayqidi diaspora on Urth.

Emira Soraya abdicated in 1926, at the age of 32, with the reason of believing her sister was more capable, and has said to the press that she never wanted to be Emira, and would have abdicated earlier, but felt obligated to stay on the throne. In an interview a year after her abdication, Soraya said:

“It was only ten years later did I gather the strength to write a letter of abdication. I remember so many nights when I would sit down at my desk, paper in front of me and pen in my hand. I just couldn’t get myself to write an abdication letter. Last year, when I resigned from my position, I felt as if a large weight had been carried off my back; I was finally free.”

When Kamaria took the throne, she immediately took back power from the Grand Vizier, who, for the past eleven years had been holding most responsibilities an Emir would. Though she didn’t live long, she spent most of her reign investing in transportation, modernization, and working on regaining the power the Crown lost. She was succeeded by her son, Emir Farzad in 1946, who continued the work his mother began. The beginning of his reign marked the beginning of the modern age in Sayyed. He was the first Emir to not practice polygamy and in fact outlawed it in 1954.

The Salarqa Renaissance

The Salarqa Renaissance began in 1964, and it was a movement of new music, art, and literature genres. Many say that the city of Al Salarqa still is in the era as new artistic revelations and ideas are shared constantly.

Emir Hassan Al Sayyed

Emir Farzad passed away in 1985, and his son, Hassan, took the throne. His reign marked the many and quick changes in Sayqidi modern history and culture. From the return of Kevahenet, a Salovian port city on the Sayqidi coast in 1992 upon its collapse to the rise of social media. Hassan’s reign was considered progressive and accepting of new ideas, and Emir Hassan was (and still is) loved by Sayyed However, due to his declining health, he abdicated on the 16th of May, 2022, in favor of his eldest child, Scheherazade, who is the current Emira of Sayyed, and one of the youngest, being 18 years old at the time of her ascension.

Askarabani invassion of Aparapat

In 1991, Qahana Narek Kocharyan of Askaraban staged an invasion of the Aparapat region. Their motive was to gain back the region as part of the KIngdom of Astava. The Sayqidi army was led by Emir Hassan Al Sayyed, General Ali Salah and Imperial Vizier Bassel Soliman. During the battle of Vagharak in October 1991, 20-year-old Arif Mostafa Kamel saved many of his comrades' lives and was renowned as a hero, eventually rising the ranks to Fariq the following year for his bravery, he has also been awarded multiple medals. In 1997, he was elected Vizier of Defence.

The Askarabani forces greatly outnumbered the Sayqidi Haqmi forces. However, with Mirhaimian assitance, the invasion ended in a Sayqidi victory. A truce was signed between both countries: none shall invade the other. The damage caused by the Askarabani among the boarder would take years to recover. Emir Hassan has created a charity to help both Askarabani and Haqmi families and civilians who were displaced by the war.

> At the end of the attack, Emir Hassan made quick work on militarizing the border between Sayyed and Askaraban. Stricter border control laws were also implemented in hopes to prevent another attack.

Emira Scheherazade Al Sayyed

Main page: Scheherazade Al Sayyed

On the 16th of May, 2022, Emir Hassan abdicated due to poor health, in favor of his teenage daughter, Tajshahzadi Rabia (now Scheherazade), who was 18 at the time of his abdication. This makes her the second youngest Emira of Sayyed. Her Haqmi mother also makes her one of the few Emir/as to have Haqmi heritage.

Her coronation was on June 5th, 2022, in the Temple of Qamar, Al Salarqa, and was attended by multiple leaders and famous names from around Urth.

She's known most for her humor and her charisma, making her adept at diplomacy. In 2023, she passed a law protecting the Kapandihan minority of the Khadija islands from discrimination.

2023 Askarabani Invasion of Sayyed

Main article: 2023 Askarabani invasion of Sayyed

Government

Sayyed is a semi-constitutional monarchy, which means that unlike in a constitutional monarchy, power is divided between the head of state and a government body, in this case, the Council of Viziers (CoV), which is divided into the Chamber of Imperial Viziers and the Chamber of Commons. A lot of decisions, votes, and other actions have to be approved by the monarch if made by the CoV, and approved by the CoV if made by the monarch. The head of government is the Grand Vizier, and beneath them are the Imperial Viziers, who are the direct advisors and ministers to the monarch. Just beneath them are the Realm Viziers, elected by the people and report to the Imperial Viziers.

Government Structure

The Emir/Emira

The title of Emir/Emira is the highest in the Sayqidi government structure, and represents the head of state. Its power and position remained unchanged until in 1693 when Emira Abreshmina divided power between the Grand Vizier and the Emir/a, in order to prevent the corruption of either.

The Grand Vizier

The rank of Grand Vizier is the second highest rank in the Sayqidi government structure. They play the role of Sayyed's head of government. Grand Viziers are usually elected from the pool of Upper Viziers who hold seniority. Though historically, they were appointed by the Emir/Emira themselves, but it gradually turned into the electoral system it is today. The current holder of this title is Grand Vizier Mahmoud Al Ahdal.

Th Grand Vizier is Sayyed's form of the constitutional role of Prime Minister, though unlike a Prime Minister, Grand Viziers usually remain Grand Viziers until they reach the age of 70 or until they either die, resign, or are replaced by the Emir/a. A new Grand Vizier can be chosen upon the crowning of a new Emir/a.

Imperial Viziers

Upper Viziers are advisors and ministers appointed by the Emir/a, Grand Vizier, or the Royal Family. Often times, they are from families trusted by the Royal Family or selected as a Lower Vizier. They are the advisors to the Grand Vizier and Emir/a and often times the head of the branch they serve.

List of current Imperial Viziers

Name		Date of Birth	Serving Since	Branch	Appointed by	Description
Vizier Farhad Hanifnejad		December 11th, 1957	June 7th, 1989	Sayqidi Royal Household	Emir Hassan Al Sayyed	Vizier Farhad is the son of Fidal Prize winner Ibrahim Hanifnejad. He is tasked with managing royal residences, specifically Al-Mahadiyya, including its staff and structure.
Vizier Leila Ghorbani		July 16th, 1975	September 29th, 2016	Imperial Chamber of Law	Emir Hassan Al Sayyed	Vizier Leila is the first female Vizier of Law, and one of the youngest, being 41 years old at the time she was appointed Vizier. She is tasked with reporting on cases concerning the state and drafts laws to be passed onto voting.
Vizier Akeem Ghazali		February 2nd, 1969	April 16th, 2004	The Royal Exchequer of the Emirate	Grand Vizier Mahmoud Al Ahdal	After the arrest of Imperial Vizier Ahmed Hadid, Ghazali became Vizier of the Royal Exchequer. He is in charge of the finances of the government.
Vizier Anoush Safaryan		June 27th, 1980	January 11th, 2017	Chamber of Education	Grand Vizier Mahmoud Al Ahdal	Vizier Anoush is tasked with monitoring educational requirements and cultural events. She reports to the CoV on new policies regarding education.
Vizier Ahmed Kamel		October 20th, 1971	May 9th, 1997	Chamber of Defence	Grand Vizier Mahmoud Al Ahdal	A veteran of the 1991 Askarabani invasion of Sayyed and a living war hero, Ahmed was awarded with the rank of Fariq and eventually the title of Imperial Vizier of Defense. He is charged with monitoring the status of the military and the military-related decisions of the crown.

The Sheikhs/Sheikhas

The Sheikhs (fem. Sheikhas) are the rulers of the Sheikhdoms of Sayyed. They have their own viziers and share authority on the sheikhdom. However, the Sheikh/a is not allowed to influence crown politics and thus is not allowed to be appointed or elected as viziers of any rank.

List of Current Sheikh/as

Name		Date of Birth	Title	Tenure	Description
Emira Scheherazade Al Sayyed		May 23rd, 2003	Sheikha of Atasiyah	May 16th, 2022 - present	The title of Sheikh/a of Atasiyah is synonymous to the Emir/a of Sayyed. If one becomes Emir/a, they also become the Sheikh/a of Atasiyah.
Sheikh Eman Al Hassanein		July 6th, 1969	Sheikh of Khor Sha'aidat		A sheikh whose love life is known as one of Sayyed's most controversial. The father of half-Xuhari model Kamilah Al Hassanein.
Sheikha Artzouig Vardanyan		September 20th, 1992	Sheikha of the Haq Mountains	August 17th, 2017 - present	The 2008 winner of the Sayqidi Festival of Melodies, Artzouig was a singer and musician before the death of her father in 2017, when she inherited the title of Sheikha.
Sheikha Jigme Lekhshey		November 1st, 1979	Sheikha of Khonmani	November 29th, 2011 - present	The Sheikha of Khonamni, though a political and hereditary title, is also a spiritual and ceremonial one in the eyes of the Xuhari.

Realm Pashas

Realm Pashas are representatives of counties in the greater metropolitan areas of most Sayqidi cities. They make up a majority of the Sayqidi government, and they make most decisions. They are elected by the people of their respective district/county and represent them in the Council of Pashas, located at the heart of Al Salarqa. If appointed by the Grand Vizier or Emir/a, a senior pasha could be promoted to Imperial Vizier.

The Separation of Faith and Government

According to the Code of the Emirate, matters of the state and religion are separated. A vizier may not use their faith as a justification for certain political actions. This was also set in place because the Haqmi and some Xuhari viziers believed in a different faith, and a Alqamar-based law could conflict with their own beliefs.

Transparency

The Sayqidi government is known to be transparent in their political actions and what goes on behind the scene, even recording meetings and uploading clips.

Law enforcement

Headquartered in Al Salarqa, the Imperial Police Service headquarters is responsibility for police, security, and law enforcement activities for the entire Emira. It is officially the General Director of Public Security, Traditionally a senior general within the Sayqidi security forces, who then reports to the Vizier of Defense. Below the central headquarters there are regional directorates. These directorates are subordinate to their administrative regions/sheikhdoms whilst Al Salarqa maintains a special Constabulary which covers the entire city and its suburbs. The country's desert regions are patrolled by a separate Desert Police Service.

The operations of the Imperial Police Service are divided into three major functions:

• Administrative Police: routine crime prevention and the maintenance of public security; additionally special elements of the police perform traffic control, vehicles licensing, licensing of certain business activities, enforcing of trade regulations, enforcing building codes and zoning ordinances, locating missing persons, guarding public places, plus assisting customs and immigration officials. The police also operate Jordan's prison system.
• Judicial Police: conduct of criminal investigations in conjunction with the public prosecutor’s office,
• Support Operations: provide training, logistics, public affairs, communication, etc.

Additionally, there are three major structural divisions for the IPS and affiliated law enforcement forces:

• Metropolitan

• Rural

• Desert Police Service which is responsible for detecting and preventing drug and gun smuggling.

Under the General Directorate of Public Security is also the Special Security Force (SSF) that focuses primarily on combating terrorism. The country also maintains a separate but not independent law enforcement agency known as the Gendarmarie  This organization is responsible for riot control, direct action/tactical missions, securing foreign diplomatic missions and their diplomats. The Gendarmarie is more of a static security force than a traditional law enforcement entity.

Additionally, the Public Security Intelligence Directorate (PCI) which reports directly to the Emira and is responsible for domestic and international security, espionage, and counterterrorist operations.

Coast Guards

The Sayqidi Coast Guard is a law enforcement sub-agency responsible for maritime safety and control off the coast of Sayyed. The SCG is an independent and external branch of Chamber of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The SCG has its headquarters in Khor Sha'aidat, has hundreds of smaller operating stations along the coastline of the country. It operates 4 classes heavy vessels (over 1000 tons), 3 classes of medium vessels (over 250 tons), and 3 classes of light vessels (speedboats over 30 tons). The SCg also employs sevearl types of special purpose watercraft such as firefighting vessels, barges, high-speed scout boats, light patrols, and amphibious hovercraft. The SCG's aviation unit currently fields 6 fixed-wing aircraft and 16 rotary-wing aircraft. As part of the Sayqidi security forces, it also maintains its own assymetric warfare unit named the 'Sayqidi Coast Guard Special Operations Unit' (SACOG-SOG)

Foreign Politics

Sayyed has always had foreign relations as a necessity due to its climate being unable to produce common things like certain fruits and vegetables. They always have relied on allies to export things to them, but in turn, they give back luxuries.

Mirhaime

During the reign of Emira Soraya, relations between Mirhaime and Sayyed were established. Since then, it has evolved into an alliance. Both countires are each other's most important trading partner, and Sayyed is Mirhaime's top supplier of oil and natural gas. In exchange, Sayyed has agreed to the creation of Mirhamian garrisons in its borders, as to protect Sayyed from neighboring threats like Crimpateia and Askaraban. Since the multiple wars in the late 20th century, Mirhaime has increased its military presence in the country.

Askaraban

The Kingdom of Astava and the Emirate of Sayyed had cordial trade relations until 1229 when Sayyed invaded out of a request by an Astavan prince. Sayyed took over the Kingdom of Aparapat and formed the sheikhdom, but the Theocratic Republic of Askaraban refused to join the sheikhdom. That and other factors caused a rivalry between the two coutnries when Askaraban publicly denounced an Imperial Vizier.

Tensions would remain, until they snapped in 1991 and Askaraban invaded Aparapat. It was a devastating loss for Sayyed, but they pushed back and won the skirmish. Since then, the border between the two countries has be come a demilitarized zone and both countries are preparing for the worst.

Despite their relations, many Askarabani and Haqmi people sympathize with each other considering their heavy cultural similarities. They both speak the Haqen tongue, and many wish for the rivalry to be over.A

Economy

Jewelry Industry

Sayyed is known for its robust jewelry industry, exporting billions of dollars worth of jewelry every year. Sayqidi jewelry has found itself a favorite among royals in other countries.

The Royal Family

Main article: Al Sayyed Family

The Al Sayyed family reached a large level of media significance after the hit show Keeping Up with the Al Sayyeds, which show the personal lives of the royal family. It received praise for its transparency and how honest the family members seemed to be.

The royal family holds a large amount of influence in the parliament, specifically the Emir/Emira.

The current family members include:

Hassan Al Sayyed - The former Emir of Sayyed and father of the current Emira. He is the current head of the house of Sayyed.

Dikranouhi Jalalyan - The former Khaseki Amir and the current Walida Amira of Sayyed. Mother to Emira Scheherazade. A philantrophist and writer who started multiple charities to help those who suffer from war after her own experience during the 1991 invasion.

Scheherazade Al Sayyed (May 19th 2003) - The current Emira regnant of Sayyed and the eldest child and daughter of Emir Hassan and Emira Consort Dikranouhi.

Hakim Al Sayyed (April 12th 2004) - The current heir presumptive to the throne and the eldest son of Emir Hassan and Dikranouhi. An advocate for youth rights and a well-known model.

Zahra Al Sayyed - Third in line to the throne, Zahra is a popular influencer and makeup artist who starred in the teen drama NASHKU: Euphoric as the main character, Aminah Abdul.

Mostafa Al Sayyed -

Antaram Al Sayyed - Fourth in line to the throne, Antamaria is a singer and musician, known for her victory in the fifth edition of the Junior Sayqidi Festival of Melodies.

Tigran Al Sayyed -

The Court of Al Mahadiyya

Al Mahadiyya court culture has been the subject of multiple dramas. Though despite the multiple stereotypes and rumors circulating the harem, it is to note that the harem refers to the personal family and court of the reigning Emir/a and does not have to be related to their multiple spouses, a practice that has been outlawed since the mid 20th century.

Titles

Harem Titles

Family

Walida Amir/a - The mother of the current Sayqidi monarch

Balahim Amir/a - The father of the current Sayqidi monarch

Tajshezad/Tajshazadi - The heir to the throne

Shehzad/Shahzadi - The child and siblings of the Sayqidi monarch

Consorts

Khaseki Amir/a - Historicaly, the highest rank a consort could get, their children become heirs. Currently, after polygamy fell out of fashion, it is used as the title for the spouse of the Emir/a.

Kahefendem - The historical title for the highest-ranking consort, however, it is beneath the title of Khaseki. This title was used for the favorite consort of the Emir/a. Currently, it's used for close companions and personal assistants to the monarch.

Khabala - The historical title for other concubines, beneath the Kahefendem and above the Jariye. Currently used for courtiers who are members of the imperial harem, it's used alongside the title of Sayid/a.

Jariye - The historical title for enslaved concubines. Slavery of concubines became outlawed in the late 18th century and the title was used to refer to low-ranking concubines who served the Khabala and the Kahefendem. The title is now used for new servants of the harem.

Imperial Supervisors and Overseers

Hazinedar Usta - The most senior overseer of the Sayqidi harem.

Kalfa - Overseers of the Sayqii harem

Eunuchs

The title of Eunuch was historically used for castrated servants. Now that castration has been outlawed, it has been used for male servants of the harem and servants to the princes.

Military

The Sayqidi Imperial Armed Forces (SIAF) is the sole military wing of the Sayqidi security forces which also include a variety of organizations, including military, law enforcement, paramilitary, governmental, and intelligence agencies, and is headed by its Chief of General Staff, Vizier (Mirza) Ahmed Kamel who heads the Chamber of Defence on behalf of the Emira.

TG-12NS main battle tanks, and BG-15A 'Drake II' Infantry Fighting Vehicles of the Sayqidi Imperial Army's Armored Brigade E55 during a military exercise in Khor Sha'aidat.

The SIAF consists of the Imperial Army, the Imperial Flying Force and the Imperial Armada. Officially reorganized in 1918 by consolidating paramilitary organizations within the Empire - chief amongst which were its constituent sheikhdoms' various locally-raised armies and regiments that later evolved to form the bulk of the Imperial Armed Forces. The SIAF also draws upon the resources of the Military Intelligence Directorate and coordinate effort with various different Sayqidi intelligence agencies. Battle-trained through various wars throughout its history, the SIAF is often regarded as one of Gondwana's most battle-trained and flexible armed forces in Gondwana with extensive cooperation with states such as Mirhaime.

A pair of TKN-82SY Block 55 of VFA-22 'Wali Junayd Karkhi', Sayqidi Imperial Flying Force taking off from al-Namir Airbase near Quzou in the Khonmani Plateaus, Military Region II.

Most Sayqidi citzens are drafted into the military at the age of 18. Both men and women serve a mandatory military service period of 24 months - a system officially referred to as the "National Service Draft". Following the conclusion of their mandatory service, Sayqidi citizens join the reserve forces and usually do up to several weeks of reserve duty every year until they're in their fourties. Sayqidi citizens engaged in full-time religious studies are exempt from military service. An alternative for those who receive exemptions on various grounds is the "National Auxiliary Service Draft" which involves a programme of service in hospitals, schools and other social welfare frameworks. As a result of its various conscription programme, the SIAF maintains approximately 183,000 active troops and an additional 565,000 reservists, giving Sayyed one of the Gondwana's highest percentage of citizens with military training.

Sayqidi soldiers take part in a training exercise in Aparapat.

Sayyed's military relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems either imported from abroad - namely Mirhaime - as well as those designed and manufactured in Sayyed itself. It uses several technologies developed within Sayyed itself, with many of them made specifically to cater to its needs in its operational environment. Since the early 20th century, the SAIF has had a close security relationship with Mirhaime, including in research and development cooperation amongst others.

Since its establishment, the SIAF's military expenditure constituted a significant portion of the country's gross domestic product. In 2022, Sayyed's defense spending stands at a percentage of GDP of 3.9% - around 11.7 billion dollars. Since the early 20th century, Mirhaime has been a particularly notable contributor of military aid to Sayyed. Under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2016, Mirhaime is expected to provide the country with $842 million per year, from 2018 to 2028. Though the majority of its arms export and imports and unreported and classified for security reasons, it is notable importer of Mirhaimian-made arms.

Education

Education in Sayyed has been modeled off the Haqmi Education Philosophy (HEP), which promotes independence and hands-on learning. The philosophy was adapted for widespread use in 1459 when Aghvani Arzumanyan was appointed Grand Vizier.

Sayyed has two levels of compulsory education: Madrasat Saghira (Small School) and Almadrasat Althaanawia (Upper school). For Madrasat Saghira, the average class size is 15, and for Almadrasat Althaanawia, the average class size is 20.

Subjects

The focused subject of each school varies, but every school is required to teach five main subjects:

• Literature (Staynish and Sayqidi)
• History (Regional, then National, then World)
• Mathematics
• Language (Sayyiby + Local language if any)
• Art and Music

Upper Education

Upper Education in Sayyed is considered essential.

The Haqmi Educational Philosophy (HEP)

The Haqmi Educational Philosophy (often referred to as HEP) is an edcational philosophy that focuses on the individual needs of a child/student. Because of this, classroom sizes in Sayyed are usually small, containing no more than 20 students. In a lower education setting (Elementary/Small school, as well as preschool/kindergarten, the major medium of learning is the use of handmade wooden materials to explain concepts such as arithmatic and other mathematical ideas.

Demographics

Ethnic Groups

Sayyed has four major ethnic groups represented on its flag. These are: the Atasiyaqi, Sha'aidari, Xuhari, and Haqmi. The Atasiyaqi being the largest followed by the elven Xuhari population.

Tribes and Smaller Minorities

Sayyed has multiple tribes that come from the Sheikhdoms. Usually they're related to one of the four larger groups, like the Dihobja and Dimangali, who are culturally related to the Sha'aidari. The Xuhari also have multiple cultural minorities considering their size and variety. Aparapat also have towns that are culturally different from the mainstream Haqmi culture which comes from Haraman.

Groups of Mixed Ethnicities

It is no surprise that many Sayqidi are of mixed heritage considering its cultural diversity. They are most populous in Al-Salarqa as many choose to move there for more opportunities.

Age

Sayyed is known for its youth culture, the median age being 24 (as of 2022).

Culture

(Sayyed has multiple ethnic groups, and therefore many cultures, the largest being Sayqidi, followed by the Xuhari. This section will discuss Sayyed's culture in general.)

Literature

Literature has always been something sacred to Sayqidi hearts. It played an important role in Sayyed's history and a bigger role in its culture. There have been many famous writers and poets, who have written great works. As an example, Scheherazade of Khor Sha'aidat wrote the Tales and Poems from Sayyed, a collection of Sayqidi and Sha'aidarum tales and poems, in the 10th century. Contemporary works like 90 Days in Al-Salarqa (1893) by Kelden Norbu have also been considered classics and are read in schools.

Music

Musicians in Sayyed have always been treated with respect, as music is integral to its culture. It is the nation's oldest art form, having existed since the dawn of the Ashur Kingdom. Sayqidi music has always been considered "ethereal" by outsiders.

Traditional Music

Sayqidi traditional music mainly consists of wind and string instruments, like the kawalah or the kanun (zither). Traditional music dates back to the early days of the Kingdom of Ashur, as part of festivals and ceremonies.

Modern Music

Modern music in Sayyed emerged during the beginning of the Salarqa Renaissance in the 1960s. Many movements happened at this time, too. Genres like pop, rock, hip hop and its subcultures all found popularity during this era. The invention of multiple computer-powered music software later in the 20th century gave opportunities to a more diverse music scene. As of currently, the most popular music genre is punk pop and ethno-pop.

Sayqidi Festival of Melodies

Main article: Sayqidi Festival of Melodies

For the past 20 years, most of Sayyed's top charting songs came from the Sayqidi Festival of Melodies, an annual songwriting competition that represents Sayyed's diversity. As of the 2022 edition, the winner is selected to perform their winning song at the Urthvision Songfestival. As of 2023, the top three entries will be selected to participate in the next three editions. The most recent winner is Nailah Shehatah with her song "We Have No Shame" in 2022.

TV and Drama

Sayyed is known for its dramas, both from streaming services and TV. When the television was introduced in the 20th century, Sayqidi playrights and writers immediately began to write films, mostly relating to drama, but genres like action, comedy, and romance are also popular.

The most popular Sayqidi drama is Al Mahadiyya: Imperial Secrets (2011- present), which depicts the harem of Al Mahadiyya Palace during the multiple eras of the Second Sayyed Dynasty.

List of popular Sayqidi dramas:

Name		Original Release	No. of Episodes	Director(s)	Starring	Description
Al Mahadiyya: Imperial Secrets		March 22nd, 2011-present	1230		Maryam Arakelyan, Farah Bilal, Ismail Dawoud,	Commonly called "Imperial Secrets" or "AM:IS", it is the most successful and longest-running drama on Sayqidi TV. Imperial Secrets begins in 1609, just after Emir Sharyar Al Sayyed retakes the throne of what was then Tsamchoe. The drama mainly centers his harem, while adding scenes that include Sharyar and his council, which explain the political climate of Sayyed at the time. Other monarchs that have been portrayed in the show are: Emira Abreshmina, Emir Hussein II, Emir Anwar, Emira Aaliyah III, Emira Khadija, etc.. The most recent seasons of the show depicts Emira Soraya Al Sayyed, who reigned in the early 20th century. The show has been praised for its historical accuracy; adding well-written drama that deviates from history while still keeping true to any major historical facts. Another thing it has been praised for is the accuracy the costumes. Its lead costume designer, Jamila Adel, has spoken on how she was able to integrate modern aesthetics and visual storytelling devices in a way that doesn't ruin the praise the show has gotten for being historically accurate.
NASHKU: Euphoric		August 19th, 2022	8	Milena Ghazaryan	Zahra Al Sayyed	About the students in a prestigious school in Al-Salarqa. The show follows the lives of the wealthiest students, most of which have the habit of partying whenever possible. The Sayqidi princess' role, Aminah is the focus of the first season and the viewers follow her around her personal life. The show is a dramatization of Sayqidi culture. The show is known for its aesthetics, color stories, and fashion, and has set trends for Sayqidi social media. However, the show was known to be controversial amongst conservative audiences, considering its themes relating to the use of drugs and the sexualization of the characters. Despite this, the show has been praised for its diversity of the cast in multiple aspects (cultural, racial, and sexual orientation-wise).
FEILIM: The Fefsen Empress		June 20th, 2015 - present			Leila Gasparyan	In collaboration with a Mirhamian studio, FEILIM tells the story of the reign of Empress Feilim, a Trinter empress who reigned for a huge portion of the 14th century. It featured a mostly Dakorian cast, with half-Fefsen half Haqmi actress, Leila Gasparyan, playing the role of the empress. It was a success in both Sayyed and Mirhaime, both nations having been close allies for a century.

Teen Dramas

Teen dramas (dramas that circle around teenagers) have been around in Sayyed since the early 2000s, but has gained popularity in more recent years due to the rise of social media in Sayyed.

In more recent years, due to the rising popularity of Sayqidi television in other countries, most teen dramas have been performed in Staynish.

NASHKU: Euphoric

NASHKU: Euphoric is a 2022 Sayqidi teen drama starring Princess Zaahra Al Sayyed, who plays the title character, Aminah Abdul, a student at a globally revered Sayqidi high school. Aminah navigates her life of being a late teenaer, dealing with school pressure, parental expectations, her own mental health issues, peer pressure, and body image.

The show has been praised for its realistic portrayal of hard-to-process topics, emotional script, cinematography, and its trendy costumes. The costumes have also caused controversy, especially that of the main character, which the princess played, as they believe that it was "too revealing for her to wear". Zahra has also credited the way she acted to her actual mental health struggles, which she shares with the protagonist.

"NASHKU" reached almost overnight success, having blown up on social media only a week after its release.

The show set trends for the Sayqidi youth, the character of Aminah's closet being heavily inspired by the 1990s in fashion, while other characters were more inspired by different eras and fashion subcultures, adding to their character.

Visual Arts

Portrait of Emir Behrouz Al Sayyed

Painting

Sayyed has a long history of art, one of the oldest art forms in history. Famous painters include Samira Hedayat, Anoush Vardanyan, Prince Ibrahim, etc. In its history, there has been multiple art movements during the Sayqidi Golden Age and the Salarqa Renaissance. Many styles emerged, such as watercolors, reliefs, oil painting, and charcoal are popular mediums in Sayyed.

Architecture

Due to its climate, Sayqidi architecture is known to have high ceilings to help with ventilation, as well as multiple or larger windows.

Beauty

History

Beauty, as a concept, has been around since the dawn of Sayqidi civilization. In both men and women, it was desirable to look on the softer side, as a sign of wealth. A rounder look meant you had the wealth to eat quality food regularly, which, what was then the Kingdom of Ashur, a privilege only the wealthy can afford. Even after the growing wealth of the nation after that, to when what was considered a privilege in Ashur became common in the average household as they got wealthier.

During the Tsamchoe dynasty, courtiers desired paler skin, which, in Xuhari culture, was a symbol of wealth, which displeased the Tsamchoqi (Sayqidi) people as they were naturally, drastically darker than the Xuhari.

As modelling became a sustainable industry after the rise of globalization which helped the popularization of international fashions in the 20th century, a skinnier frame became more "on par" with the ever-changing fashions of Sayyed.

When Emira Scheherazade Al Sayyed ascended to the throne in 2022, the tradition of following the Emira in her ways of beauty came into question: Scheherazade was seen to be "too thin", which concerned parents who didn't want their teen to replicate something that could possibly harmful.

Makeup and Cosmetics

Makeup for most of its history in Sayyed has been used to enhance features. A very popular cosmetic item for both genders is kohl, black eyeliner made from charcoal. It's most common in the Sheikhdom of Khor Sha'aidat as a huge focus was put on the eyes of a person. In Al-Salarqa, many women favor contouring and smoky makeup looks, there's also a similar trend in Haraman. In Quzou, looks including the color red became extremely popular during the rise of social media. Also in Quzou, it became popular to add glimmering highlights to one's under eyes, they referred to it as "smiling eyes".

Fashion and Clothing

Due to its wealth and diversity, Sayyed has had a lot of fashion trends and traditional garments throughout the years. Good quality clothes are a stable in Sayqidi social culture, as designer Aaliyah Bakir said:

A Sayqidi would save up for a better quality garment than immediately buying a lower quality alternative, not just because it lasts longer, but because it would give them the respect of members of the Sayqidi elite, and will usually give them opportunities. In Sayyed, good clothes make good impressions. — Page 13, The Fashion of the Sayqidi People by Aaliyah Bakir

Because of this, a lot of Sayqidi people prefer high-end and quality brands. As of 2022, the average household in Al-Salarqa has a few high-end items.

The line between what's a luxury item and what's not is blurred to the Sayqidi, as the average household can afford high-end pieces without sacrificing their wealth. There are also a lot of other factors as to why that line is blurred, such as how a lot of the clothing the average Salarqi wears usually come from brands that are associated with high fashion. — Page 20, The Fashion of the Sayqidi People by Aaliyah Bakir

Sayqidi fashion is also shaped around the desert climate, cooling outfits are what seem to be popular.

Fashion History

A painting depicting a woman playing the zill, mid 18th century.

Sayqidi fashion as we know it emerged during the Sayqidi Golden Age, when luxuriant materials were in abundance. The beauty standards also affected how people dressed. The cut of garments, which usually hugged the waist and flared at the skirt, gave women a curvy appearance in accordance to the beauty standards. From the 15th century, garments began to be more structured with the discovery of boning and more ways to layer to achieve the fashionable silhouette. "Palace dress" was used to refer to the style of dress with the hem being floor length, and is commonly worn by noblewomen when at home, as to not soil the long hems.

When the Tsamchoe Dynasty took the throne, the fashions in the Empire changed: while silhouettes stayed somewhat similar, court fashions were heavily influenced by Xuhari garments. Wrap dresses came into fashion, as well as hairstyles that integrated braids. Beads also became a popular accent during this time. For palace women, long and large sleeves became popular, as well as tulip-shaped layered skirts.

The 17th century saw a change in silhouette, while the cinched waist and flared skirt silhouette stayed the same, the bodice became straighter and the skirt was held up by a stuffed roll. The dresses got more intricate and brocading came into fashion. Along with the gowns, the head dresses and hats got more intricate. Pearls were a common decoration, and were often seen everywhere in an ensemble. Sirin Emira Abreshmina al-Sayyed was known to have influenced the Sayqidi court fashions of the later half of the 17th century.

For most of the Industrial Era, Sayyed took inspiration for its high fashion from neighboring powers and trade partners, but adding a cultural twist. In the 20th century, when Sayyed became a constitutional monarchy, the fashion reflected the more liberating political philosophies that ensued in the following decades. Short skirts and shorts were a thing for both genders. The 1980s was a time of exaggeration. A small waist, complimented by larger skirts, high-waisted jeans, large hair and shoulder pads.

Traditional Clothing

Traditional clothing, in a modern sense, is what is worn during traditional events, or clothing based of what people wore from the past, before the existence of mass production, and made with either culturally aesthetic or deep symbolisms.

Traditional wear in Sayyed always had a sense of luxury. Considering its history of wealth and trade, it is no surprise why we associate it with such. Traditional wear is what we see the noble characters in art wear, and today, a lot of traditional garments, as in authentic true-to-the-original patterns, are handmade and hand embroidered, which causes them to be very costly, considering the time it takes to hand craft every single piece of it. — Page 5, The History of Traditional Wear, by Jamila Adel

Atasiyaqi

The traditional garments of a the Atasiyaqi people are heavily associated with wealth. Colors are usually bright with an emphasis on luxuriant materials and intricate brocades. Sayqidi traditional clothing varies in style but the aforementioned values are what tie into what is considered the traditional garments of the Sayqidi, such as the cemetery iris, the nation's national flower, and the peafowl, the national bird. Veils are common accessories, alongside pearls, gems and decorative metals. Like most traditional garments, a lot of pieces were made and decorated by hand.

For almost its entire history, Sayyed has always had a fascination with the grandiose and wealth. It was associated with power and respect, plus they knew that it wouldn't harm those "below" them as lower classes were almost non existent in Sayyed. This is what caused the millennium-long rage of hand-embroidered coats, brocaded skirts, gorgeous and gaudy jewelry, and plumed hats. Though the silhouette changed, the trends of grandiose fashions stayed the same. — Page 5, The History of Traditional Wear, by Jamila Adel

The Salarqi Jacket is a known fashion phenomenon. It's in the style of an empire waist garment, and the sleeves are in the style of a Salarqi dress. It is known formal wear among the Salarqi elite. It was designed by then fashion student, Cairo Mostafa and was first worn in the public eye by then princess Scheherazade al-Sayyed. Since its debut in 2018, it has been a symbol of the Sayqidi Icon.

Xuhari

Xuhari traditional clothing is usually a wrap-style garment, with a variety of muted and deep colors, the most common being red. A common theme on Xuhari garments is embroidery representing a story either from folk myths or family tales. Beaded jewelry is a common companion to the traditional garment. Beads were seen as vessels to keep away evil spirits and to bring in good fortune and blessing. Even when the Xuhari wear contemporary clothes, they wear a few beaded pieces.

Haqmi

The Haqmi live in colder climates, and that is reflected in their clothing: bear fur is a common feature is Haqmi dress, as well as thicker materials. Tall, decorated hats are also part of the culture's traditional clothing. These hats usually have veils as well. Silver accents are also common. Warm colors are also popular amongst the Haqmi, purples, browns, and oranges being common colors in traditional wear.

In Haqmi culture, warm colors were associated with the sun and they believed that those colors would bring more warmth. It also had a sense of welcoming, something the Haqmi are known to be.

Sha'aidari

Khor Sha'aidat is the hottest part of Sayyed, and the traditional clothing reflects that. Sha'aidari clothing usually covers up the wearer to protect them head to toe from the sun. A very common color for the garments is black with red embroidery. A face veil is often worn to protect the face. Belts on women's garments were often at the waist and often were made of the same material as the veil ring. Sha'aidari garments are traditionally elaborately embroidered, usually at the hem and neckline. The cultural color of the Sha'aidarum is black and red, which is seen on their clothing. The black is worn out of practicality for the heat, and the red embroidery is used to reflect upon one's own family history, the blood of their kin.

Modern Fashion

A sketch depicting casual fashion in Al-Salarqa

Trends in Sayyed operate differently than in other countries. Though there are many subcultures, a theme in the fashion is sophistication.

Regardless of the subculture you identify with, in Sayyed, that subculture would often have a touch of sophistication. Not modesty, but elegance. Wear as short a skirt or tight a dress as you wish, as long as you look smart and clean, people will respect you. For this reason, blazers, pencil skirts, button-downs, and dress pants are common. At least in Al-Salarqa; people in different regions dress depending on the climate, for example: it would be very impractical to wear a blazer on a day out in Khor Sha'aidat, so blazers aren't the thing there. Instead, they wear looser garments in light colors to keep themselves cool during the day, but at night, one might decide to wear warmer clothes as the Sha'aidari Desert gets very cold that time of the day. But even if they dress looser, there is still a hint of sophistication in their everyday outfits. — Page 14, The Fashion of the Sayqidi People by Aaliyah Bakir

Modern fashion was also influenced by the region, not only was the type of clothing influenced, but also how it was styled and the colors. For example: the Haqmi tend to wear garments with warmer tones and thicker material, and garments are styled in a way so during the winter, people remain fashionable without being cold. The Sha'aidarum people also wear dark clothing as a reflection of their traditional garments. And the Sayqidi from Al-Salarqa tend to wear neutral colors, and the Xuhari youth tend to lean towards looser garments and bright colors.

Fashion Subcultures

The rise of social media in Sayyed caused for multiple modern fashion subcultures such as the Xuhari Alt Movement, which gained popularity in 2020 and diverged from the large goth and emo movement of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Haute Couture

Sayqidi haute couture is usually based on the aesthetic values of the Sayqidi. It can be anything grand, regardless of the inspiration behind it. Haute couture garments are usually reserved for formal events and gatherings. These garments are the most expensive in the Sayqidi fashion scene considering their partially handmade and intricate nature.

Sayqidi haute couture takes inspiration from anything, it can be either a beautiful wonder or a household item. Either way, it'll look either very tacky or very beautiful. In Sayyed, you either go very simple or all out, no in between. And these pieces are worn by the Royal Family. I've personally made pieces for royalty, and they do like some personalized and extravagant styles, but it's Al-Salarqa, everyone is a bit luxurious. The haute couture in Sayyed is known for its striking silhouettes and colors. A designer could put random colors onto a gown, but for some reason it just works. — Page 26, The Fashion of the Sayqidi People by Aaliyah Bakir

Notable Brands, Designers and Fashion Icons

Designers and Brands

Name		Brand	Notes
Aaliyah Bakir		Aaliyah Bakir	One of Sayyed's most prominent modern designers. The current queen of fashion. She has made a remarkable about of fashion design learning material. She personally works for the al-Sayyed Family.
Jamila Adel		Adel	A designer from Khor Sha'aidat. She takes inspiration from Sha'aidarum traditional wear and adds a contemporary twist.
Cairo Mostafa		CAIRO	Unlike other Sayqidi designers, Cairo focuses on casual fashion for the wealthy youth, which made him popular to names like Emira Scheherazade Al Sayyed.

Sports

Falconry

Since the 12th century, the Sayqidi has been using falconry as a way to hunt. However, nowadays it has been a display of extreme wealth and a sport that the current Emira participates in. The title and position of Imperial Falconer is also in use for a person who manages the falcons of the royal family.