Valerica: Difference between revisions
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[[wikipedia:Frisian_languages|Valeric]] <br />
|languages2_type = Recognised regional <br /> languages
|languages2 = [[wikipedia:English Language|Staynish]] <br/> [[
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Initially gold and copper was found to be the solution. Though those veins soon ran out in but a century's time. Then by the time of industrialisation, Valerica was found to be rich in coal and soon countless mines dotted the land
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=== Century of invasions (17th century) ===
'''First invasion (1627)'''
The 1600s saw South Staynish military commanders almost matter of factly mounting invasions to the cities of Valerica. However these were usually born of officers wishing to gain renown and glory, rather than as some King led efforts. First of these efforts was initiated by Riannar Krasvadere, 5th Baron of Lhumes in the late 1620s. In the summer of 1627, Staynish troops crossed the border into Valerican territory, with some 40 000 men. At the time Valerica was suffering from severe famishes due to repeated crop failures. This resulted in the four cities, Lieca and Baecca maging to raise mere 10 000 men each to face the enemy, with further 6 000 men coming Serraca and Morlca combined. The Valericans, led by Governor Haro Siefer of Serraca, faced the Staynish near the village Horec some 25 miles north of Serraca. The battle in the end proved indecisive when a flanking force of 6 000 Staynish turned to face the enemy prematurely, resulting in itself being flanked by Valerican cavalry and fleeing the field in chaos. Yet governor Siefer failed to capitalize on the oppoturnity, allowing the enemy to retreat in good order. Though indecisive the battle resulted in 2 300 Staynish and 2 000 Valerican casualties.
Following the skirmish at Horec, Staynish forces feinted advance towards the city of Morlca, succesfully fooling the Valerican into rushing to the city's defense. Their feint succesful, Krasvadere turned again and marched to Serraca, sieging the city. What neither side could anticipate however, was that the winter would come extremely early that year, with the weather rapidly growing colder come sebtember. Despite being largely undefended, city of Serraca still had notable and modern defenses, resulting in the siege drawing out. 10th of October the Valericans returned to once more meet the Staynish invaders, this time right at the city of Serraca. Governor Hafer believed that with the advantage of surprise on their side, his smaller force could trap the Staynish between his army, the city and the sea. Yet immediately his right wing got bogged down against the Staynish palisade, leading into the left flank overextending and being routed by Staynish cavalry. What could've been the victory the Staynish were looking for turned into a pyrrhic one when a freak cannonball came and hit Baron Krasvadere to his shoulder. He was carried from the field, but would not live to see the end of the day. Nonetheless the Valericans were driven off and the siege continued. Come october 24th however, two weeks after battle first snow came. Leaderless, the winter setting in and the prospect of a long siege facing them, the Staynish decided to abandon the siege and retreat.
Their march home would become known as the "cold trail" as the winter proved to be unsually cold. During the winter march the army would lose further 3 000 mean to cold, disease and hunger. The Valericans force that attempted to shadow them was also met with such hardships and forced to turn back to winter in Serraca. However as spring came neither side had willingness to continue hostilities, leading the conflict coming to an end.
'''Rise of Jannes Stinje and the prelude to Asernic invasions'''
The decade following the First invasion was a time of relative peace for Valerica. Though the abnormally cold winters continued, help from neighboring friendlier states saved them from major famishes like the one faced during the war. During this time Great Morstayblishia was busy taking over Kormistazic Arcturia and colonising the south concordian ocean. Though they had not forgotten. During the year 1631 Jannes Stinje was elected as the new Serenissimo of Valerica. He would strive towards finishing the modernization of defensive structures surrounding the cities of Lieca, Baecca and Morlca, following the model of Serraca that had proved to be so effective against the invaders. Furthermore, he tied the four cities tighter together by setting united standards for ship building, resulting in a more uniform navy. He was also the first Serenissimo in decades to succesfully rise the taxes levied on merchants, the new nobility of Valerica. Though his attempts at standardizing taxation throughout all the cities failed due to fierce resistance.
Overall the Valerican nation shifted from a union of free cities, into a more centralized nation with Serenissimo being able to excercise more power than before. This developement can be seen as part of overall wave of centralized absolutism over feudalism rushing over Aurora at the time. At the tail end of the 1630s the population begun to properly grow once more, with the abnormal winter having for now ended. Most nations quickly grew in population, with the exception that still, a decade later carried the wounds of the devastating siege with it. Only after the Asernic Invasions would it's population regain the level it had been prior to the invasion of 1627.
'''First Asernic Invasion'''
In 1642 Great Morstayblishia once more turned it's eyes towards Valerica. Lord Verlhanz Asern, named General of Staynish forces in modern day Axdel had gathered and invasion force of 55 000 infantry and 6 000 horsemen. Contingent of 45 000, alone larger than the force of the first invasion, marched towards Fort Siefer guarding the road connecting Axdel to Valerica south of the Zycannes. Along that force advanced a large Morst navy carrying tens of thousands of men, while rest of the forces were initially held in reserve. To face this force Serenissimo Jannes Stinje was able to muster a force of 40 000 men, 15 000 from Lieca, 12 000 from Baecca, 8 000 from Morlca and 5 000 from Serraca. Yet due to the threat of naval invasion the force had to be split between guarding the cities and Fort Siefer.
June 12th saw the Morst army arriving at the fort, as well as the first assault upon it's walls. Yet this rushed attempt failed against the fortresses mighty walls, only managing to take the furthest ditches before a group of Valerican cavalry sallied out and pushed the attackers back down the hill they came. After the initial attack, Morst forces were content to just sieging the fortress for several weeks. Around the same time Lord Asern sailed together with the fleet towards the capital of Valerica, Baecca. Since the start of the war, Stinje had rushed to build naval fortifications to protect the capital from an imminent attack. The weeks that it took for the enemy navy to arrive were filled with stress and hurried building from morning to evening. Then on the June 28th the Morst flags finally became visible on the horizon. The Valeric navy, clearly outnumbered rushed out to face the enemy. The two fleets faced at noon and battled for several hours, during which Valeriac fire ships broke apart the attacking fleet, but were in the end unable to stop the Morst fleet from reaching the harbor. For most of the battle Stinje, clearly distraught with the fact that his capital might be taken, had watched it from the harbor, braving stray cannon shots, until the result became clear. [[File:Jannes Stinje Battle of Baecca.png|right|thumb|300px|Serenissimo Jannes Stinje contemplates the naval battle raging outside the harbor.]]
By evening Valeriac fleet was scattered or sunk and the Morsts made landfall covered by their cannons. The forces that met eachother as darkness fell were about equal in size, almost 12 thousand men both, yet the Valericans were clearly demoralized. It was the first time an enemy force had managed to enter their capital, let alone capture it's massive harbor district. Though there was some skirmishing throughout the night, both sided also rested, as the next day's fighting might very well decided the battle.
Come morning Stinje and members of the city council were arguing about whether they should commit to a possible long and grueling battle for the city, or save the city and their army by withdrawing. According to legend whilst this was going on a young captain arrived to the city hall leading his ragged group of soldiers. Upon arriving he is said to have raised his voice and said "Stop here, stay here". These simple commandments were then heard by the arguing men inside and with them the argument decided. This was their city, the city their fleeing ancestors had settled to. They wouldn't allow it to fall to the same enemy that drove away their ancestors.
The next day this story spread throughout the Valeriac ranks inspiring them to stand and fight once more. Several times the Morsts charged and several times they were driven back, before finally counterattack managed to actually push the invader back towards the harbor. Seeing this developement Lord Asern ordered a proper retreat back to their ships. Yet what traditional Valerican historians choose to omit is the fact that this retreat was both voluntary and well organized. Nonetheless the city stayed in Valerican hands. Lord Asern then landed his troops further north to the mouth of the Baeccan peninsula, near the city of Lieca. His original plan had been to assault Baecca from both land and sea, but during the fighting in the city it had become clear that his supporting forces where to where they should have. So his force sacked the towns of Laec and Vhirje and then camped some 10 miles west of Lieca.
Had the Liecan garrison now sallied out to meet their foe it is more than likely that their superior numbers would've carried the day. Yet as Morst ships blockaded each of the Valerican free cities and as Lord Asern's force intercepted all messengers coming from Baecca, they had no way of knowing what had happened. Rumors ran rampant and many believed that the force camped 10 miles away was the full Morst army. To make matters worse, on July 6th Fort Siefer was finally taken by the Morsts, which allowed the full might of their army to pour into Valerica. Yet all hope was not lost as on the 9th, Stinjes forces arrived at Lieca, bolstering the force there to almost 25 000. Not only that, but the following day a messenger from Serraca arrived, with news that the garrisons in Morlca and Serraca were marching to their aid, along with 6 000 Rosalican reinforcements.
For both Stinje and Lord Asern it became clear that the war would be decided in Serraca or in the villages around it. When Asern had rejoined the rest of his army, he immediately sacked the Duke XXXX for failing to take Fort Siefer faster. After which he marched North of Lieca, in an apparent attempt to refuse the defenders any reinforcements. This draw the much smaller, though faster Valeriac army out to manouver around the Morsts. For weeks the two armies manouvered around eachother, engaging only in minor skirmishes until finally on July 30th Valerican reinforcements linked up with Stinje's forces. On the same day however, a cavalry battle near the main Valerican force escalated into a full scale battle. The battleground chosen by fate would be the plains around villages of Crovij, Cralla and Mjori. Though the Valerican begun the battle occupying all three villages, their right, formed by Morlcans tired of marching, was quickly overwhelmed by the larger Morst army. [[File:The Battle of Crovij.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Valerican and Rosalican defenders face the invaders in the plains between Crovij, Cralla and Mjori]]
In the Battle Lord Asern employed a new type of strategy, using far lighter cannons than those usual to the time, and pushing them closer towards the enemy. This evolution of warfare would later be adopted by Valerican forces and many other enemies of the Empire. However, despite the onslaught Rosalican infantry that had rushed to pluck the gaps in the line, refused to yield. This allowed the Valericans to reform their line again and face the enemy, in the end properly halting Morst momentum. With that the battle came to a close. Again were the attackers denied a decisive victory, for during the night both sides decided to retreat. The battle costed some 4500 Valerican and Rosalican lives, whlist the Morsts lost 5500, attacking against strong defensive positions. No other major battle was fought during the rest of the campaigning season, with neither sides wanting to risk another as costly battle.
'''Six Years’ War (1671-1677)'''
'''Posolic Wars (1795-1810 and 1814-1826)'''
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==Politics==
The politics of Valerica take place in the framework of a parliamentary repredentative democracy. Valerica is republic with it's current head of state being Serenissimo Laur Ve Hollen. The Serenissimo is roughly the equivalent of president in other countries and is elected to terms of five years, with tge maximun being two terms.
Valerican goverment consists of the Congress, equilevalent to the parliament; the Council, equilevalent to the cabinet and is headed by Serenissimo, equivalent to a president. Supreme legislative authority is held by 211-member unicameral parliament, known as the congress. Most executive powers are wieldes by the cabinet, known as the council and it's head the [[serenissimo]].
After each Congress election, the parties negotiate among themselves on forming a new council, which then has to be approved with simple majority by the Congress. Congress elections are held every four years using a system of proportional representation in multiple seat constituencies. Valeric congress elections use the D'Hondt method. Serenssimo elections on the other hand take place every five years and use direct method.
It is possible for a company, if certain criteria are met (ie. Based in Valerica, large enough portion of profits payed in taxes) to achieve "The most serene"- status. In practise this means, that the company has certain amount of Congress seats reserved for them, depending on the % of profits payed in taxes. In addition as an incentive for treating emplyees well, they are allowed to be voted for in elections. Thusly a good relation with ones emplyees results in increased political leverage. Furthermore those working for companies with the Most Serene - status within Valerica's borders are eligible to vote, no matter their citizenship.
Valerica uses a multiparty system, which notably has several parties that represent the interests of Most Serene companies, though come election these usually combine their forces into a singular "Corpocratist party". Most Valerican politics revolve around the split between corpocratist right and the socialist left. Another significant question is the split between nationalists, both left and right have their own, against the more globalistic parties.
==Military==
==Economy==
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