Volkheim
the United Confederation of Volkheimer States Die Vereinigte Konföderation der Volkheimer Staaten | |
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 The State flag of Volkheim
 Coat of arms
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Motto: Gott, Volk und Land God, People and Land | |
Anthem: "Volkheimisch ist das Land" | |
| Capital | Breslau |
| Largest city | Volkstadt am Feln |
| Official languages |
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| Recognised regional languages |
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| Ethnic groups (2020) | 92.8%Human 7.2% Other |
| Government | Federal parliamentary Republic |
• Staatspräsident | Joachim-Friedrich von Schildenfeld |
• Chancellor | August Waldemar |
| Legislature | Landtag (Bundestag and Bundesrat) |
| Area | |
• Total | 210,799 km2 (81,390 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2024 estimate | 5,238,900 |
• 2020 census | 5,087,640 |
• Density | 24.8/km2 (64.2/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | $426 Billion |
• Per capita | $81,313.409 |
| Currency | Thaler (TL) |
| Date format | MM/DD/YYYY and DD/MM/YYYY |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +198 |
| ISO 3166 code | VLH |
| Internet TLD | .VH |
The United Confederation of Volkheimic States (Volkheimic: Die Vereinigte Konföderation der Volkheimer Staaten), also known as Volkheim, is a Federal Parliamentary Republic located in Novaris.
Etymology
History
Early History
The ethnogenesis of the Volkheimic peoples is still debated amongst scholars. However, a majority of scholars (especially Volkheimic scholars) believe that the process of culture arriving in Volkheim took place between 2000 BCE – 1st century BCE. It is likely that such cultures as the Weserdorf culture arrived from Central and Northern Novaris, arriving to the island in around 2000 BCE, eventually expanding to the West by the 1st century BCE. Knowledge about the early Volkheimic people is rare. A majority of scholars are content with recording the few interactions they had with merchants in the first century BCE, linguistic conclusions, and archeological evidence. Further encounters occurred throughout the 1st to 3rd Century CE, until eventually contact fell off.
By the 6th century, Stem Duchies (Volkheimic: Stammesherzogtümer) would begin to emerge in Volkheim. Stem Dutchies refer to to the traditional territory of the various tribes. By the 9th century, the major Stem Dutchies were Rhaetia (Volkheimic: Rhaetien), Alamannia (Volkheimic: Alamannien), Ingvaeonica (same in Volkheimic), Franconia (Volkheimic: Franken), and Ostrogothia (Volkheimic: Ostrogothien). Alongside them, to a lesser extent, was the smaller island Stem Duchy of Lusatia (Volkheimic: Lausitz), however it is not generally included in the listing of Stem Duchies. Each of the Stem Duchies paid fielty to the King of the Teutons (Volkheimic: Der König der Germanen) from around 600s onward, who was elected for life and held a mostly ceremonial hold over the Stem Duchies.
The Reutlingen Emperors (910-1087) retained the Stem Duchies as major divisions for the country - then called Teutonia (Volkheimic: Teutonien) -, but they became increasingly obsolete during the High Middle ages; under the (2nd Reign of the) Ostrogothian Dynasty, Joachim III abolished them in 1191 in favour of territorial Duchies and Fiefdoms. Successive King of the Teutons would establish further territorial divisions, including the Duchy of Ausberg.
Middle Ages
The Teuton Empire
By the dawn of the 5th Century, the cultures which preceded the Stem Duchies would all but disappear beginning a period known as the Great Dark Age. It is unknown what caused the early Volkheimic cultures to disappear by the 5th Century; a wide range of theories exist, ranging from plague to a decline in population. It wasn't until the early 6th Century that some form of cultural revival began. After the cultural revival of the 6th Century, which saw the birth of the Stem Duchies, Alamannia, Franconia and Ostrogothian would form a Tribal Confederation - often considered the predecessor to Teutonia. This Tribal Confederation was dominated by the Franconians, lasting around a Century.
After the death of the Franconian King Clovis in 634, his eldest son Ansgar consolidated power over and expanded the Confederation. Ansgar ended nearly 300 years of independent rule in Ingvaeonica and installed himself as their King in 641. The next 20 years of his reign as King of the Franconians saw him crush the other Stem Duchies, conquering any Duchy which did not yield to his supremacy. By the 660s, Ansgar I had consolidated further holdings, ruled over all of the Stem Duchies and was proclaimed King of the Teutons from 662 onward. Ansgar, unlike other rulers of the period, was baptised as a member of the Holy Deus Church rather than the traditional Teutonic Religions which dominated the island hitherto. His successors would continue to worship and follow Deuisism, eventually branching off somewhat from the mainstream branch. After the death of Ansgar in 676, his son Ludwig I would be elected as King of the Teutons; all successive Kings of the Teutons would be elected.
In 823, Berengar II of the Ostrogothian Dynasty was crowned King of Teutonia by the Bishop of Ausberg. Prior to Berengar IIs reign the King of the Teutons was not crowned formally, the tradition of being crowned originated ultimately with him. As a result of this coronation, it was henceforth that the Teutons referred to themselves as the Holy Teutonic Empire (Volkheimic: Das Heilige Teutonische Reich), although it was not truly an empire, as the Duchies and Territories were not centralised. Around this same time the earliest use of Volkheim as the nation's name was recorded. The name Teutonia and Ansgaria would continue to identify the country well into the 19th Century, long after the Empire was dissolved. Berengar II strengthened Imperial Authority by asserting Ostrogothian rights over ecclesiastical appointments. His control over these appointments lead to what could be considered a national Church being established.
Upon the death of Ludwig IV, the Reutlingen Dynasty would take control of the Teutonic Throne. The Reutlingen Dynasty would continue the Ostrogothian Dynasty's seizing of Church control within the Duchies. Alongside that, Henry IV (r. 1006-1023) would take personal control of the appointing of all bishops, creating Fürstbischöfe (Prince-Bishops). Henry IV’s son, Ludwig V would use the Prince-Bishops less and less and by the time of the reign of Frederick I the practice was all but dead.
The Interregnum
In 1087, Henry V died childless, ending the Reutlingen Dynasty’s rule after 177 years. The successive diet summoned to elect a new King of the Teutons would not officially elect the next King until November of that year, selecting Joachim of Ostrogothia (x8 Great-Grandson of Ludwig IV) to become the new King of the Teutons. Joachim III would reign until 1091, leading a mostly mundane reign. He was succeeded by the Duke of Weserfranken, Lothair, who also did little of note during his reign. In 1105, Otto would be elected King of the Teutons, reigning until 1139.
Upon the death of Otto in 1139, an interregnum began. The Great Interregnum marked a period where claimants from the House of Hohenberg and claimants from the house of Wolfach both battled for the throne. In October 1140, Rudolph of Hohenberg (1104-1162) was elected in Harzburg as King of the Teutons. Then in March 1141, Charles of Wolfach (1110-1177) was also elected as King in Marz. Neither man would ever challenge the others claim for fear that acknowledgment would result in legitimising the other, this situation resulted in some nobles paying fealty to both men. In 1162, Rudolph was succeeded by his son Adelbert of Hohenberg (1125-1197). Charles of Wolfach would die in 1177, being succeeded by his son Alphonse (1134-1193).
When Adelbert of Hohenberg died in 1197, the first free elections amongst the Prince-Electors would take place in nearly half a Century. This election would last from June 1197 to March 1198.
In 1199, Rudolph II was elected from the House of Ausberg to become King of the Teutons, ending the interregnum. It was under the reign of Rudolph II that the term sacrum imperium was used, however it was never used by any other Monarch. The period of 1199-1420 saw the Crown change dynasties 12 times, often switching between 3-4 houses.
Ostsiedlung
The ostsiedlung (east settlement) is the term for a process of largely uncoordinated immigration by ethnic Volkheimers into areas occupied by Lusatians during the High Middle Ages (11th-14th Centuries). The primary purpose of early campaigns during the 10th and 11th century into Lusatia was to convert the local population and to extract tithes. Oftentimes conquered territories would be lost once troops withdrew, but later on would be incorporated into the Teutonic system as Marches. Contemporary sources do not support any such plans or policies for organised settlement of Lusatia. In fact, Lusatia would remain somewhat independent until the reign Otto.
Emperor Albert I re-established feudal supremacy over Lusatia and the eastern lands in 1253, appointing margraves to these areas to turn these borderlands into hereditary fiefdoms. There are no contemporary or post-contemporary chronologies of the process of eastern settlement due to it never being an organised effort and often occurring in stages, however many sources do cite some Lusatian Lords often encouraging this settlement. The total number of settlers were low and populations usually assimilated into one another. In fact, there are records of some communities travelling to mainland Novaris and establishing communities there, one example being Heinrichstadt in 1270. However, there is no modern archeological evidence to support this with only contemporary sources making this claim.