The Thalassocracy of Corsimenia

[Corsimenia]

The Thalassocracy of Corsimenia

 

National Information

Other names: Korsimendu

Capital: Tarkhos

Major cities: Tur, Sonoda, Ajura

Government System: Democratic Republic

Head of Government: President John Valerian

Head of State: First Admiral Teles Malkuns

Monetary unit: curso (~ USD 0.8)

Languages: High Corsimenian (official), Low Corsimenian, English, Fintari + tribal languages, Dutch, Flemish, Esperanto

National Anthem: Pasatri Iendu Kanem (Fathers, Give Us Wisdom)

 

Important Dates in Corsimenian History

~260 AD: Lagas Academy (later U. of Tarkhos) founded

310: Founding of Corsimenia

369: Pirates' Guild created

518: Great Famine

530: Fall of Ajura

614: Corsimenia violates nonagression treaty

~900: Christianity becomes official religion

~1450: Monarchy abolished

1847: Sedition of New Corsimenians

1906: Publication of The Arms of the Tide

1921: Kalvanian becomes First Admiral

1924: Andukasti Revolution

1944: Constitutional Conclave

 

More Information About Corsimenia

Ancient History

General Survey

History of Corsimenia

20th Century Corsimenia

Edited September 30, 2007 by Corsimenia (see edit history)

[Corsimenia]

(OOC: This version of Corsimenia's history doesn't really work out with my new plan for it, so I'm temporarily scrapping it, though I will keep it available for reference if necessary.)

 

Ancient History and the Lineage of Kings

 

The legends of Corsimenia's founding originate with a tribe known as the Ramacians, a people who became experts in seafaring and metalworking. They were subjugated under the great Selerian Empire, but under the leadership of a king named Ansurgius I they expelled their overlords (during what was called the First Ramacian War) and regained authority over their own land. In later generations this colony was ruled by his descendants, known as the House of Ansurgius, or Ansurgu Temnon in the Corsimenian tongue.

 

Upon the death of Ansurgius I, his only son, Surgilius I, inherited the throne of the Ramacians and began to organize them into a coherent cultural and military force. Standing as they did on the edge of the now-crumbling Selerian Empire, and with their penchant for oceanic warfare, they made frequent and powerful raids against Selerian port towns, quickly gaining a reputation as exceptional pirates.

 

At the age of 41 Surgilius had a vision in which the god of the moon, Kunthon, instructed him to unite the surrounding tribes which had also rebelled against the Selerian Empire and drive them out once and for all. He did so, charismatically and successfully, and waged the Second Ramacian War under the banner of the Turning Moon, or Korsimenen, against the Selerians. It was a bitter struggle but eventually the Korsimenen forces triumphed and entered the West Selerian capital city of Ondaros, which became the new capital city for Surgilius' domain. His advisors urged him to charge on after the Selerians and crush them utterly, but he decided instead to fortify his positions and attempt to craft a genuine functional state, which he did. The manpower which he had used to wage his war was now turned to the task of rebuilding and glorifying the cities of his kingdom (which was now known as Korsimendu), especially Ondaros, where he constructed the massive temple complex to Kunthon. The victory against the Selerians is considered the founding date of Corsimenia and is the date from which the people of that nation reckon time.

 

The new kingdom was very multicultural, having taken up the assorted fragments of various tribes which had been subjugated by the Selerians. The port city of Tur soon became a trading hub and rivaled Ondaros in wealth and splendor. Surgilius learned from the mistakes of the Selerian Empire and treated his subjects magnanimously but with firm authority, and lived to a ripe old age. His tomb is located in the Temple of Kunthon.

 

Surgilius had no sons but rather three daughters, the eldest of whom (Surgana I) became queen, married the tribal lord Iswanti, and then died of a fever, creating a heated ascendancy dispute between Iswanti and Surgilius' second daughter, Valana. The highest councils in the nation were called to decide the matter and ruled in favor of Valana, causing a rift which threatened to splinter the country. Iswanti and his powerful tribe, the Fintari, pulled out of the Korsimenen Confederacy and founded their own nearby country of Fintaria. Tensions ran even higher when Surgilius' youngest daughter, Penidia, ran off to join the Fintari (and in fact married Iswanti and had his children), though war was averted.

 

Valana, fourth ruler of Ansurgu Temnon, married and had two sons. She shrewdly established a precedent to avoid further strife over succession: the eldest child, male or female, was granted the throne, while the others became regional rulers and advisors to the king/queen, with comfortable enough lives so that they would not be tempted to force their way into the difficult task of ruling the nation. Also no one without direct lineage from Ansurgius I, such as Iswanti or any other royal consort, could take the throne upon death of the spouse. Valana's sons, Ansurgius II and Teles I, got along very well and when Ansurgius acceded to the throne after his mother's death it appeared that Ansurgius would rule well with Teles by his side. Unfortunately, Ansurgius was killed in his first military expedition in an attempt to expand Corsimenia's territory into the lands of other local tribes. Teles I took up his brother's sword and continued the fight with some measure of success, though he too perished in battle, leaving as his only successor an 8-year-old son, Valanius I.

 

Many believed that Teles' wife, Unrika, should rule as Regent until Valanius came of age, but the son of Iswanti and Penidia, Ferskan, claimed his right to the throne. A bitter war ensued, and Fintaria was swallowed up again into Corsimenia as a rebellious province thanks to Unrika's brilliant general, Insorec. Ferskan went into exile in nearby Antipatria. When Valanius came of age, however, he had been preened as nothing but his mother's puppet and proved an ineffectual king. Talk of rebellion became commonplace as the quality of life decreased, until Antipatria, goaded by Ferskan (who had risen to prominence there while in exile), declared war with Corsimenia over a border dispute. Valanius went into battle and was slain, and as he left no heir the laws of succession gave the throne to Ferskan - except that he was an enemy of the state and could not take the throne. Therefore the throne fell to the descendants of Ansurgius I's second son, Eraius, and his great-grandson, also named Eraius, was crowned king.

 

The bitter war between Antipatria and Corsimenia lasted for many years and cost many lives, and combined with Fintaria's attempts at rebellion and elderly Unrika's plottings, Eraius had a very difficult time as king. He managed all of these issues brilliantly, though, managing to appease both the Fintari and the wife of his third cousin once removed while also managing to utterly defeat the Antipatrian army, though showing great compassion by not taking over the nation, instead merely demanding tribute. Ferskan and Insorec both lived through this war, though Unrika died of natural causes toward its end. Eraius I then embarked on a reign of peace, strengthening his alliances and rebuilding his country.

 

To Be Continued

 

Timeline

380 AD: Ramacians under Selerian Empire

452-3 AD: First Ramacian War

461 AD: Death of Ansurgius I

470-3 AD: Second Ramacian War

473 AD: Founding of Korsimendu

489 AD: Death of Surgilius I

491 AD: Founding of Fintaria

 

Rulers

Ansurgius I: 450-461

Surgilius I: 461-489

Surgana I: 489-491

Valana I: 491-537

Ansurgius II: 537-539

Teles I: 539-550

Unrika (regent): 550-558

Valanius I: 558-559

Eraius I: 559-573

 

Teles IX: 2003-present

Edited September 26, 2007 by Corsimenia (see edit history)

[Corsimenia]

General Survey

 

 

Geography

Temnis is the largest landmass in Corsimenia, formed by the northern peninsula of a large island which is "pinched" by the narrow area containing the vast Elking Mountains. The terrain of Temnis is generally rocky grassland and hills intersected by offshoots of the Elkings; there are periodic fertile river valleys such as the Sonoda valley which contain some farmable land, and there are large swaths of forest as well. The northwest slice, known as "the Key," is dotted with numerous caves and small islands (known collectively as the Skyfall Islands), making it an excellent spot in former times for pirate strongholds and in modern times for treasure-hunting. Archeological ruins can be found all over Temnis, including castles, monasteries, and preserved prehistoric villages. The climate of Temnis tends to be warm and wet in the lowlands and cold and dry in the mountains.

 

Firia is Corsimenia's breadbasket, a place where there are many farms, orchards, and plantations. It is practically tropical in climate, lying across the fairly wide Surgan Channel from Temnis. It has its own colorful history, and has been the site of various Fintari rebellions in an attempt to form a separate state. Inhabitants are sometimes viewed as rather provincial by people from other areas of the country, and the Firian personality is distinctively wry and world-weary. Communities tend to be small and close-knit, with the exception of large metropolises such as Tur, which is far and away the largest city on Firia, and which is somewhat culturally apart from the rest of the island.

 

Sul Segir has been a haven for lawless types since Corsimenia's early days. Its terrain is more similar to the Key than to Firia, and there is occasional volcanic activity - including one large active volcano on the western shore, Mt. Nessius. The mountains are tall and steep, creating many small, virtually inaccessible valleys which have been hiding places for various bandits and smuggling rings. There are few places where urbanization is a possibility except on the coast. Ajura is the largest city.

 

Cities

Tarkhos is Corsimenia's capital, a city with around 3 million people in the combined metropolis area. It is the nation's cultural and political nerve center, with several distinct areas:

• Admiralty Square, where the Senate Hall and other government buildings are located including "The Change House," the media's term for the office of the President;
• Downtown, where you can find museums, theatres, fancy restaurants, nightclubs, and the University of Tarkhos;
• The Harbor, the city's docks and industrial section, home to many warehouses and blue-collar workers;
• Long Street, the business district, the location of many fairly new skyscrapers and office buildings;
• Cormack Hill, an expensive neighborhood filled with many ancient buildings and cobbled, twisting alleys;
• Silington, a rapidly growing suburb;
• West Tarkhos, a depressed area frequented by gangs and drug traffickers.

Long Street viewed from the Surgan Channel.

The old docks of Tarkhos.

 

Tur is the largest city on Firia with around 750,00 people, and is the main hub for naval trade in Corsimenia. The Tur Shipyard is also one of the most valuable shipyards in Europa, producing hundreds of massive ships every year.

 

Sonoda is located in the fertile Sonoda Valley and is surrounded by much farmland. Automobile manufacturing has become a powerful industry here, as well as various other factory-driven industries.

 

Economy

Corsimenia is home to many natural resource industries such as fishing, mining, logging, and numerous foodstuffs based off of island plantations such as sugar, oranges, and tobacco. Ship and automobile manufacturing, as well as factories producing other products, are also major contributors to the Corsimenian economy.

 

Govenment

 

Society

Edited September 30, 2007 by Corsimenia (see edit history)

[Corsimenia]

A crude map for the time being, based on the map space I'm planning to get.

 

[Corsimenia]

New History of Corsimenia

 

Prehistory to Founding

 

The Corsimenian mainland of Temnis was the first area in the region to develop human civilization. As it was a rocky and heavily forested region, the people survived mostly on hunting and fishing. Several tribes coexisted from primeval times in Temnis: the Ramacians, a fair-skinned and dexterous tribe who inhabited the lowlands; the Fintari, a tall, dark, and physically powerful tribe dwelling in the forests; the Tamari, argued by some Corsimenian anthropologists to be an offshoot of the Ramacians due to their extensive physical similarities, but living exclusively in the for northwest of Temnis and on the Skyfall Islands; and the Sturanians, who dwelt in the high mountain areas and were primarily shepherds and, later in Corsimenian history, miners. Archeological evidence shows that wars between these tribes and various clans among these tribes dominate much of early Corsimenian history.

 

Bronze warswords from early Corsimenia, of Ramacian origin (fr. National History Museum at the University of Tarkhos)

 

From its earliest origins, Corsimenia has been a somewhat isolated nation. In the south lie the vast Elking Mountains, which prohibited extensive land travel for a long time until technological advancements allowed it. Therefore, the Corsimenians relied heavily upon naval craft for their interaction with the outside world. Once seafaring was invented, exploration of nearby islands was undertaken. Firia was have much available farmland, and the meager farming skills that some people had been using were developed with powerful results in this new territory. As a result, the population rose and people expanded into Firia, swiftly overrunning each other as the territory filled up. The wars on Firia became frequent and brutal, leading people to seek the protection of powerful kings who quickly conquered each other and consolidated into only a few powers. This helped standardize language and religion as well, to some extent. Sul Segir was also soon filled with people, as it contained several resources (such as wild horses and grapevines) which were uncommon on Temnis or Firia.

 

The knowledge of new forms of weaponry such as iron swords or crossbows (some of which was gained from foreign influences) aided some kingdoms against others, and soon Corsimenia contained only three powers: Cartania, populated by a variety of tribes but effectively led by the Ramacians; Tamaria, populated mostly by the Tamari; and Sturania, a small but well-defended kingdom populated mostly by the Sturanians. These three settled into a state of peace which was initially uneasy and marked by sporadic conflict, but eventually lasted for around a century. Written records proliferate from this era, and several universities were founded, one of which eventually became the modern-day University of Tarkhos.

 

Kunthon, moon god of Kuritism; Ancient Tarkhos

 

During this time, missionaries of the primary Cartanian religion, Kuritism, spread extensively through Corsimenia and managed to convert the then-king of Sturania, who made it his kingdom's official religion and swiftly entered into an alliance with the Cartanian king, even going so far as to marry his daughter. This reshuffling of positions made the Tamarians very uneasy, and tensions reescalated, eventually culminating in all-out war. Having lost resoundingly, the Tamarians boarded their ships and sailed into self-exile, their destination uncertain but the source of many legends. Cartania and Sturania eventually merged into a single kingdom through gradual intermarriage and cultural interspersal, and in 310 AD they officially acknowledged the union of their two kingdoms into a single nation, Corsimenia.

 

International Influence

 

The skills of seafaring which had been developed up to this point, especially in the area of naval conflict due to the various wars which had taken place, made turning to the international arena an obvious next step for the newly founded nation. As explorers returned to Corsimenia with wondrous tales of splendid opulence, fabulous beasts, and warm weather, the desire to turn to the seas grew in the hearts of many people. The jealousy which developed once it was realized that Corsimenia was comparatively poor developed into a lust for riches which would become the source of Corsimenia's tradition of piracy.

 

The first Corsimenian pirates were rogue individuals who divvied up the booty among their own crews, but the astonishing success of these individuals soon led to the government sponsorship and institutionalization of Corsimenian piracy in 369: the founding of the Pirates' Guild. Non-Guild piracy was prohibited, and though there were stiff taxes on the incoming treasure, the ability to coordinate attacks allowed pirates to take on much more powerful opponents than would be possible otherwise. The Guild was based out of Ajura, on Sul Segir, which was an excellent vantage point for disrupting trade in the Kosscow Sea; there was also a base on the Skyfall Islands for raiding the Ranke Sea. Soon Corsimenia was rich and had gained complete domination over the surrounding waters. Several nations attempted to invade Corsimenia to prevent this naval tyranny, but the invason fleets were sunk or routed before they could make it to the shore.

 

In spite of their general lawlessness, the Corsimenians made alliances and other treaties with foreign powers - many of which were pacts in which tribute was exchanged for a promise not to attack that nation's vessels. In this manner, peace was gradually returned to the Kosscow and Ranke Seas, and culture flourished after about 450. The population grew, and several colonies were attempted, all of which failed. In 518, an unidentified disease struck the corn crops on Firia, leading to a famine through the whole country which depleted the population. Several nations attempted to capitalize on this weakening of Corsimenian influence, secretly allying with each other and turning against the Corsimenians. This led to a long and bitter war, with neither side gaining much ground, until Ajura was sacked in 530 and Corsimenia sued for peace, becoming a "vassal" of this Alliance.

 

The Fall of Ajura

 

In the peaceful era which followed, Corsimenia was prohibited by treaty from committing any acts of piracy, and the Pirates' Guild was ostensibly disbanded (though it actually went into a thinly-concealed state of underground activity) by the victors. The Corsimenian economy therefore turned to trade, and it was soon discovered that some of the metals and varieties of wood on Temnis - tin, silver, and ebony, for example - were very valuable in the international market. The city of Tur, on the northwest corner of Firia, was in a perfect position between the Ranke and Kosscow Seas to become a trading hub, which it did. Corsimenian pirates also turned to mercenary work, hiring out their services to foreign navies and quickly acquiring an international reputation as excellent and brutal soldiers. In the various wars which plagued Europa through this time, Corsimenia remained impartial, allowing its citizens to fight on any side. Many rich Corsimenian captains, forcibly retired from piracy, built personal castles all around Corsimenia, many of which can still be seen today.

 

After a century or so, the members of the Alliance which had defeated Corsimenia had all turned on each other and grown weak, so Corsimenia violated its treaty and began to mount crushing coastal raids on these countries. It also returned to domination of the Kosscow Sea, though the Ranke sea proved more difficult to reconquer. The Pirates' Guild was reopened, and it was joined by two additional guilds which provided illegal services in legal circumstances and also helped get criminals off the street: the Thieves' Guild (for stealing back property which could be proven to belong to you) and the Assassins' Guild (for killing those individuals whom you could prove had disgraced you but had escaped the eyes of the law). These three guilds contributed to the international image of Corsimenia as a place of chaos and lawlessness, though in fact it was not.

 

The Fintari Revolution

 

TBC

Edited September 26, 2007 by Corsimenia (see edit history)

[Corsimenia]

20th Century Corsimenia

 

International treaties against piracy and the unified global crackdown against pirates rendered Corsimenia's main source of income extinct in the modern era. Being somewhat ostracized from the international scene for their egregious ways, the First Admirals therefore embarked on a policy of sheer isolationism, crippling the Corsimenian economy and causing discontent to grow. Various domestic rebellions arose in the 19th century, the most serious of which (in 1847) caused a chunk of the Corsimenian population to actually split off and depart the nation to form the independent colony of New Corsimenia, too far across the globe to be of concern. The Fintari also campaigned vigorously for their own country, sometimes politically, sometimes militarily, but never with enduring success.

 

By 1900 the isolationist ideology had slackened enough to allow international trade to flow, especially to and from the harbors and shipyards of Tur, which blossomed in size and wealth. Heavy tariffs still deterred serious foreign investment. A new intellectual movement slowly developed in Tarkhos, known as the Diustomu (Dark Storm) movement, which expressed a common attitude among Corsimenian youth of loneliness and desolation. The seminal event of this movement is widely considered to be the publication of Maximilian Skanring's 1906 novel The Arms of the Tide, which sparked controversy in Corsimenian literary circles and soon inspired many other artists to follow suit. Gradual steps were taken towards freedom for the masses, until the appointment of the extremely conservative First Admiral Indru Kalvanian in 1921.

 

F.A. Indru Kalvanian

 

Kalvanian brutally cracked down on political dissidents, shook up the Corsimenian government (removing all known members of the Three Guilds, which he considered to be "secret societies") and struck down many of the freedoms which had been gained since 1906. He also initiated a draft and instituted his own secret police. These measures and others made him extremely unpopular, and another rebellion was brewing. It broke in March 1924, the Andukasti (Year of Blood), when students from the University of Tarkhos who were demonstrating against the government were attacked by Kalvanian's police and fought back. Rebel groups sprouted up all over Corsimenia, and with the aid of some foreign interests who were afraid of what Kalvanian could do if he remained in power, he was deposed and executed (without a trial) in October. Some called for abolishing the position of First Admiral and turning all power over directly to the masses, but the prevailing view was that the Admiralty should remain intact with its power checked and a republican-style Senate in place.

 

Following the Andukasti Revolution, civil liberties in Corsimenia made great strides and the economy was reopened to foreign investment. This shaky economy went through some long and drastic birth pangs, but eventually settled into a fairly powerful entity. Corsimenia made various treaties and was dragged into several damaging wars in the early 1930s, but patriotic propaganda ensured that these wars remained relatively popular. The Communists attempted a revolution in 1935, which failed, and First Admiral Teli Samunen was assassinated in 1938 by an anarchist. The Three Guilds returned to prominence, and some commentators claim that they heavily influenced the Corsimenian political scene in the 1930s and 40s. As money flowed into the country, so did corruption, and First Admiral Lucas Fingal was unseated in 1943 after the Tarkhos Courier revealed his connections to various crime gangs. A public outcry against the excessive powers of the First Admiral resulted in the Constitutional Conclave in 1944, which reduced the First Admiral's power even more than the post-Andukasti decisions and established the position of President, which was elected by popular vote.

 

1944 Constitutional Conclave

 

Corsimenia's first President was Andreis Samunen, son of Teli Samunen, and one of his first major acts was to divide the nation into seven manageable provinces rather than having one centralized administration in Tarkhos. He instituted other government reforms which were popular with the public but not with interests such as the Pirates' Guild, and he was not elected to a second five-year term in 1949. Successive Presidents generally fell into either progressive or conservative segments, and gradually these two segments formed into two political parties: the National Union (NU), which hosted most right-wing candidates, and the Corsimenian National Alliance (CNA), which supported the left wing. These parties were quickly nicknamed the Unionists and the Alliantists.

Edited September 30, 2007 by Corsimenia (see edit history)