History of Gianatla (Pacifica)

After the colonisation of Frastinia between 45,000 and 15,000 BCE, several civilisations developed in the area called "X-Frastinia" nowadays. The first records of a Gianlucian tribe date back to the 8th century CE. Through conquest and displacements of several people, the Alman culture spread from extended Frastinian region to several locations throughout the South Pacific. On 1 June 1305 the Gianlucian Kingdom was founded and evolved to become a colonial empire, at times on par with other colonists such as the Austral Empire, the Denvari or Stoinia. Independence movements and the industrialisation led to the fall of the empire until the early 20th century, which laid the foundation for the rise of Meinhard Frank, who established a brutal dictatorship with himself at its center and was responsible for several million dead people and multiple war crimes committed by the Gianlucians during the Great War. After the surrender of the Gianlucians to the Allies in 1954, the country became a largely pacifist and democratic power within Pacifica, which took responsiblity for its historic crimes and participated in the foundation of several organisations such as the World Forum or the Concordia Entente. Nowadays, the country promotes universal human rights, the acceptance and execution of international law globally and it aims for a pacifica-wide green transformation of society and the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

Pre-History (before 6,000 BCE)

North Cordilia has been settled by humans of the species Homo sapiens since at least 35,000 BCE already. Based on human remains found by archeologists in Frastinia, Eflad and Erinor, it is assumed there were two main migration waves. One was possibly coming from Bailtem via the Rainbow Islands between 35,000 and 15,000 BCE and was tied to the settlements in the Erinoran Basin from around 15,000 BCE. The second wave came in from the Frost archipelago at circa 45,000 to 30,000 BCE and consisted mainly of people settling in Frastinia, the Hazle Isle, Bruuma and possibly current Besern^[1].

Around 6,000 BCE the semi-nomadic Ceresians established multiple city states around the Frost archipelago and small trading outposts on the Northern coasts of Frastinia. Since the people group was traditionally divided, multiple competing tribes formed in the established outposts and villages.

Ceresian tribes in Frastinia (5,000 BCE – 716 CE)

There were four main groups, that evolved in the area: The Atlantics, Snovics, Hazles and Catz.

Atlantics

The Atlantics became the first advanced civilisation of North Cordilia and supposedly established a monarchy based on meritocratic principles early on, before switching to a hereditary system later. Their settlements focused mostly on North-West Frastinia and the North-East Hazle Isle around the Atlantic Strait. Based on their knowledge of shipbuilding inherited from their Ceresian ancestors and the abundance of fish as a source of food and income in the areas they settled in, the Atlantics developed a maritime culture that reverred the aquatic world and was always inclined to be rather peaceful, diplomatic and trade-focused.

Today's Angelhaven was founded in 2129 BCE and is considered one of the oldest cities of North Cordilia and the oldest city on the Hazle Isle. Atlantis, Gianatla's current capital, was not founded until 1877 BCE however. It was built upon a decree of King Thanaikos II as a "dome mauseoleum" for the royal family, but quickly became a huge city with almost 4,500 inhabitants and therefore a cultural center. Eventually the court moved from Angelhaven southwards to Atlantis in 1796 BCE. Since then the city's name has been proven to exist in its current form.

Snovics

The Snovics settled as of around 3,700 BCE as a neighbouring tribe to the Atlantics in an area spanning from the coast opposite the island of Eisern to the mountains of the Vororrim. The first major city was founded in 1834 BCE and located in the Vororrim near today's municipality of Seran. However an avalanche destroyed the city of 3,500 completely around the year 950 BCE. It is theorised that the Snovian culture of nature reverence, in this case focused on the mountains and forest wildlife, is based on a societal trauma caused by that avalanche, which is also referred to in still handed down Snovian folk tales. Following that event and on-going pirate raids in the coastal cities, the Snovics moved further South. There they would have founded their new cultural center, the city Sak (today: Kuckstadt) in 220 BCE, as well as the trading outposts Korst (today: Südtor) with the Atlantics in 183 BCE and Osamk (today: Osttor) with the Serevans in 176 BCE. From that time onward they would also switch to a government system similar to that of the Atlantics.

Hazles and Catz

The Hazles and Catz were both a collection of multiple Alman tribes and for long the least developed entities on the Frastinian peninsula. Their territories covered mainly the areas of today's North-East Gianatla and West Holy Free, where they would also found the city Hakats (today: Nordtor) around the year 260 CE. There is no evidence of a regular contact with the more developed Atlantics or Snovics at that time, which could have helped in establishing a stable power structure. Instead salvaged literature and artworks suggest an inconsistent and tumultuous political situation in the territories controlled by the Hazles and Catz. While the different tribes cooperated with each other in the beginning, they quickly became huge competitors for people and resources. Most leaders have had to face constant power struggles and intrigues caused by members of other tribes moving into their areas of control, more often than not with the original goal to improve their living situation by gaining access to land more suitable for farming, which was considered rare at that time in the dominating rainforest climate. Multiple farmer revolts and redistributions of land throughout the generations eventually laid the groundwork for a series of major conflicts on the peninsula.

Hazle-Catz-War / The Great Calamity (716 – 732)

In 716 an alliance of Catz tribes elected Nero the Strongman to a temporary dictator ("Imperator"), who declared war on the competing Hazle tribes. Being unprepared, divided and weakened by their internal struggles, most Hazel tribes were dominated and destroyed, but even those able to defend themselves from the attacks normally had to flee from their original settling areas. In the following 16 years, the war would enforce a Hazelian migration mainly via sea onto the Hazle Isle in the West or towards North Besern in the East. Due to conflicts arising with native settled tribes in Besern as well as with the Atlantics on the Hazle Isle, which expanded to the West also in the meantime, the Hazles were eventually forced to move away from Frastinia to the island chain east of North Cordilia in the years following the conflict. These attacks on the sovereignty of the Hazle tribes and the forced migration would later be named the "The Great Calamity" in Hazelia, while Gianlucian historians stick to the term "Hazle-Catz-War" until today.

Alman Split and manifestation of different power structures in North Frastinia (732 – 840)

It was unclear, who was supposed to control the territories conquered during the Hazle-Catz-War. While at first each allied tribe had received land and loot based on the number of fighters they were offering to Nero, the imperator had other plans. In 732 he announced through a decree, that he considered himself the sole owner of all conquered territories. The land would be redistributed, but only to those tribes becoming vassals to him. Feeling betrayed by Imperator Nero, the Allegari, Astrofolk, Ascanis, Berstens, Friedwartines, Ottfriedines and several smaller clans attempted to conspire against him, but their joint mission was unsuccessful. Nero banished all tribes from territories occupied by him and also their original settlement areas warning them about the possibility of meeting a similar fate to the Hazles. Not wanting to be wiped out, most conspirers decided to accept their banishment. The Astrofolk settled behind the Vororrim in South Frastinia between the Astro Sea and today's Asterbrück. The Ascanis and Berstens moved to the South-East, where today's Gianlucastadt and the Western parts of Berusturg are located. The Allegari, Friedwartines, Ottfriedines and several smaller clans migrated even further South, moving via Ares Island to Eflad and even to North Central Cordilia. From there, limited migrations via sea are not outruled, but based on current findings they are considered unlikely.

The split of the Catz tribes was one of the key events spreading Alman culture throughout Pacifica. It is therefore known as the "Alman Split". With the death of Imperator Nero in 758, the Alman Split was completed. North Frastinia was now mainly controlled by two factions. On the one hand the "Old Catz", which were the remaining Catz tribes in the area, who controlled their territories as chiefdoms. On the other hand the "Gianlucas" or "Revolutionary Catz", which now controlled Nero's conquered territories. Unlike the Old Catz, no new chiefdoms or other state-like structures were established in the territories. Instead the Gianlucas decided to organise independent self-sufficient communities. While another imperator followed on Nero, he had no factual power apart from being the only person allowed to decide on land redistributions, which was not a problem occurring often, and keeping good relations to the so-called vassalised Old Catz tribes.

The Snovian Conflicts (840 – 1040)

Snovic Uprising (840 – 841)

With trade expeditions undertaken by the Old Catz towards West and South Frastinia, an economic contact and exchange with the Snovics and the banished Astrofolk was established in the early 9th century. While at first considered advantageous for all sides, especially the Snovics were not content with many trade agreements in the long run. Additionally the Snovic culture of nature reverence and the Old Catzyan utilitarianism were partially conflicting ethics. That is why merchants rose up against the "unfair treatment of them and their culture" by the Old Catz in 840 by boycotting trade with their tribes and destroying their wares. This was all tolerated by the Snovian King Kema IV, who considered the relatively new trade relations not important enough yet to stop his subordinates. The Old Catz retaliated by demanding Imperator Marcus to collect a small army for a limited attack. At the start of 841, after a recruiting campaign throughout the Old Catz and Gianluca territories, a small army of 500 men marched into a coastal trading outpost of the Snovian Kingdom, wrecking havoc on the local market. Not being engaged by troops of the Snovian King, the imperator's small army moved even furher, cutting off the Snovian access to the sea in North Frastinia and eventually meeting the Atlantics near today's Westtor. Those were assessed to be better trading partners for the Old Catz as they had wares like pearls, bananas and cocoa, that they cultivated on the Hazle Isle. Also, unlike the Snovics, the Atlantics were not complaining about the exchange rates for their products or an assumed ignorance of their culture, therefore the entire trade between the Old Catz and the Snovics shifted away from the Snovics to the Atlantics.

First Snovic-Catz War (848 – 852)

Unexpected for King Kema IV, the breakaway of the trade with the Old Catz meant a sudden decrease in tax revenue. It also led to a high dissatisfaction among the population, especially the merchant families, who he feared could conspire against him. This is why in 846 he visited Imperator Marcus and tried negotiating a mutually beneficial solution to the trade conflict. Because Marcus demanded the vasallisation of the Snovian Kingdom in exchange, Kema IV could not accept any trade deal with the imperator. Instead he had decided to declare war in Spring 848. Due to Marcus already expecting a war declaration, the Snovian army was met by a large amount of Gianlucian forces, that successfully put the entirety of North-West Frastinia, apart from the Atlantic controlled areas, firmly into the hands of the Gianlucas by late 849. A truce negotiated between Kema and Marcus held for 1 1/2 years before a Snovian attempt to bypass the Gianlucas and reconquer their former territory by occupying the Atlantic-held parts of Frastinia failed. The Gianlucas held on their occupied territories and were even awarded Atlantic Frastinia by King Zeus III after the Snovian attack was fought off. In 852 King Kema IV accepted his defeat and an ongoing trade embargo by the Old Catz and Gianlucas. He would be assassinated by a former merchant in 853 as a public reaction.

Snovian Wars of Succession (853 – 906)

King Kema IV died under unfortunate circumstances for the country he led, because he was an only child, his wife had died a few years earlier while giving birth to their fourth child and all his children were underage girls. Therefore the Snovian court had no heir to the throne at that moment. Between 853 and 906, several factions scrambled for power. The factions included several influential merchants, priests, spys from the Atlantic court and several other neighbouring clans and chiefdoms and as of 871 also the four daughters and thus legitimate heirs to the throne. The infighting led to the Snovian Kingdom breaking into several parts. While Kema's daughter, Anny, controlled a broad strip of land spanning from the River Aster to Sak by 875, the Astrofolk have annexed territory West of the River Aster, the Atlantics held the city Korst and several smaller clans and families have divided up the remaining Snovian territories among themselves. Only with the help of the Atlantic court, after promising her hand to the Atlantic Prince Orro and waiving all rights to the city of Korst, the Snovian Kingdom regained some of the territory from the rogue subordinates and Astrofolk by the year 906 and with that access to the Atlantic Strait. The former Snovian territories, that were still controlled by rogue subordinates, consolidated to become the "Vororrim Merchant State" in 928. It did not last long though, since the Astrofolk, Gianlucas, Snovics and Atlantics agreed on the partition of it amongst each other in the year 931 with the "Treaty of Korst".

Second Snovic-Catz War (1028 - 1040)

Since the marriage of Prince Orro of Atlantis and Queen Any of the Snovics in 908, the Snovics were in a personal union with the Atlantics. Only in 1022 this started playing a role, when Imperator Paulus cut off the Snovic sea access again after yet another set of disagreements between the Snovic court and the Old Catz tribes on trade issues. Paulus demanded an end to persistent Snovian complaints about the trade policy of the Old Catz tribes and suggested to the Atlantic court a partition of the entire Snovic's territory. This suggestion was declined. Discontent with the answer, Korst was attacked by Paulus' troops, but could not be put under siege. The troops were retracted and moved towards Sak, where the attack was more successful. In autumn 1023 the city came under siege and remained in it until the Snovic's court agreed to pay additional fees on every export into the Old Catz territories. Dwindling profits and tax revenues led to a new Snovic uprising in 1028 however and with that to a new Snovic-Catz War. When the Snovic were only surviving as a people by the Atlantic army trying to prevent the imperator's troops to move towards Korst, peace talks between the Atlantic King Zeus IV and Imperator Paulus were agreed upon in late 1039. At the start of 1040 it was decided, the rest of the Snovian population as well as the court of the Snovics would be moved to the West Hazle Isle. All territories in Frastinia would become a part of either the Kingdom of Atlantis, the Gianlucas or, as a buffer zone, the Astrofolk. In the proclamation of the victory against the Snovics and their successful displacement, Imperator Paulus addressed his subordinates and the Old Catz together as "Gianlucians" for the first time. A term, which was as of then regularly used by Paulus and the succeeding imperators to describe the collective of North Frastinian Alman people groups. The usage of the term slowly created a sense of nationalistic pride, especially within the Gianluca communities.

Foundation of the Gianlucian Kingdom (1040 – 1305)

Era of co-existence (1040 – 1275)

With the integration of the former Snovic territories began an era of peaceful co-existence between the Old Catz, Gianlucas, Atlantics, Astrofolk, Ascanis and Berstens in Frastinia. Simultaneously, proclaimed speeches by the imperators and local nationalistic clergy fueled the idea of a nation state dominated by the Gianlucas over the course of the following generations increasingly. Slight ideological tensions during the time were documented in several scriptures of priests and local poets, but so was a general agreement of the status quo being the most advantageous for the inhabitants of the peninsula.

Franzort Festival and Wars of Frastinia (1275 – 1305)

During the 13th century, the nationalist movement gained momentum though, which culminated in the Franzort Festival on 18 April 1275, where several communities banded together and demanded from the incumbent Imperator Lucius to unify the Gianlucian people into one kingdom. Fearing an outbreak of a civil war in the Gianluca territory, but also seeing the economical and political potential a unified Gianlucian nation would bring, Lucius agreed to the demands and promoted the formation of the Gianlucian Revolutionary Army (GRA), while also gauging interest in the Old Catz tribes to voluntarily join his cause.

First War of Frastinia (1278 – 1281)

Most of the Old Catz chiefdoms were not interested in surrendering their powers to Lucius. The disapproval of his plans was infamously shown by the chiefdom of Nordern trying to capture and assassinate Lucius during a state visit in 1277. According to a famous Gianlucian legend, phoenix cats were attacking the horses of the Nordern kidnappers shortly before they could ambush the imperator. Lucius now aware of the dangerous situation had vowed on this day to not go to rest until he forcefully fulfilled his task of Gianlucian unification. In January 1278 he ordered the invasion of all Old Catz tribes by the GRA. The coalition of Old Catz tribes fought bravely, but was no match against the power of the Gianlucas. In 1281, every Old Catz tribe was officially annexed and the Gianluca territory spanned the entirety of North Frastinia from the Atlantic Strait to the Nafres River in today’s Holy Free.

Second War of Frastinia / Atlantic-Gianlucian War (1285 – 1293)

Alarmed by the GRA’s advances, Atlantic King Adriános V warned Lucius in the Note of Friendship about further forceful incorporations of territory, especially if the Atlantic parts of Frastinia are concerned, in 1283 the note was answered by the imperator with a mocking poem, painting the Atlantics as “weaklings of the realm”. Taking offense from that answer, Adriános has halted all existing trade relations with the Gianlucas. Lucius saw a casus belli in this and attacked the Atlantic Frastinian territories. The Atlantic-Gianlucian War, also known as Second War of Frastinia, which lasted from 1285 to 1293, was the bloodiest conflict fought by the Atlantics until the Great War, but also decimated the Gianlucian forces allgededly by roughly 40%, especially during the siege of Korst. The Treaty of Korst would end the war, rename Korst to Südtor and force the Atlantics to have a permanent diplomatic and economic Gianlucian mission in their capital.

Third War of Frastinia and Proclamation of the Gianlucian Kingdom (1302 – 1305)

After securing all Frastinian territories North and West of the Vororrim, Imperator Lucius turned his eyes towards the Astrofolk, Ascanis and Berstens in the South. Due to a crop failure in the year 1295 as well as losing a substantial amount of men in the GRA during the Second War of Frastinia, it was at first attempted to vassalize the remaining Frastinian tribes through economic coercion. The Astrofolk having been highly dependent on the Atlantic trade, which was halted by the GRA continuously conducting raids on the Astro-Atlantic trade routes, had succumbed to this tactic after losing huge parts of their population to hunger and illnesses in 1301. The Ascanis and Berstens on the other hand were less inclined to follow suit, as they have had good relations with tribes and chiefdoms in today’s territories of Holy Free, South-East Berusturg and Besern. A military escalation was therefore without alternative. Beginning in July 1302, the GRA crossed the Aster and the South-Eastern borders of Kukstade (formerly: Sak. today: Kuckstadt) moving their forces mainly along the Northern coasts of the Astro Sea. Once again thanks to a lack of trained military on the opponent’s side, the Third War of Frastinia would finish quickly.

With that Imperator Lucius achieved his goal of the unification of all people considered to be Gianlucian and now controlled territory spanning from the Atlantic Strait up to Mt. Freye and today’s Wayersch. In the former Atlantic King’s holiday residence near Südtor, Lucius got crowned King Lukas I and proclaimed the Gianlucian Kingdom on 1 June 1305.

Finding political balance (1305 – 1449)

From absolutist rule to the roots of federalism (1305 – 1329)

The newly founded nation with its 62 year old king had no constitution. Instead an absolutist rule was established, in which the king had full jurisdiction, executive powers and legislative control over the entire territory. The resulting disempowerment of the former chiefs and their families was welcomed due to the nationalistic spirit in the population at first until King Lukas I introduced a tax on potato production in January and a family tax in June 1308. To prevent huge famines in case of another crop failure, 10% of each farmer’s potato, vegetable and grain production was collected and saved in local stocks owned by the crown. Furthermore each family had to pay 1% of their income from selling their crops per family member, so a typical farming business with 9 family members had to pay a 9% tax on their income. The king hoped for families to not “mindlessly create children draining saved resources faster” according to court writer notes. These unpopular changes led to two things. For once, in an attempt to avoid taxes, children or the sale income were hidden from the few tax collectors the king appointed. Secondly the population decided to rally behind their local chiefs again instead of the idea of a common, absolutist kingdom. Those chiefs then demanded in November 1311 the introduction of a chief counsil, which King Lukas I firmly rejected until his eventual death on 12 July 1312.

The death of the first sovereign would have almost led to a breakup of the kingdom, but thanks to Lukas’ successor, his first-born son Sven, having agreed to become elected by a “Council of Chiefs” (Alman: Häupterrat) instead of persisting on his right to inherit the throne, a political crisis was averted. The demands of the council were partially met. While King Sven I did not waive the potato tax, he has lifted the family tax through an edict in January 1313. It was replaced by a flat income tax of 1%, which was generally more accepted, yet could not finance the crown in the long run. To tackle this problem King Lukas II undertook an administrative reform in 1329, which created multiple duchies from the former chiefdoms. They got the right to introduce their own taxes, an own jurisdiction and an own executive branch in exchange for paying 50% of their tax income to the crown. The king could override any decisions made by the duchies, if it was necessary for financial or security reasons or when the “unity of the Gianlucian people was endangered”. Any decisions on foreign policy, religious matters, the minting of coins and matters of the court itself were considered solely tasks of the crown.

Stoino contact and explorationist ideas (1352 – 1445)

Between 1261 and 1476 the Stoinians rose to be the first colonial power of Pacifica. In their conquests, they arrived in North Cordilia in 1352 to not only establish trade relations to similarly developed countries, but also to take over underdeveloped areas such as Puerto Pollo, an island off to the West coast of the Hazle Isle. Despite having knowledge of people groups in the extended Frastinian region and beyond, e.g. of Serevans, Ryccians or Besernian people groups, the awareness of a bigger outside world was not present until the Stoino contact. In turn ideas of a curious, exploring Gianlucian people have slowly ignited following that event. This can also be seen by salvaged documents of several duchies from the 1420s. searching for explorers, who were ought to present concepts on how to further develop the kingdom and find suitable new living areas for the Gianlucians as well. The explorers were promised expensive awards such as a permanent advisor role at a duke’s court or a share of up to 10% of all income generated for the kingdom by the territories they found. One of the concepts finally made its way to the court of Gianlucian king Sven II by 1445 in the style of an essay. The document, written by Thomas the Terrible, suggested to focus on controlling the Astro Sea first and settle the Friean-Gianlucian border disputes in the North-East before potentially challenging the known competitors for land around the globe.

Gianlucian Empire (1449 – 1935)

Explorationism and establishment of the empire (1449 - 1600)

Second Atlantic-Gianlucian War (1449 – 1453)

To control the Astro Sea, it was considered necessary to first have power over the entrance of it, the Serevan Sea including the Atlantic Strait. This territory was owned by Atlantis however, to which mostly good relations existed.

In October 1448 Sven II travelled to Atlantis to request an agreement over Atlantis gaining the status of a Gianlucian protectorate. King Ikaros III declined the proposal harshly and ordered the Gianlucian king to be escorted out of the country and his family to be prohobited for eternity from ever setting foot on Atlantic soil again. When the Gianlucian king tried to flee from the escort to continue arguing with Ikaros, he was executed by guards to the Atlantic court upon his attempt to reenter it. The news of the death of Sven II broke in the Gianlucian Kingdom only in January 1449, when a captured minor aide to the deceased royalty was set free by the Atlantics to act as a courier of the news and also forward the message, the Atlantics would never be willing to renounce their territorial integrity. Since Sven II did not have a wife or a heir born yet, the council of chiefs had to vote on a new king and elected Reinhard the Avenger to the position in March 1449. He would immediately collect troops to go to war against the Atlantics, to which he declared war in May 1449. The initial battlefield was located in the North, but over the course of more than two years, Reinhard’s troops were defeated by the Atlantic defenders repeatedly and could not make any significant territorial gains. Ikaros III offered a mutual surrender in early 1452, that Reinhard declined. Instead, he relocated his troops to South Atlantis and, to boost morale, started fighting himself. The Gianlucians finally made progress in the war and were eventually threatening Tragas and Atlantis, two cities they were not able to reach from the North. Ikaros and Reinhard met up in April 1453 and agreed, that around a third of Atlantic territory could become a Gianlucian protectorate in exchange for payments of up to 2 million silver coins for the next 10 years. The new protectorate received the official name Faburg, over which Reinhard declared himself to be an emperor. An official change of the nation’s title from “kingdom” to “empire” followed in June 1453.

Friean-Gianlucian War / Fourth War of Frastinia (146x – 146x)

[WIP – Tensions between Holy Free and the Gianlucian Empire escalate and lead to a war colloquially referred to as “Fourth War of Frastinia”. It ends with the establishment of the provinces Eisern and Steenoog (potentially also: Neufrost + annexation of parts of Holy Free)]

Province of Eflad (1478)

The first contact between the Gianlucians and Efladians can be dated back to 1388, in which trade contracts between the two kingdoms, often more advantageous to the Efladians, were discovered. After Efladian king Wellen III died in 1406 however, the relationship between the countries located opposite of each other changed. Several duchies and later also the Gianlucian court worked towards easier exports into Eflad and cheaper imports. Both demands were agreed upon in 1430 and thus tied the country economically to the Gianlucians. A political takeover was then achieved by Efladian King Rekan I voluntarily abdicating in favour of Emperor Joachim I, fearing an invasion of Eflad upon his death. Eflad was made a province, that has not only covered much of the agricultural demand of the Gianlucian Empire, but also provided slave labourers after an edict in 1652, that enumerated native, non-Alman workers from the colonies and provinces among the viable means to pay taxes or provide enough soldiers to the imperial army.

East Cordilian colonies (1504 – 1530)

After successfully having resolved all border disputes in the empire’s favour by the year 1498, the second phase of Thomas the Terrible’s plan could start. The empire engaged several self-proclaimed explorers to search for conquerable territories to further the wealth of the imperial court, but also that of the explorers themselves. By this, the colonies of Zersbach (Besern, 1504), Haselbrust (Hazelia, 1518) and Transsunerien (Transsuneria, 1530) were founded.

Weissersteiner Commonwealth (1520 – 1548)

Journeys down the East coast of Cordilia followed on the successful colonization of Hazelia. In 1520, voyagers arrived in today’s territory of Weisserstein and were taken by surprise to have found an Alman people group this far South in the world. Delighted by the news, the recently coronated emperor Friedrich II has immediately expressed wishes to put the Alman territories under his army’s protection. The offer was accepted by most Weissersteiner king- und dukedoms at the time as political and territorial feuds with several competitors, including the infamous Triangular Empire, had led to an era of war, suffering and instability in the region, the monarchs wanted to finally overcome. On 19 August 1524, the Weissersteiner Commonwealth, which was often referred to by the Gianlucian court as Provinz Alemannien, was founded by creating a personal union between the Gianlucian court and the Weissersteiner House of Lichtenburg. It saw the introduction of the first North Cordilian customs union and obliged the Gianlucian Empire to protect the territories of the commonwealth against hostile outside influences. The commonwealth included mostly king- and dukedoms in today’s state of Lichtenburg, but grew to contain all historical Weissersteiner territories until 1548. While officially controlled by the Gianlucian emperor, most executive tasks were outsourced to local nobility and officers due to the distance between the main territories of the Empire and those of the commonwealth. Each king- and dukedom in the commonwealth therefore carried the title of a “princely state” (Alman: Prinzenstaat).

Christianisation by Ryccia (1534 – 1542)

The Kingdom of Ryccia was a Christian nation founded in the 7th century with a zeal to convert the people they met. While contact including limited trade between the Ryccians and Gianlucians likely occurred since around the 11th century, a Ryccian missionary expedition was not present in Frastinia until 1534, when a group of Protestant believers founded the first Christian church of Gianatla in Südtor. The promise of reaching a paradise by just believing in one god and singing gospel in masses appealed to the general population. The religion, with limited outside help by the missionaries, spread quickly and far. Friedrich II, a strong believer of his folk religion, did not want to tolerate this. In an edict from April 1535 he ordered all Christians to convert back to their folk religions, but barely anyone did. Instead, Ryccian missionaries requested a private meeting with the emperor. The request was answered with a letter, banishing the Ryccians from the country.

When the missionaries arrived back in their home country and reported to their king, Karl II, he was enraged about the Gianlucian behaviour and demanded the mobilization of crusaders, which arrived on the Hazle Isle and in Frastinia on 13 May 1536. In the following six years, the Ryccians would fight brutal battles against the Gianlucians, but also in part against the Atlantics and Snovians to convert them to Christianity. After murdering emperor Friedrich II, and his wife Sophia taking over the throne as first queen of the Gianlucian Empire, the war was resolved by the Gianlucian court accepting Christianity as their new state religion in exchange for a significantly-sized trading outpost in Ryccia. Karl II accepted the proposal after Sophia was christened in the port of the future Gianlucian colony in Ryccia on 14 June 1542.

Expansion to Bailtem (1537)

In November 1531, the Gianlucian flag ship Moritz under the explorer and self-proclaimed admiral Horst Müller has started its journey towards the Eastern continents of the South Pacific. Due to the Stoinians on the one hand and Sedunnic trade with the Gianlucian neighbours on the other, the existence of the Eastern continents was known, but not the extent of them. As such, Müller made it his task to not only find wealth in the “old lands of the East”, but also to create maps for the imperial court and discover any high civilization, the Gianlucians could make economic contact with.

In February 1532, the crew of the Moritz discovered the Artemesian Coast and tried to establish contact with the people living there. A month later, they docked on Oceania’s harbour and were greeted by Izaakian Queen Artemesia XII warmly. Gifts from the Izaakian treasury, which signified a surprising amount of wealth, were exchanged mainly for Gianlucian potatoes and silver, before Müller continued sailing along the North-Western coast of Bailtem before returning to the imperial court. There he reported his findings to emperor Friedrich II, who ordered to expand the Gianlucian navy to take control over the discovered, rich Bailtemmic territories. Due to the problems arising from the Ryccian christianisation efforts, the state could not follow through with the plan in the short-term however, which is why at first Müller was tasked to establish a Gianlucian trading outpost on Bailtem. In 1537 Müller could report successful negotiations with the Izaakian court regarding those.

After a few peaceful years of trade and the Gianlucian switch towards Christianity as a state religion, Friedrich II’s original plan was rediscovered by Queen Sophia. She tied this, likely due to trauma from the Ryccian conversion, to a religious conquest on Bailtem. Connections to Artemesia’s rivaling dukes from the houses of Olicana and Gomorrah were created in late 1542. In Spring 1543 a strengthened navy arrived on the Aremesian Coast and demanded from the Izaakian Court to surrender their land to the Gianlucian Empire. Expectedly, Queen Artemesia XII did not want to surrender her realm and threatened the empire with the destruction of the trading outpost. She also took Müller prisoner, who was promoted to become an actual admiral in the meantime. The empire then reacted by officially sponsoring the houses of Olicana and Gomorrah to fight Artemesia and spread the Christian faith “with all necessary means”. Massive massacres, the killing of multiple prisoners of war, including Müller, and the mutilation of persons unwilling to convert were the consequence of that order.

The brutal First Colonial War, as it is called in Izaakia, ended after two years, when Artemesia and the rump of what was once her court were captured by duchess Marina of Brodlancia. Before the Gianlucians could execute her, she was freed from captivity by her uncaught son, Edward the Black Prince, who managed to let his mother flee with a still significantly sized fleet he owned. On 30 September 1545, Queen Sophia declared, Artemesia would have relinquished all her claims for the formerly Izaakian territories on Bailtem and that almost 90% of the Izaakian treasury was seized as a “reparation payment” and distributed fairly between the imperial court and the houses of Olicana and Gomorrah. As promised, Sophia gave each dukedom governorship over one of the two newly established Gianlucian colonies of Silberberg (today: Montacia) and Brotmark (today: Brodlancia). From then on, the empire could build up deeper ties to the other powers on Bailtem, especially Sedunn, which was discovered by Admiral Otto Nübel on his mission to circumnavigate the Bailtemmic continent in 1547.

Slow fall of the empire (1600 - 1935)

17th century independence movements (1638 – 1678)

[WIP - Holy Free (1638) becomes independent through a war, which meant the Gianlucians had to concede parts of their territory. The Zenevian Republic in Besern followed in 1656 as a result of the 2nd Great Incursion. Berusturg would gain independence in 1678, leading to the Gianlucian Empire conceding even more territory in the North-East.]

The Nobles' War (1734 – 1738)

In 1679, Emperor Joachim III was coronated. Under his reign the concept of the princely states was slowly attacked. He did neither accept multiple provinces having different levels of autonomy nor was the Muslim influence in the Weissersteiner territories well-received. Several mandates reaching from the limiting of religious freedoms over the increase of taxes to eventually also the attempt to force multiple princely states to unite to save money in the defense budget and make tax evasion more difficult led to a slow erosion of Weissersteiner autonomy, the nobility was not ready to accept. With the Emperor switch in 1728 to Gianluca I and him visiting the port city of Friedrichshafen in the following year, several nobles protested the erosion of their power and stressed, they would make away with the personal union and get rid of Gianlucian administrative systems soon. The young emperor was not taking the threats seriously. He has laughed off the demands and ordered, once back in his abode, for a stricter government in the commonwealth by governors appointed by the court, officially disempowering almost all Weissersteiner nobility.

One of the nobles not stripped of his rights was William of Lichtenburg, who had gained enough trust from Gianluca to be considered a safe choice for a governor position, however he was also the one leading a conspiracy against the emperor as of 1730 by bribing or threatening the other appointed governors to not continue properly providing their service to the head of state. Consequently, after a short period of the Gianlucian court being affected by William’s actions, Gianluca I ordered an attack on several Weissersteiner cities by his navy as a show of force in September 1733, but the nobility held on steadfast to their demands.

The heightened tensions between the imperial court and the Weissersteiners would eventually lead to a full war, when the emperor was wounded during a stand-off in the Gulf of Brave Lions between three ships of the Gianlucian navy he led himself and several hundred Weissersteiner vessels in March 1734. The war was costly. The Empire has lost several ships either due to sabotage or naval skirmishes. The Weissersteiners fell victim to Gianlucian armymen pillaging multiple villages, towns and cities including Kaiserslicht and Waldbrücken, but also had to bemoan literal witch hunts mostly against the Muslim women of Qadr Nacht. In 1737, it became apparent that continued fighting would not solve the problems between Weisserstein and its protector. Gianluca I and the rogue nobles started negotations for a deal, which was signed as the Peace of Wuppertal on 11 May 1738. It ruled, that the commonwealth would be given home rule, was allowed to establish a parliament of nobles and elect their own head of state. This opened the path for gradual government reforms, that would slowly turn Weisserstein's status of a protectorate to that of an autonomous province. An exception was made for the city of Friedrichshafen and the islands St. Martin and Lileanen. Those were to remain a part of the Gianlucian Empire under direct control by the Emperor. Still, their status was relegated to that of a colony and trading outpost. While the personal union between the Gianlucian imperial family and the house of Lichtenburg was not officially dissolved, it eventually was not honoured anymore by either side and therefore factually ended with the signature of the peace treaty.

Sallodesian conquest and industrialisation (1738 – 1815)

[WIP - For an undetermined reason, the Gianlucian Empire founds the colony Neu-Faburg in today's North-West of Sallodesia. Closer contact with Sedunners brings the industrial revolution]

19th century independence movements (1815 – 1919)

[WIP - Socialist and nationalist ideas in the remaining colonies and the Weissersteiner "Wiedererwachen" lead to the unification of Weisserstein (probably early 1800s), the independence of Eflad (1839), Transsuneria (1904), Montacia and Brodlancia (1919). Hazelia and Neu-Faburg are the only colonies left. In the late 1800s, with help from Sedunn, a government reform would introduce the "Reichstag" as a lower house voted on by the people. The empire becomes a constitutional monarchy, but the democracy is weak, as is the economy of the fading empire.]

Frankism and Great War (1935 – 1954)

Due to the decolonisation of the Gianlucian Empire and an era of protectionism in North Cordilia, the Gianlucian economy was in a dire situation and had to face rising costs of living and unprecedented unemployment rates in the late 1910s and early 1920s. Under those circumstances Frank has established himself as a new political figure. At first by commenting on politics and laying out his ideas of a prosperous Gianlucian Empire in his book Für die Ehre ("For Honour"), then by founding his own party, the National and Socialist Party of Frankist Progressivism (NSPFP) and spreading terror with his own militia, the "Black Coats" (Schwarzumhänge or SU). The Frankist party had huge success within the distraught, distrusting and terrified populace and gained, together with its minor coalition partners, more than 47% of the votes in the last democratic election of the empire in 1934. While Emperor Gianluca III declined making Frank chancellor at first, Frank would force a transfer of powers onto him with the help of the armed forces and the passing of the "Enabling Act" on 2 May 1935.

Frank's reign meant a full restructuring of not only the Gianlucian political system, but also Gianlucian society and the economy. People were marked as undesirable "Zenevians" and stripped of their rights. Prisoners were put into newly established concentration camps, which provided slave labour under the guise of "re-education" for the companies participating in Frank's "Five Projects Program". The youth had to join a Frankist youth group based on their sex, which taught Frankist ideology and gender roles from an early age. Militarist ideals rose in popularity, because the Frankists promoted a modern and strong military as a priority to become a modern and wealthy nation again. After setting the goal of a military mobilisation between 1947 and 1950 with the secret Grumbach Note on 6 January 1940, the dictator focused his foreign policy on preparing an ideal starting position for the planned war. Non-aggression pacts with Atlantis and Snolland gained him some trust in the West, the "Ikaranarean-Gianlucian Cooperation Accords" and the "Treaty of Justice" with Karnetvor made sure, the rising nationalist and imperialist governments in Cordilia would not interfere with each other while pursuing their goals and the "Gianlucian-Weissersteiner Friendship Treaty" assured Weissersteiner neutrality in any potential major military conflict instigated by the Frankists. Military tech and production did improve and expand in the meantime. Seeing his country ready for war and using some Snovian-Gianlucian tensions as a pretense, the Gianlucian Empire declared war against Snolland on 3 October 1949.

From October 1949 to December 1951 the war went well for the Frankists as they were able to take control of a large amount of territory spanning from the Hazle Isle in the West to parts of Eflad in the South, Transsuneria in the East and FiHami in the North, while only losing the Neu-Faburg colony on Bailtem in 1950. With the start of the war against Besern and the entrance of Frost and Stoinian(, later also Ryccian?) forces, the territorial gains were relatively quickly undone and in 1954, Frost (and Ryccian?) armed forces threatened the core of the Gianlucian Empire.

Republic of Gianlucaland and power struggles in Atlantis (1954 – 2011)

[WIP - Deindustrialisation and Wirtschaftswunderpolitik (see "Economic History"). Involvement in organisations such as IUFA (founding member), the Alman Group (founding member), North Cordilian Union (founding member), CPSC (joined 1998). In the cold war, ties were relatively close to the isolationist and traditional Frost Empire, but eventually Gianlucaland opened up to the moderate democratic bloc of Sedunn over time. Development of a Gianlucian nuclear arsenal in face of a nuke race around the world.]

Incorporation of Atlantis and beyond (2011 – present)

[WIP - incorporation of Atlantis based on some peace treaty/consequence of the GW and/or for economic reasons. Also a prestige project of King Axel and chancellor, now president, Schmidt. Building of the Atlantic Strait Bridge. Involvement in the foundation of the World Forum and Concordia Entente. "New Silk Road" with Huawan and Valkyria. Denuclearisation.].

References

↑ Migration routes of modern humans in Frastinia in [OOC] History of Frastinia and on Imgur, 1 April 2022, last viewed 30 July 2023

[1] Migration routes of modern humans in Frastinia in [OOC] History of Frastinia and on Imgur, 1 April 2022, last viewed 30 July 2023

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