Ayubi

Kingdom of Ayubi الأيوبيون (Sahrabic) Jawini (Oharic) Ayubi (Anglish)
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Ayubi
Map of Ayubi
Capital and largest city	Alhafa
Official languages	Sahrabic
Recognised regional languages	Mahdavic, Oharic
Demonym(s)	Ayubid
Government	Unitary parliamentary absolute monarchy
• Sharif	Yusuf Althudiyu
• Prime Minister	Sulayem Bin Omeguy
Legislature	National Congress
Establishment
• Orinese colony	15th Century
• Independence	1692
• Current constitution	1973
Area
•	53,751 km2 (20,753 sq mi)
Population
• 2015 estimate	1,303,569
Currency	Ayubid dinar (AYD)
Time zone	UTC+7
Antipodes	Mauridiviah
Date format	MM/DD/YYYY
Driving side	left
Internet TLD	.ay

Ayubi, officially the Kingdom of Ayubi (Sahrabic: الأيوبيون), is a peaceful and small island nation in the south of Europa on Eurth. The country is situated off the southern coasts of Yien and Damak Var. It consists of many small islands and one large: Jawin, the main island. The capital is Alhafa, located on the north side of Jawin. The Ayubid economy is heavily dependent on tourism and the export of spices. In particular, the islands produce black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon. It has a land area of 53,751 square kilometres (20,753 sq mi) and is densely populated, with a total of 1,303,569 inhabitants at the 2015 Census.

Etymology

The name Ayubi comes from the progenitor of the Ayubid dynasty, Yusuf Ayub ibn Mustaf, a prince of the Mahdavian royal house. Yusuf conquered the island of Jawin in the 17th Century, after a bloody struggle against the expanding Orioni empire. The capital city of Alhafa means “peace” in the languages of nearby Memopotamia.

Geography

Beach on the $Name Sea near Alhafa.

The Ayubid islands are separated from the Azanian mainland by the Strait of Saeida. The main island Jawin is about 394.75 kilometres long and 150 to 200 kilometres wide, with an area of 53,751 square kilometres (20,753 sq mi). Ayubi is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs. The reefs are rich in marine biodiversity. Being near to the equator, the islands are warm year round. The heat of summer is often cooled by strong sea breezes. This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny weather.

The capital city of Alhafa (Sahrabic: الحافة; Oharic: Chafu) is an important port city on the northeast coast. The city is located on the shores of the $Name Sea opposite Damak Var. Alhafa was an overseas possession of Orioni from the 15th to 18th Century. For most of its history, Alhafa was a small settlement with an economy based on fishing.

History

Pre-colonial era

Ayubid symbol (bottom left) on the Tablet of Remran, c. 3200 – 3000 BCE.

The discovery of microliths on Ayubi suggests that humans arrived around 40 KYA. Ayubi was settled by the Azano-Marenesian peoples, and later Chulese. The first people were probably fishermen. Traces of fishing and dugout canoe production also exist. The archaeological findings reveal much about the history of the country. The early history of Ayubi is closely tied to other regional powers in Azania, notably Yien, Norrium, Abantium and Noble Nykia. An Aroman scroll from the 2nd Century CE mentions the island of Jazirat Jawin. There is some limited evidence of long-distance trade: pottery fragments from Aroma have been found, mostly dated to the late 4th century CE. The coastal towns appear to have been engaged in local trade. Trade grew more important from the 8th century. By the 9th century, Ayubi was one of the final links in the Pearl Road.

Colonial period

Ayubid woman, c. 1561.

Old fortress of Chafu, near Alhafa.

During the Age of Reconnection in the 15th Century, the Orinese arrived in Azania. On Ayubi they found a series of independent towns on the coast, with an early form of an informal protectorate-alliance by nearby Yien. The Orinese travellers described the Salamic Sahrabic-speaking elites as 'dark skinned'. During his visit to Cahfu in 1597, Isikinidiri Bireti had the opportunity to study the culture of the inhabitants. He described them in his book Ke’Erwaniye Serawīti Gari, identifying several practices in common with the more familiar Meteorolan people. A clear distinction was made between the Salamic and non-Salamic populations. Orinese relations with the local leadership were mostly hostile. The last local ruler, Hatemi Āli Ābidalī (Sahrabic: Haatim el-Abdella), had to put down numerous revolts instigated by the Orinese. Ābidalī resisted for months against the combined armies of Orioni and her allied states, to no avail. Chafu was ultimately captured on 11 September 1472. Ābidalī was first sent to Baribeni, then to Orioni. The islands were formally established under Orinese rule in 1472 after the Crown seized them and made them part of their expanding colonial empire. Over the following centuries, the influence of the Orinese culture grew weaker, and Salam was more or less replaced by Elitism. After the annexation into Orioni, the inhabitants suffered greatly due to the slave-raids organised by Mahdah. Since it was on the route of shipping, the city of Alhafa was turned into one of the major ports of the Pearl Road. The Orinese ruled in collaboration with tributary sultans. The Orinese presence remained relatively limited, leaving administration in the hands of pre-existing local leaders and power structures.

Liberation

This system of subservience lasted until the late 17th Century. Hoping to stamp out the steadfast Orinese colonial rule entirely, Sultan Mustaf of Yien authorised a sizeable military expedition. Sultan Mustaf preferred indulging his base pleasures over engaging in statecraft, and was happy to leave military matters to his capable sons. To that end, he put his second son, Prince Yusuf Ayub ibn Mustaf, in charge of all of Yien’s eastern armies, and commanded him to accomplish what so many other generals had failed to do before him. It was time to finally retake Crete, so Prince Yusuf began to prepare for the battle that would make or break his career. It was an opportune time to strike, for the Orinese of Jawini were vulnerable. Nevertheless, the Orinese colony would not be easy pickings.

In September 1692, Prince Yusuf led the wholesale invasion of the island. The invasion armada assembled at the port of Kharabena in Yien, where 3,000 soldiers embarked on a gigantic fleet to liberate their brothers. They sailed across the Strait of Saeida aboard a fleet of 10 warships, 20 light transport ships, and 30 supply vessels. The prince began a military naval campaign against the foreign oppressor, winning early victories by conquering some coastal villages. The invasion force made landfall on northwest Ayubi, disembarking in good order, and encountered no strong resistance. Orinese sources, however, assert that Yusuf’s soldiers were confronted on the shore by a large force of Orinese Salamids. The Prince's army included war elephants and solidly defeated the Orinese. The survivors fled to the safety of the walls of Alhafa.

Battle of Alhafa, 1693.

In March 1693, the decisive battle was fought at Alhafa between the Ayubid force and the mercenary army of the Orinese Danya. The Orinese warriors were battle-hardened on both land and sea, and the main city of Alhafa was a nigh impregnable redoubt. It was protected on one side by the sea, and on the other side by tall battlements. Her battlements were described as “wide enough so that two wagons could easily make a circuit on top of the ramparts and pass each other.” These imposing walls were supplemented by two outspread, and thoroughly impassable moats. Present among the defenders were not just soldiers of Orinese, Shakyan, and other origins, but also a contingent of axe-wielders from Burania. Prince Yusuf had a tough fight ahead of him.

Prince Yusuf had his army surround Alhafa and build a fortified stockade around its walls. He next ordered the navy to blockade the city by sea, commanding them to destroy any Orinese ships that tried to leave its harbour. The Siege of Alhafa had begun. Salamid catapults showered the Orinese battlements with a withering hail of boulders. Time and again, Orinese skirmishers would stream out of the hills and make lightning strikes against the Salamid stockade. At times, these attacks were coordinated with their comrades inside Alhafa, who would launch simultaneous sorties outside their walls in an attempt to pincer their besiegers.

These raids were all inevitably pushed back, and in retaliation, Prince Yusuf unleashed his most battle-hardened warriors to strike back into the countryside. No more would he allow his soldiers to behave like hedonistic brigands, now, they meant business. Local communities were put to the torch, all in an attempt to force the whole island to obey. With the threat from the hinterlands eliminated, Prince Yusuf was now free to focus all his efforts on Alhafa itself. With icy zeal, he ordered the heads of the slain Orinese mounted on catapults and launched into the fortress, so the defenders within would see their dead friends and despair. The Salamid chief of artillery even had a live donkey launched over the walls, causing Prince Yusuf to jokingly quip about how it “soared like an Eagle.”

With winter approaching, and the city completely blockaded from the outside wurld, the population began to starve. The Orinese Danya sent pleas for help, but no physical aid arrived on time. Morale among the Orinese began to plummet. Continued barrages from siege equipment rained hell upon Alhafa, but its walls didn't fall. Undeterred, the Prince ordered a battering ram team to launch a frontal assault on the city's main gates. This, however, was simply a distraction. Prince Yusuf’s real play was a contingent of sappers, who dug tunnels beneath the battlements and undermined the integrity of their foundations. A section of the walls finally collapsed, and the full might of the Salamid army poured in through the breach. The Orinese formed a line and made a brave final stand, but they were cut down nearly to a man.

When the capital Alhafa was captured, the troops rampaged and massacred many of the Orinese inhabitants. Men, women, and children in the city were slaughtered indiscriminately. The burning of Alhafa destroyed much of the port city. Approximately 50,000 to 200,000 Orinese refugees crammed the waterfront to escape from the fire. They were forced to remain there under harsh conditions for nearly two weeks. Troops and irregulars had started committing massacres and atrocities against the Orinese and mixed population. Captured booty was distributed among the soldiers.

Independence

Alhafa was in Salamid hands, and with it, control over the whole island. The new ruling dynasty of Prince Yusuf Ayub ibn Mustaf replaced the existing Orinese power structure. Before their rule, the island was controlled by Orinese powers, but the Ayubids were able to take control and establish themselves as the new ruling dynasty. To solidify their hold on the island, the Ayubids implemented several significant changes. One of the most significant was the official adoption of Salam as the state religion of Ayubi. This meant that most of the island's inhabitants were required to convert to the new religion, which led to widespread religious upheaval.

To rebuild and revitalise the island, the Ayubids focused on developing a strong economy based on trade and cash crops. Plantations were established to grow spices, which were in high demand throughout the region. This helped to create a thriving economy that allowed the island to flourish and become an important player in international trade. In addition to these changes, the Ayubids also began rebuilding Alhafa, which had suffered significant damage during the power struggle with the Orinese. Much of the city had to be rebuilt from the ashes, and the Ayubids focused on creating a more modern, efficient infrastructure. This included the construction of new roads, buildings, and public facilities. The Ayubids also worked to improve the living conditions of the island's inhabitants. They implemented various social and economic reforms that aimed to improve the quality of life for the people of Ayubi. These reforms included the establishment of schools and other educational institutions, as well as programs to provide healthcare and other basic services to the island's residents.

Despite these efforts, the rule of the Ayubids was not without controversy. Many of the island's inhabitants resisted the forced conversion to Salam and resisted the changes that the new rulers implemented. This led to occasional periods of unrest and conflict, although the Ayubids were generally able to maintain control over the island.

Ultimately, the rule of the Ayubids in Alhafa and Ayubi was a significant turning point in the island's history. The changes implemented by the new ruling dynasty helped to modernise and revitalise the island, turning it into a thriving hub of trade and commerce.

20th and 21st centuries

Aerial view of Alhafa, 1936.

Street in the Orinese quarter of old Alhafa, 1908.

Following the rule of the Salamids, Ayubi began to prosper as trade with the rest of Eurth picked up again. However, this period of prosperity was short-lived, as relations with nearby Memopotamia became strained due to multiple authoritarian dictatorships and foreign influence.

Both the First Argic War and Second Argic War, which lasted from 1949 to 1974, had a profound impact on Ayubi. After the end of the Second Argic War, Ayubi was left in a vulnerable position. The island was left in a vulnerable position, with a weakened economy and a lack of security. To protect itself, Ayubi was forced to rely on nearby regional powers to provide a security umbrella. This umbrella provided a sense of security, but it was not a permanent solution.

Despite the adoption of a new constitution in 1973, Ayubi remained a relatively unstable place. Political and social unrest continued to plague the island, and it struggled to maintain stability and prosperity. Despite these challenges, Ayubi managed to rebuild its economy and establish itself as a small but influential player in the region.

Today, Ayubi is a small island nation with a strategic position that gives it some influence in the region. Despite ongoing political and social challenges, Ayubi has managed to rebuild and maintain a stable and prosperous society. While the island is not known for having significant oil reserves, it has been able to use its strategic location to its advantage as a crossroads for trade and commerce. Ayubi has a long history and a diverse culture that has been influenced by various groups and civilisations. The island is home to a diverse population of people from various ethnic and religious backgrounds, and it is known for its rich cultural traditions. The country has managed to maintain a strong and vibrant society.

Politics

Sharif Yusuf Althudiyu.

PM Sulayem Bin Omeguy.

National Congress of Ayubi in Alhafa.

Government

The current ruler of Ayubi is Sharif Yusuf Althudiyu. He is a member of the House of Ayubi, which in itself is a cadet branch of the House of Mahdah. The country is on a slow path from an autocratic monarchy to a semi-independent constitutional monarchy. Comparable to any modern South Europan state. The National Congress is the legislative body of Ayubi. The country has a multi-party political system, but with only a few options, and the ruling block has been in power for a long time. Prime Minister Sulayem Bin Omeguy leads the executive branch. The current constitution is a product of a grand national accord between the two major parties made to stabilise the nation. This reform has brought much needed political peace to Ayubi since its implementation in 1973, and the economy has improved drastically, allowing the government the ability to establish Ayubi as a strong welfare state.

Military

The Ayubid military serves as a response force. The country's neutrality means it will never strike first, and military plans are thought of correspondingly. The Ayubid Army is properly balanced for a country of its size, and is well-equipped and trained as far as South Europan standards go. Ayubi's navy is a small force, meant to be a hindrance and deterrent to invaders rather than a true armada. Its main function is similar to that of a coast guard.

Foreign relations

Ayubi enjoys good relations with nearly all the other Europan countries, despite historic tensions with Yien and Norrium. In the past decades, Ayubi has followed a policy of strict neutrality. While it trades with everyone, Noble Nykia and Damak Var are its major trade partners, along with Orioni, Miiros and Tamurin. The country is a member of the Assembled Nations and Group of Island Nations. Ayubi initiated negotiations on an association agreement with the Entente of Oriental States in mid-2021.

Economy

Modern orbital highway.

Ayubi underwent major infrastructural development from 2006 to 2014. In 2006, the Ministry of Transportation began construction of a coastal highway, but traffic congestion due to bottlenecks on certain key routes remains a concern. In 2008, the Government of Ayubi began the expansion of Alhafa Port into a modern deep-sea port. The first phase of this project was completed in December 2011, the second in 2014, and it became fully operational in 2017. Orioni has been instrumental in the project, providing nearly 75% of the construction budget in the form of loans. Orioni is heavily dependent on Rivdon Bay oil, most of which passes through the Strait of Saeida.

Demographics

The demographic landscape of Ayubi has evolved over centuries, shaped significantly by its rich history and the multiple powers that have ruled the island. Historically, Ayubi fell under the influence and control of several groups including the Orinese, the Salamids, and various authoritarian regimes. Each of these ruling powers has deeply influenced Ayubi's cultural, linguistic, and religious fabric.

One of the major minority groups in Ayubi are the Orinese. Though once dominant, the Orinese experienced a diaspora which scattered their population, reducing their influence on the island. The reasons and trajectory of the Orinese diaspora remain a topic of active research and discussion among historians.

The predominant religion practised in Ayubi is Salam. The significance of this religion is further underscored by the historical figures associated with it. In an interesting link to Ayubi's past, the Sharif, a current prominent figure in Ayubi's religious hierarchy, is said to be a distant relative of Nabi Hanan, a revered spiritual leader in the annals of Salam history.

Linguistically, Ayubi presents a composition of languages, reflecting its multifaceted history. While Sahrabic and Mahdavic are widely spoken, due to historical ties and migrations, local languages have also emerged. These local dialects and tongues draw heavily from the cultures of nearby islands, creating a unique linguistic blend.

Culture

Construction sheet of the Ayubid flag.

The flag consists of a solid green background. Green is the colour of life, spring, and youth. It represents hope. Green, Salam's sacred colour, is combined with white for purity. White symbolises purity, perfection, and also the Absolute. It is the colour most associated with sacredness. A white star with seven points is featured in the centre. The star stands for unity and symbolises light in darkness and wisdom shining through ignorance. Its seven points refer to the seven verses of Al-Fatiha. Seven is a sacred number. Each point has a special meaning: faith in one God, humanity, humility, national spirit, virtue, social justice, and aspiration.