Sanctum Imperium Catholicum

Sanctum Imperium Catholicum Holy Catholic Empire
Flag
Motto: "Through the Trinity, We Flourish"
Status	Independent State
Capital and largest city	Deopolis
Official languages	Salvian, Aroman
Religion	Salvian Catholicism
Demonym(s)	Salvian
Government	Elective Monarchy
• Pontiff	Vacant
Legislature	Concilio Populi, Concilio Clerici
Establishment
•	1261
Area
• Total	201,509 km2 (77,803 sq mi)
Population
• 2016 census	23,001,900
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$477,500,930
• Per capita	$20,760.91
HDI (2018)	.857 very high
Currency	Salvian Cross (SCR)
Time zone	UTC -6
Driving side	right
Calling code	+301
Internet TLD	.sic

The Divine Imperium, commonly called Sanctum Imperium Catholicum, is a Constitutional theocratic republic in Europa located in Marenesia Major. The Sanctum Imperium Catholicum covers 201,509 square kilometers and has has an estimated population of 23 million. Saliva comprises of 12 provinces and 3 overseas territories. It’s capital and largest city is Deopolis.

Sanctum Imperium Catholicum was a major colonial power and still enjoys many of the economic benefits to this day. With interregional trade deals and strong diplomatic relations abroad, Sacntum Imperium Catholicum enjoys a rich and prosperous time with a strong military and economy. The nation is also signed to a climate treaty.

Etymology

The name Sanctum Imperium Catholicum derives from the Aroman words for “Holy Catholic Empire”. This references its imperial form of government in the early history as well as its foundation as a Catholic empire. The name is usually shortened to its acronym, “SIC”, or in casual conversation as “Salvia.”

The standard way to refer to someone from Sanctum Imperium Catholicum is “Salvian”

History

Bronze Age

Signs of permanent settlement in SIC dates back to 1200 BC, where agriculture allowed for the foundation of what is now Deopolis. Before then, several tribes inhabited the area during the early Bronze Age, however did not build any large cities.

While many native tribes were present, the Salvian tribe became the largest and strongest, conquering the others and then outlawing all other cultures, including their customs and items, in 953 BC. This led to the subsequent burning and destruction of many cultural artifacts and historical scrolls, leading many historians to have little knowledge of the time before the foundation of the Salvian Empire in 572 BC.

First Imperium and Its Downfall

The Salvian Empire, also called the First Imperium by historians, was characterized by its frequent aggression and expansion as well as its rare democratic government form for the time. Although rather limited to only free males, the First Imperium had a Concilio Populi, or Council of the People, to help the monarch make his decisions on treaties and other things.

The Salvian Empire conquered much of the neighboring tribes and nations; the Helkitites to the south, the Khergitis to the west, and the Swaynians along the eastern coast were all subjugated as early as 473 BC. Like the tribes centuries before them, the cultures of the these tribes were outlawed and their customs wiped out. With their neighbors conquered, the Salvian Empire stretched from ocean to the east, north and south to mountains in the west. Thus, a golden age was born, with peace descending upon the empire and trade flourishing over the oceans with other kingdoms. This was not only the economic peak of the empire but also the cultural peak. This golden age lasted until around 354 BC.

The long Salvian Golden Age was brought to a mild if somewhat boring end. The empire continued on for several centuries, facing minor domestic issues form time to time. They also conquered more territory to the south and spread westwards. This Fisrt Imperium fell with the beginning of a civil war after the introduction of the new Christian religion, which was introduced in the first half of the century by a prophet named Liosous.

The Second Imperium

In 135 AD, the small states were unified in the Treaty of Marusey, which ended the war and gave freedom of religion to all citizens, although religious tensions remained. Led by the Flavian Dynasty, the newfound Second Imperium expanded its borders significantly. This made the the Salvian Empire a very powerful empire once more, especially with an brief influx of immigrants that accompanied the prophet Liosous, who originated from Tagmatium.

The Second Imperium followed in the footsteps of the First Imperium, conquering its former territory and restoring power and stability to the country. Another golden age was fostered and came to an end.

This period was not to last, however. Warring neighbors as well as domestic issues and a crippling debt ensured the fall of Salvian Empire in 573 AD. The empire was divided once more.

The Feudal Era and Refounding of the Imperium

This was then followed by the medieval era, which replaced the organized empire into 4 main warring feudal kingdoms. These kingdoms were the Salvians, Ironous, Velucians, and Vagrians. These nations constantly fought, climaxing in the War of the Imperium from 1257 to 1261, a war fought between the Christian Salvians against the other pagan nations.

Beginning in the fall of 1257, the war was largely a stalemate until 1261, when a man by the name of Joseph Murphy, a nobleman’s son, took the position of marshal of the Salvians and brought the collective armies on an exhausting 9 month campaign, in which they conquered the neighboring kingdoms.

Murphy was named king of the Imperium a year later after the king’s death, and oversaw the promotion of the sciences as well as the Church. He built the oldest cathedral in the SIC, the Spiritu Sancti, and built the foundations of what is today Deopolis. Many historians conclude that Murphy rebuilt the empire and propelled out of the medieval era. He is also credited with the foundation of the Sanctum Imperium Catholicum, with records dating the name being used during is reign. Murphy died at the age of 57 in 1291, and after undergoing the usual process was canonized a saint in the Salvian Catholic Church in 1487.

Magnum Progressum and the Age of Gunpowder and Colonialism

Gunpowder was discovered in the western mountains of SIC in the 12th century, however was rarely used except in "crepituses," or fireworks. This was changed in the late 15th century. It is unclear if the first guns in SIC were imported or were made in Salvia, however by 1503 the military were seen armed with rifles, and by the late 16th century the infantry was primarily riflemen armed with sabers.

In search of the “Three G’s”- "God, glory, gold"- explorers sought out for personal glory as well as wealth and to spread the Christian faith amongst others. This was to be accomplished through colonialism.

The Sanctum Imperium Catholicum, living up to its imperial name, estalbished 3 colonies- Catholic Minotia, New Salvis, and Port Liosous- and today remain as overseas territories. Gold was found on Catholic Minotia, while New Salvis and Port Liosous became industria land commercial centers due to their position, which made it a forward base for long-distance trading expeditions.

The rule of Catholic Minotia is the only one of notable interest due to the native revolts and uprisings throughout its history. Climaxing in Peter’s War in 1707, the war concluded in 1709 with a draw. In the following Minotian Convention, the natives agreed to become subjects and to convert to Salvian Catholicism while the Imperium conceded all rights given to their citizens, including those in the Salvian Constitution. There still remains a large native population on the island.

Era of Reovlt

The centuries of peace on the mainland was disrupted in the spring of 1707. The monarch, King Peter III, was unpopular due to his aggressive and dismissive manner towards the people and the newly reformed Concilio Populi. After peaceful protests in the capital were met with a fatal resistance from the army, the people began rioting, soon escalating into The People’s War.

The People’s War was fought between democrats and monarchists on the mainland. The democrats outnumbered the monarchists by around 3 to 1, however the monarchists controlled the national military, with the notable exception of most of the Marine Corps, who joined the side of the democrats. Fighting occurred mainly in the south and west, with fighting largely being absent from the urban northeast.

By the summer of 1708, the democrats had assumed control of the islands as well as the southern coast. Led by a young general Michael Alexis, the People’s Army began a campaign to conquer the northeast, climaxing in the siege of Deopolis from the winter of 1708 to the summer of 1709, when it ended with a monarchist surrender. The Treaty of Trinity established the modern Constituition, laws, and democracy the nation has today. It abolished the monarchy, although the Murphy dynasty was allowed to continue in order to preserve St. Michael’s bloodline, which continues today.

Economic Troubles of the 19th and 20th Centuries

The Salvian economy had two major crashes: one in 1847 and one in 1928. These crashes were caused for mixed reasons, however all caused the unemployment rate to skyrocket as well as the value of the Euro plunge.

The Era of Bad Feelings, or Crash of 1847, lasted from fall 1847 to fall 1849. The Church still had major control over the land of the Empire, and the Concilio Populi removed the Church ownership of over 90% of the land that they controlled. This allowed for more farms to harvest cash crops, such as indigo and tobacco, and brought the Salvians out of crisis.

The Crash of 1928 was a result of the rapid drop of price in agricultural goods, as well as a drought that devasted much of th harvests of the 20s. While factories were present in SIC, there were only a few. In response to this, the government focused heavily on factories and creating more manufacturing jobs, slowly lifting the country out of economic crisis.

Modern Times

Sanctum Imperium Catholicum progressed regularly into the late 20th and then into the 21st century. Women were granted the right to vote in 1903, and minorities could vote before then. Religion still plays a part in modern politics with the outlawing of abortion and euthanasia, as well as other laws that would be otherwise against the teachings of the Salvian Church.

The nation has been relatively peaceful after since the civil war in the 19th century, however has encountered its fair share of tribulations and problems. SIC has transitioned quietly and peacefully into the modern age.

Geography

SIC is a relatively flat nation, save for the Agrilian Mountains to the west and the lowlands to the east. The Mountains transition into rolling hills going eastward, flattening out to the average elevation of around 500 feet. Leading towards the sea, the elevation gradually decreases, eventually meeting the ocean. This pattern is seen as a band/wave-like pattern on a topographical map.

The nation is also abundant in rivers and has a couple of natural occurring lakes, the most notable being Lake Caperthia to the south.

The country lies in Marenesia Major.

Climate

SIC enjoys a temperant climate, with warm summers and chilly winters. The average temperature is around 17 degrees Celcius (62.5 F), however can be as high as 26 degrees Celcius (78.8 F) in the summer and dip down to as low as -2 degrees Celcius (28.4 F) in the winter.

These are all national averages, however the nation can be divided into three categories: the Mountain climate, the Coastal climate, and the Midland climate. The Mountain climate is categorized with chillier winters, more rainfall and snow. The Coastal climate is recongnized through its modest temperature changes and an average rainfall spread. The Midland climate is seen through its cold winters and hot summers.

Flora and Fauna

The Sanctum Imperium Catholicum is an environmentally diverse nation, with many species of flora and fauna present. The nation has large swaths of territory as national parks and act as a popular tourist destination. Although areas of the SIC has been deforested, much of the nation still contains natural forests. As it is signed to a climate treaty, the SIC limits its carbon footprint to keep its natural beauty. Very strict environment regulation prevents water pollution and deforestation of protected areas.

Large mammals include the Salvian Black Bear, grey wolf, deer, and mountain cats, and each has special legislation guarding their mating season and hunting season. Cows are not plentiful nor native to the nation, and so farmers mainly tend lamb, duck, pigs, geese, and chickens. Fishing is also widespread in the SIC's many pristine rivers and lakes.

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Demographics

Population

The Sanctum Imperium Catholicum has a population of 23,001,900 people, of which an estimated 50,000 are undocumented illegal immigrants. The average fertility rate is 3.8 children, and the average life expectancy is a high 82.4 years: 81.3 for men and 83.5 for women.

Language

The typical dialect of the Imperium is Salvian or Latin, and many kids are raised bilingual. Around half of the population is bilingual, while the rest usuallly speak only Salvian. However, there are some small villages and hamlets that only speak Latin.

Originally, foreign languages were only taught to merchants and traders, and as such they were usually the only ones to speak them. However, by the turn of the 20th century, other languages began to be taught in public schooling.

Religion

Since the foundation of the Second Imperium, the nation has been largely Catholic. This holds up even in modern times, with around 86% of the population falling under the Catholic faith. However, a diverse buffet of religions are on display in the nation due to religious freedoms being afforded in at least primitive forms from as early as the 13th century.

Race & Ethnicity

Ethnic groups in the Sanctum Imperium Catholicum include the ancient native tribes of the dominant Salvians and a mix of other tribes, which form the Swayhels. Other minority groups are present, and combined make the majority Salvian a minority.

The nation is racially diverse (Pie chart here)

Government

Overview

Sancti Imperii Catholico is constitutional theocratic republic divided into “Divine Provinces,” each led by a Governor and a Castus, a member of the Catholic Church appointed by the Head of State. This castus is usually a clergy member however does little in regional politics and instead serves as an advisor. Power in terms of politics in SIC is shared almost equally between national, provincial, and local, however the national government does hold a bit more power over the other two.

The government consists of three branches who each hold checks and balances over the other: the executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch.

Executive Branch

The nation as a whole is led by the Pontiff of the Salvian Church, currently Archbishop Patrick Saulius. The position is held for life although can be removed by the Convention of Houses according to the Constitution. The powers of the Pontiff include: 1. Uphold the laws of the nation, 2. Appoint federal positions, 3. Sign treaties and pieces of legislation, and 4. Be the face of the SIC on the international stage.

The Vice President is an elected individual for 4 year terms and can be elected for a total of 3 terms. The Vice President is the main advisor to the Pontiff, and takes his position in the case of death, removal from office, or retirement. The Vice President was Archbishop Patrick Saulius, however following Cardinal Thomas I retirement Saulius took his spot and Sèamus Finley assumed the role of VP.

Legislative Branch

The Convention of Houses is made up of the aforementioned Concilio Populi and Concilio Clerici. Both houses have elected representatives, although the qualifications as well as the acutal process is notably different.

The Concilio Populi is the larger and “stronger” branch of the Convention, with 230 representatives each having 6 year terms. However, the House is not all elected at once; half of the representatives are under election every three years. The elections every three years are also not at the same time- they usually span throughout the whole year, however its decided by the regional council. Representatives are proportionally elected provincially, with each representative having to earn a minimum of 100,000 votes to win a seat. Single transferable vote is used for the candidates that do not make 100,000. The Speaker of the House is Michael Pokorney.

The Concilio Clerici, on the other hand, is a somewhat elected, smaller, and more select group of 115 representatives. These representatives are instead approved by a regional council and the regional Castus, instead of being directly elected, and serve for shorter 4 year terms. The representatives are members of the clergy, usually priests, nuns, or brothers. All and any bills proposed by the Concilio Clerici must be approved by the Concilio Populi by at least three-fifths majority. The current Speaker of the Clergy is Justin Erin.

Levels of Government

The provinical and local governments are complicated, intricate, and very different depending on the region or local town/village/etc., however some clear trends have emerged.

Provincially, a Provencial Council with a certain number of representatives are elected. These councils have power over local governments but are subject to the national government. They use federal tax money given to them and decide what they use to pay for what. The province collects no taxes (except on imports or exports), instead is granted money by the federal government or through donations and the use of land for commercial use (e.g: farming to make money for the province). The provincial government elects their representatives to the Conicllio Clerici, builds regional infrastructure and other civil services, as well as setting its own trade laws with other provinces- this includes taxes, how much of a substance can be imported at once, and many other things.

Locally, a town, village, or hamlet will elect a council of representatives. These representatives vote for the provincial government. This is where it becomes different depending on which place is in question.

The exact relationship between each level is foggy. Although the national government usually has final say, the spirit of individual freedom, liberty, and the ideals of small government have held very firmly in the people of the SIC. So, while in theory the national government has final say, they usually let the local and provincial governments do their own domestic things.

Foreign Relations and Military

The Divine Imperium, although does preach for peace, as always been an expansionist nation until the turn of the 20th century. Throughout its history, however, the nation has largely sought out for trade deals that benefit the Salvian economy. Since the beginning of the 1900s, the SIC has seen the creation of growth of the Foreign Ministry, which entailed more trade deals being formed and more peaceful relations with its neighbors.

The Foreign Ministry is one of the larger departments in the government, with around 10,000 people employed in total. It’s upper echelon includes some civilian and military advisers and decision makers, as well as 20 Clerici and 75 Populi representatives. Its main powers are to advise the Convention of Houses as well as the Pontiff, and proposes treaties as well as foreign trade, immigration, and taxes on import and exports.

The military of the Divine Imperium has been traditionally large, although has seen some cutbacks since the latter half of the 20th century. It consists of around 870,000 active personnel, or around 1.5% percent of the population, and has around 1.5 million in reserves. The military is divided into 5 branches, these are the Home Guard, the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines.

The Navy and Marines are the largest and strongest branches, and work closely together in operations, invasions, and even basic training. The Imperial Military focuses heavily on these branches, focusing on naval superiority through the Navy and land invasions by the Marines.

The Air Force and Army branches are sometimes mistakenly seen as subdivisions of the Navy and Marines respectively, however they are their own, albeit smaller, branches. The Air Force usually operates out of Navy ships, and Air Force bases are attached to Marine and Navy bases. The Army shares much of its bases with the Marines, however have some of its own, including its headquarters at Fort Leo.

Economy

The economy of the SIC has been a powerhouse for decades. Its major components contains tourism, electronic manufacturing, shipbuilding and agriculture, as well in a smaller extent to arms manufacturing and lumber production. Low corporate taxes has also brought many companies to the Divine Imperium. Wealth is mostly balanced, especially with low taxes on the poor and the us of a UBI for those under the critical poverty line instead of a traditional welfare system. The Salvian economy is currently ranked 6th in the world, and uses the Salvian Cross ($SC) as its currency.

Economic Sectors

Sanctum Imperium Catholicum is the 11th largest electronic manufacture in the world. Many large companies have stationed their headquarters and factories in the nation, with less strict workers’ pay laws being enforced in the western regions. These companies are a large producer and exporter of computers and mobile devices for civilian use as well as secure technology for both the military and government.

Agriculture is a large sector of the economy and has been since the 1700s. It has seen a decrease in size over the centuries however still remians one of the largest to this day. It is mainly charaterized by its exports of lamb, chicken, pork, fruits and vegetables, wine, and grains such as wheat and barley. Fishing is also a large industry and contributes to the agriculture sector as a whole.

The Divine Imperium contains many popular cultural and historical sites, home to millions of tourists each year. Thus, a thriving industry in tourism was born, raking in billions fo Salvian Crosses for both private industry and the government. Some popular religious, cultural, or historical sites might include St. Murphy's Cathedral, Mueseum and Palace (6.2 million annual visitors), Deopolis Theme Park (2.8 million), Chauteu-de-Leo (1.8 million), Gerizim Hill (1.7 million), Spiritu Sancti, the oldest church in the nation(1.5 million), and the famous Sacris MegaMall (1.2 million).

Arms manufacturing companies in the nation’s usual customer is the government itself, who they mainly build warships, arms, ammo, missiles (vast majority are anti-ballistic) and equipment. They also export goods overseas to other nations.

Ship manufacturing has largely relied on lumber production, and due to the government’s and traders’ need for many ships, both sectors grew to be one of the central sectors in the 17 and 1800s. With the introduction of metal ships, the need for the lumber industry certainly has fallen dramatically, but both the need for more ships has not declined and lead to a booming industry in shipbuilding. Lumber production, although taking a hit in the last few decades, remains a strong minor industry.

External Trade

With many trade deals with other nations, the Sanctum Imperium Catholicum and has been trading goods surplus for a profit for decades. Its main exports are electronics, lumber, foodstuffs, and arms manufacturing.

Culture

Growing Up

It is generally a time of great celebration when a child is born. The average household has 3.5 children, and when a child is born, the parents will likely host a party to celebrate the birth. Children in the SIC are given a birth certificate at birth, which contains their official name. Traditionally, children are baptized according to the Catholic faith. The parents are given 90 days of paid parental leave, to be divided up as they see fit. Following that, they will have the option of enrolling their child in one of the provincial child care services, or in a religious or private child care service.

Children start a schooling at age 6, and are in public, private, religious, or collective home schools until the end of high school at age 18. After receiving their high school diploma, they are given the option of university or not. Each province has their own public college, however there are many more both public, private, and religious universities.

Young adults and teens are encouraged to seek out people to marry and have kids with as soon as possible, although premarital sex and “casual” dating is frowned upon. Marriages draw both pagan and Catholic roots, with a typically Catholic Mass presided by a priest that weds the couple followed by an after party with some pagan roots.

Adults typically enter the workforce at the age of 23 and work until the age of 65. A party involving their family, coworkers, and bosses are usually held to celebrate their service. After retirement, older adults are eligible to receive benefits from the Elderly Care Fund, or ECF, a government program to support the elderly. Both euthanasia and abortion are illegal.

Arts and Literature

After the Magnum Progressum, the arts and literature flourished, which brought upon much of the works that modern Salvians admire today. Film and literature are the most popular among the masses, although other arts, such as paintings, dances, and operas, remain popular.

The country as a small but active film industry, and book publishing is at an all time high. Many works of art and literature contain religious underlying themes.

Food

Food is very diverse in the SIC, with the cuisine stressing the importance of taste. This results in a large number of dishes that are delicious and very much not mundane. The cuisine is usually a mix of pasta or rice, a meat or fish, and some vegetable (typically green beans), as well as bread.

Cheese is served as a dessert with sweets such as cake, and as such the SIC is a large producer of cheese. Wine is also very popular during dinner and dessert, and the southeastern region is the nation’s leading producer of wine.

Sports and Hobbies

The most popular sports in the SIC are rugby and football. Both sports each have their own leagues (RSA and FA, respectively) and both sports have their own national team that competes internationally. Other popular sports includes basketball, boxing, and wrestling.

The typical Salvian will play a sport throughout their schooling career. Many people also have other hobbies, which can be as mundane as reading and watching films to the extremes of skydiving and everything in between. Typical hobbies include reading, astronomy, and athletics such as sports, although it is hard to pin down a definite answer due to the sheer amount of them.

Infrastructure

The Sanctum Imperium Catholicum is a very highly developed nation, even in the rural regions. The nation is connected through both the Murphy National Highway System as well as by trains and other public transport. Public transport in the nation is both privately and nationally funded, making it one of the best in the region.

Many citizens have access to the internet, and cell phone ownership is high. Internet speeds vary although the nation is very technologically developed.

Railroads and highways connect major cities, with each city containing a hub where both railroads and highways span out of. Major hubs are located in the nation’s largest 5 cities, and the system as a whole contains a network of both short-distance and long-distance rail lines and roads running from it to nearby urban areas and other hubs.

Around 40 airports exist in Salvia, most of them local airfields in rural and suburban areas. There are 2 major international airports that connect the SIC with the outside world, and are used for both the movement of people and goods. Privately owned airlines dominant the scene, and the nationally owned Salvian Ways is small and usually only used for government officials.

The SIC has 18 deep water seaports, which are home to the majority of the nation’s exports and imports. These economic hubs are also the sites of much of the shipbuilding industry.This template may be deleted.