Lotric

Lotrič
Capital of Midrasia
<imgur w="250">gRyo0qJ.png</imgur> Clockwise from top: Lotrič city hall, Great War Cenotaph, Lotrič Academy of Sciences, Financial quarter across the River Viure, Memorial Garden and Lubos Bridge.
Flag of Lotrič Flag Coat of arms of Lotrič Coat of arms
Settled by Fiorentine Empire	164 BCE (as Lorelicum)
Government
• Elected Body	Lotrič Assembly
• Mayor	Mattieu Erimand (PSD)
Area
• Urban	1,553 km2 (600 sq mi)
• Metro	7,532 km2 (2,908 sq mi)
Population
• Capital of Midrasia	7,929,621
• Density	5,106/km2 (13,220/sq mi)
• Urban	9,787,426
• Metro	15,745,932
Demonym	Lotricien
Time zone	UTC 0

Lotrič, sometimes spelled Lotrique is the capital and most populous city in Midrasia.

Founded by the Fiorentine Empire as Lorelicum, upon the island of the same name in the modern city, Lorelicum operated as a fortified town along the River Viure as protection for the Imperial Province of Midria. The city itself has evolved much since its origins to become a dominant commercial and cultural hub in Midrasia and Asura. For much of its early history Lotrič was little more than a moderately sized walled settlement. However, with the decline of the Fiorentine Empire, and the rise of the Mydran Realms, Lotrič came to be one of the most prominent settlements in the Padanian Basin, soon becoming the capital of the unified Midrasian Kingdom.

As the capital city of Midrasia, Lotrič plays host to the nation's Parliament, located at the centre of the city. The city also plays host to the Midrasian Cort de Cassation, the highest legal court of the Republic. Lotrič is a key cultural hub, renowned internationally for its thriving art scene; be it musical, visual art or performance based. Lotrič has the largest number of cafés and bistros per capita than any other city in Aeia. Lotrič also has a powerful academic scene, with the city playing host to a number of internationally renowned Universities and Colleges. Lotrič also contains a number of heritage sites as recognised by the World Educational and Cultural Organisation. Such sites include the Piemonte Palace, Lotrič Cathedral and the island of Lorelicum. Other famous landmarks within the city include the University of Lotrič, Augustine Arch, Column of the Charter, the Champs-Désolés and Lotrič Metro which is the oldest underground system in Aeia. The city also has a large number of other museums, parks and cultural centres dotted across its landscape.

As the capital of Midrasia and a leading city on the global stage, Lotrič is a key financial centre in Asura and the world. In terms of GDP, the city regularly ranks between third and fifth place internationally and plays hosts to a myriad of international and local business. The city is a key location for international investment due to the city's highly competitive taxation levels and as such also plays host to a number of Ultra high-net-worth individuals. The city has played host to the Aeian Olympics on a number of occasions and is one of the most visited cities in the world in terms of international arrivals from Lotrič International Airport.

As a global city, Lotrič is extremely diverse, playing host to people of varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds, a legacy of the Midrasian colonial empire. The cultural, political and historical capital the city wields has allowed it to become a dominant force on the world scene, making Lotrič renowned throughout the world for its vibrant arts and thriving culture. The estimated population of the city in 2015 was put at 7,929,621, accounting for around 6% of the total population of the country and making the city one of the largest in Aeia in terms of population.

History

Early history

Evidence suggests that prior to 164 BCE a number of small tribal settlements existed on the banks of the River Viure, most of which were relatively small in size. General Claudius Agrippa notes in his writings that: "No settlement exceeds 1,000 people. They lack the means to produce abundant food and many resort to a pastoral lifestyle in response." Within the mid-Second Century BCE, the fort of Lorelicum was constructed on an island in the Viure river, being the first sizeable settlement that had been built in the area. The fortress itself acted as a checkpoint for Fiorentina's northern border in Padania, which at the time was marked by the Viure river. The fortification constructed by the Fiorentines was intended as an outpost to prevent further raids into the key province of Midria. The location of the fortress on an island also allowed it to function as a base of operations for legions engaging in campaigns in northern Padania. Archaeological evidence suggests that following Lorelicum's construction, settlements began to spring up across the north Midria region due to the decline of barbarian raids.

Whilst the settlement was considered important in regards to frontier defence for the empire it remained considerably small throughout its early history. The expansion of the Empire northward into modern day Cuirpthe and Newrey however saw Lorelicum's purpose as a military outpost become redundant, and soon the city was re-purposed as a civilian outpost, albeit retaining a significant military presence.

Model of the Fiorentine bridge over the Viure to Lorelicum

The construction of a permanent stone bridge across the Viure passing through the city saw considerable expansion, with the fortresses barracks, were torn down and replaced by civilian housing. Despite this, as the Empire went into decline Lorelicum greatly benefited, with large numbers of refugees fleeing south from the invaded territories, nevertheless this immigration soon caused overcrowding within the settlement. As the empire continued to decline, a significant number of military administrations chose to base their operations from the city rather than the Imperial capital due to its strategic position on the banks of the Viure. By 503 CE however the city had fallen to invading tribes and was sacked multiple times. Despite attempts by Imperial remnants to rebuild the Empire, Fiorentine forces proved unable to hold the city, which had its walls torn down several years later.

The city came under the control of the Burgundian Kingdom of Mydroll following the end of the Empire, where it transitioned to a small, irrelevant settlement. By the Seventh century the city was under the control of the Kingdom of Toussaint where its population began to grow. Although not initially the capital of the Toussaintian kingdom, the city attracted a considerable number of immigrants due to its status as a refuge for Alydians within the pagan kingdom. An official charter was signed in 724 protecting the Alydian status of the city and allowing for the construction of an Alydian Cathedral.

Rise to prominence

The city benefited greatly from its position as capital of the Kingdom of Toussaint. Infrastructural projects resulted in the construction of the Ludovician Keep, castle walls and Lotrič Cathedral, the latter of which remains standing to this day. Soon enough the city had surpassed Mydroll as the largest city among the Mydran Kingdoms thanks to its strategic position along the Viure river, bringing in trade from both Newreyan and Ibbenian merchants in the north and Arabekhi and Aquidish merchants from the south. As the Kingdom of Toussaint grew the city's prosperity followed, with the union of the crowns of Toussaint and Mydroll bringing with it an influx of courtiers and administrative officials from the old Kingdom of Mydroll. The city played also major significant role in Crusades, with a significant number of residents leaving to fight within the conflicts. The city acted as a base of operations for the Newreyan Crusade, whilst also providing ships to Veleazan and Chalcian crusaders going off to fight in Northern Arabekh in the late 1100s. By the year 1200 it is estimated that the population stood at around 90,000, making it the largest city in southern Asura, yet still moderate in comparison to other cities such as Neuaddduwiau. Despite its continued growth throughout the period, the city was greatly affected by the outbreak of the Sixty Years' War, suffering from significant food shortages and a smallpox epidemic. In 1353 rioting erupted among the urban poor within the city due to the ongoing Serfs' revolt and resource shortages within the city. The revolt was eventually put down by the local garrison stationed in the city, but not without a prolonged struggle. Whilst the Serf revolt did not ever reach the city itself, the riots are seen by historians as a major factor in the creation of the Settlement of 1353 which put an end to the conflict. The city also suffered throughout the Alydian Wars, coming under siege by Veleazan forces and undergoing a decline in population due to famine and high casualties among conscripted soldiers.

The city in the early seventeenth century

By the 1500s, however, Lotrič began to recover from the disasters of the previous centuries, mostly due to the rise in overseas trade reaching the city and the wider explorations of the globe performed by Asuran pioneers. The settlement of colonies in Majula and Rennekka also greatly aided the city with an influx of raw materials and new foodstuffs such as tomatoes and peppers. The city's docks also became a hive for the wider slave trade, with captured natives from regions such as modern Kavo bought and sold to landowners in the colonies. Whilst the buying and selling of slaves within the city was considerable for the time, the presence of the slave trade within Lotrič paled to its size within cities such as Argois and Almiaro. Nevertheless, the practice of slavery contributed significantly to the expansion and growth of the Port of Lotrič. The city also saw the establishment of a number of manufacturies due to the growth in demand for market-based consumer and luxury goods. This process is labelled by historians as the industrious revolution and was a key stepping stone in the later industrialisation undertaken by Asuran nations in the early nineteenth century.

In 1599 however, the Royal Court was moved to the town of Roixs, wherein the Royal Palace was constructed, a decision which led to the alienation of many sects of the nobility, particularly the gentry classes and the emerging bourgeois elite. Such conflict came to a head during the succession crisis of the 1620s when the Lotrič Parlement decreed its intention to oppose the despotism of Henry V, effectively waging war upon the Midrasian King. These events culminated in the Midrasian Civil War and the execution of Henry. With the proclamation of the Republic, political power was once against vested in Lotrič, though Roixs (renamed Res Publica) remained the personal residency of the head-of-state. Throughout the Old Republic period, the city was the host of a number of political events, notably the creation of the Nouveau Armée to combat the Monarchical League and preserve the newborn republic, the scientific and political revolutions of the Eighteenth Century, and the outbreak of the Midrasian Revolution in 1784.

Industrialisation

Construction of the Beauclaire underground Railway in 1860

Plaza de Fer and Dux during the 1890s

Early industrialisation had taken shape in the city during the late Eighteenth Century, with the establishment of a number of textile factories on the western bank of the Viure river. Though Midrasia was initially slow to industrialise due to the turmoil experienced by the early republic as well as the well-established artisan classes of the country. By the 1820s however, Lotrič had established itself as a key industrial city in Asura, focusing on steel manufacturing, textiles and other luxury goods. Much of this industrialisation was driven by migration from rural regions, with the agricultural revolution greatly increasing the country's population, and increased mechanisation and crop yields leading to a lack of rural jobs. Many of these migrants initially settled in cities as temporary artisans, transferring wealth back to their families in the countryside, as industries expanded within the city, especially in the development of the city's dockyards, many migrants began to permanently settle in the capital.

With this population and industrial expansion came infrastructural advances, particularly in the building of railways and new houses. Housing shortages led authorities to officially call for an overhaul of the city to better cope with the demands of modern society. The city walls were officially levelled in 1796 and new boulevards and avenues constructed throughout the city in subsequent decades. The Ponte de Fer, Lotrič's largest bridge across the Viure at 1,318m (0.81 miles) was officially opened in 1879. The increase in the city's population also led to the expansion of railroad systems throughout the city and its surrounding regions. Midrasia's first railway was constructed between Lotrič and Merport in 1832, with new lines to Argois, Bordeiu and Ibbeny opening soon after, allowing for the swift transportation of people and goods. The Lotrič Metro was officially opened in 1863, becoming the first underground passenger railway system in Aeia. Though initially only having two stations, the system soon expanded throughout the surrounding regions and continues to run to this day. In addition to rail travel, new waterways and canals were installed around the city to allow the ferrying of goods from dockyards to factories and other cities. The population explosion experienced by the city also necessitated the installation of a sewer system. Though parts of the city continued to be covered by the ancient Fiorentine sewers, these proved inadequate for modern usage, and an outbreak of cholera in the aftermath of the Midrasian Revolution led public officials to see the need in a system to transfer waste and prevent the outbreak of disease. The system, masterminded by architect and urban designer Théodore Milhaud saw the construction of a sewage system in the 1840s, with Lotrič being one of the first Asuran cities to install such a system.

The Mydro-Veleazan War of 1869-1870 led much of the eastern section of the city to be damaged, with the ensuing revolts in the aftermath of the war only exacerbating these issues. In response a nationwide effort was launched to rebuild the city, coinciding with the Midrasian Industrial boom of the late Nineteenth Century. Whilst Midrasia had been a competent industrial power, much of the nation's economic wealth remained based on the vast resources of the empire, with Midrasia proper lagging behind more industrialised nations such as tir Lhaeraidd and the United Kingdom of Lhedwin. By the 1880s however, Midrasian industrial development skyrocketed, catapulted by the development of the nation's burgeoning arms, shipbuilding, chemical, and later vehicular industries. As other Asuran countries moved to more protectionist trade policies in an effort to combat competition, Midrasian industries greatly benefitted from cheaper prices afforded by the republic's free trade policies, allowing Midrasia to become one of, if not, the leading industrial nations in Asura.