Kryvian subcontinent

Kryvia or the Kryvian subcontinent is a geographical region in the southeastern Eulabia projecting southwards to the Eulabian Ocean. It is mainly inhabited by Slavs who assimilated much of the native population.

Map of the Kryvian subcontinent

History

Pre-history

There is evidence of an ancient human civilizations existing in Kryvia as far as 6000 BC. Kryvia was a home to multitude of neolitihic cultures, most notably the Rzhuchanian culture around the Rzhucha river, Damalis culture on the Damalis island as well as Shadforad culture from around the today's city of Shadforad. In the third millenium BC number of city-states form all around Ilian Sea, especially in southern parts of Kryvia.

Ancient History

The Kryvian iron age began around 1000 BC. Some citistates such Marcadia and Acruia became particulary developed. In around 600 BC, one of the Marcadian colonies separated itself from its mother state and formed the Kingdom of Lendos. Lendian Kingdom soon came to dominate the northern regions of Kryvia. In 521 BC, Dimitrios I ascended to the throne of Lendos, his rule saw huge swaths of Kryvia conquered under the Lendosian banner.

Upon his death in 496 BC the Empire split into multiple succesor states, the most powerful being the Atusian Kingdom in the south. The Atusians further subjugated western and sourthern parts of Kryvia, establishing themselves as the military powerhouse of the region. The remaining Elinkan states meanwhile oragnized into so-called Leagues, the major ones being the Sotic League, Acruian League and the Marcadian League.

The eastern coast of Kryvia would also be target of incursions from the First Isfahani Empire, who managed to secure control over multiple city-states.

This regional order would come to an end in the 2nd century BC with the subjugation of Atusian by the Sabian Republic. Sabians already had some presence in Kryvia by the 3rd century BC, when it took over the city-state of Tesus (today's Chernograd). But it is only during the 2nd century when it entered in an open conflict with the Kingdom of Atusia. Following the series of Sabio-Atusian Wars the former Atusian kingdom was organized into multiple Sabian provinces. Sabians would then continue their eastward expansion. In 87 BC, Sabians conquered Marcadia, the last Elinkan city-state under Isfahan Control.

Sabian Era

By the 1st century AD the Sabian Republic became too large and unwieldly to effectively to govern. At the same time the political situation in Sabia itself was getting increasingly intense. This resulted in the reformation of the Sabian Repulic into the Sabian Empire in 45 BC. Despite the initial stabilization achieved by the first Sabian Emperor Aulus Silius Caesar, the Empire would enter into a civil war unpon his death in 32 BC.

One of the Caesar's pretenders, Lucius Muco took over the Kryvian provinces and established his own Empire. Muco tried multiple times to take over the city of Sabia itself, but unsuccessful. But at the same time, Sextus Farus, who ruled the core provinces of Sabia, was unable to completely subjugate Muco's realm. A truce was declared on 21 BC under which Muco was named Dominus Orientis (Lord of the East) in exchange for swearing loyalty to Farus.

Despite the de jure re-unification, Emperor Farus (as well as all the Sabian Emperors after him) had hard time in keeping Muco and other subsequent Lords of the East under control. As such the Kryvian part of the Empire operated mostly autonomously until the 252 AD, when the Sabian Empire collapsed. Subsequently the Lord of of the East Casca II claimed the title of the Sabian Emperor. Neverthless he, nor any of his successor would ever reconquer Sabia. Casca's realm is now known as the Atusian Empire, to differentiate it from the classical Sabian Empire.

Atusian Era

Casca II's rule as the first Atusian Emperor was mostly successful, ensuring stability on the northern frontier threatened by various nomadic tribes. The Atusian Empire continued to expand eastward, establishing colonies on the shores of the Illian Sea and subjugating the Second Isfahani Empire. For the next century, Atusia would rule unquestionably over most of the Kryvian sub-continent, and control the Illian trade. In 301 AD, Emperor Alexandros I declared orthodox Christianity the official state religion of the empire. For the next two centuries, Kryvia became the most peaceful place in Eulabia. For this reason, this period is also known as Pax Atusiana or Pax Sabiana Secunda.

The situation worsened by the late 5th Century, and in 488 AD began the Revolts of the Governors, which saw the end of the Mucoan Dynasty and beginning a century of lawlessness. The Empire lost control over its gains in Isfaha, and the Illian Sea succumbed to piracy. To add to this, migrating Slavic tribes entered the Atusian territory from the north, first conquering the lands of modern-day Stojam and Vyulencha. With Atusian still decimated from the revolts, the Slavic tribes made their way deep into the Central Kryvian Plain and even managed to cross the Teslanian mountains into the modern day Raditia.

An Atusian noble by the name of Florian Gregoras ammassed a coalition of Atusian lords with which he managed to dafeat a powerful Slavic chieftain Dargoslav at the Battle on Utinian Fields. This victory allowed him to re-establish Atusian control over the Central Kryvian Plain. Seen as a hero all over the Empire, Florian entered the capital city of Marcadia where he was crowned a new emperor. He soon reigned in the remaining Governors and established the Gregorian Dynasty in the year 616 AD. For some time, peace returned to the Empire.

In 811, the Atusian Empire entered another major war with Isfahanis over the control of the Illian Sea. This time, the Third Isfahani Empire rallied under the banner of Sunni Islam. The so-called Fifty Years War ended inconclusive, interrupted by Turkic mass migration into both Kryviva and Isfahan. In Kryvia, the Turkic migration came in form of the Gadyarian Confederacy which took over huge swaths of the Northern Kryvian Plane. This once again forced various Slavic tribes to migrate into the Central Plane. Atusian Army commanded by the young Emperor Alexandros VI was dispatched to stop the incursions, but it was decisively defeated in 873 AD at the Battle of Lecurian Forest. The young Emperor was slain, ending the male line of the Gregorian Dynasty and starting another period of civil wars between various pretenders.