Nelbec Empire
Nelbec Empire | |||||||||||||
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1884–1919 | |||||||||||||
Motto: Dei nostri imperii praesidio (Latin) "God protect our empire" (English) "Argut djénova iyjérpošá né" (Alquiyan) "Derot danyja impyréma né" (Seketese) | |||||||||||||
Anthem: Anthem of the Nelbecs (Listen) "Rynomá Nebécyna" (Alquiyan) "Rynom á Nebéceçana" (Seketese) | |||||||||||||
Capital | Vilderjen (main capital) and Conelibek | ||||||||||||
Common languages | Official: Alquiyan Seketese Not official: Icelandic Trjebian Wilsk Fjeskan Greenlandic | ||||||||||||
Government | Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||||
Emperor | |||||||||||||
• 1884–1899 | Fjedor IV and II | ||||||||||||
• 1899–1919 | Elzin II | ||||||||||||
Head minister | |||||||||||||
• 1884–1896 | Cojynn Reno | ||||||||||||
• 1896–1908 | Cjetor Vynema | ||||||||||||
• 1908–1919 | Giorgi Hollyn | ||||||||||||
Second minister | |||||||||||||
• 1884–1896 | Rijo Zamynena | ||||||||||||
• 1896–1908 | Fjedor Wel | ||||||||||||
• 1908–1919 | Elemon Sojedomyn | ||||||||||||
Legislature | Council Imperium | ||||||||||||
Grand Council | |||||||||||||
Commons Council | |||||||||||||
Historical era | New Imperialism/First World War | ||||||||||||
• Established | 1884 | ||||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1919 | ||||||||||||
Population | |||||||||||||
• 1884 | 8,000,000 | ||||||||||||
• 1919 | 13,000,000 | ||||||||||||
Currency | Nelbec djev, Alquiyan djev, Seketese djev | ||||||||||||
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The Nelbec Empire, also known as the Empire of Alquiya and Seketan or the United Nelbec Empire, was an empire and personal union that encompassed the lands of Alquiya and Seketan. The empire was led by the Ilcet dynasty which had previously ruled over Alquiya and Seketan in a personal union, with the head of state being the Emperor of Nelbecia.
The kingdoms of Alquiya and Seketan entered into a personal union in 1789 when Fjedor IV of Alquiya became king of Seketan. The two kingdoms were united in 1884 under the terms of the Nelbec Imperial Acts, establishing the Nelbec Empire under a policy of Pan-Nelbecism. The irredentist ideals of the Nelbec Empire caused tensions with the Nelbec country of Lormotia and countries that were located on previous Nelbec territories such as New Svealand and Iceland. The Nelbec Empire formed an alliance with the German Empire in 1889 and subsequently began its "Nelbec conquest" occupying Iceland, the Faroe islands, and Greenland, with little to no Danish resistance.
The empire at its largest encompassed the lands of Alquiya, Seketan, Eismir, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe islands. It was a multinational state consisting of a diverse array of ethnic and linguistic people groups whom most of which had some level of autonomy. The empire was a middle power and had a considerable amount of influence in northern Europe. The empire had the seventh-largest machine building industry and mass manufactured its own weaponry and home appliances. Its complex railway system, which allowed for efficient movement of people and goods, contributed to the state's flourishing economy which during its existence was projected to rival other European powers.
Although the empire was lauded by aristocrats, the Nelbec Empire and its principle ideologies were highly contentious with the masses. Political discourse in the Nelbec Empire primarily concerned nationalism versus pan-nationalism.
The Nelbec Empire was a federal constitutional monarchy with government taking place in the Council Imperium. The Commons Council was a lower house made up of elected members that would vote and discuss proposed bills. The Grand Council was an upper house with members appointed by the Emperor of Nelbecia; bills passed through the Commons Council would need to be subsequently passed by the Grand Council. The monarch held executive veto powers on proposed bills and carried the responsibility of overseeing military operations and foreign relations.
The empire sided with the central powers during World War I and invaded Lormotia and other territories from 1914 until its surrender and collapse in 1919, due to a succesful allied advance and two declarations of independence from Seketan. The empire was succeeded by the Alquiyan Empire and the First Seketese Republic.
Name
From the year 1884 to 1887, the realm was officially known as the Empire of Alquiya and Seketan. From 1887 onward, the empire adopted the United Nelbec Empire as a title coexisting but above the original name. The realm was commonly known as the Nelbec Empire and less frequently as Nelbecia or just Alquiya. Some English-language sources label the Nelbec Empire as the Alquo-Seketese Empire.
The lack of distinguishing words for the terms "Nelborne" and "Nelbecia" in Nelbec languages made the realm's name controversial in Lormotia. Translating the realm's name required translators to choose between the terms "Nelbec" or "Nelborne". In most languages, the realm was described as Nelbec in order to exclude New Svealand and Iceland, despite them being main targets for Pan-Nelbecism.
The official denonym for the state was "Nelbec". However the historiographical denonym for the realm is "Nelbec Imperial" to prevent any confusion between the modern Nelbec peoples.
History
Creation (1884–1889)
Prior to Fjedor IV and II claiming the title of Emperor of Nelbecia in 1884, the Ilcet dynasty ruled over the kingdoms of Alquiya and Seketan in a personal union. With the rising ideals of New Imperialism, multinational states in Europe, and Pan-Nelbecism, Alquiyan-Seketese unification became a popular movement. Fjedor IV and II declared himself the Emperor of Nelbecia in 1884 and founded the Council Imperium which was a parliament responsible for the governance of the Ilcet dynasty's possessions, effectively establishing the "Empire of Alquiya and Seketan". The Nelbec Imperial Acts signed in the parliaments of Alquiya and Seketan disestablished the two kingdoms and integrated the parliaments as subjects under the Empire of Alquiya and Seketan.
In 1887, the Nelbec Act reformed the empire's symbols and names: the realm was renamed to the "United Nelbec Empire" or just "Nelbec Empire"; it adopted a national flag; it adopted the cross fleury as a national symbol; and it formally made claims to the "traditionally Nelbec" lands of Iceland, New Svealand, and Lormotia.
Nelbec conquest (1889–1914)
The Nelbec Empire had plans for conquering the entire Nelborne with ambitions stretching to Norway and Scotland. In order to maintain security, the realm entered into an alliance with the German Empire. With military technology improving and Germany's approval, the Nelbec conquest began with the Nelbec occupation of Iceland in 1889. Facing pressures from Germany, Denmark surrendered all their territorial possessions to the Nelbec Empire in 1900.
The empire's economy boomed during the brief war with Denmark, causing a nation wide rise in morale and nationalism. The Nelbec Empire began administrating their new territory and introduced a policy of Nelbec assimulation. Anti-Nordic sentiment in the Nelbec Empire was prevalent and resulted in the bad treatment of Icelanders and Faroese people. The Nelbec Empire sought to control Lormotia and New Svealand, which would later develop into the Nelborne Front of World War I.
World War I (1914–1918)
The state of Lormotia was desired by the Nelbec Empire because of their Nelbec origin. Ethnic Lormots and their nation fiercely opposed Pan-Nelbecism and sought to stay independent. Relations between the two countries remained tense throughout the Nelbec conquest; Lormotia began investing heavily into creating a secure border armed with soldiers, artillery, and shell-proof shelters. Lormotia entered into an alliance with the British Empire in 1911 in fear that the Nelbec Empire would invade. The British-Lormot alliance and the Nelbec-German alliance (estalished in 1899) paved the way for the Nelbec Empire's position within the Central Powers against the allied Lormotia.
One month after the initial breakout of World War I, the Nelbec empire began its invasion of Lormotia. The British Empire and other allied powers subsequently declared war on the Nelbec Empire. The initial invasion was successful with the empire winning several military victories. The Battle of Benosy in 1916 was the last major military victory won by the Nelbec Empire against Lormotia. From 1916 to 1918, the empire found itself disadvantaged against Lormotia which garnered British and Canadian support. The Nelbec Empire assaulted the British archipelago of the Hebrides in 1916 in order to support their German allies but failed to seize any territory despite investing heavily into the invasion. When the armistice with Germany was signed in 11 November 1918, the British Empire devoted much of its resources to supporting Lormotia against the Nelbec Empire.
Defeat and collapse (1918–1919)
The defeat and collapse of the Nelbec Empire began in 1918 when two separate declarations of independence from Seketan were proclaimed: one by the Sosymet Party which established its own government; and one by the Kjedorate Party whom voted for independence in the parliament of Seketan. The Seketese War of Independence started when the Sosymet Army began seizing territory from the Nelbec Empire, with some assistance from the Kjedorate aligned Seketese Liberty Army.
The Nelbec Empire found itself losing World War I against Lormotia and other allied powers. The Battle of Tenoja was won by the allies in 1919 and was a major loss for the Nelbec Empire in terms of manpower and economic resources. Facing the pressures of the Seketese Revolution and failing to win conflicts against the allies resulted in the Nelbec Empire unconditionally surrendering in 1919. The Treaty of Glasgow established that the Nelbec Empire would dissolve, the Sosymets' declaration of Seketese independence would be recognized starting the First Seketese Republic, former Danish lands would be handed over, some territories would be handed over to Lormotia, and a new Alquiyan constitutional monarchy would succeed governance of the Alquiyan lands. The empire was succeeded by the Alquiyan Empire retaining the Ilcet dynasty.
Politics and government
The Nelbec Empire was a federal constitutional monarchy with the head of state being the Emperor of Nelbecia. The emperors had several executive powers which allowed them to make decisions mostly related to military operations and foreign relations. The emperor commanded the Council Imperium, which was divided into an upper house called the Grand Council and a lower house called the Commons Council. The Commons Council was made up of elected members and the Grand Council was made up of Emperor appointed members. Bills being considered for law would first need to pass through the Commons Council first, the Grand Council second, and then to the Emperor who would make the final decision. The Head minister was the head of government with the Second Minister acting as the second in command and main representative for the Commons Council in the Grand Council. Despite being constitutionally limited in their power to command with absolute power, emperors in the Nelbec Empire were very influential in politics because of their executive powers.
The Nelbec Empire was divided between two administrative divisions: Alquiya and Seketan. Both countries within the empire had their own governments and were able to govern themselves independently from each other. Both countries were further subdivided into provinces. The Emperor of Nelbecia would subsequently be the Emperor of Seketan and the Emperor of Alquiya.
The Nelbec Empire used Latin to prevent any favourtism to any ethnolinguistic group. Its symbols payed homage to the Roman Empire.
Military
The military of the Nelbec Empire has its origins from the Royal Alquiyan Army which was commanded by the Ilcet dynasty when it ruled over the personal union encompassing the Kingdom of Alquiya and the Kingdom of Seketan. The monarch's large military command allowed the dynasty to sponsor the creation of the Nelbec Empire and subsequently command the Nelbec Imperial Army and Nelbec Imperial Navy. The Nelbec Imperial Air Force was established in 1914.
The Nelbec Empire was a leader in the machine building industry during the early 20th century and manufactured their own weaponry. The army was provided mainly with Tijon rifles with secondary Sejonyden pistols. Mortars were also manufactured and played an important role during World War I for the Nelbec Empire; the empire shelled Eismir extensively during the Battle of Eismir.
Administrative divisions
The Nelbec Empire was divided into the two self governing subjects–Alquiya and Seketan–that had succeeded their retrospective kingdoms upon the establishment of the empire. Both regions of the empire were stripped of their title as countries; they were officially known as Imperial Constituencies during their time under the Nelbec Empire. Alquiya and Seketan both had their own parliaments with legislative branches housed with elected members. Their upper houses were housed by emperor-appointed members under the recommendations of the Third Minister. The Emperor of Nelbecia was titled as the Emperor of Seketan and the Emperor of Alquiya.
Demographics
The Nelbec Empire at its 1914 territorial peak had an estimated population of 12 million. It experienced a significant population boom in the 1890's due to territorial expansion and a booming economy.
Religion
The Nelbec Empire did not adopt a state religion. However, its symbols and monarch were rooted in the Catholic church. The Seketese and North Germanic population was mainly protestant.
Languages
The official languages of the Nelbec Empire were Alquyian and Seketese. Latin was also used in order to prevent linguistic bias. Various other languages with varying arrays of recognition were also spoken in the realm. According to the 1914 census, Alquiyan was spoken by 48.2% of population, Seketese was spoken by 37%, Wilsk was spoken by 7.8%, Trjebian was spoken by 4.3%, Fjeskan was spoken by 1.7%, and Faorese and Greenlandic was spoken by the remaining 0.2%.
Flags and heraldry
The Nelbec Empire adopted its coat of arms in 1884 when it was first established. The design was meant to imitate the Roman Empire with its use of the double headed eagle. The coat of arms contained a shield with a cross fleury, which would later be seen as a symbol for the empire as a whole.