History of Aquitayne

The date of start for the History of Aquitayne is debated by modern historians. There are two contested start dates. The first, and most popular date, begins during the Unification, when the various city-states of Aquitayne were united after roughly 1100 years of independence. The second start date occurs nearly 1200 years earlier, at the fall of the Merovian Empire, widely recognized as the beginning of the Third Age.

The first written records that portray a history of Aquitayne appear in the Iron Age. What is now Aquitayne was known to the native peoples as Aqvitius. Early writings from early settlements identify three major ethno-linguistic groups that coincide with the three major geographic regions of modern-day Aquitayne: the Vikairuge, the Maegori, and the Tanzrella. The Vikairuge, by far the largest and and best attested group, were Vikairuge people speaking what is known as the Vik'rus language.

Over the course of the 1st millennium BC, the rise of the Merovian Empire would take place in the northern hills of Aquitayne. Falkasian and Vizionans would establish colonies to the north and south of Aquitayne, but would not remain sustainable. The Merovingian Empire would grow from a small city-state resting on a small plain to a regional power over the course of its 900 year lifespan. The Merovian Emperor Gaiyus Merova would unite most of the north and central regions of Aquitayne under his rule, while his successors would continue expansion south and north, due to the impassible Aesir mountains blocking any immediate path to the west.

The Merovian Empire would survive two ages. The First Age and Second Age would be separated by the establishment of the Merovian Senate, establishing the first republic in Lorecia in the year 475 BC. Until this point, the Merovian Emperor had retained absolute power through the use of a strong and capable professional military that was often used to suppress revolts and hunt down traitors. The Empire was well-known for public spectacles, none more gruesome than the mass public beheading of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of traitors, prisoners and criminals on the first new moon of each month.

The fall of the Merovian Empire would occur in the year 295, when a large force, estimated between one-hundred to three-hundred thousand, from the Tanz river valley, lead by Killian Gaeryey, would overwhelm the Merovian forces and sack Tyeirlorah, the capital of the Empire. The large force was not, however, under the rule of a singular state. Rather, it was a coalition of smaller rulers that banded together to eliminate the rising, and seemingly unstoppable northern power. After the sacking of the capital, the Empire fractured, with much of the senators fleeing to their home cities and declaring independence from the Emperor. As there was now no military to prevent them from doing so, almost every city would declare independence, though Tyeilorah itself would remain as the last vestige of the Merovian Empire until 366, when the city-state of Aquia seized it.

The City-States Period would last from 296 to 1365, 1069 years. These are considered the Dark Ages for the region, as the majority of the factions would spend decades warring over territories and resources. During this time, the naval prowess of the region would explode, as many of the city-states were located close to or on the banks of rivers or the coast. Naval warfare became a defining feature during this time period, with many great naval battles being fought around the coast of Aquitayne. This seamanship would act not only to solidify some cities' control over large areas, but act as the foundation for Aquitaynian naval supremacy in the region for the next 400 years.

The City-States Period would end when, in 1366, the Treatise of Brothers was signed by multiple city-states. By this time, many of the states had begun to act and function like small nations, and this treaty banded together seven of the city-states under one monarch, from the House Kon'rei. Livas Kon'rei would secure the manpower and resources necessary to mount a large assault to the north, eventually capturing all of the remaining free cities and annexing them into the newly formed Kingdom of Aquitayne.

Roughly 8 years after the Unification, the House Reich would mount a rebellion against the Kon'rei family. The conflict began after the assassination of dozens of prominent noblemen, and all out war soon followed. The conflict, known as the Ten Years War, would end with the House Reich would securing the throne and line of succession for almost 300 years. The family would reign as an absolute monarch until it was deposed in the 17th century. When traders from the Empire of Exponent landed on the shores of Castineos, the rule of law became agitated. Long-standing problems with the House Reich stemming from noblemen throughout the country was at a boiling point, and the large show of wealth the foreign Empire displayed when arriving attracted many to try and enlist their support in overthrowing the king. Ultimately, the House Kon'rei would secure this backing, and the War of the White Rose began.

After the victory, the House Kon'rei secured their throne through the enlistment of large amounts of Imperial troops. Garrisons were erected throughout the country, and a magistrate was appointed to oversee the affairs of Aquitayne for the Empire. It quickly became clear that the House Kon'rei had no legitimate authority over the Empire, and the nation, while never officially surrendering its independence, became a puppet state of the Exponential Empire. The region did, however, become wealthier for it. The Empire began pumping money in the region, as it quickly became the breadbasket of an Empire that was beginning to feel the strains of expansion. The Empire would hold control of Aquitayne for 88 years, until the Aquitaynian War of Independence that secured Aquitaynian sovereignty in 1741.

In the early 20th Century, the region would be rocked by the Great Astyrian War, which impacted Aquitayne heavily. Not only did the country get involved in the majority of the fighting, the colonial province of Aswick declared independence after high demands for more manpower to fight in the stagnant conflict. With the loss of their colonial state, Aquitayne faced difficulties in securing trade routes through the Atlpacinarcticadian Ocean, and its economy suffered greatly. Within 20 years, the Second Great Astyrian War would break out, and Aquitayne once again would be thrust into the folly.

In the 21st century, Aquitayne intervened on Insula Fera to support a failed state that fell into anarchy after its government dissolved itself. Aquitayne is also currently assisting its former colony of Aswick in the Aswickan War of Independence.

Merovian Empire (721-295)

Main article: Merovian Empire

Fifth Age (1555-1652)

Eastern Expansion

Aswick

Exponential Intervention

Main article: Early modern Aquitayne

The Empire of Exponent landed on the shores of Castineos in 1563. This marked the beginning of Exponential interference in Aquitaynian domestic affairs. The wealthy merchant Marius Aemillianus would go into debt to fund the expedition. The merchants were betting on the perceived wealth of the Aquitaynians to give them a profit when they reached them. Their ultimate goal, to establish a trading outpost, was ultimately successful. When the Exponents landed on Castineos, they brought with them a fortune in gold, silver, jewelry, and most importantly, coffee. The brewed beans would quickly take Aquitayne by storm and demand for the good would skyrocket. This was the beginning of the Pan-Ferum Trade Triangle.

Over the next 90 years, the trade outpost on Castineos would grow to become a major trading hub in Lorecia. All types of goods from the Empire would go through Castineos to reach the other colonies of the empire, as well as flow northward through Aquitayne and beyond. A profitable trading mechanism was established where a certain amount of coffee beans would be given per inch of lumber given in exchange. While this was a very primitive barter system, it allowed Aquitaynian merchants to re-sell their coffee beans at higher prices and imperials the same for their lumber. The state of the Aquitaynian economy flourished after the rise of trade between the nation and the Empire. The era of peace and prosperity would end drastically with the onslaught of the War of the White Rose.

This war, fought between the House Reich and the House Kon'rei erupted after the House Kon'rei garnered official Imperial support for open rebellion against the ruling family. The social class had developed long-standing and deep problems with the Reich noblemen, and tensions were at a boiling point when Lord Rei Vorusa increased taxes on crop output to try and host a large tournament. He was killed in his sleep, along with the rest of his family, by his workers. The War of the White Rose would rage for 6 years, ultimately seeing the Imperially-backed House Kon'rei on the throne of Aquitayne after a crushing defeat at the Battle of Treian Hills in 1653.

Sixth Age (1653-1741)

Meeting of the Cadavers

Main article: Meeting of the Cadavers

The Meeting of the Cadavers was a secret gathering of well-educated men in Telora on the 16th of August, 1734 that saw the founding of the Royalist Party. The importance of the meeting is likened as one of the most critical pre-revolutionary events that helped spark revolution in Aquitayne. The men who attended the original meeting are unknown, but pamphlets were published after the meeting. Notably, the Cadavers published a small document to be distributed throughout the country, titled Son of the Pretender.

It was a fictional novel written by Nathaniel Gladwell, among others, that followed the story of a son who grew up in a house not knowing that he had been stolen from his real parents. The book described the maltreatment of the child by the parents, and seemingly how the child found no fault with the parent, especially the father, until later in life, when he finally mustered the courage to strike back. The ending pages discussed an allegorical freedom associated with standing up for one's rights and sovereignty. Although the book was never officially published and had no author listed on it, it was heavily censored by the Empire and was printed on makeshift printing presses and spread via word of mouth to those who couldn't read.

No written record of the meeting was kept, to preserve the sensitive nature of what was being discussed. Stories contend that the meeting lasted well into the night and was attended by around 20 to 25 notable, wealthy men. The Most Prestigious Order of the Cadaver would be founded during the meeting to extend their belief in freedom from the Empire throughout the country, and is still a highly respected military order in Aquitayne today.

Aquitaynian Revolution

Main article: Aquitaynian War of Independence

The Aquitaynian War of Independence was the single most critical point in early modern Aquitaynian history. The war would break out on the 27th of September, 1741, after the mass public execution of over 50 Aquitaynian dissenters by Imperial soldiers. Anti-imperial sentiment had grown through decades of trade practices that favored imperial merchants over local businessmen, as well as the growing belief among rural Aquitaynians that the Empire had overstepped their bounds.

It had become clear by this time that the Empire had not only supported the House Kon'rei during the War of the White Rose, but that the House Kon'rei had effectively handed over governing power to the Empire, leaving Aquitayne as a colonial holding part of the larger New Hesperidesia colonial tract. This made the war a unique one: the Aquitaynian people were, effectively, fighting for two revolutions; firstly, against the House Kon'rei, and secondly - and arguably more importantly - the Empire of Exponent.

The revolution would be spearheaded by the House Reich, who had been thrown off the thrown roughly 100 years before after the House Kon'rei secured aid from the Empire. Not only was it a power play by the noble family, it was a rallying cry that the citizens of the country took up and used to ultimately end Imperial dominance in the region indefinitely. The Aquitaynian War of Independence would rage for 7 years, ultimately ending in the full independence of Aquitayne.

Seventh Age (1742 - Present)

Founding of EATA

File:Eatasigning.jpg

Aquitaynian Prime Minister Isaiah Wright signs the EATA charter.

On the 7th of May, 1952, Aquitayne became a founding member of the East Astyrian Treaty Alliance, creating an intergovernmental military alliance that still exists today. Aquitayne would remain a leading partner in the organization, leading the rebuilding and economic support of much of the bloc's nations that were ravaged from the Second Great Astyrian War, especially the Blackhelm Confederacy. The political foundation for the alliance was mostly economic, with fringe benefits of mutual defense, free trade and extradition treaties that were highly profitable after the war. Aquitayne began exporting advanced machining tools, technologies and armaments to the Blackhelm Confederacy in an effort to jump-start the economy, and invested over 100 billion Aeros to grow the Confederate economy back to pre-war standards. It was argued at the time that to do so would put not only the Confederacy, but the alliance as a whole, in an almost untouchable economic position within the region.

Aquitayne and Caprica would be leading members of the political and military alliance for three decades until Aquitayne's departure in 1984, when Parliament voted to hold a referendum to leave the EATA in favor of establishing the United Kingdom with Symphonia via the marriage of then Prince Thomas Reich and the Symphonian crown princess. The drastic move was highly opposed by close allies, including Caprica, as well as the Blackhelm Confederacy. Many of the proponents objected to the exit, arguing that Aquitayne was better off economically and defensively within the EATA. Advocates for the leave vote argued that exiting the EATA unshackled Aquitayne and opened its future to a more diverse and freer market, as well as solidified long standing friendships with a strong and stable ally that didn't require constant military upkeep to ensure safety.

Insula Fera

Main article: Greater Insula Feran Conflict