Æthele
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Æþele Kingdom of Æthele | |
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 Flag
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| Motto: "Beterian hero hycgan twihynde beterian wang" Common: Better men make a better world | |
| Anthem: Hægel, Ece Be Hwáse Fylst Hail, Eternal By Whose Aid  | |
 Map of Æthele in Belissaria. | |
 Map of Æthele. | |
| Capital and largest city | Edmond |
| Official languages | Æthic |
| Recognised regional languages | Ottonian Audonic |
| Ethnic groups | Æthic (77%) Audonic (13%) Ottonian (10%) |
| Demonym(s) | Æthic |
| Government | Constitutional monarchy |
• Cyng | Malcom IV |
| Douglass Wynstonn | |
| Legislature | Bold sylfum Spelingum |
| Population | |
• 2010 estimate | 11,143,523 |
• 2010 census | National Census |
| GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $5,73.89 billion |
• Per capita | NS$51,500 |
| HDI (2014) |  0.974very high (3rd) |
| Currency | Cynegold (ACY) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +042 |
The Kingdom of Æthele (Æthic: Æþele) is a constitutional monarchy of over 11 million people in the region of Ajax. Æthele’s capital, Edmond, is the political and financial heart of the country.
In ancient times, the territories making up modern day Æthele were divided up into a heptarchy of minor, Anglo-Saxon states connected by a common language, customs, and traditions. After centuries of disunity, these states were unified in 865 CE by the Roman Catholic King Duncan of Corraidhín. After centuries of direct rule, the King of Æthele steadily relinquished power to the House of Delegates led by a Lord Minister. The King of Æthele is Malcom IV and the Lord Minister is Douglass Wynstonn.
In the early 20th century, a civil war between the monarchy and communist forces in the southwest of the country from 1920 - 1923 was crushed by the monarchy. The country grew from an agricultural state to a larger industrial power starting in the 1950s with new advancements in key technical industries, particularly aerospace industry, the arms industry, and the manufacturing side of the software industry.
Æthele boasts the largest organized fraternal order in Ajax, noted in the Grand Lodge of the Sparrow, a union of local fraternities of taxidermists.
Etymology
The name Æthele derives from the original Common term for the geographic area of Æthele, Atheland, a name given to the Athic people, an ethnic group that predated modern day Æthics.
History
Bronze Age
During the last glacial period, and up until about 13,000 years ago, most of Æthele was covered with ice, most of the time. There is no evidence of any humans being in Æthele before Mesolithic people arrived between 6,000 BC and 5,000 BC.
From about 4,500 BC Neolithic settlers arrived introducing housing cultures and stone monuments. The Bronze Age – defined by the use of metal – began around 2,500 BC, with technology changing people's everyday lives during this period through innovations such as the wheel, harnessing oxen, weaving textiles, brewing alcohol, and skillful metalworking, which produced new weapons and tools, along with fine gold decoration and jewelry, such as brooches and torcs.
Classical Era
During the Iron Age the Common dialect emerged on the continent around the same time that Athic people began to form as a cultural group. The small Athic kingdoms often engaged in minor conflicts with one another for a period of 6 and a half centuries. By 600 C.E., 5 Kingdoms ruled over the Athic territories: The Kingdoms of Valland, Corraidhín, Donneset, Synegold, and Erthwood.
By the 2nd century AD, the Christian faith had been introduced among Athic peoples. By the 4th century, several small southern kingdoms had adopted the religion, and as these smaller kingdoms became absorbed into the Kingdoms of Corraidhín and Erthwood, the ruling classes slowly began to adopt them. In the northern Kingdoms of Valland and Synegold, they were actively persecuted by their Kings. This began to lead to tensions between the Kingdoms over time.
Athic Crusade
- See also: Athic Crusade
The marriage of King John III of Corraidhín and the daughter and only child of King Vincent IV of Erthwood united the Kingdoms of Corraidhín and Erthwood in 801 A.D. King John III and Queen Margaret gave birth to Duncan of Corraidhín, who ascended the throne in 843 A.D. as King Duncan I of Corraidhín.
In 856 A.D., Duncan I gained the political and financial backing of the Catholic Church in Edmond to launch a Holy Crusade against the non-Christian Kingdoms in the north. The Crusade's conquest of the Donneset lasts 3 years, decisively ending when Duncan I descends on King Henry IV of Donneset's army of twelve thousand men with a force of twenty-five thousand men. Attacking from the west, Duncan easily broke the men under King Henry IV, who were guarding the bridges towards the capital of Donneset. Henry IV is captured and the House of Donneset swears fealty to the House of Corraidhín and converts to Christianity.
After recuperating his forces and mustering another ten thousand from the House of Donneset, Duncan I marched into Valland in 860 A.D., decisively defeating Vallic forces in the Massacre of Firth, where eight thousand Vallic soldiers were surprised early on the 5th of April of that year by an advance force of Duncan's cavalry at the village of Firth. The King of Valland was slain and his first son vanished, presumed killed by the Christian forces. The House of Valland's Queen-consort swore fealty to King Duncan on behalf of the infant second son, and the heir-apparent to the House.
Duncan's forces attempt to cross into Synegold by crossing westward over the Both River but are stopped by the marshlands and are forced to engage at the strongholds of Clonburrow, Naismur, and Donnehall. Synic King Lawrence VII posts fifteen thousand men at these strongholds, which King Duncan is forced to lay siege too. After several probing attacks, King Duncan attempts to force a crossing Clonburrow in August of 861 but the attack fails. The next year, King Duncan again attacks at Clonburrow but the attacks fail miserably, forcing the King to reevaluate his strategy. Finally, in July of 862, King Duncan's forces breached the gates at Clonburrow and took the fortress, forcing the Synic's to abandon their strongholds at Naismur and Donnehall for a final siege at the capital at Syne. King Duncan lays siege to Syne for 2 years, and the siege finally breaks when a mutiny in the garrison allows Duncan's forces to raze Syne to the ground, leading to the House of Synegold's extinction.
Following King Duncan's conquest of Athic lands, the Church in Edmond coronated him as "Ic Cyng sylfum Æthele," or "First King of Æthele," formally uniting the old Athic kingdoms into one state and uniting them all Æthic people under one banner.
Middle Ages
The Athic Crusade saw agricultural output decline significantly, leading to repeated famines, exacerbated by the rapid population growth of the earlier era. The Athic Crusade also disrupted trade throughout the country, especially after the destruction of the large trading city of Syne. Inadvertently, many Æthics on the coastline turned to fishing, an economic industry that still dominates in many coastal villages today. Most devastating, though, was the spread of typhus that decimated the populations of the densely populated cities of Edmond and Jessburrow. Typhus outbreaks continued to affect Æthele for intervals between 1000 and 1450, and claimed the life of Lothair II thirty-five days into his reign in 1294. The horrors of typhus and the seeming inability of the Church to provide relief would lead to a rapid decline of church influence in Æthic politics. By the reign of Nicholas II, the Church's representative in the Royal Court of Edmond had all but diminished.
Trade began to recover by 1100. By the 13th century, much of Æthele experienced strong economic growth. The trade routes from the south linked with those of established Æthic ports and eventually the trade routes of the Thalassan Ocean to create a network economy in Æthele. Cities expanded greatly during this period and the Monarchy grew in power while the Church diminished. During this period, the modern commercial infrastructure developed, with double-entry book-keeping, joint stock companies, an international banking system, a systematized foreign exchange market, insurance, and government debt.
Foundation of the Grand Lodge of the Sparrow
As the economy rapidly expanded and more and more citizens began to accumulate wealth, competitive hunting grew as a popular pastime. This resulted in a large economic demand for taxidermists. It was not uncommon for several taxidermists to live in local communities, and at one point it was one of the largest industries. Local fraternities and organizations began to organize gradually after the 11th century, often meeting weekly at night in secluded areas or in Churches.
The earliest masonic texts each contain some sort of a history of the craft, or mystery, of taxidermy. Twenty-five manuscripts which are known as the Belros Collective which date back to the 14th century and were discovered in the Royal Library of Edmond by scholars in the 20th century. The Collective contains the charters of three Lodges in Belros, Vergen and Kessrow and a draft of early masonic ceremonies, but all were turned over to the Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge of the Sparrow of Æthele was formally chartered in 1392, with 2/3rds of all Lodges represented at the inaugural meeting.
While it is relatively unknown when the first Æthic King joined the Grand Lodge, however, it is speculated that King Lothair IV was the first to join the Lodge based on accounts from the time, reportedly doing so in the 1360s. The first King to acknowledge his involvement in the Grand Lodge was Malcolm II, who recorded scheduled meetings with the Grand Master, Sir Howard Bercow, in his private diary. Malcolm II formally appointed the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge to a permanent position in the Royal Court of Edmond, permanently solidifying the political position of the Grand Lodge in Æthic politics.
Enlightenment
War of Æthic Succession
Nicholas VIII reigned as King of the Æthics beginning in 1836, upon the death of his father, Wealhmær VI. In 1850, Nicholas married Theodura of Onneria, bringing the Kingdoms of Æthele and Onneria into a personal union. In 1852, the Allamunic crisis began after a vote by the Pan-Allamunnic Union's member-states to form a centralized military, which the Kingdoms of Staalmark and Onneria protested. They raised armies and marched to besiege Roan, the headquarters of the new Union Army. Honoring his marriage to Theodura, Nicholas VIII mobilized the 1st Army and marched north with 20,000 to join the attack. The Allamunnic conflicts that led to Allamunnic unification began on 12 July 1852, when the Siege of Roan began.
Nicholas VIII was killed in an artillery attack while leading a brigade of men in an attack on the city on 23 February 1853. His closest heirs were his brothers, John and Ælfsige of the Æthic House of Corraidhín, who both disputed and claimed the throne of Æthele.
Nicholas VIII's death immediately raised questions of succession, as he had left no successor to the throne; an Æthic custom if the Monarch has no children. Both of Nicholas' brothers, John and Ælfsige, determined they were to inherit the throne, leading to a political crisis which the House of Delegates was unable to resolve. Acting on the stalemate, Ælfsige gained the backing of the two largest houses, the House of Valland and the House of Donneset, to support him in seizing power. He was coronated King of the Æthics in Kleeds on 7 July 1953, taking the regal name Ælfsige IV. The House of Delegates dissolved itself three days later when John himself was coronated King in Edmond, taking the regal name Nicholas IX. Nicholas gained the support of the smaller houses of Meadwine, Ealdgyð and Dáire.
Both Houses quickly raised volunteer armies that fought mostly in the Sneerabd over the course of four years, with battles fought in open farmland with large cavalry engagement. Intense combat left 50,000 to 70,000 people dead.
The war effectively ended in August, 1862, when Ælfsige was captured and surrendered to Nicholas at the Second Battle of the Marð. Ælfsige's units quickly dissolved. Much of the Sneerabd's infrastructure was destroyed, especially the transportation systems and agriculture. Ælfsige was banned from court, had his titles stripped and was imprisoned for life in Edmond. He died in prison in 1879. The Lords who supported him were banned from court and their families placed under house arrest for 25 years.
Industrial Revolution
Modern production methods began to spread into Æthele during the 1830s and 1840s. Average income and population began to exhibit unprecedented sustained growth. This increase in the standard of living for the general population began to increase consistently for the first time in Æthele's history, and populations in the cities began to increase dramatically.
Cities had to modernize quickly to avoid large outbreaks of disease, and the first modern sewage systems began to be developed in the 1840s. Hospitals were set up and sanitation laws went into effect. The Great Fire of Edmond destroyed much of the northern part of the city, including the historic cultural center of the city and the National Opera House, which had been built five years earlier.
The House of Delegates abandoned the old electoral system in 1866 and passed the Elections Act of 1866, which created a fixed term elections system. The rise of the Rúm as a strong political party dominated much of 19th-century Æthic politics.
Shraderism spread to Æthele in the 1870s, with the founding of Þéodlic Schraeydd Forfhere, the Shraderist political party which stood for elections in 1880, 1885, 1890 and 1895. It abandoned electoral politics and did not field candidates in the 1900 election, resorting to demonstrations and protests.
20th century
Æthic Civil War
- See also: Æthic Civil War
On February 13th, 1920, Shraderist organizations led by Harold Collins and the Þéodlic Schraeydd Forfhere launched a national uprising in the large industrial centers of Edmond and Belros in the Becumescedeland. A State of Emergency was declared at 9:00 am on the 14th by Lord Minister Kenneth Bolton, and the National Army mobilized to respond to the uprising at the Kellenscastel. By the 16th, the ÞSF had raised over 20,000 volunteers to fight the National Army. The uprising in Edmond had failed by April 27th, but a garrison of 6,000 in Belros repelled attacks from National Army units before being reinforced by countryside battalions, bolstering the garrison to 15,000.
Monarchist forces were raised by King Nicholas XI and laid siege to Belros for a 3-year siege. Collins launched a guerrilla campaign in the Sneereabd which inflicted heavy casualties on Monarchist forces and the National Army. Air raids and heavy artillery were launched in open campaigns for the first time in Æthic history. On July 13th, 1922, Collins engaged the IX Corps of the National Army at the Battle of Gardner's Fork and was decisively defeated, partially in thanks to air bombardment by the National Army and the first employment of tanks in Æthic history. After losing a majority of his men, Collins abandoned the remainder of the force to join the resistance in Belros.
The resistance in Belros lasted for 7 more months before the main lines to the south of the city were breached by a large assault of tanks and infantry on February 1st. Collins surrendered the city 4 days later. He was tried and later executed and the ÞSF was permanently dissolved.
Contemporary history
- See also: Æthic crisis
Following the conclusion of the civil war, Nicholas XI often opposed progressive movements that he viewed as backed by remnants of the ÞSF. Æthic troops were often deployed to break strikes and shut down labor movements throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Following his death in 1941, his son, Nicholas XII, continued these efforts. Blódegesa took place on 21 June 1954. The event took place when Nicholas XII ordered troops to the Royal University of Edmond where a demonstration of 100 students and faculty demanding more democratic rights took place. The troops fired on the crowd, killing 9 students and 2 professors. This launched the Æthic crisis, as a loose coalition of left-wing militants launched the Æthic Free Movement (ÆFM), which called for increased democratization of the country. Royalist supporters fought ÆFM militants throughout the country in a crisis which claimed over 15,000 lives and lasted until 1968, when the House of Delegates resolved an end to the conflict by negotiating the May 15 Ceasefire and passing the Acts of Elections and Democratic Rule, which diminished the power of the monarch by stripping them of their power over the military and in political affairs, in addition to lowering the voting age and removing voting restrictions.
Following the death of Nicholas XII, King Wealhmær VII ascended to the throne. During Wealhmær's reign, he championed democratic and social reforms, which inadvertently restored the Monarchy's influence as a political institution in the country. The House of Delegates reinstated powers of the monarch taken away during Nicholas XII. An economic revival took place in the late 1980s and early 1990s, heightened by the invention of the internet and increased globalization. Good economic times were widespread for several sectors, and new industries such as especially solar power and internet services, flourished. Tourist travel increased and housing construction reached an all-time high.
Following the death of Wealhmær VII on 12 July 2001, Malcom IV ascended to the throne. The Rúm was reelected to the majority in the House of Delegates for the first time in decades, under Lord Douglas Wynstonn. Labor unions, while already existing in Æthele during the 1920s, grew very rapidly during this time, often gaining large membership and attaining full funding through its members.
Geography, wildlife, and environment
Æthele is divided into three geographic regions: the Becumescedeland (Æthic: Reachland) in the south, dominated by rivers and dense forests; Sneereabd (Æthic: Midcountry) in the center with flat, rolling plains and Flintscedelands (Æthic: Rocklands) in the north.
Most of Æthele has a generally mild climate, though there is significant variation given the variety of landscapes across the country. The Sneereabd has a humid continental climate throughout the region with extremes of both heat and cold. Heavy snowfall occurs from late November to late February every year, however annual snowfall on highway mountain passes in the Flintscedelands rival some of the snowiest cities in Æthele, which can result in hazardous driving conditions.
Wildlife
Æthele is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Deer, elk, mountain goats, marmots, beavers, muskrats, coyotes, wolves, swans, loons, hawks, owls, ravens, harlequin ducks, and many other sorts of ducks. Smaller birds (robins, jays, and so on) also abound thanks to the country's climate.
Many healthy populations of fish are present, including salmonids such as several species of salmon and trout. On the coast, harbour seals and river otters are common. It is not uncommon for whales to be spotted of the Æthic coastline as Æthele's waters are near migratory patterns for many species of whale.
Due to the country's traditional hunting practices, human presence in Æthele has led to the extinction of 17 mammal species including Æthic caribou, Æthic monk seals, and 4 species of birds, including the Edmond pigeon and the Æthic stork.
Demographics
Population
Æthele's population in the 2010 National Census was 11,143,523. Of this ground, 4,423,142 Æthics were between ages 0 and 20, 4,523,998 Æthics were between ages 20 and 60, and 2,196,383 Æthics were over 60. The population of Æthele is dominated by the Æthic ethnic group, who comprise of 8,589,091 or 77% of the population. 1,448,658, or 13% of Æthic citizens responded that they were of Lyncanestrian descent, and 1,105,774, or 10% responded they were of Ottonian descent.
Æthele reports positive immigration numbers, estimating that around 11,000 people immigrate to Æthele every year.
Language
Æthele's national language is a specific version of the Common language. The language developed with the Æthic ethnic group. Ottonian is also commonly spoken in Æthele. Audonic is also spoken in communities bordering Lyncanestria. The National Curriculum required Æthic to be taught in schools across the country, and the Ministry of Education reports that Ottonian is one of the nation's largest taken elective course of the National Curriculum.
Religion
Freedom of religion is recognized as part of the Æthic Constitution. Approximately 70% of Æthele's population is Catholic. The remaining 4% of Æthele's Christians are Protestant. Judaism is the second largest religion in Æthele, and Islam the third largest. Non-religious people account for 2% of Æthics.
Christianity and Judaism first reached Æthele around the same time, around the 2nd century. The Archdiocese of Edmond was first founded in Edmond in 900, preceding the Athic Mission. The highest ranking spiritual leader in Æthele is the Archbishop of Edmond, Stanley James.
Health
Folclic Eftbót Ambehtness (FEA) is the country's national healthcare service since 1969. Public healthcare is available and free to all permanent residents in Æthele. Private health insurance is available for alternative methods of treatment. Æthic obesity rates have hovered around 15% for the last 20 years.
Folclic Eftbót Ambehtness is managed by a large central bureaucracy, and the service covers primary care, in-patient care, long-term healthcare, psychiatric care and treatments, ophthalmology, and dentistry. Prior to the FEA, healthcare coverage plans were administered by private insurance companies.
Education
Æthele has many public institutions of higher education. The University of Edmond State University of Edmond City College - East Campus is the largest public university in Æthele, offering courses in all fields and providing a well funded and well received mandatory program introducing attendees to paying taxes, voting and all forms of political philosophy. There are also local community colleges with generally more open admission policies, shorter academic programs, and lower tuition. Of Æthics twenty-five and older, 68.9% graduated from college and 7.6% attended law schools. The basic literacy rate is approximately 99%.
Politics
Government
Parties and elections
Foreign relations
Æthele has an established structure of foreign relations. It is a member state of the North Ajaxi Treaty Alliance, contributing annually to the defense pact in a variety of ways. A majority of Ajaxi nations have embassies in Edmond. The officially stated goals of the foreign policy of the Kingdom of Æthele are mentioned in the Directory of Foreign Conduct of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are "to advance Æthele's status as a democratic state, open to economic investment and growth, and to sustain a secure and prosperous world for the benefit of the Æthic people and the international community".
Government finance
Military
- See also: Armed Forces of Æthele
Law enforcement and crime
Economy
The economy of Æthele is a highly developed social market economy. The service sector contributes around 60% of the total GDP, industry 11%, and agriculture 29%. Exports account for 39% of national output. The top 7 exports of Æthele are food products, vehicle products, electronics, alcohol, organic chemicals, home decor products. Tourism is a popular regional industry in Sneereabd with it's seasonal food and beer festivals. The large annual international trade fairs, and congresses are held in several Æthic cities such as Edmond, Kleeds, and Hannstead.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Transportation played a large role in the industrial development of Æthele. The Nónfær, the nine highways that extend through Æthele from Becumescedeland to the Flintscedelands, were built between 1930 and 1955. Æthele is served by two international airports, the largest being in Edmond, and 4 regional airports. Æthele has an extensive passenger and freight rail transportation network. Passenger rail services were nationalized in 1974 and were incorporated into the Þéodlic Cregelád Ambehtness, or National Rail Service.
Streetcars, known as lanucræts are famous throughout large cities in Æthele. The lanucræts first launched in Edmond in 1901. 39% of Æthics living in major cities use lanucræts to get to work every day and streetcar systems operate in all of 4 major cities, governed by municipal transit authorities.
Energy
Æthele imports 60% of its primary energy from neighboring countries. In 2016, 45% of the energy created in Æthele was nuclear power, 31% of energy came from hydro-electric and 24% came from natural gas. Æthele committed to emissions reductions in 2015, agreeing to phase out nuclear power by 2030 through investments in renewable energy and waste-to-energy initiatives.
Water supply and sanitation
Water is not scarce in Æthele, except for occasional localized droughts. Responsibility for water supply and sanitation provision lies with municipalities, which are regulated by the national government. Professional associations and utility associations play an important role in the sector. More than 99 percent of users are connected to a public water supply system. The remainder is served by private wells. Water supply in Æthele is continuous, at good pressure, and drinking water quality is excellent, ensured by universal municipal compliance with national drinking water directives. Wastewater treatment is universal. 97 percent of municipal wastewater is treated according to the most recent government study (2013) including nutrient elimination, a much higher percentage.
Culture
Food
Jessburrow has been home to over 50 breweries and over 100 brewing companies throughout the course of its history. Of these, several major breweries grew during the 1830s and several beer giants emerged in Æthele including Neele & Bolton, Dunstan Brew, Ælfnod's and Leof's Gold.
A large portion of farming communities in the Sneereabd means that poultry and dairy farming is a strong local industry, with about 14,000 poultry farms and 20,000 dairy farms nationwide. Steak and eggs is considered one of the largest consumed dishes in Æthele.
Seasonal festivals
Seasonal food festivals are a popular tradition. Bæftanlencten is a popular festival celebrated the weekend after Easter, complemented by parades and large festivals celebrating the beginning of the growing season and the featuring of many seasonal winter beers. The Hærfesttídonsymbelnes is the autumn celebration celebrated during the first weekend of October, which features summer foods, eating competition and summer beers. Approximately 85% of Æthics celebrate these holidays every year.
Literature, art and philosophy
Æthele has always been a country of poets, writers, and novelists. It was the home of novelists Rudyard Brenton, Cedric Margyle, Themla Rafferty, and Carissa Spring, of poets Sidney Keely, Jamie Keaton, Ryan Wiley, and Nicholas Brooks, and of famous playwright Malcolm Pons.
Music
Various styles of music are popular in Æthele from the indigenous folk music of Æthele to heavy metal. Notable composers of classical music from Æthele include Jamie Byrd and Phillip Starney. Jessburrow is considered the music center of the country, with several Æthic rock bands coming from there including The Townies, Past Noon and The Underground and notable singers such as Ed Lambert and Marcy Downes.
Sports
Gamenclywb is the national sport of Æthele. The Gamenclywb Gefégnes is the national association for gamenclywb. Other sports popular in Æthele are association football and rugby.
Mass media
Public media accounts for 45% of the Æthic media market, dominated by Æthic Spell Gegylda (ASG). Æthic Spell Gegylda is Æthele's publicly funded radio, television and Internet broadcasting service launched in 1933. There are currently fifty-five television channels and hundreds of local radio stations in Æthele. ASG controls the top four national television channels (ASG 1-4, with the next ten channels dominated by private national news corporations. The remaining networks are reserved for private use. Edmond dominates the media sector in Æthele. The Æthic publishing sector, including books, directories and databases, journals, magazines, and business media, newspapers and news agencies, employs around 55,000 people.