Blue Caps
Bonnets Bleus Languan | |
|---|---|
 Blue Cap cattle driver in the early 20th century | |
| Total population | |
| Contested | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Shang Fa | |
| Languages | |
| Principean | |
| Religion | |
| Perendism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Huran Metis |
The Blue Caps (藍冠, Lánguān) are the descendants of Principean people who settled in Shang Fa, mainly the Adventurers (冒險者 Màoxiǎnzhě): mercenaries and soldiers who served in the Tan Dynasty and Great Covenant militaries. Nowadays, the term is mainly used to refer to rural Principean speakers of Auressian appearance. They're often contrasted against both the native Hua people and the Metis: urban Principean speakers of mixed origin and appearance and generally of higher social status than the Blue Caps.
History
from the 16th century to 18th century, Blayk was the dominant colonial power of the new world. From there, expeditions were able to go ever further westward and reach the continents of Isuan and Surucia. However, the Blaykish were unable to maintain their foothold in Isuan following their defeat in the Colonial Wars for Qes, driving them away from the inner Sea, they nonetheless managed to retain influence in northern Huran. In the Lin Dynasty, they established trade ports and missions on the coastline under the strict overwatch of Imperial Supervisors, trading silk for silver and neotropical goods such as sugarcane, vanilla, chocolate, and spices.
In 1750, Nicolas Bertrand D'Arixomage began operation as a missionary in continental Huran (Neidi). The Lin Dynasty was then embroiled in conflict, with the Tan-Zheng Disorder and the Three Brothers Uprising. After failed attempts by the Tan Clan to crush the rebellion and restore the Lin Dynasty, the Prince of Tan ended up finding refuge in D'Arixomage' mission. The Perendist cleric became one of the Prince' most dedicated supporters, promoting his cause at the international while also financing the recruitment of foreign mercenaries and Blayko-Principean adventurers from across the Blaykish colonial empire.
D'arixomage support of the Tan and lobbying gained him the right to proselytize freely and to establish as many churches as he wished. While he untimely died before the Tan could fully establish their own state, he had laid the groundwork for Perendism to take root in Huran.
Through D'arixomage, other Principean adventurers joined the Tan' side. Jean-Baptiste Chatellier became a General and de-facto Admiral and Navy Chief for the Prince of Tan. Charles-Gauthier de Fluery, Captain of Condor-Royal (the main military installation of the Blaykish Empire in the region), also served as a General of the Tan, military advisor, and chief of logistics. Other famous adventurers included Olivier Blanquois (chief military architect), Laurent-Marie Bailly, and Benoit de Brogne among others. In total, an estimated 2,000 adventurers and mercenaries from all over Auressia and Marceaunia served under the Tan banner; around 800 of which stayed in Huran after the civil war. A class of Blaykish traders, merchants, sailors, and other administrators followed in their wake, creating the first permanent Principean settlements in Neidi.
The Tan Dynasty quickly modernized under the impulsion of the Prince of Tan, now known as Tan Yandi, with the support of Auressian funds and technical knowledge. Many of the Adventurers who had served and continued to serve Tan Yandi project had dual responsibilities in the colonial and imperial administrations. Jean-Baptiste Chatellier for example was Resident minister for the Blaykish authorities as well as Minister of the Navy in Tan Yandi government. Sign of his ties with the Hegemon-King, he was burried with the honors due to a member of the royal family including a state enforced period of mourning. His youngest son, Jean Chatellier, would continue to serve the Dynasty as a Customs Officer.
The position and privileges of the Blaykish would be put into question when Tan Mingdi, second son of Tan Yandi, inherited the throne in 1792. He purged the Dynasty' administration of the Reformists and Principean and systematically contested and renegotiated the rights granted to the Blaykish Factories and Trade Ports. A coalition emerged against the Monarch and his conservative allies. It included the Principeans traders, their trade relations, social networks, but also other allies such as the reformists faction within the institutions who were threatened by Mingdi' purges. In 1794, the Viceroy Dujue took the lead of the Coalition and declared Tan Mingdi to be illegitimate and to have usurped a throne that should have been inherited by Mingdi' nephew: Tan Anmandi. The Tan Civil War led to the creation of a new political entity: the Principean Republics.