Rozengria
Republic of Rozengria Republiek van Rozengrië (Rozengrian) | |||||||||||
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1862–1915 | |||||||||||
Motto: Unitatis Facit Vires (Latin) Unity Makes Strength | |||||||||||
Anthem: "Rozengriënlied" (1864–1915) | |||||||||||
Capital and largest city | Stoffelstad | ||||||||||
Official languages |
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Other languages | |||||||||||
Ethnic groups (1910) | |||||||||||
Demonym(s) | Rozengrian | ||||||||||
Government | Unitary parliamentary republic | ||||||||||
Legislature | Parliament | ||||||||||
Senate | |||||||||||
House of Assembly | |||||||||||
History | |||||||||||
20 November 1862 | |||||||||||
1 June 1915 | |||||||||||
Area | |||||||||||
• Total | 752,617 km2 (290,587 sq mi) ([1]) | ||||||||||
Population | |||||||||||
• 1910 census | 2,390,000 | ||||||||||
Currency | Rozengrian pound | ||||||||||
Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) | ||||||||||
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Today part of | Zambia | ||||||||||
Rozengria was a independent sovereign Boer republic established in 1862 until its complete dissolution in 1915.
Overview
Rozengria, a Boer republic established in 1862, emerged from the amalgamation of the Republic of Vaalstroom and Barotseland. The nation was characterized by a unique political landscape, dominated by a white minority (or so), which at the foundation of the Republic made up about 20% of the population. Despite this demographic imbalance, the Rozengrian government managed to integrate the Black population into its social and political fabric, albeit not without incidents of tension and conflict.
The country was rich in cultural diversity, with a variety of ethnic groups contributing to its social structure. By law, the official language was Dutch, but Rozengrian, a distinct creole language of the already distinct Afrikaans, was virtually spoken by all the white population and educated black populace.
Political Landscape
The political landscape of Rozengria was heavily influenced by Boer culturalism in the African continent and the historical context of colonialism. The government operated as a unitary parliamentary republic, with a legislature that consisted of a Senate and a House of Assembly. While the ruling elite was predominantly white, policies were crafted to appease the other various factions and the majority black group within the society to ease as much racial tension. Although other political parties were allowed to coexist without repression, Rozengria was virtually a one-party state with the Rozengrian Front (Rozengrian: Rozengriese Front) winning nearly every single election in the country's history.
As social reforms rolled out, particularily following the 1890 Rozengrian Constitutional Reformation Act, the native African population was allowed limited participation in the Rozengrian Front's cabinet. While this helped ease racial tension between White Rozengrians and Black Rozengrians, the decision was also though to be counterintuitive, as revolutionary thought among the Black populace began to take place.
In 1895, Limbani Matumula, a renowed socialist and pan-Africanist founded the National African Unity Party (NAUP), with the intention of establishing majority rule in Rozengria. Initially unpopular, the NAUP later gained traction and became significant in the lead-up to the Rozengrian Civil War, which would ultimately reshape the nation's political dynamics.
Chess War (1882)
The Chess War was a confrontation in 1882 between Rozengria and the United Kingdom over the British–Rozengrian border in the Territory of Livingstone, between Steenvlakte Province (present-day Chipata Province) and the Central Region of then Nyasaland. The Chess War, so called because it was triggered by a game of chess. Despite being referred to as a "war," there were no casualties on either side.
Border Ambiguity
The roots of the Chess War lay in the unclear border delineation between Rozengria and British territories. While both powers had expanding interests in the region, the exact boundary lines within the resource-rich Livingstone Territory were disputed. The area’s significant copper deposits had been discovered by David Livingstone, adding both economic and symbolic value to the land. However, in 1880, survey maps of the region were incomplete, and the parties differed in their interpretations of where the border lay.
Game of Chess
As both British and Rozengrian officials established camps in the disputed territory, tensions simmered but remained peaceful. In an effort to defuse a brewing standoff, the Rozengrian governor in Londale, Johan van der Velde, met with British Commissioner Henry Ainsworth in the local government office of Colesburg to negotiate terms over the boundary. To ease tensions, Ainsworth suggested a game of chess as a break from the intense deliberations. Aware of the game’s diplomatic potential, both parties informally agreed that the winner would secure their country’s claim over the disputed land.
Outcome
After an intense chess match, van der Velde emerged victorious, granting Rozengria the moral edge in claiming Livingstone Territory. The British, though reluctant to concede, ultimately withdrew their claim over the specific contested area, and a boundary line was agreed upon and signed in what came to be known as the Livingstone Accord of 1883.
Net Immigration
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Rozengria experienced a significant influx of white Afrikaner settlers, largely driven by the tumultuous political climate and conflicts in neighboring regions. The end of the Second Boer War (1895–1899) not only led to the dissolution of the Boer States of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, but also caused the destruction of many of the surviving Boer enclaves within the British colony of Rhodesia. It was for this reason that many Boers, devastated from the lasting effects of the Boer War, sought refuge from British authority and the repercussions of colonial rule. Rozengria, the only surviving Boer State, offered an opportunity for disenfranchised Boers where they could preserve their cultural identity and lifestyle. From this, the white population of Rozengria increased from 20% to 35% in the matter of a few years.
Government Support
The Rozengrian Front actively encouraged this immigration of Boers, viewing them as valuable contributors to the agricultural economy and as a buffer against the rising political influence of the Black majority. Settlers were often provided with land grants and resources to facilitate their transition.
Opposition
Limbani Matumula, the founder of the National African Unity Party, condemned government support of the immigration of Boers, stating it as a form of colonialism designed to further marginalize the Black majority. He argued that such actions were to brush off existing systemic inequalities and hindered progress towards black majority rule. Matumula's stance resonated with many disillusioned Black Rozengrians, fueling support for the NAUP and encouraging future political upheaval.
History Bloc
This is being worked on.
Planned content:
-Chess War
-Battle of Stoffelstad
-Rozengrian Civil War
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IF PLAUSIBLE
-White Rozengria will be a possible path
Etymology
- ↑ United Nations Statistics Division. "Population by sex, rate of population increase, surface area and density" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2007.