Transbaltia

Grand Duchy of Transbaltia
Flag Coat of arms
Capital	Tavliga
Official languages	Latovian, Estimerian, Pilithanian
Government
• Grand Duke	Otto IV
• Prime Minister	Albert von Ostland
Legislature	Cabinet of the Grand Duchy
Population
• Estimate	16,450,000
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	329,000,000,000
• Per capita	20,000

Transbaltia, or formally the Grand Duchy of Transbaltia, is a country located in Mid Argis. It has a population of 16.4 million Transbaltians, from a variety of ethnic groups, primarily Latovians, Couritanians and Estimarians. The Grand Duchy is a monarchy, with the Grand Duke Otto IV regining since 1998.

Transbaltia borders Uppsund to the west and Dazhdinia to the east. Transbaltia's coast is on the LAKE, in which Transbaltia is across from Hinterlands. Transbaltia has a temperate climate, with fairly warm summers but cold and icy winters, which can shut off Transbaltia's ocean access due to the lake freezing during winter months. Three main rivers flow through Transbaltia. One along the border with Uppsund, one through the middle and another along the border with Dazhdinia. A canal is being prepared between the last river and a river to the north which would connect many major northern lakes and eventually the Canamo Sea to the Kezanoi Sea, giving an additional way of reaching the ocean to Ateenia, Mokhavia and Fina.

History

Middle ages

By 1304 the counties that make up Transbaltia were prosperous, trading with nearby kingdoms and the advent of new shipping technologies allowed communication and trade across Argis. In that year the Count of the inland County of Meußen, Albrecht the Unifier, proclaimed the Duchy of Ostland, the first of the Transbaltian duchies. Quickly he conqueored all the way to the coast, benefiting heavily from the increased trade across the LAKE. Albrecht would quickly conqueor the rest of Trandbaltia, making it all the way to Pikolan. He then formed the Kingdom of the Baltians, but this was not to last forever.

Over the next two centuries the Kingdom suffered from famines and incursions by neighbours. However in 1464 the young King Adelvard was crowned. Adelvard was seen as a great unifier of the differing cultures of the Kingdom. He soon won wars against aggressive neighbours in Dazhdinia, reclaiming Pikolan for the Baltian crown. Adelvard had 6 children, 4 sons to which he granted Duchies in his will, and two daughters. One daughter Hilda, was married to the Ahranian King, and later mothered the future king of Ahrana, and the other Christina, who was married to Prince Bertulis of the Kingdom of Yalivia. Against the advice of his sons Adelvard also granted Prince Bertulis the Duchy of Pikolan, as long as it remained a part of the Kingdom for as long as the Kingdom may exist. Adelvard died in 1498, granting the title of King to his eldest son, Harald. Harald was unpopular among his siblings, as he demanded they pay large taxes to the crown, to finance his failing attempts to settle further inland. In 1500 the brothers decided to stage a coup against the King, and place the second eldest Eric in his place. The coup failed and Harald attempted to revoke his brothers' duchies. This failed and led to wars of independence against the Baltian crown. By 1504 the Kingdom was dissolved, and the 5 duchies that once made up the Kingdom were independent and weakened.

Ahranian Era

In 1507 the new Kingdom of Ahrana gained control over the now fractured duchies, this was brought about by the Ahranian King's mother, Hilda, daughter of Adelvard, which gave the Ahranian King a claim to the Baltian lands. The King gained control of these lands through careful diplomacy and threats against those who didnt give in. The Duke of Pikolan, realising that he was next to be forced into Ahranian control, swore fielty to his homeland of Yalivia, however the Yalivian King was afraid of an Ahranian invasion and declined him. Soon after Pikolan too fell to the Ahranian crown, and without a single war declared Transbaltia was again under a single flag. The Dukes were intially skeptical of Ahranian rule, however soon would grown to be pleased by the protection and economic support that the Kingdom provided.

Later in the 1400s and throughout the 1500s a large number of Dolchic nobles intermarried with the Baltian nobility, so much so to the extent that a new ethnic and cultural group, now known as Dolchic Baltians, was created. Dolchic Baltians soon gained large amounts of power, eventually with every Transbaltian duke being a Dolchic Baltian by 1540. Still today the country is dominated politically and economically by Dolchic Baltians, though they make up less than half the population.

In 1564 the Transbaltian duchies came under the Principality of Uppsund, which was created by King Alexander II of Ahrana for his son. The Dukes were skeptical of this, having been directly beneath the King meant that a smaller proportion of their income was paid in taxes, but would now have to pay the Prince of Uppsund too. This created a rift between the Prince of Uppsund and the Baltian dukes, who also felt that their guarentee of the preservation of Baltian cultures, guarenteed by the King, would also come under threat. To ease these concerns the Prince of Uppsund created the Grand Duchy of Transbaltia, containing all of the former Baltian duchies with the exception of Pikolan. The title of Grand Duke was initially offered to Duke Otto of Ostland, but with his declining health and uncertain inheritance, he declined the offer and instead suggested that Duke Karl of Cisvilia. Karl was called to the court of the Prince of Uppsund in November of 1565, and was crowned the Grand Duke over the next few days, with his now adult son Friedrich to be heir. Unfortunately on his return to Transbaltia from Uppsund Karl contracted pneumonia from the winter cold and died within a week. Friedrich, having been heir to a throne that existed for less than a month, was crowned Grand Duke in Tavliga.

Politics and government

Transbaltia is made up of 4 Duchies, each with their own Duke. The duke of Duchyname has acted as the Grand Duke since the founding of Transbaltia in Year. The current Grand Duke, Otto IV, was crowned in 1998 after the death of his mother Grand Duchess Theresa I.

The Palace of Tavliga has been the home of the Grand Dukes since Year.