Transbaltia

Grand Duchy of Transbaltia
Flag Coat of arms
Capital	Tavliga
Official languages	Alemannish, Latovian, Estimerian, Pilithanian
Recognised regional languages	Pikolan
Ethnic groups	Dolchic Baltians 31% Couritanians 21% Latovians 20% Pilithanians 19% Pikolan 4% Ahranians 2%
Demonym(s)	Transbaltian
Government
• Grand Duke	Otto IV
• Kanzler	Albert von Ostland
Legislature	Cabinet of the Grand Duchy
Establishment
• Kingdom of the Baltians proclaimed	1307
• Ahranian vassalisations	1507
• Grand Duchy created	1565
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 Dolchic Baltians, Latovians, Couritanians and Pilithanians. 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 Intrian sea. Albrecht would quickly conqueor the rest of Transbaltia, 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 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 heir to the throne, 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.

The coronation of Grand Duke Friedrich.

Friedrich quickly went about organising his new realm, granting positions in his court and establishing the beginnings of a navy to crack down on piracy in the Intrian sea. Friedrich would marry the daughter of the King of [Dolchic Kingdom], solidifying his family's place in dolchic nobility. Friedrich would go on to expand Transbaltia's borders northward, the land north of the duchies was sparsely populated and no real nation had laid claim to the lands in centuries. Friedrich jumped at the chance, hoping to extend Transbaltia to the northern lakes. By 1579 he had done just that, and he established settlements along the newly claimed coast, the most notable being Konigshafen, which would grow to be the Grand Duchy's third largest city. He also embarked on a task to construct a large system of roads and canals across Transbaltia, he succeeded with his road construction, connecting Tavliga to Konigshafen by 1585 in part thanks to loans he took from the Ahranian crown, but his ambition to connect the Intrian sea and the northern lakes via a canal connecting two of the nation's largest rivers was never completed in his lifetime, as he was killed in battle in 1582 during a border conflict near Dazhdinia.

Map of the reconstruction of Tavliga, undertaken by Hermann.

In 1624 Hermann I was crowned Grand Duke, the grandson of Friedrich, he was also the grandson of the immensly wealthy Dolchlander Hans von Shipph. von Shipph was one of the wealthiest individuals in history, doing business across continents, and influencing international politics throughout his lifetime. In 1615 when von Shipph died he left an immense sum to all of his grandchildren, but an especially large sum to his grandson Hermann, who had been his apprentice in the final years of his life. In the port cities of Argis Hermann would look upon his grandfather as he negotiated with Kings and merchants alike, this gave the young Hermann a taste for business which he would use during his reign to bring great wealth to cities such as Tavliga and Konigshafen. Hermann would travel the world during his reign, establishing a merchant navy to trade everything from Ice to spices. Hermann succeeded in fulfilling his other grandfather's dream of building a canal connecting the Intrian and the northern lakes, however it could only support river barges, and whilst for the time that was sufficient for the amount of trade, as demand increased so did the size of ships transporting goods, which quickly outgrew the canal.

Grand Duke Hermann I.

Hermann was a notorious spender, though he was careful not to put the Grand Duchy into debt, he would still draw criticism from court rivals and the people alike. Hermann constructed more than a dozen palaces across the Grand Duchy, in which he would host parties for nobles and the wealthy from across the continent and beyond, quickly the city of Tavliga was abound by peoples from around the world, Emirs would live across from Argic princes, the palace kitchens were filled with foreign chefs and new foods and spices brought by Hermann's extensive trading network. Hermann was also noted for his relationships with men, which remained an open secret in the Royal Court. Hermann's extravogance, excessive spending and way of life that went against some of the more conservative nobles' beliefs lead ultimately to his assassination in 1638. The Grand Duke was shot by the Lieutenant of the 1st Ostland Cavalry Regiment in his carriage, along with his lover Gustav of Couritania and his wife Grand Duchess Maria, who survived the attack and four months later gave birth to Hermann's only son Ernst. The infant would rule by a regency council, headed by his uncle Stefan the Governor General of Konigshafen. Stefan was loyal to the young Grand Duke, and upon his 18th birthday he relinquished his authority, but returned as the first Kanzler.

Independence from Ahrana

Grand Duke Friedrich signed the Declaration of Independence of Transbaltia.

Politics and government

Transbaltia is made up of 4 Duchies, each with their own Duke, and 2 Generalships. The Duke of Cisvilia has acted as the Grand Duke since the founding of the Grand Duchy in 1565. 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 1789.

Transbaltia doesnt have a national democratic system, however there are regional assemblies which can vote to nominate a Kanzler, or chancellor, who acts in a way similar to a head of government, directing the cabinet and individual ministries. The Grand Duke is still technically the head of government however the Kanzler is the de facto government head. The position of Kanzler was originally meant to manage the treasury and the estate of the Grand Duke, however has evolved over the years to encompass all aspects of government. Once every four years the regional assemblies vote to nominate a Kanzler, usually a minister or regional leader, and once a candidate gains enough support he is presented by the regional assembly speakers to the Grand Duke who ceremonially accepts him as Kanzler of the Grand Duchy and the Royal Estate.

Military

Transbaltia maintains a relitively small military of 38,000 active and 29,000 reserve servicemen and women. The first forms of a Transbaltian military came about in 1566 in the form of a navy to crack down on piracy in the Intrian Sea. The first ships built have all since been destroyed, however the pride of the fleet the Ostland, built for the Admiral and Duke of Ostland in 1620, is still maintained in the harbour of Kaurtburg. Since independence Transbaltia has formed a decent naval force for a nation of its size, however it rarely faces threats and it is uncommon for vessels to leave the Intrian Sea. Despite this recently Transbaltic ships have been used in anti-piracy operations around Argis. The army is the largest of the three branches of the military in terms of manpower. There are 25 regiments of the Royal Transbaltian Army, and 4 more are currently being formed as a part of the Transbaltian expansion of the armed forces. Transbaltia also maintains a small air force, based out of three air bases across the country, however it is rarely mobilised.