Blayk

Grand Kingdom of Blayk Rouoyaume Graund dé Blaïque (Blaykish) Royaume Grand de Blayc (Principean)
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto:  "Audeamus" "May we dare"
Anthem: Trais Couronnes Unies "Three Crowns United"
Location of  Blayk  (dark green) – in Auressia  (green & dark grey) – in the Commonwealth  (green)
Capital and largest city	Montigné
Recognised national languages	Blaykish Principean
Recognised regional languages	Vervillian Litavin Sarbeliard Tyrnican
Demonym(s)	Blaykish
Government	Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
• Monarch	Leopold III
• Prime Minister	Benjamîn Petty-Mermoz
Legislature	Parlement (Chambres des Députés)
Establishment
• Treaty of Breun	15th January 920
• First Constitution	March 6th 1802
• Chaudoir Restoration	3rd February 1822
Area
•	676,719 km2 (261,283 sq mi)
• Water (%)	1.34
Population
• 2020 estimate	81,652,690
• 2017 census	79,310,821
• Density	117/km2 (303.0/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$3.956 trillion (5th)
• Per capita	$49,881
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$3.473 trillion (3rd)
• Per capita	$43,795
Gini (2018)	29.1 low
HDI (2018)	0.902 very high
Currency	Commonwealth mark (CMR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (Western Auhr Standard Time)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+06
ISO 3166 code	BLC
Internet TLD	.blc

Blayk (Blaykish: Blaïque, pronounced: /ˈbleɪk/), officially the Grand Kingdom of Blayk (Blaykish: Rouoyaume Graund dé Blaïque) is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy located in Western Auressia. The country extends from the Hesperian Ocean to the Khovaar Strait and borders Rythene to the north west, Avilême, Vervillia and Castria to the south and is connected to Tyrnica through the Arden-Karsfjord bridge. Blayk consists of sixteen provinces further spilt into three hundred and nineteen electorates, covering a total of 676,719 square kilometres. It has the second highest population within Auressia with 79.31 million inhabitants as of 2017. Blayk's capital is Montigné, the country's largest city and main commercial and cultural hub. Other important urban centres include Elberné, Marbonne, Fluery, Alberrai and Arden.  

The present day state of Blayk has its origin in the tenth century Treaty of Breun, which established a Cuscaire hegemony over the region, co-ruled by Mathilda, Queen of the Blakes and William, Lord of the Cuscaires. Blayk would go on to secure its place as one of the leading Auressian powers through the middle ages, extending Blaykish influence to Rythene and the Northern Regions of Western Auressia, while contending with Tyrnica for control over the Strait of Khovaar. The early modern period saw the nation become the foremost naval power in Auressia after the War of the Khovaarian league, the foundation of one of the world’s first colonial empires and the creation of the first Blaco-Vervillian union.

The eighteenth century saw the beginning of a period of slow decline in Blayk's influence with the collapse of the Blaco-Vervillian union, later followed by the costly War of the Tyrnican Succession and finally the end of the Phillipean line of Kings ultimately culminating in the Blaykish Civil War and the declaration of the Blaykish Republic at the turn of the century. The newly founded republic would later join other republican forces in waging war against Auressian monarchists during the Great Upheaval, their defeat however would see the reestablishment of the monarchy in Blayk at the Congress of Vedayen and the loss of its vast colonial empire. Throughout the rest of the nineteenth century the nation kept its neutrality in foreign affairs and had limited success in regaining its influence on the continent. Blayk was allied with Rythene through the conflicts of the early twentieth century re-securing its place as a major power on the global scale and despite the devastation of the conflicts it has experienced a unprecedented period of stable post war economic growth.

A developed country, Blayk has a high income liberalised free trade economy primarily dominated by it's service sector. It is the world's third-largest economy by nominal GDP and fifth-largest by purchasing power parity. The first nation in the world to industrialise, it remains to this day as an important exporter of steel, machinery and motor vehicles. The nation also has a notable agricultural sector, being one of largest producers of garlic and of multiple varieties of wine and cheese. It ranks highly in multiple international rankings of health, education, life expectancy, civil liberties and human development.

Blayk plays a prominent role in global economic, cultural and diplomatic affairs, being recognised as both a regional power and a great power. The nation is a founding and leading member of the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia, with the Blaykish city of Sarbeliard serving as one of the three cities holding the infrastructure of the international organisation. It is also a founding member of the Auressian Community and a leading participant in numerous international organisations devoted to cooperation in health, development and national security. Blayk is seen as a centre for the arts with a rich cultural history that has made it one of the top tourist destinations in the world.

Etymology

Originally applying to whole northern region of the Holy Sabarine Empire, Blayk derives from the Sabarine Blaucia or "country of the Blakes". The Tyrnican name Blachland and Litavin (Bro) Blaeg share the same meaning.

There are a few theories on the origins of the name Blake. Multiple linguists have linked the word Blake to Rythenean black or bleak. The name Blake thus may have been adopted from proto-isaric *blakaz meaning dark or black haired, a trait attributed to the Blakes by Sabarine writers or *blaikaz meaning pale possibly in contrast to the nomadic people who inhabited Central Auressia prior to the Isaric tribes.

History

Prehistory (Before 5th Century BC)

• Early Humans arrive around 1.5 millions years ago from Idica
• Neanderthals arrive roughly 300,000 years ago but go extinct around 30,000 BC
• Agriculture comes to Blayk around 4,000 - 3,000 BC, Metallurgy follows shortly afterwards

Antiquity (5th Century BC - 4th Century AD)

• !Gallic tribes arrive in Blayk around 500 BC
• Marosbona (Marbonne), Arixomagos (Arcions) are founded
• Blayk becomes incredibly prosperous leading to conflict with Sabaria
• After centuries of conflict Sabaria pushes into eastern Blayk through the Avilême corridor in 43BC
• By 30 BC the Sabarine General Montanius Vervillicus conquers all of Blayk (Transalpine Vervillia)
• The cities of Montanicum (Montigné) and Florianus (Fluery) are founded by the Sabarines
• Transalpine Vervillia becomes one of the most influential provinces in the Sabrine Empire
• After the conquests of Tyrnica, the Blakes, led by King Mahalric are invited to migrate to Vervillia for their service to Sabaria

Early Middle Ages (5th Century - 10th Century)

• The collapse of the Sabarine Empire leads to the now Sabarinized Blakes becoming the dominant power in the region
• Due to the !anglo-saxon settlement of Calinisia a sub-group of Sabaro-Calinisians flee and settle in present day Litavia, becoming the Litavins
• The Blakes spread throughout the northern regions of Western Auressia
• The Blakes are united into a single Kingdom by Roland I, a descendant of Mahalric in the early 700s
• The new Kingdom of Blaucia becomes de jure apart of the Second Sabarine Empire but is de facto independent
• Following a viking invasion of Rythene in the late 9th century Blayk is flooded by both northmen and !anglo-saxons looking for land and fame
• Most notable is the famed Viking Albjǫrn Hjǫrtrhjarta who founds the settlement of Albjorney (Elberné)
• The King of Blaucia sees opportunity and strikes up a deal with Albjorn, giving him land and making him the Count of Marbourg and Chieftain of the Cuscaires
• A Cuscaire identity grows through much of Blayk with Blaykish fathers preferring to marry their daughters to Isars
• In 915 a a succession crisis erupts between Mathilde of Montigné, supported by her husband William of Cuscairie and Guido of Breun, nominally supported by the Sabarine Emperor
• The treaty of Breun in 920 sees Mathilde and William victorious, and the creation of a united Blake - Cuscaire Kingdom, independent of the Sabarines.
• Prince Edmund of Blaucia-Cuscairie is exiled for truce breaking but is allowed to rule independently as the Prince of Casmire

Late Middle Ages (11th Century - 15th Century)

• The Duchy of Hâlforde is brought by Blayk from Alaric of Casmire in return for a fleet of ships
• A Crusade for Khovaar sees Arthur of Cerlouex martyred and later given sainthood

Early Modern Period (15th Century - 1800)

• Starting in Fifty year war sees Charles III of Blayk attempt to claim the Tyrnican throne but ultimately fail when he dies by mysterious circumstances
• Upon the death of Charles III, Rosalie of Arcions, the Queen consort claims the throne dubiously
• The war continues until Tyrnica-Kürskäringar kicks Blayk's teeth in causing now King Louis IX to cut his loses and bail from Tyrnica in 1477
• The first Blaykish expeditions to the new world occur, following in Vervillia's footsteps in the 1490s
• War with Tyrnica starts up again with the War of the Khovaarian league, with Blayk and Tyrnica backing opposing trade leagues in the Galene sea
• The war ends in a convoluted stalemate but secures Blayk as the dominant naval power in Northern Auressia
• The Blaco-Vervillian union begins in 1530 allowing Blayk to piggyback on Vervillia's colonial gains to propel themselves into the new world
• The Union dominates the colonial game in the new world and quickly become the dominant power in the new world from the 16th century to 18th century
• The Phillipean period begins in 1723 with the coronation of Phillip I de Chaudoir, this starts the rise of parliament
• Blayk sides with Tyrnica in the Tyrnican War of Succession, leading to the end of the union
• Blayk and Tyrnica emerge victorious and Blayk strong arms Galens and Vervillian Marceaunia away in the peace treaty
• Blayk also ends up with a lot of debt

Blaykish Civil War (1800 - 1822)

Main article: Blaykish Civil War

Mathys de Garlande leads volunteers for the People's Militia out of Alberrai

Facing heavy criticism by Parliament for involving a financially strained Blayk in the War of the Commons, King Gilbert II disbanded the Blaykish legislature late in the September of 1800, attempting to quell the civil unrest plaguing the country. This was widely met with discontent by the population, which was further exacerbated by widespread publications of the works of revolutionary thinkers such as Josèp Enjeura and Dimitri d'Orpen. Two months later remnants of the Blaykish legislature reorganised themselves in Elberné as the first National Assembly of Blayk and continued to govern without interference from the King. Originally meant as a act of protest, the National Assembly declared itself the rightful government of Blayk on the 19th of January 1801, after the Ymonville Massacre, officially beginning the Blaykish Civil War.    

Politics

Leopold III
King of the Blaykish

Benjamîn Petty-Mermoz
Prime Minister

The Grand Kingdom of Blayk is a unitary, constitutional, popular monarchy and parliamentary democracy. King Leopold III is the current monarch and head of state of Blayk. The monarch of Blayk holds the constitutionally recognised royal prerogative, granting them the power to review cases of injustice or corruption, appoint ministers, ambassadors and other key civil positions and in special cases dissolve parliament or refuse the royal assent of a act of parliament. These powers are limited by restraints in the constitution and are generally only exercised under the advice of the government. The Constitution of Blayk is uncodified with the Constitution Act of 1970 holding a central role alongside various other acts of parliament, orders in council, principles of the Blaykish Constitution of 1801 and unwritten traditions and conventions. Due to there being no distinction between statutes and constitutional law, the Blaykish Parliament can in most cases preform constitutional reform by passing acts of parliament although common convention requires a referendum.

Demographics

Blayk has a estimated 2020 population of 81,652,690 making it the seventh most populous nation in the world and the most populous nation in Auressia. The largest city and the nation's capital, Montigné has the most populous metropolitan area of any city in Auressia with 18% of the Blaykish population living with it's boundaries.

Following the common trend in developed nations and more particularly Auressian nations, Blayk has a relatively low rate of natural population growth. Immigration makes up most of Blayk's population growth, primarily from former Blaykish colonies in Idica and Isuan although there has been a rising trend in immigration from Marceaunian states such as Amandine and the former Blaykish colonies. According to data released by the Ministère de l'Immigration de Blayc the nation welcomed 240,000 immigrants in 2019 alone, more then any other nation that same year. The progressive immigration policies of Blayk have balanced out the low total fertility rate of the nation which has sat steadily at 1.93 since 2017, below the 2.1 replacement rate, giving Blayk a average annual population growth of 0.6%. Like many developing nations Blayk's population is ageing, the average age is 39.2 years and nearly a fifth of the population is over 60. Average life expectancy in Blayk is 81.6 at birth fourth highest in the world.

Major cities

Blayk faced major issues with rural flight throughout the 19th and 20th centuries leading it to become a heavily urbanised nation, with it's largest cities (by the terms of metropolitan area population in 2017) being Montigné (14,581,012), Elberné (4,532,190), Marbonne (1,468,016), Fluery (1,377,361), Alberrai (1,296,152), Marbourg (1,134,104), Vaugardaïre (1,053,672), Arden (923,520), Breun (818,126) and Porz (816,184).

(Note: the following table shows population of the communes, not metropolitan area population.)

Language

A map showing the linguistic areas (Princepean: Zones) of Blayk

According to the Languages Act of 1974 Blayk has no official language but instead recognises two 'Languages of national importance', Principean and Blaykish, two mutually intelligible Sabarian languages derived from ancient Sabarian. The Languages Act of 1974 also gives recognition to a multitude of regional languages and dialects, such as Litavin, Vervillian, Sarbeliard Tyrnican, Casmirean, Galenois and Murasais.

From the 17th to the late 19th century Principean, a codified language based on the Auvonnais dialect, served as the preeminent language of prestige throughout the Auressian upper class, developing into a diplomatic lingua franca due to the global influence of Blayk and later Amandine and Saint-Baptiste. The influential position of Principean was over taken by Rythenean on the global stage due to the emergence of Rythene and Albrennia as great powers.

Despite Principean's time as a global lingua franca it was not the native language to the majority of Blayksmen who continued to speak regional dialects, predominantly variations of Blaykish (know as Cuscaire until it's codification in 1972) and Vervillian. A 1850 report by l'Academie Principéenne found that of Blayk's population of 40 million at the time only 3 million spoke Principean as their mother tongue. Through the expansion of the public education system, in which the sole language of instruction was Principean, increasing urbanisation and an aggressive language policy the number of native Principean speakers in Blayk was brought up to 30 million of Blayk's population of 64 million by 1900 and up to 55 million of Blayk's population of 74 million by 1950.

A bilingual place name sign in Blayk

The 1970s saw a massive period of language reform in Blayk, which saw the codification of the Blaykish language, it's subsequent elevation to a official language before the massive language reform brought by the Languages Act of 1974 implemented the current three tiered system in use today. The three tiers in order of highest to lowest are Langues d'importance nationale, Langues d'importance régionale and dialectes d'importance. Langues d'importance nationale include Principean and Blaykish and have legal recognition at the highest level of governance, Langues d'importance régionale have legal recognition at the provincial level while Dialectes d'importance only hold recognition at the local governance level.

Due to Blayk's historical colonial ambitions Principean and to a lesser extent Blaykish have been introduced across the world to Marceaunia, Isuan and Idica. Principean still serves as a lingua franca in some regions, notably in Marceaunia Minor and the Rum Gulf although it's legacy is mixed developing into creoles such as Baptistois and taking on external influences such as in Amand Principean.