Cartulia

Republic of Cartulia Republika Cartulia
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Anorfod." "Immortality."
Anthem: "Danza de Dawi" "Dance of the Dawi"[1]
Map of Cartulia.
Capital and largest city	Alcazr
Official languages	Cartulian
Recognised national languages	Iblesian
Ethnic groups	97% Cartulian, 3% Other
Demonym(s)	Cartulian
Government	Parliamentary Democracy
• Presendentor President	Torm Cevanto
• Presmismo Minastentor Prime Minister	Jorg-Alvor d'Ladron
Independent (Sovereign)
• Crown Union	1058 CE
• Abolition of the Thurha	1067 CE
• Constitution of the Estates	1674 CE
• Abolition of the Monarchy	1881 CE
Area
•	308,011 km2 (118,924 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	78.2 million
• Density	253.9/km2 (657.6/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	¢449,259,000,000
• Per capita	¢57,450
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Per capita	¢58,000
Currency	Eschanta (E)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy

The Republic of Cartulia, shortened to Cartulia, is a sovereign state located in western Ishr. It has a population of approximately 78.2 million people according to a 2023 Census, of whom the majority (97%) belong to the indigenous Cartulian ethnic group. The capital city, Alcazr is located on the isle of Caditha and serves as the political and economic hub of the nation, with a population of 8.5 million it is also Cartulia's largest city. Cartulia shares a land border with Iblesia to the north, Kavo to the northeast, Trodenhiem to the east, and Promethia to the south. With a land area of 308,011 square kilometres it is one of the smallest nations in Ishr by land area, but also one of the most densely populated. Formed as a monarchy in 1067 CE, Cartulia became a Republic in 1881 following the Cartulian defeat during the Third Ishran War. Formerly a colonial power Cartulia officially surrendered the last of its overseas territories in 1956, but would continue to intervene militarily in its former colonies until the Ishran Court of Arbitration ruled further interventions illegal in 1989.

As of 2022 the total GDP of Cartulia was ¢449.26 billion, with the GDPPC stable at around ¢57,450. This makes Cartulia one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Furthermore Cartulia boasts a HDI score of 0.950, which has remained stable since 2018. Cartulia is a founding member of both the IECU and NIDA, and plays a significant role in regional politics and diplomacy.

Cartulia has a developed economy with strong engineering and technology industries, particularly in the areas of hardware development and manufacture. Alcazr is also a global economic and banking hub with a long history in finance dating to the early 15th Century. Since the industrial revolution Cartulia's economy has been developedwith a strong industrial base, initially fueled by the discovery of coal in the northern hill of Thaea; this allowed for the rapid growth of textile and steel production. The modern industrial economy in Cartulia is diverse, manufacturing various goods including cars, trains, ships, and aircraft. Otherwise the Cartulian economy relies heavily upon the oil and natural gas reserves located in the Kolthiraean Sea. The oil and natural gas industry accounts for approximately 19% of Cartulia's GDP and is one of the nation's largest employers.

After drawing criticism during the 1980s for its interventions in its former colonies of Ishval and Aramatheria Cartulia has faced accusations of human rights abuses and war crimes. These issues have damaged the nation's international reputation and have been a point of diplomatic tension ever since. Since the 1990s Cartulia has been the target for ethnic and religious extremist terrorism.

Etymology and Terminology

Cartulia takes its name from the ancient Dawi deity, Corto, who was the chief god in their pantheon. Corto also served as one of the genius loci for the isle of Caditha, upon which the Cartulian capital is located. Structurally the name is derived from the Dawi, in which Cartu is the possessive and lia translates to 'land', making the complete word literally; 'Corto's Land'.

History

Second Cartu-Lyrian War (1660 - 1666)

In 1660 tensions flared on the border regions between the Duchy of Lyria and Cartulian Aramatheria. The Treaty of Larosche, which had ended the First Cartu-Lyrian War in 1635 had delineated the border between the Duchy's southern frontier with Cartulian held Aramatheria along a line of oases known as the Larosche Line. However the description of the Line failed to account for four oases in the region of Dhenebra which were absent from the maps used during the writing of the treaty. The Lyrian interpretation of the treaty assumed that these oases were included in the line, while the Cartulian position was that they be ignored.

The differing views as to where the Larosche Line lay meant that both Lyria and Cartulia laid claim to the strategically and economically important town of Dhenebra. Conflict first arose in October 1659, when tax collectors from both nations encountered one another in the course of their duties, leading to a small skirmish between their escorts. Attempts were then made to resolve the situation via diplomatic means. However by June 1660 the situation had not been settled; in an effort to decide the matter in their favour the Lyrian government dispatched a force to construct a trio of forts south of Dhenebra, in line with their claims. Unaware of this the Cartulian government chose to force the issue by sending another tax collector, Colonel Eduro Evante, this time with a much larger escort. Upon encountering one of the forts, half completed, the Cartulian force withdrew as they lacked artillery and sappers.

Upon Evante's return Cartulia broke off the negotiations and declared war. Cartulia immediately prepared its small standing army an mustered a levy of conscripts, mostly armed with billhooks and pikes. Meanwhile Evante raised his own force of armoured musketeers, and the King raised three regiments of artillery. This rapid mobilisation did not prevent the Lyrians from completing their forts as these troops had to be transported from Cartulia to Aramatheria by sea.

In the interim the local colonial forces, including native levies and Zahrian nomadic tribes, were defeated at the Battle of Nuram but withdrew in good order with Zahrian skirmishers covering the retreat. The victorious Lyrian force then advanced south, towards Sharaj, the administrative capital of Cartulian Aramatheria. The city was enveloped, but the Lyrians lacked heavy artillery and settled in for a siege.

The main Cartulian forces landed in Jafna in southern Aramatheria in November 1660 and settled in for the winter, establishing fortifications and expanding the road network in the surrounding areas so as to enhance the availability of supply. The fighting would resume in March when the Cartulian relief column made it to Sharaj. In the ensuing battle the Lyrian army was devastated as they still lacked artillery and had started to run low on powder for their muskets due to the continuous raiding of their supply lines by Zahrian nomads loyal to the Cartulians. Following the Relief of Sharaj the Lyrian commander, Baron Ernest Darrow, agreed to surrender and voluntarily become a Cartulian hostage (along with his staff and adjutants) in exchange for the lives of his remaining men.

The Cartulian force, now under the command of Eduro Evante who had been promoted to Brigadier, established their supply lines between Jafna and Sharaj and improved the main road between the two cities, before moving north to Nuram. This delay drew criticism in Cartulia, but Evante retained his position due to the continued success of his subordinates, Major Galvo Nujant and Captain Eduro Rossi, who led their Zahrian irregulars in a rapid skirmishing campaign. By July 1661 Nujant had successfully bypassed the line of forts established by the Lyrians and was actively disrupting Lyrian logistics. Rossi meanwhile had effectively eliminated Lyria's scouting forces.

Evante opted to wait out the notoriously hostile Aramatherian summer in Sharaj, drilling his soldiers extensively in fire discipline and reloading. When he finally left Sharaj in force in August the Cartulian army had high morale, though doubts remained about Evante's cautious approach to command.

The campaign of August 1661 to February 1662 showed just how audacious Evante could be, and by October the Cartulians had captured the fort of Kensey and raised Fort Levenson. This left only the westernmost Fort Anders standing in Lyrian hands. The Cartulians established winter quarters in Fort Kensey, but rather than wait for spring Evante pushed on into February, capturing Dhenebra. The Cartulian advance only stopped when Nujant's force were caught in an ambush and destroyed, exposing the Cartulian flank. Evante withdrew to Dhenebra and requested reinforcement to account for the loss of Nujant's force.

Military action on land cooled during 1662 as both sides built up their forces. At sea however the situation grew in intensity as the Lyrian navy tried to block the flow of reinforcements from Cartulia. Initial victories at Orant and Jambae weakened the Cartulian position and forced the Colonial Fleet to shelter in port, but the arrival of the Red Squadron under Admiral Gavrel turned the situation, culminating in the Battle of Serna in January 1664, which scattered the Lyrian force.

March 1664 saw renewed fighting on land, Evante hoped to push hard and surprise Lyrian planners by pressing the attack closer to the summer months than usual. Despite heavy losses to attrition the strategy worked and Fort Anders fell in June, followed by a thrust past the Larosche Line in July which allowed the Cartulian army to rest for the summer in the Lyrian town of Kabur.

The fighting resumed in January of 1666, but only briefly. The loss of the Lyrian navy at Serna combined with the poor state of Lyria's army meant that their position was untenable. The Lyrian government sued for peace and subsequently surrendered the three forts, Dhenebra, and Kabur.

Demographics

Ethnicity

According to the 2020 census 97% of Cartulia's population considered themselves to be ethnic Cartulians, with academic studies generally supporting the existence of a largely homogeneous population. Traditional history holds that the present day Cartulians are directly descended from the more diverse Dawi Peoples who inhabited the lands during prehistory.

Cartulians are described as having tan skin, with dark brown hair and brown eyes being most common.