Gylias-Æþurheim relations
 Gylias |
 Æþurheim |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Gylian Embassy, Lowellsburg | Æþurian Embassy, Mişeyáke |
The relations between Gylias and Æþurheim have a long history, and have alternated between periods of strain and periods of neutrality. Official relations were established relatively late, in 1987.
Fundamental differences in governance, owing to Æþurheim's succession of Political Futurist and military dictatorships, have been a key cause of tense relations. However, opinon polls show significant mutual sympathy between the Gylian and Æþurian peoples, and commercial and cultural ties have increased, particularly as a result of cultural exchanges.
The recent eruption of the Æþurian Civil War is seen by analysts as marking the lowest point of Gylias–Æþurheim relations.
History
Early interactions
Contact between Gylic and Æþurian states is attested as early as the 10th century CE. Æþurian Vikings mounted raids of the Liúşai League, which contributed to early Æþurian settlement in Gylic territories.
The emergence of Mansuriyyah and resulting religious conflicts led to a change in opinion — several Gylic chronicles of the 14th–15th centuries notably describe the Viking raiders as more "honourable" foes than the Mansuris, attesting to the bitterness engendered by the religious dimension of the Quliyasi Jihad.
Xevden's victory in the Colonisation War ended what level of diplomatic contact had existed between the two sides. Æþurheim's long period of internal consolidation and unification caused little attention to Sidurian affairs.
Alscia and the Free Territories
Alscia established a legation in Æþurheim in 1914, as part of its efforts to affirm Gylian self-determination. Initial ties were neutral, although the then-Æþurheim government was at times frustrated by Alscia's ambiguous stance regarding whether it was a province of the Cacertian Empire or an independent state under Cacertian protection.
The rise of Political Futurism caused a deterioration in bilateral relations. While Æþurheim experienced a civil war that brought a Futurist regime to power, Alscia marginalised its Futurist Party and saw strong anti-Futurist mobilisations by the Anarchofuturist Association of Alscia and Free Megelanese community. Consequently, relations turned hostile. The new Æþurian regime tried to clandestinely support the PFA.
During the Liberation War, Æþurheim was similarly hostile to the Free Territories and attempted to support like-minded formations, such as the Futurist Front. On the other hand, Æþurian volunteers served in the International Brigades, and some of them became key members of the post-war Æþurian Gylian community.
Independence
The transition from the Free Territories to Gylias initially brought little change in relations. Æþurheim's official posture remained hostile. The two countries did not have official relations.
During the 1960s–1970s, despite official tensions, non-official exchanges developed. The combination of internal reforms to cope with the growing contradictions of Æþurheim's Nasjonal Samling regime and the Gylian Invasion stimulated Æþurian interest in Gylian popular culture. Several well-known Æþurian artistic figures sought refuge in Gylias and attained greater fame, including failed Tyranvision contestant Anita Thallaug, The Creation, and much later, Mary Hansen of Stereolab.
Relations were further roiled by incidents like the Special Public Security Bureau 9 foiling and exposing an NSB plot to kidnap Æþurian Gylians in 1964, and the violent repression of a Lowellsburg student protest in 1968.
Throughout these decades, Æþurheim’s Futurists sought to display both political and military power, and cleverly employ the malleable nature of the Party to present a sympathetic front. At various points, they alternated between emphasising the left-leaning nature of some participants and policies, while other times veering right and using red scare tactics towards Gylias in line with other governments suspicious of the Golden Revolution.
As the regime was weakened by internal strife, economic problems, and the cost of border wars and show of force, the focus of foreign policy was preventing Gylias from making an alliance of convenience with their enemies. While they benefited from the Common Sphere being the focus of Gylian foreign policy, the effort fell flat in Gylias after it became clear the regime’s “liberalisation” was for show, and relations stabilised in the 1970s in a sort of “tense neutrality”.
An official thawing of ties began in the 1980s, after the wretched decade and the disintegration of the Futurist regime, eventually replaced by a military regime officially pursuing "normalisation". Relations were officially established in 1987, with Gylias' embassy in Lowellsburg symbolically occupying the building of the former Alscian legation.
Commercial and cultural ties increased from the 1990s onwards, particularly fueled by the Gylian Invasion's second wave. The publinet contributed significantly to this, allowing Æþurians greater access to Gylian pop culture through the internet.
The trend of improving political relations in line with economic and cultural ones was reversed by the eruption of the Æþurheim Civil War. The civil war became an issue in the 2020 federal election, leading to the formation of the Lena Haidynraix government with outside support from anarchist Non-inscrits in exchange for stronger support of the anarcho-syndicalist KSA.
Cultural exchange
In spite of the political differences that have negatively affected relations between the two countries, significant cultural exchanges between Gylias and Æþurheim exist.
Gylian popular culture has experienced notable popularity in Æþurheim, going back to the Beaties and the initial Gylian Invasion. The Neo-Gylian Sound and city pop scenes of the 1990s have achieved significant popularity, and have been an influence on the Æþurian retro craze.
The creation of the publinet and growth of Æþurian internet use have boosted Æþurian access to and interest in Gylian pop culture.
Cowboy Bebop earned significant popularity in Gylias owing to its explicit inspiration from Gylian pop culture. It also later became a symbol of the tension between the military regime's proclaimed "normalisation" and its stonewalling in practice, as creator Roald Myren and the voice cast all battled Æþurian censorship and later moved to Gylias.