Mutulese Global Circuit
Mutulese Global Circuit Mulawil petb'e | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 The Mutul and its territories at the time of its largest expansion, in 1700 | |
| Largest | Juwon Peten |
| Main languages | |
| Ethnic groups | |
| Government | Absolute Monarchy |
| Establishment | |
| 1600 CE | |
| 1618 CE | |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,000,000 km2 (1,500,000 sq mi) without protectorates nor allies included |
The Global Circuit is the name generally given to the parts of the world under direct or indirect rule from the Divine Kingdom. It was initially a trade-based system which derived most of its influence from merchant enterprise and was considered by the Mutuleses as an extansion of what is called the Market Network System. With a few notable exceptions, such as the Yajawil of Kahei the majority of the Mutulese colonial empire's overseas holdings consisted of coastal forts, factories, and port settlements with varying degrees of incorporation of their hinterlands and surrounding regions. The Lakamb'eob, or "Mutuleses trading companies", were the owners of most of these possessions with the K'uhul Ajaw serving as a distant lawmaker and arbiter of disputes between competing Lakambeob.
Since smaller companies lacked the capital or the manpower for large-scale expeditions through the Makrian Ocean and into the Vespanian Circuit, these distant trade operations were left to a shifting collection of merchant-nobles houses chartered by the Divine Throne. During the first half of the eighteenth century, these had a virtual monopoly on strategic shipping-routes westward through the Makrian Ocean. It greatly contributed to a commercial revolution and a cultural flowering in the Mutul during the late 16th and early 17th century.
In the 18th century the Mutulese presence in Ochran and the Vespanian Ocean started to decline following the Tsurushimese revolution of 1750 which changed the balance of powers in Ochran. But it's only seventy years later, during the Second War for Kahei, that the Mutuleses would definitively loose control over most of their possessions in the region.
History
Tsurushimese network
Through the knowledge and use of the Northern Makrian Vortex, the Tsurushimeses had managed to reach Norumbia during the 13th century, establishing colonies in what would become Enyama in 1373. The successive governments of Tsurushima followed a policy of colonialism, cultivating cash crops and exploiting natural ressources in Norumbia to gain significant reserves of cereals, oils, textiles, and other products that could be grown in the vast plantations of the colonies.
Because they had to go southward to catch winds powerful enough to bring them back to Tsurushima, sights of their vessels became more and more frequent with time, ultimately leading to crude trading between the Tsurushimeses crews and the native kingdoms. The first contacts between Tsurushimeses and Latins took place after the explorers from the latter reached the Western Coast of Norumbia. Thus, the "road to the west" became public knowledge, even if the exact roads used by the Tsurushimeses sailors remained a mystery.
Akutze Selenecha's Travels
Akutze Selenecha was but a child when his House, the Ferrenze, was wiped out during the event known as the Patricide, in 1490. The remnants of the family found refuge in the Mutul, where they merged with the local merchant-nobility of Siluik'. Akutze became a sailor, and then worked as a Captain sometime for the Mutuleses, sometime for the Reze Trade Cartel. In 1492, he presented his project to discover the Tsurushimese's "Makrian Road" to the Divine Throne, which agreed to offer a pension to Selenecha and finance his expedition up to 30% of the total expenses. Akutze was then given the title of Eb'et, or "Ambassador", of the Divine Lord and his Legate in case he indeed reached Tsurushima or any other people he might find during his travel.
Between 1511 and 1528, Selenecha completed three round-trip voyages between Mutul and Ochran, each voyage being sponsored by the Divine Throne. Selenecha proved to be instrumental to the installation of trade posts in Tsurushima, and even got the governorship of the first Mutulese legation in Ochran. However this meant he was quickly sidelined by other larger, wealthier, trader-merchants families who through their own funds sent their own expeditions to explore and set trade posts in the Makrian and Vespanian Oceans. This was the beginning of the Great Enterprises.
First settlements
The Mutulese Legation in Tsurushima was granted in 1517. Other trade ports opened on the archipelago and Kahei in the following decades, depending on the potential profits and which House had financed the settlement and negociated the agreements. Problems caused by inter-company rivalry led to the Divine Throne seizing direct control over the justice and administration of the ports, following the traditional Market Network System of northern Oxidentale. In 1560, the Mutuleses reached the Solustheris Isles and once again were quick to establish outposts there. In 1575, the first permanent trade-port in Onekawa-Nukanoa was created. In 1581, the Mutuleses reached Barriset and the Tuluran Coast.
Kirishtan Revolt
The Mutul was but a minor trade partner of Tsurushima during the 16th century, far outshined by the economical and political influences of the Belisarians Legations. However, during the Kirishitan Uprising, the Mutulese Legation was the only one to side with the Shogunate and pagan forces. Because of their non-abrahamic faith and their reputation for human sacrifices and body modifications, Mutuleses were also victims of the Uprising, and the Siege of the Mutulese Legation lead to the creation of Mutli-Tsurushimans militias that fought alongside the Shogun’s armies and supporters.
War for Kahei
After the Kirishtan Uprising, Latin traders whom had been present in the region as part of the Maritime Jade Road were forced to abandon their Legations in Tsurushima proper, but remained an important force in the Kahei archipelago through what was known as the Latin Possessions. With the Closed Gate Policy, The clans still loyal to the Shogunate and wishing to enforce its laws found themselves abandoned by the central power in Tsurushima, and at the mercy of their rivals whom took the chance to get rid of them by making alliances with the Latins for whom it was in their interest to make sure the islands did not escape their influence despite the end of the Legations. Left with no little to no other options, the Shogunists and Loyalists clans ended up calling the Mutul for help.
The Kahei war, despite being rather short, was a devastating conflict where clanic rivalries meddled with religious considerations and foreign influences. Ultimately, the Mutuleses won and established their own system in the wake of the dismembering of the Latin Possessions. Spices and silviculture became the dominant activities of the countrysides and inlands, in vast farmlands owned by Mutuleses traders or local aristocratic clans. The spices were sent to Hoxi peten, the siege of power of the Nuk Nahob in Kahei, and important marketplace dedicated to the exchange of spices, while the wood was destined to Japarata, renamed by the Mutuleses Kuwon Peten, as the dockyard of the city were the main producers of Djongs for the Mutulese navy.
Even after the Mutuleses had claimed control over all of the archipelago and established a Yajawil, their administration continued to claim its legitimacy from the Tenno, profiting from the language barreer and cultural differences to slowly shift the meaning of the word from the Tsurushimese ruler to the K'uhul Ajaw. De facto, Kahei would remain the heart and center of the Mutulese presence in the Vespanian Ocean until the Second War for Kahei during the 19th century.
First Barriset Tabanaa
In 1621, the clanic chief Shuleek proclaimed himself Caliph of Barriset with the support of the |Iifae clergy. Through the support of the Nuk Nahob already present on the island, the Iifae Caliphate managed to overthrow the hellenic kingdom that dominated the island. In exchange for this support, the Nuk Nahob were granted larger concessions on Barriset, and now had their own docks, warehouses, factories, and districts. These enclaves remained theoretically under the Caliph's rule, but were de-facto independent from Barriset's authority.
Second Tabanaa and the Yajawil of Barriset
Population in the Mutuleses Concessions grew quickly after the establishment of the Caliphate. Oxidentaleses remained a rare sight, but many Barrisetis emigrated to find work as dockers, shop-owners, or sailors. To ease relations with the Mutuleses, many of the wealthier traders who had regular contact with them converted to the White Path, alongside most of the inhabitants of the Concessions. This is when the first sizeable K'uh Nahs were erected.
Religious tensions between the Iifae and the White Pilgrims started to emerge during this period, leading to criticism toward the Caliphate for leaving too much freedom to the Nuk Nahob. In 1649, the Caliph made some attempt to limit the growth of the White Path, such as making |Iifae the only religion openly practicable outside of the Concessions, with the flux of people in and out of these districts being now closely monitored by the Caliph. This sparkled an outrage from the Mutuleses traders who raised the number of Tulotairi militias and warships present in Barriset as a form of protest, alongside diplomatic lobbying to get the decrees redacted. By the end of the year, the Caliph had been forced to back down, abandon the controls at the Concessions' gates, and proclaim religious freedom all over the island.
After the failure of the caliphate to reign in the Mutuleses, parts of the Iifae clergy started to radicalize, openly calling for the departure of the Oxidentaleses, the crushing of "Those who turned away from Mesfin", and even for the overthrow of the Caliph who had been incapable of enforcing Yen laws. Despite heavy repressions, these imam-priests ended up annointing a "new" tribal lord as Caliph who began a new Holy War against the Betrayers and the Infidels.
The second Tabanaa started in 1656 with the siege of the Concessions and the assault on the Caliph's palace. Deathtoll numbered in the thousands after a week of violence, but ultimately the radicals were driven off the cities by the Tulotairi and the remnants of the First Caliph's troops. The rest of the Holy War was a long campaign of guerilla and counter-insurgency, culminating with the capture and sacrifice of the Insurgent Caliph and of most of his clergy in 1661, even if remnants of the Second Caliphate would continue the fight for many more years.
While the Nuk Nahob present in Barriset had organized themselves into Kuchkabal, they ended up electing to call for the Divine Throne to send judges, lawyers, and administrators to the island to takeover the task of pacifying Barriset, managing the island, and driving off the Iifae insurgents. In 1660, the K'uhul Ajaw proclaimed the constitution of Barriset as a Yajawil. The new B'aatz Yajaw and his administration reached the island, officializing direct Mutulese control over it.
Great Shambalan War
Ozeros War
Administration
Legation in Tsurushima
After the start of the Closed Gate Policy, the Mutuleses were the last foreigners tolerated inside the Archipelago, and only in one location : the port of Sakurajima. More specifically, in what was nicknamed the Mutulese Legation, located on an island linked to the rest of the city by a single bridge, guarded on both sides.
the island was, administratively, part of the city. The 11 local Tsurushimeses families who owned the land received an annual rent from the Nuk Nahob operating in the Legation. It contained houses for the Mutuleses, warehouses, and accommodation for both Mutuleses and Tsurushimeses officials. Numerous merchants supplied goods and catering, and about 100 interpreters served. While the island was under the strict surveilance of the Shogun, who had a Supervisor in Sakurajima, the day to day administration of the port was left to the council of the Nuk Nahob's representatives, who elected their own Batab, the equivalent of a mayor.
Despite the financial burden of maintaining the isolated outpost, the trade with Tsurushima was very profitable for the Mutuleses, initially yielding profits of 50% or more. The legation proved very profitable up until the First Republic, which saw the end of the Closed Gate Policy and the re-opening of the archipelago to all foreigners.
The Mutuleses traded mostly in silk, cotton, chocolate, and sugar. Also, deer pelts and shark skin were transported to Tsurushima from Kahei, as well as books, scientific instruments and many other rarities. In return, the Mutuleses traders bought Tsurushiman copper, silver, camphor, porcelain, lacquer ware and rice. To this was added the personal transactions of the Nuk Nahob's employees which was an important source of income for them and their Tsurushiman counterparts.
Pulau Keramat
During the Age of Fire, a period of division and conflicts in the Pulaui archipelago, many Pulaui fled the chaos of their time by serving as sailors on Mutuleses ships, beginning a long lasting relationship between the Archipelago and the Nuk Nahob. The Mutuleses traders became important suppliers for the various competing factions, especially for the Solustheris Kingdom where they first established outposts. By the time of the unification of the archipelago in the early 16th century, the Mutuleses had acquired many concessions and benefits from the victorious states and thus from the newly created Confederation.
After the reunification, a number of mercenaries and other companies of aimless soldiers found new jobs and opportunities by serving as private forces for the Nuk Nahob, notably during the War for Kahei. Naval experts from the Solustheris Isles were notably sought after by the Nuk Nahob who engaged them to form their own navigators and officers; Pulaui mercenaries ended up serving as enforcers and guards.
Pulau Keramat would remain independent for the duration of the Mutulese Ochran, serving as an important resting port and jump-pad for the Mutuleses toward the Ozeros Sea, but also as a source of spices and raw products, and a consumer market for Mutuleses goods. The coastal areas and larger islands were chequered by a network of Trade Posts and Factories, strengthening the commercial and political ties between the two kingdoms.
Kahei Islands
Yajawil of Barriset and the Scipian Coast
Presence in Malaio
Before the arrival of the Mutuleses traders, the modern country of Onekawa-Nukanoa had already known a first wave of economic colonialism from the Pulaui, between the 11th and 14th centuries, until the Age of Fire broke out.
When the Mutuleses first reached Malaio in the late 17th century, they made first-contact with the Māori people. With time, they started to trade with them, buying food, wood, and whale bones or oil in exchange for textiles and manufactured goods. In 1575, one of the Mutuleses Nuk Nahob was allowed by a a Mâori tribe to establish a permanent settlement near the Onekawan Bay. From there on "Malaio" was integrated into the Vespanian Circuit as a re-supply point and way-station for vessels on their way back and forth between Kahei and the Solustheris Isles. They established large farms, growing Citrus and other plants vital for Mutuleses sailors. It's also in these settlements that they first tamed and started to raise Moa native of Malaio. A technique that was then exported back to Oxidentale and other Mutuleses settlements, alongside fertilized eggs and juveniles. Soon, it became a common source of meat everywhere in the Divine Kingdom, from Oxidentale to Scipia. The wood required for naval repair was obtained through trade with Māori tribes that resided deeper inland.
Around the Mutuleses ports, some Māori started to settle permanently, working mainly as labourers at the docks and warehouses, or in other sectors requiring heavy manpower. Sometime, they were recruited by some ship captains to replace crew members that had died during their journey.
During the second half of the 17th century, "Maori Regiments" were established, serving as Marine Fusiliers. Coastal Maori also continued to be recruited to serve as sailors, gunmen, and other low-ranking crewmembers but in larger numbers than before. Generally serving alongside Pulaui and Tsurushimeses. Contrary to them however, they rarely if ever served as officers or ship captains because of their lack of naval tradition.
It's also during that era that the "Maori Wards", called Mahoji Nalil, were first legally recognized and placed under Mutulese administration : community leaders of each Ward were given the title of Aj Kuchkab ("He who bear the land") and to be granted an advisory position in their associated Batab council. A Popilna, or "House of justice" was to be built in all of these new Wards. At least one school per settlement was to be built.
Protectorate of Ankat
After the Shambalan Great War, Ankat became officially a Mutulese protectorate. Trade-ports dissapeared, in favour of a direct implementation of the Mutuleses Nuk Nahob inside the old trade cities, establishing Chambers of commerce where both Oxidentaleses and Ochraneses merchants could meet and organize their network. trading venues were created in all major portuary cities. At first it was only for the exchange of spices, especially cinnamon. Afterward, sugar, indigo and textiles also became commonly traded commodities.
As part of their policies toward veterans who served as marines and sailors in the Nuk Nahob, promising farmlands after 9 years of service, the Mutuleses began to buy lands in Ankat, especially in the less populated north of the country. There, these new "colonists", often of Janatāva or Pulaui origin, introduced with them important cash crops, such as coffee and tea, but also rubber, first imported directly from Oxidentale.
The military of the new kingdom was organized by Mutuleses officers into three armies, the First and Second Janatāva Suwa, and the First Balung Suwa. "Suwa" was the Mutulese pronounciation of the Terasi word for "Service". Similarily, a soldier serving in these Suwob was known as an "Hanasuy". Another deformation of a Terasi word for "warrior" that became an official term in the Nuk Nahob.
Market System
The Mutuleses had long theorized how a society should be structured to ensure "peace and prosperity in accord with the principles of the universe laid down by the Thirteen Gods". It resulted in a tripartite division of the Mutul society, with producers-commoners, a merchant-nobility, and a priestly caste of scribes and scholars. The merchant-nobility role was to ensure both the circulation of trade goods and its protection, legitimizing their rule as governors and administrators. As a result, the nobility were the one possessing both the knowledge and the capitals needed to establish business ventures and organize what they called the Vespanian Circuit mimicking the system already in place in Oxidentale.
Behind the concept of the "Circuit" is the Mutulese idea of a World-system: a geographic space forming a coherent and homogeneous economic set. As such, they divided the world in a number of Circuits based on their analysis of local supplies and demands, in which traders could optimize their travel times and exchanges to maximize profits. The "task" of the Great Companies was to link these Circuits together, creating a larger, worldwide, Market System.
The most important markets were also the political centers of "Ochk'ak", where goods from all over the Vespanian would concentrate before being sent back to Oxidentale. They dominated politicaly and economicaly "local markets" where local traders and producers would sell products to Mutuleses long-range traders or natives mid-range merchants. While there was no forced plantations nor homogeneous agricultural and industrial policies, the Mutuleses traders managed, through their carefully cultivated situation of Monopsony over most of the regions part of the Vespanian Circuit and thus their control over the market prices, to influence producers and native aristocracies into re-organizing their possessions away from Subsistence agriculture and into Intensive farming for luxury goods such as spices, gemstones, coffee, cotton, dyes, rubber, and rare woods.
Because of the development of this proto international trades, the Mutulese aristocracy became ardent advocates for Liberalism and the free market, untouched from the Divine Throne which was to limit itself to its traditional role of maintaining peace, a fair justice system, and a good network of infrastructures, all of this to support a productive and prosperous economy. The question of the K'uhul Ajaw's involvement in the Vespanian Circuit remained a long debated issue, but the Divine Throne remained far less powerful in Ochran than it was in Oxidentale, and it became a political laboratory for the merchant-aristocrats eager to try new organizations of the Market System, such as the inclusion of elections.
Legacy
Religion
The Mutulese expansion in Ochran and Malaio led to the spread of the White Path far beyond the Mutul traditional borders. Religion played an especially important role as part of the Oxidentalese rule, with special rights and credentials being given to communities and people who participated in the White Path's rituals, thus at least aknowledging the distant authority of the K'uhul Ajaw. Despite this political role, the White Path would survive the Mutuleses around the Vespanian Ocean especially in Ankat where almost all of the population declare itself to be White Pilgrim in census. The fusion between the White Path and Janatāva culture would prove to be especially fruitful, giving birth to the Sudu Margaya School and leading to an artistic and scientific renaissance in the country.
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