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Full name: Republic of the Dumnonic Isles and Aethelia
Type: Territorial state. A constitutional, parliamentary republic.
Demonym: Dumnonian-Aethelian, Dumnaethelian, Dumnaetheler
Description: The Dumnonic Isles are a fairly large
and varied archipelago close to the northeast shores of Aporue,
separated from the main landmass by a fairly small channel. Since time
immemorial, the isles have been “with Aporue but not of it”, as one
patriotic Aethelian historian put it. The isles were once an overseas
colony and then province of The Old Empire, influencing and partly
assimilating the natives, known as Dumnonincs. In the centuries after
the fall of the Precursors' empire, new peoples started migrating to the
isles, further influencing their ethnic, cultural and linguistic make
up and changing their nature forever. Chief among these were the ancient
Aethelic tribes, ancestrally related to modern day Lokyts, Karantians and Hrímlanders.
The Aethels (as they are known to this day) colonised large parts of
some of the largest islands in the archipelago, and local conquered
Dumnonics eventually assimilated into their nations. Smaller numbers of
already established Hrímlanders, both human and wolverfolk,
also settled down in parts of the isles, often close to the Aethels.
Several kingdoms eventually sprung up and there were centuries of
tension between the Aethelic/Hrímlandic-dominated lands, the
Dumnonic-dominated lands and the lands controlled by a mix of these
nationalities. Eventually, the local dynasties united these lands via
many a royal marriage and trade agreement, until one day, the Kingdom of
Dumnonia-Aethelia was born. Though two or three civil wars dented some
of its stability, the kingdom survived firmly for several centuries,
growing in prosperity and finding its footing in mining, ironworking and
shipbuilding industries. Most importantly of all, the kingdom led to
the gradual development of a pan-islands national identity, uniting the
once bitterly opposed ethnic groups. But this was not to last… Two
hundred years ago, a new dynasty rose to the throne and attempted to
undermine the power held by the commoners and nobility in their
(Hrímland-inspired) traditional parliament, in favour of more absolutist
rule. Tensions sparked up again and proved fatal. A twenty year long
series of civil wars brought much infighting to the islands, on a level
not seen in centuries. In the end, the monarchy was toppled and
defeated. A particular parliamentary faction of anti-monarchists under
the leadership of Cadfael Owain, nicknamed Old Jernigan (i.e. “Old Iron-famous”),
reunited the country. They set about implementing massive political
reforms, including a switch to a fully republican model of government.
Unfortunately, Owain and his faction grew too drunk with power and
refused to dissolve the “emergency parliament” even after a fifteen year
long “provisional period”. During the faction's reign, the country
effectivelly became a semi-military dictatorship. On the 18th year of
the “New Model State”, a public uprising known as “The Glorious Revolt”
broke out, bringing down Owain and his supporters. What followed was the
“Fulfillment of the Republic” era, which layed the foundations for the
present day Dumnonia-Aethelia. Though not every development has gone
perfectly in the last 160 or so years of the republic's existence, the
country's story since then has been one of success. Nowadays,
Dumnonia-Aethelia is considered the greatest and undisputed naval power
in all of Aporue and their commercial shipping, mining, metallurgy, and
fledgling railroads and aviation provide a welcomed economic backbone to
that status.
Real world frame of reference: 18th-19th century
Great Britain/UK, but with a lot of cultural and historical twists ! For
one, the country and its people are much closer to Welsh, Cornish and Manx culture,
rather than the usual mix of English, Scottish and Irish cultural
trappings. Furthermore, the country experienced a period in its fairly
recent history that was similar to the upheavals of OTL 17th century
British history, including a brief era of the monarchy being deposed and
replaced by an impromptu republic under an Oliver Cromwell analogue.
However, just like there were no Norman invasions in this world, there was no Restoration era
here either. The monarchy and Owain's dictatorship were replaced by an
actual parliamentary republic, though one that still evokes OTL's Westminster system more than enough. Also, the Glorious Revolt had some parallels to the Thermidorian Reaction,
of all things… While present Dumnonian-Aethelian fashions and customs
might evoke our world's 18th and 19th century, there has been no
equivalent of a Victorian period here, so even the fashion is more OTL late Georgian or Regency era in terms of tone. Aside from inspirations in OTL history, some of Aethelia's backstory and atmosphere is also inspired by the Unified Kingdom from Arcanum.
Aethelians are Anglo-Saxon analogues, Dumnonians are effectivelly
British Celts (including former Romano-British), the Hrímlanders are a
much more peaceful stand-in for Viking invaders.
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