History of Solentia (1562-2000 CE)

The Constitutional Kingdom: 1562-1720
Immediately, the Constitutional Kingdom fell on hard times. In 1565, the economy went sour due to excessive rainfall, flooding, famine, and disease. The nobility withdrew into their fortified manners and administration crumbled for some 5-7 years. When the disaster was finally over, there was further political in-fighting. The King (renamed from the previous title because of Artanian influence) was dead and his heirs fought for the succession. Not helping matters, the nobility chose one heir while the powerful clergy chose another. War would have broken out had not the latter died from a bout of epilepsy. The new King was crowned in Metapontum, war only narrowly averted. The Council of Dukes, however, had consolidated power in the absence of the King; the army now answered to the Minister of War, not to the King. By 1650, the King's powers were greatly eaten away.

But, with the death of King Rilguir II in 1655, the successor, named Loronz the Bold, quickly reversed the tide of aristocratic power. His policies and daring regained him all of the unwritten privileges that had changed hands to the ministers over the last century. Loronz set about a 60 year era of effectively absolute monarchy. The power of the Council reverted to an advisory status while the army pledged allegiance to the King and only to the King. But while the King held political power, the populace was growing ever more affluent and economically influential. Loronz was a man in the right place at the right time, for by his death in 1715, it had become impossible to maintain an absolute monarchy: the populace wanted rights and they wanted freedom.

And so when Vehlroh V ascended to the purple throne in 1715, he was faced with a burning call for reform. His father and predecessor had squandered immense amounts of the treasury in order to strengthen the army and carry out foreign petty war. This was a good strategy in the short run, as it consolidated power and unity, but financially it was a disaster. With no money left in the state's coffers, Vehlroh could neither pay his troops nor feed his citizens. The cries for reform grew louder. But the new King was ill-trained and easily frightened. Instead of trying to bargain with the people, he assumed that he could simply crush them, and with little foresight he used his under-payed troops to put down protests and slaughter dissidents on the streets.

The crisis reached a head on September 8, 1720, when the King's troops carelessly stormed into the Anleitya Meisol, the most holy church in the Capital, and arrested a clergyman for preaching treason. It was rumored that they had also destroyed a sacred relic of the patron Saint beloved by the people. The rumor was treated as truth, and within days riots broke out in Metapontum. Soon they spread to Halion, Akran, Gylsa, Bouthrotum, and more, each bringing chaos and bloodshed. The King fled to the Nukeya, where the rebellion was more limited, but he could not restore order, not with his under-payed troops, and not with his uninspiring character.

On October 10, 1720, after nearly a month of chaos and disorder, a revolutionary government was established in Metapontum. It preached of equality, spiritualism, and a Republic. Yet in Halion, a different government was declared as well by the landed gentry and supporters of the Monarchy (but not necessarily the generally despised King). A war was taking shape from the ubiquitous chaos, one that would decide the future of Solentia. Vehlroh was not involved in this conflict; he was not invited by the Royalists, who had chosen their own candidate for the throne, nor was he given refuge by the Republicans, of course.

The Second Republic: 1720-1789
But the war was not to last long. The Royalists were too held back by petty concerns of aristocratic niceties while the Republicans were driven by a patriotic, religious, and revolutionary fervor. In only a year, the victory was decisive for the Republicans. In Metapontum, the Republic was re-declared and a new era hailed. But, as revolutions often go, things turned sour quickly. Radicals, feeding off of fears of a counter-revolution, took control of the Republic and began to lay out purge after purge. Thousands were brutally executed daily around the country; the spiritualist component of the revolution was ignored and shunned as religious leaders and the devout were slaughtered without concern. The radical democracy that was in place quickly became a tyranny; after two years of blood baths, the Speaker of the Assembly, Montesz Alquoh, seized State control by passing a new constitution through the terrified legislature. The new Republic was clean and pure, but effectively a dictatorship.

The legislature was abolished and replaced by a system of popular referendums by which the populace could, in theory at least, vote on all legislation. Bt Alquoh had studied history and he new that, as a rule, the larger the legislature, the slower and less effective it is. And the less effective the legislature, the more likely its powers will be given to a smaller group of men. And he was right: this "legislature of the people" soon devolved most of its powers to a "Reform Council," chaired by Alquoh. In addition, the Head of Government was elected every year, and happened to be Alquoh every time. There was no Head of State or any technically "long-lasting" ruler who could "exploit the populace."

Thus, the Second Republic had no actual working democratic component. The power of the Reform Council eventually swallowed up all other State entities. Things quieted down in the last few decades of the Republic, and prosperity once again returned to Solentia. But still, there was something in the air, a movement of change. The Republic was fundamentally based on a period of violence during which a huge portion of the population was disregarded and their opinions thrown aside. The policies of this government was too exclusive.

By 1787, Alquoh had been dead for several years and his successors were disunited and weak. Reform came slowly, but soon the virtually ceremonial popular referendum system came back to use, driven by the need of the competing leaders to consolidate their rule using constitutional amendments. This was a mistake on their part, since the popular democracy movement was now strong enough to push through its own agenda. Suddenly, in 1789, there was a new government in place: the Reform Council was abolished and the unpopular old rulers banished.

The Third Republic: 1789-1934
A new constitution was passed and the new Republic sprang to life. No violence was involved in this "Glorious Revolution" and the populace was delighted. In 1794, the first peaceful transfer of power occurred with fair elections verified by foreign observers. The Republic was stable and strong for most of its history, and the major occurrences were the several massive Continental Wars that were fought over territorial rights. Intellectual and artistic movements were influential on all aspects of society and culture, more so than ever before. But by the turn of the 19th century, problems and crises were on the rise.

A capitalist society, the Third Republic felt the ups and downs that are regular. But in 1925, there was an economic depression of such magnitude that the nation was plunged into darkness for several years on end. Poverty and disease were rampant; the poor were full of unrest; the banks were closed; the cities were depopulated; the government was faltering. And at this time, there were two opposing viewpoints on how to reach a solution. One was socialism, and the other was fascism. Socialist movements called for land redistribution, higher taxes for the wealthy, and government programs for the poor. The rich however, knew that they must avoid this end by all means possible. The democratic path would have inevitably led to socialist reform, so they decided to try something radical.

The Dominate: 1934-2000
In 1934, business leaders from around Solentia conspired with the Army. The generals arranged their soldiers to march on Metapontum. The President was ousted, but kept as a figurehead, and the new leader, the "General Minister" was given control of the State. Within several years, the Fascists strengthened their hold, and they no longer even pretended that the Republic was alive. The nation was known as "The Dominate of Solentia," and it was ruled by the iron-fisted General Minister. Soon the business interests were forgotten, and all power was focused on the dominance of the State. Closed off from the rest of the world, Solentia grew into a brutal despotic nation devoid of any amenities and friendliness. But all of these qualities were dependent on the brilliance, insanity, and motivation of one leader: the General Minister Alier Troud. Upon his death in 1998, the government reverted to a Republic after a brief period of civil conflict. No one had forgotten of the Republic, and the population had watched secretly in horror as the rest of the world moved forward while they lay in the sweltering oppression of a tyrant. And so, upon gaining freedom, the people of Solentia set about catching up for lost time.