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The history of Aloria is marked by the interaction between the indigenous Dradic peoples and the more recent Dunic peoples.

Early History[]

Early Settlements (3000 BCE - 500 CE)[]

Dons an Gewri

Dons an Gewri ("choir of the giants"), the largest and the most famous of the megalithic structures in Aloria

Modern humans have lived in Aloria since prehistoric times. The first traces of civilization in Aloria date back to around 3000 BCE when agriculture arrived to the Kurmal Mountains and the first permanent settlements were built there. The language and culture of the early civilization are unknown, but it is certain that they were not Dradic and most likely not Heludic either. They used stone and bronze age technology, and relied on the harsh mountain environment to ward off technologically superior invaders (which they did on numerous occasions). Other tribal people lived in a society based in Krentori. Around 3000 BCE several megalithic structures were built, of unknown purpose, and closely related to the harrespil of the Anluain Valley civilization in Kundrati.

Dradic Aloria (1000 BCE - 500 CE)[]

Dradic god

Depiction of an antlered Dradic god, cca. 100 CE

The Dradic peoples arrived in the region around 1000-700 BCE and quickly became the dominant culture. There is very little written material about ancient Dradics, so most that can be discerned about their culture and history has been gathered from archaeological evidence. It is certain that they spoke a Dradic language that over time diverged from the Dradic languages spoken further south and west. The ancient Alorian language was a P-Dradic language, distinguished from the Dradic languages elsewhere by the shift of proto-Dradic *kʷ into /p/ (e.g. Ancient Alorian mapos > Alorian mab, vs. Ancient Kilani makʷkʷos > Kilani mac).

The ancient Dradics of Aloria had a complex political system. The basic social structure was the clan, formed of several different tribes. Each clan was led by a council of elders, who elected a king. During the common era many clans were organized in a republican fashion, with an annually-elected executive leader (usually known as vergobret) taking over the powers of the king. The different clans would often form larger tribal confederations, and in extreme circumstances such as a foreign invasion all clans would unite and chose a single leader. This was however very uncommon, and even during these times the different clans would retain their distinct interests and political goals.

Religiously the Dradics practised a form of animistic polytheism. Their pantheon was large and complex, but was loosely defined and there were no established family relationships between the deities. Dradic religion was presided by a caste of priests known as Druids, who were responsible for overseeing the worship of the gods and presided over human and animal sacrifice. They were also guardians of the extensive Dradic oral literature, which they were religiously prohibited from committing to writing. Prospective Druids would need to spend decades studying and memorizing texts from a wide array of fields, and Druids were widely respected and sought figures, far beyond their religious role.

Seluco-Dunic invasion (510)[]

Caturix surrender

Dradic leader Caturix surrendering to Seluco-Dunic general Alaricus Aurelius

In 510 the Seluco-Dunic Empire began an invasion of Aloria. The native tribes, united under chieftain Caturix (possibly a title rather than a name, as Caturix means "battle king" in ancient Alorian), inflicted a heavy defeat on the invading armies, but in the battle of Nemedunon, Caturix was defeated and the south of Aloria was conquered by the Seluco-Dunic Empire. Due to his defiance of the Seluco-Dunics and early military victories Caturix is considered an Alorian national hero. Most of Alorian territory was however unconquered, but it was brought under significant Seluco-Dunic influence. Under Seluco-Dunic rule Hosianism was first introduced, though the free Dradics to the north retained their ancestral religion.

Alorian Empire (700 - 1054)[]

Main article: Alorian Empire
Tristan

Tristan Pendragon, the legendary first High King of the Alorian Empire

At about the same time that the Seluco-Dunic Empire was reformed as the Rontin Empire, the Alorian tribes witnessed their own major political transformation. According to traditional accounts, one of the petty Alorian kings Tristan (Trystan) Pendragon or Pen Draig (meaning "head dragon" in Alorian) was divinely and miraculously appointed High King of Aloria at some point around 700 CE after repulsing a massive Dunic invasion of Aloria, founding a large empire that covered much of north Artania and officially adopting Hosianism. Though the figure of Tristan Pendragon is shrouded in legend and was significantly embellished in subsequent centuries, it is possible that he is based on a real figure. An Alorian Empire ruled by a High King based in Sildar did exist and was responsible for the establishment of Hosianism as the dominant religion in the area, though its early history cannot be reliably determined.

The Alorian Empire was a golden age for northern Dradic culture. With the adoption of Hosianism writing and Selucian culture were also introduced, leading to a literary and cultural style unique to the region. Early Alorian, the first literary language of Aloria and the ancestor of today's Alorian, Sildarian and Ultranian languages, has a substantial literary corpus dating from this time. Several of the most recognizable landmarks in Aloria, Kirlawa, and Dorvik were also built under the Alorian Empire.

The High King's control over the more distant Dradic and Dunic tribes was largely nominal and consisted mostly in collecting tribute, but Alorian culture flourished during this time, and became a model to be emulated by future Alorian polities. During the Empire's later years the Dunic population in its eastern territories grew to outnumber the Dradics. In the year 843, the Empire was faced with the growing problem of Dunic raids on the less populated inland areas of Aloria. While most Alorians lived on the western coasts, the majority of their food was raised nearer inland. This proved troublesome, as most Alorians considered the wilderness to be dangerous. High King Vortigern (Gwrtheyrn) declared that foreigners were allowed to immigrate to the fertile farmlands, and the call was answered. By the end of his reign Dundorfian and Dorvish immigrants outnumbered the Dradic descended Alorians.

Middle Ages[]

The Dark Ages (850 - 1300)[]

Decline of the Alorian Empire[]

After a period of flourishing that coincided with the height of the Rontin Empire, with whom Aloria maintained generally friendly relations punctuated by periods of war, the decline that led to the fall of the Rontin Empire also affected the Alorian Empire. During the 9th and 10th centuries Artania experienced a general decline in urbanization, international trade, and intellectual output, spurred by the collapse of the Rontin Empire in 802. The Alorian Empire also suffered from this decline, though it survived Rontin by two centuries. The disintegration of the Alorian Empire came about through rebellions and foreign invasions, and the Alorian Dark Ages are believed to have lasted until roughly 1300 CE. The disintegration of the relatively unified rule of the Alorian Empire also resulted in the fragmentation of the Alorian language into Modern Alorian, Sildarian and Ultranian.

Viking raids[]

Alorians and Vikings

Alorians preparing for a Viking raid

Viking raiders from the North struck the Ultranian coasts between 880 and 900. The Vikings attackers sought to capture the treasures stored at Alorian castles, forts and monasteries. The raiders killed the lords and priests and captured the valuables. This raid was called the beginning of the “Viking Invasion”, made possible by the Viking longship. There was great violence during the last decade of the 9th century on Aloria’s northern shores. The raids were carried out primarily in the summer, the Vikings spending the winter up North.

After a time of plunder and raids, the Vikings began to settle permanently in Ultrania. An important Viking centre was Alectrona, called Alektrion by the Vikings.

In approximately 911, at the Battle of Bodar's End, Alorians inflicted a severe defeat on an invading Dorvish-Lorman army which halted the westward Lorman advance for some decades.

Rebellions[]

In April 2, 994 Riothamus was crowned High King of Aloria. He faced mounting debt due to Aloria's decline as the trading center of northern Artania and the consequences of the Viking raids. By the time time Riothamus was crowned the lack of prosperity had created a rebellion in the province of Caermoel (Kurmal). The Kurmalians were almost all descended from Dundorfian and Dorvish immigrants, and used a different language than the Alorians. The Kurmalians, mostly poor farmers, felt that they were second class citizens in the Empire and wanted to forge their own nation. Riothamus, looking to avert rebellion that very well could have dethroned him, granted Kurmal's independence in 1009 under the condition that it still export vital food supplies to Aloria; however, competing factions in the new land broke out into civil war, inadvertently cutting off food supplies in the Empire and throwing Aloria into famine.

In the wake of the breakdown of Alorian rule in the east around 1020, present day Gavonia was progressively settled by other Northern Artanian groups. Collectively known as the Gavonians, these included Dundorfians from Dundorf together with larger numbers of Kurmalians from the north and Mercians from what is now the Kirlawan province of Mearca. The wars ended twenty years later with Gavonia breaking up into three independent Duchies; to which the Empire lost more vital farmland and the coastal province of Ultrania, which rebelled at roughly the same time. An important development of the 11th century was the rise of the Duchy of Ultran. Though not without setbacks, by the end of the 11th century the Ultran dukes controlled significant territories that had been part of the Alorian Empire.

Viking conquest of Sildar[]

Artania 1250

The political situation of Artania in 1250

Precisely what happened on the Sildarian Peninsula in the early 11th century is subject to much uncertainty. What is clear is that in the early 11th century, a modest army estimated at some 10,000–15,000 Viking raiders arrived from Dorvik. It defeated the last remains of the already declining Alorian Empire between 1020-1054 and went on to take control of most of the Peninsula. It is probable that this army represented a continuation of a historic pattern of large–scale Viking raids, and that actual conquest was not originally planned.

During a thirty-year campaign, most of the modern day Sildarian Peninsula was brought under Viking occupation. After the conquest of the Alorian capital, the last stronghold of High King Uther, the king was deposed in 1054. This event has traditionally been considered the official end of the Alorian Empire. The Vikings quickly conquered the remaining parts of the peninsula. The invaders subsequently moved eastward across across the Kaunlaran River, but were defeated by the Ultranians at the Battle of Torum in 1126. The southern Duchy of Crentol also successfully resisted Viking expansion and secured its independence by the mid 12th century.

Viking-ruled Sildar was a relatively long-lived polity. The majority of the population were Sildarians, who by this time became fully distinguished from the Alorain-speaking Alorians, and mostly Hosian, but they were ruled over by a Dorvish and Lorman-speaking upper class who worshipped the Dunic pantheon. Over time the Vikings would adopt the religion and language of the people over which they ruled, but they maintained their distinct culture and political ties to their brethren in Dorvik.

Kingdom of Caermoel[]

Having gained its independence before the fall of the Alorian Empire, Kurmal rose to prominence due to alliance with Dundorf. The Kingdom of Caermoel (Kurmal) originates with Jacoba, daughter of King Maximilian II of Dundorf. She married Count of Caermoel Balderic in 1092, and Maximilian II recognized their rule over the region of Kurmal between the Verita and Krentori River . The original Kurmal county was expanded throughout the years with the incorporation of smaller states.

Gradual Kurmalian expansion through the central lands continued through the 12th century. Rhodri the Confessor began a programme of expansion, building forts and towns in most parts of the central plains of Kurmal. He established closer ties to the First Dundorfian Confederation in exchange for support from the Dundorfian king, who granted him the title of King of Kurmal in 1156. For the next five years he faced a series of rebellions in various parts of the country and a half-hearted Rutanian invasion, but he was able to subdue all resistance and establish an enduring regime.

The new rulers' power reached its fullest extent under Rhodri's grandson Dafydd the Conquerer. In 1199 Dafydd initiated the conquest of the Western Plains, advancing the frontier with Viking-held Sildar as far west as beyond the plains between the Krentori and Kaunlaran River by 1215.

Between 1215 and 1405 the Kingdom of Caermoel was one of the largest and most prosperous of the successor states of the Alorian Empire, and for a time it looked like it would accomplish the task of reuniting Aloria. Caermoel was however unable to achieve this, and in 1405 it was incorporated into the Dundorfian Reich's imperial demesne, retaining its status as a kingdom but losing its independence.

Birth of the Alorian Kingdom[]

King Charles I of Aloria

Siarl I (1258-1317), first king of Aloria.

Meanwhile the southern Duchy of Crentol was also expanding. In 1292 Duke Siarl II of Crentol defeated Viking leader Alaric II and subsequently annexed the area south of the Krentori River. In 1296 he reached the oceanic coast, now controlling the entire land from the Lahm River River in the south to the Krentori Delta and the Red Bass Ocean coast in the north and west, and the Vikings retreated to their holdings in Sildar.

Siarl admired the Alorian Empire in her glory days, and his dream was to recreate such a glorious empire of his own. In recognition of his successes and his political support for the Dundorfian king and for Hosianism, Siarl was crowned King by Rudolph I of Dundorf in on 1 December 1306, and gave his kingdom the name Aloria. The new kingdom was a vassal state of the Dundorfian Reich and nominally acknowledged its authority, but in practice the Kingdom of Aloria, like many other Dundorfian vassals, exercised complete independence.

Establishment of Alorian Church[]
Main article: Alorian Hosian Church

Eager to secure his realm's religious independence, King Siarl I also established an independent Archbishopric, without waiting for the approval of the Arch-Patriarch. Until then the Duchy of Crentol had been under the pastoral authority of the Dundorfian Archbishop of Oderveld, but Siarl I declared the independence of the Alorian Church under the newly established Archbishop of Llyn. Traditionally, the High King of the defunct Alorian Empire enjoyed a large degree of authority over the church within the Empire, and Siarl was eager to emulate that authority. However, starting with the Vigilate of Philippus I (942-970) the Arch-Patriarch had introduced more hierarchical reforms in church structure and appropriated the right of investiture. Although Arch-Patriarch Adeodatus III recognized the establishment of the See of Llyn, he did not recognize the King's authority to appoint its Archbishops. King Siarl I was excommunicated, but this had little effect on the new Kingdom. Eventually the two parties reached an agreement that allowed the King to nominate bishops in his realm while the actual investiture remained in the hands of the Arch-Patriarch. Although the conflict was peacefully resolved, the Alorian Hosian Church claims these events as its origins and believes that the resolution of the conflict only restored communion between Llyn and Auroria and did not subordinate the Alorian Church to the Arch-Patriarch.

Late Medieval Period (1300 - 1506)[]

The Fall of Sildar[]

The important city of Keres was captured from the Vikings in 1377 by King Dafydd I of Aloria, and the Alorian victory at the Battle of Aloma in 1377 effectively marked the beginning of the end of Viking power on the Sildarian peninsula, paving the way for Alorian expansion toward the north.

Things went worse for the Vikings during the civil wars that followed. By the time they had ended, the Vikings only had control over a small stroke of land at the coast, including the capital of Sildar. With the extension of Alorian dominion on the Sildarian peninsula, the strategic conquest of the capital became a crucial objective. On 13 March 1429, King Steffan the Lion and his army of some 50,000 men and large numbers of irregulars laid siege to the city. Despite a desperate last-ditch defence of the city by the massively outnumbered Viking forces (c. 8,000 men), Sildar finally fell to the Alorians after a one-month siege on 1 April 1429. The conquest of Sildar led finally led to the annexation of the complete Sildarian peninsula and the end of Viking rule in Aloria.

Kingdoms of Aloria and Ultran[]

By 1430 the region consolidated into three kingdoms, of Aloria, Caermoel, and Ultran. The latter was established in 1296 when the Duchies of Ultran and Gavonia were united by marriage, and the resulting state was recognized as the Kingdom of Ultran by the King of Dundorf. The Kingdom of Ultran was notably an Ultranian-speaking polity and sponsored the Ultranian language and culture.

Early Modern Era[]

United Kingdom of Aloria (1506 - 1700)[]

Charles VII

King Siarl VII & I (1464-1515) became the first king of both Aloria and Ultran

Haerviu (Harvey) III of Ultran died in 1506 without leaving any direct heirs. His closest male relative was the King of Aloria, Siarl VII, who became King Siarl I of Ultran in a union of the Crowns.

This was the result of an event in August 1419: Beatrice, daughter of Roueberzh II of Ultran, married Edwart Tywysog, 10th Count of Llywarch. Their son Frederik married to Mererid, the only daughter of King Rhydderch II of Aloria. In the last decade of the reign of Haerviu III of Ultran, it was clear to all that Siarl Tywysog, the great-grandson of Roueberzh II of Ultran and grandson of Rhydderch II of Aloria, was the only generally acceptable heir to both thrones.

King Siarl VII & I as he was styled became the first king of united Aloria, though he continued to rule the Kingdom of Aloria and the Kingdom of Ultran separately. This was merely a personal or dynastic union, the Crowns remaining both distinct and separate until the unifying of Aloria and Ultran in the United Kingdom of Aloria in 1613.

The Acts of Union received royal assent in 1613, uniting the separate crowns of Aloria and Ultran and forming the Kingdom of Aloria, which meant in fact nothing else then the annexation of Ultran by the Alorians. King Siôn I became formally the first occupant of the unified Alorian throne.

The Golden Ages (1700 - 1830)[]

The Golden Ages were a period in Alorian history, roughly spanning the 18th and early 19th century, in which Alorian trade, science, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world.

The Regency[]

The Regency is the period in the history of Aloria marked the beginning of the zenith of its economic, military and political Golden Ages, which lasted allmost two centuries.

William Fox the Elder

Gwilym Ffwchs the Elder (Regent from 1711-1732)

On 15 April 1700, king Rhydderch III suddenly died childless, leaving the nation without an obvious successor. The 1700 Alorian succession crisis produced internal and external fights between several pretendents to the Throne of Aloria. A few days after the death of Rhydderch III, a General Assembly of ministers, nobles and other influental statesmen was set up and they decided not to fill the vacancy of the throne. Siôn Cornel, advisor of the late king and a brilliant politician and diplomat, emerged as the dominant figure. There would be no new king for three decades to come. Instead, the Assembly decided to appoint a Regent, until a new king was found. In November 1700, Cornel was appointed as Regent.

Ignatius Teck

Ignatius Teck (1669-1741), one of the most important philosophers of the 18th century.

Due to its climate of intellectual tolerance Aloria attracted scientists and other thinkers from all over Artania. Especially the renowned University of Ultran (established in 1675 by king Siôn III) became a gathering place for these people. For instance philosopher Ingatius Teck lived in Ultran City from 1695 until 1725.

Gwstaf of Havilland (1695–1763) was a famous scientist,astronomer, physicist and mathematician, and could be called one of the greatest scientists in history. Among his contributions to the field of optics was his improvement of the microscope (opinions differ) and was the first to methodically study microscopic life, thus laying the foundations for the field of microbiology.

During the Alorian Golden Age literature in the Alorian language blossomed as well, most famously demonstrated in the work of Alisander Penfro, the author of The Fisherman. Aloria's most prolific playwright, Siôn Pyrs, wrote possibly as many as one thousand plays over his lifetime, over four hundred of which survive to the present day. These works created a literary standard that forms the basis of the modern Alorian language. Dundorfian language literature also flourished during this time.

Important from the standpoint of enduring political science were the key publications by the democratic republican theories of Ignatius Teck that were published at the end of the 1710s. Teck wrote True Freedom, published in 1719, which is one of the first systematic statements of democratic republicanism in the western world. Teck argued that government should not only be in the interest of the citizens, but should create equality of opportunity and be controlled by the people, not the aristocratic oligarchy. He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, taken for granted in modern discussions of government and implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. Unfortunately, Aloria wasn't ready yet for his, at that time, very "radical" ideas. Ironically, his republican and democratic ideas played an essential role in the birth of the Alorian Republic, nearly 400 years later.

Conquest of Kurmal[]

In the 18th century the Kingdom of Aloria invaded the Kingdom of Caermoel (Kurmal), another vassal of the Dundorfian Reich. The conquest of Kurmal began in June 1720 when some 20,000 Alorian soldiers under general Alisander Concord invaded the territory of Kurmal by crossing the Verita river. Throughout 1721 and 1722 this force traversed the territory at the footsteps of the Kurmal mountains and subdued several towns.

Faced with a fait accompli, the Dundorfian King, who had been left virtually powerless by the rising nobility, approved the annexation ordinance in October 1733 and Polk signed the documents formally integrating the Kingdom of Caermoel into the Kingdom of Aloria on 2 December 1733.

The annexation of Caermoel was largely motivated by nationalist sentiment, as the kingdom had once been part of the Alorian Empire and retained a substantial Alorian minority. Most of its population however spoke the Kurmalic Dundorfian language, a language closely related to Dundorfian. The incorporation of Kurmal changed the ethnic makeup of the Alorian Kingdom and paved the way for future ethnic conflicts.

Age of Exploration[]

Alorianships
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The Regency marked the apogee of Alorian imperial power and wealth. At the beginning of the eighteenth century Aloria had a population of ten million and an economy dependent on agricultural trade with Northern Artania. After the Regency has begun, Aloria experiences a period of unprecedented economic, cultural and scientific development. A peaceful period in Aloria started, which granted Aloria to develop two outstanding skills - seafaring and commerce.

The prosperity and stability of the Regency era fuelled the emergence of an Alorian-speaking bourgeoisie, which sought to expand its economic influence by engaging in overseas trade. This was opposed by the landed gentry, mostly of Dundorfian origin and largely located in Kurmal. The conflict between the two would ultimately result in the Kingdom's undoing.

The need for more exotic products and more (profitable) trade with other continents formed motive for Alorian merchants to enter the intercontinental trade themselves. The merchants of Aloria expanded their trading activity and network, at first in southern Artania, and from the 1710's onward into Dovanian trade.

Several factors contributed to Aloria's pioneering in maritime exploration. The first was its geographical position along the west coast of the Artanian continent, which allowed for the natural development of a seafaring tradition. The second was the evolution of a complex maritime economy in which the port cities of Port Aloria and Port Liberty became the commercial centres of the country. The merchant community used these port cities as their base of operations from which they financed the majority of the various exploration and trading ventures.

The third critical factor that made Aloria a forerunner in exploration was its government. Aloria benefited from a relatively stable nation whose leaders encouraged maritime trade and shipping ventures. The Regency gave every possible incentive by implementing tax privileges and insurance funds to protect the investments of ship owners and builders.

Trade monopoly in the West[]

Aloria's merchants have their sights set on the west. In 1711 the first Alorian fleet sailed to the west, beginning a lively and profitable trade in Dovani, and between 1712 Alorians had made their first contacts with the Kingdom of Great Bae.

In May 1718 the first Alorian ship returned from a trip to Dankuk, bringing a cargo of spices and other highly priced products. The much-publicized travels of Alorian explorers piqued the Regency's interest in the peninsula's alleged vast riches and in its value as a gateway to Dovani.

The Alorians gained footing in Gobae in 1722, when the first permanent Alorian trading post in Indrala was established, and Aloria now began its lengthy presence on the Dankukin peninsula.

The trading energies of the Alorians in the west are reflected in the growing prosperity of the cities of Aloria. Wealth accumulates at an extraordinary rate during the 18th century, creating an entirely new form of society and one with great significance for later centuries.

To cover the risk of western traders and to prevent ruinous competition, the Alorian Western Trade Company was established in 1729, which - for the next century - would dominate trade with Dovani. It was the first-ever multinational corporation, financed by shares that established the first modern stock exchange. This company received a Alorian monopoly on Dovanian trade and would keep this for two centuries. It became the world's largest commercial enterprise of the 18th century.

The Hohenstauffens[]

Following the collapse of the Autocratic Era of Dundorf in 1720, the Reich splintered into several different duchies, kingdoms and city-states. Heinz Friedrich von Hohenstauffen was crowned Prince of Oderveld in 1701 and became "Friedrich I the Great" (Dundorfian: Friedrich der Große) and became King of Dundorf. Friedrich's third son, Prince Karl Otto von Hohenstauffen was "elected" as the King of Aloria in 1736 when he married the daughter the ageing Grand Duke of Schleskau who died with his only issue being his daughter. In 1737 he was crowned as Siarl X of Aloria and founded the cadet branch of Hohenstauffen-Schleskau and utilized the titles of King of Aloria and Grand Duke of Schleskau. His coronation as Alorian king was preconditioned on his descendants adopting the kingdom's Aurorian faith. The Hohenstauffen family would rule over Aloria until Queen Margaret I of Aloria died without issue in 1824. The title of the Grand Duke of Schleskau would return to the bloodline of Schleskau family following claims that Friedrich Laurenz von Schleskau was a descendant of a bastard son of the former Grand Duke.

Siarl X was succeeded by his son, Pedr I the Great (1741–1757). He is considered the creator of the vaunted Alorian bureaucracy and the standing army, which he developed into one of the most powerful in Artania, although his troops only briefly saw action during the Third Alorian-Rutanian War (1752-1754). He heavily invested in the army. In view of the size of the army in relation to the total population, famous 18th century Alorian writer Alisander Penfro said later: "Where some states have an army, the Alorian Army has a state!" Also, Peter I settled more than 10,000 Duntrekker refugees from Dundorf in thinly populated western Ultran. His brother and succesor Siarl XI continued the policy of his predecessor.

At roughly the same time, the Dundorfian Reich of which Aloria was nominally a part was being reformed into the Second Confederation. It established a new ruling body, the Imperial Diet, which allowed nobles owning property or money equalling 5,000 gold florins (roughly equating to 500,000 Dunmarks) to vote and run in designated provinces. The Dundorfian monarch was given the imperial title, being named "Kaiser of the Dundorian Reich" or "Dundorfian Kaiser", he continued to serve as a figurehead like the previous "King of Dundorf". Although several attempts at centralization were made, the Reich remained a decentralized feudal state, while the Kingdom of Aloria, like the other "vassals" of the new Kaiser, continued to exercise near total control over its lands. The Kaiser and the Imperial Diet, into which the Alorian nobility was also represented, had very little means of enforcing the law, which largely fell to the "vassals" of the Kaiser and the new Dundorfian Reich. The Kaiser and the Diet were also powerless to prevent conflicts and even open war between its member state, and the assertive and rising Alorian Kingdom took full advantage of this.

In 1763 Siarl XII became king. As crown prince he focused on philosophy and the arts; yet, in the first year of his reign he ordered the Alorian army to march into Bozarland. In the Fourth Alorian-Rutanian War, also known as the Great Artanian War (1764-1779), Charles XII succeeded in conquering Bozarland from Rutania and holding his new possession against a coalition of Rutania, Dorvik, and Luthori. Bozarland, a region of rich soils and prosperous manufacturing towns, greatly increased the area, population, and wealth of Aloria. Success on the battleground against Rutania and other powers proved Aloria's status as the greatest power of Northern Artania.

Peter II and Isabella II

King Pedr II (1741-1806) and Queen Ysabella II (1745-1818)

Siarl XII was succeeded by his daughter, Ysabella II. She married her cousin Prince Pedr, and her husband became her co-monarch, known as Pedr II, although he would only rule in name. Despite the couple being the face of the Alorian royals, King Pedr II suffered from religious mania and melancholia which acute mental illness made him incapable of handling state affairs. Therefor the power was always to remain with Ysabella II.

Ysabella and Pedr continued the work of their predecessors to create a centralized state governed from the capital in order to sweep away the remnants of feudalism which had persisted in parts of Aloria. They succeeded in breaking the power of the rural nobility. Ysabella II promoted modernization though within the context of their autocratic control over Aloria. The Queen also promoted arts and culture and the enlightenment among the elite. Ysabella II encouraged culture in her country as he subsidized artists and writers, and established libraries.She kept up a correspondence with many enlightened figures in Artania, like writers, philosophers and famous composers as Rembrandt Wolf, a prolific and influential Dundorfian Alorian composer of the early 19th century.

Ysabella II was one of the most powerful women of her era. She created a supreme court with the sole responsibility of upholding justice in her lands. These reforms strengthened the economy and the state in general. She also spent exorbitant sums of money on grandiose baroque projects like palaces and museums. Consequently, she has long been considered the archetypal absolute monarch of early modern Artania.

Edicts of tolerance and independence of Alorian Church[]

Ysabella and Pedr s reign was also marked by a drastic change in religious policy. The Hohenstauffens were granted the Alorian throne under the condition that all of Siarl X's heirs be raised in the Aurorian Church, the state church of the kingdom, while the main Dundorfian branch of the dynasty remained Abjurant. With the forceful incorporation of the largely Confessional Kingdom of Kurmal in 1733 Aloria came to rule over a large religious minority, while Dradic paganism was still practised in remote rural communities. These minorities were persecuted and had their activities greatly restricted until the reign of Pedr and Ysabella. Motivated by the liberal and enlightened ideology they patronized and the modernizing and anti-feudal character of their reign, they issued a number of edicts of tolerance lessening the restrictions imposed on minority religions.

Claiming ancient royal rights dating back from the reign of Siarl I and even to the Alorian Empire, the royal couple imposed royal authority over the Church, in their desire to rationalize and unify the Alorian society. Alorian bishops were banned from directly communicating with the Arch-Patriarch, and the wealth of most monasteries was secularized. The resulting wealth was appropriated by the state and used to build new parishes. Religious education was also secularized under several state-owned Royal Seminaries, and marriage was removed from the monopoly of the Chuch. The hierarchy of the Alorian Hosian Church was largely in favour of these reforms, but the Arch-Patriarchy was not. Facing the latter's opposition, the royal couple severed the Alorian Church's ties to Auroria, giving birth to the modern independent Alorian Hosian Church.

Alorian Dankuk[]

In 1795 Queen Ysabella and King Pedr instructed Siôn Penn, the Governor General of the Alorian Western Trade Company, to visit the King of Gobae to arrange for a treaty which would give the Company exclusive rights to reside and build forts on the Dankukin coastal area and rights to explore and to exploit the kingdom's mineral and forest resources. In return, the Company afforded the Dankukin monarch Alorian protection. The monarch agreed not to dispose of any territory except to Aloria and not to enter into relationships with any foreign government other than Aloria without its consent. In return, the Alorians promised to protect Gobae from all aggression by sea and to help in case of land attack. This in fact led to the de facto control of Dankuk by the Alorians, which would result in the partial colonization of the peninsula.

Ysabella II was succeeded by her only child, Margaret I, who only reigned briefly. At her death, without issue, on 30 April 1814, the Alorian line of the Hohenstauffens became extinct, and the succession passed to Siôn Tudur, the Duke of Battenburg.

The Battenburgers[]

Siôn IV did much to encourage agriculture, industries and the exploitation of the mineral wealth of the country. He brought economic stability and progress by encouraging beef production instead of wheat, which was much more valuable. He was responsible for the creation of the Bank of Aloria. Siôn's decision to grant the Royal Charter in 1820 to the Bank, a private institution owned by bankers, is his most relevant economic legacy. The period saw the beginnings of industrialization: the first paved roads, the first steam-engine railway in 1827 and the introduction of the telegraph.

Siôn V's liberal policies were causing tensions within the aristocracy of Aloria and often leaving them displeased. Additionally, rising Dundorfian nationalism was being fuelled by the irrendentist demands of the Dundorfian-speaking population for the incorporation of all of Aloria into a united Dundorfian nation-state.

Dundorfian Empire (1831 - 1922)[]

Half built tower of Llyn

The Tower of Llyn was built during Dundorfian rule in Aloria

In 1831 all vassal states of the Second Dundorfian Confederation were annexed by Dundorf, founding the Dundorfian Empire. In 1831 the Imperial Diet voted to reform the Reich and to formally incorporate the vassal kingdoms into its structure. Although the Kingdom of Aloria was opposed to unification, the anti-unification aristocracy led by Archduke Anton von Duisberg (Archduke Anton IX) were decisively defeated in battle outside of Sudschloss-am-der-Czimnetz in Grozvic. Over the next months the other breakaway nobles were forced to capitulate, and Aloria had no option than to acquiesce and surrender its independence. The Kingdom of Aloria successfully negotiated a privileged status for itself within the new Reich, being able to maintain its diplomatic corps and even its own military forces, which would only be under Dundorfian command in times of war. Additionally the Kingdom of Aloria maintained equal representation to the other federated states in the Reich's new legislative the Reichstag, into which the nobility was overrepresented.

During the early years of Dundorfian rule Aloria remained the second most powerful federated state in the Reich, but by the early 20th century Aloria lost much of the wealth and power it had gained in previous centuries. The Alorian economy was bad, the government largely powerless, and most Alorians wished for a democratic state. To make matters worse, in 1918, Queen Ysabella III signed a treaty allowing foreign merchants a virtual monopoly on the mining idustries, which at the time was the most profitable industry in Aloria. Ysabella, however, remained popular with the people as she was viewed as a victim of circumstance. A year later, she set up a Parliament that, for the first time, allowed political parties to form. This proved to be as corrupt as the bureaucrats under the monarchy, and Ysabella was assassinated six months later. Ysabella was succeeded by her son, Siarl XIV. Siarl was an ambitious politician, but lacked support of the Alorian people, who distrusted him, so he constantly relied on the military and foreign companies to do his bidding. When he shut down Parliament in 1923, many considered this the last straw.

Civil Wars (1922-1940)[]

Aloria was affected by the Dundorfian Civil War, which in Aloria was a civil war between nationalists and communists. In January 1922 Socialists won the elections to the Reichstag, sparking a violent political protest by members of a conservative political movement. The protest escalated into a brawl between conservatives and socialists, but the Kaiser refused to intervene. The conflict escalated to full civil war by June 1922, but was largely confined to Dundorf. in February 1923 socialist forces had overrun the Dundorfian Reich's capital of Dunburg. Shortly after the capture of Dunburg the socialist proclaimed the official foundation of the Dundorfian Democratic Republic and signaled the death knell of the Dundorfian Reich underneath the rule of the Hohenstauffen family. The Dundorfian Democratic Republic would soon be locked in a bitter conflict with the Dundorfian Reich underneath the leadership of several successive leaders before the conflict eventually ended in the late 1940s due to lack of resources and war exhaustion. This conflict was known as the Collapse of the Dundorfian Reich-era. The Dundorfian Democratic Republic, located primarily in Dundorf proper, Kirlawa and the south-east portion of Aloria would go on to strip all nobles of their titles, confiscate their wealth and land, deny them basic human rights and banned them from political offices. In 1923 the conservatives and royalist began to form militias and secret societies to oppose the socialist.

The Reich retained power in most of Aloria, but the decision by king Siarl XIV to abolish the socialist-controlled parliament in 1923 led to its fall. In July 1924 one of opposition groups not aligned to the DDR government in Dunburg, the Alorian Liberation Movement, had begun paramilitary operations in Crentol and Sildar under the command of a former soldier under Ysabella, Rhisiart Gwyrddwin. A few early victories made the ALM massively popular with the people, and within two years, they captured Libertia and deposed of Siarl, establishing the Republic of Aloria, proclaiming independence both from the Reich and the DDR. However, the government in Dunburg and Communist guerrillas in the north refused to acknowledge the single-party Republic, instead proclaiming their own government, the Socialist Republic of Aloria, making Ffilip Alver the Chairman of the Republic. The fighting between the two sides continued on for several years. The Republic was more popular and supported internationally, but the Communists were better trained and equipped and enjoyed the backing of the Dundorfian government. Then, on Hallowtide Day 1929, a massive Communist offensive routed Republican troops in Sildar and Gavonia. Rhisiart Gwyrddwin was killed, and on January 19, 1930, Aloria was unified under the Socialist Republic, an autonomous part of the Dundorfian Democratic Republic.

The Monarchy Reestablished (1940-1943)[]

It was not before long that the chaos that had engulfed Aloria would come back. In traditionally conservative regions like Ultran and Sildar, people were looking for a leader that would overthrow the Socialist regime, which was becoming increasingly tyrannical. Phillip Concord of Ultran, former general and Duke of Ultran, had a populist attitude to go with his conservative ways. A member of the Communist Party to avoid getting killed, Concord began to plan a coup. With the support of many officers and conservative Alorians, he stormed the People's Soviet Congress on March 1, 1943, executing Chairman Alver. By April, most loyalists had been killed or arrested, and Phillip was crowned King. In 1948 the Dunburg Peace Accord was signed which put an end to the civil wars in the former Reich and created the modern makeup of Northern Artania, recognizing the independence of Aloria.

The Last King of Aloria (2089-2099)[]

In August 22, 2089 king Siarl XVII died. His just 18-year old grandson succeeded him as king Siarl XVIII.

Charles XVIII

King Siarl XVIII (2070-2148), the last king of Aloria

Charles XVIII had an enormous responsibility, as the government was deeply in debt, and resentment towards 'despotic' monarchy was on the rise. Siarl also felt unqualified for the job. Many other Alorians felt he was too young and inexperienced, and wasn't ready for the throne yet, as well as being too much under the influence of his Prime Minister, the very unpopular Siôn ap Daffyd. While none doubted Siarl's intellectual ability to rule Aloria, it was quite clear that, although raised as the Crown prince since 2077, he was indecisive and not firm enough to rule.

It was clear that the coronation of Charles XVIII marked the last days of the monarchy. His grandfather left him an extremely harsh political legacy. The old king had given almost all power to Prime Minister Siôn ap Daffyd, and under his regime, hostile relations with Rutania heated up. This resulted in the Alorian-Rutanian War in 2094, in wich Aloria tried to reconquer Bozarland. This war proved disastrous for Aloria, which would take Aloria's place as the major land power on Northern Artania.

Political and economical unrest[]

In the wake of the Alorian-Rutanian War, the monarchy was seen by some to be an obstacle to modernization and economic growth. Liberals called both for greater regional autonomy. The nation was nearing bankruptcy and outlays outpaced income.

Besides that, the weak king was too much under the influence of his mentors, the dictatorial Prime Minister and some highly conservative bishops. The influence of the mighty Church caused the absence of the many liberal reforms Aloria needed so much at that moment. Meanwhile, the bourgeoisie and the lower class citizens became a more and more larger faction in Aloria.

Radical financial reforms by Finance Minister Edmynd Gwernwych angered the nobles and were blocked by the Senate who insisted that the King did not have the legal right to levy new taxes. So Gwernwych was dismissed in September 2096 to be replaced by Iago Neifl. Neifl proceeded with a policy of taking out large international loans instead of raising taxes. When this policy failed miserably, Siarl dismissed him, and replaced him in 2097 with Rhydderch ap Robart, who increased public spending to 'buy' the country's way out of debt.

Again this failed, so Siarl convoked the Senate in May 2097 to discuss a revolutionary new fiscal reform proposed by Neifl. When the nobles were told the extent of the debt, they were shocked into rejecting the plan. This negative turn of events signalled to Siarl that he had lost the ability to rule as an absolute monarch, and he fell into depression. By the late 2090s, the Kings's control of domestic politics had started to deteriorate in the face of crises with the Church, the Army and the Landholders. The Republican movement slowly gained strength. The dominant classes no longer needed the kingdom to protect their interests.

On December 1, 2097, Siarl dismissed the entire government and assumed full executive powers to quash the violent uprising. But this act only made the situation worse. The country was on the edge of a civil war outbreak. The country was now in an unbearable political crisis: cabinet-switches occured almost every month (from December 2097 until June 2098 there were 14 differenct governments). Meanwhile, the King lost support of the army.

Military coup[]

Coup2089

Coup d'Etat in 2098

Finally, a military coup d'etat on June 2, 2098 took place, under command of general Daffydd Ffordd. The king couldn't do anything else, then to support the new military junta, since the majority of the army stood behind the revolting generals. Later in the day, he went to the Ministry of Defence, where all coup leaders were gathered, and had a discussion with Fforddand with leading generals. He agreed to concede to the military demands and swear the new regime in only when the junta agreed to include a number of civilian politicians, with a Royalist nominee, Wilbwyr Gwlad, as Prime Minister. Charles always maintained that his brief co-operation with the coup was a tactical move that he hoped would allow him to organize a counter-coup.

From the outset, the relationship between Siarl and the notorious military regime was an uneasy one. The generals were not willing to share power with anyone, whereas the young king, like his grandfather before him, was used to playing an active role in politics and would never consent to being a mere figurehead, especially in a military administration.

The King's counter-coup[]

The King finally decided to launch his counter-coup on December 29, 2098. Since the capital was effectively in the hands of the junta militarily, Siarl decided to fly to the northern city of Ultran. There he hoped to be among troops loyal only to him, since the mainly conservative province of Ultran was always a huge supporter of the monarchy. The vague plan he and his advisers had conceived was to form a unit that would advance to Ultran and take it. Siarl planned to install an alternative administration there. International recognition, which he believed to be forthcoming, as well as internal pressure from the fact that Aloria would have been split in two governments would, the King hoped, force the junta to resign, leaving the field clear for him to return triumphant.

However, the King's plans were overly bureaucratic, naïvely supposing that orders from a commanding General would automatically be followed. Further, the King was obsessive about avoiding "bloodshed" even where the junta would be the attacker.

In the circumstances, rather than the King managing to put together a force and advancing on Ultran, middle-ranking pro-junta officers neutralized and arrested his Royalist generals and took command of their units, which subsequently put together a force advancing on Ultran to arrest the King. The junta ridiculed the King by announcing the he was hiding "from village to village". Realising that the counter-coup had failed, Siarl surrendered on New Years Eve 2098. He was arrested and brought back to the capital, were he was grounded in the Royal Palace. With the failure of this countercoup, the hope to restore the power of the monarchy was gone.

In the early morning hours of January 1, 2099 the Republic was declared, and the King boarded the Royal plane together with Queen Teresa and their 2-year old son, and they fled to Dundorf, were they went into exile. Thousands of protesters gathered to the Prime Minister's mansion. Without any protection against the assembled mob the Prime Minister was doomed. He was taken out of his home and killed on his way to the scaffold. Immediately after his death his body was mutilated and fingers, toes, and other parts were cut off.

Modern Era[]

Birth of the Republic (2099-2100)[]

Abolition of the Monarchy[]

With the establishment of the High Council on 6 January 2099, contemporary observers might have assumed that the Revolution was finished. Citizens of the war-weary nation wanted stability, peace, and an end to conditions that at times bordered on chaos. Those who wished to restore the monarchy and those who would have renewed the Reign of Terror were insignificant in number.

The nation was now leaded by a council of 14 wise men. There was no head, everyone was equal. In the upcoming months, the council members debate endlessly to create a new Aloria, a democratic nation for everyone. Their main task was to form a new democratic constitution, with a new legislative and executive system. In the following months, the Constitution was drafted, and new executive and legislative offices were created. Political parties were restored, and the most important parties became the Independent Party of Aloria of Gwilym ab Iago, the Social Liberal Party of Alun Belmôr, the Alorian Socialist Party of Gruffudd Ffreeman and the Freedom Party of Iago Pason.

In fact, king-in-exile Siarl XVIII was still the official Head of State. After the fall of the military regime, he saw his chance to restore the monarchy and to return to Aloria. He had still support among the conservative and religious Alorians, who wanted, after the military dictatorship, a restoration of the monarchy. Siarl confidently awaited an invitation to return. On 29 January 2099 the Council called for a popular referendum on whether Aloria would be a monarchy or a republic. On-the-ground campaigning on the ex-King's behalf was carried out by local monarchists. The vote to retain the monarchy was only about 28%, with almost 72% of the electorate voting for the permanent abolition of the Monarchy and the establishment of a parliamentary democracy.

The Republic of Aloria[]

Constitution of Aloria

Declaration of the Constitution of the Republic of Aloria, on 26 June 2100

At last, in April 2100, the first democratic elections were held. Gwilym ab Iago, leader of the Independent Party of Aloria, became the winner with 62% of the votes. On 26 June 2100 the Republic of Aloria was founded, and the new republic's Senate, five Governors that lead the five provinces, and a President that lead the central government — Gwilym ab Iago — took office in August 2100.

The Capitalist Age (2427-2445)[]

Early 25th century Aloria was characterized by a laissez faire, free market Economy and domination by a wealthy, business elite. The government stayed out of the affairs of business, and indeed the interests of the two were often one and the same.

Rockyfeller

The Gilded Age was characterized by control of government by wealthy business interests, most prominently, Josef F. Rothenfeller, President of Aloria, 2427-2445

The a member of the Rothenfeller Family, the wealthiest family in Aloria at that time, was a man named Josef F. Rothenfeller, brother to the owner of Rothenfeller Incorporated. The Rothenfellers had long been active in politics, funding the efforts of the powerful Constitution Party(which originally started as a family values party) to keep the government out of its affairs. The CP was more or less the political front of the Rothenfellers and their business interests, working alongside the more powerful Moderate Libertarian Party (which was independent of the Rothenfellers, and different from the CP on a few political matters, most notably being less militaristic) to keep Aloria's economy largely laissez faire. The two political parties very well completely dominated the politics of those times and Josef Rothenfeller was President of Aloria from 2427 to 2445. Government spending was extremely small, as was the role of government in Alorian Life. What Alorians can attribute to these political giants is the current seperation of the Head of State and Head of Government, and thus the current Alorian political system.

The Big Deal (2445-2484)[]

In 2445, Helmut Helmut was elected President. A member of the Democratic Rationalist Party, previously in the opposition, he campaigned on the promise of a Big Deal with the working people of Aloria, and was helped by the numerous scandals then surrounding the Rothenfeller Administration, significantly damaging Josef Rothenfeller's reputation and popularity which was very high in his first few terms.

Solomonkane

Democratic Rationalist President Salomon Kühn presided over the enactment of many early, Big Deal economic reforms.

A minimum wage was established, and government spending increased, though still remaining markedly low. Helmut was later followed by fellow Democratic Rationalist Salomon Kühn, who continued his Big Deal policies and was President from 2450 to 2474 (on and off with MLP candidate Silvio Bento). Throughout his presidency however, there was much resistance from the largely Libertarian Parliament, and ultimately the Big Deal was not fully implemented. Still, the election of Helmut Helmut and Salomon Kühn, and the era of the Big Deal in general, gave greater strength to a political movement whose goal was to increase the role of government in Alorian life.

The Mansfeld Era (2484-2520)[]

The longest serving President in modern Alorian History was Libertarian Newspaper editor and College Professor, Daniel Mansfeld. He was first elected in 2484. His election signaled the end of the Big Deal, as government expansion ceased and in some respects was even scaled back.

Meanwhile, the Liberal/Progressive bloc remained in the minority opposition in parliament. Thus, the Libertarian Agenda remained the rule of Alorian Governance. Meanwhile, the Rothenfeller Family withdrew from politics, seeking instead to become purely private citizens and disbanding the Constitution Party, many of whose constituents simply shifted to the MLP.

Daniel Mansfield

President Daniel Mansfeld

After a 21 year near continuous presidency, Mansfeld was defeated for reelection in 2505 by Jerome Resso, a candidate from the Progressive League for Advanced Nation (now the Genuine Progress Alliance), at the time a minor party in parliament. Just three years later however, after an uneventful first term, he was defeated in a rematch with Mansfeld. Still, it proved that the powerful Moderate Libertarian Party and their leader Daniel Mansfeld could be defeated, and the liberal progressive movement was once again inspired. Claiming a mandate from the people, Mansfeld led the still Libertarian Parliament in making massive cuts to the already thin budget including a complete defunding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The move was strongly opposed by the liberal progressives in parliament.

26th Century[]

The Progressive Renaissance (2520-2535)[]

Kolton Weiß of the Democratic Rationalist Party and Nils Schrankenbrett the Alorian Public Union together started the Progressive Coalition, a multi-party coalition with the intention of gaining a parliamentary majority and the Presidency in the election of 2520. The radical spending cuts Mansfeld had made to the budget, along with public perception that he was becoming senile (he was in his 90s) and a personal tragedy with his family that made him personally unwilling to run again, all came together to help elect Kolton Weiß as President in 2520. The Progressive Coalition also gained control of Parliament, who elected to appoint Nils Schrankenbrett as Prime Minister. The election of 2520 was a major turnaround in Alorian politics, with the Progressives winning big everywhere and pushing the Libertarians into the minority.

CudderboardandWhite

Nils Schrankenbrett of the Alorian Public Union and Kolton Weiß of the Democratic Rationalists were for 12 years partners in their leadership of the Progressive Coalition and of Aloria throughout the Progressive Rennassiance

This began the Progressive Renaissance. Unlike the Big Deal of half a century ago, this time a clear parliamentary majority of the Progressive Coalition led to the passage of much on the progressive agenda, including a a public health care system, public education, and more funding for both those ministries as well as infrastructure and a refunding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After Kolton Weiß's two terms as President, he stepped down to become Prime Minister, while Schrankenbrett soon after won election and became President, so that the two switched roles. For 15 years, the two were partners in their leadership of Aloria during the Progressive Renaissance. After Schrankenbrett's second term however, the Progressive Coalition fell apart over internal conflicts. Moderate Libertarian Party candidate Vincento Vanzetti V was able to win election to the Presidency in 2535, and this ended the Progressive Renaissance.

The Politics of Polarity (2535-2558)[]

For 19 years, the MLP controlled the executive branch with President Vanzetti, but Parliament controlled the appointment of cabinet ministers, and parliament remained under the control of the Progressives. The result was a political system characterized by polarity, with parliament appointing APU's Hart Brysedd, in the words of one member of parliament a "fire breathing partisan" to the head of government position of Prime Minister. Little movement was made in either the Libertarian or Progressive direction, as while the left had control of parliament, they failed to unite together on a presidential ticket, and Vincento Vanzetti was, throughout his multiple terms, a very popular President.

SA-RIOT

The broken up demonstration that led to the formation of the Socialist Aliance

Vanzetti was not popular with everyone, however. A mass demonstration against his governance in the capitol city of Libertia in 2540 ended in what demonstration leaders called a "police riot," with capital police attempting to break it up once it got close to the Presidential Residence. The leaders of the demonstration, Utilities Union leader Tomos Glynffryd and leftist economist Samuel Went, founded the Socialist Alliance, in order to expand the protest more into the political arena. While at first a very minor party, it eventually grew into a strong political faction, the first strong socialist party in Alorian politics in centuries. Vanzetti eventually retired from politics and the MLP candidate was defeated that next election (2554), not by a Progressive but a more centrist/center right candidate, Albert Mora. Mora sought to curb the polarity of Alorian politics of the time, but to little avail. Even though Vanzetti was gone, and a more centrist candidate was President, and even though Hartsen Hart Brysedd had since stepped down from the Head of Government, politics became even more partisan. Mora ended up being a one term, three year president, and the MLP briefly regained the executive office with President Iago Gwynant.

The Return of the Progressive Coalition and the Intervention in Luthori (2558-2570)[]

Eventually, the Progressive Coalition reunited and was reborn as the Second Progressive Coalition. The Socialist Alliance was welcomed into it, and became the left wing of a leftist coalition. Libertarian Iago Gwynant was a very unpopular president, and the Progressive dominated parliament voted for early elections, giving him only a one year term. The Coalition fielded candidate Benjamin ap Tomos for President (from the coalition's more centrist wing), who won in 2558, marking the beginning of a government completely dominated by the Progressive Coalition. Parliament appointed Wilhelm Flöchter, a Socialist Alliance Member, as Prime Minister.

Alori Soldiers

Alorian Soldiers in the Luthori, during the war ending cease-fire.

The War of Luthori Succession soon after came to Aloria's attention. The Luthori Imperial Diet had voted to amend its constitution to abolish the country's entrenched monarchy. Imperial forces rebelled, enlisting the aid of fellow monarchist governments from around Terra. As it appeared Republican forces would be defeated, talks began in Alorian leadership circles of a possible intervention to "promote democracy abroad." Aloria's covert agency, DRACO, began operations in Luthori, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent weapons and aid to the Republican Militias, and 1,000 Alorian Advisors were sent as well. The Moderate Libertarian Party was the biggest opponent of the intervention in Luthori, sharply protesting any Alorian involvement. Much went into the next elections of 2565. The election would decide what action Aloria took with regard to the war in Luthori. Socialist Prime Minister Wilhelm Flöchter, a big proponent of intervention in Luthori, ran as the candidate of the Progressive Coalition. The MLP ran former one-term President Iago Gwynant as the anti-war candidate. The election was a big win for Flöchter, who soon after sent 150,000 Alorian Troops to Luthori. The country was currently in a cease-fire and Flöchter's intent was to strengthen the Republican side of the peace talks. Eventually, the war came to an end, the peace talks successful. While throughout their deployment there was a cease-fire, 548 Alorian soldiers were killed in guerrilla raids.


Economic Prosperity and the Pinnacle of Progressive Control (2570-2587)[]

The next decade saw unprecedented economic growth in Aloria. This helped the popularity of the Progressive Coalition, as well as President Flöchter and Prime Minister, Democratic Rationalist Melisende Schmidt. Flöchter's presidency ended in 2577, and the coalition ran Prime Minister Schmidt to succeed him. She ran in 2577. That year saw the pinnacle of Progressive Coalition control, with Melisende Schmidt getting a majority of the vote in the first round of voting (which had not happened since the 23rd century) and the coalition winning a total of 446 seats in the 750 member parliament.

Millicent Smith

President Melisende Schmidt presided over the biggest economic expansion in Alorian History

The first issue facing President Schmidt was a second Civil War in the Luthori. Schmidt , espousing the principles of the "Flöchter Doctrine" of Alorian intervention on behalf of Artanian self-determination, sent a naval task force. The action was meant to send a message to Alduria, who were threatening to send a ground force to the country. Fortunately, Alorian intervention was never escalated, and despite heightened tensions, the issue was resolved and Alorian military forces returned home. While Schmidt also was an enormously popular President, her two terms were not without controversy. The Minister of Justice, Hywel Reilly Carwyn, was much criticized for pursuing a policy of political repression for the MLP. The Progressive controlled parliament helped him, voting on numerous occasion to censure the party because of his accusations that they were uncooperative in his numerous investigations, much of which were frivolous anyway. Parliament even voted to appoint Carwyn Prime Minister. This was controversial, as to many he was a figure of political repression

The Libertarian Revolution (2587-2623)[]

The economic boom created more wealth for many Alorians, and soon many of these now prospering Alorians wanted the government to lower the high taxation on those upper middle and wealthy incomes, to cut spending to achieve that, and to stop redistributing wealth. This, along with the controversy associated with the Progressive Coalition, led to the Libertarian Revolution.

Jose Alvarez

President Jose Alvarez led Aloria into the new era of the Libertarian Revolution

The Libertarian bloc once again gained control of parliament, the MLP fielded Jose Alvarez for President in 2587, and Alvarez won a resounding victory. From then until the 2620's, the libertarians and conservatives controlled parliament and the executive branch. The Second Progressive Coalition collapsed. The size of government was cut dramatically. Whereas government spending once accounted for 22% of GDP, after the cuts made in the Libertarian Revolution, it decreased to less then a percent. Taxes were brought down, the income and corporate taxes completely cut.

27th Century[]

Rise of Nationalism and Populism and the Kurmal Civil War (2623-2633)[]

While the Libertarians remained in control of government, the 2620s saw the emergence of new political alignment, a triple partisan political system of Metzists on the one end, who sought to radically overthrow the capitalist system taken to its maximum by the Libertarians, the Nationalists on the other side who sought to throw out and keep out immigrants from abroad, as well as to isolate Aloria from the rest of Terra and turn it into a near Theocratic state, and the Libertarians in the midst of it all, attempting to maintain their control of the government.

Farc

A Communist Rebel

The Metzists saw little success in mounting serious opposition to the Libertarians on a national level. The Nationalists however, were able to. Unpopular MLP President Carla Franco was defeated by Nationalist candidate Bernard Rosenberg in 2626. While at first it seemed that the triple partisan alignment in parliament facing Rosenberg would keep him from creating an effective government, he was able to effectively compromise with the MLP of the Libertarian bloc, and gain ground on a number of issues, including appointing a new cabinet, with MLP billionaire playboy Peter Fernbach as Prime Minister.

The Nationalists and Metzists (led by the Communist Party of Aloria) were deeply opposed to one another, and the latter was completely left out of governing in any way, shape or form, even though they had control of a quarter of parliament. The Rosenberg government sought to further expel the Metzists from any sort of political, public, or civil involvement.

Communist Party leader Lucien Kanneli gave a speech in protest against the Nationalist/Libertarian government, and against capitalism, calling for the overthrow of both. Rosenberg and the Nationalists accused Kanneli of treason and sedition for having given this speech, and called for his arrest. He was detained, but was broken loose by armed Communist militiamen, and he fled to the mountains of Kurmal in northern Aloria, a Communist militia accompanying him, launching a rebellion against the government of Aloria. The Communists overthrew the local government of Kurmal, with a last ditch effort to evacuate the civilian population funded by the private fortune of Prime Minister Peter Fernbach launched in response to this. This began the Kurmal Civil War. The initial military response made by the Alorian government was largely ineffective, and President Rosenberg was blamed for it. And so while Carla Franco's popularity had previously been at an all time low, she was able to defeat Rosenberg in a rematch. Around this time, the Communists also sent pleas of help to their former Metzist allies, the Revolutionary Socialist Part, but the RSP refused to organize a paramilitary force, instead holding ineffective labor strikes

Air mobility aloria

National forces land in Kurmal to end the Communist rebellion

The head of state and head of government positions then switched parties, as the MLP gained control of the presidency, Nationalist Siôn Cadawgan was appointed Prime Minister by parliament. Franco then ordered the bombing of communist military positions in Kurmal, and soon after a skirmish between communist and government forces ended in the capture of Lucien Kanneli, soon after sentenced to life imprisonment, though not before a peace deal and ceasefire was agreed to and the war ended, the Communists achieving very little except a guarantee of a negative stigma in Alorian Politics that would seemingly remain for a long time after.

The Mid War Period (2633-2653)[]

In the election of 2633 the Alorian people, tired of last decade's triple partisan system that had led to a violent civil war, voted to elect Cen Hafan, neither a Nationalist, Metzist or Libertarian candidate. Relatively inexperienced in politics and in holding public office, Hafan campaigned as the alternative candidate. He relied much on the more experienced Nationalist Prime Minister Siôn Cadawgan to implement many of his goals once elected. The government now firmly anti-libertarian, Cadawgan and Hafan sought to restore government activity into the economy and Alorian National life. Their program was called the "New Society", and together they established a central bank and Public Pension System. The biggest rival of the New Society was former MLP Prime Minister Peter Fernbach, who said that the New Society Hafan/Cadawgan were trying to create was really the "old society of big government that had existed during the high tax era of Progressive domination." Still, the New Society had the support of most Alorians, as vindicated by Hafan' several re-elections.

It fell apart however over disagreements between Cadawgan and Hafan over the role that National government should play as opposed to the role that should be played by the local, provincial government. Hafan supported devolution, and on several key issues, Cadawgan felt cheated by the President, eventually resigning.

Whether or not Hafan could govern without a Prime Minister was the big question of the day. Without the support of the Nationalists, Hafan sought new allies in parliament, eventually enlisting the aid of the Communists. Parliament refused to appoint a new Prime Minister, however, leaving Hafan on his own in the executive branch. Seeking much advice from his son, Minister of Internal Affairs Tud Hafan, he was able to pass key pieces of legislation providing for the complete subsidization of college education and pharmaceuticals, proving his ability to work on his own. This came at a cost, however. By the end of his 8 years in office, rampant Communist influence on his administration was apparent to all, at a time when the communists were still blamed for the violence of the Kurmal War. Not seeking office again in 2641, Havan even pardoned Communist rebel leader Lucien Kanneli, citing the need to move on from the divisive days of the past decade.

Pierce Farnsworth

Peter Fernbach, Prime Minister of Aloria from 2623-2626 and President from 2641-2649

Peter Fernbach, critically objecting the largely unpopular move, ran in opposition, and won popular election to the Presidency in 2641. He tried to cancel Hafan's pardon of Kanneli, but was prevented by the courts. Meanwhile, he at first was unable to restore and implement the libertarian agenda in Aloria, due to resistance from parliament, who appointed Tud Hafan Prime Minister to lead an opposition against Fernbach.

Then the Rothenfeller Family, still after many years the wealthiest family with ownership of the most powerful corporation in Aloria, once again got involved in politics, this time throwing their clout behind a new Constitution Party(eventually to be renamed the Industrialist Party of Aloria during the early years of NWO domination), led by the young upstart Gwes Rothenfeller. They had great success in the parliamentary elections of 2645, and later that year, Gwes Rothenfeller became Fernbach's Prime Minister, kicking Hafan out. The two worked together to scale back many of the programs implemented in the New Society.

The two seemed to push too hard however, as in the next elections they were defeated. The first front runner in the opposition against them was Tud Hafan, however, the unpopularity of his father in the waning days of his administration, coupled with his loss of the Head of Government were problematic enough to instead push the Populist Party (at the time leading the opposition, the Populists were the legacy party of Hafan's New Society) to instead nominate Minister of Health Caradog Josef Llewellyn for President. Llewellyn defeated Fernbach for President in the election of 2649, and Rothenfeller also was defeated for parliamentary reappointment to Prime Ministership. That post was eventually filled by the resurgent Socialist Alliance member, Heinrich Ludwig MacCoinín.

War and Occupation: The New World Order (2653-2672)[]

Llewellyn was popularly reelected with the support of the Alorian left in 2653. His Prime Minister, Socialist Heinrich MacCoinín, meanwhile toured Terra, coming back to Aloria and informing parliament of the ongoing events of the archipelago nation of Al-Badara. A new regime had taken over, the Soviet Reich, and was tyrannically repressing its minority populations, to the point of genocide. The Soviet Reich was a member of the so called "New World Order" International alliance, one of the most powerful and militaristic the world had ever seen.

MacCoinín argued for a multinational, humanitarian intervention on behalf of the country's persecuted peoples. General Patrick Kanneli, a nephew of the former rebel leader Lucien who had fought for the Alorian Army during the Kurmal War, former the Alorian Expeditionary Brigade towards that end. The AEB was all voluntary, and was recruited for by the Populists, Socialists, and Industrialists. Volunteers came from nations abroad as well. A total of 2.5 million volunteered for the AEB. The fact that it was started and led by a Communist helped to mainstream that party back into Alorian politics.

Calliope-Destroyed

The rubble of Calliope after its destruction by the NWO Nuclear bombardment

The AEB never served its intended purpose. Before it could take action, Caradog Josef Llewellyn was assassinated by a terror cell operating in Aloria with connections to the New World Order. MacCoinín then succeeded Llewellyn to the Presidency. Then, the New World order declared war on Aloria and launched a nuclear bombardment of the country, crippling its infrastructure and destroying its cities, murdering millions of Alorian civilians in the process. Then, the NWO ground force invading, quickly conquering making progress in land from the beaches Sildar and Ultran.

Foreign volunteers of the AEB came to the rescue and landed on the beaches behind NWO front lines, meanwhile the Alorian divisions of the AEB and the Alorian Regular Army regrouped, and fought back against the NWO Armies, which greatly outnumbered and outgunned them. Still, the the new President, Heinrich MacCoinín, remained defiant, continuing the fight against the NWO.

The war waged on, battle after battle waged in the rubble of destroyed Alorian cities and her torn up countrysides, a country already destroyed by nuclear attack became a battlefield between a nation holding onto its life versus a foe that outnumbered them 3 to 1.

In the Alorian lands occupied by the NWO, the populace was virtually enslaved and forced to work in labor camps. Millions had already been killed in the nuclear attack and in the cross fire of the ensuing war. Millions more died in the inhumane enslavement of the NWO.

Distraught over the war, the Alorian people left in Free Aloria (not occupied by the NWO) voted in and out a whole string of leaders, MacCoinín, Rothenfeller, Stanhop, Huber, none were able to find an end to the war. Meanwhile, more and more Alorian land was taken over by the NWO.

Aloria-Defenders

Alorian Freedom Fighters

Their were various ceasefires between the opposing sides, where Aloria would try to negotiate for peace and meanwhile attempt to regroup its forces. When peace plans were drawn up by the foreign ministry of Aloria, they were often turned down by the NWO. A few proposals were made that would have essentially made Aloria a puppet of the NWO. Orion Patrick, a veteran of the war, founded Veterans for Victory, to protest any such proposal that would submit Aloria to virtual NWO rule. Massive protests were often led by Patrick in Libertia. Similar protests were led by former president MacCoinín and former Prime Minister Tud Hafan. On the other side of the spectrum, the IPA began to support joining the NWO to save Aloria from total annihilation. Former Prime Minister Gwes Rothenfeller led the movement, and himself joined the NWO. The NWO then installed him as the occupational governor of Aloria. Rothenfeller was treated as a traitor by the Alorian government, a warrant for his arrest (which was impossible due to him being in the NWO occupied side of Aloria by this time) was put out and all of his assets nationalized. However, he was viewed as a savior by many in occupied Aloria, as once he was made governor, the labor camps were closed, the enslavement ended, the massacres ceased.

NWO-Invaders

NWO invading and occupying soldiers

The war continued, and Aloria lost more and more ground. Finally, all of Aloria was taken over by the NWO, who gave it to Rothenfeller and the Industrialists in the form of the The Industrialist Governorship of West Aloria and the Alorian Communist Party (who had independently worked a deal out with the NWO) created the Worker's State of East Aloria. Gwes Rothenfeller created a massive corporation, named Rothengrup, that virtually privately owned all of Aloria, He was the richest man in all of Alorian History. The Communist NWO backed government, led by Patrick Kanneli, meanwhile was clandestinely working against the NWO, secretly giving sanctuary to the now underground, legitimate Alorian government.

War and Occupation: Aloria's Liberation ( 2672-2678)[]

In 2675, after three years of rule by the Rothenfeller government backed up by occupying NWO soldiers, the elderly Tud Hafan led a march, accompanied by Heinrich MacCoinín and most members of the underground parliament, as well as thousands of others. The goal of the march was to force the Rothenfeller government to hand over domestic control to a democratically elected government. The march grew exponentially after a stirring speech by Heinrich MacCoinín in Concordia, clandestinely published throughout Aloria and considered one of the best in Alorian history. From Kurmal, to Ultran to Sildar to Krentori to Gavonshire, from city to still destroyed city, across a land still devastated by war, they marched. They faced repression, arrests and police brutality in all places. Then they came to Pax, a mere miles away from the capitol in Libertia (where the Rothenfeller Government was now based). There, they were accompanied by a rebel militia assembled by Orion Patrick, called Comrades for Freedom, Victory, and Democracy, or Comrades FVD (the whole march has come to be known as the FVD March). Tud Hafan had died of heart attack along the way. Now leading the march was former minister of finance Hefin Harp, who had overseen the nationalization of Rothenfeller's property. There, numerous speeches were given by the march's leaders, a march now numbering half a million, including Comrades FVD. They demanded a resolution from Rothenfeller, for him to at least allow parliament to have control of domestic affairs.

Liberation

The liberation of Aloria

The next day, Rothenfeller appeared on Television. He told the people of Aloria that his intention was never to sell Aloria out, but to save it. He joined the New World Order because in doing so, he was able to stop the persecution of Alorians and save lives. He said that he would support a "Pax Resolution" that restore a parliament with limited powers.

For about a year, negotiations between the FVD leaders and Rothenfeller were conducted. Then, in 2677, the NWO collapsed. The occupation ended, the NWO armies gone. Alorians rejoiced and took pride in the fact that they may have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Indeed, while the NWO was fighting in Aloria, a rebellion in Al Badara had thrown out the Soviet Reich Regime, and end the genocides taking place there. Meanwhile, the NWO had fought war after war in many places at a time since it had existed, and the resulting attrition took its toll. For whatever reason though, the NWO was gone. Comrades FVD then went through all of Aloria, liberating city after city as they came to them (a campaign characterized more by parades then combat, as the occupational government did not have the strength to resist). Libertia was liberated, and Hefin Harp temporarily made President (Aloria's first democratic elections were to take place a few years later). Gwes Rothenfeller went into exile before he could be captured by the new, restored government. The was had ended, and the Reconstruction of Aloria, a land still devestated by war, was to begin.

Reconstruction (2678-2695)[]

Construction

During Reconstruction the construction industry grew exponentially and modernized Aloria's infrastructure

As soon as the legitimate government of Aloria was restored, Gwes Rothenfeller and other officials of his occupational government fled. Patrick Kanneli and other officials of his occupational state was pardoned by President Harp on the basis that his government had provided sanctuary to the underground government and to NWO resistors.

The restored government was dominated by Populists, Socialists, and Communists, who were allied with one another in the 4th Progressive Coalition, led by former President Heinrich MacCoinín. Harp, with the backing of the Progressive dominated Parliament, began his project of national reconstruction, Aloria in ruins, still devastated by nuclear bombardment and 25 years of war. Massive infrastructure spending was passed, to rebuild the country, as was massive spending for Health and Human Services (to help people recover from the past war torn 25 years) and massive spending for Agriculture (to restore the country's agricultural sector). Government spending grew to about 50% of the nation's GDP. Meanwhile, all industries were nationalized. This was the most state control the Alorian economy had ever seen. Harp did this not because he favored permanent state control, but because he thought that temporary control was needed to put the economy and the country back on its feet.

One area of government that decrease was military spending, the rationale being that with the war over it was not as necessary. This helped led to a big resurgence of nationalism of Aloria. War hero George Peron called for more defense spending, saying that never again should Aloria leave its self so vulnerable to foreign attack. He started a new Nationalist Party, which called for a bigger military, anti-immigration laws, and and isolationist foreign policy.

Aloriannewflag2488

This became Aloria's new flag due to a new nationalistic pride in post-war, Reconstruction Aloria.

While Hefin Harp easily won reelection to the presidency (Aloria's first legitimate democratic elections since the NWO took over), the Progressive Coalition lost its control of parliament while retaining a large plurality. The Nationalist Party turned out to have a program that was very popular to many Alorians in the post-war period. While the Nationalists were unable to pass most of their proposals, they did recreate many of Aloria's symbols to something more to their tastes, such as a new flag featuring the Alorian lion and a new anthem, Aloria's Triumph, referencing Aloria's ultimate victory in the NWO war (the song had been written by a socialist, but its militant and somewhat jingoistic lyrics appealed to the Nationalists).

Meanwhile, the Industrialist Party and the Rothenfeller family began a public relations campaign to rebrand their image, which had been tainted by the past few years of New World Order cooperation. While the IPA opposed many of Harp' reconstruction programs, the Rothenfeller family and all of their businesses fully cooperated with the reconstruction policies, including their nationalization by the government. Meanwhile, the idea of Gwes Rothenfeller as a pragmatic savior who closed down the death camps (as opposed to a Gwes Rothenfeller who selfishly betrayed his country) was pushed. Gwes Rothenfeller was still, and would throughout his life remain, a condemned man, a war criminal and fugitive from the Alorian government.

Still, the campaign was successful. So successful that in 2684, the IPA candidate for President was able to win the executive branch. Vera MacRam of the Industrialist Party was elected (Hefin Harp had decided not to run for a third term) on the promises of restoring capitalism to Aloria. Her party made an alliance with the Nationalist Party, and the Progressives became a minority opposition in the legislative branch. Most industries were denationalized, and government spending was cut, as were all taxes. Reconstruction continued under MacRam, but it was being slowly phased out. Rothenfeller prominence returned both in the business and political realms, and capitalism was restored to Aloria.

This time also included a brief period where the threat of a monarchist Restoration where Josef Concord, former Communist Matthias Kanneli, and one time President (as well as another former Communist) Stephan Duchard led the People's Imperial Alliance. While the Imperialists managed to get Duchard elected President, they lacked the Populist support they were counting on for an Imperial restoration, and as such, disbanded when left-wing anarchists known as the Red Star Movement began a terror campaign that started with Duchard's assassination.

28th Century Aloria[]

New Constitution and Conservative Control (2695-2711)[]

Charlesrenaldi

Caradog Rhianaldd (2616-2712), the "Grandfather" of the Federal State, was a very popular president

In 2695, the Centre Democrats became the largest faction in parliament. Their leader, Caradog Rhianaldd became president. His campaign was based on a program with both left and right influences, and a promise for large devolution, constitutional changes and more international alliances on the Artanian continent. Rhianaldd formed a centrist government with both the conservatives and the socialist parties in it. His most glorious achievement during his first term was the installment of a new constitution. By the new amendments, Presidential power was heavily increased and Aloria was turned into a more federalist state, decreasing the influence of the national government. The amendments passed parliament, with support of the Industrialists and the Conservative Union in April 2698. The New Constitution was installed on the first of January 2699.

The new constitution led to a new governmental structure in Aloria: first, only the Head of State could propose a cabinet. This decreased parliamentary powers and gave more power to the President, but also created a system with more stability and stronger governments. By this, and in the second amendment, he also increased Presidential powers by making the President both Head os State and Head of Government, dismissing the post of Prime Minister. With this act, the President had more political and executive powers, instead of the more ceremonial role they had before. In fact, the President became the real political leader of the nation.

The third amendment was devolution: a new federal system was drafted, in which Provinces became States. The federal states each had their own government with more executive powers, and less dominance from the national government, with a Minister-President as head (instead of governors). Every state had his own legislature, and the national government would only direct foreign affairs, defense and the most important national issues if needed.

While the new constitutional changes had support from the conservatives, the socialists were absolutely against the new constitution. During the last months of Rhianaldd's first term, the SA heated up parliamentary speeches by calling the Centre Democrats anti-democratic and racists (for wanting to devolve civil rights laws). Rhianaldd was re-elected in August 2699, with 69% of the votes, defeating socialist opponent Contadino in the second round. After his re-election, Rhianaldd dropped the socialists out of the government and continued his centrist cabinet with the conservatives. In 2703 he was re-elected for a third term.

Economic Crisis[]

Bank-Run

Bank runs were common during the early half of the recession, before the economy settled into a steady decline

Rhianaldd adopted far-reaching market-based policies, dismantling protectionist barriers and business regulations, while accelerating privatizations. These reforms contributed to significant increases in investment and growth with stable prices through most of the late 2690s and 2700s. Rhianaldd's successor, Martin Grant, continued this neo-liberal, conservative course. The sense of stability and well being which had prevailed during the 2690s and 2700s eroded quickly, when in 2710 Aloria's Gross domestic product dropped 4% and the country officially entered a recession.

With the 2711 elections, the Alorian electorate turned back to the leftists and removed the centre-right Congressional majority. A new Progressive Coalition took control of the Congress. Martin Grant was elected out of office. While the left, a 4th Progressive Coalition of Socialists, Populists, and Liberals, gained the majority of the Congress and thus claimed a mandate from the people, the extent of the mandate was limited as former Minister of Sildar Rhisiart ap Siôn, a Centre Democrat not on the left, was elected President. Thus, Congress and the Presidency were in opposition to one another, and were unable to agree on a cabinet while having differing views on how to deal with the recession.

After ap Siôn's second term started in 2715, he faced a country where unemployment had risen to a critical point, and the undesirable effects of the fixed exchange rate were showing forcefully. ap Siôn had been reluctant to act, though the Progressive Congress was not; they demanded that his cabinet implement far reaching policies. ap Siôn did eventually implement both economic stimuli and industry bailouts; the effect of these was measured.

In 2719 (after a short, what at least seemed like a rebound), things get even worse. A decline in world prices for farm products, and the global economic slowdown of recent months, caused a huge decline of Aloria's export. Meanwhile, the inflation has risen. As a result of the falling prices of wheat and beef, as well as the high debts of the banks and other large companies, coupled with falling currency valuation, the stock exchanges dropped dramatically. In May 2719 the federal stock exchanges dropped to the lowest point in history. Many investors worried over their stock investments. People fearing the worst began to withdraw large sums of money from their bank accounts, turning aloriks into foreign currencies and sending them abroad, causing a run on the banks. As a result, many Alorian companies went bankrupt, and thousands lost their jobs.

Newly elected president Rhisiard ap Tomos called upon a doctrine of "Country before Self-Interest", and ended the right-wing controlled cabinet, despite being a member of the Conservative Union. He involved every member of the Progressive Coalition, along with the previous members of the cabinet; all parties in congress but the communists were in the cabinet. President ap Tomos described the new cabinet, "One of the only ways to solve our problems in the economy". He stated in the second Walburg Conference that Aloria would welcome help from other countries, and some did, while others rejected Aloria's plea.

But even still, tensions around the now decade in decline economy continued. The most apparent discontent was expressed by labor. The number of strikes skyrocketed, and union membership soared. In 2720, a number of unions representing workers in various Rothengrup enterprises united to form RothenArbeit, a union representing all employees of the mega-corporation. Eventually, RothenArbeit was able to, with the help of the federal government (whose Congress was still dominated by the Progressives) buy control of 1/3 of Rothengrup's stock, as several members of the Rothenfeller family were beginning to fear the economy's decline. A couple years later, a general strike in Eqalite was held, shutting the Kurmal city down for months. The government instituted a policy of voluntary workplace democratization, whereby businesses would be encouraged to democratize through an exemption from a punitive 60% (later 55%) corporate tax.

Communist Insurrection in Sildar[]

In 2727, Roger Geranome, the Populist Minister President of Sildar, was elected President. He was the first Progressive President of the 28th century as well as the first President to have been born after the NWO war. Soon after he was elected, the economy began to improve. On the right they claimed it was because of income tax cuts that had recently been passed, the left claimed that it was economic stimulus and workplace democratization that had brought the economy back up. Whatever the reason, after around 15 years, the economy was starting to look up.

But just a few months into Geranome's first term, the Communist and Socialists Party demanded even more change and revolted against the government of Aloria. The URA, a Communist/Socialist Paramilitary, took up arms in Sildar, and took by force the cities of Ceres, Sildar City, and Sildar Beach. They took much more of Sildar initially, however, the Alorian Army launched a counteroffensive limiting URA control to the metropolitan, coastal area of Sildar. The army was reluctant to advance any furthey though, as they were wary of having to many civilian casualties.

Economic Recovery[]

In 2747, former actor Pawl Reigan was elected president. His main goal was to recreate the conservative government as it was at the beginning of the century under his Centre Democratic predecessors. With support of the GPA and the AP, budgets where adjusted, taxes were cut and several special programs to promote Alorian tourism and industry (the "Awesome Aloria" programs) were started in 2750's by GPA Minister of Tourism and later Prime Minister Robert Gurdon. But while Aloria experienced continuous economic progress since the 2740's, Alorian economy was being undermined by constant devaluation of the alorik and emission of excessive amounts of high-interest treasury bonds, so that, between 2743 and 2763, the excessive budget deficit build half of the deficit still plaguing the country for years.

The Neptune Scandal[]

The Neptune Scandal was the largest corruption scandal in Alorian history. It resulted from the purchase of military submarines from the Kirlawan submarine manufacturer Neptune Inc. by the Alorian in 2755, where Neptune bribed various office holders. Several politicians had to resign along the investigation into the purchase.

The investigation into the purchase was started by the investigative team looking into the 2762 mysterious death of Albert Conrad, the chairman of the Centre Democrats who was found death in his apartment in February 2762, when it turned out that Conrad had knowledge about the Neptune deal. An official investigation into the deal was started in January 2763, by judge José Ramirez, when a search warrant was issued for Neptune.

In the upcoming months, many members of the Centre Democratic party resigned as they were involved in the bribery scandal: Johann Karter, Minister of Defense for the Centre Democrats (CD) resigned on 21 March 2763. Rhydderch Reigan, Minister of Finance, resigned from his post on 9 April 2763 and Jakob Braun, former Minister of Defense resigned on April 23th, 2763.

The scandal even harmed incumbent President Benigno Arroyo (CD), who was leader of the CD shortly after the submarine purchase. Although he became leader after the bribery, he still was a MP in tat time and insiders say that he knew about the bribery. Conflicting statements in which he first denied any knowledge of the payments, then acknowledged that he was at a meeting where they were discussed, have led to massive street protests erupted demanding Arroyo's resignation. Faced with street protests and cabinet resignations Arroyo was impeached by Parliament and forced to not run for re-elections.

After the 2763 elections the CD had lost a major part of its stranglehold over Alorian voters, but suprisingly the Centre Democrat presidential candidate, former federal bank governor Iago Wessyngton, was elected President. In the successive 2767 general election the CD suffered one of its largest decrease in term of votes so far, receiving only 13% of the votes, becoming the fourth party in Aloria. Most of the votes went to the newly formed Conservative Party

Communist Era[]

With the fall of Liberal parties in Aloria the newly formed Communist Democrats Party started taking massive reforms. Starting with early success as only one party was left to oppose them they quickly rose to power implementing a new flag, the title of Commisionar and General Secretary, and renamed States Soviets. It was not till the rise of the United Independant Party, Democratic Party of Aloria, and People's party that the Communist Democrats had trouble. However the Alorian Workers Party joined in the defense of communism. It would not be till the historic election of 3048 that everything changed. With the collapse of the UIP from internal corruption, the Democratic Party of Aloria called for immediate elections. The notion passed, with the communists thinking their hold over the people was still firm. However, the communist age ended from this election when the DPA grabbed almost every seat the UIP had with 293 seats, only 8 seats away. The People's Party grabbed the Head of State and reestablished liberal democracy.

Federal Era[]

Federated Kingdoms[]

3437, the House of Representatives voted through a Federation Act which transformed Aloria into a federal monarchy, divided into five kingdoms. Each kingdom had its own royal family, elected parliament, government, public administration, budget, and resources. Health and education systems among others were managed by the kingdoms. Each kingdom was governed by an executive office led by the king, together with a unicameral legislative body that had a different name for each kingdom. The kingdoms had their own legislature, and the relationship between their legislative and executive branches mirrored that of the federal system: the legislatures were elected for four years. The King appointed a cabinet to run the kingdoms's agencies and to carry out the executive duties of the kingdoms's government. All responsibilities not granted to the national government were reserved to the kingdoms. This system lasted until 3556, when the Republic of Aloria was establihsed.

Imperial Republic of Aloria[]

The Imperial Republic of Aloria was a Federal Republic consisting of 5 states and 20 cities. The nation was run by the President of the Alorian Republic and the Vice-President. The Imperial Republic of Aloria is often referred to as the New Republic. The fall of the monarchy in the Old Republic in 3618 made way for the creation of a new constitution which established Aloria as a Federal Republic with a Presidency rather than a Monarchy.

Kingdom of Aloria[]

Aneirin ap Rhys

Coronation ceremony of Aneirin ap Rhys of the House of Urien as the High King of Aloria

In 3896 a federal monarchy was restored, this time under a single national monarch. The restoration of the monarchy included a variety of legal reforms, including the devolution of more powers to the constituent kingdoms. Though Aloria had a long history of elective monarchy, for the sake of stability and Draddwyr tradition, the governing coalition proposed a hereditary monarch with Aneirin ap Rhys of the House of Urien as the High King of Aloria. Aneirin ap Rhys is a descendent of a long line of Draddwyr chiefs in Kurmal (Caer Moel) who led the resistance against Dundorfian and Seluco-Dunic invaders. The Urien monarchy lasted until 3911, when the Democratic Republic of Aloria was established, a parliamentary democracy with a unicameral legislature, the Senate, and an elected Head of State, known as the President.

Dundorfian Era[]

After the fall of the House of Urien, Aloria experienced a period of marked Dundorfian influence in its politics and culture. Although the Democratic Republic of Aloria was a parliamentary democracy, Dundorfians were disproportionately represented in its economic and political system. Though this era was one of vibrant democratic politics, it was also marked by ethnic tensions between the two ethnic groups.

Kingdom of Aloria[]

King

King of Aloria Heinrich Gruffud I of the House of Gruffud

In 4759 the Kingdom of Aloria was established under Queen Eleanor of the House of Gruffud. The Kingdom was a long-lasting and stable monarchy. It was structured as a parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature, the Senedd, a ceremonial Head of State, the King, and Head of Government, called the Prime Minister who led the cabinet, the top-level collegial decision-making body of the Alorian Government. The Kingdom lasted until 5164, when the Democratic Republic of Aloria was established.

Era of Stagnation[]

After the fall of the monarchy Aloria entered a period of economic and political decline. The democratic system was gradually eroded, and political power was contested between radical parties of the left and right. The era of stagnation was brought to an end by the establishment of the Federal Republic of Aloria in January 5343.

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