Wakesburg (city)

Overview

Wakesburg as a city is the capital of the Empire of Wakesburg. It was founded as the seat of Wake power by Emperor Nicholas I. The city is laid out in the style of a medieval city, with a large series of walls surrounding the city center. At the heart of the city is the Great Palace. The City's saint is Saint Constantine.

History

Foundation 1899 to 1914

The city was dedicated in 1899 amid the ceremony of the arrival of the Wakes in Romagna 900 years previous. Construction of the city however, started years previous. Nicholas had initially enjoyed the waters of the river Thornapple as a boy and was captivated by the land. When he seized control of his family's faction, he started using the region as his personal retreat. He also began to build a city, first to support the governmental infrastructure of his faction, then as a major city in its own right. He began to add on to his store house he had in the area, building up the might Great Palace of Wakesburg. He also built a giant Orthodox Basilica nearby, connected to the Palace by a golden sky walk. When it was dedicated, the area around the city was pristine, untouched by industrialization. However, after a time, farmers moved in to help supply the city's ever-increasing demand for food, and the area was despoiled. Small industries began moving into the area, and Nicholas was faced with the devastation of his former retreat or the progress of of his city from town to Capital of his new Empire. He made his choice, both for his city and for the empire. Industry moved in, building up on the river and all around the city. The Imperial Governor, wanting to keep the factories out of the old city, built a series of walls, called the Nicholaian Walls, making the old city a fortress. It has since become one of the most industrialized cities in the Empire, matching Nicholagrad and Middleville.

1914 to 1918

On the eve of World War I, Wakesburg as both as city and a capital was bustling. Emperor Nicholas opened the Wakesburg Academy of Science and the Military School. The city hosted the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand weeks prior to his assassination in Sarajevo. The outbreak of the war caused the city to become pensive and quite, and expansion stopped as the Empire at large geared up for war. Many of the factories in the city turned over to war productions as Imperial Emissaries negotiated with both Central and Allied Powers. The German Kaiser and Austrian Emperor evoked the treaty between 19th Century Austria and the Empire, forcing Wakesburg into the Central Powers. As the major power in Romagna Wakesburg, the Empire and its regional allies advanced the cause of the Central Powers, scoring major victories alongside the Austro-German armies. These close operations allowed the Empire access to the German technological machine, allowing scientist to advance Imperial technology. In the capital, Imperial facilities toiled day and night to make the empire a powerhouse. This made the city a major hub for the scientific community and lead to the short-lived "Wartime Renascence."

1919