Vassfforcia

The New Nation-State

During the last decade of the 15th century, the Xunta General made the first Vassfforcian Constitution based on the Venetian and Barcelonan aristocratic governments. This Constitution was promulgated on January 4th 1501 and with it Vassfforcia became the Serenísima República de Vassfforcia (Most Serene Republic of Vassfforcia) and the Port of Vassfforcia became Vassfforcia la Serenísima. The sovereign was named Grand Duke and was decided to be elected by the Grand Senate. But, to become Grand Duke one should be of Patrician (aristocratic) cradle. However, in spite of the new monarch, the Grand Senate kept most of its power. It was made bigger than the Xunta General by allowing 100 Senators instead of 50, from these 100 Senators, 57 were of the Patrician families and the other 43 were elected by the freemen with properties among all the citizenship.

Foreign Trading Company of Vassfforcia

After the years of war with Dohendor, Vassfforcia was ruined, but they had all the ports, and from them began trading with other Heartlanders and in year 1439 the Compañía de Comercio de Ultramar de Vassfforcia (Foreign Trading Co. of Vassfforcia) was founded by the five most important families (Montajìque, Giocco, Berenguer, Buchani and Mádasi). Meanwhile, as the exploration of the Heartland by Vassfforcian sailors began, the alliance with Hälvendil strengthened with the help of the Montajìque do Sul.

Spaniard Grand Dukes

List of Vassfforcian Grand Dukes

During the 16th century, as Charles V was king of Spain, the Grand Senate offered him to become the Grand Duke and from 1519- 98 the Spanish kings, Charles V and Philip II were Grand Dukes Don Carlos I de Austria and Don Felipe I de Austria. But after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 most Vassfforcian nobles were eager to remove the Spanish Grand Duke and elect a Vassfforcian. After the death of Philip II of Spain, a rich Vassfforcia (benefited from the commerce with the Spanish Colonies) elected Don Juan Carlos I de Fontán as Grand Duke and the Vassfforcian Colonial Period began.

During the period of the Spanish Grand Dukes, many Spaniards came to Vassfforcia, making the Most Serene Republic nearly double its population and changing the dominant language from Catlonian to Spanish. Also, most of them weren’t rich, so they became sailors for the Vassfforcian trading companies, giving them the capacity to expand.

Hälvendil

During the 16th century, after the Protestant Reformation and the start of the Religious Conflicts in Europe, Hälvendil received a great number of Protestants, particularly Huguenots from France, as it had already received the Cathars and Catholicism wasn’t as influential in the country. This influx of immigrants also changed the proportion of the languages spoken in the Queendom as other French dialects arrived. These immigrants also brought many new ideas and commercial bonds with Europe and Vassfforcia (the second encouraged mostly by the Montajìque do Sul).

Dohendor

During the 15th and 16th centuries Dohendor became increasingly isolationist rejecting every Hälven and Vassfforcian delegation. On the end, this caused an economic crisis and famines which on the 17th century caused another war with Vassfforcia which ended with the Dohen annexation to the Most Serene Republic.

War & Order

Hälven Annexation

The Vassfforcian Colonial Period started with the election of Don Juan Carlos I de Fontán, whom in 1599 began negotiations with Queen Henrietta II Hälvenböçin for the annexation of the Queendom to Vassfforcia. Finally, on 1602 the Treaty of Hilvenídica was signed and the Queendom of Hälvendil became part of the Most Serene Republic Vassfforcia as the Queendom of Hilvenídica and the County of Tirritidivá became an independent principality, also part of the Most Serene Republic. Another consequence of the annexation was that religious tolerance was made extensive for all the Most Serene Republic; thus the Dominican Order and the Inquisition were expelled form Vassfforcia in the same year. These made more Protestants come to the country during the second half of the 17th and the 18th centuries.

The Last War with Dohendor

This treaty was also the cause for the Last War between Vassfforcia and Dohendor. In year 1607 the Dohen attacked the city of Filibustenia and took it. Vassfforcians attempt to take the city of Dohendor invading from Hilvenídica and Vassfforcia at the same time. However, a Dohen army besieged Fortenia and a rebellion broke in Hilvenídica in favor of their Dohen brothers. What followed were nearly fifty years of uninterrupted war between Dohendor and Vassfforcia and a terrible Civil War in Hilvenídica between Vassfforcians, Hälven and Dohen, with the Hälven divided in both sides. Finally, in year 1661 peace was achieved with the Treaty of Filibustenia, with which Dohendor became part of Vassfforcia as the Kingdom of Dohendor and they gained access to the sea as Filibustenia was declared Puerto Libre de Dohendor (Dohen Free Port) what meant they could trade by sea through the port without paying the alcábala tax (internal tolls on trade).