Athpelyn

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The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. The correct title is athpelyn.
athpelyn
athpelyn1.jpg
Role
Queen of the Zu-Vendi
Nation
Errinundera
Lived
1859-1905
Noted for
Last ruler of the Milosian royal family

Pedigree

The Milosian royal line can be traced back to the 13th century, although there is some conjecture about the factual basis of some aspects of the lineage. Whatever the truth is, members of the Milosian family ruled the Snowy River valley and hinterland in one form or another since akalban established his authority over rival clans in 1256. Although, theoretically, the throne passed to the oldest child, regardless of gender, in practice there were many exceptions. In all cases, however, from akalban onwards, all rulers were blood relatives of their predecessor and all claimed descent from akalban himself.

Flag-Milosis.jpg

The ancient Milosian royal emblem and latterly, the Milosian flag.

Realm

Although athpelyn was the last of the line it was during her reign that the realm reached its apogee in terms of area. It encompassed the modern provinces of Upper Snowy, Lower Snowy, Deddick, Delegate, and parts of Rodger, Brodribb and Plateau. The royal palace was located in Milosis, the upper section of what is now known as McKillops Bridge.

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athpelyn the young queen in 1873 (left) with her sister siaros.
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Ascending the Throne

athpelyn became queen at the age of 14 when her parents drowned in a boating accident on the Snowy River. Historians are divided as to whether they were assassinated or whether it was simply a drunken accident. Whatever the cause, hagon, the High Priest of the Great Temple, effectively wielded power until athpelyn reached adulthood whereupon the army swung its support behind her. Despite this the priesthood remained popular with the public.

Europeans Light the Fuse

In 1889 British explorers sailed down the Snowy River led by George Curtis, later known as curtu by Errinundrians. Upon arrival in Milosis they were fêted by the Milosian court whereupon curtu seduced the queen and was appointed regent.

With the support of the queen and with the backing of army leaders, curtu began a pogrom against the priesthood in an attempt to impose European colonial values upon the Zu-Vendi. "The Usurper", as he also became known, alienated the populace with his oppressive actions and venal behaviour. A popular revolt broke out against athpelyn and curtu, led by the queen's younger sister, siaros, who recruited the remnants of the priesthood and many soldiers from the lower ranks of the army.

Civil War

Tubbutflag3.png

The flag of siaros, designed to contrast with the Milosian flag.

The revolt rapidly exploded into civil war. siaros set up her rebel headquarters at Marstuna, now Tubbut, from where she gathered a large volunteer army. Although larger than athpelyn's, it was undisciplined and poorly trained.

At this point, athpelyn displayed a hitherto unsuspected flair for military strategy. Over the next three years she steadily cut off siaros's access to much needed resources. The Milosian generals remained loyal and patient and applied their tactical and logistical expertise to her strategic plans.

The civil war climaxed in 1892 at the Battle of the Pass, near Deddick, where athpelyn routed the rebels. In the debacle, both siaros and hagon were killed.

athpelyn and curtu rapidly exterminated the remnants of the rebel army and razed Marstuna. In the months following the battle, at the urging of curtu, the surviving priests were rounded up and executed. With the destruction of the priests the former state religion effectively ceased to exist. The end of the civil war is usually taken to be the death of the last High Priest in late 1892.

Attempts to Subjugate the Forest Provinces

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athpelyn’s consort, curtu.
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With the Zu-Vendi subjugated, the Milosian rulers then looked to bring the the Oo regions under their contol. Oo philosophy, promulgated from the Errinundera Plateau had long influenced the Zu-Vendi. Its ideals of pacifism, communitiarianism, vegetarianism and reverence for the environment were popular with artisans and workers in Zu-Vendi. It had also, for centuries, been subtly influencing the Zu-Vendi state religion that, in any case, also had a strong respect for the environment.

Fearing this threat and deeming the Oo, with their pacifism, to be weak, athpelyn and curtu tried to subjugate the Errinundera Plateau. The ten provinces of Errinundera had, theoretically, been one nation since the Ugobejoku Declaration of 1024, however by 1892 the seven forest provinces (ie, all exluding Upper Snowy, Lower Snowy and Deddick) were effectively autonomous. The usurper government believed, perhaps correctly, that if the major centre of First Creek Falls fell then Milosis would gain control of the forests.

The period 1892-1905 is not considered a continuation of the civil war. Oo pacifism excluded violent conflict so there were no pitched battles and very little guerilla activity. If a Zu-Vendi army arrived in an Oo city, town or village it would take control without resistance. The vast area and population of the forests meant that the Zu-Vendi rapidly found their resources overstretched. Further the army was poorly equipped to travel through the dense rainforests. Although Delegate was rapidly overrun, the other provinces were only ever under partial Zu-Vendi control.

Dissent from Within and Without

To pay for the unpopular military adventures conscription was introduced and burdensome taxes imposed. This added further fuel to the resentment caused by curtu, the destruction of the priesthood and the death of siaros. The people of Milosis, and in particular the inhabitants of the lower city, began to stage protests and acts of civil disobedience. curtu and athpelyn tried, at first, to deal with them cautiously but their responses steadily became more violent.

Meanwhile, revolutionaries from First Creek Falls and Goolengook infiltrated Milosis and set up cells to foment oppostion to athpelyn and curtu. In anticipation of the collapse of Milosian rule, a national government was set up in First Creek Falls in early 1905 claiming jurisdiction over the ten provinces.

Revolution

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Scene from a 1920s cinematic depiction of the 1905 massacre.
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On a sweltering 9 January 1905 thousands of protestors, urged on by provocateurs, attempted to march from the lower city up the famous staircase bridge to the palace. Elite army units opened fire and thousands perished. Estimates of the toll range from 960, according to the government, to 20,000, claimed by the revolutionaries. Historians now accept a figure of approximately 8,000. Downstream it was reported that the river ran deep red from sunrise to sunset. Bodies continued to float down for days afterwards.

The next development came from an unexpected quarter. Appalled by the events in McKillops Bridge, an army stationed in Deddick revolted against the command of unketelpen, a cousin of the queen, and marched upon the capital. They were joined by revolutionary leaders from the forest. The Milosian garrisons, aware they were outnumbered and surrounded, capitulated. Over the next few months the leaders of the rebellion negotiated with athpelyn and curtu on the terms of a new revolutionary constitution while army units scoured the countryside searching for members of the royal family.

Defenestration

On the morning of 17 October 1905 the royal family along with other peers totalling 241 people were assembled in the main ballroom of the royal palace overlooking the Snowy River 60 metres below. Over the next 12 hours all 241, ranging in age from 6 weeks to 81 years, were thrown from the windows of the ballroom. The last to meet her death in this fashion was the queen athpelyn whose last words were reportedly, "Is that all there is?". Popular legend has it that these were a reprise of her words spoken on her first night with curtu. This myth cannot be verified.

Aftermath

With the clergy already destroyed, the royal family defenestrated and the populace cowed, leaders of the revolting army units and the revolutionaries formed a new government in First Creek Falls. Oppressive and puritanical, this proved to be worse than its predecessor and, eventually, even more unpopular. It collapsed, in its turn, in 1941.