Buscemistan

The First Tribunal Republic of Buscemistan

Buscemistan is an island nation in the Turangon Belt region of PEEL, off the Western coast of the Imperial States of Slimmy.

Introduction

Buscemistan is a nation in transition. Following the Senate elections of July 2053, the Buscemistani Conservative Party was fractured, suffering many defeats and losing its majority stake in the national legislature for the first time in history. A sea change was taking place in Buscemistani politics. Jaded by the conservative (by Buscemistani standards) dogma that had led to the party's steady decline, many BC's banded together with Bucemistan's minority parties and demanded a democratically elected head of state. On August 23rd, 2053, the Senate approved an amendment by a margin of 337-163 that effectively ended the era of Buscemistan as a Sultanate.

Buscemistani History

Buscemistan is unique among the nations of PEEL, as the two largest ethnic groups in the country (Buscemistanis and Stone Bearites) are not native to the land. Both arrived during periods of large-scale immigration, the Buscemistanis through most of the 19th century and the Stone Bearites early in the 21st century. For more on the history of these peoples and of the Turangons, see their respective pages.

Pre-Buscemistani History

The ancestors of modern Buscemistan were inhabitants of the Morbian Coast and islands to the west, in what is now part of the Slimmonian Empire. The Buscemi peoples existed for a many centuries as separate nation-states, though each would trace their lineage to the Legend of Buscemi, a diminuitive man who led his starving people from parts unknown to prosperity on the Morbian Coast. These states were those of the Seymours, the Enidians, the Crispins, the Lucians, and the Andrians. In 1787 the separate states rallied together under the leadership of Sultan Stephen IX of Seymour in order to successfully repel the first of the Slimmonian invasions. In the wake of this victory Stephen of Seymour took advantage of his increased popularity and clear military superiority, seizing power in the eastern states of Andris and Crispin, with the aid of popular uprisings in those regions. Not long after, the governing bodies of Enid and Lucia would peaceably resign themselves to Seymour rule, and in 1791 Sultan Stephen IX of Seymour became Grand Sultan Stephen I of Buscemistan.

The Early Sultanate

Stephen I, 1791-1802

Following his coronation as Grand Sultan of Buscemistan, Stephen embarked on an ambitious settlement of the Turangons, a series of relatively fertile islands several hundred miles off the coast of New Asia. In addition to providing a valuable position for trade to the west, Stephen saw it necessary to have an auxiliary base of operations, should even his unified Buscemistani army be unable to repel a Slimmonian offensive, and so, in 1793, the city of Stephe was established. Its sister city across the Andrian Bay, Enid, was established in 1799. The settlements would prove quite popular, each burgeoning in population, with 15,000 residents of Stephe and 4000 in Enid at the time of his death in 1802, at the age of 64.

Stephen II, 1802-1850

Taking the throne upon his father's death, the 29 year-old Stephen II was not the inspiring figure his father was, but in time the dour Stephen II would prove to be one of Buscemistan's most powerful and long-lived of Sultans. This is not to say he did not face many difficulties. In 1806 and again in 1821 viral epidemics would crippled the native Turangon population, destroying both a portion of the labour force and the goodwill of the superstitious Turangons, who would blame the Buscemistani newcomers(rightfully so, for these "plagues" were in fact the New Asian Flu) for the woeful Plagues. This frustration on the part of the Turangons exploded in violence with the Riots of 1824. After suppressing the insurrection, Stephen's tolerance of the Turangons was shed, and he had his armies sweep through the islands of New Lucia and New Crispina(now Beritius), dissolving Turangon local governments and establishing the universal rule of the Grand Sultan. By the time of his death in 1850 Stephen II had expanded the Buscemistani Empire to its greatest extent, nearly 1500 miles from New Crispina to the Northeastern Lucian Territories.

Stephen III, 1850-1851

There is very little to say of the reign of Stephen III. The 48 year-old ruler died with, allegedly, "a terrible consternation of the bowels" on board the G.S.S. Architeuthis, bound for the port of Nebbercracker in Seymour. Apparently infertile(or something else) he was succeeded by his brother, Andrew, in 1851.

Andrew I, 1851-1869

Something must be said for Andrew, but few things nice. A belligerent, malevolent ruler, in his 18 years as Sultan Andrew oversaw the precipitous decline of the Buscemistani Empire, largely due to his aggression toward the Empire of Slimmy. In 1854, he ordered a military incursion into Slimmy, largely to establish himself as a power player in PEELian politics. It failed miserably, and over the next 36 years the Slimmonians engaged in a brutal counterattack that conquered virtually all of mainland Buscemistan. Andrew himself was assassinated in 1869, an action agreed upon by his distant son, Stephen, and his military advisors.

Stephen IV, 1869-1912

Raise apart from his father in the city of Enid, 38 year-old Stephen IV inherited an imperiled Buscemistan. He faced what seemed to many to be a hopeless war, but nevertheless defended his native land valiantly. For 21 years, through many defeats and few victories, Stephen IV became known for some time as the Last Sultan of Buscemistan, the situation seemed that dire. Over this period, nearly one-third of mainland Buscemistanis emigrated to the Turangon islands, establishing Stephe as the true center of Buscemistani politics, and it was made capitol in 1888. In 1890, Stephen IV called for a cease-fire with the Slimmonians, and after lopsided peace negotiations, all of New Asian Buscemistan was ceded to Slimmy, the one exception being the island state of Enidia. The only other condition of this treaty was that for 25 years the Buscemistani people living under Slimmonian rule be allowed free passage to the Turangon Belt states. For the remaining years of his long life Stephen was the quiet monarch, leaving most decisions of state to the Senate.

Stephen V, 1912-1922

Stephen V of Buscemistan was proud of his people, encouraging the growth of the Turangon states, seeing their rise as a proper nation. He is generally regarded as a benevolent if unspectacular ruler, but during his rule there was some trepidation: after the expiration of the 25-year emigration period in 1916, the Slimmonian government demanded the cession of the island of Enidia, lest they take it by force. To this demand Stephen V resigned himself, his weakened economy and impoverished armies no match for the Slimmonian forces. Enidia was lost, and, adding insult to injury, its people were deported as illegal residents of Slimmy, forced to travel to an uncertain new home in Turangon Buscemistan.

The Rule of Lucian, 1922-1993

Modern Buscemistan

Government

People

Culture