Difference between revisions of "Praetonia"

Revision as of 23:21, 26 February 2005

Praetonia

Flag of Praetonia
Motto: Freedom is the Greatest Form of Wealth.
Map of Praetonia Map of Segmentum Praetonialis
Region	Haven
Capital	Praeton
Official Language(s)	Latin and English (UK)
Leader	Imperator Sarius Publius
Population	< 2 billion
Currency	Praefeli
NS Sunset XML

Introduction

The Democratic Imperium of [Praetonia] is a Liberal-Imperialist Constitutional Monarchy with Socialist economic leanings. Her capital, Praeton, is the centre of an Imperium that streches from Manium to Roach-Busters, and commands one of the most powerful navies in the world. The Imperium is based on values of liberty and democracy, but this does not exclude the possibility of bringing other, less well governed peoples into the light of Praetonian civilisation. In fact, the doctrine of Liberal-Imperialism that is currently so popular strongly encourages it. The people of Praetonia are hardworking, well educated and politically active. They are heavily taxed, but water, food, housing, education and healthcare is provided for free by the state, along with an excellent pension based on how long the person has been in work. The Imperium is a land of supposed contradictions brought together in politics to forge an outstanding nation and Empire which is currently only rising in power and influence.

History

In the following chapter the history of the Democratic Imperium will be revealed, and the reasons that things are as they are now shall be explained.

The Isolationist Period

Before Praetonia emerged onto the world scene she was an Isolationist nation with a population of over 3,000,000,000. She was ruled over by a series of Fuedal Monarchs who controlled the land via a series of regional governors. The Fuedal Kings, who became more and more isolated on the Praeton Peninsular, largely lost direct control over the provinces beyond the mountains and Praetonia fractured into a multitude of Princedoms and city states, with their rulers taking titles that still upheld the myth of unity. Praetonia faced invasion several times in her pre-emergance history, and each time the invaders were crushed by massive, unwieldy armies of peasant spearmen led by noblemen who could be euqitated to Knights.

Praetonia was largely non-progressive, and whilst there was no threat from overseas the individual Princedoms fought each other, with the main "Kingdom" on the Praeton Plateatu doing little other than issuing the occassional edict. This situation of a fragmented state eventually led to its own downfall. Traders from abroad eached the Praetonian continent, and unrestricted by the central government stance of death to foreigners, some of the smaller Princedoms allowed trading posts to be set up. From these trading posts ideas were spread of revolution and political change aboard, notably in Britain ([English Civil War]) and France ([French Revolution]).

The Fuedal serfs that made up the majority of the Praetonian population became increasingly disgruntled with their lives which had no social safety net, and revolved largely around farming to make enough food to eat after the Fuedal landlords take most to sell other Princedoms. Several of the Feudal Princes realised that if the people were stirred to anger, there would be little the central government in Praeton could do to stop. They, therefore, led a rebellion of peasants which swept through most of the outlying Praetonian provinces, burning crops, picking up supporters and causing the Feudal Princes to flee inwards through the mountains to the Praeton Peninsula.

Within years, the Praetonian "Revolutionary Army" had managed to destroy almost all of Praetonia's agricultural capability and force millions of displaced citizens to flee to the Praeton Plateau, where agriculture was still managing very well and was infact benefitting from the increase workforce. It was the original intention of the Fuedal Revolutionaries leading the peasants merely to take over the outer portions of Praetonia and there slowly introduce a "Tyranny by majority" disguised as a working democracy / republic. The demand from the proletariat first to take the whole of Praetonia and complete their victory for liberty and secondly to secure working agricultural land before thier supplies ran out forced the Fuedal Princes to change their stance. The exact date is uncertain, but around September 1652 the Army of the People began the long march through the only pass through the Praesummitas Mountain range.

The Feudal Royalist Army was also assembled, and knew of their plans through various sources, including several spies placed quite high up in the Revolutionary chain of command. At the summit of the Lupina Valley, half way through the mountain pass snow fell upon the two armies. Facing each other across the wide valley, the two armies stayed in place through the entirety of the first day.

During the night, the Revolutionary Army decided to make its first move. Eight Companies of Musketeers advanced through the darkened valley, but one of the loaded muskets went off and the flash and bang of the powder was detected by the opposing side. A detatchment of cavalry was despatched to cut down the Revolutionaries, and a small skirmish took place between several cavalrymen and a single Company of musketeers. The action was indecisive, and both sides beat a hasty retreat taking light casualties.

On the second day the two armies assembled again, and faced off across the valley once more. The Feudal King, who had left strict instructions to have the army maintain position unless the Revolutionaries themselves attempted to cross the valley, was taken ill during the night, and his Son Prince Kimari of Rustica took command. He sat atop his horse and stared out across the valley for several hours, but for some inexplicable reason he suddenly ordered his entire army forwards.

The Royalists advanced in excellent form spears and pikes to the fore with the King's Own Pikemen on the flanks and in the centre. A thin line of heavy cavalry with lances advanced to the fore of the rest of the army, designed to hit the enemy lines with a devastating charge to break their formation and then simply to trust in their armour to keep them relatively safe for the rest of the battle. Any of the line who survived this battle would receive a massive monetary reward and promotions and honours. On the flanks, lighter cavalry again with lances by also with vicious curved sabres prepared to run around the flanks once holes were created and cut down enemy troops for behind. Filling the gaps in the line between the elite troops stood line upon line of peasant spearmen equipped with only a spear, helmet and small shield.

The Revolutionary Army immediately had the musketeers set to the fore, a line 3 men deep and strecthing from one side of the valley to the other. Behind, a large mass of pikemen stood at ease to allow the musketeers space to run back through. As the Royalist Line approached, the Revolutionary musketeers gave fire. The line of knights was largely killed and the first two lines of the spear sections also took heavy casualties. The Royalist Army as a whole, caught by suprise by the new technology and utterly unprepared for such devastating fire at range, wavered, and the Prince of Rustica himself rode out in front of the line to steady his men.