Tavast-Carelia
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| Flag of Tavast-Carelia | |
| Motto: From the People, by the People, for the People | |
| Tavast-Carelia | |
| Region | Anticapitalist Alliance |
|---|---|
| Capital | Porvoo |
| Official Language(s) | Tavast, Carelian, Rigan |
| Leader | Grand Duke Daniel II |
| Population | 71 million |
| Currency | Thennat |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Contents
Overview
Tavast-Carelia, located on the eastern coast of Alçaera is considered to be one of the leading countries in it's continent, at least economically. The nation is bordered by oceans in the south and east (although the island nation of Ecopoeia lies near on the east), in the North it's neighbours are New Paristan and CADs, in the east Arcnow and Tankerton. Although largely inactive in world-wide international politics, Tavast-Carelia provides a notable voice in the politics of it's native continent, as well as various international organizations the nation belongs to.
History
Arrival of the Tavastian and Carelian tribes
It is unknown what the original inhabitants of the land today known as Tavast-Carelia were like. What is known is what around the sixth century a more advanced tribe, Tavastians, arrived from the western parts of the continent to the east coast of Alçaera, settled there and opressed and drove away the original inhabitants of the area. During the following century Carelians, a tribe of similar racial and linguistical traits, followed the Tavastians and settled in the inland areas west of the lands inhabitet by Tavastians. Coexistance between the two tribes was not always entirely peaceful, but there were no notable conflicts between the two tribes nor with their neighbours. At this time no centralized ruling system was formed by either tribe. Each village ruled autonomously, although there often were alliances between various villages.
Colonialists from the north
The first notable change after the arrival of the two tribes took place around the 11th century. A group of exlorers from Svea Riga, a nation on the continent of Aperin, 'discovered' the Alçaeran continent. The Rigans first made landfall on the northern parts of the continent, but as the years progressed more expoditions were sent southwards, resulting in contact between the Tavastian tribe and the Rigans. The new arrivals found the mild climate of the area more pleasant than the tropical heat of northern Alçaera. Combined with the growing population numbers in Svea Riga this resulted in the first colonial expedition being sent from Svea Riga to Tavastland in 1174.
The story of the Rigas arriving in Tavastland is short and unpleasant. Earlier contact between Rigans and Tavastians had been peaceful, but now the Rigans arrived in large numbers, and armed with superior weaponry. Within a few decades the Rigans had set themselves as the ruling class of Tavastland. The Tavastians themselves were forced to pay heavy taxes to their new overlords, and forced to adopt the religion of their new overlords.
In the early times of Rigan colonialism the Carelians were still free from Rigan rule, but although some unification of the fragmented people took place, the Carelians did not have enough might to oppose the Rigan rule and by the mid-13th century Carelia was also a Rigan province. However, the Rigans did not have enough forces to fully control the further-away areas of Carelia and hence many traits and customs that disappeared from the knowledge of the Tavastians still sruvived amongst the Carelians, including the worship of old Carelian gods.
War of the brothers
In 1556 Gustav Wasa, king of Svea Riga, made his son Johan (somes referred to as John in documents written in Celdonian) the Duke of both Tavastland and Carelia. Four years later king Gustav died. His son Erik inherited the throne as Erik XIV. However his power was not as complete as his fathers, as his brother Johan ruled the Alçaera colonies like a king. After three years of political conflict between the King and the Duke the situation escalated into civil war in 1563 when Erik sentenced Johan to lose his duchies.
Erik was not a popular king, and many Rigans would have rather seen Johan as their ruler. For several years was raged in both the Rigan homeland and the Alçaeran colonies, until the war reached a standstill with Erik controlling the Rigan homeland and Johan controlling Tavastland and Carelia. The vast expanses of Narangath Ocean were too large to send large armies across, and both parties had such a firm grip of their territories that trying to attack with something else than a full force would have been foolishness. In 1559 a peace was signed in Stock Holm in Svea Riga: Johan gave up his claim to the Rigan crown and promised not to interfere with the Rigan politics, and in return Erik granted independence to Johans territories. Hence the Grand Duchy of Tavastland and Carelia was born, and Johan assumend the throne as Juhana I (Juhana being the Tavastian translitteration of Johan).
Between colonial forces
During the following centuries as crossing the seas became easier more and more powers from the Aperin continent took interest in acquiring colonies in Alçaera. The areas controlled by Tavastland and Carelia were diminished in conflicts between the larger foreign powers, but the descendants of Juhana I I managed to keep their lands independent through the centuries.
Democrary and the Civil War
Throughout the centuries after Tavastland and Carelia gained independence the same representative system was operated in national politics. Every four years (or sometimes less often, depending on the balance of power) the Duke would call together the parliament, consisting of representatives of the nobility, clergy and pheasantry (from the latter group, only those who owned land were allowed to send representatives). In decision-making, each of the three groups had one vote, and often the decision of the parliament was not binding. This all changed in 1892 when Daniel I was crowned the Duke of Tavastland and Carelia (by this time in common language the nation was referred to simply as Tavast-Carelia). Daniel I's reign marked many important reform in politics, culminating in 1896 in the first free elections in Tavast-Carelia. The new political system gave the right to vote to all males (in 1906 women also recieved the right to vote and stand as candidates).
During later times the era of Daniel I's rule was remembered as a golden age of Tavast-Carelia. Unfortunately it lasted on 22 years.
In the elections of 1916 the Worker's Party had taken a notable victory, recieving a majority in the parliament. Two years later, in spring 1918, Daniel I died. Eve in the democratic system the Duke's charisma had been instrumental in keeping the parties wth different ideologies off each other's throats. A mere moth after Daniel I's death representatives of the rightist Old National Party, and more importantly the new Duke Juhana VII, stormed out of the parliament when the Worker's Party called for a vote on a new constitution that would have made Tavast-Carelia a People's Republic. A few days later civil war between the Red Forces (who considered themselves forces of the legal parliament) and the White Forces (who considered themselves the forces of the legal Duke) began. At the early stages of the war the Reds controlled the more densely southern parts of the nation, while the Whites controlled the northern parts. Unfortunately for the Reds, most of the soldiers of the nation's army chose to side with the Whites. Duke Juhana VII gave control of the army to War Marshal Mannerheim, who decades later was remembered as 'the White Butcher' amongst the socialist-minded elements of Tavast-Carelia.
To make the long story short, The People's Republic of Tavast-Carelia, formed in May 1918 in Porvoo, fell in December the same year in Aboa. Using the 'rebellion' of the Worker's Party as an excuse Juhana VII forbade all leftist parties in Tavast-Carelia, authorised Mannerheim to execute all surviving red soldiers, along with their wiwes and children, and had a new constitution approved by what was left of the 1916 parliament. This constitution gave the Duke power equal to the parliament, and started a dictatorial regime that lasted through the 20th century.
Decades in isolation
After the 1918 civil war Tavast-Carelia shut itself from much of the outside world. During Urho I's reign, between 1954 and 1982, there was some Tavast-Carelian involvement in Alçaeran politics, and even some trade with nations in Aperin (all under the watchful eye of the goverment, of course), but this all ended when Juhana IX took the throne from his demented father in 1982. Juhana IX had inherited a notable fortune from his predecessors, and he used the funds to gain personal control of industries of his nation. Juhana IX's reign could very well be called an era of Oligarchy in Tavast-Carelia, as he and his closest industry baron allies controlled the parliament. Contact with most foreign nations was cut again, except for exports carried out by companies owned by the Duke or his supporters. Especially arms trade with Tankerton flourished at this time.
Recent times
In fall 1999, after a somewhat troubled period in internal politics, Juhana IX was found dead in the Ducal Palace in Porvoo. Mystery surrounds the precise circumstances of his death, rumours persist his son Juhana, who took the throne as Daniel II, actually murdered his father. No thurth has been discovered on the subject.
Whatever the cause of Juhana IX's death, his son's ascend to throne proved to be a streak of luck to the people of Tavast-Carelia. Daniel II was adamant in bringing down the opression of his father's reign. Leftist parties were allowed again, and after a period of being ruled by a socialist-minded ruling council led by the Duke Tavast-Carelians were again allowed to vote in free elections in 2000. The Leftist Union took a mass victory in the elections, and the new goverment led by Leftist Union's Suvi-Anne Siimes led the nation to economic growth while creating a high standard of civil rights and political freedoms.
People
The majority of Tavast-Carelians are either Tavastian, Carelian or Rigan by origin. The distinction between these three ethnical groups has blurred greatly during the last century, and by modern times all three groups consider themselves predominantly Tavast-Carelian. Various smaller ethnical groups also exist, created by refugees from the less socially progressed nations of the continent, or simply as people from neighbouring nations who have desired to move into Tavast-Carelia for reason other than opression.
Languages
Although Tavast and Carelian are officially still listed as separate languages, in reality it is nearly impossible to make distinction between the two languages, and quite often the predominant language of Tavast-Carelia is referred to simply as Tavast. Rigan is still spoken in some families descending from Rigan colonists, but as these are being assimilated into the general populace Rigan as a native language in Tavast-Carelia is disappearing. The more recently arrived ethnical groups have brought with them their own languages, but msot of these still lack official recognition.
Translitteration of Tavast names
As with many languages, various names are written in a different way in Tavast than they are in other languages. This article has chosen to use the Tavast spelling for names when they refer to Tavast-Carelian rulers, but the Rigan when they are referred as rulers of Svea Riga.
A notable thing on names is the name Tavast-Carelia itself. Because it is the established internation form, it is used through-out this article. However, Tavast-Carelia comes from the Rigan language. In native Tavast Tavast-Carelia is called Häme-Karjala.
Religion
Christianity, more precisely Catholism, was brought into Tavast-Carelia by the Rigans. In the 16th century Protestant re-forms were carried out in Svea Riga, but after Tavast-Carelia gained independence Juhana I passed laws allowing freedom of choice between different forms of christianity. Other belief systems were not allowed, but in spite of that the native beliefs of Carelians survived until modern times.
Today, a majority of Tavast-Carelians are lutheran, but there is also notable catholic communities, and a growing number of worshippers of the old gods, their religion officially referred to as Kaikism. In addtition to these a large number of smaller religious groups exist.
Politics
Internal politics
Parliamentary elections are held every four years, when 250 parliamentary representatives are elected. Leader of the party with the most votes forms the Goverment, the form of which must be approved by the parliament.
In modern politics the Duke has no political power. The last decision made by the Ruling Council in the year 2000 because decing power to the goverment of Suvi-Anne Siimes was the removal of the Duke's political rights. Currently the Duke as a representative of Tavast-Carelia in internation politics, although many feel the position of the Duke should be removed completely as the last reminder of the dictatorial rule of the previous decades.
Political parties
In the 2000 election the largest party of Tavast-Carelia was undisputably the Leftist Union, which gathered no less than 53% of the votes given. As the nation prepares for the next elections however it seems that the differences in opinion inside the party are so large that several representatives of the party will form a new party for the next elections.
The ecologically-minded Green Left is another important party in T-C politics, in the 2000 elctions they recieved nearly 20% of the votes. The party drives for more attention to environmental issues that have been left on the sidelines as the current goverment has concentrated oneconomical issues.
Happiness from Capitalism is the most important right-wing party, with 14% support in the 2000 elections. they drive for a return to market economy and privatization of most of the industries nationalized after Duke Daniel II's rise to power.
Minor parties of Tavast-Carelian politics include Anarchists, the religious Catholicism Wow!, and the rightist Pure Tavastian, National Capitalist Consensus and Better Folk parties.
International politics
Tavast-Carelia is an active member of Coalition of Anti-Capitalist Economies (CACE), International Fair Trade Agreement (IFTA) and Anticapitalist Alliance (ACA). Recently Tavast-Carelia joined the Aperin Central Economic Planning Board and adopted the Thennat as it's monetary unit.
In general Tavast-Carelia is moderately active in the forementioned orgnizations, including the 'UN Think Tank' of the CACE.
