Wakesburg
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| Flag of Wakesburg | |
| Motto: Emperors and Kings under One Sovereign | |
| Region | Romagna Wakesburg |
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| Capital | Wakesburg |
| Official Language(s) | English, Greek |
| Leader | Emperor Nicholas II Wake |
| Population | C. 400 million |
| Currency | Wakesburg Bezant (B) |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Overview
The Empire of Wakesburg is a dominant power in the region of Romagna Wakesburg as well as on of the founding members. It is a absolute monarchy, with the Emperor of Wakesburg reigning as virtual dictator. This has necessitated the developement of an extensive bureaucracy. The national language is English, with Greek spoken only at the aristocractic levels. The capital city is Wakesburg.
History
Roving bands of barbarians until the coming of the Romans inhabited the region that was to become Imperial territory. A group of Romans, calling themselves the "Great Romans" or Romanus Magnus settled in several villages after the decline of Roman Power. Their territory was eventually named Romagna, which briefly was occupied by the forces of Justinian and the Byzantines in 550 C.E. The arrival of family of Wake into the region in 999 C.E. marked a shift in region politics. The Wakes established themselves in several villages and towns, creating feudal states, constantly warring with themselves. Eventually, the Romagnan villagers, disgruntled and fed up with the constant warfare, rebelled and drove the various Wake rulers and their supporters into exile around 1095. After wandering for 4 years, the surviving Wakes settled into a fertile valley, building up several towns to inhabit. All went well for 9 years, until Vlasios Wake hired a corps of mercenaries and conquered his neighbors. On the cusp of victory against the forces of his Uncle, Honorius Wake, Vlasios was assassinated by his cousin Nicholas, who then took over control of the army and territory. Nicholas knew that the civil war had created a united territory that was held together by mercenaries and Vlasios's army. If he had any chance of keeping his new state together, he needed to pacify the conquered towns through diplomacy. In the conquered towns, the mercenaries were universally hated, so Nicholas disbanded and discharged his hired men. This caused some conflict, such as when a corps of mercenaries, feeling cheated, took the town of Honiara. Nicholas quickly set out with his personal guard and defeated the occupiers. This helped to establish a report between the conquered towns and Nicholas. To help reinforce the new unity, Nicholas built a new city, Nicholagrad, to serve as the new capital of the state. He also established a military-led aristocracy and took on the title of Executor of the Territory of Nicholagrad. This new state built up a new army and eventually returned to Romagna in 1204, occupying large portions and defeating the independent village militias. These new towns and villages were incorporated into the Territory of Nicholagrad. In the 1800s, the Territory disintegrated, granting independence to a vast majority of cities. It was 1894 before the Wakes were able to regain control of enough territory to be considered a player on the international stage. Another Nicholas, this one a Wake from Eastern Romagna, built a new capital in his home territory, naming it Wakesburg. He was able to gather a following of 5 million people and was able to annex the surrounding countryside. Nicholas claimed lineage from Vlasios and the Executor Nicholas, and had the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople crown him Emperor of Wakesburg in 1899, 900 years to the day the Wakes first achieved dominance in Romagna.
