Zvolen

Zvolen is the fifth largest city in Novikov and is one of the home country’s four autonomous cities, from which the prefecture of Zvolen is administered. Situated on the Gabriko Channel, the city is a major regional port and the home of a large Royal Navy shipyard and base. Its 2006 estimated population is 8,622,704.

Zvolen Waterfront at Dusk

History

Afforded a deep harbour along the wide Gabriko Channel, the first settlers of Zvolen made use of their geographical advantage and founded a mercantile city-state that would facilitate trade between the evolving principalities and kingdoms on Novikov and Czechzen settlements to the north and west across the Channel. As middlemen in command of a vast fleet of commercial vessels and warships the city-state of Zvolen dominated the politics around the Gabriko Channel.

By the late 4th century, tensions between the Principality of Vyšniy-Voločëk and the Czechzens reached a climax settled through a diplomatic agreement to share power and stability, though at a high financial cost to the Principality. With the large tribute eating enormous sums of the Principality’s tax revenue, trade between Vyšniy-Voločëk and the western settlements and kingdoms began to decline—and with it so did Zvolen’s golden age.

By the turn of the 5th century, however, the Kingdom of Greater Košice attempted to seize upon the weakness of Vyšniy-Voločëk in a series of wars that ravaged central Novikov. The devastation pushed thousands of refugees to the port of Zvolen, which remained neutral throughout the conflict owing to its ancient status as an independent city-state. After the Battle of Moja, Vyšniy-Voločëk emerged victorious and with the Accords of Unity and Government new era of peace and stability descended upon Novikov.

Trade flourished once more, and with it Zvolen grew, its ruling monarchy constructing massive and ornate palaces and public works to celebrate their prosperous rule over the region’s greatest commercial hub. After some time, however, the new government ruling over most of Novikov went to war with the Czechzens and in a series of conflicts drove them to the sea.

Initially, trade and Zvolen suffered greatly, however, the Czechzens rebounded and formed new cities and states along the coasts of the western islands—where they remain to this day—and trade through Zvolen increased once more. Another brief interruption in peace in 1164 AD brought a slight hiccup to the now slow growth of Zvolen, although the resumption of peace returned the growth and prosperity of Zvolen.

In 1282 a marriage between the royal families of of Vyšniy-Voločëk and Zvolen brought Novikov and Zvolen even closer together. And by 1309 the city-state of Zvolen was absorbed into Novikov as a dowry of Queen Emília of Zvolen who became Queen Consort of Novikov.

The following five centuries brought immigrants from Slavic Europe and with them they brought the seedlings of liberal democracy. From 1780 onwards, Greater Novikov, as the state had become known, witnessed near annual demonstrations for change from an absolute monarchy. Zvolen, throughout this time, suffered often during the summer as it had become home to the summer palace of the monarchy. By 1840, the tensions had reached a boiling point, and after the summary dismissal of Parliament, instituted in 1815 at the court’s pleasure, a mob of protestors overran the gates of the summer palace in Zvolen and lynched every member of the imperial family.

For the following century, Greater Novikov experimented with parliamentary democracy with an elected president as head of state. By 1945, however, Novikov had witnessed a mass-immigration of Russians fleeing the brutality of World War II, and like their Slavic ancestors, they brought with them ideas—this time however, they brought the seeds of communism. Throughout the Cold War, American sea power prevented the de facto rule of Moscow to become de jure and thus, with the Cold War in its waning stages, the anti-Communist feelings of the long-oppressed populace erupted into civil war.

Zvolen became the centre of the libertarian movement during the civil war, its population long-recalling the laissez-faire economy with relatively high degree of liberties enjoyed by its citizens throughout its long history. After two years, however, the city finally succumbed to the government forces, intent on nationalising industry and economic assets. During the civil war, its port was targeted numerous times as a main supply port for the resistance from which arms and ammunition, as well as food and other consumables, were shipped to cities along the coast.

After the war, the government constructed a modern naval facility in the city while building a large airbase and army base outside the city limits, in order to keep the city under Poldi’sk’s strong control. During the time of Novikov’s command economy, productivity increased enormously relative to the Czechzens, who had long been Greater Novikov’s primary trading partner. But by 1992 most trade had dwindled so that much of Greater Novikov’s trade was conducted with foreign partners, which favoured the more readily accessible ports of Poldi’sk and Duma.

The annexation and occupation of Czechzenia brought a brief revival as shipments of supplies and reinforcements to shore up the western islands were shipped through the ports of Zvolen; however, international trade continued to grow exponentially in comparison to the trade with Czechzenia and Zvolen’s economy began to stagnate and by 2005 contract.

In 2005, however, the government in Poldi’sk entered into war with the United Kingdom of Azazia. The war witnessed the utter destruction of most urban centres critical to trade—and as such the great ports of Poldi’sk, Duma, and Vyšniy-Voločëk were leveled. Zvolen survived the war relatively undamaged and with official annexation of Novikov by the UK, the city received a new importance as one of the few surviving ports capable of dealing with the massive influx of construction materials to rebuild Novikov.

By late 2006, while the cities of Poldi’sk had begun to recover as a commercial hub because of its political importance as the seat of the UK government in Novikov, some experts stated that Zvolen had eclipsed Duma to become the second busiest port in Novikov. Also assisting in the resurgence of Zvolen was the announcement by the Royal Navy that the former Novikovian naval facilities would be upgraded and expanded while the city offered the former imperial residences to the royal family of Oceania, which graciously accepted the gifts and has promised to visit the residences after repairs are completed in early 2007.