Alashiya

Spoiler warning: this page contains spoilers for the novels The Rise of Kemet and The March of Deshret.
The Kingdom of Alashiya is a small independent kingdom, containing the entire island of Alashiya. It is a member of the Organization of Free Kingdoms and has the headquarters of the faction in its capital Enkomi. It is ruled by Huzaru, the first independent Alashiyan king after the end of Hittite occupation. 
== History ==
Originally forming as an independent kingdom around 300 BEE, it was later occupied by Hatti and made into a puppet state in 15 AEE. In 72 AEE the king of the island Huzaru contacted the Egyptian royal envoy Amenemheb, having decided to switch sides during the Great Powers' War. The Egyptians were receptive to the idea and so Huzaru declared independence and, together with the help of the Egyptian Army of Montu and the Egyptian fleet, defeated all the Hittites on the island and seized most of the ships docked there. After a few weeks of fighting, Alashiya was free of Hittite forces and influence and became a fully independent kingdom, allied with Egypt and part of the Pact of Civilizations.
Alashiya remained loyal to Egypt throughout the war and into the OFK-EC War, with Huzaru being one of the founders of the OFK in 73 AEE and continuing to help Egypt fight its foes, this time those being Elam and the Eastern Coalition. While Alashiyan soldiers saw little combat, their ships were very important to the war effort. Alashiya produced hundreds of ships during the war and so helped the Egyptian fleet defeat the EC fleets and reassert supremacy over the Mediterranean Sea. Alashiyan ships were also crucial for transporting Hittite exiles from Egypt to the Hittite mainland so that Muwatalli III could reclaim his kingdom. In 76 AEE the OFK-EC War ended, which did not change the situation for Alashiya much in any way, though shortly before the end of the war the Second OFK Conference took place in Enkomi and the city was chosen to be the headquarters of the faction, with the king Huzaru pledging to construct a new palace just for the OFK's meetings and to serve as its treasury.
== Improvements after independence ==
Ever since the independence from Hatti in 72 AEE, Alashiyan economy has been growing rapidly, with the GDP per capita growth outpacing every other kingdom's. This was caused by Hittite protectionist policies being reversed by Huzaru and free trade being allowed, with Alashiya now trading extensively with all its partners in the OFK and even states in the EC. Huzaru also reopened the shipyards, which had been closed under the Hittites so that the puppet state could not build a fleet for itself, which created thousands of new jobs and lowered unemployment, while also allowing Alashiya to have a formidable fleet, rivalling the one of Hatti. Alashiya naturally has a much larger portion of its population working in the manufacturing sector than most other states, as the shipbuilding and, to a lesser extent, copper tool and weapon crafting jobs are the most popular, while agriculture is not so needed anymore as most of the demand is easily filled by Egyptian imports.
Urbanization has also increased to 28.1%, as more workers have been moving into the port and mining cities. Similarly, the literacy rate has increased to 17.5%, with Huzaru building more scribe schools and promoting this field. After the war, Alashiya continues fielding an army of around 10 000 soldiers and has around 210 battle ready warships, with more still being in production. The OFK Alashiyan Protection Force is also present on the island, with the 1000 soldiers being stationed mostly in Enkomi and Kition. Alashiya has by now been recognized by every other known civilized state, including Hatti, whose king Muwatalli III has renounced the Hittite claims on Alashiya as a gesture of goodwill for the Alashiyan help in transporting his troops to Anatolia. Alashiya's main ally and most favorably viewed country remains the Commonwealth of Kemet, Kush, and Retjenu, with the Mycenaean Confederation coming in second, and while Hatti is still viewed more negatively than positively by most, relations are improving and the two countries are cooperating more and more. Alashiya also invests in the rebuilding of the OFK Mandate of Amurru and supports its independence.
Category:The Rise of Kemet
Category:The March of Deshret
Category:Organization of Free Kingdoms
Category:Countries
Category:Great Powers' War
Category:OFK-EC War