Holy State of Saint-Astan

The Holy State of Saint-Astan, often referred to more simply as Saint-Astan or just Astan, was a nation in continental Astria. It was made up of multiple duchies and other trifling fiefdoms, united under a single High King, who himself was chosen by eight divinely mandated High Prophets. 
The ruler of the Holy State during the Blessed Era was the grandson of the previous ruler, Henri I de Lussan. Taking the namesake of his grandfather, Henri II was elected by the eight High Prophets in the hopes of binding the nation together following the Heartstone Crisis. With a stable, lasting lineage, the initiative of the eight was rewarded with a stable and steady rule, with the peasants looking up to the monarchy as an example of perseverance.
After the Ostian War of Independence ended in 1358, Saint-Astan began to break free from the Vesryne ideas and culture that had been forced upon it during the centuries of the First Vesryne Empire. It founded its own colonies across the seas, just north of Eliya. Although barren for the most part, the territories would become the basis for the Astanién claim on Eliya, although this dream would never be realised.
As a marriage between two kingdoms, the Holy State of Saint-Astan formally ceased to exist in 1427 B.E, when it was annexed by the Empire of Greater Vesryn. The Kingdom of Auvais-Chane remained independent.
== History ==
=== The Confederations ===
The Astanién peoples emerged druing the Arcane Era as a confederation of smaller groups, including the men of Auvais, Chane and Louvin, in the area east of the Chantoine river. In the year 530, a proud and charismatic leader by the name of Thibould came south by way of Ostia, and according to Francois d'Armelle, "with a great host of icelanders came upon the confederation" The resulting conflict would be short, resulting in the foundation of the first state of Auvais-Chane.
The people of Auvais-Chane embraced the teachings of the Church of the Heavens after Aden's return from Heaven in 535 H.E and the land was eventually renamed Saint-Astan ("Land of the Holy Astanians"). The northern peoples of the nation of Auvais-Chane adopted the Astanién language, except in southern Ostia where Astanién settlements were sparse, and Old Esrian was spoken.
Thibould made Rouvilliér his capital and established the Daviau dynasty, but his kingdom would not survive his death. The Astaniéns divided it among his heirs, so three kingdoms emerged from Thibould's: Rouvilliér, Armelle, and Surchet. 
=== The Three Lillies ===
The three kingdoms each ruled over their own claims of Astan, each proclaiming the others to be false. During the Era of Harvest the three kingdoms continued to war against each other. During this time, the concept of the Fleur-de-lys as a symbol of nobility began to grow. The laws of chivalry as a code of honour and the establishment of an upper-class were propagated across the kingdom as fundamentally Astanién ideas.
In 1068 H.E, the lands of Ostia were invaded by members of the Farwynd dynasty. In the same year, three kings of the Thibould dynasty lost their power to a young noble from Maine. This man known as Reymaund seized the crown of Saint-Astan from the weakened Thiboulds and founded the Lafayette dynasty. Raising eight intellectuals up to nobility from the capital Rouvilliér, Reymaund created the original eight High Prophets who declared him High King. After his death, they decided who amongst them would later become the heir to the Astanién throne.
Astan would never again be ruled by three lillies, but their symbols of nobility and ideals of an enlightened economic class would go on to become key to Astanién culture.
=== Falling Behind ===
In 1329, Arcadia was found and revealed to the civilised nations of the world. At this time, the High King Henri I de Lussan was not in a position of power. With the basis of his power residing in the lands of Armelle, he found himself beholden to the wishes of the eight High Prophets, who decided against sending resources to the new world. Due to this, other southern nations such as Medira and El Deya were able to solidify their rule over the new world. This left Saint-Astan in a position of relative weakness.
A year later, assuming his dreams of bringing Astan into the new world were dead, Henri I concentrated on fortifying the Astrian continent after recieving the declaration of the First Vesryne Empire. However, this was no easy task given the disposition of the Astanién nobles to the Vesryne king. Sending agents to Leoben and Ostia, Henri I conducted a series of negotiations that would, decades later, eventually light the tinders of revolution in Ostia.
By the end of the Ostian War of Independence, Vesryne cultural influence over Saint-Astan had ebbed away, and Henri I was able to enact a series of swift reforms that assuaged the complaints of the nobles. Thus the nation entered a new period of relative peace and stability.
=== The Heartstone Crisis ===
Saint-Astan was heavily involved at the centre of the Heartstone Crisis, with multiple druidic groups active within its borders during the conflict. The first iteration of the L'Ordre Astanién led by Valerie Lavalle secretly worked to further the aims of the Archangel Netheriel. Most nations were unaware of the conflict until it reached its final stages, and Henri I was contacted by the the Angel Juriel and secretly met with her. Revealing to him the ongoing conflict, he pledged his nation's services to the Kingdom of Heaven and mustered a great army that went on to fight at the Battle of the Nebelwald, alongside the Leobische army. After the end of the Heartstone Crisis, Henri I would eventually pass away quietly in his family bed, allowing a successor to become High King. A series of unfortunate illnesses would also kill his successor soon after.
=== The Future of Astan ===
Henri II de Lussan was elected to the position of High King during the early years of the Blessed Era. His reign was characterised by relative peace, followed by surprise destruction at the hands of the Empress Escha Artaryan at the head of an Asevian host. Although the nation would later rebuild, it would face further attacks from the Kingdom of Vesryn and the Astran Isles later in the pre-Imperial era under the Astan-born King Lucièn I Lafayette, splitting the lands in two.
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