Swania

Swania (: Cignia) officially the Swanian Federation (Italian: Federazione Cignese) is a country in , situated along the . Bordered by Campidano and to the north-west, as well as to the north-east.
The country has population of approximately 14.2 million people, making it the in Europe and in the world. It has an area of 94,406 km2.
Swania is a divided into 13 administrative subdivisions (12 regions and a capital region). The largest city of the country is , followed by and . The biggest metropolitan area in the country is located around Palazzo, the national capital.
Swania has a . The country maintains a  along with high , , safety, education, and . Alongside a developed educational system, the state also provides free university education, social security, and a universal health care system. Member of the , , , and multiple other organisations. Observer state of the Seven Stars Council.
==History==
===The origins of Swania===
By the late 9th century, the had lost most of its possessions on the . The imperial lands were surrounded by the to the north and the to the south. 
In the year 900, sent an expedition to Taormina - the only remaining Byzantine port in Sicily. The army of approximately 20,000 soldiers embarked from Corinth under the command of Cygnus. In just two years he successfully sieged the city of Syracuse. By the end of the decade, the were pushed back to their capital in , which eventually surrendered in the year 915. For his impressive victories, Cygnus was appointed the of Sicily and Calabria. In his honour, the Byzantine lands in Italy have since been referred to as Cignia.
The Byzantines never abandoned their claims to the rest of the peninsula. The successors of Cygnus fought a series of wars against and , hoping to consolidate power in Italy. By the end of the 12th century, their realm extended all the way to . Swania became the most prosperous part of the weakened Byzantine Empire and was acting as a de facto independent entity. Its capital - Leopolis - built just next to the important port of Messina, quickly became a major trade center. It was often referred to as the New Constantinople.
===First succession crisis===
When the lineage of Cygnus went extinct in 1264, Emperor appointed his brother-in-law as the new Dux of Swania. The member of the Tarchaneiotes family turned out to be a helpless leader and was banished from Leopolis by local aristocrats. The imperial court in Constantinople has been trying to restore order in Swania for the next decade, but all attempts turned out unsuccessful.
The unstable situation in Leopolis attracted the attention of powerful European dynasties. The and the both claimed rights to the Swanian throne through several royal marriages. The dispute culminated in a 20-year-long war, which concluded in 1302 with a partition of the duchy. The north, known as the , was to be ruled by . The south was to be directly annexed into the .
===The Catholic Monarchs===
The reign of the in Swania was rather turbulent. Despite the relative proximity to the Iberian Peninsula, neither of the monarchs ever visited Leopolis. Swanian society was suffering from harsh laws introduced by royal decrees. The nobility was forced to provide manpower for several wars against France while the merchants had to pay extremely high tariffs on basic goods. Furthermore, religious persecution led to the discrimination of all non-Catholics, which accounted for about 75% of Swanian population at the time.
The Spanish Empire participated in the between 1508 and 1516, when poverty in Swania was at its worst point. In the last year of the conflict, following the death of King , a regency council has been formed in Leopolis. Its members refused to recognize from the House of Habsburg as a legitimate successor to the throne.
As soon as the news reached Madrid, the royal court sent a military expedition to Sicily, hoping to put down the revolt. Both France and Venice announced their support for the Swanians. The joint alliance managed to repel all the attacks and establish a stable naval blockade. By the end of the year, the Spanish port of has fallen.
The Treaty of Cagliari was signed in February 1517, guaranteeing full sovereignty of Swania. Sardinia was divided in half, with the north remaining under Spanish rule, and the south becoming the Principality of Cagliari - a junior partner of Swania. 
===The House of Guise===
The regency council remained in power for 5 more years, struggling to find a suitable candidate for the King of Swania. Eventually, a French aristocrat from the has been chosen. distinguished himself during the War of the Holy League, when he successfully sieged Milan after the . He was coronated in 1522 in Leopolis. Claude's 28 year long reign was rather peaceful. His ties to the French royal court strengthened diplomatic ties between the kingdoms and opened Swania for numerous French trade investments. 
Following Claude's death, his son succeeded the throne in 1550. Just a year later, he brought Swania to yet against Emperor Charles V. The conflict was considered to be against the best interest of the Swanians, but the king refused to pull back. He was rumoured to follow directions set by the King of France. The accusations turned out to be true, for which Francis was dethroned and banished from Swania. The regency council has decided to adopt new, republican government, inspired by the Venetians. The nation's capital, Leopolis, was renamed to Palazzo.
===Mercantile superpower===
The government of the Republic was based on the Venetian model, with Swanian - led by the Dux - as the supreme body. The new administration was focused on elevating Swania to an economic powerhouse through strong alliances and focus on . The biggest ports in the country - Palazzo, Palermo, Bari, and Cagliari - became major centers of trade. 
Swania assisted Venice in a series of wars against the , most notably in the , when the unified fleets of the two allies successfully managed to defend the Cretan capital of Candia. As a sign of gratitude for support in 15 year-long , the island of Corfu was gifted to Swania. Following the Venetian conquest of Morea, nearly 50,000 Swanians emigrated to the peninsula, mostly from Puglia and Salento.
Venice began declining in the early 18th century. The brought humiliation to the Serene Republic, with most of its possessions in Greece reannexed into the Ottoman Empire. Increased military spending and failing trade led to a major economic crisis in Swania. At the time, absolutism was the most popular form of government in Europe. Many believed, that overthrowing the republic and installing a monarch would bring Swania back to the European political stage, restore prosperity and secure the country's independence.
===Union with Ijanusky===
On the night of July 14th, 1721, supporters of the monarchy stormed the Palace of the Dux in Palazzo. Supposedly, during the evacuation, one of the maids knocked down a candle, causing a major fire that destroyed 80% of the palace. Nonetheless, the remaining part was successfully captured, with the Dux being forced to exile in Spain.
Two foreign candidates claimed the right to the Swanian throne - Danilo II of Ijanusky and Charles VI of Naples. Despite the political advantage of the Habsburg, the Ijanuskian candidate gained much bigger popularity within Swanian society - mainly thanks to his campaign to Puglia and Salento. Upon his arrival to Palazzo, he was cheered by the crowd and crowned the king shortly. Danilo II reformed the government and announced the establishment of the Union of Swania and Ijanusky. He also sent a successful diplomatic mission to Vienna, which greatly improved the relations between the monarchies and buried the hatchet of the succession crisis.
===Reconquest of Morea===
As anti-Ottoman movements were gaining popularity in Greece, it was more than certain that the independence war would break out shortly. The government announced claims to the area, justified by sizeable Swanian minority in Morea and historical ties. Some of the most important Greek activists were invited to Palazzo to discuss Swano-Ijanuskian assistance in the war. The country was promised a favourable deal, that included annexation of the Ionian Islands as well as a possible expansion into the mainland.
The first battles took place in 1821 all over Greece. Swania-Ijanusky officially joined the war, supported by France, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Empire. In the first stages of the uprising, various areas elected their regional governing councils. These were replaced by a combined Greek and Swanian central administration in early 1822, which also adopted the first Constitution.
By 1827, the Greek Revolution has been pushed back from the major part of the mainland. The Great Powers agreed to form an autonomous Greek state under Ottoman suzerainty, betraying their ally. Ottoman refusal to accept these terms led to the Battle of Navarino, which effectively secured the forming of the Swano-Ijanuskian protectorate in Greece.
Swano-Ijanuskian rule in Greece was considered unsuccessful and, as most of Greeks believed, led to another occupation. A new Greek government was formed in Nafplio. The disputed rule was settled by London Conference of 1832, that established new borders based on ethnic lines. The Kingdom of Candia was reestablished as a Swanian protectorate, while the Ionian Islands and Morea were to be annexed directly by Swania. Kingdom of Greece, with its capital in Larissa, was established with the Bavarian Prince Otto of Wittelsbach as king. The Republic of Athens was established as a condominium.
===Consolidation of Morea===
Shortly after the London Conference had ended, the Tsakonian population living in the eastern part of the Peloponnese found itself under an unstable government of Attica. Tsakonians opposed the idea of integration with the country and instead asked the government in Athens to hold a plebiscite. Nearly 80% of Tsakonians voted to join Swania as an autonomous region. The results were supported by Swania-Ijanusky and Swanian diplomats in Athens. On April 1st, 1833, Tsakonia was officially proclaimed the 11th region of Swania.
Poorly developed Swanian lands in Morea were struggling with high poverty and low development. The government in Palazzo came up with a plan to build an entire new city, that would become the major economic center in the area. Moreapoli was established in the center of the peninsula, just 2 km south of Tripoli. Thanks to its position, the city was supposed to be accessible from every part of the Peloponnese. The construction of Moreapoli kicked off in the early 1850s and was completed by 1858. In the following years, the Swanian government focused on improving infrastructure between Moreapoli and the coastal city of Calamata, as well as developing the trade port in Calamata itself.
===Dissolution of the Union===
As the Expedition of the Thousand ended with the withdrawal of royal armies from Palazzo, the absence of local government allowed Garibaldi to successfully stage a coup d'etat and seize the position of Swanian Prime Minister for himself. This allowed him to completely reconstruct the Swanian Parliament and appoint anti-royalist ministers. Then, a gap in the nation's constitution was used, allowing Garibaldi to hold a vote for the independence of Swania.
The popular opinion on the independence vote was greatly divided, with the region of Sicily being the most supportive and regions of Puglia, Salento and Campidano - the most skeptical. This was no issue for the reconstructed government, as the interest of the Swanian people wasn't their most important target. Garibaldi's government hoped, that the independence of Swania would weaken the nation to the point, where it would be willing to join Unified Italy.
As Garibaldi's army continued fighting the royalist army in Basilicata, the independence vote was held, with an overwhelming amount of 87% of ministers voting in favour. The Swanian Declaration of Independence was announced in April 1861. The last royalist armies withdrew from the Swanian regions of Puglia and Salento in August. The Union of Swania and Ijanusky was dissolved.
The collapse of Swania-Ijanusky was seen as a major threat to political balance in Europe. Garibaldi was quickly overthrown by popular demand, as support for unification with Italy dropped significantly. Swanian security was supported by the United Kingdom, while France pushed for incorporation into Italy. Turin Conference was held in 1862, guaranteeing independence and restoration of neutrality of Swania for the following hundred years. The Kingdom of Candia, a former Swano-Ijanuskian protectorate, was disestablished and annexed directly into Swania as the 12th region.
===The Attica crisis===
The government of Athens was a diarchy, controlled by two princes: one of them was the current monarch of Greece, while the other one was the current president of Swania. With growing tensions on the Balkan Peninsula in the early 20th century, the Greek majority launched a series of strikes in Athens, with the most violent one taking place on the night of June 28th, 1907. At 11 pm a major fire in the residence of the President of Swania in Athens was detected, with the President himself getting injured during the evacuation. The fire lasted until the early morning, with 80% of the palace getting destroyed.
In July, Swanian and Greek sides agreed to hold a referendum in the state. It took place three months later, in October, with an overwhelming 75% of Attican citizens voting on joining Greece. Swania honoured the results of the referendum and fully withdrew from Athens.
===Modern history===
The City of Messina, just to the south of Palazzo, was severely destroyed by an earthquake and associated tsunami on the morning of 28 December 1908, killing about 100,000 people and destroying most of the city's ancient architecture. Due to such severe damage, the seat of government was moved to Palermo. In 1912 a constitutional amendment was implemented, officially switching the capital. 50 years later, the government moved back to Palazzo, creating a capital region consisting of 7 cities.
Swania remained neutral during both Balkan and World Wars thanks to the Act of Neutrality of 1862. When it terminated in 1962, Swania strengthened its ties with the West by joining NATO, and then European Economic Community in 1981.
On September 24th, 1967 Malta held a referendum on joining Swania after separation from the United Kingdom. Over 76% of Maltese people voted in favour. On January 1st, 1971 Malta officially became the 13th region of the Swanian Federation.
==Geography==
Swania is located in the Mediterranean region of Europe between latitudes 35° and 41° N and longitudes 8° and 26° E. Most of its territories are situated on large islands, including Sardinia, Sicily and Crete. The country also controlls southern Appenine Peninsula and Peloponnese.
The Swanian landscape is mostly associated with the sea, however the country also owns territiories with mountainous nature, with the highest point of Mount Etna (3,326 m), just outside Metropolitan City of Catania. 
===Climate=== 
Swania is located in area of pleasant  with mild, rainy winters and hot, sunny summers.
====Climate data for Reggio, Palazzo====
==Government and politics==
Swania is a .
Swanian legislative assembly is a bicameral parliament consisting of a lower house (the Chamber of Deputies) and an upper house (the Senate). Delegates are elected in general elections, and appointed by the President of the Federation for a four-year term. The latest parliamentary elections were held in 2022. Swania operates a , in which two major political parties dominate the political landscape.
Political parties in the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate, and the European Parliament
Party	Party 	Ideology 	Distribution 	Distribution	Distribution
Party	Party 	Ideology 	Chamber of Deputies	Senate 	European Parliament
 	Democratic Party 	Social democracy, Pro-Europeanism 	 	 	
 	National Alliance	Liberal conservatism, Christian democracy, Liberalism	 	 	
===Mapperdonian relations===
Swania's most recent and closest Mapperdonian allies are Ijanusky and Moneava. The nation is also allied to Aneto, Biscasia, Orkojin and Tavakareluu. It also keeps close ties with Mazoverse nations, including Inkami and Torvelia.
Swania is an observer state of the Seven Stars Council.
===Administrative divisions===
Swania is divided into thirteen administrative divisions - 12 regions and a capital region.
Division 	Capital 	Population	Area (km2)	Density (/km2)
Sardegna 	 	 	 	
Sicilia Ulteriore 	 	 	 	
Sicilia Citeriore 	 	 	 	
Capital Region of Palazzo	Capital Region of Palazzo	 	 	
Calabria 	 	 	 	
Bruzia 	 	 	 	
Lucania 	 	 	 	
Puglia 	 	 	 	
Salento 	 	 	 	
Malta 	 	 	 	
Arcadia 	Moreapoli 	 	 	
Tsakonia 	 	 	 	
Crete 	 	 	 	
===LGBTQ+ rights===
LGBTQ+ rights have improved significantly in recent years. Same-sex civil unions are legally recognized in the country and same-sex marriage is legal in regions of Malta and Sardegna. In 2016 hate speech towards the community was officially prohibited by the constitution, as well as multiple anti-discrimination laws were adapted.
Multiple pride parades are organised in Swania every year, with Palermo Pride and Bari Pride being the most attended.
==Demographics==
===Largest cities===
===Languages===
A wide variety of languages from several linguistic branches is spoken in Swania. Most popular language is , with the majority of the Swanian population using it as their first language. Swanian government recognizes three other regional languages in three regions: in Sardegna, in Malta and in Tsakonia. The most popular national minority language is Ijanuskian.
===Religion===
Christians make up 84% of the Swanian population. Most Swans are members of Greek Othodox Church due to major Byzantine influence in Swania in the Early Medieval era. The Catholic community of Swania is present in Sardegna, as well as in regions bordering Italy - mostly in Lucania and Puglia. In addition to the Christian communities, there are also minor Jewish and Muslim groups. About 15% of the population is Atheist - the number has been constantly growing over the last couple of years.
===Education===
Education in Swania is free and mandatory from ages six to eighteen, and consists of four stages: scuola dell'infanzia, scuola primaria, scuola secondaria and università. Swania is well-known for its public and private universities, with Universities of Palermo and Bari being ones of the most prestigious in Europe.
===Healthcare===
Swania runs a universal public healthcare system. Healthcare spending in Swania accounted for 10% of the national GDP in 2019, which is higher than the OECD countries' average of 9.3%. Life expectancy in the country is 77 for males and 82 for females.
==National symbols==
===Flag===
	Colours used	Colours used	Colours used 	Colours used
	Scheme 	Navy Blue 	White 	Turquoise
	HEX 	#002D56 	#FFFFFF 	#00C1D4
	RGB 	0, 45, 86 	255, 255, 255	0, 193, 212
	HSV 	208, 100, 33	0, 0, 100 	185, 100, 83
	Example 	 	 	
===Coat of arms===
The coat of arms of the Republic of Swania is described in nation's constitution. It was adapted in 1835, after the country expanded eastwards thanks to the London Conference.
Turquoise, Byzantine inspired cross in a symbol of West Swania, while the navy blue cross on the white backgrond symbolises the East.
=== Anthem===
Ritornati dal passato (Back from the Past) is the national anthem of Swania. It was composed by Giovanni Paisiello in 1787, with modern lyrics written by Riccardo Pazzaglia.
==Culture==
===Art===
Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini was a major figure in the world of architecture and the leading sculptor of his age, credited with creating the Baroque style of sculpture. Born in Naples, he travelled through Italy and eventually settled in Messina, where he created his most prominent masterpieces, such as marble sculpture of mythological or .
Giorgio de Chirico, founder of the "scuola metafisica" art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists, is a Swanian artist born in Greece. His most well-known works often feature Roman arcades, long shadows, mannequins, trains, and illogical perspective. In later life, he became a critic of modern art, studied traditional painting techniques, and worked in a neoclassical or neo-Baroque style, while frequently revisiting the metaphysical themes of his earlier work.
Besides Swanian artists, others have also left a mark in country's culture. Caravaggio, famous Italian painter, made an oil painting of for St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta.
===Television===
Main article: Radiotelevisione Cignese
 Radiotelevisione Cignese is a Swanian public service broadcaster and the largest television network in the country. It consists of 6 channels, including 2 main channels broadcasted in Italian and Latein, 2 regional channels and 2 specialty channels.
RAC is a member of Mapperdonian Broadcasting Union.
=== Music===
====Festival di Villanova====
Festival di Villanova is the most popular Swanian song contest and awards ceremony, held in the district of Villanova, Cagliari. The festival is used as a way of choosing the Swanian entry to the Linguavision Song Contest and Mappervision Song Contest (once - May 2020). Festival di Villanova has launched the careers of some of Swania's most successful singers. Most recognizable winners of the contest are Francesca Michielin, Francesco Gabbani and Mahmood.
====Linguavision Song Contest====
Swania announced its first prticipation in February 2017. The country was represented by the winner of Festival di Villanova - Francesca Michielin, and here song "Lontano". She defeated Marija Šerifović from Ijanusky by 1 point and became the winner of Linguavision Song Contest VI with 93 points.
Next month's contest was held in Swania's capital - Palermo. A new venue in the city was built to host Linguavision in March 2017. It's located just by the sea, on the coast of Sicily. Architect who had designed the building decided to name it "Crystal Arena" because of its big, glass windows.
Francesco Gabbani won the following Festival di Villanova and represented Swania with song "Occidentali's Karma". He gained the second highest score of 128 points and took the second place in the competition, losing by 11 points to Ijanusky. Gabbani's participation was considered a huge success, as he gained second highest score (by points) in whole history of the contest.
In the following week Swanian broadcaster announced that Swania will withdraw from the next month's edition in Sarajevo.
On May 9th, 2020 Swania announced its interest to host 25th edition of Linguavision. EXPO Cagliari won the venue contest. Swanian broadcaster then confirmed nation's return to the contest. It was later announced that the winner of Festival di Villanova is once again Mahmood. Together with Massimo Pericolo, he chose "Moonlight Popolare" as the song they performed in Cagliari. Swania ended up at 4th place, scoring 79 points. In the following edition, Irama repeated duo's success, also reaching 4th place with 74 points.
Swania recently returned to the contest and was once again represented by Mahmood, with his song "Rapide". He brought second win to the nation, scoring 74 points. Golden Eye Arena was chosen the host of the 32nd edition.
====Mappervision Song Contest====
On April 27th, 2020 Swanian broadcaster confirmed nation's first ever participation in the 56th edition of the contest, replacing Inkami as participating Mazoverse nation. Festival di Villanova was held for the first time in three years to choose the best song. Mahmood won the contest with his song "Barrio" and thus became the first Swanian representative to be sent on Mappervision stage.
This song is special - stated Mahmood - it's not only deep in meaning, but also - it's the first song in Italian to represent a Mazoverse nation in MSC.
On May 24th it turned out that Mahmood won the contest, defeating Ina Wroldsen from Pannonia by 5 points. Swania was asked to provide host city and venue for the 57th edition - Etna Arena in Catania was chosen. Swania was the first country in history to host both Mappervision and Linguavision in one month (June 2020).
On June 1st, Swanian broadcaster announced that the country will be represented by a foreign singer Troye Sivan with his song "HEAVEN". The song was chosen apart from Festival di Villanova, which winner - Mahmood - represented the country in Linguavision. Troye Sivan won the contest with 120 points, bringing special, 5 year anniversary edition, to Bari.
Swanian broadcaster chose Beyoncé to represent Swania in the 58th edition in Bari, with her song "Run the World". The song brings important message of women empowerment in modern society.
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