Taurican Soviet Socialist Republic

The **Taurican Soviet Socialist Republic** (also known as the Taurican SSR or simply Taurica) is a member state of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Established in 1922, the Taurican SSR is among the founding members of the USSR. Centered around the Azov Sea, the republic primarily consists of the Taurican ethnic group, a Turkic ethnic group descending from Tatars. Bazarqulla remains its capital and largest city, containing a population of over 2 million. Other important cities include Yuziqa, Aqyar, Rostov-on-Don, Aqmescit, Zaporizhia, Luhan, and Mariupol. The Communist Party of Taurica governs the republic, a subsidiary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

## Background

Various ethnic groups occupied the land surrounding the Azov Sea over the span of thousands of years, including Greeks, Armenians, Circassians, Slavs, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Italians, and various other groups. The consolidation of this diverse ethnic conglomerate into a single Taurican people took place over the course of centuries. The connecting elements in this process were the commonality of the territory, the Turkic language, and the Islamic religion, which remained widespread across the region.

By the end of the 15th century, the main prerequisites that led to the formation of an independent Taurican ethnic group were created: the political dominance of the Taurican Khanate was established in Taurica, the Turkic languages (Cuman-Kipchak on the territory of the khanate) became dominant, and Islam acquired the status of a state religion throughout the Peninsula. By a preponderance, the Cumanian population of Taurica acquired its name, inspired by the Greek and Roman Province of the same name, along with the Islamic religion and Turkic language. The process of consolidating the multi-ethnic conglomerate of the Peninsula began, which led to the emergence of the Taurican people. Over several centuries, on the basis of the Cuman language with a noticeable Oghuz influence, the Taurican language has developed.

The Golden Horde would annex and conquer Crimea in the 13th century, establishing rule over the area. Crimea would then become a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century, which had conquered the territory. Until the 17th century, the Taurican Khanate would be ruled by the Giray Dynasty, having self-determination and further establishing Taurican unity under Islam, as well as further developing its language. However, the Ottomans and Russia would see themselves at war with Crimea over the 18th century, with several wars fought. After a decade of political unrest, Imperial Russia would conquer and annex the entirety of Taurica in 1783, ending the dynasty.

Under Tsarist Russia, Tauricans faced Russification and cultural genocide. Many Russians began to move inside the borders, and inhabitants were forced to adopt the Russian language. These events caused Tauricans to eventually adopt the Cyrillic alphabet, with many words evolving due to heavy Russian influence and dominance. Several failed uprisings in Taurica against the Tsars resulted in further Russification and deportations. However, Tauricans were still able to maintain their strong influence in the region, with Islam and Taurican language still being prominent in Crimea and around the Azov Sea.

With the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Taurican People's Republic declared its independence, becoming the first prominently Islamic socialist state. At the same time, Anarchism along the northern regions was extremely popular, and, led by Nestor Makhno, revolted and created numerous anarchist communes. The Russian Civil War would then break out, as the Red Army would easily gain control over the entirety of Taurica due to the popularity of socialism, primarily due to the prolonged struggle against Russification and the Tsar regime, alongside massive peasant workers' movements. Under Red Army control, Taurican anarchists would be protected by the army, continuing far after the Bolshevik victory, with many communes populating the northern regions. In 1922, the Taurican SSR would be officially established as a founding member of the USSR, granting full autonomy.

## As a Soviet Republic

The Taurican SSR continued protecting the anarchist communes prevalent in the north. Both communists and anarchists continued to work together in that regard. There is wide debate over whether the Taurican Anarchist Communes were, in fact, stateless societies, but most conclude that they were not due to the prevalence of a police force, governing structure, a money-like system, and the use of prison labor. Nestor Makhno remained as the figurative leader of the peasant movement and Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Taurica until his death in 1934, where anarchist presence would remain high north of the Azov Sea, splitting the nation in half.

With the beginning of World War II in 1937, alongside the Nazi invasion of the USSR in 1938, Taurica was fully occupied by Nazi Germany from 1940-1942. Many ethnic minorities in Taurica, primarily Jews and Slavs, faced persecution under Nazi occupation and were often massacred or deported into concentration camps. Political violence remained extreme, with the murder of many communists and anarchists in the area. Despite some Tauricans collaborating, the Nazis were heavily unpopular within the region, and resistance remained strong.

With the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942, and the entry of the UNASCR into the war, Axis began to be pushed back, fully fleeing Taurica in 1943 due to mass resistance within the region. The Communist Party of Taurica, which had been in exile, re-established power in the region. Taurica remained important in pushing the Nazis out of the Soviet Union, eventually leading to the cease-fire and end of WWII after nuclear weapons were detonated.

In the aftermath of WWII, anarchism had a lesser hold on northern Taurica, though many communes would still exist. Many streets and towns were named after WWII heroes, in addition to the statues built, with the intent of signifying the importance of the brutal and deadly conflict. The 1950s through the 1980s saw unprecedented growth in the region, with significant quality of life improvement sunder socialism.

## Geography

Throughout occupation from the 13th to 20th centuries, Taurica, more specifically Crimea, remained a strategically important location for both the Ottoman and Russian empires. Taurica is very unique in that its entire geography circles a large body of water, located at the geographic center of the nation. With the Black Sea in the south and the Azov Sea in the center, Taurica has always been an important trade route between city-states and empires, from the Greeks and Romans to various other ethnic groups.

Taurica borders three different countries, including Ukraine to the north and west, Russia to the east, and Circassia to the southeast. Its capital and largest city, Bazarqulla, was established as a major port and trade city between various arriving groups, booming in population and establishing itself as an important city location. "Bazarqulla" literally translates to "Easy Market", and remains the trademark of Taurican identity.