Great Haven

Banner of the Great Haven

The **Great Haven** (Deutsch: *Groß Hafen*) is a kingdom established by colonists from the distant land of Trayoria. The colony was settled in 685 but was difficult to reach from their homeland, and as a result they grew apart from their ruler and declared independence from Trayoria. Trayoria was too far away to cheaply and effectively bring order so they only sent a diplomat to ensure shipping routes remained open. The populace was mostly composed of religious exiles who were persecuted in their homeland. Only the most fanatical believers made the 5 month voyage over due to the risks involved. As the colony has grown, the people have become more hostile to the local religions of the Archipelago. Only those with special permission are allowed to practice other religions within the nations border. It was vassalised by the Festländerreich after the Battle of Great Haven on March 2, 746.

## History

The Great Haven was originally from the Middle Kingdom of Trayoria. Decedents of the court of Arkelete, they still hold themselves to noble standards

### Kingdom period

The Kingdom period (930 BFE-522 BFE) defines the time when the Frenzbourge dynasty was in power of the Second Trayoric Empire. The first king Arkelet the Great of Pike's Landing rose to power by uniting the central kingdom during a war of succession that followed the death of the heirless King Michael of Lutherensburg. Initially winning the favor of the renown fighter Artyom "*The bull*" and his elite mercenary band. They began a small scale campaign in the western edge of the kingdom. After a few minor victories, they began raising and training local levy troops. During this time, the southern kingdom invaded, hoping to wedge power from the kingdom. Arkelet gathered his forces, numbering 35,000 troops (including 8,000 mercenary infantry and 6,000 mercenary cavalry),marched south and met the southern army in open battle. Using morning fog, Arkelet was able to flank the superior enemy force with a cavalry charge and destroy them in a long, bloody battle that would last the rest of the day. This victory ended the invasion and brought Arkelet's faction into the national light. Slowly he gained support in higher places and won battles at Grantenagrad, Yobletsk, and the White Forest. These victories, along with increased monarchist support, the oligarchic usurper faction was disbanded. A ten year war of attrition began. The nobility and military supported the general and the people supported Arkelet. The war would end with the death of the General Intrigonus, the leader of the military faction. Arkelet rose to the throne with one of the most capable courts the continent has ever seen. Arkelet would go onto annex the northern kingdom and enact a land reform that put more power with local mayors and the king. Artyom founded the church of Wilhelm, writing its holy texts. Arkelet would die in 893 BFE after being knocked off and trampled by his horse after it spotted a wolf. His son, Arkelet II "*the Architect*" would take power the next day. He stated that his main goal would be to open trade and exploration as well as increasing the military's size and training. Mere weeks after coming into power, Arkelet II lost Artyom. From then on, the king would be the religious head as well. For the next seven years, he send out diplomats and explorers to chart the rest of the planet. While waiting for their return, he raised an army and declared war on the southern kingdom. The army marched south shaking off attacks from local militia forces. The army reached the southern capital nearly at full strength, immediately besieging it. A second army moved south to seize and occupy the supply route to the main army. After eleven months of siege, the army surrendered. The capital was destroyed and almost empty. Constant barrage from siege weapons levelled almost 70% of the cities buildings. Three more sieges would occur before the south gave in. The relatively quick war showed the power of the empire and stopped further resistance from southern factions. Almost five years after the war, the first ships returned bringing word of a powerful empire located in a massive archipelago in the north. This archipelago would be the future home of the Wilhelmists. Arkelet would continue his reign increasing internal trade and fixing a corrupt thousand year old tax system. Arkelet would die of old age in 840 BFE. His son would be the first of a series of weak rulers that brought the dynasty to an end. After the death of Augustus I "*The Sodomizer".*

### The High Priest Period

The High Priest Period (522 BFE- 139 AFE) is the period where the Wilhelmists were the primary religious heads in the empire. The first high Priest, Gregory I would establish the role of the church in the kingdom for the next six centuries. He challenged the kings authority by threatening a revocation of the divine providence. There would be several minor conflicts between the king and the church, always resulting in a church victory. These victories allowed the church to buy and own land throughout the kingdom, collect taxes, and raise a small amount of levies from the kings land. The reason the church was able to win so easily was Wilhelmism's extremely militaristic culture. Any man who served his king (or priest) in a divine conquest would reach the great being upon his death. The church maintained a highly trained and masterfully equipped army. By the third century BFE, the church owned 10% of the land in the kingdom. High Priest Urban I constructed three massive cathedrals: The Cathedral of Arkelet of Pike's Landing, The Cathedral of Artyom "*The Bull",* and The Cathedral of the Soldier. The Cathedral of the Soldier would house a 500 man garrison, made up of the most elite troops. These troops became known a Zealots of the High Priest. The cathedral would also be the primary home of the High Priest. Garrisons would slowly grow until 10 BFE when an army was called for an invasion of a duchy 100 miles east of the continent. This invasion would be wildly successful and the duchy would be fully under church control. This land was different from the land previously owned by the church. This land was a sovereign body that would make the church an independent nation, unless they swore feudality to the king. The church refused and the king went to war. With the church's army across the sea, the Cathedral of Arkelet was burned and church lost most of it's land. A treaty was drafted that promsed that the church would promise to swear feudality to the king in exchange for the return of church land and all previous rights the church held except the right to raise levies in the king's land. The church agreed and became the most powerful faction in the kingdom. Another 100 years would pass until the church grew restless below a king.

### The Duchy Period

The duchy period (139 AFE - 490 AFE) is the common title for the time that the church formed an independent theocratic state. The age starts with the bloody war for independence. The High Priest Charles III "*The Liberator*" began the war after the a letter from an representative in the court of King Edward XIX that stated that the king intended to revoke the titles the church held. The war began with the battle of Kronistaßbourg The church gained large tracts of land along the eastern coast, including their tow great cathedrals. The establishment of the Free Church of Wilhelm marked the greatest power of the church since the days of Arkelet II. The Church quickly began improving roads, trade and fortifications internally. The embarrassing defeat in the war forced the king to outlaw Wilhelmism within Trayorian borders. The heirs of Charles would fight five more minor wars against the Empire gaining more land on the continent. In 277 there was a division involving the election of the king. Though the conflict remained civil and no war was fought, this elongated the period without a leader. The king of Trayoria, Robert VII, declared war on the church. The division within the high command delayed the military response. By 279, the war was lost. 4/5 of the land on the main continent was given up after the war, this marked the long decline of the duchy. In 330, High Priest Gregory IV declared war the empire to regain the lost territory. Finding some initial success, the army advanced past its precariously established supply line. The army was quickly suffering from food shortages, but the harsh winter kept animals hidden and crops unavailable. By spring, half of the army was dead. An Imperial army engaged the weakened army quickly destroying it and killing the High Priest. The war quickly turned against the church. The Empire ended the war taking all of the land on the main continent. This was the last offensive war the duchy would fight. The following leaders tried to fix the internal sphere of the duchy. From 380-394, a plague swept through the duchy, as well as the empire. By its end, 3/4 of the population of the duchy was dead. Both sides took centuries to recover. In 488, the empire invaded the still recovering duchy, completely destroying it. The last duke priest, Edward V was publicly executed on July 22, 490

## Culture

### Religion

The state religion of the Great Haven is Wilhelmism, a religion formed over 2000 years ago, the original founders of the religion were known as the Brothers of Wilhelm, and believed that Wilhelm was god incarnate. In their eyes the only way to Heaven was through a constant pursuit of knowledge and power over your enemies. They tolerate other beliefs as long as the beliefs of Wilhelmism are kept at the forefront of ones life. The old believers thought there would be an heir to Wilhelm. This heir came in the form of two heroes, Arkelete and Artyom. They united the old empire and brought prosperity to every corner of the continent. Their rule saw the discovery of the Archipelago by Trayoria and the colonisation of the Great Haven. However, some believed their would be an even greater heir and split away from the church. The true believers of Wilhelmism held the two heroes on a level similar to Wilhelm himself. The fanatics of the Great Haven continue to develop the religion that mostly died off on the mainland.