Vatikanerstaat

**The Vatikanstaat** or **Vatikanerstaat** (English: The Vatican State), officially known as **The Holy Vatican State of Austria and Bavaria**, is a catholic theocratic state located in Bavaria and small parts of Austria. It borders Swabia, Carinthia, Plzen and the Vienna Trade Community. The country currently fighting a civil war against protestant republican rebels.

## Etymology

The Vatikanstaat's name was a directly inspired by the old pre-war Vatican City State located in Rome. The old Vatican city was completely destroyed in the Great War and the Vatikanstaat claims to be the direct successor state.

## History

### Austria and Bavaria after the Great War and Establishment of the Vatikanstaat 2020-2085:

In the aftermath of the Great war, the regional governments of Bavaria and Austria collapsed. Both Vienna and Munich were hit by nuclear warheads, but failed to completely destroy the cities. Many of survivors fled to the countryside where farmers, raider gangs and even communists ruled small towns, carving out their own territory. The first sign of order came with the establishment of the Vienna Trade Community in 2067. In response the Carinthian Federation was established in 2071, fearing that the VTC would dominate the region. Syndicalists from the Plzen Syndicate captured territories in western Bavaria in 2082, fearing they would be integrated into the VTC. To this day, the Syndicalists are still trying to hold on to the rebellious territory. In 2083, almost all of the territories of pre-war Austria and Bavaria, not occupied by other nations, united into the Confederate Republic of Austro-Bavaria. The Republic collapsed almost immediately in 2084 during the country’s first election. After the complete destruction of Rome, a new Catholic Church was established in Bavaria in 2026. The Church soon turned political and violent then many young radicals entered it. In 2043, the Church established a official political wing; the Heilige Christliche Kirche-Partei, commonly known as the HCK-P. The HCK-P would go on to win the 2084 election which threw the Republic into chaos. The HCK-P immediately established a dictatorship, with the leader of the Church/HCK-P Kaspar Seppelt as supreme leader. The protestant parts of the country almost seceded from the country, but were heavily suppressed before anything could happen. In 2085, Seppelt officially dissolved the Confederate Republic and declared the new Vatikanstaat as the legal successor. Seppelt was declared Pope and took the name Benedikt I.

### The Rule of Pope Benedikt II 2092-2101:

Pope Benedikt I would die in 2092 of cancer and Pope Benedikt II would replace him. Benedikt II was more moderate than his predecessor and sought accommodation with the country’s protestant minority. The protestant minority had been heavily suppressed in the aftermath of Confederate Republic and many rebels hid in the countryside. Benedikt II introduced the new policy of Heilige Gebiete (English: Holy Areas) were Protestants and Catholics would each get their own territories to live in. This policy partially failed as many Catholics refused to move and Protestants were segregated from normal Vatikan society and made poor. It all got worse in 2101, then Benedikt II was assassinated by Protestant militants. This would begin a long trend of political assassinations in the country.

### The Rule of Pope Theodore I 2101-2115:

In 2101, following the death of Benedikt II, Theodore I would be declared pope. Theodore, unlike Benedikt II, wasn't moderate. He quickly established the Heilige-Truppen, who would act as the pope's secret police and personal guards. The Heilige Gebiete and Heilige-Truppen would prove to solve the Protestant problem temporarily. During the 2110's, the Vatikanstaat went through a period of industrialization and economic growth. This small golden age would stop in 2111, then the VTC declared war and invaded the south. Carinthia and Swabia would also go on to declare war, not wanting to lose out on splitting the Vatikanstaat should it collapse. While initially gaining succes in their invasions, all of the fronts would stall to a stalemate. The Great Vatikan War, as it would be known, ended in 2114, as the VTC, Carinthia and Swabia all signed a peace treaty demanding that they pay war reparations in exchange for no loss of land. In 2115, Theodore I would die in a car explosion, the cause of which is still unknown. Most of the catholic population and HCK-P blamed the protestants.

### The Short Rule of Pope Theodore II 2115:

Pope Theodore II would be declared pope in 2115 following the death of his predecessor. Theodore II was a moderate and sought to limit the power of the Heilige-Truppen, led by Bishop Dreyfuss Steinsaltz. Theodore II would be assassinated shortly after announcing intentions. The killer was never found and the HCK-P would once again blame the protestants.

### Pope Benedikt III and the Protestant rebellion 2115-2126:

Following the death of Theodore II, Benedikt III would be declared pope. He began a large reorganization of the Heilige-Gebiete and increased the presence of the Heilige-Truppen. In 2120, unrest began to spread rapidly in the protestant population. Protestants were tired of the segregation, poverty and oppression they had to endure and many took to the streets. While the protestant movement, commonly known as the Republican movement, was initially peaceful, most turned to violence as the infamous Heilige-Truppen opened fire on protesters. The Republican Army of Austro-Bavaria (RA-AB) was established in 2125 as an unified force for the protestant cause. In late 2125, they began their grand rebellion which marked the beginning of the Vatikan Civil War. Who will win in this great war?

## Society

### Politics

The Vatikanerstaat is a theocracy. The political structure of the state can be divided into three parts. At the top is the Pope, who wields supreme power over the country. Below the Pope, we have the *Rat der Kardinäle* (English: *Council of Cardinals*) which administrate the country and act as advisers to the Pope. Some Cardinals also serve as military leaders. Below the Council of Cardinals, we have the HCK-P. The HCK-P act as the voice of the people and vote on laws which have to be approved by the Pope. Then a Pope dies, the Council of Cardinals vote for a Cardinal to replace him.