The Old Empire

The Old Empire was established 1000 years ago. The state has evolved from a small kingdom into a vast empire that encompasses Eastern Europe and parts of Asia.

The original name of the state was Akranar. Its success was largely due to the military and political support of the Byzantine Empire, which sought to cultivate an ally far from the Mediterranean Sea.

For several centuries, Akranar used its own and Byzantine resources to expand and assimilate its neighbors. Akranar attempted to provide military assistance to the Byzantine Empire in the final years before the fall of Constantinople, but its own military and scientific capabilities were insufficient to withstand the advancing Ottoman Empire.

The remaining treasury and surviving Byzantine aristocrats fled to Akranar and had a significant impact on the future development of the state.

In 1460, it was decided to rename Akranar to the Old Empire and to establish a new religion that would pay homage to the Byzantine heritage but interpret Christian principles in its own way.

   The Old Empire continued to expand to the east and was relatively successful in this endeavor. Its Western expansion efforts almost always failed, and soldiers from the Old Empire were frequently used as mercenaries by neighboring states.

In 1710, the western part of the Old Empire was conquered by a combined force of German and Polish states. It was not until 1738, when France and England defeated the German-Polish alliance, that the Old Empire was able to reclaim its lands. A short revanchist campaign allowed the Old Empire not only to regain its own lands, but also to annex a portion of Poland. Contrary to expectations, the resulting conflict did not have a long-term negative impact on relations between the Old Empire and Poland or Germany. By 1770, these two countries had become the Old Empire's largest trading and scientific partners.

In 1850, the Old Empire attempted to expand further into the territory of China, but was unable to hold on to the new territories and lost part of its own lands during the counteroffensive. The defeat had a profound demoralizing effect on the population of the Old Empire and led to a political crisis that almost resulted in the reformation of the government and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. In response, the Empress initiated a deep modernization of industry and the military, established a fund for the construction of schools and universities throughout the country, and removed some restrictions on investment in strategic industries for non-aristocrats.

According to contemporary accounts, the Old Empire was able to raise the combat readiness of its army to an international level only by the end of the 19th century.

The Old Empire is an absolute monarchy. For over a hundred years, there have been discussions within the country about changing the political system, but the ruling class and the Emperor have steadfastly opposed any changes. The role of ministers under the Emperor is carried out by members of the Supreme Council of the Empire, which consists of representatives of the local aristocracy. The other main classes in the country are members of trade guilds, workers, and peasants. The number of "intellectuals" - individuals engaged in scientific, educational, and cultural work - is slowly increasing.

Approximately 65% of the population of the Old Empire is literate and able to read and write independently. By this measure, the Old Empire surpasses many other countries.

Primary and secondary education in the Old Empire is paid for all classes except the aristocracy. Every major city has a higher education institution, but only 10% of the population has received a full higher education.

The Old Empire has seen significant industrial growth in recent years, with the number of factories in the country increasing 15-fold over the past 20 years. However, agriculture and light industry remain the largest sectors.

Trade guilds are driving the development of high-tech industries. Over the past few years, experimental automotive and aircraft manufacturing have been established. In terms of technological development, heavy industry is still far behind its neighbors, but the Empire is already able to fully meet its own needs in this industry.

The largest city in the country is the Old Capital. The second largest city is Port David - the largest port in the far east of the country. The New Capital is only the third largest city.

The richest and most favorable territories for life are the eastern and western regions. The central part of the country is production and resource extraction. Working and living conditions there are very tough and the state invests little in the development of infrastructure for people.

    The western regions are traditionally “aristocratic”, while the eastern ones are “trade”.

The lack of reforms does not allow timely modernization of the country. The incredible wealth gap between the elite and the middle and lower strata is a hallmark of the Old Empire that the whole world knows about.

The Empire has the strictest censorship, which regulates what can be published in the media. Negative coverage of the activities of the Emperor, aristocratic circles and the church is prohibited. Negative coverage of the activities of trade guilds is strongly encouraged, which are presented as a source of instability and radical ideas for the state.

For 3 years the Old Empire has been at war with several of its neighbors. A significant part of the population has been mobilized, which has led to a shortage of labor within the country. This resulted in famine in several densely populated areas of the country.

The Empire entered the war as an ally of the United Kingdom. The military conflict greatly depleted the country and exacerbated all the internal problems that had been accumulating for decades. A few months before the start of the game, protests began to flare up in the country, which escalated into armed clashes between the main forces that are trying to seize power from the crown. The conflict ended in a full-fledged revolution, which brought the "Force of Revolution" to power.

The eastern regions of the empire are still relatively calm. The transfer of power is just beginning there. The western and central parts are engulfed in unrest and sparks of resistance to the new government are emerging. Various paramilitary groups are actively involved in the struggle for power, trying to seize control of the situation.