Crowned Republic of Kaltia

Flag of the Crowned Republic of Kaltia

### Basic Information

Kaltia, or Kältiäinen, formally known as the Crowned Republic of Kaltia, is a Federal Parliamentary Crowned Republic located in South-eastern Ostrove with a population of 6.5 million. The vast majority of the population are Voti (or Kaltian) with Kan ranking second, recognising Kaltian and Kani as official languages. Most of the nation is concentrated within the eastern low-terrain half of the country, where the urban and economic centres of Valtpera (the capital, and largest city), Jarvi and Suvituui reside.

Kaltia originates from the Kingdom of Kaltia in 1643 established after the 1642 Kaltian Civil War with the Duchy of Kaltia, an autocratic state, emerging victorious from the fervent strife. From historical records, the Kaltian Charter is believed to be the founding document. In 1766, only 124 years after the insurrections, begun a French-style revolutionary movement to dispose and revoke royal constitutional powers thus allocating administrative governance to parliamentary elected officials.

As power concentrated into civilian governments mismanagement and incompetence ensued for an era lasting ~12 years, their economic state precarious up until an adequate multinational standing by 1804. 1815, the Sisters and Brothers war established the modern Crowned Republic of Kaltia, completely deposing royal power altogether. It took up until the 1830s to fully recuperate into a positive regard.

#### Etymology

"Kältiäinen" was first used adopted to describe the Kingdom of Kaltia, conjoined with Kunig to form "Kunig Kältiäinen" with "Kälti" having roots in Old Kaltian meaning "guardian" or "protector".

## History

#### Formation of Kaltia (1500-1840)

The earliest known existence of a Kaltian state dates back to 1503, the "Koti Confederacy" made from 3 affluent city states amongst valley communities in trilateral alliances governing trade routes utilising mercenaries inducted from international establishments, mainly native, similar to the functions of Swiss guard units. At some point in history, around 1536-1544, saw the genesis of the Duchy of Kaltia emerged from the Koti Confederacy, under Duke Arvo Anttonen.

At the time of the birth of the Duchy of Kaltia, modern day Kaltia was a largely contested region between several unorganised and organised states in strife and struggle. The Duchy managed to subvert the Laine Legions of Kolli and Ojala, gaining an invincible reputation until the Battle of Alarik in West Jarvi, 1556. From there, they remained largely neutral besides several domestic incidents, suffering a failed peasants revolt in 1612, and another failed attempt to undermine the Duchy in 1616 at the Battle of Valtapera. A power struggle continued until 1642 when a regional domino effect conflict broke out through a series of skirmishes and noble friction erupting to a climax. Under Duke Veli Hakaies and General Erkii Kivela, were able to create several strategic successes in multi-front battles, commissioning both mercenaries and conventional footsoldiers.

1643 saw the formation of the Kingdom of Kaltia after the Duchy came triumphant, uniting or forcefully mutually aligning several states in the region to become a regional power. However their autocratic and authoritarian rule, combined with the elements of economic breakdown and recovery, did not serve well with peasants. Social unrest had begun, and temporarily ceased until 1689, with intermittent movements sparking between 1689 to 1766, beginning the *Peasants War of 1766*. The Kaltian Civilians Militia stormed Valtapera Palace in 1767, and struck several more pronged attacks in connection to rural militias in Kivikko. This allowed for a swift coup and arrival to power, placing the monarch under a signed constitution, however a civil war had broken out dubbed "Sisters and Brothers War" in 1815. The royalty tried to restore power, but failed, alongside several other failed successor states, placing the Crowned Republic of Kaltia into power after the federal documents of the 1816 Chapter was signed.

The 1816 Chapter essentially denounced the royal government and turned them into a ceremonial figurehead, established parliament and consolidated democracy and a more federal dictation. Reform had only started until 1824, and Kaltia begun to operate functionally in the 1830s without unrest. The period between 1824-1840 was also the birth of several political activists who changed the landscape of the political climate of Kaltia for the foreseeable decades, in both positive and negative directions.

#### Modern Kaltia (1850-1919)

Many historians reason the 1850s marks the beginning of the Modern Kaltian Era, exports increasing to resounding quantities dominated by agricultural, wood and steel. The 1850s also saw the introduction to progressive and liberal notions becoming a forefront ideology, known as Kaltian Progressivism, inclining many parliamentary policies and shifting political dominance into the upcoming decades. This is primarily why the late 1800s was referred to as the "Avant-Garde Era" in Kaltia, met with growth and reform. In 1872, the Veltapera Stock Exchange opened, and solidified a Kaltian capital market.

National administrations and institutions/enterprises invested in infrastructural improvements to accelerate to the advancing epoch, linking the Kaltian Marka to the gold standard. Reaching to the 1890s to 1900s, new industries developed, as peak industrialisation had been financed and executed.

Although mainly in a positive spectrum, rapid credit expansion constituted to commercial and private banks issuing disorderly loans. This inevitably caused a drastic bank tragedy in 1909, collapsing several markets and igniting the *Nyrkk Rebellion* which continued until the situation eased in 1911. Kaltia is still adjusting from the economic crash, but, has been stabilised in the recent years with the predicament in enough control to be no longer of a perpetual issue.

## Politics

#### Constitution

The constitutional framework is defined within the Kaltian Chapter featuring 4 decrees, namely, Crown Act, Charter of Administration, Freedom of Press & Expression and Equality Act.

Kaltia is a Crowned Republic with Sari Makinen (legally) defined as the head of state, however the Prime Minister, Ministry & Cabinet and Parliament is the most powerful entities in the country working in a cross-function system with equally distributed powers. The Prime Minister and Parliament however, are the most highest authorities alongside the judicature organ.

Legislature is nested in a bicameral instrument, known as the national council, featuring the Upper Chamber (Senate) and Lower Chamber (Diet). General elections were hosted triennially (as of the 1816 Act of Parliament), however, as of the 1917 Elective Act which has significantly modernised the voting system to a more first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems. This means the elections were re-done in 1917, and the second round is due for January 1920.