Sultanate of Kherfiyyah

Flag of the Sultanate of Kherfiyyah

The Sultanate of Kherfiyyah was an Alaist sultanate located on the southernmost part of the Helinskan Peninsula, historically known as the Kherfiyyan Peninsula. Initially, this area unified the major regions of the peninsula and had a significant influence over the southern Helinskan mainland. This strategic position granted the sultanate considerable power in southern Helinska, enabling it to maintain independence from the larger regional powers.

Before the 900s, the region now known as the Kherfiyyan Peninsula was fragmented, comprising petty kingdoms, tribal entities, and Kagrabadi merchant outposts. Al-Alamur, or Old Alamur, a coastal city-state at the terminus of the lower Khufasaya River, the peninsula's largest river, played a pivotal role. Its fertile lands allowed Alamur to dominate the politics of northern Kherfiyyah, influencing and eventually subjugating nearby states like Hersoun, Marsoud, Waled, and Vershana.

In the following decades, Alamur almost entirely controlled several modern-day regions in the peninsula. However, the presence of the Kagrabadi trading outpost of Kefi led to a significant change. The Kherfiyyans, recognizing the advantages of better trade deals and relations with the wealthy Kagrabadi merchants, converted to Alahism. King Tawid Kahran I, known as 'The Great,' along with his court, embraced Alahism, leading to the transformation of his title from "king" to "Sultan," thus laying the foundation for what would become the Sultanate of Kherfiyyah.

Kherfiyyah's history saw moments of subjugation, such as by the Montelan South Helinska Trading Company and the Socialist Republic of John's conquest of its mainland territories. However, it later expanded and reclaimed significant parts of southern Helinska, bringing under its control the Redouin tribes and republics, thus establishing its modern borders.

## History

### Early History

The earliest known inhabitants of the Kherfiyyan Peninsula date back to 185,000 years ago. This period also saw settlements by Elven colonizers, who, along with the indigenous hunter-gatherers, were eradicated in an unrecorded event. The modern Kherfiyyan populace emerged about 75,000 years ago, Absorbing the remnants of the original inhabitants. The advent of the Agricultural Revolution marked a significant shift, leading to the retreat of many hunter-gatherers into the vast southern deserts or their transformation into nomadic shepherds, forming the what would become the Modern-Day Tahrani people.

### Agricultural Revolution & the Bronze Age

Agriculture's spread led to the formation of the first proto-kingdoms during the Helinskan Bronze Age, about 3,000 years ago. The peninsula became home to various city-states and small domains. Ultimately, three main kingdoms emerged: Al-Anshan in the north, Al Kanhoun in the east, and the Tahrani Kingdom of Sahran in the southern deserts. These three kingdoms frequently engaged in conflict, shaping much of Kherfiyyan antiquity's history.

### Early Medieval to Unification

Eventually. The three kingdoms would collaspe due to petty infighting and political decline in the 500s to 600s. Fracturing the peninsula once more into a dozen different petty fiefdoms. This is the time when the Kingdom of Alamur was established, though it was only a city state at the time.

Medieval Kherfiyyah changed very little in political development. These petty kingdoms warred, fought and traded among one another, with occasional unions and conquests giving rise to brief, small empires which dominated several kingdoms at a time. But even the most powerful native empires seldom lacked the capacity to unify the entire island. However, that would change with the arrival of Kagrabad in the very early 800s. The arrival of Kagrabad came with the arrival of Alaism, a monotheistic religion originating from Merelaux. The Kagrabadi settler-merchants held wealth which the kherfiyyans sought. Alamur, which had traded with the Kagrabadi for a while. And after the King and his court's conversion to Alaism. The Sultanate of Al-Anshan was established, with new trade privliges, Al-Anshan gained access to primitive gunpowder weapons (little more that pipes with gunpowder inside). Allowing them to subjagate the neighboring more technologically lacking neighbors.

Al-Anshan warred with it's rivals, particularily the Tahrani kingdom of Karjid and the Kingdom of Muhansoud. The Kingdom of Muhansoud had established a rival sphere of influence, challenging Alamur. This could not be allowed, And following seven brutal battles and a long, bitter siege. Their capital had been sacked, allowing Al-Anshan to sieze and annex much of their territory. The Karjidi Kingdom meanwhile was far more militaristic, their guerrilla warfare and harrasing forces proved to be a particularily bitter enemy to fight against. But after the death of the Tahrani Chief who led the kingdom. Their holdings had disintegrated, allowing Al-Anshan forces to annex and subjagate the desert.

However their most bitter rival would not be these two kingdoms, but the Grand Tomenate of El-Arshavir (Now Kanhoun). Existing not near Al-Anshan, but all the way in the faraway east of Kherfiyyah. The city of Arshar had converted to Liamism somewhere around the same timespan as Al-Anshan. And had mirrored it's political developments, but instead of Kagrabadi Traders who influenced Al-Anshan. Airolian merchants had greatly spread the worship of Liamism in the east.

The Tomenate rapidly expanded through the east, conquering the kingdoms of Mordshu and Varhasun along the way. They encountered Al-Anshan's borders somewhere in the middle 800s. Though initially they maintainted cordial relations. Open war eventually broke out between the two powers in the late eight-hundreds. Al-Anshan would come to see Arshavir as their most bitter, petty and vicious enemy. Fighting multiple wars against the Tomenate within just a spawn of two decades. These great wars saw not just thousands, but tens and then dozens of thousands of forces marshalled against each other. It was total war. This similarly marked the bitter competition between Alaism and Liamism throughout much of Yulea.

Al-Anshan however, would eventually come on top. Finally sundering the great sity of Arshar and establishing the Satrap of Kanhoun in it's place. By 944. Kherfiyyah had all but united the entire southern peninsula, under blood if nesseceray.

### High Medieval

In the 1000s, despite significant advancements in military technology, Kherfiyyah remained overshadowed by mainland powers like the Ionian Despotate. The Great Sundering weakened the Despotate, allowing Kherfiyyah to extend its influence over southern Helinska. The sultanate's policy of religious tolerance and strategic trade relations played a key role in its prosperity and cultural diversity during this period.

The Grand-Liamist Emirate of Ostahim(or the Ostahimian Empire) had conquered a vast portion of Northern Kherfiyyah at this period, and had emerged as a rival power to Kherfiyyah. The Kherfiyyan Sultanate would wage several wars against the Ostahimians, culminating in the battle of please help I don't know what to do from this point

## Economy

### Oil Production

**Oil Production** is by far the most critical asset to Kherfiyyah's economy. For a long time, with the oil fields of Kalaroos and Retgard unknown of and the oil fields of Katavia rendered unusable, Kherfiyyah was the easiest and cheapest way for Helinskan nations to gain easy access to oil, allowing Kherfiyyah to gain massive profits. Due to the lucrative nature of the oil industry, all oil fields are personally owned by the Sultans of Kherfiyyah, with private oil harvesting being illegal.

### Manafacturing

Kherfiyyah has set up several factories- mostly state owned, though some companies on good terms with the Sultans of Kherfiyyah are also permitted- throughout the country, although the vast majority are concentrated within the industrial hubs of New Alamur, Raghdad and Khorsan. Everything outside these three cities gets very little attention, and has led to some dissatisfaction in the countryside.