Foreign Relations of the Gaennid Empire

The **foreign relations of the Gaennid Empire** is a complex ecosystem of agreements and friendships, the latter of which seem scant against the larger political picture. Below are the various relations with the Empire of Gaennaan and those nations around them.

## Busaanid Successors

### Sajarate of Sharaad

*Main article: Sajarate of Sharaad*

The **Sajarate of Sharaad**, also known as the **Migrant Fleets of Sharaad**, are considered a people that are Gaennai. Their shared origins and similar cultures draw the two stellar nations together to form close-knit allies culturally, commercially, and militarily. Sharaadi fleets are free to enter and leave Gaennid space as they desire and have even established trading offices in some of the busiest harbors within the Empire of Gaennaan. It is not uncommon to see Sharaadi citizens mixed in with Gaennai aboard any Imperial space station and treated no differently than any other Gaennid citizen.

Ties to the Sharaadi Sajarate are so strong as to be of blood, albeit of narrow percentage. *Shajuukan* Khatiija Barasan-*sja* maintains a personal confidant in her cousin, Prince Yurman Ghanem, who also acts as a medial connection to his brother, the *Sajar* Adaan Ghanem. It is true that the two *kiith'id* are distant cousins of one another, despite how the Barasani and Ghanem appear beside one another, and so share an interesting royal bond between the two nations' thrones. It is said that the only person outside of Sharaadi subjectship that is privy to the exact location of the *Sharaad* is the *shajuukan*.

History has shown that, should the Empire call the Sajarate for aide, the fleets of the *Sharaad* would come to bear, though that notion came into question during the reign of Caagane-*sja*, Ikraan-*sja*, and Sabol-*sja* of the Golden Eye as the Estate of the Sajar became displeased with how the kiith'id were handled. With the rise of Khatiija-*sja* of the Bloodied Hand, however, it seems that faith in the Empire was restored though the Chronate is currently unsure how to categorize the relationship between both rulers.

### Essite Sjahaarate

*Main article: Essite Sjahaarate*

The **Essite Sjahaarate** are considered close cousins of the Empire, though not nearly as close as the Sharaadi. Whereas that was not a problem some one-hundred or two-hundred years ago, tentions seem to be growing between Gaennid and Essite nationals as they cross paths. As the Sjahaarate moves to emulate the Empire and place down a static national foundation, the Essites struggle against their past glories as a purely monarchical thalassocractic raiding tribes people with the efforts of the current *sjahaar* to modernize. Essentially, a fight to embrace modernity while also holding true to tradition.

Historically, the Gaennai, Alfssandr, and the Free Jeethaja Guilds defended their territories against Essite fleets in the aftermath of the Busaanid Collapse. Their aggression created an alliance between three peoples despite their distinct and abrasive differences, and were stopped after consuming a fourth, currently unknown nation the territories of which the Essites occupy entirely. The dozen or so Khaetolic Crusades brought the Sjahaarate into an unlikely alliance with those they fought against in the past, eventually giving rise to the Treaty of Four Crowns.

For the relationship between the common Essite and Gaennai citizen, that means a wary acceptance of each other's existence. Subjects of the *shajuukan* view the Essites as culturally unstable, unsure if they will decide to raid the region rather than meet with them in civilized discussion. Subjects of the *sjahaar* see the Gaennai as largely pretentious and unwilling to make room for a fledgling nation of some significant marshal power, if not economic power.

Relations between *Shajuukan* Khatiija Barasan-*sja* and *Kiith-Sjahaar* Umar Taamur-*sja* are not so much strained as they are stiff. The aging Umar-*sja* leaves little in the way of open respect for a woman who is much younger than not only himself, but his daughter, and has largely alienated possible friendliness between the two royals. Truthfully, interactions between Khatiija-*sja* and Umar-*sja'*s eldest daughter, *Amiirad Taj* A'isha Taamur, is far more promising for an amicable future between the two nations.

### Free Jeethaja Guilds

*Main article: Free Jeethaja Guilds*

The **Free Jeethaja Guilds** and the Empire of Gaennaan, though both being Busaanid successors, are not particularly friendly toward one another. The people are religiously aligned in the barest measure, each believing their religion being the correct or more superior, though this could be a reaction to Taazuti feelings of religious superiority. Regardless, the Gaennid Empire does regular trade and holds a military alliance with the Guilds, much like the Empire's relationship with the Sharaadi Sajarate.

### Kingdom of Kalwaar

Main article: Kingdom of Kalwaar
The **Kingdom of Kalwaar** is, though independent and separated from the Empire by its own star system, considered a rogue kiith, subject to the rule of the *shajuukan* despite having been an independent nation for 2.287 years. After the Barasani Dynasty solidified their rule in the wake of the Lament (8.170.04.21), there were several attempts to return the Kalwaari to the fold starting with diplomatic attempts and ending with failed military campaigns plagued with war fatigue and incompetence; the Kalwaari never let the Gaennai forget.

Currently, relations between *Shajuukan* Khatiija Barasan-*sja* and *Sjaahiir*Samaara Kalwaar-*sja* are cold at best and openly displaying distaste or frustration at worst. They seem to mirror their nations' views of one another, so much so that peace between the two nations seems unlikely within either of their lifetimes.

## Holy Khaetolic Empire

*Main article: Holy Khaetolic Empire*

The **Holy Khaetolic Empire**, officially the **Holy Dominion of the Empyrean Empire**, and the Gaennid Empire are not friendly by any measure.

Before the Lament, or the period of time combining the War of Sorrows and Culling, the Gaennid Empire mobilized its forces to successfully repel Empyrean invasions known as Crusades (Pyotik-spek: *Kruisaart* /kɽʊ.is.ɑːɽt/) into the Glittering Hinterlands three times in both foreign and domestic territories. First, Gaennid troops fought along side the Thuulian Empire in the latter part of the 5th Empyrean Crusade before aiding the former Aegymanid Empire some years later during the 7th Empyrean Crusade. The 8th Crusade was conducted solely within Gaennid space, where (for a brief period) the Imperial Throneworld was held under Empyrean siege.

There is an unsubstantiated claim throughout the Empire that the Holy Khaetolic Empire aided the Amaati Secessionists during the War of Sorrows as a means to destabilize the Gaennai and allow for a future crusade into the Periphery once again, but without credible sources this is nothing more than conjecture.

Open hostilities between the two nations have ceased, though there continues to be open animosities on religious grounds between subjects and cultures. Regardless, the Empire of Gaennaan maintains a defensive patrol zones in the Eshuun, Ujjaal, and Ishmet being so close to the Khaetolic's Zeshaan Star System should the Holy Empyrean Empire decide to launch another Crusade sometime in the near or far future.

## Empire of Thuul

*Main article: Empire of Thuul*

The **Empire of Thuul** stands as the Empire's closest ally within the Sphere. Though the two nations bear different, staunch religious views, as well as policies on the freedoms of shiildr, the nations share strong ties in trade and military support. Citizens face very few restrictions crossing into each other other's realm, and with the proper visas, paperwork, and licenses, are allowed to reside there should they follow the laws of the land.

Gaennaan's and Thuul's histories meet several times during the Empyrean Crusades, which attempted to expand their reach both physically and religiously into the Sjittite Hinterlands and the relatively young Thuulian Empire. The two nations fought together to drive back the Khaetolic crusaders, eventually succeeding in ending each invasion. Though there hasn't been a crusade for more than a millennium, the Gaennai and Thuulian renew their promises in a ceremony of remembrance every decennial.

While their public interactions suggest that both *Shajuukan* Khatiija Barasan-*sja* and *Tennó* Rahai se Vatae share a close, personal friendship, beyond warm receptions as guests to each other's nations and openly supporting continued close economic ties between their countries such a relationship is neither confirmed nor denied.

## Free Worlds Triumvirate

*Main article: Free Worlds Triumvirate*

*See also: Kingdom of Othmaad, Archonates of Euryleon, and Omadaeic League*

The **Free Worlds Triumvirate** stands in an odd position with the Empire of Gaennaan.