Lemetiate of Airolia

## Lemetiate of AiroliaLemetiat ÄolisLemerrate Aeolian

Flag of the Lemetiate of Airolia.

Airolian holdings by 1954.

**High Airolian** (Blend of elven and Low Airolian, spoken by aristocrats and some others)

*Other languages are incredibly common throughout Airolian territories but rarely recognized as official.*

### Currency

Lyen

The **Lemetiate of Airolia** was the successor state to the Principality of Airolia and one of the very first Liamist powers in the world, having been created through peaceful integration and conversion. This attitude of governmental change would largely shape Airolian foreign policy for much of its lifetime, making Airolia more prone to diplomacy and trade, and allowing them to gain a large amount of riches through its merchant fleets. Situated on a notable archipelago in Kalshei, Airolia quickly looked to the sea for power once it had united the archipelago, creating a colonial empire over the course of centuries.

Its most notable colony and largest holding of land was on Helinska, slowly gained over the course of over a hundred years. In 1905, it ended up at war with the Polmarian Triumvirate and the Holy Monarchy of the First Son due to the assassination of a famous Polmarian general, Hubert Amstern, that was then blamed on Airolia. A year after the war started, during the siege and assault of Karfalo, the cataclysm began, and Airolia was hit the hardest by it. The governor, Alerio Lyran II, decided it would be best to abandon the colony and get as many people out as possible. Using their vast fleets of merchant ships and airships, over a million civilians, soldiers, and others were evacuated, with Grand Admiral Leo II von Zveinlyta leading the evacuation. Alerio II himself would stay behind to organize the evacuation from the continent, but would later be forced to flee the continent due to lingering anti-Airolian sentiment.

In the late 1920s-1930s, Airolia was largely unable to restore its control and authority over its subjects and had lost a majority of its ships and people, thus restricting trade and running the government's treasury dry. This resulted in mass famines and political dissent.

Eventually, such dissent reached a point where a civil war seemed likely, and so the Holy Council at the time (or rather, what was left of it) abdicated and declared a secular republic. This has widely been viewed by historians as the most crucial moment in recent Airolian history made by members of government, as anything less would have certainly left Airolia either shattered, annexed, or under some sort of post-war dictatorship.

In 2098, the Lemetiate of Airolia was integrated into the ICO as an official member-state and reorganized into the Republic of Airolia.

## Etymology

'Airolia', a translation of Low Airolian *äolisch*, has two commonly-accepted theories as to its origin: the aeolian processes, sand, and outwash plains; or alternatively the High Airolian name for wind by which aeolian processes are derived from, due to the maritime excellency and importance in Airolian history.

## History

### Airolia in Antiquity (6000 BCE-700 CE)

The first evidence of Airolian civilization comes from seafaring trade confederations, most likely from Merelaux and/or Helinska, settling on the Airolian coastlines and making several fortified trading posts. Some of these trading posts, namely what is now modern-day Keltasstadt, Königinlehen, Seltern, Szenvranta, and Idigon. Over time, many of these trading posts would begin organized agriculture and the keeping of livestock, likely because of a lack of wild game to subsist off of in hunter-gatherer societies and the fertile soil in the region.

By 5000 BCE, many of these cities had developed semi-distinct cultural identities and seceded from whatever tribal confederations they had originally been settled by. The first evidence of bronze tools was discovered around this period, consisting of primitive spearheads and farming tools.

In the 2nd millennium, many of these cultures had expanded their reach by settling new towns, expanding their farming, and reopening sea trade. It is possible but not certain that they engaged in limited warfare with each other.

By the 1st millennium, the remaining established cities and their colonies had become major regional powers, competing with each other for land and resources. The remnants of the seafaring tribal confederations that had settled Airolia had also returned, bringing some cities under their suzerainty and attempting a conquest of the islands. A provisional alliance of the other, independent city-states successfully pushed back the confederation and their vassals, fully defining a separate, proto-national identity to their previous colonizers.

In the latter part of the 1st millennium BCE, 'Airolia' remained a series of mercantile city-states, often associated with ever-changing alliances and leagues. Indeed, the very concept of 'Airolia' was not yet in existence; it was widely considered true that the various Airolic city-states were of similar descent and culture, but there was little permanent unity between them.

The mercantile way of life allowed for the city-states to become incredibly skilled at navigation and seafaring; although, no single city-state had enough resources to establish much influence outside of the archipelago, and no alliance was concerned with outside matters such as colonization. Due to its isolated position geographically, this disunity between local powers was not taken advantage of by more centralized empires.

### Airolia as a Principality (796-1011)

*Main article: Principality of Airolia*

In the mid-760s, a noble family born in modern day Aelta by the name of von Zveinaelta (modernized: von Zveinlyta) took power and began using foreign military and administrative tactics learned from small empires in eastern Helinska and across Kalshei to take control of the rest of the archipelago. The Principality of Airolia was infamous for its instability, facing both large and small rebellions for nearly its entire lifetime.

As such, the Principality of Airolia was unable to devote much attention to affairs such as colonization; wars against nearby nations that were fought and then won often resulted in monetary reparations or some other form of treatise that did not involve land changing hands. However, its conquests did achieve one thing-- a somewhat shared culture for the vast majority of eastern Kalshei.

Indeed, this shared culture would be a major stepping stone for future Airolia's conquests and expansion, despite the Principality's inability to capitalize on such a boon. Airolia during its regal period was supported in part by the nearby Principality of Volleryn until the mid-900s.

### Introduction of Liamism and Religious Unification (953-1011)

*Main article: Green-Gold Revolt*

Through trade with neighboring nations and continents, Liamism found its way to Airolia in sometime around 950 (most scholars agree it was around 953). Many of the disgruntled scholars and sages whose power had been lessened after the ascension of the von Zveinaeltas adopted Liamism and supported it in secret. Over time, Airolia developed its own sect, Lianis Liamism, and it became a core part of many citizens' national identity. The clergy and scholars eventually grew in influence to a point that they rivaled the monarchy, and when Prince Aelain II attempted to crack down on this growing threat in 1009, many cities revolted.

Much of the army, whose families and friends had just turned against the Principality, fought on the side of the Liamist revolutionaries. The Principality of Volleryn, wishing for a stronger and more unified ally, also backed the Liamist revolutionaries rather than the monarchy. This essentially spelled doom for the monarchy, and the current military commander, Sigmund Dreilun, enacted a *coup d'état* against the monarchy in the midst of the chaos. Prince Aelain II was killed in the midst of the coup.

The remainder of the royal family, led by Leo von Zveinaelta, publicly converted to Liamism and gathered their forces to side with the revolutionaries in a gambit to save their own lives; one that worked, as it fully solidified the legitimacy of the revolutionary government. Further emboldened by the addition of throne-allegiant forces, the revolutionaries assaulted the capital. A year-long siege would befall the city, and the ensuing Raze of Aeteli would see the city burned to the ground and Dreilun executed. Five of the most important scholars and sages were chosen to be part of a council of theocrats ruling from the new capital, Idigon, and many of the other sages took up roles as nobility or administrators.

### Early Lemetiate (1011-1042)

*See also: List of Liamist denominations*

The initial reception to the First Lemetiate of Airolia was that of shocking stability and public jubilation; with Liamism becoming a core part of many citizens' national identities as well as a core part of the government itself, it paved the way for the First Lemetiate to see more patriotism than any other archipelago-wide government in Airolia's history. With this newfound religious fervor, the First Lemetiate was finally able to harness the resources of the archipelago and expand its influence.

Initially, the various Liamist sects within Airolia had cooperated to bring about a theocratic government, but once peace settled across the country, many of them soon turned on the others. Lunnis and Lashkeni-influenced sects often war hawked and criticized the government for its lax military spending and open trade with other countries. In response, many of these sects were forcefully disbanded, forced underground, or made to renounce their warmongering beliefs. Following 31 years of consolidating power, snuffing out independence movements, establishing the rule of law, and determining succession, Airolia looked onward to its neighbors for more land and more resources.

### Colonial Expansion (1042-1809)

Taking advantage of the post-war excitement, Airolia began to merge with, vassalize, or conquer its neighboring kingdoms and city-states. For the following century, Airolia would begin a lengthy process of expanding its influence in Kalshei. In the early 1100s, once Airolia had unified much of eastern Kalshei, it began to expand its trade with other continents and neighboring countries. Helinska was one of Airolia's primary trading partners for much of the 1100s and 1200s due to its relative proximity, which allowed navigators to learn much of the local culture and language. Sometime around 1192, the colony of Mirtonnes was founded on an island below the Sultanate of Kherfiyyah, Airolia's very first holding outside of Kalshei.

WIP

### Second Airolian Civil War (1202-1246)

*Main article: Second Airolian Civil War*

As Airolia's leash was tightened over more and more of Yulea, the ruling families-- once scholars, now largely warriors, had become increasingly militaristic and focused on ethnic purity, more specifically, Airolic Human purity. The large elven population of the metropole, which made up nearly half of the population, as well as Kiva Ales populations and native populations, began to openly oppose what later became known as the Council of 1202, for the infamous Decree of 1202. Said decree contained edicts preventing non-humans and native populations from attaining noble positions; the one elven Lemet at the time was publicly executed to send a message, and the one Kiva Ales Council member, Lucia Auermayer, managed to escape custody, but failed to gather a significant enough amount of manpower to expel the usurpers from the Council chambers and thus fled deeper into the city. As soldiers of the Council of 1202 closed in, the roughly 40-strong group of soldiers loyal to Lucia made a desperate last stand at the Lythani District of Idigon, resulting in over half of the Lucian forces dying in combat and many more being wounded, with only minor casualties being inflicted on the enemy. A small number of citizen militias joined the Lucians late during the battle but were largely cut down by the professional forces employed by the Council, further cementing the Council's control over the capital. The handful of remaining Lucian forces, along with Lucia, opted to collectively take their own lives instead of pleading for mercy, reportedly stating shortly before death: "To be forced to die for one's cause is a sorrowful thing; to beg for life from those who despise you is a shameful thing."

This immediately sparked violent revolution across the empire, from both natives and ethnic Airolians, beginning a 44-year-long war that largely consisted of brutal guerilla combat between islands and cities.

After years of the scholarly class's power being diminished by the new militaristic ruling class, many of them took up arms alongside various insurrectionist groups. Anarchist revolutionaries, secessionists, and supporters of a new order often banded together (though, infighting was equally common) to fight loyalist forces, who were quickly expelled from the majority of larger and more populated islands. The capital, Idigon, came under siege in much the same vein as the old capital of Aeteli, yet when it fell the city was spared.

Its rulers were not.

Upon the gates and fortifications of Idigon falling, a Lemet of the ruling council alongside many advisors took their own lives in much the same way ex-Lemet Lucia Auermayer had only years before, unable to live with the reality that they had been defeated by impure non-humans. Those that opted to continue resistance either attempted to flee and were promptly captured by revolutionary forces or joined the defense, the latter of which would be killed in combat soon after. While it is unknown what exactly happened to the remaining council members, it is commonly accepted that they were summarily executed on the spot without fanfare and buried in one of the gardens within the capital, and the rest of the surviving Council soldiers put on trial and executed, exiled, or imprisoned.

For the remaining 40 years of the civil war, fighting was sporadic and stretched across all of Airolia's holdings. Much of the reason for such time to have elapsed is simply due to the fact that seaborne navigation was not yet fully advanced and long, often fatal voyages had to be made to the various colonies. However, over the course of time, the remaining Council remnant forces would either fall, surrender, or disappear into hiding, thus marking an end in the conflict, along with non-compliant resistance forces who wished to secede.

Ironically, the Second Airolian Civil War, or more specifically the Decree of 1202, ended with putting an explicitly non-human-supremacist, often not even Airolian-supremacist Council in charge of Airolia, something that would massively shift its politics for dealing with native populations it encountered. The mindset of viewing other races as 'inherently backwards and inferior' became taboo and was denounced by the then-heads of the Lianis faith, and became a fringe ideology often viewed as extremist or a corruption of Liamist ideals. The 2nd Civil War also resulted in the restoration of a less militaristic Council, and the arts, sciences, and education within Airolia, both for natives and Airolians, humans and non-humans, to flourish and bloom, causing many to describe the decades after the 2nd Civil War as a "Golden Age of Airolia" (*Pax Airolus*), and sometimes even the "Golden Age of Liamism".