Mallardia

**Mallardia**, officially the **Kingdom of Mallardian Ducks**, was a Kingdom of Cartonia, home to the duck species. The nation ceased to exist in 720 when it was annexed into Vulpus.

The westernmost contiguous nation in Cartonia with extensive sea borders, Mallardia was located along the Western Ocean, Amethyst Bay, and Gulf of Cartoon. To the east, the Kingdom bordered Willie, Cervidium, and Vulpus.

The Mallardian Royal Family, from whom the nation derived its name, saw twenty consecutive male monarchs. All have adopted the regnal name Swan. Even after the abolition of the monarchy during Vulpine occupation, the first monarch-in-exile adopted the regnal name Queen Swan XXI to continue the tradition.

A crisis emerged in 707 when Crown Princess Victoria Vixen of Vulpus was assassinated at the annual holiday party. Because the assassin was a duck, Mallardia was blamed for the attack. Queen Vixen VII issued an ultimatum to the ducks, but King Swan XX brokered an alliance with Canis, Eusuchia, and Willie to counteract any aggression. On New Year's Day 708, Vulpus invaded Mallardia and began the War. This War would ultimately see the dissolution of Mallardia and its occupation and annexation into the Kingdom of Vulpus.

## Geography

Mallardia was home to a coastal climate, characterized by windy coastlines and beaches. Ducks are marine animals and tend to live near water, aided by the large number of lakes and ponds throughout the Kingdom.

## History

Mallardia pledged allegiance to the Harmony Crown in the Year 1, thus uniting the Cartonian continent. In the Harmony Crown rotation, Mallardia is preceded by Vulpus and succeded by Leprolia.

    On December 24, 707, as Victoria was en route to the annual holiday party when she was assassinated by a duck. The Vixen Queen blamed Mallardia for the attack and issued an ultimatum demanding reparations. King Swan XX intended at first to agree to some of the document's terms but was convinced otherwise by Crown Prince Bentley Connelly of Canis, who believed that the Vixen Queen herself was behind the attack. Canis, Willie, and Eusuchia agreed to support Mallardia in the event of any military action from Vulpus. The ultimatum expired on December 31, 707. On the morning of January 1, 708, the army of Vulpus invaded Mallardia at the City of Dückzig. Canis, Willie, Eusuchia, and Mallardia declared war on Vulpus. Thus, the War began.

By summertime of 708, little progress had been made. Vulpus controlled a small portion of the southern regions of Mallardia, and trenches were dug for the expected war of attrition. Mallardia was greatly saved by its allies, without whom they would have crumbled to the Vulpine war machine far earlier. Sandwiched between their two enemies, Mallardia struggled financially and politically. In October 708, Prince Richard Mallard launched an attempted coup against his nephew, King Swan XX. Though the idea of a coup d'etat within Mallardia's royal family spelled potential disaster for the already distressed nation, the coup was a failure and stability was restored.

After the Vixen Queen abolished the Harmony Crown in February 709, the allied nations consolidated into an official alliance called the Granite Bloc. They gained four new members in response to the abrogation of the Harmony Crown.

Mallardia was surrounded in 716 and invaded. The capital soon fell, and the royal family attempted to flee. The Vixen Queen directly killed King Swan XX, but the rest of the family managed to escape along the northern countryside into Willie and further into Simeone. Young Bella Mallard was hastily coronated as Queen Swan XXI in exile, the first Queen regnant of Mallardia. The Kingdom was occupied wholly by Vulpus.

In 720, Mallardia was formally annexed into Vulpus.

## Trivia

* Mallardia and the House of Mallard is named after Mallardian ducks.
* The flag of Mallardia depicts a duck against a blue sunset. The blue colors represent the waters of the nation.
* Beakfield Manor is based on Chateau de Chenonceau in France.
* Anatoidea, the capital, is named after the Anatoidea superfamily of ducks.