Kingdom of Chapi

Chapi at its greatest extent 3500RC (Dark Red)

The Kingdom of Chapi (alternatively spelt Chiapi) was an ancient empire, expanding vastly across the continent. The state existed for roughly 4,000 years (-120RC to 4005RC), before falling apart rapidly at the hands of barbarian hordes. It's many descendant states rescinded technologically, in an event known as the "White Exodus". It was not until 6203RC that a small kingdom finally reunited much of the former Empire's land, naming itself "Tiapi" in honour of the Kingdom of Chapi.

## History

### Foundations

The Kingdom of Chapi began (-120RC roughly) as nothing more than a small communal settlement of around 3,000 people, located within the borders of what is today Isnonatiapi. Through a series of small wars with their immediate neighbours, the Kingdom then known simply by the name of it's ruler, Arani, came to dominate the southern coastline of the Istisian Sea. By the death of Arani, the Kingdom had dominionship over the entire coastline, with a series of loyal vassal states to its south. Over the next 3 King's reign, the Kingdom had incorporated its vassals, mostly through peaceful diplomacy.

### Poram the Great

Poram, the 4th King of Chapi, born on 0RC (royal calendar) (6930 years ago) was the first King to officially use the title "King of Chapi", and as such is often regarded as the first true king of Chapi. His reign was remarkable, and saw the propulsion of Chapi from a small kingdom on the southern coastline of the Istisian sea into a major Empire that spanned much of what today is Chapi. His conquests can be summarised into 3 phases.

#### The Eastern Crusades

On 18RC, Poram's armies entered into battle with his western neighbour, the Balleri. Their Kingdom was roughly of equal size and strength, yet Poram was able to desicively beat their forces at the Battle of Isorinapi. With this, their King swore fealty to Poram.

On 21RC, after allowing his forces to recover their strength, and allowing his vassal in Balleri to more properly integrate themselves into his realm, Poram began a sudden and brutal invasion of his eastern neighbours, all the way up until the river Kirrenos. In only 4 months had his armies completely smashed his neighbours. They too fell into his domain.

#### Lerinteri Wars

Poram was not the sole King getting up to invasion however, his southern neighbour, ruled by King Lerint had began an aggressive expansion drive too, occupying many of the southern kingdoms. Lerint too was stronger and larger than Chapi, yet the kingdom had found itself sorrounded by enemies. Using this to his advantage, Poram approached the King of Tuttoli (marked green), offering to return his land on the condition that he assisted him against the Lerint, and became a vassal to his Kingdom. The Kingdom of Soi allied with Lerint, preferring not to anger their much larger neighbour.

The war began in 25RC, and soon descended into brutallity. Several villages and towns were decimated in the conflict, with the Tiapian capital itself being raided and burned to the ground. Despite this, the Chapian forces managed to push the Lerinti back considerably, securing themselves from their southern neighbour. In the fighting several smaller states to Chapi's south had also been occupied, and were incorporated into the kingdom.

### Collapse

#### Long-Term

Chapi had been gradually weakening ever since it's greatest extent around 3500RC. It's borders were too large for the population to practically maintain, due to the low-populated, but vast lands that it had come to rule over, providing few soldiers, yet demanding many to effectively defend. Due to this, the Kingdom was facing periodic raids from foreign hordes, including the feared Sinhad Horde. These were alleviated for a time by the construction of the Selloponian Wall in 3730RC, yet in only a few decades after the construction of this mega-project, under-manning and under-maintenance forced the Kingdom to abandon much of it's border territory. Threats from the Kingdom's neighbours only added to the demand of manpower, forcing men to be taken from one area of the border and onto another, only amplifying the raids. This turned the border territories into autonomous provinces, where the Royal Court held no sway over. By 3800RC, these regions would come to be accepted as independent kingdoms, ruled over by ex-officials, or the chief of an invading horde.

#### The Badar Flu

Main article Badar Flu

The Badar Flu decimated the population of the southern half of the Kingdom. Through effective management, the flu failed to penetrate deeply into the Kingdom, yet the regions which it did reach were devastated. Estimates range the mortality rate at 70% of those infected, with 60% of the Kingdom's population being infected. The pre-flu population of 10 million was reduced to around 5.8 million between the years 3990RC and 3995RC.

This was particularly disastrous for the Kingdom, with the majority of it's army being raised from the southern provinces. Within the space of 10 years, most of these southern provinces had ceased being functional provinces of the Empire, and in time would evolve into their own independent Kingdoms.

#### Sinhad Invasion and End of a Kingdom

In 4004RC, the Sinhad Horde, realising the weakness of the now small Kingdom chose to launch a mass raid of the remaining territory. The city of Isnonatiapi was raided towards the end of the year, with the royal palace itself being sacked, the royal court completely wiped out including the death of the last King and his son and heir.

With the weak nature of the Kingdom, the lack of ability to fix the crippled Kingdom, and the lack of anyone willing to assist in doing so, no effort was even made to look for a successor King. Instead, the independent rulers of the various provinces unanimously agreed to begin to rule their regions as their own personal domains. This truly spelled the end of the Chapian Kingdom. Following this, much of the former Kingdom fell into disaray and entered a Dark Age that would last for over 1,500 years, a period of near constant warring between minor Kingdoms and Republics, and a period of general strife and difficulty, removing the power-base that the central continent once had over the entire continent.