The Union of the Kalmar Empire

The **Union of the Kalmar Empire** is an empire which exists primarily on the European continent, though there is significant colonial holdings within the empire. The capital rests in Stockholm, though there are administrative seats in Ny Gothenburg, Reykjavik, Nuuk, New Öland, Margaretburg, Sta. Brigitta, St. Brinolfo, Gustavshem, Bro, Paramaribo, Adolphusburg, Port Louis, Bombay, Tranquebar, Jakarta, and Sigmundshamn to administer the colonial holds.

## Government

The Emperor Charles XII, King Sweden and Denmark, King of the Scandinavians, Administrator of the Holdings is the sole ruler of the empire and has all power vested in him. Currently, Charles XII has no spouse nor children, though his sister, Ulrika Eleonora is next in line for the throne.

## Overview

An ancient nation whose roots are from the old Norse kingdoms, being established first as the Kingdom of Sweden in the 1200s, later becoming part of the Kalmar union, and then in recent history, after gaining all Scandinavian lands, the Swedish Empire was renamed to the Union of the Kalmar Empire. The Union was established in 1712 after the Great Northern War after taking the lands formerly in the Kalmar Union, though this time the union is not one of crowns but of lands. Since the war, the Kalmar Empire has done well in the various European wars, gaining numerous colonies near and far in the treaties of peace from these wars, though no entirely new colonies have been made.

## Politics

Since 1733, the Kalmar Empire and the Kingdom of France have been close allies, fighting side by side in the War of Polish Succession, War of Austrian Succession, and the Second Carnatic War. This has resulted in close ties forged in blood, which the Empire hopes to keep.

The internal politics mostly revolve around creation of policy to organize the internal territory as well as the people's within them, attempting to walk the tightrope of unity amongst all in the Empire, but also allow for enough independent cultures to not break the Empire. To do this, Swedish has been made the official language, though secondary languages of Finnish, Norwegian, Estonian, Sami, German, Livonian, English, Latvian, Danish, Dutch, Russian, various tribal languages, and Icelandic have been approved for local government use, though colonies have been assigned governors.

The Danish crown has been absorbed into the Kalmar Empire, with Charles XII also being Charles I of Denmark, and as well, the various other crowns have been declared as under the Imperial Crown of the Kalmar Empire.

## Territorial Situation

The Union of the Kalmar Empire is stable, holding her lands within Europe well, though she also has extended territories outside Europe as colonies. These include the Faroe Islands, Orkney Islands, Island, Grönland, Vinland, New Öland, Margaretland, Sta. Briggita, St. Brinolfo, the Gustavus Islands, Barbados, Surinam, Adolphusburg, Mauritius, Bombay, Tranquebar, Java, and Sigmundland.

## Financial Situation

After many many wars in the immediate future, the funds of the Empire have become under threat numerous times, though with current colonies and tax reforms, the coffers are full.

## Culture

Within the Empire, culture changes rapidly. Within the European lands of the Empire, culture is, for the most part, a mix of Swedish and local cultures, with Swedish fashion, food, and phrases creeping into other areas of the Empire.

In the colonial sphere, with Vinland, there in an interesting mix of bits of French, Spanish, British, and Swedish culture, though the smaller colonies in the Americas have more of a local culture, though Swedish culture is beginning to creep in as well just by the fact of people of the Kalmar Empire moving to the various colonies. This sort of trend also continues to the African and Asian colonies, though the colonies in India and the Indies have more of a local culture. This culture, as well as neighboring cultures, have been decided to be softly assimilated out of practicality, with similar policy being carried out to the Danes as to the Sumatrans.