Beledge

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**Beledge**, officially the **Republic of Beledge** (Beledgian: *Républiqe du Belédge*), is a country in southwestern Poran. Beledge is bordered to the south by Nikosto; the west by Bontireu; the north by Tenlamich; and to the east by Auvocan and the Caseti Sea. It has a population of around 217 thousand inhabitants. Its capital is Bremsau; other major urban areas include Dampourt, Orogway, Trevine, Rombeck, Götsill, Bourlun, Orassis, and Aarhout.

## Etymology

The origin of the name Beledge is assumed to have come from the Bel L'Edge Basin, a region between the eastern Gau Mountains, the Dilun Plateau, and the small Cally Hills. The region is where Beledge originated and is therefore likely the origin of the name Beledge.

## History

### Prehistory

Prehistorically, Beledge has been inhabited by many different cultural groups, even during the same time, both the north and south of Beledge were typically not part of the same cultural group. From around 2500 BCE, Beledge was part of the Funnel Ware culture and later the Vinfeld Culture which likely gave rise to the earliest Datric peoples.

### Early Ropan era

Beledge was settled in the Iron Age by a mixture of Datric and Auvocanic tribes. However, Beledge was later settled by the Zafuk colony of Pylia which encompassed much of its modern coast and parts of the inland region. By the 3rd century BCE, parts of eastern Beledge was conquered by Ropa and by the 1st century BCE, most of modern Beledge was ruled over by Ropa with the exception of some parts of the Gau Mountains as well as territory controled by the Auvocanic Pyskri tribe, which wasn't fully controlled until the 1st century CE.

### Collapse of Ropa

The territory that makes up modern Beledge remained under Ropan control for several centuries, until, like much of what is considered the Western Ropan Empire collapsed due to the immigration of Tenlamic Tribes. Beledge was quickly settled by both the Donca and Bemenians around 450 CE, both of which migrated from eastern and central Poran respectively. By 460 CE, much of Beledge save for the eastern and coastal regions was under control by foreign Tenlamic tribes, with the western parts of Beledge being controlled by the Donca and the northern parts being controlled by the Clan of Bemenia. When the Western Ropan Empire completely collapsed, what was left of the territory was assumed by the Dunca tribe, a relative of the Dunca, and as such, Beledge was split between the three groups of peoples.

### Blakish rule

Due to the late invasions of the Blakes, another Tenlamic peoples, the Dunca lost their Beledgian territory, now being owned by the Duchy of Mimayotte. Parts of the southern coast which stretched from the modern southern border to the town of Vagueux. The Donca collapsed entirely which allowed the Clan of Bemenia (then Duchy of Bemenia) to take over much of its territory. The Duchy of Bemenia was one of the three Duchies that united to form the Blakish Kingdom in the 8th century CE, the others being the Duchy of Nedaria and the Duchy of Antloonia. This means that most of modern Beledge was under the control of the Blakish Kingdom. The Kingdom continued to conquer surrounding lands, and by the late 8th century CE controlled all of modern Beledge.

After the death of the Blakish King, Richomeres in 823 CE, the Blakish Kingdom was divided into three realms each ruled by his three children. Beledge laid under the rule of the West Blakish Kingdom and Richomeres eldest son, Bernardus the Faithful. However, during the split of the Blakish Kingdom, several groups of Tenlamic peoples split away from the Blakish Rule to form their own domains, which in modern Beledge constituted the County of South Bemenia and the Duchy of Auvocan.

### Middle Ages

During the 10th century, the West Blakish Kingdom collapsed, ending the rule of the Richolingian dynasty. This decline was relatively quick, happening over the span of five decades. The decline started with the Treaty of Versa in 947, which saw the Western Blakish Kingdom give up its easternmost lands to the newly formed Kingdom of Bemenia, primarily because the region was ethnically and culturally inhabited by Bemenians and their descendants. Due to the fear of the growing Aralum state to the south, a buffer state known as the March of Nikosto was established, which further shrunk the empire, losing all of its territory south of the Gau Mountains. Shortly thereafter, the Treaty of Ribarasa in 988 saw the formation of the County of Beledge, the earliest form of modern Beledge, albeit small, constituting no more than a tenth of its modern territory.

The County of Beledge grew during the collapse of the Western Blakish Empire which was transferring from the Richolingian Dynasty to the Dutian Dynasty, and as such, the Kingdom of Bontireu. The county became the Kingdom of Beledge after a marriage between the County and the Kingdom of Bemenia in 1165, which unified the two states into one. From the late 12th to the late 13th century, the Kingdom of Beledge gained small territorial gains from the Holy Jero Empire, which was a large union of small city states and duchies. By around the 14th century, The Kingdom of Beledge encompassed the modern borders of Beledge today.

### Early Modern Age

Unlike its neighboring countries; Nikosto, Bontireu, Tenlamich, and Auvocan; Beledge did little colonization in general. Beledge had two colonies, the cities of Cidan and Cedibauex (modern Kedibau), both of which were on the northern coast of the modern country and island of Bage. Both colonies were established in the mid 1700s and were sold to Bontireu in 1868. The monarchy of Beledge ended in 1804, which saw the transfer to a Republic Government.

### Modern Age

Like much of Poran, Beledge was conquered by Bontireu under the rule of Lemaigre in 1869, during the Bontirish-Gulishmen War. Beledge remained under the control of Lemaigre as a puppet-state until 1884 when the local populations rebelled and fought against their Bontirish overlords. During World War I, Beledge remained out of the conflict, not supporting either side but maintaining trade with both of the alliances. In World War II, Beledge was initially neutral until Tenlamich invaded the country on the 2nd of Yuthetch, 1940, and later capitulated on the 8th of Mai, 1940. During its occupation, much of northern Beledge was incorporated in the territory of Tenlamich, however the southern territory was made into a puppet state, known as Argentou Beledge. Upon Nikosto joining the Allies, Beledge was quickly liberated and was fully free of Tenlamich rule on the 5th of Morember, 1943, and continuing to support and fight alongside the Allies until the end of the war.

From 1943 onwards, Beledge has remained relatively the same. Its territory has not changed at all since the end of WW2, and it has remained a semi-major power in Poran. Since the war, Beledge has built up its economy and trade with other countries and has retained its same government that was established on the day of its liberation.

## Geography

Beledge's borders are primarily situated along the edges of hills and mountains, and as such, the country itself is nestled within a depression zone in southwestern Poran.

To the south are the Gau Mountains, the tallest mountain range in southern Poran, which separates Beledge from Nikosto. Beledge is separated from Bontireu by the Dilun Plateau and in part by the Osart Maasif, which also seperates Beledge from southern Tenlamich. To the east, the Crenza Mountains and Ribbia Plateau provided a partial physical border between Beledge and Auvocan.

Northern and southern Beledge both lay in two basins which are divided by the Oostren Hills of the southern Dilun Plateau as well as the isolated Cally Hills. These uplifts separate the southern Bel L'Edge Basin and the northern Bemenian Basin, however, both Basins are a part of the larger Belris Depression, which encompassed the land north of the Gau Mountains, but southeast of the Dilun Plateau, south of the Osart Maasif, and west of the Crenza Mountains and Vitossa Hills.