Empire Day

**Empire Day** was a holiday celebrated in the Beaglian Empire celebrating the anniversary of its *de facto* founding, the Defenestration of King Albert IV, which took place on November 14, 1380. The holiday was first declared in 1384 by Emperor Beagle; within the first few years of its institution, it quickly grew to become one of the most anticipated days on the calendar for citizens of the Empire. While the holiday was officially only one day long, business in many Imperial territories would grind to a halt for up to one week in celebration of Beaglia's founding. Celebrations were usually marked by parades, feasts, and in the Imperial capital, Ajaccio, a grand tournament known as the Imperial Trophy, instituted by Beagle in 1393. Empire Day would continue to be widely celebrated until the mid-1650s, when it fell into relative obscurity due to the decline of the Beaglian Empire. By the time of Emperor Edmond's disappearance, celebrations of Empire Day had become virtually non-existent, except in Ajaccio and the Australian territory of New South Corsica. Few people observe the holiday in modern times, though it is rumored that some devotees to the fallen Empire and the extinct House of Caine still do.

## Background

The Corsican Revolution of 1380 was the method by which Emperor Beagle came to power on the island. Arising from an infidelity scandal involving the reigning King Albert IV, tensions would escalate to the point of civil war. After the arrest and subsequent freeing of Beagle and his trusted friend Lucel Condor, the war would culminate in the Battle of Ajaccio Palace, which led to the Defenestration of King Albert IV. Assisted by two Corsican peasants, Reginald Vetinarvi would throw the heirless king from a second-floor window, bringing an end to his reign and his lineage. Beagle de Caine, considered by the Corsican people to be a symbol of resistance against corruption, was crowned King of Corsica, Bucharest, and Oslo on December 24. After a betrayal by his first wife and a subsequent institutionalization in the Ajaccio Sanitarium, Beagle and his armies would embark on the Campaign of 1383, creating an Empire out of a small island and two European cities which he inherited. Beaglia, named after the inaugural Emperor, would become the world's leading political power and would remain in this position for many years before its eventual decline and fall. Empire Day was a celebration of Beaglia, as well as its cultures, traditions, and monarchs; its observance stood as a powerful symbol of Imperial pride throughout the centuries of Beaglia's existence.

## Observance

* 1384 - The holiday is declared by Emperor Beagle de Caine.
* 1390 - The first edition of the Empire Day Parade takes place; it becomes an annual tradition.
* 1393 - In commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Campaign of 1383, the first edition of the Imperial Trophy, a tournament featuring hand-to-hand combat, takes place.
* 1412 - A new tradition is born as the Imperial Blade and the Spear of Mortality are displayed in the Empire Day Parade for the first time; the display is added to the parade as a celebration of the defeat of Sekris, which took place earlier that year.
* 1480 - Emperor William de Caine presides over the centennial anniversary of Beaglia.
* 1580 - Emperor Louis de Caine presides over the bicentennial anniversary of Beaglia, taking place in the year after his coronation.
* 1680 - Emperor Edmond de Caine presides over the tricentennial anniversary of Beaglia; unmarried and without heirs, he would mysteriously disappear in the second half of the decade, putting an end to one of the greatest empires in world history.

## Celebrations

### Religious customs

The various celebrations of Empire Day varied by territory and culture. For some citizens of the Empire, religion was an integral part of the holiday; the large Catholic population of Beaglia would often incorporate the saying of Mass into their celebrations, giving thanks to God for the existence of an Empire that protected the continued practice of their religion, and calling upon the intercession of the saints in the decisions of the Imperial Government. A notable practice in Ajaccio was the saying of a noontime Mass at the Ajaccio Cathedral, after which the Empire Day Parade would begin in its courtyard. Paganism was another popular practice in Beaglia, especially the worship of gods such as Primus Oberon or Vexurith. Animal sacrifices would be offered to these gods, asking that their protection might be upon the Empire. Conversely, those who despised the Empire or its ruling family would offer sacrifices to Sekris, praying that he might destroy Beaglia once and for all. After the defeat of Sekris by Emperor Beagle in 1412, these sacrifices largely were performed with the intention of his resurrection.

### Imperial Trophy

In 1393, Emperor Beagle declared the beginning of the Imperial Trophy, a hand-to-hand combat tournament held the weekend before Empire Day. The winner of the tournament would be awarded with the eponymous trophy, the title "Champion of Beaglia," and the opportunity to ride in the Empire Day Parade, in the company of the Imperial Family and certain high-ranking government officials. The tournament was originally established to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the Campaign of 1383, but continued to be held after widespread popularity around Corsica. The 1412 edition of the tournament was held behind closed doors due to security concerns; despite this, that year's Parade went on as planned. For the first 20 years of the Trophy, the tournament's location was a military camp in the small Corsican village of Feronia; after refurbishments were made to the Imperial Cricket Ground in 1414, it became the venue for the Trophy due to the fact that November was not a part of the cricket season. With the aforementioned exception of 1412, the Imperial Trophy was a high-profile tourist attraction; nobles and peasants from all around the Empire would attempt to obtain tickets, but demand often exceeded supply. The military camp in Feronia was standing-room-only and could only accommodate around 10,000 spectators; after the tournament moved to the Imperial Cricket Ground, crowds of around 90,000 were often recorded, filling the massive stadium to capacity. After the conclusion of the tournament, those who participated would be invited to partake of a feast at the Ajaccio Palace with the Imperial Family; the winner of the tournament would be given the honor of staying in the castle until the Empire Day, departing for his homeland after the conclusion of the Parade.

### Empire Day Parade

The culmination of Empire Day celebrations in Ajaccio was a grand parade held in the streets of the Imperial capital. Known as the Empire Day Parade, this celebration would usually involve the pre-eminent figures in the Empire. The parade route (as of 1414) would begin outside the Ajaccio Cathedral; after the saying of Mass at noon by the Bishop, a display by hundreds of soldiers from the Imperial Army would commence. These soldiers, arranged meticulously in rows and equipped with instruments such as bugles and drums, would lead the parade through the streets of Ajaccio. Following the soldiers would typically be a golden statue of a prominent figure in Beaglian history, frequently Emperor Beagle. Some years, the statue was of a person revered as a hero throughout the Empire, such as in 1415 when the statue was of Italian poet Dante Alighieri. In the years when Beaglia embraced the Elder Gods, the statue would be of the Empire's patron god (much to the disdain of the Bishop of Ajaccio). Flanking the statue would be the two most valuable relics of the Beaglian Emperor: the Imperial Blade and the Spear of Mortality. Following the statue, certain nobles appointed by the Emperor would proceed on foot. Behind them were the Axtetii, personal guards of the Imperial Family. The appearance of the Axtetii heralded the impending arrival of the main attractions, the most prominent figures in all of Beaglia. First came the winner of the Imperial Trophy tournament, the Champion of Beaglia, occupying his very own carriage along with the eponymous trophy awarded days prior. After the Champion of Beaglia, certain prominent officials in the Imperial Government came into view; these officials included the Lord Patrician, the Deputy Patrician, and the heads of various governmental departments, all occupying their own carriages. The Imperial Family brought up the rear of the parade; the Emperor and Empress would be in the same carriage, while the Princes and Princesses (if present) would occupy smaller ones modeled after that which their parents rode in. From the Cathedral, the Parade would proceed through the many villages of Ajaccio, before finishing at the Ajaccio Palace.