Empire of Kordowyn

*"*I'r Dynian, I'r Ymerodraeth*"- For the People, For the Empire*

The Empire of Kordowyn was a constituent realm of the Imperial Commonwealth. Kordowyn is located at the center of the known world, centered around the Twlloch Sea. The Empire's longest reigning monarch was Charlotte, within five years of her death in 333 the government was overthrown and reformed into the Union of National Rhomhiet Republics.

## Empire of Kordowyn

Flag of the Empire of Kordowyn, featuring the Empire's Coat of Arms

## State Information

### Head of State

Empress CharlottePrime Minister Arthur George

### Population

140,954,000(80,018,000 in Heartland, 60,936,000 in Colonies)

### Military

Grand Army of the Empire of KordowynImperial Navy of Kordowyn

## Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of Empress Charlotte, inherited from her father and by law the Coat of Arms of the Empires of Kordowyn and Avalon. The Arms are the Cadigan family arms quartered with those of the Pryce arms, which Emperor Llywelyn inherited after Arthwr III's death. The Arms are also supported by banners of the Kordynian national colors, as well as Y Ddraig Goch on either side. The Arms also include the arms of her husband's, impaled with her own.

## The History of Kordowyn

### Pre-Badger's Landing Kordowyn

Prior to the arrival of Acrenian settlers in Kordowyn, the land was inhabited by the "Old Kordynians". Old Kordowyn had no writing system, so very little is actually known prior to Badger's Landing. What is known, however, is there were 12 Clans in Old Kordowyn, that each controlled their own land. The Clans were tribal, and were ruled by a hereditary Clan Leader, called the "Benadur", which directly translates to "leader".

### Early Stories of Unification

An Old Kordynian folk tale tells of an early Benadur named Arthwr, who through his conquests united Kordowyn several hundred years before Badger's Landing. The validity of this story is widely disputed among Kordynian scholars, as well as when Arthwr existed (if at all) and what clan he was the leader of. Despite the dubious nature surrounding his existence, the Pryce family claims direct lineage from Arthwr, and claims he united Kordowyn roughly 500 years before the arrival of the Acrenians.

### The Founding of Modern Kordowyn

Kordowyn was founded in the year KOR 0 in an event known as Badger's Landing by a group of Acrenian settlers fleeing war and destruction in a far away realm.

### Early Leadership in Kordowyn

The first ruler of Kordowyn was Sir Badger. Upon his death in KOR 14, the Duchy of Kordowyn was established and a hereditary monarchy created. After some minor infighting as to who should lead the new duchy, a local Benadur by the name of Owain Pryce was elected as Duke Owain I. This began the long reign of the Pryce Dynasty, which lasted until 244.

### The Beginnings of Kordynian Militarism

Militarism in Kordowyn began under her second Duke, Alisander I. Under Alisander I, wars were fought and won against Gwynne Clan, Cadwallader Clan, Clough Clan, and Lloyd Clan, with their lands being turned into Counties, with their respective names. Over the next century, every subsequent Kordynian duke would continue the tradition of expansionism, until finally under Arthwr II, all the Clans of Kordowyn were united, and the Kingdom of Kordowyn was established.

### Kordowyn Under Arthwr II

#### Declaration of Secularization

In the year 93, then Duke Arthwr II issued one of the most important declarations in Kordowyn: the Declaration of Secularization. The declaration officially ended the New Church of Acren, who's clergy had been conspiring against the Kordynian government for over a century. The Church wanted to establish themselves as central to the Kordynian government, as well as wanted to forcibly convert Kordynians to the Acrenian religion, both of which the Kordynian government stood firmly against. After revelations that the Church was possibly behind the assassination of Duke Arthwr I, the declaration was made. The Clergy was forced to walk away from their positions or face arrest, and the New Acren Cathedral in the city of Kordowyn was seized by the City Guard of Kordowyn. The declaration made Kordowyn officially a secular government, insuring the rights of the religious in Kordowyn.

#### Creation of the Kingdom of Kordowyn

Following a short war against the Pendry Clan, Kordowyn was officially united. In a strong speech given before a crowd of people in front of the former New Acren Cathedral, Arthwr II proclaimed Kordowyn officially united, and that Kordowyn would officially be a Kingdom.

### The Kingdom of Kordowyn

Over the next century, Kordowyn would continue gradual expansion, primarily into uninhabited areas. In 118, the Imperial Canal System project would begin, as well as in 136, Fort Loddyn would begin being constructed, with the Kordynian Citadel being abandoned in 143. Under King Owain V in 223, a brief war was fought and lost against the Grand Duchy of Kolangrad and Hybretia, referred to as the First Invasion of Kolangrad. A second war would be fought between Kolangrad, Hybretia, and Kordowyn, this time won by Kordowyn, called the Second Invasion of Kolangrad in 233. Following the successful war, Arthwr III declared Kordowyn an Empire.

### Empire of Kordowyn Under Arthwr III

In 234, Arthwr III declared the Kordynian Culture Acts, which brought back a lot of abandoned Old Kordynian customs and parts of culture, in an attempt to raise morale among the war-weary population of Kordowyn. The acts are generally seen to have been successful, with a rebirth (or a 'Hailenegaeth') of Old Kordynian culture. Art, science, music, and all other forms of culture began to flourish. Kordowyn intervened in the War of 241, also called the "Southern War" in Kordowyn, and turned the tide from a stalemate to a clear Kordynian victory.

### Emperor Llywelyn and Empress Charlotte

Following his rise to power after the 1st Great War, Emperor Llywelyn enacted several reforms that would greatly change the Empire. The first which was the revocation of the Empire's feudal laws in 245, which centralized the authority of the Emperor and the newly created Parliament, which he also created that same year.

After the Imperial Civil War, which saw Emperor Llywelyn's power threatened by the Blackshirts, Emperor Llywelyn, while maintaining the centralization of Kordynian authority in the Heartland, decentralized the Empire elsewhere, creating a federation of equals in the form of the Empire of Avalon. Emperor Llywelyn was assassinated in November of 256, leading to his eldest daughter, Charlotte, becoming the Empire's first female monarch at the age of 11.

After her coronation in 262, Empress Charlotte continued her father's liberal reforms of the Empire, which saw the power of the Parliament strengthened, and eventually the Empire of Avalon disbanded. In 267, Empress Charlotte found herself unexpectedly becoming the Queen of Auchinmore. Later that year, the Union of Dunlieth was signed, with Acts of Union passing both Parliaments of Kordowyn and Auchinmore, resulting in the formation of the Imperial Commonwealth.

Western States: Kingdom of Hybretia, Grand Duchy of Kolangrad, Cigaltria
Northern Reach: Neo-Kygonese Empire, Drekheim, Inaria
Southern States: Second Kingdom of Varsais
Other: Templari'i Republic, Prince-Bishopric of Saint Laurent
Old World: Gretian-Sidonian Empire, Lirrachan Republic, Empire of Tyris
Defunct: Empire of Kygon, Kingdom of Varsais, Republic of Kygon, Gorathic Kingdom, First Kingdom of Kordowyn, Adonia, Endiolaudum