Balveria

With a fearsome reputation for unflinching discipline and a lack of fear or mercy, the united Balverian land armies of the Empire were a source of great pride to the young nation.

### Era

1253 - 1304 (As the North Balverian Union)1304 - (As the Balverian Empire)

The **Balverian Empire**, commonly known as **Balveria** or **Albetar**, was a young empire formed by the unification of dozens of small, ethnically Balverian states in central Teciria during the early years of the Age of Sail. The militaristic, expansionist Principality of Albetar, the most powerful of the northern Balverian states, spearheaded the unification effort in response to the growing influence of the Kingdom of Valenros and the Sovereignty of Estadoria over the southern Balverian states. This effort led to the formation of the North Balverian Union, a predecessor state to the Empire, which dealt successive defeats to its rivals and forced Estadoria to renounce its claim to leadership of all Balverians. The Treaty of Aldenbruck, signed between the Union, the Sovereignty, and Valenros, resulted in the establishment of the Empire, uniting the North Balverian states with most of the Sudbalverens west of Estadoria. Ruled by the former Princes of Albetar, now Emperors of Balveria, the young Empire quickly became one of the Great Powers of Vaurithius, though every effort was made by its competitors to keep the new nation contained and weakened. While its land army undoubtedly ranked among the strongest in Vaurithius, the sea power of Balveria was extremely limited due to its lack of warm-water coastline and the inherent advantages of its rivals' preestablished navies. This lack of naval power was largely negated by the onset of the Age of Sail; Ardonian methods of manipulating Skycurrents quickly made their way to Balveria, where one of the most powerful and advanced Airfleets in Vaurithius quickly formed. With the Empire now a capable threat both on land and in the air, the bickering between the rival Great Powers slowed as the realization of Balveria's capability took hold.

The Balverian Empire's rise to prominence would continue throughout the first half of the 14th century, as the young state set about completing its goal of the unification of all Balverians in western Teceria. Several small wars and crises would erupt throughout the south of the Empire during these years, as rebellious nobles and commoners were brought in line with the Emperors' visions. These conflicts would only lead to increased stability, however, as the Empire pursued a culture of militarism and fervent nationalism with limited space for dissenters. This culture, known as 'Thalstein Militarism', would push the state to more actively pursue its goals of complete Balverian unification. Balveria's primary focus during the 14th century was the liberation of ethnically Balverian areas of the Celitaean peninsula, all of which at the time had fallen under the influence of the Ardonian empire. A feverish military build-up boiled over into active conflict in the Celitaean War of 1380, Imperial columns marching into the old Thalstein kingdoms and sweeping aside the weak military of the Ardonian puppet state. The early victories of the Empire, however, would quickly transform into a vicious stalemate as Ardonian marines arrived on the continent in force.