Belkan Empire

Flag of the Belkan Empire

The **Belkan Empire** was an autocracy formed by TheBlueMagician and Taziaq. The nation was situated in Mid-Western Europe, adjacent to the Nordic Empire and the Imperium Romanum. Shortly after the siege of Germania, the Belkan Empire, alongside the Pyrene Republic and the Italian Empire, merged with the Nordic Empire to form the Greater Nordic Empire.

### **Founding of the Belkan Empire**

The Belkan Empire was formed following a decline in activity in the Oceanic Empire in late August-early September 2021. Members of Tasmania, as well as members from Luminus alongside a few other Oceanics set out on the expedition to Europe to start anew. The first town to be established in the Empire was Celle, on 5th September 2021. Jena, the defensive fort for the Empire, was founded the following day.

On the 16th of September 2021, the Belkan Empire was officially formed, with its capital city at Jena.

### **Growth of the Empire & The Germania Siege**

At its peak, the Belkan Empire held more than half a dozen towns, spanning across Mid-Western Europe and parts of East Asia. Its people actively worked and traded with the Nordic Empire, helping them in sieges as well as developing its own army & arsenals.

Despite active tensions with the Italian Empire (a close ally of the Nordic Empire), which led to some unfortunate deaths, relations of the Belkan Empire were maintained with the Nordic Empire.

In late October 2021, Belka engaged in their first (and last) offensive siege, invading the Roman town of Germania located close to the core Belkan towns. The Empire suffered its fairshare of losses while still giving fierce competition to the enemy. The attacking Belkan Empire was heavily assisted by the Nordic Empire and former enemy, Italian Empire. The defeat of the defending coalition was followed by Germania disbanding. The siege sowed the seeds for a war between the Nordic Empire & its allies and the Coalition that would last till the end of the year. Following this siege, members of the Imperium Romanum started to launch raids against towns such as Celle & St. Christopher. Mounting pressures from both the enemies and within the Empire forced TheBlueMagician & Taziaq to make a referendum to merge The Belkan Empire with the Nordic Empire.

### **The Great Nordic Merge**

On November 8th 2021, a referendum was issued by the government of Belka on the topic of merging with the Nordic Empire. The reasons given were that the Empire was unable to keep up with developing its own army and the interests of Belka and the Nordic Empire aligned significantly. The vast majority of the Nation agreed to this, and the Empire was merged with the Nordic Empire on the same day.

Initially, the merge was supposed to be temporary to give time to the Empire to build itself back up in the protection of the Nordic Empire, but it ended up being permanent. The governmental bodies of the Empire merged into the Nordic Empire and The Belkan Empire effectively dissolved.

### **Post-merge Identity**

Following the merge of the Belkan Empire into the Nordic Empire. TheBlueMagician & Taziaq left Europe to return to the Oceanic Empire. Jena was left in charge by CashMoneyAmigo, and Celle was left on its own to work out its own future. Other minor Belkan towns fell soon after due to inactivity & infighting, with a section of St. Christopher going on to be a part of the Thracian Confederation.

Months after leaving for Oceania, the former leaders of Belka returned to Europe amist rumors of reforming the Belkan Empire. However, upon asking, the ex-leader of Belka, TheBlueMagician, denies all claims of recreating the Empire, stating that it was a futile effort which has no real benefits & no incentives to do such a thing. However, the Belkan identity survives in the town banner of Jena, and through the architecture seen in Celle.