Karostain Empire

Flag of Karostain

Kingdom of Legarinia
Archduchy of Reine
Dersochia under the Yarian dynasty
Aleurusian lands
Commonwealth of Regit

> "In peace and in war, with honor."
>
> Motto of the King-Emperor adopted by Keith I

The **Karostain Empire**, officially known as the **Karostain Holy Empire** or **Karostain Sainted Empire** from 1701 to 1938, was a militaristic, imperialistic, colonial empire established in Eredan that had a significant presence in central Helinska and other territories from 1910 to 1928.

## Etymology

The name *Karostain* refers to Karostein Castle, the birthplace of the imperial House of Karolus. "Karo" means "sainted," and "stein" means stone; thus, the literal translation of "Karostain" is "Sainted Stone Empire." The religious element of Karostainian politics remained especially prominent in its early years.

## The King-Emperor

The descendants of Karolus the Rich eventually became known as the House of Karolus. They ruled over Karostein Castle ands its surrounding lands starting in 1468, at first using the title *Count of Karostein*.

Upon the ascension of Karol I as lord of the Balian Confederation in 1652, the Counts of Karostein became Kings. This newfound kingdom formed the political center of the temporary Karostain Confederation and the more durable Karostain Empire.

All members of the House of Karolus ruled as *King or Queen of Karostain* by birthright. In practice, these monarchs were always the leader of the Empire as a whole.

However, the office of Karostainian Emperor was not created until Karol III's reign. It was an elected role that had specific religious undertones. The Karostainian nobility declared a reigning King the Emperor after they came of age to legitimize their rule.

The standard title for a fully inaugurated sovereign of the Karostain Empire was as follows:

> By all the Saints, King and Emperor of Karostain
>
>

An alternative title was:

> By all the Saints, King-Emperor of Karostain
>
>

## History

### Establishment (1652-1701)

* **Karol I the Great** supplanted the line of Balas VI upon his death, replacing the Balian Confederation with the Karostain Confederation, ruled by the counts (now monarchs) of Kalavalta. He eventually centralized the state into a new polity known as the Karostain Empire.

### The Ten Good Monarchs

#### Prosperity and conquests (1701-'74)

* **Kalrud I** ordered the Grand Crossing, establishing Karostainian presence across the Legarinia Strait. Local confederations were disbanded by military force.
* **Karol II** married into the throne of Legarinia (later known as Siberoslavia), bringing it under Karostainian domination.
* **Karol III the Sainted** married into the title of Archduke of Reine, bringing its lands under Karostainian domination. However, a faction of local nobles revolted in response, being crushed decisively. Karol III also warred with the peoples of Dersochia and the Aleurusian lands. Most importantly, he presided over a religious and political renaissance, namely creating the electoral office of Emperor of Karostain. He established the divine right of Karostainian monarchs and strengthened imperial authority.
* **Hosef** attempted to expand upon Karol III's reforms, but was disliked by most of the imperial elite. He suffered a renewed revolt by Reinean princes, backed by a group of his own nobility. Despite this, he did much to improve Karostainian infrastructure.
* **Kalrud II** fought a war with the Yugolski Empire over control of Dersochia and the Aleurusian lands. He annexed Dersochia and briefly acquired Aleurusia as a tributary before it revolted with the support of the Yugolski and Prithanian Empires.
* **Maria I** oversaw extensive raids against the Yugolski and the Prithanian Empires at various points during her rule. However, she was able to prevent them from uniting against her with temporary exceptions. She eventually made peace with the Prithanians, allowing their ships to pass through the Legarinia Strait undisturbed and continue the development of their empire. In exchange, the Prithanians allowed Karostain to occupy the island of Regit. A state of war continued to exist with the Yugolski, however.

#### Reforms, Imperial Codifications, and first colonies (1774-1802)

* **Darius I** continued the state of war with the Yugolski, resulting in minimal territorial changes.
* **Konrad** attempted to coerce King John Charles of Lesovia into an alliance against the Yugolski, but was unsuccessful. In retaliation, he launched a Karostainian invasion of Lesovia, but was turned back at the Battle of the Kattino Valley. A hasty peace treaty and border was established, which eventually crystallized into a decades-long *status quo* between the two nations.
* **Keith I the Great** defeated a large Yugolski fleet in the Battle of Bernarbor and launched numerous naval incursions into the enemy state. He established seven "Karostainian fortress-states" at various points along the Yugolski coast and brought the myriad tribes of the Aleurusian lands under the control of Karostain. Keith was critical to establishing a distinct Karostainian national identity through the forge of war. He also put down a renewed Reinean uprising and authorized the first Karostainian expeditions to Helinska. Finally, Keith codified numerous legal reforms in an attempt to modernize the country. He was regarded as a towering figure in Karostainian history.

### Succession woes (1802-'07)

* **Tietrich the Innocent** was a patron of religion and the arts, but succumbed to illness in the fifth year of his reign. The throne fell to his son, who was similarly afflicted.
* **Keith II** died in infancy.

### Expansion of colonialism (1807-'29)

* **Maria II** authorized colonies in the Marwattle Islands. However, this expenditure resulted in the loss of most Karostainian fortress-states in the Yugolski heartland. She established contacts with the Kanikawa Shogunate and Kon Thiet, competing with the Montelan Federation for influence there. This culminated in the Bracer Affair, which confirmed Karostainian influence over Kanikawa and Montelan influence over Kon Thiet.
* **Karol IV** established the Krak Troops to regain ground against the Yugolski and ennobled the lords of Marwattle as counts.

### Stagnation and decline (1829-1910)

* **Georgina** put down the Third Reinean Revolt.
* **Lucian I** witnessed the end of the last Karostainian fortress-states in the Yugolski Empire. He also witnessed the Kanikawan invasion of Kon Thiet, throwing vast resources into its success, but was thwarted by Montelan and Lesovian intervention. This put an end to Karostainian ambitions in Kanikawa. To retaliate, Lucian launched a disastrous March through Lesovia, further weakening his army and allowing the Yugolski to freely raid his coastline. He accepted humiliating peace terms with Montel and Lesovia, allowing him to turn his attention back to the Yugolski. To finance his defensive wars, he put increasing strain on the Karostainian territorial colonies.
* **Lucian II** formally ended the Ninety Years' War against the Yugolski Empire, leaving both belligerents militarily exhausted. The Yugolski would never recover from their military and financial depletion, paving the way for the rise of Iljekya. The Karostainians, for their part, were on the brink of economic collapse. To ensure that neighboring Lesovia did not take advantage of his position, Lucian secretly supported Kastelon insurgents in Madrisk. He also ended direct Karostainian administration over Reine, the Aleurusian lands, and Dersochia, leaving them as semi-independent tributaries with greater economic freedom to trade with the Isles Centralis. This increased Karostain's wealth but decreased its national unity and the overall cohesion of the empire. The Yugolski quickly reestablished suzerainty over Aleurusia despite its ostensible control by the Karostainians.
* **Alexandra** reigned as the Karolian Archduke of Reine suffered a failed revolt and Aleurusia and Dersochia were fully incorporated into the Yugolski Empire.
* **Darius II** attempted to modernize the country but died without an heir before any of his ambitious projects could be realized. At the very least, he authorized the colony of Kurisal in Helinska. The tributary state of Reine was made fully independent during this time.

### Bloody Interregnum (1910-'19)

* North Legarinia violently seceded during this time period.

### Collapse (1919-'48)

* **Kalrudas** reigned during the years prior to and following the fall of the Karostainian territories in Helinska. His failure to successfully organize national military efforts during the war resulted in his *de facto* replacement as supreme commander by the Sainted Imperial Officers' Council.
* **Clement** reigned as monarch of Karostain during the Great War against Prithania and Montel. As with Kalrudas, he bore very little military power, but remained a major figure in national politics. He abdicated under duress in 1948.

#### In Helinska

The expansionist colonial regime in Helinska warranted several international coalitions against it, leading to the end of Karostainian presence in Helinska in 1928 and the establishment of the Polmarian states of Kalaroos, Kurisal and Kurvack

#### In Eredan

Karostain joined the Great War in 1943 on the side of communist Iljekya. It was defeated in 1946 by Prithanian and Montelan forces, as well as local partisans who wished to overthrow the authoritarian regime. The country was occupied from 1946 until 1954, when it regained independence as the Federal Republic of Carosthania.

## Religion

The state religion of the Karostain Empire venerated the Saints, the most powerful of which was the Lordly Saint.

## Government

The Karostain Empire was an absolute monarchy for much of its existence. It degenerated into an oligarchy at various points, such as the tragic death of Keith II, the Bloody Interregnum, and the entire reign of King-Emperor Clement.

## References

1. ↑ ***Karostainian Empire*** also used.