Difference between revisions of "Mevosa"

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Mevosa is the capital and largest city of Fluvique, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in Rushmore.It is located on the western coast of the Yellow River, in a zone know as duck's bight. The Greater Mevosa conurbation, which also includes several Mevosa Province districts, has a population of around eight million.

Aboriginal peoples settled down near the actuals Regency Park and Rose Gardens and the zone was named Mhe-Vo-Ska. After, the Spaniards colonizers established a garrison and the first fort. After the independence in 1821, the city and his port was part of several struggles and was the capital of the Republic, the Confederation and, since 1871, the Kingdom. Despite many projects, the city limits were placed between the North and Union river.

Mevosa contains famous landmarks including The White Palace, the April Square, The Royal Concert Hall, Mevosa Cathedral, Royal Planetarium, parks as Constitution and April, the Old Port market, The Little Angels boulevard and the Revolution Avenue, one of the widest and longest avenues in the world. Mevosa has the major concentration of theatres and museums per capita in the world, including the National Museum, Royal Natural History Museum, Royal Planetarium, The Royal Concert Hall and Union theatre. The Mevosa Subway is one of the oldest in the world, with the first line inaugurated in 1908.

A global city with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, fashion, healthcare, media and tourism, Mevosa is the economic center of Fluvique and is the starter point of the railway system and the highway system. The city is a top tourist destination, and is known for its European-style architecture, especially on his French influences, with big palaces, cafes, boulevards and parks.

Mevosa is defined as a multicultural city, being home to multiple ethnic and religious groups. Several languages are spoken in the city in addition to Spanish, French and English, contributing to its culture and the dialect spoken in the city and in some other parts of the country. The city port was the final destination for millions of immigrants in the late XIX century and until 1950, which contributed to change the local and national society and created the nowadays Fluvique. The Royal Statistical Office estimates a total population of more than 6,591,890 people living in Mevosa and around 8,359,210 in Greater Mevosa. Around 19% of the inhabitants are immigrants, but 89% of the population are sons of immigrants.

Etymology

The Spanish sailors that arrived to the coast in 1535 to establish a fort, named the zone as Saint Marguerite of the Valley, believing that they where in the legendary Spices Valley, described by the French. However, after a year, they realized that the zone was not a Valley but a low area between two rivers. The colonizers had trade networks with the indigenous people of the zone, due to two little villages near the actual Regency park and the Rose garden in the north part of the city. The natives had the word Mhe-Vo-Ska for the area, meaning "town or towns between two rivers".

The second settlement in 1556, founded the city of Mevosha around the fort, renamed Saint Marguerite of Mevosha. Over the next decades, the name changed from the original to the actual Mevosa, officialized in 1588 when the reconstructed fort was named Saint John of Mevosa.

History

Colonial times

The city history truly began in 1536, when the lands around the fort were distributed among many sailors from Spain and Italy and the families of the soldiers in the fort. The city coast had ravines and his waters were not enough deep to allow the ships to land in the center, where the fort was. Thus, the Spaniards created the Old Port in the mouth of the actual Union river, called Bloody Creek, due to his waters. Until the early XVIII century, the city was divided into two: a port zone in the south and the main village with the square, markets, fort and the General Lieutenant houses and colonial offices, in the center.

The aboriginal peoples were more friendlies than in other colonies around the world, but the Spaniards expelled all the aboriginals to the west, isolating the cities from the hinterland and his peoples. From his early days, Fluvique depended primarily on trade. The fields around the village were excellent for the agriculture and livestock and quickly became the main resourse for the economy, also sharing importance with the logging and fishery. His location in middle of the colonies made the city the capital and most important city of the nascent Viceroyalty. His growing port was the center of commercial activities, absorbing the flow of all the Yellow River coast. The citizens quickly became the richest of the Yellow River provinces, having a life-style similar to the european, importing customs and people from the old world. However, the Spanish authorities reacted increasing taxes and establishing a stronger monopoly with the metropolis, to the detriment of the Mevosians. This led to the develop of a complex smuggling system, with the permission of some colonial authorities, impulsing even more the commerce of wheat and leathers.

While Spanish citizens and their sons were part of the local government, chiefs of the militia or authorized merchants, the Mevosians prospered with the smuggling and general trade, becoming part of the local aristocracy, every time more influent.

By the late XVIII century, the city was the capital of the Viceroyalty of the Yellow River, had the first paved street in the continent, many parks and squares with European style, the most important port in the region, the centre of the colonial government, cultural, economic and political. The great prosperity was extended from 1750 to 1800, receiving also the first great immigration wave, specially Spaniards, Italians and French and was populated by lawyers, doctors, merchants and landowners.

Since his foundation and until 1808 the city suffered many invasions. In 1578, a group of english corsairs tried to disembark in the mouth of the North river, but was expelled. In 1583, in the context of the dutch revolt, an United Provinces expedition bombed the fort and the port, but were repelled after a skirmish. In 1604 French sailors from Saint Lucie colony blocked the port, but were defeated by a Spanish fleet two weeks after. The fourth invasion was in charge of Sveen Karlsland, a danish adventurer, in 1656 but was expelled by the local militia. In 1698 the frenchman Auguste Etienne was killed near the actual Defense station after disembark in the city. To prevent more invasions, the city was remodeled: the fort was completely renewed and the main buildings (such as the Viceroy's lodgings, the treasury and the local assembly) were placed inside it. The Arms square was expanded and also the church and the surrounding colonial houses were replaced by modern buildings. Also was the starting point of a practice that will be common over the next centuries: fill the coast and gain land to the river. TThat first attempt added at least two hundred meters of coast, which became parks, squares and a new port in 1880.

Independence and Civil Wars

During the Anglo-Spanish War (1796–1808), Great Britain was interested in the ports of Fluvique and the trade opportunities of the colonies. Since the Independence of the United States and with the start of Napoleon's Continental System, the British were seeking for new markets for his products. The potential of the colonies and the war between the two nations were the perfect scenario for an invasion. On February 7, 1808 the British forces disembarked in Goose Cove. After an agreement with the Spanish authorities, the troops entered without resistance into five columns in the streets, being watched by the people from balconies and roofs. They took the Arms Square, the Fort, the Port and the main colonial buildings.

Despite the fact that many of the upper class members were happy of the new colonial status and swore loyalty to the Empire, the mid and lower classes, and also the local troops, were upset for the Spanish attitude. A group of lawyers, merchants and army officials created a secret society called Tobacco brothers and created a militia and besieged the British and finally expelled them on April 5. The people's resistance and his active participation in the defense and reconquest of the city increased the power and popularity of the Fluviquean leaders and also boost the influence and fervor of the independentist movements. Mevosa won military power, by a militia formed by locals, and moral prestige. The Spanish authorities returned to the power and tried to disarm the people and calm the general mood. However, the people were angry and on April 7, the militia attacked the Mevosa's fort and forced the colonial government to leave the city. The National Assembly was formed in April 8, ending with more than 270 years of Spanish rule and starting the independence process.

As consequence, the power changed from the Spaniards to the paysans. The city of around 50.000 inhabitants was transformed in a prosperous port, consumer of manufactures from Great Britain and customs from France. In the first moment, and during almost all the Independence War, Mevosa was the primary motivator of uprisings in the rest of the colonies. The National Assembly was replaced by a National Junta composed by representatives of across the country and having their meetings at the old fort. The National Assembly inherited the centralist power of the old colonial government and the successive government forms of the new country placed his headquarters in Mevosa: National Junta, First Public Council, Second Public Council, Directory and Supreme Assembly.

On march of 1817 Mevosa, Point Territory, Saint Matthew and South Cape signed a Defence Treaty, creating a future Confederacy. This immediately cause a urgency reunion of the Supreme Assembly, who tried to provoke the resign of the Director, Antony Mary. He was fully defeated on March 11 and was forced to resign and went to the exile in Europe, causing a national acephalia until february of 1818.

The Supreme Assembly convened a congress in the city of Crenel, to finally declare de independence and unite the country. The National Congress declared the formal independence in July 16, 1821. The representatives of Geneva and Betham tried to pass the 1821's Constitution to create a Federal Republic. Mevosa and their allies retired from the Congress and make efective the Preliminar Treaty and make a new one: The Confederation Act, signed by Mevosa, Point Territory, Crenel, Saint Matthew and South Cape. In contraposition, Betham, Geneva, Alkanter, Greencastle and Saint Lucie signed The Plum Fields Treaty, dividing the country into two separated states. The war started five months after and lasted until 1826, when William Flash was defeated in Nevaux plains. The republicans entered in the capital, swore the constitution in the April square and declared the Republic of Fluvique on August, 1826. Miguel Mush became the first president.

The weak government tried to survive in a hostile environment, but after many attempts of uprisings, the National Army answered with more violence and thousands were executed during their first five months. The problems in the provinces and the secession of Liberty from Geneva, led to the deposition of the first president and created a Triumvirate. The federal government was weaker than never and a revolution exploded on December 1, 1834. The rebels, leaded by Manuel Estephan, attacked the fort, took the city, imprisoned the republicans and started a major mobilization. After his victory at Founded Pass, the Confederation of Fluvique was established, with every province acting as a state and Mevosa dealing with the foreign relations in their name. The city grew for a population of 82.000 inhabitants in 1836 to 95.000 in 1851.

In 1857 the port was blockaded by Great Britain and France, causing a trade deficit and more uprisings. The general William Hoore defeated the Confederation in the battle of Deep Creek and besieged Mevosa for one year. The army finally entered in the capital and declared the unification of the country. Mevosa was declared a open city resulting in a week murders, rapes, robberies, called the Regrettable Week, the most bloody and dark episode of the city's history.

John Swanson, the governor of Mevosa, started a revolution against Hoore. This time, the war was total and every province fought against each other. After the Battle of Corn Fields, the old enemies of Betham and Mevosa signed the Pact of National Welfare in 1869 and after beat all the other governors, united the country under their rule.

Modern history

The civil wars literally decimated the city and his population. Thus, starting in 1870, the city began to receive thousands of Europeans, especially from Spain, Italy, France and Great Britain. They changed the customs and idiosyncrasies of the city. Also the constructions modified the city: new railways, roads, squares were built in different styles, specially the Italian. With the creation of the Kingdom in 1871 the city was fully overhauled. The April and Constitution parks were opened, the White Palace was built for the King, the old fort was demolished, the cathedral and concert hall were restored and the Parliamentary Palace was built. The city had more than 1.000.000 inhabitants in 1895, but only 550.000 were natives.

The prosperity of the World's feeder was shown in the April Revolution Centennial Exposition in 1908. Many modern boulevards were opened, inspired in the Haussmann plan, more than ten palaces were built, the July 16th and Revolution avenues were opened, more than hundred squares were opened, the first subway was inaugurated in 1908, the public services were modernized and the coast was expanded 400 metres to build the Centennial Port in 1880. The port was inefficient after ten years, due to the increase of the traffic and the new ships. Finally the New Port was opened in 1919 in the north of the city, and the old port in the mouth of the Union river was abandoned and caused a major unemployment. The Centennial port was buried and the coast was expanded for a last time and three new parks were created over the old port, the nowadays Bernache, Gabriel I and Acadie.

During the "Great Coming" (1875-1920), the immigrants populated the city and Mevosa had the world's largest growth rate and, in 1914, reached a total population of more than 2.100.000 citizens. During 1940s and 1950s, a system of highways were opened, bordering the city and connecting some avenues and boulevards of the centre. By a Royal Decree, their limits were fixed between the North and Union rivers and creating a barrier of parks in the hillsides of both rivers to prevent more constructions and allowing the population to have access to more parks. However, the Socialist governments increased the city population and also the internal migration caused by the industrialization formed the megacity known as Greater Mevosa.

After seventy years without a local government, the city won the Capital-District status, giving the opportunity to elect a local parliament, the Speakers House, which is in charge of elect a Chief of Government every five years. Koert Lauwers was elected the first Chief of Government in 1950.

Over the next decades, the impossibility of open new highways or expand the streets due to the palaces and historical buildings built until 1930, the subway was expanded with five more lines and a new airport was constructed in the called Greater Mevosa or Metropolitan Mevosa, connected by the Begber highway.

In November of 2002 the city was the main place of the riots and marches calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister and his cabinet. More than twenty banks were set fire and the thefts were common. The police tried to expel the people from the April Square and five person died in the combat, but the forces had to retreat to the Parliament Palace. They Parliament voted a censure motion in a night session, minutes before that the people entered to the palace and forced all of them to run away. The Prime Minister Charles Wendell and some of his cabinet had to escape on a ambulance, in the middle of a rain of stones and flares. The conflict ended with the destitution of the 40 parliament members, at least half of the provinces without government and national acephalia, in the worst institutional crisis of the Fluviquean history.

In 2004 the city allowed the same-sex marriage, being the first of the country and one of the first in Rushmore.

In 2005 Mevosa suffered one of his bigger tragedies, when two trains crashed at Defense station, causing 70 deads and more than 800 wounded. This eventually lead to the nationalization of the service and the creation of Fluviquean Railways.

In 2013 Charles Capitanni, from the Social Justice Party, became the first Chief of Government after defeat the Conservative Party for the first time ever.

Demographics

City Map