New Tarajan
| This page is a work in progress by its author(s) and should not be considered final. |
| Federal Aristocratic Kingdom of New Tarajan Federale Aristocratische Koninkrijk van Nieuw Tarajan en Shahdom en alle Ajans
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| Motto: "Rex est qui nihil metuit" "The King is who fear nothing" |
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| Anthem: "March of Sigismund VI" | |||||
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| Region | World Alliance | ||||
| Capital | World Alliance | ||||
| Largest city | Eindhoven | ||||
| Official languages | Tarajani Dutch, Ajanic, Arveyran | ||||
| Recognised national languages | English (de facto), Tarajani Dutch, Ajanica | ||||
| Demonym | Tarajani | ||||
| Government | Semi-constitutional federal aristocratic monarchy | ||||
| - | King and Shah ex officiob |
King Friederick Wilhelm II Van Vinkel | |||
| - | Prime Minister (Chancellor) | Duke Philippe August Van Sondenburg-Sorenberg | |||
| - | Deputy Prime Minister | Princess Wali Esther Farah Rumaki | |||
| - | Lord President of the Royal Diet | Prince Maximilian Van Sondenburg | |||
| Legislature | Parliament | ||||
| - | Upper house | Senate | |||
| - | Lower house | Commons | |||
| History | |||||
| - | Founding | 1595 | |||
| - | Restauration of the monarchy | 1939 | |||
| - | Foundation of the Empire | 2014 | |||
| Population | |||||
| - | 2014 estimate | 678,777,416 | |||
| GDP (nominal) | 2014 estimate | ||||
| - | Total | P$ 23 trillions | |||
| - | Per capita | P$ 34,922.79 | |||
| Gini (2014) | 0.237 low |
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| HDI (2014) | 0.9478 very high |
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| Currency | Prand ( P$) (P$) |
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| Time zone | Shirouma Standard Time (-2 PST)f | ||||
| Date format | dd ˘ mm ˘ yyyy | ||||
| Drives on the | right | ||||
| Calling code | 023 | ||||
| ISO 3166 code | NTJ | ||||
| Internet TLD | .taj | ||||
Historically, Tarajan has a solid tradition as unified political body, although its final unification came only around the 1600s of the Jahan Era.
Actually, the Kingdom is a semi-federalistic, absolute monarchy, led by King Friederick Wilhelm II, who maintained in his hands both the functions of Head of State and Prime Chancellor until he assigned the second one to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marquis Conrad Van Vinkel, the previous year, making a breaking with the policy inaugurated by his grand-father Conrad III.
Since the Declaration, the Kingdom followed a stricly anti-revolutionary, reactionary-style policy, both internally and externally (mitigated, however, by progressive social policies in education and welfare, and by a great attention of the government about the impact of market economy on the low classes, not to mention a strong anti-racist legislation, heritage of the multi-ethnic history of Tarajan).
This policy led the Kingdom to become founder of the Security and Economical Union of Reactionary States (commonly known as SECURS), together with the Principality of Antanares and the Grand Duchy of Casavarr, with which it is bound also by strong historical and traditional culture.
Recently, the King inaugurated the Jahan Space Colony, masterpiece of Tarajan technology, and new step (after the foundation of the Royal Space Fleet, and the construction of the orbiting starbase Augusta) toward space colonization and exploration.
Etimology
The origins of the name "Tarajan" are ancient, back to the first Ajan migration, which led to the first unification of the land under the rule of the Ajan Shah.
Indeed, the name is simply the Ajanic word for "Land of the Ajans" (the prefix "Tar-" is an abbreviation of the word "Taraaba" for "Land").
However, some scholars believe the real origin of the word lies in the pre-Ajanic tradition, conforted by new archeological findings that seem to support the first theories about an indigenous derivation of the Ajanic language.
History
Main Article: History of Tarajan
Tarajan has a very rich history, dating back to the first human settlments, about the 10.000 B.J., with the birth of the "Paragaal Culture".
The first civilization of Tarajan (with its core located in the Kashair Plain) was the Muraz Empire (from the homonymous town, which was its capital), ruled by the almost mythological Shramanid Dynasty.
The importance of this civilization lies in the creation of the first writing system of the region, and the foundation of the first centralized political power.
Although this first Empire was destroyed in the first decades of the Jahan Era by the semi-nomadic population of the Ajans, this event doesn't lead to a political fragmentation: soon after the fall of Muraz ( around 24 B.J.), the devastation of Kashair and the subsequent shift of the Ajans in the most fertile region of the Lake Horat (the modern region of the Tarkhanate), they found, on the ruins of a small village, their first capital, Tarajan, which would rapidly become the centre of the new Ajanic Empire (known as the "Empire of the Shas", from the title of its sovereigns).
The foundation of the Ajanic Empire and the unification of all the region in its hands was the first step toward the birth of the Tarajans identity as we know it today.
Ruled by the Jahanid Dynasty for almost all its duration, the Empire developed a great and refined culture in all fields, from the literature to the art of war, which was the foundation of the modern Tarajan culture.
After the Battle of Bakran (387 A.J.), the Empire fell under the pressure of centrifugal movements, giving way to a period of instability of almost two centuries. The rebirth of the Jahanids in Tarajan (during the X century), with the creation of the homonymous Kingdom, lead to a more stabilized situation, with the cultural and historical heritage of the Empire securely hold by the new Kingdom, with some minor powers orbiting around it.
After a brief, but destructivte, Sinaic invasion of the Kingdom (1078-83 A.J.), the final break of the Ajan rule came in the XVI century, with the first invasion of Western knights lead by Gustav Van DerGulden and Sigismund I Van Vinkel, who rapidly established their power in the ancient city of Alleskan (renamed Alleskandberg). During all the century, the Ajans found themselves constantly fighting against the Westerns, who subsequently founded a series of fiefdoms along the northern side of the Shalimar River, and, soon after, in the entire South Tarajan (establishment of the Grand Duchy of Bakran, in the 1505, and the Lordship of Aaken, in the 1535).
However, the rule of the Shah would survive until the 1545, when the Battle of Lake Horat ended definitively the Kingdom of New Tarajan.
The next three centuries showed a constant fight between the litigious new Western rulers, and the emerging power of the House Van Vinkel (already at the head of the first invasion of the region), from their main fortress of Merlberg.
This period of continous fighting ended only in the 1595, with the Second Battle of Himeraa (now Koenigscasteel), which sanctioned the definitive rule of the Van Vinkels all over Tarajan.
With the coronation of Sigismund Heinrich II Van Vinkel as King five two years after, and the shift of the capital from Merlberg to the ancient Tarajan, the reunification process was finally completed.
The Kingdom: between political and ethnical conflicts
The rise of the first unified Tarajan State from the years of the Ajanic Empire didn't solve the problems of the region, also contributing to the accentuation of the ethnical despair between Westerns and the indigenous Ajans.
The Van Vinkel dynasty soon strengthened its power all over the Kingdom with the elimination of all former resistances (both Ajans and of the Western aristocracy). In the 1615, King Heinrich IV promulgated the first Capitolum Pacis, which constituted a strong blow against the feudal aristocracy of the Kingdom, providing, among other things, a complete reduction of the feudal power and the creation of a first centralized administration.
For the next two centuries, Tarajan lived a period of peace and growth, alternating with the repression of some attempted coup by the aristocracy (such as the Siege of Merlberg, in the 1745), followed by a more comprehensive policy of the royal dynasty. Under the reign of Sigismund VI (1756-89), the King and the aristocracy finally found an agreement (the so called "Peace of the Middle Week"); after that, the main aristocratic families became the most important supporters of the Royal Dynasty, especially against the never-dormant Ajanic resistance against those who they saw yet as "foreigners" and "invaders".
Ajans uprisings were for centuries one of the main concerns of the government, constituting a continuous reason of weakness and danger for the survival of the Kingdom.
In the 1789, few weeks after the death of Sigismund VI, the Ajans started a rebellion in all the north of Tarajan, especially around the capital and in the Tarkhanate Region, killing thousands of people accused of being Westerns or simply "collaborators" and burning all the main castle of the region. The rebellion was suppressed only after two years of constant fight. However, the dangerous major presence of such a rebellious minority in an important region (especially near the capital), led the new King, Friederick III, to the decision of deport thousands and thousands of Ajans from the Tarkhanate in Kashair, or in the southern land around the Shalimar River.
The Ajans Deportation was one of the more cruel pages of the history of Tarajan, leading to increasing tensions between indigenous and Westerns, with terrible consequences for the future of the Kingdom, and starting a period of apartheid of the Ajans that would continue until the fall of the Kingdom and the born of the People's Republic of Tarajan.
End of the Kingdom: the People's Republic
See also: Tomato War
The next centuries of the Kingdom saw an incredible growth, both economically and politically, despite the increasing tensions between Ajans and Westerns. The situation degenerated during the XXth and XXIst century of the Jahan Era, when the Ajans were submitted to a complete apartheid regime by the royal government, leading to the construction of ghettos in all the major cities of the Kingdom. The political subject which took advantage of this situation was the recently founded Tarajan People Revolutionary Communist Party (T.P.R.C.P., simply known also as "The Communist Party"): relying on both the working classes and the Ajans, the Party greatly increased its power throughout the Kingdom, finally coming to a break out with the "Red Thursday" (4th January 2197),a day of manifestations and strikes that hit all the country, including the capital, where the army finally opened fire, killing almost one hundred people. The intervention of the House of the Parliament (in the person of the Prime Minister Carl Bijejilik, weakly supported by the King Friederick Mathias I), didn't succeed to dumpen the tensions and the social conflict. The 3 March 2198, the government lead by Bijejilik fell under the pressure of both the Left and Right wings of the Parliament, leading to the constitution of the first coalition government in the Tarajan history, with Paul Van DerGrudeln as Prime Minister. In order to avoid the risks of a civil war, the new government decided to divert the public opinion (and in the same time to try to obtain the support of the nationalist middle class) on a limited war against the neighbouring country of Balbor; the pretext was given by the numerous border incidents between Balborian and Tarajan troops on the frontier region of Karabak (known asSdudeti in Balbor), a land historically disputed for centuries. The 5th May 2198 King Friederick Mathias I declared war against Balbor, starting the so called "Tomato War" (since the region is well known for its vast crops of tomatoes). Unexpectedy, the Balborian army fought well, inflicting thousands of losses to the Tarajans, and creating in the Kingdom a wave of pacifism, shrewdly ride by the T.P.R.C.P. The Vice Chief of Staff of the Tarajan Army, Pietr Van Badoejen (that took the command of the operations after the wounding of Carl Van Janaesc) ordered a complete bombardment of Balbor, since Tarajan had a complete aerial control. The terrible images of destruction and death provoked by the bombings finally lead the public opinion to arise against the war. During the months of August, September and October, the Kingdom was shaken by manifestations (often violents) in all major cities. The Ajans openly revolted, with the strong support of the T.P.R.C.P., and started a guerrilla inside the cities. Unable to fully understand the gravity of the situation, Van Badoejen didn't give any order to the troops, leading to their disbandment and to the seizure of all main cities by communists (30th October 2198). The only episode of resistance happened during the assault against the Royal Palace, where the Royal Guard opened fire, and tried a last defence while the Royal Family was taken away, to Casavarr. The 3rd November 2198 the Kingdom was declared finished by Uliich Van Engels, leader of the T.P.R.C.P., replaced by the People's Republic of Tarajan. During the next two years, the aristocratic families that didn't flee to Casavarr or Antanares were annhilated, alongside with tens of thousands of other persons,with the most disparate charges. Also the former Prime Minister Paul Van DerGrudeln was executed. Also the Ajans, former allies, were persecuted again.
The new Kingdom
See also: Great Restauration War
Even if in exile, the Van Vinkel Dynasty and their supporters never retreat from the purpose to liberate Tarajan from the dictatorship it was submitted to. After the death of Friederick Mathias I (2227), his first son and legal heir, Conrad III (who had lived hidden in Tarajan during the first months of the revolution before being saved by an Antanaresian ship on the Shalimar River). He immediately started to reunite around him the remains of the Tarajan loyalists, organizing a first, paramilitary group, under the command of the old Gen. Van Janaesc, also supported by the Casavarr government. After almost twelve years of preparation, Conrad III finally decided to take advantage of the internal crisis of the P.R.T. (which was, after the Bakran Purges, near the collapse), landing near Merlberg, the 7th May 2239, followed by a consistent group of loyalist troops, and supported by Cavarrian and Antanaresian vessels. The subsequent war lasted for five years, leading to terrible episodes (such as the Tarajan Bombing) and the death of almost one million people. With the seizure of Aaken, last resort for the communists, by loyalist troops, the war was finally over. The 3rd November (anniversary of the revolution), Conrad III was crowned King of New Tarajan (the new name he gave to the country), and declared the rebirth of the Kingdom under the Declaration of Regeneration, the fundamental char which contains all the political and ideological pillars of the country.
Modern Days: conflicts and political crisis
The reign of Conrad III saw the slow, but effective, recovery of the country from years of dictatorship and war, and the birth of New Tarajan as a modern power. The previous apartheid regime was cancelled, and the Ajans became a fundamental part of the new state organizarion. However, the first years of reign saw increasing tensions with the former ally of Casavarr, for the cession of the Shraman Isles (see also: Shraman Isles Dispute and The ''Rousseau'' Incident). The policy of New Tarajan was extremely authoritarian, with the King as single manager of the power, and inspired by a reactionary ideology, that soon impregnated the life of all the country. After the death of Conrad III, and the coronation of Conrad IV (2277-2302), New Tarajan was fully re-integrated as a regional power, with the new King strictly following the policy of his father. With the coronation of Friederick Wilhelm II Anoushiravan Van Vinkel as King of New Tarajan at the death of his father (2302), the Kingdom begins to come under a deep transformation. The new King began his reign with a more liberal formulation: with the appointment of his cousin, Marquis Conrad Van Vinkel as Chancellor of the Kingdom, he broke with the rule informally established by his grand-father, which provided the King as also holder of the Royal Chancellery. A position renewed also with the opening to moderate left-wing representatives, with the formation of the Tarajan Social-Democratic Party. This new way soon creates dissatisfaction in the most conservative and reactionary wings of the Kingdom, especially in some military environments. The incumbent political crisis was accelerated by the provocative positions of the neighbour State of Balbor, formally ally under the SECURS Treaty, on the status of the Landgraviate of Sdudeti-Karabak, and especially with a soft support of the terrorist organization OLS (Organization for the Liberation of Sdudeti). The situation finally exploded when the OLS tried to assasinate the King to the Great Ball of Vieneskel (2304), also starting a terror campaign, with a great number of civilian victims, also in the capital, and with the declaration of the Balborian government about the holding of a new nuclear strategic armament. Under the pressure of the military, King Friederick finally decided to temporary remove the Marquis from the Chancellery, immediately triggering an international response, in the form of a public support to the Prime Minister from the two historical allies of Casavarr and Antanares, and other countries. After some months of political uncertainty, with protests (sometimes also with violent manifestations) spreading throughout the major cities of the Kingdom, King Friederick finally gave a definitive blow to the situation, proclaiming, in fron of the Landsraad, the foundation of an independent State of the Sdudeti-Karabak, under the crown of Conrad Van Vinkel himself. The decision was accompained by a complete reform of the political asset of the Kingdom, now called as the “Friederick Reform”.
Government and Politics
The Declaration established the Kingdom as a semi-federalistic entity, composed by fifteen States (corresponding to the most important ancient fiefs). Each State is independently organized (usually, tracing the example of the central government, with a local diet chaired by the local lord) and has a relative autonomy in most matters of local interest, however the central government maintains a strong control all over the country.
- Royal States:
- Shahdom of Tarajan
- Principality of Merlberg
- Grand Duchy of Muraz
- Grand Duchy of Alleskandberg
- Grand Duchy of Bakran
- Landgraviate of Nuyern
- Landgraviate of Aaken
- Lordships:
- Principality of Horat
- Duchy of Koenigscasteel
- Duchy of Eindovhen
- County of Marisah
- County of Heinrichstadt
- Landgraviate of Bergenfort
- Landgraviate of Meisjecasteel
- Barony of Shraman
Theorically, the Landgraviate of Karabak (capital: Janaescstadt), was under the jurisdiction of the Gran Duchy of Muraz before the foundation of the homonymous State in the 2304 J.E.
Political structure
The Kingdom of New Tarajan is a semi-constitutional monarchy: the fundamental principles of the country are stated in the Declaration, however, the King is extremely free to interpret it as he wish, since he is the most important political figure of the Kingdom, seen as incarnation of Tarajan values and history, and only, legitimate governor of the country.
He is supported in his work of government by the Chancellor (commonly known as Prime Minister), appointed by the King himself (during the reign of both Conrad III and Conrad IV, the position was hold by the sovereign too) and by a Royal Council of ministers, appointed with collaboration between the King and the Prime Minister, and now coincident with the Royal government itself.
Even if laws are enacted by the King and the government by decree, a sort of legislative body of the Kingdom is the Royal Diet (sometimes called simply Parliament), composed by representatives of all the States (five for each of them, three from the aristocracy, and two from the other classes, giving the Landsraad a sort of more corporativist appearence). Although ancient in its origins (it was instituted with the Capitolum Pacis of the 1615 J.E.), the role of the Diet changed greatly, depending on the personality and on the ideas of the single sovereign.
Indeed, the Diet was completely excluded from the power during all the reign of Conrad III, while the first signs of opening came only in the last years of Conrad IV and actually, under the reign of Friederick Wilhelm II.
With the “Friederick Reform”, the Diet is flanked by the Landsraad (previously, the name was used as another common definition of the Diet), with members (only aristocrats) appointed by the King himself.
Actually, the Diet is convened every two days by the King, with a consultation function.
Political Parties
Even if the Diet is practically in the hands of the King and the aristocracy, before the Friederick Reform there was a strong presence of political parties (with members of all classes, including aristocrats). The Reform formally eliminated the parties as political entities, leaving them only a sort of “indicative” function.
The main party of the Kingdom is the conservative (and, sometimes, reactionary) White Party, that hold the majority inside the Diet since the reign of Conrad III (thanks also to a great partiality of the King toward it); it is followed by the more liberal Blue Party, its main adversary, which recently succeeded in imposing a more liberal line to the Diet, thanks to the support of King Friederick Wilhelm II and Prime Minister Conrad Van Vinkel, cousin of the King, and important member of the party.
Another relevant (although often aligned to the positions of the White Party) is the R.T.P. (Royal Tarajan Party), a reactionary-inspired faction.
Very recently (1st November 2304), with an act never seen since the restauration of the Kingdom, King Friederick Wilhelm opened the Diet to the first Left-wing Party, the T.S.D.P. (Tarajan Social-Democratic Party), composed by both moderate socialists and social-democrats.
Economy
New Tarajan has a substantially mixed economy, with a strong private sector standing alongside a massive presence of the government inside the most vital economic sectors, although statal intervention often takes the appearance of legislative control more than direct administration.
Despite the anti-communist ideology that characterizes the Kingdom policies, it is not uncommon to see a suspect attitude toward private initiative behind some legislative acts of the government or the Landsraad; particularly, the government of New Tarajan was always against indiscriminate privatization, especially in areas of strategic and social interest. Also, the Kingdom has a strong tradition regarding labourers protection (collateral heritage of the era before the Communist Revolution, when the government had allowed an indiscriminate exploitation of the lower classes) as much a very strong eco-friendly attitude.
Agriculture
Agriculture was for centuries the most important economical resource of the Kingdom, even during the modern era. Just think of the importance of the Sdudeti-Karabak region for its tomatoes plantation during the Karabak War and the subsequent Communist Revolution.
Since the final years of the reign of Conrad III, and with an uninterrupted process, the sector knew a noticeable contraction in the number of labourers, thanks to the extensive mechanization; actually, only the 4% of the active population is employed in the agricultural sector.
Also, the Kingdom saw (especially in the latest years) a relevant specialization of the agriculture production, now more focalized on few, most famous and economically profitables, products, such as wine (particularly in the Horat region, birthplace of some of the most famous wines of the entire region, such as the Horat Red Wine), tomatoes, olive oil and vegetables.
However, agriculture remains one of the most important sectors of Tarajan economy, providing the 5% of the national GDP, with a total income from agricultural products of 30,5 billions Prands about.
Industry
The first wave of the Industrial Revolution mainly involved only few notable cities (Tarajan City in the north, Alleskandberg and Nuyern in the south), leaving the rest of the country industrially poor.
During the years of the Communist regime, the government enforced a massive industrialization policy, leading to the creation of many industrial centers near the other relevant cities of Tarajan, such as Eindhoven and Heinrichstadt. This policy was brutally interrupted after the monarchical restauration, leading a period of industrial crisis and stagnation during the reigns of Conrad III and the first years of his successor.
The new industrial revival was carried out thanks to a new orientation toward high technologies, which rapidly leads New Tarajan to a prominent position in the production and distribution of technological advanced products. The modern space exploration and colonization program carried our by the Kingdom is the greatest fruit of such policy, now absorbing almost three quarters of the 21,5% active population employed in the sector.
With a total income of almost 230,5 trillions, the industrial high-tech sector is the spearhead of the entire Tarajan economy.
