Pre-Kingdom Era
Rethenite Era (Unknown-1692)
The first civilized settlers of Plembobria were a nomadic people known as the Rethenites (for which the city of Rethel is named). They were expelled from the Kianese empire for practicing their religion. Though they sought temporary refuge in The Lancerian Empire, they were forced to move on. The Rethenites named the land they discovered "Plembobnyc," which was Rethenite for "rich land" or "abundant land." This name gradually became "Plembobria" in Mercanti.
As the Rethenites settled farther north, they began to cultivate crops in the fertile soil of what is now Northelfrith, Cherpis, and Mediglorn.
The Rethenite settlement came to be known as the Kingdom of Clethelbend. (The earliest mention of the name "Clethelbend" is dated back to the year 878. The establishment of the Kingdom is estimated to be between 841-856
The Dynastic Era (1592-1784)
A map of the dynasties' territory on the eve of the Unification War
Overtime, disputes among the Clethelbendic nobility led to war. While there were six independent states, there were two major powers: Clethelbend and Pyrandia. Glornia and Plinkenshire were allied with Pyrandia, while Halbonia, Frithia, and Cherpis allied with Clethelbend. It is important to note, that even though these states were enemies of each other, they each individually owed fealty to the Kianese empire.
Unification (1784-1799)
In 1784, a Lord of Clethelbend, Egbert Edwin Flithen, and Lord Robert Uppey of Pyrandia made a secret pact. They would rebel against their respective states and attempt to establish a new nation, free from Kianese rule and feudalism. They formed a secret society of rebels: The Liberty League. Their mission was to destabilize the dynasties by covert operations, assassinations, defections, and peasant rebellions.
In the decades preceding the League's rise, Plembobrian nationalism, a sense of a common identity, as well as an opposition to Kianese supremacy, had come to overtake people of all classes. The peasantry and many nobles sided with the League.
The Liberty League was divided into two parts: the Southern League, led by Egbert, and the Northern League, led by Robert. Their military strategy was to "squeeze" Pyrandia from the north and south. The land conquered in the north was named Crilalia, the traditional name for the region. The land conquered in south was called Flithendale, after Egbert. These became states in their own right, with militaries and centralized governments.
After the Grand Duke of Clethelbend, Andrew III, was assassinated in 1787, his heir, Ivan V, joined the rebellion. With the full resources of Clethelbend at their disposal, the League's masterful operation led to the deposition of the Dynasties. The Halbons were overthrown in 1786, followed by Cherpis (1787), the Frithians and the Glorns (1789), and the Plinkens (1791).
The Duke of Pyr finally surrendered in 1798, after the battle of East Lankford. Both Egbert and Robert chose not to take control of the land he had left behind, instead replacing it with the Province of Pyrandia
Egbert became an iconic hero. The population wanted him to be declared king. Egbert was originally averse to the idea. He wanted a republic. However, the lack central authority led to a power vacuum, causing local conflict throughout the countryside, most notably in Plinkenshire, which was divided into two provinces when the kingdom was proclaimed.
Both Robert and Ivan V agreed to crown Egbert king, so long as their respective provinces would be autonomous. Egbert agreed stating that "Crilalia will ever serve as a force to keep the Crown accountable." The Act of Settlement, which officially established the Kingdom of Plembobria, was signed on March 14, 1799. The borders of the warring states were used to establish provinces. Feudalism was formally abolished. The nobles of each province, were stripped of their titles. Egbert married Maria Theresa of Pyrandia, heir to Pyrandian throne, thus merging the House of Pyr with the House of Flithen. Thus, Flithendale and Pyrandia share the same royal house.
Kingdom
Establishment
Immediately after the Establishment, Egbert was determined to establish a political system free from corruption and oppression. The Declaration of Rights and Liberties was enacted. The Declaration serves as the bill of rights and remains in force to this day.
Egbert, drawing on the work of contemporary political philosophers, who exhorted the importance of the separation of powers, established two coequal positions. The Lord High Chamberlain, who would oversee the Ministers, and the Lord High Chancellor, who would oversee the courts. By law, the Chancellor and the Chamberlain were forbidden from meeting with each other unless with the Monarch was present. The appointment of Ministers of State and Justices rested with the Crown, but was always done with the advice of the Chamberlain and Chancellor respectively.
Egbert also established the House of Peers, a body consisting of all provincial nobles. The King needed the help of the nobility in the collection of taxes, thus such matters were presented to them for their advice. The House is often described as a de facto legislature or parliament, however, it functioned in a very different manner. It only had rare meetings, and their approval was not required for much of the Crown's agenda.
Creation of the Royal Bank
The nation was heavily indebted. Egbert's administration, lead by Lord High Chamberlain Roger Handel, wanted to pursue radical reforms, such as a guaranteed land for certain peasants, and a system of basic public education. Yet the treasury was practically bankrupt. The effective destruction of the aristocracy had essentially destroyed the nation's only tax base, despite the establishment of the advisory House of Peers.
To remedy this, Handel's administration chartered the Royal Bank of Plembobria. The bank would issue notes against government debt, and (it was hoped) could be used to fund the government's ambitious motives. But investment was moribund. Desperate, the administration reached out to the Avelocci family. The family agreed to massive investment in the Plembobria, in exchange for permanent representation on the Royal Bank's governing board. The Bank's charter was swiftly amended, the Aveloccis invested, and the government began to function.
Land Reform
Following the re-charter of the Royal Bank, the Government embarked on its Land Reform measures, to seize land from the Nobility, and redistribute it among the lower classes. But as time wore on it became hugely impractical to enforce these measures. The military was small, poorly disciplined, and untrained.
On May 31st, 1837, Egbert died and was succeeded by his son, Timothy I. Since Timothy had had nearly no political or military experience, his leadership skills were greatly lacking. The House of Peers seized their chance, and recommended a new Lord Chamberlain, along with a fresh cabinet, which Timothy consented to and appointed. Political power had returned to the aristocracy.
Rethenite Era (Unknown-1692)
The first civilized settlers of Plembobria were a nomadic people known as the Rethenites (for which the city of Rethel is named). They were expelled from the Kianese empire for practicing their religion. Though they sought temporary refuge in The Lancerian Empire, they were forced to move on. The Rethenites named the land they discovered "Plembobnyc," which was Rethenite for "rich land" or "abundant land." This name gradually became "Plembobria" in Mercanti.
As the Rethenites settled farther north, they began to cultivate crops in the fertile soil of what is now Northelfrith, Cherpis, and Mediglorn.
The Rethenite settlement came to be known as the Kingdom of Clethelbend. (The earliest mention of the name "Clethelbend" is dated back to the year 878. The establishment of the Kingdom is estimated to be between 841-856
The Dynastic Era (1592-1784)
A map of the dynasties' territory on the eve of the Unification War
Overtime, disputes among the Clethelbendic nobility led to war. While there were six independent states, there were two major powers: Clethelbend and Pyrandia. Glornia and Plinkenshire were allied with Pyrandia, while Halbonia, Frithia, and Cherpis allied with Clethelbend. It is important to note, that even though these states were enemies of each other, they each individually owed fealty to the Kianese empire.
Unification (1784-1799)
In 1784, a Lord of Clethelbend, Egbert Edwin Flithen, and Lord Robert Uppey of Pyrandia made a secret pact. They would rebel against their respective states and attempt to establish a new nation, free from Kianese rule and feudalism. They formed a secret society of rebels: The Liberty League. Their mission was to destabilize the dynasties by covert operations, assassinations, defections, and peasant rebellions.
In the decades preceding the League's rise, Plembobrian nationalism, a sense of a common identity, as well as an opposition to Kianese supremacy, had come to overtake people of all classes. The peasantry and many nobles sided with the League.
The Liberty League was divided into two parts: the Southern League, led by Egbert, and the Northern League, led by Robert. Their military strategy was to "squeeze" Pyrandia from the north and south. The land conquered in the north was named Crilalia, the traditional name for the region. The land conquered in south was called Flithendale, after Egbert. These became states in their own right, with militaries and centralized governments.
After the Grand Duke of Clethelbend, Andrew III, was assassinated in 1787, his heir, Ivan V, joined the rebellion. With the full resources of Clethelbend at their disposal, the League's masterful operation led to the deposition of the Dynasties. The Halbons were overthrown in 1786, followed by Cherpis (1787), the Frithians and the Glorns (1789), and the Plinkens (1791).
The Duke of Pyr finally surrendered in 1798, after the battle of East Lankford. Both Egbert and Robert chose not to take control of the land he had left behind, instead replacing it with the Province of Pyrandia
Egbert became an iconic hero. The population wanted him to be declared king. Egbert was originally averse to the idea. He wanted a republic. However, the lack central authority led to a power vacuum, causing local conflict throughout the countryside, most notably in Plinkenshire, which was divided into two provinces when the kingdom was proclaimed.
Both Robert and Ivan V agreed to crown Egbert king, so long as their respective provinces would be autonomous. Egbert agreed stating that "Crilalia will ever serve as a force to keep the Crown accountable." The Act of Settlement, which officially established the Kingdom of Plembobria, was signed on March 14, 1799. The borders of the warring states were used to establish provinces. Feudalism was formally abolished. The nobles of each province, were stripped of their titles. Egbert married Maria Theresa of Pyrandia, heir to Pyrandian throne, thus merging the House of Pyr with the House of Flithen. Thus, Flithendale and Pyrandia share the same royal house.
Kingdom
Establishment
Immediately after the Establishment, Egbert was determined to establish a political system free from corruption and oppression. The Declaration of Rights and Liberties was enacted. The Declaration serves as the bill of rights and remains in force to this day.
Egbert, drawing on the work of contemporary political philosophers, who exhorted the importance of the separation of powers, established two coequal positions. The Lord High Chamberlain, who would oversee the Ministers, and the Lord High Chancellor, who would oversee the courts. By law, the Chancellor and the Chamberlain were forbidden from meeting with each other unless with the Monarch was present. The appointment of Ministers of State and Justices rested with the Crown, but was always done with the advice of the Chamberlain and Chancellor respectively.
Egbert also established the House of Peers, a body consisting of all provincial nobles. The King needed the help of the nobility in the collection of taxes, thus such matters were presented to them for their advice. The House is often described as a de facto legislature or parliament, however, it functioned in a very different manner. It only had rare meetings, and their approval was not required for much of the Crown's agenda.
Creation of the Royal Bank
The nation was heavily indebted. Egbert's administration, lead by Lord High Chamberlain Roger Handel, wanted to pursue radical reforms, such as a guaranteed land for certain peasants, and a system of basic public education. Yet the treasury was practically bankrupt. The effective destruction of the aristocracy had essentially destroyed the nation's only tax base, despite the establishment of the advisory House of Peers.
To remedy this, Handel's administration chartered the Royal Bank of Plembobria. The bank would issue notes against government debt, and (it was hoped) could be used to fund the government's ambitious motives. But investment was moribund. Desperate, the administration reached out to the Avelocci family. The family agreed to massive investment in the Plembobria, in exchange for permanent representation on the Royal Bank's governing board. The Bank's charter was swiftly amended, the Aveloccis invested, and the government began to function.
Land Reform
Following the re-charter of the Royal Bank, the Government embarked on its Land Reform measures, to seize land from the Nobility, and redistribute it among the lower classes. But as time wore on it became hugely impractical to enforce these measures. The military was small, poorly disciplined, and untrained.
On May 31st, 1837, Egbert died and was succeeded by his son, Timothy I. Since Timothy had had nearly no political or military experience, his leadership skills were greatly lacking. The House of Peers seized their chance, and recommended a new Lord Chamberlain, along with a fresh cabinet, which Timothy consented to and appointed. Political power had returned to the aristocracy.