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The Birth of Sorovian Nationalism and the Sorovian Identity
Sorovian nationalism persisted under Aurorean rule that lasted from the 19th to the 20th centuries, promoting anti-Aurorean views. It led to the establishment of an independent Sorovian state in 1907. Sorovian nationalists were quick to idolize military leaders and other individuals of Sorovia's past, the most important of those being General Karvonen, who had died in 1701, but would be acclaimed as “Father of the Nation” to the Sorovian people. Sorovian nationalism was opposed by pro-Aurorean members of the Sorovian populace, and while small, was still able to attack the Sorovian movement multiple times. Many of them often cited the multiculturalism imposed by Aurorean that all people in Sorovia enjoyed regardless of nationality, however many Sorovians resented a multiethnic state, seeing it as a threat to Sorovia.
When Aurorea annexed Sorovia in 1989, the Sorovian government and diet were abolished. The Confessional System was implemented. The Messianist Church of Sorovia became the governing body of Aurorean Sorovia. Despite the crackdown on Sorovian political and civil freedoms, Sorovian culture survived through its use as the official language for MCS rites. The Aurorean government divided Sorovia further on religious lines to gain loyalties from previously oppressed groups and distract Sorovian leaders. Minority communities were governed by their own separate religious laws and councils. Chiefly among them were: Mehrabist Iolantis, Kuladi Harbis, and others of various Messianist denominations.
Sorovian National Awakening
The Sorovian national awakening began in the mid-19th century. The Sorovian national consciousness gestation for the Sorovian War of Independence had begun. One of the major players in the Sorovian national awakening was the use of literature, famed author and poet Miikka Ahonen, quite possibly the most influential individual of this era, published several poems and literature during the 19th century. Adding to the fast amounts of nationalist literature at the time. Sorovian was promoted linguistically and culturally. The Sorovian merchant class and Messianist religious elite, aided by the elite in neighboring Scalvia helped in funding and creating public events like festivals, and promoting the use of nationalistic themes and music. They formed an underground movement called the Sorovian Society in 1869. But in 1878, the party split over secular and moralist disagreements: the liberal Society of the Sorovian Youth was created. They promoted a secular state for the future Sorovian nation. The Sorovian Society became a wholly conservative movement and believed the MCS should have a central role in the future Sorovian state. In 1873, political parties were legalized for municipal elections. The Sorovian Society registered as the Sorovian Party but they were promptly banned by the liberal Sorovian Youth Party. In 1888, those who supported the status quo founded the Sorovian Socialist Workers’ Party (SSWP). They insisted only reform was required and celebrated the inclusiveness of Aurorean rule. SSWP leader Klemetti Mäkinen was a pro-Aurorean socialist. He argued a united future with a multicultural Aurorea is preferable over Sorovian ethnonationalism which would have seen the destruction of all minority groups. Only the Auroreans, apart from the ruling culture, also served as the buffer class that kept every distinct group in Sorovia from fighting with each other. The pro-Aurorean SSWPs started the idea of a “Pan-Aurorian” state. But the First Pan-Aurorian Movement would become deeply unpopular due to their pro-Aurorean stances. Pan-Aurorian antics affected all Sorovian socialists by association and many nationalists left the movement to join the Sorovian Youth Party or the Sorovian Party. SSWP stood uncontested in most elections and they easily swiped most municipal council seats across Sorovia.
Sorovian Autonomy
Sorovia operated its own autonomous government in several ways, the highest authority in Sorovia was a governor-general appointed by the Aurorean monarch. The governor-general was responsible for the administration of the autonomous region and was assisted by a Council of State, which was made up of Sorovian officials and advised the governor-general on government and local matters. The governor-general had significant power over the administration of Sorovia, however, he was also expected to respect the autonomy of Sorovian institutions and government already in place. He was responsible for maintaining law and order, promoting economic development, and overseeing the functioning of the various government departments. The Sorovian Diet, a bicameral structure, was made up of the House of Nobility, which represented the Sorovian nobility, and the House of Commons, which represented Sorovia's other classes. Sorovia also operated its own judiciary system, independent of the Aurorean legal system. The highest court in Sorovia was the Sorovian Senate, which was responsible for the interpretation of the law and ensuring that legislation and law were conducted correctly. In addition to other government institutions, Sorovia operated its own administrative structure separate from the Aurorean system of governance.
The Sorovian government also had control over many aspects of its economy, the government had control over Sorovia's resources like fishing, mining, forestry, and others. The Sorovian government also had control over trade regulations and tariffs. By imposing tariffs on imported goods the government was able to protect domestic industries from foreign competition and would be able to support the development of local Sorovian industries. Similarly, by being able to negotiate favorable trade agreements with other countries, the government was able to promote the trade and export of locally produced Sorovian goods. Along with control over tariffs, the government also had control over taxation policies, which allowed it to generate revenue to fund local infrastructure and other economic initiatives. The Sorovian government could adjust tax rates as they saw fit, while also introducing taxes to fund specific projects.
Over a period of time, the Sorovian government also operated its own border and customs services. There were several points of crossing which included land, sea, and river crossings. At each crossing point, border officials would check the documents of travelers and inspect their luggage for contraband. Sorovian tariffs also applied to goods imported from Aurorea, allowing Sorovia to support its own domestic industry and infrastructure projects. Travelers crossing the Aurorean border were required to carry special border passes which were issued by the Sorovian Border Services. These passes were issued by authorities to control and monitor the movement of people and goods across the Sorovian border. These passes included information like the traveler's identity, nationality, purpose of travel, and details on any goods crossing with them.
This meant that Sorovia operated a relatively high degree of autonomy, it was technically even its own political entity. The Auroreans intended to assimilate the country into Aurorea. Postal and law enforcement services were directly controlled by the Aurorean government. The Sorovian language was prohibited in most public spaces, except in MCS-related activities and literature, along with other religious councils. Sorovians were prohibited from joining the police or the Aurorean military. The religious councils were granted broad judicial powers to prosecute followers based on their religious laws. The MCS assumed the role of the defunct Sorovian Diet and decided on Sorovian affairs. Because Sorovia had more developed industries at the time of its annexation, the territory developed into the industrial heartland of the Aurorean Empire. The small number of advanced Aurorean industries and services moved their base of operations to Sorovia for its better infrastructure and educated labor pool. In 1897, Sorovian railway companies were merged with the Al-Zahra Rail Company to form the state-run Pan-Aurorian Railway Company, creating networks of rail connections between city, industrial, and virtual rural areas across the empire. The Sorovians were allowed to keep most of their schools but all Sorovian schools had to be controlled by the MCS. In 1889, the Aurorean People's Party adopted the infamous Auroreanization Law. It permitted Sorovian men to join the police and the Aurorean military but it also included Sorovians in the national conscription. The 1890 Student Demonstrations in Sorovia ended in a violent crackdown, leading to the deaths of more than 200 people and injuring thousands more. In response, Sorovian schools became directly controlled by the Aurorean government. Bartho II used child welfare laws to allow the state-sanctioned kidnapping of Sorovian children from rebellious communities to be indoctrinated by the state. Aurorean trade halted at Sorovian ports as they began refusing entry to all ships owned by Auroreans. Negotiations organized by the MCS to reinstate Sorovian control over schools failed as Bartho refused to allow Sorovian leaders in the talks. The National Republican Army (NRA) was founded by radical Sorovian police officers and students to rescue kidnapped children by the Aurorean state. The NRA later expanded to sabotage Aurorean interests in Sorovia by conducting organized raids on Aurorean businesses and attacking industrial railways, supply lines, and other infrastructure that mostly benefit the Aurorean economy. The relentless attacks brought the economy to a halt and a general strike precipitated in 1902 to demand immediate reforms.
Tensions Rise - The National Tragedy
As the 1902 recession caused by the Sorovian general strike hit the economy it led to the bankruptcies of major companies, many small businesses collapsed, and unemployment skyrocketed. More and more pent-up Sorovians who joined the general strike gave up on expecting the Aurorean government to relent and started sympathizing with radical nationalists. On October 14th, 1903, the Red Guard, a quarter of whom were actually paid instigators, fought with pro-NRA students in the Luhtanen provincial capital and port, Kyöstinlahti. The demonstrations began peacefully until the Red Guard arrived, each side throwing heavy bricks and stones. The local Aurorean Gendarmerie detachment was unable to stop the violence, as many members of the Sorovian officers also had nationalist leanings, and it is believed that they may have turned their back on crimes committed by radical Sorovian nationalists against pro-Aurorean groups. The Royal Aurorean Army (RAA) came to support the overwhelmed gendarmerie in Kyöstinlahti. Around 3:45 PM local time, the Red Guard instigated fights with the Sorovian members of the RAA and the gendarmerie, in the confusion the RAA opened fire in the city, leading to casualties of over 150+ Sorovian civilians. These events would soon come to be known as 'Bloody Wednesday'. Outrage spread across Sorovia as news of the incident was published and reports began. Aurorean flags and books were burned, portraits of the Aurorean royal family were tossed out of schools, and anything perceived as pro-Aurorean was viewed as very hostile by the Sorovian populace. Harassment toward ethnic-Auroreans in Sorovia went up by 1700%. The Sorovian detachments of the Aurorean Gendarmerie turned their backs on anti-Aurorean violence. Filled with anger towards the Kingdom of Aurorea, the 1903 November Protests began. Popular slogans of the time included those like 'As thanks for NOT demonstrating national brotherhood!' and 'Thank you for your loyalty as a friend - NOT!'. The Sorovian people felt mocked, betrayed, and disheartened by years of oppression. “Where was this so-called ‘brotherhood’ Bartho had called for at his address to the Sorovian diet in 1886?” asked many Sorovians, as resentment over Aurorean rule had only grown every year since 1860. En masse the Sorovian people joined underground independence groups led by remnants of the Sorovian Party and the Sorovian Youth Party, including radical terrorist organization NRA, seeking to end Aurorean rule once and for all. For the first time in Sorovian history, the Sorovian Tricolor flag was flown over provincial capitals, against the wishes of MCS and Aurorean authorities. Several days after this event, the head of the Messianist Church of Sorovia, Rauno Seppälä, was shot dead by Sorovian nationalist Uolevi Isotalo. Isotalo and fellow conspirators were swiftly arrested. A show trial was highly publicized by the Aurorean state press as part of their propaganda to intimidate the rebellious Sorovians. On October 24th, 1903, outside of the Sorovian diet building in Šoutjärvi, Isotalo would be executed by Sorovian soldiers of the Aurorean Gendarmerie, who had to be coerced to participate by placing another row of Aurorean RAA soldiers behind them to ensure they would do their job. Before the execution could proceed, Isotalo was able to stun the Aurorean officials by yelling out, "Until mountains crumble, the Sons of Karvonen are free!" Isotalo would die a national hero of Sorovia and would be celebrated locally and internationally. It is reported that many Sorovians would cut out pictures of his photo out of newspapers to hang up, as a form of praise and thanks. Isotalo was posthumously awarded the ‘Order of the White Rose’ by Sorovian officials in 1907 when they proclaimed an independent Sorovian state.
The House Comes Crashing Down
On Christmas Day, 1906 most provincial governments declared sovereignty over their respective territorial borders and would later unite to create the Sorovian Provisional Government with the restored Sorovian Diet, renamed to the Sorovian Parliament. Firefights were reported in Sorovian cities involving SPG supporters such as NRA and radical nationalists from the Aurorean Gendarmerie against the combined loyalist forces from the RAA and the remaining Aurorean Gendarmerie. Sorovian partisans were reported to cross the Aurorean border to harass Aurorean towns and villages, often burning them down and leaving few survivors. From 1904-1907, Sorovia would begin the expulsion of several non-Sorovic ethnic minorities from its borders. In 1907, the Sorovian Declaration of Independence proclaimed: "The people of Sorovia feel deeply that they cannot fulfill their national and international duty without complete sovereignty from the Aurorean state. The century-old desire for freedom awaits fulfillment now; Sorovia steps forward as a free nation among the other nations in the world.” The new Sorovian constitution created a parliamentary republic.
Sorovian nationalism persisted under Aurorean rule that lasted from the 19th to the 20th centuries, promoting anti-Aurorean views. It led to the establishment of an independent Sorovian state in 1907. Sorovian nationalists were quick to idolize military leaders and other individuals of Sorovia's past, the most important of those being General Karvonen, who had died in 1701, but would be acclaimed as “Father of the Nation” to the Sorovian people. Sorovian nationalism was opposed by pro-Aurorean members of the Sorovian populace, and while small, was still able to attack the Sorovian movement multiple times. Many of them often cited the multiculturalism imposed by Aurorean that all people in Sorovia enjoyed regardless of nationality, however many Sorovians resented a multiethnic state, seeing it as a threat to Sorovia.
When Aurorea annexed Sorovia in 1989, the Sorovian government and diet were abolished. The Confessional System was implemented. The Messianist Church of Sorovia became the governing body of Aurorean Sorovia. Despite the crackdown on Sorovian political and civil freedoms, Sorovian culture survived through its use as the official language for MCS rites. The Aurorean government divided Sorovia further on religious lines to gain loyalties from previously oppressed groups and distract Sorovian leaders. Minority communities were governed by their own separate religious laws and councils. Chiefly among them were: Mehrabist Iolantis, Kuladi Harbis, and others of various Messianist denominations.
Sorovian National Awakening
The Sorovian national awakening began in the mid-19th century. The Sorovian national consciousness gestation for the Sorovian War of Independence had begun. One of the major players in the Sorovian national awakening was the use of literature, famed author and poet Miikka Ahonen, quite possibly the most influential individual of this era, published several poems and literature during the 19th century. Adding to the fast amounts of nationalist literature at the time. Sorovian was promoted linguistically and culturally. The Sorovian merchant class and Messianist religious elite, aided by the elite in neighboring Scalvia helped in funding and creating public events like festivals, and promoting the use of nationalistic themes and music. They formed an underground movement called the Sorovian Society in 1869. But in 1878, the party split over secular and moralist disagreements: the liberal Society of the Sorovian Youth was created. They promoted a secular state for the future Sorovian nation. The Sorovian Society became a wholly conservative movement and believed the MCS should have a central role in the future Sorovian state. In 1873, political parties were legalized for municipal elections. The Sorovian Society registered as the Sorovian Party but they were promptly banned by the liberal Sorovian Youth Party. In 1888, those who supported the status quo founded the Sorovian Socialist Workers’ Party (SSWP). They insisted only reform was required and celebrated the inclusiveness of Aurorean rule. SSWP leader Klemetti Mäkinen was a pro-Aurorean socialist. He argued a united future with a multicultural Aurorea is preferable over Sorovian ethnonationalism which would have seen the destruction of all minority groups. Only the Auroreans, apart from the ruling culture, also served as the buffer class that kept every distinct group in Sorovia from fighting with each other. The pro-Aurorean SSWPs started the idea of a “Pan-Aurorian” state. But the First Pan-Aurorian Movement would become deeply unpopular due to their pro-Aurorean stances. Pan-Aurorian antics affected all Sorovian socialists by association and many nationalists left the movement to join the Sorovian Youth Party or the Sorovian Party. SSWP stood uncontested in most elections and they easily swiped most municipal council seats across Sorovia.
Sorovian Autonomy
Sorovia operated its own autonomous government in several ways, the highest authority in Sorovia was a governor-general appointed by the Aurorean monarch. The governor-general was responsible for the administration of the autonomous region and was assisted by a Council of State, which was made up of Sorovian officials and advised the governor-general on government and local matters. The governor-general had significant power over the administration of Sorovia, however, he was also expected to respect the autonomy of Sorovian institutions and government already in place. He was responsible for maintaining law and order, promoting economic development, and overseeing the functioning of the various government departments. The Sorovian Diet, a bicameral structure, was made up of the House of Nobility, which represented the Sorovian nobility, and the House of Commons, which represented Sorovia's other classes. Sorovia also operated its own judiciary system, independent of the Aurorean legal system. The highest court in Sorovia was the Sorovian Senate, which was responsible for the interpretation of the law and ensuring that legislation and law were conducted correctly. In addition to other government institutions, Sorovia operated its own administrative structure separate from the Aurorean system of governance.
The Sorovian government also had control over many aspects of its economy, the government had control over Sorovia's resources like fishing, mining, forestry, and others. The Sorovian government also had control over trade regulations and tariffs. By imposing tariffs on imported goods the government was able to protect domestic industries from foreign competition and would be able to support the development of local Sorovian industries. Similarly, by being able to negotiate favorable trade agreements with other countries, the government was able to promote the trade and export of locally produced Sorovian goods. Along with control over tariffs, the government also had control over taxation policies, which allowed it to generate revenue to fund local infrastructure and other economic initiatives. The Sorovian government could adjust tax rates as they saw fit, while also introducing taxes to fund specific projects.
Over a period of time, the Sorovian government also operated its own border and customs services. There were several points of crossing which included land, sea, and river crossings. At each crossing point, border officials would check the documents of travelers and inspect their luggage for contraband. Sorovian tariffs also applied to goods imported from Aurorea, allowing Sorovia to support its own domestic industry and infrastructure projects. Travelers crossing the Aurorean border were required to carry special border passes which were issued by the Sorovian Border Services. These passes were issued by authorities to control and monitor the movement of people and goods across the Sorovian border. These passes included information like the traveler's identity, nationality, purpose of travel, and details on any goods crossing with them.
This meant that Sorovia operated a relatively high degree of autonomy, it was technically even its own political entity. The Auroreans intended to assimilate the country into Aurorea. Postal and law enforcement services were directly controlled by the Aurorean government. The Sorovian language was prohibited in most public spaces, except in MCS-related activities and literature, along with other religious councils. Sorovians were prohibited from joining the police or the Aurorean military. The religious councils were granted broad judicial powers to prosecute followers based on their religious laws. The MCS assumed the role of the defunct Sorovian Diet and decided on Sorovian affairs. Because Sorovia had more developed industries at the time of its annexation, the territory developed into the industrial heartland of the Aurorean Empire. The small number of advanced Aurorean industries and services moved their base of operations to Sorovia for its better infrastructure and educated labor pool. In 1897, Sorovian railway companies were merged with the Al-Zahra Rail Company to form the state-run Pan-Aurorian Railway Company, creating networks of rail connections between city, industrial, and virtual rural areas across the empire. The Sorovians were allowed to keep most of their schools but all Sorovian schools had to be controlled by the MCS. In 1889, the Aurorean People's Party adopted the infamous Auroreanization Law. It permitted Sorovian men to join the police and the Aurorean military but it also included Sorovians in the national conscription. The 1890 Student Demonstrations in Sorovia ended in a violent crackdown, leading to the deaths of more than 200 people and injuring thousands more. In response, Sorovian schools became directly controlled by the Aurorean government. Bartho II used child welfare laws to allow the state-sanctioned kidnapping of Sorovian children from rebellious communities to be indoctrinated by the state. Aurorean trade halted at Sorovian ports as they began refusing entry to all ships owned by Auroreans. Negotiations organized by the MCS to reinstate Sorovian control over schools failed as Bartho refused to allow Sorovian leaders in the talks. The National Republican Army (NRA) was founded by radical Sorovian police officers and students to rescue kidnapped children by the Aurorean state. The NRA later expanded to sabotage Aurorean interests in Sorovia by conducting organized raids on Aurorean businesses and attacking industrial railways, supply lines, and other infrastructure that mostly benefit the Aurorean economy. The relentless attacks brought the economy to a halt and a general strike precipitated in 1902 to demand immediate reforms.
Tensions Rise - The National Tragedy
As the 1902 recession caused by the Sorovian general strike hit the economy it led to the bankruptcies of major companies, many small businesses collapsed, and unemployment skyrocketed. More and more pent-up Sorovians who joined the general strike gave up on expecting the Aurorean government to relent and started sympathizing with radical nationalists. On October 14th, 1903, the Red Guard, a quarter of whom were actually paid instigators, fought with pro-NRA students in the Luhtanen provincial capital and port, Kyöstinlahti. The demonstrations began peacefully until the Red Guard arrived, each side throwing heavy bricks and stones. The local Aurorean Gendarmerie detachment was unable to stop the violence, as many members of the Sorovian officers also had nationalist leanings, and it is believed that they may have turned their back on crimes committed by radical Sorovian nationalists against pro-Aurorean groups. The Royal Aurorean Army (RAA) came to support the overwhelmed gendarmerie in Kyöstinlahti. Around 3:45 PM local time, the Red Guard instigated fights with the Sorovian members of the RAA and the gendarmerie, in the confusion the RAA opened fire in the city, leading to casualties of over 150+ Sorovian civilians. These events would soon come to be known as 'Bloody Wednesday'. Outrage spread across Sorovia as news of the incident was published and reports began. Aurorean flags and books were burned, portraits of the Aurorean royal family were tossed out of schools, and anything perceived as pro-Aurorean was viewed as very hostile by the Sorovian populace. Harassment toward ethnic-Auroreans in Sorovia went up by 1700%. The Sorovian detachments of the Aurorean Gendarmerie turned their backs on anti-Aurorean violence. Filled with anger towards the Kingdom of Aurorea, the 1903 November Protests began. Popular slogans of the time included those like 'As thanks for NOT demonstrating national brotherhood!' and 'Thank you for your loyalty as a friend - NOT!'. The Sorovian people felt mocked, betrayed, and disheartened by years of oppression. “Where was this so-called ‘brotherhood’ Bartho had called for at his address to the Sorovian diet in 1886?” asked many Sorovians, as resentment over Aurorean rule had only grown every year since 1860. En masse the Sorovian people joined underground independence groups led by remnants of the Sorovian Party and the Sorovian Youth Party, including radical terrorist organization NRA, seeking to end Aurorean rule once and for all. For the first time in Sorovian history, the Sorovian Tricolor flag was flown over provincial capitals, against the wishes of MCS and Aurorean authorities. Several days after this event, the head of the Messianist Church of Sorovia, Rauno Seppälä, was shot dead by Sorovian nationalist Uolevi Isotalo. Isotalo and fellow conspirators were swiftly arrested. A show trial was highly publicized by the Aurorean state press as part of their propaganda to intimidate the rebellious Sorovians. On October 24th, 1903, outside of the Sorovian diet building in Šoutjärvi, Isotalo would be executed by Sorovian soldiers of the Aurorean Gendarmerie, who had to be coerced to participate by placing another row of Aurorean RAA soldiers behind them to ensure they would do their job. Before the execution could proceed, Isotalo was able to stun the Aurorean officials by yelling out, "Until mountains crumble, the Sons of Karvonen are free!" Isotalo would die a national hero of Sorovia and would be celebrated locally and internationally. It is reported that many Sorovians would cut out pictures of his photo out of newspapers to hang up, as a form of praise and thanks. Isotalo was posthumously awarded the ‘Order of the White Rose’ by Sorovian officials in 1907 when they proclaimed an independent Sorovian state.
The House Comes Crashing Down
On Christmas Day, 1906 most provincial governments declared sovereignty over their respective territorial borders and would later unite to create the Sorovian Provisional Government with the restored Sorovian Diet, renamed to the Sorovian Parliament. Firefights were reported in Sorovian cities involving SPG supporters such as NRA and radical nationalists from the Aurorean Gendarmerie against the combined loyalist forces from the RAA and the remaining Aurorean Gendarmerie. Sorovian partisans were reported to cross the Aurorean border to harass Aurorean towns and villages, often burning them down and leaving few survivors. From 1904-1907, Sorovia would begin the expulsion of several non-Sorovic ethnic minorities from its borders. In 1907, the Sorovian Declaration of Independence proclaimed: "The people of Sorovia feel deeply that they cannot fulfill their national and international duty without complete sovereignty from the Aurorean state. The century-old desire for freedom awaits fulfillment now; Sorovia steps forward as a free nation among the other nations in the world.” The new Sorovian constitution created a parliamentary republic.
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