History of Drahen

Pre-Colonial Drahen

Prehistoric Period

One of the first evidences of human activity was pottery excavated in the Navajae Jungle near the city of Aldlyn, which was carbon dated to 1000 BCE. Several Prehistoric Drah societies, especially near the coast, were mainly based on agriculture, using techniques such as irrigation and terracing; animal husbandry and fishing were also important. Organization relied on reciprocity and redistribution because these societies had no notion of market or money. Development of a complex mythological and religious complex, a numeric system and social stratification, followed by cultural and economic centers. However a majority of societies, especially deep in the Navajae jungle were semi-nomadic who subsisted on hunting, fishing, gathering, and migrant agriculture.

Pre-Classic Period

Several complex societies developed during the Pre-Classical Period, both along the coast of the Navajae Jungle and on what is now known as the Isle of Drah. They have been generally divided into 4 main socities: Wayra, Kisecawchuck, Aputsiaq, and Kermode, each of which flourished at different times. THe Aputsiaq originated as a coalition of tribes in the Navajae jungle and flourished from around 700-300 BCE. The reasons of the dissolution of the Aputsiaq coalition is not well known, but cultural traits diffused into other throughout the Navajae Jungle and this formative period saw the spread of the Aputsiaq religious and symbolic traditions, as well as artistic and architectural complexes.

Several societies rose to importance after 300 BCE, including the Wayra, Kisecawchuck, and Kermode. The Wayra were renowned for their agricultural system which fertilized the Navajae jungle, their sophisticated ceramic pottery, their lofty buildings, and clever metalwork. The Wayra were the great city builders of pre-Mestran civilization; as loose confederation of cities scattered along the coast of the Strait of Drah. The Kisecawchuck, on the Isle of Drah developed large urban settlements and wide-ranging state systems.

Classic Period

The Classical Period is defined by the rise of the Ukaleq, and Cuauhtémoc, in the Navajae Jungle and the Isle of Drah respectively, from 500 CE until the establishment of a the Royal Mestran colony of Drahasia. Previously the Ukaleq represented one of the small and relatively minor ethnic groups, though starting around 500 CE, they started to expand and incorporate their neighbors. Ukaleq expansion was slow until 550 CE, when the pace of conquest began to accelerate. Within the next 50 years the Ukaleq came to control most of the Navajae Jungle region, with a population of 9 to 16 million inhabitants under their rule. The Ukaleq also promulgated a comprehensive code of laws to govern the far-flung empire along with creating a religion of King worship. Over the next 100 years , the Ukaleq used a variety of methods, from conquest to peaceful assimilation, to incorporate a large portion of the Wayra.

The Cuauhtémoc reached their zenith of power in 900 CE, with their political and economic influence extending throughout most of the Isle of Drah. Their capital, Telountichian, had a population estimated at over 150,000 and stretched over some 5 square kilometers. The Cuauhtémoc Empire was considered a an informal or hegemonic empire because it did not exert supreme authority over the conquered lands; it merely expected tributes to be paid. It was also a discontinuous empire because not all dominated territories were connected The hegemonic nature of the Cuauhtémoc empire can be seen in the fact that generally local rulers were restored to their positions once their city-state was conquered and the Cuauhtémoc rulers did not interfere in local affairs, as long as the tribute payments were made.

Colonial Drahen

Initial Colonization

The coast of North East Skathia, which now makes the Imperial Republic was discovered by Brigandian powers in 964 CE by the Lanlanian Röllö Rïdbrid. Several expeditions were sent by various countries after the discovery, though no major efforts at colonization or exploration were taken until the Mestran Expedition of 1011, which established contact with the Cuauhtémoc and the Ukaleq in 1017. The first colonization attempt by the Mestrans occurred in 1033, near blank, but the colony ultimately failed and not further attempts were made at colonization until 1056, creating the town of Wildefield. Over the next 50 years, several dozen colonies were established, however decentralized and unorganized tendencies of the colonies proved problematic, and in 1099, the Emperor of Mestra restructured them into the Mestran Royal Colony of Drahsia, a single and centralized Mestran colony in Skathia, ruled by the brother of the Emperor, Justinian Valerii.

Period of Conquest

For the first century of colonization, the indigenous and Brigidian groups lived in a near constant war, establishing opportunistic alliances in order to gain advantages against each other. However by 1127, the Mestrans had destroyed the Cuauhtémoc Empire and had the Ukaleq kingdom contained to a few last holdouts on the Isle of Drah, the last of which fell in 1130.

Colonial Expansion

The Mestran colonization after the first few years mainly focused on the existing native cities since these areas could provide the settlers with a disciplined labor force. Mestran expeditions known as gradually advanced the colonial original frontiers in Skathia to approximately the current Drah borders. In this era other Brigandian powers tried to colonize parts of Drahsia, in incursions that the Mestra had to fight.

Colonial law with Mestran roots but original native features were introduced, creating a hierarchy between local jurisdiction and the Crown's, whereby upper administrative offices were closed to the natives, even those of pure Mestran blood. Administration was based on the racial separation of the population among Mestrans, natives, and those of mixed blood, autonomous and directly dependent on the king himself

From an economic point of view, the colony of Drahasia was administered principally for the benefit of the Empire and its military and defensive efforts. Competition with the Mestran Imperium was discouraged. In order to protect the colony from the attacks of Brigandian pirates, as well as the Crown's revenue, only a few ports were open to other Brigandan powers.

Education was encouraged by the Crown from the very beginning, and Drahen boasts the first primary school, first university and the first printing house in Skathia. Indigenous languages were studied during the first centuries, and became official languages in the so-called "Colony of Indians", only to be outlawed and ignored after independence until the early 1500s.

The colonial administration in Drahen had two objectives that would ensure colonial order, and the monopoly of its wealthiest and largest colony: both keep under control and eradicate all forms of rebellion and resistance, as well as repress all movements for autonomy or independence.

Independence

In the late 1200s, while many Mestran Colonies were swept by wars of independence, Drahen remained a royalist stronghold. As the elite vacillated between emancipation and loyalty to the Mestran Monarchy. During the late 1200s, the colony had obtained political and economic automony, due the size and economic strength of the colony. Due to fears of revolution in Drahasia, flamed by revolutions in various other colonies, the Mestran crown issued the Imperial Proclamation of 1304, which threatened to undermine the political and economic autonomy that the colony had been able to obtain.

Drah leaders convened with the leader of the Royal Mestran Colony of Drahasia, Arch-Duke Velor of Drahsia, Prince of the Mestran Imperium, convinced Velor to declare Drah independence from the Mestran Imperium on (date). Prince Velor was proclaimed as Autokrator of Drahen, first Emperor of the newly created Imperial Republic of Drahen, a constitutional monarchy.

The declaration of independence was opposed throughout Drahen by armed military units loyal to Mestra. The ensuing war of independence was fought across the country for the better part of a decade, with battles in the northern, northeastern, and southern regions. The turning point in the conflict occurred when the entire 5th Fleet, homeported in Drahen declared loyalty to the Imperial Republic, as a result, many Mestran forces were eventually cut off from supplies, and the last Mestran Stronghold something was defeated in early 1311.

The Imperial Republic of Drah was recognized by Mestra in late 1311 by Empress Isabella, by a royal decree releasing the colony from the Mestran Imperium.

Growth of the Nation

Early Years

The years following the independence of the Imperial Republic proved to be somewhat tumultuous, the new Empire contained several factions in the Imperial government alone and several secessionist rebellions occurred, especially in the Navajae Jungle region, and much of Emperor Velor's reign was comprised of resolving internal conflicts and rebellions that threatened the newly-formed country, either by diplomacy or military might. By Velor's death in 1343 he had been able to consolidate Imperial power and it was not until almost 200 years later, during the Drah-Indian War that Drahen became embroiled in any major internal conflicts.

Industrialization

Emperor Augustinus was crowned Autokrator of the Imperial Republic of Drahen in 1343, after the death of his father, Velor Valerii. He inherited from his father a state that was politically stable, though economically weakened, after nearly two decades of instability. Augustinus had to navigate two major crisis that helped to develop Drahen's prestige and economic power that would set it's course as a regional power in Skathia.

Emperor Augustinus saw himself as an enlightened leader and pushed progressive initiatives in technology and institutions. The creation of Crown companies allowed Augustinus to develop the telegraph and railroad industries throughout the country despite having several weak Prime Ministers and set the precedent of the Emperor as a neutral figure — one who could stand above political factions and petty interests to address discontent and moderate disputes. Internationally, Brigandian's came to see the country as embodying familiar liberal ideals, such as freedom of the press and constitutional respect for civil liberties. Its representative parliamentary monarchy also stood in stark contrast to the mix of dictatorships and instability endemic in the other nations of Skathia during this period.

By the start of Emperor Aemilius's reign in 1385, Drahen enjoyed internal stability and relative economic prosperity. The nation's infrastructure was being developed at a rapid pace, with progress in the construction of railroads, the electric telegraph and steamship lines further uniting Drahen into a cohesive national entity. The Drahen economy grew rapidly due to railroad, shipping and other modernization projects and high rates of immigration. The Empire became known internationally as a modern and progressive nation, second only to the Nyland in the Skathian region.

Throughout Aemilius's reign, the Industrial Revolution started to have a major effect on the Drah economy as the economy maturted and saw the change from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, the increasing use of steam power, the development of machine tools and the rise of the factory system. As Drahen continued to industrialize the nation saw rapid sustained growth in average income and population.

The Navajae Expansion

By the beginning of Emperor Gaius's reign in 1447, the Isle of Drah was by far the most developed and industrialized area in all of Eastern Skathia. However, the western part of the nation had very little development until this point due to the inaccessibility and hostile flora and fauna. Any major settlements were clustered in on the coast of the Straits of Drah and outside of the occasional exploration or trading mission, the interior of the Navajae Jungle was still considered wild and most unexplored. However with colonies and new nation-states in the region continuing to expand, the government of Drahen became increasingly worried that it would not be able to hold its territorial claims in the Navajae Jungle. As a result, starting in the 1455 the government started offering considerable subsidies to civilians and business that would move into the interior of the Navajae and begin the process of industrializing and development. However, with the increasing number of settlers in the region they quickly came into contact with natives, and relations soon soured due to cultural difference and competition for land. Tensions continued to increase as more settlers moved into the region, and soon raids between the settlers and natives became commonplace. By 1463 the government began deploying soliders to the region in order to restore order, however heavy-handed tactics used by military commanders did nothing but fan native resentment.