Empire of Imperia

The Empire of Imperia, commonly referred to as Imperia, was a large empire that spanned across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East under the Multi Dynasty.

History
Tribal Background (Pre-History - 1000 BP): By the year 4000 BP (Before Praetoria), the people commonly known today as the Imperials, an ethnic group based in Italy, Poland, and the Balkans, had settled in the plains south of the Alps and in the region commonly known today as Venetia. The early settlers here reached a mass region of extent from the western coast of France to the outer reaches of Serbia, and most of Italy. This ancient tribe were known as the Sapmians, and were the direct ancestors of the modern Imperial/Istran culture. These tribes expanded rapidly, soon dominating Italy, Croatia, Germany, France, the Lowlands, and parts of southern Scandinavia. In Germany, small farming advances began leading Europe, and eventually the world, out of hunter-gathering and farming soon took route in most of the lands populated by the Sapmians. Politically, these tribes shared nothing, and they faced much bigger threats than the magic and monsters infesting Europe.

The Trician Domination, Formation of Auxillia, and the Jarldom of Scandinavia (1000 BP - 900 BP): In the year 998 BP, an explorer from the Trician Empire, a massive expanding nation based in Anatolia and Greece, arrived in the Venetian valley with a small army and conquered the region. The explorer was actually the ancestor of the Multi Dynasty of Imperia, named Multus (the name would change as years passed) and he established a small city in the region known as Istre, naming the region after his wife, Isteria. However, while on a trip to the Trician Capital City of the Underwelt, a major leader in Multus' expedition, Nick, took control over the outpost. When Multus returned, a numerous war was fought over the region, with Nick becoming co-leader of the city. In response to half the city under his enemy's occupation, Multus established the Auxillia Corp. The army was founded to actively defend Istra and the Sapmians who had not fled west during the war. When the leaders of Tricia began to turn towards Nick I instead of Multus, he became extremely mad. He and the rest of the Auxillians revolted, burned down Istre, and killed Nick I before retreating west across Italy towards Rome. Rome had been established by Telem I, the ancestor to the TL Dynasty, and was in state visit in the Underwelt at the time of the start of the war. Multus burned down the entire city, before retreating across the seas to Spain, where he reorganized his forces to launch assaults on major Trician cities across Europe. the first target was Paris, which surrendered to the Auxillians before a battle was fought, and looted for various items such as food and weapons. Next, Multus crossed the Alps and attacked the remains of Istre in an attempt to force Tricia to accept Italian independence. The battle ended in stalemate, and Multus created a cease-fire, taking his army north to Britain, along with any Sapmians who wished to come. The expedition was still part of Tricia, but had more autonomy than any other province. England was conquered in less than a quarter of a year, and Ireland and Scotland fell under in weeks. Multus built a massive underground city, where he stored loot and numerous historic artifacts from Istre and Paris. Multus revolted again, but had to retreat from Britain to Scandinavia after a massive invasion. In mainland Europe, Sapmians had spread to most of the major lands, including Italy, Germany, France, northern Iberia, Britain (some stayed behind), Poland, and Scandinavia. In Rome and Istre, however, Sapmians did not exist in large numbers; they lived in the countryside creating the breadbasket for Tricia, and were banned from entering Paris. In Scandinavia, Multus led his troops in small raids, but large scale warfare did not exist. Multus did claim the Sapmians in Scandinavia as the independent nation of Vintome, but Tricia claimed it was the Sapmi Cohort. During the Trician Civil War in 974, the Sapmians were mass genocided in Germany by Trician authorities and many in Italy were killed as well until Multus led them all to safety in the Alps. In 970, Multus died and was replaced by his son Mutis, who allied with another rebel cell in the distant Trician cell of Iceland and set out to support them in war. First, however, was a massive group of refuges abandoning the city of Rome who stopped at the settlements and stealing food. Mutis launched an attack, slaughtering the entire refuge population of Rome. In Iceland, the Scandinavian Army had held off the Trician Imperial Army, and when Mutis arrived it was destroyed, with its emperor missing. The war ended with the independence of the Jarldom of Scandinavia, which included the Sapmian settlements in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, Britain, Iceland, Greenland, the Northern Ocean, and a tiny fort in the Alps to protect Sapmians in Italy. When Scandinavia gradually fell apart and the Ice Age gradually increased its ferocity, Mutis' son, Muti, ordered an evacuation to the forests of Germany. Mutis died and the future Multi Dynasty wuld not reappear for a long, long time.

The Tribes of Istra (900 BP - 10 BP): With the collapse of Tricia due to wheat shortages, the collapse of Scandinavia from the extreme Ice Age, and the abandonment of numerous cities such as Rome, Paris, and Buda due to civil unrest and shortages of decaying infrastructure, most Europeans reverted to tribal warfare. The Sapmians had evolved from this time, and were commonly called the Tricos, called in the books of Imperia as proto-Europeans. The Tricos, or remnant peoples of Tricia (even though the Bulgars were the real offspring of the Tricians) inhabited most of Germany, France, Iberia, Britain, and Italy. Some were said to have migrated to the Middle East or the Balkans, and tales of Tricos inhabiting Shimshina exist. While small city-states appeared, notably the Kingdom of Epirus and the City of Marseille, most of Europe remained tribal until the formation of numerous countries in the late years of the 30s, including the Kingdom of Syra, the Kingdom of Harinia (these two would merge to become Praetoria), Stravia, Aurania, and Breton. All of these states, especially Stravia, had Trico marks in culture. However, the birthplace of the culture, northern Italy, remained tribal until the early years of the next eon.

Pax Praetoria (10 BP - 180 AP): In 10 BP, tales reached the Italian plains of a mystical empire to the west called Praetoria. While some armed themselves, most simply went about their days, farming and shepherding livestock. Then, in the year 2 BP, a monk of the religion of Duckism, called KKAP, a refuge from the increasingly corrupt nation of Aurania, settled in the Venetia region under the rule of Praetoria. He united the region under his control and appointed a descendant of Mutis, Multi, as his second in command. Multi began conquering west and south while KKAP began conquering east, eventually bringing a majority of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia under Praetorian control. Multi and KKAP saw a massive opportunity to use the Trico methods of farming in Venetia to the advantage of Praetoria. They began building a massive farming city, which Multi named Istra. Istra was the capital of the Istra Cohort, and was considered one of the most stable cohorts and longest lasting. The Italian peninsula was surrounded either by the Alps or the seas, and the navy of Praetoria was enough to keep the barbarians out. However, Duke KKAP I allowed for mass immigration from Germany and France. By now, the differences between the Tricos had grown massively. The Tricos living in the Istra Cohort became Istrans, and their farming techniques and odd architecture led to many visitors from Lyonvis, the capital, exclaiming themselves at the beauty. In Iberia and Sicily, the Harinians were the elite members of Praetoria, and were extremely warlike and relied on food imports from Istra to sustain themselves. The Germo-Francios were a mixture of tribes in Germany, France, and the Alps that remained rather tribe-like and did not make many advances in civilization. In western France and Britain, Celts became the name for the tribal Tricos, and the ones in Britain were tribal and built a great city in London, and the Celts in France formed the nation of Breton and kept up wars against Praetoria until the consequent genocide by Praetoria, in which some fled into Germany or Britain. Finally, the Auranians in the Lowlands kept a massive society creating a multi-continental empire until their conquest by Praetoria. As years passed, Praetoria had conquered up to the border of Poland and cut its expansion to develop its territory. By now, KKAP I had died without a son, and Multi I took up leadership of Istra. Istra became the fourth biggest city in Praetoria, with most of the nation's wheat and fish coming from it. Roads were built across Italy and to other cities like Vasque City and Lyonvis, and maritime trade existed massively. Multi I handed down the throne of Istra to his son, with Multi IV in control of Istra by the year 180 AP. In 128, Multi II had conquered the region of Serbia for Praetoria, as well as establishing colonies in Libya to mine sand and produce glass.

The Barbarian Invasions and the Bulgar Empire (180 AP - 255 AP): In 181, sudden barbarian invasions of Europe caused Praetoria to stumble. Shortages of resources due to little advancement of mining technology had left most of northwestern Spain and the Netherlands with little forest, and iron shortages occurred in Sicily and Spain. In Istra, Multi IV, who had just ascended to the throne, realized that the small Istra Defense Forces could not stand a chance against these tribes, and evacuated all their soldiers in other cohorts and pulled out of the Balkans and a small part of France, withdrawing behind the Alps, to the walled fortress of Marseille, or the Gazientia Islands south of France. Barbarian invasions of Praetoria then occurred, with most of Germany and France lost, yet Vasque was concealed and safe, and Britain and most of the Lowlands were evacuated as well. When the tribal invasion reached the Spanish border, they realized that a simple march to Lyonvis was not easy, as the roads had been destroyed and mountains existed across the border. Thus, he set east, hoping to use the Praetorian Navy based in Marseille to attack southwest into Iberia. Multi IV and his army managed to stop most of the tribes, who retreated into Germany and Stravia. These tribes were from the region known as the Baltics, and would become the ancestors of nations such as New Stravia, France, Leivland, and Rumas. Eventually, a Praetorian traitor gave the tribes ways to get around the mountains and find Vasque, and both were sacked, burned, and looted. Praetoria was no longer a state, and the individual cohorts were left to fend for themselves. By 224, all the cohorts except for Istra and the Kentarchet in Sicily had fallen. Sicily itself was in anarchy, and Multi IV had to fight off numerous Ruman attacks in the Alps. Eventually, the tribes broke through and attacked Istra. The city fell over the span of three months, as house to house fighting ensued. In the end, Multi IV lay dead as did most of the Istran army. Many Istrans were killed and the city became a barbarian camp under the rule of Ethanus II. However, the heir, Multi V, had escaped to the city of Marseille, which was still safe and had a portion of the Praetorian navy. He proclaimed that Praetoria still existed and also took in the remains of the royal family of Batranus VI, who had managed to retake control of Sicily. As the tribes settled down, Europe was different. Most of the tribes that had made up the Tricos had been genocided or fled to other countries. In Britain, the Celts remained strong and the few Harinians settling there had been mixed in, and London became the capital of a new British state. In France, Germany, and the Lowlands, the Trico population was destroyed, with most either dead of having fled to Britain or Istra years before. In Iberia, Harinians still lived in the city as the barbarians had been pushed out, but was extremely weak and malnourished as most European cities relied on Istra for food. In Italy, Sicily had become a point where the most Tricos, minus Britain, lived. In the rest of Italy, while Istrans had been expelled from Istra, now renamed to Venezia, still lived in the countryside and took up farming again. Many more Istrans also fled to the Gazientia Islands, Marseille, or the Alps. In 240 AP, Multi V decided to join in union with the Holy Bulgar Empire under Emperor TL I, and with his help reconquered Istra and the rest of Italy (save Sicily) gladly joined the HBE. However, numerous civil wars plagued the HBE and Istra with its farms leveled could not send food to the town, and war with Praetorian remains in Sicily and Spain (commonly called the EO) caused the nation to collapse. Duke Multi V of Istra declared independence as the Kingdom of Italy from the HBE, and Pliska was completely leveled by EO mercenaries by the end of the year. Finally, Istra was independent under the new King Multi I.

From Kingdom to Empire (255 - 278 AP): Multi's new kingdom was actually quite stable, but Istra still lay in ruins and the farms could not produce enough food for the country. After a few years of famine, population actually balanced out at around 1.3 million people living in the lands ruled by Multi I, with most in the northern regions. About 60,000 of those served in the armed forces, and Italy became an extremely powerful force in western Europe. As time passed and Istra became rebuilt (census shows it was 78% Istran and 22% Other) population increased as farms could sustain them and immigration from the wilderness of tribal central Germany and the Balkans caused the population to reach 2.1 million in 13 years after independence. Multi I decided to recreate the Praetorian model for the kingdom, creating a road system and trading outposts in Milan and Naples. However, as time passed, Italy became more advanced than most of its neighbors, and Multi I became increasingly insane. In 276, Italy invaded its ally of France, conquering it and claiming the city of Bordeaux for the newly founded Empire of Imperia.

The Conquest and Pax Imperial (278 AP - 430 AP): With the conquest of the French nation and the permanent ownership of the EO, Imperia began a massive campaign to bring the world under its rule, promising equality and peace. Germany was the first invaded, and was taken within three years, and Hamburg was sacked. North Africa and the Crimean Republic were annexed soon after, and Multi II died invading Britain. His son Multi II buried him in Wales and continued pushing forward while troops invaded the Balkans, Poland, Scandinavia, and the Middle East. At its height of territorial ownership in 294, Imperia owned Britain, southern Scandinavia, Italy, Iberia, France, Germany, the Lowlands, North Africa, Poland, Ukraine, and the Middle East, and Russia up to the Asian border. Multi II, while in Wales, was struck by surprise by a French rebellion, which stranded the Praetor in his city of Conway, and Istra was heavily damaged in the war as wood was mostly used in the buildings. Peace was made quickly, giving France independence. This was not the only disaster Imperia faced during its infant years either. The economy of the nation had mostly been in Istra, and most was destroyed in the fire, resulting in the ability to not pay for EO mercenaries and they regained independence, taking Iberia and Sicily. Multi II decided to move the capital to Danzig, in Poland, as Istra was damaged beyond repair to him and to centralize the Empire. An attack from a rogue EO mercenary destroyed the palace, built by the Bulgar Royal Family who lived under Imperia, and the nation was thrown into civil war for 4 years. Multi II managed to reconquer most of his land, but retreated west from Russia to the Black Sea to defend Istra more easily. By 350, Imperia had redefined Europe. Italy, once the most important region of Europe, was now a side-show as the focus moved to France, Iberia, and Britain. Wars with Imperia and France were commonplace, and one war left most of northern France under Inperial control. The capital was put into the two cities of Crimea and Conway, with Multi III placing himself and the army there and the Imperial Parliament placing itself in Crimea. The major cities of Vasque, Istra, and Syra had faded away. In its place were the massive military mights of Lyonvis, Conway, and Danzig. In culture and lifestyle, Imperia changed Europe completely. In Germany, which had experienced an industrial revolution, Imperial conquests had caused mass death and a revert to farming in the countryside, and the culture was now called the Stravians. In France, two cultures emerged. One was the Bordeaux's, which had tribal values, and the Celtic Frencais, which had Imperial and Praetorian values. These cultures clashed along the Imperial-French border, yet the militaries of both states kept them calm. In Iberia, the Harinians had managed to retake the entire peninsula and killed any non-Harinians, and were now the military backbone of Europe but still allied themselves to Imperia. In the Balkans, eastern Europe, and Britain, the Imperial culture had emerged. All past cultural differences had been eradicated and were plain firm citizens of Imperia. In North Africa and the Middle East, tribal cultures remained as little occurred there. In Italy, the Istran culture remained but was under the name of the Imperial culture. Istra's only use was for a military garrison to exist, and no effort was made to rebuild the town. Istrans lived in the countryside or the city of Milan, and Italy became Imperia's poorest state. Major technological advances also began during Pax Imperial. The electronic material known as redstone had been known and used in small machines, but massive advancements in piston tech made it possible to create food using only 2 chicken, and private companies formed together to create KFC. However, Imperia was not ready for its next challenge.

Conflicts Within (430 - 450): The death of Praetor Multi IX caused massive civil unrest within the empire, as a coup by Prime Minister Gatherax ousted the Multi Dynasty from power after centuries of ruling the Empire. His son, Multi X, was put on the arrest list by the Imperial Army, yet he safely reached the Equestrian Order, which had begun reforming into Hylivia. Protests in Crimea turned violent after a few weeks, and Gatherax fled to Britain while civil war erupted. The war lasted for 9 months. Before the war, Imperia had a population of about 37 million people, a record for any other nation. After the war, the population was 34 million. Mainland Imperia faced many economic and manpower sources, while London was proclaimed Capital. The crisis was only made worse by a dual invasion from the new Indian city state of Tamil, which was created by Imperial defectors, and France. Most of the mainland fell into chaos, and all of the mainland was abandoned by Imperial troops save for a few strategically important areas, such as Vasque or Breton. Italy was not invaded by France, but was annexed by Multi X, who became a Hylivian mercenary, and proclaimed Imperia dead. Gatherax deserted after his soldiers, still loyal to Imperia, learned about his plans for a separate country. In Britain, the population stabilized to about 2.1 million, and war continues between Gatherax in London and Imperia in Ireland and Wales, until Gatherax dies in 448. While Imperia is dead, many of its former provinces still proclaim loyalty or are occupied. Most of Europe became anarchy until the formation of New Stravia in 449. The Imperial culture vanished from most of Europe, save Italy, Poland, and Britain. Imperia would never become the world superpower it once was.

The Fall of the Empire (450 - 470): As the years passed, the Imperial remnants in Britain began suffering from famine and lack of jobs. Most Imperials on the islands were soldiers, and infrastructure collapsed. A new cult soon sprung up in London, beginning war. The starving and exhausted Imperial Army could not hope to defeat the Celtic minority that had risen up. Within three years, Imperia had retreated to Scotland, and the Celts stopped their advance just south of Edinburgh. A few months later, the Celts advanced again, driving Imperia out of Scotland and the island of Britain. A few surviving Imperial troops made it to Ireland, among them the descendant of KKAP I, the first leader of Istra. He quickly became the leader of Imperia on the island, but slowly broke Ireland free from Imperia, forming the Kingdom of Grada. On the mainland, Imperial remnants struggled to survive. The Breton pocket was conquered by the French during the Britannia Wars, and the Pananthean garrison had deserted. Troops loyal to Imperia still lived across Europe, and were regarded as dangerous to the new nations. Other pockets of Imperia also existed; the Gazientian Islands, Istra, Crimea, and other towns and cities across eastern Europe, and the French Army had no means to reach them. However, these pockets all slowly faded away as time passed. Praetor Multi X, a Hylivian leader, invaded northern Italy, seizing Istra. Beforehand, Istra was Imperial territory, yet most people had abandoned the city as the farms had been destroyed, and now lived in the countryside. The Gazientia Islands, loyal to the Praetor, joined Hylivia. Crimea and other of its cities were annexed by expanding eastern empires such as Persia, Byzantium, and Luxman. The only indication that Imperia had ever existed was its vast landmarks across Europe and its control over small isolated islands and notably parts of northern Poland. However, an event in 471 would change the face of Europe, and Imperia, for decades to come.

The Rise of the Phoenix (471 - 515): In Germany, Imperia did not disappear overnight. Imperial soldiers still loyal to the nation attacked France day and night, causing panic at the border regions, with soldiers sometimes attacking the capital of Bordeaux. Within a few years at best, most of these soldiers had died due to lack of planning and a lack of supplies, as stores and treasuries from Imperial days had long been looted. A few managed to reach Vasque, but most died. Vasque City itself would never fully be rebuilt, but would stand for centuries until rising again as the Benelux in the 750s, and is still considered a successor state of Imperia. In the rest of Germany, raiders still proved to be a problem for the southeast, and in the Italian territories of Hylivia. Soon enough, the state of Stravia, reestablishing itself with a former Imperial general as its leader, attacked and conquered Germany and the Alps, as well as parts of Hungary up to Pananthea. In the Balkans, Byzantine forces had managed to capture all the Greek Islands. Imperia remained only, by this point, in Ireland and Poland, and a few towns in Georgia. In 471, the American War began. Hylivia, with Praetor Multi XI assisting, managed to dismantle the Empire of Vinland. However, Lyonvis was extremely damaged, and Multi XI was exiled. He decided to go to Taiwan, but Imperial forces found him and traveled with him. After losing the presidential elections due to a rigged vote and losing his position in government, Multi rebelled, destroying the nation. He moved to Persia, but left soon after, heading towards Imperial lands in Georgia. He found one of the vaults, built around the globe by Praetors to keep himself safe from danger, and to store parts of Imperia's treasury. Multi XI declared Imperia reborn, and embarked on a string of conquests in eastern Europe and the Middle East, eventually conquering the Caucasus, Poland, eastern Germany, the Baltic region, Ukraine, parts of Russia, parts of Central Asia, Turkey, and northern Syria.