Introduction
The years having elapsed between the completion of the rail line connecting Edora to Linbrae in 1050 and the beginning of the Hoblandish War of Independence in 1068 have been considered by historians to be the Peak Years of the Kingdom of the Great North. At its height, the Great North held its current Northern Remikran territory as well as present-day Combria, present-day Layda and Pimdan, East and West Hobland, Tandeiyah, Northwest and Northeast Canticula, the Meredythian and Rim Isles, Monassa, the Mid-Westerlies, and Recastelaren.
Technology, Transit, and Infrastructure
Blue Diamond Coalsands served as the primary source of fuel during this time, and such a fuel was used by many modes of transit including steam trains. Such steam trains were the first of their kind, having first emerged in the year 1000 and consisting each of a steam locomotive followed by a coal car, around three economy class passenger cars, around three business class cars, and around three first class cars. As aforementioned, the National Rail Line was established in 1050, connecting Edora, Anadon, Cotts, and Linbrae so that one was able to ride from Edora to Linbrae without having to disembark at any point in between.
The Edoran Rail Network, meanwhile, connected the city of Edora proper to Cales, Cotts, Daylram, Ecnedivelc, Kram, Malbec, and Nalesh, with each of the aforementioned Duchy capitals having lines connecting to one another. Each Duchy here had its own rail network connecting its Capital to its County Capitals in the same fashion. And each County had local trolley lines connecting its capital to the other municipalities. The Linbraean Rail Network was established in very much the same fashion with rail lines connecting Linbrae proper to Cotts, Hotay, Soratana, and Yelcreb. Like in the Edoran Regiondom, the Duchies of the Linbraean Regiondom had their own rail networks and Counties their trolley lines.
Marking its claim, the Great North had rail networks in its other territories. Combria, at the time, had one rail line running from West Terredon to King's End. Meanwhile, along the Magumarian Coast, rail lines ran from Pimdan to Charleston, from Pimdan to Piers Bay, and from Pimdan to Kitalos (present-day Savel). The Great Northern territories of East Hobland boasted a single main rail line connecting Givenna, East Terredon (present-day Arlemn), and Endport, around each of which ran local trolley lines. In West Hobland stood a similar rail network, connecting the cities of Estry (present-day Kieran), Oday, Enilor, Kerryson, Haum, Maratha, Midway, and present-day Areiya. There also stood rail networks in Tandeiyah, Furthing and Northwest Canticula, and present-day Munnicale. Needless to say, there stood no rail lines for the Meredythian or Rim Isles, Mid-Westerlies, Monassa, or Recastelaren, though all of these territories had local trolley networks.
Essential to the global trade and projection of the Kingdom of the Great North was its network of steam-powered ships, transporting overseas cargo and passengers. To note, the structure of a typical passenger ship included a Engine Deck where stood blue diamond coalsand furnaces driving steam turbines which in turn drove propellors, a Service Deck housing all of the crew members, an Economy Deck housing the economy-class passengers, a Business Deck housing the business-class passengers, and a First Class Deck housing of the first-class passengers. These ships dwarfed their predecessors in terms of length and width.
These ships navigated a vast network with its hub in Terredon and ports in Edora, Cales, Skanbraif (in spring, summer, and fall), Linbrae, and Yelcreb of Northern Remikra; St. Eschel and "The Docks" (present-day South Masonia) of Combria; Charleston, Piers Bay, and Kitalos of the Layda-Pimdan region; Givenna, East Terredon, and Endport of East Hobland; Maegan, Enilor, and Tradegate of West Hobland; Budlapeiyay and Doblomaye of Tandeiyah; Kindol and Eastdock (present-day Vamastar) of Northwest Canticula; Konstar and Norhaven of Northeast Canticula; all the main towns of the Meredythian and Rim Isles; Clareon of the Mid-Westerlies; Southport of Monassa; and Southwall of Recastelaren.
The Kingdom of the Great North also boasted a robust network of airships. A typical airship at the time consisted of an Aft Engine Room, where stood a special lightweight steam engine powered by blue diamond coalsands; a Passenger Cabin, consisting of a lower Economy Deck, middle Business Deck, and upper First-Class Deck; and a Flight Deck for the Captain and Navigation Officers. Said airships could fly up to 1000 miles at a time and up to an altitude of 5000 feet. And for these airships stood airfields in Anadon, Cotts, Edora, and Linbrae as well as every Duchy Capital and County Capital. Combria boasted an airfield each for West Terredon, "The Docks", King's End, and St. Eschel; the West Coast Territory had airfields for Charleston, Piers Bay, Pimdan, and Kitalos; East Hobland had airfields in Givenna, East Terredon, Endport, Twingate, and Oberhell; West Hobland had airfields for Maegan, Tradegate, Estry, Oday, Enilor, Kerryson, Haum, Maratha, Midway, and present-day Areiya; Tandeiyah had airfields for Doblomaye and Budlapeiyay; Northwest Canticula had airfields for Kindol, Eastdock (present-day Vamastar), Gudina, Talliston, and each of every County Capital; Northeast Canticula had airfields for Konstar and each of every County Capital; each Meredythian and Rim Isle had an airfield each for its main town and other lesser towns; such was also the case for Monassa and the Mid-Westerlies; and Recastelaren had an airfield each for Southwall on the main isle and each of its floating isles. To note, it was in Recastelaren that most over-water airship flights took place.
Most room and street lighting in the Great North during its Peak Years was in the form of "coalcandles," powered by blue diamond coalsands. Special industry-sized coalcandles powered furnaces for central heating and ovens for cooking while "coalsand gas" was used for stovetop cooking. Blue diamond coalsand fuel was also used to power machines, trains, ships, and airships. Coalsand loads and coalcandles were bought per business and household while municipalities established coalsand gas lines.
Such progress in technology during this era saw standardizations in crop production, food distribution, lighting, heating, drinking water, sewage and sanitation, housing, transit, communication, law enforcement, rescue services, and healthcare. The Kingdom of the Great North also boasted a robust education system as every Duchy had a University, every County had a College, every Municipality had a Secondary School, every Estate or Canton had a Primary School, and a system of in-home tutors ensured a Preschool education for every Great Northern child. Every Great Northern territory outside of Northern Remikra had its own education system but was one reflecting quite similarly to the aforementioned.
Government and Politics
As is the case today, the Kingdom of the Great North during its Peak Years was dominated by a hierarchy of monarchies. Of the sitting royal families within and down said hierarchy, the eldest living son would be made either the King or the Duke depending on the role. And said King or Duke, if serving as part of a duarchy, would appoint a cabinet of department heads for internal affairs, preside over involved meetings, and have a final say on decisions being made accordingly. The eldest daughter, on the other hand, would be made a Queen or Duchess depending on the role. Said Queen or Duchess, if serving as part of a duarchy, would appoint cabinet members for external affairs (diplomatic, naval, etc.), and would serve the same kind of role over those.
Highest in said hierarchy was the Kingdom of the Great North, ruled from its capital Anadon by a duarchy. This duarchy consisted of the eldest son of all royal families within the Edoran Regiondom ruling as the King, and the eldest daughter of all royal families within the Linbraean Regiondom ruling as the Queen. The first Duarchy to rule the Great North consisted of a King and Queen married to one another, though said marriage was not a requirement for either role.
The Edoran Regiondom, or Edoran Kingdom, was also governed in its own accord from Edora proper by a patriarchal monarchy where the eldest son of all Edoran royal families sat as the King. Meanwhile, the Linbraean Regiondom was governed in its own accord from Linbrae proper by a matriarchal monarchy where the eldest daughter of all Linbraean royal families sat as the Queen. To note, the gender requirement for the monarch position of both the Linbraean and Edoran Regiondoms would be repealed as part of the treatises signed in 1231 in order to settle The Great Unrest; though the gender requirement still stands for the Great Northern Duarchy in Anadon.
Like today, the Edoran Regiondom stood during the Peak Years having seven Duchies, each of whom governed by a monarchy within the hierarchy but each having its own structure of succession. The Edoran Duchy of Cales had no gender requirement for succession and could therefore be governed by a Duke or Duchess. The same held true for the Duchy of Daylram, the Duchy of Cotts and Skanbraif, and the Duchy of Malbec. The Duchies of Ecnedivelc and Kram were patriarchal and therefore were presided at the time solely by Dukes, with the position for each Duchy available to the eldest son of the royal families thereof. The Duchy of Nalesh, meanwhile, was a duarchy, with the Duke managing internal affairs and a Duchess carrying out representative affairs.
Also like today, the Regiondom of Linbrae stood having four Duchies, all four of which were monarchies. The Duchies of Cotts, Hotay, and Yelcreb were patriarchal monarchies, ruled each by a Duke, while the Duchy of Soratana was a matriarchal monarchy, ruled by a Duchess.
The other Territories of the Great North were presided over each by a Governor-General appointed or approved by the Great Northern Crown in Anadon. Such Territories and their respective governments stood in the form of one of three types: Direct, Single-House, and Multiple-House. Direct Territories had low populations and therefore had their governor-generals appointed directly by the King of the Edora or the Queen of Linbrae, per whichever Regiondom the territory belonged to. Said governor-general would subsequently appoint magistrates and implement direct orders, subject to popular petition of necessary. Direct governor-general systems presided over the Edoran Territory of Combria from its capital in West Terredon, the Edoran Territory of East Canticula from its capital in Konstar, and the Linbraean Territory of West Hobland from its capital in Estry.
Single-House Territories had higher populations, and its governor-generals were elected by the Territory's House Council, approved by the Regiondom monarch or appointed by said monarch if House Council elections did not produce a conclusive result. In this case, all decisions for the Territory were approved by a majority vote in the House Council and subject to enactment or veto by the governor-general. Single-House governor-general systems presided over the Edoran Territory of East Hobland from its capital in East Terredon, the Edoran Territory of Recastelaren from its capital in Southwall, and the Linbraean Territory of Southwest Remikra from its capital in Pimdan.
Multiple-House Territories had the highest populations outside Northern Remikra and chose their governor-generals through first a majority vote of each council to send a delegate to the territorial capital, then making a final decision on the governor-general based upon the number of delegate votes cast equalling the majority of the total number of House Councils. Whether said governor-general was approved or appointed by the Regiondom monarch in the event of a conclusive election was subject to the same rules as that of Single-House entities. And said system of "council-delegate-majority" also governed decision-making, subject to the approval or veto of the governor-general. Multiple-House governor-general systems presided over the Edoran Territory of Tandeiyah from its capital in Doblomaye, the Edoran Territory of Furthing from its capital in Kindol, the Linbraean Territory of Monassa from its capital in Sancto Rosco, the Linbraean Territory of the Mid-Westerlies from its capital in Clareon, and the Great Northern Territory of the Meredythian and Rim Isles from its capital in Weston. To note, the Meredythian and Rim Isles Territory was the only territory administered by the Great Northern Crown and neither that of the Edoran or Linbraean Regiondoms.
The legislative branch of each Crown in Anadon, Edora, and Linbrae consisted of a Parliament, with each Parliament consisting of two chambers: the House of Deputies and the House of Representatives. The House of Deputies consisted of two representatives from each Duchy and each Territory thereof while the House of Deputies in Anadon consisted two representatives each from both Linbraean and Edoran Duchies and Territories. The House of Representatives of each Regiondom consisted of one representative each from each of its Counties and Municipalities, while the House of Representatives in Anadon consisted of a representative each from both Linbraean and Edoran Counties and Municipalities. The legislative branch of every Duchy, Territory, and County was led by a unicameral Council, presided over by a Leader of Council. Every Council consisted of 100 representatives each of whom elected by a majority vote of the people.
Great Northern Justices, at the time, were appointed by Clerics, a political practice later abolished, substituted by popular vote, by the Edoran Regiondom in 1199 and the Linbraean Regiondom in 1231. Said Justices presided over courts of law to determine outcomes of disputes or trials as well as appoint jurors when necessary. The hierarchy of the Great Northern Justice System, like today, consisted of a Supreme Court of the Great North, Superior Court of the Edoran Regiondom, Superior Court of the Linbraean Regiondom, a High Court for each Duchy and Territory, a House Court for each Territorial House, and a County Court for each County.
Trade and Diplomacy
The Kingdom of the Great North, during its Peak Years, carried a robust economy as it exported manufactured goods including by not limited to clothing, machines, and household items, as well as commodities like cotton, wool, coffee, tea, sugar, and herbs. The Great North was also a leading producer in trains and rail lines, airships, and steam ships.
The Great North was also known for its scriptfire and spellfire industries. Before the advent of scriptfire, spells were manually written onto scrolls which would then be crafted onto talismans made of clay. Such a process was expensive and time-consuming because each script, whether written on the scroll or crafted onto the talisman, was done so either by hand or script-stamps. Scriptfire-crafting was revolutionary in that it involved crafting spellfire scripts onto talismans attached to special machines which would then used said talismans to mass-produce copies of crafted talismans, thus creating a new standard of production. The idea was first proposed by Marya Terens in the year 852, and was accepted that year for experimentation by the University of Daylram. However, this new apparatus at the time was circulated only by university students and those of the upper middle class. A Royal Charter was granted to this patent in 864 facilitating scriptfire to being used outside of Daylram. Though, thanks to a lobby of traditionalists, scriptfire was deemed controversial and remained popular only among the said university students and upper middle class citizens for another century. In the late 900s, an ensuing trend of technological change brought to the forefront a calling for further funding of the scriptfire apparatus for more common usage. And in the year 1000, a Royal Charter from Anadon gave grants to produce the machine for both the Edoran and Linbraean Regiondoms as well as all Territories, to export products and scriptfire means to other nations, and to place patent rights for scriptfire in the Congress of Circlaria Public Domain. This resulted in the achievement of universal accessibility for producers and consumers alike within the decade.
Scriptfire-crafting led to the common production of important trinkets and devices, particularly clocks and gyroscopes. Before this era, clocks existed either in the form of sundials or systems using weights. This technology was not perfect and gave rise to obvious and accepted inconsistencies. Scriptfire engineers in the early 1000s, however, discovered the possibility of creating a talisman capable of re-discharging signal spells at regular intervals in order to turn clock hands. This method was reliable and did not require the presence of a finite source. And so the mass-production of scriptfire-based clocks was established.
Before the advent of gyroscopes, navigation technology was dominated by compasses and star charts. While compasses were relatively reliable in giving current direction of travel, star charts did not provide an easy way to determine an accurate location for a ship out at sea, nor were they reliable in unfavorable weather. Scriptfire gyroscopes, however, were able to accurately track speed, location displacement, and altitude (for airships). Though this was still a far cry from the precise navigation technology that exists today, it was nevertheless progress.
Blue diamond coalsands, the primary source of fuel for the Great North during its Peak Years, was initially extracted from the Moorland region until around the 1040s. When those deposits ran dry, the Great North sought other territories, finding very rich deposits in Canticula and Hobland, primarily East Hobland. This trade would prove essential not only to the many modes of transit but also to the entire economy as a whole.
Alongside blue diamond coalsand mining, the Great North was also known for its currency metal and bullion trade. Like past Circlarian societies, the Kingdom of the Great North followed the Copper/Silver/Gold currency standard, which governed that one-hundred copper coins equalled one silver coin, and that one-thousand silver coins equalled one gold coin. During the 900s, the Edoran Kingdom Standard Currency Act standardized the three metals. In 998, the newly-formed Kingdom of the Great North issued the First Royal Charter of Civil Commerce, which established the Royal Mint of the Great North. This expanded the Edoran Kingdom Standard Currency Act to include metal deposits in all Great Northern territories and to provide an incentive for the Great North to expand its territory in order to acquire as many Circlarian deposits as possible. This was, in fact, the greatest driving factor in Great Northern territorial acquisition.
At the time, the territory of Combria boasted having the richest known copper reserves while Tandeiyah had the richest silver reserves. And though there was no designated rich region for gold at the time, the Great North imported in its earlier years, a great deal of gold from the Chokian Republic. The precious metal was otherwise found in smaller concentrations in Remikran, Hoblandish, and West Canticulan territories. In the 1050s, however, large gold reserves were discovered in present-day Munnicale, a land bordering the Motanian Empire. Though trade emerged between the two powers, so would political tensions based off this resource.
End of the Peak Years: George Benson and the Hoblandish War of Independence
George Benson of the Kingdom of the Great North was a proud military man related to the Weller family. Back in the 770s, Jacob Weller had abandoned the Edoran Kingdom and sailed to Southeast Canticula in order to establish the Kingdom of Prove. This story was that of shame for the Weller family and George Benson. And Benson, 250 years later, sought to reclaim the Provan Kingdom for the Great North. He was instructed by higher-ups in the Great Northern Navy not to do so, but Benson nonetheless sailed to Prove, landing there in October 1063 and attempting an invasion. Benson was handily defeated by the Provans and imprisoned, later to be extradited back to the Kingdom of the Great North. There, he was released from imprisonment but dishonorably discharged from the Navy, made afterward to work for the Ship-Builder Guild in St. Eschel. Benson was also furthermore banned from purchasing more than a limited supply of blue diamond coalsands. However, Benson, through incredible measures of persuasion and psychological infiltration, left St. Eschel and gathered enough fighters and ships to attempt a second attack on Prove. He landed there again in 1067, this time toppling the Provan Crown and claiming himself King of Prove. This came at a crucial time for the Great North, as not only was rivalry with the Motanian Empire at a fever pitch, but the Motanians had also been in an alliance with the Provans. The Great North responded quickly, as they re-captured Prove and extradited Benson. The original Provan Crown had survived the attack and had fled; the Great North helped to restore them to power and also to settle any immediate falling-out with the Motanians. George Benson was, meanwhile, sent back to the Great North where he was put on trial and convicted of treason, which would have warranted capital punishment at the time. However, since he had royal blood in his veins, George Benson was instead sentenced to fulfilling the role of ranger in present-day Notulfa.
In the years leading up to the George Benson incident, fuel demands had been placing increasing burdens to the local miners in the East Hobland territories; said miners as well as those native and Great Northern locals began voicing grievances against the Great Northern Crown, many of which went unaddressed. The George Benson incident served as the tipping point to this tension; and the following year, 1068, the people of East Hobland declared independence and war against the Great North. As pro-independence forces stopped blue diamond coalsand supplies to the Great North, the supply of the precious fuel coming under the sudden strain began having an adverse impact on the Great Northern economy.
This, historians argue, marked the end of the Peak Years for the Great North, because the Great North, eight years later, would surrender to the East Hobland and recognize it as an independent nation. Said nation codified permanently the wartime embargoes against the Great North, meaning that the Great North would never recover without coming up with an alternative resource for energy and trade. Throughout the 1070s and 1080s, the Great North, in order to save itself from financial collapse, sold its abroad territories, including present-day Munnicale, Furthing, Tandeiyah, West Hobland, many of the Meredythian Isles, and even Combria.
Nevertheless, though not the imperial giant it was during its Peak Years, the Kingdom of the Great North stands to this day as a wealthy nation and a significant power on the global stage, with many of its technological and cultural influences still present in its former territories.