Ildernia

The Ilders, officially the Græssiate of the Ilders and also known as Ildernia, is an vassal state of Sylvania in southern Onthukhan that shares a river border with Atlechia.

The Ilders were first settled by Litans in the 1570s, where they founded a colony that would later expand to include today's Ilders and Neubaykonia Proper. Although the colony would fall during the Litan collapse, the Litans returned to the Ilders during the Baykonian migration and founded the town of Ilderburg. The Ilder would eventually fall under the control of the Honsiates in Ilderburg and later form the Ilders part of Ildernia until its dissolution in 1822. It remains under honsiate control ever since and is regarded as the current Ildernian state.

The Ilders is a unitary semi-constitutional monarchy ruled by the de Honse family, with Hugo Ildernestes de Honse as its current Græz.

Etymology
The name "Ildernia" comes from the Litan word for Eldham, Ilderna. The term "Ilderna" comes from "Ensle Derna", which means "Final Island", which is likely what the crew of the expedition referred to the land they discovered, believing it to be the end of the world. According to legend, this was then corrupted as the people who listened to the crews' tales of their discoveries thought they said "Ens Ilderna" meaning "Over in Ilderna". As such, when the Litans migrated with the Baykonians to Eldham, they referred to the new land as "Ilderna", which later would become the Litan name for all of Eldham.

Pre-migration
Little is known about the pre-migration history of the Ilders. However, the recent discovery of a time capsule from 1671 has provided historical information about the Ilders up to that point. Its contents are still being studied.

Early History (1705-1734)
Enthof Island, the island on which Ilderburg currently lies, was discovered in 1705 during an attempted expedition to Litany by Seved Driets de Honse. According to legend, the expedition got caught in a storm which put them off course and would lead them to discover what would eventually become Neubaykonia. Upon realising this error, the expedition returned to Birkenport, where King Peg of Baykonia got word of the discovery and initiated the Baykonian Migration to the newly discovered lands.

Ilderburg would be established shortly after in 1706 as an estate of Seved Driets de Honse. Ilderburg would be given its name the following year in 1707. Ilderburg became a Barony in 1711 upon the request of Seved Driets de Honse, who was merely the Lord-Mayor of Ilderburg at the time. Ilderburg would also become a Principality in 1713 due to Seved's appointment as Prince and heir to the Baykonian throne, with the Barony of Ilderburg becoming the Prince-Barony of Ilderburg.

Ilderburg became a town in 1714 following a decree by its Prince-Baron. This led to an increase in population and activity, which in addition to the power of its ruling Honsiate family, led Ilderburg to become one of the most powerful towns in Neubaykonia. Ilderburg would reach its height of power and activity in the 1720s, as the town functioned as the seat of the Regent and later King of Neubaykonia. Ilderburg would also become home to the first newspaper in Baykonia and one of the oldest in Eldham, the Ilderburg Post, being founded in 1724. With the establishment of the Domnates of Baykonia in 1728, the Honsiates were granted the Domnate of the Ilders, which included Enthof Island and Ilder Island. The Atlechian Crisis of the early 1730s would result in the decline of Ilderburg as it lost both people and political power, ending in its abandonment with the death of Seved Driets de Honse.

Alexandrine and Early Hubertine Period (1734-1765)
In 1734, a group of Litan refugees led by Aletsánder Svintersbrœick de Honse, who was the son of Seved Driets de Honse, settled Ilderburg, believing it to be a new Litany due to its architectural features. Aletsánder assumed control of the town, which was renamed to "Litansbœrg" and implemented Litan law and customs to the town. Aletsánder's reign would last less than three years as he died of an infection in 1737, which according to legend came from the bite of a pig as Aletsánder tried to slaughter the pig for pork.

His son Hubertus Perriér de Honse succeeded his father. Hubert largely reversed the reforms and edicts of his father and converted to Snoutiality, although this conversion was only symbolic. Hubert sought to restore Ilderburg's power and activity throgh economic reforms and established the Ilderburg Company for this purpose. The Ilderburg Company sought to establish plantations and trading outposts overseas and managed to establish a colony at the south-eastern tip of Zamotz called New Birkenport. The Ilderburg Company proved to be a failed venture and the colony was later abandoned and absorbed into Femminellia.

The failed colonial venture meant a shift in policy as Hubert now sought to improve the standing and prestige of the Ildernian state. As such, Prince-Baron Hubert sought to take over the County of Milland following the death of Joseph Richardson, the last Count of Milland. His ambitions were countered by the Grand Duke of Kuzino, who himself sought to incorporate the county into his domain. The Domn of Xandtmarch and the King of Baykonia, Biglrab, also sought the County but would eventually declare Hubert as the new Count of Milland, thus ending the dispute in de Honse's favour.

Hubert de Honse launched an expedition to Salameberg in 1759, with the intent of restoring the city and Baykonian presence in the area. He was joined by Josep Thorne, the Duke of Sunovia and Grand Duke of Kuzino, who declared the re-establishment of Salameberg. Both became friends and close allies during the expedition, which is today regarded as the beginning of the friendship between Ildernia and Sunovia. Salameberg and the rest of Baykonia in Rathnir would be invaded by Daelyria in 1762 and has been under their control ever since.

The Prince-Barony experimented with constitutional rule between 1751 to 1770. According to the constitution, legislative power was vested in a "Public Assembly" where all citizens of Ilderburg, except for the Prince-Baron, were permitted to participate. Due to Ilderburg's low population, no changes in policy or legislation could be enacted during this time, politically paralysing Ilderburg.

Late Hubertine Period (1765-1790)
Following his victory in the 1765 Baykonian Elections, Hubert de Honse shifted attention from the Prince-Barony to take care of more matters nationwide. Realising the failure of the constitutional system in the Prince-Barony, Hubert made the decision to abolish it through a self-coup in 1770. A mere week later, Hugo merged his domains to form the Lands of Ilder Litany, considered to be the first modern Ildernian state. The formation of Ilder Litany inspired the Thornes of Sunovia to merge their domains into Thorovia later that year.

For the rest of Hubert's term as PM, Ilder Litany was neglected and eventually abolished with the administrative reform of 1772. Ilderburg merged with New Salameberg following the administrative reform in an attempt to establish a greater capital city for Baykonia, called Baykonford. The merger, which would end up failing and be officially dissolved following independence in 1791, allowed Hubert to establish a town in the Milland. The city was based around the location of the estate owned by its former Count, Joseph Richardson, after whom the town would be named.

Ildernia was formally established in 1780 as the Græssiate of Ildernia, which was a province without its own Deputy in the Chamber of Deputies, instead sharing a Deputy with nearby Domnates, in this case Xandtmarch for the Milland and Neubaykonia Proper for the Ilders. With the establishment of Ildernia, the border with Revreia was adjusted to better fit natural boundaries, granting Bimont to the Milland. A piece of northern Milland was ceded to Legasia for the same reason in 1784.

The year of 1785 is regarded as a golden year for Ildernia, as it grew in population and activity due to immigrants settling in Ildernia. However, the collapse of Baykonia which would be initiated the same year stunted any future potential growth and led to a decade of stagnation and decline, from which Ildernia has yet to recover.

Ildernia was among the first states to refuse to recognise Biglrab's coup and regarded the absolute monarchy of Baykonia as illegitimate, with all power that the Baykonian government had over Ildernia being assumed by Græz Hubert, making Ildernia de facto independent in 1786. An attempt to hold a nationwide election by Ildernia was made in the same year but ended up with a very low turnout and therefore was declared as invalid, with Hubert retaining his powers seized from the Baykonian government over Ildernia, turning Ildernia into an absolute monarchy in 1787.

Seeing a need to defend the newly independent Ildernian state, Hubert decreed the establishment of the Ildernian Guard in 1787 for the sake of law enforcement and the defence of Ildernia. The same year Hubert granted a charter to Bimont, forming the Lordship of Bimont with Bonkman Evengale as its Lord. Revreia, another region of Baykonia opposed to absolutist rule, petitioned to join Ildernia in 1788 and was admitted into Ildernia the same year. With this, Ildernia had reached its height, both in terms of size and population. Ildernia ceased to formally recognise Biglrab as King of Baykonia in 1788, following his announcement against Græz Hubert, but would withdraw it later the same year as both leaders reconciled.

Early Hugic Era (1790-1822)
Following the death of Græz Hubert, a regency council took power for a month before his son, Hugo, entered legal age and could take the throne. Hugo's first action on the throne was to declare Melodie de Válry, a parlamentarian song from the second Litan Civil War, as the national anthem of Ildernia. Reconciliation efforts between Græz Hugo and King Biglrab of Baykonia fell apart following the Ilderburg Incident in 1791, where the Græz attacked the King of Baykonia after the latter refused the former's demands to leave his house. Viewed as an assasination attempt by the Baykonians and a defence of property by the Ildernians, the incident worsened relations between the two states as the Honsiates became seen as enemies of Baykonia once again. Ildernia would be expelled from Baykonia later that year, thus becoming an independent state. Hugo would make Ildernia a Kesriate shortly after independence in order to reflect Ildernia's new status as an independent state.

In the late 1780s, Kuzinan citizens frequently raided Bimont, taking equipment and materials from the town. This led to a deterioration of relations between the towns of Bimont and Kuzina that would initiate tensions between Kuzina and Bimont. The Ildernian government demanded that Kuzina ceased its raids towards Ildernia though these demands yielded few results. Tensions would further escalate in 1792 when the leader of Kuzina built a cathedral on Ildernian territory. Believing that the Kuzinans were building a fort, the Ildernian government demanded that they demolished the build and relocated it. The government official was met with violence and was driven away from the construction site.

Following this incident, the Kesr informed his cousin the King of Thorovia about the build and the incident, as Kuzina was still a part of Thorovia at the time. Negotiations were held, where the Ildernian government wanted to see the cathedral relocated while the Kuzinans sought to purchase the land. The Ildernian government was initially willing to grant a building permit for the construction of the cathedral for a cost of 400 Erbies but this was rejected by the Kuzinans who viewed it as arbitrary. The Ildernian government later sought a relocation of the cathedral while the Kuzinans sought to purchase the land the cathedral was built on. The Thorovians initially sought to help Kuzina relocate but later opted to seek a land purchase instead.

Negotiations broke down in 1793 as Kuzina declared independence from Thorovia. Thorovia declared a state of war on Kuzina and Ildernia followed suit. The war would not amount to much as Thorovia was dissolved a few months after the war started and the only fighting that occured was a skirmish between Kuzinan forces and Bimont militia in which the Bimont milita managed to temporarily repel the Kuzinans from the cathedral and hindered their expansion beyond it.

Fearing further loss of territory, Ildernia became a vassal of the Velerian Empire in 1796 initially as the Velerine Græssiate of Ildernia, though would revert to its Kesriate status four years later to make its status equal to the rest of Neubay. Ildernia would be a part of Velerin for 21 years, during which it practiced de facto independence and could reject laws enacted by the central government through Article 3 of its vassalisation treaty. Ildernia was neutral during the Velerin Civil War and was one of the few nations to never declare independence from Velerin, remaining a part of the Empire until its dissolution in 1817.

However, joining Velerin would not prevent further loss of territory. The Mayor of Bimont would declare his intention to step down however was put on hold for decades as the Kesr failed to find a valid replacement for him. Due to the Mayor of Bimont's dislike of Kuzina and pre-existing border disputes, tensions once again flared up in 1801 as Kuzina claimed that Bimont was claiming Kuzinan territory, a claim refuted by the Ildernians as the Kuzinans claimed the border between Kuzina and Bimont was the road going through it while the Ildernians claimed it to be the cliffs south of it. Eventually, both sides came to an agreement via the Treaty of Kuzina (1803) where the officials borders were agreed upon. However, the Mayor of Bimont refused to abide by the treaty, rendering the treaty ineffective.

In 1805, after years of frustration between the Kesr and the Mayor of Bimont due to the former's failure to find a replacement, the latter's refusal to abide by the Treaty of Kuzina and Ildernia's inefficient and weak government in general, the Kesr expelled Bimont from Ildernia and let it become an independent state. The following year Revreia was sold to Baykonia for 16,000 erbies as holding it was deemed to be untenable. Following this, Ildernia saw a minor administrative reform where all remaining counties were put under the direct control of the Kesr in Ilderburg.

W.I.P.

Geography
The Ilders is made up of two islands: the larger Ilder Island to the south and the smaller Enthof Island to the north. Both were natural islands however the Enthof has been expanded to the extent that it has completely lost any semblance of its former natural shape and is often mistaken for being an artificial island. The Enthof is also the isle on which Ilderburg lies, which is the reason for its expansion and also why it is the only populated island in the Ilders, with the Ilder Island not having been populated for decades. The Ilder Island is split in half, with its western half being desert and its eastern half being deforested grasslands.

The Ilders lack any political subdivisions and all of it is therefore governed directly by the Græz, however real control is only exerted over the Enthof as the Ilders often lies neglected, leading to the establishment of multiple squatter camps there that have since long been abandoned.

Politics and Government
The Ilders is nominally and supposed to be a constitutional monarchy however it is currently a de facto absolute monarchy as the constitution is currently suspended due to the Ilders' low population. It is ruled by its Græz, Hugo Ildernestes de Honse, who is also the head of House de Honse. House de Honse have ruled the area without break since the foundation of Ilderburg and Hugo is the fourth monarch of the house.

Hugo's attitude of government has been one of unwillingness and ineptitude, as Hugo assumed the office at a young age without any interest in governance and uneducated in matters of governance, hence being seen as largely unfit for the job. His reign has also been marked by increasing paranoia, as he has come to see newcomers and immigrants as subversive and no longer seeks the growth nor prosperity of the Ilders but instead its preservation and continued existence, fearing that growth will lead to his ousting and the end of the Ilders.