Kingdom of Egalia

The Kingdom of Egalia, also known by its first name of Kingdom of Nieden or also Free Cities of Corthaidh, was a coalition of free cities under the guidance of the City-State of Corthaidh (Varmerion). It first formed as the Kingdom of Nieden on December 4, 2020 and encompassed a large area corresponding to almost all of the Vasteri culture (Thaidians, Rulagi, Raykarans and Gentarians). The state was unique for being an elective monarchy.

Etymology
Due to the Free Cities of Corthaidh being a union of clan societies who never constitued a coherent political entity, its historical records were mainly established by foreigners and mostly Asteriens from Escharia. This is why it was given many names, referring to either the political structure of the Kingdom or the culture of its inhabitants.

The name of the State was first the "Kingdom of Nieden" but, after Raykara left, it eventually became the "Kingdom of Egalia".

It is also known by the name Varmerien, or Vasterien in order to mark the cultural difference with the Asterien.

When the Aesperium Niedea established there, the region known as the "Duchy of Egalia" only referred to the territories west of the Sirithalene mountain range that were part of the Kingdom of Egalia. Nowadays, only the Duchy of Egalia bears this name as the Duchy of Vamerion encompasses most of the area.

Culture
The cultural structure of the Kingdom of Egalia was a direct result of the migrations that led to the establishments of Vasteri west of the Siritahlene. It is mostly composed by Thaidians (Varmerii) and Gentarians.

Thaidians are the descendants this migration. Nomads at start, they establised their first towns ontop of mountains since their knowledges in fortification was originally scarce. With the time, They'd simply called themselves Thaidians, "people" in their native language. Thaidians made good use of this new territory and quickly overrun any other inhabitants. They excel at blacksmithing, building and rock carving and some towns, as Fortia or Breakwater, managed to grow though the exportation of these products. Many Thaidians also served as mercenaries in the different conflicts that could occur across Nieden. They are nowadays mostly known as "Varmerii", which was historically used by Asteri to refer to all of the Vasteri.

Gentarians kept a strong relation with nomadism but seldom looked for expansion since they were more worried about containing Escharians at the Niedene Valley west of the Siritahlene. Their main activities were horse breeding, hunting (lama and goats) and archery. They had peaceful interactions with the dwarfs inhabiting these mountains, and sometimes adopted some aspects of their culture.

An unexpected unification
The Kingdom of Nieden was founded on December 4, 2020 after the noble Thaidians houses the leaders of the Gentarians elected Declan, the leader of Corthaidh, as their leader. The name of "Egalia" became to be popular from this date since it signified the egalitarian political structure of a new state formed by autonomous clanic societies. Corthaidh was thus chosen as the capital of the Kingdom since it was the most powerful town and the center of the pro-escharian parties.

The formation of this state was quite unseen considering the area being historically subject of internal conflicts between the different Vasteri towns. However, the rise of powerful Empires surrounding western Nieden (Escharia, Yimmu-Audal, Bardonia and the Sterling Crownlands) pushed the Vasteri into unification in order to gain more weight on an international level.

On December 9, 2020, the Kingdom of Nieden naturally joined the Trillium Alliance as an 'observer state', its sovereignty being guaranteed by the three core nations.

The rise of Egalia
Due to harsh political debates and a never-ending sentiment of autonomy from both the people and nobles of the Thaidian towns. On December 9, 2020, monarcho-communists already had control over half of the Kingdom. The United Royal Communes of Egalia was officially established on December 14, 2020 with its capital in Columbia. Even if this political entity claimed to be in favor of more equality inside the Thaidian towns, it was in reality submitted o the Central Commitee of the high presidium of the supreme soviet of the free and liberated workers and people's of the Commune of Columbia, whose President and King was Jack f. Kennedy, a Columbian farmer.

The United Royal Communes of Egalia eventually managed to control all of the southern towns of the Kingdom and on December 21, 2020, the Kingdom of Nieden split into Raykara and Egalia.

The Kingdom of Egalia (21/12/2020 to 15/01/2021)
The war agaisnt Yimmu-Audal significantly increased the political influence of Escharia over Egalia. It is mostly due to the cultural proximity between Egalians and Escharians. This is why, the day after the dissolution of the Trillium Alliance on January 14th of 2021, Declan resigned and the Egalian nobles decided through a vote to immediately join the Empire of Escharia.

Under the Empire of Escharia (15/01/2021 to 31/01/2021)
The Integration with Escharia is still seen as a golden era for Egalia and in continuity with the political unification of the region, as the Kingdom could benefit from the wealth accumulated during the wars agaisnt Yimmu-Audal (See "Soleannen Peace"). It's notable that the Varmerii cities were able to maintain their original political structure during all of this period.

However, as Egalia was a member of the Trillium alliance, its other members started to express their doubts towards Escharian expansionism in the region.

After the Escharian Ascension (01/02/2021 to 31/03/2021)
As in the rest of the late Empire of Escharia, the post-Ascension period marked a significant decline of the region. However, the independance of all Varmerii towns has been guaranteed by the Escharian spirits who prevented all foreigners to establish in the region. It is believed that the westernmost Varmerii town to be protected by the spirits was Ekona.

This period also marked the return of cultural and political distance between the Varmerian, and Gentarians after a significant era of unification. The instability marked the Gentarian towns who developped a renewed sentiment of autonomy (see Dougsburry and Tymarat).

This period of uncertainty ended whith the arrival of Valerian, a Sneed war hero from the First Coalition War. He immediately made strong impression over the Varmerii as he took part in the Ascension. This is why he successfully claimed Corthaidh and made it the political center of the reconstruction of the Empire of Escharia under the name of Aesperium Niedea. The place where he disembarked on the western coasts of the Nieden is still known today as Egalia.

Cities
''The following list isn't exhaustive as it shows the towns that had the most political significance at the moment of the formation of the Kingdom of Egalia. Many settlements that were mere villages or hadn't proper political autonomy at the time are not listed below. The cities are given under their historic name while their modern names appear in parentheses.''

Corthaidh (Varmerion)
Capital of Corthaidh, it was the most powerful city at the formation of the Kingdom of Egalia.

Ekona (Falkeame)
A city that was once renowned for its culinary history and walls. Since has been built atop of a mountain, it acted as a buffer zone between Corthaidh and Raykara.

Fortia (Ailstra or Norgik)
Fortia is the southenmost trading town located on the coast of the Ondemari Sea. Its main competitor troughout history were Columbia and Breakwater.

Columbia (Egalia)
Columbia is a trading town located on the middle of the Ondemari Sea. Its main competitor troughout history were Fortia and Breakwater. Less fortified, Columbia has been a bone of contention between Breakwater and Fortia for a long time.

Breakwater (Drasil)
Breakwater is the northenmost trading town located of the Ondemari Sea. Its main competitor troughout history were Breakwater and Columbia.

Alexandria
One of the first Thaidian settlement, Alexandria always benefited from the important fertility of its soils.

Creed (Galitz)
A city that used to reside in northern Nieden on the coast. After the Ascension it became Galitz.

Dougsbury (Fredonia)
A former city in the mountains of the Siritahlene mountains between Escharia and Corthaidh. It was abandoned after the Ascension and is now apart of Fredonia.

Reykarites cities
These cities left on December 21, 2020 and formed the Republic of Raykara

Raykara
The most important town of the coast, it always kept strong tied with the rest of the Niedenes and the Empire of Escharia.

Oogleron (Harsenguaard)
Oogleron was the most distinct Reykarite town and the followers of the Soleannen faith only represented a minority there. It has always been coveted by Bardonia.

Kumberg (TortuinKrieg)
Curiously, Kumberg was at the center of the political crisis that led to the Escharian Ascension. It was coveted by Bardonians who opposed the town joining the Empire of Escharian after the rebellion of Raykara.