Siovanija and Teusland

Siovanija & Teusland, officially the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland, is a country in southwestern Atlantian Oceania. An island nation, it lies between what are known within the country as the Nordsee, Ostsee, Sudsee and Westsee. To the east, the closest neighbour is Torisakia, while to the north and west, the closest neighbour is Valanora.

For thousands of years, various nomadic tribes have inhabited the island on both ends. In Teusland, various groups eventually formed around urban centres, and during the medieval age these groups developed into various principalities. In Siovanija, a similar situation was seen. The Siovanijan people managed to unite first, however, and conquered the various Teus groups during the 1100s, forming the First Siovanijan Empire. Rebellion in Teusland, however, defeated this Empire and once again freed the Teus lands. Infighting between the various duchies, however, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Teusland, and after conquering the Siovanijan lands in 1417, the declaration of the Teus Empire. The Teus Empire was a colonial power which colonized various states including Sankt Konrad and Prinz-Eugens-Land amongst others. In 1808, the Siovanijan Revolution began in Borograd, where liberal republicans revolted against the imperial government and an independent Siovanijan Republic was declared. Tension between the two independent states built up over the next decades, eventually culminating in the Great War in 1888. The war, which lasted until 1895, cost a total of 3.4 million lives, and led to the collapse of both nation's governments and the creation of the United Republics of Siovanija and Teusland. Despite an attempt at a coup d'etat in the 1940s by a group of Teus ultranationalists, the nation has largely progressed on a united and democratic path since.

Today, the United Republics is a federal parliamentary republic whose head of state is a President, and head of government is the Chancellor. The role of President is mostly ceremonial, while the Chancellor is the day-to-day leader of the state. The country has a population of nearly 75 million, and its capital city is Borograd. The largest urban centre, and financial capital, is in St. Jakob, while the 'cultural capital' is the city of Stelburg. The largest urban area is Neuteussen, the industrial region between Stelburg and St. Jakob.

Siovanija & Teusland is a power with a strong economy, and is known as a leader in industrial and technological fields. A highly developed country with a very high standard of living, it offers universal health care, vast social programs, tuition-free university education and environmental protection regulations. While spending much of the 20th century in isolation on the foreign stage, in recent years the country has looked to expand its ties within the region, including forming a strategic alliance with the Kingdom of Banija. The country is also known for its great deal of cultural history.

Etymology
In the Teus language, the name 'Teusland' (tɔɪz-lænd) comes from the Old High Teus word 'tiuri,' which translates as 'dear' or 'rich'. The world 'tiuri' in modern Teus is the word 'teuer,' which means 'expensive.' The nation name began as 'Teuerste-land,' or 'dearest land,' and eventually was shortened to 'Teusland.' The word 'Teus' eventually came to be seen as separate from its original meaning, and instead the term for the people of Teusland, including in various forms as 'Teussen' or 'Teussische.' The Latin name 'Teussia' was often used to refer to the land in antiquity. In the Siovanijan language, the Teus lands were originally known as simply 'Tuje' or 'Tuci,' meaning 'foreign' or 'foreigners.' Pronunciation difficulties in later years meant many Siovanijans referred to it as 'Tujeland,' however, in standardized modern Siovanijan the country is simply known as 'Teusland,' though some older generations may still use the old name.

In the Siovanijan language, the name 'Siovanija' (siː-əʊ-veɪn-iː-jə) comes from the term 'Land of the Siovanes,' the old demonym of the Siovanijan people. The etymology of Siovanijan is more uncertain. Some have theorized that it comes from the term 'slava,' meaning glory, and others from the term 'slovo', meaning people who speak the same language as each other. The country name has often been standardized as 'Siovania' or, in Teus, 'Siowenien.' The Teus word 'Siowenien' is simply a direct translation of 'Siovania.' Another Teus term that was common in the middle ages was 'Westerreich,' or 'Western Empire,' given Siovanija's location on the western half of the island. The term 'Westler' is still sometimes used in Teusland to refer to Siovanijans, particulary in older generations, and it was most common during the 1800s.

History
Humans have been present in Siovanija & Teusland for hundreds of thousands of years, with fossil records dating back at least that far in both halves of the country. The earliest artifact found in the country is a 43,000-year-old flute, found in the Stelburg area, which is the earliest proof of human existence.

Ancient History
In Siovanija, the earliest civilization was founded along the Ljublanica River in central Siovanija. From there, over thousands of years the Siovanijans gradually expanded south and west, with their eastern border being marked by large mountains (the Mittelgebirge). There was also some migration to the northern territories, but for the most part this did not come about for many, many years.

The Siovanijans gradually became somewhat distinct, with various dialects and languages taking shape across the territory. Still, the hub of ancient Siovanijan culture was around the city of Borograd, which quickly grew to become a powerful urban centre.

In Teusland, civilization came to be along the River Drai in what is now the Neuteussen region, near St. Jakob. Expansion was made in all directions, with the hub of the new civilization coming to be centred on the city of Stelburg along the river. Teus civilization also grew in different ways - those above the Teufelswald forest, which in the ancient times was incredibly treacherous to navigate, spoke what is now known as Old High Teus, while those below the forest spoke what is now known as Old Low Teus.

There were various contacts between the people of Siovanija and those in Teusland during this time. Records in Teusland mark contact with a ‘group from the west’ whom were noted as speaking a different language. In Siovanija, the Mittelgebirge were regarded as the ‘end of life’, though there were rumours of a people living beyond. By the year 950, however, both groups were overall aware of the other, however, they mostly left each other alone.

By the year 1000, the island was divided into various different regions. In Siovanija, a number of duchies rose up, with the power centred on the Duchy of Borograd. Borograd was able to control most of the other regions of the country due to its riches and control over the key navigation route of the Ljublanica River, and was emerging as the main power in Siovanija. In Teusland, there were also various duchies, however, the power was split between them. The Teus duchies were often at war with one another, and there were great power struggles particularly between the duchies of Stelburg and Felsenkirchen.

The Siovanijan and Teus lands were very much divided entering the medieval era.

Rise of the Siovanijan Empire
The dominance the Duchy of Borograd held within Siovanija did not go unnoticed elsewhere in the region. The second most powerful duchy was the Duchy of Vlaikograd, in the northwest, which had a strong power base regionally. In the year 1119, the Duke of Vlaikograd, Janez III, cemented an alliance with the Duchy of Trkev, in the southwest. Various smaller regions also joined what became known as the ‘Grand Alliance,’ and in the year 1121, they attacked the Duchy of Borograd.

The War of the Grand Alliance lasted 3 years, and saw the Duchy of Borograd gain the initial upper hand, sacking the town of Trkev, before the tables turned totally and the Grand Alliance were able to capture the city of Borograd, burning it down. In 1124, Janez declared the ‘Kingdom of Siovanija’ with himself as ruler and the capital based in the city of Vlaikograd. It was believed for hundreds of years that the name referred to the Siovanijan word ‘slava’, or ‘glory’, in honour of the victory in the war. However, documents were discovered in modern times disputing that claim and suggesting that Siovanijan people called themselves Siovanijan for several years before 1124.

In Teusland, meanwhile, the various wars between the independent duchies continued. The biggest event of the time, however, was the first contact between the Teus and foreigners. This occurred in what was then known as the Duchy of the Unterdrai (the lower Drai), at the city of Donnarsheim. The foreigners reached as far inland as Stelburg, bringing the Catholic religion with them. This led to a very rapid change in Teus society - the eastern coastal duchies rapidly accepted the new religion, while the more inland duchies did not. The city of Donnarsheim, named for the Teus pagan God Donnar, was quickly renamed to St. Jakob. In Felsenkirchen, the old pagan church the town was named for was burned down and replaced by a new Catholic church. This led to even more conflict within Teusland, however, as the Catholic duchies fought against the pagan duchies.

When Janez became King, he decided that Siovanija would need to expand. Firstly, he sent sailors out as far as they could go in all directions. Voyages in the north and west yielded no results, but in the south, the Southern Isles were discovered and quickly colonized. The islands had been used as a trading post in the past, including by some Siovanijan groups, but had no permanent settlements. The town of Vrnovo was founded here.

Janez also worked to modernize Siovanija’s military, forming the first full-time professional standing army in the history of the lands. He also hired various mercenary bands to help defend the border. Janez also established a network of spies in Teusland, informing him on what was going on across the mountains. Janez identified the weakness of the Teus duchies at the time, and decided the launch an invasion.

In 1130, Janez’s Siovanijan Army crossed the Mittelgebirge and began seizing Teus territory. One by one, the various Teus duchies fell. In fact, the Duchy of the Oberdrai was quick to swear fealty to Janez, as he pledged to allow the Teus to continue their pagan traditions. The Duchies of Stelburg, Felsenkirchen and St. Jakob, however, fought against the invaders - and this led to the city of Stelburg being sacked in 1134. By 1136, all of the Teus lands were under Siovanijan control, and Janez declared the Siovanijan Empire.

Janez would die in 1141, and would be remembered as a great Siovanijan leader, coming to be known as Janez the Great. His son, however, was not the great man his father was. Bogdan I was seen as a cruel leader by even those in Siovanija, and especially those in Teusland. He often went back on agreements made with dukes, was viewed as erratic and unstable, and several incidents occurred which alienated the Teus citizens of the kingdom. Bogdan fought openly against the Catholic religion, shutting down many churches and persecuting Teus church leaders. He also instituted harsh taxes on Teus farmers.

The last straw, however, was when 3 officers of the Siovanijan Army who were from Teusland were accused of murdering a distant relative of the King. With very little evidence against them, the Teus soldiers were sentenced to death. In Teusland, this was seen as another act by the Siovanijan government against the Teus. The executions occurred in February of 1203, and by June of 1203, Teusland was in open revolt.

Bauernkrieg: The Peasant’s War (1203-1209)
The revolt began with various uprisings in Teus towns and villages, mostly led by farmers. The Siovanijan government instructed the Teus Dukes to put down the revolt. Most of the dukes, however, agreed with those in revolt and refused to act. In addition, Teus divisions in the Siovanijan army switched sides and joined the peasants.

The first official act of the war was in early July 1203, when a Teus division leaving Siovanija and moving towards Teusland sacked the town of Kraljgrad, where they had been based, and then engaged in a conflict against a Siovanijan division. The execution of the commander of the division by the Siovanijans after the battle fueled even more fire in Teusland, and the Siovanijan government buildings in Stelburg, Felsenkirchen and St. Jakob were burned down.

The war mostly continued as various acts of defiance and rebellion for the final months of 1203. In January 1204, a secret meeting was held in the city of Felsenkirchen by the Dukes of Stelburg, St. Jakob, Felsenkirchen, the Oberdrai and the Westmark. The Lord Mayor of the Free City of Marzig was also represented. These duchies were by far the most powerful in the Teus lands, and while they had warred for hundreds of years amongst each other, agreed at that meeting to put aside their differences and achieve freedom.

The Duke of Stelburg was Johannes of Fruhtal, who was an exceptional strategist and diplomat. He became the commander of the united armies of Teusland, and the war gradually became more of an open conflict between Siovanija and Teusland. The Siovanijan army was more powerful, however, they were fighting on foreign land and faced enemies in nearly every corner.

Bands of peasants took up arms to fight against the Siovanijans, and became folk heroes. Heinrich Vogel was one of these. He led a band of peasants who operated out of the Teufelswald forest, attacking Siovanijan groups travelling in the region and attacking their supply lines. Vogel became almost a mythical figure, and his band also became known for other exploits, such as taking gold from rich or corrupt people and giving it to the poor. The story of Heinrich Vogel has become one of the most famous folktales in the entire country, with Vogel seen as a war hero willing to fight for his country and having strong relations with his community. Vogel would not survive the war, however, and was killed in a raid in 1208.

By the middle of the year 1209, the Siovanijan government was becoming tired of spending money on the war, and had underestimated the determination of the Teus to fight back. It was clear that the war could not be resolved in Siovanija’s favour, and on July 1, 1209, the Peace of Stelburg was signed. Under the treaty, the Teus lands would once again be free and no longer be a part of the Siovanijan Kingdom. In addition, Bogdan I agreed that Siovanija would not again interfere with the Teus lands.

The war cost an estimated 1.2 million lives, not including those who died in peasant uprisings and those who starved to death when the Siovanijan government in 1206 attempted to prevent food from reaching Teus farmers. In the aftermath of the war, Johannes of Fruhtal was seen as a strong leader who had secured peace in Teusland - the Peace of Stelburg also provided for 15 years of peace post-war between the Teus duchies. Heroes like Heinrich Vogel had their stories told across the country. In Siovanija, the war was known as the ‘War of Rebellion’, while in Teusland, it quickly became known as the Peasant’s War.

Rise of the Teus Empire
The Peasant’s War led to great changes within both Siovanija and Teusland. In Siovanija, it forced the Kingdom to rethink its entire grand strategy, and how it gathered resources. It also created mistrust - while the Siovanijan Empire hadn’t been a happy arrangement for most of its era, the first few years under Janez were mostly harmonious and the Teus and Siovanijans got along well. Now, however, the Siovanijans viewed the Teus as rebels and traitors. In 1215, Bogdan I died, and very quietly his son Janez II was proclaimed as King - the title of Emperor was done away with.

In Teusland, the end of the war marked a shift in consciousness of the population. After defeating the Siovanijan Empire, and with the spread of Christianity, there was a new feeling that the Teus were destined to be one of the great peoples of the world, and to succeed in any endeavour. The harsh experience under Siovanijan had also led to a greater national feeling in the country - people still saw themselves as Stelburgers, or Felsenkirchers, but were also beginning to see themselves as connected as Teus. The term ‘Teusland’ had existed for hundreds of years beforehand, but was now beginning to be regularly used.

Johannes of Fruhtal was the symbol of this new feeling within the country, and his death in 1229 marked an outpouring of mourning in the various Teus duchies. Masses were held in even the cities like Felsenkirchen and St. Jakob, rivals of Stelburg, to honour him. After the 15-year peace had expired in 1224, Johannes had negotiated a 7-year extension to the deal. When his son, Duke Wilhelm I took power, the rest of the region was unsure what to make of him. Wilhelm was seen as having the strategic knowledge of his father, yet being even better a military commander.

In 1231, the peace deal between the various duchies ended. It had become quite clear over the course of the last few years that the peace was merely to allow the various duchies to build up before the next round of conflict. Wilhelm developed a grand strategy, however, it relied on the Duchy of Stelburg not being the first to rush to war. When the Duchies of Felsenkirchen and St. Jakob went to war amidst a dispute in June 1233, Wilhelm saw the time to act. He allowed the second and third largest duchies to fight with each other, while he turned to the west. By 1235, Wilhelm had conquered the Duchy of the Ober Drai and the Duchy of Stahlberg. By the end of 1237, the Duchy of Marlesee had also come under Wilhelm’s control. On Christmas Day 1237, the Lord Mayor of the Free City of Marzig petitioned to ‘offer the crown of the Teus peoples to you, Wilhelm, as King of Teusland’. The Kingdom of Teusland was now founded, but still had nearly two-thirds of the Teus lands to acquire.

Wars of Teus Unification (1238-1253)
After being crowned King of Teusland, only the Duchy of Felsenkirchen, the Duchy of St. Jakob, and the unorganized southern lands remained outside of the new Kingdom. The new Kingdom was clearly stronger than both, however, they would face a great struggle to bring these lands under their control.

Wilhelm decided to take on the remaining forces one at a time, beginning with the Duchy of Felsenkirchen. The war began in early 1238, as the Teus armies began to move towards the city of Felsenkirchen itself. This war was seemingly close to its end, the forces of Felsenkirchen had proved to be little to no match for the Teus. When the armies met at the village of Monchengau, only a few miles south of Felsenkirchen, it seemed to be the last battle of the war.

However, due to superior tactics as well as the brilliant usage of archers by the Felsenkirchen General Albert von Rotwald, the Battle of Monchengau turned into a massive defeat for the Teus, and a huge victory for the Duchy of Felsenkirchen. It would not have a lasting affect on the war - by October, the city of Felsenkirchen had fallen and the Duchy was incorporated into the Kingdom of Teusland. However, the tactics and the effect the archers had had on the battle became key in Teus military thinking for hundreds of years afterwards.

After this conquest, Wilhelm took a few years before beginning the final armed conflict of the process. During this time, the Teus military rapidly modernized, and they incorporated much of the strategies of the Duchy of Felsenkirchen, from which many Generals were now key figures in the Teus Army. In 1243, Wilhelm’s army invaded the Duchy of St. Jakob.

Before the war, the Duchy of St. Jakob had been assumed to be a formidable foe with whom the Teus would have to struggle. However, with their new battle tactics, and a feeling within the army of destiny - that this would be grand moment of the Kingdom of Teusland - the campaign only took 6 months. After the victory, Wilhelm set his sights on the southern lands.

There was little military strength in the south - there were no organized duchies to conquest, and for the most part the southerners were willing to join the Teus Empire. The hard part of the campaign was crossing the rough terrain of the Teufelswald forest, as well as the highland regions that divided northern and southern Teusland. The campaign was thus very much a matter of marching into towns and declaring them now a part of Teusland, to the general approval of the locals. Only a few towns held out, with the town of Giesenau famously holding out even under siege until 1252. By the end of 1253, however, the entire region had been brought under Teus control. In December, King Wilhelm called a meeting of the various dukes, counts and knights of the Kingdom.

On December 25, 1253, 16 years after the Kingdom of Teusland had been declared, Wilhelm was crowned Kaiser Wilhelm I, Emperor of the Teus. The Teus Empire was declared. The various dukes would retain their rights, as would the Free Cities, and all swear fealty to the Empire. In addition, new duchies and counties were created in the conquered southern lands, and the decision was taken to build a new city on the south coast, which would become the city of Kaiserhaven. The Teus Empire had been created.

The highest mountain in the new Teus Empire was Mount Danneberg, and as a result, Wilhelm decided to found his imperial lineage as the House of Danneberg. Danneberg Castle was built in the vicinity of the mountain, and became the personal property of the head of the house - although the imperial government would remain centred on Stelburg.

During this period in Siovanija, there were various peasant revolts within the Kingdom, however, the land mostly remained stable. Through the Peace of Stelburg, the Siovanijans were bound by treaty not to interfere in any of the events occurring in Teusland, although they did oppose the founding of the Teus Empire, seeing it as a great threat to their territory, particularly given Teusland had a larger population than Siovanija. There was talk that the Siovanijan King of the day, Boleslav I, had offered a great sum of money to various Dukes to resist the creation of the Empire, however, this never came to fruition.

Church Reform and the Crusades
The growing belief after unification was that Teusland had begun to fulfill its destiny by uniting as one Empire - and that now, it needed to go out and make its mark on the world. Many in the country felt that the way to do this was by conquering the neighbours to the west, Siovanija. There was an element of revenge to this feeling, too - many older Teus had heard from their parents the stories of the Siovanijan occupation, and there was a picture of Siovanijans as a savage people who needed to be controlled. In Siovanija, meanwhile, the Teus were viewed as being too religious and too proud, and many in the country also felt that the Teus needed to be cut down to size. Despite this conflict, and fears in both countries that the other was plotting war, there was peace throughout the mid-1200s.

Kaiser Wilhelm I died in 1259, having grown his lands from a Duchy to a Kingdom to an Empire. His son, Wilhelm II, reigned from 1260-69, and was replaced by Kaiser Johannes I. Johannes was young when he took power after his father’s short reign, and felt as if many in the empire were taking advantage of his supposed weakness. Johannes identified the main perpetrator of this as the Catholic Church.

By this time, Teusland was overwhelmingly Catholic, and masses were widely-attended across the country, and the noblemen were patrons of the church. Sankt Georg’s Cathedral had just been completed in Stelburg, and was a symbol of the piety of the nation. Behind the scenes, however, noblemen had concerns. Often, the clergy attempted to insert themselves into local political manners, or attempt to influence decisions of the Kaiser and his aides. There was a fear that the Church leaders were more loyal to the Church itself - based in a foreign land - than to the Empire.

At the 1273 Council of Felsenkirchen, the Kaiser and several noblemen met with various Church leaders to gauge both their loyalty and their willingness to be a part of sweeping changes to the church. Bishop Dominik Frenzlach of Felsenkirchen was a fiercely loyal clergyman who was chosen by the Kaiser to lead the new church.

In 1274, the Council of Stelburg was called with clergymen from across the country under the guise of approving new editions of the Bible. At the meeting, however, clergymen who were considered to be disloyal were rounded up and arrested, while the remaining participants unanimously voted to create the new Teus Catholic Church. Changes involved approving the use of Teus in masses (previously it had been in Latin, which was a language practically only understood by the clergy), cutting all ties between the Teus Church and the foreign Catholic institutions, and new rules for appointing leaders. Dukes would now appoint Cardinals to the College of Teus Cardinals, who would elect a Pope to be appointed by the Kaiser. This ensured the political loyalty of both the Cardinals and the Pope himself. The new church, formally known as the ‘Stelburg rite’ would be headquartered at Sankt Georg’s Cathedral in Stelburg. Bishop Frenzlach became Pope Dominik I.

For the average Teus Catholic, the overnight change had very little effect. The members of the clergy who knew about the Council of Stelburg had taken steps in the weeks prior to ensure everything went over smoothly, and the arrest of the influential clergymen meant there was very little dissent. The average Teus mostly liked the opportunity to be able to hear mass in his or her own language.

In Siovanija, the move was largely regarded as hubris from the Teus. However, it had larger, hidden implications. Once of the new powers given to the Pope was the ability to call for crusades or holy wars against regions who did not follow the Catholic faith - including Siovanija. The Teus Empire planned to use this as a political game against Siovanija. Over the next few years, missionaries from the Teus Catholic Church were sent to the Kingdom of Siovanija. They were often turned away at the border, and those that did get into the country faced great danger. The city of Borograd banned missionaries entirely in 1282, and many cities in Siovanija followed suit. In 1287, in the city of Pomorie, four Catholic missionaries were put to death.

This led to a great uproar in Teusland, with riots in many cities. Kaiser Franz Jozef I had just been crowned the year prior, and did not want to begin his reign with a war. Instead, he enlisted the Pope to do him a favour. In 1288, Pope Dominik’s Crusade was declared, the first such action taken by the Teus Catholic Church against Siovanija. Peasants from across Teusland were promised eternal salvation and indulgence of their sins if they fought in the conflict, and they signed up by the hundreds of thousands. Officially, the Teus Empire discouraged the conflict. Unofficially, however, they did nothing to prevent their citizens from leaving, and often provided them discreetly with armaments. In addition, various mercenary groups such as the Order of St. Gustaf and the Teus Order of Knights were hired to join the peasants.

Pope Dominik’s Crusade lasted from 1288 until 1290. The peasants sacked the cities of Chernovets and Siovanska Gora, and reached the gates of the city of Borograd before being forced back by the Siovanijan Army. They retreated to the city of Pomorie/Marzig, where a fierce battle was fought between the crusaders and the local defenders. In the end, however, Pomorie was sacked, and a fort was established across the river in Marzig to ensure control over the region. The Order of St. Gustaf would become an institution in the region.

The Kingdom of Siovanija was incredibly angry after the crusade, and cut off diplomatic ties with the Teus Empire as a result in 1290. However, Pope Dominik’s Crusade had been incredibly successful for both the Catholic Church and the Teus Empire. They acquired a great deal of riches from the crusade, and for the Empire, it allowed them to keep Siovanija weak at little to no cost.

In 1297, the Church of St. Gustaf was burnt in Marzig. It was unclear if the fire was started naturally or the result of arson, however, both the Teus Catholic Church and the Order of St. Gustaf, who were patrons of the Church, blamed Siovanijans in Pomorie for supposedly committing arson. St. Gustaf’s Crusade was thus declared, and Pomorie once again sacked. This crusade was more short-lived, as the amount of peasants signing up to fight was greatly reduced.

There were several years of peace afterwards, but by 1309, another round of fighting would begin. Teus settlers were encouraged by the government to move across the mountains, and many settled in the Drai River valley and the area around Pomorie/Marzig. Many more settled in the area around the city of Chernovets, and in 1308 these settlers had attempted to build a church - the first Catholic Church in the Kingdom of Siovanija. However, the church was taxed heavily by the Siovanijan government, and its parishioners were often the target of attacks by locals. When the parish priest was killed in an attack, the Teus Catholic Church called for another crusade.

Pope Georg’s Crusade would prove to be very popular with the average Teus, and peasants again joined the ranks by the hundreds of thousands. This crusade would be the largest in terms of numbers, and also the longest-lasting of the era. Pope Georg’s Crusade lasted from 1309 until 1317, and saw the city of Borograd sacked for the first time since 1123. This time, the crusaders reached the Siovanijan capital of Vlaikograd before being defeated in the Battle of Vlaikograd (1315) by the Siovanijan Army. After this defeat, the crusaders retreated back to Teusland over the next two years, again sacking the city of Pomorie.

Pope Georg’s Crusade would be the last major crusade, however. By now, the majority of Siovanijan cities had massive defence walls, as well as standing armies ready to react to the attacks by peasants. In 1325, another crusade was called, however, it ended in tragedy as almost the entire army of peasants was massacred at the Battle of Borograd (1326). This crusade would be known simply as the Fourth Crusade (1325-26). Five years later, in an attempt at vengeance, the Fifth Crusade (1331-33) would be called. The deaths of the peasants was avenged when Borograd was sacked in 1332, however, a harsh winter led to the crusading armies being recalled to Teusland a few months later.

The Battle of Borograd, however, had a large impact on future crusades. While the victory at Borograd in 1332 became immortalized as a triumph of the Teus Empire, and showing their righteousness, after hearing the stories of the fates of thousands of their ancestors in 1326, peasants suddenly became less willing to join crusades. For many, the Fifth Crusade was seen as a natural ending to the era - triumph and vengeance all in one. It was clear that Siovanija was not going to convert to Catholicism. For the Church, however, the Crusades turned a great profit - and so, in 1350, hoping the memory of the Fourth Crusade was far from the minds of the younger generation, another crusade was called.

Pope Dominik II was the Pope of the day, and the crusade was in response to an attack on missionaries in the Pomorie/Marzig area. The enthusiasm for this crusade, however, was not present - fewer and fewer peasants joined. When Pope Dominik II pledged that, after this instance, he would call a 50-year pause on Crusades, more and more peasants did join, and it became known as the Last Crusade.

The Last Crusade (1350-55) would become one of the best-known of all the crusades of the era, for the stories it would spawn. Many of the Crusaders were outlaws hoping to find fortune in Siovanija, and launched daring raids on various institutions in the country. At one point, the Siovanijan crown jewels were stolen and brought back to Stelburg. When the crusaders burned down a Temple dedicated to the Siovanijan pagan God Bora, however, Siovanijans rose up across their nation and fought the crusaders back. Today, a ‘last crusade’ has become a metaphor within Siovanija & Teusland for an attempt at quick fortune or fame.

After the Last Crusade, Pope Dominik II kept his pledge. The Church itself negotiated a treaty with the Siovanijan government. Quietly, the Church was encouraged to put all future plans for crusades on hold. They were beginning to cost too much money, and were threatening to lead to open war between Siovanija and Teusland. Kaiser Wilhelm IV ordered the Church to receive his personal approval for all future Crusades. True to its name, the Last Crusade would be the final crusade of the era.

The Crusades left a complicated legacy in Siovanija, where the Catholic Church and the Pope are both viewed extremely negatively to this day. Moment during this era became key to the national story. The several sackings of the city of Pomorie contributed to later ethnic tensions in the city. The Battle of Borograd in 1326 marked an important moment in Siovanijan history as a sign of strength against the Empire next door. For the Teus, Pope Dominik’s Crusade, the Sacking of Borograd in 1332, and the Last Crusade were seen as examples of their destiny coming to be realized.

Pax Wilhelmine
Kaiser Wilhelm IV died in 1359, just four years after the end of the Last Crusade. He was replaced by his son, Wilhelm V. Wilhelm V was a strong diplomat, and grew up as a strong believer that the Siovanijan and Teus peoples needed to live in peace with each other. In the year 1365, he re-established diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Siovanija and the Teus Empire - which had been cut for nearly 75 years. In 1369, in a first, Wilhelm V travelled to Borograd to meet with the Siovanijan King, Jaromir II. The meeting ended in the signing of the Peace of Borograd, which officially ended all future crusades, and re-established trade between the two states.

During this period, there was for the first time lengthy peace between the Kingdom and the Empire. People travelled between the countries, and the cultures began to grow closer. The death of Jaromir II, however, in 1384, marked an important change on this front. Jaromir’s death meant his son, Boleslav III, became King of Siovanija. Boleslav did not trust the Teus, and while he did not tear up any of the agreements of the Peace of Borograd, he worked behind the scenes to prevent the growing closeness between the two nations. In 1392, Siovanija fabricated documents suggesting the Teus were planning an invasion, this was met with uproar in Siovanija and led to renewed coldness towards the neighbours. Boleslav’s reasons for these actions appear to be centred around his own power. Nobles in Siovanija were afraid that they would gradually come to be dominated by the Teus, who were larger and more powerful, and therefore they needed to continue to exist separately.

Wilhelm V tried throughout the rest of his life to build the peace between the countries and maintain it, but by the early 1400s, Siovanija was once again openly hostile. The fabricated documents also meant Wilhelm was viewed with suspicion by the average Siovanijan. Wilhelm attempted one last trip to Borograd, in 1405, but Boleslav would not budge, and upon the expiration of the Peace of Borograd in 1409, Boleslav refused to extend it. Wilhelm had reportedly even offered a wedding between the two houses to cement peace for a generation. Wilhelm died a few months later, supposedly broken hearted that he had not achieved his dream of lasting peace.

Replacing Wilhelm was his son, Ferdinand. Ferdinand was a sickly child, and most of the nobles did not view him as a particularly strong leader before his ascension to the throne. Ferdinand quickly grew as a young man, however, and gained a largely pessimistic view of the world, mostly from watching his father try and fail at making peace with Siovanija. He believed that in a situation like this, the Teus Empire needed to act decisively and with finality. Ferdinand took power after his father’s death in 1409, and in his first few years as Kaiser, became quite popular with peasants and nobles alike for his fairness and charisma.

In Siovanija, meanwhile, Boleslav III died in 1411 - reportedly poisoned by his own son, Jaromir III. Jaromir and Ferdinand were the same age, but where Ferdinand was even-handed and loved, Jaromir was viewed as cruel and brutal. Shortly after his ascension to the throne, nobles in southwestern Siovanija led an uprising against Jaromir, and accused him of having murdered his father. While the revolt was quickly put down, the rumour spread across the lands, and Jaromir was often referred to as ‘’Pribuzny’’, or ‘kin-slayer’, behind his back.

Ferdinand noticed all of this, and saw the weakness present in Siovanija. He recognized that Jaromir had a weak grasp on his power, and he felt that it was time to end the tension between the states. Over the next few years, he secretly put into place several reforms to the Teus Army that saw rapid procurement of new equipment and better training. In meetings with noblemen throughout 1413, they agreed to commit ducal troops to an invasion. On February 13, 1414, the Teus Empire declared war on the Kingdom of Siovanija.

The Three Years’ War (1414-1417)
The Teus armies of Kaiser Ferdinand crossed into Siovanija in both the north, around the Pomorie/Marzig area, in the south, and through the Stahlberg Pass in the middle of the Mittelgebirge. In the south, the army rapidly seized the city of Siovanska Gora, while the troops crossing the Stahlberg Pass managed to get as far as Chernovets before being halted by the Siovanijan Army.

In the north, it was a different story. The bulk of the Siovanijan Army was concentrated here, and at the Battle of Ternau, the Teus suffered a difficult defeat and were forced to retreat to Marzig. In Marzig, they regrouped, and Ferdinand personally travelled to the city to lead the armies. In October 1414, the Teus army moved south towards the Drai River, where it planned to cross into Siovanijan territory. Here, they were met by a large force of the Siovanijan Army that heavily outnumbered them.

Ferdinand rallied his troops, however, and through great strategic advantage brought the Teus Army a resounding victory. The Battle of Marzig (1414) served as incredible motivation for the Empire, and it was followed by weeks of resounding victories all along the lines of battle. Ferdinand was seen as a military genius who had brought victory against all odds at Marzig, and the soldiers and citizens felt invincible following him.

In July of 1415, the Teus Armies converged on the city of Borograd, and began a 6-month siege campaign against the city before finally capturing and sacking it in February 1416. The city was almost completely razed, and all sites relating to the Siovanijan pagan religion were intentionally destroyed. Throughout 1416, the Teus continued to siege cities, and one by one they fell until only the capital Vlaikograd remained.

The Siege of Vlaikograd began on December 17, 1416. For the next 9 months, the city held out, with the defenders fighting desperately to hold onto the last remaining territory of the Kingdom of Siovanija. Even the far-off Vrnovo and its islands had been captured by this point. Vlaikograd held off, however, even as Ferdinand himself personally commanded the Teus army at the gates. Jaromir, on the other hand, remained in his palace and refused to send leftover food to the starving citizens of the city. By the end of August, 1417, the residents of Vlaikograd had basically given up, and on September 23, 1417, the city fell and was captured by the Teus.

In the chaotic days leading up to the end of the siege, a group of peasants armed themselves and stormed Jaromir’s palace and placed him under arrest. After the siege, they turned him over to the Teus Army. Jaromir signed the Peace of Vlaikograd reluctantly. The treaty appointed Ferdinand King of Siovanija, and made Siovanija a part of the Teus Empire. The Siovanijan Dukes swore fealty to Ferdinand in an elaborate ceremony in Vlaikograd on October 27, 1417, and Jaromir was sent to be exiled in the southern islands.

The Three Years’ War would live long in the memory of both the Siovanijan and the Teus peoples. For Siovanija, it was a shameful war. They had been led by a disastrous leader who caused their subjugation through his own selfishness and failures. The humiliation at the Battle of Marzig in 1414 was a national tragedy, and the total destruction of Borograd left them resentful of the Teus. They also began to distrust the noblemen, whom they saw swear fealty to the Teus Empire after all of that destruction.

For Teusland, it was viewed as a glorious war that once again proved Teusland’s destiny. Ferdinand quickly became known as Ferdinand the Great, and became a national hero along the lines of Johannes of Fruhtal, Heinrich Vogel and Wilhelm I. Where the Battle of Marzig was a tragedy for Siovanija, it was the defining moment of Teusland. The ‘’Marziger Marsch’’ was written to commemorate the battle, and became the most popular march of the Imperial Teus Army. The black-white-gold banner of Ferdinand's army at the Battle of Marzig became the flag of the Teus Empire. The destruction of Borograd represented a victory for the Catholic faith over paganism. Finally, the era of border tensions had been solved - Teusland had now secured peace for at least a generation.

In just 205 years, Teusland had risen from a series of duchies entangled in internal disputes and under Siovanijan control, to a powerful empire that had conquered all of Siovanija, and was now poised to become a world power.

The Early Imperial Era
In 1417, the Teus Empire was now a dominant power at home, and was ready to go out into the world. That was, of course, if they could figure out how to get there. Naval technology was still quite primitive at the time in the Teus Empire. They had just completed 200 years of near-consistent conflict, and though they had had contact with some foreigners, felt no need for most of that time to leave the comforts of their island.

Ferdinand would die in 1432, having overseen the growth of the Teus Empire and being well-regarded as one of the greatest leaders Teusland had ever seen. His son, Georg II, reigned for 13 years, before the short-lived reign of Wilhelm VI (5 years). Georg III was next in the line of unremarkable monarchs, and when he died in 1463, he was replaced by his son, Kaiser Otto I.

Otto had grown up at the palace on the sea in Felsenkirchen, and was fascinated with the ocean and what lay beyond. He launched a campaign to build up the naval power of the Empire, and hired various experts on the field of navigation to see what tools they could bring the Empire. Otto had a dream to discover land far beyond the sea and firmly plant the black-white-gold banner above it. Under his rule, great funding was devoted to the navy, and quickly technological advancements were made.

Otto, however, would not live to see the success of his program. He died in 1481, before the true results could be seen. Under his son, Franz I, however, the development of naval power continued. In 1493, the ship ‘’SMS Sankt Adelaide’’ departed from Kaiserhaven harbour, led by the navigator Georg Blocher, to great fanfare. This would be the first of 3 voyages led by Blocher.

Blocher’s first voyage saw him explore the wider region of southwestern Atlantian Oceania, marking the Teus Empire’s first contact with many of their neighbouring states. His second voyage (1498) saw him travel eastwards, eventually reaching the region of Esportiva, where he landed at what is now Kapstadt, Prinz-Eugens-Land. At Kapstadt, he made contact with the local indigenous group. In Blocher’s third voyage (1505), he would return to Prinz-Eugens-Land and plant a Teus flag claiming the land.

Shortly after Blocher’s third voyage, another ship left for the new territory carrying supplies for a year as well as settlers. These settlers arrived at Prinz-Eugens-Land in 1508, and began building the town of Kapstadt. They were subject to frequent raids by the local indigenous population, however, and in 1510 units of the Teus Army were dispatched to the colony. Prinz-Eugens-Land was inhabited by various ethnic groups, notably the Zuwze, Tugolo and Emfi.

The Teus were technologically superior to the tribes, however, found it exceptionally difficult to move their units in the heat and jungles of the territory. The Teus-Zuwze War (1510-1513) ended in a virtual stalemate, but allowed settlement in Kapstadt to continue. The Teus would also fight the Teus-Tugolo War (1512-1518), which saw a Teus victory and the capture of vast swaths of territory for the Empire.

Religious Tension
At home, the early 1500s were a turbulent time. There were tensions amongst the Siovanijan peasantry at the turn of the century, but these were mostly put down. The Catholic Church, armed with endless copies of the Holy Bible in Teus thanks to Hans von Hardenberg’s invention of the printing press, was attempting to again spread its beliefs in Siovanija. To prevent an open revolt, however, in 1503, Kaiser Otto II signed the Edict of Marzig, which allowed pagans to practice their religion openly, and prevented the Church from sending missionaries to Siovanija.

The allowance of paganism also meant that, in some parts of Teusland, there was a revival of the old Teus pagan beliefs. This was partially spurred by works of literature of the time that featured the old Gods like Donnar, Lokke and Woden prominently. The Church was not happy with this situation, and when Prinz-Eugens-Land was beginning to be settled, they worked to try and send as many of the Teus pagans as possible to become settlers. This was done through encouraging them that it would be a place of total religious freedom, and in some regions, straight-up kidnapping of suspected pagans and forcing them onto ships going to Prinz-Eugens-Land.

What this meant was that the Teus culture that developed in Prinz-Eugens-Land was somewhat different to the one in Teusland itself. Settlements received names such as Donnersheim and Walhalla, and the language in the region returned to being written in the old runic form. Catholic settlers, however, complained that the pagans were the reason for poor harvests, and the Catholic Church began to believe it had made a mistake.

In 1518, the Church began to explore options for what it could do with the problem of the pagans. The Edict of Marzig specifically forbade any attempts to convert non-believers in the Teus Empire. However, Pope Georg IV managed to convince Kaiser Wilhelm VII to update the edict, allowing lands directly under control of the Kaiser - meaning Prinz-Eugens-Land - to be exempt from its rules.

In 1520, the Church hired the Order of St. Gustaf missionary group to clear out the pagans in Prinz-Eugens-Land. Word of this, however, found its way to the colony first, and the Teus pagans, who mostly lived in the rough wilderness of the colony, prepared to defend themselves. In addition, the Zuwze tribe, who did not want to deal with the Church any longer, offered to help defend them. What followed was Pope Georg’s War, which lasted 6 years and pitted mercenaries against farmers and tribesmen. By the end of the war, most of the pagans had fled north into the jungles. The Church was forced to make a peace, however, and the Peace of Kapstadt in 1526 guaranteed that Teus pagans could live freely in Prinz-Eugens-Land north of the River Gjoll (ironically named after a river in Teus pagan beliefs). The majority of this land was jungle, but the Teus pagans and Zuwze were mostly happy to be out of the reach of the Catholic Church.

At around the same time, in 1521, explorers discovered Rushmore, and established a settlement on the island of Sankt Konrad, in the region’s northeastern seas. The capital of Sankt Konrad was established at Wilhelmstadt, named after Wilhelm I who had founded the Empire. While valuable as a naval base, Sankt Konrad was a barren, cold, rock in the sea, and few Teus voluntarily moved there. It was far less attractive than the vast land plots, freedom and new lifestyle Prinz-Eugens-Land offered.

Teus explorers continued to chart the seas, however, in many places were turned away, either arriving at already-established lands or not finding land worth having. In 1532, the Declaration of St. Jakob announced that the attempts to colonize would end, and the Empire would focus on developing its already-growing colonies of Prinz-Eugens-Land and Sankt Konrad.

In Sankt Konrad, this did not mean much. Wilhelmstadt was established as a small port town, the local Albmoti people were content to be left alone, and in fact quite quickly converted to Catholicism. This led to the Catholic Church feeling overconfident, and believing that the Siovanijans and various groups in Prinz-Eugens-Land were simply not able to understand the glory they could find in conversion.

Kaiser Ludwig I, who took power in 1531, was a deeply religious man who felt that the Siovanijans and those in Prinz-Eugens-Land needed to be saved. He encouraged the Church to expand its missionary programs, and in 1546, tried to repeal the Edict of Marzig. He was convinced by a group of Siovanijan Dukes, however, that such an effort might lead to the end of the Empire. The Catholic Church continued to proselytize in Prinz-Eugens-Land, mostly to no avail. To offset the large population of Teus pagans and local animists, the Church began recruiting settlers of its own, mainly from the deeply-religious Southwest and the Marzig area. In 1554, the town of Neu-Marzig was founded in Prinz-Eugens-Land, and was a deeply religious community. In southern Prinz-Eugens-Land, pagans were often banned from towns and cities.

A clear pattern of religious tension is seen across the Teus Empire in the last decades of the 1500s. In 1573, a group of clergymen in Rotmunde attempted to question several of the Church’s norms, particularly the idea of paid indulgences, and other theological debates. On the island of Rotmunde, by 1576, more than 80% of the population were attending Churches in open disputes with the Teus Catholic Church. The Church, with its vast political power, could not tolerate this challenge, and in 1581 called the Council of Marzig. The Council produced a great deal of reforms which eased tensions in the Church at the time, and marked the beginning of a more modern era for the Church.

What did not change, however, was its intention to convert the populace of the Teus Empire. In Prinz-Eugens-Land, settlement and exploration continued across the country. It was a land rich in resources, and exotic as well, giving it a mystique within Teus society. In Siovanija, there was growing unease about the future of their religious freedom. In Teusland, the majority of the population believed the Empire had reached its true potential and that they were living in historic times for the country.

Kirchenkrieg: The Twenty-Nine Years’ War (1604-1633)
Relations between the Church and the people of Siovanija, and the pagans of Prinz-Eugens-Land, continued to gradually decline through the end of the 1500s. By 1600, the Church was unofficially sending missionaries to Siovanija, and were officially petitioning for the end of the Edict of Marzig. Ferdinand II became Kaiser in 1601, and was young and easily influenced. Pope Gotthard I convinced him to repeal the edict in 1603.

A few weeks later, a delegation travelled to Borograd to inform the local population of its repeal. The delegates were instead thrown out the window. The Defenestration of Borograd resulted in fury in Teusland, and with the city of Borograd in open revolt, units of the military were sent in. Siovanija did not react well to this demonstration of force, and soon peasants across Siovanija were in open revolt. The same feelings were felt in Prinz-Eugens-Land, where the Church had tried to remove what was known as the ‘’Nordliche Garantie’’ (Northern Guarantee) that guaranteed freedom of religion above the River Gjoll.

A multi-party conflict broke out across the Teus Empire. In Siovanija, peasants rose up against the Church, who they saw as tyrannical and evil due to the Crusades, and fought for their religious freedom. Most Teus believed in the idea of ‘whose realm, his religion,’ and therefore supported the government and the Church in the early stages of the conflict. In Prinz-Eugens-Land, Catholic settlers in the south clashed with Teus pagans in the north, while indigenous groups mostly sided with the pagans. Sankt Konrad did not see much of the conflict, as it was almost entirely Catholic.

The war was known as the Twenty-Nine Years’ War, however, it did not last for the entire time period. There were numerous stoppages and short-lived peace agreements across the period. The Teus Army sacked the city of Borograd in 1611, as revenge for the Defenestration, and also razed the towns of Chernovets and Trkev. Siovanijan peasants managed to launch raids of their own, however, and Stahlberg became the first Teus city to be sacked in over 350 years in 1619. The war was mainly fought in bursts, with various periods of tension occurring in Siovanija. Most of the Siovanijan Duchies remained loyal, with the exception of the Duchy of Trkev in the west, where paganism was strongest. The Duke of Trkev, Lojze IV, was in open revolt against the Teus Empire.

In Prinz-Eugens-Land, fighting was difficult as it mostly took place in the harsh Gjoll Jungle. The city of Walhalla was attacked by a Catholic army in 1613, and captured, while the city of Neu-Marzig was sacked by a Teus pagan army in 1620. The Zuwze people mostly stayed out of the conflict, while the Tugolo people were in and out. The Emfi people were major players in the conflict, given their location in the northern territories, and they greatly suffered for it, as they were outmatched technologically by the Teus Army.

Over time, however, opinions in Teusland were beginning to change. When Ferdinand II died in 1612, there was a hope that peace could be soon achieved. However, his son, Friedrich I, was quite head-strong, and was determined to finish what his father started. During his reign, which was very short as he died of disease only 3 years into it, more and more soldiers were committed by the Teus Army. Friedrich died in 1615, however, and was replaced by his brother, Ludwig II.

Ludwig II began the war as a supporter of the Church’s position, and believed that the pagans in Siovanija and Prinz-Eugens-Land needed to be converted. As the war went on, however, he came to believe that the people of these lands would never be fully converted, and that they should not be forced too. He reached this decision after taking command of the armies in the field in Siovanija himself, and observing the situation. He organized the Truce of Stelburg in 1622, which saw an end to the fighting in Siovanija for four years. Nobles of the Teus Empire were growing continually tired of fighting the Catholic Church’s battles for them.

At the end of the Truce of Stelburg, Ludwig declared that the Teus Army would no longer defend the Catholic Church, and that he was re-instituting the Edict of Marzig. The Church was openly furious, and continued its war in Siovanija through the use of mercenary groups. The Teus Army did continue to fight in Prinz-Eugens-Land, as attacks from various groups often threatened the safety of Teus civilians in the colony.

In 1631, armies paid for by the Catholic Church attempted to siege the city of Felsenkirchen. For Ludwig II, this was the last straw. He had Pope Hans II arrested, as well as half of the College of Teus Cardinals. By this point, public opinion in Teusland had largely shifted, and the war was seen as an example of the hubris and decadence of the Church - rather than collecting money at mass for the poor, they were using the peasants’ money to pay for their armies. Ludwig II negotiated the Peace of Trkev with Duke Lojze IV, bringing the Duchy of Trkev back into the Teus Empire, and promised that ‘’none of my bloodline shall repeal the Edict of Marzig.’’

In Prinz-Eugens-Land, news of the end of the war took some time to reach the colony, and battles continued to be fought up until 1633. The year 1631 saw various oddities such as the Teus Army fighting alongside the Catholic Church’s mercenaries in Prinz-Eugens-Land, and fighting against them in Siovanija. In 1633, the Peace of Kapstadt saw an agreement to end the conflict in Prinz-Eugens-Land, and was signed by both the Zuwze and Tugolo tribes, as well as Catholic and pagan representatives. Notably, the Emfi did not sign off on the treaty.

In 1635, the Council of Rotmunde was held by the Teus Catholic Church. At this Council, various reforms were forced on the Church by the imperial government, and were accepted by the College of Teus Cardinals. Firstly, the Pope no longer had the power to call crusades or declare wars. The Church could no longer employ mercenaries. And finally, the Church had to agree to respect the terms of the Edict of Marzig permanently. A new generation of Church leaders had been hand-picked, and they approved the decisions of the Council of Rotmunde unanimously.

Turbulent Times
The ending of the war was supposed to bring about a new optimism within the Teus Empire. Instead, they immediately had to deal with a nation-wide pandemic, known as the Great Plague. This disease was incredibly deadly, and was said to have developed in the harsh conditions of the war. Some Catholics believed it was a punishment from God for having failed to convert Siovanija.

The Great Plague lasted from 1635-1638, and was estimated to have killed up to 2 million people. The city of Stelburg was quarantined for the majority of 1636. No city suffered, however, like the city of St. Jakob - the Teus Empire’s connection to the outside world, particularly the colonies, it was estimated that over 20% of deaths in the Empire occurred in just the city alone.

The end of the Plague in 1638 was seen as the beginning of brighter days ahead, however, the Empire had another challenge ahead of it. In 1640, the former Pope Hans II escaped from jail, and attempted to set up his own rival Church in the city of Pomen, in the conservative Catholic stronghold of southwestern Teusland. The Church in Pomen was particularly boosted by the large numbers of Catholics who believed the Plague to be a punishment, they therefore felt that it was important to rectify the wrongs of the Twenty-Nine Years’ War.

Ludwig II and Pope Martin II had no time, however, for this, and immediately dispatched armies to arrest the anti-Pope. His followers, however, had moved into Siovanijan territory and sacked the city of Siovanska Gora. In a battle outside the city, Ludwig’s armies forced the anti-Papal force back to Pomen, which was sieged. Hans’ armies were finally defeated in May 1641, however, Hans was not captured. He disappeared, with rumours having him fleeing to Sankt Konrad, hiding as a priest in Pomen for years following, or, most likely, dying in battle and not being found. By the time of Ludwig’s death in 1643, he was seen as a great Kaiser who had navigated some of the biggest challenges in the history of the Empire, and was regarded on a similar level to Wilhelm I and Ferdinand I.

Geography
Siovanija and Teusland is located on an island in southwestern Atlantian Oceania. As the Siovanijan and Teus peoples both lived in isolation for hundreds of thousands of years, they simply referred to the island as 'otok' (Siovanijan) and 'Insel' (Teus), which both directly translate to 'island.' When the first foreigners arrived and spread Christianity to Teusland, they referred to it as 'Teussia' as they had yet to contact the Siovanijans - this remained the official foreign name for many years, especially during the Teus Empire. Today, there is no standard name for the island, and in official documents the government simply avoids references to a specific name, referring to it simply by the name of the nation.

To the east, across the Ostsee, the nearest neighbouring country is Torisakia. Directly north of the island of Rotmunde, and the body of water that is known as the 'Rotmunde Strait' in this country, lies the Vanorian territory of Sabine and Caddonia. To the south is the Sudsee, which is open water except for the Southern Isles, leading towards other continents - this sea is also sometimes referred to as the Georg-Blocher-See after the man who was responsible for its navigation, which led the Teus Empire towards its colonies in the regions of Rushmore and Esportiva. To the north is the Nordsee, which leads towards the rest of southwestern Atlantian Oceania including Banija, the Busoga Islands, Farfadillis and other southwestern states. The Westsee leads towards the main island of Valanora, which is the closest neighbour of Siovanija & Teusland.

The national territory covers 377,450km square of land, and another 9,450km square of water. In addition, the nation claims a 215km nautical limit in the Nordsee, Sudsee and Westsee. In the Rotmunde Straits and the Ostsee, the maritime boundary lines are smaller due to the shorter distances involved. The highest point in the nation is Mount Danneberg in the Mittelgebirge, which has a height of 2647m. Highland regions are found in southern Teusland, eastern Siovanija as well as, of course, the mountain range itself. The lowest elevation is found in the Nordflachland, an area where the land slopes to the sea. The village of Kirchensee is near to the lowest point in the country at 4.24m below sea level. The eastern most point of the nation is at Rotmunde Point on Rotmunde Island. The northernmost point is also on Rotmunde Island at the village of Blaubronn. The westernmost point is found in Siovanija in the town of Trkev, while the southernmost point is the island of Gordna in the Southern Isles.

Climate
Most of Siovanija & Teusland has a temperate climate, mostly a maritime climate. In the mountainous regions, a colder climate is seen. Winters are cold in the mountains and the regions surrounding. Due to winds, winter storms are commonly observed coming off the mountains, especially in Teusland. Summers range from hot and dry to cool as well as rain. Rain is common in the United Republics, especially during the spring, and the city of Stelburg in particular is known as a 'rain capital.' Average monthly temperatures range from around 1 degrees in January, to around 22 degrees in July. The highest-ever temperature recorded was in the Southern Isles, which commonly experience hotter summers, at 44 degrees celsius. The lowest-ever temperature recorded was in the mountains of western Teusland and stood at -42 degrees celsius.

Biodiversity
The country is mostly covered by mixed forests, except for flatter land found in eastern Teusland and southern Siovanija. 50% of the land is devoted to agriculture, 33% is forested and 15% are dedicated to infrastructure and settlements.

There are a variety of trees to be found in the country, including beech, oak, pine and spruce in both deciduous (35% of forests) and coniferous (65% of forests) forests. The largest forest in the country is the Teufelswald, south of Stelburg, which had a large role in Teus folklore. There are also many species of flowers found in the country. The most famous is the edelweiss, which grows in the mountainous regions and gradually became a symbol of the united country and is featured on the national flag and coat-of-arms, as well as serving as a symbol for national sports teams. Wild animals include deer, sheep, fox, badger, bears and beavers. Aquatic life is also found abundantly in rivers, lakes and oceans.

There are 15 national parks in the country, 18 biosphere reserves and 105 conservation areas. The most famous national park is the Mount Danneberg National Park, located at the nation's highest mountain, while the Teufelswald National Park is another common destination. In Siovanija, the Great Lakes National Park, which covers the area around the four large lakes in northwestern Siovanija, is the nation's largest park. There are also over 350 zoos in the country, most famously the Stelburg Zoo.

Politics
Siovanija & Teusland is a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. Legislative power is centred in the National Chancellery, the main legislative body. Representatives are elected every 4 years (by law, however, elections can occur sooner) to serve in the parliament. There are 400 seats in the Chancellery. Each state is allocated 25 seats (meaning each Republic receives 200) and allocates its members based on popular vote in that state. A new law requires parties to receive at least 5% of the vote in a single state to be eligible to win a seat. The political system operates under the framework of the 1947 Constitution, which replaced the original 1896 Constitution. The constitution provides freedoms and rights to the citizens of the country, as well as spelling out the powers of each jurisdiction and branch of government. The main change from the 1896 to 1947 Constitutions was to reduce the powers of the President. Amending the constitution would require a 2/3 vote in the National Chancellery as well as 2/3 votes in the legislatures of the Republic of Siovanija and the Republic of Teusland.

The President, currently Magdalena Hoskova, is elected by a nationwide popular vote. After a first round of voting, if no candidate reaches 50% of the vote, the top two candidates participate in a run-off round. Presidential elections are held every four years, and the President can serve a maximum of two terms. The President serves as the head of state. Pre-1947, the President had sweeping powers over legislation and the forming of government. Today, the President's powers are mainly symbolic. They appoint a Chancellor on advice of the National Chancellery, they serve as the country's top diplomat, and they approve legislation passed by the Chancellery. Since 1947, however, it has become a tradition for the President not to interfere in legislative affairs, and the President is expected to not be a member of a political party. The head of government is the Chancellor, who is the leader of the largest party in government and is appointed by the President. The current Chancellor is Dominik Meier. The Chancellor exercises executive power through the Cabinet, and is an elected representative. The Vice-Chancellor is the deputy leader of the government, and often serves as the main figure of the government in the National Chancellery itself. The Speaker of the Chancellery is responsible for ensuring sessions of the National Chancellery follow procedure and remain orderly.

Chancellery elections in Siovanija & Teusland are held every four years, or at the dissolution of government (requested by the Chancellor and approved by the President). Dissolution of government can also be forced on a non-confidence vote in the Chancellery, for example, if a budget is defeated. During the election, party offices in the various states pick a list of local candidates to run, this information is then provided to voters in brochures mailed by the government during the election period. The brochures outline the basic party platforms as well as the proposed candidates in that state. Voters can vote by mail or in person. In some rural Teus villages, the old tradition of voting in public spaces through a head count is allowed. After the election, the exact number of representatives in each state is determined, and party officials pick the leading candidates from their proposed list to serve in the Chancellery.

A majority is required to form government in the National Chancellery. 201 seats are needed to form a majority. Due to the amount of parties, it is very unlikely that one party gains 201 seats. Therefore, coalition governments are common. The party system has been dominated by the centre-right National Democratic Union (NDU) and the centre-left Labour Party. Every Chancellor since 1896 has been a member of one of these parties. The centrist Free Liberal Party (FLP) have been a main coalition partner over the years. In Teusland, the Christian Union (CU) is an affiliate of the NDU and regularly partners with them. Other parties that have participated in coalition governments include the left-wing Republican Party, the left-wing Social Union, the monarchist List 19. Juni and the centre-right Teusland List. Generally, the centre-left and left-wing parties are strongest in Siovanija, while the centre-right and right-wing parties are strongest in Teusland. However, this is not always the case - the city of St. Jakob in Teusland is quite left-wing, while the city of Chernovets in Siovanija is a NDU stronghold.

Below the federal level, government is divided amongst 3 other levels. There is the Republic level. The Republic of Siovanija and the Republic of Teusland are each considered 'constituent republics' of the United Republics, and each have their own parliaments. These parliaments are led by the Chancellor of Siovanija and the Chancellor of Teusland, respectively. The republics hold power over education, some natural resources, and matters that apply to only one part of the country. In recent years, however, these parliaments have lost a great deal of power as the country continues to centralize. Each Republic has 8 states (also called Lander in Teusland). The states are mostly, however, for administrative purposes and do not hold a great deal of power. In Teusland, they are based on the old borders of the various Duchies under the Teus Empire, while in Siovanija they are mostly centred around urban centres. Below the state level is municipal government, which holds great power locally. In Teusland, these municipal governments are either Counties or Free Cities. An example of a country would the County of Launitz, while the Free City of Stelburg is the best example of a Free City. There is not much difference between the two, other than that counties are usually centred in rural areas. In Siovanija, municipal governments are found in Regional Municipalities, for example, the Borograd Regional Municipality.

Constituent states
States are listed in alphabetical order, along with their capitals and the Republic they are in. The largest state by land area is Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land, while the smallest state by land area is Borograd. The largest state by population is Neuteussen, while the smallest state by population is Kraibrezhie.

Law
Law in Siovanija & Teusland is modelled on civil law, with influences from both old Siovanijan and Teus systems of law. Ancient systems of law were mostly focused on compensation rather than punishment or rehabilitation. The weregeld or 'man-price' was a fee paid by a criminal who committed a wrong against another person to that person or their family, with a cut also going to the King. Today's laws are more based on rehabilitation over punishment.

The National Court is the supreme court of the land, with branches for specialized areas. For example, the National Labour Court, the National Finance Court and the National Administrative Court are each important courts. The National Court of Justice is the highest appeals court for civil and criminal cases.

Laws are codified nationally in the National Basic Law Code (private) and the Criminal Law Code (criminal). All charges, except for petty crimes, are tried by mixed tribunals led by a senior judge.

Siovanija & Teusland has a very low murder rate, of just 0.89 per 100,000, and the overall crime levels are currently some of the lowest they have ever been in the country.

Foreign relations
Siovanija & Teusland has a vast network of diplomatic missions across the regions of Atlantian Oceania, Rushmore and Esportiva, maintaining relations with the majority of countries in these regions. From 1896, the national thinking was one of isolationism - where Siovanija & Teusland would be present in the outside world in minimal ways, and mostly focus on domestic issues. This policy, however, has gradually changed over the years. The beginning of participation in international sports in 2018 was a major moment in opening the nation. Chancellor Dominik Meier was elected on a platform of 'Sudwestpolitik,' building better relations with countries also in southwestern Atlantian Oceania. Since his election, Siovanija & Teusland has grown closer with regional neighbours, particularly the Kingdom of Banija.

Siovanija & Teusland is a member nation of the Kolonialvereinigung, which is made up of the nations of Sankt Konrad and Prinz-Eugens-Land, both of which are former colonies of the Teus Empire. Today, the organization mostly discusses disputes between the member states, regulates trade between them, and serves to promote strong relationships between the countries. Sankt Konrad is officially under the military protection of Siovanija & Teusland, while the United Republics enjoy a close relationship as well with Prinz-Eugens-Land. In recent years, there have been calls domestically to form an organization of southwestern Atlantian Oceania states, which Siovanija & Teusland would be a part of.

Foreign affairs are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by a Minister appointed by the Chancellor. However, the President is often a leading diplomat as well. This was seen in President Joachim Fleiss' visits to Banija, which helped lay the framework for the eventual meetings in Stelburg and Busukuma that led to new relations between the countries.

Military
Siovanija & Teusland's military, officially the Defence Forces, is one of the largest and best-funded in Atlantian Oceania. National defence has been a priority for the country since unification in 1896, and was one of the reasons cited for the unification at the time. As a result, the military has become a major institution in the society. The Defence Forces is split into the Heer/Vojska, the Marine and the Luftwaffe/Letectvo, or the army, navy and air force. In addition, the Sanitatsdienst is the main medical service of all three branches.

The military has a strength of 850,000 active soldiers. Reservists are also available to the military to be deployed at home. Siovanija & Teusland practices manditory conscription. All 18 year olds in the country are conscripted for military service, unless they have exceptions. Depending on their program (basic service or military-academic degree) they will serve for 2 or 4 years respectively. Since 1985, women have been allowed to serve in all roles, and since 2004 women have been conscripted at age 18.

Various arms manufacturers within the country provide their services to the Defence Forces. The current generation of battle rifles, the Gewehr-25, were designed by the Kohler-Moritz AG company. Siovanija & Teusland has produced leading modern equipment, such as the Schafbock (ram) line of tanks, or the Kampfadler (battle eagle) line of fighter jets. Siovanija & Teusland also produce various lines of naval ships, including the Eiche-class aircraft carriers and the Facherfisch (sailfish) class nuclear submarines.

Historically, the Teus Empire was well-regarded as a naval power in the world, and famous ships included the SMS Felsenkirchen and the SMS Reinbronn. During the Great War, new tactics and equipment were quickly procurred, and the first use of airplanes was recorded. Today, Siovanija & Teusland still operates a strong blue-water navy, the focal point of the Defence Forces, and a large air force based on the national military doctrine of defending the island. Special military units include the Mountain Rangers, who are trained to fight in harsh conditions, and the Fallschirmjager/Parasutista, or paratroopers, who are trained in that particular style of warfare. The army's main responsibility is homeland defence on the national territory.

Siovanija & Teusland is a nuclear power. The first nuclear bomb was the Woden-1, which was tested in 1949. The Grosser Woden was the biggest bomb ever tested by Siovanija & Teusland, at 50 megatons of TNT. The bombs were tested on uninhabited islands southwest of Siovanija. As a result of the Grosser Woden test, new regulations were put in place for the testing and development of the program. The current generation of nuclear weapons is the Lokke class. Each generation takes their name from a Teus pagan God, similar to how the space program takes its names from Siovanijan pagan Gods. The nation maintains a nuclear trident, with a particular focus on nuclear submarines.

The Defence Force is commanded by the President of the United Republics, as well as the Minister of Defence, appointed by the Chancellor. Other ministries with portfolios relating to the military include the Ministry of the Marine, the Ministry of Nuclear Safety and the Ministry of Infrastructure. The State Security Committee, which is made up of the President, the Chancellor, the Defence Minister as well as the Chiefs of Staff of each branch, is responsible for declarations of war (which must be approved by the National Chancellery) as well as the launch of nuclear missiles. The High Command of each branch generally coordinates their operations.

The highest rank in the Army is the Field Marshall, the highest rank in the Marine is the Grand Admiral, and the highest rank in the Air Force is the Air Marshall. These ranks are traditionally only bestowed upon those who are the Chief of Staff of their branch, or those who have served their country in a time of war.

The military has for most of its history been deployed only at home, with the navy venturing on patrols. In recent years, however, cooperation internationally has increased, the the Defence Force have developed a strong relationship with the Kingdom of Banija's military forces, which has led to officer exchange programs, particularly in the navy.

Economy
The country is a social market economy (also known as a Drai economy) with a highly skilled labour force, low levels of corruption, and a high level of innovation. It is a large exporter, and has one of the world's largest economies. The service sector contributes about 67% of the country's GDP, the industry sector 31% and the agricultural sector about 3%. The most recent unemployment report had the country's rating at 2.8%.

Siovanija & Teusland's currency is measured in tolars and tsents. Its monetary policy is set by the Republic Central Bank, which is headquartered in the city of Borograd. Tolars are represented by a capital 'T' (T500,000 is five hundred thousand tolars) and tsents with a lowercase 't' (50t is fifty tsents.) The financial hub of the country is the city of St. Jakob, which is home to the TAX, the national stock market index which is operated by the St. Jakob Stock Exchange.

Siovanija & Teusland's automotive industry is well-regarded throughout the world as one of its most competitive and innovative. Some of Siovanija & Teusland's top exports include vehicles, automotive parts, machinery, electronic products, electrical equipment, basic metals, food products, rubber and plastic. In addition, the government holds a 50% share in the national oil company of Sankt Konrad.

Major companies in Siovanija & Teusland include Teussische Motoren Werke (TMW), Pomorie Avto Fabrika (PAF), Draiwerke, Pollmacher AG, Kohler-Moritz AG, Teussische Vermogensberatung, TeusBank, RepublikaTelekom, Adler Sport, Air Republika, Schneeeule AG, Sudwestlich, Medved AG, Nordflachlands-Flug-Dienst (NFD) and Teussische Zeppelin Reederei. These companies are some of the nation's best-known brands both domestically and abroad. St. Jakob is a hub for start-up businesses, and the country has a strong tradition with small and medium enterprises. Research and development efforts also form an integral part of the national economy. Leading groups include the Felix Proll Society, the Drai Association and the Slavomir Kraus Society.

The national space program, the United Republics Space Agency, is quite well-regarded and has been a leading player in space affairs. The first man from the United Republics in space was Matyas Ztratil, who was part of the Dzbog-IV mission. The Dzbog-VII mission was the first craft from the United Republics to land on the moon, and Paul Kohlhassel became the first man from the nation to walk on the moon. Currently, the URSA operates a space station in orbit, as well as several other satellites.

Infrastructure
Siovanija & Teusland has a dense road and rail network. The national motorway system connects almost every major city in the country. Major national routes are designated Nationale, or, for example, the N-1 highway which connects Borograd and Stelburg. Smaller, more regional routes are designated Autobahn, or, for example, the A-15 highway that connects Felsenkirchen and Marlesee. All 'N' and 'A' class highways are controlled-access. Each Republic also maintains its own system of roads, for example, the S-115 highway that connects Trkev and Siovanska Gora, or the T-140 highway connecting Preisfeld and Launitz. Highways are numbered with one or two digits for national highways, and three digits for regional highways. The last digit of the number signals a highway is east-west (odd) or north-south (even). The TeusBahn train system serves the entire country as the main carrier, with express trains reaching up to 300km/h. The Siovanijan Rail Company is also a major carrier in the Republic of Siovanija. The largest airport in the country is the St. Jakob International Airport. Other major airports include Stelburg International and the Borograd-Milan Dimitrov International. The Port of St. Jakob is the nation's largest, with the ports of Felsenkirchen, Kaiserhaven, Pomorie/Marzig and Trkev also important commercial ports.

The country is mostly served by a network of nuclear power plants, the largest being the Bukovets Power Plant. The nation uses about 45% renewable sources of energy to meet its needs. Siovanija & Teusland is committed to various environmental initiatives including promoting biodiversity, water management and reducing emissions.

Tourism
Tourism is an industry that has experienced a large recent growth in the country as it becomes more open to the surrounding world. The most popular cities in the country to visit, in order, are Stelburg, Borograd and St. Jakob. Domestic and international tourism brings over T100 billion into the national GDP.

Some of the most popular landmarks are the Sanssouci Palace in Stelburg, Stelburg's downtown old city, Sankt Georg's Cathedral, Danneberg Castle, Eschenbach Castle, the Rotburg, Borograd's Milan Dimitrov Square, the Green House, the National Chancellery, the Old Port of St. Jakob, and Sankt Adelheid's Cathedral. In addition, natural wonders are also a large part of the national tourist industry. The Mittelgebirge mountains are popular with mountaineers and hikers, and the largest is Mount Danneberg. The Teufelswald forest is another destination popular for hikers, while the Velika Jezera (Great Lakes) in northwestern Siovanija are the national 'cottage country' and attract those who enjoy outdoor activities. The Southern Isles, and the city of Vrnovo, are well-known as resort destinations and are popular for beach and summer getaways.

Religion
The United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland are officially a secular state. However, a majority of the population does belong to religious groups. The largest religious group in the country is Christianity, with 96.5% of Teus and 11.4% of Siovanijans declaring themselves as Christians on the most recent census. Of these, the overwhelming majority belong to the Catholic Church of Teusland. There is a small minority of Protestants, the majority of whom live in Teusland. In Siovanija, 47.3% of respondents identified with what are known as the 'Old Beliefs,' or the old Siovanijan pagan mythology. This is mostly a cultural identifier, however. Atheism is common in Siovanija, with 42.3% of respondents identifying as atheist. Furthermore, it is likely a majority of the 47.3% of old believers are also atheist.

Catholicism was originally introduced in Teusland in the early 1100s, and the population rapidly accepted the new religion. Historically, the population had believed in what is now known as Teus pagan mythology, which included figures such as Donner, the God of Thunder, Woden, the father of all Gods, and Lokke, the trickster God. Many of the symbols of these Gods are still commonly found in Teusland. Catholicism was declared the official religion of the Teus Empire upon its founding in 1253. During this period, the church had a heavy influence in imperial politics, and this caused mistrust amongst the nobility and, most importantly, the Kaiser. In 1274, the Catholic Church was reformed. The old institution was disbanded, and replaced by the new 'Catholic Church of Teusland.' New archdioceses were created, and a new College of Teus Cardinals was also formed. The Kaiser would then select a Pope on their advice, ensuring the Pope's political loyalty.

During the early news of the Teus papacy, aggressive measures were taken to attempt to spread the religion to Siovanija. Pope Dominik's Crusade in 1288 marked the first attempt to spread religion by force, as peasants were armed by the Imperial Teus Army and sponsored by the Church to wage war in Siovanija. That first Crusade was quite a success, as the Teus sacked the cities of Chernovets and Siovanska Gora, as well as establishing a fort at the city of Pomorie. In later years, other crusades would follow. These include the St. Gustaf's Crusade, Pope Georg's Crusade, the Fourth and Fifth Crusades, and the aptly-named Last Crusade. For the papacy, these crusades served as an easy source of income, while for the imperial government, it was a way to wage war against Siovanija without actually sending in troops.

After the Three Years' War (1414-1417) which saw the Teus Empire conquer Siovanija and incorporate it into the imperial territories, great efforts were made by the Catholic Church to spread their beliefs in the new territory. This included sending government-sponsored missionaries, as well as providing financial support for religious orders such as the Order of St. Gustaf in the city of Pomorie/Marzig. After the Teus Empire became a colonial power, however, the focus gradually shifted. The Siovanijans had been mostly unwilling to accept the new religion, owing to them seeing it as a Teus institution as well as deep-seeded cultural ties to their own pagan beliefs. The Church began sending missionaries to the colonies such as Sankt Konrad and Prinz-Eugens-Land. While they were not very successful in Prinz-Eugens-Land, Sankt Konrad was a different story, where the local Albmoti people converted en masse to Catholicism.

Today, the Catholic Church of Teusland still exists, and is still an important institution in the nation. Officially, the Church is responsible for Catholics in Teusland, Siovanija, Sankt Konrad and Prinz-Eugens-Land, and maintains a presence in all of these through Churches and other buildings. The most famous Church in the country is Sankt Georg's Cathedral in Stelburg. Other well-known sites include the Church of St. Gustaf in Marzig, Sankt Adelheid's Cathedral in Felsenkirchen (constructed from parts of various naval vessels) and Sankt Jakob's Cathedral in St. Jakob. The College of Teus Cardinals still exists and is responsible for electing the Pope. The current Pope is Pope Sylvester I, the Archbishop of Stelburg, and Sankt Georg's Cathedral is the headquarters of the Church.

The Siovanijan Old Beliefs are a widely-followed cultural practice in Siovanija, dating back to the pre-historic days. Various Gods are worshipped, however, the most important are the trio of Boruv (God of the Sky), Zlatna (Goddess of Land) and Gora (God of Mountains). Other Gods include Vlaiko (God of Water) and Slaya (Goddess of Forests). Each God or Goddess has a day dedicated to them, where Siovanijans will go to the temple and leave gifts relating to that particular God's patronage. For example, on the Feast of Zlatna, flowers are often given as a gift, while on the Feast of Gora, a rock from the nearest mountain is the traditional offering. Various place names are related to the Gods, for example the city of Vlaikograd which is located on a large lake. There is no organized leadership of the religion at a national level, however, each temple has a collection of priests dedicated to religious study. A poll of Siovanijans revealed that a vast majority do not believe in the Gods, but see it as an important cultural practice and for many a large part of Siovanijan identity.

Languages
The two official languages of the United Republics are Siovanijan and Teus. Over 65% of the population describe themselves as functionally bilingual, and in each nation the opposite language is a required subject throughout education. In addition, many people in the United Republics have learned a good degree of English for communication on the international level.

The Teus language developed out of historic languages such as Old High Teus and Old Low Teus, and was first standardized in the mid-1400s after the development of Hans von Hardenberg's printing press. The first-ever Teussische Wortenbuch, or Teus Dictionary, was published in 1457, and was distributed widely. In 1459, the first edition of the Bible was printed in the Teus language. This allowed the new standard to spread quickly across the country through churches and other public gatherings. The language uses the Latin script, which was introduced to the country around the same time as Christianity. Old High Teus and Old Low Teus both used runic scripts which had been developed over hundreds of years, and are still occassionally used by Teus nationalists to express their culture.

The Siovanijan language developed in a variety of ways over the years, with various regions each having different dialects. For example, the Siovanijan spoken in Borograd today is quite different from that spoken in Chernovets or Vlaikograd, although they are mutually understandable and are overall very similar. The Borograd version of Siovanijan is considered to be the standard version, and the first Siovanijan dictionary was published in 1465. It was more difficult to spread the standard language in the country due to the lack of willingness to adapt in rural areas: while the Teus had their Church language to unite them, the Siovanijans had no such thing, and thus the dialects developed separately.

Under the rule of the Teus Empire, a sublanguage called 'Army Siovanijan' was developed which unified the various dialects, and also introduced various Teus loanwords, for the purposes of military roles. Given that Siovanijans from various regions often served together under Teus officers, the sublanguage was quite helpful in overcoming communication difficulties. The Siovanijan language traditionally had its own script, better known as the Cyrillic script. While this can still be seen in some rural areas (places like Trkev have never changed), after the unification an effort was made to standardize both languages with the Latin script and Siovanijan officially switched in 1898.

Education
Responsibility for education in the country is divided between its two constituent Republics. For the most part, however, the education system in each country is the same. At age four, children begin full-time kindergarten. This lasts until age 6, when primary school begins for 7 years. Secondary schooling is then divided into different tracts based on whether the students plan on heading towards academic or vocational education. There is a system of apprenticeship which leads towards skilled qualifications in the trades, which is considered equivelant to an academic degree. It allows these vocational students to learn in a trade school as well as get on-the-job experience.

At the end of secondary schooling studies, students have several options. They can pursue a military-academic degree, a regular academic degree, or continue into their career. The military-academic degree is available for those who have qualified for university at the end of their studies through exams, and are studying a non-STEM field. In addition to their regular courses in university, students in this program will also train in military strategy, leadership skills, and complete their two years required service by earning officer qualifications. Those in a STEM field will study in military science as well as the regular military program, and will also earn officer qualifications to complete their two-years service. University studies are four years total, and the military progam is spread out across those years. After graduating, students will have the opportunity to enter the military with an officer's rank. In addition, there are specific military schools available as well.

University education in Siovanija & Teusland is a public institution, and tuition is mostly free. At the end of secondary education, students must take a test in their desired field of study to enter their field in university. The established universities in the country are quite old, with the oldest being the Freie-Universitat Stelburg, founded in 1387. Other leading universities include the Universitat Sankt-Jakob, Freie-Universitat Felsenkirchen, Universitat-Rotmunde, the University of Borograd, Borograd Metropolitan University and the Chernovets Technological Institute. The highest-ranked university in the country, however, and its most successful, is the Technische-Universitat Stelburg, commonly known as TU Stelburg.

Health
The system of hospitals in the country was established under the Teus Empire during the early 1500s, and the country has a universal health care system. Universal health care was established constitutionally after the unification in 1896. Since then, reforms have ensured a balanced healthcare system. Each citizen is covered by a government health care plan, although some groups can opt for a private coverage through their employment.

The life expectancy for males in the country is 78 years of age, while for women it is 82 years of age. The country also has a very low infant mortality rate (3 out of 1000). Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death in the country as of the most recent study.

Culture
Siovanija & Teusland is well known for several traditions and holidays, including the celebration of various Siovanijan pagan Gods/Goddesses, festivals and events surrounding Christmas and Easter in Teusland, and other practices. Over 100 places are listed on the government's National Heritage List, relating to culturally and historically significant landmarks. There are a number of public holidays in the country, and some which are public in only one republic. The most known holiday in the country is Unification Day on May the Fourth.

Music
Classically, the Teus were well-regarded as musicians and composers. Influential composers of the baroque period include Adelmar Brecht, Stanislaus Dahn, and most famously Armin Backhaus. In the later romantic era, Christof von Handke, Florentin Steiner and Ludwig Schultz were some of the most influential composers. Siovanijan composers of the romantic era included Sebastian Musil, generally regarded as the best-known Siovanijan composer. In the more modern era, Vincent Kisling was well-known for his operas, which often dealt with themes of old Teus pagan traditions and national history. He is celebrated each year during a festival in his home town of Bad Lingau.

The city of Stelburg was the centre of classical music in the country. Composers were drawn to the city due to its status as the crown jewel of the Teus Empire, and the imperial patronage therefore available to them. Stelburg's rise as a cultural centre began in the mid-1500s, and by the early 1800s it was one of the world capitals of culture. The city is best-known for its operas, including the Stelburg State Opera, and the National Opera. Ballets are also common in the city, with the Teus National Ballet and the Stelburg Imperial Ballet still based in the city today. Balls were a very common occurrence during the Teus Empire, with balls hosted biweekly in the city by various groups, and this tradition is still continued even today with a series of famous balls taking place in the city.

Music is, of course, still popular within Siovanija & Teusland. Foreign popular music has become more popular in recent years, but acts such as Romana Adamova, Niels Hochheim and groups such as Der Mowen and Torpedi are still chart-toppers. The best-selling domestic singer of all time remains Katja Scheck, a Teus actress and singer who rose to popularity during the 1960s, and quickly became the most popular singer in the country.

Art and Design
Artistically, Siovanija has been known as a producer of highly-talented painters in the past. The most famous artist of the romance period was Tadeas Horvath, while on the Teus side painter Hugo Meidner helped usher in the impressionist era.

The nation is well-known for its influence on architectural design. The most influential architectural style in the country today is that of the late Wilhelmine period of the late 1700s, during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm VII. Teus building in most areas is well-known for its timber framing. Some of these influences are also present in Siovanijan architecture. The post-revolution period in Siovanija ushered in a great deal of new architectural design and thinking, which can be compared to expressionist architecture.

Even today, architects from the United Republics are leaders on the world stage. The most famous modern architect in the country was Erhardt Palme, and his design firm, Architektur Erhardt-Palme, is still the largest in the country. AEP was responsible for developing 3 of the 4 largest football stadiums in the country (Nationalstadion, Franz-Gorz-Stadion, Draistadion) as well as developing the Stadium of the Restoration in Busukuma, Banija, and the Istria Olympic Stadium in Istria, Banija. These projects were completed to open World Cup 81 and the 14th Summer Olympic Games respectively.

Literature and Philosophy
A strong tradition of literature has existed, particularly in Teusland, since the middle ages. The works of writers such as Marius Delbruck, Joel Baum and Boris Novak are famous in this early period. Delbruck in particular is considered to be the most well-known Teus author in history, and has been called the 'Vincent Kisling of Teus literature,' as his themes often dealt with Teus folklore. His works are studied by most Teus, and Siovanijan, children in schools. The most famous poet of Siovanijan history was Leopold Vlach, who also composed the early Siovanijan anthem 'Hej, Siovani!'

The Teus have also developed various technological advancements relating to literature. Delbruck's writings were important in standardizing the Teus language, while Hans von Hardenberg's invention of the printing press allowed books to be produced quickly, and in some ways contributed to the spread of Christianity throughout the Teus Empire. The United Republics' book market is one of the largest in the world, and the Stelburg Book Fair is the largest in the country and attracts important authors and dealers from across the world, with a history over 500 years long.

Philosophy in the country is also a strong tradition. Many early thinkers were Teus, often a result of Siovanijans having less of an opportunity at success during the dominion of the Teus Empire. Reinhard Fittkau is a famous Teus philosopher well-known for his contributions to enlightenment. Teus idealism is a strain built out of Fittkau's ideas and expanded on by thinkers like Benedicht Drauchmann and Wolfgang Rott. In the lead-up to the 1808 Siovanijan Revolution, various Siovanijan thinkers like Bronislav Tomasic, Jaromir Marek and Simon Hanak made major contributions to the ideas of the rights of man and classical liberalism. The Siovanijan thinker Anton Dialikov's ideas on the rights of workers and new ideas of history have been major contributions to left-wing groups in the country, who often refer to themselves as 'Dialikovite' parties. In the more modern era, Frank Schonherr made significant contributions to psychoanalysis.

Science
Various scientific breakthroughs and advancements give their credit to Siovanijan or Teus scientists. Medicine has always been a focus of the country, and scientists like Slavomir Kraus, Felix Proll and Jens Knoerr have made significant contributions to the field. The development of the automobile within Teusland is often credited to engineer Elias Lasner, who founded Teussische Motoren Werke (TMW) and helped design its first cars. Other automotive pioneers include the Siovanijan Anton Velikov, as well as Bonifac Slavek, who founded the Pomorie Avto Fabrika (PAF). TMW and PAF are today two of the most well-known automotive manufacturers in the country.

Mathematicians like Edmund Hafer, Marco Berchtold and Maria Holderin formed part of the 'Stelburg circle' of the early 1900s. Famous psychologists in the country included Reinhard Himmelfarb and Slavomir Turek. In the development of nuclear weaponry, the creation of the Fessler-type centrifuge by Dr. Martin Fessler was a major breakthrough. Mathematicians and other technical jobs, such as engineers, are a specialty in the country and Siovanija & Teusland is recognized as a leader in many of these fields.

Economic thinkers from the country have included the aforementioned Anton Dialikov, who has inspired left-wing economic thinking within the country. The Drai School, founded by various economists at the Universitat Sankt-Jakob in the mid-1800s, includes famous economists Gunter Klotz, Bernd Goldhaber and Harald Ulmer amongst some of its key developers.

Stelburg National Prize
At the end of each year, leading thinkers in the country are awarded with a Stelburg National Prize. The Prize was first created by the Stelburg Academy for Arts and Science in the early 1700s, and has in the past received patronage from the old Teus Empire's government. Prizes are available in various fields, including: mathematics, physics, economics, chemistry, biology, philosophy, literature, sport (amateur only) and music. The winners of the prize are honoured each year in a celebration at Stelburg's Sanssouci Palace, the former home of the imperial family, and are presented with commemorative medals by the President of the United Republics.

Media
The largest operating international media companies in the country include the Republika Press, Der Welt and Engelberg SE. The television market in Siovanija & Teusland has over 32 million households. Due to the bilingual nature of the country, the majority of the programming is split between the two official languages. Many television programs and shows, however, and produced bilingually, with both languages present in the broadcast. Over 90% of households in the country have cable or satellite television. Nationally, RBC (Republic Broadcasting Corporation) is the public broadcaster. It broadcasts on television with channels including RBC National News, RBC Siovanija, RBC Teusland and RBC Sports, all of which are free-to-air channels. It also broadcasts in both official languages by radio. Famous newspapers in the country include the Stelburger Zeitung, Die St. Jakob Presse, Borograd Dnevnik and Die Zeit, as well as The Borograd Times, which is an international paper.

Cinema is an important aspect of national culture, with important contributions coming from both sides of the mountains. Silent films were first developed in Siovanija, with actors such as Dominik Vicek becoming popular nation-wide. Today, the city of Stelburg remains the centre of the national entertainment industry. Studios such as the famous Gustloff AG and the Studio Stelburg are based in the city and produce some of the country's most famous movies. The most popular movie of all-time in the United Republics remains Das Haus, a movie about a family who experienced the Great War. War films are some of the most popular, due to the long legacy of the Great War in the country, however, other genres also retain popularity. Critically acclaimed directors include Casper Kahler, Ewald Loewe and Josef Kucaj.

Cuisine
Cuisine in the United Republics varies between the two states, however often shares similarities. In addition, international dishes such as pizza, pasta and other common dishes are popular.

Bread is a very significant part of both nations' cuisine, and Teus bread is the most famous and most popular. Teus cheese and meat, particularly Teufelswald ham, are very popular in the country. Siovanijan meats are also famous, however, even they will usually defer to a Teus-produced beef, pork or chicken meal. Sausages are also popular in Teusland, and various brands such as those from the cities of Felsenkirchen and Kaiserhaven are often well-known. A 'Marziger' is what is commonly-known as a 'hamburger' in the rest of the world, and a 'Stahlberger' is what is commonly-known as a 'frankfurter.'

Beverages are also naturally popular in the country. Beer is a staple in Teusland, and is the national alcoholic drink. Beer halls and other such venues are commonly-found across the country, and the citizens are quite proud of their beer: regulations were passed in the 1500s ensuring purity of ingredients. As part of this, foreign beer is banned from being imported into the country. Teus are some of the world's highest consumers of beer. In Siovanija, while beer is popular, the usual alcoholic drink of choice is vodka (commonly known in the country as 'Ljublanski vode,' or 'Ljublanica water' after the largest river in Siovanija. Beer versus vodka is often a common debate between Teus and Siovanijans, and the passion it stirs in both sides has led to both drinks becoming a symbol of their respective nations.

Sport
Ice hockey is the most popular sport in Siovanija & Teusland. Hockey Siovanija & Teusland is the largest athletic union in the country, with over 6.5 million members, and it runs club and international competition at youth and senior levels. The national professional league, the Ehrenliga, is one of the top leagues in the world and also one of its most-watched. Children all across the country grow up dreaming of winning the Strauss Cup, the national championship trophy. Siovanija & Teusland's national hockey team has won World Cup of Hockey 40 and 41, and the national junior team won the 14th World Junior Hockey Championship. The greatest hockey player in United Republics' history is generally considered to be Anatol Weisz, who played in the Ehrenliga and holds various records including the league's all-time points and goal scoring titles. In the modern age, Gunter Pfenning captained the national team to two World Cup of Hockey titles, including scoring the championship-winning goal in one final, and in addition to that has won 3 Strauss Cups with the St. Jakob Saints. Arguably the most famous moment in national sporting history is Timo Schlager's triple-overtime game winning goal in the World Cup of Hockey 41 Final.

The second most popular sport in the country is football. The Siovanija & Teusland Football Association is the second largest athletic union in the country, and it also operates club and international competition. The national professional league, the Republikaliga, has quickly risen to become one of the world's top leagues, currently ranked 14th in the IFCF rankings. The Siovanija and Teusland national football team have qualified for the finals of World Cup 84, World Cup 85 and World Cup 86, while also participating in the AOCAF Cup regional tournament. At the youth level, the under-21 team captured the bronze medal at Di Bradini Cup 46. Footballer Thorsten Kramer is the nation's internationally best-known athlete, playing for the national team as well as Audioslav club 1830 Cathair, where he became the first Teus player to win the IFCF Champions League.

In Teusland, cricket is also a popular sport, and Teusland's representative team has quickly become a major force on the international test cricket stage, including winning GCF World Test Challenge season 11. Gridiron football (often called 'Banijan football' in the country) has gained popularity in recent years, while basketball remains somewhat popular in Siovanija. Indoor volleyball and water polo are other examples of popular team sports in the country

The country has participated in the Summer Olympics twice, winning a total of 20 medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze). Olympic champions from the country include Thomas Fischer (sailing), Ferdinand Starker and Liselotte Schierer (archery) and Klara Hovorkova (boxing). In the summer Olympics, the most successful sports for the country have been archery (4 medals), gymnastics (8 medals) and boxing (4 medals). The Olympia Athletic Club is renowned as a premier gymnastics program in the world, and has developed every single Olympic gymnast to ever compete for the country. At the winter Olympics, the country has yet to participate in the games, however, the country is a strong well-rounded winter sports nation.

Motorsport is also popular in the country, and is perhaps the most well-known and most-popular individual sport. The National Grand Prix Championship includes manufacturers and drivers from across the country. Its most famous and most successful team has been Teussische Motoren Werke (TMW), and the most successful historical driver was Peter Honigsman, who won 7 Drivers' Championships driving for TMW. Today, driver Niklas Schonbaum has been tipped as a driver with the potential to succeed on the international stage.

The country has played host to international sport events including the 9th Under 18 World Cup (also known as the Sporting World Cup) and the 14th World Junior Hockey Championship.