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The Empire of the North was a realm in Northern Europe which existed between 1560 and the 1735. Centred on the Kingdom of Arendaal, it was ruled by Aren Kings crowned the Emperors of the North by the Protestant clergy of Scania. Kristian II of Arendaal was the founder and first Emperor of the dominion, while his descendent Gustav V was the last. At its peak, the Empire encompassed territories in modern-day Arendaal, Suionia, Potenza, Uusimaa, Isaenor, and Cantingy. It backed Protestant causes in Havenshire and Engellex, and as a staunch ally of Franken fought in a series of wars against the Empire of Wiese.
History[]
Foundation: Kristian II and the Conquest of X (1560)[]
Following nearly two decades of religious strife in the Aren Wars of Religion (1545-1560), King Kristian II and his Protestant forces emerged victorious. The country was declared a Protestant Kingdom and Acts for the Preservation of Religious Freedom were enacted to grant protection to Catholics and other religious groups.
Once crowned King, Kristian II decided the region sorely needed unification to deter further religious conflict. His forces invaded X, and the Protestant clergy of Northern Europe hailed him the Great Ruler or Great Northern Emperor. Kristian was crowned with the title Emperor of the North in late 1560 in Svealand, then part of Suionia, the centre of Protestantism in Scania.
Incorporation of Suionia into the Empire (1560)[]
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Kristian II of Arendaal, who was married to Princess Frederika of Suionia, negotiated a treaty with the Regent of his wife’s young nephew in 1560, King x, whereby the Kingdom of Suionia became part of the Empire of the North, with the Suionian King becoming a vassal of the Emperor. In effect, Suionia and its ruler enjoyed a high level of autonomy, exercising practically complete control over its colonial possessions and exploratory voyages. It was heavily involved in the Empire’s trade ventures and furnished the Imperial army with steadfast military support. Suionia discovered Cantigny in the 16th century and was granted Imperial leave to settle the country. Via Suionia’s incorporation into the Empire, the realm technically encompassed part of Oceania.
Suionia also remained the beacon of Protestantism in the North throughout Imperial history, having been the epicentre of the new religion in the area since the early 16th century. The Emperors of the North relied on the Suionian clergy to take the lead in religious affairs.
Alliance with Franken (16th century onwards) & Conflicts with Wiese (1660s-1700s)[]
During the 1642-1644 War of the Roses, which saw the Holy Germanic Empire become the Wieser Empire, the young Magnus II of Arendaal, Emperor of the North played a role in defeating the electors and supporting Isabella I of Wiese. It was hoped that Isabella would prove a weak ruler who would suffer from the dissolution of the Holy Germanic realms.
The Empress, however, proved a much more adept leader than expected. During the German-German War (1666 - 1672) she turned against Franken. The forces of Greger I, Emperor of the North rushed to support Arendaal’s Franconian allies. Although Schaumburg was reclaimed by Wiese during this conflict, Arendaal and Franken faced the Wieser Empire in a series of smaller wars between 1672 and 1707, during which Wiese temporarily reclaimed parts of Franconian Ascheburg. The territory was later regained by the Franconian-Aren alliance sometime after Isabella’s death in 1707. Amicable relations between Wiese and Arendaal were only re-established in the 1720s with the marriage of Heloise of Arendaal to Emperor Karl I of Wiese.
In addition to their military alliance, the Empire of the North served as a staunch partner of Franken in terms of naval exploration and colonial expansion. Marriage alliances between the two powers cemented close ties, for instance that of Empress Adeliza to Prince Robert of Franken. The growth of the Aren KNH trading company simultaneously supported and prompted the growth of Franconian trade and shipping ventures.
Support of Potenza and rule of the Duchy of Treviso (1570-1732)[]
The conversion of the House of Cornaro of Potenza to Protestantism resulted in the Twenty Years War (1555-1575) in the country. Kristian II of Arendaal, Emperor of the North offered the Protestant Duke Frederico the Wise safe haven in Arendaal and provided arms, soldiers and financial assistance to Frederico upon his return to Potenza.
Aren military intervention in the late 1560s helped Duke Frederico’s final triumph and won the Empire de-facto reign over the Duchy of Treviso in northern Potenza, in return for assisting the Protestants in their war. The Dukes became vassals of the Emperor, although they continued to rule their territories on behalf of the Imperial crown. Imperial rule continued until the 1730 and the decline of the Empire of the North. Good relations remained thereafter, however, with the House of Cornaro giving KNH priority stratus to operate and trade in Potenza’s ports.
Influence in Engellex (16th century)[]
During the Glorious War of the Three Houses in Engellex, the Kingdom of Arendaal had supported the restoration of the deposed King Edward V, alongside the Kingdom of Middlesex, in exchange for the cessation of the Principality of Went. Edward ceded the Principality to the Kingdom of Arendaal following his triumphant return in 1493.
Through the Principality of Went, the Empire of the North was the instrumental force that established Protestantism in Engellex, Middlesex, Westmooreland and Rothermere. Under Queen Mary I, Edward’s successor, the Empire was extremely influential in Engellex during the 16th century.
Between 1690 and 1735, the Kingdom of Ormssex-Colne in Engellex became part of the Empire when the throne of the country was offered to the King Kristian of Arendaal, younger brother of Emperor Greger I. The Kingdom was declared an independent entity with the fall of the Empire, and was annexed by Great Engellex in 1834.
Conquest of territory in Isaernor (1590s)[]
In the 1590s, the forces of Adeliza I, Empress of the North attacked and occupied part of the coastline of Isaernor across the Lyric Sea. Both Aethelhearth, which had been controlled by Arendaal in the Middle Ages, Oter on the south coast, were taken. The Empire did not press further into Isaernor’s territory, as the attack was motivated by the desire to give the Aren KNH trading company a permanent base in the Boreas continent. With the fall of the Empire in the 18th century, control over these territories was lost, although the company was allowed to establish trading posts along Isaernor’s coast.
Involvement in Havenshire War (1600s)[]
The Empire of the North sponsored the Protestant Principalities of Northaven and Westhaven in Havenshire during the Thirteen Year War in the early 1600s, against the largely Catholic Breotonian sponsored Principality of Easthaven. Marital relations had already become an established practice between Havenshire’s de Mortimers and Aren Royalty, notably with the marriage of High Prince Edwin de Mortimer (1500-1521) to Sibylla of Arendaal. Friction with Breotonia ensued as the conflict came to be viewed as something of a proxy war between the Breotish and the Empire of the North. Amicable relations were only cemented again between the two powers with the marriage of Emperor Magnus II and Diane of Breotonia in the 1640s.
Aren princesses were instrumental in securing alliances for key "uniters" in Havenshire history, specifically for the Prince of Westhaven/High Prince Adam de Mortimer (1610-1652), who married Princess Alienore of Arendaal, daughter of Empress Adeliza I and Robert of Franken.
Imperial Rule in Uusimaa (1678 - 1732)[]
In the mid-17th century, the Kingdom of Uusimaa was plunged into turmoil following a succession crisis, called The Blight. Pretenders raced to gain the throne. One of these was Johannes Akselinpoika Ilkka, who converted to Protestantism to win favour with the Empire of the North. With Imperial support the Ilkka Dynasty of Uusimaa was founded, and the new King Johannes I agreed to the marriage of his elder son and Princess Adela of Arendaal, a daughter of Emperor Edvard III.
In 1678, King Johannes II and his heir Crown Prince Mikael were slain in battle against Catholic rebels during the Josephite Uprising, leaving a member of the Imperial House as next in the line of succession. Thus the Second Kingdom of Uusimaa was integrated into the Empire of the North.
By the early 18th century, however, rural priests critical of the opulence of imperial officials began to agitate in favour of a "Second Reformation" with greater emphasis on spirituality and stricter adherence to Biblical norms. The reformers, called the Millers after their founder Väinö Myllärinpoika ("Mylläri" means miller in Fennic), sparked uprisings throughout the countryside between 1700-1720. The movement was suppressed by Imperial forces which viewed it as a threat against the Aren-Suionian clergy. After the dissolution of the Empire in 1730 came the independence of Uusimaa, whose King Aleksanteri III, a distant scion of the Ilkka Dynasty, pacified reformist Christian movements and paved the way for the foundation of the Free Reformed Church of Uusimaa.
Dissolution of the Empire (1730s)[]
In the 1732, a crisis occurred when Emperor Gustav V, son of Kristianna I of Arendaal and the Emperor of the Talemantine Empire, became involved in a war against his brother, Isacco Beniamino II of the Talemantine Empire. Mobilizing all his resources for the great “southern campaign”, Northern Imperial forces became lax with their territories, which in turn began to break away.
When Gustav V died in 1735, the state of Imperial finances were in such disarray that his successor Beatrix I opted not to press the Empire’s claims either in the North or South. Significantly, she declined to be crowned Empress of the North, ruling instead as Queen Regent of Arendaal. The decision proved to be an adept one, as Beatrix’s lack of aggression allowed Arendaal’s KNH to retain their trading posts in former Imperial territories, allowing the country to continue prospering greatly from trade.
List of Emperors of the North (1560 – 1735)[]
- For a complete list of Monarchs of Arendaal, click here
See Also[]
- Arendaal
- History of Arendaal
- Monarchs of Arendaal
- Royal Consorts of Arendaal
- Royal Marriages of Arendaal
- History of Franken
- History of Wiese
- History of Havenshire
- Suionia
- Potenza
- Uusimaa
- Isaernor
- Cantingy
- Twenty Years' War (1555 - 1575)
- German-German War (1666 - 1672)
- War of the Roses