Seafaring Confederation

The Seafaring Confederation [səˈfɛ:ɹɪŋ] (German: Seefahrender Staatenbund, German Low Saxon: Seeföörender Stäätenbund, Dutch Low Saxon: Zeevöarnden Stöatenbond, Dutch: Zeevarende Confederatie, Dogrish: Sjöfårende Ståterbund, Howrish: Savvernden Sammerbandsrigi, Scots Gaelic: Tìrean na Daoine na Marannan, Faroese: Sjóglondini, Rockallian: Tirin na Dine na Mór, Romic: Tírnan na Duaoine na Mara, Welsh: Tiroedd Dynion Moroedd) is a confederation in Western Europe. It consists of the largely independent nations of Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland, Dogger, Howry, the Highlands, the Faroe Islands, Rockall and Rom. The capital city of the confederation is Hamburg in Saxony.

There are approximately 44,560,811 inhabitants, more than 17 million of which live in the nation of Saxony. Within the confederation there are 11 different native ethnicities and 12 different languages, the most commonly spoken of which is German Low Saxon with approximately 13 million everyday users.

Etymology
The name Seafaring that is used in most Germanic names is derived from the fact that the confederation was united by seafarers. Due to the scattered nature of many of the islands and the confederation's long coastline, it were the seafarers that kept the confederation together. Over the years, however, the original English pronunciation of [si:ˈfɛ:ɹɪŋ] morphed into [səˈfɛ:ɹɪŋ] for as of yet unknown reasons.

The Celtic names, however, lose the "-faring" aspect and instead all call it "Lands of the Men of the Sea". The reason for these names, however, is the same as the reasons for most of the Germanic names.

The Faroese name of Sjóglondini, meaning "Sealands", also carries the same reasons.

War of the North Sea
Prior to 1780-'85, the nations of Dogger, Howry and the Highlands belonged to the United Kingdom, by which they had been forcibly annexed in 1723, 1709 and 1707 respectively. This was a cause of great discontent amongst the local populaces. The discontent from Dogger and Howry came mostly because of their position of taxation without representation, whilst the major source of discontent coming from the Highlands was that their culture and heritage was oppressed by the British. This discontent was the cause of several clashes between the local populations and the British forces, like the Riots of Eyjittsmiddi and the Massacre of Howry.

Representatives of the populations of these three nations made a pact with the Republic of the Netherlands in 1760 and with the nations of Rockall, Rom, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland in 1761, later joined by the local population of the Faroe Islands, then still under the rule of Norway, in 1762. These nations were united against the United Kingdom and especially England under the Pact of Hamburg and started building a collective navy in secrecy.

The British expected an uprising, and increased their naval capacity as well. However, due to the fact that they also faced discontent and rebellion in their North American colonies, they focused more power on those colonies due to the fact that they had a greater value to the economical position of the United Kingdom. This soon proved to be their downfall.

On the morning of 7 September 1771, a joint naval attack of the Dutch, Rockallic, Saxonian, Slesian and Norwegian forces quickly took over control of Dogger and Howry, whilst the Norwegian and Rockallic navies and armies started taking over the Highlands. The British were caught by surprise, but within hours started to retaliate, taking back the southern half of Dogger in the Battle of the Dunes of Idunna and the island of Drogey in the Battle of Drogey Strait. Subsequently areas of several sizes altered between being in the possession of the British and of the Joint Navy in what became known as the War of the North Sea.

In the meanwhile, both the British Navy and the British Army suffered major losses in what came to be known as the Taking of the Highlands, where the Joint Navy and Army managed to take over control of all the lands and islands belonging to the area designated as the Highlands, just short of the slopes of the Grampian Mountains bordering the Scottish Lowlands.

Hostilities continued until the British faced a revolution in their North American possessions, where too they were on the defeated side. Due to heavy losses and military weakness, the British accepted defeat in 1783, together with the acceptance of defeat in the North American colonies. Parliaments were immediately instated in Dogger, Howry and the Highlands, and the Joint Forces remained there until 1802 to protect the newly formed nations.

Treaty of Hamburg
In the same year, 1802, the nations of Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland, Dogger, Howry, the Highlands, Rom and Rockall expressed interest in tighter international ties, which lead to the drafting of a treaty. In 1803, the islands of the Faroe Islands as well as the island of [[Anglesey (Highlands)|Anglesey expressed their interest in joining the treaty. This led to the drafting of a treaty in which it was set out that tighter ties and cooperation would be promoted amongst the signatories, and also was the basis of the creation of the Confederation in that it set out 10 years to create a supranational governmental organ to oversee the ways and means of the Confederation.

In 1810, in Hamburg, the signatories came together and there signed the Treaty of Hamburg, under which Anglesey was put under the rule of the Highlands and the Faroe Islands was officially made an independent nation.

After the signing, representatives of the various nations started working on a draft for a confederal constitution.

Ratification of the Constitution
In 1820, the signatories of the Treaty of Hamburg returned to Hamburg and officially signed the Constitution of the Seafaring Confederation. The Constitution set out several aspects and views that were unique at the time, fuelled by the Enlightenment at the time. The Constitution created a parliament, wherein every vote counted whilst still ensuring that every nation had representation. It also set out that everybody was equal, meaning that men and women had equal rights in all matters. It also created the position of High Leader, which it described as being half masculine and half feminine, hence the existence of two leaders, one of which is a man and one of which is a woman.

The Ratification officially created the Seafaring Confederation, which immediately took in a powerful place within European politics. It chose, however, to remain neutral in most aspects and only to use its navy and army in order to protect the integrity of the possessions of the Confederation.

Three Navies War
This stance of neutrality was soon put under fire by challenges from the Kalmar Union against the incorporation of the Faroe Islands and from Britain against the incorporation of Anglesey. This escalated and in 1832, the Three Navies War commenced, wherein the navies of Britain, the Kalmar Union and the Seafaring Confederation faced each other on the sea around the contested areas. The Confederation managed to retain all the integrity of the Confederation and in 1847 the three navies decided that it was a draw.

In the decades to follow, the Confederation managed to keep their stance of neutrality, promoting the solving of international conflicts through diplomacy.

World War I
During World War I, several areas of Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland were taken over by German forces; the remaining areas of these nations as well as the rest of the nations of the Confederation managed to retain their neutrality throughout the conflict, providing access to all powers of the conflict and keeping them under control with their own military forces.

One attempt to take over control of the nations of Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland and Dogger was stopped in the Night of the Full Moon.

Although World War I had an economical impact on the Confederation, this impact was not large enough to cripple the confederation in the post-war era, where it managed to hold an important economical position within Europe and the world. They financially aided the rebuilding of most affected areas in Europe.

After the end of the World War, Germany returned the areas it had taken over from the Confederation to the Confederation. In addition, the Confederation annexed a small part of what is now the German-speaking community of Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland. The nation saw a stable economic growth throughout the entirety of 1920s.

Economic Recession
The Seafaring Confederation was not directly hit by the 1929 stock market crash, although it did start to feel the effects of the Great Depression from 1930 onwards. The effects were different on different nations within the Seafaring Confederation, with Saxony and Rockall hit the hardest whilst the island nations managed to go through it relatively unscathed.

The economic recession was the hardest to hit the Confederation, however, it was relatively weak in comparison to how it affected other nations in the world. Around 1935, the Confederation had managed to get back to as it was beforehand. It started to improve military defence due to the rise of Hitler and his Nazi Party around the same time.

Politics

 * For more information see: Politics of the Seafaring Confederation.

Politics in the Seafaring Confederation consist of the famous Trias Politica: the Legislative in the form of the House of Representatives, the Executive in the form of the High Council and the judiciary in the form of the Judiciary of the Seafaring Confederation.

Internal politics differ greatly amongst its member nations, however, all member nations are democracies as it is a requirement for membership of the Confederation. Furthermore, all national legislatures directly answer to the confederational legislature when the confederational legislature so desires.

House of Representatives

 * For more information see: House of Representatives of the Seafaring Confederation.

Each nation has a population-based number of representatives in the House of Representatives. The smallest nation sends 10 representatives, the largest nation sends 80. The second largest nation sends 70 representatives, et cetera. There are thus a total of 360 representatives chosen in that manner. These members are elected using the cumulative voting system and are known as Members National.

In addition to this, another 360 representatives are elected using party-list proportional representation and can come from anywhere in the federation. These members are known as Members Ordinary.

High Council

 * For more information see: High Council of the Seafaring Confederation.

Unlike the House of Representatives, the High Council is not elected. Instead, the High Council consists of all ministers of every member nation of the Confederation. Depending on the legislation that needs to be passed, every nation sends its ministers that are in charge of the matter that it addresses. They debate on the subject at hand and, if they consider it necessary, send it back with amendments to the House of Representatives for another reading. This then may go to and fro until the High Council is satisfied. The High Council can send legislation back to the House of Representatives, but cannot veto it or propose its own legislation. It can be forced by the House of Representatives to not send back a piece of legislation by a three-fifths supermajority vote.

When ministers sit on the High Council they lose their official national titles and are instead titled Lord or Lady High Councillor.

Head of State

 * For more information see: High Leader of the Seafaring Confederation.

The Seafaring Confederation is not led by one, but by two individuals. These individuals together form the Head of State and are considered one individual for legal purposes. By convention the High Leader is one man and one woman, even though the law does not specifically state that this is a requirement.

On the international stage, the High Leader is the formal representative of the Confederation. Any confederational legislation must pass the High Leader's judgement, which is done through an aye-vote of both individuals. Both individuals can, for any piece of legislation, vote "aye" to accept it, vote "nay" to reject it, or vote "abstaining" to abstain. An "aye" counts as two points, a "nay" as zero points and an "abstaining" as one point. In order for legislation to have passed judgement of the High Leader it must have been given at least three points by the High Leader (so one "aye" and one "abstaining"). If it has less than three points, it is rejected and sent back to the House of Representatives. If it is accepted, both individuals are required to sign the legislation into law.

The High Leader also has the power to veto legislation, if they consider the legislation to be in conflict with the basic rights as set out in the Constitution of the Seafaring Confederation. Such a veto can only be overridden by a four-fifths majority from the High Council.

Geography

 * Also see: Geography of the Seafaring Confederation.

Subdivisions

 * For more information see: Subdivisions of the Seafaring Confederation.

The Seafaring Confederation consists of eight independent nations: Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland, Dogger, Howry, the Highlands, the Faroe Islands, Rockall and Rom. Depending on the nation, these are then further divided into semi-autonomous states, provinces or viscountcies. A tier lower than the one of semi-autonomy are counties or baronies, which have a council which is regulated by higher governmental bodies with legislative power. Below that tier municipalities, civil parishes or baronetcies take the role of local government. The lowest tier consists of townships. Depending on the nation, one or more of these tiers may be omitted.

Landscape and geology
Due to the shattered nature of the Confederation there exists a great variation between the landscapes and climates of the confederation. Climates differ from continental in eastern Saxony to predominantly oceanic in Rockall to maritime subarctic on the Faroe Islands. Landscapes differ from hilly and open as in parts of Saxony to forested as in Dutch Lower Saxony to the Dunes of Idunna on Dogger, the mountainous lands of Scotland and Howry, the rocky islands of the Faroe Islands and Rom and the rainforests of Rockall.

Much of middle and southern Saxony is dominated by the Teutoburger Wald and the Harz Mountains, while the northern part is mostly dominated by low-lying land and polders as well as river estuaries. The island of Dogger is mostly dominated by dunes and forests on a base of sand, whilst the Highlands and Howry are dominated by the Caledodine mountain ranges and the Highland Boundary Fault, as well as numerous skerries on the Highlands' west coast. Rockall consists mostly of the same Caledodine rock as the Highlands and Howry but especially the southern part shares the same Devonian-aged geology as southwest Ireland. Rom and the Faroe Islands consist entirely of the same Caledodine rock as the Highlands, Howry and much of Scandinavia, but are mostly dominated by fjords and cliffs.

Climate
The climate greatly differs between different nations and areas. The eastern and southern parts of Saxony are governed by a ontinental climate, whilst the western and northern parts as well as Schleswig-Holstein-Jutland are influenced by a maritime climate, with especially the coasts suffering under westerlies.

The island of Dogger is completely maritime and generally cool without large temperature differences due to the warm stream surrounding the islands. Howry and the Highlands are under the influence of a colder maritime climate, whilst the Faroe Islands and Rom are generally cool and mild. Rockall is oceanic with nearly continuous rainfall.

Protected Areas
For more information see: Protected Areas of the Seafaring Confederation.

The Seafaring Government has created several protected areas within the Seafaring Confederation, most have which are considered to be culturally, naturally or ecologically important. There are several degrees of protection and denotations, inclduding that of National Park and of Historical Site.

Peculiarities within the Seafaring Confederation
The Seafaring Confederation holds within its borders several unusual natural phenomina, which include forms differing from meteorological to geological to marine.

An example of this is the Valley of Eternal Rain on Rockall. In this valley, it has rained uninterruptedly ever since its discovery 360 years ago, and due to its isolated nature there are countless endemic species of plant and animal which are thoroughly studied by local and international scholars.

Domestic
The Confederation was created because of the extraordinarily intensive cooperation between the member nations, so it is no more than usual that still is extensive trade between the member nations to this day.

Nowadays most trade comes in the form of academic exchange and exchange of services. There is also however quite a vivid exchange of wares, especially crops and alcoholic beverages.

Saxony
Saxony comes with a fair share of (academic) services and wares for consumption. Academic services come from the many universities and specialized institutes located within the country, or instance the Maritime Institute of the Seafaring Confederation in Hamburg or the highly prized University of Hannover.

Wares for consumption are, amongst others, the famous wines from the provinces of Dutch Lower Saxony and Lower Saxony and the beloved jams from the province of Saxony-Anhalt.

Dogger
Dogger's economy is mainly centered around fishing and agriculture, wherein the export of cranberries and common sea-buckthorn and products of consummate and medical nature made of these fruits.

A lot of Dogger's economy is also focused on tourism, with approximately 10.2 million tourists visiting the country each year. The most visited areas are the capital of Eyjittsmiddi, the Dunes of Idunna and the Slyvter.

Howry
Howry's economy is centered around fishing and tourism. Although the soil is quite fertile, due to the steep slopes it is nearly impossible to use it for agricultural purposes. This is why the agricultural economy mainly focuses on the cultivation of fruits, bringing the famous Howry Apples, Howry Pears and Howry Prunes, as well as cherries and strawberries.

Howry also has a marginally viable cultivation of oysters.

Culture

 * For more information see: Culture of the Seafaring Confederation.

The different parts of the Confederation have different local cultures, however, due to the history of cooperation and cultural exchange there is also a distinct culture that is spread amongst parts or the entirety of the confederation.

Cuisine
Seafaring cuisine is largely focussed on meats, fish, root and bean vegetables, apples and cherries, cheeses, and milk. These are mostly made into quiches, gravies and oven dishes. Fish is usually smoked and dried, meats on the other hand are generally salted and roasted. Vegetables are generally cooked.

Language

 * For more information see: Languages of the Seafaring Confederation.

The Confederation has 12 official languages, namely, in no particular order, English, German Low Saxon, Dutch Low Saxon, German, Dutch, Dogrish, Howrish, Scots Gaelic, Faroese, Rockallian, Romic and Welsh.

In addition to these 12 official languages there are also several recognized languages. These languages are considered to be languages of their own but do not have official representation within the confederational institutions. These are, in no particular order, the Frisian languages, Jutlandic, Lowland Scots, Fernolian, Astrallic, Heligolandic, and the countless local dialects of Saxony.

The lingua franca of the Confederation is English, however, confederational education requires its students to be proficient in at least three official or unofficial languages that are not native to their own nation, as well as the ability to speak to a certain extent all the official and unofficial languages of their own nation. This effectively means that approximately 97% of the population possess the ability to have conversations in at least four languages.