Andonia

Andonia, officially the Republic of Andonia (Andonian: Republiket klerr Andonisket), is a semi-presidential unitary republic located in the northwest of Eurasia, below the Andic Sea.

History
Still in progress (I haven't forgotten about it!)

Prehistory
Circa 440 BCE, a group of Caloni nomads traveled west, settling in what is now southern Andonia. As their settlements grew, this region came to be Calonia, a tribal society which until 890 AD had no contact with any other peoples.

First Kingdom
After the ravaging of their Kingdom of Island, a group of about 300 explorers sailed across the Altic Sea in search of a new home. They settled in the Gulf of Andonia, establishing the village of Sundesberg (Old Islandic: Bay town), modern day Newtvcogt. These Islandic colonists interacted with local Caloni who were mostly friendly toward them, though a select few expressed distaste to the newcomers.

In 890, Indrex the Black, leader of the voyage and the Islanders, was crowned King of Sundeslunden (Old Islandic: Land of the bay). Indrex ruled as leader of the colony for 15 years until stepping down at the age of 53. Indrex lived another 6 years before becoming bedridden in his old age. He died 3 days after his 60th birthday, succeeded by his 18 year old son Ander. Indrex's wife of 52 survived him for 4 years until succumbing to a heart attack, probably from stress over her husband's death.

Age of Ander
Prince Ander, as successor to Indrex the Black was much more authoritative in rule than his father. Though never harsh, he did as much as he could to formally organize and manage the activities of Sundesberg and the surrounding Sundeslunden, including farming, labor, and trade with the recovering nation of Island. To keep track of day-to-day activities, Ander paid over 200 messengers to oversee the various parts of the kingdom and report to him. At least half of these were trained in rudimentary Caloni language in order to obtain information from and issue orders to villagers. Ander is best known for his introduction of money into Sundeslunden, which for a long time had used a tribal gift economy due to the small size of the settlement. For this, currency in the modern Republic of Andonia is known as the Ander, in honor of Prince Ander. Ander only lived to be 40 before what most rule to be a fatal hunting accident. On the other hand, some scholars believe that the arrow that pierced his chest belonged to a rogue native who opposed the Islandic colonists.

Interrex
Having no son, Ander was to be succeeded by his 13-year-old nephew Indrex II. Indrex not yet of ruling age, Ander's surviving wife Mildred appointed trusted chieftain Talagnos as regent. Talagnos faced some difficulty in assuming the role of Prince Ander. To assist him in his duties, Talagnos created a council comprised of elders from each of the governed villages of Sundesberg. Talagnos also set to learn the language of the royalty in order to facilitate trade with Island, which although it delivered much economic support to Sundeslunden, recognized it as a sovereign new country.

Indrex II and Andrex
When Indrex II came to be coronated as King of Sundeslunden, he inherited Talagnos' council of elders. This was a precursor to the modern parliamentary system of Andonia. In his sixth year of ruling, Indrex II began what came to be known as the Millennial Campaign. Starting in the year 1000, a fierce movement of expansion stretched the king's influence over one hundred miles from the Sundeslunden. No longer restricted to the land of the bay, the kingdom was renamed Indrex after the first king Indrex the Black and his grandson Indrex II. Spanning 18,000 square miles, complete management by Indrex II was not possible. Indrex II appointed his cousin Andrex as ruler of the western half of the kingdom, while he would oversee the eastern half. The agreement was that they would have equal say in the overall management of the two kingdoms.

Andrex suggested that the provinces of the kingdom be governed by local chieftains under supervision of an Imperial Council. Andrex's federative philosophy of governing is apparent as Professor Quincy W. Nalls translates the following letter from Andrex to Indrex II dated April 12th, 1010:

Everything should be two. Nowhere should one man be alone in rule, but he should have another. Their overseer as well should be one of two      men, and those which be under the second man shall be two alike those of the first... Archaeological Journal, Sept. 1994

Indrex and Andrex came to disagree more and more as their years of rule progressed. Constantly they had quarrels over the centralization of power in the empire. In 1012, the eastern empire declared its secession from Sundeslunden. Due to the support of local autonomy by the native Caloni people, the loosely associated federation became known as Andrex-Calonia, eventually Andonia. Subsequently Indrex declared war on the new state of Andonia, regretting he had ever placed Andrex as emperor. In the first month of attack, the well-trained Sundesberg Army met startling defeats by the tactical Caloni militia along the mountains of Central Front. Taking a new strategy, Indrex decided on a naval siege of the port city of Armstaad, placed at the tip of the western Armstaad Peninsula. The April 6th attack was an enormously successful preemptive strike for the East, known to Andonians as the Siege of the Harbor. Nearly 300 Andonian ships were destroyed, leaving Andonia unable to trade with neutral Island. Further gains were made along the Andonian coast though eventually halted. On July 5th of 1013 a barbarian horde invaded and overran Sundesberg, said to be in support of Andonia though Andrex denied any affiliation with the attack. An offer was made, however, to withdraw the invader horde from Sundesberg in exchange for returning the coastal territories to Andonia and agreeing to make Sundesberg a holy site where neither side's military could be stationed. The offer was accepted, with new borders drawn for each country. The peace treaty signed was violated 6 years later as a small regiment of Eastern cavalry were found riding across the Eurasian mountains, led by Indrex himself. A watchful tribesman, seeing the events to come if the advance was not stopped, shot an arrow through Indrex's heart, killing him in the same way as his uncle had died years before. With the tyranny of Indrex II ended, Andrex took position as acting Emperor of the East.

Andonian Empire
On 5 August, 1304, Andoniland was renamed the Andonian Empire by Kaiser William I. In this period of imperialism, Andonia acquired the country of Sudenland to its south, a small part of northern Frauxbon to its east, and numerous colonies, including Manas (modern day Manasia) in the Eastern Sea. In a backlash, Frauxbon and allies Indorati, and Penland to its south declared war on Andonia, starting the First Imperial War (known as the War of the Allies to Frauxbon, Indorati, and Penland).

1408-1439 Andonian Second Republic
Following its defeat in the First Imperial War, the northeastern territory of Winterland was annexed to Frauxbon and Andonia was a temporary subject of Frauxbon. Andonia's numerous colonies were also severed from its control. Despite this, Andonia retained its imperial dominance over Sudenland. On 4 July, 1408, the monarchy was placed by a provisional government and a new constitution written based on democratic principles. The Second Republic did not last long, largely stemming from popular discontent with the conditions of the Winter Treaty.

Quikwar and Second Empire
As civil unrest became high, a strong leader seemed the best solution to pull Andonia out of its post-war disposition. On 7 August, 1439, Consul Louis Valdemar assumed position of Emperor of the Andonian Sovereignty. In a lightning attack in the summer of 1439, Andonia regained the territory of Winterland and annexed the Sultanate of Arabb in a 6 June, 1439 raid at midnight across the Strait of Osmo, facing under 200 losses to the Andonian Army. Andonia was aided on the Eastern Front by the Republic of Molotia (in reality an imperialist monarchy), and on the Western Front by the island nations of Japonia and Manasia. By autumn, Andonia and Molotia had jointly exerted control over the northern region of Frauxbon.

Government and Politics
Andonia is a semi-presidential unitary republic. The 1504 Constitution details the function of basic governmental bodies as well as endows citizens with certain rights and responsibilities.

The legislative body of Andonia is the Parliament. The unicameral Andonian Parliament consists of 216 Representatives. Representatives serve for a maximum period of 6 years. In the last full week of November, a nation-wide election is held for the Andonian Parliament. Seats in Parliament are alloted based on party-list proportional representation, with a minimum voting threshold of 5% for representation in Parliament.

The Parliament is presided over by the Chief Magistrate. The Chief Magistrate, in addition to presiding over Parliament, holds the position of head of the Ministry of Justice.

The President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Andonia share the role of executive, a semi-presidential system.

The President is appointed by the Chief Magistrate of Andonia following nomination by the new Parliament on January 1st. A referendum is conducted for nomination of the Andonian President in the December following parliamentary elections. In effect, the President is directly elected. The President holds the position of head of state and commander-in-chief of the Andonian military. The incumbent President is Alani Salazer.

The Chief Minister is nominated by the President and may be either confirmed or rejected by Parliament. Unlike the Prime Minister in Westminster systems, the Chief Minister does not have a large amount of political power but serves primarily as a chairman and head bureaucrat. The Council of Ministers consists of the leaders of each party in Parliament who collectively advise the Chief Minister. Though constitutionally he has ultimate responsibility to himself, the Chief Minister serves mostly to carry out the orders of the President under the advice of the Council of Ministers. The current Chief Minister is Valdemar Habricht.