The Official Historical Account of the Empire of Bestlandiya

The Official Historical Account of the Empire of Bestlandiya.

The Empire of Bestlandiya is a thriving & safe empire. This is its Official Historical Account commissioned by the President of the Empire of Bestlandiya and Governor General of its Protectorates, Governor of the Empire of Oreo Lovers. As of this writing, it is being updated and has not yet been completed.

===== Chapters =====

Chapter 1: The Pre-Colonial Era

The Pre-Colonial Era is split into two parts: the Early Pre-Colonial Era & the Late Pre-Colonial Era.

— Early Pre-Colonial Era [7000 BC - 1500 AD]

Very little is known about the Early Pre-Colonial Era due to the lack of written & archeological records. All of these theories are speculative. The landmass that would become Bestlandiya was originally a peninsula attached to what is now the Holy Empire of Esterwilde between 7000 BC & 2000 BC based on oral tradition and pottery fragments found on the banks of the Southern River. It is believed that humans settled in Bestlandiya between 2000 BC & 1000 BC due to trade using a crude barter system between what would become the two nations as well as their similarities in tradition, culture, flora, & fauna. The southern part was settled the earliest in comparison to the northernmost area of what would become Bestlandiya.

Most historians have concluded that the main livelihood of the early Bestlandiyans was at first hunting. However, sometime during this time frame, farming, fishing & pottery making became their dominant livelihood. Most lived along river banks, the coast & flatlands although others moved to more elevated areas such as hills & mountains. The early Bestlandiyans’ religion was polytheistic animism. Stone pillars and ruins have been found, suggesting either the formation of small towns or shrines. Houses were most likely made out straw and wood. Clashes between neighbouring clans were not uncommon and during these conflicts weapons such as sharp sticks & rocks were used. Shards of stone tablets as well as more pottery shards with crude art have been discovered beneath these pillars, suggesting that this was when the Bestlandiyan writing system began. Unfortunately, the writing system from this period has not yet been deciphered by archeologists.

Theorists & geologists have hypothesised that between 1000 BC to 1500 AD, the landmass of Bestlandiya began to drift away in a northwestern direction from Esterwilde due to aerial maps showing what seems to be inter lockable coast lines between the two nations. Over time however, Bestlandiya’s coasts became smoother and less rugged. Because of this, the migration of humans from Esterwilde to Bestlandiya slowed down. Interestingly, two chunks of land turned islands broke away from Bestlandiya. These islands would later become Ubalayn & Ubaline.

— Late Pre-Colonial Era [1500 AD- 1700 AD]

Written & archeological records become much clearer and more evident during the Late Pre-Colonial Era. More small kingdoms & cities started to spring up. Most notably, the largest kingdom, the Kingdom of Meridiem on the banks of the Southern River. Another notable kingdom was the rival Kingdom of Asters. Houses were now being made out of stone. Trade became more advanced as shown in the discovery of what seems to be ancient coinage in the hills of Central Bestlandiya dated 1500 AD to 1600 AD. Small kingdoms along the coasts of what would become Bestlandiya conducted trade with small kingdoms in Esterwilde. Huge leaps in technology were made such as the arrival of iron tools, the arrival of paper, wine & glass. From this point onwards, records were increasingly kept on paper. Several unofficial histories were made by historians as well as religious figures. Some of these sources have also been used in the making of this account. However, they were prone to exaggeration and were sometimes made as pieces of propaganda. New foreign religions such as the Order of Violet also popped up.

A landmark trade & naval treaty was signed by the Kingdom of Meridiem & the Kingdom of Acania in present day Esterwilde. Battles between neighbouring kingdoms occurred more frequently. During these conflicts, more specialised weapons such as knives, bows, & swords were used. In 1600 AD, a census, the first of its kind was taken in the Kingdom of Meridiem. The census recorded 5 million people in the Kingdom and its vassals. Smaller kingdoms were turned into vassal states. They were under the influence of these two dominant kingdoms.

Fifty years later in 1650 AD, after numerous battles with the Kingdom of Asters as well as other smaller kingdoms, most of South Bestlandiya was finally united under the Kingdom of Meridiem at the Battle of South Bay. It was a bloody battle which took the lives of an estimated 3 million people. Notably, this was the first use of gunpowder and guns in warfare in the reigon. The Kingdom of Meridiem renamed itself and its now unified territory as The Kingdom of Bestia. Some smaller kingdoms were able to retain semi-independence most notably, the small kingdom of Asteurtowne. This ushered in a period of general prosperity & peace.

In the year 1670 AD, a long-dormant volcano named the Ignis Volcano in the Northernmost region of what would become Bestlandiya violently erupted. Molten lava & ash buried many towns around the volcano, causing many townspeople to permanently abandon it. The eruption lasted for two weeks. The volcanic ash & silt blanketed the skies, blocking out the sun for two years. As a result, The Winter of 1670 had biting cold temperatures that reached lows of -20 Degrees Celsius. This only exacerbated the already dire crop failures in the Kingdom of Bestia due to soil erosion as well as the lack of crop rotation. Many tales have been told from that period of gruesome cannibalism. An estimated 3.5 million people lost their lives. Many preachers from different religions alike proclaimed that 'the end was near.' By the time of the second census of The Kingdom of Bestia was conducted in 1680 AD, only 1.5 million people remained. The kingdoms around the Western Shores were lost and The Kingdom of Bestia was weakened.

The Kingdom of Bestia slowly improved and a general peace was established. By the third census in 1690 AD, the population had been restored to 2.3 million people. However, a succession crisis in the Central region of what would become Bestlandiya caused the already existing tensions between The Kingdom of Bestia & the small kingdom of Asteurtowne to explode in a power keg. More battles broke out between one other as both wrestled for control over the Northern & Central regions of what would become Bestlandiya. The ensuing battles destroyed much of the infrastructure on both sides.

===== Colonial Era =====

A powerful new trading partner named The Empire of Algorophia in 1700 AD from the landmass (where Esterwilde would be) agreed to conduct trade in exchange for control over ports in key cities of The Kingdom of Bestia & The Kingdom of Asteurtowne. This trade agreement helped both The Kingdom of Bestia & The Kingdom of Asteurtowne economically & helped it recover. The Empire of Algorophia was a rising superpower in all aspects. Ships carrying luxurious goods would sail from the shipyards & ports of The Kingdom of Bestia & The Kingdom of Asteurtowne as Algorophian factories churned out staggering amounts of goods. The songs of its labourers & workers filled the wind & the skies.

However, the stronger Empire of Algorophia started pressuring The Kingdom of Bestia & The Kingdom of Asteurtowne. More Algorophians started to settle in Bestia & Asteurtowne. Minerals were illegally extracted from the hills & valleys of Bestia & Asteurtowne by Algorophian companies. Numerous treaties were signed and broken. Algorophian embassy was built in Port Crysta, the biggest port of Bestia and was protected by Algorophian soldiers. The embassy enjoyed special legal status where Bestian law did not apply as a result of treaties forced by Algorophia.

Due to these reasons, the former enemies of Bestia and Astuertowne set aside their differences & created the Bestia-Auster Alliance for protection in 1724 AD. Although it was only an alliance, it provided a sense of national identity and unity, albeit a weak one. The alliance was heavily disliked by Algorophia due to their constant attempts to revoke the treaties.

The Succession Crisis of 1730 AD

As a result of these boiling tensions, 500,000 Bestian & Asteurtownean port workers went on a labour strike now named The Port Crysta Strike in modern day Crystapoli City in 1724 AD against 5,000 Algorophian port officials & soldiers. The workers outnumbered the port officials and peacefully demanded for higher pay and better living conditions as well as the creation of a new treaty protecting the rights of workers. The Algorophian soldiers opened fire.

The protesters now turned violent mob clashed against the Algorophian soldiers. Bottles, stones, pliers & knives were thrown by the protesters. Cedar boards were taken from ships