Rise of an Empire: 3 AD-534 AD.

By 3 AD, the Deban Empire was divided into several smaller nations, with the Kingdom of Maroka in the west (capital: Bala) and the Republic of Farinima in the east (capital: Faris, present-day Franklin City) being the largest. While the Jasa were now a sedentary farming people, they were still the trading empire of the world. As such, Alexander III sought peaceful trading relationships with both Maroka and Farinima. Conflicts between Maroka, Farinima, and the other states were frequent, but Jaslandia almost always stayed neutral.

By 150 AD, Jaslandia had the largest army in the world, under the skillful command of Marshal Peter Vanermov. That year, the Jaslandian ambassador exchanged insults with the Marokan Foreign Minister, inciting war. Maroka mobilized and crossed the border. King James V rode with Vanermov and the army to the border region, where the Marokan army was decisively defeated at the Battle of Amina. The weakened Marokan army boldly marched to the capital of Michaelopolis, where they were beaten back at the Battle of Michael Fields. Skirmishes were fought until 175 AD, when the Treaty of Michaelopolis was signed. In the treaty, the pre-war borders were restored, and Maroka agreed to pay reparations to Jaslandia.

The next 300 years were dominated by Maroka and Farinima, with their respective vassal principalities, competing against each other, sometimes militarily, for the favor of Jaslandia. In 476, King Robert I was assassinated at a diplomatic dinner. His son and successor, Franklin I, blamed a Marokan diplomat, and declared war against Maroka. The 13-year campaign became the stuff of legend; and when it was over, Maroka had been destroyed and annexed by the Kingdom of Jaslandia. Farinima, fearful of Jaslandia's new power, agreed to merge into Jaslandia in 532, and King Franklin renamed Faris after himself. The small principalities of Dukia, Falu, and Farchenstein made similar agreements soon after. By the time Franklin I died of alcohol poisioning at age 78 in 534, the Kingdom included all of the former Deban Empire and then some.

Franklin I