Overview

The National People's Republic of Rostovia, commonly called Rostovia, is a National Bolshevist autocracy in north-eastern Eulabia. It is bordered on the north by OTHER-NATION, on the south by OTHER-NATION, by the east by Krasnomirsk and on the west by the United Soviet States of Svadyetsk. Rostovia covers LAND AREA square kilometers and has has an estimated population of POPULATION. Rostovia comprises of NUMBER SUBDIVISIONS and NUMBER TERRITORIES.

Rostovia is isolated from the rest of the world due to its racist ideology and propaganda as well as the nation's continued development of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Consequently, the nation is sanctioned by most of the rest of Kali Yuga and enjoys little to no contact with other nations.

Etymology

The term 'Rostovia' is derived from the Tsardom of Rstovy which rose to prominence in the fourteenth century and eventually transitioned into the Rostovian Empire.

The standard way to refer to a citizen of Rostovia is as a "Rostovian."

History

The modern Rostovian state traces its origins back to the late thirteenth century when Grand Duke Ivan Alexandrov proclaimed himself Tsar of Rstovy. While many historical accounts are lost, what is certain is that his son sowed the seeds of empire when he lent the sum of a hundred thousand gold sovereigns to Stanislav the Conqueror of Svadyetsk so that the latter could further prosecute his war against Evgeny of Minov. Forty years later, this debt would force his grandson Stanislav V to pit his armies against the Cossacks of Mirsk in the name of the Tsar. With the death of Stanislav V in battle on the eastern steppes, the Tsar of Rstovy moved to secure his position and claimed the title of King of Svadyetsk. Unchallenged by the Svadyetskan nobles, the Tsar seized control of the fallen king's army and defeated the Cossacks in battle, forcking Mirsk to bend the knee to his throne. Thus was the Rostovian Empire born.

The Empire endured for nearly six hundred years, acting as one of the most powerful entities on the continent of Eulabia. However, this would come to an end in 1916. Tsar Fyodor Alexandrov died in 1915, leaving his young and inexperienced son Fyodor II to rule his increasingly rebellious subjects. Matters came to a head in May 1916 when, dissatisfied by centuries of Rostovian oppression, a Cossack uprising broke out in the territories of Mirsk. The struggle against the Imperial forces proved exceptionally bloody as the Tsar held back his prized legions, preferring instead to send levies of men from the subject lands to die upon Cossack blades. With unrest rising and popular sentiment turning against the Tsar, young and idealistic men from the fallen kingdoms of Svadyetsk and Kazovia struck a pact and together they took up arms against their overlords. The bargain was not to last but it served its purpose, showing the force of the discontent of the Tsar's subjects. As more and more Imperial troops fell to the rebels, the young Tsar was forced to make a choice. In December 1917, he made peace with the western lands, recognising the independence of the old kingdoms. In the east, the Empire of Nifon invaded by sea, marching overland to support the Cossacks. Fighting devolved into a standstill and the Tsar was again forced to relinquish his lands.

Now diminished in size, the Rostovian Empire stood on fragile ground. In a bid to secure what power he still held, Fyodor II devolved more and more power to the Imperial Duma and instituted limited reforms to quiet the peasants. For a time, it seemed that his efforts were successful. However, the age-old rivalry between Svadyetsk and Kazovia reared its head once more and the two fledgling states were embroiled in war. The result was a disaster for the Empire as the communists came to power in Svadyetsk in October 1919. With ambition burning in their hearts alongside their simmering hatred of the monarchy, the communists lent their strength to their brethren within Rostovia itself. Seen as too little, too late, the Tsar's reforms were brushed aside as mere tokens to appease his subjects. In February 1920, the Imperial Palace in Rostov City was stormed by a mob. The Tsar escaped, fleeing to the north, but the rebels beheaded many of the nobles in the capital. Now leaderless, the Imperial Army collapsed in the face of a mass communist uprising. The Tsar took to the sea, never to return.

The following years saw the rise of communism in Rostovia. The Rostovian People's Republic was declared, the lands and holdings of the nobility were seized and the new government solidified its grasp on power. The result was five decades of communist control of the country. Rostovia reached out in solidarity with its socialist brethren, joining the World Socialist Organisation. Close ties were forged with Svadyetsk and later with Krasnomirsk. And yet, the country sank into stagnation, with rising prices, rampant corruption and a bloated Party elite to rival the old nobility. While the nation strove endlessly to bring socialism to countries around the world, its own citizens suffered.

Enough was enough. In March 1978, the people had grown tired of hearing the Party sing the praises of its efforts to improve the lives of the citizens while its own membership lived in the lap of luxury. Protests began in the major cities, with support pouring in from overseas. While Fyodor II may have passed away, many still sought to restore the old glory of the Empire. Others wished instead for the right to choose their leaders for themselves. Regardless, the movement continued to grow in strength. Despite the support of the WSO, the armed forces were soon overwhelmed by the opposition. Finally, the leader of the Rostovian Communist Party, Oleg Pushkin, resigned. Shortly after, the Communist Party stepped back from power.

In the following months, expatriates who had fled Rostovia, including the old nobility and their descendants, flooded back into the country. The new provisional government at first enjoyed widespread support. However, tensions soon emerged over the place of the nobility in the new Rostovia. Divisions sharpened as some of the nobles sought to reclaim their ancestral holdings, finding themselves opposed by those who now claimed ownership of the land. With no clear heir to the throne, the democratic faction argued, there was no place for the nobility. The royalists argued that the way forward for Rostovia was to make a return to the Imperial days and to find a new Tsar. Aside from this, the nation was also divided over the issue of government. Some argued that what was needed was a reform of the system to better benefit the people without casting aside socialism. Others argued for the implementation of a full democratic process. Still others argued against all that had been achieved, maintaining that socialism was necessary to survive among Rostovia's neighbours. Matters were not helped when the provisional government moved to leave the WSO, heightening tensions with Krasnomirsk and Svadyetsk. Eventually, the rising tensions boiled over when Rostovian border guards fired on a People's Army reconnaissance battalion, leading to a border war with Svadyetsk. The Rostovian army performed poorly, with massive casualties being inflicted during the failed offensive in August 1979 to take the city of Lyubni in order to bring a decisive end to the conflict. A string of crushing defeats forced the provisional government to sue for peace once opposition to the war began to manifest among the people. The government was shaken and its power was now in question. Meanwhile, Svadyetsk was emboldened by its success, moving more and more troops to the border and exploring the possibility of a two-pronged invasion of Rostovia with the assistance of Krasnomirsk. Pressured by both sides, the provisional government was forced to increase its military expenditure and to draft yet more men into the already demoralised army.

Geography

DESCRIBE GEOGRAPHY

DESCRIBE CLIMATE

DESCRIBE ENVIRONMENT

INSERT MAP

Demographics

Population
DESCRIBE POPULATION

Language
DESCRIBE LANGUAGE

Religion

DESCRIBE RELIGION

Race
DESCRIBE RACE

Largest Cities

Government

DESCRIBE GOVERNMENT

Foreign Relations and Military

DESCRIBE DIPLOMACY

DESCRIBE MILITARY

Economy

DESCRIBE ECONOMY

Culture

DESCRIBE CULTURE

Infrastructure

DESCRIBE INFRASTRUCTURE

Energy
DESCRIBE ENERGY

Template by The Free Republic of Ponderosa
Template may be found here.