Ardir Khaganate

The Ardir Khaganate is a proto-state in northern Abkhazia that controls much of the former province of Ardir except for most coastal regions which are controlled by the Empire of Zeprikan. The state is the result of Zeprikan’s long struggle to control the centaurs inhabiting the area which eventually was resolved by Zeprikan relinquishing total control of the inland areas and handing over de-facto control of the rural steppes to the centaurs. In return, the centaurs accepted the presence of other humanoids in designated areas of their realm, mostly larger cities and villages and allowed Zeprikan to station troops in these areas, to support them in their struggle against the Nezak Khaganate. Nowadays, the two states are strong allies with a common enemy, though the years of violent conflict left deep scars in people’s minds.
While most people around Abkhazia saw the region in the grip of brutal barbarians with limited intelligence, in recent years the story of the centaur natives being constantly suppressed by external forces spread around the continent giving them more acceptance and respect for their military prowess. Also, the Ardir Khaganate is usually seen as the “good” side in the bloody conflict against the “evil” Nezak Khaganate.