Principality of Komneia
The realm of Komneia, the successors of the Empire of the Rasenna and a multi-ethnic state of Lakic, Mykran, Agrihenian, and Yarmeza peoples
Structure
Like the Rasenna before them, the Komneian state relies on its chief executor, the Prince/Princess in this case replaced the office of the emperor as the highest in the land. The title of Prince is what the ruler of the state is called in western realms as it brings them into the hierarchy of their own rulers. In Komenia, the Prince is referred to by the title of Autokrator, the Mykran name for the Lakic title of Imperator which was the title used by the Emperors from the beginning to the end of the empire. As in the latter times of the Rasennan Dominate, power resides in the Prince, but also in his title bearers and palace officials as these men are on the state payroll and govern the realm from the capital.
Culture
Komneia is an interesting blend of cultures as primarily, it sees itself as a continuation of the culture of the Rasenna, a bastion of pre-Dykairos civilization in a seeming exile from its former glory. In reality, while this may be partly true, Komneia is a blending of dozens of influencing cultures who had been mended together, from the Rasenna to the Mykrans, to the Agrihenians who properly make up a large portion of the population to the neighboring Yarmeza who have linguistically and culturally left their marks on this interesting corner of the world. Very instrumental in the life of the average citizen of the principality is the Pankomisa Ecclesia, the eastern church which has its roots dating back to the time of the old Imperial Cult of Victus Ouea. The eastern Ecclesia rivals the western Mundana for authority over the souls of those who follow the belief in the sun, whether it be called Deus or Theos.
Public Agenda
The internal agenda of the Princes is to reside over their realm, protect it and administer it to the best of their ability. The culture of the state however, very much wishes to reunite the expansive empire they once belonged to and restore the Empire of the Rasenna.
History
The site of what is now Komenia has been inhabited for several centuries prior to its famous founding by Emperor Aurakios. The site was a small settlement on the shore of the Arnziatic and served as a nest of pirate activity for a time. Eventually, it was incorporated into the empire during the reign of the 1st Emperor Marian. Eventually, the city would be refounded by Emperor Aurakios who holds special significance in the city's history as he also constructed many of the old landmarks the city still boasts of.
Komenia as it was renamed, is a name coming from either the bending of the river Propone or from a nearby field called Komenene. Now given a proper Rasennan founding, Komenia quickly grew in importance due to its importance in Agrihenia which was becoming the empire's primary recruiting ground for seasoned soldiers. Komenia benefited as a crossroad of trade and commerce in the Arnziatic as it led to the eastern markets of the Ivanshar and the rest of the empire. Komenia also served as a point of strength positioned near the Oltune frontier and so was a mustering location for armies looking to campaign across the river or to defend Agrihenia from foreign incursion. Overall, the city saw many uses throughout its time of imperial service and grew rich and wealthy from its connection to the other cities of the empire and from its key geographic significance.
Culturally, Komneia is an interesting remnant of the old Rasenna seemingly undiluted by the conquests and chaos of the empire's fall. Komneia was spared the fate of Rasca due to its geography, the skill of its defenders, and simple luck. During the final days of the empire, Komneia served as an exodus from the chaos of Lakia as the city was situated across the Arnziatic Gulf on the shores of Agrihenia. Easily defensible due to its swampy terrain, when Rasca fell, refugees poured into the city across the gulf, and soon Komneia drew the ire of numerous states. Attacked by invading Yarmeza riders, Komneia was put under a siege but was saved by the efforts of Maurice Vatatzes, a military leader and former commander of imperial troops.
Maurice's defense of the city and his driving off of the Yarmeza saved a corner of the Rasennan world from falling much as their mother city had. From here, Maurice would rule as the Autokrator of Komneia, a title meant to strictly emulate the regality of the former office of Emperor. Only in the west is the leader of the state called "Prince" in an effort to dissociate the imperial heritage Komneia claims to possess. So stood Komneia for centuries, a thriving harbor city, well-defended but for a long time without the means to push beyond its walls and retake land that had once, in their minds, been rightful imperial territory. Only recently has Komneia been a surging power in the region, backed by the strong military under Victor Therasius the Elder who pushed the borders outward in all directions against the settled Yarmeza. Now the Principality is under the regency of his son of the same name, a capable commander, and leader himself who rules in the name of his ward Princess Marcella Maniakes.
Komenia as it was renamed, is a name coming from either the bending of the river Propone or from a nearby field called Komenene. Now given a proper Rasennan founding, Komenia quickly grew in importance due to its importance in Agrihenia which was becoming the empire's primary recruiting ground for seasoned soldiers. Komenia benefited as a crossroad of trade and commerce in the Arnziatic as it led to the eastern markets of the Ivanshar and the rest of the empire. Komenia also served as a point of strength positioned near the Oltune frontier and so was a mustering location for armies looking to campaign across the river or to defend Agrihenia from foreign incursion. Overall, the city saw many uses throughout its time of imperial service and grew rich and wealthy from its connection to the other cities of the empire and from its key geographic significance.
Culturally, Komneia is an interesting remnant of the old Rasenna seemingly undiluted by the conquests and chaos of the empire's fall. Komneia was spared the fate of Rasca due to its geography, the skill of its defenders, and simple luck. During the final days of the empire, Komneia served as an exodus from the chaos of Lakia as the city was situated across the Arnziatic Gulf on the shores of Agrihenia. Easily defensible due to its swampy terrain, when Rasca fell, refugees poured into the city across the gulf, and soon Komneia drew the ire of numerous states. Attacked by invading Yarmeza riders, Komneia was put under a siege but was saved by the efforts of Maurice Vatatzes, a military leader and former commander of imperial troops.
Maurice's defense of the city and his driving off of the Yarmeza saved a corner of the Rasennan world from falling much as their mother city had. From here, Maurice would rule as the Autokrator of Komneia, a title meant to strictly emulate the regality of the former office of Emperor. Only in the west is the leader of the state called "Prince" in an effort to dissociate the imperial heritage Komneia claims to possess. So stood Komneia for centuries, a thriving harbor city, well-defended but for a long time without the means to push beyond its walls and retake land that had once, in their minds, been rightful imperial territory. Only recently has Komneia been a surging power in the region, backed by the strong military under Victor Therasius the Elder who pushed the borders outward in all directions against the settled Yarmeza. Now the Principality is under the regency of his son of the same name, a capable commander, and leader himself who rules in the name of his ward Princess Marcella Maniakes.
Demography and Population
Much of the demographics of the Principality reflect the reality of the state's situation. The vast majority of the state's population are rural Agrihenian farmers with ties to this portion of the former empire. Only in the capital of Komneia itself can one see the resemblance between the Principality and the former empire as imperial iconography is almost exclusively seen in the capital and little elsewhere. Down south, Mykran influence can still be seen and the exarchate maintains a sense of only being under the suzerainty of Komenia instead of an outright theme in the principality's system.
Territories
In terms of the area governed, the Principality has never been larger, during the early century of the Dykairos the state-controlled only the city of Komenia and was shown some allegiance by other towns in the area. In these hard times, the military had broken down and was robbed of valuable manpower by disaster, infighting, and plague. Gradually, the state peered over the Macerian Wall and was able to consolidate its hold on the outlying suburbs of the city. In the 3rd century A.E, the state largely reclaimed the Agrihenian coast and reestablished its position as a mercantile destination and trading hub. In the bloody 5th century, the Principality was beset on two fronts by invading Hedbard mercenaries and migrating Davniaks. In the mid to late 600s, the Principality experienced a recovery that allowed it to expand greatly thanks to the successive military leaders and Princes such as Theophilos II, Theophilos III, Ardanes Therasius, his son Victor and grandson of the same name. By 707 A.E, the Principality has returned to the southern bank of the Oltune and retook the Mykran peninsula and the Rhaesseos, governing under the Exarchate of Mykra.
Military
Much of the imperial army of the Rasenna was destroyed during the fall of the empire. Famously, the old tagmatic unit of the Hyteoi would survive in the capital and serve as the basis of the later reformed military of Komenia. During the early years of the Dykairos, the Principality struggled to maintain its standing army, the tagma was dissolved and the army shrank from under 100,000 men all the way down to just over 2,000 in the hardest years of the Dykairos. The civil war of Lukus and Opilio in the late 100s drained the remaining manpower of the state to its lowest point and left it vulnerable to foreign incursions by the ascending Yarmeza who regained their strength following the collapse of their Khanate a century before. The capital was defended from Yarmezan aggression and slowly regained its strength in the 2nd century A.E as the state recovered.
By the 5th century, the army of the state had been built from the ground up and relied heavily on defensive tactics and ambushes in order to defend its new holdings along the Arnziatic. With the military reforms of Prince Vinadula, the territories of the state were reorganized and reformed into the themes of the empire and staffed with semi-professional soldiers once more.
By the 5th century, the army of the state had been built from the ground up and relied heavily on defensive tactics and ambushes in order to defend its new holdings along the Arnziatic. With the military reforms of Prince Vinadula, the territories of the state were reorganized and reformed into the themes of the empire and staffed with semi-professional soldiers once more.
Foreign Relations
Generally, the Komneian Principality holds an odd place in its relations with much of the wider world. Still very much holding on to its Rasennan roots, Komneian diplomats are characterized by their prideful nature and authority when speaking. This has continued to make Komenia seem a distant relic of the imperial past to many of the courts of the west and the east. On the ground, there exists a tense distrust of western outsiders who many consider being directly responsible for the destruction of the Rasennan state. The Komneian government is seen as decadent, powerful yet inherently distrusted as their tendency to throw money at their enemies has caused some grief among those who receive this payment as the public appearance of being bought off by the Komneians has caused some to betray that agreement on the pretense of reclaiming their self-determination in the eyes of their followers.
Trade & Transport
The Principality survives based on the revenue brought in by their state-sponsored mercantile guilds. Unlike other corners of the world that shirk the mercantile class in their kingdoms and states, the Principality has grown wealthy on the trade winds and caravans of its mercantile class. This importance to the wealth of the state has won this class untold prestige in the state and in the minds of the people as they are some of the wealthiest and while not as respected as say the noble or the warrior class, in official circles they are treated with the respect and reverence that befits their importance in the Komneian survival plan.
Infrastructure
Maintainance of the infrastructure of the capital at Komneia is well attested before 707 A.E. The Kirean Cisterns, those built by the urban prefect Kires in the 1st century B.E are the three largest sources of freshwater for the city and measure approximately 500 by 300 feet and are capable of holding 2,800,000- 3 million cubic feet of water. These cisterns mainly collect rainwater and water from the Propone which flows through the city for most of the year.
"O Theós na sósei tous anthrópous sou" (God Save your People)
(The professional Akiratai soldiers of the newly refounded themes)
Founding Date
22 A.E
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
Rahennia (Land of the Rasennans)
Predecessor Organization
Formation Type
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Demonym
Komneian
Leader
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Elective
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Command/Planned economy
Currency
Much of the coinage of the principality matches that of the Dominate, the Solidus remains as the state's gold coin and remains mainly used to pay soldiers and palace officials. The Stavrata remains the silver coin of the state and has fluctuated in quality over the years but remains stead in its current form. The lowly bronze coin, the Komzete is the most circulated.
Legislative Body
The later era of the Rasennan Dominate saw power completely transfer from the outdated Curia of the long-dead Republic into the palace and solely in the Emperor and his palace bureaucrats and officials. These men formed the basis of the Komenian legislative body and are mainly composed of influential families living in and around the capital.
Judicial Body
Inheriting much of the judicial basis from the Rasenna, the Komneian system of law is based on the law codes of Emperor Roman IV Vasilaiós, one of the most influential emperors of the later Dominate. Roman compiled his law codes based on the ill-defined laws and rulings of the Empire and the Republic and set the precedent for the law of the Rasenna all the way to the empire's fall.
Executive Body
At the head of government, the ruler of the state is the Prince/Princess of the realm. This is the western name for the title as in its native Mykra, the title of the ruler is Autokrator and is the equivalent of the Lakic title of Imperator which is the official title of the emperors.
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Related Traditions
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Comments