Baraq'mar Emirate
The Baraq'mar Emirate is an Urukai nation which is ruled by the clan of Baraq, though it is not a tribal state. Baraq'mar is situated in the Sahib Khassal region, and holds land near the Coastal Sultanates, in what is known as the fertile coast. Despite this, is it a landlocked state, and only a small part of its land is particularly temperate, though much of the drier part remains agriculturally sustainable. Although able to raise a moderate amount of levies, the Baraq'mar are not a major player in the region, despite the grand designs of the ruling clan of Baraq.
History
Baraq'mar occupies an interesting place in history, as the Baraq'mar were one of the first Edemalik clans to enter the Al'Salaanic world. Naturally, this means that their progenitors were Qizalit, and indeed the Baraq'mar records claim their clan was first established as its own entity thanks to the loyalty of Arpan Al-Baraq (though given he was not entrenched into human society, it is unlikely his name actually featured the "Al-") towards tbd, the great Qizalit conqueror who shattered the Fatimi Empire of the Holy Successor. Thanks for his loyalty, Arpan Al-Baraq was granted control over the lands formerly held by the Al'Fatim in the Fertile Coast, which was controlled from two major forts, one of which was held directly by Al-Baraq and one held by a lieutenant. Al-Baraq himself would consider his military service done with and settled down to raise a family and act as a steward, although he would die in 1879, leaving the clan to his 14 year old son.
The death of tbd in 1882 would lead to great strife throughout the Qizalit Qanate, and the Baraq'mar lands were no exception. With a youthful ruler and a vast number of disloyal human subjects, the Baraq'mar domain was in perhaps the most turmoil as all, with the land being ravaged by breakaway orc clans, new migrants, and Al'Salaanic subjects fighting for their liberty. This would see the Baraq'mar reduced to just their main capital and the surrounding hills, with the rest of their lands coupled by various warlords. During this time, Baraq'mar was increasingly unstable, and with a small domain strife within the clan increased as members fought for land with one another. The Baraq'mar would also be forced to weather several attacks by the Coastal Sultanates, each of whom failed to penetrate the walls of fort Baraq- thanks to the tenacity of the remaining Baraq.
The fact that the Baraq'mar weathered the storm at all is a miracle, but historical maps attest to their existence throughout the crisis and their hold on their fortified base. However, they did not enter the 20th century as a strong clan, but rather a weak group of squatters in an insignificant corner of greater states which came before them. They would need to catch a lucky break in order to survive the decade, which they would receive, ironically, with the rise of another Orcish conqueror, the legendary warlord [tbd 2]. [tbd 2] made effective use of orcish clans which were newly migrated, throwing them into the fray, thus weakening potential rivals and placing them on the front line where they would fight off human and orcish foes alike. However, like most other early orcish Qanates in the region, his state collapsed on his death in 1925, leaving the land once more in turmoil- but this time the major players were all in far more strife than the Baraq'mar, who swore fealty to [tbd 2] but only paid a small tribute and never saw combat under his rule.
By 1925, the Baraq'mar clan had been in Sahib Khassal for almost 50 years, and were beginning to see some influence from the local humans. Although the Al'Shahri locals resented their rule still, Al'Fatimi populations had slowly begun to look more favorably upon the orcs, and were willing to work with them and even marry them if it gave them an advantage over competitors. With the Baraq'mar clan in a good place, they contacted the small local Al'Fatimi populations, proposing their conversion to Illahism and a pact of marriage under a reborn Baraq'mar. With the deal in place, the Baraq'mar leveraged local Al'Fatimi militias alongside their own elite warriors to sweep north through the lands formerly under [tbd 2]'s Qanate, though westwards expansion was stymied by the Sultanate of Dalnahar, which fought fiercely to expand Al'Shahri power in the region, hoping to reclaim the lands they lost to [tbd 2]. To this day, Baraq'mar maintains a hold on lands once held by Dalnahar, though this remains difficult to maintain.
With Baraq'mar attention busy fighting against the Dalnahari, this gave time for the rest of the former [tbd 2] Qanate to consolidate, and in 1936 this gave rise to the Emirate of Alabinrayn, which quickly surpassed Baraq'mar in power. Despite the potential for both states to fight, the two have instead found an unlikely friendship, working together to fight off both the Dalnahari and the Düzarailier Sultanate, a Kötişk Orcish state which has long desired Alabinrayn for itself. Still, in recent years, rapprochement of Alabinrayn and Düzarailier, both concerned about the rise of the Great Maw, has caused a cooling of relations between Alabinrayn and Baraq'mar, since Alabinrayn is no longer quite so eager to defend Baraq'mar against the Dalnahari.
Modern Baraq'mar is ruled by Otaban al-Baraq, a charismatic Urukai just entering middle age. As the first Urukai to rule over the Baraq'mar, he has struggled with pushback from full-blooded orcs in his clan, as well as from the more hardline Al'Fatimi for his moderate stance on religion. Still, Otaban is widely seen as a competent military tactician as well as an innovator in learning from Al'Fatimi sanitation works and bringing their development of anti-disease methods and of hospital treatment into the modern age.
Baraq'mar Rulers, title(s) (years ruling)
- Arpan, Vizqan (1865-1879)
- Orba, Vizqan -> Qan (1879-1902)
- Arpan II, Qan (1902-1919)
- Ungar, Qan -> Emir (1919-1955)
- Qagar, Emir (1955-1996)
- Otaban, Emir (1996-)
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