Irechium (WIP)

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[i]From Encyclopedia Irechiana, the free and online encyclopedia of Irechium[/i]                                                                                           [align=right]Coordinates: [][/align]

[sidebar]                                             [align=centre]  [b]Republic of Irechium
[size=90][i]"Das Republik Föderal Irechienland"[/i][/b][/size]
[img=standout]https://i.ibb.co/vzy16b6/Irechium-Flag-v2.png[/img]
[b]Flag[/b] [/align]
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[align=centre][img]https://i.ibb.co/MNLWwz7/Coat-of-Arms.png[/img]
[b]Coat of Arms[/b][/align]
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[b]Motto[/b]: [align=right]"Von Helden Erbaut, Von Gott Geführt"
                    ("Built By Heroes, Led By God")[/align]
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[align=centre][b]National Anthem[/b]: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVsUEfH299A] "Das Irechienlied"[/url]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVsUEfH299A][img]https://i.ibb.co/BtCFQZw/Time-Stamp-Thing-Thing-Uhh-Video-Thing.png[/img][/url][/align]

(map section, might come in the form of spoilers)

[b]Capital[/b]   [align=right]Irechium[/align]
and third largest city   [align=right]4.6 million[/align]
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[b]Official Languages[/b]  English, German
and national languages
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[b]Nationality (2024)[/b] [list][*]89.7% Irechian
                                     [*]10.3% Other[/list]
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[b]Religion[/b][list][*] 86.9% Christian
                      [*]8.02% No Religion
                      [*]5.08% Other[/list]
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[b]Denonym(s)[/b] Irechian, Irechi
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[b]Government[/b] [align=right]Bicameral Semi-Constitutional Presidential Republic[/align]

[list][*]President  -  Timo Harischandra
[*]Vice President  -  Albert Ashing
[*]House Speaker  -  Hubert Olivier
[*]President of the National Parliament  -  Johan Rudiger
[*]President of the National Assembly   -  Quintien M. Baumann[/list]
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[b]Legislature[/b]  -  Parliament
[list][*]Upper House  -  Senate
[*]Lower House  -  National Assembly[/list]
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[b]Establishment[/b]
[list][*]Irechium - ~3200 BC
[*]Second Kingdom of Irechium - 1050 AD
[*]Irechian Republic - 1756
Commonwealth of Irechium[/list]
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[b]Area[/b]
[list][*] Total[/list][align=right]636,222km2[/align]
[list][*] Water (%)[/list][align=right]0.86[/align]
[list][*] Metropolitan Irechium (INA)[/list][align=right]604,021km2[/align]
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[b]Population[/b]
[list][*]February 2024 Irechium Census[/list][align=right][img]https://i.ibb.co/WDWy7jW/Neutral-Increase.png[/img]103,567,201[/align]
[list][*]Density[/list][align=right]171.462914369/km2[/align]
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[b]GDP[/b](PPP)
[list][*]Total[/list][align=right][img]https://i.ibb.co/jkd865V/Increase-Arrow.webp[/img]$5.049 trillion[/align]
[list][*]Per Capita[/list][align=right][img]https://i.ibb.co/jkd865V/Increase-Arrow.webp[/img]$92,994[/align]
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[b]GDP[/b](Nominal)
[list][*]Total[/list][align=right][img]https://i.ibb.co/jkd865V/Increase-Arrow.webp[/img]$4.309 trillion[/align]
[list][*]Per Capita[/list][align=right][img]https://i.ibb.co/jkd865V/Increase-Arrow.webp[/img]$53,214[/align]
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[b]Gini[/b][align=right]26.5
[color=green]low inequality[/color][/align]
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[b]HDI[/b][align=right]0.913
[color=green]very high[/color][/align]
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[b]Currency[/b] - Zect (Z) (ZEU)
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[b]Time Zone[/b] - UTC+6
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[b]Drives On The[/b] - Left
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[b]Calling Code[/b] - +57
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[b]ISO 3166 code[/b] - IR
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[b]Internet TLD[/b] - .ir
[/sidebar]
[i]"Irechian Republic" and "The Irechium" redirect here. For preceding republics, see Irechian Republics. For other uses, see Irechium (disambiguation) and TheIrechi/Irechium (disambiguation).
[/i]
[b]The Theocratic Grand Commonwealth of Irechium (IRE or I.R.E.)[/b], commonly known as [b]The Kingdom of Irechium[/b] or [b]Commonwealth of Irechium[/b], [b]Kingdom of Irechium[/b] or [b]Republic of Irechium[/b], is a country primarily located in Naherosten. It is a commonwealth of 10 districts and 87 departments, with 1 capital district (Irecstrict/Irechium Metropolitain Area) and 46 foreign reservations. Outside the union of districts, it asserts sovereignty over 7 major unincorporated islands territories and is heavily influencing the Attican Republic. Its metropolitan area extends from the outskirts of Tri to the Propeitan Ocean. Metropolitan Irechium shares borders with The Emirate of Golitte and Zaros to the east, Nukbormean to the northeast, Nihidia to the north and a maritime border with Naród (Naródjönigreich). Its overseas possessions include Thomas Is., Balow Is., and Thugren Islands.
The country is the fifth largest in the world by total land area and fourth for maritime discontiguous exclusive economic zones (EEZ), it lies within the Macacheese region and is the second oldest of the Marble Arch nations.  

Proto-Sentiaordians migrated from the islands of Sentiaordia and Floridia around 4,000 BC. Irechium by 700 BC was the hegemonic power of the Macacheese region. Clashes with political representation led to the Irechian revolution in 1754. The First Irechian Congress proclaimed independence on 7 August 1756, the official declaration of independence being signed on 16 August 1756. The country was one of the first to adopt an industrial mind-set post 1756 and saw consistent growth in the following years. Irechium also started investing in military assets and participating in conflicts. In 1913, the Dest encirclement occurred, where a full battalion was encircled. After this, Irechium sought to rebuild their military and economic structures. General Temowski defeated a coalition of nations where they were outnumbered 9:1 at the First Battle of Rill. Shortly after that, the Irechians were defeated in the Second Battle of Rill, losing over 1,700 vehicles and forcing the dissolution of the [] Republic. After the Rill disaster, Irechium expanded in international aid to become the biggest aid donor in the New Marble Arch. In the 50’s and 60’s, Irechium participated in multiple wars across the globe until the Nyah Disaster in 1963, where a battalion's worth of personnel were defeated by a coalition of forces. Since then, Irechium has reshaped its military structure. In 2024, Irechium, for the first time, impeached the leader of their country. In RP terms, Irechium is the founder of the IMF, Organisation of Sentiaordian States, AIEP and was a semi-permanent member in the NMA. Irechium has resigned from Concord, its allies and the NMADF as of 2024. 

Metropolitan Irechium has a combined area span of 604,021km2. The country has a population of just over 103 million people, but the Kingdom of Irechium (the largest and unofficial administrative size in Irechium), has a population of just over 135 million people. Irechium is a bicameral semi-constitutional presidential republic with its capital in Irechium, the country's third largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. 

[size=120][b]Etymology and Pronunciation[/b][/size]
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Main Article: [i]Name of Irechium[/i]

The word “Irechium” (IrÆch:/iam/) is first noted around 3,200 BC, when the founder of Irechium, Ire Echi, discusses his newfound settlement, Irechium. The first known publication of the full name (Commonwealth of Irechium) dates back to 1642, when Dega Sumera wrote the phrase in his small article workshop. The actual word, 'Irechium,' is universally agreed to literally be a fusion of Ire Echi's name. However, it is uncertain whether it is this or rather Ire Echi's nick name, also known as, 'Irechium'. Generally, it is considered to have been so well preserved that the name, 'Irechium,' has barely changed in nearly 5,000 years.

In English, 'Irechium' is pronounced EIRECHEUM in New-Londonivm English and EYERECHIEUM in Irechian English. The pronunciation with /i:/ is mostly confined to accents with the trap-bath split such as Received Pronunciation, though it can also be heard in some other dialects such as Nukbormean English.

[size=120][b]History[/b][/size]
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Main Article: [i]History of Irechium[/i]
For a chronological guide, see [i]Timeline of Irechian History[/i].

[b]Pre-35th Century BC[/b]
Main Article: [i]Prehistory of Irechium[/i]

The oldest traces of archaic humans in what is now Irechium date from approximately 1.9 million years ago. Neanderthals occupied the region into the Upper Paleolithic era but were slowly replaced by Homo sapiens around 50,000 BC. This period witnessed the emergence of cave painting in the Cappadocia and Macacheese mountains, including Paiten, dating to around 20,000 BC. At the end of the Last Glacial Period (10,000 BC), the climate became milder, submerging the last land bridge with Sentiaordia below sea level. Irechium has numerous megalithic sites from the Neolithic, including the Marnac Stones site (approximately 5,300 BC).

[b]Ancient (35th Century BC - 13th Century BC)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Irechian Cultural History[/i], [i]Seafaring Culture[/i] and [i]Ancient History of Irechium[/i]

The period of 3,500 BC to 3,000 BC, is often remarked as the beginning of modern Sentiaordian and Irechian history. This period, known as the Sentiaordian Revolution, was a cultural and scientific advancement of the Proto-Sentiaordian culture and marked the beginning point of what becomes the modern Sentiaordian (German) culture.

In 3,300 BC, Proto-Sentiaordians from the islands of Flordia and Sentiaordia, in a series of organised ventures, known as the Sentiaordian Treks reached the shores of what is now Irechium. One of the earliest dating Diegan-Narherosten (Indo-European) cultures, the Yamnaya culture, was present at the time of the treks' subsequent arrival. The Proto-Sentiaordians quickly assimilated into the Yamnaya culture. By 3,000 BC, the Sentiaordians were penetrating past the Macacheese mountains. By this point, the Sentiaordians and Yamnaya fused to form the Seefahrt or Seafaring culture (also known as the Macacheese culture). This culture was dominated by their generalised ambition of exploration and trade. They were also, unlike the Yamnaya, more settled, comparative to the Proto-Sentiaordians. The period of 3,000 BC - 2,500 BC saw the peak of the bronze age in the Macacheese region, with the enhancement of metallurgy, science, exploration, agricultural activity, animal husbandry, sea-based activity and a renowned duration of peace in the region, known as the Bronze Age Flourish. The cities and sites of the Seafaring culture would often form coalitions to counter internal rivalries or outside threats, such as the developing Burdian cultures. In around 2,100 BC, there was a massive cultural and political shift in the Macacheese region. Culturally, the idea of outward expansion rather than city-state or site rivalries, is believed to have become the principle of politics in the next millennium. This eventually culminated into the rise of the Kingdom of Cappadocia, which would oversee a large chunk of the Macacheese region from 2,100 BC until its collapse in 1360 BC. The collapse of the Kingdom of Cappadocia and its unforeseen consequences helped contribute to the stagnation of the known world's economy, also forcing migration. By 1200 BC, this developed into the Bronze Age Collapse, a period of lack of technology and societal progress amongst the Macacheese (and Sentiaordian) populace.

[b]Bronze Age Collapse (12th Century BC - 700 BC)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Bronze Age Collapse, Irechian Rise to Hegemony[/i]

Between the 12th century BC to around 865 BC, the Macacheese region underwent a period of disunification and economic stagnation known as the Macacheese Bronze Age collapse. The Seefahrt culture over time evolved to become the beginnings of what is now the modern Sentiaordian culture, known as Old Sentiaordian. One of the unique characteristics of the change was the adoption of city-states. In light of this, during this era, city-states would constantly fight for dominance and hegemony over their neighbours, resources and influence. Due to the disunification of city-states, they were often prone to being subjugated by external threats. Economic stagnation and even severe decline were present throughout the region, with only a handful of city-states being able to maintain their status. One such city-state was Irechium, which sourced its income from outside the Macacheese region. The Irechians were respected sea-farers who'd up to the 10th century BC, ventured as far out was the Tririan isles to the west and as east as modern-day Phoenicia.

In around the 10th century BC, a new group of very distant relatives to the Seefahrt culture arose to the far east, the Zecronians. The Zecronians, were semi-nomadic peoples inhabiting much of the Badalmin desert. They shared a similar outward and aggressive stance, that was reminiscent of the Yamnaya culture. Soon after the split of the Zecronians, incursions into Sentiaordian territory began. 
By the start of the next millennium BC, the Sentiaordian culture was in a backward trend, territorially, economically and politically. Also, one of the trek's original cities, Cranberria, fell to invading Zecronian forces. Initially, Macacheese resolve towards outside invasion was abysmal, with the city-states failing regularly to form effective coalitions to stop invading groups, such as the Medinai and Zecronian. This left many city-states crippled and even bankrupt. However, Irechium, being at the metaphorical 'centre' of the region, combined with its leverage on trade, was able to control the invading groups and make a more assertive stance to them, at least on their own territory. The city-state of Irechium, also, joined both sides regularly in supply and trade, allowing both Sentiaordian and Zecronian states to fight wars more extensively and longer. 

By 8th century BC, Irechium was a generally well-established city-state/league encompassing a chunk of the Porpeitan sea. In 870 BC, after nearly two centuries of downward progression, most of the Sentiaordian states within the Macacheese region, led by Irechium and Cranberria, formed a coalition, that drove the Zecronians out of the Macacheese region. Soon after, in 865 BC, a 50-year league was established between all Sentiaordian Macacheese states, with its capital and administrative centre in Irechium. Initially, the Macacheese League invited the Sentiaordian states abroad to join. Majority rejected, in particular, the city-states within the Sentiaordian isles. In 700 BC, the league's pact was further ratified and Irechium was instated as the hegemonic power to all city-states within the league.
[float=left][box][align=centre][img]https://i.ibb.co/x1LGY28/Turbo-Bireme.jpg[/img]
[i]An Irechian bireme, dating to 1,000 BC[/i][/align][/box][/float]

[b]Macacheese  League (7th Century BC - 481 BC)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Macacheese League, Sentiaordian Expansion, Irechian Republic[/i]

In the mid-7th century BC, Irechium became the capital and administrative centre of the Macacheese League. It also maintained its own, separate colonies across the Porpeitan sea. Irechium invested heavily into its Macacheese city-states, especially in exploration and colonization efforts. In 800 BC, Hemsteadian Sentiaordians from the settlement of Bephokia, founded the settlement of Neva Sulfrick (present day Nevofrick). Sentiaordian communities inhabited past parts of eastern and northern Irechium, spreading through the rest of the country between the 7th and 6th century BC.  Over the course of 750 - 600 BC, Irechium tightened its hegemony over the Macacheese League. Culturally, little interference was encountered during this time span, namely due to the Macacheese mountains stopping most venturers into modern-day Irechium. Sentiaordians regularly ventured past the mountains, however. 

During the 7th to 5th centuries BC, Irechium, the Sentiaordian culture and the Macacheese league experienced a duration of peace and cultural, religious, political and technological advancement known as the Macacheese Golden Age. The formally downward Sentiaordian society made a revolutionary comeback. 

In 655 BC, the separate entities of the Macacheese League and the First Irechian Republic merged to form the Second Irechian Republic. Laws were scrutinized by a senate and a king, resembling the first Irechian Republic.  The Second Irechian Republic was remarked for its trade and freedom. However, the newly formed republic was received poorly by the outside world. Consequentially, this led to the nearly 2 centuries long armed conflict between the Sentiaordians and Zecronians, fighting nearly 10 wars in the span of around 180 years. Around 500 BC, Irechium merged with the remaining Sentiaordian states, in the Sentiaordian isles. In 481 BC, Irechium, led by [url=https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=2548875]Temowski II[/url] (later the Great), defeated the Zecronians in the battle of Azul-Lapis and soon subjugated them. It was also at Azul-Lapis, where the First Irechian (or Sentiaordian) Empire was formally established. In 480 BC, the Sentiaordians defeated the Medinains and Elimateans. Around 475 BC, Irechium, defeated [tab=350]and annexed much of the Golitte tribes.[/tab]

[b]Antiquity (481 BC - 400 AD)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Irechian Expansion, Irechian Empire[/i]

The period between 481 BC to 400 AD, spanning roughly 800 years, was dominated by the First Irechian (Sentiaordian) Empire. The Irechian Empire ruled the Porpeitan Sea and much of , Naherosten and North Gramia. In 481 BC, the Irechian Senate granted Temowski II overarching military power (emperium), in Azul-Lapis, as well as declaring him a great person (magimus) and the new title of 'Skette,' marking his accession as the first Irechian emperor.

The Irechians conquered most of their territory during the early to middle phase of the empire and it was ruled by emperors following Temowski II's assumption of effective sole rule in 481 BC. In the 3rd century BC, Irechium experienced a significant growth in territorial size. Between in the period between 481 BC to 400 BC, Irechian territory essentially doubled, growing an estimated 100% in size. However, after Temowski II's death in 462 BC, it was severely destabilized by civil wars, political conflicts and sudden administrative difficulties, which eventually culminated in the victory of Temowski III over Nonei Sergyi at the Battle of Alekepe in 451 BC.

[float=left][sidebar][align=centre][img]https://i.ibb.co/fDvZzVL/Irechian-Empire-Greatest-Extent-Enlargement-v2.png[/img]
[i]Irechian Empire in 15 BC at its greatest territorial extent[/i][/align][/sidebar][/float]

The first three centuries of the Empire, after the ascension of Temowski II, saw a period of unprecedented stability and prosperity known as the Pax Irechiana (set. 'Irechian Peace'). Irechium reached its greatest territorial extent under Servitus (r. 46 BC–05 AD), but a period of increasing trouble and decline began under Commoncules (r. 97 AD–106 AD). Around 15 AD, Christianity reached the Irechian Empire and in under 50 years, it spread to majority of the empire. In the 2nd century, the Empire underwent a 50-year state of stagnation that allowed other states to challenge the Irechian status-quo. Several short-lived break away empires existed but were later reunified by Vinget II. From the third century onwards, the Irechian Empire experienced a slow decline, which threatened the existence of the Empire. In 256 AD, Marnalin I, sighting the decline of the city of Irechium, moved the governing body to Marna, and renamed it to Marnachlin, however, Irechium remianed the defacto cultural and historical centre. In 301 AD, a coalition of groups, led by the Hericulians, sacked the city of Irechium, while raising around half of it to the ground. The Hericulian-led coalition continued to sack other Sentiaordian cities until the treaty of Hemstead in 302 AD, which formally marked the beginning of the downfall of the Irechian Empire. 

The Irechian Empire remained in a relative state of peace until again in 330 AD, invading forces from Narodien (modern day Narod), Golitte and Nihidia all attacked the Empire in close succession. This eventually culminated in the battles of Timosma in the south, Ettenheim in the north and Ponrith in the east (d. 330, 300, 331 AD, respectively). The defeat for Irechium in Ettenheim and Ponrith signified the continuous decline of the Empire, which struggled to maintain its territory. In 352 AD, an offshoot of the Varpan tribes, the Microvians, were able to reach the city of Irechium before being stopped. Again in 354 AD, the Empire was sacked by Nihidian tribes. The Nihidian tribes continued their sacking of Irechian territory until 355 AD, when the treaty of Jerriot was signed, marking the end of the Irechian Empire. However, Irechium still held on to parts of its former territory, even after the treaty.

[b]Dark Age (4th Century AD - 10th Century AD)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Dark Ages, Third Irechian Republic[/i]

In late antiquity, ancient Irechium was slowly divided into Germanic (Sentiaordian) and Pseudogreco city states and the remaining Irechian territory. Irechians, fleeing the Turkic settlement of Golitte and Zaros, settled in western haevel; the haevelan region was renamed Honscean (or Havelkep) and due to this, Irechian culture was retained in Zaros and parts of Golitte. Irechium, which was now in the Third Republic phase, remained a relatively small power, with its territorial and general extent slowly declining over the centuries. Incursions from the north by Hericulian and Nihidian tribes were further reinforced with the arrival of Varpan tribes in the 9th century.
The stagnation of Irechian affairs affected many things, such as literature and government. This period of time is often marked as the Irechian Dark Ages.

[float=left][sidebar][img]https://i.postimg.cc/JhKKhgXb/Soc-Jerriot-Treaty.jpg[/img]
[align=centre][i]Discussion on the Treaty of Jerriot, carving found in the History Museum in Irechium[/i][/align][/sidebar][/float]


[b]High Middle Age (11th Century AD - 15th Century AD)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Varpan Invasion, Irechian Middle Age[/i]

The decline of Irechian and Sentiaordian culture from late antiquity and the dark ages continued into the high middle age. The region of the Macacheese struggled to catch up with their growing competitors, such as Narodian merchantile states on the north Gramanian coasts. For a short time in the 12th century, Irechium experienced a sudden surge of growth. The state that experienced these sudden surges of general and territorial growth was Great Irechium, which, to great effect, utilised light cavalry and a type of weapon called a Baireh (a kind of bow-based firework launcher). The sudden growth was unforeseen and culminated in the consecutive defeats of Irechian forces in the Hericulian and Varpan Wars.

Due to the Varpan and Hericulian Wars, the remaining centuries of the Irechian High Middle Age saw a steep collapse of Sentiaordian states in the Macacheese region. Eventually, in 1478, the First Varpan Empire capitulated the Irechians and all Sentiaordian states in the Macacheese region, starting a nearly 300-year period of occupation for Macacheese states.

[b]Overseas Migration and Colonization (16th Century AD - 18th Century AD)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Temowskian Trading Company, Irechian Colonies[/i]

[float=left][sidebar][img]https://i.postimg.cc/Gt74nP14/Battle-of-Erm.jpg[/img]
[align=centre][i]Painting of the Nicht. Sitting on the chair is the Governor of Irechium for the Orangeck Regime[/i][/align][/sidebar][/float]

During Varpan occupation, trouble known as The Nicht occurred. This rebellion was driven by feudal lords and sovereign courts as a reaction to the lack of autonomy and power delegated to the Sentiaordian populace. The Temowskian Company was established for migrating people as well as trade and support of remaining Irechian settlements. The Temowskian Company became the most populous trading company and had tremendous influence over Gramian, Naherosten, New-world and Trigan politics, economy, and culture. It was in this period that German became the most-used language in diplomacy, science, and literature in many areas until the 20th century. The Temowskian Trading Company (deeply supported by the Irechian exiled government), took control of territories in Gramia, the Trigan, Africona and Naherosten. In 1685, The Temowskian Trading Company revoked the Edict of Fort Jasen, forcing thousands of non-Catholics into exile and in turn, published the Code Schwarz, providing the legal framework for slavery and non-Catholics until its abolition in 1794.

[sidebar][img]https://i.postimg.cc/8zCbvwC0/Slave-Trade.jpg[/img]
[align=centre][i]A poster produced during the Irechian slave trade, displaying only a pinch of the brutality of such regimes[/i][/align][/sidebar]

The harsh treatment of Catholics and Irechians during the Varpan occupation unsettled majority of Irechians. Varpan's weak but brutal rule, including the decadence of their courts, discredited the empire, which in part paved the way for the Irechian Revolution. During this time, many Irechians migrated to other regions. Towards the middle of the 17th century, almost all dialects and sub-cultures besides the Irechians were phased out.

[b]Irechian Revolution and Industrial Revolution (18th Century AD - 19th Century AD)[/b]
Main Articles: [i]Sentiaordian-Germanic Cultural Death, Irechian Revolution, Industrial Revolution[/i]

Many nations were split for supporting the liberation and restoration of an Irechian state. The Temowskian Company greatly supported the Irechian revolutionary effort with money, fleets and armies, helping them win independence from Varpan. This contribution initially gained the Irechians several pre-revolutionary victories but made the Temowski Company verge on bankruptcy — a factor that contributed to its dismantling in 1794.

The Irechian Revolution was a period of political and societal change that began with the Estates General of 1754 and ended with the signing of the signing of Irechian independence in 1756 and the formation of the modern (fourth) Irechian Republic. Irechian resentment to Varpan occupation grew, eventually culminating into the Irechian Court Breakdown, which was one of the few events that signified the start of the Irechian Revolution. Many of its ideas are fundamental principles of conservative democracy, while its values and institutions remain central to avoiding modern political discourse. Cities that significantly contributed to the revolutionary effort were awarded more autonomous restrictions and given a core place in the Commonwealth.

The revolution's causes were a combination of social, political and economic factors, which the Orangeck Régime proved unable to manage. A financial crisis for Varpan and social distress led in June 1754 to the convocation of the Estates General, which was converted into a National Assembly in September. The next two years were dominated by struggle for political control, exacerbated by economic depression. Military defeats following the outbreak of the Irechian Revolution in May 1754 resulted in the insurrection of the governor of Irechium for Varpan. The occupation was lifted and replaced by the Irechian Fourth Republic in August 1756, while many traitors and war criminals were executed in January 1757, an event that would be known as the Traitor's January. Later, in February, Shaw Daimland Hollerzornen was elected first president of the Fourth Irechian Republic. Later, after his presidency and exceptional work for the Irechian effort, he was designated as a national constitutional leader (Kaiser).

Post Irechium benefitted from centuries of Varpan investment into the Macacheese. The Irechians quickly became pioneers in technology. This caused the Irechian industrial revolution to mechanically start earlier than most other nations. Some of the Enlightenment occurred in Irechian intellectual circles and scientific breakthroughs, such as the naming of oxygen (1776) and the first hot air balloon carrying passengers (1781), were achieved by Irechian scientists. So great was the influence and mark left by the Varpan that a large chunk of the Macacheese population was ethnically Varpan-Attican and that the region also had a large number of English speakers.
[align=centre][u][b]This last subheading is believed to contradict itself, for more information, visit [i]History of Irechium[/i][/b][/u][/align]

[b]19th Century[/b]
Main Articles: [i]The Long 19th Century Irechium[/i]

After the independence of Irechium, one of the largest ethnic clashes began, which would later be known as the Irecho-Varpan Enmity. This eventually culminated into the outbreak of the Uretaan Wars in 1790. Fierce clashes between Irechian forces and Varpan forces (led by Urejan Terjorski) devastated western Naherosten. The by now old Shaw Hollerzornen had been reelected to be the commander in chief of the Irechian Heer. His armies performed stunning and sensational victories at Medinia, Numidica and Etternheim ensured the longevity and sovereignty of Irechium. Shaw Hollerzornen was especially known for his timed charges and extended use of grenadiers and jagers. In 1810, after defending their homeland for some 30 years, Edward von Bidmark - one of Hollerzornen's aides - signed the Treaty of Alhoso on Irechium's behalf, marking the end of Irechian participation in the Uretaan Wars.

The post-period of the Uretaan wars is often remarked as the Irechian Revival. After constant war in the 18th century, the rest of the 19th century saw prosperity and development which would not be matched even to the current day. The effect of this period placed Irechium as one of the major powers and competing for the post of most industrialised nation.
In 1835, the first Irechian president, second Irechian commander in chief of the Heer and first 'king', Shaw Daimland Hollerzornen I died, being given the title 'Great'.

Irechium had colonial possessions given to them after the collapse of the Temowski Company, since the beginning of the 19th century, but in the 19th and 20th centuries these possessions were given autonomy, became part of the kingdom or given full independence. During this time, many military and civilian reforms were past, helping to grow Irechium even more.

[b]Early-Mid 20th Century[/b]
Main Articles: [i]World War I, World War II, Irechian Participation in Conflicts of the 20th Century, Inter-war[/i]

In 1905, Charles Witenmaunn was elected to presidency. He multiplied Irechian interventions abroad, especially in Trig, Gramita and parts of Naherosten. By the time he was succeeded, world tensions were at a melting point. His actions forced Irechium to join the war on the side of the Eastern Powers (Quadrupple Alliance). Irechium fought much of World War One on a back leg, eventually winning over the First Trinpakt Coalition in 1918 at tremendous cost. It left over 1 million Irechians dead, around 2% of the population. Interwar was marked by intense international tensions, continuous conflicts and social reforms introduced by more liberal parties.

The worldwide Great Depression hit Germany in 1929. President Albert Brüning's government pursued a policy of fiscal austerity and deflation which caused unemployment of nearly 30% by 1932. The Conservative Coalition led by Heindrich Zackinman became the largest party in the Reichstag after a special election in 1932 and appointed Homanbruggen vice president of Irechium on 31 January 1932. His government established a decentralised conservative state, established the Föderale Allianz, and dramatically increased the country's rearmament. A government-sponsored programme for economic renewal focused on public works, the most famous of which was the Autobahn. Though, these were largely halted due to the outbreak of war. Their joint cooperation and ultra-aggressive stances to the outside world eventually caused another world war, which devastated the Irechians.
In August 1934, Zackinman's government negotiated the Ponrith-Eternlapis Pact that guaranteed most Islamic countries would fight with the Föderale Allianz.


On September 2, 1934, war broke out again between the Föderale Allianz and Second Trinpakt. For the next 11 years the Föderale Allianz fighted for supremacy against the Second Trinpakt. Irechium invaded northern Narod, supported attacks into Varpan, defended Islamic seas and invaded Chalia and Attica. In 1936, both alliance's air forces were almost completely
destroyed with Irechium's Luftwaffe maintaining only a fraction of its capabilities. However, by 1938 air supremacy and naval supremacy had been established by the Irechians. It wasn't until mid 1940, when the Varpan collapsed that the Irechians could contribute most of their war effort to defeating Narod. Intense battles into 1943 and 1944 produced mixed results and left the Irechians in a weakened state. The Irechian Heer was able to reach the outskirts of Moranes. In the end of 1945, the front restablised and refused to move. The Irechians negotiated peace while being pushed back to northern Narod. Irechian POWs were known to be treated terribly by the Narodiens, with majority being subjected to forced labour and war crimes. It was only after the war that the horrors of the Narod camps were uncovered. The war was left unconclusive and is generally remarked as a stalemate, at least for the Narod front. The Irechians signed the truce document on November 6, 1945. The truce was later extended to peace in 1946, after large civilian protests on both sides to end the war.

Over the course of 10 brutal years of fighting, the Irechian economy was in shambles. The war left over 8.2 million Irechians casualties (dead, wounded or missing), over 10% of the Irechian population. Population numbers were so damaged that they wouldn't recover until the mid 60's. 


[b]1946–present[/b]
Main Articles:[i] Core Events in Modern Irechian History[/i]

The end of the second world war marked a sharp turn in Irechian history. Irechium continued to participate in global conflicts to maintain its diminishing status post war as a superpower until stunning defeats in the summer of 1963. The Fourth Republic oversaw the economic downturn of Irechium from the 50's to 70's. Irechium was a founding member of North Trigan Treaty Organisation (NTTO) and attempted to regain control of Attica but was defeated by the Maindie-Diegans. During the Cold War, the Aldreck administration pursued a policy of "national independence" towards the Western, Southern and Eastern blocs. He withdrew from NTTO's military-integrated command (while remaining within the alliance), launched a nuclear development programme and made Irechium the third nuclear power. The administration restored cordial Irecho-Varpan relations to create a Naherosten counterweight between Narodien and Western spheres of influence. However, Adrien Aldreck opposed any development of a superainternational or global treaty organisation, favouring sovereign and exclusive alliances. 
The unrest of February 1967 had an enormous social impact; it was a watershed moment when an overly aggressive foreign relations ideal (religion, patriotism, respect for authority, military) shifted to a more liberal moral ideal (progression, inclusion, pacifism). Although the revolt was a political failure (the Aldreck-led party emerged stronger than before), it announced a split between the Irechians, Aldreck and the outside world. This caused Aldreck to later resign. 

Irechium remained one of the most developed economies in the world but faced crises that resulted in high unemployment rates and increasing public debt. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Irechium has been at the forefront of the development of a supranational Naherosten Union, notably by signing the Maastricht Treaty in 1984, establishing the Naherosten Zone in 1994 and signing the Treaty of Malela in 2001. Irechium has fully reintegrated into NTTO and since participated in most NTTO-sponsored wars. Since the 19th century, Irechium has received many immigrants, often male foreign workers from other Catholic countries who generally returned home when not employed. During the 1980s Irechium faced an economic boom and allowed new immigrants (mostly from the Hablapis, in south Zaros) to permanently settle in Irechium with their families and acquire citizenship. It resulted in hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in subsidised public housing and benefitting from Irechian and Christian receptiveness to them. The government had a policy of assimilation of immigrants, where they were expected to adhere to Irechian values and norms in order to expect the same in return. 

Since the 1985 public transport bombings, Irechium has been targeted by Buddhist organisations, notably the Gustav Flavermann attack in 2016 which provoked the second largest public rally in Irechian history, gathering 8.4 million people. In 2023, the Caroline Plot occurred, which saw several Irechian national disasters in close succession, the deadliest attacks on Irechian soil since World War II, killing over 1,000 people. These attacks were quickly followed up by Operation Yellow Vengeance, which was an Irechian attack on the San-Diegan Republic to curtail Buddhist extremism and to liberate the Attican Republic.
 

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