Loushiraziae

Loushiraziae (LOU-shi-RA-zyae) is an Ialini speaking, ethnically Peburi city located in the Leivilei Valley region of the Imariani province of Alizu. It was formerly a royal capital of a separate kingdom, at times known as the kingdom of Loushiraziae, and the seat of a principality under both Ializa and Imaria. It is the main population center of the Leivilei Valley and was the main administrative center of the region for over two millenia, before it was reduced in status by Imaria after its conquest in 2366. The city was an important center of the arts, especially sculpture, for much of its history. The modern city has been partially deconstructed by the occupying Imariani force but retains a population of 66,000, down from a maximum of 192,000 in the 14th century.

Etymology
Loushiraziae was originally named Laushruziae, which derives from the proto-Ialini laushru ("dream") and ziae (short for ziaevre, "city"), and the modern version retains this meaning in modern Ialini. The name derives from the fact that the city's founder claimed to have previously seen the site in a prophetic dream.

Geography
Loushiraziae straddles the Leivilei River in a relatively broad and flat section of the gorge dotted with several rocky hills. The city was initially built on Viaenoo Hill to the north of the river but later expanded to the surrounding hills and plains on both sides.

History
Loushiraziae was founded by members of the Bireitiriae tribe of the Peburi in 245 NE. The tribe had been driven from lands further down the Leivilei Valley by rival Peburi tribe, the Viaeccoutire and Oubiri, and was forced into conflict with native tribes as they attempted to migrate further up the valley. They defeated a force of native Leivilei people on the plains near Loushiraziae in 245 and moved to the hills near the river to camp. As the chief and several scouts neared the summit of a hill, they found a wolf devouring a fox, which fled after they approached. They considered this an omen, as their enemy tribes were named, in Ialini, the viae ccoutire ("wolf hunters") and oubiri ("fox"). Chief Burebu mia Bireitiriae then claimed he had seen this sight in a dream previously and that he saw a mighty city grow on the hill in the dream. They began to build a settlement on the hill, which they named viaenoo ("wolf hill"). It is not documented whether he had ever mentioned such a dream prior to this occurance but most in the tribe seemed to take this as a legitimate prophesy. The city was initally known as Viaenoo as well, but the informal name Laushruziae ("dream city") subsequently became more common.

Loushiraziae expanded to several surrounding hills over the following decade, including Zizooccoubi Hill directly across the river from Viaenoo. The first bridge, made of rope and wood, was built between the two hills in 265 NE. The population of the city grew and its warriors succeeded in largely driving the Ializa natives out of the upper valley, securing a substantial amount of farm and pasture land in the process.

Loushiraziae became the dominant force in the upper Leivilei Valley and the chiefs of the Bireitiriae had largely, if informally, subjugated the nearby Viaeccoutire, Oubiri, and Ccoozite tribes by the end of the 3rd century. Following the example set by rival city Buroovasha, the Chief Viaebu declared himself the nitai, or King, of Loushiraziae in 299 NE and abdicated his title as Chief of the Bireitiriae. He demanded and was given oaths of loyalty from the Viaeccoutire, the Oubiri, and the Ccoozite. The kingdom subsequently conquered the Shiroumepa tribe in 304 NE and the Piamiaebure tribe in 307 NE.

The kingdom followed the example of the Kings of Buroovasha who divided their kingdom into Bishouza, or Chiefdoms, for administrative purposes, in 314 NE, establishing five chiefdoms in the valley as well as the chiefdom of Piamiaebureza along the coastal region. The kingdom was divided by the will of Ccoutiretoo II, who established a Kingdom of Biroreida, which included Shiroumepaza and Piamiaebureza, to be ruled by his second son. Loushiraziae would reconquer Biroreida by force in 382.

Conflicts between Loushiraziae and Buroovasha were frequent during this period and the two states were only briefly formally at peace in 392 following the arranged marriage of princess Reibidi of Loushiraziae to King Buretoo II of Buroovasha. The agreement unraveled quickly and the two sides resumed fighting in 393 NE. The last king of ancient Loushiraziae, Viaebu III, was killed in battle in 394 NE. Buretoo II of Buroovasha claimed the throne of Loushiraziae through his wife, who was Viaebu's only living child, and the defeated city surrendered.

Buretoo II was not interested in retaliation against the conquered lands and treated the Leivilei chiefdoms as equal to his own. He also retained Loushiraziae's special status as a royal city not subject to tribal law, installing his brother as the Prince of Loushiraziae, an office that answered only to the king that had functional authority over Loushiraziae's prior holdings. This office remained the lead position of Loushiraziae until the 18th century.

Under Buroovasha authority, the Leivilei valley was heavily fortified and the walls of Loushiraziae were expanded and considerably improved. The Buroova Barracks were built in the city as well, taking over the entirety of Niamono Hill, which would hold the main royal garrison charged with defending and keeping order in the valley.

Loushiraziae was briefly functionally independent between 612-621 NE due to a succession battle, with Loomiadiae III, then prince of Loushiraziae, attempting to claim the throne from his power base in Loushiraziae. Loomiadiae III eventually claimed the throne of Buroovasha after the death of his half-brother Ccoutirezito in 621 by forging a will for the childless Ccoutirezito that made Loomiadiae III his heir.

After gaining the throne of the reunited kingdom in Buroovasha, Loomiadiae III took steps to weaken his former office in Loushiraziae, passing decrees forbidding the prince from being someone in line for the throne (which technically he never had been, as he was legally removed from succession by his father.) He also formally removed authority for Loushiraziae's armed forces from its prince and began a practice of sending a rotating cast of commanders, all loyal to the king, to lead the forces for limited terms.

The city sided with Buroovasha in the civil war between the king and his chieftains in 734 but did not mobilize forces to reconquer the restive regions in the Leivilei valley. The presence of royalist forces in Loushiraziae limited the freedom of the Leivilei chiefs to send forces to Buroovasha, however, as they had to continue to defend against a potential attack on their rear from Loushiraziae. This contributed to the state of stalemate that eventually resulted in a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Imariani forces entered the Leivilei Valley in 887 NE, entering the upper reaches of the Bireitiriaeza chiefdom which surrounded Loushiraziae. Peburi defenses in the upper valley held, however, and the invaders never reached the walls of Loushiraziae.

Like many Peburi cities, Loushiraziae flourished during the golden age of the Ializa kingdom from the 10th-13th century. Loushiraziae became a global center for sculpture as the city's sculpters, inspired by the great ancient Chai sculptors from the hills above the city, reached levels of mastery unmatched throughout history. Painting and other arts began to thrive in the city during the later centuries of this period as well, as artists from around Opelyx flocked to the city. The city reached its highest population during this period, with 192,000 residents in 1340.

Ializa started an ill-fated war with neighboring Imaria in 1339, however, which led to the capture of Loushiraziae by Imariani forces in 1341. The city was damaged in the siege and much of its wealth and art was plundered and taken to Imaria.

Imaria was eventually defeated and signed a treaty with Ializa, but the treaty ceded Loushiraziae and the rest of the Leivilei Valley to Imaria. The Imariani decided against a forceful occupation of the territory and instead attempted to restore the historical feudal structure, installing an Imariani noble as Prince of Loushiraziae and installing Imariani chiefs to the chiefdoms. Imariani became the official governmental language of the region but the region remained primarily ethnically and culturally Peburi and nearly all residents spoke Ialini at home.

The Imariani Empire entered a period of decline in the 16th century and the Imariani Prince of Loushiraziae, Tsautrebrio, declared himself an independent king in 1550. He subsequently adopted Peburi dress and Ialini language, going so far as to change his name to the Ialini equivalent of Ccoutireburoo. He also completed to transition to a fully traditional Ialini style monarchy, although this required few practical changes beyond manufacturing claims of tribal ancestry for his chiefs. Imaria refused to recognize his independence but the empire, divided in civil war at that time, had little means to prevent the secession. The Ializa government in Buroovasha recognized his kingdom and extended their armistice to the new government.

The 16th and 17th centuries were a period of broad decline in the region as the corrupt government, led by a tiny class of extremely wealthy ethnically Imariani aristocrats, jockeyed for power through bribery, corruption, and political violence. The average lifespan for the Kings of Loushiraziae during this period was less than three years and there were frequently multiple claimants to the title. Kings and other power-brokers ran up large debts in order to finance milita actions and bribe other officials. Royal authority was weak even within Loushiraziae and virtually absent elsewhere. The commander of the Buroova Barracks generally held more direct authority over the city, and there were several occasions when these commanders openly assassinated kings they disapproved of without consequence.

The kingdom fell into bankruptcy in the 18th century due to the high cost of defending its border with Imaria and its inability to consistently enforce taxation and prevent embezzlement within its borders. This led it into conflict with its creditors, primarily in Buroovasha and Carasilaen, which further weakened its financial and military situation. Ializa began to seize territory as payment for debt and Loushiraziae surrendered unconditionally to Ializa following the Battle of Cciaedia in 1777. Kiong Bireibu IV, the last king to claim the title of King of Loushiraziae, was subsequently banished.

The office of Prince of Loushiraziae was not subsequently re-established and the leadership of the city passed to the Chief of the Bireitirie, who was newly instated in that role by the king. The chief relocated from Kepoziae to the palace in Loushiraziae. The Ializa government largely stripped the Imariani nobility of its lands and titles and installed ethnic Peburi people loyal to Buroovasha in all governmental roles. The Buroova Barracks were declared an administrative region of Buroovasha, with its commander and soldiers answering only to the King.

Despite the restoration of effective governance, poverty continued to increase in the valley, exacerbated by punitive taxes placed on the region by Buroovasha and the seizure of much of the property of the region's wealthiest citizens. Loushiraziae joined the rest of the valley in opposition to the throne during a brief civil war in 1850-2. The war saw few real engagements but there was a bloody street battle in Loushiraziae after local forces tried, unsuccessfully, to overrun the Buroova Barracks. Peace was restored diplomatically at the conclusion of the conflict.

Poverty in the valley continued to grow and was exacerbated by earthquake damage in 1925. The commoners of the Meroureida Valley rose in rebellion in 1942 and the peasants of the Leivilei followed suit the same year. Royalist forces from the barracks declared martial law over Loushiraziae, however, and prevented the rebels from taking control of the city or effectively besieging it. The rebellion was put down in 1945.

Royal authority continued to decline and the Leivilei Valley became culturally and economically isolated and stagnant. Loushiraziae increasingly became a military camp as the garrison of royal and tribal troops increased while the population overall steadily fell.

The chief of the Bireitirie, Miaizou mia Bireitirie, claimed the title of King of Ializa after the king died without an heir in 2275 and was able to secure the loyalty of the commander of the barracks, essentially assuring him uncontested control of the upper Leivilei Valley. He died shortly afterwards but his son Loomiadiae XIV consolidated control over the valley and defeated a rival claimant in Biroreida in 2780. He then razed Biroreida and moved to entrench his control over the Leivilei Valley.

The resulting rival Kingdom of Ializa based in Loushiraziae was poor and weak, and fell into significant debt rebuilding Biroreida in the early 24th century. The kingdom became a functional client state of Imaria, who propped the kingdom up to keep Ializa weakened by internal strife. Imaria betrayed this alliance in 2365, however, after an earthquake damaged Ializa defenses in the Cheiza region in the mountains above Loushiraziae. The weakened kingdom, deprived of allies, was quickly defeated by the invaders and Loushiraziae surrendered after minimal resistance in 2366.

Loushiraziae expected to be restored as a feudal capital by Imaria, as had been done centuries earlier, but the Imariani chose against this idea, concerned that the fortress city was too isolated and well defended to be trusted with such status. They instead chose to dismantle the Ializa feudal system entirely, legally abolishing both tribes and chiefdoms and declaring the region the Province of Alizu, a single administrative division to be directly administered by the imperial government. They banished most of the court in Loushiraziae and stripped the remainder of the nobility of land and title. They placed the seat of the new province in Biroreida, reducing Loushiraziae to minor city status. They installed a garrison of Imariani imperial soldiers in the Buroova Barracks, which they renamed the Liomamio Barracks, and dismantled the palace and much of the defensive fortification around the remainder of the city, using the stone to improve the fortification of the barracks and construct an adjoining castle.

The modern population of the city, including the 12,000 soldiers garrisoned in the barracks, is 66,000. The city retains an ethnic Peburi majority and most of the residents speak Ialini as a first language, though fluency in Imariani is ubiquitous in Loushiraziae as well. The city economy is centered around the barracks and castle, with many tradespeople and service workers.