Second Noulaenic Empire

The Second Noulaenic Empire is a feudal imperial kingdom founded in 1006 NE that continues to rule over the Dersialdara region in Carasala. The empire was founded when King Sarsis of Calbaena forced the nominal Emperor of Noulian, Falersis III to abdicate in his favor. Through a system of vassal states and alliances, the empire gained at least de jure control over all of the lands formerly ruled by the First Noulaenic Empire with the annexation of Lasucsala in 1351 NE. De facto imperial authority was weak over much of the territory, however, and many territories gradually reasserted functional independence between the 16th and 20th century NE. Droughts and internal power struggles weakened the empire during the crisis of the 20th century, leaving the imperial authority weakened throughout the empire. Emperor Faerbisis II moved the imperial court from Noulian to Carasilaen in 1999 NE, which set off a civil war that ended with the sack of Noulian in 2012 NE. The empire lost control of its ancestral heartland of Malaena after the Battle of Nilfalam Bay in 2022 NE. It continued to lose territory over the following centuries and currently only rules over Dersialdara.

Background
The First Noulaenic Empire had been a strong central authoritarian state that ruled over the southern third of the continent and the islands of the Pinakloosi Sea. It collapsed into warring feudal kingdoms in the mid to late 8th century NE as the result of internal rebellions, invasions, and civil strife. The Kingdom of Calbaena, initially ruled by Imarina invaders, rose to prominence during the following period of strife and warfare. The Kingdom subjugated the neighboring Kingdom of Sobaena by force in 980 NE and began an invasion of the Bindaela region during the early 1000s NE.

Foundation
In 1006 NE, Calbaenic forces under King Sarsis entered the city of Noulian with the aid of Noulaenic nobles who hoped to avoid the sacking of the city. Sarsis, who had for some time made false claims of imperial heritage, forced Emperor Falersis III to abdicate and declared himself Emperor Sarsis.

Sarsis sent envoys to the kings of the remaining independent Bindaelic kingdoms informing them that the Empire had been restored and offering to allow them to retain their lands and assume the title of Duke in the new Empire. The notion of restoration of the empire was popular with the common peoples and none of the kings wished to challenge Sarsis's army. These kingdoms submitted to imperial control in 1006 NE. A similar tactic was employed with the Casalanouic Kingdom of Siardara in 1015 NE, although the King of Siardara was permitted to continue to use the title king within his territory and his duties to the empire amounted to little more than tax payments.

Expansion
The Prince of Dersialdara died of plague in 1075 NE, leaving King Sarmasis II without a male heir. Sarmasis feared that a succession crisis would lead to a civil war and quickly began looking for a husband for his 13 year old daughter, Melas. Emperor Aesis IV, upon hearing of this, offered to divorce his wife in favor of the princess, which Sarmasis accepted. The Dersialdara region had been depopulated during the first empire and repopulated with ethnic Malaenics and the people there still had a strong sense of Noulaenic identity, so the union with the restored empire was popular. The two were married and the Kingdom of Dersialdara was absorbed into the empire upon the death of Sarmasis in 1083 NE.

The Kingdom of Pinakloosa was converted into a vassal state in 1102 NE after a coup d'etat in which a Noulaenic backed usurper, Beseo, claimed the throne of the kingdom. In exchange for assistance in pressing his claim, he agreed to a vassal relation with the emperor and agreed to formally serve a Noulaenic Duke. King Beseo subsequently captured several islands that had broken free from the kingdom with Noulaenic support, though his kingdom never conquered the entire archipelago.

Other kingdoms in southern and western Carasala were annexed or subjugated through diplomacy, subterfuge, and marriage during the 13th century. The degree of imperial control in these areas varied widely, with some being directly governed by imperially appointed counts and some being ruled by local kings who owed nothing more than tax to the empire.

Casalanoua was annexed in 1293 NE. In 1290 NE King Caragara died without heirs, leading to a succession crisis and civil war. The Noulaenic Empire backed the Duke Falumis of Siardara, a Noulaenic Province, who was of royal Casalanouic descent through the former Casalanouic Kingdom of Siardara. The Empire sent an army into Casalanoua to support his claim and eventually negotiated his ascent without bloodshed in 1293 NE. From this time, Casalanoua was a vassal state of The Noulaenic Empire.

The final territory of the former empire to be annexed was Lasucsala in 1351 NE. The territory had become a vassal state of Ializa several years earlier but Ializa was induced to pass control to Noulian in exchange for Noulaenic support in a war between Ializa and Imaria. Upon completion of this agreement, Emperor Soulsis V declared that the restoration of the empire had been completed and ordered a year of festivals throughout the empire.

Golden Age
The empire enjoyed a period of relative peace and prosperity from the 14th century through the 16th century during which the empires cities and infrastructure were improved considerably. This era is generally referred to as the empire's golden age, although the initial seeds of its eventual decline were already beginning to grow apparent. Despite the relative prosperity of the empire, tax revenues decreased during this period and an increasing large number of provincial dukes and counts secured hereditary appointments for their families, weakening central control. The economy of the capital itself began to decline considerably in the 15th century as improvements in sailing technology reduced the amount of overland trade across Malaena and less tax revenue passed through the capital.

Decline
Revenues and central authority continued to decline following the golden age and the capital continued to descend into a state of poverty. Corruption at all levels of government became endemic and tax revenues fell to the point that the imperial government was forced into debt in the mid 17th century. Attempts to reassert control over the provinces and increase tax revenue were met with significant resistance in the provinces and imperial decrees relating to tax were often ignored through much of the empire.

The empire abandoned Binacalousa Province in 1712 NE as it was determined that the meager tax revenue being taken from the province couldn't justify the cost of continuing to prop up the vassal kingdom there. Noulaenic ships and personnel were withdrawn to Malaena and the islands subsequently fell into civil strife.

The Duke of Casalanoua ceased to submit tax payments to the empire in 1782 NE, and while he continued to entertain imperial envoys with appropriate ceremony he ignored any imperial decree he disliked from this date forward as well. He ignored a summons to the capital in 1784 NE, assuming he was to be recalled as Duke, and the empire failed to respond. From this time on Casalanoua was functionally independent of imperial authority.

Imperial Lords in Carasala and Malaena increasingly flouted imperial authority during the following century as well and the empire struggled to respond. Imperial control was only firm in Bindaela, Calbaena, and Dersialdara by the end of the 19th century.

The late 20th century saw a significant drought in Malaena that exacerbated severe economic problems and food shortages that had existed for some time. Casalanoua, facing the threat of internal famines, ceased to export grain in 1990 NE, leading to severe shortages in Malaena, especially Bindaela. Riots in and around the capital became a common occurrence and many nobles left the region.

In 1999 NE the emperor Faerbisis II moved his court and the imperial treasury to Carasilaen in Dersialdara, which was relatively untouched by the crises affecting Malaena. His brother, Saenbisis, declared this to be an act of sacrilege that amounted to an abdication of the throne. This led to a lengthy and bloody civil war that further weakened the empire. Faerbisis and his army of mostly Carasalic troops surrounded Noulian in 2010 NE, demanding Saenbisis surrender the city. Saenbisis refused and a 2 year siege ensued. Many starved within the city during this siege. In 2012 several nobles friendly to Farbisis conspired to open the gates in the hope that thee city could be peacefully surrendered. Faerbisis's army sacked and looted the city instead, burning much of the city and doing significant damage to its infrastructure. Saenbisis was captured and executed.

As water, drainage, and sewage systems broke down in the now impoverished and badly damaged former capital, the population collapsed rapidly. Other Bindaelic cities, suffering with hunger and economic collapse, also fell into significant decline. Prior to the sack of Noulian, the city had 1.2 million residents and Bindaela as a whole had 3.2 million. In the decades that followed the population of the city fell below 40,000 and the greater region fell below 1 million. This led to a mass refugee crisis that strained the entirety of Malaena and led to widespread hunger, disease, and economic hardship throughout the region.

Calbaena, as the most productive farm region in Malaena, bore the brunt of the refugee crisis. The people of the region, as well as their leaders, blamed the imperial government for the collapse and were angered that it wasn't doing anything to assist in resettling or feeding the former residents of Noulian and surrounding cities. In 2020 NE the Duke Faleris of Calbaena withheld his tax payments to the empire, stating that they were needed to deal with the refugee crisis. The empire attempted to respond diplomatically but their offers were rejected by the duke. In 2021 he escalated the confrontation by seizing tax payments from the other Malaenic provinces as they passed through his territory.

The empire mobilized a substantial force and sailed for Calbaena the following year. His force was met by the Calbaenic Navy in open water outside of the mouth of Nilfalam Bay. The battle, known as the Battle of Nilfalam Bay, was a disaster for the imperial navy and resulted in substantial loss of both ships and footsoldiers. Faleris then claimed, echoing the claims of Saenbisis, that the emperors in Carasilaen were illegitimate and that he was reclaiming the historical title of King of Calbaena. The empire was unable to mount another expedition to reclaim their rights to the territory and other provinces in Malaena and Casalanoua soon followed suite. The empire was forced to concede independence to most of its remaining holdings in Carasala as well over the following century, although in most cases this was merely a formality.

Modern Empire
The consolidated modern empire has nearly the same boundaries as the historical Kingdom of Dersialdara. Following the loss of its provincial holdings in the 21st century, the empire underwent a period of economic renewal within its remaining lands. The modern empire has a flourishing trade and luxury good manufacturing based economy, centered around the metropolis of Carisilaen, which is the second largest city on Opelyx behind Tozar.