HISTORY

The history of IJzerland lasted exactly 1250 year in the year 7991. 6741 years after the Only True Godess Ba expelled all the other gods from heaven and put them as humans on the surface of the earth, the Hrosian warlord Gairharþs Haugaussuns managed to found an independent state in the area that is now roughly the IJzerlandic province of Hrosaland. In the centuries that followed, more IJzerlandic speaking peoples managed to escape from the influence or even the yoke of the Dardan Empire. The Kingdom of IJzerland wasn't however founded but in 7717.

HROSALAND (6741 - 7247)
As said, Hrosaland was founded in the year 6741 (614 ante BC), by Gairharþs Haugaussuns and his allies. In that time the area was almost completely uninhabited. Most IJzerlandic people lived in the coastal areas on the southwestern bank of the Hlutrs Saiws, which were overseas territories of the Dardan Empire. Gairharþs was proclaimed king in 6743 (612 ante BC). Hrosaland expanded to the cold north in the centuries that followed; the lake district in the northern part of present-day IJzerland was officially claimed by the Hrosalandic kings. However, there were few people enthusiastic enough to live up there, but the area was not claimed by other powers. In 7247 (108 ante BC) Hrosaland merged with Numuland, forming the kingdom of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland.
Kings of Hrosaland were:

NUMULAND (6804 - 7247)
Numuland has more or less the same founding history as Hrosaland; here was Þeodereiks Chrissuns the first king in 6804 (551 ante BC). In the first couple of centuries that Hrosaland and Numuland bordered each other, they turned out to be very easily provocable, making war between the two states very common. The Battle of Hworans of 6852 (503 ante BC) is known as one of the most horrible battles in the history of IJzerland: both armies practically destroyed each other almost to the last man, taking the city of Hworans down with them. Until that moment, Hworans was the largest city in the non-Dardan area of IJzerland (according to present-day boundaries) and its glory was never restored.

Numuland expanded to the south in the following centuries. In 7195 (160 ante BC) the entire northwest bank of the Hlutrs Saiws was annexed by Numuland, making the (weak) Dardan presence in that region disappear. In the 70th century Numuland as well as Hrosaland were increasingly bothered by Fagurna, an agressive group of barbaric tribes in the northeast. Numuland succeeded to invade and occupy the Fagurna region entirely in 6944 (411 ante BC). The inhabitants of Fagurna, who may have been related to the Sambekes originally, were then largely assimilated with the IJzerlandic people in Numuland.

In 7225 (130 ante BC) the Hrosian king Gairharþs VII inherited the Numulandic throne, which he ascended there as Gairharþs I. In 7247 (108 ante BC) the two countries merged into Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. Kings of Numuland were:

Kings of Hrosaland; after the two countries merged, the Hrosian line was continued.

FAGURNA (part 1: 6788 - 6944)
The history of Fagurna from 6788 to 6944 (567 - 411 ante BC) is one of violence. The various Fagurna tribes fought amongst each other and against neighbouring countries, which were Hrosaland and Numuland. The aFagurnau, as they called themselves according to surviving manuscripts, appear to have been related to the Sambekes, but lost their original identity between 6944 and 7350 (411 and 5 ante BC) during the occupation by Numuland and subsequently Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. The Fagurna area wasn't organized like Hrosaland or Numuland, but had a tribal system, in which one chieftain sometimes managed to united several tribes under his command. Well known chieftains were Paartind Ganhg (ca. 6800 / 555 ante BC), Busjs Komtzuu (idem), Minaamhs Haas (ca. 6838 - 6856 / 517 - 499 ante BC) and Minwaarsmn Faetstneis (ca. 6912 / 443 ante BC).

HROSALAND-JAH-NUMULAND (7247 - 7717)
The merger of Hrosaland and Numuland was watched closely by the neighbouring Dardan Empire. The Empire answered between 7253 and 7317 (102 and 38 ante BC) with a series of attempts to conquer the newly formed country; this period is known as the Dardan Wars. From 7278 to 7302 (77 to 53 ante BC) southern Numuland was occupied by Dardan forces, but during the Fifth Dardan War, from 7302 to 7304 the region was reconquered by Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. The Sixth Dardan War was a short battle near the city of Freihals in the year 7310 (45 ante BC). The Seventh in 7316 was the last attempt of the Dardan Empire to conquer Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. In the first Treaty of Alþibaurgs (7317 / 38 ante BC) it was determined that the Dardans should give up the Paleopolis colony (= present-day Alþibaurgs), which became an independent duchy. In 7419 (64 ABC) duke Iosefs II Buajadissuns of Alþibaurgs became king of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland; in 7422 the duchy was peacefully annexed by Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. In 7350 the country had already lost the Fagurna area, that became some sort of federal republic. In 7717 (362) the Treaty of Eisarnegaruns was concluded, according to which the kingdoms of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland and Þraubbjus together formed the Kingdom of IJzerland.

In the kingdom of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland some kind of democratic system was adopted after the civil war of 7549 - 7555. After some time in which various kings of more than one family challenged each other, causing much civil unrest and mayhem, some influential members of the nobility came up with the idea of creating some kind of institution that would temper the whims of various successive kings and advise them on stately affairs. And so the Walidaize Hus was created (afer Fagurnese example, see below), a group consisting of the 37 eldest men and women living in Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. The Walidaize Hus was built in the capital, Skaunjos Garuneis, next to the royal castle Gards at Skaunjaim Garunim. The Walidaize Hus proved quite effective, and it became a very powerful force in the politics of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. In 7715 it even succeeded in deposing king Ereiks II, after the latter was accused of murdering his eight mistresses, a deed considered unbecoming for a king, especially in the years during which the merger of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland and Þraubbjus was planned.

Kings of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland were:

ALÞIBAURGS (7317 - 7422)
As said, the duke of Alþibaurgs was crowned king of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland in 7419 (64 ABC). The duchy had been independent one century or so. The Alþibaurgs politics were hardly entertaining, mostly even boring, apart from the horrible assassination of duke Pawlus in 7410. Pawlus appeared to be generally loved, but he was murdered anyway by a member of a rival family. The new duke, Þeodereiks II, was only suited for misconduct and was deposed in 7414. His moderate brother Iosefs II succeeded him and was crowned king of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland in 7419. Alþibaurgs only had seven dukes:

FAGURNA (part 2: 7350 - 7872)
The second Fagurnese period of independence is quite different from the first. Civilized under the influence of Numuland, the people of Fagurna had lost their savageness, but did want an independent Fagurna. In 7350 (5 ante BC) this was accomplished. King Aulaufs V of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland was busy defending himself from political adversaries, so teh governmental influence on the remote Fagurna was little. Fagurna became some sort of oligarchy, the government being composed of the 31 eldest inhabitants of the country. A variant of this system was later adopted in Hrosaland-jah-Numuland and later on in IJzerland.

ÞRAUBBJUS, GAURÞALAND AND IJZERLAND (7500 - 7811)
The southwest corner of present-day IJzerland gained independenc from the Dardan Empire in 7500 (145 ABC), with help of Hrosaland-jah-Numuland. The Dardans retreated to their northwest province of Parasideria (present-day Gaurþaland). Two centuries followed, filled with wars and battles with the Dardans, until the IJzerland armies expelled the Dardans from Parasideria in 7739 (384 ABC). In 7717 (362 ABC) Þraubbjus and Hrosaland-jah-Numuland had already formed the new kingdom of IJzerland by means of the Treaty of Eisarnegaruns. At first, Gaurþaland became a satellite state of IJzerland, being joined with IJzerland in personal union, but in 7803 (448 ABC) the whole territory was annexed by IJzerland. Fagurna was reconquered in 7872 (517 ABC) and in 7913 (558 ABC) the Sambeke archipelago followed.

IJzerland's full independence of the Dardan Empire, which was effective as of the year 7500 (145 ABC), was nothing more than a change of the guard. Before 7500, the Dardan elite in Sideria and Parasideria had been in charge. Officially they were representatives of the central government of the Dardan Empire, but the overseas provinces had been practically autonomous for years. The Dardan province of Sideria included not only the territories in IJzerland (Þraubbjus), but also large (coastal) parts of present-day Histairja. The Dardan influence on the east bank of the Hlutrs Saiws was minimal, apart from the colony of Paleopolis (Alþibaurgs, see before). The increase of autonomy of the Siderian authorities was possible thanks to the decline of the Dardan Empire as a whole. Also, Sideria became a sanctuary for Baism; when Bartholicism as a religion grew rapidly in the Dardan home land, Baists fled from the country. In 7023 (332 ante BC) even the leader of Baism, the Bope, and her entourage resettled in the Siderian city of Badacho. There were many reasons why the Siderian authorities and the central government of the Dardan Empire were not at the best of terms, although relations were never officially severed.

Instead, the indigenous IJzerland and Histairjan lower classes insurrected at the end of the 75th century and dislodged the Dardans from Sideria. The Dardans fled to Parasideria (Gaurþaland), the Sambeke archipelago or even better places. In 7500 (145 ABC) Sideria was reformed into the new Kingdom of Þraubbjus, which included the present-day IJzerlandic region of Þraubbjus as well as present-day Histairja. The new king, Paitrus I, declared both the northern and the southern parts of the kingdom as indivisible. He arranged the neighbouring Hrosaland-jah-Numuland to fight off the Dardans - who understandibly wanted their land back - while he himself is busy keeping his kingdom together. A difficult task, for a religious dispute caused the southern part of Þraubbjus (present-day Histairja) to insurrect against the king. The kingdom is whole from 7500 to 7503, from 7509 to 7519, during some months in 7521 and from 7524 to 7540/7544. In the periods lying in between, the political situation in what once will be Histairja can best be described as difficult: short periods of independent stability are varied with civil wars, etc. In 7506 (151 ABC), on top of this mess, king Paitrus I made the mistake conquering the kingdom of the Wendes. This country was situated on the west side of Parasideria; due to this, the Dardans in Parasideria were completely locked in between territories of Þraubbjus. The king however lacked enough military forces to impose his power upon all parts of his realm.

In 7523 (168 ABC) Iairauneimus Marteinssuns stepped forward. He was the duke of Qimarbauaineis and Erugqius and elector of one of the southern (Histairjan) provinces. He had king Paitrus I murdered and proclaimed himself king of all Þraubbjus. His son Franqiskus I staged a coup one year later and managed to form a rather stable government, which lasted until 7529. In that year, the king was expelled by surprise by Pawlus I Pawlussuns 'sa Eisarneina' (the Iron). He originated from the southern provinces and proclaimed himself king of Þraubbjus. In 7538 (183 ABC) he abdicated the throne in favour of his son Pawlus II - according to rumours he was forced to abdicate. In present-day IJzerland Pawlus II is remembered as 'sa Merjands' (the Proclaimer), because of the large number of laws that he promulgated during the two years of his reign; in Histairja he is known als the Hammer.

The afore-mentioned religious dispute also affected the royal family: king Pawlus II followed the Histairjan Baists in the south (who worshipped the god of Science, Histor, as well as Ba; hence the name Histairja), but his brother Marteins followed the official Baism proclaimed by the Bope in Badacho. Marteins tried to stage a coup, but failed, with a large civil war as a result. Marteins managed to push his brother to the south, he himself remaining in control of the north. From that moment, the south would be known as Histairja, whilst the north kept the name Þraubbjus. Until 7603 (248 ABC, the Second Treaty of Alþibaurgs) both countries considered each other as rebellious provinces.

Before all this, from 7212 to 7500 (143 ante BC to 145 ABC) Sideria was a grand-duchy within the Dardan Empire and after that, as said, an independent kingdom under the name Þraubbjus. Until 7528 the last Siderian grand-duke lived in exile in Parasideria; in that year he and his only son were killed in the Battle of Frastrhaims, during one of the many attempts to reconquer Sideria. The grand-dukes of Sideria were:

Kings of Þraubbjus were:

The 77th century was dominated by ongoing disputes between the kings and the Church of Ba. Until 7500 the city of Badacho had been the residence of the Bope; after the independence of Þraubbjus the still largely Dardan culture in the city, lead by various Bopes, tried to influence the newly emerged society, amongst other by trying to make Dardan the official language of Þraubbjus. They had very little succes. There were a number of collisions between Bopes and kings, the one in 7663 (308 ABC) between Bope Silēpordia II [7644 - 7700] and king Andraias III being the worst; the king gathered his army around Badacho and besieged the city for three years. This Siege of Badacho caused numerous starvation deaths. The Bope had managed to leave the city in an early stadium though through one of the many secret tunnels under the Bapal palace.

At the beginning of the 78st century the royal family of Þraubbjus itself was very impopular. In 7709 and 7710 (354 and 355 ABC) things culminated in the Herring Revolt. Kin Martinus had raised the export taxations on herring - a local delicacy - so drastically, that the trade stopped almost entirely and hundreds of fishing families went bankrupt. As the king was about to go ashore in Brunhilþrsgaruneis in 7710, an angry mob entered his vessel and the king was keelhauled instantly. His successor, queen Hadrijana, was not able to take away the unrest, though she did abolish the herring taxations. In 7712 (357 ABC) she went into voluntary confinement in her castle in Aurnareiks and didn't leave it until her death in 7717 (362 ABC). As she was the last member of her family, the politically stronger neighbour Hrosaland-jah-Numuland urged Þraubbjus to unite with each other, and at the end of 7717 the already mentioned Treaty of Eisarnegaruns was concluded, resulting in the formation of the kingdom of IJzerland. From 7717 to 7811 the united kingdom had only six kings, before the royal family became extinct. No new king was chosen until 7998.

© Bernard van Dulmen Krumpelman 2007 - 2010. Most of the pictures on these pages have been made by me. Those that aren't I found on the internet. When you encounter a photo or picture that belongs to you and you are not amused by me using them here, please contact me via e-mail.