New Holy Roman Empire

Template:Nation infoboxThe Holy Roman Empire is a constitutional monarchy ruling over much of Spain, Italy, southern France, and North Africa. Originally established as a democratic state called the Roman Confederation, it gradually devolved into a religious constitutional monarchy, governed by a triumvirate of dynastic leaders. Although the empire's official name is the Novus Imperium Romanum, isolation from the outside world has led to it mistakenly being called the New Holy Roman Empire, or the HRE.

History

Foundation, Disaster, Re-birth (2100 - 2800) In the year 2100, a total economic collapse is leaving many countries and companies on their last limb. In a desperate attempt to maintain economic stability, Italy, Spain, France, and Romania form a confederation in order to maintain stability. Because of the mutual intelligibility between their languages, and their shared past, they soon rename their confederation into the New Roman Empire - the Novus Imperium Romanum

Stability is maintained for about 200 years until the Incident of 2300 occurs. In the summer of 2300, a large, and catastrophically unexpected comet impacts the planet in what was then known as Ethiopia. Nearly 70% of the populace is killed instantly or within the following years, and the world is thrust into a dark age.

The leadership of the HRE and many higher levels of the governance, along with the religious sector, survive the catastrophe and preserve themselves and their descendants in underground bunkers for many years. After strenuous rebuilding, linguistic and genetic reconstruction, the HRE finally re-emerges from the ashes in 2600. For almost 200 years the HRE would dominate all of Europe with its technological advantages and advanced weaponry. However, in 2800 many political entities and corporations begin to recover weapons, tech, and data from the pre-impact era. The HRE, which had been slowly relaxing due to its belief that it was untouchable, was suddenly thrust into turmoil by the rapid appearance of other more formidable entities.

In the Alpes, another underground technocracy, consisting of descendants of the Austrian and Swiss governments, emerge from their bunkers, albeit at a later date than the HRE. In a rapid war, they take advantage of the HRE's internal collapse and seize what formerly was Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Southern Poland, and the Carpathians. Facing defeat at the hands of the Austro-Suisse Staatenbund, a peace treaty is signed in October of 2837. The Imperium relinquished control of Germany, Northern France, and much of Eastern Europe, and agreed to hold a "neutral and healthy relationship" with the Austro-Swiss. In turn, both nations agree to help stabilize each other, and a relative peace settles in the region.

The Second War for Europe However, in 2874, this peace is shattered. Another nation, from the far off land of Ukraine in Eastern Europe, makes a rapid push into the West, indiscriminate at which nations it attacks. Known as the Ukrainian Empire (UE), it sought a sea route to the Atlantic. At the time, the only route to the Atlantic and Indian oceans from the UE was through the Bosporus, which was under joint control by the Bulgarians and the Romans. Both the Bulgarians and the HRE believed that the Ukrainian Empire and its area of residence was one of primitive tribes, so they passed off the many demands by traders from the Black Sea. After only 3 months of fighting, the UE nearly has complete control of Germany, the Balkans, and the Baltic.

Within the HRE, many were left wondering as to why the HRE simply pulled its army away from the front line instead of towards it. Although it appeared like an idiotic move, it was actually a brilliant strategy. The HRE allowed the Ukrainians to stretch their supply lines all the way into Western Europe, leaving the area behind the UE's front lines undefended and weak. In a grand encirclement, the combined forces of Bulgaria, the Austro-Swiss, and the Romans surrounded and trapped the Ukrainian Empire's First Army in Frankfurt, completely annihilating them. Paratroopers and marines then cut off the Balkans and the rest of Eastern Europe, and a naval invasion of the Baltic by the Roman African Legion quickly trapped the UE's remaining army in Poland and the Balkans.

Unfortunately, the UE still had enough manpower to protect itself on the home front. Although the Ukrainians never achieved their goal of reaching the Baltic and Mediterranean, they gained a land border between the Austro-Swiss and the HRE's Southern Romania province. A cease-fire was signed, but a official peace treaty was never declared, leaving them in a cold war.

Contemporary History ( 2800 - present ) Since the cease-fire with the Ukrainians, the HRE saw a period of relative peace. Government investment into quality of life in the Imperium increased, and the average lifespan of a citizen of the Imperium is roughly 130 years, a drastic increase since the war. The HRE has since reestablished its claims on Northern France, Germany, and the islands surrounding it, but has unable to enforce sovereignty over the region due to opposition from the populace. Although raiding and skirmishes do occur in the claimed areas of the Imperium, the only significant event that has occurred is the rebellion of the province of Britannia Minor into the creation of the Commune of Brittany.

The peace was then broken in 3014, when the Imperium declared war on the Kingdom Of Britain, seeking to destroy the Kingdom after they had failed to recognize the HRE's claims over Western Europe. Although the fighting was no more than convoy raiding, air strikes, and the occasional naval invasion of some of Britain's lesser islands, it all came to an end when the Imperium bathed the British Isles in a atomic fire, eradicating the governance. Since then, the Imperium has increased the amount of expeditionary forced in Doggerland and the surrounding isles, and it is unknown what their intentions truly are.

Geography