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Revision as of 05:17, 12 August 2023
Rockfield, officially the Kingdom of the Rock (Bonitañan Spanish: Reino de la Roca) is a constituent-Kingdom and capital of the Balancín Kingdoms. Rockfield borders onto the Eastern Sea, as well as sharing a long land border with Wiltshire and Bonitana. Comprised of over one-hundred towns, villages and localities, Rockfield's main territory is in Doggerland. It is often somtimes referred to by its historic Spanish name of Balancía. Since 3023, it has been apart of the Balancín Kingdoms, under the reign of King Maximilian the Crusader.
Rockfield is among the oldest states in Doggerland, having its direct history date back to 2640 and the independence of the New Murica colony. Rockfield was also been able to maintain its independence, besides its voluntary membership of the United Federation of Planets (2986-2994) as a Spanish country, until the 3021 War of the Balancín Succession, which saw it fall to the Wiltshire Republic. The reunification of the Pontifical and Balancín churches in 3022 brought Maximilian II to the throne, which started the path towards the Doggerlands Crusades of 3023. Maximilian II proclaimed the creation of a new nation of Kingdoms, with Rockfield as its capital.
As the most religious state besides Ecclesia, Rockfield is a heavily Christian Kingdom, tracing its Pontifical lineage all the way back to St. Konstantin the Great. Rockfield is also home to the Iberian Palace, the royal seat, and St. Alfonso's Basillica.
Etymology
The term "Rockfield" is the unofficial name of the Kingdom, primarily used by English-speaking countries to refer to the country. The formal name for Rockfield is the Kingdom of the Rock, named for Rockfield's coastal rocky terrain.
The original Spanish name for the country, Balancía, is still unofficially used by traditionalist nationalists, with many calling for the name to be restored over the anglicised version. The original name has led to the official demonym of the country, Balancín.
History
New Murcia Settlement
The New Murcia trading settlement was established in 2609 by the New Spanish Empire (NIE). The Spanish's ambitious with the New Murcia settlement was to conduct trading with the people of Doggerland and Northern Europe. While the land was extremely damaged and much of it deescalate, the King of Spain Juan XVI firmly believed that Doggerland had significant potential and ordered expansion of the Empire into the continent. However, many of his successors disagreed - opting for greater trading opportunities in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. While future Kings of Spain did not withdraw from Doggerland, they stopped expansion with the New Murcia colony.
The colony remained a fishing and trading port for the Spanish throughout much of the 27th century, developing a small population of laborers, fisherman, traders and farmers.
Sir Raúl's adventures
Sir Raúl was a Spanish explorer and commoner who lived in the late 26th and early 27th century. Many have documented his adventures across the world, most notably in the 29th Century novel "The Escapade of Eritrea", which depicts Sir Raúl's time in the African deserts including the Heist of Horn Palace, which became the name of the sequel to the original novel. The legend goes that Sir Raúl and his band of brothers broke into the "Horn Palace" to retrieve an artifact that would unlock the well of the town, said to have been locked away as a form of oppression by the ruling dictators.
Most historians agree that this story has been dramatized, making Sir Raúl out to be a greater hero than most accepted. In reality, it is far more likely that his 'adventures' were simply a scouting mission by the Spanish Empire as, shortly after Sir Raúl's adventure, the Spanish Empire annexed Eritrea. The annexation of Eastern Africa led to a humanitarian crisis as the Spanish brutally ruled for the next fifty years.
Despite this, Sir Raúl's story spread like wildfire throughout Europe. He was rewarded for his service by being granted the title "Lord of New Murcia", being given dominion over the Spanish holdings in Doggerland (which at the time was intended to be a great portion of the continent, due to the ambitions of Juan XVI). Sir Raúl founded the House of Murcia and settled into the small settlement of Balancía (Rockfield).
Independence
Sir Raúl's tenure as Lord of New Murcia was short, with his death in 2611. His son, Lord Alfonso Murcia, became the first truly Balancín ruler of the Rock. His lordship saw Rockfield's expansion into Talaga and further westward into the continent. Alfonso, unlike his father before him, was a popular ruler and was placed in higher regard than even the Spanish King by the Balancín people. He kept taxes low, encouraged growth of agricultural and fishing industries, supported the development of education, and allowed the people of the Rock more personal freedom than any other subjects of the Spanish crown. Before his death, historians tend to believe that Lord Alfonso favoured independence from the Spanish crown in light of the ascension of Carlos XXI and demands for greater tax revenue from Rockfield.
Lord Alfonso's son, Philip, succeeded him as Lord of New Murcia (which was changed to Lord of the Rock in 2630) and became a loud advocate for greater autonomy from the Spanish crown. Philip refused Carlos XXI's Petición (petition) for troops to fight in the ongoing Spanish War of Conquest in North Africa. Philip's refusal was based in the belief that the Balancín people should not be forced to fight in a foreign war. On 20 March 2640, Philip wrote to the King of Spain requesting that Rockfield not be forced to comply with the demand for additional forces. With a reply some days later, Carlos XXI refused Philip's request.
Carlos XXI's response to Philip's request
As translated from Spanish
"The people of New Murcia and all associated lands, as subject of his Imperial Grace, Emperor Carlos XXI, shall comply with the petition as ordered. Ignorance will result in desecration of the honour of his Lordship, the Lord of Murcia and the end of the people's right to inhabit his Imperial Grace's holdings in Doggerland."
Declaration and crowning of Philip I
In response to Carlos XXI's letter, Philip declared the Balancín people to be "free and independent" of the foreign Spanish Crown. On 30 March 2640, Philip was crowned Philip, King of the Rock by Lord Leo Bartelista. His coronation as King marked the beginning of Rockfield's war for independence and the official start of the Balancín Monarchy and the creation of the modern Rockfield state.