Niessan Monarchies

General Information

The Niessan Monarchies are a collection of semi-independent vassal states under the dominion of the High Duke of Mustelia & Nivalia. Other than the ruling Grand Duchy of Mustelia & Nivalia, all are styled as principalities. The monarchies are primarily populated by weasels and stoats (collectively called 'Niessans') as well as a minority of pine martens (known as 'White Martaysians' or 'Sibelo-Martaysians') located in the Principality of Sibel and some parts of the Principality of Freneta. Sibelo-Martaysans are however, frequently referred to as 'Niessans' for political and practical reasons. The region is characterised as reactionary, traditionalist, moralist and monarchist. However, despite their traditionalist trappings, the monarchies are more or less modernised states with up-to-date military technology, television and internet access.

Politics

All Niessan monarchies operate as absolute monarchies, either ruled indirectly through a dependent prince or directly by the High Duke of Mustelia & Nivalia. The seat of Mustelia-Nivalia is semi-hereditary and functions on a basis of non-salic primogeniture: the first born child (of any gender) takes the throne. The Principality of Lutrèole is generally ruled by the second in line to the throne, whereas the Principalities of Sibel and Freneta belong to more distantly related or unrelated monarchic lines. The Niessan monarchies to not have formal constitutions: the Duke is only limited in power by traditional taboos, and the Princes by the Duke's veto.

Grand Duchy of Mustelia & Nivalia

Niessan name: U Màgnu Dùchat de Mustèlia he Nibèlia
Capital: Carlun (Carlùgnat)
Monarch: High Duke Patrick IV Nessmor (Alt Duch Padrìgu IV Nièsmur)

Principality of Freneta

Niessan name: A Prìnchipat de Frenèta
Capital: Frenet (Frènet)
Monarch: Princess Sarah Nessmor (Princhèsa Mùra Nièsmur)

Principality of Sibel

Niessan name: A Prìnchipat de Sìbel
Martaysan name: La Prjnkjpea de Sjbel
Monarch: Prince John II of Sibel (Prjns Ján II da Sjbel)

Principality of Lutreole

Niessan name: A Prìnchipat de Lutrèol
Capital: Lutreole (Lutrèol)
Monarch: Prince Robert Nessmor (Princh Rapèrtu Nièsmur)

History

Geography and Demographics

Language

The most common language in the Niessan monarchies is Niessan (formerly known as 'Mustelian'), an archaic romance language very closely related to vulgar Latin. It is spoken by 85-90% of the combined population of the Niessan monarchies. This however, was not always the case. Although Old Niessan had been the most common native language of the Niessans prior to the Martaysan conquest in the 9th century, it began to be eroded by the Martaysan language in the 15th and 16th centuries and eventually found itself confined to Mustelia, the rocky westernmost fringe of the peninsula. By the early 18th century, almost no Niessan was spoken in either Freneta or Nivalia and it was sometimes referred to in that era as 'Mustelian' rather than Niessan. The languages fortunes changed after the Martaysan Civil war and the Niessan war of Independence (see above), after which Niessan was made an official language of all the newly-independent monarchies and gradually recovered lost ground throughout the following centuries.

The second most common language in the monarchies is Martaysan, sometimes called Sibelian for political reasons. It is a romance language related to Niessan that is now mainly spoken in Sibel and some parts of northern Freneta. It is also the sole language of the Neighbouring [[National Republic of Martays]]. Most Frenetans and almost all Sibelians have some knowledge of Sibelian.

Society

Religion

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