Illium

The Illium Empire (Latin: Empirius Illius), officially named Her Majesty the Queen's Illium Empire, often referred to as simply "the Empire" is an Absolute Monarchy lead by Queen Skylar Elizabeth Sariah, daughter of the late Queen Alexandra Lynn Sariah II. The Empire consists of 6 Provinces. Five of them, Callia, Serenity, Helios, Dallas, and Capital provinces are on the mainland, while Morningstar Island is it's own province. The Capital City, New Dallas, is ironically enough not located in the Capital Province. The Empire is located on the Kerguelen II subcontinent (located northeast of the Kerguelin Contenent occupied by the Republic of Asgard).

The Illium Empire joined the Alliance of Independant Nations in November 2012.

Geography & Climate
The Empire is a subcontinent located in the Indian Ocean. Each Province

Early History
Around 900AD, Nordic and Scottish expedition settlers arrived on the northern coast and established Calanius. The city grew quickly, and quickly became an early and busy trade hub in the Indian Ocean. By 1000 BC, the City-State of Calanius had prospered and grown, it’s government control spanned the entire northern coast of the Kerguelen II Subcontinent. Leaders develop a system of roads connecting townships and cities. Construction of the King’s city began in the central mountains (Now Serenity Mountain Range).

The King’s city was completed about 1050BC. It is named Civitas de Mons (City of the Mountain, now Northfire City). A vote was held to move the government seat to Civitas de Mons. The vote was overturned. The Calan Empire began expansion southward, deeper into the mountains and coastlines east and west of the central range.

For nearly two hundred years, the Calan Empire had slowly spread. It’s stable rule was thanks to an ingenious and revolutionary form of government for for it's time; a Representative Monarchy. The top leaders are royal blood, but local and regional leaders are elected, and have a major say in politics. Around 1250 the Calan Empire grew to a breaking point, spanning too far from the northern capital city of Calanius to maintain a firm hold on the Empire. In 1255, Civitas de Mons and surrounding townships declared independence from the Calan Empire. The city of Thessia was established in the Terreria River Basin on the southwestern end of the Central Mountain Range that same year, pledging allegiance to Civitas de Mons.

In 1256, King Aekin Rugo leads an army of 30,000 troops to Civitas de Mons. They are defeated by self-proclaimed Queen Helena Sariah, the Empire's first female monarch. News of the King’s defeat reaches Calanius. The Illius Empire is established, lead by Queen Helena. Territories and townships surrounding Civitas de Mons and everything south to the Terreria River Basin claim allegiance to the Illius Empire. In 1264 The Calan Empire begins to stagnate. Trade slows with Calanius as more profitable and better quality exports sail out of Thessia and the Illius Empire towards the south. In 1281, large veins of gold and diamonds are found on Morningstar Island. The Island is claimed under the Illius Empire. The Empire prospers from this find. San Illium (Now Illium City) is founded as a southern trade port for the Illius Empire, far away from Calan territory.

Rise of the Queen
In 1285, King Rugo II, in a desperate bid for power, marches half his army, nearly 50,000 troops, into Illius Territory. He splits his forces and marches on both Civitas de Mons and Thessia within the same week. Both armies suffer a humiliating defeat. King Rugo II escapes death and returns to Calanius a broken King. Two years later, in 1287, Queen Helena’s army of 80,000 troops, lead by General Helio Mara’ak, march into Calan territory. They are met with moderate resistance. Forces stop to regroup and re-arm late in the year, 150km from Calanius. The following spring, General Mara’ak’s troops march on Calanius. The entire city is burned to the ground. Just a few years later, in 1292 the last of the Calan Empire crumbles. Northern cities pledge allegiance to the Illius Empire. Queen Helena died of old age in 1298. Her daughter Alexis Sariah takes the crown. The Empire prospered under the female leadership. The tradition of the Queen begins, where the ruler is always a female.

Around 1690, tensions grew between the southern port city of San Illium and Civitas de Mons. Both cities are claiming the title of Capital of the Illius Empire. The rebuilding of Calanius began around the same time period. Finally, in 1706, San Illium declared itself and surrounding townships independent of the Illius Empire. The Queen responds by threatening to repeat history by marching on the city and burning it to the ground, despite the fact that it is a large and prosperous part of the Empire. The port city of Calanius is named regional capitol of the Northern Provence (now the Callia Province), pledging allegiance to the Illius Empire. Thessia is named capitol of the Southern province (now the Helios Province). Regional leadership is set up that reports directly to the Queen, but is left largely to deal with their own affairs. In 1708 the Queen begins a blockade of trade traffic to San Illium. Two years later, San Illium surrenders. Without trade from the sea and cut off from supplies in the north, San Illius submits to the Queen. The rebel state rejoins the Empire.

European Introductoin
In 1752, British traders find the port city of Calanius. It earns the nickname “Callia”, after an early historian mistakes the name in his charts. The name sticks. News of the prosperous nation reach Europe. Massive expeditions to the Illium Subcontenent begin. Between 1780 and 1805, Britain and Spain attempt to establish colonies on the subcontinent and meet fierce political (and sometimes military) resistance. Rather than start a costly war with an already established empire, the British set up a “sphere of influence” in Callia.

In 1808, The Queen traveled to Britain to begin serious talks of a permanent alliance with the British Empire. In December of the same year, the Unity Treaty is signed, making the British Empire and the Illius Empire allies for the remainder of their existence. In the treaty, the word Illius is translated as Illium. European nations begin to recognize the empire as the “Illium Empire”. They also name the capitol Northfire City, completely misreading the translation of Civitas de mons. Both names stick.

Prosperity & Desparity
In June of 1815 All forms of slavery and human trafficking are abolished in the Illium Empire, Her Colonies, and Her territories. Transfer of the Capitol to San Illium (renamed Illium city) from Northfire City. The large coastal plains allow for rapid expansion. Farming Provinces in the south and east coast experience record-breaking famine conditions. At the same time, a deadly disease known only as the Demon Plague sweeps through the north. Tension grows between the north and the south as supplies grow short and people die due to disease or famine.

Civil war breaks out in 1886 as desperate people from the southeast try to raid Thessia and its provinces for supplies and the Empire defends it. Multiple socio-economical issues arise and strain tensions more. The Illium Civil War ends four years later with the Treaty of Serenity on 5 April 1890. Equality Act established that same year. All humans are to be treated equally, may own land and qualify for citizenship.

World Wars I & II
During World War I, The Illium Empire supplies both Allied and Central powers with basic humanitarian aid, but covertly militarily supports the Allied Powers, especially Great Britain. The Empire does not officially join in either side, and avoids direct combat.

World Financial Crisis sends American stock market crashing in October of 1929. The Empire feels a major economic blowback from the crash. Unemployment skyrockets to over 20%. Free Suffrage Act enacted in 1936. Anyone over the age of 17 may vote, so long as they are legal citizens of the Illium Empire, one of her colonies, or territories. Queen Alexis II launches the Illium Citizenship Aide Campaign (Similar to the American New Deal) in 1938, which begins an overhaul of the transportation and public services system of the entire Empire. The Inter-regional Highway system is built.

Red-White Concordat is signed on 3 December 1940, at the start of World War II. The Illium Empire Pledges to openly support Allied forces. Japanese attempt to bomb naval heart of the Empire in Callia on the 7th of January, 1942. Less than half the Japanese bombers reach the Port. Only moderate damage is done to infrastructure, thanks to advanced warning and sheer luck. The Americans spotted the force, and warned the Empire a day ahead of time. Most of the Royal Navy was out to sea and avoided attack. WWII ends with Allied victory, with the combat death toll under 150,000 for the Empire.

Nuclear Age & Space Race
The Empire's first nuclear weapon is tested, with American and British oversight, on 3 May 1956. Shortly after, in 1959, Illium National Space Contingency is founded. INSC Successfully launches a satellite into orbit a year later. In 1965, the Zues Program begins. The first Illium Empire citizen, Doctar Liara T'Soni is launched into space. She spends 27 hours in space. In 1969, the first Illian unmanned moon survey mission begins. Dr. T’soni is the first Illium Citizen, and the only woman to date, to walk on the surface of the moon on the 1st of January 1970.

The Origins spacecraft is launched in September 1979, in hopes of mapping the surface of Mars.

The Calistan Crisis
Calistan Crisis Timeline: --1983: Calistan Crisis begins. Tensions grow over territorial disputes of a colony island off the coast of Australia. Calistan Federation begins attempts to blockade Northern Illium in November. Rather than start a war, the Queen issues a no-fire order to her forces in the north, stating that no military force shall fire on any Calistan forces. The Navy is forced to sail south around Morningstar Island and east towards Australia. The UN commends the Queen for her attempts to avoid an all out war. --1984: In February, a carrier task group sails north from Callia, headed for the Red Sea to link up with American task forces. The carrier, HMS Dauntless, and her attending battlegroup, the 7th United Fleet, attempt to run the blockade. They are fired on by Calistan forces. Anti-missile cruisers and AEGIS cruisers leased from the Americans easily dispatch the incoming fire. The 7th Fleet returns fire, sinking 6 Federation ships, and damaging 8 others. The Americans and British Forces meet up in the Indian Ocean in defense of the 7th Fleet, warning the Calistan Federation not to retaliate. UN Sanctions on Calistan are put in place until the blockade of Northern Illium is lifted. The blockade is lifted on March 19th. The Calistan Crisis ends, and war is averted. Tensions are still high between the Empire and the Federation, as bad blood remains. --1985: Economic recession in response to the Calistan Crisis. --1991: Collapse of the Soviet Union results in Calistan, a non-nuclear state, acquires soviet nuclear weaponry. UN attempts to sanction the weapons away and fails. --1995: Calistan government collapses. It is annexed and re-absorbed into Russia.

Recent History
Queen Alexandra Lynn Sariah enacted the Technology Advancement Act in March of 1998, which allows for the research and development of advanced dangerous technologies as long as they are done more than 150km away from any population centers with a population of over 500 people. In early 1999, Greystone Industries takes advantage of the TAA, and begins construction on the Greystone Research Center (GRC) in the southern Serenity Mountains, focusing on antimatter research. The GRC is completed in late October 2001. Research on antimatter soon begins. Greystone Industries is determined to develop efficient space travel, and start a station on the moon and put a man on Mars by 2020. So far, they are ahead of schedule, with 3 unmanned trips to Mars, supported by the INSC.

On 18 July 2003, in the second largest terrorist strike in Illium History to date, Al Qaida operatives infiltrate the Ministry of Defense and detonate a bomb inside the building, killing 451 people. At the same time, they bombed Subway stations in Thessia City and Callia, as well as bombing Sariah International Airport. The act is dubbed The Blood Morning Incident. All in all, 1,215 people were killed. The Empire joins the United States and NATO in the War on Terror, deploying over 20,000 troops to support the US invasion of Iraq and 55,000 troops to weed out Al Qaida in Afghanistan.

With the Iraq conflict drawing down in 2010, the Empire recalls 18,000 troops from Iraq and 50,000 from Afghanistan, leaving only token support forces. This was branded as a withdrawal from the war on terror.

The Fall of Illium City
On 2 June 2012, the largest terrorist attack in the world to the date of this writing, nearly fifty bombs were simultaneously detonated in the heart of Illium City. Major infrastructure was damaged, and the entirety of Serenity Island, Illium City's Central Business District was cut off. Dozens of bridges crossing the Bay of Serenity and the Illium City River were damaged beyond repair or completely destroyed. Fordham Hall at the University of Illium was also attacked. The Queen's youngest daughter, Princess Jasmin Sariah, was killed in the bombing.

In the Industrial District, the Firelight Hydrogen Power Plant's chemical storage depot was bombed, dispelling high levels of deadly chemicals (such as Carbon Monoxide, Methane, and Mercury). The area is still uninhabitable to all but those in HAZMAT suits.

The same day, while flying south from the Serenity Mountain Complex, Queen Alexandra Lynn Sariah II's transport suffered catastrophic engine failure. The transport, Royal One, crashed in the southern Serenity mountains, killing everyone on board. Her daughter, Princess Skylar Elizabeth assumed the crown.

The attack was given the name "The Fall of Illium City" by the American Media, and has since then stuck. Due to the rapid decline of the Empire's capital city, the Royal Family has since moved to the city of New Dallas, the Empire's largest city. The Royal Flag is scheduled to be transferred to New Dallas on 1 March 2013, declaring the city as the Empire's new capital city.

Queen
Skylar Elizabeth Sariah was born on the 22nd of October, 1989, at the Northfire Palace in the Serenity Province.

Princesses
Victoria Nichole Sariah was born on the 5th of December, 1992, on board Royal One over the Morningstar Island Bay, en route to Illium City.

Provinces
Main Article: Provinces of the Empire