High-Chiefdom of Urai
The HIgh-Chiefdom of Urai is a large group of tribes who occupy a stretch of land along the coast of the Phoenix sea. They border the territories of the Phoenixian Cities, the Kingdom of Ardra, and the Hyperborean Tribelands. The Uraish tribes also occupy the islands of Huwa, Orea, Equinae, and Cyclos. Despite being considered primitive and uncivilized by more advanced kingdoms, the Urai tribes have maintained themselves united under a High-Chief for many centuries now, which allowed them to expand their domains vastly.
Structure
The High-Chief of Urai presides over a council of chiefs of the different clans. Each chief is effectively a king to his own clan or tribe, having full autonomy in how to rule, but must bring his warriors to the call of the High-Chief in times of war, and pay tribute to the high-chief after collecting his own taxes. The local chiefs enjoy so much political autonomy, they sometimes even war against each other, and while the High-Chief often calls both sides of this conflict to the table and force them to find peace-terms, that's not always the case or done immediately after the conflict first breaks. It's a fine line to walk as the High-Chief cannot be perceived as exerting too much control over the tribal leaders, as that could lead to him being deposed and replaced by another one who will respect tribal autonomy, but also cannot be perceived as a weak leader who let his chiefs run rampant, as that the more powerful chiefs to seek to replace him as High-Chief.
The Rank of High-Chief is hereditary, passed from father to son, but more often than not, tribal chiefs are summoned to vote between the sons of the High-Chief as to whom they want as a leader. The High-Chief may choose any of his sons as his own appointed candidate, but others are in no obligation to vote for him. In a few occasions, a contestant which is not the son or even related to the High-Chief may be pushed forth by the leaders, often as a sign that they are displeased with the current leadership. Should that contestant win the vote, a new clan takes residence in the High-Chiefs hall to rule over Urai.
History
Uraish people have occupied the lands of Urai since time immemorial, but the high-chiefdom as it exists today began in the year 306 of the current age. Displaced by an unusually long and brutal winter, many Hyrelian tribes migrated south to find new lands to settle and escape famine and death. Some of these tribes displaced other Hyrelians, often through war, causing a stir of massive numbers of population in Hyperborea. As a result, a mass of displaced Boreanoi crossed into Urai territory. This Uraish tribes were vastly outnumbered facing the sheer number of Hyrelians, who were as much an invading army as a migrant population, and swiftly defeated. The survivors, expelled from their lands, began to arrived into other tribes with news of the massive army of 'blond-heads' moving down on them from the north. Eventually they Hyrelians would continue to push down and displace even more of the Uraoi . The stories spread and soon a council of tribes was called and after much debating, the chiefs agreed in banding together to expel the invaders. The resulting war was brutal and long-lasting, a series of conflicts that dragged for over two decades. In the end, the Uraish didn't recover all of the lost territories, but manage to gain some ground and stop Hyrelians from advancing any further.
After such a long period functioning in a union, the Uraish people had, without deliberate intention, set rules for arbitrating conflicts and cooperation in ways that would be less disruptive to the 'war effort'. As such, even after the Hyrelian threat was dealt with, they continued to abide by the instructions of the High-Chief, back then an almost purely military title meaning the commander of the alliance, about how to build defenses and place their armies in case the Hyrelians tried again. Over time, as peace lasted, the position of High-Chief ingrained itself in their society.
Founding Date
306
Type
Geopolitical, Tribe
Alternative Names
Urai
Demonym
Uraish
Controlled Territories
Related Ethnicities
Comments