Kingdom of Orbach

The Kingdom of Orbach is the largest and self-proclaimed most powerful of all the nations of Weston. It is the inheritor state of the Orsinta Dominion, but has both lost and gained territory since its founding and whilst not as singularly powerful as its predecessor, holds more land. In recent decades it has colonised some of the western parts of Easton partly through the traditional method, but also through direct commercial transference from holdings of the The Commonwealth of Tredonia, much to the ire of the latter.

Structure

The Kingdom of Orbach is a technically a feudal monarchy, like most of the human nations on Weston, but feudal structure is less rigid than in most. Whilst the monarch holds supreme power in matters of state and foreign policy, domestically the monarch's demands have to be tempered by the willingness of the nation's nine counties and their powerful and influential Counts and Countesses, whose own soldiery are as numerous as the state's. Whilst internal conflict is uncommon on a large scale, minor skirmishes between counties are relatively frequent, and most of the counties' rulers see the monarch as someone to mediate between themselves and deal with outsiders, as opposed to a position they hold anything more than superficial allegiance to. Both the monarchy and the county rulers are hereditary in nature.
When the kingdom was initially founded, the more minor nobility was granted their titles by the counts, and their position was dependent on their local ruler's good graces. Over the centuries, titles are now more firmly fixed, and any count seeking to remove a title from one of their vassals would face significant resistance, especially on the edges of their county, where allegiance could easily be switched to a rival count. The ranking of the titles in Orbach are as such:

• King/Queen - ruler of Orbach and technically paramount, in practice it's more fractious
• Prince/Princess - children and important relatives of the monarch. Actual power is granted by the monarch and varies considerably
• Count/Countess- rulers of the six counties and wield almost absolute power in their counties in internal affairs
• Viscount/Viscountess - children and important relatives of a count or countess. Like Princes and Princesses, power is granted by the count/countess and varies
• Baron/Baroness - Rulers of parts of a county. Some baronies are large and almost as powerful as some counties, most are small and their power varies
• Baronet/Baronetess - titles handed out by barons to their own vassals
• Knight - A military rank given to commanders at any level.

Like in the neighbouring Kingdom of Newia, peasants typically do not own the land on which they work. Unlike in Newia, peasants 'rent' the land from their local lord for a fixed amount, and can work the land how they see fit, selling excess produce for more income. Most peasants are farmers, and after their rent (which can be paid in either coinage or produce) barely make enough for subsistence. Further, lords have the right to impose additional taxes on their people, to pay for things like wars, tourneys and feasts. Whilst such a windfall may be tempting for a lord to impose, Orbach has a fine history of peasant rebellions, typically supported by (and perhaps instigated by rival lords), so it is considered unwise to antagonise one's peasants.
Specialist occupations, such as magic-users, priests, and so on are, unless granted titles of nobility, peasants, but often are granted social status far above their actual position. Most members of these occupations are from the peasantry, particularly third or fourth-born children, who will stand to inherit little, and must find other means to earn a living.

History

The Orsinta Dominion had ruled most of eastern and southern Weston for close to four hundred years, bringing unity to the ancestral lands of the Duland people. The increasingly oppressive nature of its rulers, originally instigated to combat the growth of Schwarz influence, eventually led to revolt and revolution, with an alliance of Duland and Schwarz factons in the west of the Dominion leading the fray. With the authority of the Orsintans demolished, the entirety of its lands, and some additional territory from the Schwarz regions that joined the conflict, became known as the Kingdom of Orbach, named after the leading faction in the rebellion, and established a new capital in Kaptur, a prominent trading settlement on the boundary between Duland and Schwarz regions.
Within thirty years of its foundation, the region now known as The Commonwealth of Tredonia had seceded and formed their own nation, and after a prolonged period of conflict, the Kingdom of Newia gained its own independence.

Maps

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  Kingdom of Orbach

Founding Date

510 years before present

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Capital

Kaptur

Alternative Names

Orbach

Demonym

Orbachian

Leader Title

Monarch of Orbach

Location

Weston

Controlled Territories

• Kaptur
• Orsinta

Neighboring Nations

• Kingdom of Newia
• Principality of Redking
• The Commonwealth of Tredonia