The First Reformation

Introduction

The First Reformation, also known as the Democratic Process of Norland, took place in 1848. The reformation led to the establishment of a brand new democratic government system to replace the Vumachist Imperial State of Norland. The event opened the way for fundamental change in Norland, heralding the modern era. It was a period of unprecedented change in the cultural, economic, and religious factors. Many groups fought to shape the course of the reformation, and all segments of society were in some way changed by it. The old order, which Mehr Esfandyar Saneri had struggled for so long to sustain, was finally replaced by new institutions, new ways of life, and a new social, political, and economical order.

Explanation

The main groups seeking a reform were the poor merchants and a group of radical formers who had large support from the population. They shared the goal of ending royal corruption and Vumach influences in the economy. According to the reformers, the role of the Mehr was being used to keep the aristocrats wealthy at the expense of Norland's resources and economy. They argued that whilst Norland's oil industry was sold to foreigners, tax breaks on imports, exports and manufactured textiles destroyed Norland's economy. Mehr Esfandyar Saneri accumulated a fortune while selling assets to pay interest, instead of investing in Norland. This sparked the reform. The new reform created a parliament, the Mahras, and other democratic instituions. More power was taken from the Mehr with the supplementary fundamental law, which was passed by the National Assembly and signed by the new President, Zakarim Farahani Ali, in October 1848.

First Actions

In 1847, protests erupted about the imposition of Norlandian tariffs to repay foreign loan for Esfandyar's royal tour. In December of that year, two merchants in Nourald were beaten by police for vandalizing the street with anti-royal messages. The city's merchants rebelled, returning the favor to the police and refusing to serve anybody who had ties to law enforcement. The merchant groups sought sanctuary in a Nourald mosque, but the police entered the mosque and dispersed them. The dispersal triggered a larger movement which brought chaos in the streets of Nourald and other cities in Norland. Eventually, the Mehr spoke on January 12, 1848, agreeing to dismiss his power and transfer it to a "house of powers" (forerunner of the Norlandian parliament). The protests returned from to the streets of Nourald in triumph, riding royal carriages and hailed by a jubilant crowd.