Marim

Marim is one of the largest sovereign sultanates in Nars'kah. Marim is an Absolute Monarchy. The Sultan is Jahmal Hanim, who has ruled for 39 years and succeeded his uncle - who had no direct heirs . The capital and largest city of Marim is Elhaj, with a population of 600,000 people. Overall, the Sultanate has an area of 962,829 km².
Marim has not had a stable history, suffering several devastating civil wars and fighting back the Senterren Empire as they try and establish a foothold in Nars'kah. Marim is also home to many illegal guilds and organisations, such as the infamous assassin's guild the Kagë.
However, Marim is also the heart of international trade within Nars'kah. The trading hubs of the region are some of the busiest in the world, as people from all over flock to sample some of the exotic delights offered by the region. As a result of this trade, Marim is both incredibly wealthy and far more technologically advanced than its neighbouring nations - many merchants bring the latest advancements from Eucadia or Solvaren to sell in return for exotic spices.

Structure

As Marim is an absolute monarchy, all power rests in the hands of its leader - the Sultan. However, the Sultan is assisted by a group of advisors, known as Viziers, that are picked by the Sultan to advise him on major decisions. There are six Viziers, each with their own area of expertise - such as trade, war, or taxation. The laws and policies of Marim are created by the Sultan and his Viziers. These laws are then communicated to the regional officers, known as Emirs.
There are many Emirs, each one is tasked with a specific region of Marim - ensuring it operates smoothly and efficiently. The Emirs have a degree of autonomy over their region, and communicate both the Sultan's wishes and their wishes to the local leaders - known as the Oltars.
An Oltar is charged with a small area, usually containing a town and several villages - he is directly responsible for everything that happens there. It is his duty to put the commands of his superiors into action on the ground, completing the chain of command that goes directly back to the Sultan.

History

War of Succession

Main article: Hanim Succession War

In 1231, Sultan Rashid Hanim was poisoned. His eldest son, Humayd, was expected to take the throne and rul. However, the younger son, Ahmed, disagreed with the idea of Humayd ruling - he believed that Humayd was too agressive and did not think things through before acting, and for this reason Ahmed would make a better sultan.
The pair gathered together two armies and began to viciously fight over the throne. Marim was in turmoil, the country was devastated by the war and many ancient historical landmarks were lost in the conflict - including the Kagë temple.
It was the destruction of the temple that caused the end to the war. The Kagë had a proud tradition of training the greatest warriors in Nars'kah, and Prince Humayd was concerned they may get involved - so he ordered his soldiers to burn the temple, hoping to kill the fighters within.
His plan backfired, the warriors managed to escape and broke their original stance of neutrality - siding with Prince Ahmed. The assistance of the finest warriors in the land proved a great help to Ahmed's armies, leading to the end of the war in 1238 - when Ahmed held his brother's severed head up high for all to see.

Demography and Population

The majority of Marim's population is from Marim. However, as Marim is an international nation, there is a relatively high amount of people from other countries and continents - flocking to the economically booming country.

Territories

Geography

The overall area of Marim is 962,829 km². The majority of the country is hot, arid desert that nobody could live in. The hospitable areas of the nation include various oases throughout the desert and the area along the Torg Valley - made arable by the long river running through it. It is the water from the Torg that allows Marim to be anything but an inhabitable desert, as the river water creates fertile ground alongside it.
A large amount of Marim within the Adrac'h Desert. This area is mostly seas of sand, with large dunes sculpted by the wind - the rest of the desert is rocky plateaus with little to no vegetation. The desert isolates Marim from neighbouring sultanates, providing some degree of protection from possible invaders.

Climate

Marim has a hot desert climate, with less than 250mm of rain per year and daytime temperatures of up to 50°C. The majority of Marim's rain falls during the cold winter months, however, locations along the coast such as Elhaj receive a bit more precipitation due to its location by the sea.
The hot temperates are a result of its location, as Marim is approximately 30°N of the equator - which is where the air sinks and creates zones of high pressure. This is not helped by the strong wind that blows over the Adrac'h - bringing intense heat alongside burning sand particles.

Military

With the increased wealth of the Sultanate, a great proportion of that was directed towards the military - preparing them for a possible conflict as the Senterren Empire turns its gaze towards the other continents.

Religion

Marim is the nexus of the primary religion of Nars'kah - the House of Elmanrah. It was in the capital of Marim that Nayan founded the House, and it is in the capital that the House rules from even today.
There are a few other religions active within Marim, such as the old Shamanist religion that predated the House of Elmanrah - but these are not major forces within the nation.

Foreign Relations

Out of all of the Kingdoms of Nars'kah, Marim has the greatest foreign relations with other continents and between the Nars'kahan Kingdoms. As they are the largest and wealthiest kingdom, they have enjoyed a close relationship to the Senterren Empire and the Kingdom of Aeronia for many years as they trade their exotic spices and goods with outsiders. They also wield a tremendous amount of influence in the region, and the Sultan of Marim has ordered his neighbouring countries on what to do in many occasions - threatening to cease all trade otherwise.

Praise the Sands

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Capital

Elhaj

Demonym

Mariman

Head of State

Jahmal Hanim

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Garins