Bolchidow Voivodeship
aka Bołchidów, Bolchidov, Bolkhidov
Bolchidow
Województwa Bołchidówski Воѥвоsтва Больхидóвски | |
|---|---|
| Bołchidów Voivodeship | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
| Country |  Polonian Presidential Dependency of Valenowa |
| Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk | 25 August 2020 |
| Bołchidów Province | 3 September 2020 |
| Bołchidów Voivodeship | 13 November 2023 |
| Founded by | Michał II Valenski |
| Named for | Fort Bolesław |
| Capital | Bolesław |
| Counties | 1 city, 1 county |
| Government | |
| • Body | Provincial Council |
| • Governor-General | Michał II Valenski |
| • Governor | vacant |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.031 km2 (0.012 sq mi) |
| Demonyms | Bolchidovan, Bołchidowan |
| Patron god | Perun |
| Regional languages | Polish, High Napranian |
Bolchidow (High Napranian: Bołchidów), officially Bolchidow Voivodeship (High Napranian: Województwa Bołchidówski), is a voivodeship, or province, of the Polonian Presidential Dependency of Valenowa. Bolchidow Voivodeship is located along the Western Valenian border with the United States, and borders the Almian Voivodeship to the South, the Casuran Voivodeship to the East, and the Valen Federal District to the North. It is the site of historic Fort Bolesław, the headquarters of the Valenian Armed Forces and the Polonian Legion, and operates as the military capital of Valenowa. The province holds its capital at the Bolesław fortified compound, and remains the only Valenian Province whose borders have never been changed or redrawn.
History
Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk
The Bolchidow Voivodeship was among the several original subdivisions of the Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk following its founding on 25 August 2020, and was officially declared a Province of the Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk on 3 September 2020 as the Province of Bołchidów. Prior to this, the region had been the site of a number of infrastructural projects, including a number of attempts to restore and reactivate the ruins of Fort Bolesław, which was partially accomplished in late 2020. Restoration efforts would continue throughout the existence of the Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk, and culminate in the renovation of the officer's quarters and the beginning of ongoing restoration efforts for the ruined barracks building and mess hall.
The Province of Bołchidów was heavily focused on by the Napranian government, both for its strategic and historical values, and would receive the most federal funding of any of the Napranian Provinces. The province would serve as the headquarters of the Napranian Royal Defense Corps from 2020 until the dissolution of the successor to the Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk, the Greater Kingdom of Naprzódsk, in the Spring of 2023.
Polonian Presidential Dependency of Valenowa
The Bolchidow Voivodeship was founded officially on 13 November 2023 following the redesignation and re-zoning of all former Napranian subdivisions by the Valenian government, though it had been referred to unofficially as a voivodeship by Governor-General Michał Valenski as early as August of 2023. Since its founding on 12 June 2023, the Polonian Presidential Dependency of Valenowa has continued the restoration efforts at Fort Bolesław, and redesignated the compound as a National Historic Site and the headquarters of the Armed Forces of Valenowa. In addition, the site was named the official capital of the Bolchidow Voivodeship in late 2023.
Present-day
Today, the Bolchidow Voivodeship remains the center of infrastructural development within the Polonian Presidential Dependency of Valenowa, and continues to receive a bi-weekly influx of funds from the Treasury of Valenowa to be utilized for maintenance and development.
Etymology
The exact origin of the Old Napranian word Bołchidów is largely unknown due to a lack of records, however is commonly theorized to be a combination of the Polish name Bolesław (in reference to Bolesław I the Brave of Poland) and the Napranian word chidówa, which can be translated to "fief" or "lordship."
Government
The local government of Bolchidow is controlled by a Provincial Council headed primarily by the Governor-General of Valenowa, and secondarily by the Governor of Bolchidow. The Governor works in conjunction with a set of representatives, and is similarly elected by popular vote. The seat of the Governor is currently located at the officer's quarters of Fort Bolesław. The design of a separate building for the Bolchidovan Department of Provincial Affairs is currently underway, with the project headed by Lieutenant General Jakub Schahczinski, commander of the Civilian Corps of Engineers. The seat of the Governor of Bolchidow is currently vacant.
Geography
The soil structure of the Bolchidow Voivodeship is diverse, consisting of mostly sand in some areas, and fertile black soil in others. It exists within a temperate climate zone similarly to the other provinces that make up Valenowa, generally seeing mild weather, though with occasional extreme deviations throughout the course of the year. The province additionally holds one of the few fertile agricultural fields of Valenowa, and crops such as corn, winter rye, and pumpkins can commonly be seen throughout the region depending on the season.
Conservation efforts
The Bolchidow area is lightly forested, with a number of red oak, white pine, and black locust trees taking up the immediate area surrounding the Fort Bolesław compound, the latter of which was declared an invasive species by the former government of the Grand Duchy of Naprzódsk in early 2021. This ruling remains active in the present day, and efforts to slow the spread of the tree have been attempted in the form of forestry. This is due to black locust's unique natural resistance to almost all forms of rot and mildew that plague many other species, as well as its notable strength and thermal output when burned, making it a popular choice for both domestic lumber and firewood. In addition, black locust is notoriously fast-growing, and its saplings carry large thorns, making the tree both a valuable resource and an aggressive threat to more native species. Conservation efforts remain ongoing.