Crovania
Crovania | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location of Crovania on the Island of Crovaney, Caproney. | |
| Country | Caproney |
| Capital and largest city | Aervigh |
| Area | |
| • Total | 386.2 km2 (149.1 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 2nd |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 42,229 |
| • Density | 109.4/km2 (283/sq mi) |
| Demonyms | Crovanian, Crofanlander |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
Crovania; Caprish Crofanye, is an amt in Caproney on the southern part of the island of Crovaney, the second most populous of all nine amts, bordering Norhelm in the north, the Reyde strait in the south, the Sylteys to the east across the Sarcsund and the Angobught, and the Atlantic Ocean (North Sea) to the west. In 2020 it had a population of 42,229. The administrative centre of the amt and its largest city is Aervigh, the largest city in Caproney.
Etymology
Crovania Amt takes its name from the short-lived amt of the same name that comprised the northern part of the current region between 1919 and 1942, prior to which it was referred to as Crofanland. Both names refer to the city of Crofan, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Caproney on the island of Crovaney (which also takes its name from the city). The Caprish name for the amt is 'Crofanye'. The last part of the name Crovania, '-ia' is a Latin suffix, which is calqued as the Caprish suffix '-ye.'
Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms of Crovania is a modern one, created in 1919 as the arms of the short-lived Vigheland amt. The arms are yellow with a blue cross. The design is a recoloured version of the red and white arms of the City of Aervigh with the colours of Crofan, blue and yellow. The arms and flag were adopted in 1942 during the British occupation of Caproney during the Second World War.
History
The island of Crovaney, originally connected with Grattey as Magna Capria prior to a great flood in 200CE, was first referred to as 'Capria Minor' or Lesser Caproney, in contrast to Grattey, Great Caproney.
The pre-Germanic inhabitants of Crovania were part of the broader Caprii, a celtic people group. These people were characterized by their building of round towers, burial mounds, and rituals involving deer. One such burial mound exists near the village of Udinse measuring 2 metres tall.
By the fifth and sixth centuries, a migration of Germanic peoples comprising of Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians, established a multitude of squabbling petty kingdoms across the islands. Among these on the island of Capria Minor was the Crofanic Kingdom (Crofanisce Cenynric) based in the hilltop fort of Crofan, which grew to dominate its smaller neighbour petty kingdoms such as the armies of Ranse and Doggerican. Throughout the 600s the Crofan based Kingdom of Caproney would engage in minor wars with the Hundreds of the Sylteys and the Kingdom of Great Caproney across the Reyde.
Between 780 and 800 the Norse invaded Lesser Caproney, establishing a Jarldom based around the new port of Ægiravík used as a stationing point for raiding England, a more profitable target for viking compared to the Caproneys. The Viking presence in the Vighe created a crisis for the Crofan based kingdom, leading in a brief war in 820 that resulted in a crushing Lesser Caprish defeat and the end of the diarchy. The Gerns kingdom did not assist, and the Crofanic king was replaced with a Danish Jarl, becoming the Ægiravíkeyjarlar, or Aervigh Jarldom (D'eorlric fa'nAervigh). The Norse allowed a degree of local rule, elevating the Old Folcshus from tribal affairs to a proper proto-legislature.
Following the Norman and Norwegian invasions of England in 1066 and subsequent political crisis upon Harold Hardrada’s death, the Norse slowed their focus on activities in the North Sea. As many of the Danes of Ægiravík withdrew, a power vacuum opened in the Jarldom in 1095 when Jarl Bjólfr Erikson died without an heir, leading to a civil war between Rudolf Aslund of the Vighe and Holger the Crovanian. The Earl of Great Caproney, Ercebald III would intervene in the conflict in 1126 on the side of Holger the Crovanian, and in 1134, the Eorlricen of Grattey and Caproney were unified by the personal union of Ercebald III upon his marrying Holger's sister Adelhilda, merging the houses of Aegirs and Gerns into the house of Camstun. The Old Folcshus was ordered dissolved as the court in Gerns took precedence.
In 1336, Caproney joined the Hanseatic League of merchants, and began to experience increasing greater trade connections between northern German cities. Such trade was concentrated in the port city of Aervigh, where wool and textiles were the main exports, while imports included Swedish iron, Baltic lumber, and manufactured goods from Northern Germany. The center of Hanse activity in the city of Aervigh brought about modernizations to the little changed Anglo Saxon political and economic system. Frankish style feudal society was introduced to the Caproneys through Aervigh in Crovaney and Saxhaven in Grattey. In 1349, the Black Death (Suartedod) hit Crovania. Two thirds of the population at the time perished. Increasing pressure by England against Hanseatic trading in the Baltic Sea led in 1468 to the Anglo-Hanseatic War, fought mainly through commerce raiding and privateering. A French built warship was commissioned for the war named Ekbert von Ärwik (Eghberd fa'nAervigh) that raided English and Burgundian shipping down the English Channel as far as Ushant. In 1474 the English capitulated, establishing further Hansa kontors in England and opening Caproney to English trade and competition. Economic crises across Europe during the 15th century coupled with the rise of regional powers like Sweden, Denmark-Norway, and the United Dutch Provinces spelled the end for the Hanseatic League, which formally ceased in 1660.
Lutheranism arrived early in Crovaney through Hanse trade with the core of newly Protestant Germany, becoming the primary faith of the region by 1520, a decade before Duke Uicman I officiated the Church of Caproney centred in Gerns and his invitation of Johannes Bugenhagen.
CONDENSED HISTORY WIP
Crovania became a Lean (fief) in the 16th century called Crofanlean, and then also included all of Uodinsehunder, while Terryngehunder and Eastevighe was part of the Sylteylean. Prior to this, the island of Crovaney had no official subdivisions, and local jurisdictions often overlapped. In 1666, the Lean became an Amt (county), and with this the Syltic Crovaney territories were ceded to the amt, now called Amt Crofanland (Amycht Crofvanlund in Early Modern Caprish). In 1740 the western portion of Uodinsehunder became part of Norhelm, bringing the amt to its present borders. In 1919, the amt was split in twain, with the northern portion centred around Crofan being renamed 'Crovania', or Crofanye in Caprish, while the south was named Vigheland. The amts of Crovania and Vigheland were reunited in 1942 under the British occupation, but retaining the name Crovania.
Geography
As a geographical term, Crovania is recent, originally being called Crofanland. Crovania Amt is located on the south-western half of the island of Crovaney, the second largest island in the Caprish Archipelago.
Like the rest of the archipelago, Crovania is relatively flat with bands of rolling hills made of glacial moraine. The most important geographic feature is the Vighe, a natural harbour on the Reyde strait at the mouths of both the rivers Y and Cor and enclosed by the Angey and Terrynge peninsulas.
The Vighe is the location of the Vigheland metropolitan region (also known as Aervigh-Inhafen), the largest urban area in the country, mainly comprising of the capital city of Aervigh and the port town of Inhafen and surrounding towns.
There are many towns in Crovania other than Aervigh and Inhafen. Further up the river Y is the town of Caermagh, and up the river Cor is Crofan, the historic capital and third largest city in Crovania.
Economy
During the industrial revolution, Inhafen was known as the 'Manchester of Caproney' due to its extensive textile mills. The rivers Y and Cro provided extensive power to watermills, many of which were involved in textile production. Today, many of the old mill buildings are used for art studios, office space, and, more recently, apartments.
While its role as a major shipping hub has waned, Aervigh remains a major North Sea port.
Tourism makes up a large portion of the Crovanian economy, being the second most visited region in Caproney after Cenyngs.
Government
An amt is the chief local administrative area in Caproney. The whole of the Caproneys is divided into 9 amten. An amt is also an election area, with votes taking place every 4 years using proportional representation since 2008. Crovania is apportioned 14 seats in the national legislature, or 23% of the Folcshus. Politically, Crovania leans left, with 9/14 Crovanian ealdermen belonging to the AP-SD-Greane coalition.
The government of Crovania is the Crovanian Amt Municipality (Crofanyeramtiscegemead), which elects 33 amtsmen who run the Amtsding, a county council. Heading the Amtsding is the Forsteamtsman. Since 2016, the Crovanian Amtsding has been run by Sofia Spreccer, the amt mayor.
Subdivisions
- Crofanhunder (includes Crofan)
- Dosenland (includes Cofeore, Uaeg, and Batun)
- Uodinsehunder (includes Uodins)
- Aervighunder (includes Aervigh, Ransehod, and Farne)
- Vighelandhunder (includes Vicgh and Inhafen)
- Terrynge (includes Salemborg and Forc)