History of Easway

The history of Easway began with the establishment of the Grand Commonwealth of Lord Biarmia in 1478 as the first independent Easwegian polity. With the fall of the Novgorod Republic to Muscovy that same year, the lands that had made up the Iron Commonwealth of Biarmia, spanning from the Kola Peninsula, the Ural Mountains and as far north as Svalbard, declared and fought for independence under the leadership of Novgorod Posadnitsa Martha Boretskaya. Traditionally composed of Ezaari, Pomors, Norwegians and Uralic tribes, the Commonwealth was led by the Ezaari House of Papar with Norse-Gaelic cultural influence. The Commonwealth sustained its commerce through Pomors trade and between the 15th-16th centuries the polity was backed by the Hanseatic League and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in its struggle against Muscovy expansion. The Commonwealth expanded settlements around the White Sea and the Kola Peninsula, whilst guaranteeing the traditional herding culture of Uralic nomads, which earned the state additional loyalty and men. After a century of struggle, Tsar Ivan the Terrible launched the Russian Conquest of Siberia in 1580 and the Commonwealth rapidly lost its territory by the Ural Mountains and White Sea, and as such retreated West towards what is now today northeastern Norway. Losing much of its Uralic identity and now containing a much higher percentage of Norwegians, the Commonwealth through mutual agreement changed its name to the Free Commonwealth of Pomoria.

Losing tens of thousands of square kilometres of territory, the Commonwealth also lost its recognition as an independent polity amongst other European powers and became a vassal of Denmark-Norway, who to their credit guaranteed the Commonwealth autonomy due to their economic benefit with the Pomors and military respect amongst Danish and Norwegian generals for their struggle against Muscovy despite the odds. This was not without interference by the Norwegian state, which became more superstitious towards nomadic groups in the northeast. Ezaari commoners avoided the negative consequences of colonial Christianisation efforts as they had already converted during the Novgorod days. The Commonwealth supported Denmark during the Napoleonic wars, which lost and had the territory of Norway forcibly annexed into Sweden. In 1821, the new Swedish authorities, interested in potential resources of Svalbard, orchestrated a surprise naval attack with superior forces of Commonwealth held-territories whilst the state's head was visiting Bear Island, Svalbard, to inspect new rare mineral findings and walrus hunting. Norwegian admiral and state minister Thomas Fasting's forces delivered a secret edict, authorised by Stockholm without Norwegian approval, which expelled all Ezaari and high-ranking Pomors from Easwegian-held territory, which composed of North and South Varanger and Southeastern Svalbard. Some resisted the edict, but without their commander present it quickly fizzled out.

Thomas Fasting and his forces then headed to Bear Island and ordered the surrender of the Easwegian head and the population. The Easwegians, refusing surrender and the bloody Battle of Realmsedge in the south of Bear Island ensued, which included rifle warfare and even hand-to-hand combat and beheadings. The remaining Commonwealth troops were eventually outnumbered and surrendered. They were forcibly brought back to the mainland, where the entire Ezaari population and some Pomors were given three civilian vessels and told to head west and never return. The Ezaari headed to their only remaining neutral partner at the time, Great Britain and Ireland. The ship arrived that same year. As of 1821, the Free Commonwealth of Pomoria ceased to exist. For Thomas Fasting's role in the illegal annexation, he became the first person impeached by the Supreme Court of Norway that same year.

A renewed national movement known as the Cyber Council Easwegian Alliance founded in October 2015, later transformed into the Ouroboros' Serpents of Easway, led Easway to independence on 19 December 2017.

Easwegian Commonwealth (1478-1821)

Flag of the Easwegian Commonwealth

The legendary Easwegian Commonwealth is said to have been declared in 1478 following the destruction of the Novgorod Republic, with Martha of Boriopa said to have acted as its first 'Zaarich.'

The Easwegian Commonwealth officially held lands in south Svalbard (which Easwegians call Boriopa), primarily Bear Island and islands outlying Spitsbergen. It lost its islands surrounding the White Sea, and Kolguyev (today part of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug), whilst officially claimed and settled, became less secure and of importance. It remained an important site for warmer weather and reindeer herding, but defence of the island became untenable in the late 16th century with the emergence of the Russian Empire. Islands the Commonwealth used as trading points off of the Norwegian mainland, such as Vardø, became more important for Easwegians.

The destruction of Novgorod was in short devastating for Easwegians. They had lost the main support in both defence, infrastructure and trade. The later expansion of the emerging Russian Empire into Siberia further brought fear throughout the Commonwealth and initiated strong isolationist tendencies. The Pomors, Sami and Norwegian tradesmen were the only people the Commonwealth interacted with, with the Pomors being the main source of trade and outward culture. Due to this, Pomors became further integrated with Easwegian culture as they further travelled throughout Svalbard and used it for fishing grounds. Much of Easwegian culture was in fishing, the hunt and clans sent to Norway to gain skills and trade and barter with locals. In order to maintain the cohesion of the state, the Easwegian identity expanded itself to 'all those of the region of Boriopa, the spirit of Ouroboros led through the wisdom of the Zaarich.' Folk religion and shamanism heavily mixed with Christianity to create new traditions.

Restoration and Independence of Easway (2017-present)

Initial Independence

The Easwegian Revolution culminated with the Ouroboros' Serpents of Easway alliance (OSEA) declaring independence as the Mainland of Easway on Bear Island on 19 December 2017. The Mainland People's Committee elected Revolutionary Council leader Emizerri as head of state, who ratified the Easwegian Declaration of a Sovereign and Independent Easway.

Within this declaration, the people of the Easwegian nation were declared the supreme sovereign authority. The declaration speaks of self-determination, good governance, liberty and demilitarisation of the arctic. Much care was put into the wording of the declaration, whereby the Easwegian nation referred to as the people of Easway and there is no specific reference to ethnicity. Norway in criticisms is largely referred to as 'the Kingdom' throughout, part of the Kingdom of Norway's official name, whereas in the declaration's diplomatic speech it is referred to as Norway or the Norwegian state.

Emizerri, then known as the Chief Curator and commonly dubbed the 'Emperor' (allowed in official texts until prohibited in 2022), announced the beginning of a Provisional Government, commonly referred to in Ezerryen Easwegian as the Demmiytei vi Vassai elle Saarchoba (DVS), meaning the provisional control of power, and in Norwegian as Hans Riksforstanderregjering (HRR), his provisional-state-head's government, referring to Emizerri. The OSEA Revolutionary Council was made the executive of the Provisional Government named the Mainland Council, the Mainland People's Committee as the national direct democratic legislature which was devolved into local committees.

Mainland of Easway and Constitutional Examination (2017-2021)

Provisional Government (2017-2020)

Political parties were outlawed during the duration of the Provisional Government. The Mainland Council immediately released a law that nationalised all key regarded as natural monopolies, including public utilities, mining operations, housing and banking services, whereby the Bank of Easway was established.

Constitutional Assembly (2019-2020)

The Mainland People's Committee met once per week from January 2019 on the advice of Chief Curator Emizerri and president Desourrë in the new year of 2019 to discuss the future wants and needs of Easway. The decision was arrived that a codified constitution was necessary for Easway as terms for ending the Provisional Government and the 5th assembly was established on 26 February 2019, known as the Constitutional Convention of Easwegians Assembled. At the point of this assembly's formation, it had been 434 days since independence.

Realm of Easway (2021-2023)

Partisan Renaissance (2021-2022)

National Directorate

Common Union of Easway (2023-present)

Common Renewal Second Year

Associated Community of Vardø Town Islands Incorporation

Trial of Etch