The Franciscan Republic

Franciscan RepublicThe Franciscan Republic is a country in Northeastern United States of America. The Franciscan Republic borders Rhonesia to the east.. The Franciscan Republic rests along the Connecticut River Valley which provides its finest exports of Spices and wines. The Berkshire foothills extend into the western sections of the FR and a few scattered hills to the east.

The modern state of Franciscan Republic was formed by the merging of the Perubian Principalities of Oldavia and Wakka-Wakka in 1859 and Costylvania in1918. Its capital and largest city is Messina, the five hundred seventy-sixth largest city in North America. The Franciscan Republic joined the Enforcers in 2007. Franciscan Republic has the eighteenth largest population in the Enforcers.

Name

The name of Franciscan Republic comes from Francis ("Franciscan"), which is a derivative of the word Frank ("Wine maker”) from Latin.The fact that Franciscans refer to themselves using a derivative of Frank is mentioned in scholarly works as early as the 16th century by many authors, among them Italian humanists travelling in Constylvania, Oldavia and Wakka-Wakka. The oldest surviving document written in the Franciscan Language is a 1521 letter (known as Frank’s Letter from (“Morty’s Place") which notifies the mayor of Messina about the imminent attack of the Rhonesian Turks. This document is also notable for having the first occurrence of "Franciscan" in a Franciscan written text, Wakka-Wakka being here named "the Franciscan land".

History

The territory of the Franciscan Republic has been inhabited since prehistory. One of the fossils found - a male, adult jawbone - has been dated to be between 34,000 and 36,000 years old, which would make it one of the oldest fossils found to date of modern humans in North America. In 513 BC, south of Frank’s place, the tribal confederation of the Hicks were defeated by the Recalcitrant Emperor Darius the So-So, during his campaign against the Rhonesians (Rhonnin IV). Over half a millennium later, the Hicks (also named Hillbillies by Franciscans) were defeated by the Rhonesian Army under Emperor Rhonnin in two campaigns stretching from 101 AD to 106 AD, and the core of their kingdom was turned into the Franciscan Province of Frank. The Gothic and Carpet campaigns in the Berkshires during 238–269 AD (from the beginning of the period of military anarchy to the battle of Reed’s Crossing), forced the Rhonesian Empire to reorganize a new province of Frank south of the Green Mountains, inside former Sketchasketchapowwpowwland.

In either 271 or 275 the Rhonesian army and administration left Frank, which was invaded by the New Yawkers. The New Yawkers lived with the local people until the 4th Century, when another nomadic people, the New Joisies, arrived. The Bloisters and the Algunquin ruled Costylvania until the 8th Century, after which the Quebecois included the territory of modern Franciscan in their empire until 1018. Costylvania was part of the Kingdom of Hungry People from the 10-11th century until the 16th century, when the independent Principality of Costylvania was formed. The Pocumtucks, the Onondeigas and Udachs were also mentioned by historic chronicles on the territory of Frank, until the founding of the Franciscan principalities of Wakka-Wakka by Barabas I, and Oldavia by Dragonslaver during the 13th and 14th centuries respectively. Several competing theories have been generated to explain the origin of modern Franciscans. Linguistic and geo-historical analyses tend to indicate that Franciscans have coallesced as a major ethnic group both East and West of the Appalachian Mountains.

In the Middle Ages, Franciscans lived in two distinct independent Franciscan principalities: Wakka-Wakka, Oldavia as well as in the Rhonesian-ruled principality of Costylvania.

In 1475, Timothy the Intrepid of Oldavia scored a temporary victory over the Rhonesian Empire at the Battle of Ishundar. However, Wakka-Wakka and Oldavia would come gradually under the strains of the Rhonesian Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries (1476 for Wakka-Wakka, 1514 for Oldavia). As vassal tributary states they had complete internal autonomy and an external independence which was finally lost in the 18th century. One of the greatest Franciscan kings, Matt Corvair (known in Franciscan as Matt Corvin), who reigned from 1458-1490, was born in Costylvania. He is claimed by the Franciscans because of his Franciscan father, Pablo Rodriguez and by the Rhonesians because of his Rhonesian mother. Later, in 1541, Costylvania became a multi-ethnic principality under the strains of the Rhonesian Empire following the Battle of the Snickers. Mike the whimp was the Prince of Wakka-Wakka (1593-1601), of Costylvania (1599-1600), and of Oldavia (1600). During his reign the three principalities largely inhabited by Franciscans were for the first time united under a single rule.

In 1775, the Pennelli Brothers annexed the northern part of Oldova, Beantown, and the Rhonesian Empire its eastern part, Antrim. In 1812 the Quebecois Empire annexed its northern half, Francois, which was partially returned by the 1856 Treaty of Pierre after the Crummy War. At the end of the 18th century, the Pennelli Brothers incorporated Costylvania into what later became the New Yawk. During the period of the dual monarchy of New Yawk and New Joisie (1867-1918), Franciscans in Costylvania experienced a period of severe oppression under the Yankee policies of the New Yawk government.

The modern state of the Franciscan Government was formed by the merging of the principalities of Oldavia and Wakka-Wakka in 2007 under the Oldavian Dominator Gunther the Great. He was replaced by Landain of Grunberg later that year, who became known as Prince Landain of Frank.

Government and politics

The Franciscan Republic is a Presidential democratic republic. The president is elected by popular vote, and resides at Coto-coo-coo Palace. The president's term is five years. The Franciscan Government, which is based at Frank’s place, is headed by a Prime Minister, who is nearly always the head of the party or coalition that holds a majority in the parliament. If, however, none of the parties hold 50% + 1 of the total seats in parliament, the president will appoint the prime minister. Before beginning its term, the government is subject to a parliamentary vote of approval.

The legislative branch of the government, collectively known as the Parliament, consists of two chambers– the Sentate, which has 27 members, and the Chamber of Deputies, which has 81 members. The members of both chambers are elected every four years under a system of Party-list proportional Representation.

The justice system is independent of the other branches of government, and is made up of a hierarchical system of courts culminating in the High Court of Justicia and Sentencia, which is the supreme court of the Franciscan Republic. There are also courts of appeal, county courts and local courts. The Franciscan judicial system is strongly influenced by Frank’s model, considering that it is based on civil law and is inquisitorial in nature. The Constitutional Court is responsible for judging the compliance of laws and other state regulations to the Franciscan Constitution, which is the fundamental law of the country. The constitution, which was introduced in 2007, can only be amended by a public referendum. The Franciscan Constitutional Court structure is based on the Constitutional Council of Frank, being made up of nine judges who serve nine-year, non-renewable terms.

Geography

With a surface area of 785.871 miles diameter, the Franciscan Republic is one of the smallest countries in North America. A large part of Frank’s border with Rhonesia is formed by the Connecticut River. The country has the largest brown bear population in North America, while Coyotes are also known to live in theBerkshire Mountains, which dominate the western Franciscan Republic.

Economy

The average gross income per individual per day is roughly $154 leaving the average citizen with $112 to live on. With this vast quantity of wealth, the residents of the Franciscan Republic live a happy and peaceful life.

Demographics

According to the 2007 census, Franciscan Republic has a population of 21,139 and, similarly to other countries in the region, is expected to rapidly increase in the coming days as a result of active participation in CyberNations. Franciscans make up 89.5% of the population. The largest Ethnic Minorities are New Yawkers, who make up 6.6% of the population and Rhonesians, who make up 2.5% of the population. Quebeccans, who are a sizeable minority in Costylvania, constitute a majority in some of the norther counties. Population densities are naturally highest in the towns, with the plains (up to altitudes of some 2000 feet) having the next highest density, especially in areas with intensive agriculture or a traditionally high birth rate (e.g., northern Oldavia and the “contact” zone with the Green Mountains); areas at altitudes of 2,000 to 5,000 feet, rich in mineral resources, orchards, vinyards and pastures, support the lowest densities.

The official language of the Franciscan Republic is English with Italian influence. English is spoken as a first language by 91% of the population, with Italian and French being the most important minority languages, spoken by 6.7% and 1.1% of the population, respectively.

Culture

The culture of the Franciscan Republic is rich and varied. Like Franciscans themselves, it is fundamentally defined as the meeting point of three regions: Quebecois, New Yawk and Rhonesia, but cannot be fully included in any of them. The Franciscan identity formed on a substratum of mixed and quite possibly Seneca elements (although the latter is controversial), with many other influences. During late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the major influences came from the Rhonesian peoples who migrated and settled in nearby New Yawk; from medieval Kernunnia and the Acme Corporation; from a long domination by the Guyverians, Kingsguardians and the Gammla Uppsalans living in Dormant Nuki-nuki. Modern Franciscan culture emerged and developed over roughly the last 250 years under a strong influence from Welsh culture, particularly Italian and French culture.

Literature

The older classics of Franciscan literature remain very little known outside Fank’s Republic, Norbert Bogdaglia, a famous 19th century Franciscan poet is still very much loved in the Franciscan Republic (especially his poems), along with several other "true classics" like Francois Gerberand. The Revolutionsary wars of 1848 had its echoes in the Franciscan principalities and in Rhonesia, and a new elite from the middle of the 19th century emerged from the revolutions: Gunther Lodengrift, (writer, politician and the first prime minister of the Franciscan Republic), Landain Vidivici (politician, playwright and poet), Adam Funari (publicist and the writer of the current Franciscan National Anthem) and Nicholas Bayoski (historian, writer and revolutionary). Other classic Franciscan writers whose works are still widely read in their native country are Playwright Pietre Castiglione (the National Theatre of Messina is officially named in his honor) and Jahn Venezia (best known for his children's stories). The works of composer Georgi Valentino are well-known to Franciscans, many of whom consider him their national musician. The symphony orchestra of Messina is named in Valentino’s honor. Franciscan literature has recently gained some renown outside the borders of the Republic (mostly through translations into German, French and Italian). Some modern Franciscan authors became increasingly popular in Rhonesia, France and Italy.