Lyonia

Lyonia, officially the Lyonine Empire and the Commonwealth of Realms, is a constitutional parliamentary monarchy located on the southern shores of Vesperia in a subregion known as Elysia, bordering the Mar d'Oree to the East, the Lyonic Channel to the South and the Fale Ocean to the West. The nation consists of five semi-autonomous realms, each ruled by a hereditary monarch in conjunction with a local elected legislature. The Federal District houses the Capital city of Lyo and is situated in the south on the coast of the Lyonic Strait. The Federal District is bordered on three sides by the Kingdom of Fiore.

The Lyonine Empire enjoys warm relations with its neighbor Acronius though centuries of conflict hampered that for a long time. It's other neighbor Odentia maintains mild relations with the Empire. General foreign policy is built upon trade relations and cultural understanding with nations abroad.

Etymology
The name Lyonia or the Lyonic Realms likely comes from the lions that used to roam the mountains and the plains long ago. While most of them have died off due to encroachment of humans or through hunting, their legacy endures. The names were applied to the area for the first time in historical records dating back to the Interregnum of the 3rd Century and could also have been used due to the wide use of lions in heraldry at the time.

First Great War
While the Lyonine Empire had steadily been warming in relations to the Kingdom of Acronia since the Not Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th Century. Some bumps along the way and lingering sentiments over past grievances would have prevented the Empire from being able to formally embrace an alliance with the Kingdom of Acronia. As tensions in the world steadily increased and war seemed more inevitable the Empire took more and more steps to assert itself as a neutral nation should hostilities break out. There were political and economic reasons for not siding one way or the other but also for Helene I the matter was also personal as her husband came from Volgaria, her son's wife and the future Empress TBD came from Stasnov along with other familial relations on both sides.

Second Great War
The Empire's involvement in the Second Great War is a matter of great discussion in the Halls of Universities throughout the nation as it was not a guarantee the Empire would enter the conflict. In the Interwar years the Empire embarked on a very expensive modernization of the military with a strong emphasis on Naval Supremacy in the Western Achelian with strong naval presence throughout the rest of the Achelian. The neutrality that had kept the Empire safe since the !NapoleonicWars had faded and the Labor First had collapsed into a disorganized Left wing in Imperial politics. To fill the void the Conservative Party retook the First Councillorship in the 1935 election before taking a super majority in the Senate in 1940.

The Calas Administration (1935-1941) ushered in the greatest modernization of the fleet in terms of complete overhaul and beginning to lay the groundwork for his successor's government. In 1941 Aurelien Calas collapsed from an unknown poison at the time and the Conservative Party nominated Aurelien Marsonet to fill the position. Marsonet would go on to win the 1945, 1950 and 1955 elections to be on the greatest First Councillors the Empire ever saw. Marsonet was renowned during the war and then in the years after to have his famed "Fireside Chats" where he would be on the radio speaking to the public about the state of the nation, life lessons and answering questions from the public via public mail.

One area of great concern for the Empire was it's sole remaining colonial holding, Ahras. The Empire had been modernizing the major cities and ports at the same pace it had been doing so back in the homeland in the hopes that if another Great War broke out the colony would be capable of limited self sustainability and the means to produce war material for the war effort. It was in 1936 that for the first time in over a two decades that the military chose to parade the fleet along the coast of Ahras and around the Western Achelian. The newly christened carrier, Serenissima took position as the new flagship of the fleet and would serve admirably in the war. In 1939 and 1940 additional military bases including a massive naval base at Dioreggio in Ahras were constructed. Some protests at home about the use of tax money to pay for far away projects were suppressed after some rioting in Lyreaux and Corino. In 1941 and 1942 as war appeared more inevitable and raged in Easter Vesperia, naval batteries and AA defenses were strengthened in Dioreggio and other major population centers in Ahras.

The Realms
Within the Modern Lyonine Empire there exist 11 Constituent Realms that make up the largest of the administrative divisions. While these eleven realms in the days or yore were sovereign and relied rather little on the central government for matters concerning local governance, today 'The Eleven' as they are colloquially known represent the largest entities that make up the Empire. Two of the realms are republican in tradition and as such elect their rulers, the Doge of Parthenopias serves in 10 year periods and the Consul of the Capitoline Republic serves in 5 year periods. A single realm merges the hereditary and republican traditions in an elective monarchy, the Archate of Arles where the Archon is elected to serve 25 year periods without re-election. The remaining realms of the Empire are ruled by Kings, Queens or in the case of the Principality of Adria a Princess. Upon the ascension of a new Hegezar or Hegezarin the sovereigns of the eleven realms will hold council with the new Supreme Sovereign of the Empire who will expect all the Realm Sovereigns to kneel in fealty and respect. In turn the new Supreme Sovereign will bow to each of the eleven in a sign of respect and understanding to the ways of old.

Each of the Eleven Realms are further subdivided into States and Districts. The States are a smaller administrative division and are represented in the Realm Capitals by Representatives directly elected in districts by all eligible voters in that State. States are then expected to elect Senators and Councillors to the National Congress in Lyreaux.

Principality of Adria
The Principality is presently led by Her Serene Highness Princess Isybelle Tessier who overseas the Principality from her capital at Adriatico.

Archate of Arles
The Archate is led by His Majestic Highness Archon Leto Atreus who reigns from his capital at Arlessia.

Capitoline Republic
The Republic is led by His Sereneness Giovanni di Larese who reigns from his capital Lyreaux.

Kingdom of the Dolomiti
The Kingdom is led by Her Royal Highness Queen Mathilde Raspall who reigns from her capital Dolomina.

Kingdom of Leggia
The Kingdom is led by His Royal Highness King Jourdaine Bellucci who reigns from his capital Legalia.

Kingdom of Merovia
The Kingdom is led by His Royal Highness King Sebastien de Mydreaux who reigns from his capital Serata.

Serene Republic of Parthenopias
The Serene Republic is led by His Most Serene Doge Henri di Val who reigns from his capital of Parthenion.

Kingdom of Tellaro
The Kingdom is led by His Royal Highness King Louis Pelegrin who reigns from his capital of Torcello.

Kingdom of Tisiphone
The Kingdom is led by Her Royal Highness Queen Marine II di Fiori who reigns from her capital of Citta di Fiore.

Kingdom of Valle d'Lille
The Kingdom is led by His Royal Highness King Luca V Leonti who reigns from his capital of Alparo.

Kingdom of Valesse
The Kingdom is led by His Royal Highness King Alexander VII Cazalet who reigns from his capital of Venetta.