Huda

The Hudian Republic, commonly referred to as Huda (Bengali: হুদা), is a located in the continent of Auchoi. It is the world's seventh smallest and most densely populated country in the world, with approximately 946.74 people per km2. The capital and largest city of the Greater Hudian Republic is Husseinabad, although it is closely matched by the port cities of Fatemabagh and Sufiyapara. The nation is home to a variety of ethnic groups, although the most prominent of these groups are the people. Additionally, there is a wide variety of religion practiced in the nation, although Islam takes precedence, as approximately 81% of all Hudians are Muslim. Islam has been the state religion since 1979.

The nation is also home to two prominent deltas - the Sufiyapara & Fatemabagh deltas, as well as two islands - Bhooth Island and Faarah Island. The Hudian mainland is home to several tropical forests and rivers. Its northern borders are largely mountainous and full of vegetation, while the south has begun to face issues regarding environmental protection as urban areas have begun to encroach upon natural areas, causing deforestation and loss of habitat. The nation is home to diverse flora and fauna, and as a result, animals such as the Hudian Tiger can be found exclusively in the country.

The first signs of established civilisations and political entities in the Hudian Republic took place around the fifth century BCE, when its first city states came to be. These city states grew to become ancient powerful kingdoms, such as the Dhir Kingdom as well as the Khosnad Kingdom. Islam spread into the region around the seventh century AD, through Sufi traders from Alfashir. An insurrection in the ancient city of Madhuridai sparked the establishment of the Hudian Sultanate, which soon spread through the region through a series of conquests. The Sultanate flourished throughout its existence, heavily engaging in trade, diplomacy and technology, until the arrival of Acronian privateers in 1603 which eventually led to the Shapla War. Its defeat at the hands of the privateers in the Second Battle of the Saptorshi in 1604 had effectively ended its existence.

Acronian rule had lasted for several centuries, until the end of the Great War in 1916. The colony's extensive involvement in the conflict had impressed King Alexander III, who decided to grant the Hudian people independence under exceptional circumstances, ultimately resulting in the establishment of the First Hudian Republic the next year. The Republic had managed to make exceptional strides in political stability and economic development for a country that had been devastated in the Great War. Ultimately, the First Hudian Republic had been replaced by the Hudian Socialist Republic in 1961, after a Stasnovan-backed coup d'état. The communist regime, led by Khaled Rahman had been largely unpopular and amid growing public discontent, was overthrown by a popular revolution in 1978. The nation has since reverted back to a, but the political instability caused beforehand has had a serious implication on national stability on prosperity. The nation continues to face challenges in poverty, education, healthcare, corruption, crime and political instability.

Etymology
The Hudian Republic has had various names throughout its existence as a political entity, but the identity of the region as Huda was first noted during the 701 Madhuridai Insurrection. The insurrection was led by Khawja Huda, a prominent Muslim trader in the city. His successful revolt had ultimately culminated in the establishment of the Hudian Sultanate, which was named after him.

Since then, the region was collectively known as Huda, and the name had ultimately become a part of national identity, even after the fall of the sultanate in 1604 and the beginning of the East Acronian Administration. After the end of the administration after the great war, the nation was named the Hudian Republic, an official name which has remained in use ever since.

Pre-history and antiquity
The first humans to properly inhabit Huda had settled in the land approximately 25,000 years ago, evidenced by pottery and tools found in the Dobilapur Cave System, which is the oldest discovered prehistoric settlement. The region was settled mostly by as well as  during the time, followed by a wave of  several centuries later. These groups mostly settled in various cave systems in the north, and it would not be until some 10,000 years later that the first man-made settlements came to be. These man-made settlements were mainly constructed using rocks, branches and animal bones.

Such man-made settlements have been more common in the south of Huda, likely due to the lack of mountainous terrain and thus cave systems, causing for the early Hudians to adapt and create settlements of their own. Approximately 11,000 years ago, rock paintings in settlement indicate the domestication of both the and. Architectural evidence also indicates the cultivation of wheat and tropical fruit was widespread at the time. Several riverine settlements had also taken to fishing around the same time. Furthermore, there is evidence of early metalworking from 5500 BCE, through the smelting of copper ores.

The Hudian culture and civilisation consolidated in the thousands of years that followed, with settlements growing exponentially in size. Several settlements grew and endured for centuries to come, the best example being the city of Madhuridai, which grew to hold over 10,000 individuals around 6,500 years ago. The earliest record of Hudian writing and thus the first historical records of the region come from the city, through limestone tablets dating back to 2500 BCE. By the time writing was well-established in the region, settlements managed to communicate with each other, allowing for trade and diplomacy to occur between settlements. By 1000 BCE, the surrounding region had become highly populated with several settlements stretching what is now modern day Huda. Several of these settlements benefited greatly from the, and the advancement of society through the use of agriculture, coinage and weaponry allowed for these settlements to grow into sizeable political entities.

The first identifiable political entity would be the Council of Madhuridai, a short-lived that led the very ancient city, which had continued to grow steadily through the years. Several entities in other settlements followed it, establishing their own councils. However, the most sizeable political change would occur around 400 BCE, with the formation of the Dhir Kingdom. The Dhir Kingdom had grown massively powerful, absorbing neighbouring city-states around it to form a sizeable regional power. Various other kingdoms, chieftains and other sizeable political entities rose up at the time, although several were simply absorbed by larger powers, resulting in the first regional conflicts. By the end of the common era, the region was held by three kingdoms, namely the Khosnad Kingdom, Dhir Kingdom and the Kharag Kingdom.

Religion had also been introduced in the region as the same time as these kingdoms rose to power. By the end of the common era, and  were chiefly practised by the populace. Religion was a popular cause of infighting between the kingdoms, resulting in conflicts such as the Dhir-Khosnad Holy War as well as the Kharag war. Despite the frequency of these conflicts, they were usually inconclusive and thus allowed for there to exist a state of peaceful, albeit uneasy coexistence between the kingdoms.

Early Middle Ages
The seventh century was an uneasy period for the three kingdoms in the region. There was a discontent among the peasantry in the kingdoms, primarily sparked by social inequality as well as a rise in hostilities between the kingdoms. The first Sufi traders from Alfashir arrived around this time, settling in mainly coastal cities. Their wealth and power grew exponentially in the years that followed, and this attracted several followers. Islam spread rapidly through the region, to the point where it had become the majority religion.

The Hindu and Buddhist nobility across the three kingdoms were threatened by the rise of Islam. Several nobles forced those that worked in their households to convert or face death, while kings actively attempted to curb the powers of the Muslim traders, who had become important burghers in their respective cities. By the end of the century, the rift between religions had led to severe violence between both sides. The most notable would be the Night of Martyrs, when a congregation of Muslims in the Dhir city of Mahesali was attacked by the town guard. This attack led to the razing of the newly formed Muslim quarter in the city, in order to prevent the news of the attack from spreading.

However, Muslims in the nearby capital of Madhuridai were informed by the next day. Rioting began almost immediately, and several Muslim traders started calling for an uprising. According to the True History of the Hudian Sultanate, Muslims of the city had fled into the countryside the evening after the rioting. The Muslims in Madhuridai formed an overwhelming majority at the time, accounting for 60% of its inhabitants. As a result, most eyewitness reports described the city as deserted that night. The Dhir King Pranav IX imposed martial law immediately, ordering for the arrest of all Muslims within the Kingdom. In response to this, Khawja Huda, one of the traders who had fled Madhuridai, organized the Muslims and declared a on the Dhir Kingdom. This was the beginning of the 701 Madhuridai Insurrection. The Muslims took up arms and within weeks had amassed outside of Madhuridai, which had been well fortified by the city guard by then. The month long Siege of Madhuridai (701) had begun.

After the fall of Madhuridai to Muslim forces, Pranav IX fled the capital city and consolidated his forces in the remaining cities of the Kingdom. Word spread of the newly emerged insurrection to other Muslims in the region. Inspired by the success of the Muslim insurrectionists, several minor rebellions had begun in the Kharag and Khosnad kingdoms, although they would fail to make any major initiatives. The insurrection in the Dhir Kingdom continued for over a year, until the final Siege of Mahesali. Pranav IX was captured in the aftermath of the siege. According to ibn Talal, a commander of the Muslim army, Pranav was bound to a donkey and forced to walk barefoot back to Madhuridai.

Upon reaching Madhuridai, the imprisoned King was offered an audience with Khawja. The leader of the rebellion had initially offered clemency to the King, offering to simply exile him. However, Pranav IX refused this judgement, stating that he "cannot live knowing that [he] had lost the birthright of [his] ancestors.". The next day, on the 16th of November 702, Pranav IX was beheaded. With the death of the last Dhir king, Khawja Huda proclaimed the first ever Hudian Sultanate, crowning himself Sultan. The city of Madhuridai was renamed as Husseinabad, and other cities soon followed the brought on by the Sultanate.

The establishment of the Sultanate triggered a mass exodus of Muslims from both the Khosnad and Kharag Kingdoms. Noting the power of this newly formed Sultanate, both kingdoms sent emissaries to facilitate the movement of Muslims to the Sultanate, as well as to maintain peace. The First Treaty of Husseinabad guaranteed an indefinite truce between the Kharag and Khosnad Kingdoms, which guaranteed peace in the region for several years. During this time, the size of the Sultanate continued to grow, and Husseinabad became a hub for trade between powers in Eastern Auchoi and Alfashir.

Sultan Khawja reneged on the treaty on its thirtieth anniversary, the 22nd of November 732. He declared a holy war on the Kharag Kingdom, after hearing word that a sizeable Hudian caravan had been assaulted by soldiers from the kingdom. The validity of such news has long been disputed, as at the time the kingdom had fall into disrepair and its roads were frequented by bandits. Nonetheless, this began the War of the Crescent. The Khosnad Kingdom, fearing the consequences of yet another Muslim conquest, immediately sided with the Kharag Kingdom and declared war on the Hudian Sultanate.

The War of the Crescent was devastating to both sides. Initially, the joint Khosnad-Kharag forces had managed to take the Hudians by surprise, winning several key battles such as the Battle of Kalyakot Pass as well as the Defense of Samadpur, forcing a stalemate upon the Hudian forces who were now attempting offensives on two fronts. The war had entered a passive phase during winter that year, and a temporary truce was called during Ramadan, to allow Muslim soldiers to observe the holy month. However, fighting escalated from spring the next year. Hudian forces launched an all new offensive towards the eastern front, taking over large swathes of Kharagi land. It had become evident that immediate action had to be taken. In response, a gargantuan army of both the Kharagi and Khosnad Kingdoms, led by their monarchs, marched towards Husseinabad, in order to seize the capital in a lightning offensive.

The Kharagi-Khosnad army was confronted by a smaller Hudian army at the Saptorshi River. Led by Rasheed ibn Khattab, the army had been ordered only a few days prior to take defensive positions at the river to face the massive opposing army and delay their offensive, while a larger force led by the Sultan would reinforce them in time. The Kharagi-Khosnad force was at a disadvantage - it was season, and as a result their movement was hampered by floods and muddy terrain. Nonetheless, they had managed to overwhelm Rasheed's army in the First Battle of the Saptorshi, forcing them to retreat away from the river.

The next day, however, the Sultan's army had arrived. Well-fed and rested, the arrival of the Sultan raised the morale of the remnants of Rasheed's army, and a fresh assault was called. The new Muslim force, now larger than the Khosnad-Kharagi army, fought "with unprecedented vigour and fervour" according to ibn Talal. The battle lasted for the entire day, and by evening, the Kharagi-Khosnad forces surrendered. The Khosnad King Vijya III was killed in the midst of battle, while the Kharag King Ravi VI was captured. The Kharag Kingdom had completely surrendered to the Sultanate, and control of the Kingdom was handed over to the Sultan. As for the Khosnad Kingdom, the new King Vijya IV attempted to hold out against the Sultanate, but his lack of forces and support rendered this attempt futile. The Kingdom fell next year, and Vijya IV had disappeared.

The Sultan passed away days after the battle at the river. According to the True History of the Hudian Sultanate, he had been ill since the conclusion of the battle, and by the time had returned to Husseinabad, was already dying. With the passing of the Sultan, his son would succeed him as Khawja II. The years that followed would consist of rebuilding what was a war-torn region. Several laws were passed and established around this time, mainly dealing with the remnants of the Buddhist and Hindu faiths.