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.

The Realms
Within the Lyonine Empire, there are 11 constituent realms that make up the largest of the administrative divisions. Each of the eleven realms represents the cultural and historical subdivisions that were formed in the time of the Arlesian Hegemony and solidified in the Interregnal Period. Today the eight of the eleven realms are all headed by a ceremonial King or Queen, the remaining three realms are headed as follows; A Doge in Parthenopias, Consul in Capitoline and a Princess in Adria. These 11 realms today are directly linked to the Greater Lyonine Empire at which time the Imperial Governments under the Caligorante and Miramonte dynasties. The Decadent Dynasties as they are known, chose to devolve some central authority to these areas and proclaimed each to have a royal sovereign who would bend the knee to the reigning monarch of the Empire.

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

Kingdom of Arles
The Kingdom is led by His Royal Highness King Leto III 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.

Thalassocracy of Parthenopias
The Thalassocracy 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.