FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Gazetteer: The Kingdom of Ironmont

Facts at a glance:

Population: 59.1 Million

Government: Representative Democracy within a Constitutional Monarchy

Head of State: His Most Serene Majesty (HMSM) Victor IV of the House Ironmont (Formerly the House Araby*)

Species: Arabian Wolf

Prime Minister: Right Honourable Helen Dogwood MP (National Liberal Federalist Party)

National Holidays (non-religious): 1st January, New Year's Day; 18th February, King's Birthday; 1st May, National Industry Day; 7th November, Restoration Day (Celebration of the restoration of the monarchy).

Geographical Overview:

The Kingdom of Ironmont is bounded along its western frontier by the Republic of Menefwy, which controls the major western seaports of the continent; to the north Ironmont shares a border with the United Territories of Mair (UTM).

The topography of Ironmont is defined by a series of East-West valleys (generally more mountainous to the north). The Borders Controlled Area* is also defined with a more mountainous aspect, being formed of the Menefwan Hills and the Nag's Head Range. To the southern coast the topography flattens to rolling plains. The Iron Duchy* is also mountainous, being dominated by the Iron Mountains.

Structure and Organisation:

Civil:

Governmental Capital: Michaelstown

Royal Capital: City of Ironmont

The civil and local arms of government are split across twelve administrative districts (counties) and one military controlled area. From South to North these are:

Fairshire (Fairport)

Capital Territory (Michaelstown)

Castlebridgeshire (Castlebridge)

Riddingshire (Ridding)

Newtonshire (Newton)

Iron Duchy (City of Ironmont)

County Tal (Tal)

Country Umbra (Umbraford)

Bayshire (Baymouth)

Hancastershire (Hancaster)

Mortonshire (Morton)

County Banham (Banham)

Also: The Borders Controlled Area (BCA) - A directly administered district under military government. BCA was formed after the Second Menefwan War out of the traditional border regions of Capital Territory, Castlebridgeshire, Newtonshire, County Tal and County Umbra. The regional government for BCA is at Drayton.

Local government for the counties is formed of District and County Councils, reporting to an elected Leader each County Council.

The national government has an elected Member of Parliament from each district. *

Military:

Army: Roughly 90,000 animals under arms. Most of the army's resources are deployed in BCA and overseas.

Royal Ironmont Navy: Split into two fleets: Home Fleet (based at St-Michaels-Port): 50 vessels (15 ships of the line [destroyer and aircraft carrier], 20 patrol vessels, 10 fleet resupply vessels, 5 submarines - Flag Vessel: HMSMV Royal Standard), serving strength 15,000; and Western Ocean Fleet (based at Fairport): 55 vessels (20 ships of the line, 20 patrol vessels, 11 fleet resupply vessels, 3 submarines and HMSMV Tal Explorer [scientific research ship] - Flag Vessel: HMSMV St Michael), serving strength 20,000.

Royal Ironmont Airforce: 30,000. RIAF mostly deployed within Ironmont for air defence purposes.

Historical Overview:

Traditionally the Kingdom was unified in 1087 by King Theophilus I after his invasion of the continent from Berea. He founded the City of Ironmont as his summer capital and set about subduing the local tribes. His army fought key engagements at the Battle of Brockhouse (Riddingshire) in 1085 during which he captured the chief of the local Dassen Tribe - Horsa Brocc. The Dassen Tribe capitulated soon after, agreeing to join under Theophilus' banner. The other major engagement was the Battle of the White Forest in 1086 against a mixed army of Menefwan soldiers under Prince Dewi Tygwyn and western tribes; the Menefwan and tribal armies were routed, fleeing into modern day Menefwy.

The house Berea ruled for some 600 years until a bloody civil war in 1750 saw the monarchy replaced by a Lord Governor of Ironmont (Henry Houndswell [1700-1773]). The parliamentarian army defeated the forces of King Benedict VII at the_Battle of Cornholme Field_(Castlebridgeshire) in 1749 before marching on Ironmont to execute the king. Henry Houndswell ruled as Lord Governor of the Protectorate of Ironmont from 1750 until his death of the Flux.

The Monarchy was restored in 1774 with the arrival of King Edgar I of the House Araby at St-Michaels-Port (7th November 1774). His first act as king was to transfer the majority of governmental power to a newly formed parliament based at Michaelstown. He also saw the creation of the Capital Territory out of Castlebridgeshire and Fairshire so that: Thee citie and parleyment of thee Courte of Sainte Michael may be free'd of all sway of thee Kinge. His final decree as an absolute monarch was to restore the ancient orders of nobility and the Kingdom of Ironmont. To this day, the king of Ironmont may not enter the Capital Territory without the express permission of the sitting Prime Minister.

The House Araby changed to the House Ironmont during the Arabo-Ironmont Wars (1842- 1845), when Ironmont sought to expand its overseas empire through the invasion of the Araby Sultanate (House Ironmont is related to the Sultans of Araby, both being Arabian Wolves); it was deemed more patriotic that the royal house be named for the Kingdom, not the enemy. When the Treaty of San-Aquilla was signed, Ironmont ceded all rights to territories in the Araby Sultanate.

In 1909 the First Menefwan War broke out after the impounding of the Menefwan Presidential Train at Coombe Dare railway station. There was a skirmish between the Menefwan Presidential Guard and soldiers of the King's Own Newtonshire Light Infantry during which the Menefwan President (Ieuan Wynn Ceffyl) was killed by a stray bullet. This lead to three years of intense conflict along the Ironmont-Menefwy border. In 1912 Ironmont forces broke the Menefwan line and marched on Castell Garreg, the Menefwan capital, and the Menefwan President (James Arthur Llygoden) signed the Garreg Treaty.

Between 1912 and the outbreak of the Second Menefwan War (1985), relations with the Republic of Menefwy remained relatively stable. In Ironmont the current system of national social healthcare and support was developed. It was also in this interwar period that the current multi-party political geography developed. Upon the foundation of Parliament in 1774 two political parties formed: The Liberal Party and the Taughrie Party (from the old Ironmont Toch-reah_meaning landowner). A two-party system was the _status quo until the end of the First Menefwan War, which precipitated major upheaval in the political system: firstly, all animals who had reached their majority (18 years) were enfranchised (formerly it was land owning males) and a greater level of literacy allowed for more political engagement. The four main parties from that time (which still have majority in Parliament) are: The National Liberal Federalist Party (NLFP, Centrist), the Union of Counties (UoC, Conservative), the Workers' and Labourers' League (WLL, Left Wing), and the United Land Movement (ULM, seeking for the unification of Ironmont, Menefwy and Mair).

In 1985 the Second Menefwan War broke out. During the 1970s and 80s, the Republic of Menefwy followed and expansionist policy, which at first involved the colonisation of the islands of the western coast. In December 1984, the President (George Howll) announced that Menefwan troops would be deployed to the Ironmont border, ostensibly to protect Menefwan interests. On 4th January 1985, Menefwan troops crossed the border at several points. The Ironmont Army stopped their advance in the Border hills, with both sides claiming treaty rights under the Garreg Treaty to the land. Negotiations failed in the first instance and Ironmont forces pushed the Menefwan Army back to within ten miles of the original border. Negotiations were reopened on 17th May 1985, being hosted in the United Territories of Mair. After two weeks of cease-fire during the negotiations, Menefwan troops were pulled back over the border and peace restored.

2004 saw the crumbling of the Medved Empire and the deployment of Ironmont Troops in what became known as the Eastern War. Officially called Operation Spirit Horse, it saw the deployment of some 30,000 combat troops to the eastern fringes of the Medved Empire to limit internecine conflict as the so-called New Republics were formed out of the former South-Eastern Province of the Empire.

Religion in Ironmont:

The Kingdom of Ironmont officially adheres to the Western Catholic Church of Ironmont and Mair. In practice broad freedom of religion is practised and encouraged. The Church of Ironmont is split into dioceses (6) each with its own bishop, under the Archbishop of Castlebridge. Mair has its own province and diocese under their archbishop.