Zeronia
12-07-2003, 08:33
(OOC: Grab your popcorn, kids, it's a long show. I decided to inform the world of NS about the history of Zeronia. Please feel free to comment, as this took me a couple days to plan out and write. I may add other pictures or other details later. I will also make corrections later as well. PS: I will be working on another post informing you of the people and culture of Zeronia as it is now.)
Greetings fellow citizens, and good neighbours. In case you are not familiar with the High Ministry, I am Mr. Uyvan Pralin, Minister of Communication for the People's Republic of Zeronia. I was appointed by the Premier's father a few decades into the life of Zeronia.
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Minister of Communication.
PRE-ZERONIA
The Treaty of Malov, 1818
Today, I will brief you on the rich history of Zeronia, from just before the Sellofane dynasty. Before King Sellofane, Zeronia was made up of several feifdoms under the leadership of several more competing princes. It wasn't until the young warlord Sellofane rose up and tried to unify these feifdoms that there was some sort of order in the land. Sellofane was a mysterious foreigner, of unknown origin, although the consensus is that he was a Slav. His original motives were also unknown. He visited all the princes and offered to protect the collective sovereignty of the feifdoms if he was given control of the armies. Vowing to protect the power of the princes if he was given power over the armies was a tempting deal, as the princes were softened by their aristocratic lifestyle, and had to pay high wages to full-time generals. Sellofane organized a meeting with all 19 princes at his town of residence, Malov. Talking of how he had skilfully taken out opposition in one of the many wars in the west, he convinced all the princes that he was the man that could defend the sovereignty of the fiefdoms. The meeting took seven days. It was then agreed that the princes would halt their inter-regional skirmishes and work on keeping a semi-unified collection of feifdoms, under the protection of Lord Sellofane.
The Unification, 1818 - 1821
Lord Sellofane used a fifth column tactic to unify the fractured states into one large nation. For those not familiar with this tactic, it's when one sends in operatives to rally support for your cause. Normally this would take a while to make a distinguishable effect, but since Sellofane had uncontrolled access to every part of each feifdom, and control of the army, it was much quicker. The army trusted him, and when the princes called for support to suppress civilian movements for unification, Sellofane made excuses, and the army never came to help.
A Kingdom is Born, 1821
By 1821, it was done. The majority wanted a unified state and Sellofane gave it to them. With the army at his side, the warlord was crowned King Sellofane I of the Kingdom of Sellofane. Malov was named the new capital. Under the leadership of the new King, the army was modernized. All soldiers were given new guns with bayonets. The first artillery cannon was put into service on February 1, 1823. King Sellofane I married his long-time friend and ally, Princess Freda Nimariak of the Eastern Feifdom. Their marriage was a grand one, and over 20 000 people came to watch. The young Prince Nik Sellofane was born on August 7th, 1825. King Sellofane I was for the most part a good leader. He was a warlord by trade, but he was tolerant, and did not go about warmongering. Only once during his career did he actually start a war.
The War of the Books, 1837 - 1843
In the winter of 1837, a neighbouring prince began writing lies about the King in their local newspaper. These lies ranged from his incompetence of a leader, to how "unmanageable" he was in the bedchamber. He was the half-brother of one of the princes that lost power during the unification. He was a powerful prince, so the King was polite in asking his neighbour to stop or risk damaging diplomatic relations. The prince continued to spread his propaganda among his people. This struck a chord with King Sellofane I, and war was declared. Over 17 cavalry units, 2 artillery units, and 30 infantry units were involved in the invasion. Although the Royal Army was vastly superior to the prince's forces, the prince used guerrilla tactics, which turned the War of the Books into a very long war. The Stale-Mate Peace Treaty was signed in 1843 after both sides were severely taxed. Whether or not Sellofane was looking to annex the area, the Kingdom's presence in the area was still strong even after the treaty. This became what was later known as the "Disputed Territory".
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Artist's conception of the War of the Books, 1840.
Sellofane II: A Renaissance Man, 1825 - 1856
If there is one pre-Zeronian figure that should be looked up to, it is King Sellofane II. After his father's death in 1858, the bright arts student was apt to make the Kingdom flourish. And it did. In all Zeronian-printed dictionaries, his picture is placed under the definition of "renaissance man". We kid you not. He is also titled for bringing the Industrial Revolution to the Kingdom. 85% of Zeronian rail lines are decendant of those laid down by Sellofane II. Industrialization became a trend from then on. Him and his beautiful Queen Dini Calphonatus set world benchmark standards for civil and religious rights. Together, they worked to lower illiteracy rates, and establish a new university in the town of Nittles. King Sellofane II was also an athlete. He would go out himself and compete among his constituents in sprints, the long jump, and various team sports. He kept the army active, although he had never participated in a war. In the disputed territory, he established a provisionary government that would ease the transition of annexation. That government crumbled in 1849, and the disputed territory was leaderless for two decades after. When the King died, a nation mourned. Sellofaneans, as his people were called, built a modest mausoleum and kept his body preserved there. It (with the body) still exists today as the Sellofane II Memorial.
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Portrait of Sellofane II
Sellofane III: Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
Following the death of Sellofane II, his son, Sellofane III crowned himself King in private, without a glamourous coronation. The last half of the 19th century became known as the dark ages of pre-Zeronian history. King Sellofane III funneled most of the money from industry into his own private stash, and became known as "Number One" among youngsters. Several people lost jobs because of this. In one extreme case, King Sellofane replaced all the farmers with peasant workers who would work for a small percentage of the crop yield. Poverty rates jumped considerably during his rule. He married his sister - a forced marriage - and they had 14 children together. Sellofane III was involved in two wars.
The Four Years War, 1887 - 1891
In 1887, King Sellofane III went on an expansionist frenzy. The Four Years War was actually a war and an occupation. The rich lands north of the mountains was a perfect spot to expand the Sellofanean kingdom. They had several untapped mineral resources, including silver and diamond. King Sellofane III did not formally declare war, as only indiginous and "barbaric" tribes and clans lived up there. It was fairly lawless, and so King Sellofane III's excuse was that they needed liberation. Much like his grandfather's War of the Books, it was a bloody war. The clansmen used guerilla tactics, often having seasoned snipers up in the trees. Sellofane III quickly built makeshift railroads within the uninhabited areas so the Kingdom could send her forces in hordes. The needle-gun, a new technological breakthrough, allowed the Royal Army to reload twice as fast as their opponents. By 1891, Sellofane III had annexed the lands to the north, and slaughtered most of the opposing survivors. Sellofane III also looked towards the south, in the disputed territory. During the Four Years War, Sellofane III sent in soldiers to occupy the disputed territory. Although never actually getting a good hold on the people, Sellofane III had established several posts, and one fort along the interior.
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The Four Years War, 1888.
Ratani's Civil War, 1893 - 1894
The people were not happy with Sellofane III's methods, and under the leadership of Luke Ratani, a rebel force emerged from the Pyrolox Islands. Supporters popped up on the mainland, but they were quickly crushed by Royal forces. On the Pyrolox Islands, a revolutionary government was established, and the whole northeastern section of the Kingdom of Sellofane was against everyone else. Rebel movements along the coast were halted by Royal Navy gunships. For an entire year, Sellofane was on the defensive as he tried to suppress rebel supporters elsewhere in the Kingdom. Luckily, he was isolating the rebels at the same time. The winter of 1893-94 crippled the rebellion, and it was only a matter of time before the Kingdom eliminated all rebel presence from the Kingdom. Ratani's body was found floating near the Pyrolox Islands. Doctors claimed that he took cyanide.
Sellofane IV: A Breath of Fresh Air
In 1901, Sellofane III was poisoned by his eldest son - the product of his incestual relationship. Sellofane IV was often abused by his father, and was determined not to end up like him. He wasn't ready to let his past dictate his future. Sellofane IV was often seen as the just King, the honourable King. He was an aristocrat, but felt dedicated to his people. He made the final steps to bring the Sellofane Kingdom out of the feudal age. He made several modifications to the justice system, which included the idea that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Many of the orphanages that exist in Zeronia today were established by Sellofane IV. His wife, Queen Ophelia, would often be seen at local festivals mingling with the people. The couple always made their faces known to the commoners, and once a year they would work with the people in factories or in the fields in a highly publicized event called Commoner's Day. Sellofane IV made changes to the military, and had many small wars in the southwest, in and around modern-day Zeronia's breadbasket. It was with these small wars that Tony Kazzero made a name for himself.
Sellofane V: Hold Your Breath
After his father's heart attack in 1947, Sellofane V had his coronation. It was the largest ceremony in pre-Zeronian history since the marriage of Sellofane I and Princess Freda. He worked to improve the Kingdom's infrastructure and industry - at the cost of the poor. The Peasant Law was established and enforced, which lowered the wages of non-skilled labourers by 25%. The rich got richer and the poor became dirt poor. Early in his career he made enemies with Tony Kazzero, and instigated the revolutionary movement led by him. After years of fighting, Sellofane was captured in 1953 and the end of the Sellofane Dynasty was inevitable. Sellofane V died in a military prison alone in 1979.
Sellofane Dynasty
Sellofane I - 1794? - 1858
Sellofane II - 1825 - 1856
Sellofane III - 1844 - 1901
Sellofane IV - 1874 - 1947
Sellofane V - 1900 - 1979
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The Sellofane Estate today.
Tony Kazzero: From Peasant to Premier
Tony Kazzero, for those not familiar with his real name, was the first Premier of Zeronia. He was born into a peasant family in the southwestern village of Xanak during the reign of Sellofane IV. After grammar school, he started working and reading books. He taught himself basic calculus and read the works of many well known authors of the time. He worked a number of odd jobs, which included brick cleaning. At age 16, with some pressure from his peers, he joined the Royal Academy of the Armed Forces, where he eventually served as a tank commander. He fought alongside his brothers -in-arms against some of pre-Zeronia's southern neighbours. He did so well on the field that several of his superiors talked of him to the King. When he was 24, he was invited to the prestigious Militarian Ball, where all of the Kingdom's top generals and commanders would eat, drink, and dance until sunset - on the second day! It was a little intimidating, since there were very few young commanders in the army, and no general was under 40. A defining moment for Tony was when he met King Sellofane IV. He was quoted as saying, "The man looked like a polar bear with all his furs on. It's a shame we don't have polar bears around here." When Sellofane IV saw the ambition in Tony's eyes, he put in the good word to his superiors, and by the time Tony was 27 he had raised in the ranks to become a general - the youngest in the Kingdom's history. Tony was not only a good soldier, but a skilled tactician, helping Sellofane IV win many small-scale wars with few casualties.
When the King died, his son, Sellofane V was quick to take over. Sellofane V showed no compassion for his people. He established laws giving traders and business owners more power. The common joke among peasants was that his Board of Advisors consisted of all the historical figures on the kingdom's coins and banknotes. Under Sellofane V, the kingdom suffered many injustices. Tony saw the rich-poor division turn into a gorge at the hand of Sellofane V.
Tony retired as general when he was 33, and turned to politics. He became Royal Elective of the Western Regions. Sellofane V didn't like this, and saw one of his father's top generals turn into a political enemy. Tony didn't have any motives other than to be a civil servant to the people he protected most of his life. When Tony was voted one of the most popular regional governors in the kingdom, Sellofane V was said to have cracked. In a fit of paranoia, Sellofane V closed the borders and ordered the deaths of all members of Tony's family, his mother being the single survivor. Tony had to go into hiding. Luckily, he still had connections in the army which he said later in his life, "Granted me the willpower to stand my ground, and not let him continue to do this."
Tony, using his military connections, established a small but loyal group of revolutionaries. They worked on gathering the necessary resources to knock down the Sellofane leadership. Using similar fifth column tactics which granted Sellofane I victory over almost 150 years earlier, Tony gained support in the west.
For the next two years, Tony rallied against the king, and even instigated a riot near the capital. As an enemy of the kingdom, he had to sleep in a different village every night, and was almost always in disguise. In the village of Nakarna, he met his beautiful wife, Jocelyn; a baker, and the daughter of a bazaar owner. Their love was not greeted with happiness from her parents - strong supporters of Sellofane V - and both had to run away or get caught. After having nearly died himself at the hands of Royal Police, Tony vowed to make a difference that he could realize within his lifetime. He used his influence in the west to gain military support. Still commanding the respect of his soldiers, Tony planned and executed a coup d'etat against the Sellofane regime. Over 80% of the populace and armed forces were on Tony Kazzero's side. He promised
them that the fair lands and peoples of the Sellofane Kingdom would not be exploited any longer. The battle at Malov was a long one, and most of the city lay in ruins when it was over. It is interesting to not that it wasn't the army alone that ousted the king. The people, peasants and middle class alike, joined together with small arms and cornered Sellofane V into his grand palace. Sellofane V spent the rest of his days in a military prison. Tony Kazzero set up a provisional government to keep the nation safe from anarchism. He appointed seven of his close friends to become Directors of the Incorporated States. These would later be the first members of the High Ministry. Being the most fit candidate, Tony was proclaimed leader of the Free People. He renamed the kingdom and its provinces the Incorporated States of Zeronia, after the city (later the capital) where he met Sellofane IV, Zeron.
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General Tony Kazzero briefs a guerilla platoon.
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Malov after the revolution, 1953.
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The revolutionary army marches in Zeron, 1953.
Zeronia: 1954 - present
As Premier, his first job was to restructure the whole economic system. For too long the industry of the Kingdom was exploiting the land and its people. Though Tony Kazzero was not against capitalism, his fight eventually turned the corrupt capitalist system upside down, and all industry was under the control of the government. He gave the farms back to the people. The farmers were paid well and allowed a variable percentage of the crop yield. Under the People's Work Protection Act, wages were raised to 15% above those from before the Peasant Law's enactment. All Zeronian citizens were deemed free people, with the freedom to choose what they'd like to do. The Premier set up an open border policy, which brought a huge influx of workers, professionals, and refugees, which would make Zeronia the cosmopolitan nation that it is today. Religious and racial tolerance was key to Zeronia's success, and although traitors were dealt with swiftly, those who did not agree with Zeronian policies were free to leave.
In 1960, the Premier established the High Ministry to act as his emissary as he could not be everywhere at once. In 1963, the Premier increased police and soldier numbers three-fold to deal with potential threats to the south. In 1964, the military manufacturer, ZIMM, was formed and had contracts to build for the Zeronian army. Meanwhile, he began a pull out of troops in the disputed territory, and allowed its citizens to limited self-rule. For the first time in decades there was peace in the disputed territory.
Outside of the outlandish security measures, the Premier led a humble life. Much like his mentor, Sellofane IV, he would go out and work on the farms and the fisheries with his people. He and his wife Jocelyn worked hard to bring about social justice and social welfare within the Zeronian borders. Together they had four children (from oldest to youngest): Xavier, Morpheus, Lina, and Damien. It would be common to see the family spending time together at local events. According to his children and wife, he was the best father and husband anyone could have.
In 1977, the Premier made several additions to the High Ministry, which included: the Ministry of Communication, the Ministry of Keeping Secrets, the Ministry of Recreation, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Public Safety. He also banned opposition parties, so he could stay in power. Political freedoms dropped dramatically. Opposition parties weren't officially banned, but extreme parties were, in accordance to the Political Protection Act. In that same year, he renamed Zeronia the People's Republic of Zeronia.
The year of 1979 was a good one. The economy was doing much better, despite the government's overbearing presence in industry. Every member of the army was stocked with an AK-47 assault rifle, and a combat knife. In the eastern town of Porifera, Zeronia's first People's Court was put into service. A citizen-sponsored event congratulated the Premier on his achievements; over 25 municipalities in the west celebrated for twelve days. The entire extravaganza was televised, showing the great diversity of cultures and people.
In 1982, the Premier permitted rock bands to play in Zeronia, as long as their song lyrics did not involve bringing down the "establishment". Those that did not follow this rule were seen as ungrateful, and disappeared soon after. In September of that same year, he came to one of the concerts in the Zeron metro area. He described it later to the state press as "an unusual, but exhilarating experience." In just a few more years, the Premier relaxed more music laws, allowing several other emerging genres to gain popularity among the people.
After the great earthquake that left the north in ruin led the way for economic implosion in June, 1983. The work of thousands of Zeronian and international aid workers, and hundreds of construction crews took several months before the north was habitable again. The earthquake took over 40 000 lives. Later that year, the Premier declared October 1st a national holiday, comemmorating Zeronian independence. Although everyone would celebrate in October, it was not made official until 1983.
The Premier's health started to deteriorate in the 80s. He was hospitalized in 1984 for a brief amount of time because of heart-related problems - although this was never revealed to the public until the Premier went on sick-leave in 1986. He spent this time with his family, and let the High Ministry take care of most of Zeronia's affairs. In the late 80s his eldest son, Xavier Kazzero, began to make a name for himself in Zeronian politics. He was designated Deputy Premier, in the event that his father became incapacitated. Little did they know that it would happen sooner than later.
The first war in which Zeronia was acting as a major party was the Deutsch-Zeronian War, against Nazi Deutschlande. It all started when an inside Nazi sympathizer made an attempt on the Premier's life. His son, who automatically assumed command, caught the perpetrator and executed him. The origin of this assassin was Nazi Deutschlande. After a lot of war rhetoric between the two leaders, Zeronia declared war on the small nation. The war was swift, with minimal casualties. Nazi Deutschlande agreed never to attack Zeronia or her allies ever again. But there was still one problem: the Nazi terror cells still existed within the Zeronian borders. The young Xavier's Clean Sweep operation lasted one week, and resulted in the arrest of over 1000 Nazi terror members. During this time, most citizens did not even go to work. The People's Republic was at a standstill. This was forgiven by the Premier's son, as the circumstances deemed these actions acceptable. As the army swept through major population centres, the Premier was still in critical condition. It was only two months after the victory against the terrorists that the Premier was in good enough shape to run the country again.
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Zeronian soldiers looking over a Nazi internment camp.
The Nazi scare was overshadowed by nationalism when the new Ministry of Space and Exploration declared the first launch of a Zeronian satellite. The Octopus-1 satellite launch was a total success, and it is still in orbit today, collecting vast information about the upper atmosphere. Following the launch, the Premier publicly announced the new economic policy. The goal was to get out of economic implosion and make Zeronia a world power. Within the Premier's last few months alive, the economy was just barely ranked as "basket-case" by the international community.
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Octopus-1
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Octopus-2
Tony Kazzero's death was a complete tragedy for the People's Republic. The grand funeral and memorial services were televised, and state-produced documentaries of the late Premier were broadcast frequently. Officially, there was a week of mourning where work was optional. Unofficially, the mourning passed many months, and it wasn't until nine months later that the People's Republic had returned to an almost normal state. His son, Xavier, automatically took power. He promised to continue the task of facilitating economic growth, revitalizing the educational system, protecting the environment, and beefing up the military. In the two years following the old Premier's death, Zeronia's economy became reasonable, ten new universities were built, the tree octopus was given special status in Zeronia, and ZIMM signed 31 new contracts with the government. Zeronia indirectly participated in a few wars, sending humanitarian aid for allies. Zeronia also joined the Coalition of Allied Forces at this time.
Currently, the Premier is working to further equip the military and raise civil rights standards in the People's Republic. Recently, Zeronia was the victor in the internal operations, Inoculation and Pheonix. Thousands of sleeper cells and Nazi sympathizers were wiped off the streets in an elaborate series of raids and seiges. The Premier declared the nation a Nazi-free state, and has a dedicated force of anti-terror specialists constantly keeping an eye out for activity.
In foreign affairs, Premier Xavier Kazzero has been a great success. For the first time in several hundred years, the disputed territory was given complete sovereignty over its lands. The Premier and several territory delegates worked out a peaceful resolution, and now the disputed territory is the democratic nation of Cup. Overseas, the Premier has made a name for himself, and he plans to start taking an active role in the international community.
His father pulled Zeronia out of it's dark past. He will thrust Zeronia into it's bright future.
It's been a pleasure sharing the rich history of Zeronia with you. Stay tuned, because we are working on another broadcast on the peoples and cultures of Zeronia. Thank you, and good night.
Greetings fellow citizens, and good neighbours. In case you are not familiar with the High Ministry, I am Mr. Uyvan Pralin, Minister of Communication for the People's Republic of Zeronia. I was appointed by the Premier's father a few decades into the life of Zeronia.
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Minister of Communication.
PRE-ZERONIA
The Treaty of Malov, 1818
Today, I will brief you on the rich history of Zeronia, from just before the Sellofane dynasty. Before King Sellofane, Zeronia was made up of several feifdoms under the leadership of several more competing princes. It wasn't until the young warlord Sellofane rose up and tried to unify these feifdoms that there was some sort of order in the land. Sellofane was a mysterious foreigner, of unknown origin, although the consensus is that he was a Slav. His original motives were also unknown. He visited all the princes and offered to protect the collective sovereignty of the feifdoms if he was given control of the armies. Vowing to protect the power of the princes if he was given power over the armies was a tempting deal, as the princes were softened by their aristocratic lifestyle, and had to pay high wages to full-time generals. Sellofane organized a meeting with all 19 princes at his town of residence, Malov. Talking of how he had skilfully taken out opposition in one of the many wars in the west, he convinced all the princes that he was the man that could defend the sovereignty of the fiefdoms. The meeting took seven days. It was then agreed that the princes would halt their inter-regional skirmishes and work on keeping a semi-unified collection of feifdoms, under the protection of Lord Sellofane.
The Unification, 1818 - 1821
Lord Sellofane used a fifth column tactic to unify the fractured states into one large nation. For those not familiar with this tactic, it's when one sends in operatives to rally support for your cause. Normally this would take a while to make a distinguishable effect, but since Sellofane had uncontrolled access to every part of each feifdom, and control of the army, it was much quicker. The army trusted him, and when the princes called for support to suppress civilian movements for unification, Sellofane made excuses, and the army never came to help.
A Kingdom is Born, 1821
By 1821, it was done. The majority wanted a unified state and Sellofane gave it to them. With the army at his side, the warlord was crowned King Sellofane I of the Kingdom of Sellofane. Malov was named the new capital. Under the leadership of the new King, the army was modernized. All soldiers were given new guns with bayonets. The first artillery cannon was put into service on February 1, 1823. King Sellofane I married his long-time friend and ally, Princess Freda Nimariak of the Eastern Feifdom. Their marriage was a grand one, and over 20 000 people came to watch. The young Prince Nik Sellofane was born on August 7th, 1825. King Sellofane I was for the most part a good leader. He was a warlord by trade, but he was tolerant, and did not go about warmongering. Only once during his career did he actually start a war.
The War of the Books, 1837 - 1843
In the winter of 1837, a neighbouring prince began writing lies about the King in their local newspaper. These lies ranged from his incompetence of a leader, to how "unmanageable" he was in the bedchamber. He was the half-brother of one of the princes that lost power during the unification. He was a powerful prince, so the King was polite in asking his neighbour to stop or risk damaging diplomatic relations. The prince continued to spread his propaganda among his people. This struck a chord with King Sellofane I, and war was declared. Over 17 cavalry units, 2 artillery units, and 30 infantry units were involved in the invasion. Although the Royal Army was vastly superior to the prince's forces, the prince used guerrilla tactics, which turned the War of the Books into a very long war. The Stale-Mate Peace Treaty was signed in 1843 after both sides were severely taxed. Whether or not Sellofane was looking to annex the area, the Kingdom's presence in the area was still strong even after the treaty. This became what was later known as the "Disputed Territory".
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Artist's conception of the War of the Books, 1840.
Sellofane II: A Renaissance Man, 1825 - 1856
If there is one pre-Zeronian figure that should be looked up to, it is King Sellofane II. After his father's death in 1858, the bright arts student was apt to make the Kingdom flourish. And it did. In all Zeronian-printed dictionaries, his picture is placed under the definition of "renaissance man". We kid you not. He is also titled for bringing the Industrial Revolution to the Kingdom. 85% of Zeronian rail lines are decendant of those laid down by Sellofane II. Industrialization became a trend from then on. Him and his beautiful Queen Dini Calphonatus set world benchmark standards for civil and religious rights. Together, they worked to lower illiteracy rates, and establish a new university in the town of Nittles. King Sellofane II was also an athlete. He would go out himself and compete among his constituents in sprints, the long jump, and various team sports. He kept the army active, although he had never participated in a war. In the disputed territory, he established a provisionary government that would ease the transition of annexation. That government crumbled in 1849, and the disputed territory was leaderless for two decades after. When the King died, a nation mourned. Sellofaneans, as his people were called, built a modest mausoleum and kept his body preserved there. It (with the body) still exists today as the Sellofane II Memorial.
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Portrait of Sellofane II
Sellofane III: Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
Following the death of Sellofane II, his son, Sellofane III crowned himself King in private, without a glamourous coronation. The last half of the 19th century became known as the dark ages of pre-Zeronian history. King Sellofane III funneled most of the money from industry into his own private stash, and became known as "Number One" among youngsters. Several people lost jobs because of this. In one extreme case, King Sellofane replaced all the farmers with peasant workers who would work for a small percentage of the crop yield. Poverty rates jumped considerably during his rule. He married his sister - a forced marriage - and they had 14 children together. Sellofane III was involved in two wars.
The Four Years War, 1887 - 1891
In 1887, King Sellofane III went on an expansionist frenzy. The Four Years War was actually a war and an occupation. The rich lands north of the mountains was a perfect spot to expand the Sellofanean kingdom. They had several untapped mineral resources, including silver and diamond. King Sellofane III did not formally declare war, as only indiginous and "barbaric" tribes and clans lived up there. It was fairly lawless, and so King Sellofane III's excuse was that they needed liberation. Much like his grandfather's War of the Books, it was a bloody war. The clansmen used guerilla tactics, often having seasoned snipers up in the trees. Sellofane III quickly built makeshift railroads within the uninhabited areas so the Kingdom could send her forces in hordes. The needle-gun, a new technological breakthrough, allowed the Royal Army to reload twice as fast as their opponents. By 1891, Sellofane III had annexed the lands to the north, and slaughtered most of the opposing survivors. Sellofane III also looked towards the south, in the disputed territory. During the Four Years War, Sellofane III sent in soldiers to occupy the disputed territory. Although never actually getting a good hold on the people, Sellofane III had established several posts, and one fort along the interior.
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The Four Years War, 1888.
Ratani's Civil War, 1893 - 1894
The people were not happy with Sellofane III's methods, and under the leadership of Luke Ratani, a rebel force emerged from the Pyrolox Islands. Supporters popped up on the mainland, but they were quickly crushed by Royal forces. On the Pyrolox Islands, a revolutionary government was established, and the whole northeastern section of the Kingdom of Sellofane was against everyone else. Rebel movements along the coast were halted by Royal Navy gunships. For an entire year, Sellofane was on the defensive as he tried to suppress rebel supporters elsewhere in the Kingdom. Luckily, he was isolating the rebels at the same time. The winter of 1893-94 crippled the rebellion, and it was only a matter of time before the Kingdom eliminated all rebel presence from the Kingdom. Ratani's body was found floating near the Pyrolox Islands. Doctors claimed that he took cyanide.
Sellofane IV: A Breath of Fresh Air
In 1901, Sellofane III was poisoned by his eldest son - the product of his incestual relationship. Sellofane IV was often abused by his father, and was determined not to end up like him. He wasn't ready to let his past dictate his future. Sellofane IV was often seen as the just King, the honourable King. He was an aristocrat, but felt dedicated to his people. He made the final steps to bring the Sellofane Kingdom out of the feudal age. He made several modifications to the justice system, which included the idea that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Many of the orphanages that exist in Zeronia today were established by Sellofane IV. His wife, Queen Ophelia, would often be seen at local festivals mingling with the people. The couple always made their faces known to the commoners, and once a year they would work with the people in factories or in the fields in a highly publicized event called Commoner's Day. Sellofane IV made changes to the military, and had many small wars in the southwest, in and around modern-day Zeronia's breadbasket. It was with these small wars that Tony Kazzero made a name for himself.
Sellofane V: Hold Your Breath
After his father's heart attack in 1947, Sellofane V had his coronation. It was the largest ceremony in pre-Zeronian history since the marriage of Sellofane I and Princess Freda. He worked to improve the Kingdom's infrastructure and industry - at the cost of the poor. The Peasant Law was established and enforced, which lowered the wages of non-skilled labourers by 25%. The rich got richer and the poor became dirt poor. Early in his career he made enemies with Tony Kazzero, and instigated the revolutionary movement led by him. After years of fighting, Sellofane was captured in 1953 and the end of the Sellofane Dynasty was inevitable. Sellofane V died in a military prison alone in 1979.
Sellofane Dynasty
Sellofane I - 1794? - 1858
Sellofane II - 1825 - 1856
Sellofane III - 1844 - 1901
Sellofane IV - 1874 - 1947
Sellofane V - 1900 - 1979
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The Sellofane Estate today.
Tony Kazzero: From Peasant to Premier
Tony Kazzero, for those not familiar with his real name, was the first Premier of Zeronia. He was born into a peasant family in the southwestern village of Xanak during the reign of Sellofane IV. After grammar school, he started working and reading books. He taught himself basic calculus and read the works of many well known authors of the time. He worked a number of odd jobs, which included brick cleaning. At age 16, with some pressure from his peers, he joined the Royal Academy of the Armed Forces, where he eventually served as a tank commander. He fought alongside his brothers -in-arms against some of pre-Zeronia's southern neighbours. He did so well on the field that several of his superiors talked of him to the King. When he was 24, he was invited to the prestigious Militarian Ball, where all of the Kingdom's top generals and commanders would eat, drink, and dance until sunset - on the second day! It was a little intimidating, since there were very few young commanders in the army, and no general was under 40. A defining moment for Tony was when he met King Sellofane IV. He was quoted as saying, "The man looked like a polar bear with all his furs on. It's a shame we don't have polar bears around here." When Sellofane IV saw the ambition in Tony's eyes, he put in the good word to his superiors, and by the time Tony was 27 he had raised in the ranks to become a general - the youngest in the Kingdom's history. Tony was not only a good soldier, but a skilled tactician, helping Sellofane IV win many small-scale wars with few casualties.
When the King died, his son, Sellofane V was quick to take over. Sellofane V showed no compassion for his people. He established laws giving traders and business owners more power. The common joke among peasants was that his Board of Advisors consisted of all the historical figures on the kingdom's coins and banknotes. Under Sellofane V, the kingdom suffered many injustices. Tony saw the rich-poor division turn into a gorge at the hand of Sellofane V.
Tony retired as general when he was 33, and turned to politics. He became Royal Elective of the Western Regions. Sellofane V didn't like this, and saw one of his father's top generals turn into a political enemy. Tony didn't have any motives other than to be a civil servant to the people he protected most of his life. When Tony was voted one of the most popular regional governors in the kingdom, Sellofane V was said to have cracked. In a fit of paranoia, Sellofane V closed the borders and ordered the deaths of all members of Tony's family, his mother being the single survivor. Tony had to go into hiding. Luckily, he still had connections in the army which he said later in his life, "Granted me the willpower to stand my ground, and not let him continue to do this."
Tony, using his military connections, established a small but loyal group of revolutionaries. They worked on gathering the necessary resources to knock down the Sellofane leadership. Using similar fifth column tactics which granted Sellofane I victory over almost 150 years earlier, Tony gained support in the west.
For the next two years, Tony rallied against the king, and even instigated a riot near the capital. As an enemy of the kingdom, he had to sleep in a different village every night, and was almost always in disguise. In the village of Nakarna, he met his beautiful wife, Jocelyn; a baker, and the daughter of a bazaar owner. Their love was not greeted with happiness from her parents - strong supporters of Sellofane V - and both had to run away or get caught. After having nearly died himself at the hands of Royal Police, Tony vowed to make a difference that he could realize within his lifetime. He used his influence in the west to gain military support. Still commanding the respect of his soldiers, Tony planned and executed a coup d'etat against the Sellofane regime. Over 80% of the populace and armed forces were on Tony Kazzero's side. He promised
them that the fair lands and peoples of the Sellofane Kingdom would not be exploited any longer. The battle at Malov was a long one, and most of the city lay in ruins when it was over. It is interesting to not that it wasn't the army alone that ousted the king. The people, peasants and middle class alike, joined together with small arms and cornered Sellofane V into his grand palace. Sellofane V spent the rest of his days in a military prison. Tony Kazzero set up a provisional government to keep the nation safe from anarchism. He appointed seven of his close friends to become Directors of the Incorporated States. These would later be the first members of the High Ministry. Being the most fit candidate, Tony was proclaimed leader of the Free People. He renamed the kingdom and its provinces the Incorporated States of Zeronia, after the city (later the capital) where he met Sellofane IV, Zeron.
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General Tony Kazzero briefs a guerilla platoon.
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Malov after the revolution, 1953.
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The revolutionary army marches in Zeron, 1953.
Zeronia: 1954 - present
As Premier, his first job was to restructure the whole economic system. For too long the industry of the Kingdom was exploiting the land and its people. Though Tony Kazzero was not against capitalism, his fight eventually turned the corrupt capitalist system upside down, and all industry was under the control of the government. He gave the farms back to the people. The farmers were paid well and allowed a variable percentage of the crop yield. Under the People's Work Protection Act, wages were raised to 15% above those from before the Peasant Law's enactment. All Zeronian citizens were deemed free people, with the freedom to choose what they'd like to do. The Premier set up an open border policy, which brought a huge influx of workers, professionals, and refugees, which would make Zeronia the cosmopolitan nation that it is today. Religious and racial tolerance was key to Zeronia's success, and although traitors were dealt with swiftly, those who did not agree with Zeronian policies were free to leave.
In 1960, the Premier established the High Ministry to act as his emissary as he could not be everywhere at once. In 1963, the Premier increased police and soldier numbers three-fold to deal with potential threats to the south. In 1964, the military manufacturer, ZIMM, was formed and had contracts to build for the Zeronian army. Meanwhile, he began a pull out of troops in the disputed territory, and allowed its citizens to limited self-rule. For the first time in decades there was peace in the disputed territory.
Outside of the outlandish security measures, the Premier led a humble life. Much like his mentor, Sellofane IV, he would go out and work on the farms and the fisheries with his people. He and his wife Jocelyn worked hard to bring about social justice and social welfare within the Zeronian borders. Together they had four children (from oldest to youngest): Xavier, Morpheus, Lina, and Damien. It would be common to see the family spending time together at local events. According to his children and wife, he was the best father and husband anyone could have.
In 1977, the Premier made several additions to the High Ministry, which included: the Ministry of Communication, the Ministry of Keeping Secrets, the Ministry of Recreation, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry of Public Safety. He also banned opposition parties, so he could stay in power. Political freedoms dropped dramatically. Opposition parties weren't officially banned, but extreme parties were, in accordance to the Political Protection Act. In that same year, he renamed Zeronia the People's Republic of Zeronia.
The year of 1979 was a good one. The economy was doing much better, despite the government's overbearing presence in industry. Every member of the army was stocked with an AK-47 assault rifle, and a combat knife. In the eastern town of Porifera, Zeronia's first People's Court was put into service. A citizen-sponsored event congratulated the Premier on his achievements; over 25 municipalities in the west celebrated for twelve days. The entire extravaganza was televised, showing the great diversity of cultures and people.
In 1982, the Premier permitted rock bands to play in Zeronia, as long as their song lyrics did not involve bringing down the "establishment". Those that did not follow this rule were seen as ungrateful, and disappeared soon after. In September of that same year, he came to one of the concerts in the Zeron metro area. He described it later to the state press as "an unusual, but exhilarating experience." In just a few more years, the Premier relaxed more music laws, allowing several other emerging genres to gain popularity among the people.
After the great earthquake that left the north in ruin led the way for economic implosion in June, 1983. The work of thousands of Zeronian and international aid workers, and hundreds of construction crews took several months before the north was habitable again. The earthquake took over 40 000 lives. Later that year, the Premier declared October 1st a national holiday, comemmorating Zeronian independence. Although everyone would celebrate in October, it was not made official until 1983.
The Premier's health started to deteriorate in the 80s. He was hospitalized in 1984 for a brief amount of time because of heart-related problems - although this was never revealed to the public until the Premier went on sick-leave in 1986. He spent this time with his family, and let the High Ministry take care of most of Zeronia's affairs. In the late 80s his eldest son, Xavier Kazzero, began to make a name for himself in Zeronian politics. He was designated Deputy Premier, in the event that his father became incapacitated. Little did they know that it would happen sooner than later.
The first war in which Zeronia was acting as a major party was the Deutsch-Zeronian War, against Nazi Deutschlande. It all started when an inside Nazi sympathizer made an attempt on the Premier's life. His son, who automatically assumed command, caught the perpetrator and executed him. The origin of this assassin was Nazi Deutschlande. After a lot of war rhetoric between the two leaders, Zeronia declared war on the small nation. The war was swift, with minimal casualties. Nazi Deutschlande agreed never to attack Zeronia or her allies ever again. But there was still one problem: the Nazi terror cells still existed within the Zeronian borders. The young Xavier's Clean Sweep operation lasted one week, and resulted in the arrest of over 1000 Nazi terror members. During this time, most citizens did not even go to work. The People's Republic was at a standstill. This was forgiven by the Premier's son, as the circumstances deemed these actions acceptable. As the army swept through major population centres, the Premier was still in critical condition. It was only two months after the victory against the terrorists that the Premier was in good enough shape to run the country again.
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Zeronian soldiers looking over a Nazi internment camp.
The Nazi scare was overshadowed by nationalism when the new Ministry of Space and Exploration declared the first launch of a Zeronian satellite. The Octopus-1 satellite launch was a total success, and it is still in orbit today, collecting vast information about the upper atmosphere. Following the launch, the Premier publicly announced the new economic policy. The goal was to get out of economic implosion and make Zeronia a world power. Within the Premier's last few months alive, the economy was just barely ranked as "basket-case" by the international community.
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Octopus-1
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Octopus-2
Tony Kazzero's death was a complete tragedy for the People's Republic. The grand funeral and memorial services were televised, and state-produced documentaries of the late Premier were broadcast frequently. Officially, there was a week of mourning where work was optional. Unofficially, the mourning passed many months, and it wasn't until nine months later that the People's Republic had returned to an almost normal state. His son, Xavier, automatically took power. He promised to continue the task of facilitating economic growth, revitalizing the educational system, protecting the environment, and beefing up the military. In the two years following the old Premier's death, Zeronia's economy became reasonable, ten new universities were built, the tree octopus was given special status in Zeronia, and ZIMM signed 31 new contracts with the government. Zeronia indirectly participated in a few wars, sending humanitarian aid for allies. Zeronia also joined the Coalition of Allied Forces at this time.
Currently, the Premier is working to further equip the military and raise civil rights standards in the People's Republic. Recently, Zeronia was the victor in the internal operations, Inoculation and Pheonix. Thousands of sleeper cells and Nazi sympathizers were wiped off the streets in an elaborate series of raids and seiges. The Premier declared the nation a Nazi-free state, and has a dedicated force of anti-terror specialists constantly keeping an eye out for activity.
In foreign affairs, Premier Xavier Kazzero has been a great success. For the first time in several hundred years, the disputed territory was given complete sovereignty over its lands. The Premier and several territory delegates worked out a peaceful resolution, and now the disputed territory is the democratic nation of Cup. Overseas, the Premier has made a name for himself, and he plans to start taking an active role in the international community.
His father pulled Zeronia out of it's dark past. He will thrust Zeronia into it's bright future.
It's been a pleasure sharing the rich history of Zeronia with you. Stay tuned, because we are working on another broadcast on the peoples and cultures of Zeronia. Thank you, and good night.