Altramont

Altramont, fully styled Kingdom of Altramont on the Ligure, is a landlocked kingdom in southern Artopa, bordering Carrisia to the south, Koroush and Bulistan to the east and Krastave to the west. Nestled between the Ligure and the Dubre lies the capital city of Altra-Casterna. Altramont's most populous city, Borgo Dell'Ligra, acts as the secondary capital of Altramont. Despite both these cities being population centers, most of the administration in Altramont is housed in the ancient capital of Domitian, the original Altriote capital. Most crownings, burials and diets have taken place in this city since the year 1009. Altramont is a mountainous country, most of its territory contains the Altriote alps, a mineral-rich series of mountains within which Altramont's highest peak, the Dubri Cherna can be found.

Etymology
The name Altramont is derived from the appearance of the Dubri Cherna, Altramont's highest peak. The first written mention of Altramont was in the Charter of Dionisius of 503 under the name "Altum Mons". In Lyngarian sources, the current geographical region of Altramont was first given its name in the Lyngarian Code of 750.

Principality of Lyngaria
Prior to the settling of the Vaugyr in 964 the Principality of Lyngaria, a breakaway state of the Subtorrian Empire, dominated the Altriote alps. The rise of the Lyngarians saw a return to older forms of worship which was typical of southern Artopa. It was around this time that Ligraeus, a national Ligurian hero, was documented to decimating a Subtorrian army during the battle of the Duryatic Plains (741?). The battle saw the end of SUbtorrian dominion over Lyngarians and Feldo-Carrysians.

Arrival of the Vaugyr
964 A.D. saw the arrival of the Tvennic Vaugyr and Zaravan Dombradii, northern Artopan tribes fleeing the (I have no idea) Khanate. First settling the mouth of the Beta Ligra, they then pushed into the Lyngarian Principality, resulting in the creation of the Vaugyr Confederation, a mish-mash of Vaugyr and Lyngarian dukes disgruntled with the current Lyngarian monarchy. The principality at the time was in a state of tyranny and decadence, with its main noble family being especially despised by the Lyngarian peasantry and nobility of the high countries, more specifically in the region of Alta-Monte. Its monarch, Paolo-Gaetano IIV of the Taragoneio dynasty, subjected High-Lyngarians to extreme cruelty, with his troops regularly plundering the villages and mines of the region in order to bring it back to the capital.



The Vaugyr saw the plight of the High-Lyngarians and decided to make their move into the much richer lower countries. Sources report that a Lyngarian general by the name of Agariccio (Agarich Loter, in Altriote sources) organized a 10,000-man strong army of Vaugian troops to raid the lower countries. His attacks were not met without resistance though, as a 50,000-man strong army of Lyngarians led by a veteran of the first Vaugian settling 10 years ago, Trajan Bodaggio, was sent to combat the Vaugian threat. The raids culminated in the sack of the ancient capital of Casternum in 973 and the battle of Locci in the same year which saw the demise of the Taragoneio dynasty and the depopulation of lower Lyngaria.

The utter chaos which ensued after the destruction of the Lyngarian monarchy allowed the Vaugyr to settle the lower countries, eventually replacing the dwindling Lyngarian population in the area. Many Lyngarians loyal to the Taragoneio tyrants living in the now aptly-named region of Dombradia fled for the east and south, into Carrisia.

Carrisian Proselytization
The new Vaugian confederation under the Galind dynasty saw an age of large socio-economic advancement. Prince Orolan Ligros introduced a written code of law which was rapidly adopted by low-country Vaugian and Lyngarians alike, while also allowing Carrisian priests to travel into the low countries to proselytize in the name of the Theodorian faith. Altriote historians generally refer to this period as the "Pre-Altriote era". It wasn't until the year 1000 A.D. that the low-country population entirely embraced Theodarity. The faith began to spread into the high-countries, but saw a lot of backlash. Reprisal occurred when a Carrysian priest was martyred by Lyngarian peasants in the high-countries. The Lyngarians of the high-countries rejected what they saw as a tyrannical move by the Vaugian prince; Orolan's Law (or "Lex Orolanus") adopted many ideas from the Lyngarian law codes of yore, and yet, abolished the idea that different people should live under different laws. Adopting such a law would greatly diminish the power of Lyngarian nobles and grant greater centralization to the confederation.

Vaugian Crusades
The high-countries essentially broke off from the confederation in 1024 A.D. after the lynching of Carrysian priest Athagalind Mendos. Theodorite Vaugians and Lyngarians, assisted by a contingent of Carrysian warrior-monks began to enter the Altra-Montes, fighting back poorly trained armies of Lyngarian peasants. This war saw the development of the dreaded Altriote Vulga, a type of inexpensive very long spear wielded by peasantry and elite troops alike. It became a symbol of Vaugian and, eventually, Altriote control over the Ligurian people.

The Lyngarians finally bent the knee to the Vaugyr prince a year after their entry into the Altra-Montes. High-Lyngarians were slowly converted to Theodarity and the rebellious nobles were executed in Domitian. New Vaugyr landowners came to the area to establish mining colonies, while the iron-rich city of Domitian was made part of the prince's domain, eventually becoming the capital of the confederation.

King Ouranos and the Rose Diet
When Prince Orolan died heirless in 1056, a meeting of nobles was organized in the city of Domitian to find a suitable heir for the throne. The nobility came into agreement that Orolan's nephew Ouranos Vortega would be the most suited to become prince of the Confederation; he spent his formative years overseeing Vaugian mining operations in the area while also taking part in the subjugation of the high countries. Ouranos was crowned as Princeps Domitius a year later, in the new capital of Domitian. A palace was built overseeing the newly constructed royal mines, followed by a garrison to enforce the will of the prince.

In 1062, prince Ouranos began an assembly in the Domitian palace seeking the support of Lyngarians and Vaugians alike to further enforce the Lex Orolanus and Theodarite worship in far-eastern Altramont. Cathedrals and smaller places of worship were built in the valleys of the high countries following the success of the assembly, further spreading the influence of the Peteran Church and the Artopan language. Artopan began to influence the Vaugian and Lyngarian tongues, shaping them into Altriote and Ligurian respectively. Those who formerly called themselves Vaugian now considered themselves inhabitants of the high-mountains, Altriotes. Seeking to further establish his rule, Ouranos summoned the assembly once more to establish a Most Theodarite Kingdom on the grounds of the ancient principality of Lyngaria. The Kingdom of Altramont was established a year later in 1063 and the Rose Diet; its deliberative body followed the same day.