Abernakriga (The Kalmar Union)

Abernakriga, is a medium sized republic, in the North-East of Leifia. It is bordered to the West by the Six Nations, the South by Kanienmark and the East by Passamaquoddia. Across the Breidurass to the North lies Algonquinland and the Fjallasay portion of Vinland. Its capital is Wolinak and the population is around 1.3 million.

The current head of state is Hafdis Obomsawin.

The official language is Abernaki. However, there are areas in the north where Algonquin, Haudenosaunee and Vinlandic are the majority languages and they have equal rights in those areas.

It uses the Abernaki Kronor (ANK).

History
Transformed from a small tribal nation in the 12th century by the arrival of the Norse, and iron weapons, horses and livestock, the Abernaki soon conquered their neighbours and define borders with their expanding neighbours. In 1122 they are recorded as helping the Vinlanders conquer the Northern Wampanoags and a treaty of friendship, now lost, was apparently agreed 7 years prior to that. For most of the early medieval period the country, land-locked, poor and sparsely populated, was barely mentioned by the Vinlandic chroncles. Indeed Abernaki sources record the centuries as the 'time of growing' rather than the 'time of fighting' that came before, during which the foundations of the future agricultural wealth of the country was established alongside good methods of government.

It was however during this period that the country absorbed a great deal of Vinlandic influence. Many present day personal names are Vinlandic in origin and the language is heavily indebted to Nordic in general.

The advent of the Great Northern War (1493-1501) changed the fortunes of the country. Although initially defeated by the all-conquering Algonqins they soon siezed the southern shore of the Breidurass. The Abernaki historian, Penob Kennebec's account of the war is one of the clearest sources we have of it. On the settlement Abernakriga not only received its portion of the Southern shore, but also a section of Algonquinland itself. The unimpeded access to the growing Briedurass trade kick started a population boom and the growth of cities but also led to an increasingly autocratic rule by the militarily confident kings.

Lutheranism spread amongst the Abernaki from around 1531, sweeping away both Catholic and Pagan worship alike. It actively campaigned as part of Vinland's Leifian Protestant League during the Leifian Wars of Religion. Although the war would eventually be seen as a failure for the Protestant powers, the exploits of its armies on the Kanienmark front form a large part of its national myth.

The continued heavy government of the Abernaki kings was tolerated largely because the growing middle class did well out of trade and farming. However the so-called 'Leifian Crisis' years would spell an end to the dynasty. After the bursting of the Chesapeake company bubble in 1816 several Leifian economies began to falter as investments dried up and loans called in. In an attempt to hide the problem under a wave of patriotism Abernakriga declared war on the equally turmoiled Six Nations. The 'Elm War' (1824-1826) achieved nothing of value and when the Abernaki troops returned home with no money to pay them the entire country rose in revolt. The Abernaki Revolt (1826-1835) resulted in a vast scale-back in royal power. A pro-royalist revolt in 1857 led to the abolition of the royal house and confiscation of their property.

Henceforth Abernakriga was declared a republic. It kept the title Abernakriga (Vinlandic for Kingdom of the Abernaki) as by that point 'riga' had simply come to mean 'national land' in the Abernaki language. Since the overthrow it has been a quiet but industrious and forward looking nation.

Abernakriga is a member of the 4th Kalmar Union.

Government
Abernakriga is regarded as extremely liberal, even within the generally liberal Kalmar and North-East Leifian community. This is as much a reaction against the previously autocratic rule of its kings as a conscious choice of the

people. It was the first sovereign territory on the world to grant votes to women and Hadfis Obomsawin remains the only elected female head of state in the world. Her head of government is Odanak Tahamontsson.

In the counties where non-Abernaki are in the majority there is considerable local government autonomy and various education tends to be conducted in whichever language is dominant.

There is a comprehensive welfare state and a high level of taxation. This has led to a high standard of living, little real poverty and many neighbouring countries are looking to mimic Abernaki reforms in their own nations.