Passamaquoddia (The Kalmar Union)

Passamquoddia is a large sized constitutional monarchy in North-East Leifia. It is bordered by Vinland to the East, Abernakriga and Kanienmark to the West and Álengiamark to the South. Across the Brieduras to the North is Algonquinland. The capital is Quispamis and the population is around 5.3 million.

The official language is Passamaquoddy.

The Head of State is King Qonas III.

The currency is the Passamquoddy Krona (PQK).

History
Originally a nomadic tribe used to hunting freely in the forests and islands of North-East Leifia the Passamaquoddy and their related tribes were transformed into settled farmers by the arrival of the Norse into Leifia. As the Vinlanders expanded into Eikland iron and domesticated animals began to spread amongst the Passamaquoddy. The raising of the Eikveggur wall across the entrance to Eikland in 1101 effectively stopped their annual hunting trips into the peninsula and forced them to settle down. They were however a generally peaceful tribe and accepted Norse assistance with the defense of their slowly growing villages and towns. Then when Vinland turned southwards into the Sudervik they provided much needed manpower to overcome the more numerous Wampanoag tribe.

Medieval Passamaquoddia was a minor military power. However, most of its energies were directed inwards. Still a heavily tribal society, unlike its neighbours who were busy building unitary states, Passamaquoddy authority often devolved to three or four minor kings under a nominal High King at Quispamis. The competing factions would then fight amongst each other for the high crown and each other's fealty. This pattern continued off an on until the Great Northern War where it was comprehensively outclassed by the freshly Europeanised armies of Algonquinland. The regional power of the north was shattered and while the war rumbled on in the Western provinces the East coast took the opportunity to stamp its authority. The previously sidelined Pesketegwe kings rose to prominence and forged a united identity for the country, laid a network of roads across the densely forested and hilly interior and outlawed residual tribal practises. Under their rule Passamaquoddia was modernised enough to keep pace with its more dynamic neighbours but it made the country less flexible and ensured the strong Wampanoag tribes of the south would be a permanent source of unrest. It did however ensure a relatively smooth transition to Lutheranism once the Reformation took hold in Leifia.

Strengthening trade with Europe and Africa, Passamaquoddia was the first non-Norse Leifia nation to begin trade with India. And with Vinlandic agreement it also took the central Lucayan islands to better secure cross Atlantic trade. It was part of the Leifian delgation to the Pope in 1555 that ensured equal treatment for Leifian traders in Europe.

Fully committed to the Leifian War of Religion (1565-1574) it faced the wrath of Portugal whose fleet cut Passamaquoddia off from its trade routes and whose army devastated much of the more populated southern land. It spent much the next century rebuilding the south, a process that went hand in hand with forcing the Wampanoags into ever more marginal land. Several revolts, especially at the height of the 1st Mexic-Leifian War, threatened to undo all the work the and divide the kingdom once more. Three civil wars (1678), (1724-1726) and (1729-1730) shook the region and when Vinland stepped in to rescue the monarchy after another large revolt in 1790 it was close to simply taking over its government and running it as a colony. Instead it bowed to the regionalist tendencies creating in effect three separate kingdoms. This briefly solved the problem however the North ran up huge debts during the Leifian Crisis and had to reincorporated into a centralised state.

A fourth civil war (1824-1827) was a narrow victory for monarchist forces. The moderate democrats hoped the king would allow a growth in the power of the Thing but would be disappointed. The King and his retinue only assumed more power. While the middle classes have enriched themselves thanks to the lucrative trade routes and this power was little challenged. However, as industry turns the towns into cities and its merchant fleet is no longer the power it once was, the monarchy's influence is beginning to come under scrutiny. Long oppressed, many Wampanoag groups are turning to ever more radical ideas and methods to prise concessions out of Quispamis.

Passamaquoddia joined the 4th Kalmar Union in 1906.

Goverment
Passamaquoddia is governed in a unicameral system with elections held every 6 years. The current head of state is King Qonas III and his Chief Minister is Erik Akagi. In comparison to its liberal neighbour Abernakriga, Passamaquoddia is often regarded as stuffy and reactionary. It is probably true that its citizens are more conservative.

The monarchy has often come into criticism for what some regard as overly-ostentatious lifestyles especially whilst widespread poverty remains a issue. Qonas III has attempted to make the monarchy closer to the people in his first three years on throne.