Fryslân (The Kalmar Union)

The Duchy of Fryslan, Fryslan, Friesland, Frisa, is a small constitutional monarchy in the Holy Roman Empire. It lies North of Luxembourg and to the West of Denmark and Munster. It also owns the Austral Islands or 'South Frysian Islands' in the South-Central Roasjoinn which it administers as Frysian Polynesia. Its capital is Groningen and it has a population of around 1.3 million.

Frysian is the only official language of Fryslan but Dutch and German are also spoken as minority languages. The native language of the South Frysian Islanders has all but ceased to to be used.

Fryslan uses the Frysian Gilder (FYG).

History
An independent kingdom until the 15th century when the reduced Duchy of Friesia was made an Imperial march, and was made a Luxembourgiose fief in 1463 after its native dynasty died out. After the War of Anglian Succession the duchy was handed to Anglia to make up for the loss of its other continental properties.

Anglia's isolation from European affairs sat uneasily with the Frysians and the duchy finally rebelled in 1649 during the Fifty Years War, angry that Anglia was doing nothing to help their co-religionists in the northern empire. Kalmar help prevented it falling to Luxembourg during the final stages of the war.

A poorly timed alliance with Luxembourg led indirectly to the Luxembourg-Anglian War (1723-1738) which saw occupation by Anglia, however it regained its independence at the close of the war.

Fryslan has passed through periods of alternate Kalmar and Luxembourgoise dominance, but has kept its independence by playing these elements off each other. It has followed Luxembourg's lead in establishing trading forts in India and has co-operated with Denmark extensively in the Roasjoinn.

Government
Fryslan's current head of state is Duke Stephan III. His Prime Minister is Peter Uiterwijk. General elections are carried out every five years. It was one of the first countries of Europe to grant votes for women.

Frysian Polynesia
As part of the Kalmar-Fryslan Treaty of 1916 Denmark ceded the Austral Island chain (the southernmost part of its Polynesian islands) to Fryslan. The islanders are traditionally peaceful and have accepted Frysian rule with little fuss.

The islands are remote, sparsely populated and much of the economy is geared towards the resupply of Frysian and other Imperial ships operating in the Southern Roasjoinn. Despite their apparent lack of worth Fryslan is proud of its Roasjoinn holdings and November 15th is celebrated as 'Polynesia Day' in the country. Many notable and wealthy Frysians make the trip to Frysian Polynesia at least once and the excellent literacy and mortality rates of the islanders are a direct result of the donations of the investment made in them.