Africa (Fidem Pacis)

The Kingdom of Africa is a country in north Africa, with both the country and the continent being named after the historical region of Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Morocco to the west and Mali, Niger and Chad to the south. Apart from the region immediately adjacent to the coast, most of the country is desert and inhabited only by nomadic Berber tribes.

The African coast was formerly controlled by many different peoples and nations, including Numidia, Carthage, Cyrene and Garama. The region came under Roman rule in the 2nd century BC and became a hotbed of Roman culture, with several emperors being of African origin. It was lost to the Vandals in the early 5th century, was reconquered by the great general Belisarius in 533, and subsequently became part of the restored Western Roman Empire. Africa became independent once more in 715 following the division of the Western Empire, and quickly became a powerful kingdom in its own right.

During the 9th and 10th centuries the Utican Dynasty of Africa conquered the Eastern Empire and then drove the Bulgars out of Anatolia and the Balkans. The capital was moved to Antioch and Africa itself slowly became a backwater, far from the centre of political power - but nevertheless this would have important implications, as it introduced Africa and Western Europe to the new doctrine of Islam which was already so common in the east. African missionaries would play a major role in spreading the faith - so much so that in 1142 the Caliph elevated the Archbishopric of Carthage to a Patriarchy, on equal standing with Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria.

Nevertheless Africa remained neglected, and discontent grew so much that in the 1540's the diocese broke out into open rebellion. At another time perhaps things would have gone differently, but the Empire was already struggling to put down revolts in Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia and Palestine and could not spare any troops for Africa. With support from Wales and the Holy Roman Empire, Aquitaine was able to defeat the imperial garrisons and achieve full independence, which was eventually recognised by the war-weary Empire in 1585.

Since then Africa has played a major part in the politics of Europe. It has enjoyed close relations with Spain, Aquitaine and Italy for centuries, except for a period around the turn of the 19th century when it was occupied by Aquitaine under Napoleone Buonaparte. It joined the victorious coalition against Napoleone, as a reward for which it was granted Sicily and the Baleares, though it later sold them back to Aquitaine. Africa took part in the colonial rush of the end of the century, with its modern southern border being defined at the Aachen Conference of 1884-1885, and Cyrenaica was gained from Egypt after the end of the First Great War of 1914-1918.

Africa today is a powerful country at the crossroads between the developed and developing worlds. Its major exports are oil, textiles and solar power, while imports of new technology are increasing every year. It is a member of MTO, the African Union, the Latin Union and the UN, and is an observer state of the European Union. African troops have taken part in peacekeeping operations across the world, including in New France, Arabia, Ethiopia, Patagonia and most recently in Mali, and Africa has diplomatic relations with almost every recognised sovereign state in the world.